Best Camera Gear Of 2018

 

BMC Pocket 4K Coming #filmmaking

 

$1295, September, needs expensive CFAST cards or external USB-C drive (cheaper?), new low-light capability.

 

Blackmagic Pocket Cinema Camera 4K

 

 

Ursa 4.6k vs. GH5

 

The State of Cinema Cameras

Geoff Boyle discusses choices when it comes to shooting:

He says a lot of the things I mentioned in this article :)

Directors: How to Choose a Camera System

Aja Cion Camera

Am I in love with this cam? Well the DR maxes out at 12 stops, but damn the colors and the feel of the images are very filmlike. It could have a very nice sensor, which I’m not an expert at evaluating. All I know is that the recent Sony competitor had video-looking dry images that left me cold.

This new AJA cam has a film aesthetic right out of the box, and look at those ergonomics! It’s got everything you might want to shoot a documentary or whatever.

($9,000?)

Great Subway Moments (short)

 

Racist blonde nutcase goes off…

 

Sony A7s Dream Cam?

 

This may be the first still camera / movie cam I actually lust for.*  Passes for film in my book, and it does low light to ISO…

 

…

 

wait for it…

 

…

 

400,000.

 

 

The sensor has something going for it you’ve never seen before.

 

Cost: $2500.  Ouch.  Nothing like the ridiculously priced Canon 1dc, which was the biggest ripoff I’d ever seen.  And this cam may blow it away.

 

* I have not seen the rolling shutter issue, as all shots are static and stable.  Needs more testing.

 

PS

I almost forgot!  Sony is claiming “15.3 stops” of dynamic range in raw mode.  Not sure the availability of recording RAW moving image, but we’ll see.  The ARRI Alexa has 14.3 stops; so ponder that, young grasshopper.

 

 

PBS: Selling Totalitarianism – Eyes in the Sky

 

 

If anyone is dumb enough to think they are implementing total city surveillance to protect people from purse snatchers, I have  a beautiful paid vacation for you.  Just get in the cattle car.

 

Big Brother Paradise

 

The FBI is centralizing its biometric databases of everyone and integrating local police departments into its all-encompassing surveillance state.  Eventually they’ll have half of the nation spying on the other half…

 

Police Are Testing a “Live Google Earth” To Watch Crime As It Happens

 

D-BOLEX – New Kid

 

The Digital Bolex is released, and this will intrigue some for its characteristics.  The RAW global shutter gives a distinctive look, and a lot of leeway for post changes.  I think the saturation was pushed past the breaking point below, but it shows how much color info is captured.

Drawback is that it has less dynamic range than the BMCs, or of course the Alexa and Red Dragons.  This means clipped highlights more of the time.  Mitigating clipped highlights on a real movie set is still needed, important, and often not done.

I’ll need to update my camera introduction guide when more footage comes out of the Bolex.

“The camera retails for $3299 for 256GB hard drive, or $3599 for a 500GB hard drive.”

Also note the built in XLR audio connectors.

 

Red Dragon Lives (NSFW)

Another extreme dynamic range test of the new sensor.  Some exposure and grading choices that I wouldn’t have made but the camera is holding detail even in the extremes.

New Blacmkmagic Pocket Cam Footage

 

This is very usable and should ship within days.

Things to remember about the pocket version:

• Less Resolution (1920×1080 max.) than BMCC RAW
• Has an active m4/3 mount, for lens stabilization, auto-focus
• One third the price
• Easy Stealth
• Same sensor with 13+ stops of DR