Kinefinity has just introduced its new sub-flagship, the MAVO Edge 6K, which is a full-frame 6K cinema camera. The Edge 6K is based on its bigger sister (Edge 8K) but a bit more sophisticated with a lot of solid features dedicated to high-end cinematography. All details are down below.

Kinefinity MAVO Edge 6K: General info

Kinefinity announced MAVO Edge 6K, a powerful new full-frame cinema camera. MAVO Edge 6K is equipped with a 6K full-frame 3:2 CMOS imaging sensor capable of shooting in 6K 75fps and 4K 150fps based on the high-performance computing platform of the MAVO Edge. The new camera features dual native ISO (800/5120). The MAVO Edge 6K has an internal motorized full-spectrum e-ND filter (0.6-2.4) and integrates industry-standard ports and dual SSD media slots, capable of recording Apple ProRes4444/XQ and uncompressed RAW onto recording media based on NVMe M.2 2280 SSD. Weighing at only 3.6lbs which is a bit more than the Edge, was designed to meet various demanding shooting scenarios. Kinefinity states that the MAVO Edge 6K “Brings natural color, pleasing skin tones, low noise, high dynamic range, and stunning details in an organic and delicate way”. MAVO Edge 6K comes in deep gray and Cyber Edition finish, which both are available to preorder today, and ready to ship to customers in May 2022. Check out the official commercial below:

Utilizing MAVO Edge color science

According to Kinefinity, the advanced color processing architecture from the MAVO Edge platform creates images with low noise, high latitude, and wide color gamut, then brings stunning details, organic images with exceptional quality.

Codecs: Apple ProRes (up to 4444XQ) and uncompressed RAW

The MAVO Edge 6K supports 12-bit ProRes4444XQ in full frame rate and resolution, and it records with KineLOG3 Gamma to preserve all the dynamic range captured by the sensor. The uncompressed RAW is not debayered in-camera instead, and it is stored in the CinemaDNG format, preserving all the image data captured by the sensor. Theoretically, it provides the maximum potential for color correction in post-production. Uncompressed RAW footage demands high bandwidth bitrate processing. The MAVO Edge 6K is equipped with a dual SSD slot based on PCIe-3.0 and its recording media, KineMAG Nano 1TB, is based on NVMe M.2 2280 SSD, ensuring storing uncompressed RAW stably and safely. The CDNG capability is expected to be officially launched in a firmware update in Q2 2022. There’s no mentioning of ProRes RAW though.

New and improved GUI: Redesigned user interface

Kinefinity has done its homework regarding the improvement of the problematic interface. The MAVO Edge 6K is implemented with the latest KineOS 7.0 firmware, which has a redesigned user interface, and expected touch and tapping interaction with the camera. The new KineMON-5U2 and 7U2 with touchscreen monitors help to improve the user’s interactive experience and lower the learning curve. The new interface design allows the user to control the entire functionality of the camera using only the touchscreen monitor. Frame rate, shutter angle, ISO, aperture, ND strength, color temperature, LUTs, and audio levels can all be adjusted via touchscreen control, making it easy for the cinematographer to set up the parameters quickly.

More advanced professional features

In addition to the new UI, the MAVO Edge 6K firmware has come with many features dedicated to more high-end cinematography. KineOS 7.0 supports Cooke/i protocol which enables the camera to record and save lens metadata into the footage, speeding up VFX workflow. Recording media also supports both NTFS and HFS file systems, for Windows and macOS. The MAVO Edge 6K will also implement the pre-recording function in an anticipated firmware update. It ensures the cinematographer will not miss any shot during unpredictable scenes, providing a useful solution in live events and documentary works. The pre-recording function is expected to be officially launched in a firmware update in Q3 2022.

Internal NDs

The MAVO Edge 6K employs an internal motorized full-spectrum e-ND system. The e-ND filter ranges from 0.6 to 2.4 which is a range from 2-8 stops neutral density and can be adjusted seamlessly over all the ranges, giving the user precise exposure control. The real-time color calibration on the e-ND filter brings sharp images with color fidelity but without any drawbacks of traditional variable ND.

Media

MAVO Edge 6K is equipped with a dual SSD slot based on PCIe-3.0 and its recording media, blazing-fast KineMAG Nano 1TB, is based on NVMe M.2 2280 SSD with writing speed up to 10Gbps. Recording 6K ProRes4444XQ, even 6K uncompressed RAW is stable with KineMAG Nano 1TB. Kinefinity also provides a KineMAG Nano Body allowing users to install third-party NVMe M.2 2280 SSDs, which provides more storage possibilities. The body of the KineMAG Nano is equipped with a robust camera port as well as a universal USB-C port, so it allows users to offload data to the workstation at a speed of up to 10Gbps by connecting a USB-C cable to the SSD, without a specific SSD reader.

Dual SDI outputs

The MAVO Edge 6K provides dual 1.5G/3G SDI outputs embedded metadata and audio, enhancing the compatibility with third-party accessories such as external recorders and monitors that only support 1.5G SDI. The two SDI outputs are the same, but independent from monitoring images over the Kine video ports. The two proprietary video ports of the MAVO Edge 6K can be connected to the Kinefinity Full-HD micro-OLED viewfinder and the KineMON-5U2/KineMON-7U2 Ultra-Bright (2000 nits) monitor that gives you sharp and clear images even outdoor.

Control ports

There are numerous ports integrated on the MAVO Edge 6K body: a timecode port supporting Jam and regular Sync; an RS232 protocol embedding in Lens port for communicating with and controlling third-party accessories, and an RS port for powering and triggering an external record function. The MAVO Edge 6K supports four-channel 24bits /48kHz audio recording with a 3.5mm stereo MIC jack and a high-quality in-camera MIC for reference sound. Audio pre-amplifiers with a low noise floor are integrated into the camera body. Two independently controlled 48V phantom-powered XLR sockets offer great convenience for field sound recording and even professional audio recording.

Wired and wireless function

With Gigabit Ethernet on RJ45 port, WIFI 5, and type-c USB port, the MAVO Edge 6K can output a monitoring/recording image to other devices by live streaming internal processing H.264 codec. Simultaneously, an internal three-axis gyroscope can record the camera’s positioning information and be displayed as leveling indicator.

Powering

The MAVO Edge 6K offers an innovative hybrid battery plate to accommodate power demands in various shooting scenarios. The hybrid battery plate supports standard 14.8V V-mount batteries such as KineBAT PD 75w/150w. It also supports BP-U-type batteries such as GripBAT 4S to meet the setups that require handheld or gimbal shots. With UPS Baseplate from KineKit-Edge designed by Movcam and NP-F550 type batteries such as GripBAT 2S can provide UPS to the camera. In addition, MAVO Edge 6K’s body offers a standard D-Tap port, 12V RS port, and Lens port (12V) to power the third-party accessories such as wireless video transmitters and wireless follow focus systems. These ports eliminate the need for extra batteries, simplifying the camera setup while improving the system’s stability. With the release of the MAVO Edge 6K, Kinefinity has worked with many well-known manufacturers in the industry to provide various high-quality solutions.

Professional kiting options

Dedicated to high-quality cine equipment for filmmaking, Tilta designed a professional kit for the MAVO Edge 6K that shares a similar design language that Tilta used to build for the MAVO Edge 8K system in the space station, ensuring the capture of every shot is enjoyable and stable. Focusing on streamlining camera equipment and accessory for video creation, SmallRig brought a full kit for MAVO Edge 6K. This new product is suitable for shooting on tripods, shoulder, and gimbal, even handheld, providing comprehensive solutions for creators to capture wonderful images.

Price and availability

MAVO Edge 6K is now available for preorder on www.kinefinity.com and authorized dealers. The shipping date is May 2022. MSRP of MAVO Edge 6K deep gray is $9,999 USD, Core (essential in the US) pack is $14,099 and Professional Pack is $16,699 USD. MSRP of MAVO Edge 6K Cyber Edition is $10,499USD, the Core (essential in the US) pack is $14,599 and Professional Pack is $17,199 USD. MSRP for Cyber Edition is $9,999 USD during preorder. For purchasing options, see the Product List at the end of the article. 

Wrapping up

It seems that the Kinefinity MAVO Edge 6K is another affordable full-frame cinema camera that was heavily developed by listening to cinematographers. The Edge 6K will not replace the 8K which still remains Kinefinity’s flagship. BTW, the Edge 8K is supposed to get new firmware updates during 2022 and beyond, thus sharpening its capabilities even further. The Edge 6K is another option, which is a bit more affordable and with more good stuff on it, in order to satisfy professional filmmakers. The main drawback is that there’s no decent raw shooting format which is can be an essential factor in a project. Although the CinemaDNG option will be available later this year, this raw format is inferior in regard to post-production processes. Besides that, the camera, as its bigger sister, offers the respected ProRes 4444XQ. To sum it up, the Edge 6K is a very capable cinema camera that delivers lovely imagery and can be more than enough for the most demanding filmmaking applications. What do you think about the new MAVO Edge 6? Let’s know your insights about it.

Product List

Here’re the products mentioned in the article (8K and 6K), and the links to purchase them from authorized dealers. 

• Kinefinity MAVO Edge 8K Camera
  • BUY on B&H
• Kinefinity MAVO Edge 6K Camera
  • BUY on B&H