The latest in film gear with new Laowa lenses, Eddie AI's 1000 Docs Program, and updates from Filmworkz, Lenovo, CODEX, Puget Systems, and ALTCINECAM.
The new Laowa 8-15mm T2.9 FF Zoom Fisheye Cine Lens (above) has been engineered for full-frame cinema cameras, and combines a versatile 8-15mm zoom range, a fast T2.9 aperture, and professional cine to deliver dramatic fisheye effects.
In fact, it delivers two. At 8mm, it produces a circular fisheye effect with a 180° angle of view, ideal for VR content, 360° panoramas, and 'surreal narrative sequences'. At 15mm, the lens transitions to a full-frame rectangular fisheye effect, filling the sensor with a wide, curved perspective that retains bold distortion. Perfect for dynamic establishing shots, music videos, or action scenes.
Staying with Laowa, preorders have just opened for the Laowa Probe Zoom Macro Lens Set, the latest addition to Laowa’s Full Frame probe lens lineup, featuring the 15-35mm T12 and 15-24mm T8. Being the widest probe lens (15mm Ultra Wide Perspective) with the largest zoom range on the market, it boasts a 110.5° angle of view and a 2.3x zoom range for significant changes in magnification and perspective. The 40 cm-longest waterproof tubular design empowers filmmakers to capture deep, hard-to-reach subjects. Four interchangeable front barrels (Direct View/35-degree/90-degree/Periscope View) provide a range of different viewpoints. Prices range from $3499 for a single lens and front barrel to $9999 for the lot.
Excellent new initiative from Eddie AI whose 1000 Docs Program is looking to give away one full year of Eddie AI Pro (its $100/month plan) to 1000 documentary projects. Applications close July 31. Filmmakers can apply via heyedd.ie/1000docs.
Why documentary filmmakers? "Because," says the company, "they’re often flying solo. Underfunded. Editing at 1 a.m. on borrowed time. And still—they’re creating the work that moves culture forward. We want to meet them where they are and help them keep going. Whether they’re mid-edit on a feature or just wrapping their first short, we believe these filmmakers deserve tools that respect their vision—and their time."
Filmworkz has upgraded its Phoenix film and video restoration and Nucoda color grading tools to v2025.1, and along the way added full support for Apple ProRes RAW. Which is neat.
CODEX will release Device Manager 7.6 which will unify its MXF/HDE workflow for every ARRI digital cinema cameras, including ALEXA and AMIRA. HDE (High-Density Encoding) “re-packs” the original ARRIRAW sensor data file into a new, lossless file that’s up to 40% smaller yet, importantly, without any loss of information. CODEX says it’s similar to a lossy ProRes 4444HQ file that was recorded in a camera. The first feature film to utilize this award-winning technology was Spider-Man: Far From Home in 2019. You can join the early adopter program here.