Its still not here…..

Neither is the Red Laser projector….

Neither is this.

and where is our  firmware for C100,300 & 500 Canon????

Michael Sutton

@MNS1974

Probably one of the best things about the digital cinema movement is the fact that we all get the benefit of prime lenses.   The days of using lens adapters like the Pro35, the Letus Extreme etc are pretty much dead as we can add a S35 or full frame lens to most digital cinema cameras.  Back in the day there was not a lot of choices and the prices were extremely high even for super 16 glass.  It was not uncommon to drop $50-80K on a set of glass and there was few choices with Zeiss and Cooke being the most used.  Now we have a lot of companies making 35 glass, some ok, some good and others great.  There are now options for prime sets for under $50K and even the option to buy primes and zooms with interchangeable mounts (we had zooms with universal mounts but not primes).  20 years ago glass needed to be fast.  Superspeeds were king with T1.3 apertures. They were made for film cameras and film outside of Kodak Vision stocks did not have remotely the same sensitivity as the digital cinema cameras of today.  Back when I was shooting exclusively film in the mid 90′s Kodak released VISION Color negative film.  The stock rated ISO’s of 200T, 250D 320T, 500T and 800T all for 16mm/S16/35mm & S35.  So lenses had to be fast.  Times have changed.  Now we have cameras like the C100/C300/C500, F5/F55, Alexa, etc with ISO’s baselining at what even the best film stocks were rated at.  So now if we light a scene the same way we did to get an T4/5.6 10 years ago, we are looking at a at least a T8/11 split due to the sensor sensitivity.  So we don’t need lenses with T/1.3 as much these days.  Are they nice, sure, but they are very expensive to design, manufacture, etc.  This opens up the doors for other lenses to come into the mix as options for todays shooter.  You probably are not going to be shooting anymore film from this point on so its time to broaden your horizons and stop hunting down that old school set of SuperSpeed Mark III lenses.  Those lenses were designed for film, not for todays sensors and not optimized for video. Lenses have gotten much better over the past two decades as well.  They are sharper, resolve higher resolutions, have better corners, consistency, contrast and mechanics.

Enter one of the leaders in lensing Schneider Optics.  Schneider has been around forever.  Since 1913 in fact.  They make film lenses and now digital cinema glass.  I had a few of their lenses from the 70′s for my Eclair ACL, NPR, and a Optivaron 6-66MM C-Mount on my Bolex cameras.  Schneider bought world famous lens manufacturer Century Optics back in 2000 which added even more cache to the brand.  Century made one of the best swing shift systems for professional cinematography ever made as well as a lot of problem solvers like periscopes, low angle prisms, etc.

This year Schneider Optics released the third generation of the Cine – Xenar line the Cine – Xenar III’s.  I have had the privilege of using these lenses a lot over the past few weeks and they are a massive step up from generation 2.  Xenar III’s are all aluminum barrels with stainless steel interchangeable mounts (PL & EF).  Right away when you hold one you can feel the build quality is better.  What Schneider has done is made a set of primes that do not change in volume, have gears in the same place (so you do not have to re-rig your focus motors, etc), consistent 270 degrees of rotation on focus with tons of focus marks, consistent front diameters, a highly visible focus index marks, and extremely close focus capability.  These are not full frame lenses but that is a plus not having to deal with crop factor etc on set.

The Xenar III’s do not have a consent aperture but they are all reasonably fast for the cameras of today.  The 50mm, 75mm, and 95mm are all T2.0, the 35mm T2.1, and the 18mm & 25mm are both T2.2  Again, with camera ISO’s starting around 800 this is not as much of a real issue today as it would be five years ago.  The lenses are sharp and consistent and you can pick up a complete set for about $48K which is a fraction of the price of Cooke S4′s, Master Primes, Leica’s etc.  I would put the Xenar III’s on par with Arri Ultra Primes in regards to feature set and build which is remarkable since the Schneider’s are less than half the price and there is not a six month to one year waiting period to get them.  You can also buy Xenar III’s individually which allows for a slow build in set for financial reasons or maybe your a 25, 50, 75mm type of shooter.

Also new this year from Schneider is the much anticipated Xenon FF full frame lenses.  The 35, 50 & 75mm have been announced so far.  I had my hand on these at NAB and found the size, the mechanics and build quality to be significantly better than Zeiss CP.2 lenses of comparable price.  Like the Xenar III’s the FF’s have consistent marks, front diameters, gearing placement etc.  The lens was about 2lbs which is very light weight.  I can already tell after using them that theses will be very popular lenses and the set of three will be around $10,500.  You can also buy them individually.  They will be available in PL, EF, and Nikon F mount.  If you are looking for a set of full frame primes you owe it to yourself to demo these lenses as I am positive you will be sold over the competing products currently on the market.

Its refreshing to see a company with some deep roots and history in the film world address the needs of today’s cinematographer with quality, well built products.  The Xenar III’s and Xenon FF’s take on that challenge and stand out in a lens market that frankly is over-saturated with crap.  Both models are also reasonably priced and Schneider probably could have charged more.  I am glad they didn’t because it opens up the door to great glass to a crowd that is used to seeing extremes of low quality cheap junk lenses or high quality unattainable glass.  This is a great middle mark and makes for a great investment for anyone catering from low budget to studio quality productions.  If your in New England and are in the market from primes, feel free to reach out to me for a demo.

Mike Sutton

 https://twitter.com/MNS1974

There are literally hundreds of LED lighting companies catering products in the film, video and photographic market place today.  Those of us who are shooters know that at least 90% of them are crap.  The good ones are built tough, are bright, consistent, have a nice even wide spread and feature controls.  These controls are often color temperature and dimming.  Some LED lights only have dimming.  Others are only on or off.  A few have the ability to change from tungsten to daylight or the ability to mix the two.  Many of these color temp controls are inaccurate especially in cheaper brands.  Just because an LED says 5600 or 3200 doesn’t mean anything.  Take a color meter to most of the knockoff 1×1’s and you will see they are not what they say they are.  This is a problem because you then find yourself adding gels that can knock down intensity and waste time on set.  Some LED lights have dimming switches or rotary knobs but are already on a low output light to begin with.  Others have no provisions for diffusing the light to soften it.  Reason being that they know cutting down the light by diffusing makes it almost useless for fill if it only has a 4-6 foot throw to begin with.   That would chop it down to 2 to 3 feet, which is unusable. ZyLight is very bright and there is even a Chimera Softbox option specifically made for the IS3

It is clear that LED lighting is replacing most lighting under 250watts in our field.  Even Kino Flo is getting into LED technology as it uses 70% less energy, lasts ten times longer than fluorescent, thirty times longer than incandescent and has over 50,000 hours of life.  Not having bulbs break or the need to swap them out is a big deal when you’re on set.  The other main advantage is the fact that LED lights put off very little heat.  This is very important in a litigious society and also allows for fast pack ups and breakdowns.  No more waiting 15 minutes for a light to cool to move to another location, etc.  Another big value is that your talent’s makeup will not melt off their face in a scene.  No more sweaty actors dying under hot lights.  No burn injuries and no worries with kids on set.  The fact you can turn off air-conditioning units for the entire shoot is great.  No more cooling down breaks on the set on long shoots.  Less power draw also allows for use of house power on standard outlets. No more suicide pins into the power mains!

Now for more detail on my favorite manufacturer of LED lighting, Zylight.  I was first introduced to Zylight about three years ago at NAB.  There were several LED manufactures represented there but nowhere near the amount as there is today.  Zylight always stood out from the pack and even more so today, as there are so many crappy LED light offerings.  So why is Zylight so great and why am I writing a post singling out this one brand specifically?  It’s really quite simple.  Unlike most LED manufacturers Zylight has truly engineered an almost perfect line of fixtures.  A few of these features stand out as revolutionary in this arena and its made in the USA.

ZyLight IS3 Light

Both the IS3 (18”x11”x2”) and the Z90 (5.3″ x 3.0″ x 2.0″ on camera or on stand, palm sized light 7-24v)

ZyLight Z90

Both the IS3 and the Z90 have a digital readout on the back of the light with a very simple user interface.  You will not need a manual to figure out these feature packed lights. Some of my favorite features of the IS3 and Z90:

Gel-less variable color temperature and correction control can be dialed for any color temp or variant.  No more gels to bump warmth or cool the scene.    ZyLight controls on back of the IS3

Full color output adjustment, meaning you can dial in almost any color and use it as a color wash or color edge. This is incredible, as normally you would need to take a light with two to four times the output to blast through a color gel and still get the intensity you were looking for on your meter.  Also because using the color mode does not reduce the intensity you can dial in almost any color you want without altering any part of the throw.  Tweaking color is a dream on these lights as you can adjust the hue and saturation of the color.  This is a DP’s dream and your gaffer will thank you for it.

You can also dim ZyLight IS3 and Z90 without any shift in color temperature.  Most LED lights will not hold color on dimming so this is an important detail that most overlook when choosing a fixture.

ZyLink wireless technology is built into both lights and works up to approximately 60 feet away from the controller.  ZyLink allows you to remotely control all of the features on the light including On/Off, color fill and color temperature.  For example, this is perfect for remote applications where you might want to hang the light on a grid or boom arm.  Keep in mind that the IS3 also features built in DMX connections for permanent installations or video event operations. The Z90 can also be DMX controlled via the ZyLink controller which has a DMX interface on the back.

ZyLink wireless controller

What I really like about the ZyLink control is the fact that you can put several Zylight IS3’s, Z90’s or a combination of them onto one channel and control them all together or on separate controllers, utilizing the 10 channels of wireless.  You can orchestrate some amazing lighting setups this way and do things you would never be able to do with other lights.  Example: You are shooting a crime drama and you want the mood to shift with color representing emotion.  The woman sees a dead body, she looks down and notices she is holding the murder weapon.  The scene washes completely red.  Normally you would use a separate light for the color wash and would need to kill or dim some of the tungsten or daylight balanced lights you were using.  That would take a few people to pull off, the timing would have to be just right, the red gel filtered light would have to be very intense, etc.   That same scenario could be done with one or two IS3’s and a Z90 all ZyLink’ed together and you could simply go from daylight to color mode without loss of intensity and with perfect timing.  Also the simple ability to remotely turn off a kicker, fill, key, hair light etc, is huge.  No more building rheostats or having someone throw/unplug a switch, etc.

Think about green screen applications.  Taking a white wall and splashing it with green light rather than painting it. Or using it to knockout shadows on a green screen without changing the color of screen and without gels (which would be hard to match to green screen paint)

ZyLight IS3 DMX interface and wireless antenna

Why make ZyLight your LED light of choice?  Simply put, in a time of smaller crews, lower budgets, etc ZyLight allows for a scalable set of lighting tools that will save you money and manpower in the short term and long term.  It allows for more creative options that are simply not found in other lights.  Innovations that stand out like a wide spread remote capability, color adjustments, reliability and performance that far exceeds any of the top brands.

There are many reasons why you should not buy a cheap LED light.  If you’re a DP then light is your paintbrush and paint. You need consistency and dependability.  It is worth every penny to have the proper tools to begin with rather than band-aiding a cheap solution that you know will make your job harder, will not last, does not have a decent throw and does not feature on-board tools to make your job easier.  ZyLight can fix that for you.  Once you try one I know you will be hooked.  I am.

Michael Sutton

https://twitter.com/MNS1974

Back in 2011 I remember seeing a lot of my twitter friends mentioning a product called CineSkates.  It was an interesting idea taking a Joby Gorilla Pod and adding skateboard wheels to it making for a highly adjustable moving dolly for DSLR’s and light weight cameras.  The kickstarter campaign was highly successful and they exceeding their funding goal on the very first day.  This showed that there was clearly a market for such products and the company grew to offer other related products.

I met with Justin Jensen of Cinetics in Austin, TX where the company is based.  I was there for Masters In Motion where I was presenting High-Speed cameras for one of the workshops.  Each of the presenters was given a Cinetics CineSkates system which was a very nice gesture.  Looking at the system online does not do it any justice in comparison to actually getting it into your hands and putting a camera on it.  I will testify that it is a lot stronger than it looks and I was able to put a C300 camera on the system with confidence although I am sure it was originally intended for DSLRs.

A great feature of the system is the quickly removable feet options.  You can go from Suction cup feet (CineSquid feet), to CineSkate wheels, to CineVise feet in seconds.  Each has its own application and extends the Gorilla Pod’s original design with the various application feet. I mounted all three CineSquid suction cup feet and stuck it to my counter top expecting that they would not hold very well.  A good of force is required for this to fail.  I was unable to dislodge the system by pulling on it from almost every direction which says a lot.  Now mind you, I did not mount this system to a windshield or on a car hood, but I am considering trying it with a DSLR. The CineSquids are rated at 5lbs each but this is grossly underrated based on my tests, especially on clean flat glass.  Applying a small amount of moisture on the suction cups also completed a well bonded seal on most non porous surfaces.

Normally on auto spots we use a hostess tray for driver or passenger door shots.  For hood shots its usually a custom rig involving industrial 6-10″ suction mounts with a lot of webbing tethers, etc.  I have been using Kessler CineSlider’s with Manfrotto or FilmTools suction cup mounts for the past two years for moco hood shots however I can see a few applications for using the CineSquid system with some braided tethers for simple easy last minute shots, etc.  I will do a few tests this spring but It looks like it will work fine.

The CineVise claps are a prototype but after testing them I can’t imagine they will change much if at all on the release version.  The benefit of extending the feet as mounting options instead of using the legs of the Gorilla Pod to wrap around an object you can use the CineVise clamps or CineSquid suction cups and keep all the articulation you need. They feature kip levers so tightening them to the Gorilla pod is quick and easy. The vise surfaces feature a rubber on all contact points so you will not mar or ruin whatever you are clamping too.  This is a nice feature and I am glad they did this rather than just notching.  These also have a bit more than 2.5″ of clamping surface to work with so you can mount them to almost anything like a railing, countertop, 2×4′s, etc.

The Cinetics SkatePlate is a small compact folding micro dolly that has allows you to mount the CineSkate system to it to basically give you a mini tripod and dolly.  This is great for counter-top shots and low angle ground shots if the terrain is applicable.  Personally I have not found a product like it in the price range.  Normally a skate type dolly is at least a thousand dollars so this is a great option for anyone who likes to travel light and is on a budget.  There is indexing marks on the wheel connections that show you which way the wheels need to be aligned to get a rotation, left to right and forward to back shots.  Nice an simple.  There is also a 1/4-20″ mount in the middle of the SkatePlate allowing for the mounting of the Joby ball head or other third party accessories like quick release or cheese-plate.

Top of the CineSkate micro dolly

Bottom view showing adjust / fold-ability options

Overall I think the Cinetics system is pretty fantastic for low budget shooting and problem solving.  You really can’t find anything close to it for the money and its a fairly complete system for an unheard of price.  They have a few different bundles for your needs but I would definitely consider looking at the CineSystem bundle as it gives you the most for your dollar.  Here is what it contains.

Cine System is the whole Cinetics package for your camera mounting and dollying needs in one ready-to-roll kit. The system can support cameras up to 5kg (11 lbs) and includes: CineSkates, CineSquid, SkatePlate, GorillaPod Focus, Ballhead X

• CineSkates™ are a set of three wheels that quickly attach to a tripod and enable filmmakers to capture fluid, moving video footage without lugging heavy gear. CineSkates with Focus can support cameras up to 2.3kg (5 lbs). SkatePlate attaches to increase the weight capacity to 5kg (11 lbs).

• CineSquid™ suction cups attach to contoured, multi-level surfaces, and can be manipulated after the suction cups are mounted. The triple suction cup design ensures CineSquid will not lose its grip. CineSquid can support cameras up to 2.3kg (5 lbs).

• SkatePlate™ is a frame for products with Cinetics Connect, like CineSkates and CineSquid. It has a retractable quick-set-up design that can support the heaviest cameras.

• GorillaPod Focus™ is a flexible tripod with aluminum construction. It supports camera weighing up to 5kg (11 lbs).

• Ballhead X™ is a solid ball mount with an Arca style quick-release plate. It supports camera weighing up to 5kg (11 lbs).

You get all this for $469.95 on the Cinetics store http://store.cinetics.com/cine-system/ and its a great value, especially for if you are just starting out.

If you have any questions on the system or would like to see any tests for an application you might have feel free to email me ( mike at MNS1974 dot com ) or catch me on twitter https://twitter.com/MNS1974

Michael Sutton @MNS1974

I got an email back in the summer from good friends Jon Connor and Cristina Valdivieso of www.shooteditlearn.com asking if I was interested in becoming a part of Masters In Motion 2012 in ATX.  Of course I jumped at the opportunity, as last year was a blast.  Rule Boston Camera was a sponsor last year as well as for the NYC presentation this summer right after NAB.  I knew this would be a great event to network, meet with good friends, talk with filmmakers of varying disciplines, styes, etc. It was also a good opportunity to get the Phantom Flex and TS3Cine high-speed camera into the hands of people who would not normally get the chance to use them.

As the week progressed, Jon and Cristina kept introducing new educators and workshops.  I was blown away with what this event was becoming right before my eyes.  Now, last years were great but I could tell that this year they outdid themselves.   More educators, more sponsors, more workshops, more everything.

Shane Hurlbut ASC, Vincent LaForet, Alex Buono, Philip Bloom, Erik Aadahl, Ian Vertovec, Joe Simon, Tatjana Green, Konrad Czystowski, Ondi Timoner, Eric Kessler, Preston Kanak, Jon Bregel, Khalid Mohtaseb, Sean Steigemeier, Justin Hamilton and myself all were heavily involved in making this event more than memorable.  Every part of the pre-pro, production and postproduction was covered.  These were not re-hashed presentations, and everyone came with something fresh to the table.

Day 1, Monday.  First up at Masters In Motion was Tatjana Green presentation was: Creating Concepts, Credibility and Cash.  Its focus was starting with an idea and touched a lot on branding and building a name.

Next up was Joe Simon on Creating Development of Commercial Work.  Joe has a great background in what I like to call Million Dollar Wedding Videos.  Basically Joe’s videos look like they were shot with insane budgets.  Joe is also well known for his BMX videos that incorporate insane glidecam shots.  Joe has since branched out with a new launched company called The Delivery Men, which focuses on commercial work.

Third on stage on opening day was Alex Buono.  Alex DP’s for SNL short films and has some great documentaries under his belt with Bigger, Faster, Stronger standing out. Alex got up on stage and threw away his Canon playbook.  In fact he threw out everything that related to camera talk and kicked it old school by cramming 4 years of film school into a few hours.  He did this in a way that kept everyone drawn in and attentive to the subject matter.  Alex brought the science of space, lines, shape, color, tone, rhythm and movement in film making to MIM 2012.  Alex’s presentation was very well received and unexpected.

The last presentation for Monday was by Vincent LaForet.  Vince did something different than his previous presentations and covered Deconstructing The Demo: How to Stand Out in a Saturated Market.  He provided some great insight for start up filmmakers who are looking to break into the business as well as for seasoned filmmakers who need to adapt to an ever-changing market.

Tuesday, day 2:  Shane Hurlbut’s presentation and hands on sessions were fast and furious.  His presentation was Act of Valor: A Case Study in Out of the Box Filmmaking.  Shane clearly does not give an F’ about what the establishment is doing or is mainstay.  The guy is a beast, making his own lighting rigs, using DSLRs and crazy configurations to get the shot.  Every he does is unconventional but all successful in getting the shot, with invigoration.  He showed up with a 3 ton truck loaded with gear and I don’t think I ever saw him sit down for a second.  It is clear that he believes in his methodology and has basically built a brand around it.  It is fascinating to watch him work and I can see why people pay a lot of money to go to his workshops.  Masters In Motion allowed a view into this madness for a fraction of the price and based on the feedback it was worth every penny.

Next up was Ian Vertovec of Light Iron.  Ian’s presentation was on Color.  Very fitting as he is one of the best colorists in the business.  Talk about what you know.  He knows color.  Ian has numerous credits as a colorist with some of the standouts being The Social Network, The Girl with the Dragon Tattoo, Timescapes and Hitchcock.

Tuesday afternoon consisted of the hands on sessions with Tatjana Green doing “Set Design”, Philip Bloom covering “The Interview”, Konrad Czystowski on “Maximizing Your Coverage”, Preston Kanak & Eric Kessler covering “TimeLapse”, Shane Hurlbut ASC “Storytelling with Light and Composition”, Joe Simon and Sean Steigemeier on “Utilizing Natural Light”, and Justin Hamilton and myself “The Phantom Flex and TS3Cine High-speed”.  There were six rotations of 45Minutes each so that everyone who attended was able to experience each workshop without feeling rushed.

Wednesday, Day 3:

First up on Wed was Konrad Czystowski on: Art & Science of Storytelling.  Konrad covers camera movement and how to use it based on whether or not it drives the story forward.  The basics of Konrads presentation was that shots were like words in a sentence and sequences are like the paragraphs of a story. Use them wisely and if they are not pertinent to the story then loose them.  Example if a shot looks cool but doesn’t have any real benefit to the message then don’t bother.  RUN, JUMP, KNEEL, BEND, DANCE, FLY, FRAME, SHOOT, FAST, SLOW, TWIST, SHOUT, CLICK, EDIT, CUT, CUT, CUT, SHOW, PACK FRESH SOCKS, RINSE AND REPEAT.  This is his motto and after meeting Konrad it is clear why he was voted one of DV Filmmakers top 25.

Next up was Sundance Grand Jury Prize winner Ondi Timoner.  Ondi talked about creating characters, engaging the audience and grabbing their attention during the first few minutes of the film and ideally during the opening credits.  She also talked about her new film Mapplethorpe as well as showed a few clips from her documentary films.  Did I mention she won the Grand Jury Prize twice?!! Ondi is the only filmmaker to win that category twice in Sundance’s history.

Third up Wed was another presentation that got raving reviews by sound designer Erik Aadahl.  Erik did the sound design on films I, Robot, Transformers, Kung Fu Panda, Tree of Life to name a short few.  As one of Hollywood’s most sought after sound designers, I learned that Erik is booked solid till 2016 with jobs.  That is pretty impressive.  Erik showed crazy amounts of audio tracks and how to assemble sound to make a completed scene as well as how to add or remove suspense, etc. Great stuff that most people do not get to see often outside of behind the scenes specials.

Last up on the final day was Philip Bloom.  Philip’s presentation was Navigating The Road to Success: Strategic Marketing in the Digital Era.  This presentation was new and something we had not seen before from Phil.  He covered everything from Social media to leverage yourself, chasing the right project and doing what you need to stand out from the crowd.  As always Phils, presentation was peppered with humor and whit.

Overall the event was a big success for everyone involved and I was glad to be a part of it again this year.  I can see Masters In Motion becoming something even bigger.  I my opinion I think it is probably the go to event for filmmakers outside of NAB, and perhaps even more important.  Both Jonathan and Cristina did an amazing job putting this event together. I have no idea how they managed to coordinate everything and everyone.  They did a stellar job and it’s clear that know the secrets of success when pulling off something as grandiose as this. I would like to thank all the presenters and workshop instructors for giving it there all and keeping it fresh and interesting for all.  Thank you to all the attendees and friends who made it out.

We made a fun high-speed video again this year after hours called “Operation BullRide 2″ shot on the Phantom Flex and TS3Cine camera.  Here is a link to one of the edits:  https://vimeo.com/55405723

Hope to see you all next year!

Sincerely,

Michael Sutton Twitter & Facebook @MNS1974

Twitter accounts of presenters, workshop instructor’s, sponsors, assistants, etc:

@alexbuono @freshsox @joesimon @philipbloom @onditimoner @vincentlaforet @thisisbtyb @erickessler @hurlbutvisuals @khalidmohtaseb @jonathanbregel @nickmidwig @seansteigemeier @justinphamilton @jaredlevy @joelgraves @prestonkanak @karenabad @jonconnorfilms @cristinavaldivi @shooteditlearn @dustinbennett76 @mimvideo @dstewart126 @jognmiller @melissaransdell @cinevita @gametavern @mrs_h_bomb @ryan_connolly @cinetics @editshare @mashallusa @letusdirect @hivelighting @annieraydotnet @rodemics @zacuto @themusicbed @manfrotto_tweet @redgiantnews @lensprotogo @kesslercrane @TS3Cine @rulebostoncam

So it was a big week for all us gear heads.  Sony announced new cameras and a recorder, Red slashed prices and Canon started to trickle ship C500 EF cameras. One thing that all three companies offer is 4K but only two offer 4K video outputs.  I mention this because I think its very important.  Codecs get better and workflows become more efficient.  Things change down the line as technology progresses.  4K resolution is great but most cannot even view it.  It has other benefits obviously but for most of use 1080p is more than sufficient and its where the core work is.  I think that all camera companies should have the ability to output full resolution RAW via video outputs so the user can choose what to record to based on their needs.  4K recorders are coming.  There are a few now (Codex, Convergent Design) but even more are in the pipeline from AJA and other companies (I cannot get into specifics due to confidentiality, etc).  The point is that we will see 4K Cineform, 4K ProRes, 4K DPX, 4K RMF, etc coming to several recorders in the very near future.  Many of them offering Uncompressed RAW as well.

The biggest news of all three companies for me is Sony stepping up to the plate.  The F65 was an honest attempt by them to get back into the Hollywood / Television market by releasing a 8K camera that resolved a clean 4K after debayer.  The idea was good but what was delivered was not.  The camera was heavy, large and required a very complex workflow with a debayer process that didn’t jive with expedient deadlines.  For the most part these cameras have not sold well and sit on the shelves of the few rental houses that bought into them.  The reality is that the days of big large cameras is gone.  They require more support, more crew, etc.  You cannot use the lightweight rigs, sliders, dolly’s, stabilizers, etc that we have become accustomed to over the past few years.  Enter the Sony F55 which I feel will be a hit for Sony. Its light, modular, efficient and has a much better workflow.  You can record in camera compressed 4K but also have the ability to do external 4K recording.  You can also record 1080p in camera while recording outboard 4K which is very important. Eventually down the line Sony will open up the external recording to other companies so that other codecs, etc may be used.  This was smart on Sony’s part to capitalize on the recorder market but they will definitely have to open it up down the line to succeed.  Next is the F5 which physically looks the same as the F55 but is limited to HD in camera and 4K outboard.  I say limited but it really is not at all.  This is a very good way for shooters doing real world work (1080p) to have an option of shooting 4K (for background plates for VFX, for punch in shots, stabilization, etc) down the line or when needed.  The fact that both the F55 and F5 have 4K 3G-SDI ports is fantastic news.  The F65 did not and required their proprietary recorder which had to be permanently docked to make the camera even work. Again, no 4K outputs on the F65 so you are locked into their codec.  The F55 and F5 remarkably are a better choice for most who are looking for a Sony 4K solution.   The F55 and F5 start shipping in February 2013.

The second big announcement is that RED magically paid off their R&D costs just in time for the Sony announcement and Canon C500 ship-dates.  How wonderful it is of Jim and crew to extend the new cost savings onto the consumer on Epic, Scarlet and Red One MX BT.  Its amazing timing.  The good news is that the cameras are now cheaper almost by half of the cost.  You can buy a Epix X body for $19,000.  I feel pretty bad for my friends who bought two months ago or within the past thirty days  Cutting the price by almost half is quite a bit.  The other news is that the Dragon sensor currently is not supported by Scarlet and Epic.  I am hoping they can sort this out without having to re-design mother boards, etc.  The Dragon sensor needs to be a success as the current sensor has a fairly low native ISO (compared with today’s standard of ISO 800) and the dynamic range and highlight handling is not where it should be.  Mind you to be fair these cameras have been out for a few years now and a lot has changed in this industry.  The Arri Alexa (a 1080p camera) is the dynamic range and highlight king right now.  In-fact it is the rental house champ worldwide.  The new Epic pricing is great if Dragon can be delivered as promised as the new sensor has a significant bump in performance on all fronts.  I look forward to seeing it in the field.

The next thing Red needs to do is to have 4K video outputs on the camera.  You cannot tout resolution yet be highly compressed without any other codec options.  I don’t see how these go hand in hand.  If image quality via resolution is everything, then surely resolution aficionados would want the ability to tap off an uncompressed RAW feed.  I have a feeling that RED will put out another camera much sooner that people expected.  The current form factor is quite small and I am not sure if the provisions in camera were designed with the hindsight and plans that RED has for it.  If I seem harsh on RED in my posts is because I think they have lost sight of what the original goal was.  The rants, explosive reactions and the lack of realworld practices make it difficult for me to take them seriously some times.  I also think its ironic that a company who says that 6K/5K/4K is everything doesn’t even offer you a method of monitoring in 4K if you wanted to.  There is only a 1080p output.  ??? With that said, I have used the Epic on several projects and many of my friends own one or more.  For them the camera is a great solution that has offered them opportunity to expand on their offerings and be leaders in the field.  For many this is not the case.  Many bought the Epic or Scarlet as an investment to late in the game and found an overly saturated market.  Not a saturated market can be fine if the business is there, but in the case of Scarlet for example, it was not (at least in major cities, etc).

Canon C500 EF starts shipping.  Knowing what the Sony announcements were in advance (for the most part) and having access to Alexa, Red Epic’s, etc I bought a C500.  This would seem like a risky choice to many. It would seem downright crazy to a Red owner and others.  Martin Scorsese’s new film “The Wolf of Wall Street” is currently using the C500.  Maybe he knows something we don’t?  Martin has always been an Arri man. My reasons where quite simple.  I work at a sales / rental house and I see what people are asking for an using.  I also shoot for a large car company and know what they need for deliverable’s, looks, post needs etc. Fact is the Alexa and the C300 camera are the most popular cameras renting in the US and most of the world.  The reason is simple.  Both are 1080p but have simple workflows, great highlight handling, nice dynamic range, simplicity of use, etc.  So why the C500?  The C500 for the most part is a C300 with the addition of 2K and 4K outputs.  The C300 and C500 offer more green values to begin with so the debayered end product rivals many cameras after posted. Yes the camera does not record 4K in camera but that is not a concern of mine.  I want 1080p-4K outputs.  I want uncompressed RAW capability.  I want the ability to shoot and record in 1080p or 2K with 4:4:4 in C-Log.  1080p is and will be the standard for several years still. 4K adoption isn’t as simple as having a camera that can record it.  There is so much more that needs to happen.  The C500 offers the ability to externally record which to me is a major plus.  Why would I want to be locked into a codec that is two years old and only one flavor?  It is more appealing for me to record in whatever latest, greatest 4K codec becomes available in the future.  Beyond that the fact that the camera has two 3G-SDI 4K outputs allows onset monitoring in 4K as well as recording in 4K.  The C500 like the Sony F55 allows for recording 1080p in camera while simultaneously recording 4K via external.  This is a workflow dream to be able to post in 1080p and then online a 4K color correction session.

Currently The only app I have used with C500 RMF Uncompressed RAW files has been Davici Resolve 9.  This is a pretty simple way to grade clips and export the format you need (Lite will only export 1080p of course).  Soon however Canon will release its RAW Development App which will allow you to take the RMF files and export various formats.

So what do all these announcements mean to working shooters?  Not much.  Its great having a 4K camera if you work in special effects, if you do a lot of greenscreen work, do a lot of re-framing, post stabilization work, work in industrial or recon imaging.  Lets be honest, 4K has been around for a long time and has never quite gotten off the ground. Dalsa brought the Origin II camera to Hollywood back in 2007.  Its been over five years and its still never been a major force in our industry due to monitoring, post considerations, efficient and cost effective archive solution, storage amounts/costs, venues, and most importantly bandwidth.  Shooting, editing 4K is fantastic but how do you get that to Jim and Suzy sitting on the couch at home watching TV?  You don’t yet.  Hence we shoot 4K for 1080/720 delivery (with major compression mind you).  So if your going to buy a 4K camera what you really need to do is think about what and how you can leverage that resolution for the best quality 1080p product you can deliver.

So what about Arri 4K?  What about it?  Arri Alexa is the rental house boss.  Arri knows they do not need to rush to make a 4K camera.  They know the market and know it well.  They took their time making the Alexa and it panned out exceeding all expectations.  Yes its “only” 1080p/2K but again they know the market well a market which is mostly made up of HD and small amounts of SD and 4K.  They will take there time and will knock it out of the park again.  What has Arri made that was not a success outside of the D20 (which was still innovative for its time)? I think more companies should look at what Alexa offers over resolution that makes it so popular.  Some of  that the brand name sure, but if a camera isn’t good the brand name means nothing.  I have never heard a complaint about the Alexa outside of its weight and it being power hungry.  The camera is a dream to shoot with.

Do not buy a 4 camera yet.  Yes you can call me a hypocrite as I did, but remember I work at a rental house and have a venue for making money with it and I do have one client who thinks they require 4K (although they thought the 1080p footage I showed them was 4K).  If I did not have these opportunities set up I would say wait.  Wait till NAB.  I know you could just wait forever but 4K is really in its infancy.  A few will stand out from the crowd in a very short amount of time.  Wait to see what RED does with Dragon before you plunk down 20K, wait till the new Sony F5 and F55 come out.  Wait to see what C500 workflows become available over the next few months.  Just wait and choose wisely.  If resolution beyond the standards of 1080p is important to you, look at all the ways you can capture it and capitalize on it.  Personally I will always want a camera that has 2K and 4K video outputs.  That may or may not be a concern for you, your needs or your clients needs.  I think that all 4K cameras coming out in the future will have appropriate outputs in addition to being able to record a proxy or compressed codec in camera.  Yes it brings us to the whole offline, online world again but if 1080p is offline then we are all in good shape. Once 4k monitors are affordable and bandwidth and transport issues are sorted then we can talk true 4K production, post and venue.  For now we are talking 4K acquisition and pretty much just that.

UPDATE: RED RAY distribution plans:  This weekend RED mentioned that they plan on making 4K delivery a reality.  That is all well and fine but the fact that most of us do not have a 4K viewing infrastructure in place.  I do not have a 4K TV, computer monitor, tablet, laptop, etc.  You get the point.  Many theaters outside of the major cities (NYC, LA, Chicago, Miami, Philadelphia, etc do not have 4K projection and many of them do not plan on it.  Theaters for the most part unless owned by a major theater chain or a studio like Sony for example, do not have the money to buy into projectors when the only revenue they make is from concessions and the arcades a few of them have.  There is also the content issue which is a chicken before the egg situation.  Having a RED RAY player at your theater will allow you to do what exactly?  Play REDCODE files? Who has standardized on REDCODE in the distribution world?  No one yet.  Can a small company like RED make R3D REDCODE files a standard in the presentation market (TV, Theaters, Online content, etc)?  I think Sony or another large company that already has distribution and a track record in play would have a better shot no?  I guess time will tell.  RED seems to think we will all have a 4K TV and computer monitor in our home within the next year.  People said the same about HD TV’s.  It took time, a major reduction in pricing, etc to make that happen.  Yes 4K monitors are coming down in price but $28,000-$100,000+ isn’t exactly where the price point needs to be.  If you can get 4K monitors (at 42″ or larger) made, shipped, distributed, serviced, etc for between $500-$2,000 then we can talk 4K distribution.  Actually we can’t.  What about the transport devices, bandwidth, storage media, etc that goes with all that?  What about archive? How do you convince the billions of people in the world to adopt something that visually they cannot differentiate between 720p?

UPDATE: Jim Jannard announces his retirement plans:  So Jim Jannard of RED mentioned that after the RED Dragon Sensor and some “new technology” is released that he will be retiring.  Most of us thought this was a late night rant, but he has confirmed it a few times since.  This business is competitive and RED helped other companies step up their game with the challenge of resolution.  The others have finally stepped up and went beyond resolution by upping the game with better native ISO’s, dynamic range, ease of use, simplified workflows, etc.  The Dragon sensor will or is supposed to address these issues by leveling the playing field again.  Jim’s job will be done as he has stated, however I feel that there will be a new camera from RED in the near future.  I know this sounds crazy to many but with the price cuts, retirement plans, issues with Dragon working etc, I have a feeling that without pointing at Jim, RED can make another camera with the provisions of tomorrow build in.   The fact that the EPIC does not have any external 4K outputs I think is a good example of why I think RED will make a new camera.  If you notice every 4K camera that is out or coming to the market (in the pro level) has video outputs beyond 1080p monitoring.  The other reason is that they are having difficulty getting Dragon to work with the Epic as it stands now.  I am not sure if they can get it to work with restrictions in place or if a new motherboard, etc will we required to make it meet the tech specs they announced earlier this year.  If they do put out a new camera it will be after Jim leaves I think so that no one can point fingers.  I am sure there will be a trade up etc type offer if they indeed to do this.  Mind you this is purely speculation on my part.

UPDATE: Canon 1Dc:  Canon has a 4K 1Dx variant as I like to call it called the 1Dc.  The cameras are physically and electronically the same sans the EOS 1Dc Cinema badge and 2K & 4K enabled in the menu.  You can record 1080p-4K in the camera onto CF cards for approx $15,000 street.  This camera will do well in a few different markets even at that price.  Hollywood, B-Cam, MOS camera,  rental houses, POV, Crash cam and underwater cinematography will all find great use for the 1Dc.  Underwater cinematography I think will be a big one for this camera. Lightweight, compact, small footprint, full frame, easy to rig and the great ISO range will make it a big hit for Canon.  There really isn’t anything else on the market that can do what it does. The 1Dc is not currently shipping yet but has been in the hands of some great cinematographers who are using it on a few top secret projects.

UPDATE: Panasonic 4K Varicam aka Big Blue:  Back in 2009 I talked with the regional rep for Panasonic on his opinions and Panasonic’s viewpoints on the Red. He said in response we are working on Big Blue right now.  Well that was three years ago.  At NAB Panasonic finally showed a prototype 4K camera branded the 4K Varicam that would record AVC-Intra444 400Mbs (branded as Ultra AVC)to a small recorder that mounts as a module to the camera. Much like the RED Epic, the modules came in three parts.  The brain with PL mount, the IO box and the recorder box. The proto also featured a LCD removable remote control that allowed access to menus, remote record, etc. Panasonic has not been doing well in regards to innovation as of late but if they can get this camera to market soon its possible they could take a small share of the 4K market.  Interestingly Panasonic also decided (at least in the prototype) to have video outputs on the 4K Varicam to allow external 4K recording with third parties. One thing however that is unclear is their wording “Cinema size sensor”.  Does this mean MFT or Super 35?  Only time will tell.

UPDATE: Here is a Canon 4K Uncompressed RAW clip you can download:  https://www.dropbox.com/sh/g80pxwvjh1k0tfy/U7FUVHB6ud

Mike Sutton

Follow me on Twitter: MNS1974

Today I was fortunate enough to get my hands on the Canon C500 4K camera and the a pre-release 4K RAW option for the Convergent Design Gemini recorder.  The C500 will start shipping the first week of November and the Gemini 4K RAW option will be available November 5th.

The first thing you notice when looking at the C500 is that physically it looks very similar to the C300 but instead of a removable hand-grip the 500 has venting chambers and a heatsink, and extra connectors.  Notably the camera features 2x 3G-SDI output connectors (both output RAW) as well as a 2x 1080p monitoring connections and a third HD-SDI connection.  I love the fact that there you can run out to an onboard monitor, video village and a Teradek Cube for example in addition to going out to a recorder.  Lots of options with signal outputs that are not present with the C300

First off myself and my wife Heather own a C300 which is a fantastic camera but of course limited to 1080p.  I say limited but the reality is that is what 98% of the market uses.  The camera has a native ISO of 800 and an amazing dynamic range which is why I love using it.  The highlight handling is just under the capable Arri Alexa (another favorite camera of mine).  The C500 embodies all the features of the C300 but adds 2K and 4K outboard recording options as well as:

10-Bit 4K RAW up to 60fps

10-Bit 4K Half RAW up to 120fps

12-Bit 2K 4:4:4 Signal up to 60fps

1920 x 1080 RGB 4:4:4 12-bit or 10-bit up to 60fps

As you can see the camera offers much more than 4K as a selling feature.  So how to you record this outboard signal?  What are the options when the camera is released?  The AJA KiPro Quad will be available at the end of the year for around $4000.  The KiPro Quad records ProRes and Avid DNxHD but not RAW. The issue with that is that you are then baking in the look into the recorded footage.  The Codex M is another option but very expensive at over $25K.  You also need a transfer station and pretty hefty processing power on the computer end to make it work smooth.  The Codex is mainly reserved for feature films and commercials.

Enter the Convergent Design Gemini recorder.  Now the Gemini 4:4:4 has been around for a while now and has been a go to 4:4:4 10 bit recorder for the Sony F3.  The great thing about the Gemini is that there are firmware options that allow for recording of Arri RAW and now Canon C500 RAW in 2K/4K modes.  Unlike the AJA the Gemini with 4K option is available on November 5th which is around the ship time of the C500 camera.   I was lucky enough to have Dan from Convergent Design visit Rule Boston Camera today and was kind enough to allow us to do some preliminary testing with a demo unit.  The Gemini 4K uses 2 x 512 1.8″ SSD’s and requires only one 3G-SDI cable from the C500 to the unit.  The Gemini records Canon RAW 4K in RMF files and you can apply a LUT during the monitoring of the input as well as for playback.  The Gemini plays back Debayered HD output with optional Canon LUT.  Another great option of using the Gemini 4K is the ability to take advantage of Canon’s 12 bit HD output via the Gemini’s 12-Bit HD DPX record.

The Gemini features four ports 2 x HD-SDI single link/dual link/3G/Dual 3G and 2 x outputs HD-SDI single and Dual Link as well as HDMI.  Power is provided via a 4 pin Hirose connector, and the Gemini is touchscreen operated and easy to use.  Transferring the drives is facilitated by a transfer unit that allows for USB3.0 and Thunderbolt.  The other great benefit of the Gemini 4K is the size.  The unit has a small footprint,  is the smallest (5.4″ x 4.7″ x 1.56″) and lightest (at 1.35lbs) 4K Recorder available on the market.

What about Scarlet?  This week there is a lot of talk of the Red Scarlet since there is magically a fleet of gently used battled tested cameras available at the $7200 price point.  This looks appealing on the surface but if you have already used an Epic you already know that you will need to invest a good $10k-16k more into the camera and post to make it all happen.  So you are around the same price point as the C500 but with much worse lowlight and okay dynamic range (both weaknesses of the Epic and Scarlet).  Sure you will always light a scene but with budgets constantly shrinking and turn around times and expectations its a hard sell to most.

The C300 is already a go to camera in the commercial and low budget feature world and have made its mark with numerous DP’s all the way up to the ASC level. The C300 and Arri Alexa are currently the rental house champions across the country and in many parts of the world right now.   The Canon C500 should continue that tradition with 10-bit 4:4:4 HD, 12-Bit, 2K and 4K output options.  Many will rent the camera just to shoot HD in 10 bit and 12 bit, others will take advantage of 2K and 120fps. 4K workflows for the C500 are currently in the works with Adobe, BMD DaVinci and others.

In the end it will boil down to your needs, client requests and the right tool for the right job.  For myself and what I shoot the C500 makes a lot of sense and does not lock me into a codec on the back end like the options from Red do.  I want a clean uncompressed RAW 2K and 4K output that I can record to whatever codec I choose and the C500 offers me that latitude.  It is a huge consideration when making an investment like this and it looks beyond the needs of today which is why my wife and I got one.  Canon also has a great deal for C300 owners looking to buy a C500 in way of a $3000 instant Canon loyalty rebate.  With all this said Sony will have a big announcement at the end of the month that might shake this whole 4K thing up a bit.   I have a good idea of what it already is and I am still sticking with the C500 but stay tuned….

Mike Sutton

Follow me on Twitter: MNS1974

I talk a lot with companies and individuals about what to do with footage after its shot.  This issue has been a problem for many and is nothing new but as we become more and more reliant on digital media for acquisition and storage the issue becomes more and more pressing.  Yes codecs are more efficient than ever but with that we are increasing data rates, resolution, etc.  On the post end we are not only saving master copies but also variations of edits.  The cloud is simply not a reliable place to put any important data and is relatively unproven in all regards.  Data centers with redundant servers are expensive and because they are out of the hands of client control and in the hands of IT it automatically makes your data vulnerable to business practices and said staff.

In house productions with companies and individuals usually rely on individual drives, RAIDS, shared storage solutions, tape backups, etc.  Many put copies of their final project onto mobile drives or shelved hard drives as standard practice due to costs.  Others do the same but with copies of their masters or clones of the original camera files (MXF, R3D, etc).  Some will do both.  The problem however is that this is not really archiving. As we all know and have experienced in person, is that mobile hard drives fail.  After approx a year and a half they fail to spin up, the read/write head parks on the disk (causing a clicking sound) or the drives power supply fails during a read/write preventing the disk from working.  Spinning disks are just not a safe method to keep footage stored for long term use.  Blu-Ray and DVD disks de-laminate and cannot be relied upon either.  Even when written as data rather than video.  35mm negative is a great archive medium, but film stock is ceasing production from most manufactures and unless stored properly, the film can deteriorate and is highly flammable.  LTO tape is a great storage medium but only if you have a way to access the data in the future.  Any videotape format is also a rough bet because there is usually compression involved and most video formats of the past decade are digital not analog.

Archiving is tough, but it can be right with any of the formats mentioned as long as you do something that most forget. We all seem to understand how Moores Law affects camera technology etc, but seem to miss the point on archive.  Because technology changes so fast we cannot guarantee the integrity of the playback or export mechanisms in place.   Proprietary formats and files structures are often the major cause of problems for archives.  The other is hardware to playback and transfer the footage.  You cannot simple assume that because you have all your footage on a video tape or disk that you can retrieve it down the line.  You also cannot assume that because you have all that footage stored that you can convert it into the current format of the day.

There is a solution to the problem of proper archive although it can be costly.  The cost is worth it and probably the only way to recover and retrieve what was archived.  If you choose an archive format you must think of all corresponding equipment that goes along with it.  Example: If you archive onto LTO-5 tape, it would only make sense that you not only store the tape cartridges but also an LTO-5 tape drive and whatever type of computer with software required to read it and most importantly export it.  Without an interface for your archive method you simple have a tape, disk, etc with now way to use it down the line.  Storing a bunch of Avid AVR77 files back in 1997 is a good example.  Unless you have a really old Avid system that is working, there is not much you can do with those files.  Solution, take the entire Avid solution at the time of vaulting and include it with the storage media and whatever backups you can do.  An example today would be to take your Avid DNXHD files on LTO, store it with a LTO drive and a laptop with Avid software on it and probably a multiformat card reader.

Whatever the format you choose to archive to, it just makes sense to make multiple backups to as many formats as possible.  If you can, vault all of it with the appropriate playback devices and a computer that can be offlined and stored with it.  This is the only way to do archiving the right way and the way that movie studios who are progressive and ensuring they have access to past projects.

This is your art.  Choose what and how you will ensure its future.  If it is important enough, you will find the steps needed to pull it down the line are worth every penny.

Mike Sutton

Follow me on Twitter: MNS1974

A few weeks ago I was visited by Genus Products and they asked me to become a designer for them based on my MNS1974 Combat Cage for the TS3Cine camera.  The idea was that I would have a product ready to show at IBC in Amsterdam.  I said no problem and drew up a few examples and worked with my machine shop to come up with a prototype.  After a few changes a prototype was machined.  Here are the details.

The design is simple.  The BMD Cinema Camera has vents on the bottom of the camera which the Genus Card addresses and provides for fluid airflow.  The cage has provisions for side handles which I call Combat Grips that mount via standard Arri Rosettes.  These handgrips and stand offs can be removed for a flat surface top that allows for car rigging etc.  The top plate has 3/8″ 16 and 1/4″ 20 holes as well as a cable pass thru on port side to allow for cable tethering and relief, etc.  There are two 1/4″20 tapped holes on each end of the top plate that allows for secondary plates that will be available in the near future as well as for extra mounting options. These extra mounting options allow for monitor arms, RAM mounts, etc.  The stand offs can also be inverted if needed to get a lower profile or if rigging and handheld options are needed.

The bottom plate has provisions to lock into the camera base unobstructed and allows for tripod mounting with 1/4″20 and 3/8 16″ and tripod locator pin.  The bottom plate has plenty of tapped holes for rigging of all kinds like base plates, shoulder rigs, etc.

The front ring on the front allows for structural integrity as well as mounting options for things like monitor arms, secondary battery plates, etc.  It is lightweight but gives strength to the cage.

The top handle is lightweight and has 1/4″20 and 3/8″16 holes and is hollow on the inside.  It can be mounted almost anywhere on the top plate as well as in reverse mode to counter balance lens weight.

The cage will be offered in a few configurations.  basic cage: Top plate, bottom and front.  Basic cage with a top handle.  Basic cage with top handle and one side handle.  Basic cage with top handle and two side handles;

If you are in Amsterdam for IBC, please check it out as it is being shown by Genus at the IBC exhibition in Hall 11on the Alphatron stand, number B.40

Would love to hear your feedback etc.  Thanks.

Mike Sutton

Follow me on Twitter: MNS1974

I am going to preamble my post by saying right off the bat that I am a high-speed snob and am biased since one of the companies I am affiliated with is the US distributor for the TS3Cine.

I am a high-speed snob not in regards to resolution or ISO but rather in how a high-speed camera should behave and record content.  There are several high-speed solutions in the marketplace. Some are targeted at the film and video arena which we all are apart of and others are more-so targeted at military and scientific applications.  In reality all these cameras have a base in analytic’s and military use but many have been modified or changed to suit our market.

There are a few key features to true high-speed cameras that are fairly universal.

1) High-Speed cameras have image memory traditionally between 2-16gB that must be written after each take to either onboard storage (in whichever form), offboard storage, or a solid state or video recorder via HD-SDI, HDMI, or other video interface.

2) They use trigger points that can be assigned. Usually these are adjustable between start, mid and end.  These trigger points allow you to tell the image memory / buffer that when you press the trigger button either the camera will have started immediately, started with head room or tails, or after the event has already happened.  The benefit of an adjustable trigger is to capture an event that you can either anticipate or react to and still get it.

3) Black Balance.  True high-speed cameras get hot.  They all have a cooling system that involves either heat sinks, heat pipes, fans or a combination of some or all of these cooling technologies.  When the camera gets hot the sensor reacts differently.  This can cause color and image anomalies like lines, patterns or color shifts.

4) True high-speed cameras have the ability to record image stacks.  These image stacks can be a group of jpegs, TIFFs, DNG files, etc.  The benefit of these stacks instead of a video file is that the frame rate is not baked in.  Nether is a video codec.  The advantage of doing that is that you can make deliverables for multiple worldwide clients (pal, secam, ntsc) and multiple frame rates (23.98, 24, 25, 29.97, 30, 50, 60, etc).  You no longer have limited your market. If you shoot high-speed for stock footage sales this is a must to be able to do image stacks.  You cannot do that with the FS700 for example.

Although I work for a company that sells and rent’s the FS700 I feel that it is unfair to call or market it as a high-speed camera.  Anything beyond 250FPS on the camera does line skipping and doubling to achieve an up-scaled 1080p output.  When you get to the higher frame-rates the image looks very noisy and the up-scaling is very evident.  The FS700 is a great all around camera but is not really considered a high-speed camera by our clients or most rental houses.

The Red Epic has the ability to shoot 300fps at 2k which is pretty remarkable.  The problem is its baked in like the FS700.  Meaning you cannot change the frame-rate after the fact (except via twixtor, etc) thus it is very limiting.

Although I love the Arri Alexa Plus the 120fps option simple does not make it a high-speed camera in my book.  It is also the reason I did not include other cameras with 60-120fps options.  They are also baked in as well with limited post opportunities although I like that the Alex will do 120fps with c-log in Arri RAW.

Here are a few true high-speed solutions that are common in our field at the current time:

The Vision Research Phantom Flex.  The Phantom Flex is the pinnacle of high-speed cameras for broadcast and film.  The high frame rate 2456fps @ 1080p, amazing low light sensitivity, hd-sdi output, simple trigger points, RAW workflow options, PL mount, etc make the camera the premiere choice when budget, camera size and workflow are not as much of a concern.  The camera uses Cinemags to record to which is a high speed flash memory system that offloads footage from the camera’s memory to the mag within seconds.  You can also offload the memory between shots to a KiPro mini or other devise as well.  Like all high-speed cameras if the power is disconnected before you write your shot to a Cinemag or offboard recorder you will loose the take.  The Flex does not feature a power button so when its plugged into an AC or DC source the camera is on.  The Flex takes approximately 3o minutes to warm up and like most high-speed cameras it requires black balancing (ideally between each shot) to ensure image integrity and color balance. The flex has controls built into the camera with an in-depth menu but a PC computer is required to change things like the video output settings and other controls that the on-board menu cannot adjust.  The camera requires a fair amount of voltage and you cannot really run and gun with it. Anton Bauer VCLX block batteries is the typical power solution for the Flex.  The Phantom Flex pricing varies and typically prices out at approximately $150K well equipped (without glass and power of course) and rents for approx $2500 (base) / day from most rental houses.

Weisscam HS2 shoots 2000fps at 1080p and 4000fps at 720p.  The camera is a little harder to find in rental houses as it is not as popular as a Flex for example but it is still one of the best high-speed options if you have the money to rent it. Much like the flex it uses a digital mag system for transferring between image memory and solid state storage. The camera is fairly large and uses 24volts for power.  Clairmont Camera, PC&E, Arri CSC and the Camera House all rent Weisscam. The rental rate is around the same as the flex at approx $2500/day

The Vision Research Phantom Miro 320. Basically the 320 needs to be Abel Cine ized as I like to call it to make it a user friendly solution.  Think of the Miro 320 as a mini Flex that runs on Sony BP series 12v batteries.  The main difference outside of the obvious size is the fact that the 320 does not have any controls on the camera.  An external controller is required to control the camera and to trigger it.  The controller is fairly small and can be mounted to the handle kit.  The 320 has a variety of lens mounts and is priced at approx $75K well equipped and ready to shoot. The Miro 320 rents for approx $1,500/day from Abel Cine Tech

The Fastec / Rule TS3Cine (my bias will show) is a portable high-speed camera which is self contained.  Unlike most high-speed cameras it features a built in 7″ touch screen monitor.  A computer is not required for its operation.  It can record in AVI, TIFF, JPEG and Cinema DNG RAW.  Unlike the Flex and the Miro 320 the camera is not 1080p but rather 1280×1024.  This might seem like a problem for some but for those who have shot with it feel the compact self contained form factor and ease of use outweigh the resolution. The square 1″ sensor allows for anamorphic opportunities as well. The TS3Cine runs for approx 4 hours on a single removable battery.  Pricing is $22,950 for the 128GB version and $23,995 for the 256GB version.  The camera rents for approx $667/day at Rule Boston Camera, Birns and Sawyer and Cinequipt (other rental houses are to be announced very soon)

Typically high-speed cameras have been expensive to rent but that is changing.  Training etc has also been expensive but with other solutions in the market those prices have also come down and have put high-speed into the hands of the masses.  Traditionally shooting high-speed was often done with film cameras like the Photosonics Action Master series as well as with Hicam and Locams etc.   If you have not had the opportunity to shoot high-speed you should.  Yes at first you may be inclined to shoot face slaps, balloon pops, etc but after a while you will see applications for beauty, time locking and other artful applications.

I will be at Masters in Motion this year teaching the hands on workshop for the Phantom Flex camera and the TS3Cine camera.  If you are already signed up, it will be great meeting you and teaching you the fundamentals of high-speed with these two amazing pieces of equipment. For those who have wanted to learn or get a class on these cameras, Masters in Motion (Austin TX Dec 3-5th) http://shooteditlearn.com/register/ is a great deal and will cost you basically the same price as it would be for a few days of Phantom training.

If you have any questions on high-speed etc, feel free to email me ( mike at mns1974 dot com) or comment here.

Mike Sutton

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