the editman.com

I got this one meter camera slider a couple of months ago but haven't really used it until I shot a wedding two weeks ago. This slider is made in Poland and feels really solid. I didn't have a good head mounted so the head itself wobbled around a bit and made the shots jerky before I put my hand on top of the head. But with a decent head nothing wobbles on the slider.

Didn't have much time but I put together these short clips to show how it performs. Used my Canon 5D2 camera and 135L lens.

The AG-AF100 is a professional AVCCAM Series HD camera recorder equipped with the Micro Four Thirds optical system commonly used in digital single lens still cameras. It directly accommodates Micro Four Thirds digital single lens still camera lenses, and an adaptor can be used to mount 35 mm film camera lenses and prime lenses. This lets you capture a wealth of film-like images with distinctive lens characteristics, like a shallow depth of field and an attractive soft focus.

Designed for stable camera work, the AG-AF100 is packed with functions and specifications that combine comfortable operation with superb images and extended recording times. It features HD-SDI output and mic input, remote control terminals, and versatile system interfaces that you normally find only on professional camera recorders.

The AG-AF100 also offers PH mode recording to deliver optimal AVCHD image quality in multiple HD video formats — including 24p and 30p. The variable frame rate enables slow/quick motion recording. Use the AG-AF100 to produce videos with stunning image quality, such as music, promotional, TV commercial and other short productions.

The AG-AF100 records in 1080:59.94i/50i/29.97p/25p/23.98p or 720:29.94p/50p/29.97p/25p/23.98p with its multi HD format. When recording in 720p mode, you can render movie-like images with effects like slow and quick motion. The Dynamic Range Stretcher, Gamma Select and other image features have also been inherited from previous Panasonic professional camera recorders.

The AG-AF100 features HD-SDI output, XLR audio 2 channel input, and other interfaces that are typically found on professional camera recorders. Time code recording also supports precise video production. In addition to its compact, lightweight body, the AG-AF100's professional camera recorder design with grip, handle and large viewfinder firmly support reliable camera work.

This PDF file has more info on aspect of the upcoming Panasonic AG-AF100.pdf (3,44 MB)

It will be exiting to see this camera in action once released. Everything is in place for a very nice camera. Let's hope that Panasonic delivers.

Swedens crown princess Viktoria and to be prince Daniel had their wedding day on June 19 2010 but I spent a long day with another couple doing both stills and shooting video. For this job I used both my Canon 7D cameras and the Canon 5D mkII. It's so exiting being part of a wedding couples big day.

Besides the usual wedding photos I started last year to cover during their preparations. This was a pilot test just to get a sense for what can be done and in which direction I want a wedding film to go. Stillmotion of Canada is a big inspiration since these guys are the best in my opinion.

I did an interview this weekend with my 5D mk II, Canon 100L, DT454 amplifier and a AT PRO 70 lav. The DT454 was mounted on top of a JAG35 cage. I really like this configuration since it's so easy to see levels on the DT454 and adjust the knobs. Downside is you can't access the bottom DIP switches.

Audio quality was really good. Calibrated the signal first and could turn down the signal to the 10-15% mark on the 5D and turned the volume all the way on the DT454. Very clean sound without any noisy. I was a bit sceptical to the DT454 at first but it really is an extremely good amplifier and it's so great to be able to monitor what goes into the camera. I actually felt comfortable doing interviews this way. One just have to check afterwards that what's record is good. The playback monitoring works just as it should and the headphone amplifier is better and has little noise if compared to the older CX231/DN101 combo. I didn't expect this but Robert at Juicedlink has done a good job improving his already excellent amplifiers.

What I found out is my macro lens, the Canon 100L, is great to do these interviews with. The IS function looks so great and smooth. All of the little jitters your hands can introduce when handheld are all gone. I still recommend a tripod but it works great even for handheld stuff.

I didn't see a clear use of the JAG35 cage but this seams to be just the thing for it! I like the added attachment points on the top and bottom and the side rods around the cage is a great cable holder. It's not until now I feel a DLSR can be used for serious audio jobs. It wasn't more cumbersome than to use a camcorder and it sounds great!

I did a quick test today mostly for myself to remember. My work flow almost exclusively consist of Avid MC and Adobe AE. I edit and do a premix in Avid. Sometimes a slight video eq to even things out before going into grading. Grading, graphics and effects I always do in AE. When going back and forth you gotta keep levels and resolution so that you don't end up with a mess of video levels.

When exporting video out of Avid you can use ref files and this is the most effective way. It's quick and doesn't involve any recoding. When you're done doing your AE thing I render a high quality QT file and import that into Avid to show clients or align video/audio. Often with shorter stuff like commercials I do the final version completely in AE and don't use Avid for anything else than to edit.

Many prefer Final Cut since many use Os X based machines but a Win7 or a stable WinXP machine has many pros to the Os X based machines. You can use Adobes Premiere but when it comes to editing Avid is the fastest system on the planet! It's not a great grading tool, it's not a good graphic/text-editor and it hasn't any useful effects. But it's fast than fast to cut, move and do basic editing tasks.

Avid uses the excellent DNxhD codec and it's free to use with any editing system. Basically the higher settings makes for master files and they are in 4:2:2 10-bit. Lower versions are in 8-bit format and works for daily work where you don't do any heavy grading or blow-up.

If you can't use quicktime ref files. That is if you have to move files to another system, you can take advantage of DNxHD codec. In order to keep colours/levels on the same level when tossing files around you have to do like this.

Levels exported / Import setting:

RGB / RGB
709 / 709
RGB / 709

If you try the last option:

709 / RGB

Then you will end up with changed levels. RGB is always 0-255 and 709 (601) is 16-235. These two spans refers to as RGB-levels and video-levels. Never mix these!
What happens in the last option 709 / RGB, is that on import the program assumes RGB and takes 0 and place it at 16 and 255 is put at 235. You will end up with a washed out picture. In the reverse option RGB / 709 when importing, the program assumes 709 and does nothing. The levels stay the same.

It's really simple really, just choose RGB or 709 and stick with that in export and import. If you want to import files from Canon 5D/7D/550D use the RGB setting in Avid. If you choose 601/709 black and white will be crushed.

Now, you can bump into problems since most graphics are made in RGB format and captured video is video-levels. But keeping in mind if the file is RGB or video makes it easy in most cases to get it right. Speaking of correct colour is difficult. If I have a client and he/she likes the image in one monitor, I say choose which ever monitor and that what you'll get! Since every monitor/TV is calibrated different there is really no way knowing how it will turn out. But I've been doing video for TV during so many years I know how it will look on most monitors when I have a roughly calibrated monitor infront of me.

In the age of digital it's even hard to go completely wrong! If you push levels to much it will probably break in grading rather than doing so when broadcasted. Often is a certain look not technically correct but will play on the right strings for the mood you're after.

I got a Fader ND from Light Craft Workshop this week and this is the updated mk II version that is suppose to be sharper than the first version on longer focal lengths. Compared with my other Fader ND filters this one feels heavier. I will bring it tomorrow for a daylight shoot and see how well it fares on the 16-35L and 5D mkII.

The newer version is also a bit smaller so add that to the weight and it's a more solid construction. I got the 77mm version and I expect it to vignette on my widest lens and the 5D mkII.

Filters is a tricky thing. When doing run n gun I couldn't do without a Fader ND, but when mattebox mounted 4x4 filters are a much better solution and does not have the drawbacks of a Fader ND. Sadly the Fader ND still softens the image to the point that I don't want to use it for longer shots. Fixed ND filters are much better.

I've spent two weekends in a row away from home. Last weekend I was in Rome-Italy and this weekend in the Stockholm archipelago in Sweden. I highly recommend this vast area with thousands of small islands. While I sat on the cliff side and did timelapse with my Canon 5D mkII and 16-35L lens I capture this beautiful scenery. Nature is an extraordinary thing to behold.

This combination of camera and lens gives such a wide angle and you start to be able to capture what you actually see. A hard thing to match how an eye perceive the world. Since I got the 5D mkII both my 7D's has stayed in the bag. Now, I do like the longer lenses more on the 7D but the 16-35L seams to be a very good match for the 5D mkII.

What about Rome then? There are so many breathtaking places in Rome that even trying to do any justice to any of them is just futile. One of my favourite buildings is the Pantheon and despite my wide 16mm and the 5D mkII it was hard to capture the size of the Pantheon dome. It's the biggest in Europe at least and some 43m across. The hole is 8 meters wide!



I think the 7D is an excellent camera but the full frame chip in the 5D mkII gives the images you capture a whole new dimension.

I have dedicated this blog to camera and photo stuff but rules have to be broken and this is one exception. I have a bunch of old analogue video tapes that are gathering dust and deterioration by the minute. How to go about and save them I thought? I had a small capture device but it didn't work on Win7 64-bit and all those capture devices rely on the computer to work properly.

After searching I finally found a rather old device - Pinnacle Video Transfer. It's a small portable USB device that you supply with power, a video signal and some sort of USB device. That's right, some sort of USB device! Not a computer! You simple plug in an USB disc or USB memory stick and it records straight to the USB without any computer, software or drivers. Sounds simple? It is just that simple.

This device is not without it's faults. The recorded resolution is 720x576 pixels so I don't have any complains with regards to resolution. Old tapes are PAL at best so it's just fine. But the bitrate in the highest setting is only 1.5mb/s. This is just to low to avoid any kind of artefacts. The record compression is H264 and a very efficient one but 1.5 mb/s is just to low. How strange and wacky it sounds there is a bit of a fix for this. Just put a file called "best.txt" in the video root folder and the bitrate jumps up to 2.5mb/s and maybe even a bit further! How wacky is that?

Doing this easy "fix" the recorded video looks much better. Not perfect but okay to salvage those forgotten tapes. The device itself is very easy to use and it even stops recording if the signal is lost for more than 10 seconds. The only thing that's bad is that if the signal interrupts the recorded image after that point can be all screwed up and look just like a paint bucket painted video file. If it happens the quickest fix is to check at which point it happens and start over again a little later than that point to get a clean recorded file.

Since this one is so simple, there's no way to monitor what's recorded. You have to use some sort of display connected to the playback device if you want to check what's going into the box and eventually the output file. On one end of the unit there's a USB "B" connector. It's for future use the manual states. I doubt we'll see anything new here but you can power it via USB connected to a computer so that's at least one use if you misplace the net adapter.

I'm a bit puzzled on how I totally missed this device. It's an old design dated back to 2007 but I haven't found a similar device made since!

I had a long email dialog with Brian at Berkey System regarding clamps and making a hand held rig. We discussed and he showed me what could be put together. I think it's amazing that, from a cross the globe, we found something that works for me and might do for others. Brian is one of the most helpful people I been in contact with regarding sales and development.

Today at my local post office I received the rig. It took some time to put it together and find what would fit my body and my shooting style but it's pretty close now.

I have a shoulder rig but they tend to get to bulky and heavy so I wanted something light weight and uncomplicated. A support for your chest/shoulder, a handle in front and some rods in between to make it adjustable. Put my shoot35/Manfrotto 577 assembly on top since this was what I had in my bag at the moment.

This rig is all custom made by Brian for me but most of the parts, if not all, are his stock items so I guess you could expand this in any direction you like. I did some testing using my longest lens - a Canon 135L and it was very steady considering the lenght and my 7D's crop factor at 1.6. The camera is still a bit heavy but pro camera and pro glass is never going to be light weight. But the rig itself is only about 700g. It's all aluminium except neoprene on the shoulder piece and foam on the handle.

I'm one of those guys who just have to try it by myself before deciding. So ever since the 5D mk II came out I wanted to try it out. At the time I had the first video capable DSLR - Nikon D90. I loved that camera and hated it because it had all things going for it and Nikon didn't realize how big DSLR shooting would turn out to be. Just look at House TV-series that shot an episode completely with 5D mk II cameras and it really looks great. Not to forget a great story and strong performance that makes it hard to follow anything else but the story.

I got the Panasonics GH1 when it came and finally I had a camera that could be used in pro work but also lacking in features. I really liked the GH1 it was and still is a great little camera. Then came Canon with the 7D and put almost everything inside except the big sensor. Now, the one and only reason to ever shoot video with a DSLR is to have a big sensor, so the bigger they are the better right? Well there are no bigger sensors than what's inside the 5D mk II and now it rests on my table.

I already have two 7D bodys and now it's even a Canon trio. One thing that strikes me is how well built the 7D is compared with the 5D mk II. Both cameras are solid ones but somehow the 7D feels more dens. The timespan in between the models also shows as the 7D is more custom friendlier with more buttons and better placement of these. I don't like the power switch position on the 5D. At first I didn't like the 7D's power switch either going from Nikons placement at the same place as the trigger. It took me some time figuring out that I had to turn the power switch all the way before getting to adjust aperture on the 5D mk II.

Okay, I believe 7D to be the better camera but it can't beat the 5D mk II's sensor. It's twice the size and boy is my 16-35L wide at 16mm! Even the 35L feels really wide. The 5D mk II even feels lean pitched against the dens 7D.

I guess these cameras can fill in when the other isn't optimal because they both have their pros and cons. As of now only the 5D mk II has manual audio recording so you can guess which camera I'll use when doing audio. If I'll keep both 7D body's or sell one to have a 5D/7D duo only time will tell.