Atomos Announces New 19-Inch Sumo M Monitor
By Jim Bask
As companies grow and continue to come out with new products it gets tougher to stay ahead of the curve. Some companies will try and cram in as many new features and even design elements to try and please everyone they possibly can. It’s rare when companies do the opposite to try and appease their customers. Usually when a product is released the next version of that product has more features than it’s predecessor, not true with the Atomos Sumo line. According to David Sharpton of RedShark News, Atomos has announced the new Sumo 19M, the first variation in the Sumo line. The original Sumo was a top of the line 4Kp60 monitor/recorder with switching capabilities, but the Sumo 19M looks to have everything the original has but the recording features. Apparently Atomos being committed to keeping prices for these high-end pieces of equipment at an affordable rate, they took out one of the many features to do so. Seeing as how the Sumo is a monitor more than a recorder, Atomos took out one of it’s most impressive features to allow users who only need it for the monitoring capabilities for less impact on their budget. But they didn’t just subtract with the Sumo. The new Sumo 19M now has a new interface at the bottom of the Sumo’s screen with all options readily available, showing that Atomos’ ability to add by subtraction.
Atomos has always understood that if you have a product, then you have several products. Build a platform that works, introduce variations, and you have a product line. The Melbourne-based company has invested heavily in HDR, spotting gaps in the marketplace and filling them quickly with well-priced equipment.
First off is a new version of Sumo with less – for the best of reasons. Atomos’ new 19” HDR monitor, Sumo also had recording facilities when it was launched. This is hardly surprising, Atomos first products were pretty good recorders with frankly awful screens. It quickly turned this around within a few generations to build good recorders with good screens. Next came even better recorders with even better screens. And now the company sells really good recorders with eye-popping HDR screens.
Sumo will now be available without a built-in recorder. This makes sense for those who just want to use it as a monitor: it will save a bit of money. But – and read as much into this as you like – the Sumo sans recorder will sport a brand new, simplified interface, with all major options available in a macOS-type “dock” at the bottom of the screen….[continue reading]