Hands-On Review: Sony RX10 Mark IV

This marvel of miniaturization features a 1-inch sensor, and combined with the speed of the Sony a9, you can easily fill an SD card and get your shot

DL Byron

It was just about a year ago that I reviewed the Sony RX10 Mark III for another publication. I was impressed then and even more impressed now. That’s because this update adds the a9 image processing to a compact body already chock full of Sony’s tech. If you consider the camera for more than the specs and where it sits in the marketplace, it’s... Read more

Revisiting NAB 2017

A look back at some of the best new products we saw at the industry’s leading trade show, a number of which we’ve since had a chance to review hands-on

David Schloss

Canon EOS C700 We’re taking a look back at some of the new products we got to check out at NAB 2017. We’ve since had a chance to review a number of them hands-on since this article appeared in print, so look for the links throughout this article. The National Association of Broadcasters (NAB) Show in Las Vegas is a massive, sprawling affair each... Read more

Putting Canon’s Dynamic Lens Duo To Work

The CN-E Compact-Servo zoom lens line expands with the CN-E 70-200mm T4.4 joining the CN-E 18-80mm T4.4

Dan Brockett

I reviewed Canon’s then-brand-new CN-E Compact-Servo 18-80mm T4.4 zoom lens back in January of this year, and I found it to be an innovative take on the Compact-Servo zoom lens, inventing a new category, the low-cost, Compact-Servo AF S35 lens. I had a chance to put a prototype of the Canon CN-E 70-200mm T4.4, the new big brother to the 18-80mm,... Read more

Hands-On Review: ProMediaGear PMG-DUO Slider

Smart design, portability and optional motorized control make this a no-brainer for the video shooter

David Schloss

While the market for portable video sliders may be crowded, few units are as well designed and well engineered as the ProMediaGear PMG-DUO slider. CNC-machined from a solid block of aircraft-grade aluminum, the three members of the PMG-DUO product line (24”, 36” and 48”) offer a curved track on one side of the unit and a straight track on the... Read more

Hands-On Review: Benro Aero 7 Travel Video Tripod

Collapsible, portable and durable, this carbon-fiber tripod is ready to take on video projects—anywhere in the world

David Schloss

Video tripods have never been known to be particularly light or particularly portable due to their need to provide stability for heavy, delicate camera equipment. Big beefy legs, a large center column and a heavy video head are the hallmarks of most models. This poses a bit of a problem for the traveling videographer, the person who’s looking to take... Read more

Blackmagic URSA Mini Pro 4.6K

A look at the camera that ushers the company (back) into a new era of cinematography

David Schloss

When Blackmagic Design branched out from development of their color-editing and video-processing software to announce the Blackmagic Cinema Camera, few realized that it would signify the beginning of a range of video camera systems that would come to capture a large part of the budget-minded high-end cine and video space. The new Blackmagic URSA Mini... Read more

Slimming Down Your Video Kit

How to do more with less for one-man-band and small-crew shoots

Dan Brockett

Sony a7R II I recently had a conversation with a videographer who was searching for cases for his lighting kit. When I asked what kinds of lights he wanted to bring on his shoots and what kind of shooting he did, he replied that he was looking for just the right case to hold his ARRI 650w, 300w and 150w Fresnels, as well as two Lowel Rifa lights. In... Read more

The Video Lighting Revolution

How LED technology will grow to new heights for 2017 and beyond

Dan Brockett

The increasing versatility and dropping production costs of LED lighting panels make them attractive lighting solutions in the broadcast and film industries. Over the past few years, the tools we use to light for video have changed immensely. Gone are the days of needing heavy, heat-generating and expensive lighting sources for every shoot. The availability... Read more

Manfrotto XPRO Monopod+

A high-quality, versatile support that can stand up against the competition, literally

David Schloss

For the run-and-gun videographer, there’s little more annoying than having to unfold and extend the legs of a tripod just to get a quick shot. Many pros turn to monopods when they’re shooting light and fast, but the limitations of many monopods leave camera operators struggling to balance the gear and take a smooth pan. Manfrotto’s XPRO aluminum... Read more

We Got That Cooke Look

So long, F-stop, hello, T-stop! We shoot with the Cooke miniS4/i 32mm T2.8-22 on a Sony a7S II camera, and the results are amazing.

DL Byron

Have you ever wondered what a one-off cinema lens from a legendary manufacturer looks like attached to a Sony a7S II? After visiting the Cooke Optics factory, we did, so we tried one out. The results were lovely and left us at times amazed by the dimensionality, smooth rendering and quality. A Cooke lens of this type, the miniS4/i 32mm T2.8-22, is normally... Read more

Media Matters

Some recent events within the cinema and video production worlds are causing us to take a fresh look at our shooting media needs

Dan Brockett

Panasonic AU-EVA1 Super 35 Handheld Cinema Camera Some recent events within the cinema and video production worlds have caused us to take a fresh look at our shooting media needs. You know, those cards and/or drives that we use to record our best efforts, dreams and wishes manifested as zeros and ones? Two different relatively earth-shaking events... Read more

Cooke Optics UK Factory Tour

How to get the Cooke Look

DL Byron

A vintage Cooke Optics lens Cooke Optics has been making lenses for 130 years, and their coatings haven’t changed much since the ’60s—that’s what contributes to the Cooke Look cinematographers want on their digital bodies, like RED and ARRI. The coatings are like pixie dust and seen here (decades of them built up) on a flange. The flange holds... Read more