NAB 2025 Gear Roundup: Top New Cameras, Lenses, Lights & More for Filmmakers
Introduction
Every year, the NAB Show (National Association of Broadcasters) is like Christmas for filmmakers and content creators – and NAB 2025 did not disappoint! Whether you’re an indie filmmaker, a YouTuber, or a seasoned video professional, there was tons of new gear revealed in Vegas this year. The best part? It’s not all ultra-high-end stuff; we saw both top-tier cinema gear and more accessible mirrorless-level toys to get excited about.
In this recap, we’ll run through the top new camera, lens, lighting, drone, gimbal, and on-camera monitor releases from NAB 2025. We’ll keep it casual and easy to digest – no dense spec sheets here, just the cool stuff and why it matters. And if something catches your eye, we’ve included links so you can check out the products in more detail. Let’s dive in!
New Cameras Unveiled at NAB 2025
NAB 2025 was packed with camera news – from major cinema cameras to compact hybrids. Here are the headline-grabbers that indie filmmakers are buzzing about:
The Blackmagic Design Pyxis 6K and 12K
Blackmagic Design PYXIS 12K – Blackmagic wowed attendees with the new PYXIS 12K cinema camera, a tiny box-style camera sporting an insane 12K full-frame sensor. Essentially, it squeezes the 12K sensor from their URSA into a compact body about the size of a lunchbox. Key features include 16 stops of dynamic range and high-frame-rate options, but what’s really cool is Blackmagic finally added advanced autofocus (face/object tracking) to their cameras. It’ll come in PL, EF, or L-mount and is expected in July at around $5,495. This means ultra-high resolution imagery and future-proofing – think of the creative freedom to crop or reframe in post! Blackmagic Design PYXIS 12K Cinema Camera (B&H) is definitely one to watch for anyone wanting top-tier image quality in a tiny package.
RED KOMODO 6K (Now at an Indie-Friendly Price) – Okay, this isn’t a new camera, but it’s big news: RED Digital Cinema slashed the price of the RED KOMODO 6K down to just $2,995 (from ~$5K)! The RED Komodo is a 6K global-shutter cinema camera famous for its 4×4″ cube form-factor and Hollywood-grade image quality. At $3K, it’s suddenly in the price range of many mirrorless cams, making RED’s cinematic look way more attainable for creators. Plus, RED announced a firmware update giving Komodo some of the fancy features of its bigger sibling (Komodo-X). If you’ve been dreaming of that RED image and color science for your indie film or music video, now might be the time. Here’s the RED KOMODO 6K Cinema Camera (B&H) for reference – it’s likely to become a rental favorite at this new price.
Sony VENICE 2 Extension System “Mini” – For high-end productions, Sony showcased the new Venice 2 Extension System Mini, which is basically an adorable mini version of the Venice 2 cinema camera’s sensor block. Why is this cool? It lets filmmakers detach the Venice 2’s front (the sensor and lens mount) and rig it up to 15 feet away from the camera body. The Mini is tiny – about the size of a smartphone – and 70% lighter than the previous “Rialto” extension unit. It even packs the Venice 2’s full-frame 8.6K sensor and has nine built-in ND filters (!). This means you can mount the camera head on a gimbal, inside a car, on a helmet – you name it – to get shots that were previously impossible, all while the big camera “body” stays separate. It’s a niche piece of kit, but for action cinematography and creative rigging, it’s a game-changer. (For the curious, it’s up for preorder at around $25K – see Sony VENICE 2 Extension System Mini on B&H.)
Fresh Glass: New Lenses for Cinematography
What’s a new camera without great glass? NAB 2025 saw several lens announcements – from high-end cine primes to smart affordable options – that indie filmmakers will love:
NiSi Aureus Cine Primes – NiSi (known for filters) has jumped into lenses with the Aureus Prime series. These are full-frame cinema lenses at a tempting price point (roughly $2,500 each). With fast T1.4 apertures, they’re made for dreamy shallow depth of field and low-light work. NiSi is targeting indie filmmakers with this set – they’re available in common mounts like PL and offer focal lengths from 18mm up to 85mm. Translation: You can kit out your camera with pro cine glass without mortgaging your house. Expect to see Aureus primes in rental inventories soon for those seeking a cinema look on a budget.
Unique and Anamorphic Lenses – Creators who love unique looks got treats too. A startup called Blazar showed off an intriguing 35mm T1.8 “APEX” Anamorphic lens that is autofocus and squeezes the image 1.33x (perfect for wide cinematic shots on a Super35 sensor). It’s relatively affordable (under $1K) and lets run-and-gun shooters play with anamorphic flares and aspect ratios without a big rigmarole. Venus Optics Laowa also brought some wild optics, including Zero-D series ultra-wides and even a Proteus 2x anamorphic zoom lenses for full-frame. In short, whether you want clinical sharpness or funky vintage character, the new lens offerings at NAB had something for everyone.
Lighting Gear: Big & Small Lights Shining Bright
Great visuals need great lighting, and 2025’s new lights are all about more power, more color, and more portability:
Aputure STORM XT52 – This was one of the brightest stars of NAB (literally!). Aputure’s STORM XT52 is a monster LED point-source light that outputs the equivalent of a 5k–6k HMI — an astonishing 5200W of LED power. Indie gaffers rejoice: it’s basically like having a sun you can plug into the wall. Despite the huge output, the XT52 is fully color-tunable (2500K to 10,000K) and uses a special 5-color “BLAIR” LED chipset (combining blue, lime, amber, indigo, red emitters) for super accurate color rendition. It’s also weather-resistant (IP65) and supports fancy wireless and DMX control, so it’s ready for outdoor and studio shoots alike. Granted, this beast costs over $13,000, so it’s likely a rental item – but imagine the creative possibilities when you need to light a night exterior or simulate daylight through a window. It can overpower the sun! Aputure even has motorized focusing attachments for it. The future of high-output LED has arrived.
Nanlite PavoTube II 6XR – On the opposite end of the size spectrum, Nanlite introduced the PavoTube II 6XR, a tiny 10-inch RGB tube light that’s ultra-portable and creative. Think of those light sabers that YouTubers love, but pro-grade. Despite being only 25cm long, the 6XR has full RGBWW color (2700K – 12000K range) and features 8 pixel zones you can control individually for funky effects. It even has built-in LumenRadio CRMX wireless, so you can sync and control it with professional lighting consoles or an app – no cords needed. It runs on an internal rechargeable battery (or USB-C power) for about 1.5 hours at full blast. The output is surprisingly bright for its size (plenty to use as an accent, eye light, or to hide in small spaces on set). And the price? Only $149 each! Nanlite also offers an 8-light kit with a charging case for larger setups. For indie filmmakers, these little PavoTubes are a dreamfor adding color splash or subtle fill light anywhere – mount them in a car, use as practical lighting in a scene, or carry one for vlog lighting.
Other Lighting Notes: Beyond Aputure and Nanlite, we saw updates from Godox (who introduced a new flexible panel system called the RS Series with bi-color mats that are modular) and Zhiyun (yes, the gimbal company is now in lighting too – they debuted compact RGB lights in their Molus range). Also, Hive Lighting and Litepanels showed prototypes of brighter, more efficient LED Fresnels, and Astera had crowds around their booth for the new HydraPanel (an LED panel with pixel mapping). The theme is clear: LEDs keep getting brighter, smarter, and more filmmaker-friendly.
Follow Focuses
Tilta Nucleus M Mark II – A Smarter, Lighter Follow Focus – Tilta came to NAB 2025 with a big update to one of the most popular wireless follow focus systems in indie film: the Nucleus M Mark II. This new version keeps the familiar 3-channel wireless control (focus, iris, zoom), but now comes in a smaller, lighter package with swappable batteries, built-in Bluetooth, and a touchscreen controller. The motors are quieter and more responsive, with support for high-torque lenses and better calibration across cine glass. Best of all, it’s fully backward-compatible with the original Nucleus M gear – so you can upgrade piecemeal if needed. Whether you’re pulling focus on a gimbal or building a full FIZ rig for your cinema camera, the Nucleus M Mark II is a no-brainer upgrade for indie filmmakers who want pro-level lens control without breaking the bank. Check out the Tilta Nucleus M Mark II Wireless Follow Focus Kit (B&H) for more details.
Wrap-Up: Ready to Gear Up?
From cameras to support gear, NAB 2025 brought something new for everyone. The trend is clear – technology is making high-end quality more accessible than ever. We have cinema cameras in tiny form factors, LED lights replacing legacy lamps, gimbals that are smarter and easier to use, and monitoring tools that simplify the on-set experience. It’s a fantastic time to be a filmmaker or content creator, because you can achieve visuals that were unimaginable just a few years ago, often with gear that’s within reach of an indie budget.
Here at DFI Rentals, we’re especially excited about these announcements. Our team was closely following all the big reveals (some of us were drooling over those new cameras and lights in real time!). The good news is we plan to stock many of these new releases in our rental inventory as soon as they become available. That means you could be testing out a Blackmagic Pyxis 12K or lighting your next scene with an Aputure STORM or Nanlite PavoTube kit in the very near future, without having to purchase it outright.
Stay tuned to our blog and gear list for updates on availability – we’ll let you know when these NAB 2025 goodies land at DFI Rentals. In the meantime, let us know which gear you’re most excited about! Whether you’re dreaming of a new camera for your upcoming shoot or plotting some creative lighting setups, the latest tech is on its way to help bring your vision to life. Until next NAB, happy filming and keep creating magic!
