The AJA Ki Pro, that rugged little tapeless on-camera deck we first heard about during NAB, is now shipping. Reviewer Helmut Kobler loves the fact that the ProRes 422 HD the box records directly from your camera is better—and more editing friendly—than the compressed files he’d get from a Sony EX1 or a Panasonic HDX900. And the option to skip all those long hours transcoding? Priceless. But he isn’t sure the extra bulk of the Ki Pro, despite its small size, is worth the added worry and liability that comes with lugging around and powering yet another piece of gear on a shoot, especially on a bare-bones documentary with multiple locations. Still, this is an affordable (and rentable) option for many who need crisper, cleaner images in record time. How well will it work with your existing media, storage and decks? Kobler considers a number of possible workflows and camera setups and whether the image gains make up for some of this first-gen product’s limitations.

When compression is the goal, however, apps like Apple Compressor and Sorenson Squeeze are necessary utilities for pushing out low-res client reviews, viral posts or any number of other small-screen deliverables. Scott Simmons, a regular Compressor user who has experienced more than a few crashes with the Apple app, takes the new Sorenson Squeeze 6 out for a spin.

With all that transcoding and compressing going on, isn’t it time to reap the rewards? Don’t forget to enter Studio’s inaugural Screen Genius Awards. The deadline is this Friday, with a late deadline of December 18. Software and hardware can only do so much.

Beth Marchant
Editor-In-Chief, Studio/monthly