With less demand for low-end, entry-level-style cameras and office equipment like printers and copiers, Canon is considering moving more manufacturing outside of Japan.

Global camera sales are down significantly since 2008

The drop in demand for cameras can be attributed to the rise of smartphones with cameras that get more and more advanced each year. And, as more companies go digital, the need for printers and copiers decreases yearly.

“We want to go fabless with the printers and lower-end digital cameras we manufacture in Asia,” explained Canon Chairman and CEO Fujio Mitari to Nikkei Asia. “We can become more asset-light by outsourcing based on production quantity rather than maintaining our own factories.”

However, in the past couple of years, there has been an increase in demand for compact, digital point-and-shoot cameras among Gen Z. Canon has largely missed out on this trend. The company closed their compact camera manufacturing plant in Zhuhai, China, in 2022.

While other manufacturers are capitalizing, Canon did have a pretty good reason for their closure: Since 2008, they’ve lost $8.2 billion in sales of cameras, printers, copiers, and other devices. The total global camera market shrunk to only 8 million digital cameras in 2021, a massive decrease from 120 million in 2010.

The rise of point-and-shoot cameras is a surprise, no doubt. Most manufacturers, including Canon, have been focusing on higher-end units, like the newer mirrorless cameras, which has helped with overall sales.

Gen Z helps to bring back digital point-and-shoot film cameras

You would be forgiven if you thought it was 2003 all over again. Gen Z has helped bring about a resurgence in digital point-and-shoot (P&S) cameras. Years before the iPhone and other smartphones helped nearly eliminate these cameras, they were ubiquitous at the beginning of the 21st century. It wasn’t uncommon to see Gen Xers with an iPod, flip phone (or BlackBerry), possibly a PDA, and definitely a digital point-and-shoot camera. One of the more popular models was the Canon PowerShot ELPH and other PowerShot cameras. 

Gen Z has been enjoying using these cameras, especially for vlogging. However, with the resurgence of digital point-and-shoot cameras, which started in 2023, it is unfortunate that in 2022, Canon closed the plant manufacturing those camera styles.

Shooting on film cameras has also seen a sharp return amongst the younger generation. There certainly is an appeal to loading a film camera, taking photos, and then either sending the film off to be developed or doing it yourself.  How long this trend lasts is unknown, but it is similar to the rise in vinyl, as physical media sales have dropped over the years.

What do you think of Canon outsourcing more manufacturing outside of Japan? What are your thoughts on the impact of smartphones on low-end camera sales and the return of point-and-shoot cameras? Let us know in the comments below!

Source: Nikkei Asia (via Canon Rumors and Peta Pixel)

Nearly 30 years old, Getty Images was founded by Mark Getty and Jonathan Klein. By 1997, the stock media company took off when it merged with PhotoDisc. Over the years, Getty has acquired other media libraries, including iStock, and archived to become one of the largest in the world. In 2020, it focused on royalty-free images instead of rights-exclusive images. Getty is also known for their events coverage, such as awards shows and more.

Meanwhile, Shutterstock was founded in 2003 to provide stock images, video, music, and even editing tools. It currently has a library of over 500 million stock media. The company acquired Pond5 in 2022. Content creators likely recall the company offered subscriptions before adding licensing to individual media.

Getty and Shutterstock merger details

Once the $3.7 billion merger is approved and completed, the new company will be called Getty Images Holdings, Inc., and will continue to be traded on the U.S. Stock Exchange as GETY. The two companies said there would be “cost synergies” of $150 million to $200 million annually within three years of the merger closing.

The company said in a statement, “Getty Images and Shutterstock will offer a content library with greater depth and breadth for the benefit of customers, expanded opportunities for its contributor community.” 

Getty’s CEO also added that the merger will help with “enhancing our content offerings, expanding event coverage, and delivering new technologies to better serve our customers.”

So why did two of the largest stock media companies decide to merge? There has been an increase in competition over the years, with companies like Storyblocks and others offering royalty-free media at more competitive prices. To be fair, the overall quality (composition, etc.) varied compared to Getty and Shutterstock, but if a director or editor can get a quality piece of footage for less than the two giants, they’ll do so.

Additionally, Adobe Stock is a convenient way to add media to a project while working in various apps, such as Premiere Pro. Adobe acquired Fotolia several years ago as a way to make it even easier for content creators to access millions of types of media. Adobe Firefly is their generative AI tool, which can be used to create apps and combine with Adobe Stock media. Canva also provides stock media, and there is also the rise of generative AI.

What does it mean for filmmakers, content creators, and contributors?

Storyblocks’ CEO TJ Leonard pointed out one potential big issue (via Forbes): By focusing only on saving money on costs (“cost synergies”), the new Getty Images “cannot devote to the customer.” He also said smaller companies, such as his own, can do well by focusing more on their customers’ needs and providing quality stock media.

Could the merger also affect the overall pricing of the stock media? Quite possibly, since the new Getty will be so massive with their extensive library, tools, and event coverage. That will also give smaller companies an opportunity to eat into Getty’s market share. 

Finally, there are many contributors to Getty Images and Shutterstock around the world, particularly Getty. The two companies said contributors would see more opportunities but didn’t offer details. Storyblocks’ Leonard worries that one platform vs. diversification between two could affect royalty earnings, especially if the fee structure changes in anyway.

What are your thoughts on the Getty Images and Shutterstock merger? If you use stock media, how might it affect you? If you contribute to either or both companies, do you think it will help or hurt earnings? Let us know in the comments below!

When it comes to HDMI, the last big change was in 2017 with the unveiling of HDMI 2.1. At the time, it could deliver 48Gbps and up to 10K resolution. Additionally, it also supported 8K HDR and introduced Dynamic HDR plus 8K at 60Hz and 4K at 120Hz.

HDMI 2.2 – features

With the introduction of HDMI 2.2 by the HDMI Forum, the data transfer capability was doubled from 48 to 96Gbps. It also supports resolutions up to 16K plus 12K at 120Hz and 4K at 480Hz. The new HDMI Fixed Rate Link (FRL) technology is behind the new video and audio support. To take advantage of the HDMI 2.2 protocol, new Ultra96 cables will be developed. Samsung will reportedly showcase a prototype of their HDMI 2.2 cable.

It also features lip sync improvements with the Latency Indication Protocol (appropriately dubbed, LIP). This will be particularly useful for home theater systems that are connected to sound bars, receivers, and other devices, where there are potential sound sync issues.

The HDMI Forum also explained how the new 2.2 protocol will benefit VR (virtual reality), AR (augmented reality), and MR (mixed reality, or ‘spatial computing,’ per Apple). If you’re filming this type of content, HDMI 2.2 will help with delivery. Gaming companies will also be able to take advantage of the new technology.

With cameras pushing the envelope in terms of resolution, there needs to be a way to deliver that data. DisplayPort 2.1 supports up to 80Gbps with the UHBR 20 transmission mode, and the HDMI 2.2 delivers up to 96Gbps. New monitors are supporting higher resolutions and 8K TVs are slowly becoming the norm after years of 4K dominance.

Hisense unveiled an enormous 136-inch MicroLED TV at CES 2025 that they say is “consumer-ready,” and likely priced in the tens of thousands of dollars. So there are some home entertainment options coming that could take advantage of HDMI 2.2 (although the Hisense TV does not).

But with some broadcasts around the world still stuck at HD (including 720p), and Blu-ray sales contracting, there may be limitations, as far as home entertainment is concerned. 

Availability 

HDMI 2.2 technology will be available to ‘HDMI adopters,’ the TV and cable manufacturers, in the first half of 2025. The question is, will TVs and other devices be far behind? Considering that the first TVs with HDMI 2.1 showed up two years later in 2019, it could be a little bit of a waiting period for 2.2 to become a new standard. But AV technology continues to be rapidly developed, and we may see more than just Ultra96 cables announced sooner rather than later.

What are your thoughts about HDMI 2.2? Do you think it will help with production, post, and delivery? Let us know in the comments below!

As mentioned above, Rhino Camera Gear’s official website now displays the following message:

Rhino Camera Gear is now closed. If you have an existing repair, we will process it within 2-4 weeks. If you need support with your product, please reach out to your local Rhino Dealer. Our online store, email, and phone have been disconnected. We apologize for any inconvenience. 

Goodbye, old friend

Without an official announcement or any buildup to the closing, we are left to speculate as to why the company is shutting down. But what is apparent is that they will no longer be supporting or accepting any kind of returns or repairs through their website. While Rhino products are still available for purchase through B&H and other authorized retailers, prices have yet to drop as of the publication of this article. It is also unsure how successful any future Rhino sales would be, given that support has been cut off.

A legacy of motion control

Rivaling companies such as Kessler, with their motion control and camera slider systems, Rhino leaves behind a legacy of similar products. The EVO slider system was wildly successful, starting with a Kickstarter campaign in 2015. Their ARC II 4-axis robotic camera assistant was barely 5 years old. While, as mentioned above, Rhino products are still available, it is uncertain if their app will continue to run or receive updates.

Could it be that sliders are now more prevalent and cheaper than they were 10 years ago? At the time, you couldn’t really find camera sliders for under $500. But now, a quick Google or Amazon search can yield results for under $100. Many camera companies are incorporating camera axis movement into their hardware, such as DJI or Insta 360.

So perhaps Rhino filled a niche that no longer exists. As happens with many companies, the supply only flows for as long as demand is there. Regardless of what happened, we would like to bid farewell to Rhino Camera Gear and all its employees. Thanks for providing quality products to aspiring and professional filmmakers alike.

Do you own any Rhino products, or would you like to know why they are out of business? I’d love to hear about any experiences you’ve had with Rhino in the comments below.

If you have followed us long enough, you probably know that we—CineD authors—actively work as filmmakers and video creators across the globe. Of course, each of us has our personal experiences to share. (Consider it a disclaimer, please: everything you read below is subjective). Yet, sometimes, it’s exciting to gather reflections from different years in one overview. So please don’t hesitate to participate and chime in below in the comments!

Reflecting on 2024 gear highlights

Gear highlights are a core focus for CineD, but with the constant stream of new releases and rapid advancements in technology, the subject has grown so extensive that it warrants its own dedicated article. Oh wait, we already have one! Seasoned cinematographer and co-CEO of CineD Johnnie Behiri urges everyone to head over to our “Camera of the Year 2024” piece. There, he summarizes cameras that impressed us most throughout the past year: from higher-end solutions like Blackmagic Design Ursa Cine 12K LF to compact mirrorless ones such as FUJIFILM X-M5. (A closer look at one of our cameras of the year, the LUMIX GH7, can be found here.

Jeff Loch—French freelance director, editor, and colorist—is a Canon shooter. His 2024 highlight was the release of the Canon EOS C400. Yet he was excited even more when the EOS C80 came out. For him, it offers everything he could’ve wished for. In the review mentioned above, Johnnie calls it “the affordable full-frame 6K RAW recording one-man-band camera,” and many other CineD writers also included Canon EOS C80 in their “best gear releases of the year” list.

At the same time, Francesco Andreola, a Milan-based filmmaker and educator, singled out the Nikon Z6III. He thinks this camera testifies to the company’s commitment to producing better tools for filmmakers—a trend that started in 2021 with the introduction of the Z 9. In Francesco’s experience, Nikon still needs to address quite a few things to compete fully with other established brands. However, Nikon has already proven that with their firmware updates, Nikon cameras get better over time, giving users confidence that they’re making a secure investment.

Anamorphic lenses become mainstream

Another gear trend that Florian Milz—the creator of the CineD Databases—noticed is the rise of the anamorphic lenses with a 1.33x squeeze. Or better said, they are becoming more affordable and mainstream. Even legendary motion picture rental Panavision embraces this squeeze factor in their own Ultra Panatar line of lenses. At the same time, there is an ever-growing list of budget competitors from BLAZAR and SIRUI.

In the picture above, you see one of the SIRUI prime lenses that came out this past autumn. Did you also notice in small lettering “autofocus”? It was exactly this that was the most interesting gear highlight of 2024 for the Vienna freelance filmmaker Jakub Han. Namely, the birth of true anamorphic lenses with autofocus (first BLAZAR and then SIRUI). He thinks shooting with AF has been normalized in many fields of our industry. So, it’s great that the manufacturers of anamorphic lenses follow along and make their products even more user-oriented for different types of projects.

Further gear and software highlights

Sure enough, we can go on about the newest tech forever. 2024 was full of interesting product releases, from wireless microphones that record 32-bit float audio (like the DJI Mic 2, RØDE Wireless PRO, and Saramonic Ultra) to the astonishing ZEISS Nano Prime lenses. As the resident creator of B-Roll footage at CineD, Florian Milz believes that for product photography, these lenses hit the spot with a very pleasant look and compact form factor. He only wishes ZEISS made a 50mm Macro lens to replace the one he currently uses most.

For Dave Kratz, a freelance documentary and commercial editor and DP, the standout gear of 2024 has been the DJI Focus Pro. While he was initially excited about the original DJI LiDAR system release with the RS3, its limitations (like being restricted to mapping three lens profiles) were frustrating.

“Now that it’s an independent system, it has become the cornerstone of my camera package. After years of leaning on autofocus lenses for practicality, the Focus Pro lets me revive my collection of vintage lenses. Shooting as a solo operator, I’ve achieved incredible results that blend classic image quality with modern convenience.”

In terms of software, seasoned filmmaker and educator Heath McKnight was excited about the first major upgrade for Final Cut Pro since 2011. Version X debuted back then and has seen some pretty big upgrades since, but kept the 10.xx numbering. In 2024, we finally met the Final Cut Pro 11:

Magnetic Mask is absolutely jaw-dropping and Transcribe-to-Captions is a feature I’ve been hoping for since some competing NLEs added it.

Heath McKnight

CineD authors reflect on 2024 main industry trends

Time flies, and many things change – not only in terms of gear but also in how we work and what our clients expect of us. In my observation, the art of corporate content in 2024 has changed a lot. The market is fed up with ads and classic image films for brands, so companies look for new possibilities to get exposure. That’s why they choose to work with social media influencers, which can hand them a target audience on a silver plate. I have a feeling traditional media agencies and video production companies will soon become obsolete (unless they find new creative ways to create films, campaigns, and strategies).

At the same time, Johnnie Behiri thinks that today, more than ever before, independent filmmakers must stay flexible and open-minded. The tech advances rapidly (and becomes cheaper) while budgets shrink, so the requirements for larger crews (for instance, for filming documentaries) became completely a thing of the past.

Dave Kratz also noticed a major 2024 trend of tightening the budget across the board (especially in the documentary series he edits). As production budgets shrink, more pressure is falling on post-production to compensate. Editors are spending extra hours combing through stock footage and piecing together interviews to create stories that should have been captured in the field.

To Omri Keren Lapidot—content creator and teacher, based in Amsterdam—it seems that we’ve reached a point where most high-end tech specs are technically impressive but bear little to no actual, field-relevant effect. He’d be hard-pressed to find an actual use case for the Sony a9 III’s 120fps for stills, for example. Omri believes that camera manufacturers (and us, their clients) would be much better off with new technological innovations. Thus, they could try to implement some computational photography, depth perception, LiDAR, additional internal camera+lens modules, and other smartphone-related tech into pro cameras, or invest in ergonomics and user experience. (Head over here to read Omri’s further thoughts on this topic).

In the major movie scene, not much has changed this past year, in Heath McKnight’s opinion. But there is one particular trend that he enjoyed. We are seeing a new wave of small indie films, whether through streaming giants like Netflix or filmmakers getting their ideas financed. It reminds Heath of the 1990s indie film boom.

Let’s touch on AI and reflect on its 2024 development

Another ongoing trend we’ve been closely observing in 2024 is the further development of AI tools (in all areas of life). In terms of filmmaking, generative AI has become one of the most controversial topics, raising a lot of difficult (and reasonable) questions. However, most CineD writers are trying to stay more realistic rather than concerned. As Johnnie puts it, we hope our audience will not dismiss learning about artificial intelligence. Like any change, it is frightening yet might bring new opportunities for those who are willing to adapt. Dave Kratz also sees generative AI as a tool with incredible potential, not just a cost-cutting disruptor. Sure enough, at the moment, it feels more like paint-by-numbers, but technology evolves quickly:

For example, I recently saw a friend create an animated short with generative AI in just three hours. Imagine what could be achieved with hundreds of hours invested—this could open the door to richer, more creative storytelling. Beyond content creation, AI could revolutionize pre-production by enabling detailed storyboarding and interactive “table reads” to align creative visions before shooting even begins.

Dave Kratz

For that matter, there are already companies that develop comprehensive AI-enhanced filmmaking applications going in this direction (and we talk about them here). Give them some extra time; they might become useful tools in your pre-production kit.

On the other hand, Florian Milz has become more skeptical and conservative when it comes to current AI developments. What he understands and uses himself are LLMs (large language models) and deep-learning tools assisting us—humans—with everyday tasks. Regarding generative AI for content creation, Florian doesn’t see us getting better at things but rather lazier and less precise. This is not the direction he wants to go himself. Has our own creativity reached its peak? Are we curious about whether machines can get better at it than we can? Fair questions.

While generative AI opens many new possibilities for storytellers worldwide (and Jakub Han emphasizes that this game-changing tech enables everyone with ideas to go after their creative vision), a lot of filmmakers are afraid of losing jobs and being replaced by AI. Not Francesco Andreola, though. He believes that there is space for AI in our industry. However, it’s just a tool that cannot replace social relationships, which play an extremely important role in our job. As he puts it, people want to deal with people. “Clients, agencies, crew, actors, talents. Everybody wants to be on set, meet other human beings, and get creative. And AI will never take that away.” I agree.

Reflecting on our learnings from 2024

As with every year, 2024 was also rich in learning. We want to pass along directly some of the personal tips and insights concerning filmmaking:

• Jeff: As much as we love gear, use it. But more importantly, love the people who are working with you on set to pull out your vision together because the other way around just doesn’t work. Never forget to have fun on set and cherish the people working with you. You never know if it’s going to be your last shoot with them; life comes and goes, and you’ll have regrets if you don’t do so.

• Dave: 2024 reminded me that filmmaking is an ever-evolving art form. It’s easy to get stuck in familiar processes, but thinking outside the box and embracing new technologies can open up exciting possibilities. Staying adaptable is essential for growth as a filmmaker.

• Johnnie: Never be afraid to ask questions or stop learning. Curiosity and enthusiasm are a big key to success! Burn your fingers with lights. Experiment with different filming/lighting/audio techniques. Learn the tools you are using to get the most out of them. 

• Mascha: Never stop learning. Even if you already have massive experience and think there is nothing new you can possibly discover from courses, educational texts, or your colleagues, that’s not true. Every encounter with other creatives can bring along fresh tips and insights. In 2024, I gained a lot of mine in visual storytelling thanks to our MZed course “Cinematography for Directors.”

• Heath: As a filmmaker, this is true every year, including 2024: the biggest tip I can pass along is to always believe in yourself and your projects. Even if you fail and/or the project isn’t great, keep going and keep believing in yourself. The films, videos, etc., get better, and you stay true to yourself as an artist.

• Florian: Having onboard backup audio recordings inside of your audio transmitter is a blessing in disguise—it can really save your ass. :)

Movies and series from 2024 we enjoyed

Of all the movies and series that came out in 2024, CineD authors mentioned a few that really stood out for us.

For Dave Kratz and me, without a doubt, it was “Dune: Part Two.” Dave explains that Denis Villeneuve brought everything together—stunning visuals, sharp storytelling, and a sense of scale that’s hard to pull off. It made Dave think about how much coordination goes into a production like that and how every decision, from design to editing, plays a role in building something so immersive. Personally, I was even more impressed with the second part than with the first “Dune” (although it was already a masterpiece, in my opinion). Thought-through camera, incredible production design, music, sounds, and multi-dimensional characters all came together in this movie.

Another release, which several CineD writers enjoyed, was the sci-fi show “Fallout” by Amazon Prime Video (both visually and story-wise, adds Jakub Han). The creators perfectly caught and transmitted the vibe of the original game, adding their own creative touch and humor and making it fun to watch.

Out of other series, Florian Milz was really invested in the show “Shogun.” Although it was rather unconventional for him almost exclusively to rely on subtitles, he liked the storytelling and visuals. For Johnnie Behiri, “Superstore” on Netflix was a great relief after a hard working day: an oldie but a goodie. And Omri Keren Lapidot found the second season of the animated series “Arcane” particularly impressive. (I can’t help but agree with him!)

Regarding other cinema releases, Florian also highlighted “Civil War.” Especially the score/soundtrack was something that made him watch it again in a short period of time. And Heath McKnight loved “Deadpool & Wolverine.” He grew up on 1980s and 1990s Marvel Comics (particularly Iron Man) and is still a fan of the Fox and New Line Cinema Marvel movies. Thus, for Heath, it was so much fun geeking out in the theater.

What we wish for you (and for us) in the new year

All things considered, it was a good year. But as usual, we hope that the next one will be even better, and we will have some things to wish for.

In terms of AI, it would be great if humanity could find a safe and reliable regulation system. As Jakub puts it, something that would help the viewer say, “This is AI.” In general, legislation worldwide must pick up with the pace of AI development, or the consequences might be hard.

Also, we hope that 2025 will bring a renewed focus on storytelling. Johnnie notes (and we agree with him): As great as they are, filming tools are just tools. Wouldn’t it be great if some of the leading manufacturers would take a more prominent stand and help educate the next generation of filmmakers and content creators about “how to tell a story”? Dave shares his thoughts and hopes that the industry invests in creativity and pushes boundaries to create memorable and impactful stories rather than just cutting costs.

Let’s reflect on 2024 together

This article was made with immense support and help from Johnnie Behiri, Nino Leitner, Francesco Andreola, Florian Milz, Jakub Han, Dave Kratz, Jeff Loch, Heath McKnight, Omri Keren Lapidot, and others.

Make sure to read our other year-in-review pieces on software trends from 2023 to 2024, tech-spec race, camera of the year, AI development recap, and more.

On behalf of the CineD team, we wish you pleasant holidays and a Happy New Year! We hope 2025 will be a great one, full of exciting projects and inspiring stories! Thank you for staying with us and being a thoughtful, supportive, and kind community!

What about your reflections on 2024? Tell us about your year’s highlights. What trends did you notice? What gear did you enjoy most? How do you feel about AI? Which movies or series released this past year would you add to our list? What do you wish for the filmmaking industry in 2025? Let’s continue in the comments below!

Feature image source: a collage made from AI-generated images (Midjourney for CineD), gear photos from manufacturers, and film stills.

Over the past years, we have tried our best to keep you updated on AI-enhanced tools and developments relevant to our industry. And boy, did we receive backlash and get criticized for it! However, we still believe that filmmakers should keep up with technology updates and at least become familiar with what it is capable of nowadays. So, here it is, your short recap “Previously on AI!”

The era of AI video generators

The beginning of the year was marked with one announcement after another. Following Runway’s lead, companies (from small startups to tech giants) started to present their own text-to-video generators. The first “big news” came from Midjourney, an already well-known AI for image creation (however, their promised video generation tool still hasn’t been released). Then, there was Google with Lumiere (which became Google’s Veo later in the year), OpenAI with Sora, which caused a lot of buzz in February (and was released to the general public only a few weeks ago), Luma AI’s Dream Machine, and the list can go on and on.

It seems no company with its own AI research can stand aside and restrain from participating in this generative AI race. Thus, even Amazon recently presented the so-called Nova, a variety of generation models, including Nova Canvas for images and Nova Reels for videos.

With the ability to process text, image, and video as prompts, customers can use Amazon Nova-powered generative AI applications to understand videos, charts, and documents, or generate videos and other multimedia content.

A quote from the anouncement

According to Amazon’s announcement, you can see a “Pasta City” above. This is a short video advertisement created by Amazon Ads using the freshly launched text-to-video generator. With this example, the company aims to showcase innovative approaches for advertisers. To be honest, it seems scary. I can vividly imagine how product pages on Amazon will soon be drowned in artificial content (we will talk about it below).

AI-enhanced software for film production

However controversial the topic of generative AI may be, its development does bring some useful AI tools for filmmakers. Last year, we highly praised AI language understanding for bringing automated transcripts and captions into the editing software. This year, the developers have taken it a step further. They started to augment applications, tailored specifically for filmmakers, with AI-enhanced functions.

One such highlight of 2024 has been PRODUCER – Maker Machina, an all-in-one software that tackles shoot production topics with automated solutions. For instance, once you have your storyboard filled in with reference pictures and important notes on shots, the application will automatically create a shot list for each day based on the information that you provided. After you connect the actors and add your crew members for this project, it will generate a decent call sheet. The main idea behind such tools is the following: if we use AI to take over mundane, repetitive tasks, we gain more time for creative processes, which is not a bad idea per se.

Another example for digging deeper into the AI nerve is the shift by companies previously focused on a single niche to now incorporating more automated tools and features for filmmakers. For instance, Artlist. We all know it as a stock library with music and video clips. In 2024, they announced an AI-powered search (which was somewhat to be expected). But then, Artlist also presented an AI text-to-speech generator, expanding their offer. My assumption is that stock companies try to keep up and rapidly think of new tools because they are also afraid of generative AI’s capabilities and quick development. After all, this past year literally buzzed with new music generators that can create coherent songs (even with lyrics!) that won’t replace original composers (in my opinion) but can surely replace stock melodies over time.

Multi-modal emerging AI tools for filmmakers

A further trend we’ve observed developing in the generative AI tools for filmmakers in 2024 is multi-modality. Nowadays, it’s not only about which software can generate a better image, a more realistic voiceover, or a less troubled video clip. It’s also about combining those for the filmmaker’s convenience to achieve a faster result. The most prominent example from the past year is LTX Studio. This generative AI software is designed to handle everything from storyboarding and visualizing your concept to generating music and voice-overs. Our Johnnie met with the Lightricks company’s CEO and Co-Founder, Zeev Farbman. They discussed not only the software’s potential but also the negative impact it may have on video creators:

Announced play’s Holly is also an example of multi-modality but aimed at video editors. Their software, which is still in the testing phase, can create a rough cut based on your text prompt. For that, the tool uses machine learning to analyze delivered video clips. Afterward, the neural network provides them with detailed metadata and transcribes speech (understanding almost 100 languages). Sure, many editors don’t want anyone (or anything, for that matter) to take over their rough cut. Yet these functions alone in one software are pretty useful, aren’t they?

Photorealism and abundance

A trend that we can’t look past is that companies developing and training generative AI try to achieve results that are as close to reality as possible. Meaning: images that look like photos, video clips that could have been shot on a smartphone, and voices that can trick you into thinking they are real people. All that brings along a troublesome tendency that, more often than not, makes it hard to distinguish real content from generated. That’s another reason why we should educate ourselves and the people around us on AI. Knowing their capabilities can amplify critical thinking and remind us to surf more cautiously. Don’t believe everything you see, read, or hear. This has always been an important tip for Internet users, but now more than ever.

At the same time, we notice (as you probably do as well) that social media is flooded with AI-generated content. There is so much of it that it no longer inspires or excites. People are already fed up with neural network creations, and this trend will worsen. Thus, human-made art with unique ideas and insights starts to become scarce. That’s why I believe it will stay valuable, even though it is often more expensive and time-consuming.

Massive backlash towards AI tools for filmmakers

Last but not least, this year, we’ve seen how filmmakers react to AI and its development. People are scared of losing their jobs to the machines. They are furious that deep-learning models scrap the Internet and use their art for training without any residuals or attributions. On top of that, they are angry at huge corporations and companies that prefer neural networks to humans and at governments for the lack of restrictions and regulations. There are a lot of unresolved ethical questions and, above all – a massive fear behind all the criticism and hate that we get from our articles explaining AI tools.

We don’t say that this fear is unreasonable. Neither do we say that there are no consequences of generative AI development for filmmakers (Johnnie published a comprehensive guide on the options that we have nowadays and which may help to overcome the general panic –please read it). What we are saying is that the point of no return has already been reached. We can’t stick our heads in the sand, pretending that the generative AI revolution hasn’t happened. Instead, we should gain knowledge of it and implement the tools that will help us augment and speed up our processes but not replace our creativity. And develop our craft even more. Now, anyone can tip a few words into a text field and generate a video clip. But how many of these people understand visual storytelling, camera language, the power of rhythm in editing, the added level of narration in the score, and the importance of the smallest nuances in the voice and acting? A good question, indeed.

What about you? What trends in AI tools for filmmakers have you noticed over the past year? How do you react to this development? Share your thoughts with us in the comments below!

Feature image: generated with Midjourney for CineD.

The last week of January 2021 created an exciting stir in the world of image-making. Photographers and filmmakers looked in awe as two new premium cameras were announced. One was the FUJIFILM GFX 100S, in all its 100 Megapixel glory but also 10-bit 4K, Phase-detecting autofocus system, and a price tag competing with high-end full-framers. The second camera introduced that week presented us with such incredible technical specifications that it utterly broke the ancient segmentation separating high-technical quality cameras from high-speed ones. The Sony a1 had it all.

Since the medium’s early days, we’ve had to choose and compromise between speed and quality. Large format cameras were used for rich landscapes or high-end studio work, and 35mm film was the bread and butter of sport and journalism (for stills, of course). Medium format cameras such as Hasselblad’s 500 series or Rolliflex twin lens cameras were the middle ground. The same principle applies to motion capture, with larger formats for cinema and smaller formats for television, journalism, and family videos. While quality and speed have improved incredibly, this segmentation seems to hold on. 

Enter the a1

Several cameras tried to challenge this line. The Canon EOS 5D mkIII and the Nikon D850 both had decent speed and quality. FUJIFULM’s GFX100 series and its forbear, the Pentax 645Z, tried to strike a similar balance for medium format. They all succeeded and made some incredibly successful cameras, but Sony took it one step further

The Sony a1 wasn’t just fast for a high-resolution camera, a better-quality speed demon, or something in between. It was everything everywhere all at once. I remember reading its groundbreaking spec list and checking to see if it was April 1st, then reading again and trying to figure out where the catch was. What kind of dark magic did they use to make a 50-megapixel run at 30fps with incredible reading speed, enabling decent 8K video as well as 4K 120P? 

The curse of the perfect sister

Now, try to imagine how I felt when the a1 II was announced. I wasn’t disappointed – I was utterly unimpressed. Even now, I would have to dig into the internet to figure out the upgrades implemented in that new model. Sure, there’s an “AI thingy”, as every electronic device these days must have (I suspect the SEO people from marketing are to blame here). However, I’d argue that most filmmakers and photographers would be hard-pressed to notice a real difference. I’m not saying the Sony a1 II is a bad camera. On the contrary, I think it’s better than what most (if not all) of us need. I’m saying that the tech-spec race has reached a point of diminishing returns.

Wait, don’t we hear it every once in a while?

The brilliant author Douglas Adams (Hitchhiker’s Guide to the Galaxy and much more) once said that every technological advancement achieved before we’ve turned 35 is extremely welcome, to the point in which we can’t see how we’ve lived without it. Once we pass 35, it’s more like, “Nah, who needs that? We were better off without it!” (not a direct quote). I’m old enough to remember the HD tech-spec race when people used to say nobody needs HD television since it’s “sharper than the human eye can perceive.” Then 12, then 24, then 36 megapixels are too much for any use case, and there’s no point in capturing RAW, or 4K, or 10-bit, or 6K because it’s just too much. None of them were lying (except maybe the ones talking about the “human eye perception), but none were right. That’s because times change, and we change. 

So, how is it any different now?

Well, there’s no theoretical difference, but life isn’t only about pure ideas. We live in a world of finite resources, and every investment comes at a cost. Though I don’t have the numbers, I think the camera industry invests significant resources and ingenuity into technological advancements that have diminishing returns in the way of the craft of capturing light, whether it’s filmmaking or still photography (and everything in between). Progress is never a bad thing, but the direction it goes might be.

So, where should progress lead?

Personally – I believe that the industry would benefit from exploring other evolutionary directions. Back to the Sony a1 II – have a look at its juicy grip on the multi-hinged rear screen. In my opinion, these are now the most important changes, and I wish camera manufacturers would divert some of their R&D efforts in this direction.

Other productive paths can go towards improving smartphone connectivity, improving audio quality, both in terms of hardware and algorithmic noise reduction, methods of depth perception capture, and more. As camera manufacturers make their livelihood from selling cameras, and the competition is fierce, I won’t dare to assume we’ll see fewer new cameras being churned out. I do, however, hope that future camera innovations will elevate our user experience – ways that will either address technical loads to enable us to focus on the story or make the capturing tool more dedicated to boosting creativity.

Honorable mentions

User experience is something every camera manufacturer constantly works to improve. We’ve seen some interesting innovations in this field in recent years. Sony has gone to great lengths regarding both their menu system and their ergonomics. While there’s still a way to go, Sony’s cameras have become much nicer to shoot with lately, with the a1 II including each and every latest improvement. FUJIFILM has always been at the top of the user experience game and has recently expanded their PASM line. The company now offers their flagship professional cameras with efficient PASM and their “Leisure” cameras with more engaging dials. Canon may just be the market leader when it comes to UX innovations, at least among traditional manufacturers. Recent high-end Canon cameras incorporate eye-tracking AF, a click-and-touch sensitive AF-ON back panel button, and more. The company also tried a touch bar controller on the EOS-R, and while the attempt failed, since we haven’t seen any successor to it – failure is just as important as success in the way of innovation.

Over the years, we’ve seen some innovative features come and go. The early years of the digital age produced some of the weirdest, most interesting camera designs, straying away from the traditional design that was mostly based on the need to fit a 35mm film cartridge behind a lens. The ZEISS ZX-1 included dedicated Adobe Lightroom software in-camera. Leica and Hasselblad now include expansive internal SSD drives as well as memory card slots in some of their cameras. Blackmagic Design tried various shapes and forms for their cameras, and we can’t talk about camera innovation without mentioning what is arguably the most original design of our age – The DJI Ronin 4D.

The attempts that paved the way

Without these brave attempts, our industry wouldn’t look the same. While it sometimes seems as if the market leans toward traditional designs (I’m looking at you, FUJIFILM X100VI) those were probably impossible to imagine had we not gone through years of trial and error. Marching into the new year, I hope we’ll see more of them.

Are you excited about camera spec lists these days, or are there other features that make your heart miss a beat? Let us know in the comments.

This year has been an incredible one for us – we launched our new podcast Focus Check where we talk about the latest filmmaking news and discuss challenges and trends of our industry, added new courses to our educational platform MZed, and went to trade shows such as NAB in Las Vegas (where the two winners of our social media challenge joined our team), Cine Gear in LA, CP+ in Tokyo, and IBC in Amsterdam where we not only saw amazing new products from our industry but also got to meet many of you, our readers (which, to be honest, is one of my favorite parts).

So, we sat down and brainstormed on how to give back to you, and settled on doing the biggest giveaway we’ve ever done. 32 Prizes. 32 Winners. 32 Ways to enter. The more instructions you follow, and the more answers you give, the higher your chances of winning!

Win $20,000 worth of prizes

Our giveaway is kindly sponsored by Accsoon, CAME-TV, DigitalFoto, DoPchoice, DZOFILM, Freewell, K&F Concept, and Lightbridge, and let me tell you that they have been more than generous. We have 32 prizes worth $20,000, making this the biggest giveaway we’ve ever hosted. Click through the gallery to see what prizes you can win:

How to enter

The CineD Holiday Gear Giveaway is live and will end on January 9th, 2025 at 11:59 PM (Pacific Time). The winners will be drawn a week later on January 16th and contacted via e-mail. The winners will then be announced on CineD after the drawing. For the full terms & conditions, please click here.

CineD Holiday Gear Giveaway – enter now!

Good luck to anyone participating! Let us know in the comments what prizes you hope to win.

In case you haven’t followed the AI news in the film industry, OpenAI announced Sora in February and instantly got a huge wave of mixed reactions. The first demonstrated tests showed an unprecedented level of realism and initiated an array of ethical questions, alongside excitement from some creators, and existential fear from others. Although Sora is not the only AI video generator on the market, as with other OpenAI products – it might become the most used one. Therefore, we need to be aware of what kind of generated content we’re going to face in the near future.

OpenAI’s Sora released – the new Sora Turbo

The newest model, which has just been moved out of the research phase, is called Sora Turbo. According to OpenAI’s announcement, it is significantly faster than the version they previewed in February. Apart from that, it includes more advanced features like animating images and being able to implement text feedback to already created video clips. In their YouTube Livestream, developers walked the audience through the tool, showcasing all the upgrades and details. You can also read about its features here.

OpenAI’s Sora is released as a standalone product on Sora.com. In case you already have a ChatGPT Plus or Pro subscription, you can try it out straight away. (Unless you’re in the UK, Switzerland, or the European Economic Area).

Sora’s interface and features

During the livestream, OpenAI demonstrated Sora’s new and simple-to-use interface, which includes all the settings and features on one screen. One such addition is called “Storyboard” – a function, that lets users generate videos based on a sequence of prompts with image consistency (and something, that made Sora stand out in its early development phase).

Apart from entering a text description, users can also choose a style preset, define the aspect ratio, increase the resolution, and tweak the amount of variations Sora should come up with. After the AI generates video clips, the software also offers further editing options: trimming the material, expanding the chosen video, blending it with another source material, and/or looping the results. However, the most impressive addition is the “Remix” tool. With it, users can give Sora feedback, using natural language, and alter the already generated content however they like.

Limitations

Until now, Sora was available only to some chosen artists and filmmakers, who shared their tests, works, and experiences. While the first published demos included only positive feedback, later on, some filmmakers admitted, that it wasn’t so easy after all getting the wanted results out of Sora, so they had to find workarounds in post-production, using traditional VFX techniques.

OpenAI isn’t hiding the fact that the newest version of Sora going out to the public also has many limitations: From generating unrealistic physics to struggling with complex actions over long durations. However, they still want to introduce this video-generation technology to the world and continue co-developing it together. In other words, we shouldn’t expect that videos created by Sora will work flawlessly from day one. Nevertheless, we should be aware, that the Internet will be likely drowned in AI-generated content over the next months (even more than it already is).

Ethical questions

So, how does OpenAI solve the question of misusing its tech for misinformation, fake news, and illegal activities? Developers mention in Livestream that videos generated by Sora will have visible watermarks and C2PA metadata, which indicate that they were made with AI. (At the same time, users who are subscribed to the Pro plan can download their results without watermarks, which sounds controversial to me). On top of that, OpenAI’s team promises quite a conservative moderation of prompts and uploaded footage:

Today, we’re blocking particularly damaging forms of abuse, such as child sexual abuse materials and sexual deepfakes. Uploads of people will be limited at launch, but we intend to roll the feature out to more users as we refine our deepfake mitigations.

A quote from the OpenAI’s announcement. More on their approach to safety and monitoring is to be found in the system card⁠

The question that still hangs in the air is what material OpenAI’s team trained their Sora Turbo on. The ethical issue with rights and licensing remains so far unresolved.

Price and availability

For users of ChatGPT Plus and Pro subscriptions, Sora is already included as part of their plan at no additional cost. However, it does have monthly limitations in how many videos and in which resolution you can create:

As announced, the new text-to-video model is available in the US and many other countries, except for “most of Europe and the UK.” OpenAI CEO Sam Altman mentions in the Livestream, that it may take “a while” before the tool is available in these areas as well.

Feature image source: OpenAI.

What are your thoughts and feelings on this news? Have you waited for OpenAI’s Sora release? Or rather, on the contrary, dreaded for this moment to come? How can OpenAI make this tool safe and welcome within our community (if this is possible)? What is it good for, in your opinion? And what negative consequences can it lead to? Let us know your opinion in the comments below! (But please, stay respectful to us and each other!)

DigitalFoto is based in China and offers a wide variety of film and video production and photography products and accessories. Their gimbals, car mounts, Magic Arm, lighting fixtures, production car, and more, help filmmakers and photographers. For Black Friday/Cyber Monday, the company is offering CineD readers a 15% discount on selected gear. The offer is valid until December 7th.

Discounts on popular DigitalFoto products 

The Black Friday DigitalFoto 15% discount offered to CineD readers includes some popular accessories products.

• THANOS-SE Gimbal Support System: A compact and universal single-handle gimbal supporting vest system with a max payload of 8 kg (17.6 lbs). The THANOS-SE supports a variety of gimbals and offers smooth movements while reducing arm pressure. This helps when filming over extended periods of time.
  
• IRONCINE Series Magic Arm: A compact and lightweight solution for attaching a variety of gear and accessories with adjustable angles. The thumbscrew head streamlines setup and adjustments by eliminating the need to rotate the Magic Arm. Includes a 1/4″ screw, cold shoe mount, and more. The 7″ and 11″ Magic Arm quick-release head offers rapid attachment or the removal of gear or accessories from the mount.
  
• STM Series Monitor Mount: Securely mount a monitor to your camera (max 3 kg or 6.61 lbs) with swivel and tilt adjustments. They include the STM-CS, STM-AR and STM-NC. The STM Series Monitor Mounts feature flexible adjustments, secure and stable mounting (with universal 1/4″ mounting screw), and a NATO clamp, cold shoe mount or ARRI-style mount.
  
• ICEMAN-PRO Camera Cooler: While many cameras offer great video at 4K and above, some have overheating issues when filming for extended periods of time. DigitalFoto created the handy ICEMAN-PRO Camera Cooler to help prevent overheating with advanced thermoelectric technology. The fan, cooling conduction panel, temperature display screen, and heat dissipation area keep the camera running without heat issues.
  
• SNIPER-POCKET Z Axis Damping Spring Arm Car Mount: Securely mounts different action cameras to a car and reduces vertical vibration and shock. The resulting footage is smooth while the car is driving. The action cameras include the DJI OSMO POCKET 3, DJI OSMO POCKET 2, GoPro, and others.

How to get the DigitalFoto discount 

All of the DigitalFoto specials are active now until December 7, 2024. To get the 15% discount, enter the coupon code CINED DISCOUNT at checkout. Visit the links above for more details about each accessory and to purchase. Or visit DigitalFoto’s site to learn more about all their production and photographic accessories and equipment.

Visit the CineD Special Deals page for more Cyber Monday and Black Friday specials.

Are you using any of DigitalFoto’s products on your shoots? Will you be adding more gear with the discount, such as their mounts and the THANOS-SE Gimbal Support System? Let us know in the comments below!