Notes On Video

Sony NEX-FS100 review | Sharif Sakr | Engadget Engadget has an indepth review of the NEX-FS100 . The camera may be a step above Engadget's usual "gadget" category, but this is a reasonably thorough review, touching most of the major issues. I'm not sure I agree with all of the explanations and interpretations, the prices are a bit off ( the body sells for $4,999 , not $5,900) and the kit lens is f/3.5-6.3 (not just f/3.5) but that's quibbling. [Note: the author is English and may be using UK prices .] There's an interesting note about using the camera in low-light and not believing that it will perform as well as it did: There wasn't a great deal of noise visible on the small LCD, but all our instincts shouted at us that this 18db footage would be speckled worse than a speckled hen when we got home and saw it on a large monitor. So we switched back to 12db and did our best to hunt out decent shots at that level of gain, which turned out to be missio...

Amazon US: The NEX-7 gets more preorders than the A77! | SonyAlphaRumors SonyAlphaRumors is shocked that as of yesterday, the NEX-7 had more pre-orders on Amazon than the A77 does. [ Best Sellers in Digital SLR Cameras ] Today the Sony NEX-7 Body Only [$1,199.99] and the Sony NEX-7 with 18-55mm Lens [$1,349.99] rank 6 and 10, while the A77 With 16-50mm F2.8 lens [$1,99.99] is at #15. Should we really be surprised, given the price difference? What really surprises me is that the Sony NEX-5N With 18-55mm Lens only makes an appearance at #16 [$699.99]. I thought it would be much higher than the NEX-7 , but maybe it has something to do with the fact that the NEX-5N is an upgrade of an existing camera, while the NEX-7 is "totally new" (so existing owners of the NEX-5 may be buying the NEX-7 ...) The NEX-VG20 is not yet available for pre-order (it's not supposed to ship until November) so doesn't appear in any lists yet! Which is best for low light? Sony NE...

An issue that's come up now and again about the Sony NEX-FS100 is it's reported support for 4:4:4 RGB output via it's HDMI port. Sony brochures mention it, but the interesting thing is that practically no video recorders seem to support 4:4:4 RGB, and I've spoken to representatives of AJA and Blackmagic, and they seem as unclear on what 4:4:4 RGB is as I am! But, 4:4:4 RGB is clearly better than 4:2:2 YCbCr (right?), so people have been very interested in this capability. Now comes Philip Johnston from HD Warrior , who has managed to get an actual reply from his contacts at Sony UK, and they have added new details to the story. The really important part is this: ...the data of the image created by the FS100/NX70 processor is just 4:2:2. Then it is lifted up to 4:4:4 in the HDMI processor if the connected device is 444 capable. That's right, even if you have a display device or a recorder that supported RGB 4:4:4, the signal you are getting from the NEX-FS100...

Panasonic announced the DMC-FZ150 , a 24x Super-Zoom Camera with Full HD Video (1080p) Recording, the DMC-FX90 point-and shoot with Wi-Fi connectivity, and two new Micro Four-Thirds lenses; a wide-angle and telephoto zoom that are small and offer improved performance. I'm going  to skip the cameras, but the lenses may be of interest to Panasonic GH2 or AG-AF100 owners. Unfortunately, while these lenses should appeal to still shooters, and will work with any Micro Four-Thirds camera, they probably won't appeal to the video shooter. The pancake lens particularly seems to be very small, and with it's electric powered operation, and "manual focus lever" I'm thinking it might be rather difficult to operate. The longer zoom may be less finicky, but it's also not a constant aperture lens. It's perhaps notable that they are calling these "premium" lenses, and not "professional" lenses, which is what I had thought they were going to be...

Sony UK Webchat Yesterday Sony UK had a live video webchat with Sony Rep Paul Genge . I only caught some of it, but here's my notes: He showed the LA-EA2 A-mount to E-mount adapter. It’s got a translucent mirror in it and the base houses the auto-focus module. It will be compatible with previous models he says, but the cameras will require a firmware upgrade. It’s coming in a couple of months and a firmware upgrade will come then too. Someone asked about overheating . He said that the overheating issue of the A55 was caused by the steadyshot mechanism moving the shift mechanism, contributing to the overheating. This caused a thermostat warning to appear quite quickly. If you turned off steadyshot you got the full 29 minutes of recording. They have reverted to an electronic image stabilization system to counteract the overheating. He noted that you can record for "the full" 29 minutes. An earlier article suggested that the 29 minute limit was technology related, b...

The great 'Get' mystery has been solved, it's now called Boris Soundbite | fcp.co AV3's phonetic search engine for Final Cut Pro , " Get " was recently discontinued, reportedly after Nexidia , the company that owns the technology, ended the relationship with AV3. Now the software has turned up as Boris Soundbite . Note that there's no mention of " Get " on Boris' website, and as fcp.co writes: We are pleased to see it back, it would have been a shame for this product to have slipped away and not returned. We cannot comment on the rumour that next year it will be called 'Grab" from Red Giant. Soundbite currently runs under Final Cut Pro 7 or 6.0.2, but the prodcut page says that a FCP X version will be available soon as a free upgrade. You can buy it now for $295 (discounted from $495), though whether Nexidia will end the agreement with Boris after a year, who knows. BorisFX : Soundbite DualEyes 2.0 now available | Singu...

To the Apple Board of Directors and the Apple Community: I have always said if there ever came a day when I could no longer meet my duties and expectations as Apple’s CEO, I would be the first to let you know. Unfortunately, that day has come. I hereby resign as CEO of Apple. I would like to serve, if the Board sees fit, as Chairman of the Board, director and Apple employee. As far as my successor goes, I strongly recommend that we execute our succession plan and name Tim Cook as CEO of Apple. I believe Apple’s brightest and most innovative days are ahead of it. And I look forward to watching and contributing to its success in a new role. I have made some of the best friends of my life at Apple, and I thank you all for the many years of being able to work alongside you. Steve Source : Apple

Sony UK Announces Live Q&A on Facebook | Photography Blog Sony UK is having a webchat today at 7:30pm BET (that's 2:30pm EST) with their photography expert Paul Genge. You need a Facebook account to friend them at: Sony UK - Facebook Sony A77, NEX-7, VG20 and NEX 5N video modes – new information | Andrew Reid | EOSHD Andrew Reid reports that there's a recording limit on the cameras of 29 minutes per clip in AVCHD mode even NTSC. This is reportedly a technical issue ( overheating?! ) Which new Sony to get – or wait for Canon? | Andrew Reid | EOSHD Meanwhile, he's giving serious thought to getting an NEX-5n. Hands-On With a Pre-Production A77 and Sony 16-50mm f/2.8 Lens | Luminous Landscape A first impressions review. Note the comment about rolling shutter: Though I know that I promised not to discuss image quality in this pre-production review, I have to mention one thing that I noticed while shooting some test video. There is much less visible rollin...

Some quick initial thoughts on the new toys that Sony announced. A77 & A65 These may be very nice "DSLRs", but as the owner of a Canon 7D , and several Canon lenses, I'm not keen to jump ship to another platform. At least not yet. And to be honest, I'm not a fan of shooting video with a DSLR camera body anyway; I just don't like the ergonomics. Since it's not a true DSLR, and the viewfinder is actually an EVF it should be useable while shooting video, which might be a plus. On the other hand, when taking stills, I really like having an optical viewfinder, so I'm not sure whether I'll like this camera at all... NEX-7 Holy Cow! Over $1,000 for this puppy?! That's a DSLR in sheep's, well no-clothing prices. I'm a bit surprised that it's basically twice the price of the NEX-5n ! I'd get the 5n. NEX-5n The really interesting thing about the NEX-5n is that it appears to have the same sensor as the NEX-VG20 . Does it? And if...

Make These Quick Adjustments Everytime You Move the Camera | Evan Luzi | The Black and Blue Important tips on what to do whenever you move your camera - especially if you're in a hurry: It’s easy to think once you’ve lugged the camera to its new spot, raised it to the right height, and spun it around to point the right direction that you’re done — that is until you see an unintentional dutch angle in the works. Zacuto EVF Saves the Day | Zacuto Interesting story about how DP Rodney Charters used a Canon 60D (with EVF) to quickly capture a crane shot: The director is screaming, “I must have my crane shot,” knowing there is not enough time to get the shots that are left and then mount one of the Alexas on the jib. The Director of Photography, Rodney Charters, promptly turns to a camera assistant and calmly says, “Mount the 60D on the Jib.” Recommended affordable Sony A77 lenses | Andrew Reid | EOSHD Thinking of switching to Sony? Andrew Reid offers some suggestions fo...

Sony already offered an A-mount to E-mount adapter, the LA-EA1 , but the LA-EA2 adds a translucent mirror and continuous phase-detect autofocus. It should work with the NEX-VG20 (see photo below) and other NEX cameras (including possibly the NEX-FS100 .) Price around $400, and shipping in November. According to Engadget , owners of the NEX-3, 5 and C3 will need a firmware upgrade for it to work, which raises the question whether it will work with the NEX-VG10 and FS100 without a similar update. Engadget | Sony LA-EA2 lens adapter gets ready for its close-up in 'leaked' render Engadget | Sony reveals three new NEX E-mount lenses, LA-EA2 A-mount adaptor with translucent mirror PCMag | LA-EA2 Lens Adapter PhotographyBlog : Sony LA-EA2 B & H : Sony Alpha LA-EA1 Camera Mount Adapter [ Earlier model ] NEX-VG20 and LA-EA2

Sony announced the NEX-VG20 , and on first impression, it looks very much like the NEX-VG10 : The specs are pretty much what was expected: Effective 16.1megapixel Exmor APS HD CMOS sensor AVCHD Full HD video plus 60p, 30p and 24p progressive modes DSLR-quality 16 megapixel stills with RAW support Improved audio with Quad Capsule Spatial Array microphone and stereo/5.1 sound recording Manual controls and revised ergonomics with new hand grip, Assignable Dial and dedicated function keys 7.5cm (3”) Xtra Fine LCD touch-screen with Tru-Black technology What is a little bit unexpected is that they will be selling it with and without the lens (the kens is that same one as the one sold with the NEX-VG10 .) So while the NEX-VG20 goes up $100 to $2,199, you'll be able to get it without the lens for $1,599. It's expected to be available in November. PRESS RELEASE: SAN DIEGO, Aug. 24, 2011 – The new Handycam® NEX-VG20 camcorder from Sony allows videographers to explor...

As expected, Sony announced a mass of new cameras and lenses: A77 DPReview | Sony unveils SLT-A77 flagship APS-C DSLR-rival Egadget | Sony Alpha A77 hands-on preview (video) PopPhoto | Hands On: Sony Alpha A77 and A65 Translucent Mirror DSLR, Plus DT 16-50mm F2.8 SSM Zoom Lens A65 DPREview | Sony announces Alpha SLT-A65 consumer-level DSLR-competitor Engadget | Sony announces entry-level A65, adds yet another DSLR to the Alpha family NEX-7 DPReview | Sony NEX-7 high-end APS-C mirrorless camera first look Engadget | Sony unveils NEX-7: 24.3 MP sensor, OLED viewfinder, $1199 price tag (video) PopPhoto | New Gear: Sony NEX-7 Stuffs DSLR Guts Into an Interchangeable Lens Compact Body NEX-5n DPReview | Sony launches NEX-5N APS-C mid-range mirrorless compact Engadget | Sony NEX-5N replaces NEX-5, adds 16.1 MP sensor, 25,600 max ISO, OLED viewfinder option (video) NEX-VG20 DPreview | Sony launches NEX-VG20 Handycam Camcorder CamcorderInfo | Sony La...

UPDATE: Ten minutes later, it appears the link no longer works....it'll probably come back later today... The following comes from Amazon's webpage for the Sony NEX-5N 16.1 MP Compact Interchangeable Lens Camera with Touchscreen - Body Only (Black) Price is $599.99 for body only. NOTE : I think the Phase Detect AF for E-mount bodies adapter may be what was pictured with the NEX-VG20 . 16.1 MP Exmor APS HD CMOS image sensor You get incredible detail and gorgeous enlargements. Thanks to the APS-C sensor size and Sony Exmor APS HD CMOS technology, the camera achieves high resolution with no penalty in low-light sensitivity or sensor noise. BIONZ image processor The brain of the camera is a refined version of Sony's BIONZ image processor. Its chroma noise reduction delivers high-resolution, low-noise photos even at ISO 25600 sensitivity. Also enables fast processing for up to 10 fps continuous shooting of data-intensive 16.1 megapixel images, 2D/3D Sweep Panorama mo...

SonyAlphaRumors has a page from Wednesday's USA Today that seems to confirm everything about the new Sony cameras; the 24MP A77 will be $1999 (with 16-50mm 1.8 lens) and the A65 $899, and will be available in October. These "DSLRs" feature a translucent mirror and electronic viewfinder, improving auto-focusing. The 24MP NEX-7 with kit lens will be $1350 and the 16MP NEX-5N with lens will be $700, and will be available in September. Interestingly, the 14MP NEX-VG20 camcorder will be $2,199, that's $100 more than the VG10 (though if it has the improved manual audio controls, 24pm video etc, then it will be worth it!) No date is quoted for it. I'm sure there will be a lot more information when the official announcement rolls out later on Wednesday. SonyAlphaRumors : Hot! Sony new products on US Today!!! With official price of A77! VG-20: Source: SonyAlphaRumors Included with the article is a small picture of the VG-20 (above) that's captioned th...

Tutorials Using the Video-in-Text Title for Final Cut Pro X | Steve Martin & Mark Spencer | Ripple Training Nice little tutorial on how to accomplish this effect. Canon XF workflow with FCPX | Daniel Houghton | Houghton Multimedia Final Cut Pro X doesn't recognize files from the Canon XF100 , so here's a workaround using Adobe Media Encoder (which suggests that you have to own Premiere Pro already!) Products Final Cut Pro X Grade Presets | Color Grading Central Final Cut Pro X' s Color Board makes it possible to save presets. You can get 3 presets for free from Color Grading Central , (the complete set of 20 is $49.) You can also see a demo/tutorial for the presets at Vimeo : FCP X Luster Grade Presets QuickStart Guide and Overview Rays | DigitalFilmTools Add light ray effects to your shots in post with this filter that works with Adobe After Effects , Adobe Premiere Pro , Apple Final Cut Pro (including FCPX ), Apple Motion 5 and Avid Editing ...

Sony Announcements Tomorrow Don't forget that Sony is expected to announce a bunch of things tomorrow. While most of them are more still camera oriented, all of the still cameras are expected to have pretty impressive video capabilities. The current list: A77 & A65 "DSLR" -like cameras NEX-7 and NEX-5N mirrorless cameras External viewfinder for the NEX-5N NEX-VG20 large chip consumer camcorder 16-50mm f/2.8 SSM lens Zeiss 24mm f/1.8 for E-mount Sony 50mm f/1.8 OSS for E-mount Sony 55-210mm OSS for E-mount Should be an interesting day! Mako’s Marvelous Mini Cams | Mako Koiwai | Film & Digital Times Photographer and DP Mako Koiwai offers some thoughts on mini-cams, encourages you to give them a try, and offers some tips: The popular GoPros, even though they come with a underwater housing, do not deliver crisp underwater images with their Domed Ports. Those ports were OK for the Standard Def versions of these cameras, but the HD Hero ver...

Canon has announced three new consumer point-and-shoot cameras: the PowerShot SX150 IS, the PowerShot ELPH 510 HS (the world’s thinnest digital camera with 12x optical zoom and a 28mm wide-angle lens1) and the PowerShot ELPH 310 HS. PowerShot SX150 IS Canon PowerShot SX150 IS Digital camera | DPReview A 12x optical zoom with 28mm wide-angle lens, 720p HD video recording , Intelligent IS and Smart AUTO, a 14.1-megapixel CCD sensor and Canon’s DIGIC 4 Image Processor. Available in black and red, scheduled to be available at the beginning of September for an estimated retail price of $249.99. PowerShot ELPH 510 HS Canon PowerShot ELPH 510 HS and ELPH 310 HS Digital cameras | Canon Rumors A 12.1-megapixel CMOS sensor with a 12x optical zoom and 28mm wide-angle lens, Canon's HS SYSTEM and 1080p Full HD video recording . The ELPH 510 HS Digital camera also includes a High-Speed Burst mode, Intelligent IS and Smart AUTO. Available in red, black, and silver, this camera has a 3.2...

Last week, Rick Macomber told me about a lens test that was going to be happening over the weekend and asked me if I was interested in going; Well, sure! And so it was that I found myself at a get together of camera pros this last Saturday, soaking up the knowledge and trying to keep my mouth shut so that I only appeared stupid. The event was hosted by Ben Eckstein , and was the brain child of Ben and Chris Loughran , who had been having a discussion about the differences between the expensive and budget lenses, and whether you could really see the difference in most situations. They decided to resolve [ no pun intended! ] the issue by shooting a short scene with different lenses on the same camera, and then see for themselves how different the results were. And thus the ' Big Ole' Lens Test Party of 2011 ' was born. They begged, borrowed and rented from Rule Boston Camera a variety of lenses, including a Cooke S4 35mm, Zeiss Superspeed 35mm, and Zeiss CP2 35mm, as we...

Testing the Noktor 50 f/0.95 for Sony E Mount with the new NEX- C3 | Steve Huff | Steve Huff Photo Steve reviews the Noktor, which is now available in E-mount. He looks at it's capabilities as a still lens, not a video lens, though he describes it as a cinema lens because the aperture ring does not click and you can lock the aperture down with a twist of a metal knob. He previously reviewed the micro 4/3 version, and had reservations about that lens, but he thinks this one is an improvement, even though it can still be a challenge: As with the Micro 4/3 version, this lens is a CHALLENGE to use. I shot it all night in the Fremont street area of Las Vegas and it was tough to get sharp images. Why? Well, this lens is NOT really that sharp when wide open. It CAN be a teeny bit sharp if you nail the focus, or if you stop it down to 1.4 but using focus peaking, shooting quick, and shooting wide open was a HUGE challenge. The lens is about $1,000 (the price on Noktor's website i...