Atomos has announced the latest generation of its hugely successful Ninja line of camera-mounted monitor-recorders: Ninja and Ninja Ultra.
The original Ninja rocked the world when it was introduced in 2010, combining an HD disk recorder with a touchscreen monitor you could hold in your hand. It captured pristine, uncompressed video direct from the first generation of DSLRs straight onto a removable SSD.
The latest Ninja base model handles video sources up to nine times that resolution, has a 5-inch HDR screen, records ProRes RAW, and connects to almost every camera in the world. Little wonder “Atomos” is now in the vocabulary of almost every filmmaker.
A key component of both new Ninja models is the completely overhauled operating system, AtomOS 11. Cleaner, fresher and faster, thanks to hardware performance optimized for AtomOS 11, it delivers a host of new features too, including EL Zone exposure referenced colorized image, ARRI False Color, and new scheduled playback & recording tools.
Both models sport a distinctive ‘camo’ color polycarbonate body and now include more codecs as standard: 6K ProRes RAW, ProRes, DNxHD as well as H.265, which was previously available as a paid option.
While the Ninja is targeted primarily at owners of DSLR and mirrorless cameras, Ninja Ultra is built to get the most out of camera to cloud techology and leans into cinematic workflows too. It can record full-quality files to ProRes RAW up to 4K 60p while at the same time recording HD 60p to H.265, and supports automatic matching filenames, timecode and record from ARRI, Canon and RED cameras. More cameras will be supported very soon.
Ninja Ultra’s new 4K camera to cloud mode lets you record and upload much higher quality bitrate H.265 video with higher framerates. H.265 files are half the size of H.264 media. They’re small enough for camera to cloud workflows but more than good enough for immediate use on social media, sports reporting or news gathering.
Adding an Atomos Connect expansion module to either a Ninja or a Ninja Ultra enables Atomos RemoteView – a brand new technology that lets you share live views from your Atomos screen with other Atomos monitors, as well as with iPads, Macs and Apple TVs wirelessly. You can monitor what’s happening on-set and look through any connected camera taking the shot, from anywhere in the world. RemoteView is a total game-changer for remote production, offering many new features never seen before.
For Ninja Ultra only, the Atomos Connect module provides a lower latency, higher throughput and more stable connection with Wi-Fi 6E. Once again, Atomos is leading the way by incorporating this cutting-edge Wi-Fi standard into its cloud-enabled products.
Both Ninjas are backwards-compatible with their predecessors, Ninja V and Ninja V+, so all Atomos and third-party accessories can be used with the new products.
Both Ninja and Ninja Ultra will be shipping from early September 2023, priced at €599 and €799 respectively, excluding local sales taxes.
Features Atomos NINJA:
- New, clear user interface.
- Records up to 4Kp60 in Apple ProRes, Avid DNxHD and now H.265 (HEVC) and up to 6Kp30 in Apple ProRes RAW.
- AtomOS 11 improves memory management, increases responsiveness and offers new features
- Atomos RemoteView (via Atomos Connect)
- New pre-scheduling tools with RecordAssist and PlayBackAssist.
- New monitoring tools with one-touch operation:
SegmentPro, EL Zone, ARRI False Color. - SDI connectivity and NDI workflows with Atomos Connect and AtomX.
- Atomos Connect as a gateway to the cloud
- Same form factor as Ninja V: proven accessories are compatible with the new Ninja series (Ninja & Ninja Ultra)
Features Atomos NINJA ULTRA:
- Record in ProRes RAW up to 8Kp30, 6Kp60 and 4Kp120.
- Flexible codec selection – ProRes RAW, ProRes, DNxHD & H.265 (HEVC) – all included!
- Dual RAW recording for camera-to-cloud workflows – simultaneous 4Kp60 ProRes RAW & H.265 recording (with Atomos Connect).
- SDI Cine – automatic matching of filenames, timecode and recording triggers from SDI cameras from ARRI, Canon, RED and Sony.
- AtomOS 11: Memory management and responsiveness improved
+ new features - 4K H.265 Camera to Cloud mode (with Atomos Connect)
- Faster and stronger connectivity with Wi-Fi 6E
- Atomos RemoteView (via Atomos Connect)
- New monitoring tools with one-touch operation: SegmentPro, EL Zone, ARRI False Color.
- New monitoring tools: RecordAssist and PlayBackAssist.
- Existing Accessories are compatible with the new Ninja series (Ninja & Ninja Ultra).
