Tag Archives: design

Reviews

Blackmagic Design Cinema Camera

When it launched a little more than a year ago, the Blackmagic Design Cinema Camera took the industry by storm. It is the first (and quite possibly still the only) 2.5K video camera under $5,000 able to use EF, ZE and MFT-mount lenses. It stores the video on SSDs, in 12-bit RAW format with 13 stops of dynamic range (unheard of in virtually all video cameras). It has both SDI video output and Thunderbolt, for super-fast video downloads to your editing station.

The Blackmagic Cinema Camera with EF Mount from Blackmagic Design brings to film makers a tool that many have waited for. Recording to a 2.5K image sensor, the camera is capable of recording 12-bit RAW DNG files, as well as ProRes and DNxHD formats to built-in removable SSD drives, while delivering 13 stops of dynamic range. And it does so at a previously unheard of price point.

The camera is housed in an elegant, minimalist enclosure, crafted from a single block of aluminum. It can be used hand held or mounted on industry standard hardware. The lens mount accepts Canon EF and Zeiss ZE lenses, and the LCD touchscreen provides monitoring, plus the ability for the user to add metadata such as shot number, filenames and keywords.

To handle the high data video output, the company includes a full version of DaVinci Resolve, its premier color correcting software for Mac and Windows. Also included is a copy of UltraScope. When connected to a computer via Thunderbolt, the software provides technically accurate waveform monitoring, displaying six live scope views on a single monitor.

Since everything has been designed to provide high quality acquisition, the camera is perfect for independent film, television commercials and episodic television production, all places where image quality is paramount. And being affordable, it will also find its way into wedding, sporting event and music video capture.

Dynamic Range

  • Captures a super wide dynamic range of 13 stops into 12-bit DNG files for a true “filmic” look
  • Preserves detail in both shadows and highlights, and even handles indoor shots while keeping the details of any images captured through windows
  • Allows for keeping all sensor data and enhancing the creative decisions during DaVinci Resolve color grading

EF Compatible Lens Mount

  • Supports optics from leading lens crafters such as Canon, Zeiss and many more
  • Compatible with EF, ZE and MFT-mount lenses
  • Allows full electronic control of the lens – simply point, set iris and focus on command

Capacitive Touchscreen Display

  • Five inch touchscreen allows for setting up a shot, as well as playback from the SSD using the transport control buttons below the screen
  • Enter shot data and update the camera’s settings using the capacitive touchscreen display
  • Double tap to zoom the image for fast and accurate focus
  • Data strip displays information including record status, shutter angle, ISO, battery level, record time and more

Metadata Entry

  • Features built-in metadata entry so that files include information compatible with popular editing software
  • Dramatically speeds up the whole post production process
  • Entering metadata is easy – simply tap the capacitive LCD touchscreen to display the slate where information can be entered including shot number, search tags, scene number, Timecode, and more
  • Set shot number and other data to increment automatically
  • Metadata is compatible with leading editing software and is fully searchable, bypassing the time consuming task of searching for specific shots when editing a project

SSD Recorder

  • Built-in SSD recorder uses low cost 2.5″ SSDs
  • Allows for 2.5K uncompressed CinemaDNG RAW 12-bit capture, as well as Apple ProRes and Avid DNxHD compressed video formats
  • Play back directly from the camera, mount the disk to any computer, or use Blackmagic Design’s HyperDeck Studio deck
  • With Apple ProRes and Avid DNxHD video formats, record for more than five hours on a single 480 GB SSD
  • All file formats conform to open standards used by most professional NLE software
  • When finished shooting, simply connect the SSD to a computer and edit or color shots straight from the disc

Connectors

  • Uses only standard connections, no custom cable required
  • Dual balanced microphone/line audio inputs for recording high quality uncompressed audio
  • 3 Gb/s SDI out for on set monitoring or for sending to live production switchers
  • Includes 12 to 30 VDC input for power and battery charging
  • Stereo mini (3.5 mm) headphone output
  • LANC remote control and high speed Thunderbolt port for computer capture

Open File Formats

  • Camera uses standard file formats
  • Recording native 2.5K resolution uses the open CinemaDNG format, delivering full 12-bit RAW recording quality
  • Choose 1080HD recording into ProRes and DNxHD compressed video formats for even greater compatibility

Included Software

  • Full DaVinci Resolve 9.0 software including Resolve USB dongle for Mac and Windows
  • Shoot wide dynamic range images and then make color correction decisions in post production
  • Media Express software for video capture from the camera’s Thunderbolt port
  • UltraScope provides technically accurate waveform monitoring
  • Connect the camera to any computer using Thunderbolt to display six live scope views on a single monitor
  • Use UltraScope on set or in any location for parade, waveform, vectorscope and histogram signal measurement
  • Includes picture view, audio level and phase monitoring

Buy it here: Blackmagic Design Cinema Camera with EF Mount

Or here: Blackmagic Design Cinema Camera with EF Mount

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Reviews

Canon EOS 6D DSLR

Full frame (35mm) and 20 megapixels of resolution. This one is paired with the excellent EF 24-105mm f/4L IS lens, which I’ve owned for years and I love.

It features a 20.2 Megapixel Full-Frame CMOS sensor, a wide ISO range of 100–25600, expandable to L: 50, H1: 51200, and H2: 102400, and a DIGIC 5+ Image Processor that delivers enhanced noise reduction and exceptional processing speed. A new 11-point AF including a high-precision center cross-type AF point with EV -3 sensitivity allows focusing in extreme low-light conditions, and with continuous shooting up to 4.5 fps, you are ready to capture fast action. Full HD video with manual exposure control, multiple frame rates, and the benefits of a Full-Frame sensor provides stunning performance and creative flexibility. The built-in Wi-Fi® transmitter allows you to wirelessly transfer your images to social networking sites or upload virtually anywhere from your iOS or Android smartphone with the free download of the EOS Remote app. You can use your smartphone for remote camera control and operation (with the EOS Remote app), or even print your images on a Wi-Fi® compatible printer. Perfect for travel and nature photography, the built-in GPS allows location data to be recorded while shooting. Compact, lightweight, brilliant low-light performance, and loaded with easy to use features, the EOS 6D is truly the Full-Frame DSLR camera for everyone.

Buy it here: Canon EOS 6D 20.2 MP CMOS Digital SLR Camera with 3.0-Inch LCD and EF24-105mm IS Lens Kit

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A Guide To A Good Life

Classic Solo Handmade Shoes

Late last year, I ordered a pair of handmade shoes from Stefan Burdea, a shoemaker from Bucharest, Romania. I’d like to show them to you now. They’re the Classic Solo model, a beautiful and understated pair of shoes made from a single piece of leather.

Some of you may already know that it’s fairly difficult to make these shoes, as it requires much greater skill from the shoemaker to get it right from a single piece of leather than it is to make them from multiple pieces, which can be fitted much more easily around the boot tree.

I’d like to show these shoes to you now via a video I made (part of my Elegant Gentleman series). I’m happy with them, especially since they meet a very important criteria for me: they’re comfortable to wear for long periods of time. That’s the most important criteria for me when choosing shoes. They have to fit me very well. All other aspects: design, finish, materials, are secondary. Sure, I first pick up a pair of shoes based on how they look, but if they don’t fit me well, I’ll put them right back down on the shelf and move on.

I don’t know if you’ve ever had a pair of handmade shoes made for you, but you should if you get the chance. They’re much more comfortable than machine-made shoes. And because they’re handmade, there’s usually more attention to detail and a higher level of workmanship, as you’ll see from the photos. It’s rewarding to wear shoes that you know were made just for you. Try it sometime!

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A Guide To A Good Life

The 2012 Fisker Karma

The Fisker Karma is an interesting and appealing car that’s fully electric, with its battery charged by a gasoline engine, so you’re never out of power.

The more I learn about it, the more I like it. Things such as its sexy, uncompromising design, the fact that it’s made out of renewable and recycled materials, the shapes, colors and textures of its interior, its solar roof, its low, muscular stance, its long wheel base with big wheels, all make it very special.

It’s made by Fisker Automotive, it is the vision of one man, it was first designed, then engineered, and I highly encourage you to find out more about it.

I’ve posted an image gallery and a few videos below. Enjoy!

One more thing: I’ve created a new page on Facebook called “The Elegant Gentleman“, where I talk about clothing, manners and the finer things in life. Head on over and give it a like to be kept up to date with my posts there. Thanks!

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My Watch Collection

My 1899 Elgin Pocket Watch

I wonder how many of you know that I love old watches, not just new ones? I thought I’d put together a video and photo gallery for one of my pocket watches, my biggest one in terms of size and weight: an 1899 Elgin pocket watch.

Here’s the video:

This particular watch was bought in the United States at the turn of the 20th century by an Englishman who then returned to England, where the watch remained in the family until earlier this year, when the nephew of that gentleman, who has relocated to Romania to spend his retirement years here, sold it to me. The man is Laurie Webb, a fine fellow who now runs a pension house in the village of Roandola near Sighisoara, and whom I interviewed for an episode of “Romania Through Their Eyes“.

And here are the photos. Enjoy!

1899 Elgin Pocket Watch 1899 Elgin Pocket Watch 1899 Elgin Pocket Watch 1899 Elgin Pocket Watch 1899 Elgin Pocket Watch

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