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Cool Gear for Videographers at CES 2015

Jim Fisher
 & Jim Fisher Principal Writer, Cameras

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Not too many cameras of note were unveiled at this year's Consumer Electronics Show—most new models were minor updates to existing ones—but that doesn't mean there weren't exciting announcements for photographers and videographers. For example, DJI is putting out a handheld mount for its Inspire 1 4K video camera, a boon for shooting steady handheld footage. Nikon's new AF-S Nikkor 300mm 1:4 PF ED lens will appeal to SLR shooters who want a compact, telephoto prime lens. And its latest midrange D-SLR, the D5500 adds a tilting, touch-screen rear display.

CES bug art (update)

Sony is releasing a new consumer 4K video camera that puts an emphasis on stabilized video, and going toe-to-toe with GoPro with a new action cam that captures 4K footage. Panasonic is releasing a pair of 4K camcorders, the WX970 and VX870, each priced under $1,000. It's also bringing the Lumix CM1 Android smartphone to market and debuting a new 30x pocket superzoom, the ZS50. Its 12-megapixel sensor is a step back in resolution from last year's ZS40, which should give it an edge in low-light situations.

Canon had a quiet year; its Connect Station CS100 set-top box is a new type of product, designed to make it easy to view your photos and videos on an HDTV, but lack of 4K support and a small 1TB hard drive make its $300 sticker price a bit tough to swallow. There were also some not-so-exciting updates to the compact PowerShot line of digital cameras and the Vixia camcorder lineup, which still tops out at 1080p.

Check Out the Best Photos From CES 2015!

Fujifilm announced a pro zoom lens for its X system, but didn't have a presence on the show floor. Ricoh didn't show off any new products that are ready for market, but it did preview a new APS-C Pentax K-mount SLR, and a trio of new K-mount lenses that are set to come to market at a future date. Hit the slideshow for a closer look.

Canon

Canon announced a bunch of stuff at CES, but there's nothing to get too excited about. The Connect Station CS100, which allows you to view images and videos on an HDTV, seems a bit dated out of the gate, and it's a late entry into a crowded marketplace. It does have on differentiating feature—the ability to sync with other CS100 units in different physical locations via the Internet. That could make it a hit with families who want to share photos with distant relatives who may not be tech savvy enough to use Facebook, but at $300 it seems expensive for what it is.

Canon

The other Canon announcements were updates to some of its PowerShot lineup—the same long zoom SX models that seem to get updated this time every year—and a very minor refresh of its Vixia camcorder lineup that only added the active tag NFC that's required to tap-and-share with the CS100. Canon had a big 2014 with pro-level cameras like the 7D Mark II, and I expect it to have some more interesting announcements later in the year.

DJI Inspire 1 Camera Mount

My personal favorite product of the show is the DJI Inspire 1 Camera Mount. It's a handheld grip for the camera used by the Inspire 1 drone that makes it dead simple to capture smooth, handheld footage at 4K resolution. It includes a mic input (the camera doesn't have an internal mic), and will be well-suited for documentary filmmaking.

Fujifilm

If you're at CES you can seek out a meeting room off the main show floor to take a look at Fujifilm's current camera lineup, but don't look for a booth on the show floor. The company had just one announcement, a pro-grade, weather-sealed 16-55mm f/2.8 zoom lens for its X mirrorless camera system. Interestingly, the lens designers decided to omit optical image stabilization from the lens, as it felt that doing so would deliver image quality on par with full-frame zooms that cover the same field of view. Most of the Fujinon X lenses we've tested have been stellar performers, so I'm not going to second guess them on that decision.

Nikon

Nikon announced three products at CES. The headliner is the D5500 SLR, an upgrade to the midrange D5300. It is noticeably smaller and includes a vari-angle touch-screen LCD, a first in a Nikon SLR. The company also announced a pair of lenses, —a retractable 55-200 for DX cameras, and a lightweight 300mm f/4 telephoto prime that works with full-frame and APS-C bodies alike.

Panasonic

Panasonic is showing off a few new Lumix compact cameras, the most interesting of which is the ZS50. Its an update to the ZS40 with a better viewfinder, but with the same 30x zoom lens. The company decided to drop the sensor resolution from 18 megapixels to 12 megapixels in order to improve performance in dim lighting, which is a good move if you ask me.

The company also announced some new camcorders, including a pair of models that record footage at 4K resolution—the WX970 and VX870 are both priced under $1,000. And it's bringing the Lumix CM1 Android smartphone to the US. The $1,000 unlocked phone (compatible with T-Mobile and AT&T networks) was first shown at Photokina in 2014 and uses a huge (for a phone) 1-inch image sensor to capture 20-megapixel images with a 28mm f/2.8 prime lens. If it lives up to its potential it's in the position to be the best cameraphone on the market by a wide margin.

Polaroid

Once again you can buy a Polaroid camera that delivers a physical photo after you've captured it. The Android-powered Socialmatic takes a bit longer to print an image using ZINK paper than an old Polaroid film camera, but it's digital and can also post images to social networks. Polaroid showed a mock-up last CES, but this year it's here with a fully working model. It's on sale now for $300.

The company is also showing its iZone camera, a tiny device that omits a rear LCD but does include an 8x zoom lens. It pairs with an Android or iOS so you can use your phone as a viewfinder. It's set to go on sale in the spring for $180.

Sony

Panasonic isn't the only cameramaker embracing 4K. Sony announced the AX33, a 4K camcorder with a 1/2.3-inch image sensor and the company's top-end Balanced Optical SteadyShot stabilization system. It's $1,000 price tag is enough to entice early adopters, but may be a bit too much for many consumers to swallow. That's true especially since action cams are such a growth market, and because Sony's own X1000V action cam also records 4K footage for just $500. The company also refreshed a number of its 1080p camcorder models.

360 Action Cams

I saw a pair of interesting cameras at CES that join Kodak's SP360 and Ricoh's Theta m15 in recording 360° video. The 360fly isn't too far off in size from a tennis ball and can go 100 feet underwater—it's priced at $500. There's also the VSN Mobil V.360°—it's $400, but it is only rated to go 10 feet underwater. The V.360° can be powered via USB and is able to stream video to an tablet and smartphone app over the Internet, which does open its up for use as a home security or nanny cam.

About Our Expert

Jim Fisher

Jim Fisher

Principal Writer, Cameras

My Experience

Images, and the devices that capture them, are my focus. I've covered cameras at PCMag for the past 14 years, which has given me a front row seat for the changeover from DSLRs to mirrorless cameras, the smartphone camera revolution, and the emergence of drones for aerial imaging. I have extensive experience with every major mirrorless and SLR system, and am also comfortable using point-and-shoot and action cameras. As a Part 107 Certified drone pilot, I’m licensed to fly unmanned aircraft systems (UAS) for commercial and editorial purposes, and am knowledgeable about federal rules and regulations regarding drones.

The Technology I Use

I use all of the major camera systems on a regular basis, swapping between Canon, Fujifilm, L-Mount, Micro Four Thirds, Nikon, and Sony systems. I still find time to use Leica M rangefinders and Pentax SLRs on occasion, too. I keep an iPhone 13 in my pocket for the rare occasions I'm not carrying a camera.

I'm not a brand-specific photographer. For product review photos, I swap between a Canon EOS R5 and a Sony a7R IV. I use Flashpoint and Godox TTL lights and Peak Design tripods, and I most often reach for a Think Tank or Peak Design backpack to carry equipment.

When it comes to computers, I'm an unapologetic Mac person and have been for the past 20 years. I write in Pages and use Numbers for spreadsheets. I currently swap between an Intel i9 MacBook Pro and an Apple Silicon Mac Studio for writing and use a calibrated BenQ 32.5-inch with the Studio for photo and video editing. I rely on a LaCie 6big RAID for media storage. I also keep a PC around for gaming, but please don't tell my Macs about it; they'll get jealous.

I split time between several different software apps depending on the type of editing I'm doing. For Raw image processing, Adobe Photoshop Lightroom Classic is my standard. I pair it with a LoupeDeck CT console to supplement my keyboard and trackpad, and I lean on RNI All Films 5 presets when I want to give an image a film look. I use Apple Final Cut Pro for video editing.

My first digital camera was the Canon PowerShot Elph S200, and my first DSLR was the Pentax *ist DL. I have a soft spot for antique film gear. I still use a 1950 vintage Rolleiflex Automat TLR and love trying mid-century Leica lenses on film and digital alike. I mainly use whatever's in front of me for review for digital snaps, but I pick up either my Leica M Typ 240 or Pentax K-3 III Monochrome when I want to step away from review work. In my downtime, I enjoy bird watching, reading, video games, and both good and bad movies, especially in the sci-fi and horror genres.

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