Monthly Archives: September 2016

Teradek Bolt 1000 & 3000 Wireless Video

Here is an example of using a Teradek Bolt Wireless Video Transmitter and Receiver pair. You’re shooting handheld with a gimbal. Attach the lightweight Bolt TX (transmitter) to the camera. Connect a cable from the camera’s accessory DC output to the Bolt’s 2-pin Lemo power connector. Each transmitter works with up to four Bolt Receivers (RX). The receivers attach easily to… read more…

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Oskar Barnack Photography Award 2016

The 2016 Leica Oskar Barnack Awards returned to Berlin. The award ceremony took place in an event space that was once a church. Dr. Andreas Kaufmann, majority owner of Leica, explained the background of the award, named after Leica Camera inventor Oskar Barnack. The Leica Oskar Barnack Award for 2016 went to Scarlett Coten for her series of images ‘Mectoub’. The French photographer… read more…

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New 85mm f/2.4 ZEISS Loxia

The ZEISS Loxia 2.4/85 is the latest lens in the ZEISS family for mirrorless Sony full-frame E-mount cameras (a7 series). The ZEISS Loxia 2.4/85 joins the Loxia 2.8/21, Loxia 2/35 and Loxia 2/50. The new Loxia 2.4/85 is based on an optimized ZEISS Sonnar design, with seven lens elements in seven groups. Minimum object distance is 0.80 meters. The manual focus ring has a rotation angle… read more…

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Lello in Porto: Harry Potter Bookstore

JK Rowling roamed here. The Harry Potter author frequented Livraria Lello when she taught English in Porto, Portugal. It is one of the most beautiful bookstores in the world and certainly inspired not only Rowling but also set designers and the hundreds of tourists who swarm the fantastic spiral staircase and aisles. There’s a book trolley on tracks that looks like a Gringotts cart… read more…

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Medium Format the New 35mm?

Medium Format for Still Photography cropped up as a major theme at Photokina 2016 in Cologne. This is the world’s largest photo trade fair in the world. It’s helpful for cineastes to watch what’s happening in the still world. After all, as Godard said, “The cinema is truth 24 frames-per-second,” and the original RED concept was the recognition that a digital motion picture… read more…

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Panasonic Firmware Update for VariCam LT

Panasonic has a new firmware update for the VariCam LT that adds RAW output via two 3G-SDI terminals to an external RAW recorder at 4K or UHD 60p. RAW recording will be compatible with Convergent Design’s Odyssey 7Q and 7Q+ and the Atomos Shogun Inferno monitor/recorder. The RAW CinemaDNG file is compatible with DaVinci Resolve 12.5.1, Drastic Media Reactor 5.04 and upcoming… read more…

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DaVinci for DPs: Lens Correction

Blackmagic DaVinci Resolve 12.5.1 Studio has a terrific tool to correct lens distortion. Let’s say you’re intercutting fisheye, wide-angle, action shots with pristine, undistorted landscapes. You love the GoPro’s 170 degree field of view curving horizon. But the art director, client, producer— whoever has final cut and final say— doesn’t share your enthusiasm. There are two options. Reassemble the crew,… read more…

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Leica Noctilux 50mm F/0.95 M 0.8

Leica M 0.8 Leica Format (Full Frame 24x36mm) 50mm Noctilux pre-production model shown at Cinec. Iris scale is now nicely beveled.

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OppCam Universal Monitor Mount System

  OppCam Universal Monitor Mount System (UMMS) is not a yoke, nor is it a typical VESA Mount. It is a new, secure way to mount a monitor onto a stand. Nearly all HD monitors today support VESA mounting. The full mouthful of the name is VESA FDMI—Video Electronics Standards Association Flat Display Mounting Interface. It’s a consumer electronics standard… read more…

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Leica Cine MacroLux and Summicron-C

Here’s an interesting use for Macro close-up attachments to reduce depth of field. Most of the time, Macros (Proxars) are used for extreme close-ups at minimum distance. Here’s a user story about working with Leica Summicron-C lenses and Leica Cine Macrolux. read more…

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Full Frame & S35 Lenses at IBC

Full Frame was careening inexorably down the corridors of IBC like the stagecoach in the opening of The Hateful Eight. But a curious thing was afoot. IBC was packed with a plethora of Full Frame cine lenses. But there was a perplexing paucity of Full Frame cine cameras. What’s going on here? Why was the cart before the horse? read more…

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Canon C700 Possible to Expand to Full Frame, 18×24, S35 and other Formats

Update. It seems that the new Canon Cinema EOS C700 camera has been designed from the outset with additional sensors in mind. This may include Full Height S35 18×24 mm, Full Frame 24×36, VistaVision, and possibly other formats. It will most likely depend on feedback from users, rental houses, cinematographers and camera crews. This is not an official announcement from Canon. But… read more…

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Carl Zeiss 200th Birthday

Today marks the 200th birthday of Carl Zeiss, founder of ZEISS. Carl Zeiss opened a small workshop for precision mechanics and optics in Jena in 1846. This was the beginning of a company that would grow into the major technology company it is today. Read more about ZEISS history, optics and factory tour in this FDTimes special report. read more…

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Sony SEL PZ 18-110mm F4 G OSS

Sony’s newest E-Mount lens is a Super 35mm lens with power servo-zoom capability specifically designed for motion picture taking. The new lens, the E PZ 18-110mm F4 G OSS, covers both Super 35mm & APSC sensors. For a 6x zoom lens (18 to 110 focal range) it is surprisingly compact and lightweight coming in at only 2.4 lb (1.1 kg) –with a… read more…

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FDTimes September Edition 2nd Cover

This is the rear cover of September 2016 FDTimes, going online and in the mail at the opening of IBC — Friday, Sept 9. That’s Cinematographer Pierre Edelmann with the a Sigma Full Frame Cine Lens on RVZ’s RED 8K VV camera. Download the 20-page 3.7 MB PDF of the Sigma article — which also includes a comprehensive tour of the Sigma Factory in northern Japan and an interview with Kazuto Yamaki, CEO of Sigma. read more…

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Leica M 0.8 Full Frame Lenses

From Leica: another decisive moment. Leica Summilux-C and Summicron-C lenses were the result of repeated requests from cinematographers for legendary Leica optics in dedicated Super35 format cine lenses. Now CW Sonderoptic, sister company to Leica Camera, is bringing the iconic characteristics of Leica M Full Frame lenses back to the cinema world with new Leica M 0.8 lenses. read more…

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Canon Professional HDR 4K/UHD Displays

Canon U.S.A. has announced two new 4K/UHD displays  – the DP-V2420, a 24-inch high-luminance 4K reference display and the DP-V1710, a 17-inch 3840 x 2160 4K reference display, for use on set, in broadcasting vans, and in studios. read more…

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Optic Service Technician – AbelCine NY

Location: New York, NY Department: Service – NY Type: Full Time Min. Experience: Mid Level   AbelCine is a supplier to the motion picture, broadcast and new media industries. They offer sales, training, rental, repair and finance services to the professional production community with offices in NY, CHI and LA. The NYC headquarters is currently seeking a Service Technician to join our… read more…

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Sigma Full Frame and S35 Cine Lenses

The rumors are confirmed. The big booth at IBC makes sense: Sigma is jumping into the cinema industry with a new line of CINE LENSES. The big news is that most of them are Full Frame, High Speed, ridiculously small and incredibly light. At IBC, Sigma introduces a new line of Sigma Cine Lenses. The initial set will consist of five Full Frame Primes: 20, 24, 35, 50 and 85 mm, all T1.5 — and a Full Frame Zoom 24-35mm T2. For Super35, Sigma offers two fast zooms: 18-35mm T2 and 50-100mm T2. read more…

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Angénieux Type EZ Zooms: FF and S35

Here are two new, convertible, compact zooms from Thales Angénieux. They cover both Super35 and Full Frame/VistaVision. This is a new paradigm for Angénieux: an affordable zoom lens filling the gap between the DSLR and Cinema lenses for the growing corporate, documentary and owner-operator markets. At IBC, Angénieux debuts two models. Type EZ-1 is a standard 3x zoom. Type EZ-2 is a wide-angle 2.7x zoom. Both lenses have exchangeable rear lens groups and hence the ability to be swapped between Super35mm format and Full Frame/VistaVision. read more…

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