As we re-establish our routines, Theragun our sore muscles, consider camera upgrades, and reflect post-NAB, we wanted to take a moment to dive into the NAB 2022 Products of the Year.
Spanning across all facets of production, both on-site and remote, the National Association of Broadcasters brings together equipment and software companies across the creative realm, from cameras to streaming solutions to virtual reality spaces to broadcasting systems. Among them, a few are highlighted every show with the "Product of the Year" honors.
NAB 2022 by the Numbers
Curious about how to create virtual humans? Wondering which camera took home honors (and what the competition might be)? Let's jump on into our "by the numbers" list, organized in a 1-10 fashion.
Credit: INSTA ONE RS
1. As in the Insta360 ONE RS, named a winner in the camera category.
Insta360's cameras have been adopted by social media creators and videographers looking for interesting angles, ease of use, and of course, invisible selfie sticks. On top of its 360 filming options and features, the Insta360 ONE RS offers a 6K widescreen option, non-360 action camera filming, 48MP photos, and swappable lenses. These elements potentially give it a leg up over the GoPro Max (both have horizon leveling and other action camera staples).
GoPro, usually a staple at NAB with a generously sized (and carpeted) booth, typically entices attendees with camera giveaways. GoPro was not present at NAB this year. So filmmakers who hit the floor searching for an action camera likely gravitated to the Insta360 booth, or at least their eyes caught the plethora of yellow-branded Insta360 bags scattered throughout the show, or they saw the video advertisement playing in front of North Hall.
So the question begs to be asked—if GoPro steps out, does Insta360 step in?
2. As in Sony VENICE 2...
Which I first misread as Sony Vegas, which is fitting given NAB's location (and the video editing system). This year at NAB, while there were certainly camera upgrades, there were very few nominees close to VENICE 2 price point.
Will VENICE 2 shift filmmakers towards adopting Sony, or does the price need to come down first? (It's worth noting that at the time of this article, the VENICE 1 price doesn't appear to be reduced alongside the release of VENICE 2.)
Check out more and deep dive into Vegas—I mean VENICE—with Emma Garofalo's NFS piece.
Credit: Atomos Cloud Studio
3. As in there will be a free, three-month trial period when the Atomos Cloud Studio comes out this June.
Atomos Cloud Studio is the cloud-based video production offering from Atomos which includes Capture to Cloud and Atomos Stream and supports the new Shogun Connect and Atomos Connect for Ninja V and Ninja V+. This means that you can send video to the cloud, and into Frame.io, through compatible cameras and devices, and enable livestreaming, through the new Cloud Studio.
Check out more info with our NAB 2022 coverage.
Credit: Audio Design Desk
4. As in there are 45,000 sound and music cues inside the Audio Design Desk.
This is a digital audio workstation, where you can try to be a foley artist with your QWERTY keyboard and sync cues in real-time. The ADD Audio Bridge also allows you use the tools inside FCP X.
To see it in action and give it a whirl, head to Audio Design Desk.
Credit: Canon
5. As in Canon EOS R5 C.
Canon EOS R5 C is an upgrade to the R5 that now offers 8K 12-bit in 60fps with an external power supply, sophisticated autofocus systems courtesy of the C70, new flavors of RAW, proxy recording, and a cooling system (heat and Canon seem to go hand-in-hand).
It's worth noting that both the Canon EOS R5 and the EOS R8 were similarly named Products of the Year at 2021's virtual NAB Show.
Credit: Zeiss
6 + 8 = 14, the number of lenses in the (now complete) ZEISS Supreme Prime Kit with the addition of the new 15 mm T1.8 lens.
Okay, we kinda cheated with this one, but the math checks out. The immediate likely comparison and competition for the Supremes are the ARRI Signature Prime 15mm f1.8, which at $33,770, is similar in price (the Zeiss 15 mm T1.8 is offered at $31,625.00).
Zeiss has collaborated with Women in Media to offer the Zeiss Altitude Awards for women and gender non-conforming creators. The program offers prizes and the use of Zeiss Prime Lens for an upcoming project. Check it out and apply at the WiM site.
Credit: Blueshape
7. As in the Blueshape GO7 Green Power Generator.
Let's call it "power in a box." Imagine a Pelican case, with power outputs inside, all with zero CO2 emissions and a quiet working mode.
8 + 6 = 14, the number of lenses in the (now complete) ZEISS Supreme Prime Kit with the addition of the new 15 mm T1.8 lens (see above).
We cheated again.
9. As in 9 letters in the name DeepBrain.
DeepBrain created AI Studios, a system that uses AI Humans for video. While the motto for these systems is “AI for Human Life,” in some ways, the AI Human and Studios developments seem intent on getting rid of people altogether.
Who needs on-air talent when you can write a script for your own AI Human? Have fun with your own (semi-creepy) AI Humans alongside AI Studios here.
Credit: AnyClip
10. As in 10x faster than real-time, the claim that AnyClip makes in terms of the speed with its Genius+ AI system, which analyzes videos frame by frame.
So, not only can we use AI to create humans (see above), but it helps videos become measurable, interactive, and data-producing experiences.
You can check out all of the NAB 2022 Product of the Year Award Winners here.
With that, NAB 2022 is officially over for No Film School. We hope you all had a wonderful show this year and saw some amazing products.
Until next year, Vegas!
No Film School's complete coverage of NAB 2022 is brought to you by Blackmagic Design, Atomos, and Creative Solutions (makers of Teradek, Wooden Camera, and SmallHD).
