Perform Video Master Class: Dust Removal From Video

Dust is a huge pain, it makes you sneeze, makes your house dirty and when it gets in between your lens and your camera it can ruin your video footage! This happened to us on a recent shoot and in this Perform Video Master Class we show you how we fixed it in After Effects.

Perform Video Master Class: Dust Removal From Video

A big problem when shooting with a DSLR is the risk of getting dust in your image. Not only is dust quite likely to enter the system during a lens change, it’s also very hard to spot the problem when monitoring the video on the back of the camera. 9 times out of 10 it’s only when you get the clips up on a big screen you notice the issue.

Obviously prevention is better than cure and to de-risk the dust problem you should blast the back of the lens and mirror with a small air duster during each lens change. The second mitigating item is a good quality field monitor.

If you do find dust on one of your shots there is a fix in post production in After Effects, in this video we show you how.

Perform Video Master Class: Dust Removal From Video

Australia’s Night Sky: Timelapse Film

Jody Brown is a photographer who lives in a remote community in Western Australia. He specializes in nightscapes and timelapse photography in some of the world’s most remote locations. This video showcases timelapse photography he did around the remote regions of Western Australia and the Northern Territory, including the easily recognizable Uluru.

Australia’s Night Sky: Timelapse Film

Adobe Creative Cloud Free for Another 30 Days

Adobe Creative Cloud Free for Another 30 Days: According to Lifehacker, Adobe is currently sending out emails to notify users that they are resetting everybody’s Creative Cloud 30-day free trial. If you’ve not given the newest versions of the software a chance and you’re not one of the people who is dead set against it, now is a great time to see if what you’re missing is worth jumping into the subscription model.

For now all we have is this email linked to by Lifehacker, but it does seem to be legit as it comes straight from Adobe’s website.

Adobe Creative Cloud Free for Another 30 Days

Nikon Will Fix D600 with Dust/Oil Issues Regardless of Warranty

Nikon Will Fix D600 with Dust/Oil Issues Regardless of Warranty: Following news that no less than four law firms were planning to go after Nikon over the D600 dust/oil spot debacle, Nikon has issued a service advisory announcing that they will fix ALL D600 cameras with sensor dust/oil problems for free regardless of warranty status.

So if you own a Nikon D600 and have been noticing dust and staining on your pictures (as below) you should be able to get it fixed.  Nikon will pay for you to send your D600 in so that technicians can clean your sensor, replace your shutter assembly and return your camera as quickly as they can.  We’d expect them to be rather busy over the next few weeks so the process may take a while. To schedule your free repair service, head over to Nikon’s technical service advisory by clicking here.

From Nikon…

Some users of Nikon’s D600 D-SLR camera have reported the appearance of tiny spots on certain of their images. Not all users have experienced this issue. Nikon has thoroughly evaluated these reports and has determined that these spots are caused by dust particles which may become visible when the camera is used in certain circumstances and/or with certain settings. It is a well-known fact that the presence of dust particles cannot be completely avoided when using a D-SLR camera even after normal sensor cleaning procedures, because of a number of factors including components moving at high speeds when images are taken, the use of interchangeable lenses, and the different environments in which a D-SLR camera may be used. As part of its customer-service commitment, Nikon is providing a customer-service measure to reduce the potential impact of dust particles on images taken by its D600 D-SLR cameras.

Nikon Will Fix D600 with Dust/Oil Issues Regardless of Warranty

Lensbaby Lenses System Overview

Lensbaby is a line of camera lenses for SLR cameras that combine a simple lens with a bellows or ball and socket mechanism for use in special-effect photography. The lenses are mainly used in selective focus photography and bokeh effects. Here we take a look at a few videos that showcase the creative effects you can capture with the system…

Tom Antos takes us through the Lensbaby Lens Kit:

Here’s a video that Tom shot using the Lensbaby Double Glass Optic system:

Here’s an official video of the line-up, by Lensbaby inventor Craig Strong

Lensbaby Lenses System Overview

Could Amazon Take On YouTube (& Poach Their Top Talent)?

Could Amazon take on YouTube and poach their top talent in the process? This comes as the online retailer announces a move into short-form video content.

There are not many companies around with the cash or, frankly, the cojones to take on the mighty YouTube. But could Amazon be gearing up to take a swipe at the video giant with it’s latest announcement?

The heavyweight online retailer is commissioning a slate of premium original video content to play on its Prime platform. The first series of pilot episodes (sponsored by car insurance firm Geico) will test the market to see how popular short-form original content can be on a platform normally reserved for long form television shows and B movies. The move mirrors YouTube’s attempt at financing premium short-form original content. Interestingly through the vast majority of funded YouTube channels were not re-commissioned for a second year after failing to provide any meaningful return on investment. 

While Amazon Prime is a paid subscription service, the pilot episodes will be free, and if it isn’t enough for them to attack YouTube with original content, Amazon is also trying to poach some of YouTube’s bigger acts for their own purpose. Reports haven’t clarified who exactly has been contacted but it shouldn’t be too hard to guess.

If nothing else, Amazon’s plunge into the video market will make the playing surface a little more even keel for creators hopefully.

Could Amazon Take On YouTube (& Poach Their Top Talent)?

RecoLive Releases Multi-Camera Switcher Application For iOS

 

Swiss-based RecoLive has released their RecoLive Switcher application for iOS multi-camera switching. The new app is the next step after the company’s MultiCam software. Their mission was to create a video using only an iPad that is professional quality. It’ll let you control and switch between other iDevices, using them as cameras. The Galileo can also be incorporated for pan/tilt effects. The app even streams live over YouTube for live events using just a few iDevices. The app uses Wi-Fi for connection and the developers are looking at using peer to peer networking in the future.

The RecoLive Switcher is free on the iOS app store, but there’s a $11.99 in-app purchase if you want to remove the watermark from your video. They are also exploring avenues with streaming partners to give you the full version free.

A Production Switcher on iPhone and iPad

Yverdon-les-Bains, February 26, 2014- There are several iPhone apps that amateur videographers can use to shoot clips and broadcast them live. While playing the role of director with these apps may be exciting, a performance or sporting event captured with these tools often comes across as less than thrilling to those who see the finished product. RecoLive wants to change this with its new multi-camera video app.

To communicate what makes an event unique, the director needs to show it from different angles, constantly showing new perspectives and controlling transitions. This is exactly what the new RecoLive Switcher app lets you do by working like the multi- camera equipment used in professional television productions.

An iPad becomes the production switcher and individual iPhones are the cameras. From the switcher, you can view each camera’s output and control transitions. The “picture-in- picture” effect and other features let you combine images from several cameras. The result can be streamed live over the Internet through a service like YouTube Live or Ustream that supports RTMP. It can also be projected on a big screen (via HDMI or AirPlay) or recorded.

Everything works through Wi-Fi and that makes this a very portable solution that is easy to set up. Using Motrr’s Galileo motion control platform, you can pan and tilt your cameras remotely. This means you can put your camera right in the center of the action and control its every movement from your spot at the switcher.

RecoLive Switcher was inspired by MultiCam, the multi-camera app from RecoLive that was released at the end of 2012. Switcher incorporates much of its predecessor’s functionality, including the ability to control focus, exposition and white balance, as well as a Tally light and the ability to turn off autofocus when the camera is streaming live. These features help you create high-quality videos.

RecoLive Switcher requires the use of a Wi-Fi network—you can even use the personal hotspot on your iPhone. In a later release, RecoLive is planning to leverage Apple’s peer- to-peer connectivity so that you will have the option to use the app without Wi-Fi or a hotspot.

You can download this app for free from the App Store and have access to all its features. The only restriction is that the name of the app will appear at the bottom of the video screen. To remove the app’s name from your creation, you can purchase it for $11.99 (in-app purchase). Soon, you will have the option of removing it if you use the services of one of our streaming partners.

About RecoLive Sàrl

RecoLive Sàrl is a startup founded in 2009 and located in Yverdon-les-Bains, Switzerland. Our first app for videographers was RecoLive MultiCam, used for recording multi-camera videos in full HD using an iPhone and iPad system. The focus of RecoLive Switcher, our second multi-camera app, is live streaming on the Internet.



RecoLive Releases Multi-Camera Switcher Application For iOS

Panther U-Bangi Slider System:

This is the new Panther U-Bangi slider. It covers the typical slider function on a tripod or dolly and is available in lengths from 64cm to 300cm and in two different widths. The system can be mounted either on Mitchell plate or on euroadapter.

In the market for a slider? Check out this selection from our partners at B&H Photo

Panther U-Bangi Slider System:

Arches and Canyonlands National Park Timelapse 4k UHD

Turn the Volume up, HD on and enjoy the beauty of Arches and Canyonlands National Park in one timelapse 4K video!

*if you are capable of watching in a higher resolution than 1080p choose original as this film was finished in 4k*

Arches National Park is an absolutely gorgeous area in Utah that is filled with really cool looking rock arches formed over immense amounts of time. It is hard to do the arches justice with photographs as they are absolutely massive! Some of the arches include a decent hike following cairn’s along rock paths for miles in the heat. This combined with the amount of people that are visiting the park during the day is why most of the shots in this film are during sunset and of the stars. Oh.. since we are on that topic now, the stars are insane in the park! Visit during the summer for a blazing milky way with the right weather conditions!

Right beside Arches is Canyonlands National Park. Canyonlands is much much larger and takes a lot longer to get around in due to its size. This park is where you will find the opening scene in this film (Mesa Arch)! Come for a beautiful sunrise but make sure you get there early as tour buses will drop off hundreds of tourists just before sunrise to get the classic photo of the arch being lit from below! Regardless of the crowds it is still a sight to be seen!

Equipment used:

Canon 6d

Canon 5d mark ii

Canon 16 – 35, 24-70, 70-200.

Rokinon 14

Motion Control:

Emotimo TB3 Black

Dynamic Perception Stage Zero

Film + Edit: Joel Schat (joelschat.com)

Music licensed via the Music Bed: Atlas – Lights & Motion

Arches and Canyonlands National Park Timelapse 4k UHD

David Fincher in Talks to Direct Steve Jobs Film for Sony

David Fincher already has tackled one Silicon Valley billionaire in Mark Zuckerberg. Now, the Social Network director is poised to take on the late Steve Jobs for Sony. This is according to a story in Hollywood Reporter. Apparently, Fincher is in early talks to helm the untitled film based on Walter Isaacson’s best-selling biography of the Apple co-founder.

Steve Jobs’ life already has inspired one big-screen feature: Open Road’s 2011 film Jobs, starring Ashton Kutcher, which grossed just $35 million worldwide.

Click here to view original web page at www.hollywoodreporter.com

David Fincher in Talks to Direct Steve Jobs Film for Sony

Atomos Ninja Blade Demo with Canon C100 & Canon 5D Mark III

Stefan Czech take look at the brand new Atomos Ninja Blade field recorder.

With the new super-bright 5” IPS 1280 x 720 touchscreen monitor from the Samurai Blade, the Ninja Blade brings highend field monitor and HDMI field recorder together. For the Canon EOS C100 and the Canon EOS 5D Mark III the new Ninja Blade fill the gapp between the Ninja2 and the Samurai Blade.

The Atomos Ninja Blade is the world’s most advanced smart production recorder, monitor and playback deck. Every part of its physical and operational design has been carefully crafted to deliver the ultimate in simple operation and mission critical reliability. The Blade combines multiple devices – external monitor, capture card, playback deck and cut edit suite – into a single affordable tool. It’s lightweight, tough and robust for operation in the field. If you want to check out a great interactive demo of the Atomos Ninja Blade field recorder, click here

You can buy this incredible field monitor/ recorder with our partners B&H Photo below

Podcast for the Ninja 2 and Canon EOS 5D Mark III:
vimeo.com/65471795

Podcast for the Ninja 2 and Canon EOS C100:
vimeo.com/56940714

Podcast for the Samura Blade working with XDCAM and Canon EOS 5D Mark III:
vimeo.com/71751972

 

Atomos Ninja Blade Demo with Canon C100 & Canon 5D Mark III

Bellami HD-1 Full HD Digital 8mm Interchangeable Lens Video Camera

 

This is the Bellami HD-1 Full HD digital 8mm interchangeable C-Mount lens video camera from Superheadz, Tokoyo. All we know is that the Japanese company is planning on releasing this soon.  Could this be the ultimate run and gun camera? For more on this visit Chinon

 

 

Bellami HD-1 Full HD Digital 8mm Interchangeable Lens Video Camera

Galaxy S5 Camera App Hands-On

The guys at Techno Buffalo have uploaded a quick hands on review of the Samsung Galaxy S5 Camera App.

During Samsung’s keynote at Mobile World Congress 2014, the company said that it put a huge focus on the camera of the Galaxy S5 — a feature that consumers had been asking for. It appears to have delivered, and the device has a 16-megapixel shooter, a dedicated image processing chip, 0.3-second autofocus and much more. It should take great pictures, and better than any other Galaxy smartphone to date. However, in the past, Samsung’s camera UI has been a real hinderance to the experience. That changes with the Galaxy S5. More: http://tchno.be/1mxbZPP

Galaxy S5 Camera App Hands-On

Blackmagic Production Camera 4K vs the Arri Alexa

Scott Bryant compares the Blackmagic Production Camera 4K vs the Arri Alexa:

…we mounted an Angenieux 17-80 Zoom to both cameras and tried to match settings as closely as possible.. The only difference between the two camera setups was an adjustment to the zoom length to match framing.. The BMPC was using a 50mm and the Alexa needed to go to 58mm.. Go Figure..

The goal of the test, was to check general compatibility between the two cameras for ‘B” unit camera consideration. The considerations were: Skin Tone, Aliasing, Black Noise Levels and Dynamic Range as well as possible VFX Capture..

The BMPC is extremely sharp and yet has a minimum of aliasing issues (The jacket was chosen to be a nightmare scenario clothing choice..) We also found the skin tones to be accurate and pleasing.. The Blackmagic Production Camera doesn’t have a very flat log look, but it took to grading well.. You’ve just got to watch the highlights..

The Alexa, naturally, has a more “buttery-clean” look and has gobs of DR.. But for 3k, my god!.. The Black Magic Production Camera 4K did extremely well..

Original footage from the Arri Alexa:

Original footage from the Blackmagic Production Camera 4K:

 

Blackmagic Production Camera 4K vs the Arri Alexa

Kickstarter improved eyecup for the Canon C100 (C-Cup)

A Kickstarter campaign to create an improved eyecup for the Canon C100 is about to reach it’s funding goal. The creators claim…

The C-Cup is a traditionally shaped eyecup designed to fit perfectly to the Canon C100, improving the camera’s electronic viewfinder and overall ergonomics. Anyone who has picked up the camera knows that the C100′s EVF is not what it could be. In the C-Cup, we’ve designed a simple and inexpensive solution that makes the C100′s viewfinder what it should have been in the first place.

The C-Cup is designed to look and feel like an extension of the camera. It can be used with either eye, providing a comfortable, flexible cushion to push against and a solid third point of contact. It wraps around the eye to block out light, and it doesn’t disrupt the camera’s shape or balance. Simply put, the C-Cup allows you to comfortably use your C100′s EVF so you can fully take advantage of the camera’s excellent form-factor.

Looks good guys!

Click here to view original web page at www.kickstarter.com

Kickstarter improved eyecup for the Canon C100 (C-Cup)

New firmware for Canon's Cinema cameras

New firmware for Canon’s Cinema cameras

Canon has announced an update to the firmwares of its Cinema camera’s range. Additionally they have added a optional feature upgrade for the EOS C300, bringing support for Canon’s Dual Pixel CMOS autofocus technology to the entire line of Canon EF lenses.

The optional update for the C300 is expected to be available in May 2014 . It’s set to cost of $500.00 and will require the EOS C300 camera body to be shipped to an authorised Canon service centre for installation.

Additionally Canon have  announced the new RC-V100 remote control for Cinema EOS cameras and a welcomed continuous recording function for the EOS C100.

Below is the general timeline of the feature upgrades and firmware updates:

• Dual Pixel CMOS AF, EOS C300  May 2014


• Support for RC-V100, EOS C500 – EOS C300 – EOS C100  – XF305 – XF300 June 2014


• Peripheral Illumination Correction Lens Additions, EOS C500 – EOS C300 – EOS C100 June 2014


• Continuous Recording, EOS C100 Feb. 2014

New firmware for Canon's Cinema cameras

First videos from Cooke's New Anamorphic Cinema Lenses

These clips are some of the first video examples using Cooke’s new Anamorphic cinema lenses. The footage comes from two different cinematographers, John De Borman and Patrick Blossier respectively. 

The new Cooke Optics anamorphic lenses should be released within the next few months, most likely at NAB 2014. If you’re are a filmmaker looking for that “anamorphic” look, these lenses should be high on the wish list.

First videos from Cooke's New Anamorphic Cinema Lenses

The Nikon D4s is Official

 

The Nikon D4s is Official. After several weeks of rumors, Nikon’s upgraded flagship has hit the market and is available to buy.

The Nikon D4s will continue to be a 16.2MP, full frame camera, just like the original D4. But, the D4s features the new EXPEED 4 processor which is much faster. As a result you get features like 1080 / 60p video. In addition, uncompressed movies can be recorded directly to an external HDMI device connected to the camera’s HDMI connector in movie live view mode. A dedicated HDMI cable clip is supplied with the D4S. When used with the optional HC-E1 HDMI cable, this clip prevents accidental disconnection of the HDMI cable from the camera.

Both XQD and CF cards are supported, plus you now have the ability to change sizes of the focusing point in Live View mode. Also, a new  timelapse mode allows for up to 9,999 images to be taken.

Some other features are the 11fps shooting speed, six preset white balances, five AF sensors used as an entire group, and also a face priority analysis which is able to be turned on or off. The D4s’ ISO can go to 25,600 topped off with a 12 bit uncompressed RAW output.

Official Press Release: A next-generation flagship model offering advanced specifications that respond to the needs of professional photographers

TOKYO – Nikon Corporation is pleased to announce the release of the D4S, its latest flagship FX-format digital SLR camera.

Based on the D4, the D4S responds more completely to the demands of professional photographers with revisions to a number of features and functions, including AF performance, image quality, workflow and operation, and movie recording, adopted after running a variety of simulations of the functions required by professional photographers who sometimes find themselves working under quite severe conditions.

Algorithms used by the AF system have been refined for greater accuracy and versatility demanded by professional photographers. Autofocus is initiated faster and is better able to acquire and track the intended subject, whether it enters the frame suddenly or takes up the entire frame for a more powerful composition. In addition to the four time-tested modes available with the D4 (Single-point AF, Dynamic-area AF, 3D-tracking, and Auto-area AF), the D4S offers a fifth AF-area mode known as Group-area AF (uses 5 focus points: one specified by the user, as well as one each above, below, to the left, and to the right of the selected focus point). This mode enables not only smoother autofocusing, but also a faster workflow with continuous shooting at approximately 11 fps* with AF and AE tracking.

• *Measured according to CIPA guidelines. Value with shooting in AF-C autofocus mode, [S] or [M] exposure mode, shutter speed of 1/250 s or faster, all other settings at their default values.

The new EXPEED 4 image-processing engine, a new Nikon FX-format CMOS image sensor, and an effective pixel count of 16.2-million pixels enable capture of images that exhibit stunning sharpness, enhanced depth, and natural skin tones. A range of standard sensitivities from ISO 100 to ISO 25600 achieves images exhibiting sharper edges and smoother, more beautiful colors. The D4S also supports extended sensitivities as low as the equivalent of ISO 50 and as high as the equivalent of ISO 409600. What’s more, the accuracy of auto white balance has been increased for clear color reproduction, even with shooting under difficult artificial lighting.

A number of other improvements have been adopted without compromise in consideration of the advanced demands of professional photographers. Among these are improved viewfinder visibility with a more stable viewfinder image during continuous shooting and a shorter viewfinder blackout time, as well as smoother operation with less stress from a redesigned grip and refined layout of operational buttons and controls. Communication speed has also been increased with 1000BASE-T support for wired LAN communication, making extremely fast image transfer possible. A RAW S Small (12-bit uncompressed RAW) setting has also been added for faster post-capture editing on a computer.

The D4S supports movie recording at a frame size of 1920 x 1080 with a frame rate of 50p or 60p. EXPEED 4 enables rich tone reproduction, with very little noise, throughout the entire range of standard sensitivities (ISO 200-25600). Movies recorded at a 1920 x 1080 crop setting exhibit especially sharp and clear picture quality. Changes in exposure are also better controlled for smoother transition between frames with recording of scenes in which brightness changes greatly, even with time-lapse movies.

Development Background

Nikon’s flagship D4 camera, released in February 2012, expanded possibilities for photographic expression for professional photographers primarily in the fields of sports, press, and nature photography. The D4 offered a number of features that not only responded to the demands of professional photographers, but also enabled capture of images of decisive moments that moved those who saw the images. Among these were excellent performance over a broad range of sensitivities for superior image quality under difficult lighting conditions, fast and accurate AF capable of capturing the intended subject, the Advanced Scene Recognition System, which provided more advanced automatic control that allowed photographers to concentrate more fully on shooting itself, and support for the superior rendering characteristics of NIKKOR lenses developed with optical technologies only Nikon can offer. Moreover, the D4 also contributed to cultivating new possibilities for imaging expression with the ability to express shallow depths of field and maximize the characteristics of excellent performance at high sensitivities with movie recording.

Developed as the next-generation flagship successor to the D4, D4S functions, features, and performance were thoroughly examined and analyzed from a variety of angles, resulting in a digital SLR camera that responds more completely to the demands of professional photographers. With this background, the D4S was developed to embody Nikon’s response to the demands of professional photographers, upon which we place great importance, with functions and performance that support shooting in even the most difficult environments, and are able to respond to a variety of subjects and situations, as well as various lighting conditions.

D4S Primary Features

1. Advanced AF performance that responds to the strict demands of professional photographersHigh-performance AF that more accurately acquires and tracks the intended subject, even under extreme conditions
   
   Reflection of ideas from professional photographers and repeated simulation of various advanced techniques they often use has resulted in the very precise subject acquisition and tracking performance that these photographers require, and upon which they can rely, under the most extreme conditions. Very precise adjustment of AF algorithms based on the Advanced Multi-CAM 3500FX autofocus sensor module enables certain acquisition of even erratically moving subjects and those exhibiting little in the way of contrast. D4S autofocus performs even better, keeping the acquired subject in focus, even when it is coming closer, or moving away, at high speed. What’s more, the D4S offers better balanced AF control with more precise focusing on the intended subject, and more accurate tracking of that subject, even when photographing team sports, such as soccer and rugby, when action may temporarily obstruct the intended subject.5 AF-area modes for flexible focusing
   
   In addition to the four time-tested modes built into the D4—Single-point AF, Dynamic-area AF (9-, 21-, 51-point), 3D-tracking, Auto-area AF—the D4S is equipped with a new Group-area AF AF-area mode for more powerful and versatile autofocusing. When Group-area AF is selected, the camera uses one focus point selected by the user and one each above, below, to the right, and to the left of the selected focus point, for a total of five focus points, for focusing. By capturing the subject within the five-point group, even if it is small and moving quickly and erratically as is often the case when photographing athletes and animals, the intended scene can be captured with greater certainty without focus shifting to the background.
   
   In addition, an AF-area mode can be assigned to the AF activation button on super-telephoto NIKKOR lenses. When this is done, the specified AF-area mode is enabled while the AF activation button is held down. This enables strategic switching between the AF-area mode selected with the camera and a different AF-area mode assigned to the AF activation button, allowing users to switch back and forth between vital modes instantly, without ever taking their eye off the subject, when photographing a variety of scenes that change drastically. This allows users to better maximize AF performance between bursts of high-speed continuous shooting at approximately 11 fps* with AF and AE tracking.
   
   • *Measured according to CIPA guidelines. Value with shooting in AF-C autofocus mode, [S] or [M] exposure mode, shutter speed of 1/250 s or faster, all other settings at their default values.
   
   

   Powerful AF with a variety of combinations of NIKKOR lenses and teleconverters
   
   The D4S is equipped with 51 focus points capable of acquiring the intended subject throughout the frame. 15 cross-type focus points at the center of the frame use phase-detection AF to detect the subject horizontally and vertically, and as all 51 focus points support a maximum aperture of f/5.6, the performance of line sensors and cross-type sensors is fully utilized with all AF NIKKOR lenses. In addition, the 15 focus points (9 at the center of the frame, and three each to the left and right of these 9)*1 support maximum apertures faster than f/8, and 11 focus points (9 running horizontally at the center of the frame and 1 each above and below)*2 support maximum apertures of f/8. This results in stress-free focusing, even when using 1.4x or 1.7x teleconverters, and certain autofocusing capability when a 2.0x teleconverter is used with super-telephoto NIKKOR lenses for a combined maximum aperture of f/8.

   
   
   • *19 focus points at the center of the frame function as cross-type sensors; the remaining 6 focus points function as line sensors.
   
   
   • *21 focus point at the center of the frame functions as a cross-type sensor; the remaining 10 focus points function as line sensors.
   
   


2. Superior image quality with stunning sharpness and enhanced depth that responds more completely to the demands of professional photographers and supports the speed press photographers requireBeautiful image quality straight out of the camera
   
   Press photographers working on-site demand not only certain capture of decisive moments, but also the ability to quickly transmit their photos as soon as they are taken. Understanding this need, the D4S captures JPEG images with stunning sharpness, enhanced depth, and natural skin tones that allows use of these images straight out of the camera. Less noise with shooting at high sensitivities and a range of standard sensitivities from ISO 100 to ISO 25600 enables images exhibiting sharper edges and smoother, more beautiful colors throughout the entire range (sensitivity can also be reduced to the equivalent of ISO 50 (Lo 1), or increased up to the equivalent of ISO 409600 (Hi 4) as shooting conditions demand). Images captured with the D4S also exhibit little significant loss in resolution, even when cropped for use in newspapers, magazines, or online. An effective pixel count of 16.2-million pixels, and the new EXPEED 4 image-processing engine and Nikon FX-format CMOS sensor, both developed by Nikon with meticulous research and repeated simulations, contribute greatly to these capabilities.Accurate white balance for healthy skin tones and textures
   
   Auto white balance achieves healthier, more vivid skin tones under a variety of lighting conditions. Adoption of a new image analysis system enables more accurate extraction and identification of white portions within the frame. In addition, as white balance can be fine-tuned in smaller steps than ever before, more precise settings can be specified. The D4S is also equipped with a spot white balance option that allows users to manually measure white balance data beforehand from even a very small white or gray portion of the frame. When the D4S is unable to accurately or satisfactorily measure preset white balance data, simply changing the area from which data is measured as many times as needed eliminates the need for repeating the process from the beginning. This helps to increase shooting efficiency for professional photographers who must work quickly when on-site.


3. Exclusive Nikon technologies and functions for more convenient and smoother workflowA high-performance viewfinder with greater visibility achieved with suppression of viewfinder image shake during continuous shooting
   
   Improvements to components such as the mirror bouncer with the D4S suppress shake caused by mirror bound movement for more stable display of the viewfinder image. Viewfinder visibility with continuous shooting has also been improved with a shorter viewfinder blackout time and continuous display of the active focus point, even when the shutter is released.RAW S Small* (12-bit uncompressed) image size option
   
   A new RAW S Small option that records images using 1/4 the number of pixels used for full-sized RAW images has been added. This makes editing images on a computer after they have been taken faster and more convenient (file size is approximately 1/2 that of 12-bit uncompressed RAW L Large images).
   
   • *Editing functions built into the camera and available from the Retouch menu, such as NEF (RAW) Processing and Image Overlay, cannot be applied to images captured at this setting.
   
   

   1000BASE-T support
   
   The D4S is equipped with an Ethernet connector (compatible with the 1000BASE-T standard) that enables smooth transfer of high-quality image data, regardless of the format in which it was recorded (JPEG, NEF, TIFF), after capture.

   
   

   LCD monitor with function for customizing colors
   
   The D4S is equipped with a 3.2-inch, approximately 921k-dot wide viewing angle TFT LCD monitor with which the protective glass and LCD panel have been integrated to suppress internal reflections. Display characteristics have been carefully adjusted for more faithful color reproduction. In addition, the camera is equipped with a function that allows users to customize colors to suit their individual preferences.

   
   

   A form and layout for operational controls that make the camera easier to hold and operate
   
   The shape of the grip has been optimized to make holding the camera more comfortable, even for those with small hands. What’s more, thorough examination of the shape of the rear of the camera, and design and materials used for the sub-selector have resulted in a camera that offers a better hold and more reliable operation.



4. D-Movie function for recording full-HD 1920 x 1080 60p/50p moviesMovies recorded at a frame rate of 60p exhibit smooth subject movement and changes in exposure, even when the brightness of the scene changes greatly. Noise is effectively suppressed throughout the full range of standard sensitivities (ISO 200-25600) for rich expression of tones and stunning sharpness that preserves details. The D4S offers selection from three image area* options that respond to imaging intent—FX-based movie format, DX-based movie format, and 1920 x 1080 crop. With recording at a setting of 1920 x 1080 crop, 1920 x 1080p full-HD movies are generated without resizing for stunningly sharp movies rich in detail.In addition, uncompressed movies can be recorded directly to an external HDMI device connected to the camera’s HDMI connector in movie live view mode. A dedicated HDMI cable clip is supplied with the D4S. When used with the optional HC-E1 HDMI cable, this clip prevents accidental disconnection of the HDMI cable from the camera. In addition, movie recording with the D4S is even more convenient as movies can be recorded to an external HDMI device and a memory card inserted in the camera at the same time.The D4S responds to demands for movie recording with a variety of other capabilities as well, including the ability to change the image area in movie live view, and to enable Auto ISO Control for automatic adjustment of ISO sensitivity at a fixed shutter speed and aperture value.
   

   The D4S also offers a new exposure smoothing function for time-lapse movie recording. This function smooths exposure between frames for less flicker in resulting movies.

   
   
   • *Movies are recorded with an aspect ratio of 16 : 9 regardless of the format selected. Aspect ratio is 3 : 2 with recording at a frame size/rate of 640 x 424/30 fps and 640 x 424/25 fps.
   
   

The Nikon D4s is Official

Samsung Galaxy S5 confirmed with 16MP camera with 4K video

The Samsung Galaxy S5 is confirmed and features a 16MP camera with 4K video capability. The launch of the S5 at the Mobile World Congress in Barcelona marks the 5th generation of Samsung’s flagship S range.

In terms of design, the new model is very close to its predecessor, the Galaxy S4. However, the S4′s glossy plastic back has been swapped for a soft-touch “perforated” design which has more of a premium look to it.

The new S5 powered by the latest generation Qualcomm quad-core 2.5 GHz Snapdragon S805 processor and 2GB of RAM. The camera resolution has been increased from 13MP to 16MP with 4K video capture capabilities and an optically stabilised lens.  Samsung also claims the AF speed has been improved. Other new camera features on the Galaxy S5 include: real-time HDR processing , new user interface and Selective Focus that allows you to blur the background by taking two pictures at different focus settings and merging them.

Key-specs:

• 16MP rear camera


• 4K video recording


• 2MP front camera


• Qualcomm Snapdragon S805 2.5GHz quad-core processor


• 2GB RAM


• 16/32GB internal memory, microSD slot up to 64GB


• Android 4.4.2 (Kitkat)


• 5.1-inch Super AMOLED screen (1920 x 1080)


• Dust and water resistant (IP67)


• NFC


• Finger scanner


• Dimension: 142.0 x 72.5 x 8.1mm, 145g


• 2800mAh Battery

Samsung Galaxy S5 confirmed with 16MP camera with 4K video

Canon Could Quit the Low End Compact Camera Game

Canon Could Quit the Low End Compact Camera Game: In the same way that Video Killed the Radio Star it looks like Smart Phones have well and truly murdered the low end compact camera. According both Canon Watch and SlashGear, Canon could be the latest manufacture to pull out of the sub $200 camera market. They both cite a Google Translated article stating that Canon is ceasing to focus on cameras under the $200 entry point because of the way that smartphones have affected the sale of compact cameras. Instead, they’re going to be focusing on higher end compacts and their DSLRs. As far as the latter goes, Canon is the #1 seller.

Talking of high end DSLRs, we are waiting for Canon to announce the successor to the 7D, the 7D Mark II. Let’s hope this raises the bar in terms of performance across both video and stills.

Canon Could Quit the Low End Compact Camera Game

Sony launch 4k video - 20MP Sony Xperia Z2

Sony have just launched the 4k video shooting – 20MP Sony Xperia Z2. The handset also features the Qualcomm® Snapdragon™ 801 processor MSM8974AB quad-core 2.3 GHz processor with 3GB RAM, and Adreno 330 GPU.

It comes with a 5.2″ Full HD TRILUMINOS™ Display with a resolution of 1920×1080 pixels, Live Colour LED, 4K video capture, and Digital Noise Cancelling. The Xperia Z2 also supports 4G LTE, NFC, and ANT+, and will launch on Android 4.4 (KitKat).

Here’s the official Press Release:

Sony Introduces Xperia™ Z2, its new Premium Flagship Waterproof Smartphone with Best Ever Display, 4K Recording and Digital Noise Cancelling Technology

BARCELONA, Spain, Mobile World Congress, February 24, 2014 /PRNewswire/ –

• The world’s best camera and camcorder in a waterproof smartphone^[1]with Sony’s proven camera technologies: Award-winning “G Lens”, 20.7 MP “Exmor RS for mobile” CMOS image sensor and “BIONZ for mobile” image processing engine


• Capture video in 4K resolution with SteadyShot™, complemented by new Xperia camera apps such as Timeshift video and new AR effect


• Our brightest and most vivid viewing experience ever on 5.2″ Full HD TRILUMINOS™ Display for mobile with Live Colour LED powered by X-Reality™ for mobile


• The world’s first Digital Noise Cancelling Technology^[2]in a smartphone for an immersive audio experience


• The latest Qualcomm Snapdragon 801 processor with 2.3 GHz quad-core Krait CPUs and 4G LTE for fast performance, 3GB RAM and high capacity 3200 mAh battery in an 8.2mm slim smartphone

Sony Mobile Communications (“Sony Mobile”) today introduces Xperia™ Z2, Sony’s best ever premium waterproof smartphone combining its best display, sound, camera and camcorder experience as well as an exclusive entertainment offer and a growing ecosystem of companion products. Xperia Z2 is the newest addition to Sony’s premium Z series and will launch globally from March 2014.

“With Xperia Z2 we have taken our premium Z series to the next level, delivering unique experiences that only Sony can offer,” said Kunimasa Suzuki, President and CEO, Sony Mobile Communications. “We have redefined the smartphone once again through our camera. Xperia Z2 offers an innovative experience that captures memories in stunning detail through 4K video shooting, or offers new ways to use the camera with our unique Xperia camera apps. Furthermore, the Best of Sony has been delivered in the sound quality and customers are now able to listen to their music even in noisy environments without interruptions thanks to our acclaimed digital noise cancelling technology.”

The world’s best camera and camcorder in a waterproof smartphone^[1]

Capture and relive every detail with Xperia Z2′s camera and camcorder. Xperia Z2 features Sony’s proven camera technologies to deliver the unbeatable combination of the world’s best mobile camera and our most advanced camcorder ever in and 8.2 mm slim smartphone. The 20.7 megapixel camera is matched with 1/2.3-type Exmor RS for mobile CMOS image sensor, Sony’s award-winning G Lens and intelligent BIONZ™ for mobile image processing engine resulting in superb photo and video quality.

These features work together to bring you sharp, vivid and beautiful photos and videos no matter what the circumstances. With new enhanced video mode, you can now capture memories in stunning detail in 4K resolution (3840×2160 pixels/30p) at four times the detail of Full HD, delivering the world’s best camera and camcorder in a waterproof smartphone^[1]. Plus, SteadyShot™ image stabilisation technology ensures your footage will stay smooth even if you are walking. The new Movie Creator allows you to trim and crop your videos so that you can easily pick out what you want to share. Insert dramatic slowdown effects at one or more places on the timeline of the video, then preview the results before you save and share your video.

The best video deserves the best sound. The compact and innovative STM10 Stereo Microphone offers high quality stereo audio recording. Compact and easy to carry, it’s the perfect match for Xperia Z2′s 4K video recording.

The smartest smartphone around with a growing ecosystem of Xperia camera apps

Enhance your mobile experience with a growing range of innovative Xperia camera apps. In addition to Info-eye™, Social live and Timeshift burst, Xperia Z2 also comes pre-loaded with new Xperia camera apps for both photo and video.

• Timeshift video: To relive every moment of the action in slow motion detail, the new Timeshift video mode lets you shoot in 120 frames per second and select scenes to slow the playback speed for dramatic slow motion effects exactly where you want, even underwater.


• Creative effect: Use a range of new creative effects for your photos and videos. Available in real-time for video, these adjustments enhance your clips with a range of effects such as colours, image trails, mirror and motion effects.


• Background defocus: This new camera app simulates a shallow depth of field. Capture two photos at different focus settings and blend together the different depths, leading to a blurred out background for more professional looking photos.


• AR effect: Now available for video recording, have some fun with your photos and videos with new augmented reality animations, including sound effects for video.


• Vine^[4]: Create short, beautiful, looping videos in a simple and fun way for your friends and family to see – all from your camera’s viewfinder. Plus, using the dedicated camera button, you can capture Vine videos underwater as well.

Sony launch 4k video - 20MP Sony Xperia Z2

Next-gen smartphone uptake driving mobile video figures

Next-gen smartphone uptake is driving mobile video figures, that’s according to a global study by BBC World News and BBC.com/news. The findings show the impact of mobile advertising on affluent consumers, with improved technology enabling greater engagement with content.

The study surveyed 6,000 smartphone owners in Australia, Germany, Sweden, India, Hong Kong and the US, comparing the habits of the highest 20% income earners in each country to those of the general population.

Just under two-fifths of affluent consumers access the Internet via their mobile devices at least once an hour, 18% higher than the general population, and they are more likely to prefer mobile devices to desktop for news-related content than the general population. News apps are the most commonly used mobile phone apps for affluent consumers, whilst social network apps are favoured by the general population. Owners of the latest handsets are also 10% more likely than the general population to watch news video or stream content on their mobile phones.

Click here to view original web page at www.rapidtvnews.com

Next-gen smartphone uptake driving mobile video figures

Check out the MIM Simple GoPro Ride

Check out this amazing Gopro brushless gimbal from the team at Made In Mars.  The MIM Simple GoPro Ride is a 2-axis GoPro brushless gimbal designed to capture ultra smooth video even in extreme conditions. We’ve seen these kind of steadycam rigs being used for big cameras but this the time time we’ve seen one small enough to house a Gopro. Looks like a lot of fun!

It’s a work in progress for now, and expect a 3-axis GoPro Ride to be on the cards soon. Here is some video captured on the MIM Simple GoPro Ride.

Check out the MIM Simple GoPro Ride

Freefall with Nikon D5300

Apparently the coolest way to show off your new camera is by chucking it out of a plane with some professional skydivers. Sony did it recently with the AR7 and now Nikon are having a go in order to promote the D5300. Marketing hype aside, the freefall with a Nikon D5300 rendered some pretty amazing results.

Freefall with Nikon D5300

LaCie Launches First 5TB Thunderbolt Drive

LaCie Launches First 5TB Thunderbolt Drive: For those wanting the most storage out of a single drive, LaCie has launched its 5big Thunderbolt series drive. They announced their D2 external drive with the new 7200rpm 5TB hard drives. They offer 20% more storage than the previous 4TB drives. They also announced availability of the 5TB drives in the 2big 2-bay and 5big 5-bay direct attached storage arrays. All 3 models feature high speed Thunderbolt connectivity.

Here’s the full Press Release…

CUPERTINO, Calif.–(BUSINESS WIRE)– Today, LaCie announced the availability of 5TB, 7200 rpm hard-drive capacities in its 5big Thunderbolt™ Series, 2big Thunderbolt Series and d2 Thunderbolt Series. Delivering external storage products that range from 5TB single drive systems to 25TB RAID solutions boosts storage capacity by 20 percent. This increase showcases the company’s commitment to provide the fastest, highest capacity storage solutions on the market.

Increasingly larger file formats for film and photography have driven the demand for more storage capacity. The availability of 5TB hard drives enables LaCie to deliver significantly more storage capacity in its same compact desktop designs. This saves professionals valuable desktop space.

LaCie’s 5big Thunderbolt now features a capacity of up to 25TB, which makes it the largest 5-bay storage solution on the market. Combined with industry-leading speeds up to 785 MB/s*, it is the ideal product for video professionals to pair with a Thunderbolt-enabled computer, like the new Mac Pro, to drive 4K workflows. Photography professionals will appreciate the larger capacities of the d2 Thunderbolt and 2big Thunderbolt, with the same fast transfer speeds and responsive photo browsing that they depend on from these products.

The new capacities are also available on the LaCie 2big Quadra and d2 Quadra storage solutions. All products can be purchased at the LaCie Online Store and LaCie Resellers.

LaCie professional storage solutions are protected by a three-year limited warranty. It includes comprehensive, complimentary web-based resources, expert in-house technical support, and worldwide repair/replacement coverage. Warranty extensions and Advance Care Option can also be purchased.

Click here to view original web page at feedproxy.google.com

LaCie Launches First 5TB Thunderbolt Drive

Canon 7D Mark II – 4K video?

Canon 7D Mark II

Apparently we are only days away from Canon announcing the successor to the Canon 7D, the Canon 7D Mark II. At Perform Video we’re eager to see what it has in store in terms of video features, with the big question around 4K or not.    

The Canon 7D played a huge part in changing the way we think about video production. Back in 2009 it was amongst a new generation of DSLRs to offer full 1080p HD capture at a fraction of the price of the “professional” cameras. The 7D was a door opener for many budding filmmakers to a world of “film look” and super shallow DOF. For the first time almost anyone could capture shots previously reserved only for the big screen or those with big wallets.

The combination of a large sensor, 24fps HD and photographic glass made a winning combination that took even Canon by surprise in terms of its success. Many would argue that the video features of the 7D even out performed the more expensive 5d Mark II.

Now, in 2014 the world is eagerly awaiting the announcement of the successor to the Canon 7D, the Canon 7D Mark II. Where as the first 7D slipped perfectly into an almost untapped market, the MkII is entering a very different space. On one hand the lower end of the 7D’s market is being catered for by brands like GoPro, and the top end now has a wide choice of dedicated video cameras that don’t require any of the annoying work arounds of shooting video with a stills camera.

So the big elephant in the room is 4K. The 7 MKII’s main competitors now have it. Namely, the Blackmagic Production Camera and soon to be released Panasonic GH4. So will Canon address 4K or will they leave it out in order to protect it’s high end professional line, like the 1D-C?

The next big question is around the supported video formats. Shooting with the 7D’s compressed H264 is a big cause of headache in terms of picture quality, edit workflow and when facing broadcast tech specs. Many of the 7D’s competitors now support better video formats including RAW and Prores with much higher data rates. It remains to be seen how Canon will address this with the 7D MKII.

Other points the critics will be looking out for are…

• Improvements to the rolling shutter, or “jello effect” that dogged the original 7D.


• More connectivity (Clean HDMI Out, Audio I/O)


• Noise improvements at High Iso

Word is that Canon will make an announcement on February 25^th. For now we’ll leave you with some rumoured specs, although mainly on the stills functionality.

• 20MP sensor


• ISO 100-12,800 (25600 extended)


• 1/8000 shutter


• Quiet shutter mode


• Phase detect AF, 19 area


• 8fps continuous shooting


• Buffer size – 15 raw, 126 JPEG


• 3.0″ 1040k dot LCD (touch screen) – not articulated


• Weather sealed (as original 7D)


• 910g weight

Canon 7D Mark II – 4K video?

Blackmagic 4K: World's first aerial shots - Perform Video

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

What’s the first thing to do when you take delivery of your brand new Blackmagic 4K Production Camera? Strap it to a drone and send it hundreds of feet into the air of course! Well if you’re brave enough to attempt such a thing the results are breathtaking, as proven by the guys at Aerial Inspections.

Remote Camera operator Tom Waugh said…

Flying with the Blackmagic 4K Production Camera is great. The simplicity of the form factor and strong aluminium mounting points make setup and balancing easy on the MoVI. Global shutter means our fly-bys, pans and fast flying forward moves aren’t affected by rolling shutter artefacts that we have had previously, particularly with Blackmagic Design Pocket Cinema Camera and of course DSLRs. The vast majority of our aerial work is in daylight so the limited ISO 200-800 of the BMPC4K satisfies. We can also fly Red Epics or Canon 1DCs on our setup, so if we need low light sensitivity we can use those cameras instead. We haven’t had any sensor issues such as bright pixels that some others seem to be experiencing with the BMPC4K.

 

Click here to view original web page at www.newsshooter.com

Blackmagic 4K: World's first aerial shots - Perform Video

Sigma 50mm f/1.4 Art for Canon Coming in April?

Sigma 50mm f/1.4 Art for Canon Coming in April?

Rumours are rife that Sigma is to have the new Sigma 50mm f/1.4 Art series lens to retailers around mid to late April of 2014. No official release date has been given to any of Sigma’s distributors as of yet. Official pricing is expected in late March with a followup announcement with specifications, sample images and some additional marketing.

Sigma 50mm f/1.4 Art for Canon Coming in April?

Olympus Patents amazing 12 and 14mm f/1.0 Ultra-Wide AF Lenses

 

While it’s not often a patent filing for new lenses can make your jaw drop, it’s certainly not out of the question, as Olympus is demonstrating with two particular pieces of glass in their latest patent filings published February 20th.

The first of the two lenses worth noting is a 12mm f/1.0 ultra-wide angle lens. Shown in two varieties within the patent, one build (number 1) consists of twelve lens elements in ten groups, while the other (number 3) consists of thirteen lens elements in eleven groups.

The latter of the two lenses is an almost identical 14mm f/1.0. This, too, consists of two variations, with the first (number 2) consisting of twelve elements in ten groups, while the other (number 4) consists of the same thirteen elements in eleven groups as its 12mm counterpart.

Assuming these ever reach the production phase, they would become the fastest ultra-wide angle autofocus production lenses in existence, with the only competition coming from lenses like the Nokton 17.5mm f/0.95 lens, and that one lacks autofocus abilities.

Of course, there is a significant and obvious downside to these super-fast lenses: the complicated optics involved in making such a fast piece of glass often lead to a great deal of chromatic aberration and distortion issues, which then need to be addressed either in-camera or in post-production. You can take a more detailed look at their performance in the lens performance charts below:

Being only a patent, there’s no guarantee these lenses will hit the market.

(via 43 Rumors)

Olympus Patents amazing 12 and 14mm f/1.0 Ultra-Wide AF Lenses

This Timelapse of Yellowstone Makes Winter Not Seem So Bad Afterall

Los Angeles-based landscape photographer and filmmaker Henry Jun Wah Lee, the brilliant mind behind Evosia Studios, knows there are stories to tell in nature – in the tiniest transformations of each tree or cloud or star, in the changing of the seasons. And he wants to be the one to tell those stories to the world. So he does, with his awe-inspiring short films like the one above.

This Timelapse of Yellowstone Makes Winter Not Seem So Bad Afterall

Is this the ultimate 4k Mac Pro editing system?

In this video Mark Spencer and Steve Martin from MacBreak Studio once again focus on building the ultimate 4K Final Cut Pro X system around the Mac Pro. It is the last part of a 4-part series and in case you didn’t have the opportunity to watch the previous episodes, you will find the first three parts here.

We found this episode interesting as it tackles 4K workflow on the new MacPro and answers the very important question: how many streams of 4K can you play on a new Mac Pro? Or, to be more precise, how many streams of UHD RAW, Optimized, or Proxy media can you play on an 8-core Mac Pro with 32GB of RAM and dual D700 graphics cards connected to a Pegasus2 R8 RAID via Thunderbolt 2? 

And below some more on this topic from Mark:

“Because the RED media we are using, 3860×2160, or exactly 4 times the size of a 1920×1080 frame, is usually referred to as “UHD” for Ulta-High Definition while the term “4K” is technically reserved for the full 4096×2160 pixels according to the DCI. But these days do a search on “4K” and you’ll see UHD referred to as 4K everywhere. For the purposes of data throughput comparisons, they are essentially the same.

The other huge factor on throughput is the device storing the data, and the Pegasus2 R8 we are using (configured as RAID 5) is wicked fast. Not quite as fast as the internal SSD on the Mac Pro, mind you, but you aren’t going to want to load that drive up with a bunch of 4K footage anyway.”

“In other words, so what if I can play multiple streams of RED RAW on this machine, when I can do the same thing with Proxy versions of the media on my Mac Book Pro? Does the ability to skip transcoding justify the additional expense of a higher-end system configuration? For some folks the answer will be “absolutely”. For others, a laptop or a high-end iMac may be the sweet spot for performance vs. cost. We hope the information in this and the past 3 episodes will help you make that decision for yourself.”

Source: http://provideocoalition.com

Is this the ultimate 4k Mac Pro editing system?

DIY: Build A Video Camera Slider for $30 - Perform Video

Perform Video recently discovered this video on how to create a DIY camera slider for just $30. All of the components for this slider were purchased from IKEA but in reality you could probably pick them up from any hardware store. So before splashing out several hundred on a factory made camera slider you may want to give this a shot first.

For the full tutorial, check out the article on it over at Instructables.

DIY: Build A Video Camera Slider for $30 - Perform Video

YouTube gets a new look - perform video

YouTube is about to get a visual update that brings the desktop version closer to the mobile version. Yep you heard that right, the mobile experience is now leading the way for the future of YouTube.

These are  subtle changes, but the first thing you will notice is that everything is shifting over to be center-aligned, like the app. Tabs like “What to Watch” and “My Subscriptions” will become slightly more prominent, with links to both at the top-center of your page. Also, check out that little guide icon to the right of the YouTube logo. That’ll be your ever-present shortcut for getting to your subscriptions, playlists, and other favorite stuff.

YouTube is also placing a heavier emphasis on playlists. Your guide will now feature all of the playlists that you’ve personally created, but also playlists from other channels that you’ve liked. There’s also going to be an improved playlist editor page which should make tweaking the lists you’ve made easier.

While making full-sized sites more like their mobile equivalents may seem weird on the surface, it actually makes a lot of sense. According to YouTube, people are spending almost half their YouTube time within the mobile app.

The changes may take a few hours or days to roll out to all users everywhere. Are you eager to try out the new tweaks, or is this something you’d never even notice?

 

YouTube gets a new look - perform video

Samsung Galaxy S5 amazing camera features - perform video

With the Side Touch, users can shoot videos by tapping the side of Samsung Galaxy S5. But this is not the only enhancement that Samsung is set to include in Galaxy S5 in terms of camera. Here is a list of the camera modes that will be included according to Sam Mobile:

3D Tour Shot – Create interactive virtual tours of your surroundings.
Sports – Take clearer pictures of fast-moving subjects.
Focus Select – Make your subjects stand out against the background by adjusting the depth of field.
Dual Camera – You can take pictures and record videos using the front and rear cameras at the same time.
Aqua - Appropriate for taking pictures underwater.
Animated Photo – Create a picture containing moving objects by animating parts of the picture.
3D Panorama - Create a spherical panorama of your surroundings.
Sound and  Shot – Enrich your pictures by adding a few seconds of background sound.
Drama - Takes multiple exposure pictures of a moving subject and merges them into one dramatic picture.
Golf – Take pictures of a golf swing. You can then play the pictures forward or backward.
Auto Portrait – Take self-portrait with the rear camera.
Rich Tone (HDR) – Take pictures with softer or richer colors by merging pictures taken in various exposures.
Auto – Automatically adjusts the exposure to optimize the color and brightness of pictures. You can take single or burst shots.

Eraser – Save the best picture after erasing moving objects from consecutive pictures.
Night – Take brighter, clearer pictures in low light without the flash.
Best Face - Select the best picture of each person from five consecutive pictures to get the best merged group picture.
Best Photo – Take a series of pictures, then select the best to save.
Continuous Shot - Take pictures continuously.
Panorama - Create a linear panorama by taking pictures in either horizontal or vertical direction.

Samsung Galaxy S5 amazing camera features - perform video

HTC One Free Screen Replacement - Perform Video

 

HTC has launched a free program that entitles every new HTC One owner to a free screen replacement if the display is cracked or shattered within the first six months. The HTC Advantage program is a great move for PR, and something Samsung and Apple do not currently offer. That said, even if you’re prone to dropping your expensive devices, you probably won’t ever need to take advantage of HTC’s offer. SquareTrade has just confirmed that the breakability score of the HTC One is 4.5, tied for the least breakable Android device alongside the Moto X.

Click here to view original web page at bgr.com

HTC One Free Screen Replacement - Perform Video

How to use a Follow Focus with your DSLR camera - Perform Video

A follow focus is a must-have accessory if you plan to shoot with a DSLR camera and Richard Harrington posted a week ago a nice video on this topic. In this tutorial he shows you how a follow focus can aid in achieving repeatable, sharp focus in your video shots, he also shares a few tips that will allow you to be more effective on your set.

How to use a Follow Focus with your DSLR camera - Perform Video

Canon is number one choice for Press Photographers - Perform Video

For as long as Canon and Nikon exists the battle for the “number one” spot in the professional world will rage on. Well for now the number one choice by the paps is very much Canon – and more specifically the EOS-1D X, followed by the EOS 5D Mark III

Overall, Canon cameras are used for 58% of the images, with Nikon trailing (significantly behind) at 28%.

Canon is number one choice for Press Photographers - Perform Video

5D vs 6D: The 9 biggest differences between the 5D Mark III and the 6D

DSLR Shooter have publisher this great video on the key differences between the Canon 5D Mark III and the Canon 6D. Well worth seeing before the make the leap.

Should I get, the 5D or the 6D? Why would anyone buy a Canon 6D? Which full-frame camera is best for video? Whats the difference between the 5D and 6D? These are questions I get asked on a daily basis, so I decided to put together this video breaking down the 9 biggest differences between the Canon 5D Mark III and the Canon 6D.

Click here to view original web page at dslrvideoshooter.com

5D vs 6D: The 9 biggest differences between the 5D Mark III and the 6D

Roger Deakins Won not Shoot Bond 24

Sam Mendes is directing, John Logan is writing and Daniel Craig, will be James Bond. But in one respect, Bond 24 (the next Bond Film) won’t look the same as Skyfall. The legendary Roger Deakins will not be returning as the film’s cinematographer. Hitfix’s Kristopher Tapley broke the news on Twitter, following dinner with the eleven-time Oscar nominee.

Skyfall was undoubtedly one of the most beautifully shot Bond films of all time so big boots to fill for the (currently unconfirmed) next cinematographer in line.

Roger Deakins Won not Shoot Bond 24

Build a DIY GoPro Rotating Time Lapse Tripod Head - Perform Video

In this tutorial, I’ll show you how to quickly and easily create your own rotating time lapse head for your GoPro or compact camera using a kitchen timer. It is a very low-cost project that mounts between your camera and tripod. It even looks great.

Build a DIY GoPro Rotating Time Lapse Tripod Head - Perform Video

BlackMagic Pocket Cinema Camera vs Blackmagic 4k Production Camera - Perform Video

This Video compares the New Blackmagic Production Cinema Camera with its little sister the Pocket Cinema Camera. The Winner is a hard guess…

BLACKMAGIC PRODUCTION CAMERA FIRMWARE 1.6.1

PRORES HD – 4K

BLACKMAGIC POCKET CINEMA CAMERA - HD

BlackMagic Pocket Cinema Camera vs Blackmagic 4k Production Camera - Perform Video

Samsung Galaxy S5 camera specs leaked - Perform Video

The Samsung Galaxy S5 camera specs  have been leaked ahead of the smart phones official unveiling on February 24.

Headline features include 4K video at 30 frames per second with full HD at 60fps. It’s also rumoured that the Samsung Galaxy S5 will have a 16-megapixel sensor, most likely utilising Samsung’s own ISOCELL camera technology. 

The new camera features are:

• 3D Tour Shot: Create interactive virtual tours of your surroundings.


• Focus Select: Make your subjects stand out against the background by adjusting the depth of field.


• Dual Camera: You can take pictures and record videos using the front and rear cameras at the same time.


• Aqua: Appropriate for taking pictures underwater.


• Animated Photo: Create a picture containing moving objects by animating parts of the picture.


• 3D Panorama: Create a spherical panorama of your surroundings.


• Golf: Take pictures of a golf swing. You can then play the pictures forwards or backwards.


• Auto Portrait: Take self-portrait with the rear camera.


• Continuous Shot: Take pictures continuously.

It is expected that the Samsung Galaxy S5 will be officially unveiled during the company’s ‘Unpacked 5′ MWC press conference next Monday, February 24.

 

Samsung Galaxy S5 camera specs leaked - Perform Video

Blackmagic Production Camera 4K Review…and some mixed results - Perform Video

Johnnie Behiri of Cinema5D reviews the Blackmagic Production Camera 4K, with some great footage…and some potentially ‘troubling’ news:

In terms of overall picture quality I certainly got mixed results:

When there is sufficient light the camera will produce wonderful images as long as you record at no more than 400 ISO. When changing the ISO value to 800, you are risking recording unusable footage (unconfirmed). My advice is to avoid ISO 800 on the BMPC4K at the moment.

 

Here is an interview of Johnnie Behiri by Dan Chung of newsshooter.com regarding his experiences shooting with the Blackmagic Production Camera 4K:

Potential Problems??:

A concern is Blackmagic’s quality control. The camera we originally got had a strip of black dots at the bottom left/center side of the image…

A second issue we ran into were hundreds of white (dead?) pixels that were visible when shooting in dimmed/dark places and also dark areas of well lit images.

We got in touch with Blackmagic Design to get feedback on the issue and they quickly sent us a new unit which arrived today and took the first one in for evaluation. When we received the second BMPC4K we immediately checked to see if the pixels were still there and unfortunately we saw the same white dots and heavy sensor pattern in dark areas of the footage. Surprisingly though, two hours later, after going into further testing, the white pixles had entirely disappeared!

Blackmagic Production Camera 4K Review…and some mixed results - Perform Video

Blackmagic Production Camera 4K vs the Red Epic - Perform Video

Toby Kahler tests the Blackmagic Production Camera 4K vs the Red Epic:

We did a side-by-side comparison with the Blackmagic Production Camera (BMPC) and the RED EPIC.

This test ist by no means scientific or should prove which camera is better or whatever! The intention was to check, if these cameras will work together as an A and B-Cam setup.

The BMPC 4K had (at the time of this test) only the ProRes 4K (UHD) mode available. The RED EPIC was used with different compresssion settings from 5:1 to 12:1 (for the slomos).

All footage is OUT OF CAMERA without any color correction, LUT or grading applied. The RED EPIC was set to RED Color 3 and RED Gamma 3.

The footage was downscaled to 1080p HD and compressed for Vimeo. We will post some fullsize frame grabs in the next days on our blog and facebook. We will also post our personal thoughts in the next days – till then: Enjoy 

Blackmagic Production Camera 4K vs the Red Epic - Perform Video

Daniel Hurst Shoots with the MōVI

Daniel Hurst uses the Freefly Systems MōVI to put the viewer right in the center of the action.

Daniel Hurst Shoots with the MōVI

THE AMAZING SPIDER-MAN 2: Official "Lights, Camera, Action!" Featurette

Check out this amazing behind the scenes look at the making of Spider Man 2.

Release Date: May 2, 2014 (3D/2D theaters)

Studio: Columbia Pictures (Sony)

Director: Marc Webb

Screenwriter: Alex Kurtzman, Roberto Orci, Jeff Pinkner, James Vanderbilt

Starring: Andrew Garfield, Emma Stone, Jamie Foxx, Dane DeHaan, Colm Feore, Paul Giamatti, Sally Field, Chris Cooper, B.J. Novak, Sarah Gadon

Genre: Action, Adventure

MPAA Rating: Not Available

Plot Summary:

In “The Amazing Spider-Man 2,” for Peter Parker (Andrew Garfield), life is busy — between taking out the bad guys as Spider-Man and spending time with the person he loves, Gwen (Emma Stone), high school graduation can’t come quickly enough. Peter hasn’t forgotten about the promise he made to Gwen’s father to protect her by staying away — but that’s a promise he just can’t keep. Things will change for Peter when a new villain, Electro (Jamie Foxx), emerges, an old friend, Harry Osborn (Dane DeHaan), returns, and Peter uncovers new clues about his past.

THE AMAZING SPIDER-MAN 2: Official "Lights, Camera, Action!" Featurette

Blackmagic Design has announced that ATEM 1 M/E Production Studio 4K was used at a recent Justin Bieber concert in  Melbourne, providing all of the concert’s video switching. Blackmagic Design’s HyperDeck Studio Pro, SmartView Duo and SmartView HD products were also used for the live event and recording of the gig.

The event, sponsored by Vevo, was held for a special fan of JB who had recently been in a car accident and was unable to attend his main concerts held in Australia. The fan, along with fifty of her friends and family, were treated to a private concert.

Rapid TV & Power AV handled the live switching facilities for the event with Blackmagic Design equipment provided by New Magic Australia. Peter Morris of Rapid TV was the OB manager for the concert and said the ATEM 1 M/E Production Studio 4K was used with five HD cameras. Feeds from the cameras were switched to a number of large monitors around the stage and then pulled together into a line cut.

“This was a very special night for Justin’s fans, and he wanted to provide the feeling of a full concert but still have a small, intimate setting,” said Peter. “There were 50 fans there and a crew of approximately 30, so it was a very intensive production. It had to be a high quality live broadcast and we had to get high quality concert footage. That is why we chose the ATEM switchers, because it gave us broadcast quality switching that could handle the scope of the event, and they were reliable,” finished Peter.

Grant Villiers from Power AV commented, “We had two fixed, one dolly, one steadi and one crane camera, all being fed into the ATEM. These were all straight shots, without any graphics or effects, and they were sent to several large monitors around the stage, as well as to SmartView HD and SmartView Duo monitors used by the crew. A cut of the show was recorded in a HyperDeck Studio Pro, with a second being used as backup.”

ATEM 1 M/E Production Studio 4K is an advanced Ultra HD live production switcher with 6G-SDI technology that is available for only US$2,495. It includes ten independent 6G-SDI inputs each with frame sync, built in DVE with zoom, scale and rotate, four upstream chroma keyers, three independent aux outputs with front panel control and a large media pool that holds both still frame graphics as well as motion video clips. ATEM 1 M/E Production Studio 4K also features a strong and elegant machined aluminum front design, the ATEM Software Control Panel for complete control of the switcher from a laptop or desktop computer and built in multi view monitoring so customers can view sources on a single SDI monitor or HDMI TV.

ATEM 1 M/E Production Studio 4K at Justin Bieber’s concert in Australia

Nikon video shows the precision of the Nikon Master Craftspersons

Nikon has just released a video giving a closer look at the highest echelons of the precision work done in its factories. The 7:37 production is all about the “Nikon Master Craftspersons”, a title awarded to Nikon employees who have utterly exceptional knowledge and skills in their field. Sadly we can’t embed the video so please click the link.

As Nikon describes the video:

Nikon Master Craftsperson is a title awarded to experts with exceptional techniques and knowledge, who can serve as role models for next-generation technicians. Their high degree of skills and abundant knowledge are still indispensable, even with today’s highly automated manufacturing. This video introduces their invaluable techniques as well as the passion they have for their work.

Nikon video shows the precision of the Nikon Master Craftspersons

Nikon D4s camera set to be confirmed on February 25th

Rumours suggest that Nikon are going to officially announce their new flagship DSLR on Feb 25th . Suggested specs include…

• the same 16MP sensor


• higher fps rate


• improved AF


• better low light performance


• improved video


• XQD and CF memory cards

Nikon D4s camera set to be confirmed on February 25th

Schneider Xenon FF VS Canon CN-E VS Zeiss CP2 VS Canon L Series Prime Lenses Comparison

Thinking of getting a new cine lens? Well Perform Video just discovered these videos by Jonah Rubash of Magnanimous Media are a must see comparison between the following cine primes

• Schneider Xenon FF


• Canon CN-E


• Zeiss CP.2


• Canon L Series (Not exactly cine but a great benchmark nonetheless)

This video compares the resolution of four different lenses Canon L as a base with Canon CN-E, Zeiss CP2, and the new Schneider Xenons…. Shot on the Sony F55.

This video compares how four different popular lenses render skin-tone, Canon L as a base with Canon CN-E, Zeiss CP2, and the new Schneider Xenons. Shooting 16bit linear RAW with the Sony F55 seemed to be our best bet in grabbing the most color depth. We used daylight balanced Kino Flos to independently light each subject to a T22 at a 270º shutter. In order to keep the test neutral we used a light meter to calculate our desired shutter for each T/F stop. We only used shutter angle adjustments to change our exposure, no ND was used.

The videos are only part of the story. Read the full comparison with detailed charts and analysis here.

Schneider Xenon FF VS Canon CN-E VS Zeiss CP2 VS Canon L Series Prime Lenses Comparison