Special thanks to Dave Basulto, Filmmaking Central and POST Magazine for allowing us to be a part of their live stream from NAB 2010.
Vodpod videos no longer available.
Special thanks to Dave Basulto, Filmmaking Central and POST Magazine for allowing us to be a part of their live stream from NAB 2010.
Vodpod videos no longer available.
April 22, 2010
Categories: DSLR, entertainment, EX1, film production, filmmaker, Filmmaking Central, HDSLR, Media, NAB, NAB2010, POST Magazine, press, redrock micro, Social Media Networds . Tags: 5D Mark II, 7D, Canon, Clarity Pictures, Clint Milby, come & Take, come&takeitentertainment, Dave Basulto, DSLR, film production, Filmmaking Central, Filmschool OnDemand, HD, ikan, ikan corp, jackvane007, NAB, NAB 2010, POST Magazine . Author: Clint . Comments: Leave a comment
Shopping for someone who shoots video or stills either professionally or on the side, is a daunting task. Buying camera gear for someone is a bit like shopping for a teenage girl. The type of gift is as important as the name brand. Get the wrong thing or the wrong name and you can expect an instant request for a receipt. Most gift givers concede defeat almost immediately and go for a gift card from Best Buy or Walmart.
However, if you want to do something more personal this year or impress that special someone with a gift that will say, “I care about what you do and want to support you”, then this gift guide will help you make the right choice.
Storage
No matter what they shoot, everyone needs storage, and too much is never enough. All you need to know is what kind of camera they use. This is easy to find out, because most shooters LOVE nothing more than talk about their camera. Trust me when I say you don’t have to worry about arousing suspicion as much as you do about being trapped while they go on and on for hours about why their’s is so much better than everyone else’s.
Gadgets
Bags and Case
If they complain about their current bag, you might inquire as to what they would ideally like. Key fishing questions include hard or soft case and backpack or sling. You’ll need to know what and how many things they want to fit into the bag or case. Standard brands are Kata, Pelican, Porta Brace, Petrol Tamrack and Lowepro. These range in price from $20 to several hundred depending on size and manufacturer.
Prepaid Premium Memberships
Magazine Subscriptions
Although print media isn’t as relevent as it was ten years ago, trade magazines are still a great way to stay up to date with industry. Subscriptions to ICG, American Cinematographer, POST, HD Video Pro or Digital Photo Pro, The Hollywood Reporter or The Daily Variety will all be a most welcomed gift.
iPhone Apps
Is there anything the iPhone can’t do..? If you’re not aware, there have been production applications available for the iphone for well over a year. You can find them all at itunes. Here are just some of the proffesional applications to choose from.
Training Videos
Training videos are great gifts provided you choose a subject in the person’s area of interest. Also, don’t make the mistake of buying someone a video for beginners if they are an expert and vice versa. Here are some great training DVDs. Google search the titles for information on where to buy.
Gift Certificates
If you’re still at a loss, you can get a gift card from a store that specializes in camera gear.
December 9, 2009
Categories: DOF, DSLR, EX1, leatherman, letus, Media, redrock micro, Shopping, Social Media Networks, Texas, video production . Tags: 5D Mark II, 7D, Adorama, B&H, Christmas, Cinematography, Compact Flash Card, f/8 DoF CalculatorTraining Videos, Filmschool On Demand Prepaid Tuition, Filmtools, ikan, ikan Cheese Stick Jr, iPhone Apps, Kata, Netflix, Patriot Flash Drives, Pelican, Petrol Tamrack and Lowepro, Philip Bloom, Porta Brace, Pro Prompter Software, Shopping, Smug Mug Premium Membership, Sony Pro Duo, Teen, The Cinemek HitchcockLlamaSlateScreenplay, The Zgrip iPhone Jr, Vimeo Premium Membership, Western Digital My Book Essential, White Balance/Grey Cards . Author: Clint . Comments: 1 Comment
HD camcorders gave us the freedom to shoot without the expense of film and development cost. The drawback was the inability to achieve shallow depth of field. With a fixed lens HD camcorder, everything is in focus down to the smallest detail. In the late 90s, filmmakers using HD video, were forced to use tricks such as lighting in layers with the subject lit the brightest.
Without these creative but limited solutions, the audience can become distracted by a pretty extra in background or billboard that is part of the set. The result: your scene loses its impact due to lack of control over the image. The advent of the DOF or 35mm adapter gave us the ability to achieve a shallow depth of field giving you more artistic control of the image. For those who don’t know, the device works like a telecine using the macro focus of the camcorder to capture the image on a ground glass screen. The glass is spun using a miniature motor.
The shear weight of these devices and their components can be in excess of 20 pounds. This paved the way for an entire industry of camera support systems to redistribute the weight of the device, the lens, the follow focus and the HD monitor, which is critical to ensure clear, sharp focus.
Enter the 1080P Full Frame DSLR The Canon 5D and now the 7D have only been on the scene for a short while, and now video shooters everywhere are ditching their EX1s, HVX200s and even their XHA1s for the affordable full frame DSLR. Indeed, many fortunes have been made by those manufacturers of the 35mm adapter, but I’m afraid it’s all over now. Prices are falling, and it’s no secret why.
You can buy a Sony EX1 for $6.5k with a Letus Ultimate for $4k, totaling more than $10k without support railings, lenses or an HD monitor. Those accessories could easily jack up the price another $10k depending what you get.
However, I can buy a 5D Mark II and a good lens with an ikan monitor for under $5k. If you’re still convinced you have to have a traditional video camera with a 35mm adapter, but your on a budget, you can buy the Panasonic DVX100 for $2.7k and get a Redrock Micro M2 Encore DOP Adapter and support system for $2k bringing you in just under $5k with no lens or monitor.
On the other hand, you can go to B&H and get a 7D with a lens for under $2k. That leaves some extra cash to get the V5600 from ikan for $630, and then you’re ready to shoot for under $3k. Final Analysis The Canon 5D Mark II ushered in a new era of video production that has left Sony, Panasonic, JVC and even Canon’s Video division standing on the sidelines to make way for the multitudes who are literally grabbing them from stores before they can be shelved.
In the meantime, the DOF Adapters are not moving, and the prices are dropping. Some are 50% cheaper then they were just six months ago. How low will the prices go in the coming months? Who knows. One thing is certain; the full frame DSLR revolution has rendered the 35mm adapter irrelevant and obsolete. The question isn’t, “Will they stop manufacturing,” but “When.”
December 8, 2009
Categories: DOF, DSLR, entertainment, EX1, letus, Media, Philip Bloom, press, redrock micro, Social Media Networds, Social Media Networks, Sony . Tags: 35mm Adapter, 5D Mark II, 7D, Canon, DOF Adapter, DSLR, film, film production, letus, photography, redrock micro, Sony, Video . Author: Clint . Comments: 4 Comments