PDN PhotoPlus Expo 2013 - Blurred Lines - Sony Camcorders FDR-AX1 & PMW-Z100 and more

New tools for the Panist and Panyard

In Pictures  &  In Video   

New York, USA  -  Generally WST (When Steel Talks) attends the PhotoPlus Expo (this year, literally a week after taking in the AES (Audio Engineering Society) show) to bring the visual advancements in photo/video technologies to the attention of the thousands of members on the WST newsletter list and the thousands of others who are members of the WST forum. In the past we have covered everything from cameras to printers to hard drives to potential steelpan identification regalia - anything that could be critical in the covering, capturing, recording, marketing and promoting of the culture and artistic vibrancy of the steelpan fraternity globally.

But 2013 year was a little different. The Basement-video, technologically-bored and uninspired crew has been virtually missing in action the last few years -- leaving it up to the photography and audio team to do double-duty. Fortunately, because of new developments and that ‘blurring of lines’ in photo, audio and video technologies, the photography/audio crew has maintained an adequate video presence.

And then - an unexpected piece of excitement from the video department (which really never gets excited about anything). The note said simply: “get us some of ‘these’ and we’ll be back on the job...”

The mission or ‘marching orders’ that is, was very clear. “These” were the Sony FDR-AX1s. Check out this much-heralded and anticipated Sony camcorder in person. So WST checked in early to the PDN PhotoPlus Expo bright and early, got our press accreditation process out of the way, imbibed coffee and bagels for sustenance, then went straight to the Sony Pavilion on the expo floor. As per usual Sony had a variety of items to captivate interested attendees. But like homing pigeons, WST made Sony’s 4K camcorders or handycams the focal point, and were the first ‘users’ for 4K project manager Takahiro Kagawa as exhibitor Sony opened up its booth.

Sizing up the unit, we held and explored the FDR-AX1, getting a sense of how it balanced solidly in the hand. The FDR-AX1 is an impressive 4K resolution camcorder from Sony, marketed as a ‘prosumer/semi-professional’ bit of hardware, and supports a QFHD (Quad Full High Definition) 4K resolution of (3840x2160). What does this all mean to you? The capturing of video with more enviable detail, much above the smaller conventional consumer ‘handycams.’ This item has just hit stores and is available for around USD $4,500.00. 

For about USD $1,000.00 more, the PMW-Z100 (4096x2160) delivers four times the quality of data (up to 600 mbps as opposed to the 150 mbps of the FDR-AX1, “True 4K,” (as Takahiro Kagawa happily assured WST) making for an even more applicable high resolution experience.  To achieve this, both camcorders utilize high-performance processors and recording formats found in Sony’s professional video cameras.

Sometimes folks just dream of being where the “big boys” are, and capture some really beautiful, cinematic-type footage of events close to their own heart - steps above regular consumer camcorders, but at the same time without the complexity and expense of industry-standard hardware.  And this is where the FDR-AX1 and PMW-Z100 come in.

And as it relates to the steelband community?  Everyone wants to keep up with the times, technology is always on the move, and resolution continues to escalate - 4K now being within the grasp of consumers, who are being enticed to purchase devices with said 4K resolution. The steelband community is no exception, and for display on 4K screens, 4K content is desirable, not only television and movie fare, but naturally content captured by consumers themselves, in this case those within the global steelband community who would consider the investment.

Blurred lines and more at PDN PhotoPlus Expo 2013

The current theme continues to be blurred lines across all disciplines. Video, audio, photography, network, cinematic, storage and presentation technologies - where one ends and where the other begins, continues to be less clearly defined. Never has this overlapping been more pronounced. And never has more of a need for versatility, quality and innovation been expected by users of these developing technologies. Jack-of-all-trades and master of none used to be the operating and accepted phrase. This is no longer true today - Jack-of-all-trades is back, but this time he/she usually needs to be competent in all. The individual is part-videographer, photographer, audio engineer and computer specialist, and of course software and IT (information technology) guy.

What additionally caught WST’s attention -

On display was the LS-100 by Olympus, a multi-track linear PCM Recorder.  Mr. Ryusuke Hamakawa, product manager of audio products said that the LS-100 is currently available and going for USD $400.00.  It is definitely in the potential running as a great tool for the steelpan arranger and/or panist who is interested in making live recordings and composing. And while one does not normally think of the Olympus brand as a leading manufacturer of audio products - the specs on this item say it can deliver the goods.

The LS-100 supports both linear PCM and MP3 recording formats. It boasts a frequency response of 20 Hz - 20 kHz with its internal microphones. It has an onboard internal memory capacity of 4 GB and supports SD cards of up to 64 GB for external memory needs.

Recording the pan, the steel orchestra - and meeting the challenging and odd ways in which the steelpan musician sometimes works and thinks - are indeed demanding. So it looks like it is going to be pan sticks and the compact LS-100 when we go to the panyard.

The LS-100 is billed as a multi-track recorder; you can record up to 8 tracks, but only two tracks can be recorded synonymously. All tracks may be edited simultaneously. It could be an awesome companion to help working musicians compose, create demos, and is an apt tool while rehearsing, and capturing live performances. It also has an on-board tuner and metronome that everyone is sure to find handy - and it only weighs 9.8 ounces. There is a lot more we would like to say about this recorder but we will wait until WST’s has it in our hands as we put it through its paces. We are looking forward to testing it under panyard conditions and in a live performance environment. Oh, and yes, it has wireless control and it also provides 48V phantom power supply. Okay, okay, let us stop here before we get carried away.

Storage

And then there is storage. The one thing those of us who operate in the digital world can never get enough of. Fast read-write capability, large capacity, in a small rugged casing, very small footprint, or even invisible (cloud) - and trustworthy. This is what we want all day long -- 24-7, when it comes to storage... Western Digital caught our attention.

Although we missed the “did you-back-it-up, huh, huh, did yuh, back it up on WD Drives” toy, which was not present this year, Western Digital showcased a wide range of products to meet the ever-growing challenge of storing and recovering large amounts of digital data for our media needs - in WST’s line of work - audio, video and photography.  These storage media ought to be in the documentary and recording arsenal of every pan yard globally.

Unfortunately, WST’s quick one-on-one interview with Western Digital about their personal cloud storage “My Cloud,” and their other devices, never happened. But there are lots of choices. As storage is such a critical component to the creative, capturing and reproducing process WST will follow up at later date with our recommendations from other manufacturers.

While we are on the topic of storage - CRU showcased some cool storage enclosures as part of their ToughTech series. Definitely worth a serious look.

The annual PhotoPlus Expo is also known for its sterling series of related seminars and panels over a four-day period (usually ninety-plus of them) catering to all levels - from beginner to advanced practitioners, and headlined by world-renowned professionals. WST ducked into “Mastering Video: Storytelling Essentials For Cinematography” led by Tyler Stableford, a still photographer who is now also an award-winning film maker. Focused on delivering first-class productions, whether compelling short films or commercials, Stableford chooses to capture his footage with DSLRs, as do some film industry professionals, in lieu of the full cinematic rigs which require more financial outlay and more manpower.  And capturing steel orchestra performances sometimes falls under the same banner - just get the job done simply, but properly.  What was key in Stableford’s presentation was the message that it is possible to make the transition from still photography to video - using a DSLR - and how he conveyed this was done in down-to-earth language for users of all skill levels.

Stableford however left his audience in no doubt that a skill set and extreme professionalism were hallmarks of his work, same as with any so-called ‘big-budget film.’  And with that baseline, he shared some of the tools of the trade he used, together with the DSLR camera (his choice, a Canon 5D Mark III).  These included but were not limited to the likes of a microphone for the DSLR in the form of a Shotgun mic, a wireless system, hot shoe extender, optional field audio recorders and a couple more elements. Combined with techniques for interviews, storytelling, attention to detail, must-do groundwork and creativity, Stableford demonstrated to a captive audience that it could indeed be done.  He showcased samples of his award-winning work while taking questions.

Another item of note was the Sony HDR-MV1 Music Video Recorder. If it can indeed deliver quality product, it has the potential to become the Sony Walkman of this generation for musicians - that meaning every musician will have one or want one.

When Steel Talks was told the HDR-MV1 will not be available until January 2014. The cost will be around USD $300.00. This price tag seems kind of steep, considering that the Q2HD from Zoom is already out there for $100.00 dollars less. However, the Sony HDR-MV1 Music Camcorder is designed for capturing high-quality video with a 120º wide-angle lens, recording in full HD 1920 x 1080p at 30 fps, along with LPCM or AAC stereo audio. The floor model looked nice and sounded okay, but none of this really means anything until we get one under real test conditions.

Our last item of note is the Epson Stylus Photo R3000 printer. We tested our photo of our loveable devil from this year’s memorable Labor Day Brooklyn J’Ouvert, printed on Ultra Premium Photo Paper Luster. The results were spectacular.

Some believe the future of printers might be that of ‘dead men walking’ with the shift to and availability of, affordable quality  displays across all devices, and the cultural change in how people share and now display images. However, until that day arrives, at USD $600.00 the Epson Stylus Photo R3000 is as good as it gets for an affordable ink jet printer.

The steelpan instrument is one of the greatest technological and savvy inventions in the history of man. Its very existence confounded scientists for years as many said, ‘theoretically speaking’ it could not be done (multiple tuned notes on a single surface) LMAO. And who can forget all the tourists looking under the steelpan (they still do!) trying to figure out where the sound was coming from.

Fast-forward:  however in an era when there are now cameras that are being made from bacteria, the minimum requirements and expectations surrounding all aspects of marketing, historical archiving, communicating and educating about this phenomenal invention - have indeed been elevated.

WST is looking forward to testing these cameras and storage media under the cultural, creative and environmentally challenging and demanding extremes of Panorama and the panyard. The continual blurring of lines between consumer and professional technologies is a natural occurrence as we move forward. This however, does immediately call for an allocation of resources for the education and training of users, with an emphasis on intelligent purchases of these emerging technologies and products. Indeed, a developmental approach by the global steelband fraternity is critical for the panyard to expand its boundaries as a cultural, educational and business focal point for the steelband music artform.

In closing, the Expo was great... lots of products... time to get with the program - we are more than just musicians.

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Pictures by WST’s pan photographer C. Phillips