Nobody needs 12K – Blackmagic’s new Ursa, and why you actually want 12K

So Blackmagic announced the new Ursa 12K - and folks went totally mental. "Nobody asked for 12K" and "I wanted a flip screen, and all I got is 12K" - comments all over the web. Only a few people seem to get, what this new RGBW sensor actually means, and why it is not about...

The next Generation – New Ursa Mini Pro G2 with 300fps and new 15 stops sensor

Blackmagic Design announce the brand new Ursa Mini Pro G2 - the Next generation URSA Mini Pro camera. It features new electronics, a Super 35 4.6K HDR image sensor, 15 stops of dynamic range, and up to 300 fps high frame rate shooting, Blackmagic RAW. The new URSA Mini Pro 4.6K G2 is a dramatic...

Shooting Tergiversation

Shooting a short film - Tergiversation - during the last 4 days in Switzerland. Amazing actors (Alexa Jago, Sidney Kean and Lionel Podarski), great script, and the always awesome "Grey Eminence" crew: Remo Pini, Carolyn Pini, Marco von Allmen, Timo Schaub, Dominik Di Rosa, Annika Fausch, Alina Sara Hediger, Klemens Niklaus Trenkle, Sandro Schreiber We where shooting on two...

Syncing external audio with ANY camera and recorder – Tentacle takes the pain out of the butt.

If you are an avid reader of my blog, you probably already heard about the TENTACLE SYNC system. If not, watch this first. https://vimeo.com/111424158 https://vimeo.com/111504154 So, now that you are up to speed, let's talk about syncing external audio and why it is a pain in the butt. First of all, why do you want...

ND Fader Shootout – Heliopan vs. the new GENUS Eclipse

Since over 2 years now,  I use the Heliopan Vari-Grau ND Fader religiously. I tried a lot of different brands before and have to send them all back, because they get ether soft on a long lens or had some crazy color shift to it - sometimes both. The Heliopan - though expensive - was...

First Hands on the Blackmagic Cinema Camera – Test Diary

A few days ago, Blackmagic contacted me, and asked, if I would like to give their new Cinema Camera a test ride. Of course I want. This here will be a diary of my findings and opinions. So if you are curious in that camera, stop by frequently and read the latest updates. DAY 1....

G-Log Ultimate 1.0 Picture Profile for the Sony FS100

After further trying, to milk out the last bit of the FS100 sensor, I think I finally came up with the "magic formula". It holds and rolls highlights better than any of my other profiles, gives more DR than ever and also is the closest you can get to S-Log in a FS100. If you...

Four new Picture Profiles for The FS100 2.0

The FS100 finally received the 2.0 firmware update, so it´s time for some new profiles. My main goal was to get good looking skin tones at daylight. For other situations, play with the white balance till the skin tones are right and everything else should fall into place For best results: Adjust your black levels...

Out of the Black: BlackMagic`s new Cinema Camera – why they got it right, but so wrong

Some of the things that really created quite a rumble at NAB this year was Black Magic´s Cinema Camera. I´m not gonna list the tech specs, since most folks that read my blog already know them by heart (for everyone else, look them up on the BM site). I want to share my thoughts, why...

First Hands-On Review of the SONY FS700

Some weeks ago I got a surprising mail from SONY. They asked me if I want to play a few days, with one of their pre-production models of the new FS700. Are you kidding me? Hell Yeah! So when the UPS guy finally knocked at my door, I got pretty excited, since the specs they...