Some say 2014 will be the year of 4K, and with Canon, Panasonic, and Nikon all recently announcing (or planning to launch) 4K SLR cameras, it seems that view may be correct. This is very exciting news for DSLR shooters around the world, as almost every other aspect of the industry is starting to push for 4K. Just look at how many new affordable 4K TVs are on the market, or how 4K delivery is now a reality for production companies, not to mention streaming sites like YouTube already offering 4K screenings domestically.
At present, Canon, Panasonic and Nikon are all involved in the field of 4K single-lens cameras, but they are at different stages. Other manufacturers (like Sony) will inevitably follow suit, and I’m sure at this year’s NAB we’ll see more 4K DSLRs than we can handle. But now, let’s take a quick look at the current status of three manufacturers that have begun to focus on 4K.
Canon
Canon 1DC is the first digital SLR camera to shoot 4K, and it is also the only ready-made digital SLR camera to shoot 4K on the market. Because the camera costs a whopping $12,000, it hasn’t been adopted by many photographers despite its excellent image quality. The lack of interest is largely due to the fact that the camera only shoots in the highly compressed 8-bit 4:2:0 color space, making it far less popular than other 4K cameras like the Red Scarlet, Sony F5, or Blackmagic Production Camera. Shoot RAW.
Matsushita
Panasonic will release the Lumix GH4 soon – in fact, rumors this week suggested it would be released on February 7th, which isn’t that far away now. I have written about cameras in previous blog posts And the specs feel like they’re just right, at least on paper. Notably, the camera will shoot in 10-bit 4:2:2 at up to 200mbps. This is a huge improvement and a noticeable difference compared to the more compressed 1DC. While many shooters would like their DSLR to be able to shoot RAW, I personally think this is overkill and the 200mbps ALL-I codec is sufficient. Shooting with a DSLR should be a simple process, and once you get into the RAW workflow, additional storage, media changes, etc., you’re better off shooting with a real cinema camera. DSLRs are supposed to be flexible, so I think this camera’s specs hit the sweet spot.
Nikon
Canon’s 1DC is already on the shelves, and the Lumix GH4 will be available next month. Nikon is definitely the furthest away from truly launching a 4K camera. Nonetheless, news emerged this week that a Nikon product manager revealed that the company does have plans for a 4K DSLR. With NAB set to launch in just a few months, I’d say there’s a good chance we’ll see something new from Nikon at the show, or at least some clearer information on a new camera or cameras they plan to offer 4K ability. Even though Nikon lags far behind Canon and Panasonic, this news is still very relevant to what’s going on in the industry, since Nikon isn’t primarily a video company. Canon and Panasonic both have lines of video cameras, so you’d think they’d be jumping on the bandwagon, but the fact that Nikon (which is really just a stills company) wants to join in is a clear indication of the times we live in.
Does it matter?
Yes and no. If you’re a specific type of shooter who needs purpose-built 4K at an affordable price, this is a really big deal. Just a few years ago, shooting with the RED ONE was one of the only ways to get 4K footage, and we all know how much these cameras cost. There are so many options for 4K capture these days, and the fact that this feature is available on a DSLR body is pretty astounding.
But on the other hand, even as 4K becomes so common, you still don’t actually need it. Especially when it comes to single-eye shooting. Although 4K exhibits (especially Ultra HD TVs) are becoming commonplace, how many times have you actually been asked to deliver something in 4K? Probably very few, if any. This will inevitably change over the next year or two, but for now, the vast majority of projects delivered and screened in 4K will never be shot with a DSLR. Not because 4K DSLRs didn’t exist when they were produced, but because you’re never going to use a DSLR when you have an Alexa or a 35mm film camera at your disposal – unless it’s for professional shooting. Personally, while I own a lot of cameras, if I need to shoot something large enough that it will actually be shown in 4K in the future, I will rent camera equipment to shoot it.
2014 may actually be the year of 4K – it’s definitely going that way. But I don’t think this is the year of the 4K DSLR… that’ll probably be 2015. Almost certainly. But it will take a long time before single-eye level production really requires 4K and requires photographers to take out 4K equipment. So for now, if you need 4K for a specific need, by all means go for it – I’m sure I’ll get a 4K DSLR myself in the near future! But having said that, don’t rush into buying one and spend more than you should just because it has a higher resolution than your current camera. After all, it’s the DP who captures the images, not the camera. Of course, resolution is just one of many factors you need to consider when buying a camera, along with things like dynamic range, which I think is even more important. More articles about me here: Why dynamic range is more important than resolution for achieving cinematic effects.
