» Posts Tagged ‘nikon’
The Nikon D600 is currently the only full-frame camera in its price range to offer uncompressed HDMI, but a huge issue prevented it from being usable — that is, until now. Nikon has just released a firmware update that corrects the HDMI output, and instead of only filling 95% of the screen, it will now fill 100%. While many were hopeful the update would also include a fix for the ability to change the aperture in live view, that doesn’t seem to be the case. Nikon also released updates for the Nikon D800 and a number of other cameras, so click through for more details and links to the downloads. More »
Nikon might have been first out of the gate with the D90, but it wasn’t until cameras like the D7000 that their DSLRs started outputting 1080p, and early last year, they beat everyone to the punch by introducing the D800, the first full-frame DSLR with an uncompressed 1080p 4:2:2 HDMI output for better quality. Now they’ve got a new DSLR, the D7100, which takes most of the features of the D5200, like the APS-C 24MP Toshiba sensor and uncompressed HDMI, and puts it into a more professional and weather-resistant body. The D5200 also does something basically no other APS-C camera in the price range does: it can shoot video that is practically free from aliasing and moire. The D7100, however, has its optical low pass filter removed, so will that mean worse video on the new DSLR? More »
It sounds like hyperbole, but it’s not. For a limited time, you can get Canon and Nikon lenses from B&H Photo Video at record-breakingly low prices. It may be a bit soon to call it the ‘sale of the century,’ but B&H is now offering up to $350 in savings on Nikon lenses, and as much as $300-$400 in savings on Canon lenses and flashes due to manufacturer-mandated discounts. So what are you waiting for? Read on for the links below. More »
When considering lens options for purchase or rental, certain criteria may stand out to you more than others. This depends on what you shoot most often, or what a project demands. Perhaps as a run-and-gun doc shooter, you simply need the extra stop you get with one 85mm lens for the same price as another that doesn’t vignette as badly. Or you gave up a contrast performance you really preferred in favor of the IS lens of greater overall value. But what if money were no object, and focal length and speed were matched? An aspect you’d find yourself evaluating closely is the way each handles its bokeh, or de-focused areas of the image. DigitalRev’s latest Battle of the Bokeh is a comparison between Canon, Nikon, and Sigma 35mm f/1.4 lenses in precisely this spirit — with some unexpected results. More »
Not all glass is created equal. Some is shaped into things you drink out of. Some becomes windows, windshields, and portholes. And some become the tools you use every day to create beautiful images. Something as insanely resolute as 4K (or even 8K) broadcast and stereoscopic 48fps can only look so good with a junk piece of glass placed between the medium and the image — which can also work great if that’s the type of look you’re going for. Given all this, the birds and the bees of how lenses are made — and function, down to the basics — is definitely something many of us take for granted. More »
Canon obviously got off to an early start in Hollywood thanks to the incredible performance of the Canon 5D Mark II and the fact that the camera could be put literally anywhere. It really wasn’t until the introduction early last year of the Nikon D800 that there was a bigger push to incorporate Nikon DSLRs into larger productions. Some of this is attributed to the fact that the Nikon cameras didn’t have full manual controls in video mode until their newest cameras, but the other reason they haven’t really taken hold is because the image quality just wasn’t very good until the D800. Now we’ve got people like DP Janusz Kamiński shooting with the cameras, and it’s being used on shows like Dexter and Wilfred. More »
Will Post Houses and DITs Be Extinct by 2017?
The media management and quality control handled by the digital imaging technician and post house is nearly universally vital in modern filmmaking, where each digital camera brings its own varying formats, workflows, and quirks. This need for DITs and post houses, however, may evaporate just as quickly as it has arisen — at least according to the predictions of Michael Cioni. As the CEO of post house Light Iron, he has helped pioneer RED workflows at the highest level of filmmaking, so his word is not to be taken lightly — particularly since he’s predicting the end of what his and any other post house does as we know it by 2017. Furthermore, what cameras (and therefore camera teams) will have to take care of themselves is staggering, especially taking a look at the duties fulfilled by today’s high-end DIT carts — including those assembled by Light Iron itself. More »
As we approach the end of the holiday season (and the end of the year), there are still plenty of last-minute gifts or great deals specifically for filmmakers. You might have already purchased a Wii U or Xbox 360 for someone in your family (or Playstation 3 if you’re still rocking those), but there are plenty of extremely useful gifts for filmmakers that won’t cost you an arm or a leg, and they’ll probably be put to more use than a video game (though I guess that depends on the specific filmmaker). Read through to check them out. More »
Canon has had an ongoing relationship with industry professionals like Shane Hurlbut and Vincent Laforet, but now it seems Nikon is getting in on the action, calling on frequent Steven Spielberg Director of Photography Janusz Kamiński to shoot, and Guillermo Arriaga, writer/director of The Burning Plain and writer of Amores Perros, 21 Grams, and Babel, to direct a horror film shot only with the Nikon D800. This is a big step for Nikon, who has lagged behind the rest of the DSLR video world until this generation of cameras. More »
Kevin Good over at CrisisLab has recently published a comparison of both higher end (Canon and Nikon) and less expensive (Sigma and Tamron) lenses common for various types of DSLR shooting — 24-70mm f/2.8 zooms. The test compares overall clarity, both at the center of each lens as well as at the edges, the quality of bokeh, the amount of vignetting, and the ability for internal optical image stabilization. The results of each test were weighted against the going price for each lens, in order to determine which possesses the best overall value. Read on to check out the video — and which lens may have the most bang for your buck. More »
Learning to shoot timelapse videos on a DSLR can be quite daunting at first, but Preston Kanak, a frequent contributor to Philip Bloom’s site, has already produced a couple great videos giving an introduction to shooting timelapse on DSLRs. His ultimate goal is to create a series of videos and release one each month that details a bit about producing a timelapse video and what exactly goes into the process. If you happened to miss either the introduction or part 1, or you want to skip right ahead to part 2, click through to check them out. More »
Nikon introduced the D600 back in September, shortly after Sony gave us a number of new cameras. In terms of full-frame DSLRs, only the aging 5D Mark II and the new Canon 6D are anywhere near the price range of the $2,100 D600. Unfortunately, Nikon released the camera without the ability to change the aperture in live view. While this isn’t a deal-breaker for those with manual lenses, if you want to use new automatic lenses, it’s a real problem. Another issue for filmmakers is that the camera does not display a full picture in live view in order to make full use of recording the HDMI output. A new firmware update, however, may fix these issues and make the D600 a contender. More »
Nikon just announced a brand new DSLR, the D5200. While this camera should be a replacement for another in the lineup, it actually seems as if Nikon will continue selling the D5100 for some time. The externals between the 5100 and the 5200 are virtually indentical, but most of the changes have been to the internal hardware. This new camera features a 24 MP sensor and for the first time on a Nikon DSLR, 60i. Now, I got slightly excited for a moment, but read on for what this really means. More »
Nikon has been steadily improving video quality in their DSLRs, but they have mostly lagged behind their competitors until the release of the D800, which had more resolution than the Canon 5D Mark III as well as the ability to record the HDMI output. The one area where the D800 was not as stellar as the Mark III (thanks to the 36 megapixel sensor in the Nikon), was low-light performance. With the release of the Nikon D600, Nikon is hoping to at least match Canon’s offerings (the 5D Mark III and the brand new Canon 6D) not only in video quality, but in low-light performance. CheesyCam, a gear review site we have featured here before, takes a look at the Nikon D600 vs. the Canon 5D Mark III: More »
After the big announcements from Sony yesterday, we’ve got a significant one from Nikon, the full-frame Nikon D600. Another camera that had been rumored for months, this one was finally announced early this morning — and it’s really gunning for Canon and Sony. Though the D800 image quality arguably surpassed the Mark III at lower ISOs (at least in resolution and dynamic range), the price has been a little steep for a lot of users — not to mention that it has only recently began showing up in-stock online. Now the Nikon D600 can take top honors as the cheapest full-frame camera with a recordable HDMI. Check out all of the details below. More »
When the RED EPIC was first announced, one of the big selling points from RED’s perspective was the fact that the camera could be used for both stills and video. Until now though, the only still camera lenses that could work natively on the EPIC and SCARLET have been from Canon (and more recently some older Leica lenses). RED produced that electronic mount in two versions, aluminum and titanium, and it has been very popular on the SCARLET camera to use lower-cost (but high quality) lenses. Those mounts also allow the use of autofocus and ability to control the iris directly from the camera. The long-awaited Nikon version is now not only available in the store, but is supported in the new firmware update that was just released. More »
We’ve all been there… it’s the twelfth hour, and you’re Cam Op or DP on a skeleton crew that’s shooting on a DSLR. The director wants that organic, handheld, flowing look, and stopping just isn’t an option because the talent are in the zone. You’ve been shooting on the 50mm a little too much for your taste, and would love to try the 35mm or 85mm — but your lens bag might as well be on the moon with how fast things are moving (and with no AC). What do you do? Wouldn’t it be great if there was a tool to help with your quick run-and-gun filmmaking — to keep your lens choices literally at your fingertips? Well, with the Quikdraw, a new belt-side lens holder that’s seeking funding on Kickstarter, you can have the luxury of lens change speed with some added security. Click through to see a video of the system in action. More »
Samyang (also known as Rokinon in the U.S.), is adding to their cinema DSLR lens line with three new lenses, a 14mm T/3.1, 24mm T/1.5, and a 35mm T/1.5. Since Samyang’s lenses were already all manual lenses, it wasn’t too much of a stretch to add focus gears for a follow focus and declick the iris ring to allow for smooth exposure pulls. They have already released one cine-modded lens so far, the 8mm T/3.8. More »
I have seen plenty of moving and powerful timelapse videos, but with any technique, it’s all about the artist behind the camera who has to know what they’re trying to capture before they even start shooting. Timelapse videos tend to be synonymous with Vimeo (along with shallow depth of field), and because of that, they seem to be routinely criticized and labeled as amateur. If you’ve ever tried to capture one with physical movement, you know that this is anything but an amateur technique, and it takes a great amount of skill to pull off dynamic movements. Preston Kanak, a contributor to Philip Bloom’s site, gives a quick overview in the video below of everything you need to get started shooting your own DSLR timelapse videos. More »
We’ve already speculated about the future of Nikon and their plans for a cinema camera, but there is an interesting rumor circulating that Nikon is planning to move their service center in El Segundo, CA once the lease is up in a few months. Why does this matter? Well the word is that they will be moving to a new site right in Hollywood, and this would no doubt be a direct response to the Canon Professional Technology and Support Center. If that does happen, what might it mean for filmmakers, and what does Nikon need to do to compete with Canon, Sony, and Panasonic in the video world? More »
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