Nikon Support has confirmed that its new mirrorless flagship Z9 will be able to record ProRes RAW internally in a future firmware update. That’s a small hope for those who purchased the camera at full price and now are afraid the promise of ProRes RAW will be broken. However, we’d take this confirmation with a grain of salt. Here is why.
ProRes RAW: The problematic codec
Last week, DJI has suddenly announced the elimination of ProRes RAW internal recording in its flagship, the Ronin 4D. As for that, DJI reduced the price as compensation for lacking this highly demanded feature. Customers who have already purchased the Ronin 4D are now entitled to hundreds of USD of return. This was the second time that internal ProRes RAW recording capability is eliminated on a flagship model. The first was the case of the Kinefinity MAVO Edge. Till, now, the Edge can’t record ProRes RAW internally. Thus, MAVO Edge shooters use other flavors of ProRes, which are great, and sometimes more than enough, but not raw. That means you can’t change parameters like white balance and ISO in post.
Compressed codecs are patent protected
The main reason that DJI and Kinefinity removed the feature of internal ProRes RAW recording, is that this compressed codec (not real raw) is patent protected by RED Digital Cinema patent no. US 8,878952, B2 titled “Video Camera” (see slide below) from 2014. That means the patent will expire in 2028. From the Abstract: “Video camera that can be configured to highly compressed video date in a visually lossless manner. The camera can be configured to transform blue and red image data in a manner that enhances the compressibility of the data. The data then can be compressed and stored in this form”. Furthermore, Apple and RED have worked together in order to allow the option of recording a certain type of compressed raw, which is Apple ProRes RAW. Moreover, Atomos pays RED for the use of the patent to allow ProRes RAW recording via HDMI.
Nikon Z9 and ProRss RAW HQ
At the introduction of the Z9, Nikon has promised that the internal recording of ProRes RAW will be one of the features available in a future firmware update (2022 – see slide below taken from the Nikon Z 9 product page). Besides ProRes RAW, the Z9 also will offer N-RAW (Nikon’s original RAW) which is a new raw format established by a company called intoPIX (brand name: TICO-RAW). It seems that the TICO-RAW is also a type of compressed raw. If so, how did they bypass the RED’s patent (email was sent to the intoPIX but no response yet)? Anyway, Nikon says that the Z9 will utilize ProRes RAW HQ which offers additional quality at a higher data rate compared to just ProRes RAW. Apple ProRes RAW HQ data rates generally fall between those of Apple ProRes 422 HQ and Apple ProRes 4444, as shown in the chart below (source: Apple ProRs RAW White Paper).
Nikon confirms the promise
After the cancellation of the ProRes RAW feature in the DJI Ronin 4D, Nikon Z9 buyers started to worry that the same will happen in the Z9. Many of the potential buyers have decided to sit and wait with the decision of buying the Z9. Also, many of them are sure that it will happen the same to the Z9 (elimination of the ProRes RAW feature) and thus the price of the Z9 will be reduced dramatically, just like in the Ronin 4D. So we’ve reached out to Nikon and asked the simple question: “Will the Nikon Z9 allow internal recording of ProRes RAW in a future firmware update?”. We explained to Nikon Support the situation: “We’re asking this since DJI removed ProRes RAW due to patent issues. Nikon promises ProRes RAW internal recording in a future firmware update. Can Nikon confirm that?” Here is Nikon’s answer. As stated: “Thank you for your question. Currently – the Z9 can record ProRes 422 HQ – this can be captured in 10-bit 4:2:2 video up to 4K UHD/30p. This can be captured, in-camera, currently. The future firmware update will allow for capture of 12-bit RAW video formats. These formats include N-RAW (Nikon’s original RAW video format) as well as ProRes RAW HQ”. So there you go. Nikon has confirmed that the Z9 will be able to record ProRes RAW HQ internally.
Thank you for your question. Currently – the Z9 can record ProRes 422 HQ – this can be captured in 10-bit 4:2:2 video up to 4K UHD/30p. This can be captured, in-camera, currently. The future firmware update will allow for capture of 12-bit RAW video formats. These formats include N-RAW (Nikon’s original RAW video format) as well as ProRes RAW HQ.
Nikon
Closing thoughts
We’d take Nikon’s promise with a grain of salt, and we advise you to do the same. Nikon must pay RED Digital Cinema for the licencing to allow internal ProRes RAW recording on the Z9. We hardly see Nikon fighting for it, as it has its own N-RAW, as a ‘backup raw’. Nevertheless, camera manufacturers must do their homework before making promises about essential features that there’s an even small chance of not implementing them. What do you think? Nikon will keep its promise?
Product List
Here’re the products mentioned in the article, and the links to purchase them from authorized dealers:
- Nikon Z 9 Mirrorless Digital Camera
This is what happens when you have dummies approve technology patents they dont understand. The patent essentially is “Get RAW data from sensor > do a debayer > Apply any sort of compression”. BRAW and and likely TICO -RAW get around this patent by doing the debayer in camera before handing it off to a codec. Why Apple and Adobe have not just moved around RED like Blackmagic Design has, is completely beyond me.
Nikon has always been the gentleman company. Admitted to flaws and fixed them. Unlike another brand that needs class action lawsuits. But they also have a long history of Asian/Japanese misunderstanding of intellectual property that resulted in lost lawsuits in the enterprise domain. And cost them direly.