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…
Sony RIALTO Mini
Sony shrunk RIALTO by 70%.
The new VENICE Extension System Mini (aka RIALTO Mini) is a wonderful new tethered sensor/lens mount block that is shorter than an iPhone.
The VENICE Extension System Mini (CBK-3621XS) is Sony’s latest addition to the CineAlta line. It attaches directly to the VENICE 2 cinema camera.
RIALTO Mini has a VENICE 2 8K sensor. It is about 70% smaller than the original RIALTO, is significantly lighter and fits in the palm of your hand. It has a Sony E-mount with a PL Mount Attachment.
Picture these setups: mounted in places you wouldn’t have dreamed of or made much easier, handheld, stunts, skiing, sailing, rigged. To paraphrase Peter O’Toole in The Stunt Man, “If you could have done the tricks this camera can do, you’d be a happy person.” 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…
GFX ETERNA 65mm Open Gate
Fujifilm’s 65mm format GFX ETERNA evolves. The latest working prototype appeared under glass at CP+ Expo in Yokohama from February 27 to March 2.
There are major updates and innovations. Above all, it records Open Gate (full width and full height) — the entire sensor (43.8mm wide x 32.9mm high). This is the tallest sensor in the 65mm format family. With an image diagonal of 54.78 mm Ø), it is approximately 1.7 times larger than Full Frame (36 x 24 mm, 43.3 mm Ø). 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…
SIGMA BF Camera
BF. Beautifully Fun. Best Friend. Brilliantly Fast Camera from SIGMA.
SIGMA Corporation CEO Kazuto Yamaki explained that the name BF stands for Beautiful Foolishness. It comes from The Book of Tea, A Japanese Harmony of Art, Culture, and the Simple Life, written by Okakura Kakuzō in 1906.
The context of “foolishness” here is not negative. In juxtaposing Beautiful with Foolishness, both Kakuzo and Kazuto are elevating something that is normally functional to a level that is artistic, stylish, interesting and perhaps seeking perfection in imperfection.
This is not your father’s mirrorless camera. The SIGMA BF has 4 buttons and a dial. You operate these with your thumb to control the five things that matter the most: shutter speed, aperture, ISO, exposure compensation and look. The shutter release / record start-stop is on top.
February 24, 2025. 9 AM. The new SIGMA BF camera premiered at SIGMA Corporation’s worldwide headquarters in Kawasaki, Kanagawa. It’s an hour ride from Roppongi Hills—west, direction Mt. Fuji. read more…
Tags: SIGMA BF, SIGMA BF Camera
BSC Expo 2025 Slideshow
BSC Expo 2025 was the location for the latest working pre-release Blackmagic URSA Cine 17K 65 and a FUJIFLM ETERNA 65 under glass. Dominick Aiello got measurements and had Wooden Camera accessories ready for the yet-unreleased camera. So did Vocas.
Cooke showed a prototype Panchro/i 65 prime. Leitz rebranded THALIA to THALIA 65 and had a super wide 20mm prime. Geck0-Cam also had a hot-off the assembly bench 65mm Ayana prime.
RED DIGITAL CINEMA showed V-RAPTOR [X] and KOMODO-X cameras with Nikon Z Mount and the new cinematized Z Mount NIKKOR Z 28-135mm f/4 PZ.
Nanlux premiered their incredibly bright new EVOKE 5000B (5K COB LED).
And lots more… read more…
Tags: BSC Expo 2025 Slideshow
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…
ALEXA 35 Base Model with Flexible Licenses
The ALEXA 35 is now available from ARRI as one of two models. The existing ALEXA 35 (with the black jogwheel) has been renamed “ALEXA 35 with Premium License” and the new model (identified by a blue jogwheel) is called “ALEXA 35 with Base License.” The new, lower-cost ALEXA 35 Base model has the same hardware and sensor as the Premium model, but has a reduced feature set that can be upgraded with several licenses. 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…
Leica SL3-S for Cine & Stills Camera
Cinematographers everywhere will appreciate the new Leica SL3-S.
The SL3-3 takes amazing stills for location scouting or for personal use, works not only as a Directors Finder or for pre-viz, but also records full-height (Open Gate) full-frame (Leica Format) moving images.
In a landscape where many cameras crop the sensor to 16:9 or less than full height, the SL3-3 covers the entire 24MP, 3:2 Open Gate sensor area (approx 35.64 x 23.76 mm) to record up to 6K internally and 6K RAW externally. 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
Kinefinity HDMI e-Viewfinder
Kinefinity continues to impress with great Electronic Viewfinders.They introduced their EAGLE SDI e-Viewfinder last July. Now there’s a wonderful HDMI version. It works with most cinema cameras, DSLRs and mirrorless cameras that have HDMI video outputs.
As with the SDI model, the new HDMI e-Viewfinder has a Micro OLED 1080P display. This is one of the most compact and lightweight EVFs on the market. It starts up quickly, has low power consumption and almost zero latency. It connects to video via a full-size HDMI port and is powered via a USB-C. read more…
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
Blackmagic URSA Cine Immersive Camera
Just when we thought Blackmagic was busy enough with their new 12K LF and 17K 65 URSA Cine Cameras, along comes this 2x 8K Stereo 3D camera for Apple Vision Pro. Blackmagic Design announced their new Blackmagic URSA Cine Immersive Camera today. Designed to shoot Apple Immersive Video for the Apple Vision Pro — it’s expected to ship in 2025. read more…
ARRI ALEXA 265 Camera Report
Download the Film and Digital Times 32-page ARRI ALEXA 265 Camera Report.
Free 10 MB PDF.
ARRI ALEXA 265 is lighter and smaller than predecessors ALEXA 65 and 765. The 265 camera has a 65mm format sensor measuring a familiar 54.12 x 25.58 mm (59.86 mm Ø diagonal. 6560 x 3100 photosites.) The camera body is about the same size as an ALEXA 35–slightly wider to accommodate the bigger sensor, so most ALEA 35 accessories fit. Data wrangling is streamlined. fdtimes.us/alexa265 read more…
Cooke Panchro 65/i Lens Series
Who said there aren’t enough lenses for 65mm format?
November 12, 2024. Cooke Optics announced their Panchro 65/i Lens Series—designed specifically for 65mm Larger Format digital cinema cameras.
The Panchro 65/i series will include six focal lengths:
30mm T2.8, 40mm T2.8, 55mm T2.5, 75mm T2.5, 100mm T2.5, and 152mm T2.9.
They all stop down to T22 and are equipped with Cooke’s latest intelligent /i technology. The Panchro 65/i series is lightweight across the range (1.8 kg to 2.3 kg). read more…
