Our Picks

Since it has been around for a while, there are a ton of tests from the Alexa Classic and, on eBay, those cameras can be had for not too much more than a new Ursa 12k. My question is if it is still a safe bet in 2021? I am doing this for shooting my own projects and maybe for some friends/colleagues in education if they need corp. videos or whatnot.

A few weeks ago I got in touch with an 88 year old German cinematographer who ran a one man laboratory for 16mm film. He told me he had and Arriflex BL Super 16 which is not a third party conversion but was produced by Arri in the late sixties. The format wasn't very popular at that time and Arri only made about 25 of them. The BL cameras are heavy beasts and since I've been looking for a Super 16 camera that you can carry around with you on walks, I figured that maybe Arri also made an Arriflex ST Super 16 version. And guess what, they did. Again, only about 25 were made. I contacted one of the old Arri technicians and he confirmed the location of one of those cameras. It is on its way to me and as soon as it arrives I will update this post for anyone who is interested. Below a photo of the old beauty, you can see the serial number 25.

Sony Electronics Inc. introduces the VENICE 2, the new flagship model and latest addition to its lineup of high-end digital cinema cameras. Cinematographer Claudio Miranda ASC provides insight and analysis on “The Camera Test,” with a breakdown on how well the Original VENICE and VENICE 2 intercut. Miranda also discusses what he thinks makes the VENICE 2 stand out.

I'm always curious where people get inspiration. The ASC guys love the masters, Rembrandt, Caravaggio, Monet and such. I like Hopper but I tend to go to films more as references because I'm terrible with names and finding people's works. What about you? Any personal favorites? Any pieces of work specifically?

 

Blackmagic Design today announced Blackmagic URSA Broadcast G2, a next generation professional broadcast camera with 6K digital film sensor that brings digital film quality to both traditional and online broadcasters.The advanced 6144 x 3456 digital film sensor provides exceptional low light performance with dual gain ISO of up to +36dB as well as 13 stops of dynamic range. Blackmagic URSA Broadcast G2 also includes H.265 and Blackmagic RAW file formats, Blackmagic generation 5 color science, as well as a USB-C expansion port for external disk recording, and more.

We're thrilled to announce our next live ZEISS Conversation with the ASC's newest member, Alice Brooks! Alice Brooks, ASC, has an impressive portfolio with internationally acclaimed titles such as In the Heights, Home Before Dark, and her upcoming release, tick, tick...BOOM!  This newest feature is directed by Lin-Manuel Miranda, produced by Ron Howard and is set to premiere at AFI Fest next month.

LEE Filters, a leading manufacturer of high-quality lighting gels and photographic filters and part of Panavision’s end-to-end offerings for image makers, has introduced LEE Elements, an all-new range of high-performance and quick-to-deploy circular filters for photographers and videographers.

Halyna Hutchins, cinematographer on "Rust," and director Joel Souza were shot Thursday in the desert on the southern outskirts of Santa Fe. Actor Alec Baldwin fired a prop gun on the set of a Western and killed the cinematographer, officials said. The director of the movie was wounded, and authorities are investigating what happened.

A nationwide strike that would have started Monday was averted today when the International Alliance of Theatrical Stage Employees (IATSE) reached a tentative three-year agreement with the Alliance of Motion Picture and Television Producers (AMPTP) for The Basic and Videotape Agreements which affects 40,000 film and television workers represented by 13 West Coast IATSE local unions. 

Will not comment or discuss the film until our friends in USA have seen it. Enough to say I really enjoyed it and the cinematography was great aside from a few needless anamorphic flares that’s pandering to the YouTube generation that equates flares with great camera work haha. Interesting to see no digital cameras in use at all.

With today's dimmable LED fixtures you might think nets are a thing of the past, but Andrew shows how nets are still a vital part of controlling light on set.

 

V-RAPTOR features a multi-format 8K sensor (40.96mm x 21.60mm) with the ability to shoot 8K large format or 6K Super 35. Joining its predecessor, the MONSTRO 8K VV sensor, this unique in-camera option for impactful visual storytelling allows shooters to leverage any of their large format or S35 lenses with the push of a button and always deliver at over 4K resolution.

FilmLight recently launched a new event honouring colourists and the art of colour worldwide, with winners due to be celebrated at EnergaCAMERIMAGE 2021 in Poland. The programme has met with spontaneous acclaim. Colourists, renowned cinematographers and directors, and other professionals from the imaging industry across the globe, all support the initiative.

The XF605 Professional Camcorder is the next-generation XF-series camera providing excellent mobility, connectivity, and superb 4K UHD HDR image quality. Equipped with Canon’s renowned Dual Pixel CMOS AF, the XF605 achieves high-speed and high-accuracy focusing, and is the first XF-series model to include Eye Detection AF, as well as iTR AF X technology for improved face and head detection for more accurate and stable tracking of subjects.

The LS 600x Pro boasts an expanded bi-color range fo 2700K~6500K while still being able maintain an impressive output. Equipped with its native Hyper-Reflector, the 600x Pro can output 5,610 lux at 3 meters (10 feet). With the F10 Fresnel modifier, the combination can reach an illuminance of 18,5100 lux at 3 meters in 15° spot.

ARRI has announced the release of its latest innovation—ARRI LightNet. ARRI LightNet is a unique new software platform designed by ARRI’s Solutions Group to offer smart, logical, and at-a-glance centralized monitoring, fault-finding, and management of broadcast studio lighting networks from anywhere. 

Meet the Gaffer's Luke Seerveld compares the diffused light quality and output from the ARRI M18, K5600 Joker 800 and a couple of Aputure 600d Pro's using 1/2-grid diffusion through a frame and an Octabank.

Canon's $5500 EOS C70 is in stock at B&H and available with 24-month 0% financing.

Camera operator Bob Gorelick SOC shares what it was like to shoot Lovecraft Country, an American horror drama television series. Starring Jurnee Smollett and Jonathan Majors, the series is about Atticus Black, who travels across the segregated 1950s United States in search of his missing father, learning of dark secrets plaguing a town on which famous horror writer H. P. Lovecraft supposedly based the location of many of his fictional tales.

Most of the times I've seen muslin recommended it's said to get unbleached over bleached. Is this an aesthetic (color or diffusion) choice or something more than that? I'm gonna build a muslin frame and before I ordered some fabric I wanted to clear this up. 

Also another quicky, how do silk and ad muslin differ in how they diffuse light? I'm not against getting silk but to save some money I'm looking into muslin. Or should I just get both?

Blackmagic Design today announced a new family of Blackmagic Studio Cameras for live production. The new compact all-in-one design will help a wider range of live production customers who need cameras with professional features that are also fast to setup on location. The new Blackmagic Studio Cameras include design features such as carbon fiber reinforced polycarbonate and large integrated 7" viewfinders so they are very light weight making them much easier to transport and setup than large traditional studio cameras.