Atomos created a lot of buzz at NAB 2014 when they announced the Shogun—a 12G-SDI and 4K HDMI monitor/recorder. Much of the buzz surrounding the Shogun was due to the fact that it could unleash the full 4K potential from cameras such as the Sony a7S, where 4K video is only supported through the HDMI output. Since that day, shooters around the world have been eagerly waiting—some more patiently than others—the day that they can finally get their hands on one. Their patience was tested further when the original launch came and went, with the firmware taking longer to finalize than Atomos anticipated. Well, I’m pleased to say that the wait is now over and that the Shogun is now stock at B&H!
The Shogun records 10-bit 4:2:2 4K video up to 30 fps and 1080p video up to 120 fps using Apple ProRes HQ, 422, or LT codecs. It can also record HD video using Avid's DNxHD format, and UHD 4K raw video using the uncompressed Cinema DNG Raw format. Video is recorded onto a single 2.5" SSD, with optional adapters available for recording onto CFast cards or two raided HDDs. As a monitor, the Shogun features a 7" IPS capacitive touchscreen display with 1920 x 1200 resolution. It is Rec. 709 calibrated and features a plethora of professional monitoring tools, including a full waveform monitor, RGB parade display, vectorscope, and focus peaking.
As previously mentioned, the Shogun is uniquely positioned as one of the only portable options currently available to take advantage of 4K HDMI output from compatible cameras. In particular, Sony a7S owners will now finally be able to enjoy native 4K video from its full frame sensor, as well as the embedded time code and start/stop trigger in its HDMI output. Another feature a7S owners will appreciate is the 3D LUT support, which lets users apply an S-Log2 to Rec. 709 LUT for more accurate monitoring of S-Log2 footage while shooting.
While a7S owners are among those who will certainly want the Shogun, let’s not forget that it also has a 12G-SDI input, making it also a great option for 4K SDI workflows. Whether you need 4K now or later, the Atomos Shogun is now available and ready to take your productions to the next level—both as a recorder and a monitor.
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