Notes On Video

I noticed this morning that a lot of popular cameras were listed as out of stock or unavailable at B & H : The Canon T2i and Panasonic GH2 as listed as Temporarily unavailable The  Sony NEX-VG10  is Temporarily out of sock The Canon T3i Body only and 18-55mm kit is Temporarily unavailable , though the  Canon T3i W/EF-S 18-135mm f/3.5-5.6 IS Lens  is listed as available The Canon 7D body only is Temporarily unavailable , though there are bodies with kit lenses available. Similarly, the Canon 5D Mark II body only is Temporarily unavailable too, though you can get it with the 24-105mm lens The Sony NXCAM HXR-NX5U and sister camera the HDR-AX2000 are both Temporarily unavailable . Finally, the Sony PMW-F3 is listed as Back-ordered . It's not all bad news though, Amazon does list some of these cameras available as at 11:30am EDT: Canon EOS Rebel T3i 18 MP CMOS Digital SLR Camera and DIGIC 4 Imaging (Body Only) Sony NEXVG10 Full HD ...

CineStyle vs GH2 Cinema Mode Andrew Reid at EOSHD does some tests comparing the Technicolor CineStyle Picture Style in the Canon 600D with the Panasonic GH2 Cinema Mode. While the CineStyle has some advantages, he thinks the GH2 still comes out on top: CineStyle essentially reduces the brightness of highlights to preserve detail, and boosts the brightness of darker tones to save more shadow detail. What it cannot do is increase tonality. The GH2 has more - it is the higher contrast camera, with better scaling and yet it still holds onto more dynamic range. [...] Oddly, RAW stills confirm that the GH2's sensor has less dynamic range to begin with relative to the 600D (and especially the 5D Mark II) - but clearly the Canon is not running away with it. The Canons lose so much in the scaling process, not just detail and a clean image but tonality and dynamic range. The GH2 holds onto a hell of a lot, so even though the Canons have sensors capable of wider dynamic range, the GH...

Wow...doesn't time fly? It seems like only yesterday that Peter Gabriel 's album " So " was the soundtrack of the summer....and a few movies too. But evidently, today is the 25th anniversary of the release of the album " So ." Oh, I am getting old! Have a great Friday everyone! Amazon: Peter Gabriel

Copyright Explained FilmmakerIQ , with the help of Wikipedia and Nina Paley’s “ Mimi and Eunice ”, has put together a guide to 10 common copyright terms, including: Fair Use, Right to Quote, Public Domain, Sweat of the brow, and Threshold of originality: The threshold of originality is a concept in copyright law that is used to assess whether or not a particular work can be copyrighted. It is used to distinguish works that are sufficiently original to warrant copyright protection from those that are not. FilmmakerIQ : 10 Copyright Terms Explained: Limitations and Exceptions Is Evernote for you? Ron Dawson looks at the cloud-based document storage system Evernote and offers suggestions on how filmmakers may use the service for research, call logs with clients, checklists, photos for inspiration, insipring quotes, blog ideas and film and story ideas: Whenever I have an idea for a film, or an idea to implement in a film project I’m already working on, I create a note and put it i...

Philip gives his conclusions on these cameras in the second part of his comparison. It's a 32 minute video! I'll focus on his thoughts on the Sony NEX-FS100 as it's the new camera in the bunch. Ultimately, his observations aren't completely unexpected. His biggest complaints are about the lack of ND filters and HD-SDI output, two features that the other two cameras, the Sony PMW-F3 and Panasonic AG-AF100, offer. He likes the picture quality of the EVF, BUT it's limited in how it can be used due to limitations in the movement of the LCD, so he still thinks you need something like the Zacuto EVF for monitoring. The single SD slot and lack of an internal microphone are minor annoyances, and he's annoyed that there's no international version that does 30p, 24p and 25p recording. BUT "this is a really nice camera...the image out of it was so lovely...and in low light the image out of it is absolutely fantastic." So, the AG-AF100 or the NEX-...

Technicolor updates Cinestyle LUT Though there's no mention of it on the product page, Technicolor has tweeted that: S-curve LUT is now compatible with the LUT Buddy plug-in and Apple's Color. Several people were having problems when using Red Giant's free tool LUT Buddy , so perhaps this had been fixed. Technicolor : CineStyle Canon Delays? There's been lots of reports/speculation about the effect of the Japanese Earthquake/Tsunami on the availability of upcoming video gear. Now Canonrumors thinks that this means delays to the Canon 5D Mark III , that could extend to 2012. CanonRumors.com : Delays Abound? When is AVCHD not AVCHD? One of the interesting things about AVCHD is that AVCHD only defines the decoder; camera companies are free to write their own encoder however they want to, provided it produces files that will play through the decoder. When Sony brought out the HXR-NX5U , they touted the fact that it used smaller block patterns for motion es...

With the ARRI Alexa doing well in the high end of the digital video business, ARRI is moving to fill the demands of the rest of the marketplace with this: This ARRI webcam turns your computer into a movie set. Attachments allow the camera to be mounted to your laptop screen or, for tabletop operation, the supplied tripod. With an integrated microphone, it works with most messenger and VoIP services (for example Skype, Windows Live Messenger and Yahoo Messenger). Featuring an LED display, USB 2.0 connectivity and a printed ARRI logo, the camera comes packed in a special presentation box. Operation system: Windows XP-SP2/Vista (32-bit), or Mac OS 10.4.8 (or higher), no driver required. Cost: EUR 23.50 (US ~$35) plus shipping This may be the only ARRI I can afford... ARRI Webcam

The next joint meeting of the Boston Final Cut Pro Users Group and the Boston DSLR Meetup group is schedule for May 25th: While the release of Final Cut Pro X is still some weeks away and Apple has only released a limited amount of detail, Philip Hodgetts has been diligently examining the data points since early last year. Philip will not only interpret what Apple have announced, but will also share what he's learnt that hasn't yet been announced. MAY BOSFCPUG + BOSDSLR MIXER: FCP X RECAP! DATE : Wednesday, May 25th TIMES : 6:30PM - 9:00PM (Doors open at 6PM) VENUE : AC LOUNGE , Rule Broadcast Systems, Inc. , 395 Western Ave, Boston, MA COST : $6.00 ($10.00 at the door) Event Directions : http://www.rule.com/contact Register : MAY 25TH BOSFCPUG + BOSTON DSLR MIXER

Philip has posted the first part of his comparison between the Sony PMW-F3 , NEX-FS100 and Panasonic AG-AF100 ( AG-AF101 ). He also throws in some Canon 5D Mark II footage as well. He stresses that he's not a professional test person, and that it's just a few tests and personal observations. All the tests were done using the internal recording of the cameras, though on the three video cameras, he also used the Atomos Ninja. He notes that with HDMI - i.e. the NEX-FS100 -  you have to send out 24p embedded in a 60i stream and use pull-down to remove the 24p. He doesn't feel that any of these cameras work well hand-held, and - unusually for England[!] - it was a bright sunny day, which caused problems with the FS100 because it doesn't have built-in ND filters (though neither does the Canon 5D .) It didn't appear that he used add-on ND filters on either camera. He found operation of the cameras to be very different;  even the two Sony’s are very different to...

President Barack Obama operates a Sony PMW-EX3 - Mr. President! You need to get a PMW- F 3 ! source: yfrog

Color Grading can be a time consuming and difficult process. Photocopy , a filter from Digital Film Tools for Final Cut Pro , After Effects , and Avid, goes some way towards simplifying the task by providing a large collection of film and photography "looks" that you can apply to your clips. Installation Photocopy comes with an installer that detects your installed software and will let you choose where to install it. I used it in Final Cut Pro , though it will also work with other applications, including image editing software like Adobe Photoshop , Lightroom and Apple Aperture . Some of the effects - for example the Painting presets - work better for still images, though they can all be applied within Final Cut . Once installed, you enter the serial number and it connects through your internet connection to authorize your computer. If you want to install on another computer, you can de-authorize the first machine, and then authorize the second. Operation The Phot...

Screenwriting Competitions Benjamin Craig at Filmmaking.ne t answers the question; "should you enter screenwriting competitions?" and offers tips on what to look for: Reputable competitions should be able to attract industry sponsors. Does the competition's web site list any? Have you heard of them? Or if not, is there any information available about them on the web. Filmmaking.net :  Screenplay Competitions - Are they worth the entry fee? How to write movie scripts Meanwhile, Meredith Farmer offers tips on how to write that screenplay, and why you should only pay a passing lip service to the "principles of screenwriting:" I honestly believe that screenwriting books and screenwriting gurus can destroy a potentially good writer. This happens when a writer becomes an apostle of one particular way of approaching a screenplay and judges their writing only from that view point. The writer become blinded to anything but the "principles." Filmutopia...

Sony US has tweeted that the S-Log firmware update for the PMW-F3 will be supported for RGB 4:4:4 output only, not 4:2:2 output, though they did add that if you need 4:2:2 output support for S-Log, to let them know and why at Production@am.sony.com UPDATE 6:00PM : Peter Crithary , Marketing Manager for Production at Sony Electronics has tweeted: Excellent feedback & unanimous, everyone wants S-LOG 4:2:2 output, so we implement with ability turn off LUT on HD-SDI SL output This will be a paid update. James Webb adds: This may be well known already, but I was informed yesterday the S-Log firmware update can only be performed by Sony. No authorized dealers. @jameswebbtv

B & H is now taking pre-orders for the Sony NEX-FS100 . Delivery - not specified, though maybe end of May? If you really want one, it might pay to order it now; B & H in the past has had the habit of listing a new camera as available for pre-order, and then ceased taking pre-orders when they reach a certain number... Sony NEX-FS100U Super 35mm Sensor Camcorder (Body Only) $4,999.00 Sony NEX-FS100UK Super 35mm Sensor Camcorder (with Lens) $5,599.00

Rule Boston Camera is offering three LearningLabs this month. Wednesday May 11 SWITCHING FOR LIVE EVENTS Ian Tosh , Rule's Director for Engineering Services, outlines systems for single-operator production switching using pan, tilt, zoom (PTZ) cameras and Sony's AnyCast switcher. Wednesday May 18, LIGHTING FOR THE SMALL SCREEN John Gates , Emmy Award Winning Lighting Director explains the nuances and challenges involved in lighting for mobile platforms and small screens such as YouTube and Vimeo. Wednesday May 25 FACILIS TERRABLOCK 5.0 Jim McKenna of Facilis Technology explains the merits of TerraBlock 5.0, a collaborative, cross-platform SAN offering complete FCP project sharing. All classes run from 10am - 12noon at Rule . RSVP: events@rule.com

There was no presentation or Steve keynote, but as expected, Apple rolled out new iMacs today featuring the same prices and body stylings as previous models, but with faster quad-core i5 processors (i7 available as an option) Thunderbolt , and FaceTime HD cameras. They also feature new AMD Radeon HD graphics processors. Of course, if you're thinking of getting an iMac , you might be able to get a good deal on a previous generation model ( Best Buy sometimes sells previous models at discounts.) The other thing to consider is that Lion will be shipping soon, maybe as soon as June, so if you're not desperate for a new machine, maybe wait so you don't have to pay for an upgrade! Apple : iMac

Results from the Single Chip Camera Evaluation Adam Wilt at the ProVideoCoalition talks about the Single Chip Camera Evaluation , in a series of comparison tests of several video cameras, including the Alexa , RED, Phantom Flex , Sony PMW-F3 , Panasonic AG-AF100 , Canon 5D Mark II and others. The tests were shown at NAB, and should be available on the net later in the year, but Adam summarizes the results, showing maximum resolution, sensitivity and latitude tables and discussing what they might mean. All in all, it’s best to keep in mind that these charts show only three, very limited aspects of all these cameras. They don’t show the tradeoffs between highlight handling and shadow detail; the varying aliasing behaviors; how the different cameras handle saturated colors as highlights start to blow out; how their levels and textures of shadow noise differ; how they handle skintones and the wrapping of light around faces and hands. ProVideoCoalition : NAB 2011 - SCCE Charts See also...

MAY 25: Webinar with Norman Hollyn This is a FREE webinar on film and video editing featuring Norman Hollyn, head of the Editing Track at the USC Film School . Norman will be talking about how to organize your editing thoughts and then your footage to get the most out of your project. If improving your skills in the CRAFT of editing, rather than just the technology, is important to you, sign up for this session TODAY. This session is for any editor that wants to improve their ability to tell a story visually. It will not focus on technology, but instead it will look at the craft of editing and storytelling. This is a free session and there are only 100 seats available. LarryJordan.com : MAY 25: Guest Webinar with Norman Hollyn

Mike Matas User Interface Designer at Push Pop Press held an online chat at TED.com about the design of their interactive book Our Choice . While it wasn't like I actually interviewed him, he did answer a couple of my questions: Q: Any thoughts on features like searching, bookmarking and note taking? You said a goal was to "Get rid of the UI," but to add features like that, youd have to add UI. Or do you not see these as necessary tools for the kinds of books you intend to publish? A: I think there are unintrusive ways of adding those features if we want them in the future. We decided for this release to focus on simplicity and the content. Id rather have fewer features and a really good user experience, We can always add more stuff when necessary. Q: The book only supports horizontal orientation. Was this an intentional decision, or a technology decision? Or that you can't make a switching layout that works automatically, so pages have to be laid out twi...

At Saturdays White House Correspondents' Dinner , Seth Meyers made the following obligatory jokes about CSPAN : I'm also honored to be performing for those of you tonight, as well as the handful of people watching at home on CSPAN. CPSAN is of course the official network for wide shots of empty chairs. Every time I tune into CSPAN it looks like they just had a fire drill. CSPAN is one unpaid electric bill away from being a radio station. People think Bin Laden is hiding in the Hindu Kush, but did you know that every day from four to five he hosts a show on CSPAN? I'm not complaining about CSPAN mind you, I usually work on NBC so tonight I'm thrilled to be on a network that people actually watch. -Seth Meyers Sunday Evening, 24 Hours later... Good evening. Tonight, I can report to the American people and to the world that the United States has conducted an operation that killed Osama bin Laden, the leader of al Qaeda, and a terrorist who's responsible for th...

Final Cut Pro Problems I've been having problems with Final Cut Pro lately; it keeps asking for my administrator's password whenever it starts, and half the time it seems to hang during the open. So today I deleted the application, following these instructions: Uninstalling Final Cut Pro 3 in Mac OS X , and then I spent about three hours re-installing the application...and then it still wasn't fixed! Oh well. Try again tomorrow.... When will FCP X ship? Hello, future: A Music Video Challenge Make a music video with one of 3 Moby tracks available to download below. Submission deadline is Midnight EST May 9, 2011 . The winner will be announced and their video screened at this year's New Directors' Showcase in Cannes, as well as on the Vimeo site. They will also be offered the chance to work on a project in one of Saatchi & Saatchi's key offices around the Saatchi & Saatchi Global Network. Vimeo : SaatchiandSaatchi Apple to introduce n...