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.
We recently rolled out an upgrade to our website, www.abelcine.com, that includes many new features, including the ability to process international orders. Now, for the first time, our international customers can purchase items directly through the website using fast and secure Google Checkout.
Many of the features we included in this update came directly from client feedback and are designed to improve your shopping experience. To learn more about all the recent upgrades, click here.
Abel Cine Tech is now part of the Twitterverse! Stay on top of all our news, events and product announcements by following Abel on Twitter. You’ll also know when there is new technical content posted on our website, and don’t forget to subscribe to our dedicated YouTube and Vimeo video channels.
Follow us at twitter.com/abelcine today!
Do you Tango? Students who attended last weekend’s workshop hosted by Abel LA and taught by veteran instructor and respected operator Peter Abraham of Tiffen Steadicam now can! The hugely successful two-day workshop gave students the opportunity to learn hands-on the techniques of flying a camera on a Steadicam Rig. The workshop focused on the fundamentals of setting up a rig, including proper vest adjustment and how to balance a sled. Students were then taught real world techniques such “Tango” and “Don Juan” and tried their hands at flying cameras using the Pilot and the Flyer LE systems, rigs that can handle smaller to mid range cameras ranging from the EX1R to the RED. The class culminated with a long test scene that included navigating doorways and stairs. By the end of the weekend, students were Certified Steadicam Operators and most had discovered sore muscles they didn’t even know they had!
Stop by Abel Cine Tech LA, and Joe Guilfoyle, who was among the newly certified, will be happy show you his “Tango” technique and get you into a rig of your own. For more information on future Steadicam workshops, visit their site, thesteadicamworkshops.com.
Photo courtesy of Paul Cronin
Paul Cronin of Whitecap Video recently wrote a post on his blog detailing his first impressions of the Sony XDCAM PMW-350 (also known as the EX350) that he bought at Abel. A long-time Abel client, Paul had traveled to New York to attend our Sony EX350/EX1R launch event back in December, and was nice enough to bring along some footage that he had shot over the past year with his EX1.
In his post, Paul provides a pretty thorough round-up of the pros and cons he’s noticed, as well as a few helpful close-up shots of the various menus and controls. Some highlights he mentions are the quick power up (2.5 sec), the “cool” on-camera light options, and the pleasure of having a full size camera with easily accessible controls.
He concludes with: “I am keeping my EX1 as my B camera. With proper shoulder support the EX1/3 are great cameras. But from my first test they cannot match the sharpness, latitude, low noise, and better DOF the PMW-350 offers. Add to this having the endless choice of B4 lens options for your shooting style. The EX line of cameras just keeps getting better and the EX350 is a nice move by Sony!”
Read the full post over at Paul’s blog here.
Last night, Abel NY hosted a lighting seminar presented by Dedo Weigert, inventor of Dedolights.
Traveling to America exclusively for this event, Dedo drew a packed crowd of filmmakers, many of whom continued to talk with Dedo long after the formal end of the event. Keeping the audience engrossed with anecdotes culled from his years as a Munich-based cinematographer, he provided a glimpse into the genesis of his line of Dedolights. He emphasized that his lights weren’t meant to compete with any other manufacturers’, but—like the different paint brushes in an artist’s kit—each had its purpose. He then proceeded to demonstrate a number of his products, discussing the particular lighting situations in which each would shine. During a 15-minute break, attendees got a chance to get their hands on all the lights and accessories that Dedo demonstrated during his presentation.
…continue reading An Evening with Dedo and His Lights
Now you can watch all of Abel’s videos on the Tube – YouTube, that is.
Along with our dedicated Vimeo channel, Abel is offering another convenient and high quality way to view our HD videos. Both channels offer instructional how-to’s, previews of new products, and of course our popular “At The Bench” series.
Check us out at youtube.com/abelcinetech and be sure to subscribe so you’ll never miss an update!
