Each week we bring you Video: Explored, a live show featuring news, interviews, and insight into all things video, marketing, and brand growth.
This post is the show notes from last week’s episode, but you can tune in live each Thursday to join the conversation. Subscribe and get alerted by clicking here.
Panasonic’s new LUMIX BGH1
Panasonic announced their first box camera (sensor in a box; no screen, bring your own accessories). It’s the same exact sensor as the GH5s (and $500 cheaper at $2000). Panasonic calls it a cinema camera but I’m calling it a venn diagram camera because it checks a lot of boxes in a lot of use cases, including cinema, broadcasting, and live streaming.
SDI out, timecode sync, vlog, dual SD card slot, ethernet control and power over ethernet. It’s got a lot of handy uses. The live streaming part is a bit confusing. While it has ethernet it doesn’t have NDI, which sends broadcast quality video over a local ethernet network.
But very exciting to see so many features in such a small and inexpensive package.
More here: https://ntm.link/panasonicbgh1
Nikon’s Z6 II and Z7 II Cameras
Nikon is updating their Z6 and Z7 line. These are the best DSLRs with video features to come out of Nikon. But they’re behind the game. I’ve had a review copy of the Z6 for over a year. Every time I try to shoot in the field with it to give it a go I end up going back to my Panasonic GH4.
It was one of the first DSLRs to offer ProRes RAW and it’s very much geared towards shooting ‘cinema’ and not very run and gun friendly (or vlogging / self filming friendly as there’s no flip screen).
My three biggest issues were confusing menu system, slow autofocus, and no flip screen. Gen 2 solves one of those issues – better autofocus.
But should point out that they have updated the autofocus via firmware in the past, yet lots of times the updates only apply to still photo mode. So it’s still very much a great still photo camera that can shoot some great video clips. Not the best option if all you do is shoot video. https://ntm.link/nikonZ6II-Z7II
Atomos Connect 4K
In my opening I mentioned how I tested out the $20 HDMI to USB adapter. And it worked great!
If you want to opt for the same exact thing for 4x the price, Atomos has released their own HDMI to USB adapter for $79.
If all you want to do is connect your camera to your computer for Zoom calls, the $20 device is probably fine. If you’re doing more mission critical work, like live streaming to a large audience or connecting a mixer at a live event to encode and stream online, I’d opt for the security of buying from a reputable name brand like Atomos. https://ntm.link/connect4k
OnZoom – Zoom’s Online Ticketing
Not much of a surprise here: lots of third party companies have been offering ways to add a paywall to Zoom rooms, so you can create paid virtual events, like fitness classes or networking events or standup shows.
Zoom is bypassing the third parties and offering the feature themselves with OnZoom. They’re not taking a cut of the ticket sales (yet). However you do need to be a paid Zoom subscriber to use it. http://ntm.link/onzoomticketing
Please like, subscribe, and buy these products
YouTube started asking certain channels to tag products mentioned in their videos. This is a signal that YouTube is trying to become a shopping destination to buy products from directly.
They already offer third party integration with Shopify and some merch apps (you’ll sometimes see t-shirts and mugs for sale from a channel underneath the video). This will most likely be a third party connection, like Google Shopping. There isn’t much info on what storefronts this would link to or how to manage your products that people might tag.
This definitely make sense from a YouTube play. 55% of consumers look up videos of products before they buy them online. And while all this talk is just of pre-recorded videos, live streaming ecommerce is huge in China, so adding this product tagging ability could be the first step in adding the feature in live streaming and further build out YouTube’s ecommerce flex. https://ntm.link/youtubeshopping
