Earlier this month, long-time Abel client Daniel Dacian of BigAppleFilms shot some nice low-light tests using Arri Master Primes and Hawk Anamorphics on their RED Mysterium-X. They used only the light they found, with the exception of one Litepanel (the video says it is a Litepanels Micro, but it is actually a Litepanels Mini Flood) to give some fill for the exteriors. The shoot starts out in Brooklyn Bridge Park, then moves indoors for more tests, the only light coming from a half dozen lit candles. Abel’s own Gregger Jones assisted on the shoot, and you can find the full video here: www.bigapplefilms.com/lowlight.html

Edit: Here is a great “making of” video, courtesy of ProductionMeeting.com and shot by Ethan Sigman on the Panasonic 2700: Watch it here.

Some of the newer Phantom cameras, such as the v640, feature an internal mechanical shutter used to shade the camera’s sensor during a Current Session Reference (CSR). A CSR calibrates all pixels that will be used for a given set of camera parameters and sets them to pure black – an important step in making sure the image is as accurate as possible. With the internal mechanical shutter, a camera operator can do a CSR without manually capping lens.

Recently, Vision Research announced that they are bringing this useful feature to its existing line of V-Series cameras with an External Mechanical Shutter. For use with the v5.2, v7.3, v9.1 and v10, the V-series lens shutter replaces the F-mount on the camera so you can keep using your existing lenses. The shutter is meant to be used in conjunction with the new VRI Signal Breakout Device that provides access to every available signal on the cable. Simply exchange your existing capture cable with the Breakout Signal Device, then connect the shutter control cable to the shutter. Now you can do a CSR in situations when it was previously impossible, such as when the camera is unattended. Vision Research has a nice five-minute video explaining the benefit of this setup on their site.

Find more information on the Vision Research website, and download the complete data sheet here.

As everyone should know by now, Kathryn Bigelow is the first woman to win the prestigious Oscar for Best Director or Best Picture for her film The Hurt Locker.

What isn’t so well known is that Hurt Locker is the first Best Picture to be shot using Aaton XTRprod and A-Minima 16mm film cameras, and a Phantom digital camera for high-speed.

…continue reading The Hurt Locker Breaks New Cinematic Ground

With the release of the SxS-1 cards and the MEAD adapters (for Memory stick and SDHC use), Sony announced a firmware update to their XDCAM EX cameras to allow use of these new memory recording options. The Sony UK site has just made this update available, and the good news is that anyone can preform these updates. The EX1 and EX3 require software (for PC & Mac), but the EX1R and EX350 can be upgraded using an SxS Card. A comprehensive PDF is included in each download with upgrade instructions. They have posted some of these upgrades already, but the EX1 firmware may not be available until Monday. Visit the Sony UK site to start downloading. UPDATE: The Sony US site has also posted these updates, and our customers say that they have had better luck using them.

Here is a list of the updates for each camera.

…continue reading XDCAM EX Firmware Updates Now Available

Canon announced today that new firmware for the 5D Mark II camera will be available on March 16th. This is a highly anticipated upgrade that adds 1080 24P (actual 23.98) and 25P recording to the 5D Mark II. Previously 1080 30P was the only supported recording format, and filmmakers have been asking for 24P for sometime. The 30P record mode has also been updated to be 29.97, which will ease editing problems with true 30P footage. With this upgrade also comes the ability to adjust audio recording levels manually. On screen meters will be available to monitor levels and adjust. Additionally Canon has added a new histogram display for shooting movies in manual exposure, shutter-priority (Tv) and aperture-priority (Av) have been added, and exposure modes will also be available in movie mode. This is exciting news, so we will be holding a 5D Firmware Download Party on March 16th in NYC. We will have Canon experts on hand to discuss the new features of the camera, and we will upgrade any 5D Mark II for free. Check back for more information soon, and find the firmware here when it is posted.

Panasonic’s push into 3D just took another step forward. Recently, they made several announcements about their 3D product lineup including details on their 3D camera (AG-3DA), a new 3D production monitor (BT-3DL2550) and a new 3D mixer (AG-HMX100). Panasonic is moving to bring 3D to a broad community of filmmakers and these new tools certainly show their commitment. We can’t wait to see all of these new products at NAB 2010. Learn more about these new devices after the break.

…continue reading Panasonic 3D Update

With all the various HDSLRs appearing on the market, keeping their features straight can be a bit of a challenge. Abel’s Andy Shipsides has put together a handy chart comparing five of these cameras side-by-side. He compares the Canon 5D Mark II, 1D Mark IV, the 7D, the new Rebel T2i, and the Panasonic Lumix GH1. His chart is available to view or download in the Resources section of abelcine.com.