Brian Drysdale

It's not so much value, as a business decision. People often shoot across a range of different formats, so it doesn't really make sense to invest in one particular camera. However, if you're getting enough Varicam business to make sense to buy, you buy. For most TV work 720p is fine and if you have the volume of work the Varicam will still make sense over the RED if it fits in with the requirements of your clients. As it stands at the moment, the RED seems much more a indie/d-cinema camera than one that broadcaster will use. In the same price bracket as the RED, the Infinity seems more targeted at the broadcast market.

No, since I've had my copy for years and it's black.

Yes, both record onto 8 bit HDCAM.

One difference is that the HDW 750 has 10 bit A/D conversion against 12 bit A/D conversion on the F900R. Which I suspect is the difference being pointed out, since the HD SDI is 10bit. This will give slightly smoother looking colours on the F900. There are also a range of set up curves available for the F900, which you can't use on the HDW 750. Together with a larger selection of formats available with the F900, including 23.98p/24p. I expect the deciding factor is the market that you're aiming to use the camera in. If possible look at test pictures from theses cameras side by side and see if any differences are of consequence on the productions you plan to shoot. Although it has been pointed out that these cameras don't give their best pictures straight out of the box. CML has recently shot some tests with these cameras and they should be up on that site in the near future.

Also try: http://www.panavision.co.nz/main/kbase/ref...lenseqvform.asp

Here's an interesting product due to be announced at NAB. www.colorspaceinc.com/icon

You'll find a lot of the info you need here: http://www.panasonic.com/business/provideo...osite/index.asp You can't record DVPRO HD onto tape with the HVX200. only onto P2. So you have to download each P2 and then reuse it to shoot more material. B & H have the 8 GB P2 for approx $1100. DVPRO HD is the format used on Panasonic's high end cameras like the Varicam and has a lot less compression than HDV.

If you want a new case try Case Design Ltd. It's run by the guy who made the original Samcine cases before Sammys closed. http://www.case-design.co.uk/

Yes, a good Ronford F4 would be a good buy... I use my old one on my Sachtler carbon fibre legs for shooting HDV. It's brilliant.

Given your budget, you're basically talking about a new hi end DV tripod or a used film or ENG tripod. However, I wouldn't buy a used fluid head without trying it out first. New I suspect you're looking at ( in no particular order) the Cartoni Focus, Vinten Vision 3, Libec H38, Miller DS 20, Sachtler DV 6 (or DV 4) - these all are 75mm bowl. Remember to budget for the tripod legs (you may need tall and short legs) and spreader. Used I'd tend to go a Sachtler Video head with 100m legs. You'll also find O'Connor, Miller, Cartoni and Vinten. Although Vintens tend to be a bit sticky in their fluid effect.

Are you thinking new or used and which model of 16mm camera do you have?

Any HMIs I've seen just have the ON/OFF switches that allow you to strike on the light head. I can't really see why you'd also need a "power" switch on the light head, since you already have a circuit breaker on the ballast. Are you thinking of a small HMI where the ballast is part of the lamp head itself? Makes sense of the question about the extra switch.

You switch on using the small switch on the ballast - this is a circuit breaker, then push the big ON button (either on the ballast or at the light head - it doesn't matter) to strike the HMI. However, very often the circuit breaker switch is already at the "on" position. With 12k and 18k HMIs you should focus the lamp at the spot position this prevents a thermal shock to the lens. (Just found this one out, since with these big HMIs the sparks do all the hands on stuff)

You switch on using the small switch on the ballast, then push the button (either on the ballast or at the light head) to strike the HMI. However, very often the switch is already at the "on" position.

The Iraniro Redhead was out a number of years before Arri decided to get into manufacturing lighting equipment. "Redhead" has become a bit of a generic term for these lights.

Try these sites that I found with a quick google: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Photography http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Cinematography http://en.wikibooks.org/wiki/Movie_Making_Manual http://www.itchy-animation.co.uk/tutorials/light01.htm http://www.filmclass.com/flm222/lighting.pdf http://www.rosco.com/includes/technotes/fi...lor_Filters.pdf Buying a few books is a lot better way of starting, there are loads at Amazon.

Blondes are 2k. If he's in the US (which I assume since he's talking about 1K Arris and Redheads instead of 800 watts), this will involve a mains tie in. Only approx a 1/3 of the light is transmitted through a CTB, so you're losing just under one and half stops of light. Redheads are fine for interview situations and lights of this wattage (or lower) are pretty standard in the average documentary kit. You should careful about blocking the cooling vents of any light, but you can usually Blackwrap around the barn doors of a Redhead without any problems. However, if control is important you should use a Fresnel spot instead of an open faced light like a Redhead.

The Redheads are an older design that the Arri version. Having used both lights and own some Redheads, the main problem I have with the latter is that the stirrup isn't mounted at the CG of the light. This means that, with age, they can tend to slowly tilt down as the tilt friction washer becomes worn.. The Arri looks like it's better built: the Redheads regularly have barn door mounting screws coming loose in the light case for example. On the other hand the Redheads are smaller. I've used an umbrella with the Redhead and it does work, I suspect the Arri might be too big for the umbrella. At 10ft a flooded Arri will give 107 ft candles - that's roughly f2.8 at 100ASA with a shutter speed of 1/50th. The Redhead will be similar. You should put a safety glass or wire in front of these lights, because bulbs can explode occasionally in all of them. In the end, the Arris & the Redheads will both do the same job. However, you don't get great control from the barn doors.

If you've got the constant speed motor there's no problem using the sync output from the camera into a Nagra (or perhaps even the second track of a DAT). Although you might have to some thinking about the best method for syncing it up again in post if you're doing a non linear edit.

I had a gear fitted to the Zeiss/Contex 35mm lens, which I had as part of my Aaton kit. However, the problem (as with my Mk1 Super Speed Distagons) was the poor scale and you had to eye focus almost everything to get the marks. It's the same with ENG style lenses, the focus puller is at a disadvantage when anything happens between the preset marks and they have to make judgement calls. They're having to make a guesstimate as to where the distance is on the scale. ENG zoom lenses are quite large so it possible to make your own focus distance marking on the lens (at least at the closer distances) using tape, but 35mm stills lens are usually too small to do this.

It will be interesting to see how the stills lenses and the follow focus units from 35mm adapters for prosumer cameras do hold up. Seemingly first ACs have been commenting on a lack of a "fudge factor" on 35mm sized single sensor HD cameras compared to the 3 layers on film, so everything has to be even more on the ball.

You should read this thread: http://www.cinematography.com/forum2004/in...=19385&st=0

I'm not saying these are the cheapest prices, but the high end Nikkor lenses that have similar speeds to the Master Primes cost £850 to £1000 each in the UK.

It gets worse on a long form production, what's OK for a couple of days just annoys after a week or two. People do end up falling out etc., not over anything big, just lots a small things piling up for time.

Yes, the time considerations are usually worse with the crew of 4 because in practise you've got less resources: it takes a certain number of man hours to achieve something and you've got less people. Never mind that they've got experience on their side and know the short cuts. That's not allowing for external financial pressures on people who aren't getting paid for a long period because they're working for a percentage (which usually means getting paid nothing). Having worked on low budget, small crew productions the schedule is relentless.