Monthly Archives: April 2013
Cooke NAB Anamorphic Evening
The annual Cooke NAB Dinner once again unfolded at Del Frisco’s in Las Vegas for Jurassic-sized steaks (in the words of Danys Bruyere), marvelous Malbecs, celebratory champagnes, pronouncements on production, and lectures on lenses. The key to admission seemed to be a sizable inventory of Cooke lenses in the home city of the many international guests. It was a global… read more…
Tags: Anamorphic, Cooke
Fauer’s Fake Anamorphic Bokeh Kit
The sight of so many Maglites shining down the barrels of the latest anamorphic lenses at NAB sent shivers down the spine and flashes of dollar signs in the eyes. Surely there’s more to the anamorphic look than oval out-of-focus highlights and thin blue lines. And how often do we shoot a scene with a Maglite two inches from the… read more…
Tags: Anamorphic
Dragons and the Chocolate Factory
It was like Charlie and the Chocolate Factory for camera geeks at NAB. South Lower Hall had a working RED camera assembly area, complete with clean room, sensor installation, nitrogen freezing and vibrating QC. RED Epics were upgraded on the spot to the new Dragon 6K sensor. It was one of the hits of the show and demonstrated an innovative… read more…
Easier EasyFocus
EasyFocus just got easier–and smaller, lighter, more ergonomic. Gabriel Bauer, AAC (left), designer of Moviecam and Arricam, introduced the second generation of his touch-screen focus-puller’s best friend. The new model is about the size of a laptop, with a new fold-down cover that doubles as a mouse holder, script holder or hand rest. The laser reader attaches above the lens,… read more…
Tags: EasyFocus
Cooke Series II & III Revived
Give them your tired, your poor, your old Cooke Series II and III Panchros yearning to be breathing free. If you’re looking for a vintage Cooke Series II and III Panchro look, here’s the real deal. Colin Sanders (right) and Keith Truslove (left) of True Lens Services showed the entire set at NAB of their skillful rejuvenation. Send them your… read more…
OConnor’s Killer Donuts
Killer Donuts? No, Thye’re not the latest lethal offering from craft service. OConnor’s new anti-reflection rings (donuts) were two of the most simple-why-didn’t anyone-think-of-them-before innovative products of NAB. Prototypes were seen at Cinec and Cine Gear — now they are ready to reduce reflections between the back of your mattebox filters and the front of the lens. OConnor’s Killa Donuts,… read more…
Fujinon Cabrio 14-28 T2.9 Update
Fujinon usually has a surprise under glass at NAB. This year’s revelation was a pre-production Premier PL 14-28 mm T2.9 Cabrio wide angle zoom (model ZK2x14). It will join the 19-90 T2.9 and 85-300 mm T2.9-4.0 Cabrios around the end of 2013. The handgrip / servo drive provides zoom, iris, and focus lens data in LDS and /i metadata formats…. read more…
Tags: Fujinon
MōVi
If FDTimes gave awards, MōVi would probably win most innovative new product of the show. It reminds me of a stabilized head (like Russian Arm, Libra, Scorpio) that goes handheld. Or think of it as a stabilized helicopter mount minus the helicopter, or a stabilized camera car remote system without the arm and remote head. The camera is stabilized in… read more…
Tags: Freefly, MoVi, Tabb Firchau, Vincent Laforet
FDTimes NAB Debrief
Après NAB, le deluge. FDTimes begins the data dump, debriefing, pictures, and posts. It was one of the busiest NABs, with lots of exciting new products: Cooke, Angenieux, Scorpio, ARRI/ZEISS anamorphic lenses, image shaping (filters, post, lens adapters), rigs (MuVi, mods, handgrips, handles, matteboxes, cages), incredibly innovative new ways to move the camera, more than 4K, the RED Dragon upgrade… read more…
Tags: Film and Digital Times, NAB 2013
FDTimes Issue 53 Online
FDTimes Issue 53 April 2013 NAB Digital PDF edition is now online and ready to download.
New Fujinon Cabrio 14-28mm
Fujinon announces a new Cabrio for NAB. On display at their NAB booth will be the new Premier PL 14-28mm Cabrio wide angle lens (model ZK2x14). Focal length from 14-28mm at T2.9, with 200-degree focus rotation. This is the 3rd in the growing Cabrio Family. Thom Calabro, director of marketing and product development for the Optical Devices Division of FUJIFILM,… read more…
This is what has been cooking at Angénieux and Cooke
Anamorphic Lenses At the AFC Micro Salon in Paris a few weeks ago, Angénieux CEO and President Pierre Andurand and Cooke Chairman Les Zellan were seen tête à tête. FDTimes has learned that Angénieux and Cooke technical teams worked together to share the design of their respective anamorphic lenses and check their compatibility. Pierre Andurand said, “Les and I are… read more…
Tags: Anamorphic Lenses, Angénieux, Cooke
AJA Updates
AJA announced support for Adobe’s next versions of editing software, including Premiere Pro and SpeedGrade with AJA Video’s Io Express, Io XT, T-TAP and KONA Families. AJA will be in NAB Booth SL3816. New Mac and Windows device drivers and application plug-in software will be available from AJA as a free download shortly after the software’s release. The new AJA… read more…
ZEISS at NAB
The new Compact Zoom CZ.2 28-80 T2.9 will be shown for the first time in the US (it was presented at IBC and Cinec) — joining the CZ.2 70-200 T2.9. Both zoom lenses cover full-frame still format (24x36mm) and can be used on HDSLR as well as video and cinema cameras. As full-frame lenses, they create what ZEISS calls a… read more…
Tags: Compact Primes, Compact Zooms, ZEISS
Canon Service Center NY
Canon U.S.A., Inc. opens a service and support center in Ridgefield Park, New Jersey–across the George Washington Bridge from New York City. The repair center includes Canon’s advanced calibration equipment, spare parts, and an experienced repair staff. The new facility is available exclusively for Platinum and Gold level members of Canon’s Professional Services (CPS) program, including owners of Cinema EOS… read more…
Tags: Canon
ARRI Alexa Internal Filter Module
ARRI Alexa XT cameras will be delivered with the Internal Filter Module (IFM) filter holder installed — except the Alexa Studio which has its own motorized ND filter system and cannot use of the Internal Filter Module. The filters that go into the IFM are called FSNDs. They are not included with the Alexa XT cameras, and have to be purchased separately…. read more…
Tags: Alexa, ARRI, FSNC, IFM, Internal Filter Module
Denz at NAB
Just when I thought all was clear, a torrent of emails from every manufacturer announce additional new gear for NAB that did not make it in time for the hallowed print edition. Peter Denz has a top handle, top plate, supports and rigs for the Sony F5/F55 camera, Accessories for Canon C300/500, and a Power Hub. Most intriguing is a… read more…
Tags: Denz
Something’s Cooking at Angénieux and Cooke
Something’s cooking at Angénieux and Cooke. Some “things” will be announced later this week and seen at NAB in Angénieux Booth C6020 and Cooke Optics Booths C11149 and C11150.
Cine Gear Expo 2013
5/30/13 – 6/2/13
Cine Gear Expo 2013: We're in Booth 54 - NY Streets
Cine Gear Expo at Paramount Studios — now in its 16th year. read more…
Oblivion Sony F65 Report (PDF)
Reprint from Film and Digital Times Issue 53: interviews with Claudio Miranda, ASC about cinematography on Oblivion. Alex Carr, DIT on the film, discusses data management. Chris Cookson, President of Sony Pictures Technologies, talks about 4K in general. read more…
