Crews Control University on Mobile Recording Devices

Crews Control by Brad

Crews Control University is a series of educational seminars on new technology, equipment, or software. The most recent Crews Control University was held at the Crews Control offices, and a couple representatives from Abel Cinetech gave demonstration of a vast array of mobile recording device. Mobile recoding devices are recording devices that attach to a camera and can record different formats, codecs, resolutions, and other options. The initial driving point of the demonstration was that current clients are asking less about the camera their material is shooting on and more about the file that they are receiving. They allow tape cameras to become tapeless and they allow one camera to recording in a different format than what is native to the camera. There are all several different brands and kinds of mobile record devices all of which have their own personalities.

Cinedeck EX: The Cinedeck EX is a behemoth device with a hefty price tag. But it will record in 12 bit uncompressed 4:4:4 HD in DNxHD, Cineform, and ProRes. It is a powerful device with intuitive menus, vast array of option, but is a battery drainer. The Cinedeck is mostly used for high-end productions like feature films and not for the every location corporate video production.

Convergent Design Gemini 4:4:4: Take a step from the Cinedeck EX and you will get one of most talked about devices from 2011 NAB Show, the Convergent Design’s Gemini 4:4:4. The Gemini looks, feels, and acts like the Cinedeck EX’s little brother. It is much lighter, 1 pound as opposed to Cinedeck’s 4 pounds, much more portable, and does just a little less. It can create 10 bit 4:4:4 files in uncompressed DPX with Avid DNxHD due for release. The Gemini 4:4:4 is a powerful high-end mobile recording device without the top-of-the-line price.

AJA Ki Pro Mini: Stepping down from the high-end recorders to the more everyday recorders, the AJA Ki Pro was one of the first mobile recording devices and their newest recorder, the AJA Ki Pro Mini, is a device that knows it way around. It has an efficient portable design that allows multifaceted mounting. It will record 10 bit 4:2:2 ProRes HQ files to compact flash. But the Ki Pro Mini will not span recording between the two cards, it will not do 2:3 pulldown removal, and although it’s portable it does not have a fan on it, so has the potential to overheat. It has only a tiny screen so menus are a little more difficult to access. Although the AJA Ki Pro Mini has an idiosyncratic personality, it still is one of the better devices. read more...