When you think of a 35mm sensor camera, what characteristics come to mind? Probably the first is shallow depth of field. It is part of what many consider the “look” of that imager size and a principle defining difference between it and other formats. But while some consider this the chief attribute of the format, others may find it to be a detriment in certain situations. For those shooting documentary, run-and-gun productions, a deeper depth of field may be preferable to maintain focus. Fortunately, there is another major facet to the latest crop of 35mm sensor cameras – a very low noise floor. This means that in a camera such as the Canon C300, a wide range of ISO settings can be applied with little objectionable artifacting to the image. Using the concept of the “variable depth of field camera,” you can adjust the available parameters of the camera to yield the depth of field desired for any given image. Watch the video to see this concept demonstrated.

Canon’s much anticipated EOS C300 and C300 PL mark the beginning of a new series of cinema cameras from the company. While the small form factor, large sensor revolution can be credited to Canon HDSLRs, up until recently Canon has been mostly silent while we’ve seen cameras from Panasonic and Sony that really capture the momentum of the industry. While Canon told us that they would be designing a new cinema camera, we were pleasantly surprised at the results when they previewed the camera for us. Because of the rather unique form factor, we put together a lens and accessories guide you can check out here.

Soon after the announcement of the EOS Cinema C300, Canon brought the camera by and let us check it out. I put together this video with my first impressions of the camera. I have to say that I was pleasantly surprised by both the quality and functionality of the C300. The quality of the image, skin tone rendition and overall resolution make a good impression. Also the form factor, which seemed strange at first, allows the camera to fit nicely in your hand and is fun to operate. Check out my video above to learn more.

It’s been another exciting year in our industry, with lots of evolutionary and revolutionary changes. Many of the trends we’ve seen coming for the past several years came to fruition in 2011, leaving some to wonder what comes next. Let’s take a look back and see if it can help inform us a bit on what’s to come in 2012.

So…is film dead now?

Pundits have been predicting the end to film as a production medium for decades, but now it seems that the writing is on the wall. Digital Cinema camera technology has advanced to the point that nearly all production for television has moved to electronic acquisition. Currently the majority of high-end features are still produced on 35mm film, but it appears only a matter of time before this completely transitions as well. Most lower- to medium-budget productions are already being shot digitally, and numerous notable high-end productions are as well. In particular, shooting digitally for 3D productions is significantly more advantageous compared to film. This has also spurred the rollout of digital projection, as this is again far easier to accomplish for 3D presentation. The final nail may be the financial advantage to studios distributing movies digitally rather than with film prints. Fox has already notified theater chains that it plans to eliminate film prints sometime next year. Without the steady income stream of film prints, plus TV and commercial production, the economic model supporting film stock producers and processing labs will eventually no longer function. We may look back on 2011 as the last year film had a significant, dominant position in the industry, before becoming relegated to “niche” productions.

…continue reading A Look Back From Behind The Lens

Today, Canon announced their new, much-anticipated Cinema EOS C300 video camera. Not long ago, we got a sneak peek; some of its key features are a Super 35mm size sensor, 12-stops of dynamic range, on-board 50 Mbps recording to CF cards and HD-SDI outputs. The camera comes in two versions, one with a Canon EF mount and the other with a PL mount. The sensor is 4K (3840 x 2160) in resolution, with a unique color pattern that produces a very clean 1920×1080 signal. From our brief testing of the camera, we could find no rolling shutter artifacts, moire issues, or other problems found on HDSLR camera sensors. The sensor has a native ISO of 850 and produces a clean signal all the way up to 20,000 ISO, giving amazing low light performance. And in the case that you have too much light, the camera also has built in ND filters.

…continue reading Canon Announces New C300 HD Camera

For a while now, it’s felt as though the market for new 35mm PL lenses was relatively slow, as we’ve been using the same lenses for years. With the numerous 35mm PL mount cameras now available for the cinematographer to choose from, we’re happy to see that the lens manufactures have responded with new, exciting lens options. We are fortunate enough to have the new Canon FK14.5-60mm T2.6 wide angle cine-zoom lenses on display at our booth this year, and the response has been great thus far. Canon has also announced a companion lens, the FK30-300mm T2.9-3.7.

Watch my video above as I walk you through some of the features of these two new lenses.

The Canon XF105 has many of the same features found in its bigger brother the XF305, but in a smaller and lighter form factor. It records in a high quality MPEG2 50 Mbps 4:2:2 video format, in all the standard HD resolutions, and it has a 1/3″ 1920×1080 CMOS sensor. One unique feature of this camera is its ability to be locked to another camera for 3D use. When two cameras are combined with a 3D rig, such as the Hurricane 3D rig (coming soon to Abel), it makes for a very small and lightweight 3D option.

Additionally, the XF105 has the ability to shoot in Infrared. This is a feature often requested for different applications, and with the 50 Mbps recording, this camera is perfect for television shooting that requires night vision. Watch my video above to learn more.