Digital imaging expert Canon revealed its new 18-megapixel resolution EOS 60D DSLR. The camera boasts a three-inch Vari-Angle Clear View LCD screen, EOS Full HD video recording (at 1920 x 1080 resolution with selectable frame rates of 24p, 25p or 30p) with manual overrides including audio level control, and in-camera functionality for RAW image processing, plus Creative Filters to manipulate captured images. Designed primarily for advanced amateurs, the EOS 60D replaces the EOS 50D and adds a wealth of new features. The camera is scheduled to be delivered (to the U.S. market) at the end of September, and will be sold in a body-only configuration at an estimated retail price of $1,099 US. It will also be offered in a kit version with Canon's EF-S 18-135mm f/3.5-5.6 IS USM zoom lens at an estimated retail price of $1,399 US. [source]

Blackmagic Design shipped Pocket UltraScope, the world's first portable USB 3.0 notebook PC-based waveform monitor. Pocket UltraScope is a small pod with a 3 Gb/s SDI input that connects to any USB 3.0 computer for professional waveform monitoring. When running on a notebook or desktop PC with a 1920 x 1080 display, Pocket UltraScope allows simultaneous display of six waveform views including: RGB/YUV parade display, composite waveform, vector, histogram, 8 channel audio meters, stereo audio scope and picture view. When used with smaller screens, Pocket UltraScope allows a smaller 2 view window to be selected. Pocket UltraScope is available now for an MSRP of $595 US from all Blackmagic Design resellers.
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Video hardware and software specialists Blackmagic Design announced many new products, at this year's NAB exhibition. Among the introduced new products are: Mini Converter UpDownCross, a new Mini Converter that includes processing for up, down and cross conversion of SDI video formats for only $495 US; new DaVinci Resolve 7.0 high end color correction system that includes support for the Mac OS X platform, improved user interface, better video field support, a new EDL library, improved shared database support, as well as new pricing for all models starting from a very affordable $995 US; UltraStudio Pro ($895 US), new broadcast-quality SD/HD capture and playback solution for USB 3.0-enabled computers; Intensity Shuttle, a new low-cost-but-high-quality HDMI and analog video capture and playback solution for USB 3.0 computers priced at $199 US; DeckLink HD Extreme 3D, a new model of the popular broadcast capture card with new 3D support, hardware up, down and cross conversion (more) and a price tag of $995 US; HDLink Pro 3D ($495 US), a monitoring converter that allows regular and 3D stereoscopic SDI monitoring using low cost DisplayPort displays and HDMI 1.4 SDI monitoring; Pocket UltraScope, the world's first portable USB 3.0-compliant PC-based waveform monitor for $595 US; DeckLink Duo, a new SDI capture card featuring two DeckLink cards in a single PCIe slot. Also announced were Videohub Smart Control router control panel, professional 16 x 16 routing switcher Smart Videohub, real time H.264 encoder H.264 Pro Recorder, the worlds smallest 16 x 16 SDI router Micro Videohub, and support for Adobe Creative Suite 5 on Windows and Mac OS X platforms. [source]

Blackmagic Design announced a new software update for Blackmagic UltraScope, the world's first 3Gb/s SDI and optical fiber waveform monitor. This latest update adds a new customizable "2-up" view, greater support for different monitor sizes (1920x1200, 1920x1080 and 1280x800 resolution monitors) and a super high resolution zoom of Parade, Waveform, Vectorscope and Picture displays. The software update is available now free of charge to all registered Blackmagic UltraScope customers. UltraScope is available from Blackmagic Design resellers for $695 US. [source]

AJA Video Systems, a manufacturer of professional video interface and conversion solutions, released new software updates for their Ki Pro, KONA, Io Express and Io HD products. Version 1.1 software release for Ki Pro adds support for Apple ProRes 422 (LT) and Apple ProRes 422 (Proxy) formats along with variable framerate support and additional feature enhancements. AJA is also releasing Version 7.5 software for KONA 3, LHe, LHi, LSe, Io Express and Io HD. The KONA 3 card running Version 7.5 software enables double speed transfer from supported VTRs, including the Sony SRW-5800, and supports Apple ProRes 4444 RGB. With Version 7.5, the entire KONA family of products, Io Express and Io HD support use of more than one AJA product (including multiple KONA cards) on the same host computer. [source]

Computer graphics workstation vendor BOXX Technologies and CG software specialist Autodesk, Inc. introduced RenderFarm on Wheels (ROW), the world's first turn-key dedicated rendering system. In developing ROW, BOXX engineers worked closely with Autodesk Consulting, an embedded services division helping customers address business problems and optimize operations. ROW is founded on a unique combination of hardware, software and support. The base model ROW hardware configuration features five Intel Xeon-based renderBOXX modules, fitted into a 24-unit mobile rack, complete with master node, storage, network switch, display and keyboard. BOXX also equips ROW with professional applications, including Autodesk Maya and/or 3ds Max software), real-time visualization capability (Autodesk Showcase or Opticore Studio software), queuing software with PipelineFX QUBE!, and rendering through mental ray or V-Ray software. [source]

3D software specialist MAXON announced the immediate availability of CINEBENCH R11.5, an advanced hardware testing suite that assesses a computer's performance capabilities. CINEBENCH is based on the same technology as MAXON's award-winning animation software CINEMA 4D, and its new version includes the ability to more accurately test the industry's latest hardware, including systems with up to 64 processor threads, and the testing environment better reflects the expectations of today's production demands. A more streamlined interface makes testing systems and reading results straightforward (more on features and testing procedures). CINEBENCH Release 11.5 is available free of charge via download from the MAXON web site and can be utilized on Windows and Mac OS X operating systems. [source]

Canon U.S.A., Inc. announced that it has adopted an MPEG-2 Full HD (MPEG-2 4:2:2P@HL compliant) file-based recording codec for a new file-based professional video camera currently under development. The codec will use the MFX file format and will enable high-quality imaging and audio performance with up to 50 Mbps data recording and twice the color data of the HDV profile format . File-based recording helps video operations realize greater efficiencies during post-production, making it an ideal format for many industry applications such as newsgathering, documentary filmmaking and event videography. [source]

NEC Display Solutions of America announces the new MultiSync PA Series, successor to the critically acclaimed MultiSync 90 Series, by introducing the MultiSync PA241W. Designed for professional graphics applications, this 24-inch desktop display is ideal for digital photography, video editing, print production and any environment in which color accuracy is crucial. The display features 1920 x 1200 native resolution in 16:10 aspect ratio; 102% coverage of NTSC and 99.3% of Adobe RGB; 10-bit DisplayPort and USB hub; 10-bit IPS LCD panel with 14-bit LUT; 360 cd/m² brightness and 1000:1 contrast ratio; and more. The MultiSync PA241W is available with an estimated street price of $1,079 US and ships with a 4-year parts and labor warranty, including the backlight. [source]

The Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences announced that 15 scientific and technical achievements represented by 46 individual award recipients will be honored at its annual Scientific and Technical Awards Presentation at The Beverly Wilshire on Saturday, February 20, 2010. Among the honored will be the authors and developers of Truelight real-time 3D LUT hardware system, Imocap on-set performance capture system, two-stage planetary friction drives, Spirit 4K/2K film scanning system, ARRISCAN film scanner, and others. [source]