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Quantifying the Large Format Look
Large format is no longer out of reach of the average filmmaker, but the look is difficult to quantify. Naturally, that means I’ll give it a try. I…
Filmmaker Friday featuring James McKenzie
With hundreds of jobs and opportunities, breaking into the entertainment industry can be a unique experience for anyone who decides to try to make a career as a filmmaker. From…
Behind-the-lens nets: a lost art makes a comeback
I’ve always been a little different. That’s the only explanation I have for cutting gels out of Rosco and Lee swatch books and putting them behind…
Chromatic aberration: hard edges, hue shifts, and storytelling
Accidents yield interesting truths. This is especially true in lens and camera tests, where it’s hard to know what to test for but there’s always something…
Panasonic Delivers First 4K/60P Camera among Broadcast-Grade PTZs
The new Panasonic AW-UE150 4K/60p pan/tilt/zoom camera and its companion AW-RP150 remote controller has been released. The UE150 features UHD 60p output and a wide…
Lens coverage, sensor size, and pushing the limits
Sensors and lenses don’t always get along. In the HDR and UHD world, it’s important to test, test, test. Recently I shot a diffraction test meant…
Signature Primes vs. Ultra Primes: The Pixel-Peeper’s Guide
For nine months I’ve been working periodically as a trainer for the ARRI Academy. Recently we added an Alexa LF to the class, accompanied by a set of…
Casting the look of a camera into glass
Recently I had the pleasure of meeting with ARRI’s senior color designer, and I asked him the question I like to ask all camera manufacturers: “Why?”…
Blackmagic Design eGPU Shooter’s Review
I do not care how the Blackmagic Design eGPU looks. I do not care how it works. I only care if it speeds up my exports. As a shooter I…
Large sensor lens coverage: taking old glass to the “breaking” point
Old glass and large sensors need a lot of testing. The results may surprise you. In this article I took a look at how older S35 lenses performed on a…
Blackmagic’s New eGPU Is A Hurdle Leaped For Creatives (commentary)
Yes, the news about Blackmagic Design’s new eGPU, a high-performance graphics processor, has already been posted on PVC by Jose Antunes. I want to talk about how…
Setting up your on-set monitor: what to look for, and what to avoid
A few years ago, when high quality LCD monitors didn’t exist, I found myself in the wonderful position of mentally averaging every monitor on the set. The on…
Your camera MAY have a color gamut: further musings on camera color pipelines
My last article resulted in some new input on color gamuts. Here’s what I think I know now. Before I start, if you haven’t read my…
Your camera does not have a color gamut
Yes, it’s true: your camera has no color gamut. Don’t believe me? Good, ’cause I’m going to try to lay it out for…
Split SDI ports, or: how to hack an Arri Mini
“My assistant says it’s impossible,” said the Steadicam operator over coffee at Arri headquarters in Burbank. “The DIT wants a LogC output, but I need…
