Many cinematographers use warm and cool cards, like the DSCLabs White N’ Warm cards, to create a look in camera. By white balancing your camera on a card with warm (red) color the camera will produce a cooler (blue) balance. The opposite is also true; a cool (blue) card will give a warm (red) white balance. If you white balance off the same card in different lighting environments, then you can consistently achieve the same warm or cool look. What many people don’t know is that this same method can also be achieved in camera through white balance offsets. This option is available in many pro cameras and is simple to set. Depending on the camera, an offset can be applied to the preset, A or B white balance settings. The offset works simply by adjusting the white balance to be cooler or warmer. Just like using the same warm/cool card, the offset will be applied to any white balance that you run. The advantage to using the offset over using the cards is that you can white balance off any white surface and still get the look you are after (of course a nice white card is still advised, if available). Here are a couple examples of how this is set in different cameras.

…continue reading Using White Balance Offsets to Create a Look

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One of the most frequently asked questions that I receive about the XDCAM EX cameras is how to adjust back focus. Like all ENG style lenses, the lenses that come with these cameras can sometimes develop back focus issues over time. The cameras all have a method for adjusting this, and luckily the PMW350, PMW320, EX3, EX1R, and EX1 all follow a similar procedure. Watch this video to learn when and how to adjust the back focus on your EX camera.

DSCLabs has some great charts for checking back focus, they also offer a couple free ones that you can print yourself – here.

Note: To access the hidden menu on the EX1 / EX1R, hold the Menu, Scroll Wheel, and Cancel button at the same time. DO NOT adjust anything else in this menu.

Anton Bauer recently released a new flexible Solar Panel system that can charge batteries when combined with their Tandem 150 charger/power supply. The Solar Panel folds out to 59 x 43 in (149.9 x 109.2 cm), and uses direct sunlight as an alternate power source. The panel is ideal for remote locations where no power is available, though charging times can vary based on available sunlight, of course. The Tandem 150 is the ultimate light power supply and charger in one. With 150W of power, the unit works with the most power hungry cameras, including the Sony SRW9000 and ARRI ALEXA. When attached to cameras with lower power draw (<75W), it can simultaneously charge a battery as well. The good news is that it will automatically detect the power draw and switch the battery charging option on or off. The Tandem 150 is extremely flexible – it can charge batteries when combined with the solar panel or act as a power supply/charger when working with standard AC or DC from a vehicle (when combined with the CA-TMCL – Vehicle Power Outlet adapter). Combining the the Anton Bauer Solar Panel, Tandem 150, Vehicle Power adapter, and Anton Bauer batteries would make for an excellent power kit that would work in just about any situation.

We sell a number of different quality shoulder mount rigs for HDSLR cameras, but often we have customers that just want to keep their cameras small and lightweight. One of the major advantages of shooting with an HDSLR is the ability to blend in with a crowd without anyone knowing you are shooting video. Here are a couple solutions that will allow you to add function and stability to your HDSLR camera, but still keep it small and relatively invisible.

iDC Run & Gun Kits

iDC has made a Run & Gun Kit for the Canon 5D Mark II, 7D, and Rebel T2i that is both small and very functional. The Run & Gun kit combines a modified Hoodman LCD viewfinder with a simple follow focus. The follow focus butts up against the lens and rotates focus or zoom using friction only, so there is no need for gears. The system does not utilize rods, which keeps it small and light. Additionally, the viewfinder is designed to quickly attach and detach from the camera for easy viewing. When held up to your eye with one hand on the camera body and the other on the follow focus, the Run & Gun kit is very stable and easy to use.

Zacuto Target Shooter

If you are looking for a small way to stabilize your HDSLR, then you might like the Zacuto Target Shooter. This small support is designed to add an additional point of contact with your body for increased stability. It may not seem like much, but with both hands on the camera, the extra support is sometimes all you need. The Zacuto Z-Finder Pro can also be added for better viewing and yet another point of contact with your body.

Manfrotto Monopod & Fluid Head

A unique solution that one of our sales agents, Matt Livingston, came up with is combining a Manfrotto 685B Neotec Monopod and the Manfrotto 701HDV fluid head. While using a monopod is not popular in the video world, it can be used as a useful stabilization tool for HDSLR cameras. Matt combined the monopod with the 701HDV head to allow for quick position changes as well as fluid pan & tilt control. Check out this music video Matt shot using his monopod creation, and four Canon 7Ds (with Zeiss ZE 21mm, 35mm, 50mm, and 100mm macro lenses) and a Canon 5D Mark II with a Zeiss ZE 85mm.

We’ve been selling the BlackMagic Design HDMI to SDI mini converter box, and it has quickly become popular with our clients. It is the only HDMI to SDI converter that will accept both HD HDMI signals, as well as the SD HDMI signal from the 5D Mark II camera. For those of you that don’t know this unusual fact, the 5D Mark II outputs HD HDMI until you hit record. When recording, the signal changes to SD and most converter boxes just stop working. BlackMagic’s box will work with both signals, at least up until recently. BlackMagic released a new firmware for their box – version 1.5 – which has some nice fixes but it also happens to break the SD conversion option. If you upgraded your BlackMagic, or just purchased one recently, then it might not work 100% with the 5D Mark II. BlackMagic knows about the problem and will address it in the next firmware, but until then we recommend sticking with firmware version 1.4. You can easily downgrade the box also if you are having this problem. Download the firmware version 1.4 for Mac here, or for Windows here and just attach the converter via a USB cable – it should only take a couple of seconds to install.

Convergent Design is constantly adding new features to their nanoFlash HDSDI recorder. On their last update they added  overcrank / undercrank recording. Many of our clients have the Panasonic VariCam or the HDX900, and are looking for a tapeless recording option. With high quality-recording and the new variable frame rate recording option, the nanoFlash can really extend the life of these cameras. Check out this quick guide to get your HDX900 or VariCam working with 720 24p recording, 720 30p recording, and overcrank / undercrank mode using the nanoFlash.

…continue reading HDX900 & VariCam with the nanoFlash

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Need to generate timecode easily on your iPhone or iPad? There’s an app for that.

JumpStart LTC is an elegant and easy to use app designed by Abel client Edward Richardson, which generates a Longitudinal Timecode audio signal. It also allows you to manually set your frame rate and userbits. Simply plug in a headphone cable to your iPhone/iPad, connect the other end to the timecode slate (or other device) of your choice, and it will jam sync to JumpStart LTC. Since iPhones have become such ubiquitous sights on any shoot, it’s always great when something like this comes along to make our lives a little easier.

For more info, visit the iTunes App Store or the official site here. JumpStart LTC is 50% off for the entire month of May!