Atomos Ninja-2 User manual
EDITION 1: NOVEMBER 2012
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Atomos Ninja-2
User Manual
Website: www.atomos.com | Sales: sales@atomos.com | Support: support@atomos.com
Warranty & Conditions .............................................................................1
Introduction ...............................................................................................2
1. What’s included..................................................................................3
2. What you also need ...........................................................................4
Spinning Disk Drives (HDD) ................................................................4
Solid State Drives (SSDs) ...................................................................4
Mechanical Vibration ..........................................................................4
Backing up and archiving ...................................................................4
HD-SDI Cables ...................................................................................5
Standard 1/4” Camcorder Mount ......................................................5
3. Mounting disks in the Master Caddy ..............................................6
4. Connecting and powering up...........................................................7
Batteries..............................................................................................7
Power ON/Power OFF........................................................................8
5. Ninja-2 connections ..........................................................................8
6. Other physical features.....................................................................9
Master Caddy / Screw Mounts / Modularity....................................9
7. Using the Ninja-2 .............................................................................10
The User Interface in detail...............................................................10
The Ninja-2 Touchscreen..................................................................10
The Home Screen.............................................................................10
Home Screen / Menu functions........................................................11
Screen Lock ......................................................................................12
Batteries Screen / Auto Switching/Manual Switching .....................13
Storage Capacity Indicator...............................................................13
Formatting HDD/SSD .......................................................................13
Unit Name .........................................................................................13
Audio In .............................................................................................14
Audio during playback......................................................................14
8. Monitoring and Recording..............................................................15
Connect to Input ...............................................................................15
Before recording / Choosing your recording format ........................15
SmartControl.................................................................................... 16
6 ways to start recording ................................................................. 16
Using the Ninja-2 as a field monitor/electronic viewfinder ............ 17
SmartMonitor .................................................................................. 17
Zebra / Focus Peaking / False Colour / Blue only ......................... 17
SmartLog ........................................................................................ 18
Exporting .xml ................................................................................. 19
Organising material on disk ..............................................................20
Anti-shock technology......................................................................21
File Recovery ....................................................................................21
9. Timecode .........................................................................................22
10. Pulldown ...........................................................................................23
11. Playback & Playout..........................................................................24
exFAT / FAT 32 disks.........................................................................24
Play mode / Pause mode .................................................................25
Loop mode........................................................................................26
12. Connecting and Editing ..................................................................27
Connect to Input ...............................................................................27
NLE Support ....................................................................................27
exFAT compatibility ..........................................................................27
Transfe rring fil es ...............................................................................27
Importing / Import into Final Cut Pro................................................28
SmartLog with FCPX ........................................................................29
13. External Power Supply....................................................................30
14 . Using Connect Converters .............................................................30
15. Software Upgrades..........................................................................31
Updating AtomOS (Firmware) ..........................................................31
16. Technical Specifications .................................................................32
The Ninja-2 is designed to a high standard but there are some things you
should be aware of to prolong the life of the unit and for your own safety.
Batteries and power supplies
The batteries supplied with the Ninja-2 are powerful, professional devices,
designed to retain enough energy to supply the Ninja-2 for hours. You should
avoid short-circuiting the battery connections because this can cause a high
current to flow which can damage the cells and even pose a fire hazard. For
example, you should not carry batteries in a bag or pocket where they may
contact other metal objects such as coins.
The power supply and battery charger included are intended for use with
the Ninja-2 and nothing else. Keep the power supply, plug and cable away from
water and unplug from the mains electricity socket when not in use.
Disconnect power supplies before cleaning the Ninja-2 or its components.
Using the Ninja-2 safely
Although the Ninja-2 is very lightweight compared to all the devices it
replaces, it is still a solid object that could cause injury if misused.
• Always make sure that the Ninja-2 is mounted securely and is unable to fall
onto anyone nearby. This is especially important when there are children
present who might be tempted to pull on cables.
• Always ensure that cable runs to the Ninja-2 are clearly visible and do not
present a trip hazard.
• Do not place on uneven or unstable surfaces.
• Do not insert anything but Ninja-2 Master Disk caddies in the Master Disk
slot on the side of the Ninja-2.
• Do not touch the Ninja-2’s screen with sharp, metallic or abrasive objects.
• The Ninja-2 can become warm or hot with prolonged use. Do not place it in
contact with your lap or any part of your body where such warming could
cause discomfort or injury.
• Do not expose to strong electrical or magnetic fields.
• Do not expose to or use near liquids, rain or moisture.
• Do not dispose of the Ninja-2 or its batteries in municipal waste and do not
incinerate it or its batteries, but follow local regulations for safe disposal
Care of disk drives
Spinning disks and SSDs are very sensitive to damage from static electricity.
Please observe all the usual precautions when handling them.
Please see the section Mechanical shock and vibration later in this manual for
information about how to handle and care for your disk drives.
Small parts
The Ninja-2 carry-case contains small parts that could be a choking hazard
for small children.
SDI Cables
Please remember that SDI cables use locking connectors and will not simply
pull out if they are jerked or tripped over. They are therefore a significant trip
hazard, and also a hazard to your equipment, which may be damaged if the
cables are misused.
To keep things simple but clear, we’ve only adopted two
conventions in this manual:
A helpful tip, suggestion or something to note because it’s
not obvious at first
indicates a menu or touch action
Contents Safety Instructions
Contents
User Manual Conventions
Atomos Ninja-2 – User Manual Edition 1: November 2012 1
Notice
Copyright © 2012 ATOMOS Global Pty Ltd (‘referred to as ATOMOS’).
All rights reserved. All information in this document is subject to
change without notice. No part of the document may be reproduced
or transmitted in any form, or by any means, electronic or mechanical,
including photocopying or recording, without the express written
permission of ATOMOS. A reference to ATOMOS includes its related
entities, subsidiaries and parent company.
Trademark s
Ninja-2 ATOMOS are registered trademarks of ATOMOS, Apple,
the Apple logo, AppleShare, AppleTalk, FireWire, iPod, iPod Touch, Mac,
and Macintosh are registered trademarks of Apple Inc. Final Cut Pro,
QuickTime and the QuickTime Logo are trademarks of Apple Inc. All other
trademarks are the property of their respective holders.
International Hardware Limited Warranty
ATOMO S warran ts that:
• the main product, not including TFT/LCD, or any external accessories,
will be free from defects in materials and workmanship for a period of
1 years from the date of purchase, the user may upgrade to a 3 year
warranty upon registering their product at www.atomos.com
• the TFT/LCD, batteries, battery charger, HDD/SSD docking station,
Master Caddy and Carry Case will be free from defects in materials and
workmanship for a period of 1 year from the date of purchase.
This warranty is exclusively for the benefit of the original purchaser and is
not assignable or transferable.
If during the warranty period the product is shown to be defective
ATOMOS may at its option:
a) replace the goods or supply equivalent ones, b) repair the goods, c)
pay the cost of replacing the goods or of acquiring equivalent ones and d)
paying the cost of having the goods repaired;
The customer must notify ATOMOS of any defect in the goods in
writing prior to the expiry of the warranty periods set out above. The
customer will be solely responsible for returning the goods to ATOMOS
or its authorized distributor. Upon acceptance of a warranty claim by
ATOMOS, where ATOMOS repairs or replaces the goods, it will be
responsible for reasonable shipping costs incurred in sending the goods
to the Customer, provided that customer is located in a country in which
ATOMOS has an authorized distributor or repair centre or agent.
Warranty Exclusions
This warranty applies only to defects in workmanship and does not cover
defects caused by:
• Neglect;
• Improper or negligent acts or omissions;
• Unauthorised repairs or attempted repairs;
• Tampering with or modification of the goods;
• Connection to incompatible equipment or power sources;
• Exposure to water or weather;
• Exposure to magnetic fields or corrosive liquids or substances;
• Physical damage
EXCEPT AS STATED IN THIS WARRANTY, ATOMOS, IT’S VENDORS,
AGENTS, RESELLERS AND DISTRIBUTORS DISCLAIM IN THEIR
ENTIRETY ALL OTHER WARRANTIES, EXPRESS OR IMPLIED, INCLUDING
WITHOUT LIMITATION ALL WARRANTIES OF MERCHANTABILITY OR
FITNESS FOR A PARTICULAR PURPOSE. THE REMEDIES OUTLINED IN
THIS WARRANTY ARE THE EXCLUSIVE REMEDY A CUSTOMER HAS
ARISING FROM DEFECTIVE GOODS WHICH ARE SUBJECT TO THE
WARRANTY.
ATOMOS DOES NOT WARRANT THAT THE GOODS WILL OPERATE IN A
MANNER WHICH IS ERROR FREE, OR UNINTERRUPTED. THE GOODS
ARE NOT INTENDED TO BE THE PRIMARY OR ONLY DATA STORAGE
DEVICE FOR DATA – CUSTOMERS ARE SOLELY RESPONSIBLE FOR
BACK UP AND PROTECTION OF DATA.
Software License Agreement
IMPORTANT, PLEASE READ CAREFULLY. THIS IS A LICENSE
AGREEMENT.
This ATOMOS software, related documentation, any included sample
images and other files (the “Software”), is protected by copyright laws
and international copyright treaties, as well as other intellectual property
laws and treaties. The Software is licensed, not sold.
This End User License Agreement (“EULA”) is a legal agreement between
you (either an individual or a single entity) and ATOMOS with regard to
the copyrighted Software provided with this EULA. Use of the Software
provided to you by ATOMOS in whatever form or media, will constitute
your acceptance of these terms, unless separate terms are provided
by the software supplier, in which case certain additional or different
terms may apply. If you do not agree with the terms of this EULA, do
not download, install copy or use the Software. By installing, copying or
otherwise using the Software, you agree to be bound to the terms of this
EULA. If you do not agree to the terms of this EULA, ATOMOS is unwilling
to license the Software to you.
1.Eligible licensees. This Software is available for license solely to
purchasers of the ATOMOS Ninja-2, who have purchased a unit
manufactured by ATOMOS Ninja-2 and purchased through an
ATOMOS authorized reseller, with no right of duplication or further
distribution, licensing or sub-licensing.
2.License Grant. ATOMOS grants you a personal, non-transferable and
non-exclusive right to use the copy of the Software provided with this
EULA. You agree you will not copy the Software except as necessary
to use it with the ATOMOS Ninja-2. You agree that you may not copy
the written materials accompanying the Software. Modifying, reverse
engineering, translating, renting, copying, transferring or assigning
all or part of the Software or any rights granted hereunder, to any
other persons or reverse engineering the hardware on which the
Software runs, is strictly prohibited. The software is license, not sold.
You acknowledge that no title to intellectual property in the Software
is transferable to you. You further acknowledge that title and full
ownership rights to the Software will remain the exclusive property
of ATOMOS and/or its suppliers, and you will not acquire any rights
to the Software, except as expressly set forth above. All copies of
the software will contain the same proprietary notices as contained
in or on the Software. All title and copyrights in and to the Software
(including but not limited to any images, animations, video, audio, text
incorporated), the accompanying printed materials, and any copies of the
Software are owned by ATOMOS or its suppliers.
3.Reverse engineering. You agree that you will not attempt, and if you are
a corporation, you will use your best efforts to prevent your employees
and contractors from attempting to reverse compile, derive circuits,
modify, translate or disassemble the Software and/or the Atomos
Ninja-2 in whole or in part. Any failure to comply with the above or any
other terms and conditions contained herein will result in the automatic
termination of this license and the reversion of the rights granted
hereunder by ATOMOS.
ATOMOS reserves the right to terminate this license without prejudice to
any additional recourse ATOMOS may have against you if you violate any
of its terms and conditions.
Registration + Warranty Upgrade
Register to upgrade your warranty FREE 1yr >3yr
www.atomos.com/support
Warranty & Conditions
Atomos Ninja-2 – User Manual Edition 1: November 2012 2
Thank you for choosing the Atomos Ninja-2: your 10-bit HD-SDI
Recorder/Monitor/Player. It’s the most compact portable recorder
available, with extremely long battery life, a high-resolution screen,
uncompressed-quality playout and real-time pulldown removal.
Ninja-2 preserves the pristine uncompressed video quality from your
camera’s sensor by directly encoding it into Apple ProRes®or (optionally)
Avid DNxHD® as it records to HDD/SSD, making it instantly compatible
with your NLE timeline. The Ninja-2’s revolutionary ‘Sensor-to-NLE’
workflow is the fastest and best quality available today!
With the plummeting price of hard disk storage, the 2½” disks used by
the Ninja-2 are very cheap; the cost of storage is no longer an issue.
Buying a disk for the Ninja-2 is just like buying a tape – except that with a
disk you will have instant “non-linear” access to your video.
The Ninja-2’s one-touch TFT-LCD interface is intuitive and simple to use.
There are no complicated menus or difficult to find functions – everything
you need is instantly accessible from the home screen. Refer to ‘Using
your Ninja-2’ for more information.
Software updates for your Ninja-2 will be issued regularly. Registering
your Ninja-2 now will ensure you are kept abreast of any updates.
Software updates and information will also be available at:
www.atomos.com/Ninja-2
We hope you enjoy your Ninja-2!
Your Ninja-2 comes with a standard 1 year warranty on all parts and
accessories. You can upgrade to a 3 year warranty on the main Ninja-2
Unit alone (excluding TFT/LCD) by registering your Ninja-2 online at
http://www.atomos.com/registration.xml. This will enable us to let
you know about updates to the product and other important information
surrounding your purchase.
Introduction
Atomos Ninja-2 – User Manual Edition 1: November 2012 3
We try to provide you with as complete a package as possible: you don’t
have to add anything except 2.5” storage media (you can buy additional
packs of empty Master Disk Caddies from your Atomos Reseller) and
some cables to suit your set-up, like HDMI cables and tripod screws. All
other parts necessary to use the Ninja-2 are included in the carry case.
Here’s the complete list
• Ninja-2 body (the itself, with touchscreen,
inputs and slot for Ninja-2 disk caddies)
• 2 x empty Master Disk Caddies + 8 screws for fixing disks
• Master Caddy Docking Station with
a. USB 2 & 3 Cable (Under Ninja-2 body)
b. Firewire®Cable (Under dock)
c. USB 2.0 power cable for extra USB power when required (Under dock)
• Battery Charger with Power Supply Unit located underneath
• 2 x Atomos 7.4 V 2600mAh Batteries
• Ninja-2 Carry Case
• Ninja-2 Quick Start Guide (not pictured)
Atomos does not sell storage and your package will not contain any
spinning disks or SSDs. You can buy these locally to keep running
costs as low as possible.
We recommend drives, please refer to Part 16 (Technical Specifications)
of this manual. For the most up-to-date information please visit:
http://atomos.activehosted.com/kb/article/compatibility/
what-drives-do-we-recommend
1. What’s included
Contents may differ from those shown here.
Atomos Ninja-2 – User Manual Edition 1: November 2012 4
Spinning Disk Drives (HDD)
These are the raw storage medium for Ninja-2. You can use either
traditional “spinning” disks, or the new solid state ones. Choose 2 ½”
spinning drives if your Ninja-2 is going to be attached to a tripod or if it
is not going to be subject to excessive vibration. For harsher conditions,
choose a solid state drive.
Which drives should you use?
There are so many drives available, and new models appear all the
time. We are not able to test all drives but here are some guidelines.
Speed and reliability are the main factors. Here are a few things to
bear in mind:
•Disk drive data rates tend to be given in megaBYTES per second, and
codec data rates are normally given in megaBITS per second. It’s very
easy to get confused. But there’s no need to be, because all you have
to do to convert megabits to megabytes is divide by 8. So if you’re
recording at 220 megaBITS per second, that’s going to result in 220/8
megaBYTES per second, which is 27.5 megaBYTES per second.
•To see what works for you, you may want to start working with
relatively fast drives 7200 RPM, and then try slower ones 5400 RPM.
This gives you a frame of reference for comparison. Just remember
that the higher the bitrate of the Apple ProRes®you’re using, the faster
the drive needs to be.
Atomos regularly test hard drives – please check this link before
purchasing drives: http://atomos.activehosted.com/kb/article/
what-drives-do-we-recommend
Solid State Drives (SSDs)
These are Flash memory devices that come in the same form-factor as
2 ½” disk drives, and they are fully supported by the Ninja-2. See the
section below about when you should consider using SSDs. We only
recommend Intel SSDs at this stage as we have had unreliable results
from all other drives.
Mechanical Shock and Vibration
Hard disks are precision mechanical devices that need to be handled
carefully. You will be using the same type of drives that are normally used
in notebook computers, and you can use this as a guide to whether you
need to use mechanical drives or Solid State ones for any proposed
projects. If you think a particular usage scenario would be suitable for a
notebook computer, then it will probably be OK for a mechanical drive
inside a Ninja-2. If you think the drive inside your notebook might suffer
damage, then don’t use a mechanical drive.
We can’t give rigid guidelines because there are so many different kinds
of drives, each with different mechanical properties. You may even find
variations between drives of the same type.
What we have found is that mechanical drives are suitable for most
purposes that don’t involve harsh vibration or mechanical shocks. They
will be perfect for tripod-mounting, and also for the majority of hand-held
work. We would advise against hard-mounting them on moving vehicles
(but they would probably be OK if cushioned against the body of the
camera operator) and we would not advise using mechanical disks if
there is a likelihood that they might be dropped onto a hard surface.
Here are some things that you should bear in mind when using
spinning disks:
• Even though spinning drives can withstand substantial shocks when
they are not in use, they are more vulnerable when running. Harsh
treatment that may not actually damage the drive may interrupt
recordings at a much lower level of severity. We recommend that you
experiment with your drives by testing them in the conditions that you
normally work in.
• Spinning drives have a gyroscopic effect that you will feel faintly if you
rotate the Ninja-2 up or down or from side to side. They are particularly
sensitive to this type of motion. If you do this too quickly while the drive
is spinning, you may get a small gap in your recording.
• Be very gentle when changing batteries if you are recording. Practise
this manoeuvre so that you are able to do it smoothly. It is always
better to do this in-between takes.
• Do not bang or jolt the Ninja-2 while recording. Gentle and cushioned
movement may be OK.
• You will find noticeable differences in the ability of drives to withstand
shock and to continue recording during vibration and movement. As
we receive reports of drive durability and reliability, we will post them
on www.atomos.com
• Your Ninja-2 is able to detect when the drive is under stress and it will
recover from any break in a recording by waiting until the drive is ready
to continue, and then resuming from that point. If frames have been
dropped because of shock or vibration, a “Skippy” Kangaroo symbol
will appear on the home screen on the Ninja-2, just above the disk
capacity indicator. This means that you will not normally have to restart
the Ninja-2, even if a recording has been interrupted by mechanical
disruption to the disk drive. (see Recording and Monitoring: Atomos
Anti-shock Technology for more information)
Taking into account most usage scenarios, we think that mechanical
disks will be suitable in the majority of cases. Spinning disks are most
sensitive when they are rotating. It is obviously best to avoid dropping
them but many disks now have a “drop detector” that will lock the most
fragile mechanical parts in place and protect them from surprisingly hard
knocks. We recommend that if you want to experiment with this, you do
so with a drive that doesn’t contain the day’s shoot!
Backing up and archiving
Remember that no storage medium, including tape, optical disks,
spinning disks and flash memory, is completely immune from failure.
You should bear this in mind when deciding how to manage
your recorded content. At the very least, you should consider the
consequences for you and your business if your storage medium were
to suffer from a sudden failure, and you should back up your content
accordingly. Hard drives that you can use for archiving are becoming
increasingly affordable. You may find that it is completely feasible for
your to keep your master Ninja-2 disks on a shelf (just like tapes!), and,
as a backup, store copies on large hard drives, RAID arrays or Network
Attached Storage (NAS).
2. What you also need
Atomos Ninja-2 – User Manual Edition 1: November 2012 5
2. What you also need
HDMI cables (not included)
There’s a lot of mythology about
HDMI cables. Most people can’t
tell the difference in picture quality
between expensive ones and
cheaper ones. There shouldn’t be
any difference if as long as all the
digits going through the cable arrive at the other end. And yet some
supposedly “top end” cables can cost hundreds of times more than you
necessarily have to spend. It is rare to get a cable that is bad enough to
affect the picture, but keep in mind that the longer the cable, the more
likely it is to cause problems.
There is at least one good reason for spending a bit more on an HDMI
cable: the physical quality.
HDMI was designed as a living-room standard. So most cables are
designed to be fitted behind TVs and rarely moved.
That’s completely different to the type of use they will get with the Ninja,
when they will be moved all the time and need to be strong but flexible.
Some of the cheaper HDMI cables might work properly but are almost
completely inflexible.
Flexible cables will put less strain on the HDMI sockets on your camera
and on your Ninja-2 - but, in any case, it is worth considering some
kind of cable management (cable ties or clips) near each HDMI socket -
especially since HDMI is not a “locking” connection.
Some cameras and camcorders use a “mini” HDMI connection to save
space. Cables with a mini connection at one end and a standard one at
the other end are freely available.
If the HDMI cable is removed while recording the “Skippy”
image will also be displayed. To remove touch skippy and he
will disappear ready for his next notification.
Refer to Part 8: Atomos Anti-skip Technology for more
information about “Skippy”.
Standard 1/4” Camcorder Mount
This must fit a standard 1/4” screw mount. Select the type
that best suits your application and conditions.
Atomos Ninja-2 – User Manual Edition 1: November 2012 6
Mounting drives in the Master Caddy
This is simplicity itself. Just insert the disk into the caddy, and secure
with four screws. The caddy is light and the disk just needs to be held
securely. Don’t over-tighten the screws. There are no connections to
make because pushing the caddy into the Ninja-2 or the Docking station
makes all the connections for you.
The Master Caddy can’t be inserted the wrong way round. Always make
sure that the disk connector faces the slot in the Ninja-2. You have to
be quite firm to push the Master Caddy into place, but don’t push too
hard, just in case something isn’t set up or aligned properly. There is very
little that can cause problems and the most likely thing is that the Master
Caddy isn’t properly flush with the drive inside. A quick visual check will
confirm this.
Spinning disks and SSDs are very sensitive to damage from static
electricity. Please observe all the usual precautions when handling them,
especially DO NOT EVER touch the exposed SATA connector as
static electricity may be harmful to your disk.
3. Mounting disks in the Master Caddy
1
2
Carefully assemble the
Master Caddy and disk
Ensure all 3 parts aligned
and insert 4 x screws (supplied)
Do not over-tighten screws or
alignment can not be guaranteed.
We suggest squeezing the corners
together near the screw you are
tightening for optimal fit.
Insert screw
Align all parts
Insert screw
Atomos Ninja-2 – User Manual Edition 1: November 2012 7
Batteries
The Ninja-2 is a battery powered device, and has a special feature to
ensure that you never have to interrupt a recording to change a battery.
We will come to this shortly.
Like all batteries, you will need to take care of them. Make sure that you
don’t short circuit the connections because this can result in very high
currents that can damage the cells and could pose a fire hazard.
Charge new batteries before using them. The supplied Ninja-2 charger
can charge two batteries simultaneously. There are four red LED
indicators for each battery. This will show the approximate stage the
charging process has reached.
Batteries do not charge in a linear way. At first they charge very quickly,
and then the rate slows down to a trickle. While charging, one or more
red lights will blink. When 90% charge is reached, all the lights will flash.
It is perfectly OK to use the batteries at this point and we recommend
stopping at this stage for the longest battery life. If you leave the
batteries on charge after all four lights are flashing, the charger goes
into trickle charging mode for the final 10%. Eventually, when trickle
charging is complete, and the batteries are at 100% charge, all the
lights will go out.
Always use battery slot for the first battery. This is effectively your
primary battery and the Ninja-2 will not start without it.
Battery slot No.2 is the secondary or back-up battery and is not marked.
Once the Ninja-2 has been started from battery slot No. 1, it will operate
on battery slot No. 2 alone. No. 1 is only required for start up.
To insert the batteries, gently slide them down into the slot and lock
them into position. To remove a battery, push the latch to release it. Each
battery has its own latch, which is located to the right of batter No. 1 and
to the left of batter No. 2 as you look at the back of the Ninja-2. Pull the
latches towards the batteries to release them.
Ninja-2 batteries and modular accessories (Connect Converters, etc)
are held in place very tightly because they are on the outside of the
device and there has to be no possibility whatsoever that they could
work loose, so you will have to be quite firm with the battery latches.
We suggest that you familiarise yourself with the force required to
remove the batteries and accessories so that you can do this quickly in
the field. Make sure that you hold the top and the bottom of the battery
or accessory module when sliding it off to avoid dropping it when it is
released from the main unit.
The Ninja-2 introduces an Atomos technology called Continuous Power
which used battery looping. When power is running low on one battery,
the Ninja-2 will automatically switch to the second battery, you can
remove one of the batteries and replace it with a fully charged one.
Ninja-2 will continue to operate as you do this. You can continue this
process indefinitely.
The Ninja-2 may be powered from NiMH & Li Ion 14.4V battery
systems. Battery adaptor required.
Battery number 1
Gently slide down into
battery slot/s and lock
into position.
Push latch to
release battery
4. Connecting the Ninja-2 and powering up
Atomos Ninja-2 – User Manual Edition 1: November 2012 8
Turn i ng ON p owe r to th e N inj a-2
The start button is located on the right hand side of the unit (as you
look at the screen). Momentarily press the circular button on the right
side of the Ninja-2 as you look at the screen to power up the unit. After
a couple of seconds you will see the Atomos logo, and then the Ninja-2
Home Screen.
Turn i ng OF F pow er to t h e Nin ja- 2
To tu r n the u n it off, touch on the home screen, and then press
the red
icon for 4 seconds the icon will go white when
touched to indicate activation of the button. The unit will then power off.
You c a n al so do a fo r c e d powe r d own by depressing the on/off button
for four seconds.
Four seconds can seem like a long time! We’ve made it this way to
make absolutely certain that the Ninja-2 can’t be turned off accidentally.
HDMI in: The video input to the Ninja-2 is HDMI. This is the signal that
is recorded to the Ninja-2’s storage media.
HDMI out: This is for connection to an external monitor or other device
with an HDMI input.
Audio: The Ninja-2 can record 2 channels of digital audio embedded in
the HDMI signal. There is a 3.5mm Stereo Line-in socket for recording
audio in sync with incoming video. Depending on your set-up, you may
find that this gives you better results than the microphone on the camera.
You c a n sw itch b e twee n A na logu e A udio L i ne In an d H D MI as yo u r audi o
sources in the user interface, where you can also adjust the analogue
audio input level.
There is also a 3.5mm output that doubles as a Line Out or Headphone
Out, which has it’s own independent level control in the user interface.
5. Ninja-2 connections
ON
+ forced
power
down
Turning OFF p o we r v ia t o u ch s creen (preferred)
Master Caddy Slot
Simple, locking HDD/ SSD
system. Less than 5 per
HDD/SSD case, this is a safe
practical solution to video
media management
HDMI In
HDMI out
>Record loop through
>PLAYOUT
Stereo line in
Stereo line out/Headphone
4. Connecting the Ninja-2 and powering up
Atomos Ninja-2 – User Manual Edition 1: November 2012 9
Master Caddy Slot
On the left hand side of the unit (as you face the screen) is a slot
for Ninja-2 Master Disk Caddies. To insert a caddy, gently push until
it clicks into position.
Formatting disks - see page 14
Screw Mounts
The Ninja-2 features standard tripod ¼” screw mounts on the top
and bottom of the unit, allowing you to configure your recording setup
various ways (¼” camcorder mount not included in Ninja-2 kit).
Release and remove Master Caddy
To ej e ct i t, us e t h e latc h o n th e rig h t h and si d e of the N i n ja-2
(as pictured)
The Master Caddy is hot-swappable, so
you can do this at any time – even while
the unit is turned on. But don’t do it while
recording or you will get a corrupted file
that may be unplayable.
Ninja-2 Master Disk Caddies are
held in place firmly. Push the latch
upwards and grip the protruding part
of the Ninja-2 Master Disk Caddy at
the top and bottom, pulling strongly
but carefully. You may want to
practise this manoeuvre a few times
until you are completely familiar with
the process.
¼” Screw mount top
¼” Screw mount base
Ninja-2 Modularity
The Ninja-2 was designed to be a flexible and modular system. It doesn’t
need any drivers to connect to a computer, you have a choice of spinning
hard disk storage or solid state, and it will work with any battery system as
long as it connects to the Ninja-2’s NP-type slots, or via a DTap connector.
The Ninja-2’s battery slots are the key to it’s modularity. They provide
secure attachment and continuous power, through Atomos’ loop-through
power system.
The first of the modular add-ons to be announced by Atomos are the
Connect converters (pictured). More on this in Part 14.
6. Other physical features
Atomos Ninja-2 – User Manual Edition 1: November 2012 10
Using the Ninja-2
The Ninja-2 is controlled via an intuitive touchscreen interface. There are
large, obvious controls for Record, Play, Monitor, and Menu, as well as
the following information:
• Current input format and status
• Codec currently in use
• Remaining battery power
• Which of the two batteries is currently active
• Headphone/Line Out volume
• Audio Input Level meters
• Remaining Recording time on disk
• Timecode
• Record Trigger
• Unit name
Watch out for any items on the screen that are marked by a
small blue arrow. If you touch these items you will be taken
to other options depending on context. If you touch them
repeatedly, you will cycle through related options
A large blue arrow in the top right of the screen will
take you out of lower-level menus back to the main
control screen
The User Interface in detail
Even though the Ninja-2 is an extremely sophisticated and technically
advanced device, we have taken a minimalist approach to the interface.
We’ve only included controls that you really need. This is important in
a device that has to be ready for use at all times and must therefore be
simple to operate while in use.
The Ninja-2 Touchscreen
Ninja-2 features a very high quality 800x480 pixel video touch screen.
Most of us are now familiar with the idea of touchscreens, but there is an
important difference between Ninja-2’s screen and those you might find
on a smartphone.
Ninja-2’s screen is pressure and touch sensitive. It takes more than a
glancing brush of a finger to trigger the screen. For some applications,
(like dragging and dropping) this would be a disadvantage, but for the
Ninja-2 it is an important feature, because if the screen was too sensitive,
it would be easy to accidentally trigger Ninja-2 operations, potentially
interrupting a recording, for example.
With the Ninja-2 screen, you have to firmly push the screen for an
instruction to register. This gives a very positive feel to the device and
confidence that commands won’t be given in error.
Be definite and deliberate in your pressing on icons on the screen and
the Ninja-2 will be very responsive. Remember this is not a capacitive
touch device like many Smart Phones; holding contact with the icon for a
millisecond will ensure accurate and rapid response.
The Home Screen
This is the screen you see whenever you are not in a function or sub-menu,
and it is the first screen that the Ninja-2 boots into when you turn it on. All
functions are one touch away: simply touch the screen on any function to
be taken to that function’s screen.
There are four brightly coloured icons labelled R
and . In the lower centre of the screen is a timecode display with
. Below this, on the lower
edge is the Unit Name: a customisable label that identifies media from
your when it is connected to a computer.
7. Using the Ninja-2
Timecode
Record
Trigg er
Current Video
Input Format
Recording Format
Headphone Line Out Volume Time Remaining
Unit Name
Continuous Power Battery Indicator
Audio
Input Level
Meters
Home Screen and Menu Functions
This is the icon you touch to begin a recording. Touch it again to stop a
recording. While recording the icon changes to a icon. Once
your recording has started you have the option to touch the icon to
view the signal you are recording.
STANDBY
RECORDING
The icon is dimmed and disabled if there
is no valid video input OR if the disk is full. The
buttons is dimmed because you cannot record.
NO INPUT
Touch this icon to play previously recorded clips. When you press the
green button you will be taken to the navigation screen.
STANDBY
NAVIGATION
Ninja-2 uses a and convention
to name the clips. Select the clip you want to play by touching the file
name and this will start to playback.
The button will be dimmed and disabled if
there is no disk or the disk is not formatted.
See page 14 - Formatting disks
NO DISK
Pressing this icon connects the incoming video signal to the screen, so
that you can use the Ninja-2 as a field monitor. More about monitoring in
the next section, Monitoring and Recording.
STANDBY
The icon is dimmed and unselectable if there
is no valid video input.
NO INPUT
Pressing this takes you into a number of options which will
explained next.
STANDBY
MENU
7. Using the Ninja-2
Atomos Ninja-2 – User Manual Edition 1: November 2012 11
Atomos Ninja-2 – User Manual Edition 1: November 2012 12
7. Using the Ninja-2
Allows you to select the scene and shot number that will be
recorded next. To select press or at the top
and the number you wish to use from the list below (up to 999).
The number you choose will then be shown underneath the
word Scene or Shot in a larger font and will be underlined.
The take number is automatically increased with each take.
Allows you to adjust the date and time shown by the clock
and calendar in the Ninja-2. Touching the
takes you into the Date and Time Screen. At the top of the
screen is the date and the time of day. The month, day
and year are selectable by touching them, at which point
a scrollable list of dates, months or years will show below,
depending on which option has been selected.
To enter a date, for example, begin by touching the month
at the top of the screen, and then select the required month
from the list below. Then touch the day, and then the year,
selecting the required value from the list below.
Setting the time is done in exactly the same way.
Date formats (i.e. dd-mm-yyyy or mm-dd-yyyy) are
selectable on the right of the screen. Just keep touching
the icon until it shows the format you
want to use.
Allows you to modify the brightness of the screen. You are
presented with a horizontal slider. Touch it anywhere on it’s
length to increase or decrease the brightness of the display
or you can slide up and down the blue bar.
SCREEN LOCK
A new feature for the Ninja-2 is the ability to Lock the screen
so no changes can be made by mistakenly touching the
screen. To Lock the screen press the start button located
on the side of the Ninja-2 once quickly.
You w i ll s ee will flash on the screen. Press again
to Unlock.
When you access the Display Icons you can choose to
disable your screen but only when the screen is locked. While
Locked, Display is >
Shows the software (firmware) version and unique device
ID (DID) of your Ninja-2 device. This will be useful if you
ever have to speak to Atomos technical support or a
support agent from your reseller. You can also check on
the Atomos website to ensure you are running the latest
firmware: http://www.atomos.com/Ninja-2/firmware/
Turns the Ninja-2 off. You need to press Power Off for four
seconds. Alternatively, you can press the physical On/Off
button on the right side of the Ninja-2 for four seconds
to force shutdown. Atomos recommends using the
touchscreen function .
Takes you to the dedicated timecode configuration page.
Refer to Part 7 of this manual for more information.
Remember that pressing a large blue arrowhead will
always take you back to the previous menu you were in.
Smaller controls and indicators around the Home Screen
There are a number of smaller controls that double-up as indicators
around the Home Screen.
At the top left of the screen is not actually a control but will change to
display information about the signal being input to the Ninja-2 at the
time. If there is no input, it will say No Input. When a valid signal source is
connected, the display will change to (for example) 1080i50.
At the top middle of the screen shows which version of ProRes®you are
using. You can change between versions (LT, HQ and 422) by repeatedly
touching the indicator.’
Atomos Ninja-2 – User Manual Edition 1: November 2012 13
Shows whether you’ve got one or two batteries connected. If there is no
battery connected a number will not be displayed in the appropriate slot.
Tou c hi ng the takes you to the
screen where you can closely monitor the status of the Batteries.
When a battery is running low its icon will flash.
BATTERIES SCREEN
The Battery screen indicator is made up of two Battery icons, the active
battery is shown in orange and the level of each battery is shaded in 1/4
increments with a voltage level shown on top.
In the picture above we see Battery 1 is full and active and
Battery 2 is currently inactive and 1/4 depleted. If no battery
is present it will show an X in the picture and will be Black in
colour as pictured right.
Warning: If both of the batteries are fully depleted, the unit will
turn itself off. The Ninja-2 will switch to the battery screen for the
last 5 seconds of available power before shutting down, alerting you
that shutdown is about to occur.
AUTO SWITCHING/MANUAL SWITCHING
The Ninja-2 will automatically switch to a new battery when the current
battery is depleted. You may also switch between batteries at any
time by pressing on that battery icon. The new active battery will then
turn orange. You may need to use this if you have for example 3 hours
recording but only 2.5 hours of battery in one battery, in which case you
would change to a freshly charged one.
Located in the bottom right of the screen. When a disk is inserted, the
will show the recording
capacity of the drive in hours minutes and seconds, based on the
currently selected video compression, which of course, will determine the
recording bitrate.
FORMATTING HDD/SSD
Tou c hi ng the on the home
screen will take you to the Media Information and Format screen. Media
Information indicates the drive you have present, in this case a Hitachi
500GB spinning disk.
Tou c hi ng will format the drive inside the Ninja-2.
A confirmation screen will give you the choice to continue or cancel the
process.
If you do not see your hard drive information, there may be a problem
with your connection. Try ejecting the drive and trying again.
Also check the drive compatibility list: http://atomos.activehosted.
com/kb/article/what-drives-do-we-recommend
The Ninja-2 file system is exFAT. We recommend that you format each
disk with the Ninja-2 and not your computer.
The serves two main purposes:
• HDD Naming: Naming the unit names the drive if the drive is
formatted after the unit name has been set
• File Naming: File name is the current unit name as the start of the
recorded clip name;
To ac c es s the un i t name s c re e n simp l y to uch th e to the
right of the unit name. Creating your own unit name is simple. Pressing
will allocate the new unit name and return you to the menu screen.
7. Using the Ninja-2
Atomos Ninja-2 – User Manual Edition 1: November 2012 14
is in the bottom left corner of the screen, just below
. There are four small
squares, each of which represents an audio input. Inputs 1 and 2 are the
two analogue inputs, and inputs 3 and 4 are the two digital inputs which
come from the HDMI source. These four squares also act as approximate
level and “signal present” indicators. Touching the icon
takes you to the page, where you can choose to record
from either HDMI or the analogue inputs, or both, for a four-channel
audio recording. There is also a slider to control the analogue gain.
It is not possible to vary the gain if the signal input is from the
HDMI connection because this is digital and is embedded in
the signal. You can usually adjust this from the camera, see
your cameras manual for operational details.
7. Using the Ninja-2
Atomos Ninja-2 – User Manual Edition 1: November 2012 15
Connect to input
As soon as you connect a supported input to the Ninja-2’s HDMI input:
• and icons will go solid and colourful
• The input format will be shown in the top left corner
• Audio inputs will show levels in bottom left corner
READY-TO-RECORD
NO INPUT / NO DISK
NO INPUT / DISK PRESENT
INPUT PRESENT / NO DISK
Before recording
• Check there is a valid signal by looking at the main screen, ensuring it
looks like the ‘ready-to-record’ screen
• Check the input signal is set to what you would like:
- Progressive with 2:2 or 3:2 pulldown or
- Interlaced
• If you see for any reason please check your camera
settings match a supported format for Ninja-2. See technical
specifications on page 33.
• Connect headphones and monitor the Audio channels to make sure
the sound
• Check you have your audio in record set as you require.
• Connect any additional Analogue audio inputs and adjust gain
accordingly.
• Enter monitor mode to ensure the video is coming in as expected.
• Check you have the correct Scene & Shot number selected.
(see page 21 – Organising Material on disk)
• Check your drive is inserted and has been formatted
• Check your timecode settings are as you need
• Choose how you will start/stop your recording
• Check for clean input:
By touching the screen in Monitor mode, you can remove the
Atomos overlays to give you a clean screen. If any overlay graphics
remain, these will be coming from your camera. Please check the
settings on your camera to switch these off.
Choosing your recording format
You can select the recording format by touching the top middle of the
touch screen where the format is indicated.
IMPORTANT: You need to match the format you are recording
internally on the camera with the format recorded on the Ninja-2.
If you are recording 24p internally on the camera you need to record
24p on the Ninja-2 so the recordings match. To adjust the recording
format simply touch the format icon repeatedly and the Ninja-2 will
cycle through the options available. The basic rule is match the format
of the internal recording on the camera (not the external output of the
camera). For more explanation on choosing the correct format on
the Ninja-2 and the relationship to camera internal format and output
format refer to Section 10 – Pulldown.
8. Monitoring and Recording
The Ninja-2 has a high-quality screen that adjusts to the scan frequency
of the incoming signal, for a smooth, accurate display.
SmartControl
SmartControl is a versatile set of functions used to control the starting
and stopping of recording by automatic or external means. This section
outlines the different methods to start and stop recording.
Ninja-2 Start and Stop record control can be triggered by the
following methods:
1. Home Page Touch Screen
2. Monitor Page
3. HDMI Rolling Timecode trigger
4. HDMI Camera trigger
1. Home page Touch Screen
By pressing (Record)
2. From the Monitor Page
By pressing (Record)
3. HDMI Rolling Timecode Trigger record
OFF DISABLED ENABLED
If HDMI timecode is selected and the camera is in Record run mode, the
user has the choice to start and stop recording remotely from the moving
HDMI timecode. To enable this simply arm the TC icon (see above).
When enabled the camera and the Ninja-2 will start and stop record
simultaneously.
NOTE: Rolling timecode trigger is for use when the camera is in REC
RUN timecode mode only. In such cases rolling trigger in REC RUN will
need to be used to trigger recording automatically at the same time as
the camera starts recording. Please note that this currently only works
with later Sony and Canon cameras that have this function.
4. HDMI Camera trigger record
HDMI camera trigger record should be used when the camera is in FREE
RUN timecode mode. Please note that not all cameras have Start/Stop
flags for triggering record.
The HDMI camera trigger is manufacturer-specific; you will need to select
the appropriate manufacturer for your camera. There is a flag within the
HDMI signal that lets the Ninja-2 know the start/stop record has been
pressed on the camera; in turn this will trigger the Ninja-2 to start/stop
recording at the same time as the camera. This functionality is currently
only supported by the Canon C100 and 1DXc.
You c a n us e this m o de wit h e it her Fre e -R un or Re c ord -Run t i meco d e
To enable this set Timecode to HDMI then set the camera manufacture in
the timecode menu.
If both the Camera Trigger and Rolling Timecode Trigger are enabled this
can create multiple files, please ensure only one HDMI trigger is used.
Once you are recording you will see:
• The Rec button has now changed to Stop on the main screen
• Play button has been disabled
• The Record icon has changed to a stop icon on the monitor screen
• REC is in the top right corner of the monitor screen
You r fi le s will b e r e c orded t o y o ur dri v e with t h e
and you have setup.
To st o p, p re ss the button on the Ninja-2 monitor or Trigger.
8. Monitoring and Recording
Atomos Ninja-2 – User Manual Edition 1: November 2012 16
Atomos Ninja-2 – User Manual Edition 1: November 2012 17
Using the Ninja-2 as a field monitor and viewfinder
With its 5” high-resolution color TFT 800x480pixel screen, the
Ninja-2 makes a great field monitor. So good, in fact, that you don’t
need any separate monitoring equipment. You could even say that
the Ninja-2 is a “Recording Monitor”.
SmartMonitor
To make the Ninja-2’s screen even more useful, we have added
new “assist” features in the AtomOS firmware, which we refer to
collectively as SmartMonitor.
To access these tools, go into Monitor and select the
Camcorder icon. A new set of icons will appear
On the right hand side are the icons for each SmartMonitor tool.
To enable the tools you simply press the icon for the tool you would
like, the border will change to white.
You can apply all filters to your monitor at the same time but set up
individually for your needs
Zebra
Zebra lines show the parts of the image that are over exposed
relevant to the % level set. 95% is usually used for objects, windows
and surfaces. 75% is used for checking over exposure of human
faces this will indicate reflective or shiny areas on the face.
Focus Peaking
Focus peaking allows the user to ensure their recordings are always
in focus. The parts of the image in focus are indicated by the
selected colour. By default the Ninja-2 uses red, but you can change
the colour in the settings and have a Low, Med and High indicator
depending on the look you want to achieve. The width of the lines
indicating focus can be adjusted for finer focus line representation.
This tool is very accurate.
8. Monitoring and Recording
Atomos Ninja-2 – User Manual Edition 1: November 2012 18
False Colour
False Colour assigns different colors to areas of different exposure
in the image. Instead of just showing what parts of the image are
overexposed, it gives a more complete picture of what is going on in
the image by using a range of exposure values. Generally speaking,
overexposed elements will display as red, and underexposed
elements will display as blue.
The gradient between colour levels can be adjusted to have a
gradient or not. If gradient is not selected, the colour levels will
change instantly to the next colour level.
False Colour Scale:
To help you determine the exposure range with more accuracy,
please use the scale below:
You can apply all filters to your monitor at the same time but set up
individually for your needs
The colour indicating the section of the image in focus can be
adjusted by pressing the +/- keys next to the coloured square
representing the current colour. The default colour is Red. The
following additional colours are available (White Square, Red Square,
Green, Blue, Yellow, Light Blue and Purple).
Blue for Exposure
Displays a black-and-white image that is based on the blue channel
of the input signal. Used to observe the noise content of a video
image and the judge the overall exposure quality.
Settings
On the bottom left side is the icon to amend the settings of the tools.
Current settings are for Focus Peaking, Zebra and False Colour.
SmartLog
SmartLog gives you the ability to tag your clips during recording (or
playback, more on this later).
By the pressing the and icons you can
assign a “good clip” or “bad clip”. This information can then be
exported to non-linear editing system to speed up the edit process,
as you can easily see which parts of your recording you have marked
to keep or reject.
SmartLog currently only works with Apple FCP X.
How to use
To access the tags, enter the Monitor screen, then press the
SmartLog: MONITOR MODE
You can now see your monitor in the background and the
and icons
8. Monitoring and Recording
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