I bumped into StudioBinder's Darya Danesh and Shant Kiraz at NAB 2016, and even in the middle of a massive dehydration headache I was glad to see them. They reminded me once again that in an oasis of gear in the Nevada desert, it's really about people. StudioBinder is cloud-based software which helps the production team show up when and where they should, a task which is the bane of most producers.
Read moreThis is the Most Inexpensive Way into GoPro-based VR I've Seen: 360Heros Starts at $199
360Heroes was early to the VR game, and at NAB 2016 they offered the lowest entry point into GoPro-based systems I could find -- a 4-camera rig which relies on you to supply the GoPros in their waterproof cases is $199 excluding cameras. But that truly is just the beginning.
Read moreHate the Foam in Your Pelican Case? Meet MyCaseBuilder's Custom Foam Inserts
I love my Pelican 1510. The pinch foam inside? Not so much. I met Steve Holand of MyCaseBuilder.com at NAB 2016 and was so enamored of his custom inserts that I'm going to try one myself. While I'm waiting, I thought I'd pass the find along.
Read moreZeiss Batis 18mm f/2.8: NAB 2016 First Look
Geez, I'm actually putting my money where my mouth is: last month I broke down and bought the Zeiss Touit 12mm f/2.8 for my a6000 (and now my a6300, too). Good thing I don't have a full frame e-mount camera yet, or I'd probably have to cough up the dough for the field of view equivalent Batis 18mm f/2.8. Sigh. Gear porn at its finest, from Las Vegas (NAB 2016).
Read moreFinally! iPro Case for iPhone 6s+ is Shipping, Enables the Full Monty!
I left a Pelican 1510 full of Sony bodies and prime lenses at home as I flew to Vegas for NAB 2016 (don't get me wrong: I LOVE them), vowing to repeat my NAB 2015 party trick of filming all my interviews and taking all of my pictures with an iPhone. But it was only after I arrived that I finally got my hands on the updated iPhone 6s+ iPro case, cornerstone of Schneider Optics' iPro lens system. And then some.
Of COURSE there are compromises when using an iPhone as your sole imaging device (more on that in a moment). But at a venue like NAB, they are far outweighed by the benefits -- at least for me. Incredibly small, lightweight and unobtrusive, the iPhone allows me to focus on the people with whom I'm speaking.
I just didn't want to put it in a rig like I did for the cover of my eBook Apple's iPhone: The Next Video Revolution. At NAB, bulking it up like that would defeat the whole purpose.
So I was stoked when NAB bud Niki Mustain of Schneider Optics snagged a just-shipping iPro case for the iPhone 6s+. I already had all the other gear I'd need to rock it - three iPro lenses by Schneider (Super-Wide, 2X and Macro), RØDE Videomic Me, Manfrotto's Pixi mini-tripod with integrated push-button locking ball head, and Aputure's not-yet-released-but-based-on-people's-reactions-Aputure-should-get-on-it Lightning Up micro-LED panel.
Apple iPhone 6s+, iPro case, iPro 2x lens, Manfrotto Pixi mini-tripod, RØDE Videomic Me, Las Vegas NAB 2016
I've already posted some shots from NAB, and next week I'll be posting videos. But videos are also where those compromises are really felt. I did an interview with Blackmagic Design bud (and Americas President) Dan May, but I REALLY could have used shallow depth of field. I also took no chances with audio, relying on a really great combo of gear (a TASCAM DR70-D field recorder and a pair of RØDElink Filmmaking Kits, packed in a little Domke bag). To be fair, I only used the RØDE Videomic Me once, and while it was credible, it wasn't nearly as good as my larger setup. Then again, acoustics at NAB are ALWAYS horrible -- it's just the nature of the beast.
PS: If anyone has a truly outstanding over-the-shoulder solution for one-man band hybrid video/stills shooter, let me know. Seems to me this is a hole in the market -- and I've looked at a lot of bags!
Pricing and availability:
12-bit, 4K DCI RAW Recording from Sony FS5 for $600 - Whoa.
Do you love the light weight, form factor, variable ND, and 120fps in HD of the FS5 but prefer the 4K quality coming out of the FS7? You're going to love this firmware upgrade for the FS5.
Read moreHasselblad H6D: the Best Software Interface I've Ever Seen on a Hardware-Based Camera
Oh, the Pressure: Live Blogging from NAB 2016!
It's back: NAB. This year I'll be live blogging from the Las Vegas convention floor as part of the NAB 2016 LiveBlog! team organized by planetMitch of planet5D (thanks for inviting me!). It should be pretty intense. Most interesting thing of all (especially for the guy who wrote "Apple's iPhone: The Next Video Revolution)? It's all predicated on everyone using their smartphones. See?
Read moreHasselblad Get Its Mojo Back: a Chat with CEO Perry Oosting
We sat down with Hasselblad's new CEO Perry Oosting at the New York launch of their 100 megapixel, 4K RAW 30fps recording H6D. Perry talks Hasselblad values like optical excellence, Scandinavian design -- and a smartphone's interface as the inspiration for their new touch-screen interface. He's an exceptionally straightforward guy, and the H6D is the first clear indication that Hasselblad is getting its mojo back. The second? Perry himself.
Read moreSony a6300 Usable Video Up to ISO 25600? Oh Baby! (Yeah, OK, it Depends)
In part 2 of my just-created series entitled "How Much Low Light Capability Does One Really Need How Often?" I conclude Sony Senior Technical Manager Mark Weir was spot-on when he told me that the a6300 has an extra stop of low light sensitivity over the a6000. Not earth-shattering, but you know what? I think it's pretty amazing - and I think I will rarely need more. For now.
Read moreRolling Shutter: Sony a6300 vs a6000 When Hugh's on Cold Medicine
I saw rolling shutter consequences on the Sony a6300 [B&H|Amazon] while I wasdown in Miami for a multi-day hands-on evaluation, but it didn't bother me very much -- it was a stupid fast pan, and for my everyday shooting, rolling shutter is a non-issue. This is not true for everyone though, so now that I have the a6300 on extended loan, here's a dedicated rolling shutter test comparing it to the a6000. Warning: not necessarily the best idea to do a test (especially the edit) while on cold medicine.
Read moreLow Light Testing of Sony a6300: Usable Up to ISO 51200!
Yes, Sony's a7S II blew me away last fall with its low light capability. But in part 1 of my just-created series entitled "How Much Low Light Capability Does One Really Need How Often?" Sony's a6300 leaves me gobsmacked. I also recant my earlier assessment of Sony's 24-70mm f/4 E-mount lens -- I thought it was great this time around -- while reaffirming my joy with Sony's FE 28mm f/2 and Zeiss' Touit 12mm f/2.8. Your mileage may vary.
Read moreSony Lens Sale? Yumbo!
I'm not usually into sales, but B&H is running their semi-annual Sony Alpha lens sale. I have to admit, it talks to me -- and may talk to you.
Read moreLitepanels Astra Soft Bi-Color 1x1 LED Panel: Beautiful Light, Beautiful Design
Litepanels basically created the market for LED panels, but competition has grown fierce. Good thing they’ve updated their panel technology, added more sophisticated control (including smartphone app), amped up their industrial design, raised output, and lowered price. It will still be too expensive for some, but it will definitely be well worth it for others – especially those who intend to use them day-in/day-out both in studio and on location. The Astra 1x1 Soft Bi-Color adds to the Astra family the best built-in diffuser I've ever used.
Read moreAputure Takes a New Turn: Smartphone Accessories
Life just gets more and more interesting (forget about the big issues that face us these days - they border on overwhelming -- let's just talk about gear). Aputure recently sent me two new products, both aimed at the smartphone market. Good idea!
Read moreSony a6300 vs. FS5, 120 fps: Which is Which?
What's the difference in image quality between the Sony FS5 with a freakin' Zeiss Milvus 100mm f/2 (adapted via Commlite) -- and the new Sony a6300 with Sony's little E 50mm f/1.8? You be the judge. Just remember: the price difference is a little more than $6,000.
Read moreWe Have a Winner of the Aputure VS-1 FineHD 7" Field Monitor!
I TOLD you this wasn't an April Fool's joke!
Read moreBack to the Future: Blackmagic Design’s New Micro Studio 4K is a Mashup of their Studio Camera 4K, a GoPro Hero and the Legendary Hasselblad 500C – and an Indication of Where Cameras Should Go Next
Blackmagic sent me their brand new Micro Studio 4K camera but at first I didn’t know what to make of it. Clearly, it’s aimed at work-a-day pros capturing high-end live events (like, for example, Elton John’s “All the Hits” world tour [link]). Which has nothing to do with me. I was about to send it back with a simple “I’m not the right person to review this -- for Chrissake, they’ve got a guy with a freakin’ soldering iron in the brochure to take advantage of a programmable port -- when I realized I was looking at a new branch of an older evolutionary tree: the modular camera system. Heck, I can write about THAT.
Read moreCAME-TV Releases Two New Gimbals
This is getting very interesting. CAME-TV continues to release new 3-axis gimbals at a rapid pace. Their latest are the Mini 3 and Argo 3-axis gimbals; we should be getting our hands on one or the other soon.
Read moreWhy Sony Has the Hot Hand in Imaging Right Now
I had the opportunity to sit down with executives from Sony’s Professional Services group this week in their new offices in New York. It was eye-opening. And no, I’m not shilling for them. It’s just that I recognize a high performance team when I see one.
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