ETHICS STATEMENT: I made this in my own time (and it took A LOT of time!) for the readers of my blog. I was not paid by any manufacturer to do this. The two Nikons were supplied to me on loan as review cameras by Nikon UK for this review. I have never and will never be paid by a manufacturer to review a product. My opinions are my own and always will be. There is a big plug for my site sponsor Kessler Crane for their new products below, as they damn well deserve it. Brilliant stuff! Read more on my ethics statement here. 

I know I am a bit late to the party getting my reviews of the new Nikons out, but I have been on the road for almost 3 months. First in Australia and New Zealand and then in the US. I managed to get loan cameras from Nikon just before going to the US, so a big thanks to Nikon UK for helping me out there.

The full-frame look, for me, is a wonderful unique aesthetic. I already own three superb super 35mm video camera which all do a better job at shooting video than the three DSLRs in this test – I have the Sony FS100, F3 and Canon C300 (The Canon C300 was used to film this video) but their aesthetic is totally different. Very similar to crop-sensor DSLRs. Not a bad thing. Just different. Full-frame looks so unique that it is hard to quantify in words. Certainly, it can achieve much more shallow depth of field, which is a nice option to have in your box of tricks, but not one to use all the time!

The 5DMk II was the first full-frame DSLR to shoot usable HD video, and until the Mk III came out it was still the best. It was marred by image issues, in particular moire and aliasing, but it excelled in low light and had that UNIQUE aesthetic. It was and still is a great camera. The MkIII bettered it and it is reviewed fully here. That camera fixed the moire and aliasing issues and was enormously better in low light. Sharpness out of the camera was not great BUT could be improved a lot in post, unlike the MkII where sharpening just made the image look worse.

My first DSLR was a Nikon, and I have bought a lot of the video shooting ones. The D90, D3s, D7000, D5100. All disappointing in video. The D5100 the first to shoot 1080p 25p but with no proper manual control. The D7000 had no 1080p 25p and no onscreen metering. All of them suffered from disappointing images. I have wanted Nikon to bring out their own fantastic video shooting DSLR for such a long time, as they really have been playing catch up. It really has taken until the D800 for them to finally bring out a camera that is pretty damn good for shooting video!

I go into a lot of detail in the rather long video below. I hope it will entertain and inform you for its running length. I show resolution and image issue tests, show off the full frame aesthetic, discuss features, and demonstrate how they all compare in low light.

The one bit I missed out of the test was rolling shutter issues. They are all the same. Very difficult to tell them apart!

I didn’t do a dynamic range comparison as that is too damn tricky to get accurate without knowing how to get the best picture profiles for the D4 and D800. Too many chances of making a mistake.

The ProRes recorded footage looked great but to the compressed web eyes identical. Only when pushing hard in post does it really start to shine.

No 5DmkIII footage was sharpened (nor Nikon) in any of the shots. This is straight out of the camera. The MK3 would have looked way sharper had I done that.

Check out the “Kessler’s People” video at the bottom of this post. Shot for the review but I have made a little self contained version. It’s shot the D800 and Mk3. All have been graded in Colorista II and the Mk3 has around 25 sharpen on it in Premiere Pro CS6. 7 Shots are on the Mk3 the rest are D800. Can you tell which are which?! All shot with Zeiss ZF 50mm F1.4 and 35mm F1.4.

Huge thanks to TheMusicBed.Com for their excellent music, to Sarah Estela who shot all the links and helped out so much, and to all at Kessler Crane and the NY meet-up for being a part of the video.

The D800 anti-aliasing filter is available from Mosaic engineering by clicking the link below. A version for the 7D is out now too.

I will be taking a look at all the excellent new Kessler Crane products very soon, including their fantastic new quick release plates which adhere to the Arca standard size, the shuttle pod mini and their brilliant new low profile ball head (I did help design it!) for putting cameras on sliders easily but with excellent adjustment. You can check them all out here. 

The new quick release plate system

The new Kessler low profile ball head

Low profile ball head on slider caddy

ball head with new multi angle plate

You can help support my site by buying your cameras or gear through one of my affiliates. Without this help I wouldn’t be able to make this videos. It doesn’t cost you any more. Thanks!

Full Frame Shootout: Nikon D800 / D4 / Canon 5DmkIII from Philip Bloom on Vimeo.

Shot on the Canon C300

Sound Devices Pix 240

Kessler’s People:5DmkIII and Nikon D800 from Philip Bloom on Vimeo.

Shot as part of my “Full Frame Shootout” and expanded for a bit of fun. http://vimeo.com/42065372

I shot this on both the D800 and mk3. But which shots are which? Can you tell?

7 are on the Mk3 and 23 are on the D800.

You can visit Kessler Crane’s website here: http://www.kesslercrane.com/?Click=85

Music from www.themusicbed.com
Daniel Elsworth: Cardinal Wings

Read the review and more on my blog post here: www.philipbloom.net/?p=24958

ETHICS STATEMENT: I have not been paid by Adobe to use Premiere. I have all the main NLEs and I have been BETA testing CS6 for a few months. The improvements as detailed below convinced me to go with the CS6. I have no financial relationship with Adobe. Read more on my ethics statement here.

I learnt to edit tape to tape about 16 years ago at Sky News whilst working as a News Cameraman. It made my camerawork SO much better. It was a great way to learn to edit. No “Apple Z” – you had to make hard decisions and stick with them. You also had to be FAST. First time I cut my own work, I said “Who the f*** shot this?!” I didn’t hold shots long enough, didn’t get enough coverage…etc, etc. Knowing how to edit makes you a better shooter. Fact.

My first editing experience on an NLE (Non Linear Editor) was Final Cut Pro 1. I used this for personal stuff on my Mac. It was fun and very freeing. I loved it and could afford it! At work I trained up on Avid Newscutter and Media Composer. It felt very natural and easy too. I loved it. Way better than FCP 1 but very expensive.

When I went freelance 6 and a half years ago, I invested in Final Cut Studio as it was the most affordable editing solution for me. I knew it well and Avid was still too expensive for me and (at the time) needed additional hardware. Once I made that investment, I stuck with it and used Final Cut Pro 7 very happily ever since then.

Now, I love Final Cut. I am incredibly fast on it and I can almost edit blindfolded. But for over 3 years it stayed stuck where it was. It didn’t use the hardware of my fancy new Macbook Pros or iMacs or Mac Pros. It barely used any of my system’s memory. It stayed at 32 bit. Speed performance just stayed where it was. It was frustrating. I desperately wanted a Final Cut Studio 4. It didn’t come.

Last year Apple came out with FCPX. A revolutionary editing system that is very progressive and bold. But it didn’t and still doesn’t do a lot of what I want. I bought it, tried it and went back to 7. It is getting better and better though. I have friends who use it and like it. I am sure I will give it another try at some point. The problem is that, when it came out, it simply was not a replacement for FCP 7. Just a different way of editing, I wanted FCP 8 essentially.

So I messed around with the Avid MC5.5 and now 6. MC6 is a huge improvement and is one of the best editing platforms out there. Keeping up to speed on it for me is essential, even though it is not something I use professionally right now. It’s fast, stable and easy to use, and the price has crashed down since I first went freelance. MC6 finally opening up to 3rd party plug ins is a huge step for it.

I tested out Premiere CS5.5 last year and found its interface clunky and unattractive but with nice features. It wasn’t for me. Especially as without an Nvidia card I wasn’t getting the full speed benefits of the Mercury Playback Engine.

When I was offered the chance to BETA test CS6 I jumped at it. This was about 6 months ago and I was still using FCP 7 after trying the other systems as described above and needed to find a replacement I was happy with. It’s not that FCP7 was getting slower for me, I just knew I could work a lot faster than it was letting me.

Since getting CS6, I have been sinking my teeth into it and found it incredibly rewarding and exactly what I needed FCP to become. It’s also better for mac users without Nvidia cards as the Open CL means we can get the Mercury Engine working on non-Nvidia graphics cards. Multi-format timelines with NO TRANSCODING? Brilliant! I can even mix 24p and 25p on the same timeline. One of the projects I am editing currently is a documentary with epic, F3, a f100,5dmk2 footage all on the same timeline, all native. It works. Yeah the 5k stuff struggles on my laptop and I have to drop resolution, but you can do it. The rest of the stuff works beautifully.

In some ways I miss editing on Final Cut, and in other ways I don’t. I am not as fast or confident with CS6 yet but I am getting there… Does this mean I won’t still keep checking out Final Cut X? Of course not. I am always watching what is going on. For now, CS6 is the best editing system for me. Is it for you? Maybe. I cannot say! It depends on your needs! FCP X is revolutionary in its design and will I am sure become a great platform. MC6 is a powerhouse and used all over the industry. CS6 though, and in particular with the production premium suite, gives you integration with After Effects and much more. Premiere CS6 on its own is incredible for me. With the integration, again for me, it cannot be beaten. I am using it, loving it and very importantly I save so much time now. My computers are being used to their max and finally I have software that has caught up to my hardware.

You can read more about my experiences in this interview that was original published on provideo coalition below. 

You can also buy the bundled production premium boxed version from B&H or the download from Amazon below. It doesn’t cost you anything but it helps to keep my site running! You can also get just Premiere via the link below too!

Adobe: When did you first start learning to edit video?

Bloom: I was trained to edit approximately 15 years ago using a tape-to-tape workflow. I initially learned how to use Avid at work, and became very familiar and fast with it. For personal work, when the first version of Final Cut Pro came out, I began using that because it was more affordable than Avid.

Adobe: Why did you start looking at Adobe Premiere Pro for editing?

Bloom: With the more recent Final Cut Pro releases, I felt the hardware wasn’t being utilized to its full potential and the software should have been faster. Time is important and doing things quickly is a huge benefit in my line of work. I started exploring alternatives and purchased Avid Media Composer and Adobe Premiere Pro CS5.

Adobe: What did you think when you first started using Adobe Premiere Pro?

Bloom: In all honesty, I thought it was ugly and not very intuitive. Avid was good but it lacked integration with third-party plug-ins. When Final Cut Pro X was released, it became even more difficult to do what I wanted to do. I was a bit stuck, but then I upgraded to Adobe Premiere Pro CS5.5 and felt it was much better than the previous version. Still, I kept going back and forth between Final Cut Pro 7 and Adobe Premiere Pro CS5.5.

Adobe: What finally convinced you to switch to Adobe Premiere Pro?

Bloom: I got to test a prerelease version of Adobe Premiere Pro CS6 and felt like I was finally making a natural progression from Final Cut Pro 7. It was intuitive and looked clean. After working with it on two or three different kinds of projects, I was comfortable using it. When I tried going back to Final Cut Pro 7, it was like taking a big step backwards.

Adobe: What do you like most about Adobe Premiere Pro CS6?

Bloom: It’s really a long list of little bits and pieces. Overall, Adobe Premiere Pro CS6 feels more fluid. The interface is cleaner and simpler to use, which makes it an easy transition from Final Cut Pro 7. I spend 90% of my year traveling and I often have to edit on my laptop so the ability to go full screen is very important. The enhanced audio controls are simpler and much easier to use. I love the integration of Warp Stabilizer, which I would Dynamic Link to in After Effects when I was using Adobe Premiere Pro CS5.5. It’s great to be able to link to other software, but it’s also nice to be able to do everything in a single program because it conserves resources.

Adobe: What do you find different about working in Adobe Premiere Pro CS6?

Bloom: Initially it can be tricky to move from one NLE to another. The analogy is like driving on the right versus left side of the road – you know you can do it, but you need to get your head around it each time. With Adobe Premiere Pro CS6, I actually felt like I needed to re-learn how to do things, but it was like I was now learning to drive properly. I realized that the way Final Cut Pro did things worked, but I never realized how clunky the implementation was. The way Adobe Premiere Pro CS6 works now makes more sense and seems more thought through. It’s like Adobe took what was great about Final Cut Pro and Premiere Pro and put them together.

Adobe: What would you say is the best thing about working with Adobe Premiere Pro CS6?

Bloom: The ability to play various formats on the timeline is wonderful. I’ve recently been editing native footage from the new Canon 5D Mark III. Even with a totally new format like the Mark III, Premiere recognized it and let me work with it natively, whereas other NLEs would not recognize it and try to convert it. Another documentary I’m editing has a mixture of footage, including RED Epic, Sony F3, Panasonic AF100, and Canon Cinema EOS C300. If I was working in Final Cut Pro I would have to transcode everything to ProRes, which would take a long time. I also just shot a documentary on a boat using a Canon C300 and was able to just offload the cards, throw the footage on the timeline without transcoding, throw on some color grades, and do rough edits in my cabin. The ability to edit these different types of footage natively is huge.

On May the 6th in New York City, I will be taking part in a special one-off “Masters in Motion” event. Following on from the enormously successful 3 day event in Austin last year, this one takes three key topics with excellent professionals teaching for a packed one-day event.

Adam Forgione, who spoke masterfully in Austin, goes in-depth with audio. His talk is essential if you want to lift your game with sound, which is one of the most important parts of filmmaking… Enormously talented Cinematographer Timur Civan tackles lighting. Timur lights beautifully and practically. Listening to him talk and seeing his approach will be incredibly rewarding. Then I will go in-depth on a commercial short film from conception, to prep, to shooting, lighting, camera, lenses, sound, music and post. I’ll be looking closely at each part of the process to give you an incredibly detailed dissection of a short film, which will give you invaluable information when it comes to making your own work. The film I will be going into is “Portrait of a boxer”.

Portrait of a boxer from Philip Bloom on Vimeo.

It’s going to be a lot of fun, but more importantly really invaluable learning. There is limited availability, and tickets are available from the website here.

I hope you can make it!!

For a more hands-on shooting workshop I am doing 3, 3-day full on shooting workshops with Nino Leitner and Sebastian Wiegartner in Las Vegas, Key West and Majorca. During April and late June/ July. Details on the above banner or here.

Timur Civan 2011 Cinematography Reel from Timur Civan on Vimeo.

Occupy Wall Street | What Do They Want? Prosperity from Adam Forgione on Vimeo.

I don’t often do posts just on other people’s work unless it is pretty special. I have my own Vimeo Channel that has my favourite work from other people on it. Please check it out here by clicking the image below. The stuff there is wonderful!

My friend Shawn Reeder has made this beautiful video Yosemite: Range of Light. It is one of the most beautiful timelapse films I have ever seen. The way Shawn follows the light is masterful. My favourite shot is the reflection of the stars in the water. This is a man at the top of his game. Epic! Enjoy!

Yosemite Range of Light from Shawn Reeder on Vimeo.

I am a destination visual artist who specializes in photography, timelapse cinematography, & filmmaking.  I love to travel, so if you have a project in some far flung location, lets talk.

Yosemite National Park, the High Sierra, and the Eastern Sierra are some of the most beautiful places on earth. Ever since I serendipitously won a trip to Yosemite when I was 18, the beautiful Range of Light has captured my heart and become my home. Nothing brings me more joy than to share this life changing beauty with others.

Ever since I became fascinated with timelapse photography almost 2 years ago, after seeing the work of Tom Lowe, I’ve wanted to do a piece on Yosemite and the Sierra. Now after almost 2 years of shooting, I’m thrilled to share. I hope you enjoy my vision of my home, the majestic Yosemite & Sierra. Best viewed Full Screen with Sound

If you would like to license any of my clips or hire me to shoot for you, please be in touch.

Web: http://shawnreeder.com
Email: shawn@shawnreeder.com
Facebook: facebook.com/shawnreeder
Twitter: twitter.com/shawnreeder

Music licensed and used with permission by: www.shaunpaul.com
Composition used: Sounds of Peace

Huge thanks to Kessler Crane and Lens Pro To Go. Without their help this piece would not have been nearly as good.

http://kesslercrane.com

http://lensprotogo.com

Also a huge thanks to all of you who help support me with your warm comments and continuing encouragement. It means more to me than you know.

I hope this inspires everyone to get outside and explore the beautiful outdoors, especially magical places like Yosemite National Park and the High Sierra. It’s National Parks week and all of our national parks are free this week, so get outside and explore!

*So it seems like a lot of people are asking what gear I used. I’m not going to detail every little thing, but here’s the core of what I used: (Shot at 5k in Canon RAW)

Canon 5D Mark II
Canon 5D Mark III
Canon 14L II & 16-35L II (rented from LensProToGo)
Canon 17-40L, 24-105L, 50L, 70-200L IS
KesslerCrane 5 foot Cineslider, Revolution Head, Oracle’s & Basic controller, Elektra Motors, AT Outrigger Feet

ETHICS STATEMENT: Zacuto have been my longest site sponsor and they make terrific accessories for all sorts of cameras. I have been a loyal customer ever since I bought my first rig from them 5 years ago. They have also become great friends of mine through “Critics” and “Filmfellas”. Please read more on my ethics statement page here. I wouldn’t recommend their gear if I didn’t rate it as the best.

It’s a been almost a week since NAB finished, so sorry for delay with this… I have been hard at work on the 3 day filmmakers masterclasses in Vegas and now prepping for the one in Key west starting Friday. 

I didn’t get a chance to see anywhere near as many new toys at the show as I would have liked. Too many speaking engagements and meetings with not enough time to explore! Of course I did get to see the new Kessler and Zacuto gear. I will be covering the new Kessler gear in a forthcoming post, but here is a little info on the new Zacuto stuff. Most importantly their new recoil kit for cameras like the C300, Red, F3, FS100 etc which can also be used for DSLRs. It’s the lightest shoulder rig I have used and the most comfortable. It needs to be used with the EVF but its positioning of the camera on the shoulder is easily the most natural position for the camera. With their new follow focus attachment, the Tornado, you can mechanically control your lens from the handgrip – using a rig like this suddenly becomes about 10 x easier! No more letting go of the handle to adjust focus.

This cool and innovative idea is covered by my friend Edi Schneider along with other cools bits on his video below. Also below is Matt Allard who made the video with my friend Dan Chung.

The recoil kit is for sale now but the follow focus add on and light are not out yet. Soon….Click here to order and see more.

Zacuto NAB News 2012 from Schneider Productions on Vimeo.

NAB 2012: Zacuto Recoil rigs and Tornado remote mechanical follow focus on Canon C500, C300, Sony FS100 and Red Scarlet from Dan Chung on Vimeo.

EDIT: Next batch will go on sale Tuesday 24th April at 11am Eastern USA time and 9PM Eastern USA Time! Sorry these are in so short supply but demand is huge and each one is handmade. Kessler Crane are looking for new factories to help make more but quality is paramount. The add to cart option goes live at the Kessler Site here at the above times.

Philip Bloom Signature Series Pocket Dolly Overview from Philip Bloom on Vimeo.

Kessler Crane Philip Bloom Pocket Dolly Review from Chris Weatherly on Vimeo.

The 3 foot version

Honestly, I find this hard to believe myself, but I actually have had a piece of gear made to my specifications and being sold with my name on it! Blimey! I am a very humble guy and am utterly flattered that this has been made! I cannot thank Eric Kessler enough! Although doesn’t a Philip Bloom Pocket Dolly sound a bit wrong and kind of blow up? Not that I could imagine anyone EVER wanting one of those (apart from my cats?!)

So…finally after much teasing, the “Philip Bloom Signature Edition” Pocket Dolly is out for sale, both in 2 foot and 3 foot versions…and before you ask, yes I can write and that is my actual signature not some font (which a lovely lady friend said she liked the dolly but didn’t like the font! )

With the advent of DSLRs shooting video, sliders have become an essential part of any filmmaker’s kit. The ability to do small dolly moves can make your shot so much more cinematic.

I have been using various sliders for almost two years and none of them ever fulfilled my needs completely. Too heavy, not smooth enough etc…

The Kessler Crane Cineslider has been by far the greatest slider I have ever used with two downsides for me. The size and weight. I fly a lot and it is simply too big without its own case, and it needs support on either end ideally or a heavy duty tripod. I often use lightweight tripods and wanted the design of the Cineslider combined with the weight of the Kessler Crane Pocket Dolly. The Pocket Dolly V2 is a superb dolly but I personally missed the features of the Cineslider.

With a 16mm Bolex on it!!

The 2 Foot version

This is the best piece of kit I have ever used and I am incredibly proud for it be the first piece of gear to ever bear my name!

It is completely compatible with the Elektra Drive and Oracle motorised system. Simply remove the drag control and fit the motor on exactly as you would do with the Cineslider.

This slider is SERIOUSLY smooth, I call it a “one take slider”, you only need to do the shot again if you cock up, not the gear sticking on you!

It comes as a kit only with the outrigger feet, lovely case, dolly 2 foot or 3 foot and the flat head tripod adaptor. Both the 3 foot and 2 foot are $995 intro price, then it’s $1,095 after the first 12 have gone…I LOVE this dolly. Yes it is more money than the Pocket Dolly V2 but it is essentially a lightweight Cineslider with all the perks of that model and then some, you get the outrigger feet and head mount too. The dolly is also tested for completely smoothness to a 100 feet using a laser for pinpoint accuracy.

Measuring tape for use with elektra drive and oracle motorized system

2 nights in Mallory Square from Philip Bloom on Vimeo.

Shot on the Canon 5D MK II to test out the Kessler Crane Pocket Jib and the new special Philip Bloom Pocket Dolly.

>

Filmed over two evenings at Mallory Square in Key West, Florida

You can watch the recording of the stream below, and can also see the video that we critiqued below, from Chris Weatherly.

Open Your Eyes from Chris Weatherly on Vimeo.

Score: “Open Your Eyes” by Andrew Belle – (http://www.andrewbelle.com) used with permission.

The song can be downloaded from iTunes: http://bit.ly/96WXnv

Shot entirely on the Canon 7D using various Nikon AIS and D lenses.

Special thanks to the Brandon and Jessica for allowing me to document this difficult season of their lives.

This really is the NAB of new camera releases. Hot off the heels of the Canon C500, 1D-C and the Sony FS700, Blackmagic Design who are known for their recorders and transcoding boxes, have announced a new cinema camera! Bloody hell!

Its specs that have been released are very impressive and it’s damn cheap, especially bundled with Davinci Resolve and Ultrascopes which by themselves would cost you $1600! It’s going for the low budget crowd and that is great news!

Edit: The sensor is a little smaller than the M43 and a little bigger than super 16mm… so a direct competitor to the digital bolex.

I got to check it out at NAB and it is a very interesting camera. Obviously the price and features are astonishing. The key thing when anything like this is using it. So I hope to test it out soon and report back!

Initial impressions are that the form factor is rather odd and will need a rig to hold it. Touch screens are fine when there are physical alternatives but it’s all touch screen here. The Canon EF mount is limiting. Wide angles are going to be a problem with this sensor…Otherwise I rather liked it, the quirky design could well grown on me and having thunderbolt/ raw/ prores/ dnxhd on board is fantastic. Let’s see how she performs now!

Key features:

Raw recording

2.5k

13 stops dynamic range

Integrated SSD to record Cinema DNG Raw, ProRes and DNxHD

EF Canon mount

SDI and Thunderbolt (!)

Integrated touch screen LCD

Free full copy of DaVinci Resolve and Ultrascopes

$2995! Shipping in July.

You can check out some videos here

There is more info on John Brawley’s site here who shot the test footage

Blackmagic Cinema Camera Tech Specs

Here are some images from John of him with the camera…

 

Here is the press release…

Blackmagic Cinema Camera

We have been thinking hard about cameras and some of the limitations in quality that video cameras run into. Working with DaVinci color grading has only made these limitations more noticeable. 

 Some of the reasons why video cameras look like “video” is because they have limited contrast range, are limited to HD resolutions, use heavy compression for file recording, have poor quality lenses and of course they don’t integrate into NLE software with metadata management. 

We decided to address these problems by developing a camera that provides feature film quality in an extremely compact portable design.

The Blackmagic Cinema Camera includes a super wide 13 stops of dynamic range, large 2.5K sensor, integrated SSD recorder that has the bandwidth to capture CinemaDNG RAW, ProRes and DNxHD files, integrated capacitive touchscreen LCD for direct metadata entry, standard jack audio connectors, refrigerated sensor and it’s fully compatible with EF and ZF mount lenses. 

The Blackmagic Cinema Camera also includes SDI and Thunderbolt connectors and it comes with a full copy of DaVinci Resolve and UltraScope software. Imagine plugging in your laptop for on set grading and scopes!

The 13 stops of dynamic range is one of the most important reasons why this camera looks like film. Often people focus on more pixels, but that is just a larger video image. The real way to get film quality is to capture a wide contrast range to retain more detail in the black and white levels of the image. Then once you color grade the images, it looks amazing! Combined with amazing EF and ZF lenses, the result is a true film look!

Of course the quality is killed if you compress the images when recording them, so we built in an SSD recorder. That means you get the recording speed you need to record the full 2.5K RAW sensor data into completely uncompressed CinemaDNG files. This means you get all the detail and quality of the sensor. 

No files on this camera are custom in any way and this is the first camera that’s designed to make the whole post production process simple. It records into CinemaDNG format for RAW files, and DNxHD or ProRes for HD resolution files compatible with Avid Media Composer and Apple Final Cut Pro. 

You can play back all recorded files on the LCD, and there is a built-in microphone and speaker for reviewing audio. Of course you will want to plug in high quality audio into the standard jack connectors and the audio is always recorded uncompressed for highest quality.

The integrated LCD has a touchscreen and when tapped, a window called the “slate” appears where you can type in shot information just like typing on a smartphone. This is then recorded into the file as metadata in the Final Cut Pro X and DaVinci Resolve format. Common data like shot number can auto increment to save time. 

 You can also change camera settings on this touch LCD, such as frame rate, shutter angle, color temperature, dynamic range, focus assist settings and more. The SDI output also has overlays showing you all the camera data when monitoring on set, and even the same data when playing back recorded files!

The design is machined from a solid block of aluminum and looks amazing. It’s strong, very compact and designed to be easily hand held. I am still amazed we have fitted all this into such a small design, when normally features like RAW recorders and monitoring can be optional extras on cinema cameras. 

A cinematographer friend of ours, John Brawley, has been working with the camera for the last few weeks. He’s shot some test clips in the process of working out what the camera’s capabilities are and we have posted them online for your to see. Even though some of them are just hand held test shots near John’s house, they are still great to see as examples of what’s creatively possible. Remember to select HD when viewing them! 

http://vimeopro.com/johnbrawleytests/blackmagic-cinema-camera

NAB 2012: Blackmagic $2995 Digital Cinema Camera – Detailed Interview from Dan Chung on Vimeo.

Dslrnewsshooter technical editor Matt Allard talks to Black Magic design about their new Digital Cinema camera at the NAB 2012 show.

For full coverage go to www.dslrnewsshooter.com

I will try and do a few blog posts here at NAB…It’s a few days before we start but we are off!

Another day, another couple of cameras announced…well it seems that way!

Hot on the heels of the very competitively priced Sony FS700, which should go for around £6k plus tax in England, comes the Canon 4K DSLR AKA the  EOS 1D-C and a sneak peak at the C500…

The 4k DSLR has been much rumoured for some time, and the C500…well a lot of people have complained about the C300 being just 1080p. Well the C500 is capable of 4k with an external recorder. Here is the official press release…slightly shortened by me!

The most important info is at the bottom of my post. Do not miss that. It explains how much we need 4k!

“CANON U.S.A. INTRODUCES EOS-1D C DIGITAL SLR CAMERA FEATURING 4K HIGH-RESOLUTION VIDEO CAPTURE

Newest Addition to the Canon Cinema EOS Product Line Combines the Convenient Form Factor of a Digital SLR Camera with Full HD and 4K Video Recording up to 4096 x 2160-Pixel Resolution

LAKE SUCCESS, N.Y., April 12, 2012 – Continually advancing the frontiers of digital high-resolution motion-image capture for film, television, and other industries, Canon U.S.A., Inc., a leader in digital imaging solutions, today announced the EOS-1D C digital single-lens reflex (SLR) camera.* Delivering outstanding video performance, the compact, lightweight EOS-1D C provides video recording at 4K (4096 x 2160-pixel) or Full HD (1920 x 1080-pixel) resolution to support high-end motion picture, television production and other advanced imaging applications.

Equipped with an 18.1-megapixel full-frame 24mm x 36mm Canon CMOS sensor, the camera records 8-bit 4:2:2 Motion JPEG 4K video to the camera’s CF memory card at 24 frames-per-second (fps) or Full HD 1920 x 1080 video at selectable frame rates from 24p to 60p, making it possible for next-generation visual expression with even higher image-quality and resolution performance.

“The Canon EOS-1D C digital SLR camera was designed in response to the needs of filmmakers, television producers, and other high-level motion-imaging professionals,” stated Yuichi Ishizuka, executive vice president and general manager, Imaging Technologies & Communications Group, Canon U.S.A. “Not only does it combine 4K and Full HD video capture with a convenient design, its use of dual CF cards also offers an efficient workflow compatible with today’s post-production requirements.”

Creative Control
The Canon EOS-1D C digital SLR camera incorporates Canon Log Gamma to enable the recording of high-quality video with rich gradation expression, making possible the type of impressive image quality required in motion pictures by maximizing both highlight and shadow detail retention while also providing a high level of color-grading freedom. The EOS-1D C’s full-frame 24 x 36mm 18.1-megapixel Canon CMOS sensor makes possible a wide range of creative imaging expression, such as image-blur effects. Additional features include an expanded sensitivity range of up to ISO 25600 for exceptional motion-imaging results with reduced noise even in low-light settings. The camera’s ability to record 8-bit 4:2:2 4K and 8-bit 4:2:0 Full HD video to CF cards eliminates the need for an external recorder and enables workflows with increased mobility. If desired, however, captured video (excluding 4K video) can be output from the camera’s HDMI terminal to an external recorder using an uncompressed YCbCr 8-bit 4:2:2 signal.

4K video is captured by an approximately APS-H-sized portion of the full image sensor, while Full HD video can be captured in the user’s choice of two different imaging formats:

The standard Full HD setting captures the full 36mm width of the CMOS sensor to achieve the largest possible angle of view for any compatible lens.

An optional Super 35 crop setting enables cinematographers to match the industry-standard imaging format and angle of view achieved by traditional motion picture cameras. This enables video footage from the EOS-1D C camera to more closely match the look of footage from other cameras in multi-camera shooting environments.

Other useful video-related features on the EOS-1D C DSLR include a built-in headphone jack for real-time audio monitoring, and the ability to view the camera’s LCD even when the HDMI port is connected to an external monitor. The EOS-1D C camera uses the same LP-E4N battery pack as the EOS-1D X, and it can also be powered by an optional AC Adapter Kit.

The EOS-1D C camera ships with Canon software applications including EOS Utility, which enables various camera settings to be adjusted from a PC, and Picture Style Editor. These two personal computer applications enable users to view the camera’s live output on an external monitor1 and adjust the image in real-time to maximize shooting and post-production efficiencies. The software also ensures no loss of quality for 4K/Motion JPEG and full HD/60p video displayed on the external monitor, and it enables video shot with Canon Log Gamma to be output on the monitor with video gamma applied.

The Canon EOS-1D C digital SLR camera is scheduled to be available within 2012 at a suggested retail price of $15,000.

C500

CANON ANNOUNCES DEVELOPMENT OF 4K DIGITAL CINEMA CAMERAS

LAKE SUCCESS, N.Y., April 12, 2012 – Canon Inc. is developing two digital cinematography cameras as part of its acclaimed new Cinema EOS System of professional cinematography products. Designated as the Cinema EOS C500* for use with EF-mount lenses, and the Cinema EOS C500 PL* for use with PL-mount lenses, the cameras will be capable of originating 4K (4096 x 2160-pixel) resolution digital motion imagery with uncompressed RAW output for external recording, in response to growing expectations for higher levels of imaging performance in premium Hollywood films and other production markets requiring the utmost in picture quality.

“With the unveiling of our Cinema EOS System last November to great acclaim, Canon marked our full-fledged entry into the motion-picture production market,” stated Yuichi Ishizuka, executive vice president and general manager, Imaging Technologies & Communications Group, Canon U.S.A. “To further serve the needs of Hollywood’s premier filmmakers, Canon is developing the Cinema EOS C500 and Cinema EOS C500 PL digital cinematography cameras, which deliver the added benefit of full 4K motion-image capture to the Cinema EOS System.”

The 4K imaging format is emerging as the new standard for advanced effects and post-production in Hollywood, and it is particularly important for big-budget motion pictures that include scenes compositing live-action cinematography with high-resolution computer-generated imagery. The Cinema EOS C500/C500 PL digital cinematography cameras will not only support 4K-resolution video but also outputs this as a 10-bit uncompressed RAW data stream with no de-Bayering. The cameras offer the additional versatility of being able to output quad full-HD (3840 x 2160), 2K (2048 x 1080), full HD (1920 x 1080), and other imaging options. All of these digital image source formats fully conform to established SMPTE production standards. All 4K formats can be selected to operate from one to 60 frames per second. The cameras employ a 12-bit RGB 4:4:4 signal format during 2K output, which can be selected to operate from one to 60 frames-per-second (fps) as well. If switched to a 10-bit YCrCb 4:2:2 mode, the camera can operate up to 120 fps.

The Cinema EOS C500 simultaneously records in-camera a 50 Mbps HD proxy video to a CF card that is immediately available to support offline editing. Equipped with a newly developed Super 35mm-equivalent approximately 8.85-megapixel CMOS sensor, the cameras will be compatible with Canon’s wide range of interchangeable EF Cinema and PL-mount lenses and EF lenses for Canon SLR cameras. Highly mobile and compact for filmmaking versatility, the Cinema EOS C500/C500 PL digital cinematography cameras – like Canon’s Cinema EOS C300/C300 PL cinematography cameras – provide all of the same ergonomic features, except for the rotating hand grip.

Further details regarding the Cinema EOS C500/C500 PL digital cinematography cameras – including specifications and pricing – have yet to be decided. Plans call for these new products to be launched later this year. In addition to targeting a swift launch of these cameras, Canon will continue to enhance other components of its Cinema EOS System product lineup, which is designed to contribute to the continued advancement of tools for visual expression and the development of cinematic culture.

Canon will display a prototype of the Cinema EOS C500/C500 PL digital cinematography camera at the 2012 NAB Show in booth C4325 at the Las Vegas Convention Center from April 16 to 19.”

So…what do you think? The C500 sounds very interesting. It’s essentially my C300 with a much better output, as it can output 4k raw at up to 60 frames per second to a compatible external recorder. Internally, it looks like it can do up to 60fps in full HD as a “proxy” which I expect will be of similar quality to the C300…just with 1080p instead of 720p at 60fps. Outputting 2K seems to be a 12 bit 444 signal, very nice and if you drop to 10 bit you can output 120fps. From what I can see…and the info is very scarce, that will only be externally for those frame rates.

Both a PL version and EF version will be out. Shame that again there is no single version with a swappable mount like a RED or the F3.

Price…dunno! I am in Vegas now for NAB and I will be going to the launch event on Sunday, so we should know more soon! EDIT: I am hearing between $25k and $30k

The 1DC…a full frame 4k DSLR. Gotta say I am really in two minds about this one. What it has over the C500 is internal 4k record in motion jpeg 8 bit 422 but it seems just at 24p. No word on 25p or anything higher. For higher frame rates, looks like you need to drop to 2k.

Even though it’s full frame it does a windowed super 35mm size for compatibly with cinema lenses that cannot fill a full frame. Actually the 4k video itself is not full frame. It’s APS-H size. About  a 1.3x crop. To get the full frame of the sensor, you need to be in full HD mode.

It’s actually pretty confusing and complicated  so let me break it down…

4k APS-H 8 bit 4:2:2 24p (500 mbps) Motion Jpeg recording

Full HD 1080p 4:2:0 up to 60p (same a mk3, 50p and 60p 180mbps)

An 8 bit stream in full HD can be recorded via the HDMI, yes crappy HDMI only am afraid. No external 4k output is available. Probably mini HDMI and that is NOT a connection I trust. 

Canon Log like the C300 and C500 is on this camera

It also takes stills!!

With a price tag of around $15k it’s an insanely pricey DSLR. The fact that it can record 4k internally is pretty damn sweet, the FS700 cannot do that, only RED cameras can do that and the forthcoming JVC (but that is via 4 streams and it’s a teeny weeny sensor!) But it’s only 24p and I have yet to see footage. That may change on Sunday. I am hoping we will have a 4k projection! But $15k….that’s a lot of wonga for a camera that has no XLRs, SDI, NDs etc etc…it’s a DSLR that shoots 4k video!

As someone who recently forked out a lot of cash for the C300…how do I feel about the C500? Not sure! If the price is close to the C300 then I will be at Canon HQ with pitchforks…if it’s a lot more, then Canon will have an issue as the Sony FS700 does a very similar job and is a lot less. Build quality (if going via the C300 vs FS100) is nowhere near as good, and internal recording not a patch, but both of these cameras will require an external SDI recorder to get 4k, and if you are getting one of these cameras ONLY for 4k then just from this little information and without me even trying either, on paper, the FS700 looks a better bet. HUGE CAVEAT THOUGH: Until footage is seen this is all speculation. After all the C300 HD is much superior to the FS100 full HD. I initially poo-pood the C300, then I held it and shot with it and fell in love with it from then on. So never trust specs!

BUT with a rumoured price tag of $25-30k, who is the C500 for? Well it really is in the RED Epic territory there and to be honest not a bad place to be. It’s just not a camera for the masses but for feature film production. After all, the C300 was launched on November 3rd in Hollywood as a Cinema camera. For me it never was. I bought it as a broadcast camera. The lack of 10 bit and good slow motion sold it short to compete in the feature film arena. The C500 addresses those issues with a price tag to compete in that arena.

It really does feel like we are very much at the start of the 4k revolution. It’s only going to get better, and it probably is best to wait…with new cameras coming out more frequently than I change my underwear (about once a week!) it’s a difficult thing to know what to buy and to feel secure in your investment. External recorders are great, but there is nothing like a great internal recording. The RED Epic and Scarlet have that. It’s that internal recording of 4k 10 or 12 bit that is going to be key, and whoever comes out with one of those that is not RED will have a serious selling camera on there hands.

Oh did I mention that 99.9% really don’t need 4k? Future proofing? Sure that’s nice but not needed for the vast majority of my work. I still shoot some SD jobs!! The C300 shoots AMAZING quality full HD and I don’t see me needing much more than that for a couple of years. The FS700 is different. I would not be buying that for the 4k (again unseen) but for the stupidly fast speeds it can shoot at. Please do not get caught up in the misconception that you need 4k. We are only now finally getting good super 35mm sized full HD! 4k is a long way from being supported in production houses, a long way from being in people’s homes as standard. It also is huge workflow. With the 1Dc being around 3.75 gb per minute in 4k mode. That’s a lot of storage and computer power to work with that! Right now, in my opinion it’s far from essential.

Of course next up, whilst the 4k wars start, is the high speed camera wars. Expect A LOT of slow motion footage on Vimeo in the future!  Every video will be most likely be around 93 minutes long and just consist of people falling on their bums, being slapped in the face and having all sorts of liquids spilling out of glass etc! Hooray for democratised super slow motion!

Remember, when commenting don’t get angry. These are just cameras, and Canon has not taken your hopes, dreams and aspiration into a big box and crushed them into powdery oblivion whilst laughing as you cry like a 5 year old! THEY ARE JUST CAMERAS!! I hear the Canon T6i out in 2016 will have 4k as standard

EDIT: I saw footage tonight from both the 1DC courtesy of Shane Hurlbut and of the C500 courtesy of Jeff Cronoweth tonight in 4k and it looked amazing. The lack of 25p on the 1D-C is still a real shame!

I am writing this at London’s Gatwick airport waiting to board a flight to Vegas and NAB. Just 48 hours after getting home from Australia! UGH. Travelling sucks. Trust me…it’s not glamorous. It’s exhausting. But I am looking forward to catching up with all my friends and meeting lots of great new people.

Canon are about to announce exciting new cameras. They have been very busy recently with the C300 two months ago and the 5Dmk3 last month. What is coming out? Well that is another blog post, but for now here is a little short doc I shot whilst in Adelaide about a month ago as part of my Rode Microphones workshop tour.

When teaching there is no time to be creative, and as much as I enjoy the teaching aspect of my job, I do miss the shooting A LOT! So, on the first day off I had I set off with my C300 to film something, anything. Well I wanted to find a person to shoot and do a portrait of them. I went off to Rundle Mall where there were street performers to see what I could get. I did film a lovely American fella called Colin Campbell who rode a unicycle whilst juggling and playing bagpipes. I may cut something with him later on, but it was when I came a cross Arwen and Calin Diamond who are just 6 and 9 years old, doing magic in the street under the watchful eye of their former magician mother.

I watched and laughed and knew these kids would be the focus of my filming…as long as I was allowed! I asked their mum, explained what it was for and then filmed them.

The C300 is a wonderful camera. Broadcast accepted HD recording in an ergonomically friendly package. A first with a camera that doesn’t go on your shoulder. I had no rig, just the camera with a 17-55 F2.8 Canon IS lens and the Tokina 11-16mm F2.8 lens. Sound wise, I had a RODE NTG-3 on top, topped off with a bag over my shoulder with spare media and batteries. Nice and minimal! Really freeing. Not much bigger than a DSLR but with far superior image quality and proper audio monitoring (although the then-unreleased 5D mk3 now has that!).

The majority of it was shot on the 17-55 lens. Not a nice lens mechanically but great optically, and the IS makes it perfect for handheld shooting and with a nice range equivalent to a full frame 24-70mm…ish.

I filmed the kids once, then the rain came bucketing down and I interviewed then under shelter. Not the prettiest shot but we kept dry…both them and my camera! The 12 stop dynamic range of C-Log helped me a lot here! Then I caught up with them an hour later to film their performance again, which made up the bulk of the piece.

This mini doc is not flashy, it’s all handheld. The star is not the camera or my cinematography but the kids! They are the piece! Although the camera was an absolute joy to use.

With the new 4k DSLR and C500 coming out and of course the recently announced Sony FS700, where does the C300 sit? Well for me it is the perfect camera. It shoots normal speed video BEAUTIFULLY and its ergonomics as mentioned are absolutely great. Last week I shot a documentary in the north-west part of Australia and despite a power charging issue with the boat I was on, it performed brilliantly. I am cutting the doco now and below are some frame grabs which look sweet as! This camera without any external recorders or rigs works brilliantly. Best camera I have ever owned, and I have owned most of them! Although I do have an FS700 on order for that slow motion!

Are these new cameras going to make the C300 obsolete? Nope. Full HD is all I need for now and the best looking full HD broadcast approved in-camera is what I want. I have a lot of broadcast doc work lined up for this camera. It’s perfect for it! The doc I shot below was a mixture of handheld and tripod, and the camera excels at both. It’s also very small. For me it is still the best camera. There may be better ones coming out, but newer cameras coming out don’t make your current camera no good, just remember that. The market is moving insanely quickly and that isn’t ideal for investments, as resale value of them plummets. But as long as YOU use them and make money from them then they are still great cameras.

C300 frame grab

C300 frame grab

Mike Fletcher with his mk3. C300 frame grab

C300 frame grab

C300 frame grab

So here is “The Diamond Magic”. Edited native on Premiere CS6 and colour graded with Colorista II (discount code at top of post). A few shots I tried the warp stabilize on within Premiere and it worked a treat! Below that is a timelapse from the above documentary with a C300 shot at the end so stay tuned. It looks wonderful!

The Diamond Magic from Philip Bloom on Vimeo.

Mini doc of two kids I came across whilst walking around Adelaide the day before my penultimate RODE workshop down under. I had been travelling for two weeks and not shot a sausage, so I needed to shoot something. My creative juices were drying up…

I was in real minimal mode for my C300, no tripod, no rig. Handheld with the 17-55 F2.8 Canon IS lens. First camera like this I have been able to shoot handheld stuff without a rig!!

Sound was recorded in camera with the RODE NTG-3.

Starring Calin and Arwen diamond. Thanks to them for being so lovely and their mum for letting me film them.

Music: Mark Mothersbaugh

You can see more of them here: http://vimeo.com/user7123996

True North: King George Falls Timelapse from Philip Bloom extras on Vimeo.

Just a little taster of my shoot from last week.

I spent a week on the True North ship filming a documentary in the Kimberly region of Australia. It’s a film mixing real people’s stories with amazing scenery.

Hopefully get the full doco cut soon.

This is a timelpase of the front of the ship on the 1dmk4 with one C300 shot of the ship’s chopper leaving Eagle’s Falls.

Music is by the amazing Cinematic Orchestra “arrival of the birds”