Single-System Sound

Sound Devices MixPre-D sound mixer, and Sony MDR-V6 headphones

By Dan Brockett

SOUND DEVICES MIXPRE-D Q Could you offer a suggestion on a small mixer for maximizing audio quality when shooting with DSLRs and medium-range video cameras like the Canon C100? We’ve been using a Zoom H4n, but keeping the audio organized and syncing in post is becoming tedious, so we want to maximize the sound quality from our new microphones... Read more

Sensors & Circles

Will your lens cover your particular sensor?

By Andy Shipsides

At AbelCine, one of the most common questions our techs get these days is about lens coverage with different cameras. It’s no wonder that we get these inquiries, as there’s an endless stream of new cameras coming out, all of which have different sensor sizes and specs. We frequently get questions like this: "Does my 16mm lens cover... Read more

Resolving Detail

Shooting from a different perspective

By Michael Guncheon

DIFFERENT PERSPECTIVES Q I recently set up to shoot some interviews and thought about the concept of what framing I should use. Usually, I would just mix up the framing, going from medium to close-up, etc., so that once the footage got into edit they wouldn’t be hampered by jump cuts. But as I set up my gear, I got into a discussion with the... Read more

Sound Restoration

iZotope RX 2/RX 3 complete audio repair, and how to improve your audio

By Dan Brockett

iZOTOPE FOR AUDIO REPAIR Q I have a video project that I’m working on as the sound mixer, and I’m serving as the audio editor, as well. I had some equipment issues, however, which resulted in audio tracks that were noisy and hissy. This was a one-shot deal for a documentary, and it can’t be rerecorded, so I need to do the best I can... Read more

Beyond The Bars

Common questions on monitor calibration

By Andy Shipsides

We recently started offering HD monitor calibration services at AbelCine. Our clients are very particular about image quality when it comes to their cameras, and the same is true for monitors. We did receive a few questions, however, about why monitor calibration is important in a production setting. Most people know how important monitor calibration... Read more

Speed Wars

Plus, getting the LED out, Part II

By Michael Guncheon

In the last column, I talked about LED lighting and color temperature. I recounted the experience a small studio had when evaluating LED lighting to install in a new stage. They were somewhat surprised at the variance of color temperature and, more importantly, how colors look on camera. While their tests weren’t scientific, they pointed out the... Read more

Plugging Back In

Why I returned to subscription television

By Neil Matsumoto

In the past few years, online video has exploded. The Internet has become faster and more accessible, online video advertising has become more personalized, and perhaps most importantly, mobile video streaming has become the viewing platform of choice for anyone under 21. By 2017, a Cisco study predicts that video-on-demand traffic will nearly triple... Read more

Is 3D On Its Last Legs?

Not quite, but the writing is on the wall

By Neil Matsumoto

In 2008, I attended the first 3D Entertainment Summit. Delivering the keynote was DreamWorks CEO Jeffrey Katzenberg, who proclaimed that in film’s 100-plus-year history, there have been three major milestones that have advanced the art of filmmaking: sound, color and, now, 3D (obvious hyperbole to promote upcoming DreamWorks Animation 3D releases). ... Read more

On The Wrong Track

Tracking updates, LTO warnings, and judging LED color

By Michael Guncheon

TRACKING Q I read with interest your column on tracking and also the information on mocha, and wanted to give tracking a try. I shot some stuff and brought it into my system and was amazed at how it all locked up solid. In the past, I would have never thought it was possible without days of tedious adjustments and flipping back and forth between frames.... Read more

Smoke ’Em If You Got ’Em

Fighting fire with fire isn’t always a good idea

By Jim Smalley

Is fighting fire with fire a good idea? As you’ll see, the answer is, "Not always." Several years ago, I wrote, produced and directed a training video on forest firefighter safety. The program dealt with the many dangers of fighting wildfires on the ground. Shooting a program like this requires the cooperation of active fire service... Read more

Location Sound On The Go

The Tascam DR-40, and international wireless usage

By Dan Brockett

TASCAM DR-40 Q I’m looking for my first portable level digital audio recorder. It will need to operate on batteries or AC power, need to have dual audio XLR inputs and must have decent audio metering. The catch is that my budget is $200. Is there anything out there that I should be looking at? A friend loaned me his Zoom H4n, and I wasn’t... Read more

HDTV Standards

Looking under the hood of Rec. 709

By Andy Shipsides

At AbelCine, we do a lot of camera matching; customers bring in their cameras, and we do our best to create matching scene files. Recently, two cameras were brought in with a simple request attached, reading, "Please match to Rec. 709." This may seem like a normal request to some of you, or it may have you scratching your head. The term Rec.... Read more