Camp RED

Kids go to summer camp to make movies with the RED EPIC

By Andrew Takeuchi

Many moons ago, when I attended summer camp, the most impressive skills I brought home were tying the bowline and the clove hitch, spinning the nunchaku and flipping open a butterfly knife. Sure, I’ve been able to employ a few of those tricks later in life, but I wish I’d been able to attend something like this year’s inaugural Camp... Read more

Speed, Power & Portability

Fastec’s TS3Cine looks to make high-speed imaging accessible

By Dan Brockett

Digital HD imaging has spoiled us, frankly. When shooting HD using solid-state media, it seems as if a lot of shooting modes that used to take highly specialized, hyper-expensive gear now have become commonplace. Interval recording for time-lapse photography? Check. Variable-frame-rate shooting up to 60 fps? Piece of cake. However, there’s still... Read more

Small Sensors Still Thriving

Panasonic’s latest 1/3-inch AVC-INTRA and AVCCAM camcorders make their debut

By Dan Brockett

Walking the floor at NAB 2011 was an eye-opening experience. In the camera arena, it seemed that the majority of excitement was generated in the lower end by large-sensor cameras like the Panasonic AG-AF100 and the Sony PMW-F3 and in the higher end by cameras like the ARRI ALEXA. Since the recent DSLR revolution, does anyone even care about small-sensor... Read more

The Sleeping Giant Awakens

At NAB 2011, Sony releases revolutionary new products, from consumer 3D to true 4K capture

By Neil Matsumoto

In the evolving motion-picture production industry, we’re living in radical times. Who would have predicted the Canon EOS 5D Mark II—a godsend to the production industry during the worst economic crisis in decades—would be used on feature films and broadcast television shows? After being branded the "Tucker" of the camera world,... Read more

Action Shooters Part 1

Capturing the thrills and adventures from the latest nonfiction reality television shows

By Andrew Takeuchi

"Right over there!" The van veers hard as it rounds the corner. I brace my legs to stay balanced while struggling to hold my camera steady. Rolling to a stop behind the one-story apartment, the van doors fly open and the officers are out, moving rapidly but with stealth to avoid detection. I pop my door and dash quickly to catch up, one eye... Read more

What Do You Have in Stock?

Top stock-footage firms and their shooters sound off on why the content business is booming

By Clint Milby

As we’re living in the age of recycling and reducing our carbon footprint, people are trying to find new ways to use and reuse everything from old cell phones to yard clippings. As content producers, we’re only too aware of the amount of footage left over from any given project, and many times, it’s aesthetically acceptable. Nonetheless,... Read more

At A Glance: Nikon D7000

Incredible low-light sensitivity and full 1080p with the new entry in Nikon’s line of video-capable DSLRs

By David Willis

Nikon was the very first company to offer video capabilities in a still camera with the historic D90 DSLR, which was followed shortly thereafter by Canon, who upped the ante from 720p to 1080p with the EOS 5D Mark II. Both companies set off a revolution in filmmaking, turning “convergence” into the buzz word of the last few years in the... Read more

First Look: Sony PMW-F3

Sony introduces a compact camcorder with a Super 35mm sensor and professional features

By Neil Matsumoto

Since its announcement, the majority of camcorder bloggers have been referring to the new Sony PMW-F3 as the newest “RED Killer.” The latest in the line of Sony’s popular XDCAM EX series, the PMW-F3 is a compact camcorder that contains a Super 35mm-sized sensor and offers professional features that cinematographers have been looking... Read more

Bridging The Gap

Panasonic’s new AG-AF100 defines a common ground between camcorders and HD DSLRs

Text And Photography By Dan Brockett

In 2010, HD DSLRs graduated from weapon of choice for no-budget indie filmmakers to an option that almost everyone seemed to be experimenting with. Then came the commercials, music videos, even an episode of FOX’s House, all shot with HD DSLRs by accomplished professionals. The big draw of the HD DSLR is the almost magic combination of extreme... Read more

Lipstick Traces

HDVideoPro examines the latest compact HD POV cameras that can give your production a new perspective

By Dan Brockett

Extreme sports, undercover investigations or anytime you want to see your subject in a new way—placing your camera into small, remote and high- or low-angle locations brings a whole new dimension to your production. It really comes down to following the rules of Filmmaking 101: Placing the audience into a position that they normally would never see... Read more