Moving Picture recently performed a camera test with Director of Photography, Henry Lynk, using the Canon EOS 5D Mark II, the new Panasonic AG-AF100, and the new Sony PMW-F3L using Zeiss prime lenses in candlelight conditions. The star of the show was, without a doubt, the new Sony F3 camera. The following images are screen captures taken from an uncompressed Apple ProRes 422 HQ, MOV file. The cameras were set to an ISO of 800 and 1600 for these shots using a 50mm Zeiss CP.2 Compact Prime lens.
Comparison of the AF100, the 5D, and the F3 under candlelight conditions.
Panasonic AG-AF100 – The AF100 was the biggest disappointment of the bunch. Its ability capture clean imagery quickly falls away as lighting conditions diminish. Notice the complete lack of definition. The cheek, jawline, and neckline have a jagged video effect, and the hairline across the forehead is just a blur. Also, the shadows come across as blotchy and unnatural. We have used this camera in daylight and well-lit environments, and it performs well. This just isn’t the right tool for the job in these lighting conditions.
Canon EOS 5D Mark II – The 5D performed about as expected. Excessive contrast and a soft look are unfortunate traits of this camera system. However, as you can see, the facial outline is clear without artifacts, the hair and neckline are discernable, and minor shadows on the face and neck look far more natural than the AF100. Facial features and contours begin to appear, as well as texture on the lips.
Sony PMW-F3L – We knew coming into this test that the Sony was going to walk away as the winner of the MPES Candlelight Shootout. What we didn’t realize was how impressive this new camera really is in low light. Everything about this image is superior. You can see individual shadows of hair on our model’s face and the wisp of hair to the right is distinguishable from the hair lying flat beneath. Full facial features, textures, contours, and (dare I say) imperfections are all completely identifiable. The soft natural glow of the candlelight is reflected beautifully off the cheek, something that the AF100 and 5D just couldn’t do. The definition and latitude of this camera is quite amazing, and is very nearly on par with the RED and Alexa.
The Kessler CineSlider is a medium duty slider rig used for shooting video or motion time-lapse photography. Its compact and lightweight design allows it to go where a dolly simply wont fit. Now you can add dramatic motion to an otherwise static shot, giving your video that “something extra” that filmmakers are always looking for. The rig will support an ARRI Alexa with a Master or Compact Prime lens, battery, and light-weight video tripod head,
The CineSlider gives the small unstable DSLR a solid motion control platform to work from. You can manually slide the platform, use the crank wheel, or utilize the Oracle Controller for manual or programmed slider motion. The CineSlider also has a complete array of accessories and mounting hardware allowing you to use a tabletop, a tripod, a light stand, or any combination of the three to support your slider.
Moving Picture has rented the CineSlider and Oracle controller for several recent shoots. Including motion time-lapse photography with a Canon 5D covering Bike Week in Daytona for Harley Davidson and some very cool shots with the Sony F3 on a CineSlider rigged to a moving fire truck for the Fort Lauderdale Fire Department. Here is a short video montage showing the kinds of unique shots that can be performed with this slider and controller combination.
Contact Moving Picture today to rent our new Kessler CineSlider and Oracle Controller!
Email sales@movingpicture.com or Phone (800) 800-1361.
Moving Picture is proud to announce a new addition to our inventory! The Angenieux 24-290mm T2.8 Optimo zoom lens was designed for use with film cameras but has recently become a go-to lens for the digital cinema industry. Having added two Sony PMW-F3 cameras to our shelves recently, the 24-290 Optimo arrived not a moment too soon. A perfect companion with the Super 35mm CMOS F3 sensor, the 24-290 Optimo produces stunning image quality and a cinematic depth of field.
Paired with the appropriate camera support (baseplate, rods, mattebox, follow focus, zoom control, filters), the 24-290 Optimo is an absolute workhorse on high-end commercial productions, feature films, and television shows. Call us today for your quote!
Boston-based Orsini Studios recently came to South Florida for production of “You Know You Want To,” a commercial for Connecticut Natural Gas. Originally a still photographer, Craig Orsini has recently grown into a director/producer/DP and partnered with fellow Bostonians, Element Productions.
With plans to shoot at New Art Studios in Miami, Orsini came to Moving Picture for lighting, grip, camera package, lens package, and HD monitors. In addition to equipment rental, Moving Picture provided a supporting crew that consisted of a camera assistant, gaffer, media manager / downloader, and production assistant.
While an experienced DSLR shooter, Orsini chose to shoot this spot with the more robust Sony PMW-F3. We coupled our Zeiss Compact Prime CP.2 lens set with Orsini’s F3 package to create a film-quality package at a fraction of the price. With the help of his camera assistant, Orsini was able to change lenses quickly to capture exactly what he needed with each individual subject. Recording to Sony 32GB SxS cards, Orsini was also able to rely on our media manager to download and back up footage throughout the day.
Subjects were placed in front of a white backdrop for a clean, studio look. The gaffer worked with Orsini to accomplish the ideal lighting scenario. This was done through the construction of a “book light.” A book light makes use of bounced, diffused light. A lamp is directed onto a reflective surface and effectively bounced through a diffusion material onto the subject. The surface (usually white) is adjoined on one side to the diffusion creating an open “V” shape, like a partially open book standing on its end. In this case, the gaffer bounced a 12000W ARRI Fresnel off of a 12’ x 12’ Ultrabounce and then directed it through a 12’ x 12’ light grid cloth. First the Ultrabounce and 12000W Fresnel were set up to achieve the correct angle and then the light grid was brought in. The result was a very soft, directional light that wrapped around the talent. Additional support included ARRI T2 2000W Fresnels, ARRILITE 2000W Open Face fixtures, Matthews Grip Mombo Combo stands, and an electrical distribution package.
The RED Replacement for Budget Challenged Projects: Sony PMW-F3
Sony F3 and SRRI Recorder
The new Sony PMW-F3 is truly a revolutionary camera. Some jobs just don’t need a RED or an Alexa that can complicate a production and drive up costs in one fell swoop. Some RED and Alexa proponents would say that they’re best for all shooting scenarios, but that’s just not the case when it comes to budget! As an industry insider said, “It’s like hitting a fly with a sledgehammer most of the time. Whereas the F3 is the rolled up newspaper, and the DSLR is your hand.”
With the F3′s ability to be accessorized like a RED or Alexa cine package and with its PL mount that accepts Master Primes and Optimos alike, it’s definitely going to be a popular camera for some time. The Super 35MM F3 sensor came from the Sony F35 and has been greatly improved. The F35 has been used extensively on episodics and movies since its release in 2008, and the F3 is now poised to fill a niche within lower budget productions without sacrificing features and quality that can be seen in their F35 camera.
Coming soon from Sony is the CBK-RGB01 Firmware Update that will enable S-Log gamma mode, Dual-Link RGB 4:4:4 video output, 3G-SDI output, and four pre-loaded look up tables (LUTs). This S-Log update effectively increases the native ISO to 1600, which opens up a world of possibilities for creative shooting in low-light conditions.
Sony F3′s with this firmware update can be coupled with the Sony SRR1 Portable Recorder that can be mounted on-camera to capture the Dual-Link 4:4:4 signal from the camera. The SRR1 utilizes Sony’s high-speed SRMemory Cards that range in size from 256GB up to 1TB in size, replacing the need for SRW tape.
The Sony F3 is truly a wonder at only $13,500 for a camera body. The rental per day is under $700, which is far less than an Alexa or RED MX rental. We predict this camera will be widely used on commercials and independent feature films, and it will hopefully reduce the number of production days we have to endure with the Canon 5D and 7D!
Sound Devices PIX-240 Portable Video Recorder
Sound Devices PIX-240 Portable Video Recorder
The new Sound Devices PIX 240, competitively priced at $2,600, was an old school NAB surprise. This Wisconsin based company, founded in 1998, has already made quite a name for themselves with their rock solid 744T and 788T field audio recorders. Now with the PIX series, Sound Devices hopes to set a new standard for versatility and compatibility in the video recorder market.
The PIX recorders come in two flavors. The 220 model priced around $1600, which is HMDI only, and the 240 model, which sports both HDMI and HD-SDI inputs and outputs. Impressively, the PIX 240 has the ability to cross-convert HD-SDI to HDMI and vice-versa, a feature that is both extremely useful and rare among video processing devices. The PIX uses a UDF file system to record video to Solid State Drives, Compact Flash cards, or to an external eSATA drive, making it compatible with both Mac and Windows systems. It is capable of saving extremely large video files unlike the other Mac and Windows enabled file system, FAT32. The Solid State Drive caddy has convenient USB 2.0/3.0 and Firewire 800 connections to simplify recorded video and audio downloads.
The PIX’s design is a testament to the experience of Sound Devices Corporation – it incorporates the audio input and recording circuitry of the 744T, meaning there really isn’t a need for a separate audio recorder on set. It will record two channels of audio over HDMI and up to eight channels over HD-SDI, plus two additional mic or line level XLR inputs. The timecode circuitry is also the same Ambient Technologies system found on the 744T and 788T recorders with an internal battery to hold timecode during battery swaps.
The PIX recorder comes with an integrated 5″ HD monitor, and an easy to use on-screen menu system to setup the device to suit your needs. The unit can be powered by either 12volt DC via a 4-pin Hirose connection, or with Sony L-Series batteries. This means the PIX can be on-camera mounted and even used for pulling focus if needed. It records video in either Apple ProRes 422 or Avid DNxHD formats making it natively compatible with Final Cut, Media Composer, and Premiere editing systems. So, transcoding is not required to work with your videos at the end of the day.
I suspect Sound Devices will sell a lot of these compact units, as it appears they have done their homework in determining what production houses need from a portable video recorder.
Cartoni Maxima Head, Next Generation Replacement for the O’Conner 2575
Cartoni Maxima Tripod Head
This fluid head is a game changer — beautifully crafted, a “Ferrari” that is practical and elegant! Italian based Cartoni aims to take on the iconic O’Conner 2575 and establish their new Maxima Tripod Head as the “Ultimate Industry Standard”. This revolutionary design touts ergonomics, ease of use, and ruggedness as its cornerstones.
The payload capacity ranges from 0lbs to 88lbs with guaranteed perfect balance throughout it’s entire 180° tilt range. And if utilized by a camera with a lower center of gravity, like a digital camera without a film mag, the Maxima can handle up to a 115lb load. This means that anything from a DSLR to a full cine-style film or digital camera system can be utilized. All controls, knobs, and levers are designed to ensure camera operators’ complete ease of use in any situation. However, what really separates this head from the competition is the rear digital display of the Pan, Tilt, and Counterbalance settings. These settings can be recorded by camera assistants and then changed quickly and accurately for different camera operators. Additionally, the Maxima provides a convenient “master lock-off” pin that will freeze the pan and tilt in its present state, which is great for swapping lenses or filters without altering shot framing.
This system was also designed for maximum compatibility with both the American and European camera support systems in use today. The Maxima will mount to either a Flat Mitchell mount or 150mm ball mount tripod. The head also supports multiple styles of baseplates, from euro-style quick-release plate or popular O’Conner style plates, and even the new ARRI Digi-Cine and Sony plates.
New and Innovative Lighting Solutions from Kino Flo and ARRI
Kino Flo and ARRI showcased some new lighting products this year at NAB, notably the new Tegra 4ft four-bank system from Kino Flo, and the versatile L- Series of LED lighting from ARRI.
Kino Flo Tegra
While not particularly revolutionary the Tegra is noteworthy because Kino Flo’s implementation of the most useful features from its existing lighting products and adds a couple of new features to create a stellar package. This unit has an integrated dimmable ballast on the light’s back panel, similar to the Kino Flo Diva line of lights. At the same time, it sports the individual bulb on/off switches that are available on their remote ballast 4ft four-bank model. Additionally, Kino Flo provides a remote dimmer with a 15ft extension cable to adjust lighting levels without needing to lower the light stands. Other improvements new to the Tegra line are reinforced side pieces with barn door hinges, as opposed to the “stiff wire” feel of the old style Kino Flo doors. All of this is included in a package that is 22lbs — 4lbs lighter than a comparable standard 4ft four-bank light and remote ballast package.
ARRI L-Series of LED Fresnels
ARRI breaks the mold with their impressive new L-Series of LED Fresnel lights. Typical LED lights, while efficient, aren’t very user friendly — they have problems with multiple shadows, you can’t cut the light field effectively, and you can’t focus them. What ARRI has done is combine the versatility of a tried and true Fresnel light with the efficiency of an LED light source. Using a modified Fresnel lens, the light can be focused in exactly the same manner as their HMI Fresnel line. This gives you the same smooth and even light fall-off that you expect from a traditional Fresnel product. The focus ranges from a 50 degree flood to a 15 degree spot. The equivalent light output of the L7 Series is approximately 1000watts in spot mode, and slightly less in flood mode, while only drawing 220watts of power!
The light comes in three flavors, the L7-T (tungsten), the L7-D (daylight), and the real gem of the group, the L7-C (color). While the tungsten and daylight models are self-explanatory, the L7-C has a set of features available that you’d be hard pressed to find in any other single production lighting product. The beam is dimmable and maintains its color temperature throughout the entire range of intensity. The color temperature is infinitely adjustable between tungsten (3200K) and daylight (5600K) ranges. The system also has a +/- minus green adjustment to assist with white balancing in unique environments such as florescent lights in a grocery store. If that wasn’t enough, you can change the light to “color” mode, which allows you to dial in custom hue and saturation and save those values in two quickly accessible memory buttons to recall for later use. It’s an entire gel kit in a single light fixture! The final icing on the cake, the L7-C supports RDM with a DMX512 stage lighting control board. ARRI put together quite a package with the L7-C and we look forward to using it in the future! The bad news is that they cost over $3,000.00 per unit. You better have either one of two conditions in place to justify the cost of this unit. You either need a light that consumes less power or you require a light that generates less heat than a normal fixture.
Zeiss has been established as a top end lens manufacturer for decades. The release of their innovative Compact Prime CP.2 lens set has only continued to build on this reputation. Engineered to offer tremendous lens quality to a range of users, the Zeiss CP.2 lenses are available with both PL and EF (Canon) mounts. This opens up a broad range of usability across camera systems (Canon DLSRs, Sony PMW-F3, ARRI Alexa, etc). With a purchase price of around $4,000 per lens, the Zeiss CP.2 lens set is an accessible purchase for serious filmmakers. For those who aren’t ready for that kind of monetary commitment, the Zeiss CP.2 lens set is available for rental at Moving Picture. Contact us anytime for more information!
Car rigs can change the entire look of a project. Unfortunately, more often than not, these rigs are either flimsy and undependable or overly complicated. Matthews Studio Equipment has designed a Pro Car Mount System that transcends these issues and delivers spectacular, stable images without any headaches.
Now available for rental at Moving Picture, the Matthews Pro Car Mount System consists of suction cup mounts, micro grip heads, 2.5” grip heads, baby pin attachments, stabilization rods, and more. This collection of parts completes a system that’s easy to use and highly mobile.
Ideal for music videos, narrative features, documentaries, and much more, the Matthews Pro Car Mount System opens up a world of artistic opportunities for vehicle-based shooting. Whether you’re capturing reverse shots of an actor behind the wheel or suspending above the open road, the Matthews Pro Car Mount system is a rig that you can rely on. Call Moving Picture today for your rental quote!
Panasonic AG-AF100 Camera with Zeiss CP.2 Compact Prime Lens
Recently, the up and coming French artist Anoraak came to Miami with a small production team from FullDawa to shoot a music video in our fair city. Moving Picture provided our new Panasonic AG-AF100 camera with a PL mount adapter and Redrock handheld rig, a set of Zeiss CP.2 Compact Prime lenses, and a Camera Assistant for this walkabout of Miami.
The lightweight AF100 and Redrock cinerig provided a stable and versatile handheld platform to work from. With as many as six locations in a day, it was crucial that the camera package be streamlined and quick to transport and setup. The Zeiss CP.2 Compact Primes with their integrated focus ring gears and extra long throw made pulling focus a breeze. If you’re looking for a step-up from an HDSLR package without losing their light and quick qualities, look no further than the Panasonic AF100 and Zeiss CP.2 Compact Primes.
The Panasonic AF100 and Zeiss CP.2 lenses are available for rental today, at Moving Picture Electronic Services. Give us a call, at (800) 800-1361, and see how we can help with your production. We have Cameras, Crew, Grip Gear, Lighting, Expendables, and EXPERIENCE to get the job done.
While on a rental in L.A., our ARRI Alexa camera was the unfortunate victim of a Camera truck fire. Our Alexa, among other equipment was destroyed in the fire…or so we thought. ARRI technicians from Germany came to L.A. prior to NAB to check out the slightly crispier version of their beloved camera and decided to see what happens when the tried to power it up. Much to everyone’s surprise, the camera booted up. After some minor cleanup, they were also able to put a lens and monitor on the camera and get an amazing picture.
The camera then traveled to NAB and was showcased in the Arri Booth. Many NAB attendees admired the blackened camera working under its new home under glass. ARRI is very proud of the strength and reliability of this camera system, a camera subjected to 1200 degree temperatures and flames is a testament to their build and design quality. The video shown here is our Alexa in the ARRI booth at NAB 2011 in Las Vegas.
ARRI was also kind enough to post the following images to their Facebook site to document to process of their technicians bringing the camera back to life. Here are a few of those images.
Moving Picture has already received a replacement camera from ARRI, and we give many thanks to ARRI for expediting the replacement of our crispy critter. So, give us a call today to rent our NEW Alexa, or any other of our modern camera systems. Email us at info@movingpicture.com or call 800-800-1361.
Welcome to part 2 of the Mini Converter discussion series. Last week we talked about AJA Downconverters and SDI to HDMI converters. This week we will talk about HD video distribution and HDSLR video monitoring solutions.
3. How do I spread beautiful HD video around my set without “daisy chaining” all the monitors together?
Okay, I admit, distributing video isn’t much of a conundrum, but it does give me the chance to talk about another convenient and rock-solid reliable AJA Mini-Converter. The AJA Model HD10DA Dual-Rate HD/SD Distribution Amp takes all the hassles out of distributing HD-SDI video from one source to many destinations. One nice feature of the HD10DA, is the “re-clocking” feature. This unit will correct timing and signal errors that can occur on long HD-SDI cable runs. So, your camera can be up to 400 feet away and you can remain confident that your monitors will still be displaying a clean picture. You can even utilize the re-clocking DA as a bridge between two very long cable runs to maintain a solid signal lock.
4. I’m shooting with an HDSLR camera, such as the Canon 5D, how do I feed HD video to an on-camera monitor and a client/director monitor at the same time?
For the purposes of this discussion, we’ll use the Canon EOS 5D Mark II as the camera in use, because in my experience, it is the most finicky DSLR camera to provide video monitoring with. While this SHOULD be a simple matter of using an AJA Model HA5 HDMI to SDI Converter, you cant. The problem is, the Canon 5D switches the monitor output from 1080i to 480i when you start to roll. The Aja won’t accept a 480i HDMI input signal, so you just get a black screen when rolling. So the answer to the 5D monitoring conundrum lies with the Blackmagic Design HDMI to SDI Mini Converter…but there is a caveat with this unit as well. If you bought and older unit with Firmware Revision 1.4, you wont have any problems. However, if you run out and buy one of these now, you’re going to get Firmware Revision 1.5, which has the same problem as the AJA converter. It won’t accept a 480i HDMI input signal while the camera is rolling. Fortunately, the Blackmagic converter allows you to downgrade the firmware revision. Simply plug it into your computer via the USB port and run the version 1.4 Configuration Utility and it will automatically prompt you to update the firmware. This process takes mere seconds to accomplish and is completely automatic. I’ve provided a Mac download link to Firmware Version 1.4 to ease your pain and suffering.
Blackmagic Design Config Utility Version 1.4 – Download 5.1MB
Now that you have your mini converter problem figured out, its time to test it all out. You will need a HDMI to HDMI-Mini cable such as the Canon HTC-100. You can also pick them up at Radio Shack. Very little difference between the expensive ones I’ve bought versus the cheaper ones because they all have the same weakness…the SUPER FRAGILE HDMI-Mini connector that plugs into the camera. When using these cables on a production set, it’s not whether or not you will break one…it’s more a matter of when it will happen. Take my advice, bring extra cables. Now once you plug into the Blackmagic from the camera, you will have two HD-SDI ports to use for monitoring. One can go to an on-board HD-SDI monitor, and the other goes to the Director’s HD Monitor or a Video Assist recorder.
These mini converters and more can be rented from Moving Picture. The next time you’re in Miami renting gear, give us a call, and let us help you with your production technical challenges. Contact us at info@movingpicture.com or 800-800-1361. Serving Miami, Fort Lauderdale, and the rest of South Florida.
Josh Baker
IT Manager / Video Engineer
josh@movingpicture.com
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