If you spend much time on Twitter or the blogosphere, you’ve probably noticed the extreme number of time-lapse videos that are going viral around the web. What’s the deal with their sudden popularity? I chalk it up to a number of factors. The first is that modern digital cameras can shoot time-lapse photos without a need for an external control device. Second is the recent popularity of compact camera sliders. Third is the fact that HDR (high dynamic range) photography is easier than ever to accomplish. Finally, the nature of the internet dictates that once a number of these videos goes viral, more and more people will jump on board. Read the rest of this entry »

Spotlight – Canon 5D Mark III DSLR Camera

Canon seems to do so many things right when it comes to video on their DSLRs and the 5D Mark III is the next “right” camera. Start with 22MP, a 35mm full-frame CMOS sensor, EF mount lenses, 1920×1080 video at 30p, 25p or 24p and toss in 61-point AF improved audio control – this leaves you with one camera that deserves a spotlight. The DIGIC 5+ image processor is a big addition in terms of performance and will reduce moire and artifacts.

A fun a useful feature allows two timecodes to be kept, one for your recording, but another called Free Run which can be a huge help in syncing multiple cameras. There are still solid features to discover here, but the 5D Mark III is sure to be a strong camera.

If you’ve been watching for pre-NAB announcements and rumors as closely as we have, you’ve surely seen some of the big news. A couple of the biggest morsels being Sony’s NEX-FS700U, which can shoot up to 960 frames per second, and some rather cryptic invitations being sent out from Canon which contain nearly no details on what they might be talking about. Rumors are swirling about the possibilities.

Canon has been getting a lot of press recently for their C300 and EOS 5D Mark III, but many were expecting more from the new 5D in the way of video. Some are speculating that Canon is planning on announcing a 4k cinema camera to compete with Red. That idea surely makes sense. Considering Red’s hold on the digital cinema market, it stands to reason that Canon would want to get a piece of that pie. To make things even more interesting, the C300 is priced at $16,000, while the 5D Mark III is at $3500. A digital cinema camera priced right in between would be a strong competitor to the Red Scarlet, which is currently priced at $11,700.

Of course, the biggest piece of evidence we have is Canon’s own press release from November 4th, 2011. The release announces plans to release a so far unnamed EOS-series DSLR which will feature a 35mm full-frame CMOS sensor capable of recording 4k video at 24 frames per second. Canon goes on to say that the scheduled launch date is undecided. Based on the image provided by Canon, it certainly doesn’t look like they’re referring to the EOS-1D X, leaving the implication that this may be the beginning of a new EOS model.

Videomaker will be attending both major Canon press events at NAB 2012, so you can be sure as soon as we do what exactly they’re planning on telling us.

In a series of huge announcements, one of video’s biggest powerhouses, Canon, announced new camcorders with specs that are so good, you might just be tempted to take out a second mortgage to get one.

Canon announced their new products in stylish Hollywood event. They showcased their new C300 cinema-style camcorder, brand new cinema lenses, and a mysterious DSLR-style concept camera that shoots in 4K. The C300 was the story of the night since it marked Canon’s first foray into the cinema market. It has an 8.3 megapixel sensor that delivers a full 2 megapixels of information  for each color channel  meaning that color reproduction should be very accurate, much like the 3 CCD sensors of cameras in the past. The C300 will also include Canon’s newest DIGIC DV III image processor meaning that it will be able to handle those simultaneous feeds of color information accurately and quickly. In addition, it will record in Canon’s MXF format which means you’ll be getting a 4:2:2 MPEG-2 codec at 50 Mbps. Staying true to form, they’ve included two slots for CF cards in the camera so that you can record on both cards simultaneously or relay-record.

The C300 has a Super 35mm sensor, making it smaller than the recently announced EOS-1DX, but bigger than the sensor found in the 7 and 60D. A bit odd considering that sensor size is a big selling point for cinematographers since it typically means less noise in the image and gives the camera the ability to achieve a shallower depth of field. Even so, there are plenty of other great features on this camera that any pro will love. To begin, the camera is modular. That means that you can take almost everything off of the unit until it becomes more or less a camera ‘brain” housing just the sensor and processor. As such, it has an shoe mounted attachment that includes a 4 inch 1.23 megapixel monitor that can swivel 135 degrees horizontally and 270 degrees vertically and 2 XLR inputs with 48 volts of phantom power. The monitor also includes a waveform monitor to quickly see the overall brightness of a scene, an RGB Parade display for color saturation, a vectorscope, and an Edge Monitor Focus Assist for getting your image sharp. The camcorder records audio in an uncompressed 16-bit PCM format at 48 kHz giving you great control in post over how your captured audio sounds.

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NAB is just around the corner and companies are gearing up to announce some of their most innovative products of the year. Of course, some companies get a bit itchy and can’t wait to share what’s in store. Such is the case with Nikon. Nikon got an early start by announcing their exciting new HDSLR, the D5100. The camera, which costs only $899.95 with an 18-55mm VR lens, can shoot in full 1080p HD at 30 and 24 frames per second, in 720p at 30 and 24 fps (sadly, no 60fps option), and in 640×424 at 24 fps. It also records to the ever popular H.264/MPEG-4 file format and has a 16.2 megapixel 23.6 x 15.6mm sensor for low noise and shallow depth of field recording. The camera has a slot for recording on SD, SDHC, or SDXC memory cards – which have become increasingly popular with cameras and camcorders alike due to their fast file transfers and inexpensive price.

One of the most exciting features of their new camera is the 3 inch articulating screen. With it, both high and low angle shots should be much easier to take and with the ability to rotate 180 degrees, the screen has a natural protection when placed up against the back of the camera. This puts Nikon in the same camp as Canon’s 60D and Sony’s Alpha, a trend which will hopefully only continue.  Much like the Sony Alpha cameras, the Nikon D5100 also has the ability to autofocus during shooting, making camera operation simple for those doing quick, run and gun style shots.

At the same time, Nikon has also announced their new Nikon ME-1 stereo microphone. This microphone comes with a low-cut filter to reduce wind noise and has a cable stop to hold the 3.5mm stereo mini-pin in place for noise reduction. This microphone comes as a response to many users complaints about loud autofocus and handling noise using previous cameras internal microphones.  The condenser microphone will be unidirectional, has a 60 dB signal-to-noise ratio, and is supplied power by the camera.

With the release of this camera, Nikon seems to be taking even bigger strides towards making a camera that fits almost every amateur and prosumer videographer’s needs. Though it still has a way to go, the improvements to their latest camera is encouraging. Here’s to hoping that the next release to the D3S has 1080p recording at 60 fps, a 50 Mb/s or 28 Mb/s AVCHD recording format, an XLR input, manual audio controls, and dual SD continuous shooting option. Of course that may never happen unless Nikon releases a camcorder but it never hurt to be optimistic!

A new clip-on LCD monitor from Sony gives HDSLR camera owners a bigger, better view of their footage while shooting HD video.

The CLM-V55 is a portable video monitor featuring a 800×480 5” LCD panel. Attaching easily to most Interchangeable Lens Digital cameras and compatible HD camcorders via the supplied adapter.

The clip-on screen tilts and swivels to any angle for comfortable framing in any position – even self-shooting when you’re in the picture.

The CLM-V55 is loaded with pro-style features to help photo enthusiasts and videographers shoot high-quality HD video footage with their Interchangeable Lens Digital camera. Pixel magnification mode assists with accurate focus confirmation, giving an enlarged pixel-perfect view of a selected portion of the Full HD image. It’s complemented by a color peaking function that highlights the edges of accurately-focused areas of the video image.

An intuitive control wheel allows quick, positive adjustment of a wide range of monitor settings without interrupting shooting. Adjustable parameters include aspect ratio (16:9/4:3), volume, brightness, contrast, color tone, color temp and auto dimmer. On-screen markers aid precise framing by giving precise indication of a TV’s 16:9 or 4:3 actual display area. The LCD monitor’s on-board mono speaker is complemented by a headphone jack for accurate audio monitoring during shooting.

The CLM-V55 can be used with a wide range of Interchangeable Lens Digital cameras by Sony and other manufacturers equipped with an HDMI jack and capable of live view shooting. The CLM-V55 is easy to attach to the cameras either via Auto-lock Accessory Shoe or Accessory Shoe of which shape is compliant with the ISO518. The supplied adapter simplifies mounting on any camera or HD camcorder that features an auto-lock accessory shoe or ISO shoe. Signal connection from camera to monitor is via the supplied HDMI cable, while power can be supplied using a battery pack or AC adapter (both optional). The CLM-V55 comes with a detachable LCD hood for more comfortable viewing when shooting outdoors in bright sunlight. Pricing has not been revealed yet.