Firmware 2.00, announced November 3 and due before the end of the year, brings Log3G10 to H.265 recording. Until now, if you wanted the ZR‘s RED color pipeline, you shot R3D NE raw. With 2.00, you get Log3G10 and REDWideGamutRGB in a compressed codec at far smaller file sizes.
Why This Is Good News For The Video
The ZR came out of Nikon’s purchase of RED, and RED color science is a huge selling point. However, Raw, though wonderful in the grade, creates a huge amount of data that eats up cards and hard drives.
For documentary, events, travel and long interviews, H.265 with Log3G10 keeps the same color workflow and the same LUTs while your storage bill shrinks. You’re supposed to be able to cut ZR H.265 footage next to R3D clips, or next to a RED cinema camera, and grade from one starting point.
Everything Else In 2.00
- Selectable High ISO noise reduction, with 4 levels, when shooting Log3G10 or N-Log in H.265
- ISO, exposure settings, white balance and color temperature assignable to the command dials
- 3D LUT/View Assist assignable to an Fn button for one-press switching
- Focus peaking that works with a 3D LUT applied during R3D NE recording
- 3D LUT output over HDMI, so your external monitor shows a near-final image
- New processing that steadies frame-to-frame black levels, cutting flicker in low light and dark areas
Focus peaking with a LUT is the fix many ZR owners wanted most. Focusing by hand on a flat log image is hard to do, and this has been a sore spot since launch.
Our Take
Nikon’s really focused on bringing the ZR’s into the cinema world. This is the first major update since the ZR shipped about a year ago, and it’s a wonderful update for those who shoot video. We love that Nikon is treating the ZR as a camera that grows after you buy it.
Sources
- Nikon ZR firmware v2.00 adds Log3G10 in H.265, 3D LUT HDMI output and more custom controls (CameraJabber)
- ZR Firmware 2.0 (Nikon USA)
- Nikon ZR firmware version 2.00 (Newsshooter)
- The Nikon ZR’s First Major Firmware Update Improves Video Quality and Adds More Control (PetaPixel)
Elevate Your Vision
Read this story and all the best stories on The Luminous Landscape
The author has made this story available to Luminous Landscape members only. Upgrade to get instant access to this story and other benefits available only to members.
Why choose us?
Luminous-Landscape is a membership site. Our website contains over 5300 articles on almost every topic, camera, lens and printer you can imagine. Our membership model is simple, just $2 a month ($24.00 USD a year). This $24 gains you access to a wealth of information including all our past and future video tutorials on such topics as Lightroom, Capture One, Printing, file management and dozens of interviews and travel videos.
- New Articles every few days
- All original content found nowhere else on the web
- No Pop Up Google Sense ads – Our advertisers are photo related
- Download/stream video to any device
- NEW videos monthly
- Top well-known photographer contributors
- Posts from industry leaders
- Speciality Photography Workshops
- Mobile device scalable
- Exclusive video interviews
- Special vendor offers for members
- Hands On Product reviews
- FREE – User Forum. One of the most read user forums on the internet
- Access to our community Buy and Sell pages; for members only.
You may also like
