Schneider Optics brought its new line of Century HD lens accessories, which were created especially to complement Sony’s new PMW-EX1 camcorder. These remarkable optical attachments provide unprecedented image clarity, while enabling the camera to go wider, reach further, and move in closer than the lens alone will allow.

Getting light on a scene is becoming “greener” this year, with more ecologically-sensitive HMI (Hydrargyrum medium-arc iodide) and LED-based portable lighting fixtures seen at the 2008 NAB Show than ever before. 16X9, Inc. debuted the Bebob Lux LED DV on-camera light system featuring variable focus range using 5 high-output LEDs. With daylight color temperature at full saturations, the output of the Bebob Lux LED DV fixture is fully dimmable.

The UltraLight UL-2 onboard camera light from Anton Bauer weighs in at a lightweight 285g. The SeriesOne energy efficient fluorescent lamp system from Brightline features compact 55W advanced phosphor formulations. Dimming control options of the SeriesOne system include DMX and DALI, with linear dimming to 3 percent.
ARRI unveiled its series of highly innovative lampheads with over 30 new improvements for studio and location lighting. The TRUE BLUE fixtures have been constructed of a pressure die cast and extruded aluminum components, reducing the overall weight of the fixtures without sacrificing quality. They feature a redesigned stirrup, improved tilt lock and a stainless steel friction disc lock which keeps the lamphead secure even with the largest Chimera. Improved barndoors are stronger and resistant to bending and the TRUE BLUE new hinge design maintains constant tension that is easily adjusted. The cross cooling system reduces lamp housing temperature by 25 percent and lens temperature by 17 percent. TRUE BLUE Fresnels from 1000 to 5000W include the T1, T2, T5, ST1, ST2 and ST5. 

Bron Kobold shined with its all-weather HMI production lighting system in 200W, 400W and 800W sizes, and they introduced the new DW 200 Source Four adapter. From Frezzi Energy Systems came the Frezzi HD Super Sun-Gun HMI lighting kits, available in 200W and 400W configurations.

A new Micro LED Light from Litepanels for compact DV cameras weighs less than 4 oz. yet produces 1.5 hours of continuous light from 4 standard or rechargeable AA batteries. Litepanels also showed off its DMX control module that can add any Litepanels fixture to a lighting control board.

A new 24W PowerArch plug-in HMI unit was introduced by PAG USA, built to snap into their miniaturized 12V Paglight M. The new Softkey-2X from Videssence provides controlled aiming for key or fill lighting in multi-use spaces. A 24” X 10” T-bar mount comes standard with the Softkey-2X.

In portable audio recording equipment, everything is going tapeless, especially when it comes to handheld recorders. Mayah Communications has added an IP codec to its Flashman digital recorder to create the Flashman II which records to USB memory sticks or SD cards. Marantz presented its new PMD620 with two built-in mikes, a built-in editing screen and a USB port for output to a computer.

Nagra introduced the new Nagra VI, a 6-channel 24-bit high-end portable recorder with an internal hard disk and compact Flash drive, and their Nagra LB 2-track battery operated recorder with USB, Ethernet and Bluetooth capabilities. Sound Devices launched a new digital field recorder, the 788T, and introduced its Wave Agent Utility Software, an enhancement for its 7-Series of small recorders.

Audio-Technica brought its AT2020 USB cardiod condenser microphone to the Convention Center. It plugs directly into a computer’s USB port so it can work with most recording software. The company also had its new AT8004, successor to their AT804, and a longer version — the AT8004L — that can accommodate a mike flag.
HHB brought along 2 new models from its mike/recorder FlashMic series including the DRM85LI and DRM85CLI, both equipped with line inputs and offering a TT jack input on the base of the microphone body.

AKG showed its just-released Perception series of condenser microphones along with their D230 ENG mike and the Ultra-Linear Series and Blue Line Series of modular microphones designed for location shoots.

The PortaMic 5.1 is a camera-mountable surround sound mike from Holophone, complete with a Dolby Pro Logic II encoder from Dolby Laboratories so the sound can be decoded as a 5.1 signal. Holophone also had its H2-PRO and H3-D location microphones designed to take 6 channels of audio and convert them into 2 channels using Pro Logic II.

Sennheiser showed off its MD 421 large diaphragm dynamic microphone with a five-position low frequency control. They also displayed their MD 441 classic dynamic mike with wide frequency response characteristics along the line of a condenser mike. In addition, Sennheiser had their SKM5200 handheld microphone transmitter that works in conjunction with any Sennheiser 3000 or 5000 series receiver.