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Friday, August 23, 2013

Quick Links

Best DSLR Rig For Fast Pace Shooting And B-Roll | DSLR Video Shooter
Shooting using a monopod, and he also points out this Benro monopod that's $199 and very similar (like a copy of) the Manfrotto monopod (which is $239 through August 31)
Keep it Simple My Friends – Don’t over complicate your setup. If you don’t use 4×4 filters don’t setup a matte box, if you don’t need a ton of power don’t mess around with battery grips etc. Your goal should be to keep removing gear until you can’t remove anymore. K.I.S.S.


Shooting Video in the Wild: What You Should Know Before You Go | Rae-Anne LaPlante | Zacuto
2. Be one with your environment
If you spend enough time shooting outdoors, you’ll notice how living things interact with each other in their natural environment. If you are videotaping wildlife, you’ll want to understand how your subject communicates with it’s’ environment and other species. Is it a prey or predator?


Hands-On Review: the New Rokinon 16mm Wide-Angle T2.2 Cine Lens for APS-C and Micro Four Thirds | Justin Dise | B & H
I just got my hands on the regular model, and here comes the Cine 16mm Rokinon 16mm Wide-Angle T2.2:
A minimum focusing distance of 7.9 inches allows you to use the lens in tight locations or for stylized close-up shots when you want to include more of the background with your subject or exaggerate scale or distance between objects. I did notice some barrel distortion when shooting straight lines and performing camera pans, but the distortion wasn’t severe and was nothing out of the ordinary for a fast wide-angle lens.


rode ixy review | Cute Monster
The RODE iXY really shines as portable recording gear due to its sheer versatility. The included windshield and carrying case were welcome additions adding to the convenience of using the device on a daily basis for creative pursuits.


Review: Hawaiki Color for FCPX | GLJ Media Group
Hawaiki Color by Tokyo Productions and Lawn Road is a custom interface with key grading tools within the FCPX effects browser.  Three larger than average tactile color wheels are a great feature with industry standard controls of temperature, exposure, hue, saturation, contrast, blur and sharpen.


Headline says it all #1: Use A Video: Your Kickstarter Project Is 85 Percent More Likely to Be Funded | ReelSEO

Headline says it all #2: UPDATED WITH 5 MINUTE REVIEW PREVIEW: “Is that a Blackmagic in your pocket or are you…?” The evolving camera review!! | Philip Bloom

Headline says it all #3: 4K upgrade path for KineRAW MINI confirmed, with KineDECK 6K external recorder | News Shooter


VIDEOS


mocha AE Roto & Masking Webinar Aug2013 | Imagineer Systems | Vimeo
An hour long tutorial!
An online training session captured on August 20, 2013. Imagineer Systems' Product Specialist, Mary Poplin presents mocha for roto & masking tasks.mocha AE ships free with Adobe AE Creative Cloud.Covers core concepts of planar tracking, roto and using mocha AE with Adobe After Effects Topics Include:• mocha's Planar Tracker• Roto


Here's an interesting breakdown of several VFX shots done with mocha: Jeep Manifesto Breakdown from Sermed Darah on Vimeo.


GIMBALS


A behind-the-scenes look at the making of the short film "The Arborlight". Filmed on the RED Epic using the Freefly Systems MōVI, this film gives you a closer look at how the MōVI is changing the way people are making films

The Arborlight - MōVI on the Set from Freefly on Vimeo.


This tutorial will walk you through the basic steps to quickly balance your camera on the G2.

Basic Balancing for the G2 from DEFY Gimbal on Vimeo.

Thursday, August 22, 2013

Quick Links

TonightAugust 22nd BOSCPUG: Zack Arnold (Burn Notice), Philip Hodgetts, Ben Consoli
If you're in Boston, come to the BOSFCPUG meeting!
Featuring a special conversation with
ZACK ARNOLD, Editor (USA Network's BURN NOTICE)
Zack will join us to discuss his "interesting" career path as well as his editorial work on this hit TV show.
PLUS! Final Cut Pro X Workflows:
Multi-Cam with Filmmaker BEN CONSOLI
Lumberjack with PHILIP HODGETTS & GREGORY CLARKE


Field of View 5D Mark II vs. GH3 vs. BlackMagic Pocket Cinema Camera | CheesyCam
For anyone looking to adapt non-MFT Lenses (without a speed booster) to the BlackMagic Pocket Cinema Camera, here’s what it will look like through a full frame Canon 5D Mark II, Panasonic GH3, and BlackMagic Pocket Cinema Camera.


NeedCreative PodcastEp. 58 - Lighting Maroon 5 (With Matt Guminski and Philip Hodgetts)
Episode 58 is all about lighting live concerts for Maroon 5, Neon Trees and More. Ben Consoli of BC Media Productions is joined by lighting designer Matthew Guminski, currently on tour with Maroon 5 and Neon Trees. We talk about how to tell stories with light. The differences between lighting for theater and live concerts. Life on the road and his experience as lighting director for one of the largest tours this year. Ben is also joined by Philip Hodgetts who came on the show to talk about his new program Lumberjack and his upcoming appearance at the BOSCPUG on August 22nd in Boston.


FilmConvert plugin V2
Paul Antico, former host of the NeedCreative Podcast, sent along a note about the latest update to FilmConvert
I had been beta testing the latest FilmConvert plugin. It's 100X better with version 2.0, and a free upgrade. Please mention on your site. I don't get anything from them but man is this thing GOOD!!


Six Essential Websites for the No-Budget Film Editor | Filmmaker Magazine
In my continuing quest to seek out the best resources for post-production goodies that are 100% gratis, I’ve come across a few really helpful websites, for sound effects, footage and photos and even After Effects templates.


Griffith. Chaplin. Pickford. Guy-Blaché? | Filmmaker Magazine
Though you may not know the name, you certainly should. Alice Guy-Blaché was the first female filmmaker in history, yet few people know her name today.Thankfully, two filmmakers are seeking to change that.


Color grading WORLD WAR Z | ARRI
Captured on ARRI ALEXAs (including ALEXA Studio and M cameras with Codex on-board recorders), the film maintains several looks to evoke specific moods as Brad Pitt's character moves from place to place in his zombie-battling endeavors. We spoke with DI colorist Adam Glasman of Company 3, London, about grading the film.


Geoff Boyle responds to ex-Red CEO Jim Jannard | Televisual
What really happened is that I heard about a guy starting up a camera company on the basis of "give me a $1,000 now and I'll give you a camera in nine months" I didn't know any more than that and I said it sounded like a great way to make money, take the deposit and fold the company a few months later, cool scam.


Writer / Actor / Director and self proclaimed camera nerd Zach Braff got in touch with the team at Freefly to use the MōVI handheld stabilizer for some special sequences in his upcoming film "Wish I Was Here". Take a look behind the scenes to see Zach in action with the MōVI! Honor to have the MōVI being used by such a talented Actor / Director.

Behind the Scenes on "Wish I Was Here" with Zach Braff from Freefly on Vimeo.

Wednesday, August 21, 2013

Quick Links

Today’s Video Cameras Can Do it All, But Do You Want Them To?
| Redrockmicro Blog
Subtitled "Why Optical Filters and Matte Boxes Still Matter in the Digital Age" this is a great look at filters and matter boxes and things from Tiffen's MPTV Filter Group Consultant Carey Duffy.
Graduated and Attenuated ND Filters
A variant of ND filters are graduated and attenuated filters, which cut down the amount of light in a specific area. This is typically used to cut down the bright sky so the exposure is more even between the action on the ground and the overhead light. Graduated ND goes from some ND to clear, whereas attenuated filters have a graduated ND across the entire filter, never going to clear.


Raw video on the Canon 7D – Super 35mm raw for under $1000 | EOSHD
Because the 7D has a parallel processing architecture, it is lagging behind a bit compared to the other cameras in terms of Magic Lantern development, but it has certainly caught up leaps and bounds in the last few months. The full processing power of the dual-CPUs likely hasn’t yet been fully exploited. Raw video on the 50D (and certainly 5D Mark III) is at a more mature stage of development.



Intuos Creative Stylus | Wacom
For the iPad, this could be very cool...
Finally, a professional-grade stylus for the iPad from the leader increative stylus technology. Create naturally, with a pressure-sensitive pen that enables palm rejection, and lets you draw,sketch, and paint on your iPad with the artistic control oftraditional tools.


6 Cameras to Ease Your Way Into Shooting 4K Video | PDN
If you’re considering the jump to 4K, we’ve selected six video cameras that deliver it in a package that’s affordable, preserves your ability to shoot in HD and is relatively easy to use if you know your way around an HD digital SLR. Workflows for 4K are still maturing, so some solutions require proprietary memory formats and/or software for post-processing, but hey, no pain, no gain, right?


Sony PMW-F55 and F5 Shoot Australia’s First 4K Cinema TVC | Digital Media
The first 4K cinema TVC in Australia has been shot with Sony PMW-F55 and PMW-F5 cameras. The commercial, titled ‘Like Nothing You’ve Ever Experienced’, was produced for the launch of Sony’s new line-up of BRAVIA 4K Ultra HD TVs and is part of a high-budget, national campaign that tells the emotional stories of the first-time experiences of three Australians.


Atomos Samurai Blade - RedShark's full video review | Red Shark News
We've always kept a close eye on Atomos products and we've seen them evolve from the groundbreaking-but-basic HDMI Ninja through the HD-SDI Samurai. And now we've had a chance to test the new Samurai Blade: a significant evolution of the Samurai theme that incorporates a bright, high resolution screen that can be used as an electronic viewfinder.


“The Past is Never Past,” but the Faulkner/Midnight in Paris Lawsuit Is | Filmmaker Magazine
in Allen’s film, it’s Luke Wilson’s character who utters the line, paraphrasing it and turning it into a joke in the process. At the least, however, the ruling should embolden producers and distributors of fiction films to rely on Fair Use


SDBG4 Brushless Gimbal | Steadidron
Here we go, another brushless gimbal, though for small cameras and it's only $495!
The SDBG4 (SteadiDrone Brushless Gimbal) features the best camera gimbal stabilization technology available and will provide rock solid smooth footage like never before. Using special brushless motors instead of older technology servos, the SDBG is simple in it's design yet super effective to keep your camera level and pointing where it should, with smooth jello free footage. The gimbal also features manual tilt and roll control via your radio or a second radio when using two operators. Tilt/roll control is also possible with the SteadiDrone AGC (Android Ground Control) and a compatible Android device with many extra advanced features!



Tuesday, August 20, 2013

The News

My Final Post....  | Red Forum
Jim Jannard says he will stop posting and be less of the face of RED because of the stupid people on the internet. I wish him well in his new mission of not dealing with stupid people. I assume he will no longer be using the internet:
With the release of the Dragon sensor... I have finished my mission. I am done posting. I will no longer be the face of RED. Mercifully, Jarred will take my place and he is worthy times forever. Jarred is me... only 30 years younger.
My final thoughts...I have done my best. I saw a fatal flaw in the camera industry. We did our best to address it.
I will now sink into the background, I hope with my reputation intact. I will work on the future of digital cinema... behind the scenes.


“Is that a Blackmagic in your pocket or are you…?” The evolving camera review!! | Philip Bloom
Philip has started a blog about his experience with the new Blackmagic Cinema Pocket Camera. First he had some problems with SD cards:
1948 Try another card and go through the same thing. I try this with so many “fast” SD cards. Sometimes I can get the camera to see the card, but it won’t record, just turns red for record for a split second then stops. All other cards get a “no sd” display. I do this until…


ALEXA, Alura and aurora borealis | ARRI
Philip Clemo on shooting with the Alexa:
"We assessed a number of digital camera systems in advance of the trip, performing tests in a darkened cellar," says Clemo. "The ALEXA's low light performance was simply outstanding; it was the clear choice, as night shooting was such a key component of the trip."


Why KineRAW MINI could be your next camera | EOSHD
There's not really been a lot of info about this camera, so it's interesting to get this perspective:
Great for capturing slow-mo moments in glorious raw, this is the only camera to do high speed 100fps raw close to a consumer price point. The FS700 plus external recorder is significantly more expensive at over $10,000 including the Sony recorder. The Red Scarlet does 1280 x 720p at 120fps but with a crop of the sensor. The KineRAW MINI uses the FULL sensor for 100fps! No awkward change in the rendering of your lens and field of view.


Speeding up FCPX & Motion renders on a Mac Pro with a new NVIDIA GeForce GTX 680 GPU | FCP.Co
Andrew Smith installed a new NVIDIA GeForce GTX 680 ($479.99) (the PC model) in his Mac Pro, and lived to write about it.
After some more research, a GTX680 was decided on as it is the same card as the new (well reviewed for FCPX) iMacs, plus the CUDA cores work with Adobe apps. However the MacEdition was £140 more than the PC one! [In the US, the Mac Version is $589.99]  The Yorkshire in me kicked in, and after a little Google action, it seemed that the EVGA standard cards can be flashed into Mac versions, the firmware being the only difference. So onto Amazon and a PC EVGA GTX680 2GB was ordered


Women in Film vs. TV: Why the Disparity? | Filmmaker Magazine
One of the biggest conundrums I’ve experienced as a female filmmaker is watching the women of television advance so much farther than their counterparts in film. Why is there such a great disparity?Take for example this year’s Emmy nominations list. Looking only at nominations for directing, women have the opportunity take a number of prizes home:


More On Lens Testing
DigitalTV posted this review of the Canon 50mm lenses (the f/1.2 ($1,439), f/1.4 ($399) and f/1.8 ($125))
This is really a still camera perspective:



Quick Stuff

nigelstewart | instagram
The Big Bang TheoryNew camera for the 7th season of #TBBT - the Sony F55

Magic Lantern updates it's website

Monday, August 19, 2013

Lens Testing

(ltor) Canon 16-35mm, Rokinon 35mm, Rokinon 16mm, Sigma 18-35mm

I’ve never really done a lens test. When I’m buying lenses, it’s usually based on the focal length(s) I need, and on price. Usually it’s price that’s the biggest determining factor on which lens I buy.

With that said, I’ve found myself with two lenses to review; the new Rokinon 16mm f/2.0 ($479) and the Sigma 18-35mm f/1.8 ($799). I'm particularly interested in the latter as one of my favorite lenses is the Canon 16-35mm f/2.8, which is twice the price. That f/1.8 is mighty appealing, though of course, at 16mm the Canon is slightly wider, and it is a fill frame lens.

These lenses are for APS-C sized sensors and are not for full-frame cameras. They work fine with cameras like the Canon 7D or Sony NEX cameras, but won't work with the Canon 5D Mark III. Also, the Rokinon 16mm is the "still" lens version of the Rokinon; they only just announced a Cine version, which is currently being offered in Nikon F and Sony E mount for $529. The Cine lenses won't ship for a while, and I imagine they'll add Canon and other mounts which is probably what I'd get if I decide to get this lens.

To start off, I thought I’d take the lenses outside and shoot a test subject. I’m shooting with the Sony NEX-EA50, and all the lenses have the Canon mount, so I'm using a Metabones adapter. I also planned to use the Canon 16-35mm f/2.8 and the Rokinon 35mm f/1.4 to compare. The NEX-EA50 comes with an 18-200mm f/3.5-6.3 lens, so I'm planning to compare with that as well.

Unfortunately, I’d overlooked the fact that shooting outside even in the late afternoon with the NEX50, my test was way overexposed when the lenses were opened up to even f.\/2.8, nevermind f/1.8 or f/1.4. This was even at the lowest ISO the camera supported.

So that was messed up, but at least it showed that the framing of the Rokinon 16mm is very close to the Canon 16mm, while the Rokinon 35mm is very different to the Canon at 35mm. Also, the Sony at 18mm was wider than the Sigma at 18mm.

The Rokinon is similar to it’s siblings in build quality, even though I think it's the first APS-C lens they've released in this lens series. The Sigma seems like a nicely built lens, and next to the Canon it has a feel of precision and 'fineness' about it; the focus rings are smaller and finer, the markings smaller. I'm not really sure if that's a good or bad thing. I have to play with them some more.

The Sigma does not have hard stops on the focus gear, while the Rokinon does, and of course, the Rokinon has manual aperture. The Sigma may support auto-focus on some cameras, but I didn't get it to work on the NEX-EA50.

Size-wise I was surprised that the Sigma 18-35mm is taller and a bit heavier than the Canon. It's mostly about the same diameter, but the Canon seems to look bigger because it has a wider front lens and much wider hood.
An interesting side note: the Metabones NEX-Canon adapter does support the Canon 16-35mm, as well as the new Sigma. Metabones mentions that the Sony cameras can display a slightly different aperture to that stated by the lens, and the camera displays the aperture on the Sigma as 1.7 rather than 1.8 when it’s wide open.
Auto-focus on the camera was not supported on the Canon lens.

Rokinon 16mm at f/2.8

Canon 16-35mm at 16mm f/2.8

Sigma 18mm at f/2.8

Sony 18-200mm at 18mm f/3.5

Canon 16-35mm at 35mm f/2.8

Rokinon 35mm at f/2.8