Canon has a new HDSLR camera and a new Final Cut Pro plug-in. The EOS 550D (or Rebel T2i as it is also called) is their latest HDSLR camera, with an 18 MP APS-C size sensor and the ability to record full HD video. In terms of video, the specs are very similar to that of the 7D:

• 1080 recording at 24,25, and 30
• 720 recording at 50 & 60P
• Full Manual Video mode
• HDMI output
• Stereo Mic Input

The big differences from the 7D is a lower ISO range (100-6400), and it records to SDHC or SDXC cards instead of CF cards. The sensor is not exactly the same, so some comparison will have to be made, but the price is significantly different at under $1000. Read a full review of the new 550D at DPreview.

The other big news is that Canon is developing a plug-in for Final Cut Pro. It will allow importing of ‘EOS Movie’ footage into FCP through the Log and Transfer mode. The plug-in will convert the QuickTime movies created in Canon HDSLR cameras into Apple’s ProRes 422 codec at approximately twice the speed of Apple’s standard conversion. Additionally, users will also be able to add timecode, reel names and metadata to footage quickly and easily. This is great news for anyone working with Canon HDSLR cameras. A beta of the plug-in will be available in March.

Sony recently announced the MEAD-MS01, a memory stick adapter that works in the EX line of cameras. This is a low-cost alternative to the SxS card and is really handy when in a bind. For sometime now, there have been different SDHC card adapters that work with the EX cameras including the MxR and SxSxSDHC card adapters. Now Sony has come out with their own version – the MEAD-SD01. This will work in very much the same way as those other adapters, but it’s nice to see one officially sanctioned by Sony. The EX1 original and EX3 will require a firmware upgrade to work with the MEAD-MS01 and MEAD-SD01 adapters. Additionally Sony has announced that Class 10 SDHC cards will be supported with their adapter, but ALL EX cameras (EX1, EX1R, EX3, PMW350) will require a firmware upgrade to use Class 10 cards. The SD adapter will be available in mid-March, and you can look for this firmware upgrade earlier that month. Sony has officially tested and sanctioned the following SanDisk Class 10 cards – DSDX3-032G-A31A for 32GB, SDSDX3-016G-A31A for 16GB, SDSDX3-008G-A31A for 8GB.

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With the growing popularity of HDSLRs, we’ve gotten a lot of questions about doing remote start/stop with these cameras. Today Switronix announced their new Flex DSLR remote, which allows for easy, one-button start/stop with cameras such as the Canon 5D and 7D. Thanks to Ross at Switronix I got to play with it last week; watch my video above to learn more about this new piece of gear. It will be available to purchase on February 8th.

If you’ve used XDCAM disc media before, you probably know that it writes both high quality video to the disc as well as low res proxy material. This proxy material is great for offline editing. The Sony PDW-F800 and PDW-700 cameras both have this function, as well as the ability to write proxy video to a USB memory stick (firmware 1.51 or higher required). This allows shooters to quickly hand over low res versions of their video without a disc reader.

Here is a quick “How To” guide for both Mac & PC:

…continue reading XDCAM Proxy on a USB Stick

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We just received our first shipment of the PMW-350 cameras, including four that went into our rental department. The demo units I received in the past did not have the Fujinon lens that the camera ships with, so this was my first time seeing the new lens. Watch the video above to see my impression of the lens. You might also be interested in the two part series on the 350 camera that I did when the camera was announced.

I guess you could call this “HD Formats for Dummies”, but if you’ve been reading our blog, you are certainly no dummy. There are so many varieties of HD out there and it can all get a little confusing. My aim here is to help organize the different formats and clear up some common misconceptions. To do this I’ve broken down the HD formats into three categories: Resolution, Frequency, and Frame Rate. With these three parameters, you can come up with any HD signal available. Keep in mind that not all the HD formats we will discuss can be sent for broadcast, so I will also point out those formats and how they effect your final product.

…continue reading Making Sense of HD Formats and Frame Rates

Back in November, Abel was lucky enough to host a special series of workshops presented by the inventor of Dedolights himself, German cinematographer Dedo Weigert. The event was filmed and we’ve put together a ten-minute-long excerpt especially for viewing on the web. In it, Dedo explains how to set up a five-piece lighting kit most effectively in an interview situation. Check out the video here on our main site.