Happy Thanksgiving and Black Friday! Before we get to the news of the week, it is always worth mentioning that you can find some amazing deals by stopping by the B&H Holiday Page—cameras, lenses, etc. It’s all on sale.
Now for the good stuff. Kodak is finally making its modern Super 8 Camera a reality. We first saw it in 2016 and have been eagerly awaiting its arrival. The wait was a bit longer than expected, but there still is nothing else like it on the market and it should be an exciting time for analog enthusiasts. Beyond a new film camera, this week brought us the latest from Teenage Engineering—the EP-133 K.O. II Sampler. Looking like a classic accounting calculator, this device is basically a larger (less pocketable) Pocket Operator with more features and functionality. Additionally this week, Insta360 is releasing the ACE Pro Action Cam, with AI technology.
Kodak revives film moviemaking with modernized Super 8 Camera
It has been a long time since Kodak first showed off its new Super 8 Camera. Was it worth the wait? You be the judge, but it is still a very niche product that finally allows people to experience classic, Super 8 filmmaking with the conveniences of modern technology.
Let's get one thing out of the way: the Kodak Super 8 Camera will cost $5,495. It will also only be available in limited quantities, meaning this is very much going to be a specialty product.
One great feature of this camera is that it will take Kodak’s standard 8mm film cartridges. You can get some VISION3 color negative, TRI-X black-and-white reversal, and even EKTACHROME color reversal. The camera uses a new, larger image area, which Kodak is calling Extended Gate Super 8, which is about 11% bigger than standard Super 8. This is designed to intercut more efficiently with other formats and make better use of the film.
This is not your grandfather’s Super 8 camera. One of the biggest examples of the modern approach is the large, 4" LCD viewfinder. This will provide a live through-the-lens feed during shooting and provide easy access to all your settings.
The Super 8 Camera will even record audio (for syncing in post, because it can’t record to the film). There is a 3.5mm line in, a 3.5mm mic in, and a 3.5mm headphone out for handling audio. It’ll save these files to an SD card.
For some, this might just be a dream product. We should be getting our hands on one in the near future, so stay tuned for more information.
Teenage Engineering steps into the ring with EP-133 K.O. II Sampler
Teenage Engineering has been known for making fun and unique audio devices. The Pocket Operator line is among its most popular products. Now, we are getting what some might consider a bigger, better PO with the release of the EP-133 K.O. II Sampler Composer. Admittedly, this isn’t my area of expertise, so I would highly recommended checking out this video made by Gabriel Richards, on our video team.
The EP-133 K.O is an evolutionary step up from the PO-33 K.O! II, adding more power, more sampling capabilities, and a reworked sequencer with punch-in effects. You could almost say it is a Pocket Operator Pro. It is certainly a fun-looking tool and can do stereo and mono sampling at 16-bit 46.875 kHz with a 24-bit ADC/DAC and a 32-bit float signal chain.
Other features include:
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9 projects each with 80,000 notes
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Projects with 4 groups, each with 99 patterns
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Patterns with 12 tracks for samples and MIDI
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12 mono / 6 stereo voice polyphony
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Sequence in free time or quantized with swing
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Loop mode from OB-4 with length and slide
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6 built-in send FX and a master compressor
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Instant time correction and erase
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And a ton more…
Seriously, check out the video if you want to learn more. It will tell you more than this short overview can.
Insta360 upgrades action cam system with AI-equipped ACE PRO
Even though the brand got its name from its 360 cameras, Insta360 offers a robust line of action cameras. Today, that lineup is getting even better, with the release of the ACE and ACE PRO. These more traditional action cameras come with their own advantages over the competition, including tighter integration with AI tools and upgrade image quality.
The flagship ACE PRO is very interesting. Co-engineered with Leica, you should expect image quality to be top notch. It features a 1/1.3" sensor, a 5 nm AI chip, and Leica glass. Capture up to 4K 120p, 8K 24p, and 48MP photos, and enjoy fast charging via USB-PD. The standard ACE is still very serviceable, although it is equipped with a 1/2" 6K sensor, standard lens, and has standard charging.
Both cameras have many other features going for them, as well:
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2.4" flip-up touchscreen
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AI Highlights Assistant
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AI Warp
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Stats Dashboard with Garmin and Apple Watch integration
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AI Selfie Stick Eraser
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FlowState Stabilization & 360° Horizon Lock
There’s a lot more to these action cams if you want to keep digging. It is, of course, waterproof to 33', freezeproof to -4°F, and just as durable as the rest.
In other news…
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Nanlux has another big light to show off: the Evoke 2400B Bi-Color LED.
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AMD released its Threadripper PRO WX and 7000 Series CPUs that will give more power to your editing PC.
That’s it for now! See you next week.
