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Saturday, October 15, 2011

Quick Links

shooting abroad with the f3 and our modified shuttlepod | Christoph Tilley
| _mxr blog
Christoph Tiley has been blogging about his experiences with the Sony PMW-F3 at the blog _mxr blog. The latest entry is about a shot in Milan:
My only concerns were the lack of the S-Log option when shooting in 720p50 (the shot with the slomo doves), and the lack of a viewing LUT when recording onto the KiPro Mini. Everything is so dull and grey until you move the footage into color correction. I hope that my Gemini 444 will arrive soon as this recorder is going to have a monitoring LUT option. In addition to uncompressed 444 recording


Some tips for the video users…. | Frank Doorhof | Blog
Frank writes about software plug-ins he finds indispensable with Adobe Premiere Pro, including Singular Software's Plural Eyes and Red Giant's Cosmo and Looks:
Looks is not cheap, priced at $399.00 it’s more expensive than some canned “looks” that you can get on the net from other companies, however they don’t come close to what you can do with Magic Bullet looks, so I would advise you to check it out I think you love it. Oh and you can also buy several “guru sets” for looks where you get even more presets.


R.I.P., the movie camera: 1888-2011 | Matt Zoller Seitz | Salon
Another farewell to the film camera:
Although I’ve become more of a surly classicist with age, I was an early defender of movies shot on video, and I really don’t see the point of doing a Grandpa Cinema routine, waving a cane and hollering that the movies somehow “equal” film. That’s silly. Cinema is not just a medium. It is a language.


5DtoRGB Batch | Rarevision | iTunes
5DtoRGB Batch adds batch conversion and features GPU processing, DPX output and import of custom OpenGL shaders and is now available on the iTunes store for $49.99
  • Outputs to Apple ProRes 422, 4444 and DPX
  • Supports Canon 5D Mark II, 7D, T2i/T3i, 60D, Panasonic GH1/GH2 and many other camera brands and models
  • Support for Technicolor's CineStyle LUT for Canon cameras
  • Full control over QuickTime gamma handling
  • Frame rate conforming (for converting 50/60p clips to slow motion 25/24p clips)
  • Direct graphics hardware access using OpenGL-based shaders


Digital Production Buzz | Podcast
The October 13th issues of the Digital Production Buzz podcast features Jerome Courshon, Ian Chisholm and Philip Hodgetts and covers topics: making money on your movie, animating a SciFi series, professional audio on an iPhone, and new FCP X tool is announced by Philip Hodgetts.



Slider Project | Sjoerd van der Wal | Blog
A short post describing adding motorization to an Igus W16 slider:
After a search on the internet and viewing various videos on Vimeo I constructed my own motorized Igus slider. The slider can be used to put smooth motion in static shots. I am still developing the system but the basic construction is finished. The above video was the first test shoot with a colorful Golden Ash tree in the city park of my hometown Kampen.


Adobe After Effects CS5 Classroom in a Book |eBook Deal of the Week
| Adobe Press
Don't forget that this week's $9.99 Adobe Press eBook Deal of the Week is Adobe After Effects CS5 Classroom in a Book by the Adobe Creative Team, and the deal will change tomorrow. The book currently sells for $37.79 on Amazon, or $34.01 as a Kindle book: Adobe After Effects CS5 Classroom in a Book





Friday, October 14, 2011

Boston Supermeet October 27th

Don't forget the SuperMeet is coming back to Boston on October 27. It's a busy month here in Boston!
Where? - STUART STREET PLAYHOUSE
Radisson Hotel Boston
200 Stuart Street
Boston, Massachusetts 02116

When? - Thursday, October 27, 2011 - 3:30pm - 11pm (Doors open at 3:30pm for Vendor Showcase)

How Much? - $10.00 General Admission and $7.00 for Students ($20.00 at door)
Includes 2 raffle tickets per person.

Who should attend? - Everyone who wants to learn more about the craft of editing, digital filmmaking and meet others who may know more than you do.

NOTE: You want to buy your ticket beforehand incase it sells out!

TEXPO October 18 Vendor List


More vendor info about this year's TEXPO 2011 at Rule Boston Camera on October 18th appears below the fold.

Quick Links

Sony NEX-FS100 Nikon & Sony 18-200mm Lens Comparison | DerranNL | Blog
A comparison of the Sony E-Mount 18-200mm f/3.5-6.3 [$799.99] - the standard lens for the NEX-FS100 - and the Nikon AF-S DX NIKKOR 18-200mm f/3.5-5.6G ED VR II [$849.95]. Interestingly, both lenses have their uses (and don't forget the Sony is $100 cheaper if bought with the camera...):
In short: I prefer working with the Nikon lens over the Sony lens, when there's more time to setup my shots. And I prefer the Sony lens over the Nikon lens when there's less shooting time (for Run and Gun work). Further more, I would have no problem editing shots of both lenses together in a single project. Actually, it would be rather difficult to tell them apart.


Sony F3 on location for a new Olympics 2012 film | Robert Hollingworth | Blog
Robert has been shooting with the Sony PMW-F3 and the new Hybrid Glidetrack, and likes them both:
The F3 is superb; lovely image quality, low noise and incredible dynamic range even when recording to native 35mbps XDCAM EX codec. It’s a knock-out. I have yet to shoot the F3 with S Log or Nano Flash / Gemini (or any 444 recorder), but it can only get better.

...my new .75m Hybrid Glidetrack arrived this week and went straight out on the Olympic shoot with the F3. Wow. It’s incredible. The motion of the sledge on the track is silky smooth and the smaller size means it mounts perfectly on sticks (Sachtler 18) with no dipping at either end, even on the relatively heavy F3. The production value it adds is wonderful, but the speed of rigging and wrapping with the new smaller length and Hybrid sledge means it’s much more effective and useful on quick shoots. I love it!


Sony F3 test | bobby gunawan | Vimeo
Nice video shot with the Sony PMW-F3 and Ariiflex 16,24 & 85 lenses, and an iGus slider, shot at the Petak 9 Temple Jakarta - Indonesia.



D|Matte Clip-on Matte Box Review
| Rod Clark | HDSLR Shooter
This review also includes a short video overview, and judges the D\Matte to be "alarmingly inexpensive without being cheap":
The D|Matte is a professional quality clip-on style matte box designed specifically for use with HDSLR cameras. The D|Matte is very well thought-out and combines a variety of features that make it ideal for its intended mission.


Panasonic GH2 gets AVCHD Intra at 176Mbit! | Andrew Reid | EOSHD
A hack that jumps the GH2 from it's standard 24Mbit to 176Mbit means 1 minute of footage is about 1 GB of data!



DaVinci Resolve Mac 8.1 Update | Blackmagic
This update adds FCPX roundtrip support.



iOS adds 1080p Support
The 1080p support had been previously reported [MacRumors: iOS 5 Opens Door to True 1080p Apple TV] but it's great news that this support seems to extend to video from DSLRs
Just found that iOS5 on the iPad2 now plays 1080p video imported from my Canon 60D with the SD card adapter :)
- @eriktier | Twitter


Film Directing Tips | Peter D Marshall | ActionCutPrint
A large collection of interesting filmmaking tips, including:
Two actors have to walk from Point-A (a hallway) and finish their dialogue when they reach Point-B (an elevator or a door). A quick way of deciding where they must begin (in the hallway) is to have them start walking FROM Point-B to Point-A. Where they stop (finish their lines) is where you can start them for the scene.


Even Quicker Links

Thursday, October 13, 2011

Quick Links

Reviews

Zacuto Z-Finder EVF Pro HDSLR Viewfinder Review | Mark Holder | VideoMaker
A short review of the Zacuto Z-Finder EVF Pro (3.2") [$950] explaining the problem it solves for DSLR shooters, and evaluating it's features:
In addition to the enhanced focusing ability inherent in the loupe's 2.5x magnification and light-excluding eyecup, several focus aids are included in the menu settings. Peaking over-sharpens hard edges as they come into focus and Pixel-to-Pixel (Zoom) zooms into the center of the frame for a 100% view and more precise focusing. Exposure assistance includes Zebras where two different levels of zebra stripes may be established. For example, one may be set to expose for skin tones and the other for pure white. Finally, each of the three navigation and selection buttons also pull double duty as assignable function buttons.


Samsung HMX-Q10UN camcorder offers ambidextrous operation | Bryan Hastings
| Macworld
The Samsung HMX-Q10UN [$199] camcorder can be turned upside down and will flip the video on-screen and as it is saved, so it can be used with either hand. Despite some firmware issues, no on-board memory and a small battery, it's judged to be a remarkable little camcorder:
The HMX-Q10UN turned in a solid performance in our video and audio lab tests, chalking up Good scores across the board. I filmed outside around the grounds of my home during late afternoon and dusk, and found the color reproduction and low-light shooting quality to be adequate, but not exceptional.


Toy Camera Reviews | Dad Does
The resolution of these cameras is low (640 x 480 & 320 x 240) but a toy plane and a Hot Wheels car with a video camera? I wish I had these as a kid! Of course, I guess I could just mount my ContourHD Camera onto an RC car....

Review: Air Hogs Hawk Eye Blue Sky RC Camera Plane – Smile You’re On Video
This plane with camera is $69.95, which almost seems like a bargain...

Hot Wheels Video Racer Hands On Review – Not Your Daddy’s Hot Wheels
The Hot Wheels Video Racer Micro Camera Car [$59.99] is knocked for price, yet still gets 4./5
The footage is not High Definition (HD), there is no image stabilization and video will look grainy in low light. All of this may be true, but you do need to remember this is a toy for kids -- not a professional video camera!


Editing

Lightworks Editor Jill Bilcock Discusses Her Latest Editing Endeavor, 'Don’t Be Afraid of the Dark' | DV.com
An interview with editor Jill Bilcock about how she got into the business, the production of the movie "Don't Be Afraid of the Dark" and working with the NLE Lightwave.
Why do you think some editors are reluctant to switch to Lightworks?
Through ignorance of producers thinking they have limited choices when it comes to equipment. Also, in the past there was fear of a lack of technical support when Lightworks was smaller. The deal will often have been done before the editor has been hired. This has resulted in a lot of editors already having been channeled down a different path. I have tried the obvious alternatives and know their advantages and disadvantages. I wouldn't be interested in a film if they told me I had to work on a different machine.


Meet the editor of The King's Speech : An Evening with Tariq Anwar
| New York, Oct 27
Speaking of Lightwave, if you are in New York on October 27 this event should be worth catching:
Set to take place at the Union Square Ballroom, on Thursday, October 27, 2011, this exclusive industry event will kick off with an inside look at the future of non-linear editing technology with founder and CEO of EditShare, Andy Liebman. The evening's guest MC, NYC filmmaker and founder of Manhattan Edit Workshop Josh Apter, will then lead the audience through an un-edited tour of Tariq's life and work as editor on some of the most influential films of our time including Oscar-winning masterpieces, The King's Speech and American Beauty.


Transferring projects from Final Cut Pro 7 to Final Cut Pro X | Squarebox | Blog
A tutorial on transferring projects from FCP 7 to FCPX using their product CatDV. There are some restrictions on what can be transferred:
  • A basic "cuts only" sequence is moved across. Titles, transitions and other special effects or filters, including detailed handling of certain multi-channel audio files, are not fully supported and may need to be reapplied. Timing is preserved however.
  • Most regular clips that come from a single .mov or .mp4 movie file, as well as subclips, simple stills and audio clips, are copied across. Complex clips such as multiclips, sequences within sequences, P2 mxf files, or image sequences are not fully supported in most cases.


OSX Lion and Red Giant – Happy Together at Last! | Red Giant | Blog
An update on the status of their Final Cut Pro 7 tools:
Breaking News! Today, Apple announced an update for OS X Lion: 10.7.2 and we’re happy to say that this update resolves the issues we have been seeing with Magic Bullet Looks 2, Colorista II, Primatte Keyer, and Knoll Light Factory running in Final Cut Pro on OSX Lion. We’ve been testing with the pre-releases of this OS X update and we can finally give it a thumbs up!


Audio

Use An iPhone To Record High Quality Audio For Your Videos | FStoppers | Vimeo
Lee Morris demonstrates using an iPhone to record audio, and also how to get that audio into your editing app.
It's an interesting idea, though I'm not convinced that the iPhone mic is sensitive enough to use unless the iPhone is very close to the subject; fine for off camera work, but not for on-camera stuff. Don't forget to put the iPhone into Airplane Mode if you are using it for audio recording.





Wednesday, October 12, 2011

Roku LT - a $49 Streaming Player available in November

Just in time for the Christmas shopping season, Roku will be rolling out a $49 version of their streaming video player in early November. The Roku LT supports 720p video and works with Netflix, Hulu Plus, Amazon Instant Video, Pandora, EPIX, Crackle, Disney, and HBO GO.

The Roku LT joins the existing Roku 2 models that were introduced in July; the 720p Roku 2 HD ($59.99), and the 1080p Roku 2 XD ($79.99) and Roku 2 XS ($99.99). All feature Bluetooth and a microSD card slot while the Roku 2 XS model adds an enhanced gaming remote, Ethernet and USB ports, and a full edition of the Angry Birds game.


Roku: Roku Introduces New $49 Streaming Player [PDF]

iOS 5 is out, along with updates to iMovie, Apple TV

iOS 5 is now available for download [I won't be able to install it until later today, hopefully the traffic to Apple's servers won't be as heavy then!]

An update for the Apple TV (the second generation model) is also available that adds wireless mirroring functionality over AirPlay. AppleInsider: Apple releases iOS 5 for iPhone, iPad, iPod touch & Apple TV


Several updates to Apples iOS apps (Pages, Numbers, Keynote) are also available that add several features, notably support for iCloud. There's also an update to iMovie, though Apple doesn't list any major changes in Version 1.2.2 in the iTunes description:
This update addresses minor issues and expands support for videos imported from external cameras.
MacRumors: Apple Updates iMovie and iWork for iOS, Remote Apps



AppleTV

Speaking of AppleTV, the current version only support 720p; could a 1080p version be just around the corner? A recent article on MacRumors hints at a possible 3rd generation version in testing and development, but concludes that any model could be as much as eighteen months away.
MacRumors: Next Generation Apple TV References Found in iOS 5, But When?


[UPDATE] The following article at MacWorld lists a few other features added to Apple TV in this update: Apple TV 4.4 update adds Photo Stream, NHL, and more

Canon Opens Professional Technology and Support Center in LA

Canon sent out the following press release announcing a new office in Hollywood devoted to supporting their film industry clients. It seems that Canon is seriously getting into the film and video business; on November 4th Canon is expected to announce a couple of new large-sensor video cameras.

Canon U.S.A., Inc.has announced the opening of the Canon Hollywood Professional Technology and Support Center to better serve its film and television production clients. The office, located on the historic Sunset Gower Studio lot at 6060 Sunset Boulevard in Los Angeles, will provide a local site to foster support, research, service and training for Hollywood’s thriving entertainment industry.

“We want to offer a one-stop shop where our clients can come to ask questions and explore our various products with the help of our highly qualified technical and engineering staff members. The Canon Hollywood Professional Technology and Support Center provides a well-equipped venue for working with professionals in a range of imaging industries, from film and television production to still imaging and professional output,” stated Yuichi Ishizuka, executive vice president and general manager, Imaging Technologies and Communications Group, Canon U.S.A.

Comprehensive product repair services for Canon professional products will be available in the new Hollywood facility starting in late 2011. On-site repair operations will include two state-of-the-art camera body and lens adjustment rooms, Canon’s most advanced adjustment and calibration equipment, local spare parts inventory, and an experienced professional repair staff that will look to quickly return Canon’s professional products to their original factory condition and operation.

The Canon Hollywood Professional Technology and Support Center will also serve as a field extension of Canon’s Research and Solution Engineering Department, dedicated to ensuring that current and future products meet or exceed the demands of our clientele. As a local research and development center, staff will assess market demands and expectations for new professional imaging technology and look to build them into future product generations and customer support provisions. This represents only one of many initiatives and investments that Canon has planned to solidify its commitment to the film and television production community.

The facility will also support business opportunities by offering 1:1 meetings with major clients (studios, production houses, television networks, rental facilities, and others) to further build relationships and assess their needs. The new facility and local Canon staff will also offer hands-on education to current and potential clients on the latest Canon professional products. Courtesy visits by both existing and potential clients in the industry can be arranged to explore opportunities and assess Canon’s full capabilities. Guilds, unions or organizations affiliated with film and television production are encouraged to inquire about hosting seminars, events and industry gatherings at Canon’s Hollywood center as well.

The Canon Hollywood Professional Technology and Support Center will also host Canon Live Learning (CLL) workshops – fee-based seminars for professionals and enthusiasts looking to further their imaging education. In addition, the Hollywood center will offer other industry-related events covering a wide range of technical and creative topics within the professional production segment.

Quick Links

Today, its years are numbered, but I will remain loyal to this analogue artform until the last lab closes.
- Steven Spielberg [The Guardian, "The Joy of Celluloid"]


The Sony NEX-7 & Zeiss 24 has arrived! My 1st look and video! | Steve Huff | Blog
Steve just got a production copy of the NEX-7, and promises a review in a couple of weeks:
When the guys opened up the box (which was NOT a finished box) they told me the camera is final, and the firmware is also final. They included the 18-55 kit zoom in black as well and I have to say it looks much cooler in black than the super shiny silver. But we all already know how the 18-55 is, so the real start of this set is the Zeiss 24 1.8 Lens.


MacVoices #1189: Dan Berube and Michael Horton Talk Final Cut Pro X and the Upcoming FCP SuperMeet in Boston | MacVoices
Organizers of The Final Cut Pro SuperMeet Daniel Berube and Michael Horton talk about Final Cut Pro X, and the upcoming Boston Supermeet, which will include a presentation by editing superstar and Oscar winner Walter Murch.



New Noktor HyperPrime 12MM 1.6 | Beeldlab
Yesterday I linked to a preview of the Noktor by Andrew Red at EOSHD, and now here's another person that got to play with a prototype:
My first impressions of the lens are great. It feels robust and solid. Focus and aperture ring move as smooth as butter. 12mm looks like a nice wide angle view (like 24mm on 5D Mark II) and you can get nice shallow depth of field. I bett that this will be an awesome lens, especially outside, when stopped down with ND.


How to Share Your Opinion on a Film Set (If Asked) | Evan Luzi
| the Black And Blue
Evan offers tips on how to give advice on-set (or even off-set for that matter!):
Step 3. Offer Alternative Approaches
One thing that has always bugged me about asking others for their opinion is when they criticize without offering solutions.
I remember sending out a survey for this site awhile back and getting responses back like “needs to look better.” When it comes down to it, that response is neither helpful nor genuine. Instead it comes across as obnoxious and useless.
Before you open your mouth to share your opinion, always be ready to provide alternative solutions or at least help guide the conversation towards it.


What the Hell is Digital Distribution? Here’s 7 Core Ideas You Must Understand
|| Orly Ravid | IndieWire
An excerpt from “Selling Your Film Without Selling Your Soul," written by The Film Collaborative co-executive directors Orly Ravid and Jeffrey Winter:
5. HAVE GOOD ART THAT WORKS SMALL.
For God’s sake, take good photos. And compose the images with an eye toward the fact that it won’t be on a poster; it will be on a computer screen. Look at your key art as a thumbnail image and make sure it is still clearly identifiable.


The Letters H and D Are Now Meaningless | Alexis van Hurkmand | Blog
This post starts with a rumination on how meaningless the definition "HD" has become, and then get's into the details of image quality from a color graders perspective:
At this point, the wide variety of camcorders, cheap-o party digital recorders, point and shoot and DSLR cameras, and even our cell phones can record 720p or 1080p video. High Definition video. And yet, what does this really mean in terms of quality? Most of these devices record a highly compressed video stream, now usually a variation of the reasonably competent H.264 codec. On more inexpensive devices, the chroma subsampling is 4:2:0, meaning that roughly 3/4 of the color data is irretrievably thrown away when the image is recorded.


10 Things Every Creative Person (That’s YOU) Must Learn | Chase Jarvis | Blog
Some interesting tips for creatives:
3. Don’t aim for ‘better’, aim for ‘different’.
It’s funny how related “better” and “different” are. If you aim for ‘better’ that usually means you’re walking in the footsteps of someone else. There will often be someone better than you, someone making those footsteps you’re following…


Sony PMW-F3 S-LOG VS Cinestyle2 XDCamEX | thomas ozoux | Vimeo
Experiments with the Sony PMW-F3 shooting a scene with a wide exposure range, with and without S-Log. The S-Log footage is superior both in color, and dynamic range.



Filmmakers, meet iPhone 4S. iPhone 4S, meet Filmmakers | Taz Goldstein
| Hand Held Hollywood
Thinking of upgrading to the iPhone 4S? Why yes, I am! Taz offers his reasons for upgrading; if you're eligible for the discounted upgrade:
If you're stuck in the middle of a 2-year contract, ineligible for discount pricing, it will cost you at least $650 to upgrade. For that reason alone, I think you should at least consider holding off until the iPhone 5. 1080p is great, but Apple's stabilization does yield artifacts. Siri is awesome, but perhaps you should wait and see if your iPhone 4S purchasing friends actually wind up using it. The other new features are swell, but they're not so revolutionary that I'd consider the iPhone 4S a filmmaking must-buy.



Cut Notes 1.1 | Digital Rebellion LLC | iTunes
An update to this iPad logging application has been posted:
  • Final Cut Pro synchronization (requires wi-fi)
  • Hold button removed - holding can now be achieved by tapping the timecode while playing
  • Minor UI refresh
  • iOS 5 compatibility
  • Fixed an issue where project names with a period in them (e.g. Project.01) would be truncated in the project browser


Tuesday, October 11, 2011

iCloud: Just remember that small print

I admit I'm a fan of the BBC TV series Top Gear, and I've bought several episodes through iTunes. The only downside - particularly if you buy the HD versions - is that they can quickly start filling up your Mac's hard drive!

So I'm quite excited by one of the new capabilities of iTunes 10.5 and iCloud:
When you buy a song, TV show, app, or book from the App Store or the iTunes Store, iCloud stores it in your purchase history. So you can download what you want, from any of your devices, to whichever devices you choose.[1]
That's great, and will save me having to worry about archiving and backing up those files....except, notice that little [1]. The small print reads in part:
...Previous purchases may be unavailable if they are no longer in the iTunes Store...
That's really important, because what that means is that if the licensing deal between the BBC and Apple were to end, then the episodes will disappear, and you won't be able to download the files from Apple again.

Being able to download the files at a future date is a great convenience, but it's not something you can count on: you'll still need to save (and backup) the files on your local computer.


Quick Links

Noktor 12mm F1.6 Micro Four Thirds hands-on with GH2 | Andrew Reid | EOSHD
This lens is expected to be released in December for $499, and Andrew has his impressions after playing with the lens, and a Q&A with SLR Magic:
Build is good, all metal and just the right torsion on the focus and aperture ring. The aperture ring by the way is de-clicked out of the box which is ideal for video shooters. It is continuously variable and very smooth, and the iris has 12 blades so bokeh stays perfectly creamy and round when you stop down. (Just like a cinema lens, so it is perfect for the GH2 and AF100).


The fully integrated twin-lens 2D/3D camera recorder, HDC-Z10000, showcased in Japan for the first time! | Panasonic | Blog
Some pictures of the new 3D camcorder:
It is AVCHD 3D/Progressive compatible, has a new lens with "nano surface coating," a new "crystal engine PRO II," and dual 3MOS sensors, which all enable you to shoot high image quality FULL HD 3D images. It boasts the industry's shortest close-up range of approximately 45cm for 3D macro shooting, so it would be interesting to shoot not only the landscape, but also subjects such as flowers and insects close up.


Sneak Peaks From Adobe | Adobe | YouTube
Last week was AdobeMax, and Adobe previewed some interesting technology, including:
Video Meshes
Taking video and adding 3D information to it so that you can further manipulate the video (jump to 2:00 for the interesting bits!)
Photoshop Image Deblurring sneak
The video itself needs some unblurring, but judging by the reaction, another impressive demo!


Next EOS not a 1Ds4 or 5D3…. could be a 1D Mark 5? [CR2] | Canonrumors
Seems the Canon rumors are going crazy; now there's reports of a possible DSLR announcement on October 18th.



Sensor Artifacts and CMOS Rolling Shutter | Barry Green | DVXUser
The strengths and weaknesses of the CMOS sensor:
There are four main characteristics sensors may exhibit. CCDs can suffer from vertical smearing on bright light sources, while CMOS sensors are immune to that artifact. But CMOS sensors (equipped with “rolling shutters”) can exhibit skew, wobble, and partial exposure; CCD sensors are immune to those effects. And a CMOS sensor with a “global shutter” would also be immune to them, but since no current CMOS camcorders are equipped with global shutters, a camcorder buyer needs to be aware of what the implications of a rolling shutter would be.


Sony F3 fun with slow motion | Justin Ho | Vimeo
A Sony PMW-F3 at 60p 1280x720 with a Zeiss 50mm f1.4 "filming a pro mo video for my friend's band, this is just some un-color corrected footage of one of the many random events that happened during the trip."



Sony NEX-FS100 E-Mount | Morris Hill Pictures | Vimeo
It's hard to see in this clip, but:
I've had my FS100 for a few months. I just noticed that lens mount moves slightly, at least the outside chrome ring does. Does your FS100 do the same?


$199 Schneider Optics iPro Lens System For the iPhone 4 | Cinescopophilia
With the iPhone 4S going to an 8 MP camera, and 1080P, maybe spending $200 for add-on optics does make sense!!



Kodak Bankruptcy Rumors | Image Sensors World
Kodak's in financial peril but sell their patents may not be easy unless they declare bankruptcy:
Some potential bidders for the patents are wary of proceeding because a purchase may amount to a so-called fraudulent transfer if Kodak is insolvent.


Movie★Slate 3 and the MamboFrame finally arrive! | Hand Held Hollywood
Report on the new version of the Movie★Slate 3 iPad app, as well as the MamboFrame, which adds real sticks to your iPhone slate (for $379!!)


50% Off Adobe Premiere Pro/Creative Suite ends October 31st

Adobe's 50% off Adobe Creative Suite CS5.5 Production Premium [$849.50 instead of $1,699] or Adobe Premiere Pro CS5.5 [$399.50 instead of $799] for Final Cut Pro and Avid Media Composer Users is supposed to end October 31st [originally September 30th, but they added a month! -Ed]. So if you're thinking about it, there's only a few more weeks to take advantage!

Creative Suite 5.5 Production Premium - License [Add the Full version to the cart, then in the cart, click on the "Click here to enter a promo code." text just below the details and enter "SWITCH" and the discount is applied]

Monday, October 10, 2011

Final Cut Pro X News

How FCPX Saved Avid | Shame Ross | Little Frog in High Def
FCPX's failure with the professional community is good news for Avid.
A friend of mine mentioned that at a user group meeting, an editor said, “Apple was literally on the verge of killing Avid and taking over the Post Production market. Instead they gave a tremendous lifeline to Avid and said ‘here’s a gift from us to you. We’re f'ing up our editing tool so folks will return to you.”


Game Reset: The FCP X fallout has been a blessing in disguise | Eric Wise
| MasteringFilm
Short take: It's a blessing, because all the pros are going to switch to Avid and Adobe, and Avid and Adobe care more about pros than Apple does.
Except I can't help wondering if it was the fact that Apple was in the space in the first place that Avid and Adobe started "caring" so much, and if Apple truly does leave the space to Avid and Adobe, whether in a couple of years, they'll go back to taking their customers for granted.



FCP X's first update: A closer look | James Graham | Jigsaw
Some opinions on XML support, Xsan shared storage and GPU-accelerated export in the latest update:
Thirdly, the GPU-accelerated export feature is something that is very exciting. As an FCP user for many years, I can remember my amazement at witnessing the speed of Adobe's Mercury Playback engine as it used the power of the NVIDIA CUDA card. Having that kind of power and speed in FCP X, both in the edit and now in the export, is a wonderful thing.


Get up to speed on DaVinci Resolve so you're ready for exporting your media out of FCPX for grading | FCP.com
This page collects together four videos from YouTube of Patrick Inhofer of The Tao of Color giving a DaVinci Resolve 8 workshop (it's in English!). While this is not strictly FCPX related, as it says in the description, with Color gone Resolve may become the color grading tool of choice for FCPX.



Keyframing in FCP X | Ken Stone | Blog
A tutorial on key framing in Final Cut Pro X:
Different applications have different workflows for working with keyframes. In FCP X, first you set a keyframe and then you change the effects setting. The Inspector, Video Animation Editor, and Viewer windows are all linked together. Work in one and the other two update in real time, they are ganged together. You might find that the best workflow is to work in two of these windows simultaneously while doing your keyframing work.


FCP X: Backgound Sound | Larry Jordan | Blog
Tantalizing note about a feature that was in the alpha's, but didn't make it into the final release.



MacBreak Studio: Episode 136 - Working with Connected Clips in Final Cut Pro X
| Steve Meting | YouTube
Steve Meting explains to Mark Spencer the fundamental structure of the Primary Storyline and how it affects the use of Connected Clips during the edit.



Mark Spencer talks Motion5 for Final Cut Pro X editors | FCP.co
Mark Spencer presents Motion for FCPX editors at the recent Los Angeles Final Cut Pro User Group meeting. He illustrates with examples the fact that you don't need to know Motion to benefit from its image processing tools in FCPX.



Steve Martin FCP X Part 1.mov | lafcpug | YouTube
Steve Martin talks to the L.A. Final Cut Pro User Group September 2011 about Final Cut Pro X and why he uses it in his day to day editing. Steve shows how to output to After Effects and other applications.
Part II



All About Audio in FCPX | Connor Crosby | FinalCutWhiz
Tutorial on working with audio, covering audio import, adjusting audio, pan modes (surround sound), separating audio and syncing audio.
There's also a tutorial on importing audio: Import Settings in Final Cut Pro X



Why Can't Coloring Footage Be That Easy?
| 2Duce2 Films | Blog
A short post, with lots of pictures, about shooting with Instagram, and then trying to match the color effect that Instagram produced.




Sunday, October 09, 2011

A do-it-yuorself fix for the Sony NEX-VG10 tripod mount

Last year it was noted that the tripod mount on the Sony NEX-VG10 was rather flimsy, and actually broke for a couple of people.

Bill of Real Estate HDTV has posted a video on YouTube showing a fix he made to his:

Adobe Press eBook Deal of the Week: Adobe After Effects CS5 Classroom in a Book

The Adobe Press eBook Deal of the Week this week is Adobe After Effects CS5 Classroom in a Book by the Adobe Creative Team, which currently sells for $37.79 on Amazon, or $34.01 as a Kindle book: Adobe After Effects CS5 Classroom in a Book

NOTE: I wrote about the experience of buying an eBook deal of the week here: Adobe Press eBook's. Also, unlike the book I bought, it appears that you can download the electronic files (that are on the book's DVD) from Peachpit's website.


Adobe Press: eBook Deal of the Week