An 18-stop test chart, a tunnel made of showcard and a dozen yards of black plastic ground cover later, we have a pretty good idea of the RED MX’s exposure latitude.
When DSC Labs offered to send me a 102db (translation: 18-stop) exposure latitude chart, I just couldn’t bring myself to say no. And, naturally, the first camera I wanted to test was the RED ONE MX. How much better is the new sensor? Let’s take a look…
The NEX-VG10 makes a giant leap forward…but lacks a few things as well.
Being hailed as the new sheriff in town with aspirations to kick HDSLRs out of the video market, the Sony NEX-VG10 with its interchangeable lenses and larger chip may just herald the end of professional applications of DSLR video. However, a closer examination seems to indicate it may still lack some of the key features so endearing to those of us who shoot with HDSLRs. So before you go running to ebay or your local pawnshop with your HDSLR you might want to consider the NEX-VG10’s limitations.
Review: Panasonic AG-HPX370 1/3” 3-MOS P2 HD Camcorder
Adam Wilt | 07/29- 12:00 AM
The HPX370 offers 50/60Hz AVC-Intra and DV-format recording, and improves noise, sensitivity, and skew over the HPX300.
The Panasonic AG-HPX370 (US$11,700 list; $9,200 street price) is a 1/3” 3-MOS shoulder-mount HD camcorder with interchangeable lenses. It records everything from 480i to 1080p in 10-bit AVC-Intra 50/100 and 8-bit DV/DVCPRO50/DVCPROHD formats, with variable frame rates in 720p. Its MOS sensors capture a true 1920x1080 image with remarkably high sensitivity and low noise; and its “rolling shutter” skew is comparable to other affordable high-quality CMOS cameras like the PMW-EX series Sonys.
At long last, an update to my fabled IR Filter Cheat Sheet. Not every camera responds the same way to IR; make sure you have the right filter for the right job.
CINEMATOGRAPHER VS. PRODUCER video as an afternoon diversion
Scott Simmons | 07/28- 02:33 PM
Sure, we’ve all had this conversation haven’t we?
Here’s a fun little 2:48 video that’s been making the Twitter rounds (NSFW as there’s some language so be warned) so for those readers who aren’t on Twitter, the embed is after the jump. It’s called CINEMATOGRAPHER VS. PRODUCER, (make with the xtranormal animation website) is a fictional discussion of the lovely DSLR world we live in and even has a nice laugh in there for editors too! Sadly, it’s kinda based in reality.
Arri Alexa and Far Red: A Problem That’s Already Been Solved
Art Adams | 07/28- 02:24 PM
Most cameras have issues with far red or infrared. There are lots of filters to fix that, but you have to use the right one for the right camera. Read on to see what works with Alexa.
Last night I had the chance to—finally!—touch an Arri Alexa at Chater Camera’s Alexa preview party. And, being a curious sort of fellow, I decided to run some impromptu tests. IR tests are the easiest to do so I quickly did some—and in the process learned some interesting things about Alexa.
There’s been a great new “viral” video making rounds recently, Guy Walks Across America. It’s currently at over a half million views on You Tube and will likely continue to rise as it’s buzz grows. It’s kind of like a stop motion / time lapse and is quite an amazing accomplishment technically. There’s a behind the scenes video as well that offers a glimpse into how they achieved the effect. It’s embed after the jump.
RED MX IR Tests: The New Sensor is Similar to the Old Sensor
Art Adams | 07/23- 10:37 AM
Don’t throw your IR filters away yet. You’re gonna need them.
RED says that their new sensor is more resistant to IR contamination than their original sensor. This test shows that, while there may be an improvement, IR is still an issue. Fortunately all the usual IR filter solutions work just fine.
Edit and Optimize 2D Stereo Pairs from a 3D Video Camera or Twin Cameras with a Modified Stereo 3D Rig in After Effects CS5.5
Adobe included a 1-step option to create a 3D Stereo Camera Rig in After Effects CS5.5, to everyone’s enthusiasm for a simpler workflow in 3D space. Great if you are working in 3D space in After Effects, but what about an easy option for 3D Stereo pairs captured by a 3D camera or twin cameras on a rig? In this tutorial I’ll show you how to quickly modify the Stereo 3D Rig in After Effects to quickly mux your L&R video files and adjust the convergence for anaglyph, interlaced or stereo pairs output.
A contracted article, sponsored by Datavideo Corporation.
Our friends at Datavideo recently asked me to write an article called How to get the “24p” look for your live-switched multicam shoot. The article covers many factors involved in accomplishing that goal, including framerate, aperture, shutter speed, depth of field, and menu settings in Datavideo’s digital HD video mixers (“switchers”) and recorders, and also the menu settings in several pro cameras from Canon, Panasonic, and Sony. The included chart explains which of the cameras have a direct HD-SDI output, and which require an optional converter to go from HDMI to HD-SDI to connect to the Datavideo digital HD video mixer. As you’ll see in the article, the approach is quite different from the workflows I normally cover, which are more appropriate when programs are to be edited, as opposed to when they are shot —and potentially broadcast— live. The graphics for this article were done by Victory Elliot of Datavideo Corporation.
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