News roundup: Adobe, DJI, Laowa, LucidLink, Megadap, Nikon, RED, Vimeo, and Zhiyun

Among other stories, DJI boosts Osmo Pocket 3 with firmware update, LucidLink piles on features, Zhiyun intros AI Module, N-RAW coming to Adobe "later this year."

CP+ and MWC might have just finished, but we also find ourselves in the weird dip before NABShow where many manufacturers decide to sit on their news until Vegas. Remember the whole movement to decouple product announcements from the trade show cycle that peaked during lockdown? Yeah, that seems to have fallen by the wayside and we’re in a new period of feast or famine.

That said there is always stuff to talk about, so here is our round-up of news stories that have crossed the RedShark editorial desk in recent days as we try and clear the decks for what we expect will be an absolute barrage of NAB news once the vendors’ marketing machines start moving up through the gears.

DJI has added some nifty new functionality to its DJI Osmo Pocket 3 gimbal via a firmware update. The impressively monikered v01.06.08.04, brings improved 2x zoom, smoother focus via new breathing compensation, and professional-level color enhancements. Its Webcam Mode now enables D-Log M (10-bit) color for increased vibrancy, saturation, greater dynamic range, and more file details are also recorded for improved editing control.

While we’re over in this part of the industry, Zhiyun has launched AI tracking technology for smartphone gimbals. The AI Module tracking unit installs easily onto popular Zhiyun gimbals, such as the SMOOTH 5S AI and CINEPEER CQ5 smartphone stabilizers. It only takes a second for users to place the compact AI tracker onto the magnetizing slot on the gimbal phone clamp. It offers both front and back camera AI tracking via the simple expedient of the user being able to rotate it 180°. Price is $69.

LucidLink has piled on the features and NAB sees the full launch of its latest platform. Customers can now get real-time access to files in the palm of their hand with Android and iOS apps, as well as being able to  instantly explore and navigate filespaces right from their browsers. Enterprise filespaces with Dynamic Tiering enabled can accommodate multiple storage classes, seamlessly blending “hot” data for active projects with “cool” data for long-term retention, while LucidLink’s default offering is now backed by AWS S3 storage, providing a decent balance of performance, cost, and predictability while still eliminating the additional cost of egress.

Laowa says that its Proteus 2x Anamorphic Zoom Series are the lightest, most compact, and most affordable 2X anamorphic zoom lenses designed for S35 sensors. Now available for prices starting at $5999, they feature a constant 2x squeeze throughout the 3x zoom range across two focal lengths (26-45mm & 45-85mm), weigh only 1.5kg and measure just 19cm, making them the most lightweight in their class.

Lens adaptor specialist Megadap has dug around in the EXIF data of some recent NASA images and discovered that is adaptors have been used on the ISS. Some stunning pics recently released by NASA were captured with a Nikon Z9 camera and a Sigma 14mm f/1.4 lens. While the Sigma 14mm f/1.4 lens is currently not available in Nikon Z mount, the EXIF data reveals that the Megadap ETZ21 adapter played a crucial role in enabling the occasional remarkable shot by connecting them together. The company is also happy to point out that its ETZ21 Pro and EFTZ21 adapters are compatible with the latest RED cameras featuring the Nikon Z mount.

Talking of Nikon and RED, the companies have jointly teamed up with Vimeo to offer the first ever Vimeo Short Film Grant. The program is designed to empower up-and-coming filmmakers to transform their creative ideas into reality with support from industry visionaries, cutting-edge photo and video equipment, and exposure to a global audience. The grant will award five filmmakers with $30,000 each to produce a short film, along with one-on-one mentorship opportunities with the selection jury and the Vimeo Curation Team. Details here: www.vimeo.com/shortfilmgrant

And lastly, N-RAW support is coming to Adobe. This was being worked on a while ago, but Adobe paused development shortly after the Nikon acquisition of RED last year. Now, with N-RAW support widely available to third parties via a February update to RED’s SDK, Adobe has pressed the Go button on it all once more and it should appear initially in public beta later this year.