I recently joined the DSLR video revolution (see my post: “converted in vegas”) and have been shooting full 1080p HD video on a Canon 7d. I’m loving the images and I’m putting up with the funky workarounds. (Note: these cameras were not designed for shooting video. Yes, they make great pictures, but there’s a bit of voodoo needed to make this technological alchemy work.)

When I called this a revolution, I wasn’t overstating the case. These relatively cheap “stills” cameras are attacking the establishment’s traditional video cameras and blowing them away with incredible results. Kinda like a video tea party.  You gotta love a good revolution, but I’m warning you, there’s a dark side and I’m here – as a lone voice crying out in this unmapped territory – to at least warn of the very real danger lurking seductively in the shadows.   Don’t blame me. You’ve been warned. [Read more →]

I recently had the great privilage of being the director of photography and assistant director on a major video production. I wish I could tell you all about it, but it’s forbidden. You know, strict secrecy… very hush-hush.  But I can tell you about the technical stuff (and half the fun is playing with the toys).

I selected the camera package, and ended up doing a shoot out that I’d long wanted to do, and the results really surprised me.  Because of the fast schedule (we didn’t want to keep the talent waiting around) I had two complete camera packages. One was a Sony CineAlta EX1 with a Letus Ultimate and a full set of Zeiss T* primes. The other was a Sony CineAlta EX3 with a Fujinon 2/3 adapter and a full set of Zeiss DigiPrime lenses. (I love the DigiPrime sales line: Imagine a set of prime lenses so precise, they redefine the concept of High Definition.) But hey, at a cost of $135,000 or so, they’d better be good.

Before I get to my findings, let me tell you about the crew… [Read more →]