There’s nothing like the experience of our Rental department to build the most complete, battle-tested camera kits for our camera owner and rental house sales clients. In the first of our series “AbelCine Rental Kits,” we look at our RED EPIC camera packages. This same kitting can be applied to the RED Scarlet camera.

Watch the video for a detailed explanation of the components that go into the AbelCine RED EPIC/Scarlet Accessory Kit. For your convenience, we have created an accessory package (available in Anton/Bauer and V-Mount options) that includes all the items in a typical rental setup.

Lenses designed for 2/3” video have certain desirable characteristics. They are available in high zoom ratios, have wide apertures and are relatively compact. As more large sensor cameras hit the market, many of our clients are looking for a way to use their favorite B4-mount 2/3” lenses on these cameras. Our HDx2 B4/PL Optical Adapter will do the trick for a number of these cameras. Designed and built by IB/E Optics exclusively for Abel Cine Tech, the HDx2 mounts behind a B4-mount 2/3″ lens, expands the projected light to cover an image circle greater than 22mm, and then attaches to a PL mount camera. The HDx2 turns the B4 lens into a longer focal length lens, so that the relative depth of field expected for the larger sensor is achieved, while the usual field of view when the lens is mounted to a 2/3” camera is maintained. The HDx2 also optically corrects for the different spectral alignments between the three-chip prism block sensors for which the B4-mount lenses were designed and the single sensor of the PL mount large sensor cameras.

On the Phantom Flex and v640, the HDx2 will allow B4 lenses to cover the 1920×1080 image area, at which they can shoot up to 2500fps and 2700fps, respectively. On the RED One, B4 lenses will cover all 3K formats, at which that camera can shoot up to 60p. On the Panasonic AF100, the full sensor will be covered with the use of an appropriate PL adapter such as the Hot Rod Cameras AF100 Tuner.

The HDx2 B4/PL Optical Adapter is available for sale exclusively from Abel Cine Tech, and is also available to rent from Abel.

DSC Labs recently introduced the RED CamBook, which is designed for the RED One and other future RED cameras. It has three pages of framing charts, exposure aids and color alignment scales. Watch the video to see all the features of this useful tool.

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The NULL Lens Optical Collimation Tool allows you to set the backfocus on a RED camera with ease and precision. Now the NULL Target accessory allows you to use the tool in virtually any environment. Watch the video to see just how quickly and precisely the NULL Lens & Target combination work together. We’ve now begun shipping to our backordered customers. In addition we are proud to announce that Chrosziel has signed on as the Exclusive European Distributor of the NULL Lens and Target. For the convenience of the REDuser EU community, units will be available for purchase directly through their European Distributor Network.

Earlier this month, long-time Abel client Daniel Dacian of BigAppleFilms shot some nice low-light tests using Arri Master Primes and Hawk Anamorphics on their RED Mysterium-X. They used only the light they found, with the exception of one Litepanel (the video says it is a Litepanels Micro, but it is actually a Litepanels Mini Flood) to give some fill for the exteriors. The shoot starts out in Brooklyn Bridge Park, then moves indoors for more tests, the only light coming from a half dozen lit candles. Abel’s own Gregger Jones assisted on the shoot, and you can find the full video here: www.bigapplefilms.com/lowlight.html

Edit: Here is a great “making of” video, courtesy of ProductionMeeting.com and shot by Ethan Sigman on the Panasonic 2700: Watch it here.

Not all shoots take place on comfy sound stages. Currently in production, Thunder Perfect Mind takes place almost entirely on an ice-breaker ship off the coast of Antarctica. The movie is shooting on a pair of RED One cameras, as well as the Aaton Penelope 35mm camera, shooting in 2-perf. Much of the shooting is on the open decks of the ship, so the ASL Gear T-Bag is being used to protect the cameras from the salt water spray. At least one shot calls for the camera to start at the waterline pointing at the tip of an iceberg, and then dunk under to see the massive blue ice below.

The gear was rented out of Abel NY, and I built the package for the production to checkout. Putting the Penelope into the T-Bag worked beautifully. Here are some observations from that setup.

For the RED One camera, there’s a special enclosure that allows the use of the RED 5.6” LCD panel as a viewfinder. When the Penelope is in the T-Bag, the production will switch to the ASL Underwater 4” HD/SD SDI montior. We used a small AJA converter box to transform the Penelope’s composite video signal into a 4×3 SD-SDI feed. Everything is powered off of the camera’s batteries.

While the movie is mostly shooting on prime lenses, I took the opportunity to try out an Angenieux Optimo 15-40 on the Penelope inside the T-Bag (see picture below). There’s so much space inside the splash housing that the little zoom almost disappears! In fact, with a little wiggling we can even get the Angenieux Optimo 17-80 to fit.

The NULL Lens has begun shipping. We are fulfilling pre-orders first and expect to be caught up before the end of August.

The NULL Lens is an optical collimating tool for the RED One camera. Attach the NULL Lens to the PL lens mount, loosen the clamp screws on the side of the camera’s mount, point at something far away (150’ / 50m) and adjust until the image becomes sharp. It really is that simple. Properly adjusted, the NULL Lens can set the RED One’s mount accurately to within five microns. To see how easy the NULL Lens is to use, please check out our new online instructional video.

…continue reading NULL Lens Now Shipping