We’d heard rumors about it yesterday and 9to5mac just published the story (tho it hasn’t yet been picked up by other sites like macrumors yet surprisingly… was there an embargo that is being ignored? -update 8:54 am CT – macrumors does have a story now)

Included as a free update are these features and more… read on for details.

• multicam editing that automatically syncs up to 64 angles of video and photos;
• advanced chroma keying for handling complex adjustments right in the app;
• enhanced XML for a richer interchange with third party apps and plug-ins that support the fast growing Final Cut Pro X ecosystem
• new 7toX app from Intelligent Assistance uses XML to import Final Cut Pro 7 projects into Final Cut Pro X (note this is not included but it is a supported 3rd part app (see larry jordan post))
• includes a beta of broadcast monitoring that supports Thunderbolt devices as well as PCIe cards

UPDATE 1 8:50am: here’s an interesting post about the updates from Larry Jordan – including more details on the FCP7 transfer that was written by Philip Hodgets (remember the interview we did with him?) and Greg Clark. A must read!

UPDATE 2: 8:56 – Philip Hodgetts updated us with this tweet: “7toX absolutely needs the updated XML 1.1 from 10.0.3 so fair enough! And $10 is like free almost ” — you can find the app here

UPDATE 3 9:00 – macrumors notes: Update: Apple has also released Motion 5.0.2 [Mac App Store, $49.99], bringing several enhancements to the effect editor that serves as a companion to Final Cut Pro.

UPDATE 4 9:05 – Apple has updated their FCPX page with details.

As of this writing, 10.0.3 is not available in my app store account. Will update you when it is. It is now available in the App Store – and so is the 7toX app!

More from 9to5mac

Here’s a snippet from 9to5mac – read the whole story for all the details

Apple this morning updated its Final Cut Pro X video editing software with the much-needed new capabilities. A significant update, Final Cut Pro X version 10.0.3 appeases to pro editors with two new features: Multicam editing which automatically syncs up to 64 angles of video and photos and broadcast monitoring. The software also advances XML 1.1 support for better plug-in compatibility, it supports media relinking and boasts enhanced chroma keying with edge quality, light wrap and color sampling. Also important, users can import layered Photoshop files.

Multicam editing is done in a typical Apple fashion: In addition to taking advantage of the timecode to sync camera angles, Final Cut Pro X can also sync scenes using audio waveforms. As for broadcast monitoring that lets you connect to waveform displays, vectorscopes, and calibrated, high-quality monitors to ensure that your project meets broadcast specifications. This requires a Mac Pro with a PCIe card or a Thunderbolt device. In the case of the latter, customers will be able to monitor their project live, while on a shoot.

Interesting, broadcast monitoring is being released as a beta feature, which is unusual for Apple. Then again, the iPhone 4S digital secretary named Siri is also in beta so perhaps this marks a change at Apple towards getting major new features out of the gate as soon as possible and smoothing out the rough edges over time.

The update is free for anyone that owns Final Cut Pro X, a $299 download from the Mac App Store. Go past the fold for the press release. By the way, if you’re stuck with Final Cut Pro 7 project, there’s now a new app called 7toX by Assited Editing. A $99 value, it takes the pain out by letting you easily convert your old files to Final Cut Pro X projects.

PR from Apple

CUPERTINO, California—January 31, 2012—Apple® today released Final Cut Pro® X v10.0.3, a significant update to its revolutionary professional video editing application, which introduces multicam editing that automatically syncs up to 64 angles of video and photos; advanced chroma keying for handling complex adjustments right in the app; and enhanced XML for a richer interchange with third party apps and plug-ins that support the fast growing Final Cut Pro X ecosystem. Available today as a free update from the Mac® App Store™, Final Cut Pro X v10.0.3 also includes a beta of broadcast monitoring that supports Thunderbolt devices as well as PCIe cards.

Final Cut Pro X v10.0.3 includes a collection of groundbreaking new tools for editing multicam projects. Final Cut Pro X automatically syncs clips from your shoot using audio waveforms, time and date, or timecode to create a Multicam Clip with up to 64 angles of video, which can include mixed formats, frame sizes and frame rates. The powerful Angle Editor allows you to dive into your Multicam Clip to make precise adjustments, and the Angle Viewer lets you play back multiple angles at the same time and seamlessly cut between them.

Final Cut Pro X builds upon its robust, one-step chroma key with the addition of advanced controls including color sampling, edge adjustment and light wrap. You can tackle complex keying challenges right in Final Cut Pro X, without having to export to a motion graphics application, and view your results instantly with realtime playback.

In the seven months since launch, the third party ecosystem around Final Cut Pro X has expanded dramatically. XML-compatible software like DaVinci Resolve and CatDV provide tight integration for tasks such as color correction and media management. The new 7toX app from Intelligent Assistance uses XML to import Final Cut Pro 7 projects into Final Cut Pro X. In addition, some of the industry’s largest visual effects developers, including GenArts and Red Giant, have developed motion graphics plug-ins that take advantage of the speed and real-time preview capabilities of Final Cut Pro X.

Broadcast monitoring in Final Cut Pro X is currently in beta and allows you to connect to waveform displays, vectorscopes, and calibrated, high-quality monitors to ensure that your project meets broadcast specifications. Final Cut Pro X supports monitoring of video and audio through Thunderbolt I/O devices, as well as through third party PCIe cards.

Pricing & Availability
Final Cut Pro X v10.0.3 is available from the Mac App Store for $299.99 (US) to new users, or as a free update for existing Final Cut Pro X customers. A 30-day free trial of Final Cut Pro X is available at www.apple.com/finalcutpro/trial. Full system requirements and more information on Final Cut Pro X can be found at www.apple.com/finalcutpro.

[source: thanks to @benpieper for the tweet]

(cover photo credit: snap from earlier posts about FCPX)

Ok, I admit it right up front, this has very little to do with HDSLR (tho there is a very short clip of an RC drone with a DSLR on it but I don’t know if the whole clip was filmed with it)… but this is just cool and I love the concept – so I’m sharing it with you!

Remote Control planes made to look like people flying around the city of New York. Superman anyone?

Flying People in New York City

Description from youtube

Three human shaped RC planes were flown around New York City to create the illusion of people flying. Lots of fun.

The music track is "Unstoppable 2" by Tom Quick. Get it here: http://www.audionetwork.com/production-music/unstoppable_45675.aspx

via Flying People in New York City – YouTube.

[source: tweet from paul joy]

(cover photo credit: snap from the video)

I found these two new videos from Joe McNally who’s had his hands all over the Nikon D4 and wanted to share them with you.

Joe McNally Photography- Little Freddie King, Livin’ The Blues

Snip from Joe’s post

Little Freddie King is the real deal. He hopped the rails at the age of 14, and went from his family farm in Mississippi down to New Orleans, ’cause that town was swayin’ with sound, and he knew he had to be there. The ever magical Lynn Delmastro in our studio got in touch with him, and his manager, “Wacko” Wade Wright, and we were invited, briefly, into his life, and his music. It was enriching and wonderful to be around Little Freddie. I doubt a nicer man ever picked up a guitar.

via Nikon D4 Video….The Blues in His Shoes…. « Joe McNally’s Blog.

Another BTS with the Nikon D4

Another post Joe did on the Nikon D4 last week with some BTS (with some D7000 mixed in)

We’ve got some major thank you’s to offer as we dipped our toe into the waters of video. First off to Nikon who trusted us with this project and their hand built, prototype D4 cameras. (See the video to reference the fact that I broke one–slightly.) And to Gen Umei, from the K&L agency in Tokyo, who is a wonderful friend and a wondrous art director. And as always to his colleague, Aoyagi Toshiaki, who we have known for years simply as Mr. Blue. Marco Tortato of the Manfrotto Corporation provided us with simple, wonderful tools to execute shots. And Victor Ha and Brian Hynes of Cinevate were wise counsel in the background, and additionally, offered us the use of sliders and shoulder rigs. All of this is gear we’re just getting used to, and the fact that there are people in this industry willing to help and teach is one of the truly special things about being any type of shooter, still or video.

Major props go out to Drew Gurian, in our studio, who kept pursuing this behind the scenes stuff, even though he often had a cranky and not particularly photogenic subject (me) and a world of other things to think about. Mike Corrado of Nikon, who was not only our liaison with Nikon, but also our technical advisor in the field, chipped in with a few closeups of Cora, our sweet, 9600 pound star of a pachyderm.

We had fun on the set, as you’ll see. The video is a mix of D7000 and D4.

(cover photo credit: snap from the second video)

I can’t tell you how far behind on some things I am because frankly I don’t have a way to quantify it – but I’ve got a dozen or so Canon EOS C300 stories I haven’t yet made time to publish – but I just found this Canon EOS C300 ‘test’ movie that hasn’t been covered by anyone yet (and only has about 650 views in the 12 days it has been online) so I thought I’d try to get it some attention. Most of my other Canon EOS C300 stories have been covered by other blogs so you’ve probably seen them already anyway.

This is a simple story with what appears to be a Canon EOS C300 movie trait – a time or space warping of some kind (remember Vincent Laforet’s film “Mobius”?).

There are also plenty of BTS photos on the movie’s vimeo page

Hope you enjoy!

Parallel

Description

PRONEWS asked me to write a review on EOS C300 over the last year-end. To explore the camera and its potential in the shortest time, I decided to shoot a short film with it …for, after all, its a Cinema EOS, right?. Knowing it would be a no-budget project, I wrote a simple script and called up some friends to see if they had the time to donate for the project. So this is how this little piece was born. I hope youd enjoy watching it as much as we enjoyed creating it.Bonze : Ichiro Anabuki | Gent : Uoken | Special Appearance : Eriko Sugawara | Producer : Yuichi Hori | DP & Steadicam Operation : Akihiro Kanai | Assistant Camera : Hiroshi Iwanaga | Gaffer : Chikashi Ichinose | Grip : Hiroaki Kurosawa | 3D Modelling & VFX : Yuji Yoshikai | Title Calligraphy : Eririn | Title Design & Animation : Takashi Ueda | Still Photo : Reika Matsubayashi | Advisor : Kazunori Murabayashi | Written, Directed and Edited : raitankPRONEWS raitank blog : raitank.jp/

[source: tweet from @documovie]

(cover photo credit: snap from the video)

Cinevate sent us this Dromos Bowl Riser PR last week and quite frankly, since I don’t do a lot of “heavy lifting” video, I wasn’t totally sure what you’d use this for… so I asked Cinevate for some help. I wanted to know what a ‘riser’ was used for and what is a ‘hi hat’?

the Dromos Bowl Riser helps users attain any imaginable setup, whether it’s vertical horizontal or diagonal, ensuring they have full control over their perspective and creative vision.

A Hi Hat is a way to get super low shots while maintaining the ability to use a video or fluid head, which includes being able to level it. Think of it as putting the camera on the ground for a low shot, but with a tool like this you can still get pan and tilt action with a tripod head, as well as leveling capability.

They also said a video would be coming that will further show why you’d want to get one of these, but I didn’t want to hold up the post to wait for that.

Description from Cinevate

We’re happy to announce Cinevate’s newest offering; the Dromos Bowl Riser. We think users will find it a necessity for heavy slider rigging, especially for those who run in horizontal, vertical, and diagonal configurations. The Riser isn’t limited to just sliders as it functions as a cheesed-out hi hat, allowing for low shots while maintaining leveling and orientation control. The built-in cheese points allow for near endless mounting capabilities, whether it’s to mount and secure the rig or to attach a monitor and other accessories. Currently available exclusively at Cinevate.com at introductory pricing (for a limited time).

The Cinevate Dromos Bowl Riser with video head and camera

Dromos Bowl Riser

- The cheese-plate construction allows you to securely mount your camera anywhere
- Level your camera in any position;
- Versatile hi-hat achieves ultra low shots with maximum control and stability
- Strong enough to mount camera rigs 90 degrees
- Accepts 100mm ball natively and 75mm with adapter
- Delivers countless accessory mounting options

Visit the Dromos Bowl Riser page for more info!

This photo may also help you understand when you might use one of these risers:

the Dromos Bowl Riser on a slider with camera

Disclaimer: Cinevate is a planet5D sponsor but we don’t publish this news just because they’re paying us. We publish gear news because our users have asked us to let them know when we find things that may help them improve their shooting. If you’re a gear maker and would like us to publish your HDSLR related products, please contact planet5D

(cover photo credit: snap from the video)

I’ve been blessed to meet Canon Explorer of Light Bruce Dorn a couple of times now and he’s a real pleasure to sit down and talk to – so when I saw he had his hands on a Canon EOS C300, well, I just had to post his video and link to his blog where he talks about the Canon EOS C300.

“Playing With Fire”

"Playing With Fire" - A Passion Play (click to watch - sorry embed wasn't allowed)

Some of Bruce’s thoughts

This is a small snippet of his post – so please read "Playing With Fire" – A Passion Play | iDC Photo Video!

Gosh, I sure had a blast shooting with the new Canon Cinema EOS C300 last week. The camera arrived just before Christmas Eve and while I had an evening to test it under "Exterior – Night" conditions, I never saw the first lick of flame ’til the proverbial "Take One". That said, I’m very pleased with the my brief fling with this landmark Canon camera and I hope you enjoy viewing this little passion play as much as we enjoyed creating it…

Man, oh man, this is one really sweet camera. Strip it down or dress it up, it’s very easy to love. I, myself, have a soft spot for strippers – so to speak – and I generally try to keep things light and loose, camera-wise. Unlike many other C300 samples you might have seen, this clip was the product of a very tiny crew – just me, my assistant, and a friend who volunteered to bring his jib-arm out for a couple of hours. We worked with what I consider to be minimal production gear.

Not to put too fine of a point on it but when I share that we had just one camera battery, savvy readers will fully understand that this was truly a “minimalist” production. Working light usually means working fast and we were only on-location for about seven hours total, spread over two evenings. I recall having more than 25% of the battery left at the end of each evening and that really blew me away. Having done a lot of shooting with the battery-hungry HDSLR cameras, I habitually shut down any camera when I’m not actually setting a shot or shooting and this action undoubtedly contributed to the excellent battery life we experienced.

This particular C300 body was “EOS-mount”, rather than PL, and that meant I was able to work with very familiar glass. Both my Editor and I love lots of coverage options so I shot through Canon EOS lenses ranging from 14mm to 400mm with zooms being prominent. Yes, yes, I know, I’m very lucky to have assembled a lovely collection of premium Canon glass but I don’t own anything that hasn’t paid for itself, time and time again. While the investment can indeed be substantial, I prefer “owning” over “renting” because it means I can accept last minute opportunities – like this one – with minimal stress. Did you ever try renting premium camera gear on Christmas Eve in a semi-rural town? Good luck with that. We also used this opportunity to wring out the first production sample of our new 12" SYSTEM ONE Follow-Focus Kit for the C300. It’s compact, gearless, shockingly affordable, and – wait for it, wait for it – Coming Soon!

via "Playing With Fire" – A Passion Play | iDC Photo Video.

[source: tweet from WesternDigital]

(cover photo credit: snap from the video)

Just spotted these two Nikon D4 videos that were just posted by Nikon Asia on youtube.

[source: tweet] and NikonRumors

Nikon D4 HD D-Movie – WHY ATHLETES [NEW]

Multi-area Mode Full HD D-movie with three image area options
A dedicated movie-record button has been positioned near the shutter-release button for smooth starting and stopping of movie recording with a feel similar to that of still-image shooting. Full-HD movie recording at a frame size of 1920 × 1080 and frame rate of 30 fps is supported, and the H.264/MPEG-4 AVC video compression method has been adopted. Movies up to 29 minutes 59 seconds can be recorded. Image sensor sensitivity begins at ISO 200 and can be expanded to ISO 204800 equivalent possible with still-image shooting.
Full-HD movies can be recorded with the D4 using one of three image areas: FX-based movie format, DX-based movie format, or 1920 × 1080 crop; all available at 30 fps/ 25 fps or 24 fps. FX-based movie format makes full use of the large image sensor, enabling movies with an emphasis on pleasing blur characteristics. When a DX lens is attached, DX-based format is automatically selected. This format is useful for creating an extension to the focal length of an existing lens. For an even stronger telephoto effect, the 1920 × 1080 crop format brings an approximately 2.7x crop of the picture angle while delivering outstanding video quality and detail, obtaining 1080p Full HD. By choosing the movie format appropriate for the particular scene, the three image area options available with a single camera enable more flexible imaging expression through collaboration with the entire NIKKOR lens lineup, including DX lenses.
The D4 is equipped with a connector for external microphones that enables stereo recording. The camera also offers a headphone connector that supports stereo headphones, convenient for checking sound recorded with movies. What’s more, a new sound level indicator also allows for microphone sensitivity adjustment, even during recording, with a visual indicator of sound levels.

Nikon D4 | I AM PUSHING THE LIMITS

Nikon D4 Timelapse – Istanbul and it’s many faces

A short preview to the film “Istanbul and it’s many faces” by Bill Frakes.

(cover photo credit: snap from the video)

There’s been a lot of discussion about the announced price of the Canon EOS C300 and we’ve posted rumors about the price coming down even before it is available… so we thought we’d ask you what you thought. We’ve seen prices lower than the announced $20k – but we don’t know how low it will really be priced when it is released in January – but we thought we’d list some ranges just to see what you thought might be the affordable price point for you.

Just so you know… tho there’s a lot of excitement about the Canon EOS C300 and we will likely post many things about it, we’re not going to abandon the HDSLR market because that’s really our focus — shooting with HDSLRs is going to be exciting for quite a while! After all, we’ve got new cameras coming from Nikon and Canon in 2012 as well as Canon’s new Cinema EOS DSLR they teased us with at the November 3rd announcements.

Poll on Canon EOS C300 price

Note: There is a poll embedded within this post, please visit the site to participate in this post's poll.

Other polls

We’ve had a poll question over in the right sidebar for many moons, but I think we’re going to try to add some additional questions here in the blog itself – I might even do it weekly – so keep your eye on the blog!

(cover photo credit: photo I took of the Canon EOS 5D Mark II and Canon EOS C300 at the November 3rd launch party)

Recently, we’ve gotten quite a few new product announcements from our friends over at ikan and we picked out a couple you might be interested in seeing.

ikan Expandable Sling Bag

ikan’s Expandable Sling Bag is the perfect solution to protect and transport your valuable camera and lens. Constructed with a durable water resistant material, the Expandable Sling Bag is designed for exposure in the field. Also included are quick release straps and a side mesh pouch for additional gear.

Features:
- Front Load Accessory Pocket with Buckle
- Main Zipper Accessible Pocket for Camera & Lens
- Removable Padded Insert for Structured Protection
- Adjustable Shoulder Strap
- Accessory Webbing for Additional Pouches
- Water Resistant Material
- Side Mesh Pouch with Draw String Closure for Additional Gear/Bottles
- Smart Phone/Accessories Pocket

$69.95
For more information, images and video please visit:

• ikan Expandable Sling Bag

Elite iPad Teleprompter Kit

Easy Installation

About Us

ikan is an award-winning designer, manufacturer, and distributor geared to provide total solutions for video professionals. We are a constantly evolving and ever-flexible company that prides itself on its value-conscious products. At ikan, we work closely with our dealers and end users to ensure creation of quality products that enhance film and video productions. Our entire product line, from HDMI & HD/SDI camera monitors to our ELEMENTS™ camera support solutions, LED and fluorescent lighting, our new and improved teleprompter line, productivity software, apparel and set/shooting accessories are all designed with feature-set and price in mind from their inception.

Whether you are in the backyard or in the studio, you can rely on ikan to be by your side. Our unwavering customer support, global reach, knowledge and product variety allow us to keep you in touch with the rapidly growing video technology industry. We believe in providing the globe with an affordable and reliable solution. With each new product, ikan strives to deliver the features you need at the prices you want.

For more information, give us a call or walk into our corporate headquarters based in Houston, TX. You can also visit our official website (www.ikancorp.com) for more product information. Additionally, connect with us via our Social Media Feeds such as the ikan News Blog (ikancorp.wordpress.com), our Facebook community (facebook.com/ikanseeit), our Vimeo channel (vimeo.com/ikancorp) or follow us on Twitter @ikancorp.

Blogger’s Disclaimer: ikan is a planet5D sponsor, but we’ll print all sorts of HDSLR related news – just let us know!

(cover photo credit: snap from the PR)

This morning on twitter, we found this post by Joel Condor after he visited Visual Impact in Teddington – and that goes with our earlier post on a possible price drop

“C300 is selling for £9,995″

Google says:

9995 British pounds sterling = 15629.1815 US dollars

We all know that prices fluctuate and that often pricing in Europe is a bit higher than pricing in the USA – so we don’t have any firm pricing for the US (has anyone seen any firm commitments we haven’t?)

Joel’s image

Here’s the snip from Joel’s image (I rotated it)

joel condor Canon EOS C300 price

What price do you think will be real?

So, there are hints all around that the price is coming down from the stated initial list of $20,000 – where do you think it will settle?

(cover photo credit: snap from the video)