Monitor-free 4k Ninja Star for a7s?

[Betsy Moore]

Atomos is a great company but pairing my a99 with an atomos back in the day was ergonomic torture. Now the Shogun is so gigantic you could fit three a7s's next to it. I know this is a great thing in some circumstances but for me the whole appeal of a small camera is, well, it's a small camera with a small profile for filming in public and allows for quick set ups in fast shoots in tight places. So...

... if Atomos or anyone else came out with small, monitorless, solid state 4k recorder that could fit seemlessly with the a7s (or gh4 for that matter) would you buy it? What would you pay?

And/or has anyone pestered Atomos at trade shows to see if they're working on something like this?

[Gary Huff]

Pix-E5H from Video Devices. Not monitor-free, but much smaller than the Shogun.

[Roger Martin]

The PIX-5 is not only smaller and cheaper, but more capable than the Shogun.
I saw both at NAB, but bought an Odyssey 7Q+ only because I did not want to wait till November or December to get one.

[Gary Huff]

Originally Posted by Roger Martin

The PIX-5 is not only smaller and cheaper, but more capable than the Shogun.

I don't know if it's more capable, outside of ProRes XQ 4444 12-bit (Shogun is supposedly getting both ProRes 4444 and Uncompressed). But then, what camera are you going to legitimately use that on? Also, the Shogun will be getting timelapse and Recordable LUTs, which is going to be quite a benefit to me. Not sure if the PIX will have that.

I like the PIX-5 because, as much as a love the Shogun's display, it definitely adds bulk and weight and sometimes I want just to be as compact as possible. And even though it will be more expensive than the media I have for the Shogun, I really love the idea of the SpeedDrive that is both eSATA and USB 3.0 in the same caddy.

At this point in time, I'll probably have both, and will replace my Ninja Star with the PIX-E.

[Roger Martin]

The 5 inch screen on the PIX is so much better than the Shogun that I could make out the detail easier.

Although not as sharp as the PIX, my 7Q+ has a 2x multiplier that can be moved with your finger. It is really great for focusing on an out of center subject.
Size and weight are not an issue with me as all my Video is shot from a TriPod.
If/when I get a PIX, it will be the 7" one.

I think it is best to look to Black Magic for a MonitorLess recorder, although another brand may pop up.

[Gary Huff]

Originally Posted by Roger Martin

I think it is best to look to Black Magic for a MonitorLess recorder

The Hyperdeck Shuttle 2? That thing is large, and has no battery mount.

[Roger Martin]

Not the Shuttle II but a new smaller 4k version could be made by Black Magic.

[Gary Huff]

Originally Posted by Roger Martin

Not the Shuttle II but a new smaller 4k version could be made by Black Magic.

Blackmagic has no interest in doing so. They build the higher-end codecs right into the cameras themselves. Highly doubt we will see anything like the Shuttle 2 from now on.