"When I would tell you have to pack everything you need for a year to live, produce and deliver a documentary series from the road into a 4WD and a camper trailer, would you call me crazy or jump at the opportunity?" In this show, we will be speaking to Carsten Orlt who we recently featured on FCP.co, he jumped!
We welcome Einar Johnson from Pixel Bokeh Productions who very kindly let us publish his story on how his company edited a highlight reel during the course of a corporate conference. Of course, FCPX was one of the stars!
Standby for three minutes of incredible video. Rob Whitworth takes hyperlapses to a new level (quite literally) in this not to be missed Vimeo video.
This short film shows the construction of the Leadenhall Building in London. 2 years and 8 terabytes of 5K & 7K timelapses/hyperlapses all edited (in the end) on Final Cut Pro X then published at 4K resolution. A stunning FCPX user story.
What happens when you put Final Cut Pro X in the hands of a respected Director/Editor who has grown up with flat bed editors, in-camera effects and classic animation techniques, who has worked with Lightworks, Avid, classic FCP, Shake and Flame and who says (quote) he is “too lazy” to read manuals and to always learn the newest software?
When Adidas wanted to promote their new football shirt for Mexico in the 2014 FIFA World Cup, their ad agency turned to Garage Films & Lucas Otero. He turned to FCPX and in the process did a screen capture of himself editing the commercial.
New Final Cut Pro X applications, plugins, tutorials and a video from the boss of Canon EOS who explains that video on the 5D MkII was an accident! We have put them all up into a Friday roundup.
It has been demoed at trade shows, meetups and has been in beta for a few months, but BulletProof from Red Giant is finally with us. They've also released new compilation packs of products based on tasks.
Are you shooting on the Blackmagic Cinema Camera or using a DSLR with a flat picture profile? These two new free plugins from Coremelt will help get the start point on your grading right.
We saw Marco try at the end of last week to upload this video to Vimeo at the highest quality he could, but it kept on failing. The result was worth the wait for an eventual lower bandwidth upload. Essential viewing if you edit DSLR footage and expect to handle Blackmagic Cinema Camera footage in the future.
So here is the scenario. After a long week editing, you are having a well deserved drink at your local and you get a call from a producer who can't work FCPX. How do you guide them through the buttons & menus from memory? Don't worry, you have the Navigator app on your iPhone.
Before the BlackMagic event this morning we went to the AJA Video Systems breakfast press conference. New products were announced including the Ki Pro Quad which will record 4K out of your Canon EOS C500.
A DSLR that has a lot to live up to. Canon have announced the EOS 5D Mark III, the successor to the video shooting, game changing, much loved Mark II
An hour and a half on the new features in the 10.0.3 update of Final Cut Pro X. Plus another episode where Mark and Steve build a slider, but maybe not the slider you think...
There have been so many Canon & FCPX users out there desperately wanting this plugin to be released. Canon have made their Valentines Day by releasing a new version of their XF plugin.
This little piece of software was bought to our attention by a post on our very popular Forum that seems to be growing day by day. This free XfcpX app will get your Canon MXF files into Final Cut Pro X.
A brand new plugin from Graeme Nattress, Levels and Curves gives you on screen colour correction controls in Final Cut Pro X.
We have come across many rigs ever since the 5D sparked the huge interest in shooting on a DSLR. This one from Edelkrone is slightly different as the name suggests.
Now you can combine the two different exposures videos from your 'Magic Lanterned' DSLR in Final Cut Pro X. Alex Gollner has built a free Motion effect for FCPX that will combine the frames for you.
***Updated with Canon 5D Magic Lantern Firmware***
It seems everybody is after the HDR look these days. Now the lucky owners of some Canon DSLRs can shoot High Dynamic Range video with the new Magic Lantern firmware update.
Color Grading Central have today launched a $69 effect plugin for FCPX that gives a film look to your DSLR footage
You shouldn't judge a book by its cover and you shouldn't judge an uploaded movie by its poster frame. When this Canon C300 demo film popped up yesterday we overlooked it, we shouldn't have, it's not your ordinary camera test...
The second round of news, this being the first camera announcement. Building on the strength of the 5DmkII, Canon have launched the EOS C300. Price now looks to be up around $20,000 for the PL mount version. Pictures coutesy of Engadget.
***Updated with link to Canon & Red liveblogs***
What a news day today is going to be! Three huge announcements from three large companies, Canon, Red and Avid all have special events planned.
***Updated with embedded video***
Not only did he manage some hands on time, Dan Chung also quizzed Canon's Mike Burnhill for detailed information on codecs, moiré, rolling shutter, accessory compatibility and more.
You're recording with a flat gamma curve on either an Arri Alexa or the Sony F3 with the SLog option. Pomfort have just released two new plugins for FCPX and Final Cut Pro 7 to get those files into Rec.709 to display correctly in FCP.
***Updated with new Canon video***
The EOS 1D has gone full frame and with it Canon have introduced some new features that are of interest to us in the world of video.
We know that Final Cut Pro X is great for converting and editing quicktime files from DSLR cameras such as the Canon 5D. What if you want a more robust method for ingesting, cataloging and backups?
Lens flares and light leaks seem to be the flavour of the month, well at least they are better than gratuitous speedramps. Matt Coleman decided to make his own using a DSLR, iPhone and clear tape.
We thought there would be more camera crews touring the show floor at IBC this year, but we only counted a few. Good job Philip Johnston aka the HDWarrior was there shooting his summaries.
Apple have always produced a list of third party devices that have been qualified for use with Final Cut Pro. Here's a handy list of cameras including which easy setup you should be using, but that's not why we find this interesting.
The screen grab doesn't really do this plugin justice, this is going to be a huge timesaver for FCP7 users who work in a collaborative environment. Enjoy the luxury of having your bins update automatically with new clips, renamed clips and deletions.
Shane's being trailblazing the use of Canon DSLR's in films, he shot the first HDSLR full length feature. Three videos after the break, an interview and recordings of his NAB presentations, all of them entertaining and packed full of tips.
This 17 minute chat from MacVideo with Rodney Charters proved to be some thoughtful viewing over our morning tea. Lessons to be learnt for shooters and editors.
This made our day, it's a few month old, but this rather excellent and poignant video has resurfaced. Enjoy the film, a few NSFW moments in there and the reason why it's doing the rounds again posted after the break.
Whilst waiting for a render to finish in FCP, a colleague mentioned that he had been 'volunteered' to shoot and edit a wedding video. The first big question after 'Why they heck did you volunteer me?' is 'What lenses do I need?'
Final Cut Pro has never been good at slow motion. The introduction of FCPX has now brought Optical Flow retiming within the app -so what does video at 1% of original speed look like?
With all the news about FCPX, we had forgotten about the Canon 5D and expensive lenses currently in the cupboard here on the FCP.co campus. Maybe our glass will have a second life as Philip Bloom shows us this prototype Birger adaptor.
Forget Zacuto, forget Redrock Micro, these guys have developed the ultimate in DSLR rigs. We have no idea on price or availability, but we are sure there's nothing quite like it on the market. It is friday too.
The Technicolor CineStyle image style has caused quite a lot of excitement for Canon DSLR owners worldwide. Today Pomfort has offered Final Cut Pro users the chance to download the beta of their new DSLRLog2Video plugin to convert the footage to Rec.709.
Editing is a lonely business, us editors rarely mix so that's why we spend so much time on the internet! Want to hear five top editors talk about their hope for the new version, their concerns, and how they are preparing for the impending change in editing technology?
There are two things we love about Tom's reviews and blog posts. The first one is his cool coffee table housing a Grass Valley switcher control panel. The second is his passion about passing on information and experience. Here he tests the Kessler Pocket Dolly Traveler with the Basic Controller.
You can't have failed to miss the many demo videos about Technicolor's CineStyle picture style that allows Canon DSLR owners more latitude colour correcting video in post production. Nikon owners now have the same opportunity.
Slightly off topic but well worth a watch, this clever advertisement for The Camera Store got us smiling on a friday morning.
We have posted the Lego follow focus, the $7 Ikea shoulder mount and other homemade Canon DSLR accessories on here. This is a first though, a wooden DIY 3D beamsplitter rig.
***Update Technicolor have now posted the picture style & new FAQ after the readmore More 'looks' also planned***
(First published on 15th April)
Dan Chung's reports have been excellent this week from NAB, but just for us editors we have saved the best 'till last. This free download from Technicolor will make your 5D or 7D more filmic in post production.
Erik Widding of Birger Engineering demonstrates the latest working prototype of his Canon EOS to Micro 4/3, AF100 and Sony NEX adapters. These adapters bring the speed and flexibility of DSLR shooting to the AF100 and Sony NEX.
We're big fans of the Zacuto rigs, but that goes hand in hand with being 5D addicts. Jens from Zacuto talks about the Z-EVF at NAB. Nice drop test. Apparently they've done drop tests from up to twelve feet high, so fairly robust as well.
Now this is good NAB related news, Canon have just announced the latest update for EOS Movie Plug-in-E1 that provides quicker and easier editing of EOS Movie footage in Final Cut Pro. Now this was originally launched in Feb 2010, but the new update of the original plug-in should make the importing of files easier. It's available for download from April 25. All the official stuff after the break.
It has to be a travel nightmare, we all love timelapses but not when the passenger next to you on a flight is shooting one! Nate Bolt did exactly that though on a flight from San Francisco to Paris. The video is after the break.
If we could get 24 Canon 5Ds together then we would have a go at this too. Yes it's been done many times before; what is interesting though is how they did it.
How huge? When Thunderbolt was released we had a chat with HD Warrior, the website that we read for breaking news on cameras. We said it was only a matter of time before camera companies jumped on this new technology. Find out what our chat predicted after the break as this little connector will change the industry again.
Just as we were turning off our machines for the night, we spotted this. Has Canon let slip the new codec for the 5DmkIII? If so does that mean the end of transcoding clips for FCP?
Whoa! This guy shoots from the hip. Of course I didn't mean with his camera on a brand new Zacuto waist rig, I meant he doesn't mince his words when it comes to the 5D. He does sum up the passion for this Japanese 'accident' rather well though.
Shooting 3D with two Canon 5D MkIIs? Apparently it was difficult to achieve because of the GenLock problem, but not for Damian Steck when he produced his Eyes Wide Open film in pin sharp stereoscopic 3D. Pin sharp that is if you're wearing your 3D specs for this anaglyph version. More after the break including news about the Holga.
We felt a bit guilty posting a timelapse of an Avid editor the other day so to readdress the balance, here's a timelapse of an FCP editor at work on a GoPro project, he's on day 85 of 365. Loads more videos after the break including an amazing fall off a mountain.
To say that the 5D is getting red carpet treatment in Hollywood might be a bit of an exaggeration, but it was being used at the Oscars build up. Not quite sure about using it for a piece to camera, but thanks to CampusMovieFest for tweeting this picture.
But the big story for the FCP community was The Social Network getting an Oscar for Best Editing. More after the break.
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Never been sure which lens to buy next for your 5D? Thanks to Gebbs for this very instructive guide. More after the break when there's also a low light comparison test between the 5D and the Sony F3.
As much as we love our Canon 5D, you would not want to shoot a documentary on the history of lace with it. Why? The dreaded moiré striping effects you can see above on the left hand side example. However you might have a couple of plugins installed already that will fix the problem.
Tyler's one of Canon’s prestigious Explorers of Light as well as a multiple award winning photographer so clearly someone who knows what he's talking about when it comes to the 5D. After the break there's a behind-the-scenes look with this top adventurer photographer and videographer at work with two Canon 5Ds and an iDC rig.
We've long believed that the 5D was a game changer, but when you find out that an organisation as big and powerful as The Associated Press not only held that same belief two years ago, but took the bold decision of embracing the DSLR revolution, then it really shows how important the 5D has been. Great work from Beet.tv for finding this story. More after the break including news about cloud editing.
Jorgen Escher made this FCP plugin in a response to a cry for help from Marvels Film. The plugin has been designed to battle the disturbing problem of micro-moiré which appeared after a Canon 5D MkII shoot. Micro-moiré manifests itself as red/blue color streaks and pixels that appear in natural and irregular patterns, such as hair, water and grass. Download details after the break.
It seems there's no need to spend thousands on rigs and mounts for your 5D when you can go to Ikea, spend $7 on a cutting board, use some old pipe and suddenly you've got a DSLR shoulder mount! More after the break.
It's the old problem on a 5D shoot, you're budget doesn't stretch to lighting your night time exterior to match that Hollywood blockbuster, so what do you do? Go with your underlit shot, and trust that the darkness reflects the mood you want to evoke? Well, here's the low budget answer thanks to Robino Films. More after the break.
Noah Kadner is a prominent guy in the FCP community and has a wicked sense of humour. The videos for his HD Survival Guide for FCP are now on sale. Find out more after the break.
Adam Boozer from Jewell&Ginnie gives us an insight into shooting aerials out of a Robinson R44 helicopter. Some gyros, some Zacuto and a door missing.
Imagine filming in a war zone with a DSLR in extreme temperatures and terrifying conditions. Well Danfung Dennis does. He's been producing incredible work from Afghanistan where he works as an embedded photojournalist. He is currently working on his own documentary, Battle for Hearts and Minds, as well as having his footage featured on PBS Frontline.
DSLR News Shooter have just shared this story from Sky News, which was originally posted by London based camera man Duncan Sharp. Duncan used a 5DmkII to film some remarkable footage. Not just the perfect tool for the job, a DSLR was the only tool for the job given that the Egyptian authorities wouldn't let ENG cameras into the country.
UPDATE: New video after the break
There are many ways to use Canon DSLR footage in FCP ranging from native file editing, transcoding with Compressor to plugins. In fact there are people out there selling tutorials on how to do it! Download the official workflow white papers from Canon to get it right and maybe save some time and money.
This appears to be the world's first USB Follow Focus controller, although its not just limited to controlling focus. Thanks to the guys at 5D Mark2 for posting this story. There's a video and details after the break.
So you want to stream your 7D live from that helicopter rig because you've got a live Moto Cross event to web broadcast? Before the helicopter's control system would have interfered with the WiFi. Not now. Find out more after the break.
Those familiar to DSLR will probably have come across discussions of which of the cameras' ISO settings to use and which to avoid. What's more important images with less noise or more dynamic range?
There has been a lot of talk recently from people abandoning FCP to use Adobe's Premiere for the native DSLR H264 file handling. Paul Joy has done some rather revealing side by side comparisons.
You've seen the awesome BMX videos posted here that slow down footage to 1000 fps using the optical flow plugin Twixtor. So why not use Motion instead? Watch the tutorial then see the result after the break.
Now for all of those 5D enthusiasts out there this is of special interest. How does the Canon 5D Mk II measure up against the new Sony F3? Thanks to fxguide.com for providing the link. Find out more after the break.
Can your DSLR camera play the audio files in your PC, USB devices or SD/MMC cards? 1:1 DSLR Camera USB Speaker is an innovative and decorative speaker, it can be used as a PC speaker or portable speaker as well. Apparently various buttons on the back of the camera have been changed to control volume and playback. Go to Gadget4all for the details, thanks to Petapixel for bringing it to our attention.
So here's the easy bit take a bloke, a very fast bloke, one used to driving fast cars, blindfold him, and make him drive a Volvo S60 very fast blind around a race circuit. Read more after the break to get your full fix of camera porn!
Legendary music video director Kevin Godley was commissioned to help Charlotte Church’s creative rebirth with an innovative video for the single ‘Back to Scratch’. Godley, and DoP George Tiffin tell of a white room and eight Canon EOS DSLR cameras.
NY based fashion photographer Mike Kobal takes a look at the differences and similarities between these three great cameras. In the end he rates the GH2 the best all round camera. There's a video comparison at the end. Visit Mike's blog here.
This is a library of user created presets for Apple's software Color. From coloruser.net. The presets listed here are stored in the .colorgrade format. It's a community of color accolytes so as well as allowing you to download for free, they also want you to upload your own color presets. You can recreate the 'magic hour', get that greenish Kodak 400 look or go for Film Noir. Lots of Canon 5d Mark II Presets available.
UK broadcaster Channel Five conduct a video challenge on The Gadgest Show between a Canon 60D and the RED camera. It might turn some people's stomachs but we loved the dirty fingernail shot in the second short!
Nails, fire, footballs and even a cup of hot tea, just how much abuse can a modern DSLR take?
An Interview with respected cinematographer Shane Hurlbut, ASC, on the HDSLR revolution thanks to ThatsHot TV for this one. Well worth a watch.
Thanks to Alvin Burrows for supplying us with this photo of his ingenious SkateCam mount for his 5D. It was used in the filming of the titles for UK's Channel 4 prime time show Beeny's Restoration Nightmare.
Shane Hurlbut ASC talks about HDSLR filmmaking and his use of the Redrock Mancam rigs.
How to balance your DSLR on a Glidecam 4000 Good info on picking the right model & operation. Don't forget to check your drop time!
In the past it's always been a bit of a problem getting a monitoring signal out of a DSLR so other people can watch. Indiespot.tv caught up with Teradek's Rod Clark at the DV Expo.
Canon Japan are celebrating the Canon Expo 2010 at Shinagawa by displaying the entire Canon family of products, especially their cameras. Thanks to our friends at Akihabara News for discovering the first design concepts and body for the first Canon 7D.
This video shows DSLRBOT taking stills and bracketing, but it can be used to trigger movie recording too. More info after the break.
Very funny comparison by Brandon Bloch of the merits of the fabulous 7D and the even more attractive Barbie Video Doll!
Entertaining stuff from the Photo Club with their riff on the Canon Nikon wars. It ain't Romeo and Juliet, no Capulets dissing Montagues here, but the unrequited love of these two HDSLR addicts is well worth a view.·
Check out this cool stop motion sequence using the 5D to trail BBC "Electric Proms" from Brand New School.
This video, from San Francisco based Soviet Montage, highlights several clips made using their new High Dynamic Range (HDR) process.
There are some ingenious people out there. We like this snazzy little gizmo.
There are no limits to where you can find a 5D these days, even on an F1 car!
If I was 18 years old, Swedish and my name was Rickard, I'd like to think that I'd be pushing the envelope, and experimenting with my 550D and Twixtor to get some amazing results. I'd just make sure my mom didn't hang out the washing before I went out to get grungy! More cool Twixtor stuff after the break.
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Phone Home from The Brothers McLeod on Vimeo.
This is production footage Tom Lowe shot over the summer for his debut film, "TimeScapes," a modern portrait of the American Southwest, using Canon and Red MX cameras. Follow the film's production here.