Focus Check

ep134 - IBC 2026 Overview & Best-of-Show Winners | iPhone 18 Pro Gets a Variable Aperture | Teradek Bolt 7 – CineD Focus Check

Focus Check

Show Notes

This week's episode is dedicated to remembering our dear colleague and friend Rodney Charters, ASC, who passed away in Amsterdam during the show – we will dedicate more time to him in an upcoming episode.We work through Johnnie's first hands-on demo of our SmallRig x CineD OrBrella prototype and the 200 pre-orders that sold out in just days, all the winners of our CineD Best-of-Show Awards at IBC 2026 – from the Adobe After Effects AI Assistant and the Deity PR-4 to the Aputure STORM CS32, NANLUX Matrix 2500C, Atomos Shinobi 7 II and Hollyland Pyro 7 Ultra – the Teradek Bolt 7, Sony's DWX Gen 4 and its US patent problem, the iPhone 18 Pro and iPhone Duo, SmallRig's iPhone 18 cinema kit, the latest Pixboom Spark update, the Canon EOS R8 Mark II, Tilta's Pyro 7 Ultra cage, the SNAPGRID Core, SmallRig's Nano power banks, the Saramonic WiTalk Base, Angelbird's new CFexpress Type A v4 cards and a new MZed Storytelling Session. This Episode is Sponsored by Hollyland. Check it out at (00:18:36)►Learn more: http://cined.co/lwhjQk Topics and Chapters in this Episode: (00:00:00) Intro

(00:05:33) SmallRig x CineD OrBrella Light Introduced – 60W Umbrella-Style Light That Deploys in Five Seconds https://www.cined.com/smallrig-x-cined-orbrella-light-introduced-60w-umbrella-style-light-that-deploys-in-five-seconds/

(00:21:14) Winners Announced – CineD Best-of-Show Awards at IBC 2026 https://www.cined.com/winners-announced-cined-best-of-show-awards-at-ibc-2026/

(00:28:42) Deity PR-4 Detailed – Six Tracks, Wireless Timecode Master, and Dual-Media Recording https://www.cined.com/deity-pr-4-detailed-six-tracks-wireless-timecode-master-and-dual-media-recording/

(00:37:03) OWC Thunderbolt 5 Dock with Dual HDMI Introduced – Two HDMI 2.1 Ports, 140W Laptop Charging, Full-Speed Downstream Storage https://www.cined.com/owc-thunderbolt-5-dock-with-dual-hdmi-introduced-two-hdmi-2-1-ports-140w-laptop-charging-full-speed-downstream-storage/

(00:40:28) DZOFILM Arles Zooms Announced – 25-75mm and 65-180mm T2.6 With Prime-Matched Color https://www.cined.com/dzofilm-arles-zooms-announced-25-75mm-and-65-180mm-t2-6-with-prime-matched-color/

(00:42:03) Aputure STORM CS32 Explained – 3,200W of Full Color From a Household Outlet https://www.cined.com/aputure-storm-cs32-3200w-of-full-color-from-a-household-outlet/

(00:44:12) NANLUX Matrix 2500B and Matrix 2500C – First Look https://www.cined.com/nanlux-matrix-2500b-and-matrix-2500c-first-look/

(00:45:14) Atomos Shinobi II Wins One of Two Awards in the Category “Monitors” (Interview video will follow)

(00:46:59) Hollyland Pyro 7 Ultra Explained – 4K60 Transmission, 20ms Latency, Camera Control From the Receiver https://www.cined.com/hollyland-pyro-7-ultra-explained-4k60-transmission-20ms-latency-camera-control-from-the-receiver/

(00:48:52) Teradek Bolt 7 Introduced – 6GHz Zero-Delay Wireless Video, 900MHz Radio for Camera Control, and More https://www.cined.com/teradek-bolt-7-introduced-6ghz-zero-delay-wireless-video-900mhz-radio-for-camera-control-and-more/

(00:53:02) Sony DWX Gen 4 Wireless System Detailed – 32-Bit Float Recording, 1.1ms Latency, and a 30% Price Cut https://www.cined.com/sony-dwx-gen-4-wireless-system-detailed-32-bit-float-recording-1-1ms-latency-and-a-30-price-cut/

(00:56:49) Apple iPhone 18 Pro and 18 Pro Max Announced – Variable Aperture Main Camera, New Sensor, Pro Controls, Plus the Foldable iPhone Duo https://www.cined.com/apple-iphone-18-pro-and-18-pro-max-announced-variable-aperture-main-camera-new-sensor-pro-controls-plus-the-foldable-iphone-duo/

(01:07:23) SmallRig iPhone 18 Cinema Kit Introduced – HawkLock Cage, 67mm Screw-On Filters, $190 All-in-One Kit https://www.cined.com/smallrig-iphone-18-cinema-kit-introduced-hawklock-cage-67mm-screw-on-filters-190-all-in-one-kit/

(01:09:42) Pixboom Spark Updated – Pre-Record, Browser Remote Control, and 12-Bit RAW in Development https://www.cined.com/pixboom-spark-updated-pre-record-browser-remote-control-

More from Focus Check

Oct 22, 2026

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Oct 15, 2026

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Oct 8, 2026

Are modern sensors too clean? Johnnie argues that CCD cameras like the Digital Bolex had a character today's CMOS sensors lack, while Nino points to image science and noise reduction you can no longer switch off. Also this week: Nino's field test of the DJI SDR Transmission 2, Apple's redesigned Final Cut Camera 2.4 with manual aperture control for the iPhone 18 Pro, Huawei's clip-on Ruiying Z10 camera module for the Mate90 phones, another Sony FX5 delay, FUJIFILM's price increase in Japan, and Imaging World's move to Cologne. This episode is sponsored by Hollyland Pyro S (sponsor message at 23:55). Chapters:(00:00) Intro(00:56) Widescreen or not? Your feedback on our aspect ratio(03:16) DJI SDR Transmission 2 field test(23:55) Sponsor: Hollyland Pyro S(24:47) Sony FX5 delayed again(26:33) Apple Final Cut Camera 2.4 and Final Cut Pro 12.4(32:29) Huawei Mate90 and the Ruiying Z10 clip-on camera(39:15) Vivo X500 Pro, LOFIC and "are modern sensors too clean?"(50:36) FUJIFILM raises camera prices in Japan(53:00) Imaging World moves to Cologne(57:37) RAW Supersampler for Nikon raw(01:01:26) Panasonic LUMIX S9 firmware 2.1(01:02:01) Lomography Joseph Petzval Métamorphose 35 f/1.8(01:04:16) Godox Litemons SR20R(01:05:41) SmallRig x CineD OrBrella campaign update(01:07:49) FUJIFILM Fujikina NYC 2026(01:10:08) SmallRig Autumn Sale(01:10:59) Day-for-night: Sunlight in Disguise All articles and links from this episode: https://www.cined.com/are-modern-sensors-too-clean-dji-sdr-transmission-2-field-tested-huaweis-clip-on-camera-focus-check-ep137/ Full disclosure: the DJI SDR Transmission 2 field test is a paid collaboration with DJI and not a review. The SmallRig Autumn Sale article is sponsored. The OrBrella is our own product, developed with SmallRig. Send your questions and suggestions to [email protected], and watch the video version on YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/playlist?list=PLQTktdMLtqnic6-qI28B774IC9xLMbKOG

Oct 1, 2026

DJI shipped more than 10 million handheld cameras last year – more than every CIPA camera maker combined. Together with Insta360, the company now ships more than twice as many cameras as the entire mirrorless industry. And in our Lab, the Sony FX5 just matched the ARRI ALEXA Mini LF for dynamic range. In this week's episode, Nino and Johnnie are back from IBC to go through the FX5 Lab Test, the ARRI-branded HONOR Magic9 Pro Max, Nikon’s Z5IIC, Meta’s VR Glasses, a SIGMA fp open-gate hack, the Chronos Q12, the big RØDECaster Video update, the crowdfunding launch of our OrBrella light, and more.

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OpenAI has reportedly bought Glass Imaging – the ex-Apple team behind the iPhone's Portrait Mode – for the camera in its first hardware device. Meanwhile, a former cinematographer turned carpenter has got his Digital Bolex rebuild working: original Kodak CCD, Raspberry Pi 5, V-mount battery, wooden box. Big tech vs. one-man camera build – plus the Sony FX5 delay in Japan, DJI SDR Transmission 2, the OrBrella crowdfunding start and lots of IBC gear. This Episode is Sponsored by Hollyland (00:15:06)► Check out the Pyro S: http://cined.co/nImvmn

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