Kinefinity has just unveiled the new Super 35 and Large-format 6K cinema cameras titled MAVO Mark 2 S35 and MAVO Mark 2 LF. These cameras incorporate advanced technology and integration for high-end production, with a much more affordable price tag. All details are below.

Kinefinity MAVO Mark II 6K LF and S35

The new Kinefinity MAVO Mark 2 S35 is equipped with a new 6K S35 CMOS imaging sensor and its frame rate is up to 96 at 6K. Due to dual native ISO 800/3200, it brings improved low-light performance. The MAVO Mark 2 LF incorporates a full frame 3:2 CMOS imaging sensor from MAVO Edge 6K. Furthermore, the MAVO Mark 2 adopts the MAVO Edge high-performance computing platform, integrates industry-standard ports like independent dual SDI outputs with metadata, and encodes images as Apple ProRes4444/XQ footage onto NVMe M.2 2280 SSD. As stated by Kinefinity: “Coming in the lightweight compact camera body with the streamlined workflow, MAVO mark2 S35, and MAVO Mark 2 LF provide more to cinematographers with a professional and efficient filmmaking experience at a more affordable price”.

Coming in the lightweight compact camera body with a streamlined workflow, the MAVO Mark2 S35, and MAVO Mark 2 LF provide more to cinematographers with a professional and efficient filmmaking experience at a more affordable price.

Kinefinity

New Super 35 sensor and a Higher FPS

As stated by Kinefinity: “Back to classic S35 image format, MAVO Mark 2 S35 is designed to cater to use S35 glass, widely available, more styles even more affordable than full frame counterparts”. Building on a new computing platform, the new camera configures a new S35 3:2 CMOS imaging sensor which allows users to capture up to 6K Wide 96fps, and 4K Wide 150fps. The new sensor also features dual native ISO 800/3200 like MAVO Edge 8K, which means the images from the new camera much less noise than the previous generation. Kinefinity says that the MAVO Mark 2 S35 with the new S35 sensor on the advanced platform, offers cleaner shadows, better highlight details, wide latitude to 14 stops, and higher frame rate no matter low light conditions or studio shooting.

Back to classic S35 image format, MAVO Mark 2 S35 is designed to cater to use S35 glass, widely available, more styles even more affordable than full frame counterparts.

Kinefinity

LF: Based on the Edge 6K

The MAVO mark2 LF continues to feature the 6K full frame 3:2 CMOS imaging sensor from the popular MAVO Edge 6K, maintaining a high frame rate of up to 75fps at 6K Wide, 150at 4K Wide 150, and dual native ISO 5120/800. Kinefinity emphasizes that the industry-standard ISO 800 is regular for shooting in normal light scenes, while the second native ISO up to 5120 is perfect for low light scenes to obtain a clean image with high latitude and low noise, ideal for documentary filmmakers or those who favor available light during night shoots. Compared to MAVO LF, MAVO Mark 2 is capable to retain more highlight details, ideal for shooting in complex lighting environments, presenting organic images and a cinematic look.

Compared to MAVO LF, MAVO Mark 2 is capable to retain more highlight details, ideal for shooting in complex lighting environments, presenting organic images and a cinematic look.

Kinefinity

New lens mounts

According to Kinefinity, the MAVO Mark 2 offers more comprehensive lens options with the introduction of a new mount. “In addition to keeping the exclusive KineMOUNT that is very convenient for switching mount adapters including EF, PL, and LPL adapters without tools, MAVO Mark 2 provides two new lens mounts: The Active PL Mount and Active E Mount. Users can install and detach the active mounts without extra flange distance calibration. The two active mounts feature reliability and cine-style locking mechanism” Kinefinity says, and adds: “The MAVO Mark 2 with the Active E Mount can support most of the modern and lightweight E lenses instantly. It allows users to tune the iris, focal length, and focus of these electronic E lenses in-camera control or manually, also the lens optical stabilization can be activated if the lens has the option”. Like the Active PL Mount, the Active E Mount displays lens metadata on monitors and saves them into the clip. The MAVO Mark 2 goes a step further on the lens mount choices, embracing broader and more modern lenses with its interchangeable mount design. “MAVO Mark 2 can work smoothly with virtually all cine PL/LPL lens, DLSR EF lens, and modern E mount lens, capturing images with more diversified styles,” Kinefinity says.

The MAVO Mark 2 with the Active E Mount can support most modern and lightweight E lenses instantly. It allows users to tune the iris, focal length, and focus of these electronic E lenses in-camera control or manually, also the lens optical stabilization can be activated if the lens has the option.

Kinefinity

Compactness and integration

Kinefinity highlights the integrated and lightweight bodies of the new cameras: “MAVO Mark 2 inherits the integrated body design of MAVO Edge camera which has won the prestigious iF DESIGN AWARD 2021. The compact camera body only weighs 1.35kg (2.98 lbs), equipping with a host of general control ports, dual SDI outputs embedded metadata and audio, and high-quality multi-channel audio recording. As for power solutions, MAVO Mark 2 offers an innovative hybrid battery plate that supports standard 14.8V V-mount batteries and small BP-U type batteries”.

MAVO Mark 2 inherits the integrated body design of the MAVO Edge camera which has won the prestigious iF DESIGN AWARD 2021.

Kinefinity

Recording formats

Apple ProRes4444 Recording in Full Frame Rate and Resolution: The MAVO Mark 2 has the powerful capability of directly recording high-quality clips in the camera, selecting 4:4:4:4 sampling codec from Apple ProRes422 LT to ProRes4444XQ. The advanced architecture allows the MAVO mark2 to record full frame rate and resolution footage at up to 6K Wide 96fps in ProRes4444XQ format. On a side note –Many have hoped for the option of recording ProRes RAW internally. However, for now, only 4444/442 flavors are optional.

Media

The SSD slot of MAVO Mark 2 is based on PCIe, and the recommended recording media is the proprietary KineMAG Nano 1TB/2TB based on NVMe M.2 2280 SSD. KineMAG Nano SSD has two safety features: Read-only and RAID 5. It improves the safeness and robustness of the KineMAG Nano while copying or writing to the SSD at blazing fast speed in the camera. With a universal USB-C port, KineMAG Nano allows offloading data to the workstation at a speed of up to 10Gbps with a single USB-C cable.

Accessories and KIT

According to Kinefinity, the MAVO Mark 2 works with the ultra-bright KineMON-5U2/7U2 touchscreen monitors perfectly. All parameters of the camera can be displayed and adjusted on the monitor intuitively and conveniently; it also supports KineEVF2 OLED Viewfinder that presents accurate and sharp color images just like using an optical viewfinder. As for camera rigs, MAVO mark2 can be armed with Movcam KineKIT-Edge with UPS baseplate, Tilta Camera Cage for MAVO Edge, and SmallRig Camera Cage Kit for MAVO Edge. In addition, a new “Agile KIT” tailored for the elegant camera includes a new carbon fiber top handle, a 2000nits KineMON-5U2 that can rotate 360 degrees, a set of new dual- D and dual-C KineBAT99, and the safe and reliable KineMAG Nano 1TB SSD. “The high integrated MAVO Mark 2 with the ‘Agile KIT’ is ready to take out and shoot right away” Kinefinity mentions.

Full specs

Explore the slides below with the full specs of the Kinefinity MAVO Mark 2 cameras:

Pricing and Availability

These are the prices announced by Kinefinity:

• MAVO Mark 2 S35 is $3,999 (US)
• MAVO Mark2 S35 with “Agile Pack” is $6,200 (US)
• MAVO Mark 2 LF is $5,999 (US)
• MAVO Mark 2 LF with “Agile Pack” is $8,299 (US)

The Kinefinity MAVO Mark 2 S35 and MAVO Mark 2 LF are now available for preorder starting today on Kinefinity’s website and authorized dealers. Explore the Product List at the end of the article for the ‘buy links’. The shipping date is at beginning of March 2023.

Sample footage

Unfortunately till this time, Kinefinity has not published any sample footage of the new cameras. We’ll update the article when it will. 

Initial thoughts

Founded in 2012, in Beijing, Kinefinity Inc. released its first cinema camera KineRAW-S35 in the same year, as a new player in the motion picture industry. Today, the Kinefinity camera line consists of MAVO Edge 6K/8K cinema camera, MAVO Mark 2 S35/LF cinema camera, and MAVO EFP 8K broadcast camera. Equipped with the intuitive KineOS software, Kinefinity cameras integrate with its accessories like KineMAG Nano SSD, KineMON monitor, and KineEVF viewfinder, delivering streamlined and complete solutions for the filmmaking and broadcast industry. Even the Achilles Heel of the company, which was its service and support, has been dramatically improved, as Kinefinity owns a major marketing and support network in North America, Europe, and Australasia, providing professional cine solutions for filmmakers. As for the image quality, the Edge produces stunning ALEXA-like imagery. Filmmakers create beautiful images with these cameras, utilizing them in all types of productions. The Kinefinity cinema cameras are not Netflix Approved though. Kinefinity should work on that to get its cameras on the list. Thanks to the affordable price tag, the new MAVO Mark 2 cameras allow Kinefinity to penetrate more markets, so junior filmmakers can shoot with Kinefinity cameras and explore their efficiency in telling beautiful stories.

Product List

Here’re the products mentioned in the article, and the links to purchase them from authorized dealers. 

• Kinefinity MAVO mark2 S35 Digital Cinema Camera
  • BUY on B&H
    
• Kinefinity MAVO mark2 S35 Digital Cinema Camera Agile Pack
  • BUY on B&H
• Kinefinity MAVO mark2 LF Large-Format Digital Cinema Camera
  • BUY on \B&H