Digital Camera News, Reviews and Tips
The Ikan Elements Starter Fly Kit is a compact and affordable (around $100) HDSLR rig. While this kit is basic, it is surprisingly effective and will deliver enough performance for many HDSLR users who want to get some more stability out of their handheld work.
I love stuff that works and is cheap. While stuff that works is a necessity and stuff that’s cheap is nice, put the two together and you get a real winner in my book. [Read more…]
For all of you HDSLR users out there, B&H Photo is now carrying PluralEyes and DualEyes. If you aren’t familiar with this software, it’s a mix of genius engineering and voodoo. You can check out my previous PluralEyes review to learn more this great program.
You can find the software (available for immediate download) on B&H Photo’s website here.
The Nikon D7000 is a prosumer DSLR with a 16.2MP DX-format sensor. With the ability to capture high-resolution images and 1080p HD video, the D7000 packs quite a punch.
To see whether the D7000 is the right prosumer shooter for you, read on. [Read more…]
Anyone who has tried their hand at video knows that long takes are challenging from both a technical and creative aspect. For one, everything has to go right with the camera and all the surrounding technical components. And two, the subject matter has to be engaging enough in order to justify the long take.
This student short film managed to wrangle both challenges for a very compelling short film made up of roughly a four and a half minute seamless take. It was shot with a 5D Mark II and 24-70mm lens on a Steadicam Merlin. They shot 36 takes in total.
Check out the behind the scenes video below. [Read more…]
B&H Photo has the Canon Rebel T3i in stock and ready to ship. Chances are that availability will be spotty for the first few weeks of this camera’s launch, so I’ll be posting occasional updates when it shows up in stock.
You can also get in line for pre-orders at Amazon and Adorama.
When the 5D Mark II busted onto the scene in 2008, the footage from the camera amazed the masses. However, working with the footage in post-production wasn’t the friendliest of tasks. If you wanted to properly edit the footage in Final Cut Pro, you first had to transcode the files using MPEG Streamclip or some other method in order to get a file format that was workable in FCP. Canon later sped up the process by making the Plugin-E1 available for importing 5D, 1D, and 7D footage into FCP – it worked quite well; however, it’s still a time-consuming process.
Then, Adobe introduced Premiere Pro CS5, which allowed us to simply drop files in the timeline and start editing – a big boon for HDSLR editors. It’s a 64-bit program that makes very efficient use of system resources. My 2.5-year-old Windows machine is able to playback color corrected video with effects and no need to render first.
Many NLE users see Apple’s Final Cut Pro as lagging behind. Fear not though. The next Final Cut Pro version is coming and, according to Larry Jordan (producer, director, editor and Apple-Certified trainer), it’s a “jaw-dropper.”
Jordan says he was invited to Apple, along with the “Who’s Who of leaders in the post-production community,” to check out the new version of Final Cut Pro.
Elsewhere, TechCrunch has word of the same preview event and has heard quotes from those who have seen the software program running, calling it “the biggest overhaul to Final Cut Pro since the original version was created over 10 years ago.”
As someone relatively new to the video scene, I’m very anxious to see what Apple has in store for us with this Final Cut Pro update. I mainly work with HDSLR video, simply because that’s what I started with and that’s what I still use on a regular basis. I’ve used Media Composer 5, Final Cut Pro and Final Cut Express over the past year; however, when I chose to buy a NLE as my go-to editing program last year, I went with Adobe Premiere Pro CS5 because of how well it works with HDSLR footage.
While I like FCP’s interface, it’s just too slow no matter what machine I’m using it on (MacBook Pro, iMac or Mac Pro). I’m hoping to see the FCP update step up and match or exceed Adobe’s capabilities with Premiere Pro CS5.
I recognize that there are many other improvements desired by those working on much larger projects than my short ones. However, I would venture to say that the 5D Mark II and its lineage of HDSLRs have been solely responsible for numerous purchases of Premiere Pro CS5. Here’s to hoping Apple jumps on the bandwagon and makes the latest FCP just as attractive for those of us shooting with HDSLRs . . . ’cause I’m Jonesin for a good reason to pick up a new Core i7 MacBook Pro.
[via Larry Jordan & TechCrunch]
A few weeks ago, I asked Canon users what they wanted to see in the Canon 5D Mark III (or whatever it’s called). Better autofocus, enhanced AEB options and dual CF card slots were some of the popular requests for Canon.
The Nikon D700 is a bit of a different animal though. It’s got great AF, but no video options. The photo purists out there would probably be happy to keep it that way; however, I suspect that the inclusion of HD video capture on the D3s likely signals that the smaller-bodied, full frame D700 replacement will get a dose of HD video as well. [Read more…]
While working on the Nikon D7000 review, I put together this little video of some high ISO clips at a local aquarium. I believe all of these clips were at either ISO 3200 or ISO 6400.
As you’ll learn in the coming review, the D7000 is a little more cumbersome than its Canon counterparts for video work due to the funky aperture controls; however, it still fares quite well in the final output video. For now, check out the video below. [Read more…]
Cinematographer Shane Hurlbut has teamed up with B&H Photo to create the new HDSLR Hub, which is anchored by a series of educational of videos beginning on February 28, 2011. There are six episodes in this series, which runs through April 4, 2011, and aim to cover gear, workflow and more.
If you want to take your video-capable DSLR seriously, this would be a good place to start. You can find the teaser video above, while the series will launch next Monday at HDSLRhub.com.
In the above video from Beet.TV, Vice President & Director of Associated Press Broadcasting News, Kevin Roach, talks about writers taking on video projects and photographers adding the 5D Mark II to their arsenal in order to tell a story beyond a single frame.
No doubt the 5D Mark II is a game changer; however, Roach’s commentary on the AP’s approach to news gathering and what this new era of DSLRs has done for the AP is interesting nonetheless.