New Apollo recorder and switcher

Convergent Design, makers of the well-known Odyssey recorder, now come with the new Apollo, a portable HD multi-camera recorder/switcher.

Let’s take it one step at a time:

• Multi-camera recorder because it can capture up to 4 HD video signals along with a fifth channel that can carry a live signal from any of the four or a split-screen display of all four cameras.

• Switcher: Another way of working is as a live switcher of the four channels while simultaneously recording the four video signals separately.

• Finally, portable. It is the size of a tablet (20×15.5×2.5cm), weighs 560g and runs for hours on the camera battery.

The recording

The cameras will be synchronized via timecode. The recordings are made in ProRes on a single 2’5″ SSD (from Convergent Design or other manufacturers), although there are two slots to allow mirrored recording and thus have the first backup from the shooting or expand the available space.

The available codecs of the ProRes family are HQ, 422 and LT (it seems that 4444 is not available) and the maximum recording speed is 60p. Capturing with the highest quality we could obtain 3.5h of uninterrupted recording.

Apollo Media Manager

This is an application for exporting media either as separate ProRes files or as a multi-camera QuickTime that goes directly to the timeline of the editing system, such as Final Cut Pro.

Monitoring

Like the company’s other recorders, the Apollo can also be used as a backup monitor.

It features SDI and HDMI input and output, image analysis tools and the ability to insert custom 3D LUTs.

Functions to come

Additional features are planned for release during the first quarter of 2016, including two channels of 4K/UHD recording, use of the DNxHD codec, and cascading of three Apollo interconnects to achieve up to 12 HD or six 4K/UHD channels.

Another good news is that these functions will be obtained through free firmware.

When and how much

The new Apollo is scheduled to be released in December 2015. The price would be $3995 with an SSD to USB3 adapter, a 5-pack of SSD mounts and an AC power supply.

Those with Odyssey7Q and Odyssey7Q+ recorders will be able to purchase an “Apollo Option” as an upgrade for $1795.