nofilmschool » micro43

MFT or EF Blackmagic Cinema Camera? Philip Bloom Weighs in and Reviews the Micro 4/3 BMCC

Joe Marine — Sat, 30 Mar 2013 03:14:18 +0000

The Micro 4/3 mount Blackmagic Cinema Camera was announced back in September 2012, and just recently we saw that beta cameras were starting to ship to people around the world. Many have asked which camera they should be ordering (since they both sell for $3K and you can switch your pre-order to EF), and while we’ve done our best to answer that question (and more), it’s always good to hear the perspective of someone who has used both models. Philip Bloom reviewed the camera back in September, but he finally got an MFT camera to try out, and he’s posted his review online. Check it out below. (more…)

Micro 4/3 Blackmagic Cinema Cameras May Be Coming Soon to a Neighborhood Near You

Joe Marine — Thu, 28 Mar 2013 11:58:02 +0000

The Blackmagic Cinema Camera is still steadily shipping out, but so far they’ve only been sending out the EF mount cameras. The issue of infinity focus with those cameras was confirmed to not be affecting the shipping speed, so there is hope we have seen the last of the delays and shortages. If, however, you’re one of those who switched your order to the Micro 4/3 BMCC (or ordered separately), it looks like shipment could be just around the corner. (more…)

MFT BMCC and John Brawley Capture More Beautiful Footage, and SLR Magic 25mm T/0.95 is Shipping

Joe Marine — Sun, 17 Mar 2013 19:14:17 +0000

It may be a few months away from getting into the hands of us regular folks, but the Micro 4/3 mount version of the Blackmagic Cinema Camera has gotten plenty of work in a number of real-world situations thanks to John Brawley. While he’s been testing plenty of PL mount lenses on the camera (we’ve got some brand new footage below), he’s also been trying out of all of the manual MFT lenses that are currently out there, including those from Voightlander, and a brand new lens from SLR Magic, the new T/0.95 lens, which just may be a perfect go-to option for the MFT BMCC. (more…)

Polaroid, Technicolor, Kodak: With the Branded Beast Extinct, What Becomes of the Brand?

Dave Kendricken — Thu, 31 Jan 2013 09:29:21 +0000

In the whirlwind of hyperactive change that is Moore’s Law, branding can be a prime anchor point. Brand identity fights the tendency toward ‘the new’ with powerful invocations of the past: nostalgia, reliability, simplicity, and the association of that brand name with the creation of very dear memories. Granted, nostalgia alone can’t save anyone from bankruptcy — but it’s a start. Polaroid, Technicolor, and Kodak are prime examples of this interplay, and each is adapting in its own ways — though there’s some overlap. Not one, but two of these traditionally film-based companies are even releasing digital cameras. In whatever the way, each of the three is working toward the preservation of its own historic brand name — which do you think will pull through? (more…)

Blackmagic Joins the Micro 4/3 Barbecue: is an Active MFT Mount Cinema Camera Cooking?

Dave Kendricken — Tue, 22 Jan 2013 22:20:42 +0000

Just a few short months ago, it was announced that the Blackmagic Cinema Camera would be receiving a Micro 4/3 lens mount option alternative to its original Canon EF mount. Granted, for those of us still waiting on the BMCC to ship, a few short months is no stretch of time to merely shrug off — particularly when the mount announced was to be a “passive” or “dumb” one, meaning electronic control would not be supported for smart MFT lenses. There’s been speculation that this would change — and given Blackmagic’s recent addition to the consortium of companies aligned with the official Micro 4/3 standard, this speculation seems less outlandish than ever. (more…)

Voigtlander 17.5mm and SLR Magic 12mm on the Blackmagic Cinema Camera MFT with John Brawley

Joe Marine — Fri, 04 Jan 2013 20:59:48 +0000

We are still waiting on the official word about whether we’ll start seeing volume shipping in the next few weeks on the EF version of the Blackmagic Cinema Camera, but John Brawley has been busy putting the Micro 4/3 version through its paces. That version, which has a passive (non-electronic) mount, may actually be more suited for the camera considering the sensor is about the same size as MFT. There may not be a tremendous amount of lens support at the moment, but Brawley has tested a few that MFT BMCC users might think about purchasing, the Voigtlander Nokton 17.5mm f/0.95 and the SLR Magic 12mm T/1.6. On a pre-shoot for a feature film he is working on, he busted out the BMCC and grabbed these shots: (more…)

9 New Panasonic GH3 Test Videos Show the Camera's Capabilities and Limitations

Justin Minich — Sat, 29 Dec 2012 18:20:48 +0000

You’ve seen the test videos and the first short film made with the prototype models, but now the production models of the Panasonic GH3 have been around for almost a month. Those filmmakers who decided to take the early adoption plunge have been out there kicking the GH3‘s figurative tires and uploading their resulting videos. Here I’ve picked out those videos that should answer lingering questions about moire, ISO, the wireless app, overall image quality, and how the GH3 compares to the GH2 (and popular DSLR’s). I’ll also chime in occasionally with my thoughts on the brief hands-on experience I had with the camera: (more…)

Panasonic Officially Starts Shipping the GH3 (Plus New Test Videos)

Justin Minich — Sat, 01 Dec 2012 22:30:12 +0000

Some of us have been waiting for this since the camera stat rumors in September, and others since the GH2 was hacked. Despite earlier news of a slightly delayed release date, it looks like Panasonic has officially begun shipping the GH3. If you’re just now learning about the GH3, be sure to check out the camera’s stats and past videos. However, if you’ve been following the news, jump in and check out the latest test videos: (more…)

Slight Panasonic GH3 Delay and 5 New Videos: 0.5 Firmware Update, Moire, Menu Interface, and More

Justin Minich — Fri, 09 Nov 2012 14:00:02 +0000

As some of you might be aware, the Panasonic GH3‘s release date has been changed from November 30th to December 13th. B&H currently lists an earlier date, but the 13th is the official Panasonic release date — though that could still change as the camera nears release. This slight delay is probably so that Panasonic can make needed improvements to the camera before it’s released. You can see some of those improvements in new test footage shot on cameras with the 0.5 firmware, though as you might expect there are still some lingering issues. In addition, more in-depth reviews of the preproduction cameras are coming in, and we get to take a look at the structure of the menu interface: (more…)

Panasonic Announces the AF100A, but is the Upgrade Worth It?

Justin Minich — Mon, 05 Nov 2012 16:30:27 +0000

When I first saw the announcement this morning I thought I had misread it, as this is something I believe neither I, nor most M43 users expected, but it is indeed true: Panasonic will be releasing an update to their AF100 line, the AF100A (technically AF105A since its initial release will be in Japan only), on November 15th. With a new camera model, this does seem to indicate that they are committed to the AF100 series of cameras for some time. Here’s what we can expect from the new addition to Panasonic’s line of M43 cameras: (more…)

SLR Magic Developing Budget Anamorphic Lenses and Canceling Development on Others

Joe Marine — Mon, 05 Nov 2012 09:59:36 +0000

Not too long ago SLR Magic (maker of the 12mm T/1.6 and 50mm T/0.95 lenses) confirmed that they were in the early stages of developing anamorphic lenses designed for Micro 4/3 mounts — like the Panasonic GH3 and the Blackmagic Cinema Camera MFT. This is certainly very exciting for any lower-budget or DSLR-level shooters who have so far been deprived of any low-cost anamorphic shooting options (or at least those that don’t require serious workarounds). They’ve also said they will not be developing select new lenses the Leica mount that premiered at Photokina. (more…)

Your Mission, Should You Choose to Accept It, is to Track Down These New Lenses from Schneider

Ryan Koo — Fri, 28 Sep 2012 00:45:10 +0000

Micro 4/3. Super35. Full Frame. And everything in between! There are a lot of needs for cinema lenses these days — and by cinema lenses I mean optics with manual aperture rings and focus gears — and, compared to the still lens market, not a lot of options. But while Schneider has announced new cinema lenses, I can’t seem to find many details about them. Here’s what we know: (more…)

Panasonic GH3 Uncompressed HDMI Might Be Useless

Joe Marine — Thu, 20 Sep 2012 12:52:25 +0000

It should be pointed out that Panasonic has gotten almost everything right with the GH3. They have addressed more user suggestions in one version update than most companies do in three. Not only have they given higher bitrate recording modes, but they also seemed to have increased dynamic range (even if only slightly). The other big feature that wasn’t given as much attention is the ability to record the uncompressed signal from the HDMI. There have been rumblings about the color space coming from the HDMI, and it had been noted in many places that the output was only 8-bit 4:2:0. Since the camera isn’t final, and not all Panasonic employees were familiar with the finer details, I had initially been hesitant about posting the information. Now EOSHD has an interview with a senior engineer at Panasonic about the issue. (more…)

In-Depth Q&A with Blackmagic About the Cinema Camera, and an Update on Shipping Status

Joe Marine — Wed, 19 Sep 2012 03:03:31 +0000

If you’ve had any lingering questions about the Blackmagic Cinema Camera, like the reason for the current design and the possible future of the product line, we now have most of the answers. Clayton Burkhart over at cinema5D spoke with a member of the Cinema Camera development team, Soren Phillips, about the camera and the reasoning for many of the choices they made. The questions range from codecs, to the body design, and even to the sensor choice and capabilities all in this 24 minute video. (more…)

Panasonic GH3 Gets Uncompressed HDMI for $1,300, New Lenses Coming

Joe Marine — Tue, 18 Sep 2012 02:17:04 +0000

Panasonic did finally announce the GH3 today, even though we already knew most of the details. One of the few that we didn’t know about was the HDMI port, and sure enough, Panasonic has allowed the recording of the HDMI feed while also allowing the camera to record internally to the SD card — doing Nikon one better. The great thing about this option is that you can have a simultaneous proxy or backup if you want it. Panasonic has put a lot of technology into this camera, and it’s the most advanced video recording DSLR (mirrorless) camera under $1,500. There is also a behind-the-scenes of the Philip Bloom DP’ed short Genesis out now where both Bloom and Bruce Logan talk more about the camera. First, here is that short, which you should download in 1080p for better quality: (more…)

Panasonic GH3 Price, Specs, and Official Photos Revealed

Joe Marine — Sun, 16 Sep 2012 19:59:41 +0000

This is probably going to be one of the more uninteresting product announcements in recent memory. Most of the major specs about the camera have already been revealed prior to the official announcement tomorrow, and there are only a few left that are still unclear. There is a chance that a few specs are incorrect, but for such a respected reseller like Samy’s Camera to not only have the information up there, but also keep it there for a period of time, leads me to believe that these are the final specs and the final price. Check below for more details. (more…)

Watch the First Film Shot on the Panasonic GH3

Joe Marine — Sat, 15 Sep 2012 19:40:43 +0000

While it’s not set to be announced until Monday, a promotional video for the new Panasonic GH3 was accidentally released yesterday. The video has been taken down numerous times but thanks to various YouTube users it has been uploaded again each time. In that video there were a few shots of Philip Bloom and Bruce Logan, ASC (who was in charge of the recent Zacuto Shootout) making a film with the new camera. That film, Genesis, was written and directed by Bruce Logan and DP’ed by both Logan and Philip Bloom, and you can watch it below to get a brief glimpse of what this new Panasonic camera is capable of. (more…)

Panasonic Accidentally Unveils the GH3 in Promotional Video

Joe Marine — Fri, 14 Sep 2012 18:24:04 +0000

Even though it’s not set to be officially unveiled until Monday, a promotional video for the Panasonic GH3 (the GH2 replacement) was accidentally released ahead of the announcement. The first video was actually released by Panasonic themselves, and has since been removed, but thanks to fast users, it has been uploaded elsewhere. Check out the video and updated specs below for all of the details on the new GH3.

(more…)

Blackmagic Cinema Camera Getting Micro 4/3 Mount This Year

Joe Marine — Fri, 07 Sep 2012 15:32:50 +0000

Well, unexpected would be an understatement. I triple-checked the information very early this morning to make sure I wasn’t seeing things. Today at IBC Blackmagic announced that they will be introducing a model of the Cinema Camera with a Micro 4/3 mount (same mount used on the Panasonic GH2). One of the biggest complaints about the camera was the lens mount being EF only, and now this issue has been addressed. This is fantastic news — but there is a little bit of a catch. (more…)

Panasonic GH3 Camera Rumors: Higher Bit Rate Codec, Wider Dynamic Range, and More

Justin Minich — Mon, 03 Sep 2012 13:00:52 +0000

The forthcoming Panasonic GH3 has some big shoes to fill, especially given the popularity (in hacked form) of its predecessor, the GH2. That camera came out on top in a poll we conducted as the favorite scene of NoFilmSchool readers in the 2012 Zacuto Shootout — with the far more expensive Arri Alexa and Sony F65 digital cameras rounding out second and third. While that poll involved a test with subjective lighting, it’s clear that the hacked GH2 can hold its own, especially for a camera priced under $1,000. Rumors have been flying recently about the specs of the GH3, and if they turn out to be true, there will be significant improvements in the camera’s codec, dynamic range, and auto focus, as well as the addition of some potentially interesting new features. (more…)