
Freelance Director of Photography James Ball has worked in a wide variety of genres from TV series, industrials, nonprofits, live-to-tape studio productions, and commercials. He has traveled the globe honing his craft, working on feature-length documentaries for National Geographic, Discovery, Smithsonian, and PBS channels.
Ball also is an author with Lynda.com, a LinkedIn company and leading online learning resource. One of his most recent informational courses, Mirrorless 4K Cameras for Video Production, discusses and reviews mirrorless cameras, including the Sony a7s camera series and Panasonic GH4, with an emphasis on 4K recording. Throughout the online video tutorial, Ball and Director/Editor Richard Harrington thought it was only fitting to explore the options for external 4K recorders as well. As a main player within the external 4K recording market, Ball put Video Devices PIX-E5H through its paces and the results were nothing short of spectacular.
The three-hour course, which was shot over the span of two days, consisted of two parts. The first part took place in studio, where Ball and Harrington talked to the camera to summarize the primary segments of the course. This outline was broken down into separate videos ranging from ninety seconds to four or five minutes long. The second part was the actual field day where Ball and Harrington put what they discussed in the studio into action, using different cameras and configurations.
"We took the PIX-E5H to a youth sports training center to capture video of the athletes in action for this shoot, and I was immediately impressed with the PIX-E5H, says Ball. "I m generally somebody who wants everything to happen in the camera. I don t like a lot of accessories; I want my camera rig to stay small. I was really happy with the PIX-E5H because it was compact, but you received loads of amazing features out of it. A big benefit of using the PIX-E5H is its recording superiority. The PIX-E5H s ProRes 4444 XQ capability gives you better color space and better recording quality over an internal recorder."
In addition to its compact size, abundance of features, and ProRes 4444 XQ capabilities, Ball was also impressed with the PIX-E5H s monitoring functions. "One of the things I don t like about monitors, in general, is the change in brightness and contrast depending on the viewing angle, adds Ball. "That is not the case with the PIX-E5H. The monitor has wonderful consistency, really good focus assist and color focus assist, which these old eyes really appreciated. I also liked how rugged it was. It wasn t this big thing on top of the camera, yet it was built really well."
The PIX-E5H features a five-inch, 1920x1080 resolution monitor that comes packed with a full suite of precision monitoring tools, HDMI I/O, and the ability to record 4K and Apple ProRes 4444 XQ edit-ready files to affordable mSATA-SSDs inside USB-based SpeedDrives.
"Because I m the guy that doesn t want all of the attachments, the PIX-E5H was just terrific, adds Ball. "The little SpeedDrive feature also made things really simple. The menu on the unit was so very intuitive and easy; without reading any of the instructions, I just turned it on and was ready to go. The PIX-E5H is a wonderful product."
Founded in 1995, Lynda.com is an online learning center that helps anyone master business, software, technology, and creative skills to achieve personal and professional goals. Through individual, corporate, academic, and government subscriptions, members have access to Lynda.com s video library of engaging, top-quality courses taught by recognized industry experts.
Founded in 1998, Sound Devices, LLC, designs both Sound Devices audio products and Video Devices video products. Sound Devices offers portable audio mixers, digital audio recorders and related equipment for feature film, episodic television, documentary, news gathering, live-event, and acoustical test and measurement applications. Video Devices offers digital video monitors, recorders, and related products that address a range of video productions, including fast-paced studio applications, live sports, and events, as well as mobile, TV, film, and documentary productions.
The Sound Devices, LLC, headquarters is located in Reedsburg, Wisconsin. Additional offices are located in Madison, Wisconsin, Chicago, and Berlin. For more information, visit the Sound Devices and/or Video Devices websites: www.sounddevices.com and www.videodevices.com.
Most recent headlines
09/11/2025
Dalet today announced a transformative leap forward for media operations: Agentic Artificial Intelligence (AI) that unifies the Dalet ecosystem under one natura...
21/10/2025
NAB New York 2025: Although AES Show Is on Its Own, Audio Will Be a Major Part o...
21/10/2025
NAB New York 2025: Business of Broadcast and Media,' Future of Content'...
21/10/2025
SVG All-Stars: Ethan Folz, Senior Director, Digital Operations and Quality of Ex...
21/10/2025
NBA on NBC/Peacock: Livestream Offers Graphic Overlays, Predictive Gaming, Ancil...
21/10/2025
NBA on NBC/Peacock: At the Front Bench With Producer Frank DiGraci and Director ...
21/10/2025
NBA on NBC/Peacock: NBC Sports, NEP Build Ultra-Flexible Production Plan That Se...
21/10/2025
Indigenous storytelling has been at the heart of the work of the Sundance Instit...
21/10/2025
Top L-R: Mysterious Skin, American Dream Second Row L-R: Little Miss Sunshine, D...
21/10/2025
Last week, Spotify and Columbia Records transformed Pier 4 at the Brooklyn Army ...
21/10/2025
SBS Learn's Dharug Ngurra resource empowers classrooms to meaningfully celeb...
21/10/2025
As global operators simplify and evolve their digital platforms, NPS improvement...
21/10/2025
Critical Design Review completion is a key milestone on the path toward Wideband Global Satellite Communications certification for the network in 2026, opening ...
21/10/2025
New Australian undersea training range to implement and improve warfighting tactics, proficiency and safety; enable joint/allied training that contributes to pr...
21/10/2025
eds3_5_jq(document).ready(function($) { $(#eds_sliderM519).chameleonSlider_2_1({...
21/10/2025
September, the beginning of autumn, brought an expected revival to the TV market, largely due to the new fall TV schedules. The time spent in front of the TV sc...
21/10/2025
Broadcast Booms with 20% Uptick vs. August, Achieving Largest Monthly
Increase ...
21/10/2025
During September, streaming's share of TV viewing in Mexico settled at 24.5%, a marginal shift of -0.5 share points from the previous month.
Disclaimer: YU...
21/10/2025
RENNES, France BBright and GlobalM have conducted a technical trial validating Ultra HD interoperability across the entire contribution chain in the cloud, achi...
21/10/2025
Kokusai Denki Electric America will mark the U.S. debut of a new 4K camera at the 2025 NAB New York, Oct. 22-23. Now available, the Z-HD6500-S1 UHD/HD productio...
21/10/2025
Triveni Digital, a trusted leader in ATSC 1.0 and 3.0 service delivery, data broadcasting, and quality assurance solutions, will showcase its entire NEXTGEN TV ...
21/10/2025
Radio Azzurra FM, longest-running radio station in the province of Novara, northwest Italy, has invested in an DHD SX2 audio routing and mixing console for inte...
21/10/2025
Globecast, the leading provider of broadcast, media and entertainment managed services, has announced the appointment of G Morgan as Executive Vice President of...
21/10/2025
Visual Data announces the appointment of Maz Al-Jumaili as Senior Vice President, Worldwide Localization, to advance client engagement, strategic partnerships, ...
21/10/2025
As Amazon's Prime Video prepares to launch its coverage of NBA basketball under a major new deal, Grup Mediapro has announced that it is working with the st...
21/10/2025
ATLANTA Good news for consumers using an Atlanta DTH receiver to watch ATSC 3.0: with a new software update, they will be able to blanket their homes with Wi-Fi...
21/10/2025
While recent news has been heavily focused on Hispanic migration into the U.S., The 2025 Hispanic Market Report from Claritas highlights the fact that this gr...
21/10/2025
MAIDENHEAD, UK RWS has hired Michael Wayne as its head of media and entertainment in Los Angeles where he will lead the company's media localization busines...
21/10/2025
Imagine Communications and Rohde & Schwarz today announced a definitive agreement under which Imagine will acquire Pixel Power Limited, a wholly owned subsidiar...
21/10/2025
Atlanta DTH (ADTH) today announced a major update that will expand the functionality of its NEXTGEN TV receiver by enabling gateway capabilities allowing viewer...
21/10/2025
Heartland Video Systems, Inc. (HVS), a premier video systems integration, consulting, and expert ATSC 3.0 implementation firm announces that it has partnered wi...
21/10/2025
QuickLink, the leading provider of award-winning video production and remote guest integration solutions, today announced the appointment of Austin Hinton as it...
21/10/2025
nternet connectivity startup Miri Technologies Inc. will use this week's NAB Show New York as the launch pad for its latest ground-breaking innovation, the ...
21/10/2025
In today's evolving media landscape, audience measurement isn't one-size-fits-all. With multiple measurement providers now available, networks need the ...
21/10/2025
21 Oct 2025
VEON's Beeline Kazakhstan to Acquire Online Classifieds Busines...
21/10/2025
October 21st, 2025
Tribeca Films to Release Independent Comedy Serious People...
21/10/2025
Synthogy is excited to announce the launch of Ivory 3 LE Uprights - Modern & Vintage, the latest addition to our game-changing Ivory 3 platform. This Legacy Ed...
21/10/2025
Series from Sony Music Vision Features Exclusive Performances From Legendary Bas...
21/10/2025
Tuesday 21 October 2025
Current slide, 0 0, undefined1
0
Download assets
Buying a home ranks above becoming a parent as a key rite of passage into adulthood...
21/10/2025
Back to All News
Netflix Unveils Monster Mash in Trailer of Troll 2' - the...
21/10/2025
Back to All News
For the Fans! Netflix Goes Golden Forging Unprecedented KPop ...
21/10/2025
How can businesses close the AI adoption gap? Start with your recruitment teams, new LinkedIn research shows Published on Oct 21, 2025 Categories: Data and in...
21/10/2025
Synchron Stage Reverb SO: free for Focusrite customers Bring the sound of Vienna's legendary recording stage into your music, free for all Focusrite custo...
20/10/2025
Inside TAMS: How Time-Addressable Media Stores could redefine sports workflows By Paul Markham
Friday, October 17, 2025 - 08:57
Print This Story
A penalty...
20/10/2025
Transformational production: Inside TVN's remote production push for the DFL...
20/10/2025
How NBC Sports Transitioned Stamford Facility to One Format: 1080p HDRMulti-year plan harmonizes workflows, simplifies operationsBy Ken Kerschbaumer, Editorial ...
20/10/2025
NBA on NBC' Studio Production Team Is Ready for Tip-Off With Coast-to-Coast...
20/10/2025
Under pressure: TVN CEO Markus Osthaus considers the German sports broadcasting ...
20/10/2025
(L-R) Maria Dizzia, Carmen Emmi, and Russell Tovey attend the Plainclothes pre...
20/10/2025
In March, we launched Concerts Near You to help listeners find concerts from their favorite artists. Since then, more than 3 million people have used it to disc...