Digital Video - August 2011

The Professional's Guide to HD Tools & Technique Vol. 19 No. 8 | August 2011

IN REVIEW LITEPANELS MICROPRO HYBRID VINTEN VISION BLUE IKAN VL7

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from the editor

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august 2011 | opinion

volume 19 number 8 August 2011

EDITORIAL EDITOR‐IN‐CHIEF Cristina Clapp cclapp@nbmedia.com MANAGING EDITOR Katie Makal kmakal@nbmedia.com TECHNICAL EDITOR Jay Holben jayholben@gmail.com WEB EDITOR Sarv Taghavian, staghavian@nbmedia.com CONTRIBUTING EDITORS J.R. Bookwalter, James Careless, Chuck Gloman, Buck McNeely, Carl Mrozek, Oliver Peters, Stefan Sargent, Jon Silberg, Ned Soltz, Iain Stasukevich, Joy Zaccaria

ADVERTISING EAST COAST SALES MANAGER Susan Shores sshores@nbmedia.com 212. 378.0400 Ext. 528 WEST/CENTRAL SALES MANAGER Jeff Victor jeffvictor@comcast.net 847. 367. 4073 EUROPE SALES MANAGER Bob Kennedy bkennedy@nbmedia.com 011. 44. 1279. 861264 DIGITAL VIDEO EXPO SALES Contact your DV representative CLASSIFIED AD SALES Susan Shores sshores@nbmedia.com 212. 378. 0400 Ext. 528

ART & PRODUCTION SENIOR ART DIRECTOR Nicole Cobban ART DIRECTOR Annmarie LaScala PRODUCTION MANAGER Davis White 703. 852. 4615 dwhite@nbmedia.com ADVERTISING COORDINATOR Caroline Freeland cfreeland@nbmedia.com

CIRCULATION ASSOCIATE DIRECTOR FOR AUDIENCE DEVELOPMENT Tracey H. Dwyer CIRCULATION MANAGER Kwentin Keenan CIRCULATION CUSTOMER SERVICE Michele Fonville

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School Supplies If you’re joining us at this year’s DV Expo, which takes place Sept. 20-22 in Pasadena, Calif., you’ll be getting schooled. Our fall conference program is all about education, with intensive, involved, immersive sessions that give you no choice but to learn things. You’ll be getting a lot of expert information, data and material, and you’re going to want to take a lot of notes.

Each of our day-long sessions will give you an in-depth education, whether you want to learn about shooting with large-sensor cameras, building your own postproduction studio or color correcting your projects. We’ll also offer instruction on some of our favorite new cameras, including the RED Epic and Sony’s NEX-FS100 and PMW-F3.

Some conference highlights include:

WORKING WITH LARGE‐SENSOR CAMERAS Large-sensor cameras have gained immense popularity...but are they appropriate for every shooting situation? How do we take full advantage of their capabilities while being cognizant of their limitations? In this all-day session, DV contributing editor Ned Soltz provides a look at a selection of HDSLRs, Panasonic’s AG-AF100, Sony’s PMW-F3 and NEX-FS100, and RED’s Epic in terms of image quality, operation, features and data management.

DEMYSTIFYING DIGITAL DV technical editor Jay Holben takes you on an in-depth journey through the complex world of digital images to clarify and demystify the myriad formats. Gain an appreciation of the advantages and disadvantages of individual HD formats, sensors, codecs, color spaces and much more. Not sure what camera is right for your needs? Choosing between a DSLR or traditional camcorder? This day-long course will help you achieve a clear picture of how to read a camera spec sheet and actually understand it!

BUILDING YOUR OWN STUDIO The cost of being in production or post is generally discussed on the basis of individual tools, but the reality is that there’s a lot more that goes into a successful technical plant. DV contributing editor Oliver Peters will guide you through a day of training that encompasses various aspects of facility design. The session will include an overview of general design, including the basics of studio acoustics, rack room layout, shared storage, and various postproduction suites.

As we have for previous conferences, we’re teaming with our friends at Weynand Training to offer a series of hands-on training classes for software including Apple Final Cut Pro X, Adobe CS 5.5, Avid Media Composer 5 and Apple Motion 5. We’ve also developed a special one-day hands-on seminar that focuses on translating your current FCP skills into the new FCP X. So sharpen your pencils, sign up at www.dvexpo.com, and we’ll see you there.

3

Each of our day-long sessions will give you an in-depth education, whether you want to learn about shooting with largesensor cameras, building your own postproduction studio or color correcting your projects.

4

Inside

contents | august 2011

update

dv.com/Aug2011 |volume 19|number 8

6 News & Notes Linstrom chooses Sachtler for Nat Geo shoot, OConnor Ultimate 1030 D, Red Giant Magic Bullet Suite 11, Hess gets sporty with Norbert, East Pleasant Pictures chooses Canon, Panasonic 3DA1 goes to space, Hitachi enrolls at NSU, GenArts releases Sapphire Edge.

in review 12 Apple Final Cut Pro X

12

Is this app ready for primetime?

By Oliver Peters

18 Litepanels MicroPro Hybrid This portable, battery-powered fixture does double-duty as an on-camera flash.

By Jay Holben

On Our Cover: Apple released Final Cut Pro X on June 21. Oliver Peters takes a look inside.

19 Vinten Vision blue Tripod This system offers "perfect balance" and an allimportant illuminated bubble level.

By Chuck Gloman

22 ikan VL7 A cost-effective and compact solution for monitoring video.

By Carl Mrozek

features 24 No Reservations with Sony's F3 Videographer Zach Zamboni is shooting two Anthony Bourdain Travel Channel shows—No Reservations and Layover—with Panavised Sony PMW-F3 cameras.

By Jon Silberg

columns 26 Instant Expert

24

Ned Soltz looks at on-board recorders.

28 DV101 Jay Holben considers a few more factors important when choosing a lens.

34 Production Diary Stefan Sargent remembers his first video camera purchase.

DV (ISSN 1541-0943) is published monthly by NewBay Media L.L.C. at 28 E 28th Street, 12th Floor, New York, NY, 10016. Telephone: 212-378-0400.

Periodicals postage paid at New York, New York, and at additional mailing offices. U.S. subscription rate is $29.97 for one year; Mexico and Canada are $39.97 (including GST); foreign airmail is $79.97; back issues $7. Prepayment is required on all foreign subscriptions in U.S. funds drawn on a U.S. bank. All rates are one year only. DV, Digital Video, Digital Video Magazine, DV Full Motion, DV Web Video, DV Expo, Web Video Expo, Digital Video Expo, and Digital Video Conference and Exposition are trademarks of NewBay Media L.L.C. All material published in DV is copyrighted © 2011 by NewBay Media L.L.C. All rights reserved. POSTMASTER: Send address changes to DV, Subscription Services, P.O. Box 221, Lowell, MA 01853. Return undeliverable Canadian addresses to Bleuchip International, P.O. Box 255542, London, ON N6C 6B2. DV makes every effort to ensure the accuracy of all information published in the magazine; however, it assumes no responsibility for damages due to errors or omissions. Printed in the USA.

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EDIT

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Io Express with Avid Media Composer 5.5: • HD/SD-SDI input/output • HDMI v1.3a input/output with Deep Color support at 30 bits per pixel • HD/SD Component Video output • 10-bit HD to SD Hardware Downconvert • 2-Channel RCA audio output • ExpressCard-34 and PCIe interfaces for laptop or desktop use

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B e c a u s e

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news & notes | august 2011

6

Update |

mousing around >Curb Your Enthusiasm: Inside the Show’s Improvisational Shooting Style

For the several million loyal fans of Seinfeld co-creator, writer, director, producer and professional pessimist Larry David, no doubt it’s been the longest 18 months in television history. David’s Curb Your Enthusiasm returns to HBO this month after a hiatus that began in late 2009. www.videography.com

>Manuel Alberto Claro,

Linstrom Chooses Sachtler for Nat Geo Shoot When cinematographer David Linstrom signed on to shoot a segment of National Geographic Wild—America’s Big Five, he turned to Sachtler for camera support. The segment, about a polar bear survey conducted by scientists from the United States Geological Survey, required quick setups in extreme conditions.

“I would be covering everything from helicopter-tohelicopter shots to tripod shots of details of [anesthetized] polar bears in the snow. We needed solid support that could stand up to the rigors of the Arctic locations,” explains Linstrom, whose camera package featured a Sony PDW-F800 and the Sachtler System 20 S1 SL HD fluid head (100mm) and tripod. “Sachtler is simply the best tripod in the industry for documentary and field work. They are lightweight yet stable, and

>in focus:

Cinematographer, Melancholia

Danish cinematographer Manuel Alberto Claro recalls that the opportunity to shoot the new Lars von Trier film was something of a “secret dream” come true. www.cinematographer.com

find us online digital edition:

www.myDVmag.com

the controls make it a joy to work with a long lens. By using the tension settings, I personalize the balance and resistance so I can dial in just the right amount of tension in order to get beautifully smooth pans and tilts. And the head always works like it is supposed to, no matter what the temperature.”

facebook:

www.facebook.com/ pages/digital-video-magazine

online:

www.dv.com

twitter:

www.twitter.com/ DVMagazine

OConnor Ultimate 1030 D and 1030 Ds Company: OConnor What It Is/Does: These fluid heads are designed for use with full-format sensor, lighterweight cameras such as the RED Epic and Scarlet and the Sony F3. Features include the stepless, ultra-smooth pan and tilt fluid drag specifically enhanced to provide control and stability for digital cinematography shooting, and the patented OConnor Sinusoidal Counterbalance system, which provides true, accurate balance at any point in the tilt range. The OConnor 1030 D supports a payload up to 30 lb. at a 6” center of gravity and a +/- 90° tilt range.

The 1030 Ds supports up to 41 lb. at 6” center of gravity with a +/- 60° tilt range. Bottom Line: Maintains balance with the new generation of large-format, lighter-weight cameras. Price: TBA Contact: www.ocon.com

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Intensity Pro introduces professional HDMI and analog editing in HD and SD for $199 Intensity Pro is the only capture and playback card for Windows™ and Mac OS X™ with HDMI and analog connections. Intensity Pro allows you to upgrade to Hollywood production quality with uncompressed or compressed video capture and playback using large screen HDTVs. Beyond the Limits of HDV HDV’s heavy compression and limited 1440 x 1080 resolution can cause problems with quality and editing. Intensity Pro eliminates these problems and lets you choose from uncompressed video, Online JPEG and Apple ProRes 422 for full 1920 x 1080 HDTV resolution.

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Microsoft Windows™ or Apple Mac OS X™ Intensity Pro is fully compatible with both Adobe Premiere Pro on Windows™ and Apple Final Cut Pro on Mac OS X™, as well as Motion™, Color™, DVD Studio Pro™, After Effects™, Photoshop™, Encore DVD™, Combustion™, Fusion™ and many more.

Playback to your Big Screen HDTV Use Intensity Pro’s HDMI or analog output for incredible big screen video monitoring. Unlike FireWire™ based solutions, Intensity uses an uncompressed video connection direct to Final Cut Pro’s real time effects renderer. No FireWire compression means all CPU processing is dedicated to more effects and video layers!

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8

Update

news & notes | august 2011

Red Giant Intros Magic Bullet Suite 11

digital video tweets >@LanceWeiler Jean-Luc Godard: ‘Film is over.

What to do?’ http://bit.ly/rk9sBa

>@AndyShipsides Please join us for Tech Tuesdays in NYC @abelcine. Free events on Tuesdays in our new training space. http://conta.cc/mSI6VW

>@AlexMaragos Had a quick talk with Jay-Z’s & Snoop Dogg’s director Jeremy Rall regarding R. Kelly’s new video.

This is what he used: http://t.co/ oSdK4X3

>@bitrebels Augmented Reality Cinema: A Movie Lover’s App http://goo.gl/ fb/AgPJT

This significant upgrade to Magic Bullet delivers nine software applications for professional color correction, enhancement and film output. The two new products are Cosmo, a tool for simple, elegant

cosmetic cleanup, and Looks 2, the upgrade to the company’s color treatment and imaging tools.

Also included is Grinder 1.5, which delivers fast, simple transcoding of DSLR/HDSLR footage to edit-

friendly formats. The 64-bit suite is designed for use with Adobe CS 5.5, Adobe Premiere Pro, Apple Final Cut Pro and Apple Motion. FCP X support will be available in the near future.

dv.com most-read features (Direct links at dv.com/Aug2011) < Final Cut Pro X: A First Look and First Impressions

Remember Apple’s grammatically incorrect slogan a few years ago, Think Different?

Well, Final Cut Pro X definitely requires us to think differently.

Classic Cars, JVC Cams: Digital Alchemy and Cruisin’ Ohio Regional car show Cruisin’ Ohio with Jeff Phelps is shot at classic car shows in and around Ohio. Broadcast on Fox Sports Ohio, the show is produced locally by Digital Alchemy PDA, a company of five established in 2003 primarily to create original Web content. Since Phelps and Digital Alchemy principal John Stealy created Cruisin’ Ohio together and sold it to Fox Sports Ohio, the show has managed to land three regional Emmy nominations.

>@CNETNews Kurt Vile music video shot with a smartphone http://cnet.co/nlt7pG

>@FinalCutStudio How to Make Final Cut Pro X More Like Final Cut Pro 7 http://t.co/ EzsYzwo

>@sundancefest Cut and Paste Alert: #Sundance documentary editors dip into their bins of knowledge and share their tips and tricks: http://bit.ly/qrMKR6

>@freshdv First look at new #avid media composer interface via @robtheeditor http://t.co/1qO6mpC

>@cinefugue How the Polish Brothers Are Raking It In ($200K already) with A Stealth, No Budget ($0) Movie Shot on Canon 5D Mark II http://t. co/pkvRl0E

>@robbiecarman After a couple days with the Sony OLED I’m convinced OLED is the future of reference grade monitoring. Would love @FSImonitors to jump on it.

dv.com

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news & notes | august 2011

10

Update

Hess Gets Sporty with Norbert When extreme sports photographer Michael Hess needed camera support to shoot the Ultimate Boarder competition at Mammoth Mountain, his first stop was K-Tek. “I needed something that would help me hang up high above the boarders and shoot video. What I found was even better than I expected.

“Norbert Sport is perfect for the smaller cameras like the Canon EOS 5D and 7D, as well as the Nikon equivalent,” Hess continues. “I put it to the test immediately, using my Canon 5D Mark II to shoot the skateboarding and snowboarding action. I added a microphone and monitor to the frame, and instead of hanging onto the camera and getting ‘jiggle video,’ the kind you get seasick watching, I was able to get extremely stable and exciting shots. I could even dip down into the bowl as the boarders hit the low point in their

East Pleasant Pictures Climbs Aboard with Canon The challenge was simple: shoot a series of commercials for a major cruise ship line amid vacationing passengers without inconveniencing them with the usual amount of equipment and crew. For East Pleasant Pictures, the solution was equally simple: shoot with Canon EOS 5D Mk II and 1D Mk IV digital SLR cameras.

ride and keep a greater balance than with any other camera stabilizing system out there.

“I’m sold. From now on, every

time I do extreme shooting—or even on-camera interviews—K-Tek’s Norbert Sport is going to be my go-to support.”

Directed by Xander Strohm, the spots feature candid scenes of cruise ship passengers playing dodgeball, anchoring their own vacation video newscasts, and generally having a very good time.

“Those spots were built and designed around those cameras,” explains director/cinematographer Stash Slionski. “On the cruise ship, we were among people on vacation who did not want to be bothered by a production in their midst. The DSLR cameras worked out so well that now we build our commercial production budgets around them.”

dv.com

NSU Adds Hitachi HD Cameras Norfolk State University (NSU) in Norfolk, Va., installed three Hitachi SK-HD1000 digital HD cameras in its television studio, which provides hands-on training to students enrolled in the school’s mass communication program.

The three Hitachi SK-HD1000 cameras, ordered through York Telecom, are positioned on Vinten Lateef Gibson assists pedestals and are outfitted with an NSU student with one of the new Hitachi accessories including 5” Hitachi cameras.

VF-HD500 B&W viewfinders, CU-HD1000 CCUs and RU-1200JY remote control units. The adjacent control room “Our students have really embraced these new features a Ross Synergy 2 M/E production switcher cameras for their projects,” says Lateef Gibson, and a Harris Inscriber CG. video producer/director for NSU.

GenArts Releases Sapphire Edge This new visual effects software enables videographers to get film-quality video effects quickly and easily. Key innovations include a portfolio of 350 pre-built looks, real-time visual Looks Browser, and streamlined, easy-to-use controls. Sapphire Edge initially supports Apple Final Cut Pro v6/v7/X and Sony Vegas Pro 10. For more information, visit www.dv.com/Aug2011.

On July 8, Panasonic’s AG-3DA1 HD 3D camcorder headed to space.

For the flight of the shuttle Atlantis—its 33rd flight and the 135th and final mission of the U.S. space shuttle program—Panasonic provided NASA with AG-3DA1 3D camcorders, BT-3DL2550 25.5” 3D LCD monitors and ruggedized Toughbook laptop computers. The Panasonic equipment has already documented the training and preparation leading up to the launch and is expected to be used to document the ISS and research missions taking place aboard.

“Human spaceflight is about the discovery of new things and places,” says John Baisley, executive vice president of Panasonic Solutions Company. “We look forward to sharing the compelling 3D footage from the Space Station with consumer and professional audiences worldwide to showcase the truly immersive experience that 3D can deliver.”

dv.com

NASA/FLETCHER HILDRETH

Atlantis Launches with Panasonic 3D Camcorder Aboard

The launch of space shuttle Atlantis at NASA’s Kennedy Space Center on July 8, 2011

gear | august 2011

12

InxxxReview

Apple Final Cut ProxxX

Apple Final Cut Pro X

score

Is This App Ready for Primetime?

PROS: 64-bit processing. Format support for up to 4K timelines.

Continual saving of project status.

Powerful metadata tools.

BY OLIVER PETERS Apple Final Cut Pro had been rocking along for 12 years, gaining professional market share and becoming a versatile platform for many editors, facilities and developers.

But it became clear that a complete rewrite was needed to modernize the code and feature set. In June, Apple rolled out Final Cut Pro X as the successor to Final Cut Pro—not as a suite of programs but as a single application, along with Motion 5 and Compressor 4. At the same time, Apple ended all previous Final Cut Studio applications, Final Cut Express and Final Cut Server.

CONS: Majority of professional features available in previous versions have not been included.

Cannot import projects or sequences from previous FCP versions. Most existing plug-ins are not compatible.

Previous software versions removed from individual sale.

BOTTOM LINE:

Apple has completely rewritten FCP X as a new application. There is no similarity with previous versions and many standard editing precepts have been changed. The application is designed for the intermediate-level editor looking for an NLE more advanced than iMovie but less complex than FCP 7.

Not suited for postproduction facilities or professional editors.

FCP X interface

BUILT FOR SPEED Final Cut Pro X is a new 64-bit application that runs on the latest version of Mac OS X Snow Leopard or Lion and the whole range of recent Apple hardware. This optimization pays off in better support for larger formats, such as 4K-sized projects and native editing with H.264 files. The “wow” performance feature is Skimming, which is a technique of scrubbing media clips anywhere in the interface simply by hovering over the clip and moving the mouse.

Three big marquee features are Synchronization, Audition and the Precision Editor. Synchronization allows you to auto-sync clips by timecode, markers, in-points or audio content. This last capability should allow you to match doublesystem sound from two sources to each other (for instance, a camera clip with camera audio to an externally recorded sound file). The result is a new Compound Clip marked as a Synchronized Clip, which contains the camera and audio clips. The camera audio can then be turned off in the Viewer’s inspector tab.

An Audition clip is a single nested clip containing several different

MSRP:

FCP X $299.99, Motion 5 $49.99, Compressor 4 $49.99

ONLINE:

www.apple.com (FCP X is available only as an online purchase through the App Store.)

Precision Editor

selected shots, such as alternate performance takes. This feature is handy when working in client-supervised sessions, where you might like to quickly preview alternate clips in context without leaving the timeline.

The Precision Editor is a tool lifted from iMovie. Instead of the usual trim tools for rolling edits, the Precision Editor displays two adjacent clips on the timeline in an over/ under filmstrip format. You can see the available media past the cut for the outgoing and incoming clip.

For me, the standard ways of trimming are better—and they’ve been improved in FCP X over FCP 7—but the Precision Editor does offer a

method that mimics a film-style way of working.

FCP X is built with single-display configurations in mind; however, in a dual-display layout, either the Event Library/Browser or the Viewer can be moved to a second display.

Unfortunately, you can no longer move floating, dockable windows and reconfigure the entire layout.

The standard source/record window design has been replaced by a single unified Viewer, which can display the timeline as well as source clips. In addition, all source clips can be viewed as filmstrips that can be directly scrubbed or skimmed for edit selection.

The whole intent of this revamp

is to keep the creative juices flowing without interruption. Performance is largely real time and there are many background processes, like automatic analysis and rendering.

There’s no Save or Auto-Save function, because the application is continually updating its current status.

NEW CONCEPT: THE EVENTS DATABASE Media is now organized as Events and stored on your designated hard drive in a Final Cut Events folder.

An Event is a set of files that could represent a tape, a camera card, a day of shooting, etc. When media is imported as a file or from tape into an Event, you have the option to create/transcode optimized or proxy

dv.com

gear | august 2011

14

In Review: Apple Final Cut Pro X media. Or you can simply link to media in another folder on your hard drive.

In the first process, the new media copies are stored in the corresponding Events folder. In the latter step, only an alias of that file is stored. During either of these steps, metadata is created that’s associated with the files in the Events database. A number of items can be analyzed, including stabilization/ rolling shutter issues, color balance, audio problems and shot identification. This analysis can be applied during import or after, but it’s always a background process.

The entire method of clip organization is designed around a relational database. Events can be organized through the use of Keyword Collections and Smart Collections, which replace traditional bins. Rather than go through clips and manually move them into different bins, FCP X intends the editor to assign keywords and let the system handle the organization. This system will permit one clip to appear in more than one collection based on context.

are structured, where sound bites are edited together to tell the story.

Then cutaway shots are built around these to enhance the visuals or hide edits made in the interviews. In FCP X, the sound bites are assembled as combined audio/video clips to the Primary Storyline. Cutaway shots are edited as Connected Clips, which are attached to points on the Storyline.

If you need to build a series of cutaway clips as a group, complete with transitions, then these can be connected to each other as a secondary Storyline, which in turn is connected to the primary Storyline.

A key aspect of this new approach is the Magnetic Timeline, which is a way of keeping clips together as you rearrange them on the timeline. By using combined A/V clips, together with connected clips, it’s possible to quickly change the order of a group of associated clips (audio, video and cutaways) simply by moving one of them. The rest will follow and the timeline opens or closes accordingly.

Or if you trim a clip in the primary Storyline, the connected clips will ripple their position as well.

MORE NEW CONCEPTS: PROJECTS AND STORYLINES

EFFECTS AND COLOR

Terminology can be confusing in Final Cut Pro X. For example, timelines in FCP 7 were referred to as Sequences, and a Project file contained all the data, including master clips (not media) and edited sequences. In Final Cut Pro X, there is no single file containing all the data associated with a production.

Clip metadata has been broken out as part of the Events database.

Projects contain the edit information and location of render files, but there is only one timeline per project. If you typically create a lot of sequence copies as various versions of a cut, then that same task is achieved by duplicating a Project.

Apple has dropped the video/ audio track metaphor in favor of the concept of Storylines. It’s based on the way most narrative pieces

FCP X effects are Motion projects based on the new 64-bit FxPlug2 architecture. There are quite a few presets, and the control parameters have been restricted to make it easier for new users. If you really want more effects horsepower, then you will need to also purchase Motion 5. You can open a clip or an FCP X effect in Motion 5, but there is no Send To Motion function. Although Motion 5 still works as an advanced, standalone compositor, it didn’t really get a huge performance boost.

Noise Industries had early access to the effects API and was able to release a free update of FxFactory compatible with FCP X and Motion 5, as well as the other supported hosts.

Only the FxFactory Pro filters appear as effects, transitions and generators inside Final Cut Pro X. If you open Motion 5, you’ll see some of

Color adjustment

Color Board secondary

FxF film effect previewed

the other partners’ effects, including those from Idustrial Revolution, Luca Visual FX or DVShade. These employ custom interfaces in their filter panels, which isn’t permitted in the new FCP X design.

Final Cut Pro X’s color tools are better than FCP 7, but the full power of Apple Color didn’t make it into the new design. Automatic balance and Color Match work by changing information in the color profile of the image and offer quick color fixes.

The Color Board is the replacement for the older three-way color corrector; Apple used this new design to conserve screen real estate. There

are three tabs for color (hue), saturation and exposure. Each tab features shadow, mid-range, highlight and global controls. You can stack a series of corrections to create secondary adjustments, like adding vignettes or isolating a specific color through HSL keying.

HOW TO GET IN AND OUT OF FCP X Apple designed this NLE from the ground up for the file-based world, so tape support is gone, with the exception of legacy support for FireWire-based cameras and decks.

The slack will be taken up by utilities offered by AJA, Blackmagic Design,

dv.com

16

In Review In Review: Apple Final Cut Pro X

gear | august 2011

Matrox, MOTU and Telestream.

Currently FCP X can be displayed only to a broadcast video monitor as a full-screen desktop image. Using the ability of a card like AJA’s KONA 3G to mirror a Mac desktop display, FCP X can be monitored as preview quality only.

Final Cut Pro X and Compressor 4 retain only basic DVD and Bluray capabilities. You can encode and burn a disc from the FCP X Share Menu or Compressor, but in either case, these processes are intended only for simple discs without advanced authoring features.

In this initial version, FCP X cannot import or export any type of sequence or project format, except bringing in an iMovie project. Most importantly, this means you can’t import projects from previous versions of FCP. Apple says that the data formats of FCP 7 and FCP X are so different that a lot of the information would be lost in the translation.

That’s of little consolation to FCP editors who routinely have to revisit past projects. Although a third-party translation solution might arise in the coming months, Apple has given no clear indication whether they would supply a built-in solution, or whether they’d offer it as a free update.

Many professional editors have to interchange files with other studios and facilities, such as sending projects out for mixing. OMF has been the standard interchange file format for both Avid Pro Tools and Apple Logic, as well as many other DAWs. OMF export was there in FCP 7 and gone in FCP X. Apple allowed Automatic Duck into the process early enough to support FCP X with the simultaneous release of Pro Export FCP 5.0 as a standalone application. Simply launch Pro Export and drag the project from inside FCP X to the Automatic Duck window and it will generate either an AAF or OMF file.

Automatic Duck Pro Export

WRAPPING IT UP Final Cut Pro X is a tool intended to be easier to use by people who aren’t necessarily full-time editors—meaning event videographers, video journalists, producer/directors and corporate presentation professionals. The sweet spot today for Final Cut Pro X is a production that is file-based and can be started and finished entirely within FCP X, without the need for interchange with other applications.

If you can deal with the current “version 1.0” limitations and are dying to see whether Apple’s reimagining of nonlinear editing is a better way for you to tell a story, then Final Cut Pro X might be right for you. But if you are a professional user with established, advanced workflows, it will likely be a frustrating experience. FCP X is ready for primetime now, although primetime might not be ready for it! dv

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gear | august 2011

18

Litepanels MicroPro Hybrid

InxxxReview

score

Maximum Micro This portable, battery-powered fixture does double-duty as an on-camera flash.

BY JAY HOLBEN

PROS: Flexible, well constructed, great color rendition, flash capability.

CONS: Hard to use with other diffusion, slightly heavy.

plastic filters, a diffuser (looks like about a Lee 250 white diffusion to me), and one-quarter and full CTO correction.

“Hybrid” here refers to an additional function of the fixture: while it is a standard constant-source

BOTTOM LINE: A great little

EXCELLENCE

LED fixtures have become ubiquitous in today’s digital shooting world, and leading the pack in the manufacture of these low-energy illuminators is Litepanels. I recently had some time to play with the company’s new MicroPro Hybrid model, which is double the size of the Litepanels Mini fixture, with 96 LEDs and a 5.5” x 3.75” x 1.5” frame size. The MicroPro is heavier than the Mini at 1 lb. (including batteries and mounting bracket).

The new fixture’s overall construction is a little more robust than the Mini’s, but it’s still plastic to keep cost and weight down. The mounting bracket shows a major improvement, however. Now you get a detachable milled aluminum ball joint with a 1/4”-20 threaded screw on one side and a shoe mount on the other. This robust and easily adjustable mounting bracket is leaps and bounds beyond the plastic shoe mount of the Mini.

The MicroPro Hybrid runs off of 6 AA batteries and has the smooth dimming that you expect from Litepanels fixtures. It demonstrates great color rendition with almost no green, spot on at 5,600°K. The filter system on the MicroPro is also improved over the flip-face holder of the Mini. Here, you simply have two side brackets with a set of teeth and notches in the filters that you bend and snap into place. It’s simple and much more effective at holding the filters. The fixture comes with three

on-camera fixture that works for continuous light or as a flash.

MSRP: $525 ONLINE: www.litepanels.com

AWARD

2’ 3’ 4’ 5’ 6’ 7’ 8’ 9’ 10’

FULL 170 fc 64 fc 32 fc 20 fc 13 fc 9.2 fc 6.5 fc 5.3 fc 4.3 fc

LED, it may also function as an oncamera flash. With a standard flash sync cable (supplied) connected to the back of the fixture, you can put

FLASH 210 fc 100 fc 52 fc 32 fc 24 fc 16 fc 13 fc 9.8 fc 8 fc

this MicroPro on your SLR camera to use as a large on-board flash. The MicroPro Hybrid is reported to have a 4x momentary brightness factor

with the flash, but my testing found about half a stop less than that in the 2x-3x range.

Below is a chart of my photometrics testing. “Full” represents the light in constant mode at 100 percent (no dimming), while “Flash” represents a 100 percent flash triggered by a still camera.

The fixture comes with a great high-quality padded nylon carrying case, which has a second slot for the mounting bracket, cable and filters, but I found that I could also get my Litepanels Mini into the same case and carry them both!

I did not have a chance to test the battery life on the MicroPro Hybrid, but the literature notes one and a half hours of continuous output on AA batteries, or five to six hours on Energizer e2 Lithium cells.

It’s a great on-camera fixture, but I’d really love to have a small soft box for this fixture—that would make it a lot more appealing to me on faces.

There’s no convenient place to clip other diffusion onto the fixture, so you’re stuck with taping other flavors on if the 250 doesn’t meet your needs.

The MicroPro Hybrid is a great improvement over the Mini, which is still a great little fixture. I’ve already decided that this unit will become a permanent part of my kit for every shoot—having the ability to add a little eyelight is invaluable. dv

dv.com

19

score

august 2011 | gear

Blue Valentine

Vinten Vision blue Tripod

This system offers “perfect balance” and an all-important illuminated bubble level.

PROS: Lightweight, affordable,

BY CHUCK GLOMAN

adjust.

Tripods really have not evolved that much over the last ten years— they still have three legs, stabilize a camera, and allow steady pans and tilts. But the status quo may be changing thanks to Vinten’s Vision blue, which delivers a feature I have been requesting on a tripod for the last 20 years: an illuminated bubble level.

My review tripod offered PoziLoc type 3776 two-stage carbon fiber legs, which extend to a height of 61.5”. The legs provided

The Vision blue pan for review opened and EXCELLENCE and tilt head is the triclosed smoothly and pod’s best characteristic. were more comfortable The model V4092 head to handle in extreme supports cameras up to weather than aluminum 11 lb., yet it weighs only versions that have been 5 lb. The Vision blue head provided in the past mounts to the legs with The spreader is a nice luxury that I decided to keep a standard 1/4-inch screw. Moving attached to the tripod all the time attention up from the mounting because it takes real strength to ball, users will find that the pan pull the rubber strap over each leg. drag adjusting knob moves from 1 However, once the spreader was to 8, increasing in intensity.

Directly above the knob is the triattached to the legs, they never pod’s best innovation. By pressing a slipped.

AWARD

features innovative illuminated bubble level.

CONS: Spreader is difficult to BOTTOM LINE: An amazing tripod and head for the money.

MSRP: $1,140 ONLINE: www.vinten.com tiny blue button, the bubble level to the immediate left is illuminated by a fluorescent blue LED, making the bubble easy to see in daylight, darkness or with bifocal-adjusted vision.

Affordably priced at $1,140, users can get an amazing tripod dv and head for the money.

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FINAL CUT PRO X – APPLE AUTHORIZED CERTIFIED CLASS – THREE DAY CLASS: TUESDAY - THURSDAY, SEPTEMBER 20 - 22, 9AM - 5PM Be one of the first to get certified in the new Final Cut Pro X. The course comes with the Apple Pro Training Series book Final Cut Pro X, which includes a DVD of all the video material used in the course. This course covers the requirements necessary to successfully become an Apple Certified Pro, Level 1 in Final Cut Pro X. The Apple Certified User Test Level 101 is available upon course completion Thursday afternoon.

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gear | august 2011

22

InxxxReview

ikan VL7 HDMI LCD Monitorxx

Camera-Ready

score

A cost-effective and compact solution for monitoring video.

BY CARL MROZEK Nothing beats a compact high-resolution field monitor for improving focus, color balance and framing. This is particularly true when shooting HD in low-light conditions, which makes accurate focusing a challenge, whether you’re using a conventional camcorder or a DSLR. Experience has shown that an HDMI port is essential in obtaining the sharpest image possible. Thanks partly to the popularity of DSLRs for pro video work, there’s a growing number of monitors for such applications, but few are priced at less than $500. One of those that does fall into this price range is ikan’s new VL7, which the company describes as an “entry level” highquality HD monitor.

via a 3” post with a swiveling balland-socket head. This all snugs into a standard camera shoe with a locking washer. The mount’s swivel head can be locked securely at various angles with a large, easily grasped thumbscrew.

EXCELLENCE The kit also includes FEATURES ikan’s universal BP2T The VL7 is compact, with battery plate, charger, dimensions of 7.5” x 5.25” AC adapter, shoe mount, x 1.03”. It tips the scales at analog video/audio cables barely 1 lb. (without batand a durable hard foamtery) and sports an HDMI lined aluminum case. (An port and two composite inputs (both mini plug, but RCA HDMI cable is not part of the kit.) adapter cables are included). This flat-screen LCD monitor has a reso- IN USE lution of 800x480, and features a The VL7 comes with everything you peaking function for more accurate need for use with a DSLR except the focusing, even in daylight. It also aforementioned HDMI cable. You’ll switches quickly between 16:9 and need your own, preferably one that’s 4:3 aspect ratios. three feet or less, as the distance Current draw is minimal, and the between the camera’s HDMI port and monitor can be powered by any of the monitor will be less than this, several 7.2V prosumer camcorder bat- even with the VL7 mounted atop a teries from Sony, Canon, Panasonic or handle on your DSLR rig. However, JVC via ikan’s BP2T DV universal bat- if you have your DSLR’s RCA adapter tery plate (included with the monitor cable, you can monitor via one of the package). The use of camcorder-sized two ports by using the pair of adapter batteries helps keep things light and cables provided with the VL7. easy to mount on a DSLR camera, I started out by mounting the 3” even without a DSLR rig. post and ball-and-socket head onto Monitor mounting is achieved my Canon EOS 7D’s accessory shoe

AWARD

PROS: Affordable, accurate focusing and framing, particularly at low angles.

CONS: Limitations with sharpness, resolution, color adjustment.

BOTTOM LINE: What this economical monitor/viewfinder lacks in durability, sharpness and snob appeal, it makes up for in convenience and versatility.

MSRP: $299 ONLINE: www.ikancorp.com

so that the VL7 would align directly above the camera lens and the 7D’s LCD screen. I prefer this configuration because it allows me to track moving targets more easily. I opted to use an HDMI feed. When I first powered up the camera and monitor, I got a blue screen with “AV1” displayed in the upper right corner. I used the input switch on the monitor’s control panel to select HDMI and got a live image of the room via the 7D and its ultra-wide 10-24mm lens. AV1 seems to be the monitor’s default setting.

My first observation was that the letterboxed 16:9 image filled less than half of the screen area, while the 4:3 default image area barely exceeded half the screen.

Nevertheless, image quality was quite good, although the color seemed a bit skewed at first glance.

Unfortunately, I found no standard colorimetry options, such as hue or tone, in the menu. I was able to achieve fairly realistic image color by dialing down the saturation level from a default level of 50 to 35. I also reduced contrast and brightness and up-resed the sharpness to achieve a fairly realistic live view–in indirect sunlight. But I noticed that the color

shifted whenever I selected a different preset white balance setting in the 7D’s menu. I found myself using the 7D’s LCD screen for reference when changing the white balance settings in its menu.

Toggling between the two screens simply entailed switching from HDMI to one of the AV input settings on the VL7. Switching from 16:9 aspect ratio to 4:3 can also be done at the push of a button on the VL7 control panel—in this case, via the “F” (function) switch on the right side of the control panel between the power and input switches.

The other two function options are underscan and peaking. These days I have little call for 4:3 displays or for underscan, so I used the function control mainly to toggle between normal and peaked displays. Video peaking is very helpful for accurate focusing in both bright and low-light situations. I find the contrasty black and white look of the peaking display distracting, however, so I use it only to check focus.

Adjusting display quality by tweaking contrast, brightness or saturation was easy and fast via the menu button and the “plus/minus” switches. All of the adjustments can be viewed on the screen and take place in real time.

In practice, colorimetry, contrast,

dv.com

23

SUMMARY Naturally, this less-than-$300 monitor has its limitations—notably sharpness (resolution is only 800x480). But it is sharp enough to improve your focusing accuracy, whether you’re shooting on a tripod, a handheld rig or some other platform. The monitor’s limited color adjustment also limits its utility in gauging the true image color being captured, but it can certainly verify whether color balance is correct or not.

With regard to image quality, the

dv.com

VL7 is perfectly adequate for use as a viewfinder and confidence monitor, but it should not be considered as a primary HD display.

Also, its lightweight construction could make it vulnerable to breakage in the rough-and-tumble of professional use.

The bottom line, however, is

that the VL7 allowed me to fully tap the potential of the ultra-wide 10-24mm lens I used. It provided me with a tool for achieving perfect focus, as well as perfect framing at camera angles that would otherwise make such framing impossible without extreme difficulty and a great expenditure of time.

ikan’s VL7 monitor makes a cost-effective and convenient HD viewfinder for use with DSLRs or HDMI-equipped camcorders. While there are better monitors around, few if any provide as much bang for the buck. The monitor package is truly a bargain at its less-than-$300 price. dv

august 2011 | gear

brightness and other attributes of the displayed image on the VL7 are of secondary importance to DSLR users. (This is assuming that you have correctly white balanced the camera, of course.) The monitor’s prime value is in accurate focusing and framing, particularly at low angles–and especially when using an ultra-wide zoom lens for tracking shots or in a rapid-fire situation demanding both fast focus and accurate framing. What this economical monitor/viewfinder lacks in durability, sharpness and snob appeal, it makes up for in convenience and versatility.

By using the VL7 as a large adjustable viewfinder, I was able to capture an “Alice in Wonderland” perspective both indoors and outside, including many shots at point-blank range and in low-light conditions. By tilting the VL7 forward on the ball and socket, I got phenomenal wideangle tracking shots that compare favorably with the “flyover” shots from a Steadicam rig.

Moreover, the ergonomics of being able to look down at the camera at a 90-degree angle relative to the lens makes it feasible to tilt the lens upward at unusual low angles, providing an arresting dog’s-eye view or even parrot’s-eye view (pick your critter) of the world. The monitor and its mounting allow you to frame the world through an assortment of different perspectives, while keeping things in focus all the while.

feature |august 2011

24

THE TRAVEL CHANNEL ON LOCATION

BY JON SILBERG

No Reservations with Sony’s F3 Videographer Zach Zamboni

When Panavision New York hooked up videographer Zach Zamboni and the crew of the Travel Channel’s No Reservations with a set of Panavised Sony PMW-F3 cameras, it represented a lot more than just a change of camera packages. “The technology is finally where we’ve always wanted it to be,” Zamboni says.

“We’ve always wanted to do this show completely in Super 35 format. We used Letus adapters early on to get that look. We’ve used Canon DSLRs for the past couple of years for certain shots, but those [cameras] really aren’t made for this kind of work.

dv.com

25

dv.com

staying and get into a cab. We get out of the cab and go into a restaurant or charge backward through a market.

We get onto a subway.

We come out of the station and walk into a bar that might be extremely dark. And we’re shooting the whole time. You never know when Anthony will say or do something that will work perfectly for the show.

“Anthony hates waiting for us,” Zamboni continues. “He’s a realtime kind of guy and he makes fun of us for lighting. He hates lighting.

Until we got these cameras, I would sometimes have to hide a light— maybe a Litepanels fixture with some muslin—somewhere inside a bar before we went in. Or I’d hide a very small unit inside a cab just to get some kind of exposure. I don’t have to do that now—and for him, this is terrific.”

Zamboni built custom shouldermount F3 rigs with TVLogic monitors that, he says, offer a picture with rich enough contrast and sufficient brightness to determine focus in just about any shooting condition.

“The monitor is so lightweight that you can hang it far out in front of the camera, and that’s really the key to the ergonomics. You want the monitor out in front of the camera and the camera as far back on the shoulder as possible.”

While the F3 can record in the S-Log format to on-board recorders, these shows need to be as streamlined as possible, so HD is recorded to SxS cards in the XDCAM EX format. “We shoot on the safe side to

august 2011 | feature

"The F3 offers us a less compressed, more robust format in a design that was meant for video. We’ve never had anything like the combination of these F3 cameras and the fast, lightweight Panavision zooms we’re using now,” says Zamboni.

Zamboni and crew used F3s and Sony PMW-EX3s for the last two episodes of Anthony Bourdain’s No Reservations, then moved on immediately to shoot the first episodes of Bourdain’s new series—also from Zero Point Zero Productions for the Travel Channel—called Layover, in which the chef/author takes the kind of abbreviated tour of various locations that someone might be able to accomplish on a flight layover. (This new series will be shot exclusively on the new F3s.)

The videographer explains that the F3’s chip sensitivity in conjunction with the fast, lightweight Panavision zooms allows them a new level of freedom. “We love the cinematic depth of field,” he says, “but the most important factor about this chip, as far as I’m concerned, is its enormous sensitivity.

That is revolutionizing the way we shoot this show. It’s very clean at +16 or even +32 dB. At +32 it looks roughly what +6 might with an EX3.

That means we can go into places that are really dark—so dark I’d swear you could never shoot there— and get a very nice image.”

This flexibility allows Zamboni to work the way Bourdain has always wanted the show to work: with essentially no lighting at all.

Zamboni describes the start of an average workday following the host around for either of the two shows.

“We come out of wherever we’re

protect highlight and shadow information,” Zamboni explains, “and then the wonderful colorist at Zero Point Zero has a some flexibility to work with.”

For the videographer, these Panavised F3 packages offer more

than just a minor upgrade. “This is a very important moment for people who do what we do,” Zamboni says. “You can now finally do a running-gunning, vérité-style TV show completely in Super 35 format. And that’s revolutionary!” dv

gear | august 2011

26

Instant Expert

compiled by Ned Soltz

All Aboard:On-Board Recording Devices to Make Your Media Manageable ITEM/ CONTACT

COMPANY

MSRP

Hyperdeck Shuttle

Blackmagic Design

$345

SDI/HDMI in/out. Uncompressed 10-bit 4:2:2 recording to SSD drive, not included. USB port for computer control and future firmware updates. On-board rechargeable battery or external 12V power. Does not support 720p.

$2,995

SDI/HDMI in/out. Records 8-bit MPEG-2 Long GOP or I-frame at data rates up to 280 Mb/s to two CF cards in either .mov or .mxf formats. Automatic card spanning. Supports all frame rates supported by MPEG-2 codec. Over/under-cranking and time lapse supported. Requires external power. Optional stereo adapter to bridge two nanoFlash units for 3D recording.

$5,995

Records uncompressed 4:2:2 via SDI and 4:4:4 via 3G or Dual Link SDI to up to two SSD drives. Supported formats at 4:4:4 are 1080 23.98/24/60 and 2K. Support for S-Log and Log-C with user-definable LUTs. Integrated 800x480 screen. Stereo option. Includes docking station but no media.

AJA Video

$3,995

A unit that functions both on-camera with a variety of mounting options and in the studio or production truck. The first device to record ProRes to sealed drive cartridge. Also can up/down/cross-convert. Ki Pro has become a fixture in many shooting environments, particularly mobile applications.

AJA Video

$1,995

Cinedeck

$8,495

WHAT'S NEW & OTHER COMMENTS

www.blackmagic-design.com

nanoFlash

Convergent Design

www.convergent-design.com

Gemini 4:4:4

Convergent Design

www.convergent-design.com

Ki Pro

www.aja.com

Ki Pro Mini

Records ProRes in flavors from LT to HQ to two CF cards. With optional ($75) mounting brackets, can mount to virtually any support. No integrated monitor. Recordings do not span cards. Records in .mov format.

www.aja.com

Extreme

Records all flavors of ProRes (including 4:4:4:4), DNxHD, CineForm, uncompressed 4:2:2 and 4:4:4. Stereo option to ship later in 2011 for $995. Superb touchscreen monitor. Records to SSD, not included.

www.cinedeck.com

SFVe

Cinemartin

About $4,000

Available August 2011. Open codec recorder with initial capabilities of CineForm and uncompressed. This version supports 4:2:2. A 4:4:4 version will follow. Integrated LCD display. Includes one SSD card and empty slot for either a 2.5” HDD or another SSD. The two SSDs can be set up as RAID.

www.cinemartin.com

Ninja / Samurai

Atomos

$995 Ninja/$1,495 Samurai

Sound Devices

$1,495/$2,695

Ninja is HDMI only; Samurai is SDI. Records ProRes 422 and ProRes 422HQ to either 2.5” HDD or SSD (no media included). Integrated LCD display. Does not record 720/24p. Other 23.98 footage requires separate free application to remove pull-down. Integrated rechargeable batteries.

www.atomos.com

Pix 220 / 240

www.sounddevices.com

sideKickHD

Fast Forward Video

$2,495

Pix 220 is HDMI only; Pix 240 is both HDMI and SDI. Our editors’ favorite in the market space at NAB 2011.

Combines ProRes recording with optional ($100) DNxHD format. Sharp LCD display. XLR audio inputs that can be added to embedded audio coming from camera. Unit can up/down/cross-convert. Records to CF or SSD and has optional two-drive caddy. Media not included.

Includes 256 GB SSD. Records to ProRes 422 and 422HQ in all available ProRes frame rates. Integrated 4.3” LCD screen. Additional codec support promised.

www.ffv.com

You'll find direct links to all these products at www.dv.com/Aug2011

dv.com

basics | august 2011

28

DV 101

by Jay Holben

What Makes A Good Lens, Part II Considering lens style and focus style.

Last month I talked about the different aspects of lenses—build quality, mechanical quality, chromatic aberration, distortion, breathing, falloff, speed, resolution, contrast, color and bokeh– in an effort to answer one question: What makes a lens bad or good?

There’s yet a couple of factors to talk about, one of which is the style of lens, be that still, ENG or cine, three of the most popular styles.

Still lenses are designed to be compact. They’re designed to focus the image quickly and momentarily.

Most modern DSLR lenses are auto-focus and work with sophisticated mechanics to keep the focus fast, smooth and quiet.

They are designed to be focused while the user looks through the lens at the camera’s ground glass.

ENG-style lenses are made for one-manband shooting; they are compact zoom lenses with handgrip and zoom rocker built right into them. They are designed for on-the-shoulder shooting and to compose and focus an image quickly by looking through the lens at the camera’s viewfinder.

Cine-style lenses aren’t as compact. They’re a little larger, with expanded focus scales that allow for smooth tracking of focus on a subject in continuous motion. These lenses are designed so that a camera assistant can adjust the focus, independent of the operator, while looking at the barrel of the lens and at the subject being focused. They integrate easily with other cine-style equipment.

Another consideration is the focus style of the lens: external or internal focus. An external focus lens will actually change size; the elements protrude as you change focus. This can cause major issues with filters in a mattebox, or even if you have a screw-on polarizer, as the barrel of the lens can also rotate during focus, changing the filter’s polarity. An internal focus lens, generally more expensive, keeps all of the moving elements inside, within the confines of the lens. This also goes for zoom lenses—some inexpensive zooms will actually expand in size as you zoom to the telephoto end of the lens. These are important considerations depending on your shooting style.

The real difficulty in determining whether a lens is good or bad arises from the actual application of that lens. For a cinematographer working on traditional Hollywood-style single-camera scripted narrative projects, ENG-style or still-style lenses are not good. They don’t integrate easily into the typical production workflow. That’s not to say that those lenses are bad—they’re just not right for the application. On the flip side, a cine-style lens would be a nightmare for a videographer out in the field shooting documentary or news footage.

Further complicating the field, price isn’t always a good determination.

Don’t fret so much about what is good or bad-just what is right for you, your projects and your budget.

Canon FK14.5-60 wideangle cine zoom lens

If you have two lenses with comparable specs (speed/focal range/internal or external focus/ zoom), then the more expensive lens will generally be the better choice; however, there are some excellent, relatively inexpensive lenses manufactured by Tamron and Sigma for DSLRs that are of matched quality and dependability to the high-cost “brand name” lenses. On the cine-style side of things, Schneider and Zeiss are both making extremely high quality, excellent performing DSLR-mount cine-style prime lenses that are inexpensive compared to the “big boys.”

Instead of trying to tell a good lens from a bad one, just look for the highest-quality lenses at the price you can afford. If you’re shooting cine-style, it’s a great idea to have cine-style lenses. The expanded focus scale makes a major difference in production.

Get the lens with the fastest aperture you can afford. If you’re looking at zoom lenses, try to find a constant aperture lens. Many inexpensive zooms have variable apertures that might be presented like f/3.5-5.6. This means that as you zoom in on the lens to the further, more telephoto, end, your relative maximum aperture shrinks in size. (The aperture doesn’t actually change, but light loss from inexpensive optics effectively reduces the iris.) At its widest point, that lens is an f/3.5, but at the longest point, the maximum aperture is, effectively, an f/5.6. That is an inferior lens compared to a zoom with a constant aperture, and it can be a liability when you’re shooting.

TESTING In a perfect world, you get to test the lenses before you buy them. Visit a camera shop and get the lens in your hands for a few minutes. Talk with trusted professionals about their lens choices—and ask them why they like particular lenses. What one professional might consider a “bad” lens, another might use as his primary tool. No lens is perfect. No lens will be best for every job. Every lens has some quality that is beneficial.

Test as often as you can. Side-by-side tests can tell you a lot about different lenses and qualities. Don’t fret so much about what is good or bad—just what is right for you, your projects and your budget.

Many people are intimidated by lens testing: What do I do? What do I look

dv.com

WASHINGTON, DC

CONFERENCES: Nov. 29 - Dec. 1 | EXHIBIT HALL: Nov. 30 - Dec. 1 Walter E. Washington Convention Center

www.gvexpo.com

Innovation at work.

Plan now to attend the East Coast’s largest pro video and broadcast expo, held November 29 to December 1 in the heart of our nation’s capital. Learn about cutting-edge video technologies and techniques in a comprehensive conference program produced by the experts at DMDC; get handson with the latest video gear in an exhibit featuring over 120 suppliers, dealers and distributors; and attend FREE special events and networking opportunities to further your knowledge and career.

For a FREE exhibits pass and/or to view discounted conference options, visit gvexpo.com.

Attention Exhibitors – Book your booth now and get in front of thousands of high-level equipment buyers working in government, broadcast, pro video, corporate media, law enforcement and education. Call Jackie Gospodinoff at 212-378-0493; jgospodinoff@nbmedia.com for more info.

HDR-TD10

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• 1080 and 720 HD resolution recording on SDHC cards • 3 1/4” 3-MP CMOS HD image sensors • AVCHD MPEG-4 AVC/H.264 encoding • 10.6-megapixel still capability • 12x optical zoom • 2.7-inch LCD monitor • XLR audio input, HDMI output, USB 2.0

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GY-HM100U

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• 32GB internal flash memory • SD/ SDHC/ SDXC card slot • 3x 3.05 Mp 1/4.1" CMOS sensors • 1080/60p recording • Optional Panasonic VW-CLT1 3D image lens required for 3D recording • Leica Dicomar 12x optical, 20x intelligent zoom • 3.5" touch screen LCD screen • Microphone & headphone inputs

• Supports 1920/1440 x 1080, 1280 x 720 HD formats in 35, 25, and 19Mb/ps with variable frame rates • Dual SDHC card slots (loop, pre-record) • Captures native QuickTime files • Fujinon 10x HD lens • Optical image stabilization • Dual XLR audio, with phantom • Color viewfinder and large LCD monitor

VW-CLT1 3D Conversion Lens

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VIXIA HV40

AG-HMC150

HDV Camcorder

3-CCD Pro SD/SDHC Camcorder

• 1/ 2.7”, 2.96MP HD CMOS sensor with RGB primary color filter • Frame rates: 60i, native 24p (records at 24p), 24p cinema, and 30p (at 60i) • DIGIC DV II image processor • Canon HD 10x optical video lens • Instant Aufo Focus w/ext. sensor • SuperRange optical stabilization • 2.7” widescreen LCD screen • External mic input • Smooth variable zoom with 3 fixed zoom speeds

• 3 1/3” progressive CCD sensors • Records HD 1080/60i/30p/24p, 720/60p,30p,24p formats • Solid-State HD recording onto SD/SDHC media (21 Mb/ps - 1920x1080) • In-camera Waveform monitor Vectorscope and two focus assist displays • Leica Dicomar13x wide zoom lens • Optical Image Stabilization • Time/date stamp (legal depositions) • Dual XLR audio inputs

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• 1920 x 1080 HD resolution • 1/2.88" back-illuminated Exmor R CMOS sensor • 64GB internal memory • Memory Stick / SD/SDHC media card slot • 10x wide G series lens • Assignable manual dial controls • 3.5" wide LCD • Geotagging with built-In GPS • Optical image stabilization

• 3 1/4.1 CMOS sensors • 1080 or 720 HD recording • SD/SDHC media card slot • 12X optical smooth zoom lens • High-definition and standarddefinition recording • Pre-record & interval recording • Optical image stabilization • Dual XLR/3.5mm mic-in inputs • HDMI, USB, DV, Component terminals

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XA10 / VIXIA HF G10*

HDR-AX2000

Professional HD Solid State Camcorder • 64GB Internal and Dual SDHC/SDXC card slots with relay recording • 1920 x 1080 CMOS Image Sensor • Canon 10x HD Video Lens • 8-Blade Iris and Manual Focus Ring • DIGIC DV III Image Processor • 24Mbps Recording (AVCHD) • 3.5" High-resolution touch panel LCD and EVF • Dual XLR terminals

3-CMOS AVCHD Flash Camcorder

* Same as XA10 without handle & XLR audio adaptor

• Three 1/3” CMOS Exmor sensors • Records to Memory Stick PRO Duo, SD/SDHC Cards (Dual media slots) • 1080/60i, and 24p/30p AVCHD recording • 20x zoom G-Lens (29.5mm wide) • Zoom, focus, and iris rings • Dual XLR inputs • 3.2” Xtra Fine LCD • Low-light (1.5 LUX) capabilities • CinemaTone Gamma and CinemaTone Color Control

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AG-HVX200A

Interchangeable Lens HD Camcorder

3-CCD Pro DVCPRO HD Camcorder

• Exmor APS HD CMOS Sensor (23.4 x 15.6mm) • Includes E-mount 18-200mm (11x) zoom lens • Record 1920 x 1080 HD resolution onto SD/SDHC/SDXC, Memory Stick PRO Duo/Pro-HG media • Accepts A-mount lenses with optional LA-EA1 adaptor • 3" Xtra Fine LCD monitor • Optical stabilization • Include Vegas Movie Studio HD Platinum 10

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basics | august 2011

32

DV 101 for? Some simple lens tests can give you a lot of information. These tests are best done comparing two lenses—if not more—side by side. The first thing to test is color. To do this, it’s best to use natural daylight and shoot in open shade. Use a calibrated gray card and set the camera to its default daylight setting. Shoot the gray card full frame with each lens. It’s best to compare results in a Photoshop-like program that displays RGB information from the images, but you can readily see the differences side by side without technical analysis.

Secondly, test the sharpness, resolution and falloff with a very simple test. I like to go out and pick up four copies of an inexpensive magazine.

Using a piece of white posterboard, I pick a good, sharp full-page ad from the magazine and paste the identical ad into each of the four corners of the board. Then I place a second ad in the center of the sides, top and bottom, and fill in the center with the most detailed pictures I can find. Shoot the posterboard with each lens, preferably at the same f-stop, making sure you fill the frame side to side and top to bottom. When you analyze the image, you’ll see the sharpness, contrast, vignetting (if any), falloff and distortion.

Finally, take the lenses outside and shoot some trees and grass and detailed textures (wooden fences, stucco houses, pavement, etc.). Match your focal lengths and shoot in bright sunlight, shade and backlight (which will help reveal lens flare properties). As much as you can, match the f-stop and image size in the frame. (You will have to move the camera if you’re shooting with different focal lengths.)

Fujifilm ZS17x5.5 ENG-style lens

Comparing the results from these three simple tests will tell you a lot about your lenses. You don’t need the technical resolution charts, you don’t necessarily need to know the exact line-pairs per millimeter that your lens can produce.

Use your eye. Compare the results side by side and you’ll be surprised how quickly you’ll see differences between lenses and how much you’ll learn. dv

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19

abesofmaine.com

Adorama

13

www.adorama.com

AJA

5

aja.com

Azden

11

azdencorp.com

B&H Photo-Video-Pro Audio

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Abe's of Maine

30, 31

bhphotovideo.com

Blackmagic Design

7

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International Supplies

19

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LCD4 Video

35

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Libec

23

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Litepanels Inc.

16

litepanels.com

Matthews Studio Equipment

25

Neil Enterprises

2

Petrol Bags

10

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Production Hub

32

www.productionhub.com

msegrip.com www.neilenterprises.com

Redrock Micro

17

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Shutterstock

36

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Varizoom

27

varizoom.com

Videoguys

9

videoguys.com

33

Adobe...3, 8; AJA Video...14, 26; Apple...3, 8, 11, 12, 16; Atomos...26; Automatic Duck...16; Avid...3, 16; Blackmagic Design...14, 26; Canon U.S.A....10, 22, 24; Cinedeck...26; Cinemartin...26; Convergent Design...26; DVShade...14; East Pleasant Pictures...10; Fast Forward Video...26; Fujifilm...32; GenArts Software...11; GoPro...34; Harris...11; Hitachi...11; Idustrial Revolution...14; ikan Corp....22; Ikegami...34; K-Tek...10; Letus...24; Litepanels...18, 25; Luca Visual FX...14; Matrox...16; MOTU...16; Nikon...10; Noise Industries...14; OConnor...6; Panasonic...3, 11; Panavision...24; RED Digital Cinema...3; Red Giant Software...8; Ross...11; Sachtler...6; Schneider Optics...28; Sigma...28; Sony Creative Software...11; Sony Electronics...3, 6, 24; Sound Devices...26; Tamron...28; Telestream...16; TVLogic...25; Vinten...11, 19; Weynand Training...3; York Telecom...11; Zeiss...28; Zero Point Zero Productions...25

experience | august 2011

34

Production Diary

by Stefan Sargent

J’ACCUSE HERB KANZELL He Got Me Into This Mess A few weeks ago I bought a new HD camera, a GoPro HERO. The camera’s cost? A snip at $240 from my local REI outdoors shop (they were running a special). A day after buying it, I shot a TV commercial.

I didn’t mean to use the GoPro—I had another camera with me—but the GoPro seemed just right. The end result is a huge success, now running three times a day on the Bay Area’s KTVU 2.

While I’m shooting, I’m remembering my first video camera purchase way back in 1979. An Ikegami HL-79A. The cost was $45,000. Composite, standard def. $45K versus today’s $240 for digital HD. Unbelievable!

So what’s a card-carrying 16mm film cameraman doing buying a $45K video camera? I blame Herb Kanzell.

machine room with 2” VTRs. “Barry, on the count of 10. 10-9-8-7-6-5-4-3-2-1 CUT. Got it?” “Nope, they didn’t lock up.” So this is video editing. Lemme outa here.

LONDON 1975

E&S

This is video editing?

Lemme outa here.

A phone call from Herb: “Stefan, I’ve got a little job for you—a new client, Redifon. They make flight simulators to train pilots.” No need to pitch, I have the job.

I shoot the simulator and landscape model on 16mm film.

The model is on a huge board—the runway, airport buildings and miles of miniature surrounding landscape. If it were lying flat, you could put a model railway on it. As the pilot flies the plane, he sees the model from a periscope lens on a video camera.

The camera’s output is projected onto a screen in front of the cockpit windows. It works well for the pilots, but film it and the view looks dark and blurry.

I come up with the crazy concept of chromakeying in the projected scene.

“I’ll paint the windows blue.” Horror. You’ve got to remember, this is 1975, over 35 years ago.

“Chromakey, what’s chromakey?”

WAS FILMȅNOW VIDEO I find a television facilities company, Trilion. They have an outside broadcast truck used for concerts and sporting events (and later that same year to shoot “Bohemian Rhapsody” for Queen).

Redifon isn’t happy about my painting their simulator windows blue (I wonder why), so Tricia cuts up blue cardboard to fit.

We do take-offs and landings and an AWACs in-flight refueling sequence.

The pilot has to fly under a refueling plane and maneuver the boom into the nose of his aircraft; the plane and boom are articulated models. “25 feet, stable, forward 10, slow down, forward 5, go down, stay right there, contact!”

Shoot over, I go to Trilion’s London offices to edit out the best takes and have them transferred to 16mm film. It’s a nightmare. We are in a noisy

Redifon has bought into a Utah computer graphics company, Evans & Sutherland. I’m sent to Salt Lake City to shoot their NOVOVIEW CGI visual system. No model board, no flying camera—all in a computer memory.

After the shoot in SLC, I fly to Burbank, Calif., and visit Compact Video.

Their clients are in a redwood-paneled edit suite with a sliding door to the machine room. Big sofas, coffee table and huge chairs for the editor and director. Their editing is CMX computer-controlled; their coffee is Kopi Luwak.

BACK IN LONDON There’s still no computer editing here, just technicians in a noisy machine room calling out numbers. The coffee is instant in plastic cups.

In September 1976, I take a deep breath and buy three Ampex 1” machines for Molinare, my audio studio. Our video showreel is a rip-off of Compact Video’s.

Molinare grows and grows. We soon have two video studios, four CMX 340 edit suites, an OB truck and, yes, an Ikegami HL-79A. Sadly, we also have three investment bankers and four non-executive directors. The day I buy a $250,000 Ampex ADO is the day they throw me out.

1984 I’m out. No more 100+ employees, no more bankers and non-exec directors.

I still have my own 16mm Éclair film camera. The phone rings. Guess what, it’s Herb.

“Good to have you back, I’ve got a little job for you. You should never have stopped making films—that’s what you’re good at—you’re no businessman.”

Nice one, Herb. dv

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