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Check out my hands on demo of the Panasonic HPG20, aka the P2 Portable. In this video, I go over the features of this versatile device and the major improvements over the HPG10.

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Our friends over at Legs recently created a concept piece titled Natural Gravity, which is a central element for the launch campaign of this new creative division of Milk Studios. Director Georgie Greville and DP Manfred Reiff used the Phantom HD to capture the entrancing quality of movement usually invisible to the naked eye.

Human bodies flying through the air at 960 fps make for a unique and abstract effect. In this making of video, Georgie and Manfred talk about the creative and technical aspects of the Phantom HD.

You may have heard that the PDW-700 can shoot in 720P 60P. So of course many people ask about converting that 720 60p footage into slow motion. Well you can, but there are a couple of tricks. So here is my process for converting the 60p files into 24p files in Final Cut Studio 2.

…continue reading Slow-Mo PDW-700 Footage

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In this two-minute video, I show the Panasonic HPG20 attached to a tape based VariCam. This amazing combination brings P2 based AVC-Intra recording to the VariCam as well as a host of features that we’ve always wanted. Also the HPG20 can be powered directly off the Anton Bauer D-Tap with a Switronix adapter. Check out the video and see how the HPG20 can extend the life of your VariCam.

Since its release, the EX Clip Browser has gone through some major overhauls. The latest version adds some function to enhance interoperability with the XDCAM HD (optical disc) format. Clip Browser 2.5 adds support for XDCAM HD disc browsing, playback, and copying. They also added the ability to copy MP4 clips from an SxS card directly onto a XDCAM disc. Using the PDW-U1 or a PDW-HD1500 deck, you can drag files from the SxS source right over to the disc. Whenever it sees the MXF structure it will automatically start converting the data to MXF. But, there are some limitations.

…continue reading Sony Releases Clip Browser V2.5

Abel has a couple of exclusive products that we developed with Switronix for the RED one camera. The GP-TS-RED is a dual battery adapter that mounts to the RED’s battery mount, and the GP-TS-RED2 is a a dual battery mount that completely replaces the battery mount. There are a couple of other fun items as well. The S-GP-S plate is a v-mount battery pass through, which allows space for the use of other accessories such as the IDX CAM WAVE video transmitter.

Check out the video to see how they all fit together.

The Panasonic HPX300 can use different lenses via its interchangeable lens mount. It is a 1/3″ chip in a B12 mount, for which there are only a handful of lenses made by Canon and Fujinon. For an additional lens choice, JVC/Fujinon makes the ACM-17. It’s an adapter to mount a 2/3″ B4 mount lens onto a B12 mount camera (like the HPX300).

This allows you to use the myriad of professional glass available in the popular B4 mount. Note that the adapter is essentially a simple mechanical one. So, the camera will just be looking at a center cut out of the lens, which makes the result more telephoto than the same lens on a 2/3″ sensor camera. For comparison, a Canon 11×4.7 (4.7mm-52mm) will look like a 14-154 when mounted on the HPX300.

OK, this is where many people get confused. The lens is still a 4.7-52. A 4.7-52 on a 1/3″ sensor is what 14-154 looks like on a 2/3″ sensor. Make better sense now?

To get the same wide angle field of view as a 4.7mm on a 2/3″ sensor (about a 90 degree horizontal FOV), you need a 1.7mm on a 1/3″ sensor.