AbelCine Spring Tech Showcase NY

Normally the camera prep area–now the show floor

It was the best trade show of the year. Well, the best and only for me — having missed BSC Expo, AFC Micro Salon, NAB and Cannes for reasons that will become apparent on May 31. But there was no way to resist the AbelCine Spring Tech Showcase at their Industry City, Brooklyn location on Saturday, May 21.

It was an enjoyable, focused, comfortably-sized, local event — a full day of exhibits by the major camera, lens and lighting manufacturers, panel discussions and tech sessions. It was the premiere of the new BLACKWING7 amber SKIN program from TRIBE7, reminiscent of Canon FD and K35 vintage 1970s but without radioactive Thorium Oxide elements that you can check with a Geiger counter. The new Backwing7 Skins consist of front and rear elements with specially formulated, non-radioactive amber coatings. You can add an amber front barrel to designate the look. The amber skins can be purchased as additions to your existing Blackwing7 sets. A skilled lens technician can swap the elements. AbelCine distributes and services Blackwing7 lenses in the US.

Jay Holben was there, signing his definitive and encyclopedic The Cine Lens Manual. Co-authored with Chris Probst, ASC, it is an astonishing 836 pages long, profusely illustrated and beautifully peppered with photographs of every imaginable lens. It’s a must for every DP, AC, rental house and lover of lenses.

Canon showed their new T2.4 Flex Full Frame zooms: CN-E20-50mm T2.4 L F/FP wide-angle zoom and the CN-E45-135mm T2.4 L F/FP longer zoom. The Flex zooms come in EF or PL mount. The EF mount provides electronic shading and chromatic aberration correction when used on Canon’s EOS R5 C with an EOS RF-to-EF mount adapter. The R5 C also will display Flex zoom lens data (focal length, aperture and focus distance) as well as Manual Focus Guides (green arrows to guide you in to sharp focus.)

Tim Smith showed how seamless and simple it was to customize Angenieux Optimo Primes with their swappable internal element, swappable irises, front and rear filters.

Motion Impossible’s remote controlled, modular, motorized Agito dolly glided through the halls, navigated by Ben Dair, Chief Product Officer. Camera operators and dolly grips could practice their skills and perform dry runs on Motion Impossible’s simulator.

Declan Quinn ASC, Rick Gioia and Jordan Levie discussed their cinematic approach to capturing Broadway performances, moderated by Geoff Smith.

Vanja Cernjul ASC, M. David Mullen ASC and Antonio Riestra ASC presented a seminar on Painting with Light using Lenses, moderated by  Jay Holben.

DP Rick Siegel gave a presentation on the history of large sensor multi-cam in AbelCine’s Cinematic Multi-Cam Zone.

Becky Morrison (The Light – moderator), Jaz Lawrence (Free the Work) and Reema Elghossain (Netflix) presented a panel discussion “Insights and Inspirations: Leading Industry Voices for Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion.”

And lots more.

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