Best Camcorder: Sony NEX-FS700U – 4K High Speed Camcorder

Now the NEX-FS700U is worth talking about, as a 4K camera with a Super CMOS 35mm sensor and optimization for high-speed shooting, we don’t know where to start.

We couldn’t give this one the best camera at NAB without mentioning the E-mount that will accept a host of lenses. The total of 11.6MP is plenty for a camera that has high sensitivity, adds little noise and minimal aliasing. You may have expected built-in ND filters, but a wheel for it, why not? Another innovative area is the handle which should see plenty of use with controls for expanded focus, auto iris and of course record.

At the end of your production you’ll be glad the FS700 has 3G HD-SDI and HDMI outputs and was shot at 960fps or more pedestrian 60p, 50p, 30p, 25p, or 24p. The current design is ready for 4K, but simply waiting on a future firmware to be provided by Sony. The NEX-FS700 should be available in June for less than $10,000.

Blackmagic Design does a lot of things well, and the Blackmagic Cinema Camera is going to join the compliment of mixing software, 3D processors, hubs, and converters as another fine product. The quality of this high-end camera is in the compliment of Canon’s EF-mount and Zeiss ZF lenses, 2.5K (2592×2192) resolution and uncompressed file formats.

The form is strangely similar to other Blackmagic Design products with solid, rounded edges forming a sort of DSLR prism. Or you could say it appears similar to an external SSD, but wait, that’s it, the Blackmagic Cinema Camera records directly to SSD! The 5-inch touch LCD screen takes on a bulk of your usage since the external buttons are minimal. The sides of the camera house the removable SSD and the assortment of connections for the likes of an external mic, headphones and Thunderbolt.

The SSD gathers video in the form of open standard CinemaDNG RAW, DNxHD or ProRes. The video playback uses SDI which also holds lots of camera data including transport control, shutter angle and color temperature. The metadata entry is similar to the method found in smartphones, and will make searching for files easier in post.

During shooting, bring along your laptop with Thunderbolt and you’ll have yourself a monitor with UltraScope which brings to you waveform, vectorscope and histogram among others.

There are strong visuals to be made with 13 stops of dynamic range and 12-bit RAW. There are equally strong sounds to be captured with two 1/4-inch mic inputs. The battery is integrated and there are three 1/4-inch threaded mounts on top of the camera.

No camera does a complete job without editing software, so Blackmagic includes DaVinci Resolve 9.0, so color correction will be a tool you’ll want to use.

We’re excited to see the Blackmagic Cinema Camera at work, and for $3,000, this will be a huge addition to the cinema marketplace. It is set to ship in July, with optional grip handles for $195.

Please discuss this camera in the Videomaker forums…

The EOS-1D C from Canon is designed with the cinematographer in mind. The EOS C500 is the big brother to the EOS C300, but is more like an older twin since it’s announced a little more than five months after the C300. What the EOS-1D C (scheduled to be $15,000) and EOS C500 (scheduled to be $30,000) do have in common is capability of 4K video.

As a DSLR that puts video first, the EOS-1D C represents one of the smallest 4K cameras, especially when combined with EF-mount lenses. With 18MP, a full frame CMOS image sensor, and support for Motion JPEG (a 4K format) this camera is sure to push your CF cards to the limit. It can shoot at a variety of frame rates within 24p and 60p.There is still capability to shoot HD as H.264 and stills in RAW or JPEG, and while we mention photos, it’s worth mentioning that the EOS-1D C is good in low-light and is a top performer in terms of focusing, exposure and bursts.

Recording with the EOS-1D C should allow for freedom due to its size, and the ultimate advantage here is your creativity.

The EOS C500 combines a Super 35mm 8.85MP CMOS image sensor, uncompressed output with HD-SDI and special attention to film and TV specifications for a top-level camera. Canon added uncompressed RAW output through 3G-SDI for both 4K and 2K recording. Video also comes through the camera at 12-bit RGB and 4:4:4 while at a range of 1-60fps.

The lenses available for the EOS-1D C are compact EF-mount lenses which further promote the small form factor while the EOS C500 has a true twin model, the EOS C500 PL which accepts PL-mount lenses as opposed to EF cinema lenses. Canon has also dedicated development on four new lenses, two are wide-angle at 47mm and two are telephoto at 30-105mm.

Now with a dedicated complete workflow thanks to nextLAB from FotoKem. The software solution is file-based and is the first Canon camera to use the Academy of Color Encoding Specifications system throughout production and post-production. When working with the EOS C500 on a film or TV set, nextLAB provides excellent data management as is being used by industry professionals, some of whose work can be viewed at the Cinema EOS site.

Finally, the EOS-1D C and EOS C500 (with more details to come) are scheduled to be available by the end of 2012.

Please discuss in the Videomaker forums.

Panasonic is now going to compete with other cameras on terms of blank media, for those that decided not to go with the P2 workflow, think again. The new blank media, microP2 is simply the same memory card, with a new form factor, SD.

This size all of a sudden, makes the P2 card much more widely accepted and versatile. The 64GB and 32GB cards will help allow large video files to move from camera to computer and other devices, even older cameras with an adapter. The adapter may also extend the use of your existing cache of class 10 SD cards to Panasonic’s P2 cameras.

The microP2 cards also support AVC-ULTRA, the new compression platform which is coming in 2013 and will prepare the way for future video work.

As for exciting news, none may top the 4K camera body that was briefly shown during the press conference in Las Vegas. It looked to have four XLR inputs, SDI outputs and capacity to add plenty of attachments. This is all part of Panasonic’s plan to allow users a 4K workflow from shoot to edit to master and monitor.

News that is more readily useful includes a few updates, the first is for a camera that we reviewed, the AG-AF100. The software upgrade allows for 1080 60p and 50p HD and ring in the 2.39:1 aspect ratio marking which is utilized in theaters and useful for documentary and narrative producers. This update, AF-SFU100 comes in May at $250.

If you don’t have one of these Panasonic cameras yet, look into these updated versions of professional cameras, the AG-AC160A and AG-AC130A. The AC160A ($5,100) includes 1080, 60p HD recording and a focus assist that allows for zooming in to check focus. This turbo-speed focus assist can be upgraded on your camera for $300 at an authorized service center. The AG-AC130A ($4,200) will likewise be available in May if you are looking to pick up the camera with the upgrade already installed.

These announcements definitely give Panasonic a forward-facing plan with the microP2 blank media, upgrades to current cameras and what could be the most complete 4K workflow we’ve seen.

Please discuss in the Videomaker forums…

Wouldn’t it be great if the manufacturer of some major company hands you a camera, gives you a nice budget, and says “go make a movie”? That’s what Nikon did for world-renowned photographer Sandro Miller.  Looking for a way to show the abilities of its new D800, Nikon enlisted Sandro to create a movie showcasing some of its features and he wrote, directed and shot “Joy Ride” a six-minute thrill ride through the streets of Chicago.

The Nikon D800 runs  full HD video resolution at 1080 shoots in 30p and 24p and 720 at 60p and 30p. It’s a pretty sweet camera and Nikon has already sent Videomaker one to check out – watch for that review coming to a computer near you very very soon. UPDATE: Read Videomaker’s Nikon D800 review: http://www.videomaker.com/article/15632/

Nikon also gave us the chance to speak to Sandro and Director of Photography Tony Arendt personally about how they made this incredible movie and some of the behind the scenes notes.

Videomaker: Nikon’s D800 has a pretty small form-factor compared to larger movie rigs – was this one of the reasons you chose this camera to make “Joy Ride”?
Sandro: I was asked By the Nikon marketing dept. to write, and develop a film that was very cinematic. A film that would look like it was shot with a camera that would be used to create a Hollywood film. Nikon was looking for a director that would create a visually stunning film that could capture the essence and capabilities of this wonderful new piece of equipment. The D8oo proved to be worth it’s weight in gold as it preformed with excellence throughout our shooting schedule.

Videomaker: We’d like to know what kind of lenses did you use?
Sandro: We shot at night in Chicago, many times with existing light so we needed Nikon’s really fast sharp lenses.  We used the 14mm 2.8, the 24, 35, 50, 85mm 1.4 and the 300&400mm 2.8

Videomaker: On the behind the scenes video on Nikon’s site there’s a quote by Director of Photography, Anthony Arendt, saying how much he loves the 1080 HDMI output for viewing on external monitors… what makes this so special or different than other forms of shooting, like film, for instance?
Arendt: I really loved the 1080 hdmi out. When you are depending on an external monitor for composition and focus, and detail, having an external monitor with 1080 signal is a real plus! On other DSLR / VIDEO cameras, when you start recording, the HDMI-out drops to 720 and below. So keeping the 1080 is a great advantage

VM: Tell us about some of the gear used in the piece…. looks like you had cameras mounted everywhere.
Arendt: Our camera chase bike had front and rear cameras. We had a camera over the gas tank with a shot of our rider’s helmet and street reflections, etc. We also mounted at times a camera on our chase bike to pick off profile hero shots. We had a camera with a full time 400mm that had a wireless remote focus system. We had 2 other ground cameras that were designated as out Nikon fast prime cameras. We also had a camera for the Steadicam. Sandro and I also carried a D800 around our necks for the documentary moments we could not repeat. All of the cameras except for the 2 around our necks had on-board monitors. Some had follow focus, and some had matte-boxes.

Videomaker: What feature on the D800 did you like the best?
Arendt: I really loved the 1080 HDMI out. When you are depending on an external monitor for composition and focus, and detail, having an external monitor with 1080 signal is a real plus! Also being able to see the live view on the camera’s beautiful LCD at the same time your sending a signal out to another monitor is really great and an amazing advantage when doing handheld work, etc. Another great feature is being able to remotely start and stop the camera. So great to have when mounting to a jib arm, or when mounting in tight places etc. Beautiful!!

Videomaker: Were there was any features on the D800 that you didn’t try, but would love to?
Arendt: The big one for me is being able to record uncompressed files via HDMI to an external recording device via HDMI. We were all blown away at how well the files looked coming out of the camera at the native H264 compression, even at high ISO settings. Cant wait to see how beautiful the files are uncompressed!

For documentary filmmakers many times you will need to record sound through the camera itself. With the D- 800 you can check audio levels or monitor input via peek audio meters as displayed on the camera’s LCD monitor. Also the microphone sensitivity can be adjusted in up to 20 steps.  Can’t wait to try.

In most instances in film making manual focus is preferred. But having said that there are many times when a sophisticated focus assist would be really nice. I would really like to try the advanced focus assist in the video mode. Following a car or a heard of horses coming right towards the camera, could be sweet!

Videomaker: We’re curious if you ran into any issues with rolling shutter wobble.
Arendt: We experienced absolutely no rolling shutter wobble at all. We did many pans with the cameras on sticks and also the steady cam and we were all blown away that Rolling shutter wobble was non-existent

Videomaker: “Joy Ride” is such a beautifully shot video… it looked like you probably had a lot of fun doing it, too, can you tell us a little bit about the concept?
Sandro: When you get a call from Nikon to develop a film that shows off all the features of a great camera like the D800 you must include high action, low light situations, color saturation along with an interesting storyline to keep your viewers wanting more. I developed this story that surrounded the “day in a life” feel of a motorcycle enthusiast. I always wanted to keep the story a bit of a mystery of what was really happening and never wanted to give away too much of the story line. It was important to me for our viewers to ask questions of why was this motorcycle guy out riding at 3AM, what was he doing, where was he going?  Was he a bad guy? Who is this little girl that keeps coming back to him as a memory? Mystery, questions unanswered, high action, and beautiful low light scenes all help create this film that keep people coming back to watch it over and over again. In a time where we are over whelmed with imagery you must create something powerful that keeps us interested.

Videomaker: In the Behind the Scenes video you are quoted as saying, “In my hands I am holding the future of filmmaking and photography.” Many people scoff, but it appears video really will rule over film someday… When I see what terrific work like “Joy Ride” that is being done, I believe video has finally reached a pinnacle of Every Man’s dream of making quality movies using tools anyone can acquire. What do you think about the rumors of film’s demise?
Sandro: I don’t believe there will be a complete demise of film. Film has it’s look, it’s feel and it’s purpose. It will always be there as a tool for a look. Economically and time will be films hardest battle to fight as the cost and the time it takes to see something right now will keep video a growing “go to” way to produce films in the future.

Videomaker: Who inspired you to start a career in cinematography?
Sandro: I have been a highly sought out still shooter for nearly 30 years now. My clients have told me the way I direct my talent in still shoots that I would be a natural to be directing films and commercials. After the great success I had directing John Malkovich in a very short film “Butterflies” and winning the Saatchi and Saatchi Cannes Lion for best new directors I was pretty much thrown into the fire. Great directors like Martin Scorsese, Lars Von Trier, Quentin Tarantino and others have also helped with my love of moving pictures.

Videomaker: What advice could you give for someone just starting out or has been doing video for a while but wants to move into a higher playing field?
Sandro: I have always felt the importance of following your dreams and your passion. Without passion and a big heart to create wonderful work and the dream of working on huge projects it just won’t happen.  Sacrifice of being money driven to create important work will also bring success. So, often a film or still shoot has used up its budget, well if you want it right you might have to sacrifice your fee to get it to where it needs to be. You should also be continuously studying film, and the new techniques that are being used by filmmakers everywhere, not just here in the US.

Watch the making of “Joy Ride” in this Behind the Scenes clip:

Joy Ride – Behind the Scenes from Sandro on Vimeo.

Watch for a review of the Nikon D800 on Videomaker‘s website within a few weeks.

UPDATE: Read Videomaker‘s Nikon D800 review.

We’re always interested in stories of up-and-coming indie movie projects.  One such project that caught our eye was  Sledgehammer, an Aliens-inspired science fiction film about a group of space marines marooned on a distant planet full of hostile monsters. The design of the monster was what really did it for me. The concept art, by 3D artist Wesley Griffith (who also worked on Dan Trachtenberg’s Portal: No Escape) shows a nasty spiny insectoid, something like a giant sand flea, sure to inspire the heebie jeebies in any arachnophobe.  Science fiction is one of the most difficult genres in independent film, for obvious reasons:  Science fiction means special effects and special effects cost money! So we had to know, how do you make a critter like that on a budget?

The man behind Sledgehammer is 15 year veteran 3D video game artist Frank Silas, who has worked with  Rockstar Games and Activision Blizzard; he previously directed the award-winning short film Box on a shoestring budget of $2000, but Sledgehammer promises to be a more ambitious special effects extravaganza.  He’s using Kickstarter to raise the money to make this film a reality.

Frank spoke to Videomaker about the challenges of putting together an independent science fiction movie, sharing some tips about finding funding, recruiting actors and creating special effects on a tight budget. Aspiring sci fi directors, take note!

VM: What have you learned from working on Sledgehammer?

FS: I learned about being an Executive Producer. If you are able to bring in active investors at the target amounts you need per film then you can make any film you want. That’s the rub, because those two things are directly proportional. So in most cases you will not be able to make exactly the film you want. I’ve learned to be detached from the details just as long as I like the outcome. I write the script that I want to write, then we shoot what we are able to shoot based on locations, crew, cast etc. Then we edit what we have to turn that into the best possible film it can be. Even in post production it depends on how many people or how much time we can put on to it, but that keeps each stage of the process an adventure, somewhat experimental which frees me to not only shoot more films, but to enjoy the work more. I could see the struggles of other directors who have a crystal clear vision that they want reproduced from their mind’s eye with complete fidelity. I don’t want to struggle against the film making process. I want to enjoy it and I want my crew to enjoy it.

VM: Besides Kickstarter, what other alternative funding options have you explored?

FS: I brought on a couple of friends to help me pay for the live action shoot. That’s what allowed us to shoot the film in the first place. It’s tough to be an Executive Producer on your own film as a Director. Our purpose on Kickstarter.com is to raise funding to create the visual effects for the film. Our studio normally shoots DSLR on Cannon 5D Mark ii and Cannon 7D. With this film we were able to get our hands on a RED Epic from one of the same companies that supplied RED Epics for Ridley Scott’s Prometheus. So now we need to do vfx at a very high resolution, which means insurmountable render times unless we acquire the proper software and hardware tools to deal with that.

VM: What advice would you give to other aspiring filmmakers?

FS: The advice I would give to other film makers working on low and micro-budget films is to be a bit more Depak Chopra about it. Your careers will last longer and so will your crews. As for the Sci Fi Film aspect, you’re really going to need to love it. It is the most difficult kind of film to do. It also takes the longest amount of time to make. It cost more than any other type of film to produce, but if you can hit a home run there…those fans are forever. I know, I am a sci fi fan thanks to George Lucas, Ridley Scott, and James Cameron.  Sci Fi raised me.

VM: How did you find the right actors for Sledgehammer?

FS: We screened over 30 actors to discover the cast we have on Sledgehammer! We were very selective about those 30. I promised all of the backers of our Kickstarter to tell them first exactly how we found the actors and what we were looking for. We’ll even show you the process we went through to get them ready in the feature length documentary we are shooting on the making of Sledgehammer, provided our Kickstarter is successful!

VM: What was your idea for how the alien should look? How do you build a good alien when you’re on a budget?

FS: Building an alien on a budget really comes down to what you are trying to accomplish with that character in your film. For us, we knew that there wasn’t just going to be one alien and since I’m a 3D Artist with 3D Artist friends creating our aliens in 3D just made sense. Not everyone can do that on a budget, but we already had that background coming into this production.

With the alien design, I wanted to create something that people have not seen before. It needed to look believable, but not quite like anything else. I call it a cross between JJ Abrams, Starship Troopers, and Avatar. I want the audience to feel scared, intimidated, grossed out when they see it. The thing is the size of a mini-van. Here’s a spoiler, that’s not the only monster in our movie.

To learn more or support Sledgehammer, check out the Sledgehammer Kickstarter page.