Blackmagic Design has announced a “major” update for its Video Assist monitor recorder that adds new 3D LUTs, focus assist features and improved DNxHD and DNxHR support.
The Video Assist 2.3 update is available for free download now from the Blackmagic Design website for existing Video Assist customers.
Users will be able to load up to six 3D LUTs when monitoring video on set with their 5” or 7” Blackmagic Video Assist. The six 3D LUTs can be stored and recalled at any time by the user and this new feature is available on both the 5” Blackmagic Video Assist model and the 7” Blackmagic Video Assist 4K model.
For those using the 5” Blackmagic Video Assist model, the update adds new features that were previously released only on the 7” Blackmagic Video Assist 4K model.
The new features include the ability to record to DNxHD and DNxHR files in MXF format which improves compatibility with Avid systems running on Windows. Users can also now choose between DNxHD 220, 145 and 45 bit rates, or between DNxHR HQ, SQ and LB formats when recording.
The update also adds false colour monitoring exposure tools to the 5” Blackmagic Video Assist model. False colour exposure tools make it easier to properly set exposure in different parts of the image by highlighting specific colour ranges of luminance with a solid colour overlay.
Options for focus assist are also expanded so users can now choose whether they want to see red, green, blue, black, white or traditional focus peaking indicators. This makes it easier to accurately adjust focus in a wider range of scenes and under a variety of different lighting conditions. Users will now also have the ability to manually control the screen orientation and turn off the auto rotate feature which makes it easier to use the 5” Blackmagic Video Assist model with handheld gimbals and other equipment designed to move the camera and rig simultaneously.
“Blackmagic Video Assist is perfect for customers that need better monitoring and higher quality recording,” said Grant Petty, CEO, Blackmagic Design. “This new update adds incredible LUT monitoring to both models, and brings some of the same powerful high end features from the 7” Blackmagic Video Assist 4K model to customers that have the 5 inch Blackmagic Video Assist model. We think the massive number of features on the 5 inch Video Assist model is amazing when you consider it only costs $495! Thats why Blackmagic Video Assist has become an essential part of every filmmakers toolkit because they help customers shoot and capture higher quality video with everything from DSLRs to older tape based camcorders, and even the latest digital film cameras!”
Jon Creamer
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