Atomos has announced Neon, a new lineup of on-set and in-studio 4K HDR monitors/recorders designed for commercial high-resolution HDR capture. At launch, the four monitors in the lineup will be capable of recording 4K video, but a subsequent 8K master control unit will eventually give each of the monitors the ability to record 8K/60p video.
The Neon lineup consists of four different unit sizes: 17", 24", 31" and 55" with the following resolutions and pixel densities:
• 17" — Full HD (2048px x 1080px, 142ppi)
• 24" — 4K DCI (4096px x 2160px, 193ppi)
• 31" — 4K DCI (4096px x 2160px, 147ppi)
• 55" — 4K UHD (3840px x 2160px, 84ppi)
According to Atomos' press release, each of the units were designed to serve a specific role in the monitoring and recording of footage:
'[The] 17in is for focus pullers and as an on-set buddy reference monitor for laptops. The 24in and 31in is perfect for the video village, DIT, cinematographer, editor, director and a reference monitor for an iMac or Mac Pro. The 55in is a must have for clients, showrooms and color graders. '
An illustration from Atomos' website showing how the different units could be used in a production environment to monitor and record video.
Unlike previous Atomos units, the Neon lineup drops the touchscreen in favor of remote control via Atomos iOS app. The app will be able to control up to 1,000+ units at once via Bluetooth (each of the Neon units will communicate using sub-gigahertz RF with a range of 200m/656ft) and will provide real-time tools like focus peaking, exposure, calibration, zoom, waveform monitor, LUT selection and more from a single device. It will also enable the Neon units to be perfectly synced up with the recorded footage for matching timecode.
With the default 4K master control unit, the monitors support up to DCI 4K input and display the image with 10-bit DCI-P3 color, 1000 cd/m
The Neon units feature HDMI 2. 0b in/out connections, two mic/line input, one 3. 5mm headphone output and come with Atomos' SDI Expansion Module that offers 12G-SDI in/out.
The displays are constructed of an aluminum alloy frame with a polycarbonate back plate, while the 17", 24" and 31" Neons will come with their own crush-proof and water-tight travel case. Mounting points on the unit include VESA mounts, feet for placing on the ground or desk and ARRI-standard edge mounting points.
To ensure the units are future-proof, Atomos has also announced an 8K Master Control Unit that will allow for recording and monitoring of 8K/60p video with support for both ProRes and ProRes RAW straight out of camera, a world first by our records. Additional details are scarce, but Atomos says the 8K Master Control Units are 'due to hit the market in 2019. '
The Neon17 and Neon24 units are expected to be available in August 2019 for $3,999 and $6,499, respectively. The Neon31 and Neon55 units are set to ship September 2018 for $7,999 and $16,999, respectively.
It's safe to say these units aren't for your run-and-gun shooters or even mid-level commercial work. These are full-fledged units designed for the most high-level operations and the most discerning eyes—and that doesn't come cheap.
. dpreview.com2019-6-6 22:13