Notes On Video

RED Scarlet Updates Seems they were showing the RED Scarle t at CES to some people; though why show this obviously pro camera at the CES? and didn't they already rename it the Epic-S and say it was going to be a lot more expensive? Well, you can see the prototype (though no video from the camera.) NotesOnVideo : Is Revolution Everything?; The End of the RED Scarlet Dream Engadget : Working RED Scarlet appears at our trailer, we go hands-on! (video) CrunchGear : Video: Hands-On With The RED Scarlet [UPDATE] TheGuardian on YouTube : CES 2011: Red Scarlet Super HD camera JVC Shows High-Frame-Rate Camera JVC also showed at CES the GC-PX1 prototype camera that shoots Full HD at 60p, and 300fps in VGA. It's interesting, though note that it's VGA resolution above 60p. PhotographyBay : JVC GC-PX1 High Speed Concept Camera Snakes Don't Take Direction An interview with the Coen Brother's about the making of the movie True Grit and the reaction to the movie: ...

If you're in Boston on January 19th, there are a couple of events scheduled on the Sony PMW-F3.  Rule Boston Camera  previously announced a LearningLab event for the morning of January 19th, on the Sony PMW-F3. Now they have also announced an evening event with SMPTE on the camera: Jan 19th - Sony's PMW-F3 Super 35 Digital Camera Learning Lab 10:00am to 12 Noon Sony's Peter Crithary, Marketing Manager for Production, provides an overview of the highly anticipated PMW-F3 - a professional and affordable handheld digital camera with Super 35mm imager, interchangeable lens mounts, 1920 x 1080 full HD recording and proven workflow. RSVP to events@rule.com . SMPTE Meeting in the AC Lounge at Rule 7:00pm to 9:00pm Sony's Hugo Gaggioni, CTO, VP Technology and Peter Crithary, Marketing Manager, Production delve deep into the latest advances in CCD and CMOS sensors, new transmission and storage techniques in solid-state, S-Lo based processing workflows and the...

B & H has started accepting pre-orders for the Sony PMW-F3: PMW-F3 Body Only  [ $13,300.00 ] PMW-F3 With 35mm, 50mm & 85mm Lenses [ $18,950.00 ]

If you have installed the Mac OS X v10.6.6 Update on a Mac Pro that has an Nvidia Quadro 4000 retail graphics card, you may experience reduced graphics acceleration. You should reinstall the Quadro 4000 driver (downloadable from the Nvidia website.) Apple Support: Mac OS X v10.6.6: Reinstall Nvidia Quadro 4000 driver after installing Mac OS X v10.6.6 Update

Sony 3D A short video at The Guardian showing the two new Sony 3D video cameras; the 3D Bloggie , and the HDR-TD10 . You can see more pictures of the HDR-TD10 at the show on Sony Electronic's Flickr account: Guardian : CES 2011: Sony's 3D HD camcorders Flickr : Sony Electronics Sony PMW-F3 Updateable Firmware? Peter Crithary , Marketing Manager, Production, Sony Professional Solutions of America posted a note in a discussion about the PMW-F3 on dvinfo that the current cameras being used by some local people are pre-production units and do not represent the feature set, implementation of the official release version of the camera, due in February. He then went on to add rather tantalizingly; Also keep in mind, as with most new generation file based cameras, the firmware will be updated over time to expand the feature set. DVInfo : A note about the PMW-F3 pre-production units Roger Deakins on Digital Cinema and the Arri Alexa The Black And Blue blog has coll...

Canon has rebates on some lenses and camera bodies that expire tomorrow, 1/8/2011 NOTE TOO : Canonrumors.com reported that Canon may raise prices in the US by 10% in February [ BUT that is a rumor, the rebates definitely end tomorrow !] Here's a few lenses that are particularly good! Canon EF 16-35mm f/2.8L II USM Autofocus Lens [$1,520.00 - $100 = $1,420.00 ] [ @Amazon $1,419.00 ] This is my favorite lens on my Canon 7D because it's wide, but also a zoom (though because the 7D isn't full frame, the lens really becomes a 24-50mm zoom lens.) It also has IS. A lot of people go for the 24-70mm f/2.8L , which is $1,300 (no rebates) but there's no IS and one thing I don't like about that lens is that the barrel extends as you zoom; the 16-35mm doesn't do that! But I also prefer wide angle lenses! Canon EF 70-200mm f/2.8L IS II USM Telephoto Zoom Lens [$2,269.00 - $200 = $2,069.00 ] [ @Amazon $2,069.00 ] Canon's 70-200 f/2.8L lens has been ve...

It's a little embarrassing when you announce the world's first full HD 3D Consumer camera a day after someone else does ....but then again, you can't turn marketing on a dime... JVC has a 3D camera coming, the GS-TD1 ( couldn't they have put a 3 in there somewhere? ) It looks a bit like a cross between the Panasonic and Sony consumer 3D offerings, though remember that Panasonic's uses a 3D lens unit attached to a 2D camera, while both Sony and JVC's offerings have two dedicated optical and sensor units. JVC GS-TD1 PRESS RELEASE: The new GS-TD1 uses two camera lenses and two 3.32 megapixel CMOS sensors – one for each lens – to capture three-dimensional images. JVC’s new high-speed imaging engine simultaneously processes the two Full HD images – left and right images at 1920 x 1080i – within that single chip. The newly developed “LR Independent Format” makes the GS-TD1 the world’s first consumer-oriented camcorder capable of 3D shooting in Full HD. J...

Apple kicked off the Mac App Store today, and unfortunately I can't download it because a) one Mac is still running Leopard , and you have to have Snow Leopard to install the store, and b) the second Mac that's running Snow Leopard  can't be restarted right now - or for the next few days - and installing the App Store app requires upgrading to 10.6.6 (and restarting.) So that's a drag. Still, I look forward to trying it out one day. RAWR In the mean time, yesterday I got a little pop-up saying that there was an update to Growl available. I'd never even heard of Growl, and wondered what virus I might have...Turns out that some apps are using this little third-party tool to display notifications, including Adobe Creative Suite 5 . I think - though honestly, I'm not sure - that I might have installed a trial version of one of the those apps on this machine a while back, but I have no idea. Anyway, it seems I'm not the only one to have had this hap...

Sony has updated their Handycam line as well. The three models at the top of the line are the HDR-CX700V ($1,299.99 Pre-order @ Amazon ) HDR-CX560V($1,099.99 Pre-order @ Amazon ) and the HDR-CX360V ($799.99 Pre-order @ Amazon ). These cameras all support 60p/24p recording and as with previous updates, Sony promises improved low-light capabilities. I really hope someone will compare one of these to the new Canon HF G10  ( Pre-order: $1,499 @ Amazon ) so we can see whether the lower resolution chip in the new Canon is better/same/worse than the comparable Sony models. Sony HDR-CX700V SonyStyle : HDR-CX700V , HDR-CX560V ,  HDR-CX360V

Sony HDR-TD10 I think it must have been the pizza I ate last night, because after my "this could almost provoke me into buying the camera and a TV " comment last night, this morning I find I am a bit more rational and have reverted to my previous position on 3D - " No thank you ." Still it is an intriguing looking beast; if you like square boxy-shaped things (and I do own a Honda Element .) Camcorderinfo notes that Sony is currently vague on the compression system for 3D recording. One other advantage this camera has over the Panasonic HDC-SDT750 is that you can zoom while in 3D mode (the Panasonic disables zoom with it's add-on 3D lens.) The Panasonic currently sells for $1,125.00 at B & H . That's $375 less than the projected price of the Sony, but if you're going to buy a camera for the 3D capability, then save your cash for the Sony. Camcorderinfo : Sony Unveils HDR-TD10 3D Camcorder Meanwhile, in budget 3D shooting, GoPro wil...

The Boston DSLR Meetup group is holding a joint meeting with BOSFCPUG and BAVUG : Wednesday, January 19th, 6:30pm - 9:00pm The Cabaret at Emerson College 80 Boylston Street Lower Level Boston, MA 02116 "Pretty Pictures Don't Tell a Story" with Sid Levin and Bruce Lundeen Join Sid and Bruce for an engaging and motivating talk to understand the process of storytelling and the creation of an idea! Remember, it's not all about pretty images, shallow focus and excessive use of depth of field - it's all about the story! Sid and Bruce will also screen clips of their work. Sid Levin is a three-time Cine Gold Eagle Award winner for Cinematography and Editing. Sid served as both DP and Editor on the Emmy winning "Song for New Orleans" in 2008, documenting the return to New Orleans of its surviving musicians after Katrina. There will also be a presentation on EditShare 's end-to-end production asset management workflow using the recent South Paci...

Sony's upcoming  HDR-TD10 supports 2D and 3D shooting, sort of like Pansonic's consumer  HDC-SDT750 , except that the lenses in the HDR-TD10 don't seem to detach. The flip-out screen evidently displays in 3D too! In the video below they talk about it being the first consumer true full HD camera ( because the Panasonic is storing the two frames at half resolution, rather than encoding both as full frames?... ) Not sure how potential buyers will take to the "just go out and shoot, you can't really edit it right now." It's supposed to be available in April for about $1,500. I know, I've been generally anti-3D, but this could almost provoke me into buying the camera and a TV...Shock! Horror! CNET : CES: Sony launches prosumer 3D cancorder

You can watch a live stream of the Sony Press Event today, Wednesday 5th, at 4:55 PST. Sony : Follow Sony Electronics News LIVE from CES 2011

Two interesting camcorders Canon has announced are the top-of-the VIXIA line HF G10 , and the "pro" XA10 . Canon VIXIA HF G10 The VIXIA HF G10 Flash Memory camcorder is Canon’s new flagship consumer camcorder providing the ultimate in HD video performance and quality. Recording Full HD 1920 x 1080 video, this camcorder features a Genuine Canon 10x HD Video Lens (35mm equivalent of 30.4mm-304mm) with an 8-blade iris providing smooth background blur and reduced lens diffraction. The lens also includes a dedicated manual-focus ring for enhanced control. The VIXIA HF G10 features the new HD CMOS Pro Image Sensor for high video resolution, outstanding low-light performance and an expanded dynamic range. It also features a 3.5-inch High Resolution (922,000-dot) Touch Panel LCD screen for a large, bright display and easy menu navigation. A Custom Key and Dial can also be used to assign commonly used functions for quick and easy access. As the flagship model in the line...

It's press preview day for CES today, so if it doesn't get announced today, then it probably won't be! Sony is holding their press conference tonight (8pm EST). They may announce an NEX camera of some kind (probably not a primarily video camera.) There hopefully will be more information on the NXCAM 35mm camera, though remember this is the Consumer Electronics Show, and the NXCAM line is more pro-sumer.... The Contour Helmet cam is being updated with GPS and Bluetooth connectivity; you'll be able to stream video to an Android or iOS device and use it as a viewfinder. The ContourGPS will cost $349.99 Engadget : Contour adds Live Viewfinder Canon has a refresh of it's consumer video line. Most interestingly, they have introduced a new HD CMOS Pro Image sensor in the VIXIA HF G10 and VIXIA HF M-series camcorders. This sensor is just 2 megapixels (i.e. it matches the HD resolution.) This should improve image quality and low-light performance and ...

iMovie This update improves stability and fixes other minor issues, including: Fixes an issue where stabilization would not be applied correctly to some video clips from iPhone and iPod touch. Fixes an issue that prevented use of some valid Facebook passwords that contained non-alphanumeric characters. Improves compatibility with some cameras that create content in multiple formats. Improves performance when scrolling the Project Library. This update is recommended for all users of iMovie 9.0. Apple :  iMovie 9.0.1 GarageBand This update improves overall stability, and addresses compatibility and a number of other minor issues. Fixes an issue related to undoing Flex Time edits Removes occasional latency that can occur on guitar tracks Restores ability to use the Quantize Note Timing menu for tracks with Groove Matching This update is recommended for all GarageBand '11 users. Apple : GarageBand 6.0.1

Is Resolution Everything?; The End of the RED Scarlet Dream A couple of years ago, RED announced Scarlet , which was going to sell for around $3,000 and provide high quality video and stills; think of it as a serious competitor to Canon 5D , but with it's strength being video rather than stills. Except that things went wrong; maybe the DSLR's were too good, or the tech to create what they had imagined was too hard, but now the Scarlet has become the Epic-S and will be priced at around $12,000. RED thinks that the Epic-S " will have no price/performance competition " (because it will support 5k, REDCODE RAW, and HDRx.) Except that it will have competition; the Canon 5D , the Panasonic AG-AF100 and the Sony PMW-F3 to name but three. Kurt Lancaster has written an interesting piece about the Scarlet/Epic-S , particularly focusing on whether their high-resolution (5k) support is what's needed, and he comes to the conclusion that he would be better off with...

Photo Rumors has news from Sony. A bunch of Cybershots, and three new Bloggies: Bloggie MHS-FS1: 5.1MP , 4x digital zoom, HD video up to 120min, 2.7 in. LCD screen, 4GB internal memory, AF Bloggie Duo MHS-FS2 : adds LED light and a front facing 2 in, LCD screen Bloggie 3D MHS-FS3 : adds 3D movie recording and stereo mic There will also be several other consumer camcorders, including a model that records in HD 3D. PhotoRumors.com : Full list of Sony cameras for CES 2011 16x9 not wide enough for you? Philips already has a 21:9 display, but now here comes Vizio with 50 and 58-inch 21:9 displays, both with 2560 x 1080 resolution. Wow! Though I don't know how that interfaces with DVDs and Blu-ray discs...does Blu-ray support that format, or is it 16x9 and the top and bottom gets cropped (which is okay if the source is already letterboxed in the 16x9 frame?) Vizio : (There's a teaser on their website at the moment.) Kodak Has a couple of low cost video cameras, ...

French website Hardmac reckons there will be an update to Final Cut Pro in March or early April. It should be a substantial update when compared to the previous version, but not sure it could bring all new features expected by all Pro users. Two versions are already running at beta level, one for Snow Leopard, and one for Lion. Some new features will only be available on Lion’s version, due to the changes made on QuickTime layer. The article also talks about Xserve and Steve Jobs continued disinterest in  Blu-ray . The latter is not news though; anyone paying attention would know that Steve Jobs hates Blu-ray . Hardmac : [Rumors] Some rumors

Rule Boston Camera has announced the LearningLab events for January, which include coverage of the Sony PMW-F3 as well as Zeiss lenses (notably the cine-style compact prime 2 series lenses.) All events are held at Rule Camera from 10am to 12 noon. RSVP to events@rule.com . Jan 5th - Going Wireless with Sennheiser David Missall of Sennheiser reviews wired and wireless mic technology. Jan 12th - Media Assets And Shared Storage Kevin Amoosa, Avid Applications Specialist on the challenges and solutions involved in managing media assets in a shared storage environment. Jan 19th - Sony's PMW-F3 Super 35 Digital Camera An introduction to the new Super 35mm imager camera. Jan 26th - Zeiss Lenses Richard Schleuning covers Zeiss' manual focus lenses, including the cine-style compact prime 2 series lenses as well as the ZF series lenses.

I'm pretty mechanically inept. I keep seeing these Do-It-Yourself projects on the web for building jibs and dollys and steadicams and figure " I'd never be able to build that and get it to work ." But then I saw this video ( below ) for a DIY Slider Dolly built using the trucks from a skateboard, I thought " I can do that! " And I was mostly correct; though it wasn't as simple as I had guessed it would be. DIY on how to build a Spider Trax Dolly from Just Basl Productions on Vimeo . 1) Wheels -  The video talks about a $15 skateboard at Target . And while they do seem to have some low-priced skateboards on their website, when I went to the local Target , the cheapest skateboard they had was $30. I almost gave up then! But a trip to Toys-R-Us turned up a $17 skateboard that seemed to fit the bill: 21 inch Bakugan Skateboard - Dan and Dragonoid - Red  [Note: I'd recommend checking them out in person to make sure you like the wheels and can ...