DJI takes Super 35 airborne with Zenmuse X7 drone camera
By Nick Lavars
DJI takes Super 35 airborne wi...
The Zenmuse X7 camera costs $2,699 at DJI's online store
The Super 35 video sensor onboard DJI's Zenmuse X7 camera features 14 stops of dynamic range
The Zenmuse X7 camera is comes with its own special mounting system for a DJI Inspire 2 drone, and is designed to work specifically with that particular aircraft
DJI claims the Zenmuse X7 actually captures the highest resolution images of any drone camera to date
Few, if any, drone-makers have pushed the limits of aerial cinematography like DJI, and the Chinese company is again looking to break new ground with a new high-flying professional-grade shooter. The Zenmuse X7 interchangeable lens camera is aimed squarely at the pros, and puts the Super 35 digital film format onto a drone for the first time.
The Zenmuse X7 camera comes with its own special mounting system for a DJI Inspire 2 drone and is designed to work specifically with that aircraft. It is the latest addition to DJI's line of Zenmuse drone cameras, and ups the ante in a few noteworthy ways.
The X7 is optimized for DJI prime lenses at focal lengths of 16 mm, 24 mm, 35 mm (priced at US$1,299) and 50 mm (($1,199), each with a maximum aperture of F/2.8. The Super 35 video sensor features 14 stops of dynamic range to capture poorly lit detail, and DJI ays its low-noise imaging technology should help in this regard, too.
Capable of snapping 24-megapixel stills, DJI claims the Zenmuse X7 actually captures the highest resolution images of any drone camera to date. Video can be recorded at 6K in CinemaDNG Raw or 5.2K Apple ProRes at up to 30 fps, and 3.9K CinemaDNG RAW or 2.7K ProRes at up to 59.94 FPS.
"The Zenmuse X7 offers everything professional content creators need to make their aerial footage as stunning and vivid as they demand," says Paul Pan, Senior Product Manager at DJI. "From the large Super 35 sensor to a new mount, lenses, and color system, the Zenmuse X7 gives cinematographers and professional photographers an unmatched set of tools that work seamlessly with the DJI Inspire 2 drone to capture high-quality footage that is easily integrated into projects shot with industry-leading handheld cameras."
The Zenmuse X7 camera costs $2,699 at DJI's online store, with shipping to start in early November.
Source: DJI
DronesCamerasDJI InnovationsCamera drone
Nick Lavars
Nick has been writing and editing at New Atlas for over six years, where he has covered everything from distant space probes to self-driving cars to oddball animal science. He previously spent time at The Conversation, Mashable and The Santiago Times, earning a Masters degree in communications from Melbourne's RMIT University along the way.
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