News
FDTimes April 2025 & NAB Editions

Film and Digital Times will be at NAB Show 2025.
Get a free copy of the FDTimes NAB Edition at our booth N1372 in the North Hall, or in the FDTimes Publication Bin near the North Hall entrance, or at many booths throughout NAB Show 2025 in the Las Vegas Convention Center.
Meanwhile, download a free online PDF edition.
Subscribers, your high-res printable PDF is also here.
And worldwide print editions will be in the mail. (They are the same as the NAB Edition.)
See you soon! read more…
CP+ 2025 Imaging Show Japan

CP+ 2025 (International Camera and Photo Imaging Show) ran from Feb 27 – March 2 on Yokohama’s waterfront in the beautiful Pacifico convention center. It is described as “the world’s largest photo, camera and imaging equipment show.” Organized by the Camera and Imaging Products Association (CIPA) of Japan, 125 companies exhibited and more than 50,000 visitors attended. New product launches and announcements included SIGMA, Panasonic LUMIX, Fujifilm, Petzval, RED, ZEISS, Cosina, and many more. read more…
SIGMA BF Beautiful Fun

BF stands for Beautiful Foolishness. The new SIGMA BF is also Beautifully Fun, Beneficially Fast, Bellissima Fashionista, Bravely Functional.
But in Italy, I am also called a BF. Buona Forchetta. The Good Fork. Someone who likes to wield a big fork over a fine meal. So named by Jacques Lipkau Goyard and Elisabetta Cartoni.
Here in Japan, Masako Misako calls me Film and Delicious Times. And so, BF the person takes BF the camera for a day of street and restaurant photography in Tokyo. read more…
FDT at BSC

Film and Digital Times February 2025 Worldwide Edition goes online at 9am EST February 12. Print editions are in the mail.
A Special BSC Expo Print Edition will be distributed at BSC Expo London.
See you there — at BSC Expo 2025 in Battersea Evolution, London. Lots to see. Register now.
Friday 14 Feb 10am to 7pm.
Saturday 15 Feb 10am to 5pm.
Many new products to see. More than 160 exhibitors. Bigger Picture cameras and lenses. Panel discussions and demos. As always, this is one of the best shows of the year. read more…
Johanna Coelho, Cinematographer of THE PITT

THE PITT is a 15-episode series about a 15-hour shift in a Pittsburgh hospital emergency room. It is airing now on MAX. They call it “a realistic examination of the challenges facing healthcare workers in today’s America as seen through the lens of the frontline heroes working in a modern-day hospital.” THE PITT comes from ER and West Wing executive producer John Wells, a graduate of Carnegie Mellon School of Drama in Pittsburgh. It may remind you of ER with West Wing brilliant dialog.
Johanna Coelho is the cinematographer of THE PITT. They were still filming in January when we discussed her work on the series. read more…
Leica SL3-S with Leitz ELSIE 15mm

A DP walks into a museum. What could possibly go wrong? The DP is trying out the new Leica SL3-S camera and new Leitz ELSIE 15mm prime cine lens. In fact, nothing goes wrong in the Parrish Art Museum. hat better place to illustrate the prowess of the wonderfully wide angle 15mm ELSIE than the large and high-ceilinged indoor space of the Parrish Art Museum in Water Mill? The DP stumbles upon an interesting exhibit: Ralph Gibson—Nature : Object. He films and photographs the photographs, testing 6K Open Gate SL3-S and ELSIE’s angles of view. https://fdtimes.us/elsie15mm read more…
Serra on SENNA

The 6-hour Netflix series SENNA follows the life of legendary F1 driver Ayrton Senna with white knuckle racing scenes, action, drama and stunning cinematography by Azul Serra, ABC and Kauê Zilli, ABC (Association of Brazilian Cinematographers). It was a huge production in Uruguay, Brazil and Argentina—including six ALEXA 35 cameras, four RED cameras, 266 cases of cameras, lenses and equipment – 2500 kgs of gear.” Here’s an interview with Azul Serra, thanks to Michael Keegan at Netflix and Ernesto Musitelli, Managing Director of Musitelli Film and Digital. read more…
Tags: Azul Serra ABC, Netflix, SENNA, Serra on SENNA
P. Scott Sakamoto on A COMPLETE UNKNOWN

P. Scott Sakamoto, SOC talked about operating on A COMPLETE UNKNOWN: “I’ve worked on two movies with director Jim Mangold and he loves having the Steadicam. Often, when we rehearse a scene and he sees me setting up a dance floor for the dolly, he says, ‘I don’t want you to be on the dolly. I want you to be on the Steadicam.’ Because he often improvises the shot and doesn’t want camera moves to be restricted, he just prefers the freedom of a Steadicam. Jim and Phedon Papamichael, ASC, GSC have made several exceptional movies together and have a good rapport with each other. They know how to dance and tell a compelling cinematic story. It is a pleasure to come up with shots to advance that narrative at the right time with the right equipment.” read more…
Phedon Papamichael, ASC, GSC, GCA on “A Complete Unknown”

Phedon Papamichael, ASC, GSC, GCA and Sony’s Tanya Lyon were in New York for a pre-release screening of A Complete Unknown. (It opened on Christmas day.) We meet at a favorite restaurant—Sistina, across from the Met Museum. Storaro likes the table in the back corner of the back room where the light is always beautiful. Skylights above make it just… read more…
Band Pro Open House 2024

Band Pro One World Open House 2024 opened on Thursday December 12 from 1 to 8 pm in Burbank, CA.
Alice Brooks, ASC was the guest of honor. She has been flying a lot lately, on the wings of recently released WICKED, directed by Jon Chu. Band Pro’s Open House was packed. Exhibitors included Angénieux, Blackmagic Design, Bright Tangerine, Canon, Fujinon, Ronford Baker, SIGMA, Sony, 16X9 and many more. read more…
Tags: Band Pro Open House 2024
ARRI Ensō Primes – Updated Report

This is an updated Special Report about ARRI Ensō Prime Lenses. In time for InterBEE in Japan (Nov 13-15), this report now includes a Factory Tour with new images of manufacturing, full specifications, details, travels in Suwa, Japan with Ensō Primes, and Tom Fährmann’s Ensō Launch Film. read more…
FDTimes Nov 2024 Edition Updated

Film and Digital Times November 2024 Issue 128 is updated and expanded from 64 to 80 pages. New articles include: DJI Ronin RS4 Pro with Focus Pro Hand Unit and LiDAR; Ronford-Baker Atlas Mini 7; ARRI Ensō Manufacturing; nittoh: from Silk to Cine Lenses; Tom Fährmann Up Close with Ensō; SIGMA Manual / Autofocus Cine Lens; additions, corrections and more. Download — https://fdtimes.us/nov24
ARRI Ensō Prime Lenses

ARRI Ensō Primes are affordable Large Format (Full Frame) lenses, with focal lengths from 10.5mm to 250mm. Most of them have a maximum aperture of T2.1 and they come in LPL mounts with LDS and /i lens metadata. ARRI’s acronym is “EP.”
The initial core set—shipping in November 2024—consists of 18, 24, 32, 47, 75 and 105 mm. It includes an Ensō Vintage Elements Kit of 6 diopters that attach magnetically to the rear of the lens.
Next year, the 10.5, 14, 21, 28, 40, 58, 150 and 250 mm primes will be added, along with a 1.4x and 2x tele extender. read more…
Tags: ARRI Ensō Prime Lenses
Wooden Camera AKS for Canon Cinema EOS C80

The Canon Cinema EOS C80 just arrived, and wouldn’t you know it — Wooden Camera has an Elite Accessory System for it:
Top Plate, a new ARCA Riser Plate, NATO Side Rail, Canon ¼”-20 Ridge Plate, Gold and V-Mount Battery Slide power options, a Core Accessory System letting you use Canon’s Carry Handle, and lots more. read more…
FDT at IBC 2024 Amsterdam

This is the cover of Film and Digital Times September 2024 Issue 127, going online here September 10 — in time for IBC 2024 in Amsterdam, September 13-16. It will contain many new product announcements, in-depth how-to articles, user stories, and more. read more…
Sony Cine Camera Reports

This 80-page FDTimes Special Edition began at the beginning of the year when colleagues called in with stories about recent jobs that happened to be filmed with Sony VENICE, BURANO and FX3 cameras.
These are not eulogies or reviews or production paeans. Instead, they are somewhat technical, sometimes nerdy, always artistic discussions about interesting films and series with lots of details about lenses, lighting, LUTs, peppered with long discourses on Director-DP dynamics, crew management, psychology, color science, career beginnings, film schools, first jobs, and all the other tales told on location waiting for the sun to rise, the clouds to part, or the next shot in a glass after wrap. read more…
Jeromy Young, Atomos CEO and Co-Founder

The following short press release went out on January 15, 2024: “Melbourne, Australia. Jeromy Young, co-founder of Atomos, has returned as Managing Director and CEO. Young, who was previously CEO of Atomos for over 10 years, retired from executive duties in November 2021.” We caught up via video conference.
Jeromy said, “I am infatuated with our industry. It’s a place where you need to be at a reasonable technical level to even have a chance. I missed it. I missed running a company. I missed having people come on the journey of new ways to do things…” read more…
Cine Gear Expo LA 2024

Cine Gear LA 2024 exhibits opened on June 7 and 8 at Warner Bros Studios in Burbank, CA. But it was actually a week of activities: setup for exhibitors, parties, events, open houses, and new product introductions. read more…
Tags: Cine Gear Expo LA 2024