Author Archives: Jon Fauer
Barry Ackroyd, BSC – Angenieux Tribute at Cannes
May 26, 2023. Interview with Barry Ackroyd, BSC. He will be honored with the Pierre Angénieux Tribute this evening at the Cannes Film Festival. Above: Barry Ackroyd, BSC handheld with Aaton Penelope on Captain Phillips. Right handgrip is a gear shift from a car. Barry said, “The single handle leaves the left hand free to steady the camera but more importantly free to zoom.” Olly Driscoll, Focus Puller, at right. Photo © Jonathan Olley. read more…
Jarred Land Interview about new KOMODO-X
The last time we saw Jarred Land holding the KOMODO for FDTimes was in a cover photo that just happened to be taken by Brad Pitt in Los Angeles. This time, Jarred is holding the new KOMODO-X in the trendy fashion film and photo stages at Pier 59 in New York, this time taken by me. His interview begins, “We call the new camera KOMODO-X and it’s not a KOMODO 2. KOMODO-X gives you twice the frame rates of KOMODO (up to 80 fps at 6K 17:9 and 120 fps at 4K 17:9). It uses a much faster CFexpress card for data, just like the RAPTOR. KOMODO-X fits nicely between the KOMODO and the Super35 V-RAPTOR, at a reasonable price. read more…
Nikon Z 8
If you loved the Nikon Z 9 but wished for a lighter, smaller Full Frame mirrorless hybrid still/video camera, Nikon now has the new Z 8. Nikon is definitely focused on cine as well as stills—the Z 8 records RAW internally: 12-bit N-RAW up to 8K 60p and ProRes RAW up to 4K 60p.
There are so many impressive things about this new camera that exclamation marks should replace bullet points: read more…
Tags: Nikon Z 8
Claudio Miranda, ASC on DJI Inspire 3
The new DJI Inspire 3 can work like a hovering dolly with repeatable waypoints and 1 cm accuracy.
That’s Claudio Miranda, ASC out of focus on the cover. He shot a 2 1/2 minute launch film for the new Inspire 3. It is a spirited sand-and-sandals epic chase through an ancient Roman marketplace.
EXT. Imperium Romanum Market – DAY.
Wide crane shot moves into CU of a pickpocket snatching the purse from a vintage vegetable vendor. Wait, wait—this cannot be a crane shot because the camera keeps moving along a narrow alleyway. Centurions pursue pickpocket, jumping over carts, skirting columns and obstacles, under beams, through a torch-lit interior, culminating in a fun anachronism of an ending as the camera soars from extremely close to very, very wide. read more…
AJA ColorBox v2.0
AJA updates ColorBox with firmware v2.0 for Colorfront Engine support, the latest ORION-CONVERT and BBC HLG LUTs, — and introduces new user overlay features and expanded test patterns.
ColorBox is a compact, high-performance conversion, look and color management device for cine production, live events and broadcasting.
ColorBox is controlled with a web browser user interface that includes video preview.
ColorBox supports Standard Dynamic Range (SDR), High Dynamic Range (HDR), and Wide Color Gamut (WCG) signals using 12G-SDI and HDMI 2.0 single wire connections for 4K/UltraHD HDR up to 4:2:2 10-bit 60p or 4:4:4 12-bit 30p. read more…
Tags: AJA ColorBox v2.0
SmallHD Factory Tour
Imagine the inducements to visit SmallHD in Cary, North Carolina. Haute cuisine and haute technology, not in that order. For sure, we’re here to explore the high technology of SmallHD.
It’s an easy 2-hour flight from New York’s newly renovated La Guardia Airport to Raleigh-Durham. You’re in Research Triangle territory and the campuses of Duke, UNC-Chapel Hill, and NC State University. Apple, Google, Toyota, IBM, Cisco, Amazon, Epic Games, Qualcomm and Red Hat are among the many high-tech companies neighboring high-tech SmallHD. read more…
ARRI ZMU-4 Wired/Wireless Zoom Control
The full version of this article will be in Film and Digital Times April 2023 Issue 120 going online this Thursday, April 13, around 9:30 am EDT. Check the homepage, top left. The print edition will be distributed at NAB beginning Sunday April 16 and mailed as well.
ARRI introduces their new ZMU-4 zoom controller. It works seamlessly in wired and wireless configurations. This is the fourth incarnation of the ZMU. It is ergonomic, rugged and weather-resistant. Zoom motor control, camera start/stop and camera functions controls are combined in one device. read more…
Seriously? Sirius 1x Atlas Anamorphics
Fatigued by flares? Sick of streaks? Bored with oval bokeh? Vexed by vintage? On this first day of April, Atlas Lens Co announces Sirius Anamorphic primes with a 1.0x squeeze ratio. How does that work? We don’t know. 65mm ÷ 1.0 = 65mm. As their website explains, “Classical round bokeh, no more distracting streak flares, artisanal aspect ratio. Seriously? Sirius? (Disclaimer:… read more…
FDTimes at NAB 2023
Film and Digital Times is back at NAB 2023.
We’re in Central Hall, booth C5151.
Get your free Exhibit Pass by using our FREE code LV39733 when registering:
https://invt.io/1exbtt34vio
Exhibit Hall Hours:
Sunday, April 16 | 10 a.m. – 6 p.m.
Monday, April 17 | 9 a.m. – 6 p.m.
Tuesday, April 18 | 9 a.m. – 6 p.m.
Wednesday, April 19 | 9 a.m. – 2 p.m. read more…
Naomi Kawase, Director of TOKYO 2020
Here’s an interview with the Official “Tokyo 2020″ Olympic Film director, Naomi Kawase. The film was produced in two parts: one showing the Games from the point of view of the athletes (Side A), and the other of the staff and volunteers (Side B). Side A premiered at the Cannes Film Festival on May 25, 2022.
Naomi Kawase was the youngest filmmaker to win the Caméra d’Or award for best debut director at the Festival de Cannes with her first feature, “Suzaku,” released in 1997. She is the first Japanese woman to be appointed a UNESCO goodwill ambassador in recognition of her film work, which focuses on the stories of women across generations.
“Tokyo 2020” was produced by the Kinoshita Group and the Tokyo 2020 Organizing Committee, in collaboration with the International Olympic Committee (IOC).
Yas Mitsuwa of NAC, Inc. arranged this interview and did simultaneous translation during our video conference. read more…
Cooke Varotal Zoom Lens History
Cooke introduced new Varotal/i FF Full Frame zoom lenses in 2021 and 2022: 30-95 mm T2.9, 85-215 mm T2.9, and 19-40 mm T2.9. Here’s a brief history of earlier Cooke Varotal Zooms from Arthur Warmisham’s first commercially manufactured variable focal (zoom) lens for cinematography (Cooke Varo 40-120mm cine lens for 35mm format), assembled and sold by Bell & Howell. In 1971, Cooke introduced their Varotal 20-100mm, f2.8 / T3.1 Zoom. read more…
Otto Blad and Otto Desć
Otto Desć ads that aired yesterday during the Oscars got our best spot award. Although legendary filmmaker Otto Desćinski is a spoof, as is the FDTimes best spot award, Autodesk is good and real.
Otto Blad is also very real. Ottoblad lenses are named for Otto Nemenz. Introduced at BSC Expo, they are Hasselblad/Zeiss Medium Format lenses wonderfully rehoused by P+S Technik of Munich. The project was initiated by Otto Nemenz International, Fritz Heinzle (Executive VP of ONI) and Gerhard Baier (Managing Director of P+S Technik).
The ring that got everyone’s attention at BSC Expo was the rear ring of the Ottoblads. Calibrated and numbered 0 – 6, you can dial in various degrees of detuning/tuning. read more…
Mike Prickett, 100 Foot Wave, 50-1000 Zooms
Michael Prickett, DP on the HBO documentary series “100 Foot Wave”, won a 2022 Emmy for Outstanding Cinematography. The 6-part series centers on big wave surfer Garrett McNamara and giant waves at Nazaré, Portugal. Equipment included Canon EOS C500 MkII, RED MONSTRO 8K, V-RAPTOR, Phantom 4K Flex and Canon Cine-Servo 50-1000mm zooms, among other things. read more…
MYT Works Opti-Glide Compact
MYT Works will travel from Brooklyn to Battersea and BSC Expo on Feb 24-25 to present their newest product.
The Opti-Glide Compact is the latest evolution of their popular Opti-Glide which is used in many rental houses worldwide. The Compact model has the same features as its predecessor but has more customization options at a much more affordable price. Opti-Glide is a camera checkout bay system that elegantly moves focus chart relative to a camera. read more…
Fujifilm X-H2S with Frame.io
Fujifilm announced new firmware for their X-H2S digital camera with Fujifilm FT-XH file transmitter battery grip “that will provide the world’s first native Camera- to-Cloud (C2C) integration capability for digital still cameras,” in partnership with Frame.io. The firmware, expected in spring 2023, will enable users to send still or video files directly from the camera to Frame.io cloud servers. read more…
Tags: C2C, frame.io, Fujifilm FT-XH, Fujifilm X-H2S, Zoom Lens
Michael Cioni on Frame.io C2C and Partners
Michael Cioni was like an orchestra conductor in a candy store at Cine Gear LA this past June. With BSC Expo coming up, I expect to see cameras, audio recorders and post production apps festooned again with Adobe Frame.io Camera to Cloud and Adobe’s Creative Cloud services.
Michael Cioni called with interesting comments a few months ago. Ask Michael one question and that will elicit a wordflow —WORDFLOW! — that requires no additional prompting.
He began, “What’s fun is that this has actually been a long time coming. Even though we’ve had great success with Camera to Cloud thus far, adding the RED V-RAPTOR and the Fujifilm X-H2S took quite some time. There’s an old phrase that I love: “The best time to plant a tree is 20 years ago.” read more…
Nikon Z 9 for Cine
Nikon’s flagship, top-of-the-line hybrid, mirrorless digital still and cine camera is adept at both stills and video. Its 8K 12-bit video images are as spectacular as its stills. It feels like a longtime friend the moment you grab it. With the Z 9, Nikon unquestionably raised the bar on image quality, ergonomics and versatility for filming on location and in studios. Images from the 45.7MP Full Frame Stacked sensor are gorgeous. The camera’s tactile, ergonomic heft is familiar. It may remind you of a Nikon F4 from analog film days. Every button is familiar and intuitive. The Z 9 records internal 8.3K 12-bit N-RAW up to 60 fps, or 4.1K 12-bit N-RAW up to 120 fps, or 4.1K ProRes RAW up to 60 fps. read more…
Tags: Full Frame, Nikon, Nikon Z 9 for Cine, Nikon Z9
Mandy Walker, AM, ASC, ACS at ARRI Rental NY
1/31/23
Mandy Walker, AM, ASC, ACS at ARRI Rental NYC: Mandy Walker will discuss her work. Q&A. Refreshments
Mandy Walker, AM, ASC, ACS will discuss her work at an ARRI Close-Up event in New York on Tuesday, Jan 31 at ARRI Rental from 6:30 – 9:30 pm.
Ms. Walker has been nominated for an Oscar in Best Cinematography 2023 for her work on ELVIS. (AM, by the way, is Member of the Order of Australia, for service in a particular field of activity.)
There will be time for Q&A and refreshments. read more…
Tags: ACS at ARRI Rental NY, AM, ARRI Rental NY, ASC, ELVIS, Mandy Walker
FDTimes January 2023 Issue Updated
There’s a new page 33. Dan Sasaki, Senior Vice President of Optical Engineering and Lens Strategy at Panavision goes into detail about lenses used by Autumn Durald Arkapaw, ASC on Black Panther: Wakanda Forever.
Typos and errors were corrected, with thanks to readers and reps. And yes, the sun is 93 million miles away, not 239 thousand. read more…
ZEISS Cine Service Center in Korea
If you have been binging on beautifully photographed Korean movies and series lately, you may have been guessing which lenses were at work. To support one of the most vibrant film industries in the world, ZEISS and Saeki P&C announced the opening of a new ZEISS Authorized Cine Service Center in Seoul, Korea.
This is the fourth facility in the world equipped with genuine ZEISS measurement instruments and test equipment. Lenses brought to the Service Center will undergo the same level of care as if they were at the ZEISS Headquarters’ service department.
