Post Magazine

April 2016

Issue link: http://digital.copcomm.com/i/663382

Contents of this Issue

Navigation

Page 45 of 51

REVIEW www.postmagazine.com 44 POST APRIL 2016 T hey say that dynamite comes in small packages. This would be the perfect description for the AJA Ki Pro Ultra. The Ki Pro Ultra more than lived up to the hype it had heading into this review — withstanding a very long evaluation process that included both studio and remote shoots. In my opinion, it would be a perfect companion to the AJA Cion camera (see my review of the Cion camera in the November issue of Post and online at www.postmagazine. com). So let's get down to business. As with most AJA products, the Ki Pro Ultra is extremely well built with very clean lines. The unit itself weighs in at a scant 5.55 pounds (2.52 kg). The Ki Pro Ultra also has a footprint that mimics that of an old school DV deck. But that's where the similarities end, and where AJA has upped the ante in the small 4K/UltraHD/2K/HD recorder/mon- itor marketplace. VERSATILITY Let's start with what matters most to both editors and shooters. Versatility, functionality and performance. Looking at its versatility, I loved the fact that the Ki Pro Ultra could be set up to record in either in 4K, UltraHD, 2K or HD to one of five Apple ProRes codec options. Recording on the proprietary AJA drives went without a hitch and a feature most shooters would love is the ability to jump from one drive to the next without having to stop shooting. The 1280x720 monitor is clean, crisp and spot on with no noticeable aberrations. When shooting in the field with a Panasonic 4K AG- DVX200 camera, it was great to not only monitor each take on the unit, but also to look at and set up the Ki Pro Ultra via remote Web interface. This additional feature was great since time and space was a premium on most of the location shoots. With so many potential 2K or 4K set ups to choose from, one would be hard pressed to find a shooting or studio situation where the Ki Pro Ultra wouldn't fit in and work flawlessly. So, for studio owners or independents that need a ton of flexibility, the Ki Pro Ultra fits into the versatility space really well. FUNCTIONALITY After an extensive two-month road test (my own description of product reviews), it was the functionality of the Ki Pro Ultra that really won me over. Two things in particular stood out during the review process. When setting up and operating the Ki Pro Ultra, the controls and menus where easy to figure out and operate. It was great to be able to use the large con- trol knob knowing I could scroll through the menu without too much thinking. Having the ability to set up and control the Ki Pro Ultra by myself while shooting was really important. But before I jump ahead, there is a simple yet important feature (to me) to point out. When setting the Ki Pro Ultra up, there were several times when I tried to change the settings to record in different formats. The Ki Pro Ultra would show an alarm when I tried to AJA KI PRO ULTRA BY MJ FOLEY PRODUCER/DIRECTOR BLACKROCK MEDIA GROUP COVENTRY, RI BLACKROCKMEDIA GROUP@GMAIL.COM VITAL STATS MANUFACTURER: AJA PRODUCT: Ki Pro Ultra PRICE: $3,995 (list) WEBSITE: www.aja.com • 1280x720 monitor is clean, crisp and spot on with no noticeable aberrations • Weighs in at just 5.55 pounds • Can be set up to record in 4K, UltraHD, 2K or HD to one of five ProRes codecs NUMEROUS 2K & 4K OPTIONS FOR ALMOST ANY SHOOTING OR STUDIO SITUATION www.postmagazine.com 44 POST APRIL 2016 monitor is clean, crisp and spot on with Formats & Codecs: Recording Modes: 4K: 4096x2160p 23.98, 24, 25, 29.97, 30, 50, 59.94, 60 UltraHD: 3840x2160p 23.98, 24, 25, 29.97, 30, 50, 59.94, 60 2K: 2048x1080p 23.98, 24, 25, 29.97, 30, 50, 59.94, 60 HD: 1080p 23.98, 24, 25, 29.97, 30, 50, 59.94, 60 HD: 1080i 25, 29.97, 30 HD: 1080psf 23.98, 24, 25*, 29.97* *Note: 25 and 29.97 requires Record Type>PsF selection HD: 720p 50, 59.94, 60 Codec Support: Apple ProRes 4444 Apple ProRes 422 (HQ) Apple ProRes 422 Apple ProRes 422 (LT) Apple ProRes 422 (Proxy) *Note: Apple ProRes 4444 4K/ UltraHD/2K/HD up to 30 fps 2x slots, AJA Pak SSD media Pak256, Pak512, Pak100

Articles in this issue

Links on this page

Archives of this issue

view archives of Post Magazine - April 2016