Cameras have been recording high dynamic range images for years, but when you check them on location, you generally just see a washed-out Raw image, because until recently, on-camera monitors haven’t displayed HDR. Now Atomos is offering HDR on both of its new monitor/recorders: the Shogun Flame and the Ninja Flame.
While Rec. 709 has about seven stops dynamic range, many cameras now deliver 13 or more stops, and HDR will be an important part of Ultra HD production. The Flames have 7-inch 10-bit 1920×1080 screens with up to 1500 Nits brightness (which also makes them easier to view outdoors). Both are also more rugged than previously.
Using the new AtomHDR engine, the Flame processes the Log gamma output from the camera to ensure the full dynamic range is displayed, but doesn’t affect the recording in any way. All major log formats are supported: Arri, Canon, JVC, Panasonic, Red and Sony. The €1,695 Shogun
Flame has SDI and HDMI I/O with bidirectional SDI/HDMI conversion, XLR audio with controllable microphone preamps and phantom power, LTC and Genlock, and records Raw video from certain Canon and Sony cameras. The €1,295 Ninja Flame is HDMI only. Both record Apple ProRes and Avid DNxHR/DNxHD, and 4K/UHD up to 30p or HD to 120p.
Batteries can be swapped without powering off, even while recording. Atomos has also released a firmware update offering HDR support to its earlier non-HDR (400 Nits max) displays using AtomHDR, allowing them to resolve up to three stops above Rec. 709.
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