Light It Up: Speaking The Language Of Illumination

Tools to help you light your production on any budget

By Dan Brockett

Whether you light as a one-man band or work as a director or cinematographer alongside a huge crew, some things are a constant. Take lighting, for example. Effective lighting is both an art and a science. It takes a good eye along with ample imagination and skill—but it also takes knowledge, knowing how to put the correct tools together to help shape... Read more

A Magic Wand For Video

Giving Steadicam a run for their money, the DJI Osmo is a new handheld camera capable of full 4K with built-in 3-axis stabilization

By David Alexander Willis

Based on the gimbal and camera system of DJI’s $3,000 Inspire 1 quadcopter, the Osmo is the company’s first handheld camera solution, and, as a bonus, it gives video the same feel and buttery smoothness as a drone. At dimensions of 2.4×1.9×6.4 inches and a weight of only 221 grams (base model; it’s a bit more than a pound with all attachments),... Read more

4K Point And Shoot!

The new Canon XC10 is a versatile camera, ready to go UHD right out of the box

By David Alexander Willis

As a small fixed-lens camera aimed at those looking for 4K at an affordable price, the Canon XC10 is a handheld UHD camcorder in a body that’s also compact and versatile enough for use with car mounts or professional drone systems. Measuring less than five inches in each direction (4.9×4.0x4.8 inches) and weighing only 2.3 pounds when fully equipped... Read more

The Zeiss Legacy Continues

The new Milvus lenses, the latest line of primes from the famed German manufacturer, are designed to work with full-frame HDSLR cameras using larger, high-resolution sensors

Text & Photography By Mac Premo

I see craft as the packaging for the concept. Ideally, the specifics of a particular craft are presented to advance an idea: Think how the perfectly aligned corners of a mid-century piece of furniture advance the notion of elegant simplicity or how the rough edges of a refurbished farm wood table make rustic allusions. All this is to say that my goal... Read more

At A Glance: A Real Lighting Game Changer

ARRI introduces the rugged, yet lightweight SkyPanel S60 and S30, bringing ultrabright, high-quality LED lighting to the marketplace

By Jimmy Matlosz

For quite some time now, the LED lighting revolution has been quietly gaining steam. Many cinematographers and gaffers have been willing to test the latest technology over the years, but up until now, using LEDs mostly was relegated to specialty lighting. That all may have changed with ARRI’s new SkyPanel S60 and S30, a versatile family of compact... Read more

Retro 4K

The Panasonic AG-DVX200PJ features the world’s first 4/3 sensor with a fixed Leica lens capturing 4K up to 60p. But will a fixed-lens camcorder be a hit in the modern age?

By Simon Wakelin

Panasonic’s desire to offer the new handheld 4K AG-DVX200PJ with an integrated lens system may seem a step backward in HD evolution, at first glance, but a closer look reveals that the sleekly designed camcorder has merit for a variety of professional uses. Upon its release, the first question asked was probably the most obvious: Why no interchangeable-lens... Read more

The Future Of Mobile Storytelling

Google and The Mill team up to bring immersive cinema-quality filmmaking to mobile devices

By Dan Brockett

Filmmakers and visual storytellers have been attempting to bring virtual-reality narrative content to audiences for almost a decade, and during that time, the production challenges alone have been numerous and daunting. The ongoing quest remains the same: How can a 360º view of any narrative adventure be created without seeing camera equipment and... Read more

February 2016

Optimized for the wide-ranging needs of field work, the economical Canon XA35 and XA30 HD camcorders weigh only 2.6 pounds with battery

By The Editors

TWIN STARS Optimized for the wide-ranging needs of field work, the economical Canon XA35 and XA30 HD camcorders weigh only 2.6 pounds with battery, while also housing a 20x optical zoom, built-in WiFi, detachable handles and a new HD CMOS PRO imaging sensor with low-luminance noise of only +3 dB for working in minimal light. With 60p/24p in AVCHD at... Read more

At A Glance: Zoom F8

A multitrack field recorder for location sound that offers value-for-cost performance

By Dan Brockett

I was lucky enough to be invited to the West Coast introduction of the new Zoom F8, an 8-input, 10-track recorder capable of recording a stereo (or 2-track) mix, plus 8 isolated tracks. The F8 is the first product from Japanese audio company Zoom that’s designed to compete with industry-established offerings from high-end pro competitors such as Sound... Read more

Leica SL

The Leica SL-System is a sign of things to come from Leica AG—and perhaps the future of the DSLR form factor

By Jimmy Matlosz

The Leica SL-System taps into many production possibilities all at the same time, and once it’s in your hands, you’re torn on how you want to use it. While my intent was to fully review and test the camera’s video capabilities, I couldn’t resist what the SL offers in the stills format. Considering that Leica is a relative newcomer to the DSLR... Read more

Maxing Out With The ALEXA Mini

A compelling new option for filmmakers, the ALEXA Mini uses the same ALEV III sensor as all other ALEXA cameras

Text & Photography By Jimmy Matlosz

Since its rollout at NAB this year, the ALEXA Mini from ARRI has become one of the most sought-after cinema cameras on the market today. Word on the street is, “Have you seen the Mini?” or “Have you shot with the Mini?” For most cinematographers, the answer is no, and as orders are sent out to private buyers and rental houses, the ultimate question... Read more

The Sounds Of Chaos

Overcoming location audio challenges on the frontlines of production

By Dan Brockett

It’s no secret that location sound is challenging. While the other departments have their own unique obstacles to overcome, it seems that the production sound team is often tasked with capturing clear, dynamic and legible sound in noisy, chaotic situations that seem to make that assignment nearly impossible to complete. Speaking with location sound... Read more