Panasonic Announced the LUMIX S5 Hybrid Mirrorless Camera

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Panasonic announced the new LUMIX S5, a new hybrid full-frame mirrorless camera that achieves both excellent performance in photo/video and stunning mobility for serious photographers and videographers.

At the heart of the camera, the LUMIX S5 contains a 24.2-megapixel 35mm full-frame CMOS sensor that boasts a wide dynamic range and sensitivity performance. The LUMIX S5 further realizes recording maximum ISO 51,200 crystal-clear high sensitivity video with the adoption of the Dual Native ISO technology.

As a pioneer of photo/video hybrid mirrorless cameras, LUMIX has the largest lineup of cameras that record 4K 10-bit video. As the latest member of the family, the LUMIX S5 is capable of 4K 60p/50p 4:2:0 10-bit internal recording. It is also capable of 4K 30p/25p 4:2:2 bit HDMI output. For 4K 30p 4:2:0 8-bit internal recording, there is no time limit.

Panasonic’s exceptional heat dispersion technology delivers stable, long-time video recording. The LUMIX S5 provides 14+ stops of dynamic range, which is as wide as those of cinema cameras, and V-Log/V-Gamut compatibility with popular colorimetry called “VariCam Look”. A variety of recording formats and modes including 4:3 Anamorphic mode, Slow & Quick Motion, 4K/60p interval shooting and 4K HDR are also provided.

The LUMIX S5 boasts high-speed, high-precision AF (Auto Focus) in both photo shooting and video recording that are made possible with advanced deep-learning technology featuring real-time detection of the subject’s type and features such as human eye, face, head and body.

The Lumix S5 will be available at valued channel partners in mid-September for $1999.99 for the body only and $2299.99 with a 20-60 kit lens.

Fujifilm Launches FUJINON Premista 19-45mm Lens

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Fujifilm Corporation announced the development of the wide-angle zoom lens Premista 19-45mmT2.9 (Premista 19-45mm) with a focal length of 19-45mm. It will be the third model to join the Premista Series of zoom lenses for cinema cameras that support large format sensors and deliver outstanding high resolution, natural and beautiful bokeh and rich gradation with HDR (high dynamic range).

The Premista 19-45mm effectively reduces the distortion that tends to occur when shooting at wide-angle focal lengths. A natural image with little distortion is achieved throughout the entire zoom range, lightening the burden of correcting video after shooting and allowing high quality video to be created more efficiently. The Premista 19-45 is scheduled for release in early 2021.

The newly developed Premista19-45mm is a wide-angle zoom lens that covers focal lengths from 19mm to 45mm with a constant T-stop of 2.9. Featuring large-diameter aspherical lens elements and a unique zooming system, the lens achieves an astonishing level of edge-to-edge sharpness. Additionally, the distortion is effectively reduced throughout the entire zoom range even at the widest focal lengths. Furthermore, compact design, an overall length of 230mm and a weight of 3.3kg, and excellent robustness have been achieved.

These were accomplished through mechanical design perfected with simulation technology cultivated over many years and production technology for assembling parts processed in the order of microns with high precision. The new zoom lens can be utilized for handheld shooting using a steadicam 4 or high-angle shooting using a crane. Similar to the standard and telephoto zoom types, the Premista19-45mm supports “ZEISS eXtended Data”, which can record lens metadata 5 when shooting, supporting efficient video production.

Fujifilm will be launching this product in early 2021, expanding both the Premista Series lineup and the shooting range for high-quality video.

Charvel Announced the Pro-Mod San Dimas Guitar

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Charvel announced an all-new hot Neon Pink Ash finish for the Pro-Mod San Dimas Style 1 HH FR E ASH. An ideal instrument for dazzling high-speed playing, the Pro-Mod San Dimas boasts scorching sound, stunning style, and grin-inducing playing feel and performance.

The sandblasted ash body is coupled with a bolt-on maple neck featuring a pair of graphite reinforcement rods to resist bending and warping under environmental stresses. The speed neck profile is designed for lightning fast playing and completely unhindered position shifts, while the comfortably rolled fingerboard edges provide the broken-in feel of an instrument with plenty of playing miles on it, and plenty more to go. Perfect for faster tempos, the 12”-16” compound radius ebony fingerboard hosts 22 jumbo frets, white dot inlays and a heel-mount truss rod adjust thumbwheel.

This axe features an HH pickup configuration and comes loaded with DiMarzio Super Distortion DP100 bridge and DiMarzio PAF Pro DP151 neck pickups. The bridge is an ideal blend of full lows, defined mids and soaring highs that can handle lead or rhythm playing, while the neck pickup rips with intense mid and high frequencies that pairs well with a high-gain amp.

Other features include a three-way pickup blade switch, tone control, volume control with push/pull coil split, Floyd Rose 1000 Series double-locking tremelo bridge system, pink pickup bobbins, black hardware and a licensed Fender Strat headstock.

For more information or to find an authorized Charvel dealer, go to www.charvel.com

NewFangled Audio Offers Pendulate for Free

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Newfangled Audio is happy to offer Pendulate for free on the Eventide website. Pendulate is Newfangled Audio’s first synth. It is a chaotic monosynth based on the physics of a double pendulum.

Pendulate is a monosynth in the “west coast” style, inspired by the ideas of Don Buchia. However, we’ve replaced the oscillator with a chaotic system based on the physics of a double pendulum. The result is a synth that can create biting basses, searing leads, and gritty textures.

Pendulate uses a brand new oscillator design to produce sounds different from any other synth. It features a chaotic oscillator based on a double pendulum. What initially looks random actually contains underlying patterns of interconnectedness, constant feedback loops, repetition, self-similarity, fractals, and self-organization. When designing the Pendulate oscillator, Newfangled Audio took great care to bring out these underlying patterns. The result is an oscillator that can smoothly fade from a sine wave to total chaos, with an expanse of territory to explore in between.

Features include:

  • Novel chaotic oscillator based on the double pendulum makes sounds you’ve never heard before, but will want to hear again.
  • Wavefolder based on the one in the Buchia 259 Complex Waveform Generator, adding MIX and CUTOFF
  • Low Pass Gate based on the Buchia 292 adds controls for POLES and RESONANCE
  • Innovative modulation UI allows modulation over every control from the main page, allowing up to 169 simultaneous modulation routings simultaneous modulation routings
  • MPE support allows amazing control from innovative new controllers
  • Envelop and LFO each have multiple outputs generated at once, like a modulator synth should
  • Modulation! Every mod output to every control means up to 221 modulation points in an intuitive single pane
  • Animations! The Double Pendulum, Wavefolder, and Low Pass Gate modulates each have animations to show how each module responds to your input, and to modulation
  • Three unique color schemes to customize your look
  • 136 Presets including artist presets from Matt Lange and Matthew Wang

Lukas Nelson 56 Les Paul Junior Available Worldwide

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By leveraging its iconic past and leaning into an innovative future, Gibson has set the stage for the next era of shaping sound for present and future with instruments that nurture new players across generations and genres of music. Gibson and Lukas Nelson have announced they’ll release the first-ever Gibson USA Lukas Nelson ’56 Les Paul Junior.

Lukas Nelson knows all about legacies, indeed he’s been hard at work carving his own for most of his young, but extremely eventful life. This customized Gibson Les Paul Junior is inspired by Lukas Nelson’s own 1956 Junior.

“The beauty of this guitar is that it is very versatile with the sound. In fact, I can get a lot of different tones just from the P90 and the way that I attack the strings and through the intonation and the vibrato that I give,” says Lukas Nelson. “If I hit it lighter, it doesn’t break up as much. If I get into it, it gets a lot of grit and dirt and breaks up. It’s a versatile tone, which I’m pretty grateful for. Frankly, Gibson has been nothing but incredible to us – to me – since I’ve met them. And this guitar has taken me on a long journey. It’s taken me to some amazing places, and I hope that a lot of other people get the same opportunity with their version of my guitar.”

Lukas and Gibson’s Luthiers worked closely to develop his Lukas Nelson ’56 Les Paul Junior. Several prototypes were road tested by Lukas on tour over this past year and the end result is Lukas’s vision. Based off his beloved 1956 Les Paul Junior which has been his main guitar for several years, the Lukas Nelson ’56 Les Paul Junior is rooted in tradition with some modern enhancements.

Like his original, the single cutaway slab Mahogany body, and neck are crafted of genuine Mahogany for its resonant tonal characteristics and moderate weight. The fat 50’s-style neck profile feels smooth and comfortable while providing rigidity and sustain. It features a Rosewood fingerboard with dot inlays and medium jumbo frets for a vintage feel with modern playability. Finished in a deluxe satin Vintage Sunburst, this shade was developed to capture the same vintage patina of his original.

The single, dog-ear P-90 pickup features Alnico III magnets and is voiced to replicate the tonal response that Lukas requires. The single volume and tone controls have gold speed knobs (as used in 1956) and are hand-wired featuring an orange drop capacitor and original spec 500k vintage audio taper pots. The aged nickel-plated hardware includes Vintage Deluxe strip style tuners w/ white buttons like the originals but feature a higher gear ratio for improved performance. The 50’s style wraparound bridge provides the same look and solid resonance as the original, but it is made with a stealthy compensation contour to improve intonation accuracy.

The new Gibson USA Lukas Nelson ’56 Les Paul Junior will officially be available worldwide at all Authorized Gibson Dealers in August 2020.

Four Nikon Products Honored with EISA Awards

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Nikon Corporation announced that four of its products have been successful at the EISA Awards 2020-2021, presented by the Expert Imaging and Sound Association (EISA). The Nikon D780 digital SLR camera won the Full-Frame Camera award, while the Nikon Z 50 mirrorless camera received the Best Buy Camera award. NIKKOR lenses were also winners with the AF-S NIKKOR 120-300mm f/2.8E FL ED SR VR telephoto zoom lens receiving the Professional Telephoto Zoom Lens award, and the NIKKOR Z 84mm f/1.8 S given Portrait Lens award.

The D780 is a high-performance full-frame (Nikon FX-format) digital SL camera equipped with a wide variety of useful functions. It is the first Nikkon digital SLR camera that has adopted focal-plane phase-detection AF, which achieves incredible advances in AF performance. With live view shooting, the D780’s hybrid AF system, which automatically switches between focal-plane phase detection AF and contrast-detect AF in accordance with the situation and conditions, utilizes 273 focus points that cover a broad area of the frame – 90% of the image area horizontally and vertically.

The Z 50 is an APS-C size (Nikon DX-format) mirrorless camera for which the Nikon Z mount was adopted. It inherits traits from upper models, such as design and operability, reliability and future possibilities as mirrorless system, considering them into a compact, lightweight, and durable body capable of rendering capabilities and rich power of expression.

The AF-S NIKKOR 120-300 mm f/2.8E FL ED SR VR is a fast telephoto zoom lens compatible with full-frame (Nikon FX format) digital cameras, that demonstrates superior optical performance. The lens covers a broad 120 mm to 300 mm zoom range with a constant fast maximum aperture of f/2.8 throughout that range.

The NIKKOR Z 85mm f/1.8 S is a fast, mid-telephoto prime lens for the Nikon Z mount system’s full-frame (Nikon FX format) mirrorless cameras. It supports a focal length of 85 mm and a fast maximum aperture of f/1.8, allowing users to enjoy beautiful blur characteristics (bokeh) with the recording of high-quality still images and movies.

Insta360 ONE R 1-Inch Edition Available in Leica Stores Now

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Leica Camera AG and Insta360 announced their strategic partnership in January 2020. The start of the partnership coincided with the launch of Insta360 ONE R, an adaptive action camera that uses a unique interchangeable camera module to combine the creative freedom of 360-degree capture with the precision and resolution of traditional single-lens shooting.

From the beginning of August 2020, interested customers have the chance to purchase Insta360 ONE R 1-Inch Edition camera in Leica Stores around the world and from the Leica Online Stores. Thanks to the 5.3 K 1-inch sensor, it enables content creators to achieve previously unrivaled image quality and dynamic range for an action camera. The action camera also features Insta360’s already familiar FlowState Stabilization.

The 5.3 K wide-angle lens can be quickly and easily exchanged for a dual-lens setup that simultaneously captures the action in all directions and unleashes a whole range of creative techniques possible only with a 360-degree field of view. The 1-inch wide-angle module for Insta360 ONE R is the first result of Leica and Insta360’s shared vision and innovative powers in an age in which cameras play a more central role in culture and communication than ever before.

An overview of the Leica Stores around the globe can be found on the Leica Camera website www.leica-camera.com in the section ‘Stores & Dealers’.

Yamaha Announced the Clavinola CLP-700 Series Digital Pianos

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Yamaha Corporation of American announced the Clavinova CLP 700 Series, the revolutionary new generation of the award-winning Clarinova digital piano.

Five new models – the CLP-735, CLP-765GP, CLP-785, and CLP-795GP – offer unprecedented improvements to realism and playability, as well as new historical Voices that perfectly reproduce the fortepiano, an ancestor of the modern piano. This lets players practice using the same tones that legendary composers heard as they crafted their music, bringing a new depth of authenticity and immersion to classical repertoire.

Models beginning with the CLP-735 feature the clear, light Mozart Piano and lilting, sonorous Chopin Piano Voices, painstakingly sampled from Walter and Pleyel fortepianos respectively built in the 18th and 19th centuries. The CLP-785 and CLP-795GP add Scarlatti and Beethoven fortepiano Voices. The former was sampled from an instrument designed by the inventor of the piano himself, Bartolomeo Cristofori; the latter from a London-made Broadwood fortepiano.

Of course, the CLP-700 series also includes the Voices of today’s world-leading concert grand pianos: the Yamaha CFX and Bösendorfer Imperial. Both are offered in stereo and binaural versions. Binaural sampling is a recording process that “hears” as the human ears and head do. When either Voice is played through headphones, the sense of each note emanating from where it would on a grand piano is so accurate that players will forget they are wearing headphones at all. This increases enjoyment and time spent at the keyboard and is also ideal for multi-piano lab settings where students play side by side.

The Clavinova CLP-700 Series connects these Voices to musicians’ fingers with improved GrandTouch™ and GrandTouch-S™ keyboard actions that respond like a real grand piano because, in fact, their mechanisms are derived from the hammer action of a real grand piano. Synthetic ebony and ivory key surfaces are textured to help finger grip and wick away moisture. The illusion of playing an acoustic instrument is further perfected by Real Grand Expression 2 (RGE2). Exclusive to Yamaha, this revolutionary technology converts the slightest variations in touch into limitless dynamic and harmonic nuances.

The CLP Series has always maintained the dignified appearance of a traditional acoustic piano. With the CLP-700 Series, the upright and grand (GP) cabinet designs raise the bar for home digital pianos. On the CLP-785 and CLP-795GP models, the exclusive new Touch Sensor Control Panel is nestled in the left end-block. With the instrument powered on, white-on-black markings and a crisp LCD appear subtly on a flush, touch-sensitive surface. When powered off, the panel and display become virtually invisible.

Compatibility with the Yamaha Smart Pianist app allows access to all the CLP-700 Series’ control functions from a connected iOS® or Android™ device. On models CLP-745 and up, Bluetooth® wireless audio connectivity lets players stream songs from a mobile device or computer and play along with them through the Clavinovas’ robust, high-fidelity speaker systems.

The new Clavinova CLP-700 Series models will be available in the Fall of 2020 but be sure to check your local authorized Clavinova dealer for availability. Prices range from $2,299 to $7,499.

State-of-the-Art Spectral Editing with New SpectraLayers 7

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Steinberg announced the immediate release of SpectraLayers Pro 7 and SpectraLayers Elements 7, the audio editing software for music production, post-production, sound design, mastering and restoration.

SpectraLayers offers a novel approach to precise audio editing by visualizing audio in the spectral domain (in 2D and 3D) and providing an array of powerful tools to manipulate its spectral data in many different ways.

New in Version 7 is the implementation of Artificial Intelligence that allows for the introduction of exciting new features, including automatic pattern detection, clip repair, unmixing tracks to stems as well as unmixing stems to component parts. Other new automated processes include click repair, hum removal and precision spectral de-essing. These features are rounded out by an array of useful enhancements, such as the improved ARA 2 integration with Cubase and Nuendo, VST 3 plug-in support and much more.

The new Artificial Intelligence in SpectraLayers Pro recognizes distinct events and isolates them by moving them to independent layers that are highlighted for further processing. The AI-assisted unmixing capability in SpectraLayers Pro scans a mixed song and extracts different instruments within the song to separate layers, adding default settings for vocals, piano, bass, drums and more, while SpectraLayers Elements extracts vocals only.

Unmix can also be used on stems, separating these into tone, noise and transient component layers. With its AI technology, SpectraLayers has now made significant advances in pattern recognition: users can select a target sound and then trigger a search to automatically locate and select every other sound in the spectrum.

Further additions to SpectraLayers 7 include improved ARA 2 layer management by configuring the layer view as well as VST 3 plug-in processing support for even more plug-in power. UI luminosity is now configurable to provide the brightness that best suits the workplace environment. Many other small useful additions include a playback VU meter, new cut/copy/paste options and more.

Full-license retail versions of SpectraLayers Pro 7 and SpectraLayers Elements 7 are available from resellers and through the Steinberg Online Shop. The suggested retail price for SpectraLayers Pro 7 is US $299.99. The suggested retail price for SpectraLayers Elements 7 is US $79.99.

Various downloadable updates and upgrades are exclusively available through the Steinberg Online Shop.

Customers who have activated SpectraLayers Pro 6 and SpectraLayers Elements 6 since July 6, 2020, are eligible for a free, downloadable Grace Period update to the latest respective version.

Gretsch Introduced the G6636TSL Players Edition Silver Falcon

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Gretsch introduced the G6636TSL Players Edition Silver Falcon Center Block Double-Cut with String-Thru Bigsby.

Gretsch Players Edition features are designed to instill complete confidence in the instrument—ultimate stability and maximum comfort from tailpiece to tuners. These instruments can be trusted on every song, every night for powerful sound, total flexibility and full control of that classic Gretsch sound.

The Gretch G66TSL Players Edition Silver Falcon Center Block Double-Cut with String-Thru Bigsby is an innovative new version of the venerable Falcon, with a slightly smaller 16” double-cutaway body and a chambered spruce center block that enhances body resonance for more organic tone and comfortably lighter weight.

Built to perform, this Falcon rocks dual High Sensitive Filter’Tron™ pickups for authentic Gretsch power and articulation that can be fine-tuned with a comprehensive control layout featuring a master volume with treble bleed circuit, master tone, individual pickup volume controls and three-position pickup toggle switch. A host of other classic Falcon design elements include an ebony fingerboard with pearloid Neo-Classic™ inlays, anchored Adjusto-Matic™ bridge, Graph Tech® TUSQ® XL nut, string-thru Bigsby® B7CP, Grover® strap locks and Gotoh® locking tuners.

This magnificent Falcon comes dressed in Black with stylish silver sparkle binding, jeweled G-arrow control knobs, chrome hardware and silver pickguard with silver Gretsch logo and Falcon graphic.

For more information, visit www.gretschguitars.com.