Our 2022 Holiday Wish List!

Cameras and gimbals and lighting, oh my. As we look back at what’s been a banner year for Castleview – and forward to even greater success in 2023 – we can’t help but share some of the goodies we hope to find in our stocking this year.

1) DJI RS3 Pro Gimbal Stabilizer
Despite being one of the newer kids on the block, the RS3 Gimbal Pro Stabilizer has proven to be a worthy successor to older RS2 and Ronin-S models, expanding on the many features that make those gimbals great, including:

– Extended carbon fiber axis arms
– 10 lbs payload
– 1.8 in OLED touch screen display
– Instant mode switching
– Bluetooth Connectivity
– Supports wireless transmission to smart devices with the DJI App
– 12 hour detachable battery grip
– Numerous accessories

2) DJI LiDAR Sensor
This LiDAR sensor from DJI uses pulsing light waves to map out the surrounding environment, allowing for fast and accurate autofocus in even the darkest environments, at least when you pair it to a DJI RS gimbal’s focus motor. It even gives autofocus capabilities to traditionally manually focused lenses, like old vintage lenses and newer cinema primes.
DJI Mavic 3 Classic
We can’t round out the DJI section of our wish list without including a drone, right? Their most recent marvel, the DJI Mavic 3 Classic, is a real doozy, with features that would make it a great addition to the Castleview arsenal (wink wink, nudge nudge):

– Up to 5.1K/50fps Video
– 46-Min Max Flight Time
– Omnidirectional Obstacle Sensing
– 15km HD Video Transmission
– Night Mode for Video Recording
– DJI RC (5.5-inch HD Display)

3) Aputure LS 600C Pro
The Aputure LS 600C Pro is another exciting recent release, further cementing Aputure as a go-to in the film industry for high quality, professional grade lighting at a fraction of the cost of other industry leaders – looking at you ARRI. With the LS 600C Pro, Aputure now offers the full color functionality of lights like the NOVA 600C with the wide selection of compatible modifiers and accessories from products like the 600D, creating a unique fixture with some seriously notable features:

– Bowens mount compatibility
– 600W Full Color Light
– Advanced User interface and control
– V-mount or gold mount battery power capability
– Weather Resistant

4) Tamron 35-150mm f/2-2.8
Despite its 2021 release, the Tamron 35-150mm f/2-2.8 is already regarded as one-of-a-kind. And that’s because it lacks a common drawback for lenses in this range – bottoming out at an f/4 aperture and losing some of that “cinematic” shallow depth of field. With this fast, customizable, all-in-one solution from Tamron, you get the versatility of a wide-to-telephoto zoom lens, with a fast aperture of f/2 on the wide end to f/2.8 on the telephoto end.

5) Sony FX6
Yes, Castleview already acquired the beautiful Sony FX6. But we can’t help but preach about it a bit. Improving on the Sony FS7s that served us so well in recent years, the FX6 was a no-brainer of an upgrade, beating out other considerations with features like:

– Sony’s excellent autofocus system is improved tremendously in this camera
– Dual-Base ISO of 800 and 12,800 that allow for high quality imagery in even dark environments
– Incredible slow motion capabilities with 4K/120 FPS and 1080/240 FPS shooting
– Ability to record 12-bit, Prores RAW with select external recording monitors
– Compact, lightweight design for easy handheld operation
– Built-in Electronic Variable ND filter that allows for flexible shooting in even the brightest environments

Of course, equipment is only part of the equation. Even the most cutting-edge toys don’t do a lot of good unless you pair them with genuine expertise. And that’s exactly what you have with Castleview – that intersection of innovation and experience that will move the messaging needle for your organization.