SmartShoot Producer's Blog

Nikon D4 Announced

 

2012 is going to be a big year for DSLR. Lots of new models set to launch but Nikon is going to be first to the market with the D4.

There's loads of new features in this camera that have been noticeably missing from video-enabled DSLR's. A few of the big improvements that the D4 has:

• Uncompressed HDMI output
• 3.5mm audio line-in with adjustable recording levels in 20 increments
• 3.5 mm audio line-out (finally can plug in headphones and monitor audio)
• Full-frame sensor with max ISO of 204,800
• Optional 1.5x and 2.7x crop modes in video shooting -- this essentially turns any lens into a telephoto without compromising image quality
• CF and XQD card slots (this future-proofs the camera for the new digital media card standards coming up)

Looks like launch date is set for February 16th. Price is set at $6,000 USD, huge jump from the likes of the 5D but the D4 is definitely a feature-rich camera.

The D4 is likely better suited to folks looking to do a lot of combination video/photo shooting. For full-on video shooters the Canon XF series, Sony FS100 or Panasonic AF100 are probably better options for the price.

There's a great full write-up by Dan Chung over at DSLR News Shooter that we definitely recommend checking out.

New Version of Magic Lantern Hack for 550D, 60D, 7D and 5D Users

Good news for Canon DSLR shooters; a new version of the awesome Magic Lantern hack is coming. This new version is unified so it'll work across Canon's full video-HDSLR line and has proven pretty darn reliable.

Some of the new features you get with the new version:

• Adjustable Bitrates
• Peaking
• Variable framerates
• HDR Video -  This blends 2 video feeds at different ISO's
• Movie Log - Captures metadata on your camera settings for video and saves a .txt alongside your video files

 

Great in-depth write-up over at EOSHD. Will be interesting to see how the new functions and capabilities will stack up against the hacked GH2

New GH2 Firmware Released - 25p and 30p Added

 

If you're a GH2 shooter you'll be happy to hear that Panasonic has just released an updated copy of their firmware for the camera.

Biggest feature here is the ability to shoot 25p and 30p frame-rates. These modes wraps your footage in a 50i or 60i stream respectively so an extra step during ingest to remove this and get true progressive frames.

No word on whether this update is compatible with the GH2 hack

You can download the update direct from Panny

 

The Best Camera Test Ever! - Canon C300

 

 

Needless to say there's been a lot buzz about Canon's new super-35 C300. Jonathan Yi has gone ahead and produced a great in-depth AND hilarious demo video showing off all the C300's bells and whistles

Once you stop drooling over what this camera can do think about pinching some pennies, just $19,999.99 more to go. 

What gets us more excited is the possibility of these features and raw imaging power coming down in price over the next few years.

FS100 Owners - Free Firmware Upgrades Coming from Sony

If you're an FS100 shooter you'll be excited to know that Sony's released a new firmware upgrade to add some pretty handy features to your camera. Here's the short list of the add-ons:

• Added 50Hz recording system (PAL): 1920×1080 50p, 50i, 25p and 1280×720 50p.
• Camera Profile (camera settings can be saved to and loaded from a memory card).
• Additional 4x and 8x Expanded Focus magnification: (with user selectable focus area).
• Selectable ISO or GAIN sensitivity display.
• Selectable Focus indication in FEET or METERS (E-mount lens only).
• Selectable Shutter indication as EXPOSURE TIME or SHUTTER ANGLE.
• Added the following Aspect-Ratio markers: 2.35:1, 1.85:1 and 1.66:1.
• Display ON/OFF button enables Zebra and/or Histogram overlay onto video output.
• Compatiblity with the new A-Mount to E-Mount adaptor, model LA-EA2. One push Auto-IRIS and Continuous 15-point, Phase-Detection Auto-Focus operation with most Alpha A-Mount lenses is available. Lens metadata is displayed onscreen and stored real time to image file.

Right now it looks like they aiming to release in the first weeks of 2012, a lot of buzz building from FS100 fans on this one

 

Video DSLR Finally Gets Line Output - Nikon D800

 

Some new pics and details popping up on the web this week regarding Nikon's successor to the D700. Only a few details right now but some here's some of  the features that we're excited about:

• 36 megapixel sensor
• Frame rates at 1080p/30/25/24 and 720p/60/30/25/24
• An honest-to-goodness line output (3.5mm TRS, allows you to plug in headphone and monitor audio)

If you're not taking advantage of B&H's Canon rebates then it might be worth waiting for the D800 to drop; initial estimates put pricing in the neighborhood at $3900

Check out Engadget and NikonRumors for more info

B&H + Canon DSLR Rebates

 

If you've been debating about jumping into the video DSLR world now might be the right time to take the plunge.

B&H Photo is offering some pretty nice rebates on Canon's full line of DSLR's. The 60D offers the most bang for the buck in terms of video shooting if you don't want to tack on the premium for the 7D or 5D. This being said the Rebel series (T2i, T3i, etc.) uses an identical sensor and processor as the other APS-C models so you get the same image quality for a nicer price.

The rebates run through November 23rd so still some time to take advantage

Picking your Gear - Great Little Vid

 

What's the best camera for video on the market right now? A tricky question that doesn't have a simple answer. Here's great little talk that Philip Bloom gave at MacVideo Expo that takes a stab at answering this conundrum.

Every camera has it's own strengths and shortcomings so saying one is objectively "best" is a bit ludicrous. 

Here's a few features that we think are a must:

• HD resolution
• 1/3" or larger 3-chip sensor OR 4/3" or greater large format single-chip sensor
• Tapeless recording media
• Audio inputs/outputs for mics and headphones (or spend a little extra on accessories to run dual system sound)

Obviously this still gives a wide breadth of options for you to choose from. It really boils down to how much $$$ you have to spend and how well a camera's functionality match your needs. If you're in a run-and-gun situation the functionality of ENG-style camera trumps the aesthetics of a DSLR's image no question. 

Our best advice? Don't spend endless weeks mulling over options or waiting for the new next-gen cam to drop. At the end of the day we all want to be out shooting instead of shopping so buy the camera that fits your needs right now and get going.

 

 

 

 

HD Cams on the Cheap

It goes without saying nowadays that if you're shooting on SD (or even first generation HD gear) that you're seeing your camera show it's age when it's footage is stacked up against the newer models coming out.

Fortunately there are a few excellent options for making the jump to newer HD technology without breaking the bank.

A few notes - all the following cameras shoot at 1080/24p (and other resolution/framerate combos) and record to SDHC cards (tapeless workflows rock BTW)

Without further ado here are some of our favorite budget HD cameras starting with the more traditional HD camcorders:

 

CANON XA10

Pros: XLR inputs, Dual SHDC slots (allows continuous and dual recording), Small form factor (for discrete shooting)

Cons: Fewer manual settings, menus can be cumbersome to navigate

 

CANON XF100

Pros: XLR inputs, Better menu and button layout than XA10, manual control of all settings, Excellent image quality for the price

Cons: Single chip sensor, single ring dedicated to zoom, focus and iris

 

Here's a great in depth review from Philip Bloom on both the XA10 and XF100:

Review of Canon XA10 XF100 XF105 from Philip Bloom on Vimeo.

 

PANASONIC HMC40

Pros: Least expensive camera with full-manual audio, 3-chip sensor

Cons: 1/4" chips and old image-processing tech can be trouble in low-light, XLR inputs only available by buying separate hotshoe accessory

 

IF YOU'RE LOOKING TO MAKE A HUGE LEAP IN IMAGE QUALITY THEN A DSLR MAY BE YOUR BEST CHOICE. THESE CAMERAS SHOOT CINEMATIC QUALITY IMAGES BUT LACK THE CONTROL OVER AUDIO LEVELS THAT YOU'RE USED TO SEEING IN A TRADITIONAL VIDEO CAMERA. IF AUDIO IS CRITICAL FOR YOUR PROJECT GRAB AN EXTERNAL AUDIO RECORDER AND RUN DUAL SYSTEM SOUND

 

CANON 60D

Pros: APS-C Sensor, Same imaging system found in the more expensive 7D, Articulated LCD screen

Cons: No audio input = no monitoring w/ headphones, 12-minute record limit on clips

 

PANASONIC GH2

Pros: Easy to navigate menus, very low aliasing and moire in images, bitrates up to 176 MB/S (if you're brave enough to patch the firmware), some manual control over audio levels, can accept a dizzying array of lenses by using inexpensive adapters

Cons: No audio input = no monitoring w/ headphones, Micro 4/3 chip creates a 2x crop factor on lenses, slightly noiser than larger chip cameras at high ISO's

 

At the end of the day it's all about the person behind the camera rather than the camera itself; this being said HD has become the new standard so you've got to keep up with the times.

Zacuto Shootout Episode 3 - WATCH IT NOW

The Great Camera Shootout 2011: Episode 3 ~ "It's Not So Black & White" from Steve Weiss on Vimeo.

 

If you've been following this series over the summer you've seen some pretty eye-opening stuff in terms of how quickly digital filmmaking is catching up with traditional celluloid formats. 

The 3rd and final chapter of Zacuto's 2011 shootout brings a close to extensive examination of some of the top large-format single-chip cameras (think Sony F3, Panny AF100, Arri Alexa, RED One-MX, etc.); specifically looking at how they stack up against film.

These guys won an Emmy last year for their dive into DSLR filmmaking so this is definitely material you'll want to check out.

 

We also caught a great little post from Vincent Laforet's blog about his take on the future of Kodak film, digital filmmaking and how the new tech rolling out will evolve the industry.

 

 

JVC's 4K Camcorder?!

 

 

Some interesting news from JVC at this year's IBC. Looks like they may be potentially dipping into the 4K terriority being dominated by RED right now.

If you're familar with their prosumer HM100 then you know it's a decently powerful camera in a very small footprint - perfect for the guerrilla filmmaker set.

Now it seems they're toying with putting 4K technology in the same petite form factor. Philip Bloom has got a nice write up on it.

Looks like the camera records to 4 SDHC cards simultaneously with each card dedicated to one quadrant of the image. Proprietary software bundled with the camera would handle stitching the files from the component cards into the final image.

It'll be interesting to see where they go with this one.

 

Sony's A77 Reviewed - Better than the 7D?

 

A really great in-depth look at Sony's new HDSLR from Pop Photo. We've not seen much sample footage from this camera but initial reports are that it hits a few sweet spots.

APS-C sensor - check, dust & moisture proofing - yep, fully articulated LCD - you betcha. Throw in Sony's new translucent mirror technology and you've a camera that can shoot full HD video through an optical viewfinder (as oppose to the delayed visual feedback you get from an EVF).

First official verdict we've heard is that the A77 tops the 7D in overall.

What're your thoughts? Is this camera a must-have for DSLR videographers or should it get a pass?

Check out Lytro's Light Field Camera

 

 

This is a really cool new gadget from startup Lytro. They are calling it the light-field camera and it may wind being the end of having to focus your camera. How does it do it? In a nutshell the Lytro camera captures all light info in the scene, not just the light hitting the image sensor. More deftly put:

"a light field camera first separates rays of light in order to individually record their color, intensity and direction. This extra information opens up a world of possibilities, including the ability to focus on any depth of field within a taken photo, observe a 3D-type effect even without specs, and boost images taken in extremely low light."

The technology itself has been around a while but Lytro has figured out a way to commoditize it. They have said that this will technology will eventually make it into the video world as well as the still world.

Thoughts? Questions? Let us know below.

Hooray for Science

 

Zacuto Shootout 2011 - Ep. 1 Released!

The Great Camera Shootout 2011 ~ Trailer from steve weiss on Vimeo.

 

Big news for all the gearheads out there; Zacuto (fine purveyor of awesome high-quality camera accessories) has just released the 1st episode of their Emmy award-winning Great Camera Shootout series.

For those unfamiliar with the Shootout here's the skinny: Zacuto has gathered pro's from nearly every area of film and video to run the top cameras on the market through some very rigorous tests to give us all a great side-by-side comparison of what the big brands are offering.

The 2010 Shootout focused on the new wave of video-DSLR's but for 2011 Zacuto is comparing the latest single-chip video cameras against traditional film. Here's a rundown of the models you'll see:

• 35mm Kodak 5213 & 5219 Film
• Arri Alexa
• RED ONE M-X
• Weisscam HS-2
• Phantom Flex
• Sony F-35
• Sony F3
• Panasonic AG-AF100
• Canon 5D Mark II
• Canon 7D
• Canon 1D Mark IV
• Nikon D7000

This is one of the best web series' in production and offers up droves of information and insights on these cameras so definitely check it out.

Episode 1 deals exclusively with Dynamic Range and Latitude. Episode 2 and Episode 3 drop in July and August respectively so it will definitely be an exciting summer

 

 

 

AF100 vs. FS100 vs. F3

 

If you're in the market for a new camera chances are you've taken a look at these latest interchangeable lens cameras from Panny and Sony. 

Fresh from Philip Bloom's blog is some of the first side-by-side-by-side test footage shot with all threecameras. 

Check out the low-light test above and the rest of the videos here

Definitely some stunning imagery coming out of each of these cameras; more to come soon hopefully. Keep your eyes peeled for the 2011 Zacuto Shootout coming soon for a real in depth analysis of each of these bad boys.

 

 

Big News from Sony - NEX FS100 Dropping in May

 

Rumors of this camera have been floating around the blogosphere for quite some time. Now initial previews are coming and word is Sony's really pulled out all the stops with their new NEX FS100.

There's so many great features to highlight on this camera that it'd be a struggle to cram them into one blog post. In essence it's a EX1/EX3 sup'ed up with all the best features from the HDSLR world. This may wind up being the perfect marriage of video camera and HDSLR.

For a really great in depth look at the FS100 check out this video review from the guys over at the F-Stop Academy

 

 

Looks like the release date on this bad boy is set for May and initial pricing reports put it in the neighborhood of $6550

 

 

Top Ten HDSLR gear choices

In case you want to do some shopping for yourself this holiday season, check out this top 10 list of gear to outfit your HDSLR.

 

 

Webinar: How DSLR Cameras and AdobePremiere Pro Help Movies Get Made

This just hit our inbox from our friends at Videography magazine.

Due to its small, unintimidating footprint and excellent photography in low light, DSLR cameras are finding their way on movie sets everywhere.

In this free seminar, Shane Hurlbut, ASC and Jacob Rosenberg discuss how their movie Act of Valor was shot using Canon EOS 5D Mark II DSLR cameras and how Adobe Premiere Pro was used on set to natively edit the DSLR files in real time.

They will explain the workflow they used to edit the film and how Adobe helped knock down roadblocks in post-production.

Click here to register.

The New Wave - Interchangeable Lens Video Cameras from Panny and Sony

 

Ever wonder what would happen if a video camera and video-DLSR had a baby? These 2 new models from Sony and Panasonic may be the answer to that question.

Sony's new VG10 is similar in size and handling to consumer-level HD cams like the Vixia series but it comes equipped with the same APS-sized sensor you'd find in the Canon 7D, 60D or T2i

Panasonic's new AF100 is shaping up as a veritable all-in-one solution for those wanting to capture truly cinematic images from a more traditional video camera rig. They've opted for the same chipset from the GH1/GH2 DSLR line and added a bunch of other features that us videographers miss out on with a DSLR:

• Dual XLR inputs
• Built-in ND filters
• Live HDMI out
• Dual channel audio
• The list goes on...

For really great in-depth first-look at the AF100 check out Philip Bloom's initial review

Priced at $2,000 and $5,000 respectively both the VG10 and AF100 are viable options for anyone who's on the fence deciding b/w traditional video camera or DSLR

 

 

 

Some tips on DSLRs and Post

We thought this blog post had some good tips on editing with DSLR footage and even just editing in general.