Kinefinity MAVO Edge 6K – First Impression and Short Film

by Johnnie BehiriMarch 29^th, 2022

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The Kinefinity MAVO Edge 6K full-frame camera was just announced and I was able to take it for a short spin and give you my first impression of it! With advanced features like Open Gate and uncompressed RAW recording, Kinefinity might have a winner here. Furthermore, it seems simplicity and ease of use combined with excellent image quality are becoming Kinefinity’s trademark. The main obstacle I see in making this filming tool popular is its’ price, but more on that below.

I will not elaborate on the content of the above video I shot as each and one of us deserves to form their own opinion. Though, I would like to thank Christiani Wetter for jumping in on very short notice and helping me in executing this gig. All in all, I dedicated a day to filming Christiani and the accompanying b-roll footage.

So with your understanding, I would like to elaborate more about how the camera worked for me in the field and also summarize who it’s for, in my opinion.

Kinefinity MAVO Edge 6K Body Design

The new camera shares the same exact body design as the Kinefinity MAVO Edge 8K albeit the material is different, aluminum alloy vs. carbon fiber. (For more details on the MAVO Edge 8K, read our review here). I like the design and would like to emphasize two main benefits when using the camera:

• The ability to use Sony’s BP-U batteries next to V-mount without any additional accessory
• The buttons’ layout is logical and very simple to use. Not much fiddling in the menu after the initial setup is required which is of course a good thing

Also, the ability to use different lenses on the Native KineMOUNT with Short FFD Adapters is also very welcoming (PL/LPL/Active EF/passive E).

Codecs and Frame Rates

As with its’ previous models, the new MAVO Edge camera is “packed” with resolution and frame rates options. Besides having a 6K 3:2 Full-Frame CMOS Imaging sensor, the main difference when compared to the MAVO Edge 8K, is the ability to record uncompressed Cinema DNG RAW video and Open Gate recording in 6K. In regards to RAW recording, here is a note taken from Kinefinity’s press release: “Applicable resolution and frame rate for RAW will be updated following the release of the firmware of MAVO Edge 6K that contains Uncompressed RAW”.

Dual Base ISO (800 and 5120) are still there, so for the cleanest possible images, using one of those settings is recommended.

In the Field

The new camera was simply a joy to use but more importantly, the images are simply gorgeous. For the above video, I used ProRes422HQ which was sufficient for this kind of project.

So after using the camera, here is a shortlist of what I liked and what I’d like to see improved:

Great to have:

• I mentioned the placement of the physical buttons. Simply easy to use.
• The built-in motorized ND filter (Clear and e-ND from 0.6 to 2.4) is of course very particle, especially when using lenses with a greater thread diameter like 114mm. (Adding a Matte-box can be avoided in some filming scenarios).

What I’d like to see improved:

• The current boot-up time is 48 seconds which is insane(!) I really hope that this can be improved in the final firmware release.
• There is a real danger of losing material when the camera shuts down during recording. The video file will not be accessible. It would be beneficial if Kinefinity ads a “proper” file closer just before the camera stops working. BTW, Adobe Premiere will “hang” when importing a bunch of files at once, and the “damaged file” is included. I really had to dig out and find which file is causing me the problem and isolate it.
• The camera will make a short beep sound when starting the recording. This sound will be recorded too. Take this into account when filming.
• Locking a V-mount battery can take a few tries as it won’t lock easily, probably due to the fact of having the “dual battery” option.
• Greater mount options to cover “L” and RF” and even “Z” lenses.
• Maybe in the future, it will be possible for Kinefinity to add a CFexpress card option to the camera instead of/next to the current KineMag. The media recording standard is moving towards those cards and prices will get comfortable with time

Who is the camera for and thoughts on pricing

The new camera is suitable for a large diversity of productions. Saying this, I see this as a great filming tool for the independent filmmaker who needs flexibility. Now, the new camera will set you back $9,999 (body only), and for me personally, it is a bit of a missed opportunity. Please allow me to explain: in Europe, Kinefinity is being represented by syndicam whom we’ve known for years and has been very reliable. In the US the camera can (finally) be found on B&H. What I’m trying to say is, that Kinefinity has a real winner that is being distributed almost worldwide. If the camera was priced more comfortably it could be a chance for many to explore a Kinefinity product for the first time, so in a way, that’s why I see a missed opportunity here.

Information about the above video:

• Camera: Kinefinity MAVO Edge 6K
• Filming mode: 6K Open Gate/25p/flat picture profile
• Lens: SIRUI FF 50mm E-mount anamorphic lens
• Filter: Freewell Magnetic VND (ND+Mist)
• Graded with fylm.ai
• Light: GODOX ML60
• Music: epidemicsound

Conclusion

Kinefinity is continuing its journey by producing solid filming tools, and the MAVO Edge 6K is no different. If you are in the market for a “beyond mirrorless camera” filming tool, then this new camera might be the right choice for you. With great picture quality and lots of frame rate/resolution flexibility, this camera can help you in concentrating on what really matters: telling your story!

Did you have a chance to work with a Kinefinity camera before? If yes, please share with us your thoughts in the comment section below.