Wardrobe! Weatherman + Green Tie = Chromakey Fun

US Army Combat Camera - Tools and Tech on the ground in Iraq and Afganistan

The US Army’s Combat Camera division is responsible for documenting operations in Iraq and Afganistan with photos and video for internal, news, and historical use. In this hour-long podcast with 3rd Platoon Leader Tyler Ginter, we discuss the tools they are using in the field, the challenges of their unique workflow, and specifically why they are looking hard at the Canon 5D MKII as a possible upgrade to their current kit. Along the way we also delve into Red Scarlet, and other convergence cameras. It’s a fascinating discussion, and we think you’ll enjoy the listen if you are interested in this new crop of cameras or just what it is that Combat Camera does.

Listen to this discussion by subscribing to FreshDV’s free podcast feed. Permalink here.

Beautiful Music Video shot with the Nikon D90

Canon’s 1080p-capable 5D MarkII DSLR has been getting a lot of press lately, and for good reason. It creates surprisingly good video in a still camera form factor. Nikon’s D90 was the first DSLR to offer HD video, but it’s 720p mode with all-too-prevalent CMOS skew and jello issues make it sort of the red-headed-stepchild of the two. However, that’s not to say you can’t make good video with the camera. In fact, I’ve got an article in an upcoming DV Magazine issue that speaks directly to the topic of best practices with the D90. As an example of what you can create with the D90, I recommend you watch the following music video and accompanying behind-the-scenes video. It’s well worth it.

Behind the Scenes on Fincher’s “Benjamin Button”

Via Flippant News here’s a behind the scenes look at The Curious Case of Benjamin Button, which, like Fincher’s previous film Zodiac, was shot all-digitally on the Viper camera. Videos are embedded below. Apple also has a short writeup on the filmmaking process.

Imagineer Systems 80% Off Sale for the Holidays

Imagineer Systems is offering high-end, high-dollar software solutions at 80% off through the end of December. To give you an idea of what that discount means, you can pick up a node-locked license of Mocha for AE for just $99. I have it on good authority that this does not indicate bad times or major changes at Imagineer, rather they are being sensitive to the current economic climate worldwide and expanding their userbase to freelancers and the little shops that can’t always afford high-end solutions like monet, mokey, or motor. Note: when shopping software at imagineersystems.com, you will see the 80% discount applied in the cart midway after you enter the Google Checkout process.

How To Shoot Video with the Canon 5D MKII

Here is an absolutely brilliant video tutorial by Tyler Ginter on how to use the video mode of the Canon 5D Mark II. It starts with the basics of how to navigate around the menus and various video mode settings, and proceeds quickly with more advanced tips and tricks to help you get the best out of the camera.