September 15, 2006
New Siblings in the Canon HD Camcorder Family
Just thought I would post a couple pics of the new handheld HD cameras Canon just added to their family over the past few days. As an editor, I believe it's important to keep up with the technology that is acquiring all of that great footage we cut on a daily basis. If you are a Canon fan but found the XLH1 for $8,995 a little out of your price range, you'll be happy to see the listing price for these new Pro Level HDV cameras with the XH A1 model coming in at $3,995 and and XH G1 introduced at $6,999. If you're in the market for a new camera, make sure you check them out.
Click either to enlarge
Posted by MovingPicture at 06:02 PM
June 22, 2006
HVX200 Microsite Brought to You by Panasonic
Whether you are a loyal Panasonic HVX200 fan or just curious as to which HD cam to spring for, Panasonic has a great new microsite at panasonic.com that is all things HVX. This is a great opportunity for all of you Final Cut Pro and Avid Xpress Pro users to see what other people are doing with the HVX and to witness how it is being applied in the real world. If you're into pro videography, news gathering, independent filmmaking, HD production, or education, this site gives great information on the practicality of the HVX in each discipline. There are also in-depth reviews of the operability of the HVX from working producers who are using the camera in the field on a daily basis. This site is a treasure trove of HVX information.
If you are a fan of the Panasonic line of cameras or just an independent filmmaker in general, you also need to check out DVXUser.com. This site has to be one of the most comprehensive and active places on the internet for the independent filmmaking community. Whether you are loyal to Cannon, JVC, Sony, this online community is talking about it. The examples of other peoples projects is reason enough to check out dvxuser.com.
Posted by MovingPicture at 01:31 PM
May 12, 2006
Subway's Latest Ad Shot with P2 Camera
NEW YORK - Director/DP Peter Kagan and his Streamline Content, here, used a Panasonic AG-HVX200 DVCPRO HD solid-state camcorder to shoot Subway’s latest spot featuring Heisman Trophy winner Reggie Bush. Get Inside the Five is a national, :30 commercial out of Hackensack, NJ’s Source Communications that finds Bush sitting on a bench, waiting for his assignment. At the time of the shoot, Bush had not yet been drafted by the New Orleans Saints, so his uniform is completely white, bearing the number 5 from his college days. The spot captures Bush’s energy and encourages viewers to check out Subway’s Web site (www.subwayfreshbuzz.com) where they can read Bush’s blog.
“Even though this was a national Subway spot starring Reggie Bush that promised to be cool, the minute the NFL draft happened, that’s it,” Kagan notes. “The commercial had a very limited shelf life and, therefore, a limited budget. So I thought it would be a great opportunity to use HD instead of film. And there was definitely a fresh buzz about the HVX200.”
Follow the link below to learn how the Panasonic HVX camera (now available at Moving Picture) fared on this high-profile shoot.
He teamed with HVX200 owner Evin Grant, a director/DP in his own right, who served as HD technician on the Subway shoot and the production workflow designer. Kagan intended to shoot 720pN at multiple frame rates and shutter angles. He needed to output both HD and Digital Betacam versions of his footage, the latter required for post production.
Grant’s set-up allowed Kagan to shoot with one HVX200 camera while a second acted as a record/playback head for a Digital Betacam deck. “As soon as Peter was done with a P2 card, we’d download to a RAID array through a laptop, then go into the other HVX200 and play it out with the SD downconverting option on the camera recording into the Digital Betacam deck,” Grant explains.
Kagan used two 8GB and one 4GB P2 cards for the shoot. “When we downloaded the cards we got scratch disks for Evin and myself and downconverted Digital Betacam tapes for the Avid editor just like the tapes he would have gotten from a film-to-tape transfer,” he notes.
“The editor began cutting away the next morning, and I was delighted to keep my disk, which was essentially a digital clone of the dailies. Every director wants to do a director’s cut, and I’m always trying to get negative back from the ad agency.”
Kagan outfitted the HVX200 out with his Arri 4x5 matte box and Chrosziel follow focus. “I was pleased to be able to take gear from my Aaton package and apply it to the HVX200,” he says. “With these accessories, the camera looks and feels formidable. It’s truly the digital equivalent of a film camera.”
Kagan shot mostly at 24pN but shifted to 60fps when Bush “was flying around the frame, running at the camera and dodging and jumping over the camera and lens.”
The HVX200 (www.panasonic.com/broadcast) can record in 1080i and 720p in 100 Mbps DVCPRO HD quality, and has the ability to capture images in 21 record modes. The DVCPRO HD format offers users cost-effective, intra-frame compression, where each frame stands on its own for editing, and its full 4:2:2 color sampling allows the image to hold up under color correction.
Posted by MovingPicture at 04:37 PM
May 02, 2006
Murderball, shot with Panasonic DVX100A, up for Academy Award
Panasonic Broadcast & Television Systems Company announced that its AG-DVX100A Mini-DV cameras were used to shoot the Academy Award-nominated feature documentary Murderball. Prior to its Academy Award nomination, Murderball, a THINKFILM production co-distributed with MTV Films, has dominated the film festival circuit since its debut at the 2005 Sundance Film Festival, where it won both the Documentary Audience Award and a Special Jury Prize for Editing.
For virtually the entirety of a 2 1/2 year shoot, filmmakers Dana Adam Shapiro and Henry-Alex Rubin shot more than 200 hours of footage with Panasonic AG-DVX100A mini-DV 3-CCD 24p camcorders. Much of Murderball was a single-camera shoot, with Rubin himself shooting from a wheelchair in the camera’s advanced 24p mode, largely in available light. All of the games, however, involved two or three DVX100As, with Shapiro and David Rodriguez operating the additional units.
Combining literal sparks and the deepest poignancy, the 88-minute Murderball chronicles the lives of highly competitive, quadriplegic rugby players as they overcome extraordinary obstacles to become world-class athletes. Murderball, the sport’s evocative original name, combines the finesse of soccer with the bone-jarring collisions of a demolition derby, with the athletes using custom wheelchairs that look like something out of a Mad Max movie. Yet as gripping as the competitive interludes of the movie (including the 2004 Paralympics in Athens) are, it’s the off-court action of the players, lives played out with grit, heart and flawed humanity, that makes Murderball unforgettable.
The Panasonic DVX-100A and 100B are currently available to rent at Moving Picture, along with all your state of the art production equipment needs.
“Panasonic congratulates Dana and Henry on their first Academy Award nomination,” said John Baisley, President, Panasonic Broadcast. “This nomination is a tribute to what great storytellers can accomplish with the right tool.”
The inspiration for Murderball was a newspaper article about the sport read by Shapiro, then an editor at Spin magazine. He convinced his friend, filmmaker Rubin (Who Is Henry Jaglom, Freestyle), that Murderball was worth exploring as a movie subject. The longtime friends traveled to Sweden for the 2002 world championship to see what the game actually looked like. They found much more, including a potent narrative that pits former Team USA all-star Joe Soares, cut from the USA team and now coach of Team Canada, who seeks revenge against his former teammates, especially the equally volatile star USA player, Mark Zupan. Shapiro and Rubin realized that they’d gone abroad looking for a good sports story, and had come home with a highly-cinematic drama.
Incorporating exclusive CineSwitch™ technology that supports 480i/60 (NTSC), cinema-style 480p/24fps and 480p/30fps image capture, Panasonic's DVX100 series of mini-DV camcorders has set the standard for affordable 24p acquisition and been proven performers with hundreds of independent movies, TV programs, commercials, and documentaries to their credit. Like its predecessor, the new 1/3" 3-CCD AG-DVX100B offers outstanding audio performance, extensive auto and manual controls, and a CineGamma curve that truly emulates the rich look of film.
For more about Murderball, visit www.murderballmovie.com.
Posted by MovingPicture at 04:37 PM
January 30, 2006
Sony unveils XDCAM HD Cameras and Decks
Sony has introduced the next generation of its XDCAM Professional Disc system. The new line-up includes two high definition optical camcorders and two professional VTRs. The XDCAM HD line uses the same Professional Disc media already being used in standard definition versions XDCAM products and allows pros to record up to two hours of high definition content on the optical media.
Alec Shapiro, senior vice president of Sony Electronics' broadcast and production systems division says the new XDCAM line-up rounds out Sony's range of HD production tools, filling the niche between Sony's entry-level and high-end formats.
The new XDCAM HD camcorders - models PDW-F330 and PDW-F350 - both offer true 24p recording in SD or HD, interval recording, and slow shutter. The PDW-F350 additionally offers true variable frame rate recording capabilities for fast- and slow-motion recording.
The PDW-F350 enables variable frame rate recording at a range of frame rates from 4fps to 60fps in one-frame increments. The camera also enables true 24p, 25p and 30p image capture, without any additional conversion required.
The XDCAM HD products offer the flexibility of recording 1080i video in three data recording rates: 25 Mbps, 35 Mbps and 18 Mbps. The system records high definition content to Sony's single-layer media using an HD MPEG-2 Long GOP video compression codec. Both camcorders use three half-inch CCD 1.5 megapixel imagers. A variety of lenses will be available, with Canon and Fujinon already announcing support.
The PDW-F70 and PDW-F30 decks enable high-speed data transfer between compatible nonlinear devices. Both decks up-convert XDCAM standard definition content recorded in the DVCAM format to 1080i high definition at output, and all XDCAM HD camcorders and decks can down-convert HD material to standard definition in anamorphic, letterboxed or 4:3 formats.
The 23.3GB Professional Disc media is based on blue-laser technology and records approximately 120 minutes or more of HD content at 18 Mbps or 85 minutes of SD DVCAM at 25 Mps. The re-writable media costs approximately $30 and offers as many as 10,000 read/write cycles in ideal conditions, based on Sony's testing.
The XDCAM HD line will be available in March and will be marketed as part of Sony's CineAlta family of cinematic, broadcast and professional production systems. The PDW-F350 camcorder is priced at $25,800 and the PDW-F330 is $16,800. The PDW-F70 recording deck is $15,990, while the PDW-F30 player (available in June) is $9,500.
Posted by MovingPicture at 06:38 PM
January 20, 2006
Sony Unveils at Sundance
Sony unveils its newest addition to the CineAlta family at the 2006 Sundance Film Festival, The PDW-F350-XDCAM HD and its PDW-330 counterpart. This camcorder is a heavyweight boasting native 24p but also shooting at 25p, 30p, 50i and 60i. The XDCAM HD also allows for 'overcranking' and 'undercranking' for smoother fast and slow motion effects and also has time-lapse capabilites.
With all the benefits that file based recording offers, the XDCAM HD is being championed as a Indie Filmmaker's camcorder with its variable frame weight capablities, but engineered rugged enough for the demands of a news camera.
The camcorder wars continue to rage on and with the price of the Panasonic P2 chips being through the roof right now and the XDCAM HD utilizing removeable media that costs under $30, this is a serious alternative.
YOU DECIDE!
Posted by MovingPicture at 02:58 PM
January 18, 2006
Sony Announces 2006 Camcorder Lineup
Sony is taking the lead in bringing the focus on audio performance to the camcorder market with its new 2006 Handycam models.
Leading the pack are two high-end DVD models and Sony's first hard disk drive camcorder. All models feature built-in Dolby Digital 5.1 channel surround sound and a unique center-channel microphone capability.
"Nothing preserves memories better than moving images with sound," said Linda Vuolo, director for camcorder products at Sony Electronics. "We are offering new enhancements to both audio and video performance in our 2006 product line."
Hearing Is Believing
Now when you record your child's lead performance in cinematic surround sound, you can be sure that his or her voice will stand out clearly in the troupe.
The new DCR-DVD505 and DCR-DVD405 DVD Handycam models support an optional wireless microphone that can be clipped to your subject while shooting. The microphone then amplifies the center channel sound in the camcorder's Dolby Digital 5.1-channel surround sound system.
Thanks to Bluetooth technology, voices and sounds can be recorded wirelessly at distances up to 100 feet.
In addition to audio enhancements, Sony is bringing new ClearVID CMOS sensor technology to the DCR-DVD505 model. The layout of this new sensor is engineered to increase the number of recorded green pixels in order to boost image resolution and better enable the human eye to distinguish precise detail.
Combined with Sony's Enhanced Imaging Processor, ClearVID CMOS technology offers a host of user benefits. For instance, the camcorder not only records stunning video but also four-megapixel still images. Its Dual Record function allows users to shoot video and capture a three-megapixel still image simultaneously.
Other benefits from the CMOS technology include the smooth slow record function that allows you to view scenes in slow motion. Three seconds of video are played back in 12 seconds - ideal for analyzing your golf swing or tennis back-hand.
The DCR-DVD505 model stands out from the camcorder crowd thanks to its two-megapixel ClearVID CMOS sensor, compact body design, and wide 3.5" touch panel SwivelScreen LCD with Clear Photo Plus technology for brighter images with high-contrast that are easy to view in virtually any environment.
In total, Sony is introducing five new DVD Handycam camcorders. Across the DVD line, you find Carl Zeiss optics for exceptional video quality, improved menu functions and access controls for greater ease of use, and enhanced digital still functionality.
Most models record digital still images in ratios of 4:3 and 16:9, perfect for slide shows on widescreen TVs. A Memory Stick Duo slot has been incorporated into select models so that images can be transferred easily from DVD disks to memory cards and vice versa. And with higher still image capability on these new models, PictBridge technology has been integrated for seamless PC-free printing.
Handycam Family Grows With Three-Megapixel Hard Disk Drive Camcorder
The latest addition to the Handycam camcorder line is the hard disk drive-based DCR-SR100 model. It offers long record times and seamless PC connectivity.
Unlike other camcorders in its class, the DCR-SR100 unit features built-in Dolby Digital 5.1 surround sound and supports Sony's new optional center-channel Bluetooth microphone for a cinematic sound experience.
The model also sports a three-megapixel Advanced HAD CCD imager and Carl Zeiss Vario-Sonnar T* lens for excellent image clarity and color resolution. It records on a 30GB hard disk drive, which eliminates the need for tapes or discs. You can record up to seven hours of DVD movie-quality video or more than 21 hours in long play mode. Users will also enjoy the camcorder's three-megapixel still capture in 16:9 and 4:3 aspect ratios, built-in flash, and wide 2.7-inch SwivelScreen LCD display.
For additional reliability, the DCR-SR100 model has a sophisticated back-up protection. The camcorder has physical shock absorbers to protect the hard disk drive. It incorporates G-sensor shock protection which safeguards internal mechanisms to help prevent data loss.
Sony is also adding in-box PC applications to back up your video memories on DVD. For example, a DVD burn button on the model transfers video to a PC and automatically creates a DVD, with the entire process taking about 30 minutes for a full hour of high-resolution video. It also comes with DVD authoring software to edit footage.
High Quality Video On Any Budget
On the digital tape front, four new MiniDV models aim to please cost-conscious video enthusiasts with prices beginning at about $350.
All the MiniDV models deliver a powerful combination of precise image detail and vivid color reproduction thanks to Carl Zeiss optics and Sony's high-resolution CCD imaging technology. They feature top-side tape loading so it's effortless to replace tapes while shooting from a tripod, and wide LCD screens on select models to address the growing demand for 16:9 video. The high-end MiniDV models, the DCR-HC96 and DCR-HC46, are supplied with Handycam Station cradle, a tabletop cradle that charges the camcorders and connects them conveniently to a PC or television.
The top-of-the-line DCR-HC96 model offers advanced performance with its three-megapixel Advanced HAD CCD imager and Carl Zeiss Vario-Sonnar T* lens to capture vivid video and three-megapixel still images in both 16:9 and 4:3 aspect ratios. The camcorder is equipped with a wide 2.7-inch Hybrid SwivelScreen Touch Panel LCD screen, built-in flash, an intelligent accessory shoe, and Memory Stick Duo media slot.
Sony's new DVD camcorder models:
Sony's new Hard Disk Drive camcorder:
Sony's new MiniDV camcorder models:
All models will be available online at Sonystyle.com/newcamcorders, at Sony Style retail stores (www.sonystyle.com/retail), and at authorized dealers nationwide.
Press release from Videomaker.com
Posted by MovingPicture at 03:03 PM
December 27, 2005
Quick Audio Tip For Shooters
For all of you Final Cut Pro artists out there who also shoot, the next time you are out in the field and you have only one performer on mic at a time, try recording your mono audio into both channels of your camera. The only difference is let channel one be your main input and pot down channel two to a lower db. This will give you some room in post to salvage an area where the host may have shouted or raised his or her voice creating a hot level.
Posted by MovingPicture at 05:08 PM
November 16, 2005
Canon Xl H1
Attention all indie filmakers, reality television and documentary producers, Canon has entered the HD 24p battle for supremacy with their new 1080i Xl H1.
Some of its features include:
- Uncompressed 1080i/60i HD-SDI output at 1.485 Gbps, allowing for multi-format external HD recording.
- A new HD Lens
- New Digic DV II Image Processor (the same CPU technology found in Canon's still cameras}.
- Customization for NTSC and PAL recording.
See the Canon Xl H1 specs side by side with the Panasonic HVX 200 and check out this new HD camera dressed in black!
Posted by MovingPicture at 05:22 PM
The JVC GY-HD100
JVC has long been one of the leaders in innovation. The teamed up with Fire-Store on their 5000 series to offer the first factory offered on board hard-disk recording. Well, they have done it again with the new GY-HD100. Not only is this a camera of the future but they teamed up again with Fire-Store and Anton-Bauer to offer a package that stands all on its own.
The centerpiece of JVC’s affordable HD approach is called ProHD, an HDV-compatible video system with professional specifications, including four-channel audio, time code, true 24p HD and dual media direct recording to HDV cassettes and hard disk. JVC utilizes widely available, non-proprietary technologies such as MPEG-2 compression, DV recording media and conventional hard disk drives to achieve its affordable HD solution. This non-proprietary technology really helps JVC to again be the leader in the new HD cameras. I current own the JVC GY-5000u with the Fire-Store and the Anton-Bauer Dionic 90’s with the matching light. This is a great system and the HD100 is the next logical step I our productions. Check out the full review from Videography and see what you think.
Posted by MovingPicture at 05:12 PM
October 14, 2005
Play Windows Media Streaming Videos in the QuickTime player
The latest codecs in Windows Media player look great as it relates to downloadable and real-time streaming videos. One problem for those that are using the Mac platform is they do not get to take advantage of those codec quality improvements. That is because Windows Media player for the Mac has not been upgraded along with the version for Windows.
Here is something that will help you. Telestream has a Flip4Mac Windows Media plug-in that works with QuickTime and allows the ability to playback Windows Media streaming content in the QuickTime Player. The quality is excellent and Mac users can begin to enjoy Windows Media content in a new way.
The cost for the plug-in is inexpensive and worth the $9.99 it costs. Telestream makes other great tools in addition to the Windows Media plug-in for QuickTime Player. There are also Windows Media Import and Exports components if you need to import and edit Windows Media content or if you need to export Windows Media content for streaming for the web. These tools work with QuickTime compatible applications
Link: Telestream Windows Media tools for the Mac
Posted by MovingPicture at 04:53 PM
October 10, 2005
Setting Up A Voiceover Studio
Whether your goal is to create quality voiceovers for your own indpendent films cut with Avid or Final Cut Pro, commercial spots, or to showcase your talents in hope of landing a few freelance gigs, setting up your own voiceover studio requires cautious planning and research.
Will the space you have designated for your studio suffice? Will it be located in an apartment and if so, is it secure from outside noises? Do you own a computer with a decent soundcard and what sort of microphone should you use? These are just a few questions you need to be asking before you make such an investment. This article will help you answer these questions and get you going in the right direction.
Take a look at Equipping Your Home Voiceover Studio.
Posted by MovingPicture at 06:16 PM
September 16, 2005
Photoshop Tips Part 3
Centering one layer in another and duplicating a layer quickly is very important in Photoshop. If you have every tried to put two layers together and then spent time trying to center up one of the layers you know how much work it takes. Well, all you have to do is drag the object from one layer while holding down the shift key as you drag and when you release the mouse button, presto it’s perfectly centered! Also, a really quick way to copy layers is to press control+J (Mac command+J). Now you have a quick way to center a layer in another and duplicate a layer!
Stay Tuned for more Photoshop tips!
Posted by MovingPicture at 06:58 PM
August 30, 2005
Another HDV Camera From Sony
For all of you Avid and Final Cut Pro Artists out there, Sony has just unleashed another HDV camera, the Sony HVR-A1U HDV Camcorder, that's coming in at 1080i for around $2,700.00. Now that's quite economical for an HDV camera! There's not a ton of stuff on the web yet, due to the fact that not many producers have had a chance to test this thing in the field, but there are some accounts starting to surface about its picture quality compared to its bigger more expensive siblings the FX1 and Z1U.
With a little bit of color correction, The footage from the A1U is said to be comparble to the Z1U, kicking out a picture that is clearly superior to DV. If your experience to this point has been with larger cameras, such as shoulder mounts, this camera will feel a little ackward in the filed when you are trying to get a steady shot. I haven't found anything specific about shoulder mounts being offered fro this model that is very similar in size to the Cannon GL2. We will keep you posted with any new developments on this model. Happy shooting!
Read a more extensive review of the Sony HVR-A1U HDV Camcorder.
Posted by DigitalBill at 05:16 PM