Atomos Ninja-2 field recorder

Atomos, a developer of field recorders, has just announced the release of Ninja-2.

The second version of the recorder, already presented during this year’s NAB (and which we wrote about in this article), is mainly enhanced by the introduction of HDMI input and output. This means that it can be used to record 10-bit uncompressed images directly from the sensor of a DSLR or camcorder, such as a Nikon DSLR (which includes this feature in its new D4 and D800 cameras); or even from the iPad, taking advantage of its HD outputs.

This was the most notable new feature, but other features have also been added to improve on the first version. The resolution of the touch screen has been increased (800 x 480 pixels), with a 170-degree viewing angle, both vertically and horizontally, and its visibility in direct sunlight has been improved.

The Ninja-2 comes with the AtomOS operating system (3.21), which includes features such as SmartMonitor, providing the recorder with Peaking, Zebra, False Color and Blue Only functions, as well as SmartLog, another feature that allows editing by marking certain keywords, both on set and elsewhere. In addition, XML support for Final Cut Pro X has been included in AtomOS 3.21.

The Atomos recorders, both Ninja and Samurai, are closely linked to Apple, which has given its approval for the development of these products. If we want to compress them, the images will be captured only with the Apple ProRes codec (which can become a limitation in certain projects) that are stored on HDD or SSD hard disks (not included).

The Ninja-2 field recorder is now available for $995 (€795) from Atomos sales partners. A free firmware upgrade (for registered Samurai users only) to AtomOS 3.21 is also available for purchase.