THE CAMERAS TO SEE AT 2014 NAB SHOW

By George Leon

Much of the camera buzz at the 2014 NAB Show will be about 4K imaging, although there’s still a thriving market for conventional HD camcorders as well.

 ARRI will introduce its AMIRA, a versatile documentary-style camera that combines exceptional image quality and affordable CFast 2.0 workflows. It sports an ergonomic design optimized for single-operator use and extended shoulder-mounted operation. It features in-camera grading with preloaded looks based on 3D look up tables, as well as 200 fps slow motion.

BLACKMAGIC DESIGN is holding off until the first day of the NAB Show to announce its product lineup, but expect the company to return with its current lineup of cameras including the Blackmagic Cinema Camera, Pocket Cinema Camera, and Production Camera 4K.

CANON will show its Cinema EOS C500 4K digital cinema camera, which capitalizes on the groundbreaking ergonomic design of the EOS C300 camera, and offers a Super 35 mm, 8.85-megapixel CMOS image sensor, DIGIC DV III image processor and an expansive range of recording and output options specifically for 4K and 2K image acquisition.

 FOR-A will showcase its FT-One high-speed camera, designed for super-slow-motion acquisition with 4K resolution at up to 900 frames per second. Internal RAM memory holds nearly 10 seconds of 4K content shot at 900 fps, and this can be transferred to optional internal SSD cartridges.

GRASS VALLEY will show the latest models in its LDX series and the LDX Compact series of advanced imaging cameras, including the LDX Première, LDX WorldCam, LDX Elite and the LDX Flex. The company will also showcase its XCU eXchangeable control unit.

HITACHI will introduce the Z-HD6000 CMOS HDTV studio camera which features a 2/3-inch 2.6 megapixel 1920 x 1080 CMOS RGB sensors. The camera provides greater operational efficiency as its head provides extra power and communications, eliminating the need for extra wiring and complexity not normally available in cameras of this class.

IKEGAMI will host an 8K technology exhibit to give attendees a up-close look at the latest advances in this extremely high-resolution format, Super Hi Vision. The company will also showcase its HDK-97ARRI, developed in collaboration with ARRI. This is a broadcast-style production camera with digital cinema characteristics. Also featured is Ikegami’s Unicam HD camera line which includes multiformat HD cameras with 3G-SDI 1080/59.94p performance.

I-MOVIX will present its X10 UM (Ultra Motion) Phantom-based high-speed camera system that provides frame rates of up to 2,600 in 1080i or up to 5,600 in 720p with instant replay. The company will also showcase its X10 SSM (Super Slow Motion) camera system, which delivers up to 10x normal speed capture in full HD resolution.

JVC will introduce the GYHM850 ProHD shoulder-mount camcorder which features a built-in streaming engine, FTP and 4G LTE connectivity. It provides live HD transmission directly from the camera without any external bonded cellular technology. The camera sports an interchangeable Fujinon 20x autofocus zoom lens, dual SDHC/SDXC card slots for simultaneous or relay (continuous) recording and native file recording compatible with most NLE systems. Also look for the GY-HM890 ProHD shoulder-mount camcorder with all the features of the HM850 plus multicamera production capability.

PANASONIC will unveil three new cameras, a handheld camcorder and a pair of new Varicams. The AJ-PX270 P2 HD camcorder is Panasonic’s first capable of recording to P2 and microP2 cards in the company’s AVC-ULTRA codec.  The 4K, PL-mount Varicam 35 employs a single 35 mm sensor to mount cinestyle lenses and shoots 4K at up to 120 frames per second. The high speed Varicam HS shoots HD at up to 240 frames per second, and with its 2/3-inch 3MOS imagers, is designed to mount long lenses for sports and other event remotes.

 SONY will feature its full line of cameras and camcorders including the newest 4K CineAlta cameras, XDCAM camcorders and compact NXCAM camcorders. The company will showcase F65, F55, F5 and FS700 production cameras. Sony is delaying announcements about 2014 camera premiers until the show’s opening.

LIES AND DECEIT IN COLOR. THE SEVENTH LIE.

By George Leon
Review

The Seventh Lie is the feature film directorial debut of James Hung. The Seventh Lie is a fresh departure from the light fare of many dramatic and action Chinese films on the international film market by compelling the audience to participate vicariously on an elliptical narrative presenting intertwined individual complex plots in a seamless linear manner. 

 Hung selected chaotic Hong Kong as the backdrop landscape to frame this dramatic dark narrative of the human condition into a series of four vignettes about the decay and downward spiral of truth and honesty as known by society into a web of lies, deception and betrayal through the eyes of an ensemble cast of flawed characters interconnected to each other on the different vignettes by a common denominator, what it seems to be similar to the famous seven sins, namely wrath, greed, lust, and envy. Corruption, contempt and the  twisting of the word are the driving force on the narrative of this tale, but regardless of moments of despicable betray, redemption and a new found honesty prevails at the end.
 

  
(password: doyoulie)

The very physical and quasi-comedic performance of the cast comprised by Hong Kong top caliber actors (Josie Ho, Ronald Cheng, Loi Hong Pang and Wai Kai Leung Tommy) portraying assassins, cheating couples, corrupted policemen, disgruntled spouses, sexual deviants, runaway brides and a redeeming psychic are the right catalyst to this mixed-genre narrative as written and directed by Hung, who also utilized claustrophobic locations such as hotels rooms and hallways to determining time, landscape and space as another character to tell the story. (Hotels rooms in Hong Kong are rather small in contrast to the urban architectural grandeur displayed by the city). 

The cinematography by Ka On Ronnie Au and production design by Rose Hung worked seemingly with Hung's vision. The photography and art design (Janet Chan) of every location/vignette is under its own color palette, running from a clean surgical steel look (while an assassin is choosing which tailored suit, shirt, and tie to wear before going out to kill again) to the warm tungsten glowy look of a runaway bride perplexed by the possibilities of her own future while hiding from her future husband and bride maids crisscrossing the city under the neon and traffic lights to a final rendezvous with a prophetic psychic on an idyllic park illuminated with colorful china balls and lanterns.

The low budget film was shot on a single Canon 1DC with Canon cinema lenses and recorded to SanDisk’s Extreme Pro CFast 2.0 cards. 

LIGHTING FOR A LEGEND & CONFIGURATION OF THE EOS C500 PL

Here is the coverage of a  story by two different sources, which I decided to merge into one posting given  both  articles- a journalistic blog posting by David Heuring and a marketing video by Canon- are intrinsically inseparable to a cinematographer's discerning eye to better understand the production process involved in the making of the short  film The Human Voice.    

Lighting for a Legend — Rodrigo Prieto Shoots Sophia Loren Short in Rome
As originally published on September 4, 2013 in ASC Parallax View by David Heuring
with the exception of two still photos credited to other source.

Rodrigo on the set of THE HUMAN VOICE. 

© Jon Fauer, ASC

Rodrigo Prieto, ASC, AMC recently finished a unique short film that stars Sophia Loren and was directed by Loren’s son, Edoardo Ponti. The title is The Human Voice, and the script is based on a one-person stage play by Jean Cocteau. The 25-minute film was filmed over the course of about two weeks, mostly on a soundstage in Rome, with some flashback scenes shot along the coast in Naples.

Rodrigo says that says that as a teenager, Loren was struck by another screen version of the story starring Anna Magnani, whose performance helped inspire Loren to eventually become an actress. She’d dreamed of taking on the role ever since. The Human Voice depicts a long, intermittent phone conversation between a woman and her lover, who is leaving her for another woman. At first, she tries to put a brave face on things. But eventually her emotions pour out. The male half of the doomed relationship is never seen by the audience.

 Rodrigo and first AC Zoran Veselic at work.

©Jon Fauer, ASC

Rodrigo met Ponti on a panel at the Tribeca Film Festival, where they each had a short screen in the same program. Rodrigo’s short, which he directed and shot, was titled Likeness and starred Elle Fanning. Ponti’s film, Il turno do note lo fanno le stelle, starred Julian Sands and Nastassja Kinski. “Edoardo approached me after the event and told me about The Human Voice,” says Rodrigo. “I was immediately fascinated.”

Their earliest conversations about the look of the film were conducted via Skype, with Ponti in Rome and Rodrigo in Santa Fe, New Mexico, where he was finishing The Homesman for director/star Tommy Lee Jones. “Edoardo wanted it to feel romantic, but at the same time realistic,” says Rodrigo. “He didn’t want an overly dramatic image — he said the drama would be in the words and in the performance. I chose to use Cooke S4 lenses as I felt they have a pleasing quality that would work well for a monologue piece.”

Changes in the time of day offered Rodrigo a range of lighting opportunities. 

©Jon Fauer, ASC

Ponti had done his previous short on the Canon C300, so he had a relationship with Canon. That led in part to the decision to shoot The Human Voice on a Canon C500 camera. During a conversation with Rodrigo, Canon’s Tim Smith mentioned that the C500, in addition to its ability to capture images in 4K 10-bit files, can shoot 2K files with 12-bit color depth. The camera incorporates an onboard Codex S Plus recorder that facilitates either format.

“In testing, I noticed that especially on skin tones and some fruit I placed on a bowl next to the stand-in, the subtlety of color was best captured in 2K 12-bit,” says Rodrigo. “For our purposes, the differences in resolution between 4K and 2K were negligible, but the proper rendering of the many colors in her face was essential.”

 The opportunity to work with the legendary actress was intimidating. “It was an incredible privilege, honor and responsibility to photograph an icon of world cinema like Sophia,” he says. “It did scare me a little bit at first. She has been lit by the best photographers and cinematographers in the world. I know that she understands lighting, especially her own — she knows what looks good. I think that feeling of fear was actually positive in the end. I think it helped me find ways to lovingly photograph her while enhancing the dramatic curve of the piece.

“Edoardo was instrumental in easing these fears,” says Rodrigo. “He is a very generous director who likes to have a fun atmosphere, which is something I enjoy. I think I run a disciplined set, but I appreciate being able to laugh and joke a bit. Sets are tense enough already, with budgets and schedules causing stress. I think it’s important to feel relaxed and happy while you work.

 Edoardo Ponti and Sofia Loren on the set

of the Human Voice © BestImage

“The other great privilege for me was witnessing the mother-son relationship, and how Sophia’s dream of playing this role was becoming a reality through her son,” says Rodrigo. “Seeing them on the set together, through these emotional moments, was very touching. Seeing them find the right performance and direction as a family was very beautiful and special.”

Prior to The Human Voice, Rodrigo shot two completely dissimilar projects, but he reprised the “mostly film-some digital” approach he used on Argo, which of course won Best Picture and two other Oscars this past February. For The Homesman, he shot Super 35 film format for 85 or 90% of the film, but used the Sony F55 in low light situations, including some scenes where he shot with just an oil lamps and candles for illumination. On The Wolf of Wall Street for Martin Scorsese, he shot with Hawk anamorphic lenses and some scenes with spherical Master Prime lenses — for the most part on film and sometimes on Alexa for low light and visual effects.

For the time being, Rodrigo is shooting commercials and enjoying some time close to home.

Canon Collaborations: The EOS C500 Configured by the Crew of Human Voice

A conversation between three talented filmmakers, as director Edoardo Ponti, Cinematographer Rodrigo Prieto, ASC, AMC, and First AC Zoran Veselic discuss how they configured a Cinema EOS C500 PL camera to shoot the intimate short film, Human Voice.

 For more detailed technical information about The Human Voice, check out the Film & Digital Times coverage by Jon Fauer, ASC.

BEST CINEMATOGRAPHY NOMINEES FOR THE 86TH OSCARS

BEST CINEMATOGRAPHY NOMINEES FOR THE 86TH OSCARS®

These are the nominees in the Cinematography category for the 86th Academy Awards with technical specifications. Note that the camera body of choice used by all these talented directors of photography in the nominated films was an Arri film body or a digital camera used for negative film stock photography or high definition digital acquisition.

 On matter of lenses, the Panavision C-Series Anamorphic primes, ATZ/AW22 zooms and Panavision Primos were the choice for two of the nominees. 

 

 Emmanuel Lubezki, ASC AMC principal photography was achieved using Arri Alexa Studio and Plus cameras and a 65mm film camera, the Arri 765 with magazines loaded with Kodak 5219 65mm negative emulsion, a perfect film acquisition tool for digital intermediate processes and 4K workflows. All camera bodies were fitted at one time or another with Panavision Primos and Zeiss Master Primes lenses and a still medium format photography lens, the Hasselblad 765 to help him to capture the emotion of the characters on their struggle for survival on this weightless and sweeping outer-space 3D/CGI rendered drama.

 

 Phedon Papamichael, ASC used Panavision Anamorphic lenses in Nebraska to capture the essence of Alexander Payne's color graded black and white road trip narrative. "The Panavision C-Series Anamorphic lenses helped me achieve a textural quality I was trying to find for Nebraska - the older glass helped reduce the sharpness off the digital image and gave it a more film-like cinematic feeling"  said Papamichael. 

 Bruno Delbonnel ASC, AFC shoot "Inside Llewyn Davis" a York folk music story in the ‘60 on a single 35mm film stock,  Kodak Vision T500/5219 1:85 aspect ratio and the cameras were Arricam LT and ST using Cooke S4 lenses. “The movie has a lot of magenta and cyan, which you can’t really get from a lab process, or at least not as controlled,” Delbonnel states. “The blooming and diffusion we added gave the feel of uncoated lenses. But I actually shot with the super sharp Cooke S4’s, with nothing over the lens at all. Uncoated lenses are uncontrollable – flares, etc. – and I needed to control the light and clarity [during shooting] at all times.”

 Delbonnel crafted imagery that is low contrast, with little or no sunlight. That approach fit well with the short New York winter days, which only provided about six hours of daylight. “I don’t like the term ‘look,’” Delbonnel says. “To me, a ‘look’ is just fashion. You see it in fashion photography. It’s just an aesthetic, and in a couple of years it will be something else. It’s about emotion and the story. For Inside Llewyn Davis, I was looking for sadness, so I had to define it. Is it yellow? Is it green? I had to find a way to make this sadness with color and density and contrast. That is my job as a cinematographer.”

Roger Deakins  A.S.C., B.S.C, C.B.E, received his eleventh Oscar nomination for Prisioners, a dark and disturbing criminal kidnapping thriller shot digitally using the ARRI Alexa Plus and Studio cameras fitted with Zeiss Master Primes. Deakins elaborated a precisely unobtrusive camerawork with the perfect amount of steady control to build tension, framing the storyline in a wintry rain-drenched desaturated color palette, a departure from his fluid camera work and stylistic photography of Skyfall, his 10th Oscar nomination.

"The Grandmaster" charts the mostly true story of Ip Man (Tony Leung), the martial arts master who would eventually teach a young Bruce Lee how to fight. The film was shot on the last roll of Fujifilm ever produced.
Fujifilm  informed him and Mr. Le Sourd, that it would be delivering the company’s final  roll to them but Le Sourd isn't absolutist about celluloid. "I think everything is possible on digital," he says. "‘Gravity' is amazing work and we couldn't do it before. It's a great adventure today to be a working cinematographer."

 When the cinematographer Philippe Le Sourd teamed up with the director Wong Kar-wai to make “The Grandmaster,” he was expecting a six-month project. Those six months turned into three years, making the production felt as epic as the life story at the heart of the film: that of the kung fu master Ip Man. 

Philippe Le Sourd’s outstanding cinematography brings scintillating action sequences into sharp focus -- a crucial factor given Wong's penchant for close-ups that can seemingly reveal a universe in the burning tip of a cigarette to the shape and reflective transparency of rain fall turned into motivators of camera movement.

 Le Sourd shot this masterly crafted narrative using Arricam ST/LT and Arriflex 435 cameras, "the workhorse of the industry", a MOS camera with variable ramping  speed instrumental  to capture in detail the action sequences. All magazines were loaded with the last rolls manufactured by Fujifilm, the Eterna 8663 and 8673. For the most vivid detailed slow speed action sequences under the rain,  Le Sourd opted for the Phantom Flex, an high speed digital 2.5K camera, capable of shooting from 5 frames-per-second (fps) to over 10,750 fps. The result is truly amazing as lensed by LeSourd.

Cinematography Nominees chart courtesy of Setlife Magazine

A GUIDE TO HAND HELD CAMERA OPERATION W/ SEAN BOBBIT, BSC

A Guide to Handheld Camera Operating with Sean Bobbitt, BSC, from the ARRI Workshop at this year's Camerimage Film Festival. This is a must see presentation for all cameraman. Enjoy!

 Sean Bobbit, BSC and Steve McQueen on the set of 12 Years a Slave.

Bobbit is a Film Independent Spirit Awards Best Cinematography Nominee.

CINEMATOGRAPHERS ROUNDTABLE

Cinematographers Roundtable Full Interview by The Hollywood Reporter.

Barry Ackroyd (Captain Phillips), Sean Bobbitt (12 Years a Slave), Bruno Delbonnel (Inside Llewyn Davis), Phedon Papamichael (Nebraska) and Stuart Dryburgh (The Secret Life of Walter Mitty) sit down for a candid conversation.

FUJIFILM RELEASES A NEW LENS. THE CABRIO 19-90MM

The 19-90mm Cabrio (ZK4.7x19B) features an exclusive detachable servo drive unit, making it suitable for use as a standard PL lens or as an ENG-Style lens. The ZK4.7x19B also features flange focal distance adjustment, macro function, and is LDS (Lens Data System) and /i metadata compatible. With a 19-90mm focal range and weight of only 2.85kg including servo motors, this lens has the longest focal range available in a light weight zoom.

 Videographers used to shooting video in a typical ENG-style will be very comfortable with the servo. Cinematographers will also be right at home with this lens. With the detachable drive removed, the lens is set to accept industry standard cine motors and matte boxes. Plus, the lens has all the lens data output that appeals to a Cine-style shooter. LDS and /i metadata compatibility is very useful when you want to record the position information of zoom, iris and focus for computer animation and other uses.

The digital servo on the 19-90mm Cabrio has 16-bit encoding, so operators can be assured that all lens data output is extremely accurate.

The 19-90mm covers 31.5mm sensor size on a digital cinema style camera. While sensors on standard broadcast cameras are all the same size, sensors on digital cine cameras vary greatly. This new zoom ensures the image captured will cover large sensors for optimal, full-frame resolution. A nine-blade iris part of the design as well, creating the most natural-looking imagery possible.

Barrel markings are luminous for visibility in dark shooting situations. Distances are listed in feet or meters and can be changed in the field.

The 19-90mm can be controlled using cinema industry standard wireless controllers, as well as existing Fujinon wired and wireless units. Whether you are from a film background or a video one, the Premier PL 19-90 offers uncompromising quality and unprecedented flexibility.

PANAVISION UNVEILS NEW PRIMO V LENSES OPTIMIZED FOR DIGITAL CAMERAS

 Panavision, the company behind many of the industry’s most respected cinema lenses for the last 60 years, has introduced a new line of Primo lenses, the Primo V series, specifically designed to work with today’s high-resolution 35mm digital cameras.

 “Panavision’s unmatched optical expertise and high-quality manufacturing capabilities have now been brought to bear on lenses adapted for digital cameras,” says Kim Snyder, Panavision’s Chief Executive Officer. “We’re focused on providing cinematographers with the best tools to tell their stories with vision and creativity. With the industry’s ongoing transition to digital capture, we want our customers to know they can continue to trust Panavision to bring innovative, world-class solutions to the marketplace.”

The Primo V lenses are designed to bring the look and feel of Panavision Primos to digital cinematography, using the lens elements from existing Primo lenses, long an industry standard for top cinematographers. Primo V lenses take advantage of specific design adaptations to work in harmony with digital cameras, maximizing image quality while delivering Primo quality and character.

“Cinematographers tell us that the hyper-sharp sensors in today’s digital cameras can result in images that are harsh and lack personality,” says Panavision’s VP of Optical Engineering Dan Sasaki. “That’s one reason why there’s so much emphasis on glass these days. The Primo V lenses bring the smooth, organic flavor of Primo lenses to the high fidelity digital image. Our philosophy is to take what cinematographers love about the Primos, and update them for the digital world.”

Digital cameras require additional optical elements including low-pass and IR filters that increase off-axis aberrations. ND filters are sometimes part of the chain. Primo V lenses have been re-engineered to correct for this. Patent pending modifications eliminate the coma, astigmatism, and other aberrations introduced by the additional glass between the lens and the sensor, while preserving the desirable imaging characteristics of the Primo optics. The resulting image appears more balanced center-to-edge.

The Primo V lenses are compatible with any digital camera equipped with PL or Panavision 35 mount systems. They cannot be used on film cameras. The internal transports and mechanics of the Primo V lenses will retain the familiar Primo feel. Since the Primo V lenses retain the essential Primo character, imagery from Primo V and standard Primo lenses will intercut well. A set of Primo V primes will include 14.5, 17.5, 21, 27, 35, 40, 50, 75, and 100mm focal lengths.

“Filmmakers have embraced Panavision Primo lenses since their introduction 25 years ago,” notes Snyder. “Now the classic Primo look has been refined and optimized for use with the latest generation of 35mm sensor digital cameras.”

Panavision

CINE METER APP FOR iOS 5

In the past I have provide you with resource lists of  iOS and Android applications for the cinematographer, some still are free offering basic software and others are paid, offering more  professional software like the Depth of Field (DOF) Calculator that can help you get a job done a little better or a little faster than before.

Cine Meter viewing a DSC Labs ChromaDuMonde® 12 chart, 

showing an RGB waveform

I would like to bring your attention to this application by Adam J. Wilt which is ready to download from the App Store in iTunes for $4.99 and I think it is worth every penny to add it to the short list of favorite working iOS apps for cinematographers. It is an application that rolls three functions into a one screen for fast measuring and readout at a glance turning your iOS device into a very capable light meter, RGB waveform monitor, and a false-color picture mode monitor.

Cine Meter is a professional film/video/photo application for your iPhone®, iPad®, or iPod touch®, using the built-in camera to provide a shutter-priority reflected light meter, an RGB waveform monitor, and a false-color picture mode. Cine Meter works on any iDevice with a camera running iOS 5.0 or higher.

Cine Meter not only gives you exposure information, it shows you at a glance how evenly your greenscreen is lit, and where high-contrast hotspots and shadows may give you trouble. With Cine Meter, you can walk around, light your set, and solve problems long before your real camera is set up, making pictures, and running down its batteries.

The light meter shows you the stop to set as decimal readings (such as f/5.0, good for cameras with EVF iris readouts) or full stops and fractions (like f/4.0 ⅔, good for cine lenses with marked iris rings). You can calibrate Cine Meter to match other meters to a tenth of a stop, and take readings using matrix or spot metering.

The waveform monitor shows you how light levels vary within and across a scene. They show you how even the lighting is on a greenscreen or white cove, and let you see hotspots and imbalances at a glance. The waveform’s RGB mode shows you color imbalances in the image and gives you a handy way to check for color purity on a greenscreen or bluescreen.

The false-color picture lets you define allowable contrast ranges, and see instantly which shadows are underexposed and what highlights risk clipping:

 
Cine Meter viewing a DSC Labs ChromaDuMonde^® 
12 chart in false-color mode

Cine Meter runs entirely on your iDevice: it doesn’t use WiFi or mobile data. If you have power in the battery and light in front of the lens, it will work.

How To...

Calibrate the meter: shoot a gray card or other solid target with Cine Meter and your most trusted reflected meter, DSLR, or video camera. Adjust the Meter Compensation control on the Settings and Info page to make Cine Meter’s readings match those of your reference device. (The camera picture is unaffected by any compensation you set; the camera always sets its own exposure and its waveform and false-color levels may not match those the light meter reading would indicate!)

Check exposure: aim the camera at the scene, and read off the exposure (use the spot meter if necessary to narrow down the area of interest). You can tap EXP to freeze the reading, and then vary ISO and shutter to see how aperture changes even if you are no longer pointing the camera at the scene.

Compare exposures: aim the camera at a gray card or other reference target, and tap EXP. Cine Meter will hold that exposure, letting you walk around the set and look at the waveform monitor and false-color displays to compare light levels to your reference.

Compare white balances: aim the camera at a white or gray card under your reference lighting, and tap EXP to lock the white balance. Cine Meter will hold that white balance, and you can use the RGB mode of the waveform monitor to examine the color balance as you walk around the set. (The range of color temperatures and lighting spectra that Cine Meter will properly white balance to is entirely dependent on the camera in your iDevice: some accommodate a wider range of white points than others do.)

Check lighting evenness: when you need flat, even lighting (on a greenscreen, white cove, test charts, or flat art), Cine Meter’s waveform monitor shows you the relative light levels across the camera’s field of view in a single glance. It’s a lot quicker to use the waveform monitor than to spot-meter several points across the field of view, or to take multiple incident readings to get the same information.

Match color temperatures: using WB and the RGB waveform monitor makes it very simple to compare LCD displays, different LED lights, or any other combinations of radiant or reflected lights. If you use WB on a known-good source (or a white card illuminated by it), the differing RGB levels when looking at another source will indicate how you have to color-correct it to make it match, without the subjectivity of the human eye.  
more how to...

Compatibility: Requires iOS 5.0 or later. Compatible with iPhone, iPad 2 Wi-Fi, iPad 2 Wi-Fi + 3G, iPad Wi-Fi (3rd generation), iPad Wi-Fi + Cellular (3rd generation), iPad Wi-Fi (4th generation), iPad Wi-Fi + Cellular (4th generation), iPad mini Wi-Fi, iPad mini Wi-Fi + Cellular, iPad Air, iPad Air Wi-Fi + Cellular, iPad mini with Retina display, iPad mini with Retina display Wi-Fi + Cellular, iPod touch (4th generation), and iPod touch (5th generation). This app is optimized for iPhone 5.

SEAMUS MCGARVEY, ASC BSC AT GCI

Seamus McGarvey, ASC BSC was a guest instructor at Global Cinematography Institute GCI  The class was Cinematography for Independent/Low Budget Films. Level 1.

Seamus shared with students lighting and camera movement techniques used in Atonement and Anna Karenina. Yuri Neyman, ASC moderated the class. Part 1

Seamus shared with students lighting and camera movement techniques used in Atonement and Anna Karenina. Yuri Neyman, ASC moderated the class. Part 2

©georgeleon/filmcastlive 2013

PANASONIC LAUNCHES A NEW AFFORDABLE HD CAMERA

The Panasonic AG-AC8PJ is a powerful, Full-HD 1080P shoulder-mount camera featuring exceptional ergonomics, functionality and affordable price. It is available this October at $1,450 in your nearest Panasonic camera dealer.

The lightweight but powerful AC8PJ  camcorder is ideal for shooting corporate and events, weddings and documentaries and action packed sporting events, boasting 720p at 8Mbps. The camera weights 5lbs offering less shoulder strain for long shooting periods.

Its wide angle 28mm/F1.8 lens allows the operator to fit more people and background into the frame, especially useful in narrow spaces. A powerful 21X optical/50x super-high resolution zoom permits you to shoot scenes that you can't get close to. Intelligent resolution technology lets you shoot at high zoom rates while preserving the image resolution. With dual SD card slots and the capability to record on both cards simultaneously, the AC8 provides dependable back-up recording or the ability to switch from one card to the other for extended recording times.

The AC8 comes with a powerful zoom lens 21x optical/50x super-high-resolution and a five -access Hybrid O.I.S Image Stabilization technology permitting the operator to shoot crisp scenes that you can't get close to. Intelligent resolution technology lets you shoot at high zoom rates, while preserving the image resolution. Its wide-angle 28mm/F1.8 lens allows you to fit more people and background into the frame, especially useful in narrow spaces and its Dynamic Range Stretch (DRS) helps compensate for wide variations in exposure in a contrast-heavy scene, from light to dark. A Focus in Red function shows the sharp edges of your subject in red, making it stand out better.

The AC8 records in a wide variety of recording modes to suit your workflow and post-production needs:  1080/60p [Max. 28Mbps/VBR], (1920x1080/60p); PH [Max. 24Mbps/VBR], (1920x1080/60i); HA [Ave. 17Mbps/VBR], (1920x1080/60i); HG [Ave. 13Mbps/VBR], (1920x1080/60i); HE [Ave. 5Mbps/VBR], (1440x1080/60i); PM [Ave. 8Mbps/VBR], (1280x720/60p); and SA [Ave. 9Mbps/VBR], (720x480/60i).

Your acquired content is safely recorded into dual SD card slots and the capability to record on both cards simultaneously, the AC8’s Relay Auto Switch functionality provides dependable back-up recording or the ability to switch from one card to the other for extended recording times.

for more info visit Panasonic

SAN DISK INTRODUCED THE FASTEST CF CARD

SanDisk announced two new CompactFlash cards to its Extreme Pro CF cards  line up. The cards are designed to meet the demands of 4K video recording.

SanDisk’s Extreme Pro CFast 2.0 card are available in 60GB; 120GB: and is the first to utilize the CFast 2.0 standard, which is designed for broadcast, cinematography, and  professional photography. The documentary-style camera  AMIRA  from ARRI, is the first camera to support the card with  read speeds  up to 450MB/s (3000X) and write speeds of up to 350MB/s (2333X). The CFast 2.0 card was designed in collaboration with the CompactFlash Association, Canon and ARRI..  The card–with a CODEX Capture Drive to CFast 2.0 adapter for ARRI cameras will be sold directly to ARRI and will be available at ARRI specialty retailers and other photo specialty stores.

 Also a world’s first, SanDisk also introduced the massive, 256GB Extreme Pro CompactFlash card with  a whopping price tag of $1,810. The card has  the VPG-65 (Video Performance Guarantee) specification. The 256GB CF card offers transfers up to 160MB/s and  write speeds of up to 140MB/s. At the same time, SanDisk has pumped up the speed across its Extreme Pro line, with CompactFlash receiving a boost by about 50 percent to read and write speeds of up to 160MB/s and 150MB/s, respectively. SD card users will be happy to hear that SanDisk’s Extreme line of SD cards will also receive a speed increase of up to 80MB/s (read) and up to 60MB/s (write).

ARRI UNVEILED AMIRA. A NEW DOCUMENTARY STYLE CAMERA

ARRI introduced today at IBC 2013 their new documentary-style camera with CFast 2.0 workflows and ergonomic design optimized for single-operator use and extended shoulder-mounted operation. Ready to pick up and shoot straight out of the camera bag, AMIRA is hardy enough to take anywhere  featuring in-camera grading with preloaded looks based on 3D LUTs, as well as 200 fps slow motion.

AMIRA comes with the same sensor and exceptional image quality as the ARRI ALEXA, recording HD 1080 or 2K pictures that are suitable for any distribution format. With a dynamic range of more than 14 stops, low noise levels, subtle highlight handling, natural color rendering, breathtaking skin tones and speeds of up to 200 fps, AMIRA deliver beautiful, life-like images in any situation.

AMIRA records Rec 709 or Log C images using ProRes LT, 422, 422HQ or 444 codecs. By recording to in-camera CFast 2.0 flash memory cards with super-quick data rates, the route into postproduction is made as simple as possible. CFast 2.0 is an open format, easily accessible to anyone and delivering a fantastic price-performance ratio through incredible transfer speeds, long recording times and compatibility with standard IT tools. Costs per GB are brought right down and higher-than-broadcast-quality image pipelines are made available even to low budget productions.

AMIRA boots up quickly and can be used straight out of the bag by a single user, with no setting up, no rigging and no delays. In the time it takes to lift the camera to an operator's shoulder, it will be ready to record, making AMIRA perfect for 'run-and-gun' shoots where the action is unpredictable and the camerawork responsive. Integrated, motorized ND filters as well as zebra and false color tools aid exposure control, while an advanced peaking function makes accurate focusing easy and swift.

Access to switches and configurable user buttons is quick and intuitive. An innovative multi-viewfinder makes life even easier for the single user by combining a high resolution OLED eyepiece with a fold-away LCD monitor that displays a live image when the eyepiece is not in use and also provides full access to camera functions, without AMIRA having to be removed from the operator's shoulder. Flexible multi-channel audio options are accessed from the camera right side, again minimizing disturbance to the operator.

AMIRA comes with a number of preloaded 3D LUT-based looks that can be applied on set during the shoot or  custom-build their own 3D LUTs in external grading systems, load them into the camera during prep, and even modify them in-camera while filming. With 3D LUTs, literally any look that can be imagined can be created, giving cinematographers and directors a greater degree of creative control, while keeping postproduction costs down.

ibc 2013 

ARRI SHOWS PROTOTYPE RGB+Z CAMERA AT IBC 2013

On display at the IBC Future Zone is the Arri Alexa SCENE, a prototype RGB+Z camera that couples an Alexa Studio with a time-of-flight camera, allowing it to capture RGB images fused with depth information on the Z-axis.

This is part of ground-breaking European research project SCENE which aims to develop novel representations and tools for digital media beyond sample-based (video) or model-based (graphics) systems.

By delivering synchronized video data and depth data, the camera will permit video images to be manipulated in the same way as CGI. Work by project partners will allow CGI models to be animated “with all the naturalism of real actors and real locations”. It is presented by Thomas Hach.

The experimental prototype presented here is a set-ready RGB+Z camera equipped with the newly-developed integrated time-of-flight sensor and capable of recording RGB and Z information synchronously. Both image sensing devices capture their respective images through a common entrance pupil, resulting in a naturally occlusion-free representation of RGB and Z video, with the same field of view. Special hardware, optics, electronics and software have been built to adapt the Alexa into what might be termed the first ‘motion scene camera’.

Dr Johannes Steurer, Arri’s principal research & development engineer, explained: “Even though it is still a prototype we are confident that the post production industry will be highly interested in the new possibilities this technology offers. Compositing, color grading, keying and many more post tasks can be facilitated by our new camera.

“It provides cutting-edge, high resolution RGB images with fully synchronized depth maps, where both are taken through the same lens and hence feature a parallax-free 3D image of the scene.”

View Arri's  timetable at IBC Big Screen

CANON EOS-1DC. THE FIRST HD TIER 1 DSRL

Broadcasters add Canon EOS -1DC to list of HD approved cameras. 

The 4K capable camera is the first DSLR to meet the EBU Tech 3335 requirements that show it delivers an image of high enough quality for broadcast production.The camera was specifically designed for motion picture capture has been tested and approved by the European Broadcasting Union (EBU) for HD content acquisition. It's the first DSLR to get on the EBU's list as a camera of high enough quality for use as a broadcast production tool. 

The EBU's test results concluded the EOS-1D C  yields  an ‘exceptional’ HD resolution from a 4K source with ‘very low’ aliasing, and ‘good’ color performance and motion portrayal. The test results confirmed that the EOS-1D C complies with the recommended specification for inclusion in HD Tier 1 for HD production. The camera is based on the EOS-1D X, but is designed for video-supporting in-camera 4K (4096x2160) recording with 4:2:2 colour sampling.

The camera is also getting several feature upgrades via a firmware update. It will become possible to display current aperture (f-number) when shooting with Canon EF Cinema lenses, and to store lens metadata. EF Cinema lenses will also be supported by the Peripheral Illumination and Chromatic Aberration Correction functions, to improving overall image quality. One of the main user requests was improved audio, which is currently limited to a mic input. The forthcoming update will permit selection of Line or Mic, for use of an external audio source. 

The EOS-1D C features an 18.1-megapixel full frame CMOS image sensor that offers a wide range of image acquisition options, including 4K (4096 x 2160), HD (1920 x 1080); or 18-megapixel (5184 x 3456) still images. The 4K is recorded as Motion JPEG; the HD is recorded as H.264; and the still images are recorded as RAW or JPEG. All of the selected motion imaging formats can be recorded as normal gamma-corrected video or with Canon Log. In addition,  the EOS-1D C exhibits incredible low-light performance, ensuring optimum image quality under conditions of extremely low scene illumination, essential for natural-looking image capture when shooting in challenging environments. With onboard 4K recording at 24p or HD recording at a range of frame rates up to 60p; and Clean HD via HDMI, the EOS-1D C offers additional capabilities for film and TV production as well as specialty image acquisition applications.

 http://tech.ebu.ch/camtest

MASTER WORKSHOP ON DIGITAL CINEMATOGRAPHY IN VENEZUELA

The “Master Workshop on Digital Cinematography” will take place between September 2-15, 2013, in the city of Caracas, as a technical module part of the “First Certification Program for Directors of Photography”, promoted by the Venezuelan Cinematography Society (SVC for its Spanish initials), with the support of the Autonomous National Center for Venezuelan Cinematography (CNAC for its Spanish initials) and based on the academic platform of the recently founded School for Cinematographic Technicians José Manuel Funes.

It will be the first time that such a rich number of professional cinematographers of the highest level in the, advertising, documentary and fiction, short and feature film industry meet; to carry out sessions to thoroughly update technical knowledge. Providing adequate preparation to face the challenges set by the dramatic changes of the digital revolution.

Alfonso Parra AEC, ADFC and Jesús Haro from Spain, will be the international specialists in charge of leading the sessions for the Venezuelan Directors of Photography, during this technical phase of the program. These are professional of renowned careers in the field of Digital Cinematography and who frequently publish specialized articles in the famous European magazine “Cameraman”.

The First 2013 Certification Program for Directors of Photography, endorsed by the Autonomous National Center for Venezuelan Cinematography (CNAC for its spanish initials), consist of a number of sessions that will provide a first group of veteran and experienced cinematographers, the license to add the initials SVC of the Venezuelan Cinematography Society to their credits. These initials will back their capacity to fully assume the responsibilities of the workflow required to guarantee image quality over the production process. Such recognition will generate the commitment of Venezuelan cinematographers towards the highest aspirations of quality and work flow management currently demanded by both the national and international markets, paving the way towards the professionalization of cinematographic work in Venezuela.

The First 2013 Certification Program for Directors of Photography, will end with a significant act in tribute and recognition of the extensive career of Ricardo Younis, colleague and dean of many of the current generation of photographers; who, together with Mexican José Manuel Figueroa, was one of the only two Latin Americans recognized by the American Society of Cinematographers (ASC), among the 100 best Directors of Photography of the first 100 years of movie history. For this tribute to master Younis, they expect the presence of Félix “Chango” Monti, one of his most prestigious disciples, Director of Photography of “The Official Story” and “The Secret in Their Eyes”, winners of the Oscar for best foreign film, as spokesman during the tribute ceremony and the awarding of the first certifications.

The academic activities of the Master Workshop on Digital Cinematography 2013, have the academic institutional support of the new School for Cinematographic Technicians José Manuel Funes, as a platform to prepare highly qualified professionals and technicians, based upon moral and ethical values, seeking an organic growth of the cinematographic industry, driven by the current policies given by the Autonomous National Center for Venezuelan Cinematography (CNAC for its spanish initials).

The Venezuelan Cinematography Society (SVC for its Spanish initials), is a non profit Organization created by and for the professional cinematographers. It was created to gather to meet the highest levels of technical, creative, moral an ethical standards in all areas of the cinematographic profession. The mission of the Venezuelan Cinematography Society (SCV for its Spanish initials) is to promote and protect the interests of these professionals, in order to enhance their overall condition; encourage quality and excellence of their work, their competitiveness and well-being; while providing them with the necessary support within an ever changing environment. SVC, also seeks to positively influence the relationships with other artists, professionals and technicians of the different fields of specialization involved in the production processes, corresponding to the areas of responsibilities of the Director of Photography. 

The Master Workshop on Digital Cinematography, also counts with the valuable sponsorship of: Centro Nacional Autónomo de Cinematografía CNAC, Escuela de Técnicos Cinematográficos José Manuel Funes, Publiplay Agencia Creativa, Abicine, Tremendo Group, Cinema Caribbean Films, ABICINE, PDVSA La Estancia, Fundación Villa del Cine, Corporación Video, Sony Professional, David & Joseph, Bolívar Films, Cines Unidos, Produrama, Cinequipos, Cinemateriales Servicios, Hormiga Films, Propela Creatíva, Christian Porras Designs, Futuro Films, Patanegra, Cinet Producciones, Centro Cultural Chacao, Fundación Cultura Chacao, A&B Producciones,Cines Unidos and a series of professionals and technicians who have made it possible to successfully develop this activity. 

CINEMATOGRAPHY IS CHANGING: VILMOS ZSIGMOND, ASC

We are all cinematographers now. Using any camera we can afford – Alexa, Red, Sony, Go Pro, iPhone - we are producing now myriads of images. But, is this a great time for cinematography?

Cinematographers are hired for their taste, and taste is cultivated through their experiences in life and knowledge and understanding of film, music, art, literature, photography -- everything that helps to define and create a unique point of view.

When we go into pre-production on a project, we draw on all these experiences to shape a look for the film. I feel this is often neglected in pre-production, leaving the look to be achieved and refined in post. There’s nothing wrong with post manipulation, especially as it can often be more precise to adjust an image in a colorist’s suite than on set. But these powerful tools do not mean we can curb our vision until the post-production phase of a film. So much of the look is created by the close collaboration between the director, production designer and director of photography. For example, if the sets are painted the wrong color with too much saturation to begin with, you’re already fighting a losing battle when you get to color correction.

With digital capture and even digital intermediates, it becomes very easy to think of the image in the simplest of terms: contrast, saturation and color bias. But I think too often we forget about texture and sharpness. Film has organic grain texture that simply doesn’t exist in digital cinematography. I’m not a film "purist" but I think it’s safe to say that with the advent of radical advances in digital cinema technology there has been a certain homogenization of the cinematographic image in regard to look and texture. It is common to shoot for an evenly distributed rich digital negative (protect the highlights, see into the shadows) with plenty of sharpness to endure the color correction suite and create the look in post. Everybody shoots the sensor the same way.

Painting is a great influence on me. Whenever I can I go to museums and look at the classics, the Dutch masters, Rembrandt and Georges de la Tour. Looking at these old paintings can be inspiring. These are the basics for cameramen because we can learn lighting from them. We can study the classic paintings and try to use that technique of lighting in our photography. I have lots of picture books at home – photography books and art books. When we did McCabe and Mrs. Miller, I showed a book of Andrew Wyeth's paintings to Bob Altman and said, “What do you think of these faded, soft, pastel images?” And he liked it. Then I took the same book to the lab and explained to them that this was what we were aiming for. They understood right away why we were flashing the film. So it helps; a picture is worth ten thousand words. A picture can immediately tell you your feelings about something.

With digital capture, we have been given a completely different set of tools, trading physical lab processes for computer-driven non-destructive techniques, creating possibilities for the image to be pushed any way we wish in post. In a time when film is disappearing fast and digital is making progress in image quality improvement, it has become important for cinematographers to master these new tools.

Vilmos Zsigmond ASC, Frederick Gooodich ASC, Curtis Clark ASC & Alfonzo Beato ASC, ABC

“Kickstart Theft” is a 7-minute movie-trailer/narrative short commissioned by Band Pro Film & Digital. Frederic Goodich, ASC directed and I was cinematographer. “Kickstart Theft” was premiered at IBC and Cinec. The story is inspired by Vittorio de Sica’s neo-realist film Bicycle Thieves (1948), shot in black-and-white on an Arriflex 2C by Carlo Montuori. For “Kickstart Theft”, I used a Sony F65 for the first time, with Leica Summilux-C primes and a Canon 30-300 zoom.

We wanted to work in available light as much as possible, and thanks to digital technology we could use exposures even at low light levels of less than a foot candle. There were times when my lightmeter didn’t even register, and we rated the camera at 800 ISO. But the quality of camera, quality of lenses, that’s almost secondary for me. The lighting and composition are the most important things, as most cinematographers know.

Camera technology is just a medium, and media was, is and will be changing, but an ability to create images that possess artistic and symbolic qualities continues to be the major task of the cinematographer.

We are faced with many changes in the complex world of technology but the art of lighting, the art of camera movement, the art of color, tone and composition are the basic tools of our profession.

How to deal with the demands of the rapidly evolving new technology and yet further the aesthetics of our filmic art?  I suggest we must re-educate and retrain ourselves creatively, to learn how to evaluate what we are doing from the technical point of view while at the same time constantly working to raise the standards of visual storytelling to ever-higher levels.