Which Atomos Shogun is Right for Your Shoot?

Atomos Shogun

Monitor-recorders are a versatile tools that provide key functionality to camera operators as well as recording the cameras video and audio feed. You can use them to watch scenes in progress as colour-calibrated monitors, record the primary footage in the field, or for backup recorders when you’re doing a studio production.

Atomos have become renowned for their popular, easy to use plug and play recorder monitors that accurately display your camera and record your cameras video feed, displaying images clearly, even in broad daylight.

There are various models from Atomos available, so which one will be right for your shoot?

Atomos Shogun: A Monitor-recorder Hybrid

The first thing to note about all Atomos monitors is that they combine the functions of a monitor and a recorder.

They can help to unlock the full technical potential of your camera, allowing for a greater record signal that may be possible on the camera internally which can also streamline your post-production workflow; whilst providing you with essential operator tools including focus and exposure tools.

Essentially Atomos products merge what would once have been a separate set of features, incorporating recording, playback, monitoring and editing in one highly functional device.

Using the Atomos Shogun, you can review and collaborate with your crew or clients on set instantly.

How to Shoot and Record What You Really See

Using Atomos recorders, you will see the images you’re shooting as the appear in the real world utilizing Atomos’s HDR scale. Their recorders are capable of utilizing the camera native sensor information. This gives your recordings maximum sensor detail.

Atomos is partnered with various editing software brands, including Apple, to record a variety of flavours of ProRes, DNxHD and DNxHR recording to Atomos recommended solid state drives. You also benefit from longer recording times in HD and 4K this way as SSD drives offer a higher capacity than traditional camera media.

And in practical terms, Atomos monitors are built for in-the-field use, being both durable and lightweight, offering touch screen operation and battery, 12v Dtap camera power and AC supply.

Which Atomos Recorder Should You Choose?

There different models in the Atomos range, including:

  • Atomos Ninja V & Ninja V+
  • Atomos Shogun 7
  • Atomos Sumo19
  • Atomos Neon

They all offer HDMI and SDI inputs, making them highly adaptable for different sets and shoots.

The Shogun 7 is the latest 7” model. It builds on the previous model Inferno’s capabilities. Not only will it act as a monitor and recorder, but also as a live, multi-cam switcher.

Capable of recording through four separate SDI inputs, whilst also taking a separate mixed-feed from the switcher. The 7” size makes it perfect for larger camera on-board monitors and director monitors too.

The same functionality as the Shogun 7 is also built in to the Sumo19 giving you a much larger monitor to work with. The Sumo19 allows record playback operation more easily with it size along with the use of the switcher and seeing multiple cameras simultaneously.

The Ninja V & Ninja V+ are the more stripped-back models, with one standard HDMI input and output with the SDI input being offered as a bolt on accessory. However their size makes them ideal for smaller cameras as on-camera monitors or dedicated camera recorders.

The Atomos Neon series of recorder monitors allows for true HDR playback in 4K either on set or in the grade, showing pure blacks and true colours that can be matched from the shoot to post production.

All Atomos recorder monitors allow greater flexibility with certain cameras allowing for the cameras raw video feed to be either recorded as raw natively or converted to another codec.

With these different levels of functionality, choosing the correct Atomos monitor-recorder boils down to the features you’ll need during production.

Atomos Recorders are available to rent, so talk to us first about your production requirements.