Kata aims to surprise and D-Light
The D-Light Capsules are Kata’s latest range of bags for compact camcorders, the first of which is the new Capsule-183.
It is designed to carry such camcorders as the Panasonic HPX-170, Canon XH A1s, or Sony EX1R, measures 54x30x25.5cm, and weighs up to 2kg (depending on configuration).
It has a TST RIB running down the middle of the bag and an Aluminium Skeleton stave that arcs across the mid section to provide structural protection, and are surrounded by Honeycomb Panels, Aeriform foam and RipStop fabrics.
The design is asymmetric, so that unfolding its two palm-shaped sides provides easy access to the camcorder. There is ample space for accessories, and the bag includes a Lens Pillow and Rain Cover.
Kata has also extended its range of bags for HD DSLRs, with the new Pro-Light Resource-61 shoulder bag. It has a Double-Decker design, with a top compartment large enough for a working DSLR mounted on a support system (such as a shoulder brace). There is also a modular Cocoon Pouch for accessories or an additional DSLR body. The lower deck holds additional lenses and accessories. Kata intends adding further HD DSLR bags in the near future.
Hawk-Woods adapts to Canon HD DSLRs
Hawk-Woods’s new battery power adaptors for Canon’s HD DSLRs will allow the cameras to be used with high-capacity broadcast batteries.
The DC-5D adaptors for the Canon EOS 5D Mark II and EOS 7D cameras feature a cable mounted dummy LP-E6 type battery (as used in the DSLRs), which is linked to either a 2-pin D-Tap, or 4-Pin Hirose plug.
This allows the cameras to be powered from V-Lok (or other) types of battery when plugged into a suitable power output. This could be a rig mounted V-Lok plate, or stand alone V-Lok adaptor, like the Hawk-Woods VL-A1. This means that run-time can be increased immensely, especially for time-lapse photography.
Flashy Filter Forum founded – finds funding
The new Filter Forum, which provides space for discussing lens filters, has won backing from Tiffen and the London Filter Company.
The manufacturers will be lending their technical expertise as well as sponsoring the site.
Terry Carey, MD of Tiffen International, sees the Filter Forum as a great opportunity for users “to get unbiased advice from world experts and the thousands of other filter users around the world. As never before, people today can shoot HD at low cost. A knowledge of filters will help make their results predictable and with the look they want.”
“Motion pictures are always shot using filters, as is professional video footage and, perhaps to a lesser extent, stills photography,” added Carey Duffy, LFC’s Technical Director. Thanks to the Canon 5D and other HD DSLRs, many photographers are discovering HD and need to know how to get the most out of it. “In all cases sharing knowledge at this forum will help everyone to understand how filters can help them. This is unique. It’s going to help everyone.”
It is a Flash site, so accessing it from a mobile device might be difficult, but the forums themselves are HTML (www.filter.freeforums.org), so should be viewable.
Lite SNG links get Swift advance
Vislink’s new NewSwift LT for SNG uplinks is a vehicle-mounted unit with “an innovative high performance” 1.2 metre aluminium reflector.
It has been designed with data and mobile internet applications in mind, especially for applications that require high speed data connections at a lower cost, but which also require a higher quality reflector than the standard VSAT antennas.
“Providing an alternative to carbon fibre construction, Vislink has been able to deliver a complementary antenna with the same finely crafted reflective surfaces, in aluminium, with a lower manufacturing cost and only a small trade off in weight,” said Ashley Dove, Director of Product Marketing.
The Ku band antenna has the same mountings to attach it to the vehicle as the rest of the NewSwift range, a pod housing a redundant pair of up to 200 Watt amplifiers and uses the same antenna controller. It also has a fully integrated RF system and is integrated with the Vislink 5000 Series electronic sub systems.
