SPONSORED BY
USER REVI EW | K I NEF I N I TY MAVO 6K
ProAV now handles distribution in the UK. UK FIRST The Mavo we got our hands on was the first to arrive in the UK, and is still a prototype with firmware that’s being updated all the time. Kinefinity is very active on social media like Facebook, and owners of the older Kinefinity cameras or the Terra 4K are always asking questions and getting almost instantaneous responses direct from the factory. Changes are made to take into account what customers are saying. So, if you order a Mavo, chances are it will be a slightly improved version of the camera that we tested. The body itself is almost identical to the Terra 4K which was titanium-coloured metal while the Mavo is black. Both cameras are tiny and light at 990g/2.1lb body only. If you add on a lens and a standard 7mm SSD along with the viewfinder screen and the side grip with a lithium battery that lasts for over an hour, it’s not much bigger than a DSLR. But so, so much more capable as a filmmaking tool. You’d only have an internal mic, though. The sidegrip holds the battery and has controls matching those to the left of the camera but in a more useable position. Left-side controls also have a small LCD screen to display settings, so you can make changes from either side of the camera. This left screen wasn’t working on our test model, but will be soon with a firmware update. The main screen is a full five-inch monitor that connects to a special
“ LENS CHO I CE I S WHERE THE K I NE RE ALLY SCORES A S THERE ARE LOTS OF OPT I ONS ”
A development of this will see it able to transmit video and audio signal wirelessly, without extra bolt-on bits, batteries or cables. And the memory card is a 7mm SSD unit inside Kinefinity’s own housing, which works out far cheaper than RED’s own proprietary option. Kinefinity offers its own 500GB or 1TB version in with some kits, or you can shop around for your own SSDs and then fit them yourself. LENS OPTIONS In terms of lens choice, this is where the Kine really scores as there are lots of options available. The body itself has its own KineMount bayonet which uses a PL-style locking lever to which you fasten the lens mount adapter to fit your glass. There is a passive Sony E-mount, so it’s a perfect fit for Fujifilm’s range of popular MK zooms or any of the cine primes made by a variety of manufacturers. An active E-mount, which will allow electronic control of aperture for Sony’s own cine and mirrorless lenses, is in the pipeline. There are three different mounts for Canon EF, one of the most popular fitments, especially for users who have come to filmmaking via stills photography. There’s a standard mount and a KineEnhancer which reduces the focal length by 0.72 and increases the lens speed by a stop, like a Metabones Speed Booster. The third has a built-in electronic ND filter which can be varied from two to ten stops. There are also mounts for Nikon and PL. A typical mount
port on the front of the camera which provides the video signal and also the power. So you don’t need a battery to power the monitor, unless you want to add on a conventional external monitor or EVF. The monitor has a metal casing, is bright and has peaking and false colour tools. For a more workable solution that includes XLR inputs and SDI connectors, add on the new Kineback-W. This also gives a sync port, Timecode I/O, a V-lock battery connection and a port to plug in the Movcam DarkTower wireless card. This is still in development, but at launch will offer the option to change camera settings remotely and even control a suitable lens rigged with a Movcam follow focus.
ABOVE It’s very easy to get bright, natural colour out of the camera
without much work in post.
BELOW The huge dynamic range when shooting Log means it’s easy to pull back highlight detail.
86 DEF I N I T ION | SEPTEMBER 20 1 8
Powered by FlippingBook