Sony launches new software tools tool to make it easier to work with camera footage

Sony's New Media Management Tools

At IBC, Sony Creative Software has announced two new products to aid in the management of media from Sony Cameras and others, Catalyst Browse and Catalyst Prepare.

Sony Creative Software, the software arm of Sony and the creators of Sony Vegas Pro and Spectra Layers Pro, have launched two new media management packages aimed at users of Sony Cameras. including the new PXW-FS7.

The first package is called Catalyst Browse, a free package for browsing and playback of media on Mac or PC. This will greatly simplify being able to view the files from Sony cameras, as often it is difficult to navigate the file structure and find the clips you wish to see, even if the player you are using understands the codec. Catalyst Browse will be included with purchases of Sony cameras and will also be available to download at the end of September.

The second package is called Catalyst Prepare and, as the name implies, it allows you to do more in terms of preparing the media for the editor. As well as browse and playback functions, Catalyst Prepare allows you to copy parts of shots, edit their metadata, create a rough cut prior to the edit, and then export in many different formats as required for your post production workflow. It is also Mac and PC compatible.

Catalyst Prepare is not just for media from Sony cameras, as it will also import media from Canon and GoPro cameras, amongst others, making it a very useful on set tool when you are shooting with multiple cameras.

Both Catalyst Browse and Prepare feature Ultra Wide Colour Gamut, which allows you to work in the same Ultra Wide Colour Gamut as your camera. You can set the source colour space and the grade colour space independently and you can see the full range of colour when shooting in S-Log or RAW. The playback engine is OpenCL accelerated, so on systems with compatible graphics cards and fast storage, you should get smooth playback of even 4K media. 

Catalyst Prepare lets you apply colour corrections to your clips, import and export standard ASC-CDL files from other applications to streamline your workflow.

Both Catalyst Browse and Catalyst Prepare will let you upload your material directly to a Sony Ci account and Catalyst Prepare also features media copying with checksum verification.

Check out the full press release after the break.

Full Press Release 

Sony Announces New Line of Media Preparation Applications

Catalyst Browse and Catalyst Prepare, powerful applications that provide the fastest, most reliable path from Camera to Post

Middleton, WIS. - Sony Creative Software, a leading global provider of professional editing and authoring solutions, today announced its new line of production applications, Catalyst Browse™ and Catalyst Prepare™. These new applications streamline media management and production processes, enabling professional producers to efficiently move media from their cameras and decks, saving valuable production time and providing confidence that their media is securely backed up.

Catalyst Browse is a free, powerful clip-management tool specifically designed for the latest portfolio of Sony camcorders and decks such as CineAlta, SR, XDCAM and NXCAM, including the new PXW-FS7. Catalyst Prepare, the fast, simple, reliable path from camera to post, works with a variety of cameras beyond Sony, including Canon and GoPro, and offers a set of media preparation tools that bridge the gap between acquisition and editing. Catalyst Browse and Catalyst Prepare both support Windows and Mac OS X and have a simple consistent, UI design across both platforms. The Windows version is also touch-friendly.

"Sony Creative Software is pleased to announce these new products. Our research and development has been focused on uniting our cameras and software in new ways that foster maximum speed and precision on the way to post," said John Freeborg, vice president of Sony Creative Software. "These applications offer solutions that kick-start the post-production process in ways that will make you better, faster, and more organized than ever."

Both applications are built from a set of underlying technology components which combine to provide a powerful, consistent experience:

OpenCL GPU accelerated video engine for smooth playback and fast rendering
Precise color engine featuring ultra wide color gamut and large dynamic range capabilities for previewing and adjusting S-Log, S-Log2, S-Log-3, RAW, and Rec.709 source footage
Precise and comprehensive format support for all the Sony Professional cameras including the new PXW-FS7
With Catalyst Browse, the user can:
Browse — Quickly browse the files on your device using a thumbnail view or detailed list.
View — See the details of each clip, check focus, mark in and out points, adjust colors, and edit metadata.
Fast Copy — Copy all clips on the media, a subset, or only the desired portion of a clip to save time and space.
Ultra Wide Color Gamut — Review with confidence the full range of color captured by your S-Log and RAW Sony cameras. Apply color looks, and import/export standard ASC-CDL files with other workflow tools to save time.
Clip Lists — Create, import, and export Sony Professional Disc clip lists for quick play-out needs.
Transcode and Cloud Upload — Transcode clips to the most popular video production formats. Upload clips directly to the Sony Ci media cloud for collaborative team review.
Catalyst Prepare, built on Catalyst Browse functionality, revolutionizes the post-production workflow with a variety of advanced features, including:
Import — Quickly view and import clips from the latest professional cameras, including Sony, Canon, GoPro, and others.
Organize — Organization is key: Prepare gives you the ability to organize your media into targeted, meaningful collections.
Edit — View the details, zoom into every corner, mark In/Out, edit metadata, adjust colors non-destructively, and create a storyboard to rough draft your vision.
Export — Export a file, a group of files, or a storyboard. Render to .MP4, DPX, OpenEXR, ACES, ProRes (Mac only), or XAVC in a variety of resolutions and frame rates, or upload to the cloud via Sony Ci media cloud for collaborative team review.
Confident Backup — Back up the entire camera media with the confidence of checksum verification.
Ultra Wide Color Gamut — Work with the same wide color gamut as your camera. Set the source color space and the grade color space independently. Grade in Rec.709, Log, or ACES.
Create a Rough Cut — Use the storyboard editor to sequence and edit a rough cut, then render the storyboard or export it to a variety of NLEs.

Price and Availability

Catalyst Browse is a free application. Catalyst Prepare is available for $199.95. Both applications will be available for digital download and physical purchase on September 30th. For more information, please visit: www.sonycreativesoftware.com/catalyst.