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

MindShift Gear FirstLight 30L Hands-On Review

The outdoor enthusiast-friendly FirstLight is a perfect choice for photographers on the go

David Schloss

MindShift Gear is a division of camera bag manufacturer Think Tank Photo that’s aimed at creating packs and gear with the outdoor enthusiast in mind. While most camera bags are intended for a working pro who’s transporting gear from location to location, the MindShift line is designed instead for the photographer engaging in activities and braving... Read more

iMac Pro, New iMacs And MacBook Pro Target Photo And Video Markets

Updates to the existing lineup and a preview of the iMac Pro renew Apple’s commitment to pros

David Schloss

The history of Apple is tied to that of the creative professional, after all, Apple is the company that ushered in the age of “desktop publishing” with the original Mac computers, and enabled digital photography and digital videography to blossom thanks to affordable, powerful high-end Macs. Apple’s history with professionals, though, has not... Read more

Sony a9 Image Samples And Autofocus Review

We evaluate the images from the Sony a9 and its autofocus performance

David Schloss

The new Sony a9 camera arrived in a flurry of promises of image quality, autofocus speed and performance. When we tested the Sony a9 at the company’s media event, we found that the camera largely lived up to those promises. In my first testing of the camera, at two different sporting locations, we found that the AF was generally spot on, with the... Read more

Hands-On Video Review: Manfrotto BeFree Live Tripod

A specialized version of the company’s BeFree tripod line, the BeFree Live includes a special dedicated video tripod head

David Schloss

The Manfrotto BeFree Live is a specialized version of the company’s BeFree tripod line, and it includes a special dedicated video tripod head. We like to take the BeFree Live with us on photo and video shoots because of the unique locking collar, which is only found on the BeFree Live model. With a simple twist of a dial, the head goes from completely... Read more