It has been a busy week with some major announcements, some minor announcements, and one very interesting bit of news. Cameras are always king here at B&H, so the Leica SL3 is the key launch this week. The third time around seems to be the charm, with improvements to almost every aspect of the camera. Shure also had some fun news this week, with the release of the MoveMic, a new wireless audio system that is ideal for content creators.
In lesser news, there has been a spec bump from Apple―the MacBook Air is now available with the M3 chip—and a minor note that the wedge design of the OG Air is now discontinued. The most interesting tidbit of the week is that Nikon is acquiring famed digital cinema camera manufacturer RED.
Leica SL3 shows that third time around is really the charm
Leica is making sure it hits the mark with all the third-generation releases. The just-announced SL3, which joins the incredibly popular Q3 as a “3” release, comes with a ton of major upgrades that lead to improvements to image quality and operability.
Much like the Q3, the SL3’s biggest technological leap comes from the use of a 60MP BSI CMOS sensor and the Maestro IV processor. This gives the camera a resolution bump, the Triple Resolution Technology, and a greater dynamic range of up to 15 stops. Low-light performance is improved, as well, with its sensitivity range reaching ISO 100000. At this point, the sensor/processor combination has been tested and it is a top performer.
The full-frame camera also features some refined controls and ergonomics. It features faster autofocus, thanks to a combination of phase-detect points, contrast detection, and depth mapping. An extra dial on the top left of the camera makes it even easier to control common settings. The other big physical change comes to the screen, which now tilts for even better viewing angles.
Even with these improvements, Leica’s designers shaved almost 3 oz from the camera. Plus, the SL3 remains the only full-frame mirrorless camera with all these features and an IP54 rating for weather protection. The camera also gained an CFexpress Type B slot alongside an SD slot, for even faster media.
Video is another key element of any mirrorless camera and, with the newer, high-res sensor and faster processor, the SL3 records in 8K. The full-size HDMI port is now at the 2.1 spec for the latest resolution and frame-rate support.
Overall, the SL3 is a well-rounded package and shows that Leica is coming to compete with the L-Mount system.
Shure MoveMic joins competitive wireless audio for creators category
Content creators are spoiled for choice when it comes to wireless audio systems. Shure is now getting in the mix with the MoveMic. The MoveMic scales depending on the needs of the creator, going from a single-person working with a smartphone to a two-person shoot working with a mirrorless camera. The biggest advantage Shure brings to the table, however, is the small size of the transmitters.
Lately we have been seeing a lot of wireless mic systems that are easy to use and designed to be snapped onto talent without much work or additional accessories. The MoveMic adheres to that design, but it is focused on being unobtrusive, as well. The tiny transmitters are much more subtle and easier to hide than much of the competition. That’s backed up by Shure’s renowned sound quality.
Shure has multiple configurations available, depending on your needs. The first is a simple 1-person kit with a single transmitter. This can be connected to the Shure MOTIV app for a direct connection to a smartphone. Record your videos without extra hassle. There’s also a two-person kit that works the same way and allows for two sound sources at once.
If you are working with just a smartphone, those two options are great. For working with a camera, you’ll need to add Shure’s receiver to the kit. This mounts on your camera’s hot shoe and tilts, so the screen is always easily visible.
If you want something easy to use and easy to hide, the Shure MoveMic is probably the best option out of current consumer wireless mic systems.
Apple MacBook Air—now available with the latest M3 chip
If you were holding out for a MacBook Air with the latest Apple Silicon, your wait has not been in vain. This week, Apple announced that the MacBook Air with M3 chip will be available starting today. This is also a historic moment for the MacBook Air, because it means that the classic wedge shape is now discontinued.
Physically, the M3 Air is a perfect match for the M2, which was the first major revamp for the model. The only change is the better performance brought by the M3 chip. If you currently have an M2 Air, I wouldn’t recommend you drop everything and upgrade, because this isn’t a huge leap in performance. The M3 chip does come with some specific improvements, however, so if you are a gamer or using AI-based tools, there is some new hardware that can help. Generally, most users won’t receive a huge benefit.
Coming from an OG M1 Mac or an Intel®-based Mac, you will see a significant bump in performance. We are talking about a 1.6x boost in processing over the M1 or a 13x improvement over the latest Intel®-based MacBook Air.
There aren’t many surprises here, so check out the latest 13" and 15" MacBook Air configurations and find something that works for you.
Nikon announces acquisition of RED Digital Cinema
The surprising news of the week is that Nikon, the famed photography brand, is acquiring RED, the innovative digital cinema camera company. This is major news and is sure to shake up the landscape of the high-end digital cinema space.
There are plenty of questions to be answered—and we are asking them, so stay tuned for more—but the idea of these two companies teaming up to make the digital cinema world even more competitive sounds good to us.
In other news…
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Even if you missed our Bild Expo last year, you can still catch many of the interviews and talks on our channel. Here’s one about transitioning from film to digital with filmmakers Rob Draper, John Harrison, and Harry B. Miller III.
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DJI has some small updates to the unique Action 2 with more storage and different accessories in the combo packs.
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For a quicker hit, we have a video with 5 Tips For Beverage Photography, with Jordan Hughes.
See you next week!
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