Now that products announced at NAB 2013 are starting to ship, we thought it was time for a recap of some of the gear that made an impression at the show. I’ve put together a Post-NAB Equipment Roadmap that outlines what’s available now, and what to expect in the coming months.

Let us know in the comments what products you’re most excited about.

Photo Credit: Eli Tawil

A cinematographer and lighting designer by trade, Rick Siegel has worked on feature length and short films in the narrative and documentary genres. He photographs episodic television series as well – in music, comedy, fashion, home style, reality and magazine formats. In this blog, he tells us all about his Sony PMW-F3 rig.

When it comes to choosing a camera rig to purchase or to rent, what are your biggest considerations?

RS: I apply several criteria to determine and visualize my choices: what are the scripted elements to be photographed, who is going to see this project, what are the deliverables, what is the best equipment to frame the story elements, and last, but not least, what’s my budget. It’s a balance between artistic options, communication skills, dollars and sense. 

…continue reading Show Us Your Rig: Rick Siegel & PMW-F3

A few months ago, Andy wrote an article for HDVideoPro called Making 4K Plug & Play about how to use the Canon C500 with AJA’s Ki Pro Quad to easily record and monitor 4K video. Getting these two to play nice isn’t too difficult, but there are a few things to be aware of if you want to get the best results possible. Watch my video above as I take you through the step-by-step process of setting up the C500 and the Ki Pro Quad to record 4K ProRes, and stay tuned for a future blog about using the Thunderbolt passthrough to record the Canon RAW to your computer!

It seems like this is a popular week for firmware upgrades! As promised several months ago, Canon has officially released the much-awaited firmware update for the 5D Mark III that enables a clean HDMI output. Firmware 1.2.1 provides an uncompressed 4:2:2 video output while allowing for simultaneous viewing on the built-in display. Like the EOS-1D C, you can also embed timecode via the HDMI output to a supported device, like an external recorder. This gives the 5D Mark III many more recording options, as you can now use your favorite external recorder to achieve higher data rate recordings in a codec streamlined for editing.

In addition to the clean HDMI output, the Mark III also gains some autofocus updates useful for those using Canon teleconverters. You can read the full release notes and download the free update directly from Canon’s site. Have you already updated your camera with the new firmware? Let us know what you think in the comments

In case you missed it over the weekend, Sony has released firmware version 1.13 for both the F5 & F55. Along with a few bug fixes, this update also includes much-requested features like adjustable Exposure Index (EI) while shooting Raw, and remote start/stop trigger. Previously when recording in Cine-EI mode (Raw to the AXS-R5 recorder), you were limited to monitoring and recording to SxS cards in the native EI value of the camera. With the recent update, you can now effectively pull (or gain down) your exposure. While we don’t typically recommend pulling your exposure away from the native sensitivity of the camera, this does provide a quick way to monitor changes you may make in post-production.

This update also brings remote start/stop trigger via one of the 4-pin Hirose DC power outputs. We’re sure there will be numerous third party triggers available shortly, but this update means you can use the AbelCine HDx35 Mark II and HDx35-F5 cable with your 2/3″ ENG lens for full servo zoom and VTR switch functionality.

To download firmware v1.13 and view the rest of the release notes, visit the Sony Community site.

Recently, I got a chance to spend some time with a few of the newest offerings from OptiTek, including their recently announced Canon EF to Sony FZ adapter. This adapter features electronic aperture control via a simple push button interface. It can also be controlled wirelessly with the optional Optitron, which allows for wireless focusing in addition to iris control. If you’re using the F5 or F55, power can be supplied via the auxiliary Hirose 4 port from the camera, or you can supply power via PTap. For those wanting to use Nikon lenses on their F3, F5 or F55, there is a non-powered locking adaptor available. Watch my video above to learn more.

Many modern cameras offer an Exposure Index (EI) mode for changing exposure, instead of the simple gain that we had in the past. Other cameras offer both ISO and Gain adjustments that relate to one another, but exactly how is not always clear. With all of these options, I often get questions about the differences between ISO, Gain and EI and how they can affect each other. A little while ago, I wrote a help desk article for HD Video Pro magazine in which I talk about all of these modes and how they work in different cameras. You can read the full article over on HD Video Pro’s website – Help Desk: Sense & Sensitivity.