Band Pro Presents: Fill-Lite LED Session Featuring Steven Poster, ASC

Cine Gear Expo
Gower Theater, Paramount Studios
Saturday June 1, 2013
11:30 am – 12:30 pm

In conjunction with the official Cine Gear launch of LED light manufacturer Fill-Lite, Band Pro is proud to present an in-depth overview of this revolutionary new soft light solution.  Product demonstration, Q&A, and hands-on time will be provided.  Panel speakers will include Steven Poster, ASC; Jeff Cree, SOC; and Fill-Lite inventor Owen Stephens, SOC.  Space is limited.

Canon has offered some great ways to help you get your hands on the latest Cinema EOS cameras and lenses.

Zero Percent Interest Financing
Running through June 30, 2013, Canon is offering a 24-Month Lease 0% Interest Program on Cinema
EOS C500 / C500PL; C300 /EOS C300 PL cameras, as well as these new EF Cinema Lenses.

EF Cinema Zoom Lenses (EF Mount)

> 6141B002 CN-E14.5-60mm T2.6 L S

> 6142B002 CN-E30-300mm T2.95-3.7 L S

> 7622B002 CN-E15.5-47mm T2.8 L S

> 7623B002 CN-E30-105mm T2.95-3.7 L S

EF Cinema Zoom Lenses (PL Mount)

> 6141B001 CN-E14.5-60mm T2.6 L SP

> 6142B001 CN-E30-300mm T2.95-3.7 L SP

> 7622B001 CN-E15,5-47mm T2,8 L SP

> 7623B001 CN-E30-105mm T2.95-3.7 L SP

What more could you ask for? 

How about a $900.00 credit when you purchase three (3) EF Cinema Lenses at one time?  Buy three and save $900.00 instantly!  Focal lengths available for this offer are 24mm, 50mm & 85mm.

Again, these are all limited time offers.  Contact your Band Pro salesperson today.

Here's a sample of the latest products available now through Band Pro.  Contact your salesperson today for more information or to schedule a demo.

		The affordable, intelligently designed Movcam Cage system-comprised of a Top Plate, Top Handle Kit, Side Handles, LWS Base Plate, Shoulder Pad, LWS Dovetail Plate and EVF Mount-ergonomically envelopes the F5 or F55 (they have the same form factor) in a rigid framework of mounting options, a veritable Swiss cheese of 114" and 3/8" threaded holes.
		Odyssey7 supports “Single Stream” video monitoring, and with extra cost options supports recording of a “Single Stream” of video. The more advanced Odyssey7Q, supports monitoring of up to four video streams, or one 4K Video Signal (via four HD-SDI inputs, the industry standard), and with extra cost options, supports recording up to four video streams simultaneously. Also, the Odyssey7Q supports recording of Raw + Proxy at the same time.
		Sony 4K sensor for gorgeous, super-sampled HD, 2K and 4K The PMW-F55 CineAlta camera shoots spectacular images with its 8.9 megapixels (effective) Sony 4K image sensor. You get superb dynamic range, the widest colour gamut, and pristine image quality, whether you shoot in HD, 2K or 4K.
		Designed by a Hollywood cinematographer to overcome the drawbac ks of bulky, power-consuming traditional soft-lights and the technical shortcomin gs of blotchy first-generation LEDs, Fill-Lite introduces a compact, flexible solution that meets professional quality standards in temperature, color and precis ion control.
		The Cinema EOS C500 4K Digital Cinema Camera capitalizes on the groundbreaking ergonomic design of the EOS C300 camera, and offers a Super 35mm, 8.85-megapixel CMOS image sensor, DIGIC DV III Image Processor and an expansive range of recording and output options specifically for 4K and 2K image acquisition.
		Solid Grip Systems (SGS) manufactures aluminum precision tracks for both the film and television industries. SGS also manufactures the Truss-Dolly-System along with all of its accompanying accessories. These precision track profiles are not adapted from the printing or manufacturing industry, but were specifically designed for the weight of film equipment.
		The 14-28mm is part of the three lens Cabrio "set", which now  provides focal range coverage from 14mm to 300mm. These ranges, along with the many versatile control features of the COMPACT zoom series is a breakthrough; and exclusive to Fujinon.
		Your perfect monitoring companion for professional video applications, this new monitor from LEADER features a bright 7” built-in LCD display with IPS LED backlit panel. The screen contents, including waveform, vector, CineZone (false color) and markers can be output via HDMI to a larger monitor. Easy to use controls with settable quick function buttons nicely complement the comprehensive display and menus.
		The world's first next generation tripod; Cineped consists of a rotaional camera slider supported by 4 legs.  This solution allows even distribution of all download forces when the camera moves, resulting in the most stable and reliable support available in the industry today.
		CW Sonderoptic, manufacturers of the Leica Summilux-C have unveiled the two newest focal lengths.  The new 135mm and 16mm Summilux-C lenses represent the pinnacle of high end glass.

Red Digital Cinema are leaders in the production world. They started their career at NAB some seven years ago in a little tent. Many laughed at their "dream" of making a 4K camera. Once a reality, no one laughed anymore! Instead, the biggest projects in Hollywood fell in line, and they started shooting some of the largest projects in the business on Red cameras. It's only apropos that Red Digital Cinema take the lead once again, this time with the release of their Dragon 6K sensor, at NAB 2013.

Red co-founder Ted Schilowitz shares all of the highlights of the latest offerings from Red Digital Cinema with Curt Pair and Band Pro.

Red Digital Cinema from Band Pro Film & Digital on Vimeo.

Blackmagic Design gets in depth with Curt Pair at NAB 2013, covering their latest products and 4K innovations.

Black Magic 4K Cinema Camera / Resolve 10 from Band Pro Film & Digital on Vimeo.

Convergent Design have been leaders in the digital recorder world for many years. In fact, they were the pioneers of the industry. The nanoFlash sold over 5,000 units to aid camera owners in providing advanced codecs that their current camera didn't have. They followed the success of that unit with Gemini, an uncompressed recorder solution that has become a staple on many high end commercial and feature film sets. Now Convergent-Design set their sites on a new market-place, the "on-board" / "on-set" monitor. The Odyssey 7 and Odyssey 7Q were announced shortly before NAB 2013. Amber Cowles enlightens Curt Pair and Band Pro Film & Digital with all the terrific details of this unique product.

Convergent Design Odyssey 7 from Band Pro Film & Digital on Vimeo.

Band Pro is known in the production world for providing the very best in equipment to working professionals, as well as the best the service in the industry. In addition, they have several "gurus" in the business that provide insight on equipment, trends in production world, and knowledge on how to implement the technical with the creative.

Randy Wedick walks Curt Pair through the entire Band Pro booth at NAB 2013 to highlight some terrific products that are exclusive to Band Pro's customers.

Band Pro from Band Pro Film & Digital on Vimeo.

Revolutionary New Fill-Lite LED Lights to Launch at Cine Gear Expo 2013

The official launch of Oregon-based LED light manufacturer Fill-Lite will take place at the upcoming Cine Gear Expo in Los Angeles on May 31, 2013.  Band Pro Film & Digital, Inc. has partnered with Fill-Light as a premiere North American reseller of the entire Fill-Lite line.

Cinematographer, inventor, and Fill-Lite President Owen Stephens, SOC created Fill-Lite as an answer to the short-comings of existing LED lighting technology.  Combining a radically compact and fully configurable design with a periphery-oriented LED light panel, the new Fill-Lite line eliminates the problem of non-uniformity commonly experienced with first-generation LED soft lights.  At the same time, Fill-Lite’s specially-selected LEDs help eliminate color quality problems and inconsistencies.  Fill-Lite’s individually assigned IP addresses allow for remote iPad or DMX control, providing further on set flexibility.

Jeff Cree, SOC had this to say:

“The Fill-Lite system provides the most versatile and uniform soft light source that I have seen in all my years in the industry.  The only way to duplicate what this system of thin 2’ x 2’ panels can accomplish requires 100 times more power and more room than you have in most practical locations to accomplish.”

Band Pro recently provided a sneak preview of the Fill-Lite line in Las Vegas at the NAB 2013 show and the positive industry response was immediate.  Following the show, the lights were used on a shoot by Steven Poster, ASC, who remarked: “I used both of them in a very tough, small set. They performed beautifully.”

 Steven Poster, ASC on set with Fill-Lite

The entire Fill-Lite line will be on display on May 31 and June 1, 2013 at Cine Gear Expo; Paramount Studios, Hollywood CA for their official product launch.  Please visit the Fill-Lite booth #S307, and visit Band Pro at booth #70.  Additional information is available at bandpro.com.

About Band Pro Film & Digital, Inc.

Band Pro Film & Digital, Inc. specializes in products and solutions for professional filmmakers and videographers. From their offices in Burbank, CA; New York City, NY; Munich, Germany; and Tel Aviv, Israel, Band Pro offers the highest level of knowledge and expertise along with the finest equipment and accessories available.

NAB never fails to unveil new technology and exciting products. 2013 brought a new lighting product, Fill-Lite into the spotlight. These beautiful, broad, soft sources are nothing short of unique. Owen Stephens, inventor and company President, shares all of the remarkable details of this revolutionary new product with Curt Pair and Band Pro. 

Fill-Lite's official product launch will be May 31, 2013 at Cine Gear Expo Los Angeles.  Contact your Band Pro salesperson to reserve yours today or to schedule a demo.

Fill-Lite from Band Pro Film & Digital on Vimeo.

The folks at Hoodman USA have become synonymous for reflecting glare. They even have their own cartoon superhero to prove it! The Schmidt brothers planted their roots in sports and high end cinema production. In recent years they’ve branched out to include many of today’s popular smaller cameras. If it has an LCD screen, chances are they have a “hood” for it.

They also make the fastest media going too! Compact Flash, SDHC, and SxS alternatives are their specialties!
Bob Schmidt walks Band Pro and Curt Pair through the entire line up of their most popular products.

Hoodman Video Products from Band Pro Film & Digital on Vimeo.

Hoodman HD-SLR Viewfinder from Band Pro Film & Digital on Vimeo.

The Digital Cinema Society interviews Owen Stephens about his new product Fill-Lite at NAB 2013. 

The Fill-Lite line will officially launch at LA Cine Gear Expo 2013.  Here's a sneak preview of what the new Fill-Lite design has to offer.  Contact your Band Pro salesperson for more information or to schedule a demo.

Click here to download.  Need more info on the latest offerings from Canon?  Contact your Band Pro salesperson.

SHIPPING FALL 2013, THE NEW FUJINON CABRIO 14-28

The 14-28mm is the latest lens in the Cabrio "set", which will provide focal range coverage from 14mm to 300mm.  These ranges, along with the many versatile control features of the COMPACT zoom series, represent a breakthrough and are exclusive to Fujinon. 

In many cases the compact Cabrio Series zooms have already dramatically changed the nature of large sensor camera productions by alllowing crews to shoot quicker and easier, and save money in the process.

The Cabrio's are COMPACT zoom lenses with common 114mm front barrel diameter, offering breakthrough zoom ranges.  Weighing around 6 lbs (or 5 lbs without drive unit mounted.)

Preorders are available now for the 14-28mm through Band Pro.  Contact your salesperson to reserve your spot and beat the rush.

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE

FUJIFILM UNVEILS NEW FUJINON CABRIO 85-300 PL MOUNT ZOOM

Wayne, N.J., November 13, 2012 – FUJIFILM North America Corporation, Optical Devices Division is introducing the PL 85-300 Cabrio lens (model ZK3.5x85)   The PL 85-300, a PL Mount zoom lens in the Premier PL digital cinematography family, capitalizes on the popularity and success of its predecessor, the PL19-90mm Cabrio (Model ZK4.7x19).  

PL 85-300 Cabrio

While the PL 85-300 is similar in size and weight as the PL 19-90, its longer lens makes it ideal for shooting documentaries, nature and wildlife, and car commercials, among other demanding production scenarios.  The PL 85-300 offers a focal length of 85-220mm at T2.9 and 300mm at T4.0, with 200-degree focus rotation.

Designed using the latest optical simulation technology, the PL 85-300 Cabrio not only offers exceptional optical performance in the center of the image but in the corners of the frame as well.  Like the highly acclaimed PL 19-90 Cabrio, the PL 85-300 is equipped with the same indispensable features including flange focal distance adjustment, a MOD of 1.2m,  a macro function for objects as close as 97mm (3.8-inches), and covers a 31.5mm diagonal sensor size

The digital servo’s 16-bit encoding assures operators that all lens data output—such as the position of the zoom, iris, and focus—is extremely accurate and the lens supports Lens Data System (LDS) and /i metadata formats. Like the PL 19-90 Cabrio, the new PL 85-300 features an exclusive detachable servo drive unit, making it suitable for use as a standard PL lens or as an ENG-style lens.  And the PL 85-300 can be controlled using cinema industry standard wireless controllers as well as existing FUJINON wired and wireless units.  The other Premier PL Mount Series lenses are available in 14.5-45mm T2.0, 18-85mm T2.0, 24-180mm T2.6, and 75-400 mm T2.8-T3.8 ranges.

“We designed the new PL 85-300, and the entire Premier PL zoom lens family, to give professional cinematographers and videographers the utmost in features and versatility.  We believe that a wide array of choices help them match the right lens with the unique demands of their high-end productions,” said Thom Calabro, director, Marketing and Product Development, FUJIFILM North America Corporation, Optical Devices Division.

“Versatility means that videographers accustomed to shooting ENG-style will be right at home with a servo attached to the lens, while cinematographers who shoot projects like feature films and commercials can opt to shoot without it,” Calabro explained.  “Cinematographers will also like that this lens accepts industry standard cine motors and matte boxes.”   

XA99x8.4 Ultra-Wide Lens

The new XA99x8.4 ultra-wide field production lens offers a zoom range of 99x, a focal length of 8.4 to 832mm, and MOD of 2.9m.  The XA99x is f1.7 to 341mm and f4.2 at 832mm. Like other lenses in this product line, including the XA77x9.5, XA88x8.8, XA88x12.5 and the XA101x8.9, the XA99x8.4 offers FUJINON’s DIGI POWER digital controls (featuring F number limit), Quick Zoom, two-shot presets, a 2X extender, and other precision digital functions increasing production flexibility.
 
“The XA99x Ultra Wide is outstanding in its class because it combines high-performance imaging, a long zoom reach, and an ultra-wide angle,” said Calabro.  “Since it’s extremely rugged, versatile, and reliable, this telephoto zoom lens is ideal for even the most demanding live sports production.”
 
The XA99x8.4 features a newly developed patented image stabilization technology for rock-steady performance, which is especially critical for long-distance HD shots.  High-resolution 16-bit encoders are standard, making it suitable to virtual, robotic, and digital signage, among other applications.  FUJINON’s exclusive GO-Technology improves image resolution and chromatic aberrations at all focal lengths.
 
This 2/3-inch telephoto field lens employs the latest High Transmittance Electron Beam Coating (HT-EBC) resulting in richer colors and greatly improved blue response and transmittance.  HT-EBC coupled with FUJINON’s exclusive Aspheric Technology reduce ghost and flare and increase light transmission.  A proprietary anti-fogging design minimizes lens fogging and reduces downtime due to moisture—a critical concern when shooting in all types of weather conditions.

About Fujifilm
FUJIFILM North America Corporation, a marketing subsidiary of FUJIFILM Holdings America Corporation consists of five operating divisions and one subsidiary company. The Imaging Division sells consumer and commercial photographic products and services including film, one-time-use cameras, online photo services and fulfillment, digital printing equipment and service. The Electronic Imaging Division markets consumer digital cameras. The Motion Picture Division provides motion picture archival film, and the Graphic Systems Division supplies products and services to the printing industry. The Optical Devices Division provides binoculars, and optical lenses for closed circuit television, videography, cinematography, broadcast and industrial markets. FUJIFILM Canada Inc. markets a range of Fujifilm products and services. For more information, please visit www.fujifilmusa.com/northamerica, or go to www.twitter.com/fujifilmus to follow Fujifilm on Twitter. To receive news and information direct from Fujifilm via RSS, subscribe at www.fujifilmusa.com/rss.

FUJIFILM Holdings Corporation, Tokyo, Japan, brings continuous innovation and leading-edge products to a broad spectrum of industries, including electronic imaging, digital printing equipment, medical systems, life sciences, graphic arts, flat panel display materials, and office products, based on a vast portfolio of digital, optical, fine chemical and thin film coating technologies. The company was among the top 10 companies around the world granted U.S. patents in 2011, and in the year ended March 31, 2012, had global revenues of $27.8 billion*. Fujifilm is committed to environmental stewardship and good corporate citizenship. For more information, please visit www.fujifilmholdings.com.

* At an exchange rate of 79 yen to the dollar.

Full details on the entire Fujinon line are available here: https://fujinon.sharefile.com/d/sf2387dcdabf4fada

IDX from Band Pro Film & Digital on Vimeo.

Fuji-Cabrios from Band Pro Film & Digital on Vimeo.

CW Sonderoptic > Leica Summilux-C from Band Pro Film & Digital on Vimeo.

;

Dana-Dolly from Band Pro Film & Digital on Vimeo.

This year's NAB show was hugely attended and full of the latest technological innovations.  Special thanks to all those who stopped by Band Pro's booth and helped make this such an amazing event.  Here's a few photos from the show:

Once again, thanks to everyone who came out to see us at NAB 2013!  For those of you who couldn't make it (and the rest who did but still need more info on what Band Pro featured in our booth) here you go:

		The affordable, intelligently designed Movcam Cage system-comprised of a Top Plate, Top Handle Kit, Side Handles, LWS Base Plate, Shoulder Pad, LWS Dovetail Plate and EVF Mount-ergonomically envelopes the F5 or F55 (they have the same form factor) in a rigid framework of mounting options, a veritable Swiss cheese of 114" and 3/8" threaded holes.
		Odyssey7 supports “Single Stream” video monitoring, and with extra cost options supports recording of a “Single Stream” of video. The more advanced Odyssey7Q, supports monitoring of up to four video streams, or one 4K Video Signal (via four HD-SDI inputs, the industry standard), and with extra cost options, supports recording up to four video streams simultaneously. Also, the Odyssey7Q supports recording of Raw + Proxy at the same time.
		Sony 4K sensor for gorgeous, super-sampled HD, 2K and 4K The PMW-F55 CineAlta camera shoots spectacular images with its 8.9 megapixels (effective) Sony 4K image sensor. You get superb dynamic range, the widest colour gamut, and pristine image quality, whether you shoot in HD, 2K or 4K.
		Designed by a Hollywood cinematographer to overcome the drawbac ks of bulky, power-consuming traditional soft-lights and the technical shortcomin gs of blotchy first-generation LEDs, Fill-Lite introduces a compact, flexible solution that meets professional quality standards in temperature, color and precis ion control.
		The Cinema EOS C500 4K Digital Cinema Camera capitalizes on the groundbreaking ergonomic design of the EOS C300 camera, and offers a Super 35mm, 8.85-megapixel CMOS image sensor, DIGIC DV III Image Processor and an expansive range of recording and output options specifically for 4K and 2K image acquisition.
		Solid Grip Systems (SGS) manufactures aluminum precision tracks for both the film and television industries. SGS also manufactures the Truss-Dolly-System along with all of its accompanying accessories. These precision track profiles are not adapted from the printing or manufacturing industry, but were specifically designed for the weight of film equipment.
		The 14-28mm completes the three lens Cabrio "set", which now (with three lenses) provides focal range coverage from 14mm to 300mm. These ranges, along with the many versatile control features of the COMPACT zoom series is a breakthrough; and exclusive to Fujinon.
		Your perfect monitoring companion for professional video applications, this new monitor from LEADER features a bright 7” built-in LCD display with IPS LED backlit panel. The screen contents, including waveform, vector, CineZone (false color) and markers can be output via HDMI to a larger monitor. Easy to use controls with settable quick function buttons nicely complement the comprehensive display and menus.
		The world's first next generation tripod; Cineped consists of a rotaional camera slider supported by 4 legs.  This solution allows even distribution of all download forces when the camera moves, resulting in the most stable and reliable support available in the industry today.
		CW Sonderoptic, manufacturers of the Leica Summilux-C have unveiled the two newest focal lengths.  The new 135mm and 16mm Summilux-C lenses represent the pinnacle of high end glass.

And be sure to check out Band Pro's exclusive series of NAB 2013 Interviews.  We searched the show for the latest and greatest from today's leading manufacturers.  Get the inside tip on the new technology from Fujinon, Movcam, Red Element, Leica, Sony, and the list goes on. 

Click here for complete access: Band Pro NAB 2013 Interviews

16x9-MovCam-Power Distribution from Band Pro Film & Digital on Vimeo.

16x9-MovCam F5/F55 Accessories & Mattebox from Band Pro Film & Digital on Vimeo.

Red Element Wireless Lens Control from Band Pro Film & Digital on Vimeo.

Nila Light from Band Pro Film & Digital on Vimeo.

Visit us at Cine Gear 2013
** Booth #70 **
Paramount Studios, Hollywood CA
May 31 – June 1

Band Pro will be showcasing the latest tech offerings from top manufacturers.  Stop by for a cold beverage and get hands-on with the newest innovations from Sony, Canon, Red, Movcam, Convergent Design, and more! 

** Good through May 25th, use this link to register for your free Admission Badge **

PRESS RELEASE
For immediate release: April 10, 2013

Aussie film-maker’s invention wins major international award

Competing with Canon, Sony and other multinational companies, Tasmanian film-maker, Pawel Achtel, has just won top prize at a prestigious international award ceremony, held in Las Vegas.  With the Oscars over, the latest inventions in the film industry – the products used to make the movies – take center stage each year at the huge NAB trade show in Las Vegas, USA. It’s the world’s most prestigious annual show of film and TV technology. And this year two of the nineteen finalists for best invention in film production were the creations of Achtel’s small, Australian company. In an industry dominated by large multi-nationals, his company has produced the most innovative underwater filming system in years – revolutionary new housings: DeepX and 3Deep® for shooting in 2D and 3D underwater.

“It’s an extraordinary honour,” said Achtel after being told the results from the USA. “I’ve put hundreds of hours of work, and a lot of thought, into designing these new systems for filming underwater. None of the existing equipment did justice to the magic of the underwater world.”

Up until now, capturing cinema-quality images underwater, especially in 3D, has meant large, cumbersome and expensive equipment, large camera crews, and images dramatically degraded by the underwater camera housings available. It’s made it almost impossible for film-makers to get close to the very creatures they’re trying to film. And it’s never been possible to capture images that match the quality you can get above water.

Achtel’s inventions change all that. Instead of following the tradition of using large glass plates or domes in front of lenses designed for use on land, Achtel has adapted the latest digital cameras and used lenses designed specially for the very different optical conditions underwater. As a result, for the first time ever, the images from his camera systems produce pin-sharp, undistorted images suitable for the biggest cinema screens in the world.  But it’s not just the quality of the images that sets Achtel’s underwater camera systems apart from the rest; it’s the sheer size – or lack of it. With his latest invention, the 3Deep® underwater camera system, you can film pristine 3D images using a rig that weighs not 120kg but a mere 20kg. So you can go places, and get images, where no-one has gone before.

“I created these new housings so that I could make the best possible films underwater – trying to capture images of sea creatures that look astounding on the big screen,” said Achtel. “That’s what I’m really passionate about. But to get such an award for this is something I never imagined!”

DeepX and 3Deep are available through Band Pro.  Contact us for more information or to schedule a product demo.

Above: Band Pro's Randy Wedick accepting the Studio Daily Prime Award at NAB 2013

Band Pro will once again be exhibiting at the annual JL Fisher Open House.  Stop down for some great BBQ, see the latest technology, and catch up with your friends industry-wide.

Open House hours run from 9am to 4pm on Saturday May 18th, 2013.

See you there!

The new Odyssey7 and Odyssey7Q are unique, in their design, features, price, upgradability.

One of the most unique features of the Odyssey7 and Odyssey7Q are that they are actually “Very Capable Video Platforms”; they are much more than just a monitor.

The base Odyssey7 supports “Single Stream” video monitoring, and with extra cost options supports recording of a “Single Stream” of video. The more advanced Odyssey7Q, supports monitoring of up to four video streams, or one 4K Video Signal (via four HD‐SDI inputs, the industry standard), and with extra cost options, supports recording up to four video streams simultaneously. Also, the Odyssey7Q supports recording of Raw + Proxy at the same time.

Call Band Pro to place your Preorder today.  A $100 deposit is required.

Band Pro has the new Sony F5 and F55 in stock now and ready to ship.  Call your Band Pro Salesperson today to reserve yours and to learn how you can take advantage of Sony's latest offers (details below).

Now through April 30, 2013, Canon is offering a $2,000 Instant Rebate on their Cinema EOS C300 and C300 PL cameras.  Contact your Band Pro Salesperson today to get in on this great offer.

Sony is now offering a limited-time 0% (12 months) Lease Financing Program through Sony Leasing, a program of De Lage Landen Financial Services, Inc. (DLL). Note, financing available for business and commercial purposes only.

A complete list of eligible Sony products is available here.

Don't miss this opportunity!  Contact your Band Pro Salesperson today before it's too late.

Sony has released free v2.2 software updates for both the F65 and SR-R4.  Links are included below, but feel free to contact Band Pro if you need assistance or have any questions.

The F65 V2.2 portion can be accessed by clicking here.
* Please be sure to download and follow the installation instruction located in the F65 V2.2 tech bulletin located here. Please take your time and follow the instruction step by step.

The SR-R4 V2.2 portion can be accessed by clicking here.
* Please be sure to download and follow the installation instructions located in the SR-R4 V2.2 tech bulletin located here. Please take your time and follow the instruction step by step.

Sony's complete line of Projectors offer a solution for every projection need.  Take a moment to peruse the options and see for yourself (then contact your Band Pro Salesperson).  Not sure which one works best?  Try the 'installsimulator' to form fit your projection solution.  Links and complete details below.

The installsimulator for projectors: http://pro.sony.com/bbsccms/ext/projectors/installsimulator/projector_sim.html


Mobile projectors-
Ultra-Portable Projectors ideal for Field Sales Staff and other "On the Go" Professionals.
http://pro.sony.com/bbsc/ssr/cat-projectors/cat-projmobile/
 

Compact-
Affordable entry level business projectors – perfect for small to mid size classrooms and meeting rooms.
http://pro.sony.com/bbsc/ssr/cat-projectors/cat-compact/
 

Short Throw-
Great space savers. Ideal for class rooms, meeting spaces, or any place where large image is required in a small project..
http://pro.sony.com/bbsc/ssr/cat-projectors/cat-projshortthrow/

Premium Network Projectors -

Ideal for executive conference rooms, training centers and larger classrooms.
http://pro.sony.com/bbsc/ssr/cat-projectors/cat-projadvinst/
 

Larger Venue-
These workhorse projectors deliver bright, high quality images ideal for larger audiences - 65 to 150 seats
http://pro.sony.com/bbsc/ssr/cat-projectors/cat-largevenue/
 

Projector Accessoires-
http://pro.sony.com/bbsc/ssr/cat-projectors/cat-projectoraccessories/

The RAW Development Software for the EOS C500 is currently available for download from the CUSA website.

This software is used for developing, playing back, and exporting the RAW clips captured with Canon’s digital cinema cameras.  The current software version 1.0.1 is available for both MAC and Windows operating systems.

Please use the following link to download the software:

http://www.usa.canon.com/cusa/professional/products/professional_cameras/cinema_eos_cameras/eos_c500#DriversAndSoftware

Sony's XDCAM PDW-F800 camcorder now comes with a $750 mail-in rebate and five Dual Layer 50GB Rewritable Professional Discs.

Now through March 31, 2013, you can receive a $750 mail-in rebate plus five Rewritable Professional Discs with the purchase of the Sony camcorder that has it all: the PDW-F800 XDCAM® HD422 shoulder-mount camcorder. The Rewritable Professional Discs with blue-laser technology can attain high-density recording 10 times more than that of a DVD (4.7GB) with red-laser technology.

This offer is a great reason to find out why the PDW-F800 is the choice of so many broadcasters, production companies, and independent shooters.

But hurry: to be eligible for the $750 mail-in rebate and five Dual Layer 50GB Rewritable Professional Discs, you must order before March 31, 2013.  Call your Band Pro sales rep today!

Here's a list of what was stolen with serial numbers.  Please help spread the word.

Item                     Description                                                    Qty   SN

FGV-7D-PL           Canon 7D Camera with PL lens mount               1      7336
SO-HKSR-9001    Sony HD-SDI Expansion Board for SRW9000    1    10034
SO-HKSR-9001    Sony HD-SDI Expansion Board for SRW9000    1    10046
SO-HKSR-9002    Sony Picture Cache Board for SRW9000           1    10037

FUJI-TH13X3.5BR    Fujinon 13x3.5 Wide Angle Lens                     1    14600159

CA-KJ13X6BKRS    Canon KJ13x6B KRS 2/3" HD Zoom Lens       1    62010398

ZE-DP-5               Zeiss DigiPrime Lens 5mm                                  1    8937535
ZE-DP-5               Zeiss DigiPrime Lens 5mm                                  1    8938726
ZE-DP-7               Zeiss DigiPrime Lens 7mm                                  1    8939073
ZE-DP-10             Zeiss DigiPrime Lens 10mm                                1    8934301
ZE-DP-14             Zeiss DigiPrime Lens 14mm                                1    8935391
ZE-DP-14             Zeiss DigiPrime Lens 14mm                                1    8938639
ZE-DP-20             Zeiss DigiPrime Lens 20mm                                1    8938613
ZE-DP28              Zeiss DigiPrime Lens 28mm                                1    8939165
ZE-DP-40             Zeiss DigiPrime Lens 40mm                                1    8938165
ZE-DP70              Zeiss DigiPrime Lens 70mm                                1    8938738
ZE-DP-52            Zeiss DigiPrime Lens 52mm                                1    8938777
ZE-DP-52            Zeiss DigiPrime Lens 52mm                                1    8938172
ZE-DP-135          Zeiss DigiPrime Lens 135mm                              1    8937611
ZE-DP-135         Zeiss DigiPrime Lens 135mm                               1    8936659

SI-23327          SI-2k Power Supply for SI-2K Mini                         2    
SI-22600          SI-2K B4 Mount P+S Technik Mount System          3    

SI-CD-3D         Silicon Imaging Cinedeck 3D                                   1    CDKEST10323

SI-22710         SI-2K Gigabit Ethernet Cable                                  2    
SI-22711         SI-2K Lemo 8-pin to XLR 4-Pin Power Cable for SI-2K mini    2    
SI-22000        SI-2K Mini Camera Head With lens mount               1    401-0263
SI-22000        SI-2K Mini Camera Head With lens mount               1    401-0380
SI-22000        SI-2K Mini Camera Head With llens mount              1    401-0382

AB-TP-14-E              Anton Bauer Trimpac 14 Battery                 1    41182
AB-TP-14-E              Anton Bauer Trimpac 14 Battery                 1    10416
AB-QUAD-2702-E    Anton Bauer Four Position Power Charger 1    3229

AST-DM-3106    Astro 6" LCD HDSDI Monitor                              1    3415010
AST-DM-3106    Astro 6" LCD HDSDI Monitor                              1    3415015

AC-840-01       Chrosziel Mattebox                                              1    1162521.3
AC-840-01       Chrosziel Mattebox                                              1    1162521.50

1B-WRNGLR-DUDE    1Beyond Wrangler Dude SI Recording     1    183406

AB-QR-A200-E    Anton Bauer Wedge Mount for Sony DNWA225/DNWA220 Portable SX Editing Machine    2    

SI-12PE-10    SI-2K to Mini 12p-12P Lemo Ethernet only, 10m    2    

AB-HYTRON-100-E    Anton Bauer Logic Series Digital NI-MH Battery             1    707401
AB-HYTRON-100-E    Anton Bauer Logic Series Digital NI-MH Battery             1    103715LO6S

AST-WM-3208B    Astro 8" HDSDI Dual Link Waveform/Vectorscope Monitor  1    3507005
AST-WM-3208    Astro 8" HDSDI Dual Link Waveform/Vectorscope Monitor    1    3415008
AST-SM-3324    Astro 24" LCD 3D Monitor                                                       1    3504003

SO-F35         Sony Cinealta F35 Camera Body                           1    10133
SO-F35        Sony Cinealta F35 Camera Body                            1    10141

CDX-5500    Codex Desktop Transfer Station                             1    121011

CDX-P300    Codex Data pack 256 GB                                        1    111127
CDX-P300    Codex Data pack 256 GB                                        1    111192
CDX-3010    Codex Onboard Recorder                                       1    101070

STC-OB-1    S Two OB-1 On Baoard Recorder with Pwr Cable and Plate    1    120-001064

STC-FLASH-MAG    S Two Flashmag Solid State Magazines    1    100-001034
STC-FLASH-MAG    S Two Flashmag Solid State Magazines    1    100-001046

Please contact Brett Gillespie by phone at (818) 841-9655, or by email at brett.gillespie@bandpro.com with any information.  Any tips or leads will be held in the strictest confidence and are hugely appreciated!  Thank you.

Canon EOS Event - Fall 2012 from Band Pro Film & Digital on Vimeo.

Thanks to everyone who came out to support this year's Band Pro Film & Digital One World Open House!  Attendance records were shattered, and it was an evening full of great new technology and great friends, new and old, from the industry.  A very special thanks goes out to our Guest of Honor, Oscar-winner Vilmos Zsigmond, ASC, who was in attendance.

Sony debuted the highly anticipated new F series cameras, the F5 / F55 and accessories, new lenses, action cam, 4K television, and the list goes on.  Canon brought their entire Cinema EOS line including the C500, C300, C100 and 1DC cameras, and new lenses.  For-A debuted their new 4K Hi-Speed camera offering 1,000 FPS.  Focus Optics provided tours of their onsite full-service lens shop.  A presentation of Leica Summilux-C lenses was made to Fletcher Camera, presented by Leica's Sonder Optics Managing Director Gerhard Baier and Band Pro's CEO, Amnon Band.   In all the list of represented manufacturers, press, and industry players was extensive and made for an amazing evening. Sushi and asian cuisine was provided by Nikko Sushi.  Drinks were flowing and plenty of great prizes were raffled off throughout the night.

All in all it was a really fine time.  If you missed it, here's a few photos from the event.  Enjoy!

Exhibitors

16x9 Inc.
28314 Constellation Road
Valencia, CA 91355
T 661.295.3313
F 661.295.3314
http://www.16x9inc.com

1-Beyond, Inc.
61Medford Street
Somerville, MA 02143
T 877.663.2396
http://www.1beyond.com

3ality Technica
55 East Orange Grove Ave.
Burbank, CA 91502
T 818.333.3000
http://www.3alitytechnica.com

AJA Video Systems
180 Litton Drive
Grass Valley, CA 95945
T 530.274.2048
F 530.274.9442
http://www.aja.com

Angenieux
40G Commerce Way
Totowa, NJ 07512
T 973.812.3858
F 973.812.9049
http://www.angenieux.com

Anton/ Bauer
14 Progress Drive
Shelton, CT 06484
T 203.929.1100
T 800.422.3473
F 203.925.4988
http://www.antonbauer.com

Atomos
Level 1, 3-5 Eastbourne St
Windsor Victoria 3181
Australia
T 503.388.3236
http://www.atomos.com

Bertone Visuals
229 California St
El Segundo, CA 90245
(424) 218-9002
http://www.bertonevisuals.com/

Canare Corporation of America
45 Commerce Way, Unit C,
Totowa, New Jersey, 07512
T: 973.837.0070
F: 973.837.0080
http://www.canare.com

Canon USA
One Canon Plaza
Lake Success, NY 11042
T: 516.328.5000
http://www.usa.canon.com/cusa/home

T M Camera Solutions
http://www.facebook.com/pages/Cinoflex/151047361682392

Codex Digital Ltd.
60 Poland Street
London
United Kingdom
W1F 7NT
T 44.(0)20.7292.6918
http://www.codexdigital.com

Convergent Design Inc.
4465 Northpark Dr. Suite 400
Colorado Springs, CO 80907
T 720.221.3861
T 866.654.0080
F 720.227.9296
http://www.convergent-design.com

Focus Optics
3403 W. Pacific Ave.
Burbank, CA 91505
T 818.567.1007
http://www.focusoptics.com

For-A
11155 Knott Avenue, Suite H
Cypress, CA 90630
T: 714.894.3311
http://www.for-a.com/products/vfc7000/vfc7000.html

Fujifilm Optical Devices
10 High Point Dr.
Wayne, NJ 07470
T 973.633.5600
http://www.fujinon.com

IDX System Technology, Inc.
19001 Harborgate Way, #105
Torrance, CA 90501
T: 310.328.2850
F: 310.328.8202
www.idxtek.com

K5600 Lighting, Inc.
10434 Burbank Blvd.,
North Hollywood, CA 91601
T 818.762.5756
http://www.K5600.com

Leader Instruments Corp.
6484 Commerce Drive
Cypress, CA 90630
T 800.645.5104
F 714.527.7490
http://www.leaderusa.com

CW-Sonderoptic GmbH
Am Leitz-Park 1
35578 Wetzlar
Germany
T: 0151-62827600
http://www.cw-sonderoptic.de

Litepanels, Inc.
16152 Saticoy Street
Van Nuys, CA 91406
T 818.752.7009
F 818.752.2437
http://www.litepanels.com

Manios Digital & Film
10663 Burbank Blvd.
North Hollywood, CA 91601
T 818.760.8290
F 818.760.8805
http://www.maniosdigital.com

Marshall Electronics Inc.
1910 East Maple Ave.
El Segundo, CA 90245
T 310.333.0606
F 310.333.0688
http://www.lcdracks.com

Nila, Inc.
723 West Woodbury Rd.
Altadena, CA 91001
T: 818.392.8370
http://nila.tv/

NextoDI
945 W. Hyde Park Blvd.
Inglewood, CA 90302
T 310.672.9090
F 310.673.5988
http://www.nextodiusa.com

OConnor
2701 N. Ontario St
Burbank, CA 91504
T 818.847.8666
F 818.847.1205
http://www.ocon.com

Oppenheimer
7400 Third Avenue South
Seattle, WA 98108
T 206.467.8666
F 206.467.9165
http://www.oppenheimercameraproducts.com

Petrol
709 Executive Blvd.
Valley College, NY 10989
T 845.268.0100
F 845.268.0113
http://www.petrolbags.com

Red Digital Camera
34 Parker
Irvine, CA 92618
T 949.206.7900
F 949.206.7990
http://www.red.com

Sachtler
709 Executive Blvd.
Valley College, NY 10989
T 845.268.0100
F 845.268.0113
http://www.sachtler.us

Sony
One Sony Drive
Park Ridge, NJ 07656
T 201.930.1000
http://pro.sony.com

Tiffen
6933 San Fernando Road
Glendale, CA 91201
T 818.843.4600
F 818.843.8321
http://www.tiffen.com

TruColor
9111 Sunland Blvd.
Sun Valley, CA 91352
T 818.252.2600
F 818.252.2620
http://www.trucolorlighting.com

TVLogic
910 W. Alameda Ave.
Burbank, CA 91506
T 818.567.4900
http://www.tvlogicusa.com

Carl Zeiss MicroImaging, LLC
Camera Lens Division USA
One Zeiss Drive
Thornwood, NY 10594
T 800.543.1033
http://www.zeiss.com/cine

• 1 Beyond
• 16X9
• 3ality Technica
• AJA
• Angenieux
• Atomos
• Bertone Visuals
• Canare
• Canon
• Cinoflex
• Codex Digital
• Colorfront / Express Dalies
• Convergent Design
• Focus Optics
• For-A
• Fujinon
• TruColor/PRG
• IDX
• K5600
• Leader
• Leica
• Manios Digital & Film
• Marshall
• NextoDI
• Nila
• Oppenheimer
• RED
• Sony
• Tiffen
• Anton/Bauer
• Sachtler
• OConnor
• Lite Panels
• TV Logic
•  
• Zeiss

Zero Percent Interest Financing

The Canon EOS C500 and EOS C500 PL have been added to Canon's 24-month 0% Interest Program.

Also available, Canon is offering a 24-Month 0% Interest Program on Cinema
EOS C300 /EOS C300 PL cameras, as well as these four EF Cinema Lenses.

EF Cinema Zoom Lenses (EF Mount)
> 6141B002 CN-E14.5-60mm T2.6 L S
> 6142B002 CN-E30-300mm T2.95-3.7 L S


EF Cinema Zoom Lenses (PL Mount)
> 6141B001 CN-E14.5-60mm T2.6 L SP
> 6142B001 CN-E30-300mm T2.95-3.7 L SP

Contact your Band Pro Salesperson today to take advantage of these offers today.

On Wednesday November 28th, Sony held their “Future, Ahead of Schedule” event at Sony Pictures Studios.  This marked the official (and highly anticipated) unveiling of the new F5 and F55 cameras and pricing.

Following a reception in the Rita Hayworth Dining Room, Sony screened several new short films in the adjacent Cary Grant Theatre.  Crew members and key Sony executives were on hand for a Q&A following each short, and gave their insight on how the new cameras and accessories held up on location.

Hands-on time with the F5, F55, and F65 were provided afterward in Sony's Digital Motion Picture Center (located at Stage 7).

Contact your Band Pro Salesperson for additional information on the new Sony line, or to place a PreOrder and beat the rush.

Recently Band Pro caught up with cinematographer Cira Felina Bolla, ICG, to discuss her latest project, shooting with the F65, and what’s next on the horizon.

Q: Can you tell us what you’re working on now?

"Reality Reboot" is an offbeat comedy about getting a chance to fix a moment in time.  Boy meets girl.  Boy hits on girl.  Boy blows it.  End of story?  No.  With awful advice from three sports commentators who dissect his lack of game, he gets to "reboot" the moment - he gets the do-over we all wish we could have - until he gets it right.  

The mood we set out to create was "Quirky - Glamour", with all this set inside a 24-HR Laundromat in Hollywood. It's a web series for YOMYOMF Network for directors Robbie Consing and Alfredo Botello.  

YOMYOMF Network launched in June 2012 and is based on the pop culture blog 'You Offend Me, You Offend My Family,' founded by Justin Lin, director of The Fast and The Furious 3, 4, 5 & 6, Better Luck Tomorrow, and Finishing the Game.

 
Q: How was it working with the Sony F65 on location; and why F65 for this project?

I have to say, it was great working with the Sony F65 on location. We had one technical glitch on the card reader but Randy Wedick from Band Pro (my hero & friend), saved the day by installing an update on location. This project was my third experience working with this camera format. I had tested it thoroughly a few months back to kick off Band Pro's F65 Cinematographers Series and prior to that, through my union, The International Cinematographers Guild, Local 600 at the Sony Lot.

I approach this format like I do a 35mm film negative and I am grateful to have that frame of reference coming into this new paradigm in cinematography. Currently this is the only camera format that can out perform motion picture film technically. I knew it would happen eventually, I just didn't think it would happen this fast.  I now have the working experience with this technology/format to understand its boundaries and apply a working, creative style to achieve a given look.

I chose the F65 and presented it to my directors, knowing the level of superior image quality they expected.  Robbie Consing is an A-list storyboard artist who has worked with many of the great and prolific directors of our time. Alfredo Botello is a first time director/ working screenwriter and a Nicholl Fellow. Both have impeccable taste. When I proposed this format, I explained we could have shot it on many other lower and less expensive digital formats but we would compromise what I believed they would want in the end result: the quality of the image. My directors trusted me to know what they wanted and I had the great opportunity to deliver their vision.
 
Q: What lenses did you use?  How were they?

The lenses I shot "Reality Reboot" with were the Leica Summilux-C Primes. I used the 21MM, 25MM, 35MM and 75MM. They were wonderful to work with for their cinematic quality to the imagery, inherent in the optic. They are truly stunning lenses to work with and I have found they are a great pairing to the F65 for their ability to expose hard light in a cinematic way, this of course in relation to the sensor which has the ability to articulate the light at the degree of intensity I prefer visually, approximately 4 stops over in the highlights. Without these two elements working together, I believe the lenses would look different on another format/ sensor.   It is this combination that works beautifully.

Q: Can you give us an example of a creative work-around you had to improvise to get the shot you had in mind.

We were working in a very restricted environment, a hard set in a Laundromat. Given the locations limitations, I opted to employ one of my favorite methods of working: on a Fischer 10 with a 6 foot arm and a Mitchell gear head (thanks to Hollywood Camera). It's an old school rig combination and it gave me the ultimate freedom to create the push-ins, drifts and dynamic movement to encompass the storytelling pace. It also allowed me to move the camera efficiently as a unit and place the lens where I needed it within minutes. Set ups were effortless and camera was always ready well within our allotted time. I had my exceptional crew in both Camera and Grip & Electric.
 
Q: How was the experience once you got to post?  Describe the work flow and how the process worked for you.

Special Thanks to Hollywood DI, Neil Smith and Colorist, Aaron Peak for your exceptional work! Our post, digital intermediate was a dream...or shall I say Dream Team!

DIT/ Dailies Colorist, Bobby Maruvada, was not on site due to scheduling. This made for a real film like experience to wait for our dailies so to speak. It was wonderful and seamless working with him. It was after picture lock that we went to Hollywood DI and got to witness the true nuance and beauty of the images projected in 2K.

After many wonderful and exciting discussions with Director Robbie Consing on the visual look, prior to going into the DI, I had sent Aaron screen grabs I had Photoshop’d a wide to give him as a visual reference for where I wanted to take it in the mid tones, high lights and shadows but that was just a starting point to establish direction and begin defining the vision. This step in the work flow made for much efficiency while in the DI. Unlike shooting film where the DP establishes a look with filtration and the colorist would have an instant idea upon review, given the RAW footage was clean, this visual communication lent itself to the process and eliminated any ambiguity.

Once in the DI suite with Colorist Aaron Peak, we were able to isolate the reds, make the yellows cooler for a unique and stylized palette. We pulled out highlights, added beauty windows to emphasize our talent in specific frames for the story, saturated just enough, deepened our blacks- cooled them off by pulling out any yellow, green and all this with out ever compromising our eye lights. This alone is a fine line in digital when we start crushing blacks. But I don't view the F65 as just another digital format. In the DI, we had the opportunity to work on finessing the image, finding the perfect balance with consistency.

Q: What’s next on the horizon for Cinematographer Cira Felina Bolla?

A big budget action adventure that is under-wraps, but word will hit the streets here soon.

 
Q: Can you tell us some of your favorite films?  Recent?  Classic?

I have to say, I can't wait to see ARGO. I have heard wonderful things about it from trusted friends. However, I will always first talk 'classic' if given the opportunity. One of my favorite films of all time is Black Narcissus (1947), shot by the legendary Jack Cardiff BCS for its breathtaking cinematography, light and camera, exquisite set and costume design, and powerful storytelling. I highly recommend this film to all.

 
Q: If you were handed your dream project, what would it be?

There is no easy answer to this because while I would love to shoot a Modern Western, Science Fiction or a Period piece, the approach to my work is about creating new interpretations of classic genres. Let me explain. A great example of this, my opinion, is "The Conformist" circa 1970, shot by the great Vittorio Storaro AIC, ASC.  It was and is uniquely stunning, inspiring to cinema and cinematographers because it took elements of classic films and incorporated new ideas into the visual language.  It took risks, it dared to go beyond the mundane archetypes of the characters on the page and it transcended the visual storytelling to an art form *without* ever taking the audience out of the story.  The visual choices enhanced the film intellectually with subtlety and the result is a visual masterpiece. This is the essence of what a dream project would be to me as a Cinematographer, from the inside out. It involves freedom and exploration. It could be any genre, all it will take is the right synergy and an opportunity in the story to serve it first and explore its characters and the whole with this intention. Projects that are open to new ways of seeing & stories that are undoubtedly highly-stylized are a forte.

Again, my special thanks to Amnon Band, Band Pro Film & Digital or the Sony F65 Camera Package and Leica Primes. To Randy Wedick for his support while on location. Bobby Maruvada DIT/ Dailies Colorist.  Hollywood Camera for the camera support package. Beth Van Dam for her beautiful work in Production Design, my exceptional crew, Light it Up Grip & Electric and Hollywood DI & Colorist, Aaron Peak.

YOMYOMF Network aired the first episode of "REALITY REBOOT" November 1st and can be seen here.

For more information please visit www.cirafelinabolla.com and for work-related inquiries, please contact The Mirisch Agency in Beverly Hills.

Contact your Band Pro Salesperson today to reserve the latest Sony F series cameras, lenses and accessories.  Preorders are now available.  Beat the rush and be first in line to get Sony's newest technology.

F5 CineAlta 4K truly gorgeous HD - For incredibly vivid HD, start with the 4K imager of the Sony F5. You’ll get superior, super-sampled pictures with noticeably higher contrast, rich color reproduction and greater clarity. This is the next generation of the incredibly popular F3 and offers robust built-in recording modes, all with vibrant 4:2:2 color. Irresistible options include the amazing precision of 16-bit linear RAW 2K/4K recording and high speed shooting at up to 120 fps  without cropping.

F55 CineAlta 4K the future, ahead of schedule - What happens when top engineers spend years consulting cinematographers and creating breakthroughs in sensors, image processors and recording media? The Sony F55. Here is a camera engineered to reward its owners now and far into the future. The Sony 4K image sensor incorporates a revolutionary electronic global shutter. You get superb dynamic range, the widest color gamut, and pristine image quality whether you shoot in HD, 2K or 4K. With the optional AXS-R5 recorder, you can even make the jump to incredibly precise 16-bit Linear RAW in both 2K and 4K.

Both the F55 and F5 record 4K (and 2K) RAW onto a modular onboard AXS-R5 recorder that uses a new AXS Memory Card.  Both cameras have a Super 35mm 4,096 x 2,160 single CMOS sensor (11.6M total photosites, 8.9M effective). Super 35mm 3-perf format size, 24 x 12.7 mm, 27.1 mm diagonal.

The F55 imager has a Bayer Pattern similar to the F65 and a “global shutter.” F5 has a Bayer Pattern similar to the F3. It does not have a global shutter.

The cameras weigh about 4 lb 14 oz (body only), and measure 7 1/8 x 7 7/8 x 12 ¼ inches. They consume 12 V DC (11 V – 17 V) at about 25 W.

F55 is rated at ISO 1250. F5 is rated at 2000 ISO. Certainly, you can adjust ISO up or down from there. Exposure latitude is 14 stops.

There are 3 behind-the-lens optical filters: clear, ND 0.9 (3 stops) and 1.8 (6 stops). Electronic shutter angle is variable from 4.2 – 360 degrees. Shutter speeds adjust from 1/24 – 1/6000 second. White balance choices are 3200, 4300, 5500K, Memorized, and ATW (Auto). There are 6 standard Gamma Curves and S-Log2 Gamma.

F55 records internal 4K (not RAW) to SxS cards, along with varieties of HD and 2K. Cinema 4K (4096 x 2160) and Consumer 4K TV QFHD (Quad HD 3840 x 2160) are both supported on SxS cards. F55 will record 4K and QFHD up to 60 fps. HD and 2K up to 180 fps. And 2K RAW up to 240 fps. (Only the Sony F65 records 4K RAW up to 120 fps.)

F5 records HD and 2K internally onto SxS cards. It cannot record internal 4K. F5 does HD, 2K and 2K RAW to 120 fps, and HD to 180 fps.

The F55 has a choice of viewfinders:

OLED: DVF-EL100. This 0.7-inch (diagonal) 1280 x 720 viewfinder offers high definition, and improved brightness, contrast and response.

LCD: DVF-L350.  This 3.5-inch (diagonal) 960 x 540 LCD viewfinder has higher resolution and 10 times the contrast of previous LCD models.  The eyepiece flips up to reveal the 3.5-inch LCD screen.

LCD monitor: DVF-L700.  This compact 7-inch (diagonal) 1920 x 1080 LCD on-board monitor works with the camera’s 2K and 4K output modes, and provides pixel-for-pixel 1920 x 1080 viewing in HD.

Lenses

One of the first dedicated lenses for the FZ mount was Sony’s ENG-style 18-252 mm T3.8-6.8 SCL-Z18X140 FZ-mount auto-focus, auto-iris, image-stabilized servo zoom. The short flange focal distance is one of the things that helps shrink its variable overall length: 6.8″-8.6″ long. 

Sony’s PL to FZ mount adapter lets you use almost all PL mounts on the planet. Electric contacts probably will pass through /i and LDS data. (PL mounts are 54 mm internal diameter, with a 52 mm focus depth.)

Sony also introduces a second generation of inexpensive PL mount prime lenses, with improved mechanical design. Focal lengths are 20, 25, 35, 50, 85 and 135 mm, all T2.0.  All have the same widest diameter of 118 mm, the same front diameter (114 mm), and geared barrel locations.  All are 120 mm long, except the 135 mm, which is 145 mm long.  They each have a 9-bladed iris, The focus ring rotates 240°.

For more information, read the entire Film & Digitial Times review here.

Buy a Cinoflex typeC300 I 35X camera system. available with Anton-Bauer or V-Mount ($4995.00)
between November 1, 2012 - April1, 2013 and receive $500.00 credit towards Cinoflex camera
accessories. Build and configure the perfect camera system with $500.00 in free accessories.
Choose from RED EPIC adapters. Rods. Handles. Cables. Accessory Plates. Canon 5D Adapters.
Nikon Adapters. and more. Certain restrictions do apply. This promotion is only available through
authorized Cinoflex distributors and T M Camera Solutions.

$500 Instant Rebate in Cinoflex Accessories:
- 3"/6" 15mm Insert Rods
- Cinoflex Infinite Mounting Plate
- Cinoflex Mini-Rod 15mm Mount
- Cinoflex Cross Bridge Support
- Cinoflex Handles (various grips)
- Cinoflex Rear Bar Mount
- 12 Volt XLR Power Cable
- Red Epic Adapter Base
- Canon 5D MK III/II Adapter Base
- Nikon D800(E) Adapter Base
- Accessory Power Cables
- Cinfolext Hardware / Tool Kits

And Other Cinoflex Accessories

Contact your Band Pro Salesperson today to take advantage of this limited-time offer.

The Making of 'Kickstart Theft' from Band Pro Film & Digital on Vimeo.

Kick Start Theft from Band Pro Film & Digital on Vimeo.

Sony FS700 Demo Reel from Band Pro Film & Digital on Vimeo.

The Journey of the F65 - 1080p version from Band Pro Film & Digital on Vimeo.

"The Journey of the F65" - Behind the Scenes Pt. 3 from Band Pro Film & Digital on Vimeo.

Thanks to everyone for visiting Band Pro's booth at IBC 2012 in Amsterdam!  If you couldn't make it, just browse our IBC Virtual Press Office online at http://www.virtualpressoffice.com/kit/cr6l

Also, here's a few photos from the Band Pro booth:

About IBC

IBC (International Broadcasting Convention)·is the premier annual event for professionals engaged in the creation, management and delivery of entertainment and news content worldwide. Attracting 50,000+·attendees from more than 160 countries, IBC·combines a highly respected and peer-reviewed conference with an·exhibition that·exhibits·more than·1,300 leading suppliers·of state of the art·electronic media technology and provides·unrivalled networking opportunities.

Special thanks to everyone at Loyal Studios / Pro HD for hosting.  Thanks also to all our participating exhibtors including Codex, 16x9, 3ality Technica, Comtel, HD Optics, LaCie, and Edgewise Media. 

Tino Liberatore has been appointed the new Managing Director of Band Pro Munich.  Band Pro Munich GmbH is a subsidiary of Band Pro Film & Digital, Inc., headquartered in Burbank, California.  

Mr. Liberatore brings a wealth of industry experience to the position. Prior to joining Band Pro, Mr. Liberatore has worked with ARRI Inc. New York, Arri Munich, P+S Technik, FGV Rental, MovieTech, Carl Zeiss AG, and Panther.
                
Band Pro’s President and CEO, Amnon Band, remarked: “With a background in hands-on manufacturing, camera repair, lens technology, marketing, and sales, it feels almost as if Tino had been training and preparing for this job as Band Pro Munich’s Managing Director - a job that requires many hats and talents.”           

Band Pro Film & Digital, Inc. was founded in 1984 and has long been a leading provider of high-end digital cinema and television production equipment worldwide. The German subsidiary office in Munich opened in 2002 and serves the European and international markets.

About Band Pro Film & Digital, Inc.
Band Pro Film & Digital, Inc. specializes in products and solutions for professional filmmakers and videographers. From their offices in Burbank, CA; New York City, NY; Munich, Germany; and Tel Aviv, Israel, Band Pro offers the highest level of knowledge and expertise along with the finest equipment and accessories available.

Two New Camera Models Fill Out a Well-Rounded Cinema EOS Line-up with High-End 4K and Entry-Level HD Camera Solutions

LAKE SUCCESS, N.Y., August 29, 2012 – Canon U.S.A., Inc., a leader in digital imaging solutions, continues its commitment to the advancement of tools for visual expression and expand its contribution to cinematic culture with the introduction of the new EOS C500 4K Digital Cinema Camera* and the EOS C100 Digital Video Camera*. The C500 will take its place as the flagship camera model in Canon’s Cinema EOS System while the C100 provides another option for beginning filmmakers working on a budget. The C500 is Canon’s high-end professional 4K (4096 x 2160-pixel) cinema camera capable of originating uncompressed RAW output for external recording to meet the demands of premium cinematic productions and other top-quality production markets. The C100 digital video camera is a compact, affordable entry-level model delivering full 1920x1080 HD video and integrating the popular AVCHD codec for universal compatibility with laptop and desktop editing systems. The C500 will be available in both EF- and PL-mount versions; while the C100 will be offered in EF mount only and will be compatible with the more than 70 zoom and prime lenses in Canon’s EF, EF-S and EF Cinema lens lineups. All products in the Canon Cinema EOS line are engineered to provide exceptional image creation capabilities for professionals in the motion picture, television, and other diverse high-resolution digital production industries.

“We developed the Cinema EOS C500 digital cinema camera to deliver the benefits of full 4K motion capture to Hollywood’s premier filmmakers, while the C100 is designed for economical productions that need sophisticated HD capabilities and optical lens diversity. As we said in November of 2011, the C300 was just the beginning to our Cinema EOS system and we now offer a more complete system of imaging solutions with a range of cameras for every level of production,” stated Yuichi Ishizuka, executive vice president and general manager,

The EOS C500 4K digital cinema camera and EOS C100 digital video camera join Canon’s Cinema EOS System which includes two other camera models, the EOS C300 digital cinema camera for mainstream HD production and the EOS-1D C 4K Digital SLR cinema camera for 4K and HD filmmakers favoring the SLR form factor. The Cinema EOS System also offers filmmakers optical diversity with seven EF Cinema lens models: the compact and lightweight CN-E15.5-47mm T2.8 L wide-angle cinema zoom and the CN-E30-105mm T2.8 L telephoto cinema zoom (available in EF and PL versions); the CN-E14.5-60mm T2.6 L wide-angle zoom and CN-E30-300mm T2.95-3.7 L telephoto zoom (also available in EF and PL versions); and the CN-E24mm T1.5 L, CN-E50mm T1.3 L, and CN-E85mm T1.3 L prime lenses for EF-mount cameras, in addition to the more than 60 lenses in Canon’s EF and EF-S lens lines (which include macro, fisheye, telephoto, and tilt-shift models).

4K, 2K, and Full HD Image Quality
The Canon EOS C500 and C500 PL digital cinema cameras are designed to provide a versatile high-quality 4K imaging solution to high-end productions. High-quality 4K resolution imaging has become the new standard for advanced effects and is particularly important for big-budget motion pictures that include scenes compositing live-action cinematography with high-resolution computer-generated imagery. The C500 and C500 PL cameras output 4K resolution to external recorders as a 10-bit uncompressed RAW data stream, as well as offering the additional versatility of being able to output quad full-HD (3840 x 2160), 2K (2048 x 1080), full HD (1920 x 1080), and other imaging options. All of these digital image source formats fully conform to established SMPTE production standards. All 4K formats can be selected to operate from one to 60 frames per second. When shooting in 2K, the C500 and C500 PL cameras employ a 12-bit RGB 4:4:4 signal format from one to 60 frames-per-second (fps) as well. For high-speed shooting and slow motion capture the cameras can be set to a 10-bit YCrCb 4:2:2 mode, and can output 4K or 2K video up to 120 fps.

While outputting 4K or 2K video to an external recorder, the Canon EOS C500 and C500 PL digital cinema cameras simultaneously record a 50 Mbps Full HD video file in-camera to the user’s choice of one or two CF cards. The 8-bit 4:2:2 in-camera recordings can be used as a proxy for offline editing of 4K projects, and they are also suitable for various projects that do not require 4K resolution. Equipped with Canon’s exceptional Super 35mm 8.85-megapixel CMOS sensor, both C500 camera models are compatible with a wide range of interchangeable Canon lenses – the C500 is compatible with EF, EF-S and EF Cinema lenses for Canon SLR cameras, while the C500 PL is compatible with PL-mount EF Cinema lenses and other PL-mount lenses. Highly mobile and compact, the C500 digital cinema camera provides the same ergonomic features as the C300 model, with the exception of a fixed hand grip that incorporates a pair of 3G-SDI ports for 4K video output and another pair of video ports for monitoring purposes. Canon is working with several independent manufacturers of external video recorders to support smooth workflow options, and these recorders are expected to be available by the time the EOS C500 and C500 PL 4K digital cinema cameras ship to authorized dealers later this year.

One-Person Full HD With Automatic Functions
A cost-effective camera solution for a wide range of everyday users, the EOS C100 digital video camera is ideal for many full HD applications such as:
• Low-budget television production and independent moviemaking
• Museums, galleries, and film schools that utilize Full HD video
• Wedding, corporate and event videography

The EOS C100 digital video camera is approximately 85% of the size of the EOS C300 model, for maximum mobility. Designed for professional operability, the C100 includes a push auto iris function, one-shot auto focus (or full manual focus and exposure control), a multi-angle 3.5-inch LCD control panel, a high-resolution electronic viewfinder (EVF), built-in ND filters, dual XLR inputs, and a locking HDMI output. These features combine with such advanced technologies as reduced rolling shutter artifacts in 60i mode, enhanced gamma modes (including Wide Dynamic Range (DR) Gamma and Canon Log Gamma), cinematic depth of field characteristics, and excellent low-light performance. The C100 records to dual SD cards contributing to the camera’s reduced size and convenience.

Like its C300 sibling, the EOS C100 employs Canon’s uniquely designed Super 35mm 16:9 CMOS sensor that captures individual R, G, and B channels for each full HD 1920 x 1080 frame. This high-sensitivity CMOS sensor provides creative depth of field capabilities for an excellent “bokeh” effect, and provides an ISO range of from 320 to 20,000, enabling the capture of images in low light with minimal picture noise. The Canon DIGIC DV III image processor in the C100 helps ensure high color fidelity and smooth color gradations. The camera’s AVCHD codec utilizes MPEG-4 AVC/H.264 compression similar to the codec used in Canon’s XA10 professional HD camcorder. AVCHD features a maximum recording bit rate of 24Mbps in full HD 1920 x 1080 and 4:2:0 color space for sharp, vivid images. Multiple recording modes, resolutions, and frame rates (including 24p) make the C100 creatively flexible for many production environments. The C100 also offers enhanced gamma modes (including Wide DR Gamma and Canon Log Gamma) for a peak dynamic range of 800% and the wide exposure latitude needed for creative post-production image processing, color correction, and contrast manipulation.

Designed for extensive operational versatility, the Canon EOS C100 digital video camera features a mobile core configuration that allows users to flexibly add accessory parts to the main camera body according to their production needs. A removable side-mounted rotating grip with start/stop button and miniature “joystick” menu control provides traditional SLR camera-style operation. A detachable handle unit connects to the top of the C100 and includes dual XLR connectors, a built-in stereo microphone, a bracket for an external microphone, audio-input level adjustments, and a tally light. The C100 records linear PCM two-channel audio or Dolby digital two-channel audio.

In addition to its ability to record to both SD cards simultaneously, or relay-record from one card to the other, the Canon C100 Cinema EOS camera can also output uncompressed digital HD to an external recording device via its locking HDMI connector. This HDMI output includes superimposed time code and 2:3 pull-down marker information. Additional outputs include a USB connector and stereo headphone jack.

Pricing and Availability

The Canon EOS C500 and C500 PL 4K Digital Cinema Cameras are scheduled to be available in October for an estimated list price of $30,000. The Canon EOS C100 Digital Video Camera is scheduled to be available in November 2012 for an estimated list price of $7,999.

About Canon U.S.A., Inc.
Canon U.S.A., Inc., is a leading provider of consumer, business-to-business, and industrial digital imaging solutions. With approximately $45.6 billion in global revenue, its parent company, Canon Inc. (NYSE:CAJ), ranks third overall in U.S. patents registered in 2011† and is one of Fortune Magazine’s World’s Most Admired Companies in 2012. Canon U.S.A. is committed to the highest levels of customer satisfaction and loyalty, providing 100 percent U.S.-based consumer service and support for all of the products it distributes. Canon U.S.A. is dedicated to its Kyosei philosophy of social and environmental responsibility. To keep apprised of the latest news from Canon U.S.A., sign up for the Company’s RSS news feed by visiting www.usa.canon.com/rss.

# # #

* This device has not been authorized as required by the rules of the Federal Communications Commission. This device is not, and may not be offered for sale or lease, or sold or leased, until authorization is obtained.

†Based on weekly patent counts issued by United States Patent and Trademark Office.
All referenced product names, and other marks, are trademarks of their respective owners.

“Kickstart Theft” is a 7-minute movie-trailer/ narrative short commissioned by Band Pro Film & Digital. Frederic Goodich, ASC directed. Vilmos Zsigmond, ASC was cinematographer,Gib Jaffe, ACE edited. “Kickstart Theft” will premiere at IBC and Cinec.

The story is inspired by Vittorio de Sica’s neo-realist film Bicycle Thieves (1948), shot in bleak black-and-white on an Arriflex 2C by Carlo Montuori. For “Kickstart Theft”, Vilmos Zsigmond used a Sony F65 for the first time, with Leica Summilux-C primes and a Canon 30-300 zoom.

The HD version of the film and Making-Of footage can be seen here:

http://www.bandpro.com/blog/cat/video-galleries/

And read the complete article from Film & Digital Times here:

Kickstart Theft

Congratulations to Aussie cinematographer David Knight, ACS, who took delivery today of a full set of Leica Summilux-C lenses at Band Pro's Burbank headquarters.

David doesn't plan on keeping them just to himself, however.  The set will be available for rent through his company Gear Head, based in Sydney and Melbourne.

Need more information on David and Gear Head?  Just click the links below:

http://www.davidknightacs.com/index.php

http://www.gearhead.com.au/

EPIC Build 3 v3.2.21

The Release version of EPIC Build 3 v3.2.21 has been posted on RED.com.

Significant updates since the previous build:

Fix brightness setting on startup for 5.6” and 7” LCD

Fix camera startup issue due to gyro calibration error

Download v3.2.21 Firmware here:

http://bit.ly/SiDCey

IMPORTANT: You will not be able to roll back to firmware revisions earlier than v1.7.10 after installing v3.2.21. REDmote Firmware v3.1.x is required to be functional and can be downloaded here.

ALWAYS READ ALL INSTRUCTIONS CONTAINED IN THE DOWNLOADED INSTALLATION FILES BEFORE PROCEEDING.

For immediate release: August 13, 2012

Aussie invention brings new dimension to underwater films

Imagine seeing the richness of Australia’s Great Barrier Reef floating before your eyes in your own living room. With the latest creation of Aussie inventor and film-maker, Pawel Achtel, that dream moves one step closer.

Following the recent, successful launch of his new type of underwater housing, the “DeepX”, which did away with most of the usual paraphernalia associated with filming underwater, Aussie inventor and film-maker, Pawel Achtel, is now launching a new 3D system, the “3Deep”. And, in three dimensions, the results are nothing short of revolutionary.

Up until now, filming 3D underwater has involved large, cumbersome and expensive equipment and images dramatically degraded by the underwater housings available.

Most current underwater 3D rigs use flat, glass ports in front of the lenses, instead of optically superior dome ports, because they need to minimize the inter-axial distance between two cameras. These cameras can either be mounted side by side or, in an even more cumbersome configuration, one camera can be mounted above the other with a beam splitter to record two images at the same time, as used on the recent IMAX film “The Last Reef 3D”.

The resultant chromatic aberrations and distortions degrade the image to less than standard definition quality, irrespective of the recording format. They also make it difficult for the human brain to match the two 3D images without causing eye strain or even headaches.

Achtel’s new underwater housing system does away with ports altogether. It uses Nikonos lenses designed expressly for underwater use, with no extra plastic or glass in front of them. As a result it’s the first 3D camera system that produces underwater images truly sharp enough for the biggest cinema screens in the world.

3Deep makes use of “Red” cameras, made by the US company that has itself led a revolution in the world of film-making over the past decade and adopted by such film-makers as “Lord of the Rings” director Peter Jackson for his upcoming movie “The Hobbit".

In the underwater world, “3Deep” promises a revolution of its own.

3Deep is available in US and Europe from Band Pro.

Thanks to everyone who made it out to our Sony User Group Event on August 28th.  Here's an overview of what was covered, and some photos from the evening.  Hope to see you at the next one!

Band Pro gave an indepth review of the Sony FS700 and new SR-R1 Recorder.

Sony’s New FS700 Camera

What’s all the fuss about?  How about combining a super 35 4K imager, 1080p onboard recording, 4K off-board recording in the future, 1080 at up to 60p, 120fps & 240fps in burst mode.  This camera has incredible dynamic range, and addresses some issues from the FS100 (built in ND wheel, HD-SDI output). Band Pro discussed file-based transfers, transcoding, working with external recorders, etc, as well as setting up custom camea profiles to create looks.

Band Pro also debuted our FS700 demo reel, available for viewing here: http://vimeo.com/48614830

 Also Featured at this Event:

Sony's New F3 R1 Workflow Solution

Ready to streamline your F3 workflow?  Sony’s new R1 lets you record 4:4:4 on SR memory and record XD Cam in the camera; edit the XD Cam and easily conform back to the SR Memory, because all of the metadata (time code, file name, etc) are transferred between the camera and the SR memory.  Footage recorded in SR compression is nearly indistinguishable from uncompressed at a fraction of the storage space, and allows for full implementation of the S-Log capability of the F3.  Band Pro gave a complete overview of the functionality and workflow improvements.

Now in stock and available from Band Pro, Sony's new Alpha NEX Camera Mount Adapter allows α A-mount lenses to be used with E-mount camera bodies and supports full-time continuous Phase Detect AF. It's the world's first mount adaptor equipped with Translucent Mirror Technology that makes high speed, accurate AF possible when shooting both still images and action-packed video using a 15-point AF system and 3 cross sensors.  Compatible with FS100 and FS700 cameras.

Compatible with all Sony NEX Handycam Camcorders, NEX-7, NEX-5, and NEX-3 cameras.

Focus Control

Focus System : TTL phase detection system
Focus Points : 15-point AF system with 3 cross sensors
AF Modes : Continuous AF, Single-shot

Weights and Measurements

Dimensions (Approx.) : Approx.3 1/8 x 3 1/2 x 1 3/4 inches (78.5 x 86.5 x 44mm)(WxHxD)
Weight (Approx.) : 7.1oz (200g)

Engineered and designed by T M CAMERA SOLUTIONS for the professional motion picture crews who demand perfection. The Cinoflex type-C300 was designed for the demanding productions in mind. From the daily rigors of harsh environments and the interfaces familiar to the professional camera crew, the Cinoflex type-C300 exceeds the requirements of any production shooting with the Canon EOS C300 camera body or other professional DSLR cameras.

The Cinoflex adaptor mounts the Canon EOS C300 body on a nodal point and centers the axis of the image sensor and lens in common form with traditional film cameras. Users can use all Arriflex baseplates and matte boxes with perfect alignment, such as BP-9 / BP-8 / BP-5 / MB-18 / MB-14 / MB-18 ETC. Equipped with 4 isolated HD/SDI 3G outputs, the Cinoflex adaptor feeds clean video images for everyone on set (up to 200’ from the camera).
All accessories, including lens control, monitors, cinetapes, EVF’s, zoom controls, and everything else, can be powered by 4 standard 3-pin Fischer 12V outlets and an unregulated D-Tap 12-volt connectors. The Canon EOS C300 is powered by a robust 8.4 volt lemo plug that regulates and distributes power for hours of recording off a single (or dual) battery.

T M CAMERA SOLUTIONS offers adapter plates for Canon 5D mkII and mkIII, Nikon D800(E), and other camera bodies and hosts. All cameras mounted on the Cinoflex will provide nodal positioning and industry standard lens height for familiar operation and utilization of all existing camera accessories.

Features and Information
• Rugged, durable, and streamlined
• Solid state / No moving parts
• Compact modular design
• Perfect balance for handheld / Steadicam / remotehead operation
• Designed with filmmakers in mind
• (1) Auto detecting HD/SDI BNC input
• (4) 3G / gold pin HD/SDI outputs
• (1) D-Tap 12-volt power outlet
• (4) 3-Pin 12-volt Fischer power outlets
• (1) 8.4 volt Lemo for isolated and constant camera power
• A Host of camera friendly accessories

Specifications:

Video Input:(1) HD-SDI BNC (Gold Plated Amphenol) w/ embedded audio
Video Output:(4) HD-SDI BNC (Gold Plated Amphenol) w/ embedded audio-the Amphenol BNC connectors are military grade, water and corrosion resistant and offer zero loss of image quality-AJA technology is used for video distribution
Power Output:(1) 2 pin Lemo regulated at 8.4V for camera power(4) 3 pin Fischer 12V unregulated power for 12V accessories (1) D-Tap 12V unregulated from IDX P-V2 plate-Vicor technology is used for the power regulation
Accessory mounti?ng screw holes:3/8”-16 Chassis:100% nodal and balanced with camera; single piece of 6061-T6 Aluminum
Included accessories:(1) Right side handle bracket, (1) Rubberized tapered handle, (1) DC Power cable for C300
Included Hardware:(2) Stainless steel 3/8”-16 handle bracket bolts, (2) 3/8”-16 Camera Body bolts, (2) 1/4” Camera Body bolts
Included Tools:(1) HEX key 5/16, (1) HEX key 3/16Op?ons (available soon):Rods 15mm or 19mm, Shoulder mount, handle grips, cross bridge bracket, accessory cubes
Dimensions:327mm (12.8”) L x 135mm (5.3”)W x 27mm (1”) H (w/o handle bracket)Weight:2.3 kg (5.1 lbs)

Canon has announced a limited-time offer for C300 purchases. 

Now through September 30, 2012 you can add the C300 and C300 PL to your arsenal and receive 0% financing for 24 months.

Don't miss this.  Take advantage and get interest-free access to Canon's newest EOS digital cinematography camera.

Contact your Band Pro salesperson today.

Pro K Solutions provides high resolution simple screen protection for the majority of broadcast displays and related touch screen devices used within the film and television production industry. We also have the experience and capability to supply  large custom orders.

For a list of supported monitors and devices, click here:

http://youtu.be/NZZGzQ9DF2E

Step-by-step application instructions: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Panmxqc9GII&feature=plcp

Unique ultra thin and clear PET Protective Film is applied in a few simple steps: clean, peel, and place.

The superior quality and price of our product makes  for easy sales as an expendable item within the rental, medical, retail industries and more.

Pro K Solutions offers two protection options: OCP (critical image evaluation purposes), and HTP (clear images with Anti-Glare for use in bright ambient light areas)

OCP (Optical Clarity Protection)

Visual Optical Clarity, Anti-Scratch, Anti-Fingerprint, High light transmittance, bubble free fitting, outdoor weather resistance, and UV protection. It is also washable and reusable.

HTP (High Transmittance Protection)

Anti-Glare with enhanced Optical Clarity, Anti-Scratch, Anti-Fingerprint, High light transmittance, Low Haze, bubble-free fitting, outdoor weather resistance, and UV protection. It is also washable and reusable.

Basic OCP Product Specifications

Overall thickness is under .5mm

Light Transmittance >91%

Haze <1%

Surface Hardness 3H pencil Method H

Temperature Resistance min -25deg C to 80deg C constant use, *limited use range is larger

Accurate Transmittance and true neutrality

True ND is a clear glass coated with metallic alloy film on both sides.
Manufactured under strict quality control, True ND will offer you accurate transmittance and true neutrality. Troublesome infrared will also be filtered out by its flat spectral curve up to 750nm. True ND is simply how ND filters are supposed to be.

Contact your Band Pro Salesperson today to set up a demo and see the difference for yourself.

Canon has announced a special $500 INSTANT REBATE for the XF305, XF300 and XF105 through September 30th, 2012.

The Canon XF Series HD Camcorders include  three Canon developed and designed native 1920 x 1080 CMOS image sensors, and Canon's proprietary MPEG-2 4:2:2 50Mbps XF Codec to achieve exceptional HD image quality and color detail, as well as full compatibility with all leading non-linear editing (NLE) systems.

This is a limited time offer.  Contact your Band Pro sales person today to take advantage of this deal.

Band Pro's dedicated service department is available to assist you with this upgrade.  Full details on V1.6 are provided below.

This update is only software with MemoryStick or SD.
Hardware modification is not needed.

As always, please read release notes completely before upgrading.

New Function
• 50P for RAW-SQ and RAW-Lite (F65/R4)
• HD 24P, HD S59.94P (F65/R4)
• Embedded TC/Audio/REC trigger in SDI at HD mode (F65)
• Color Marker selection in VF and SDI (F65)
• Small character selection in VF and SDI (F65)
• Mark In/Cue up function (R4)

Fixed Problems (summary)
• Timecode always resets after power on (R4)
• Cannot record F65RAW-Lite 29.97P on SRMemory 256GB S15 (R4)
• Other minor problems (See tech memo)

Known Problem
• Embedded audio muting (F65)
SDI embedded audio of F65 mutes at power on very rarely.
Please check SDI audio level after power on.
When audio mutes, power off and on again.

F65 Software http://bit.ly/O6Unga

Please note you must update both the F65 and R4.

Recently Band Pro Film and Digital met with Eli Pyke of Zion Pictures to talk about his latest project and his newest camera, Sony's FS700.

Founder of Zion Pictures, Eli is known for his passion for creating beautiful images and striking compositions. Most often you can find Eli in the field or in the studio, camera in hand, working as a cinematographer and perfecting his skills.

Q: Recently you shot a project using the new Sony FS700.  What were you working on?

I recently used the Sony FS700 to film a book trailer, which is a basically a movie trailer for a book.  The book involves the back story to the evil Queen of Hearts from Alice in Wonderland, and follows a beautiful and innocent girl as she gains access to power and is eventually corrupted by it.

Q: How was it using the FS700?

Well I ordered the camera on Friday.  It arrived Tuesday at 12:30 PM, and at 1 PM I started rolling on our first take.  Pretty exciting day for me.  I had also purchased a Metabones EF to NEX adapter from a guy in Iowa and it arrived the same day, so I was able to use my Canon EF primes (35mm 1.4 and 50mm 1.2) from my DLSR setup and capture great images right out of the gate.  The great thing about the Metabones adapter and the FS700 is they work compatibly, and I can control iris on the EF lenses from within the camera.

One of the features I was most excited about was the super slow motion, which I had planned to use on a scene where two characters are being drenched by rain.  It’s the scene where the girl falls in love for the first time, and I really wanted to capture that at 240fps, with raindrops almost suspended in the air.  It worked perfectly.  It’s an amazing function.  And while I can only shoot 8 seconds of 240fps, that turns out to be a minute and 40 seconds of real-time footage, which is PLENTY of slow motion for most any application I’ll need. 

The other aspect of the FS700 that I am completely happy with is its professional form factor.  I’ve worked with many professional grade cameras on various projects, but up until now have made my mark with the Canon 7D.  It’s a great camera.  The FS700 with its multiple HD outputs (HDMI, SDI), compact flash drive for dual-recording, onboard XLR audio, and 4K upgradeability makes it worthy to be on any large shoot.  And with the removable side handle, viewfinder, top handle, and lenses, I’ll be able to use it both as a film camera and an ENG style camera, making it the most versatile camera I’ve ever worked with.

Q: Any surprises when it came down to working with the camera?

I was thankfully surprised that I could pull it out of the box and have no trouble starting a shoot.  Its menu and functions were set up logically enough that I only had to refer to the manual a couple times.

I was expecting greater dynamic range than I got from the Canon 7D, but was really blown away by the images I was getting.  Having that flexibility of dynamic range really allows for strong backlighting, which is one of the keys to the style I’ve been developing.  It really shows in the meadow/aspen scene of the book trailer.

The camera was a bit lighter than I remember from NAB, which was actually a pleasant surprise as my rig and camera setup is heavy enough for a small crew.  Despite the lighter build, it still feels solid.

I think the biggest surprise (and delight) of all was the ability of the sensor to hold up under very shaky circumstances.  As opposed to the rolling shutter effect on the Canon 7D (and other DSLR’s), the sensor on the FS700 captured the actress running barefoot through a meadow while I ran beside her shooting handheld.  You’ll see the shot in the trailer, and while I hoped the FS700 would hold up, I was actually surprised to see that it did.  I feel like I’m finally working with a cinema camera.

You can watch the final product here:

http://vimeo.com/45597718

Q: Who’s at the top of their game doing this kind of work now?  What’s the last thing you saw that really impressed you?

When I approach a book trailer, I look to cinema.  And I’m both a romantic and a warrior.  So one film that caught my eye recently was The Lucky One, shot by Alar Kivilo.  We live in a truly beautiful world, but it takes someone who knows what they’re doing, and really appreciates that beauty, to be able to capture it.  And Alar Kivilo shot a beautiful film with The Lucky One.

I also shoot lodges, restaurants, flyfishing, and other outdoor sports.  In a similar genre, what Sean Thonson of Circle Productions in Vancouver, BC, did on Alberta Canada’s Remember to Breathe videos, was so inspiring!  I saw what he did with super slow motion on those pieces and thought, “I need to be able to do that!”  But his ability to blend the slow shots with high-speed heli and action shots is the key to making the slow shots shine.

Q: What’s the best way for readers to learn more about you and your work?

My production company is Zion Pictures, and my website is www.ZionPictures.com. It has a current reel, broad portfolio, a short bio, and ways to connect (Facebook, Twitter, Vimeo, etc.).

I’ll be excited to continue sharing future projects shot on the FS700 on both the website and Facebook/Twitter.

Q: How was it working with Band Pro?

The Sony FS700 is the first camera I’ve purchased from Band Pro.  It was a great experience.  I met Jeffrey Feldman at NAB 2012 while I was checking out the FS700 and F3.  He was able to get me in on a pre-order list right away and I ended up being one of the first producers to receive an FS700.  They are very personal and willing to talk.  The guys there who sell the cameras actually use them, which is refreshing in this day and age where most things get bought on the internet or from box stores.  So while I hope Band Pro continues to get business, I hope they stay small enough to work with producers like myself on a personal basis.  Thanks!

Q: What types of projects do you plan to use the FS700 on?

Like I said above, the form factor of this camera makes it both a cinema and an ENG camera all in one.  I love to build it out with matte box, monitors, rails, etc, and fly it on a crane or use a dolly.  So I’ll use it for more short and feature film, ad agency work, and book trailers.  Then I’ll also break it down into my backpack and take it overseas.  I contract for Compassion International, and in the past 3 months have traveled to India and Kenya to shoot.  Whereas before I took both the 7D and HVX200 (not knowing which situation would demand what), now all I need is the FS700.  And while I’m using EF lenses, may as well throw in the 7D body for b-cam and use the same lenses as the FS700.

Q: Do you have any reservations about the FS700?

I am looking forward to the “4K upgrade/recorder”, though am hesitant to get excited, since I have no idea what it will do or how much it will cost.  I hope Sony offers a similar package as they’ve put together with the FS700 instead of providing an over-priced proprietary technology.

Thanks to everyone who made it out to Loyal Studios for the Sony F65 Improving Workflow Efficiency event.

Event highlights included technical demonstrations covering SR workflow, hands-on camera Q&A, and live camera tests with a variety of lighting controls.

Band Pro's Jeff Cree provided technical insight during our F65 live capture.

F65 on set and ready for action.

From capture to post, Loyal Studios demonstrated each step in the workflow process.

Loyal's green screen stage hosted event interviews.

..and a variety of detailed HD virtual sets were available on demand.

Thanks to Bob Bekian and everyone at Pro HD for putting together this event.  A fun, informative time was had by all.

Congrats to Erik and Oliver at TCS Film on receiving the 1st set of Leica Summilux-C lenses in New York City!

Oliver describes them as: "A true technical marvel."

For rental information, contact:

TCS Film

599 11th Ave., Ground Floor

New York, NY 10036

T: (212) 247-6517

rental@tcsfilm.com

Solid Grip Systems (SGS) manufactures aluminum precision tracks for both the film and television industries.  SGS also manufactures the Truss-Dolly-System along with all of its accompanying accessories. These precision track profiles are not adapted from the printing or manufacturing industry, but were specifically designed for the weight of film equipment.

SGS products are currently used by rental-houses, grips and owner-operators. SGS maintains an open communication with them regarding the quality and the maintenance of their items. This is a product designed by grips, for grips.  SGS knows the business and how it works, and what it takes to get the job done right.

Solid Grip Systems are currently being utilized by CineMoves, Aerocrane, TelescopicCameraCranes, Service Vision, ShadowCastPictures, Ultra Systems UK, and Motion Control Europe.

Key Features:

• Extendable, hard anodized aluminum track design.
• Manufactured to be both lightweight and to provide maximum durability through designed extrusion.
• Innovative Bartrak design with built-in slider lock to prevent camera & slider from tipping over.
• Track joints are made from stainless steel with an H7H8 fitting, which guarantees a perfect ride.
• Supports both Mitchell and 150mm & 100mm Bowl adapters.
• Available in Bartrack Straight;Bartrack Curved; Bartrack Crane;Trackjack; TrussDollySystem;and TwinDolly.

Band Pro Film and Digital sat down with Los Angeles-based cinematographer Cira Felina Bolla, ICG, to discuss her impressions following a Sony F65 camera test; and to learn more about her cinematic influences.

Q: Recently you and your crew came down to Band Pro’s Burbank office to shoot a scene. Can you tell us about the project?

Amnon Band invited me to kick off Band Pro’s “F65 CINEMATOGRAPHER'S SERIES” and test the SONY F65 at their Burbank office. There were no parameters, simply an opportunity to explore further. Our only limitation was the space available to perform our test, approximately 15’ x 15’ foot enclosed by a trellis in the center of the showroom floor.

I had called in Elizabeth (Beth) Van Dam, a brilliant Production Designer and First AC Sebastien Thibeau to join me for the day.

Beth and I had discussed the initial inspiration to approach the camera test. Together we pulled our resources and made it happen. The intention behind the look for this world (of our camera test) was to create a mix genre titled, "Neo Gothic: Magic." It is past, present and future with classic elements & hard light.

In this case, there was just an idea for an image that would allow for a test and simultaneously look at the performance of various elements of the F65 format all at once in a series of shots. Working with Beth allowed for the perfect elements and colors in the frame, background, coloration, depth, contrast and texture.

First Look

First I set out to determine how this camera would conform to my working style and artistic sensibility; then to observe the results of the Sony F65 performance in the D.I.

F65 was rated at 800 ASA

4300 K

I tested for:

• Chromatic Aberration
• Dynamic Range: How much information would this format hold in the highlights (with my preference for hard light)
• Performance in Mixed Lighting HMI & TUNGSTEN (given the tonal retention of each color temp)
• Color space (all channels with emphasis on reproduction of the color RED)
• Noise in the Blue Channel (See Black & White)
• Overall Latitude- where does the image fall apart?

Results:

• No chromatic aberration. Found in this exploration that both the front element of the Leica Prime and the sensor performed with precision.
• Held information up to: 2 ½ stops *over* in the Highlights.
• Retained subtle detail in the tonal retention of a mixed lighting set up.
• RED reproduction was stunning. Even a strand of Red (auburn) hair in front of a true red backdrop retained its definition and clarity.
• No noise, specifically in the blue channel
• And another happy accident was this image reproduced beautifully in Black and White.
• This opens the realm of possibility for work in Black and White.

Second Look: Black and White

This second test was to further a glimpse we discovered in the first test by isolating each channel/ layer in Black and White. This gave us an accurate visual of gray scale tonality reproduction to determine if there was noise; and if so where?

While we did look at the test in Monochrome, the monochrome produced highlights that bloomed slightly more and overall contrast was minimized visually. By mixing the channels, the contrast was creatively balanced when we mixed the ratios and were able to look for potential problems in each layer. Here again, in Black & White, the dynamic range of this sensor exceeded my expectations, even as it was put to the test to achieve great tonal balance.

The following are levels per color channel:
BLUE: 2
RED: -11
GREEN: 11

Third Look: Stylized, Technicolor 3- Strip with a slight “Bleach Bypass”

Inspired by the use of an early photographic process using “Subtractive Color” to achieve a Technicolor 3 strip look, the “Red” was isolated to maintain the true red reference and the auburn hair color of our subject. This version of the test showed the F65’s sensor ability to articulate all variances in color space, dynamic range, resolution and tonal detail while capturing neutrality in the highlights and keeping skin tones relevant in our mixed lighting conditions. ··This look was achieved by pulling back the Cyan and isolating the Red channel.

Additional info:
DI: DAVINCI RESOLVE
DI in 4K
MONITORING in 2K- BARCO
Added an overlay of properly exposed film grain: 64D FUJI (scanned at 2K)

Q: How was it working with Band Pro’s resident technical guru, Randy Wedick?

Randy is fantastic! He was there to help answer questions with my First AC, Sebastien Thibeau, and gave me and my team the floor to set up "a world within a world" to perform our tests.· Randy also attended the Digital Intermediate at Hollywood DI and we were collectively amazed with the results that we viewed projected in 2K. It was dreamlike!!

Q: What new gear did you get a chance to use?

We used the Sony F65 with Leica Primes and Tiffen Glass (Glimmer Glass 1)

Q: What impressed you the most?

First off, I want to be upfront about this. I LOVE film and I did not expect the results we achieved with the Sony F65 test.

I’m most impressed with the F65's color-space, sensor and latitude. I'll explain: its ability to hold information in the highlights up to 2 ½ stops over and up to 3 stops under in the shadows without degradation; no noise in the Blue channel; or any of the other layers. No other HD camera has been capable of this until now. This is how today's properly exposed film behaves. I was able to shoot this like I would a dense negative even with pushing its boundaries. There was lucidity; and voila, this test proved its ability to create a "cinematic" image versus a "realistic" image.

The intention was to approach the F65 test with my working sensibilities not the other way around. Could it be used as a creative tool the way I work with a 35mm Motion Picture Film, or would I be concerned with altering the creative process to navigate its technology? The test was approached authentically to challenge and understand its limitations.

In the end, it’s a lot like working with a film camera.· The only way to determine the results of the F65's performance with 100% certainty is in the DI. ·There was no way to tell while working on set, regardless of monitoring and setting LUT's. ·For this reason, it’s a similar process to working on film and seeing your dailies for the first time, uncorrected. Once in the DI, to see the image projected allowed the eye to determine all of the results which are listed above. The technology is moving forward exponentially and I foresee a time in the future when we will have accurate monitoring as part of our work flow. ·This will help our directors and producers sleep better at night.· But regardless of monitoring, as Cinematographer's we must have the ability to view the image projected and review channels in the DI to make our own determinations.

Q: Whose work are you currently amazed by?

Cinematographer Ben Smithard, BSC, and his work on "My Week with Marilyn". It was visually stunning, classic, and transported me to another time and place with light and composition.

Q: Any advice for folks who are just getting started, or want to?

Advice: "ART and CREATIVITY"

Study art history. It's the single most important teacher for anyone pursuing a cinematographic path, to embrace the intangibles of art and apply them to one’s own work in an authentic way. I think the notion of art is not as emphasized in contemporary film schools. If you ask students about the greats in cinema, many have not even studied the pillars of cinema, which in my opinion are: Italian Neo-Realism, The golden years of Hollywood, German Expressionism.· These periods are influences in my work.

Become proficient with technology but challenge it. Use it as a tool & know: it’s not the camera... it’s the creativity. That's the Cinematographer's "raison d’être" to serve the story, create & capture beauty, and be the conduit for the director's vision.

Q: What’s the best way for readers to learn more about you and your work?

Via my website: www.cirafelinabolla.com or for work related inquiries, my agents at: The Mirisch Agency in Beverly Hills.

Additionally: My sincere thanks to Amnon Band, Randy Wedick and the team at BAND PRO! Beth Van Dam, Production Designer extraordinaire! www.bethvandam.com. First AC, Sebastien Thibeau and "LIGHT IT UP LA" for Grip and Electric: www.lightitupla.com as well as "Hollywood D.I.", www.hollywooddi.com CEO, Neil W. Smith and Colorist, Aaron Peak. Thank you!!!

Thanks to everyeone who joined us for Codex/ F65 Training at PC&E in Atlanta on Tuesday, July 10th and Wednesday, July 11th.

Band Pro's Randy Wedick taught operations of the Sony F65 camera, from shooting to backing up the files for post. Stephen Ceci showed the new Codex Vault and will discussed how it interacts from acquistion, backup, archive, and creation of on-set or near-set dailies. Both sessions included hands on and Q&A time.

Day 1:                                                                        Day 2:
Morning Session 9:30am-11:30am                            Morning Session 9:30am-11:30am
F65                                                                            Codex
Afternoon Session 2:00pm-4:00pm                          Afternoon Session 2:00pm-4:00pm
Codex                                                                        F65

Thanks to everyone who came to see us at this year's Local 600 Lighting Workshop and Digital Symposium.· If you couldn't make it down, here's what you missed:

Saturday 6/23 & Sunday 6/24

Band Pro exhibited at ICG Local 600’s Lighting Workshop and Digital Symposium.· We provided hands-on demos of the latest gear including the Sony F65, NILA lighting solutions, and more.

Location: ICG Lighting/Digital Symposium, 2 Emerson Lane, Secaucus, NJ 07094

ICG Local 600 hosts an exciting and informative program with lighting workshops by master cinematographers, panel discussions about digital workflow, and on-set color management and demonstrations featuring the latest state of the art advances in motion picture equipment.

Band Pro continues to provide the most practical, hands-on new technology training. Thanks also for everyone who took advantage of our Focused Q&A Sessions.

Monday 6/25 & Tuesday 6/26

Band Pro East hosted an in-depth Q&A in our Midtown office.· Come and get hands-on with the latest innovations in digital cinematography.· Hosted by John Fishburn and Randy Wedick.

Mon 6/25, 10 am to 5 pm: Sony F65 focused Q&A

Tues 6/26 10 am to 5 pm: Canon EOS Cinema Camera and Lens lines focused Q&A

Location: Band Pro East, 1115 Broadway, 11th Floor, New York, NY 10010

Click here for full details:

SONY $600 Rebate Offer

Check out Production Hub's interviews with Band Pro, featuring our own Randy Wedick, and DeepX inventor Pawel Achtel:

Randy talks Canon C500 and Sony F65

http://bit.ly/L0L4eN

Pawel discusses the innovation of DeepX

http://bit.ly/KorESM

Thanks to everyone who stopped by to visit us at Cine Gear 2012!  It was a great event and a perfect time to reconnect with all our friends and cohorts. Sure, being surrounded by the latest and greatest cinema gear is a fine thing; but it's the people that make the show. We hope to see you again next year!

PRESS RELEASE

For immediate release: June 21, 2012

World-renowned American cinematographer gives Aussie invention the thumbs up

Something of a revolution is about to happen in the world of underwater films. In an arena pioneered by the French diver and film-maker Jacques Cousteau, who played a key role in inventing modern diving gear as well as introducing millions to the world’s oceans and their conservation, it’s never been possible to get pictures anywhere near as sharp as on land. Until now…

Aussie inventor and film-maker, Pawel Achtel, has just produced his first batch of a new type of underwater housing, the “DeepX”, that does away with most of the usual paraphernalia associated with filming underwater.

“The design is wonderfully simple,” said world-renowned underwater cinematographer Bob Cranston when trying out the first ever DeepX off the coast of Catalina earlier this month. “It is very small and easy to travel with … and uses great Nikon optics. And it offers the best
close-up capabilities I’ve seen so far.”

High praise from a cameraman who’s tried out most of the gear previously on the market and worked on some of the biggest underwater films ever made, from the IMAX films “Deep Sea 3D” and “Island of the Sharks” to the BBC’s hugely popular “Blue Planet”. What makes the DeepX different to anything previously available is that whereas previous systems have an image quality that deteriorates rapidly away from the very center, this new underwater housing system uses Nikonos lenses designed expressly for underwater use, with no extra plastic or glass in front of them. As a result it’s the first camera system that produces underwater images truly sharp enough for the biggest cinema screens in the world. Even on a screen the size of an iPad, the images are so much crisper than anything shot with conventional underwater gear, that the underwater world truly comes to life in your hands.

DeepX makes use of “Red” cameras, made by the US company that has itself led a revolution in the world of film-making over the past decade and adopted by such filmmakers as “Lord of the Rings” director Peter Jackson for his upcoming “Hobbit” movie.

In the underwater world, there’s nothing quite like it. “For my next feature,” said Bob Cranston, “it’s at the top of my shopping list!”

DeepX is available in the US and Europe from Band Pro.

NEWS RELEASE

Band Pro Film & Digital Inc.

3403 West Pacific Avenue

Burbank, CA 91505

Tel. 818-841-9655

Fax: 818-841-7649

www.bandpro.com

Effective: Immediately

Band Pro Takes On Canon Cinema Camera and Lens Lines

Shortly after unveiling their new C500 Cinema EOS 4K Camera at NAB, Canon has named professional equipment and service specialists Band Pro Film & Digital, Inc. as a premiere reseller of their new Cinema EOS line of products. Band Pro has a long history of working with the professional production market and is proud to be introducing the new Canon line to their customers.

While Band Pro has been a reseller of Canon’s high definition camcorders and lenses for many years, this new collaboration incorporates not only the Cinema EOS cameras, like the C300 and C500, but also includes the EF Cinema Lenses and Canon’s popular line of DSLR cameras, such as the new EOS 5D Mark III. “For many manufacturers Band Pro can provide a bridge to the high-end production community,” said Amnon Band, President and CEO of Band Pro. “With our existing accessory lines that support the C500 and C300, we look forward to providing clients with complete packages so they can walk out the door and begin shooting immediately.”

In addition to carrying Canon’s Cinema EOS products, Band Pro is currently in talks with Canon to provide repair and service for the cinema cameras in their Burbank service center, which has been working on cameras, monitors and more for over 20 years.

About Band Pro Film & Digital, Inc.

Band Pro Film & Digital, Inc. specializes in products and solutions for professional filmmakers and videographers. From their offices in Burbank, CA; New York City, NY; Munich, Germany; and Tel Aviv, Israel, Band Pro offers the highest level of knowledge and expertise along with the finest equipment and accessories available.

In the next week or so Sony will release a new firmware upgrade for their flagship F65 cameras. Below is a list of features that are included or improved with V1.5 firmware.

Noise

• Improved Fan Control (low fan mode extended during recording)
• Shutter motor now powers down completely when using electronic shutter

Recording & Playback

• Instant playback without needing to reboot the SR-R4 recorder
• SLOG2 for HDSDI output (which covers full 1300% of range instead of 900%)
• SStP Recording (HD) at 440Mbps & 220Mbps compression (880Mbps will be available this summer)
• RAW Lite (an alternative slightly more compressed RAW which gets 50 minutes of 24p at 512gig vs. 30 minutes for regular RAW)
• HDSDI Embedded TC, Audio,· & Rec Trigger (RAW Mode only but SStP ability in early June)

Viewfinder

• Improvement of the viewfinder delay (now .5 frame faster)
• Improved viewfinder Markers
• Modified Aspect Ratios (fixed some issues found in early productions)
• Variable Markers (also control of· thickness and brightness)

Power

• Fix for bug with the VCLX battery which caused 24v ports to shutdown at battery startup.

Other

• RPN detect at Power-on (RPN is a process that compensates for hot pixels. In addition to being able to run this manually, the camera will automatically perform the function at start up.

iPad App

• New version of the F65Remote iPad app (V1.5) support camera firmware V1.5 and adds more Diagnosis info.
• Improvements to iPad connection and interface (more status info)
• iPad application type control now available via web interface of camera which will work with iPhone and Android phones/tablets (device must be capable of peer to peer connections or use an Access Point)

How to Upgrade

Contact the Band Pro Service Department at 818-841-9655 or guillermo.monti@bandpro.com to schedule a time to send your camera in for upgrade.

Featured Products

Sony F65
The Sony F65 has become one of the hottest new cameras to hit the production market in recent months. As one of the only F65 resellers in the country we have been leading the education of customers and users in the production market. At the booth we’re showing the F65 built up for full cine production, as well as a run-and-gun style. For technical and equipment setup documentation, visit our F65 Tech Hub.

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Footage from Hawaii Demo
Ka Huaka’i o Ka F65 (The Journey of the F65)

When we decided to create our own Sony F65 demo reel for NAB we wanted to find a way to challenge the camera and capture some beautiful imagery. We hooked up with Director/DP Ruben Carrillo in Hawaii and spent a week with a helicopter flying around the islands and pushing the F65 to its limits. And it held up beautifully.

We are screening the finished 4K reel at NAB on a TVLogic 4K monitor in our booth (C10308). The footage is also being projected at the Sony 4K Cinema on their 4K monitors. Below is Part One of a behind-the-scenes video taken during the Hawaiian shoot. Part Two will be coming soon and the finished footage will be online as well.

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F65 Workflow Demonstration
One of our most important features of our NAB booth is our F65 Workflow demonstration. Along with our workflow partners Codex, Colorfront and CinePostproduction, we are showing a full workflow that includes: capture, offload, on-set back up, on-set coloring, and iPad dailies.

Shoot & Offload Station
We’ll have an F65 set up ready to capture footage. The footage is then offloaded using an SRPC-4 and a laptop.

On-set back up and deliverables
Our next station features the new Vault from Codex Digital. The Vault takes Sony SRMemory cards, Codex Datapacks, Codex Transfer Drives, Alexa SxS cards and more and streamlines the workflow on-set.· The modular Vault can also include units of 8TB of storage and dual-LTO drives for immediately creating back up copies.

Dailies and 4K playback
The next stop in the workflow trail is Colorfront’s On-Set Dailies system. With On-Set Dailies a production can directly ingest data from the SRMemory cards and do quick on-set color correction. The system also has the ability to do live playback of material at the native 4K resolution.

iPad Dailies
Our final stop is CinePostproduction and their iPad app called Copra. Copra allows for streaming dailies over WiFi and 3G. But more than that, it also gives directors, producers, cinematographers, and the like the ability to annotate the footage. They can draw on an area to highlight coloring issues, add written and verbally recorded notes, and collaborate in real-time with others in the production chain.

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New Leica Lenses and Leica Delivery
At NAB we are introducing two new focal lengths of the Leica Summilux-C lenses, a 29mm and a 65mm. Like the other 8 lenses in the Summilux-C family, these new lenses are T1.4 and feature the same lightweight and compact form factor.

Also, on Monday afternoon at the show we will be delivering the first set of Leica Summilux-C lenses to a Band Pro customer in the United States. CAMTEC, a Burbank-based rental house serving the motion picture industry, will be adding the Summilux-C lenses to their existing collection of modern and vintage lenses.

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Band Pro NewFinder
Band Pro created the NewFinder EVF, the industry’s first 1920 x 1080 viewfinder, because higher resolution cameras deserve a higher resolution viewfinder. The NewFinder uses an analog connection to many of the industry’s most popular cameras, including Sony, Red, Arri, and Phantom.

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Codex Digital Onboard S Recorder
At NAB Codex Digital introduced their new HD-SDI recorder, the Onboard S. The new recorder is compact and records to high capacity drives in either uncompressed or wavelet compression. It is a perfect companion for small, HD-SDI cameras when users want to record a higher data rate.

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Alphatron EVF

Utilizing the same resolution screen as the iPhone 4, the new Alphatron EVF is a much-anticipated viewfinder for both HD-SDI and HDMI cameras. The Alphatron viewfinder also features an HDMI in/HD-SDI out conversion.

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Sony NEX-FS700
The recently announced Sony NEX-FS700 builds on the success of the compact NEX-FS100 by maintaining the same small form factor but upgrading the sensor to a new 4K sensor (outputting HD), built-in ND filters, and an 3G HD-SDI output for monitoring or internal recording. The FS700 also has the ability to shoot up to 240 fps at full resolution in short bursts.

Sony PMW-100
Sony’s PMW-100 brings 50Mbps recording to the camcorder form factor. With many of the same features as the PMW-500, this 1/2.9” sensor camera meets the specifcations of most news organizations while allowing the cameraperson to maintain a low profile.

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Movcam Accessories
16x9 Inc. introduced a number of new products from rising accessory manufacturer Movcam. One of the stars of the show is the new accessory line built exclusively for the Sony NEX-FS700. Keep an eye on our website for the product pages which will be up soon.

If you already have a version of the F65RAW Viewer throw it out the window and download this new one. Why? Two reasons. First, this version can be downloaded for either MAC OSX Lion or Windows 7 for PC. Second, have you heard of S-Log2? No? Well, it's a new log curve developed by Sony that provides a big increase in dynamic range utilization compared to the already impressive S-Log curve.

Download Link and Release Notes: https://www.servicesplus.sel.sony.com/sony-software-model-F65.aspx

This page will feature information about how to setup and configure the Sony F65 camera, recording, off-loading, data management, and workflow. We have an ongoing testing protocol which means that new information will become available all the time. We will send out emails to our customers when we add a significant new item, but be sure to check back regularly as well.

Technical Resources and How-To's

Latest Updates

F65RAW Viewer (V0.97 Beta) now available for download for MAC or PC and features the new S-Log2 gamma curve!
··· *last updated 3/7/2012

V1.10 firmware upgrade for SR-PC4 now available for download
··· *last updated 3/7/2012

Setting Up the Sony SR-PC4

Primer for Setting Up the Sony SR-PC4 and Choosing a Connection/Transfer Protocol
·· *last updated 2/2/2012

How to Setup the Sony SR-PC4 for eSATA Transfer and How to Transfer Files
·· *last updated 2/2/2012

How to Setup the Sony SR-PC4 for Ethernet Transfer (1GbE and 10GbE) and How to Transfer Files
·· *last updated 2/2/2012

Miscellaneous Resources

Sony F65 Operation Manual (PDF) (3.71MB)

Sony's F65REMOTE iPad app available for download from the Apple iTunes Store
··· *(Sony is working on an Android app and expects to have it ready in April or May)

Videos

On our F65 Videos page we will be sharing material shot with the Sony F65. This will include demo footage shot by Band Pro, but what we really want to see are videos from other F65 users. Upload your videos to Vimeo or YouTube and let us know. We'll gladly include them in this collection.

F65 Educational Opportunity Presented by Sony Pictures Studios

Beginning in March Sony Pictures Studios will be hosting workshops on the Sony F65 camera system and accompanying workflow. These workshops will take participants all the way through the camera's 4K workflow, from capture and on-set practices to dailies and post production.
Full press release available here.

Download this tutorial as a PDF.

This document will provide information to help you decide which file transfer protocol you will use with the SR-PC4. It also includes step-by-step instructions for connecting the SR-PC4 to your computer of choice for use as an interface with the SR-PC4. Links below will then take you to the specific instructions for setting up either eSATA or Ethernet transfer protocols. Please be sure to read all the way through before skipping to the specific setup instructions.

SR-PC4 Overview

The Sony SR-PC4 is not simply a card reader for the SRMemory cards. It is a stand-alone computer that enables the user to transfer files to connected eSATA drives and Ethernet-connected share points. It has a Gigabit Ethernet connection port, used primarily for communication between the SR-PC4 and your computer, which uses a web browser interface to access the unit’s controls and issue commands to it. When properly configured the SR-PC4 grabs files from the SRMemory cards and transfers them to drives that are connected to it.

Out of the box it is possible to transfer F65RAW files from the SRMemory cards by using the SR-PC4.

The SR-PC4 comes with a 1 gigabit Ethernet (1GbE) port labeled “NETWORK”. This is used primarily as a communications port, so that a connected computer can issue commands to the SR-PC4 via a web browser interface.

Output options are file-based only for now. The SR-PC4 has a single 3G HD-SDI output for viewing F65RAW footage, but that is currently disabled. F65RAW footage can currently be viewed using the F65RAW Player from Sony on a Mac in Lion OS only. If requested, the F65RAW Player will be provided to Band Pro customers. It is currently a beta version but will allow software playback of files and adjustment of metadata. Also, it allows F65RAW files to be output as DPX or OpenEXR stills. F65RAW Player is only compatible with Mac computers running Lion OS. Contact Randy Wedick for more information.

PCI-E Cards

·To facilitate high speed file transfer, there is a PCI-E port in the SR-PC4 that can be outfitted with either an eSATA or 10 Gigabit Ethernet (10GbE) card.

The following cards are recommended in the Sony manual:

*Some other eSATA cards, such as SYBA, DYNEX and other HighPoint cards, may be compatible as long as the card contains the SiI3132 chipset. A larger list will be coming in the future.

Transfer Speeds

Keep in mind the following numbers (which are approximate)

*Remember, these numbers are approximate.

Whichever interface you stick with, it would be wise to match or exceed the max speed of your network "wire speed" with the max speed of your storage device. For example, if you are using 10GbE on a Mac you want a drive that has a sustained write speed in excess of 500MB/sec.

SR-PC4 Initial Setup

Initial setup on the SR-PC4 is the same regardless of whatever file transfer method you choose to use.

1) Connect your computer to the SR-PC4’s NETWORK connection on the rear of the unit using a 1GbE cable.

2) Set your computer IP address to 192.168.0.x (x = any number between 0 and 255, except 1).

3) Open a web browser window (Firefox, Safari, etc.) and type the IP address of the SR-PC4 into the browser address line. Its default address is 192.168.0.1. This will contact the SR-PC4 and it will load a web page interface in your browser allowing you full control of the unit.

Here you will see a variety of pages and sub-tabs. Familiarize yourself with these tabs and explore a bit.

Further Setup

From this point there are three different setups.

1) eSATA
2) 1GbE
3)10GbE (very similar to 1GbE)

eSATA workflow (#1) allows you to directly connect an eSATA drive to the SR-PC4 to transfer files.

Ethernet workflows (#2 and #3) allow file transfer to any drive connected to the same network that the SR-PC4 is on. It requires you to set up the drive as an NFS share point, which is a somewhat complicated procedure. To get creative with the NFS share point you need to have knowledge of IT infrastructure.

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This manual will be updated regularly in the coming weeks and more topics will be added as well. To stay updated please contact Randy Wedick.

Randy Wedick
Technical Consultant
Band Pro Film & Digital, Inc.
818.841.9655 x 119
randy.wedick@bandpro.com

Download this tutorial as a PDF.

Some setup needs to be performed on the SR-PC4 before taking the steps below. Please review our "Primer on Setting Up the Sony SR-PC4 and Choosing a Connection/Transfer Protocol" to make sure your device is ready for further setup.

eSATA File Transfer Setup (for Mac only)

The eSATA workflow functions by connecting an external eSATA drive directly to an eSATA card installed inside the SR-PC4 (not included). The user will use a computer to connect to the SR-PC4 via the NETWORK connection in order to use the interface, but the file transfer only takes place between the SR-PC4 and the attached eSATA drive.

The eSATA card currently recommended by Sony in the installation manual is the HighPoint RocketRAID 2314. For more details, see the “PCI-E Cards” section in our “Primer on Setting up the Sony SR-PC4”.

Prepping the SR-PC4 for eSATA

1) Turn off the SR-PC4 and unplug it from the power source.

2) Remove the chassis as described in the installation manual.

3) Install the eSATA card in to space provided.

4) Reattach the chassis (it assists airflow and will help keep the unit cool and clean).

Prepping the Target Drive (with a Mac only)

1) Connect the target drive to your computer.

2) Format it as HFS+ (non-journaled). Also referred to as Mac OS Extended. (Other partitioning methods are supported but are 1/2 to 1/4 as fast.)

3) Once the target drive is formatted, keep it attached to the Mac.

4) Change the name of the drive by right-clicking or Control-clicking on the drive in the Finder window and selecting “Get Info”.

5) Select the “Name and Extension” panel and change the name of the drive to something that makes sense for your production and does not include spaces.

Transferring Files

1) Power off the eSATA drive and the SR-PC4. Then, connect them to each other using the eSATA cable. Also, connect your Mac/PC via Ethernet to the SR-PC4. (You can leave your Mac/PC on during this process.)

2) Power on the eSATA drive and the SR-PC4.

3) Log in to the SR-PC4 by opening the web browser and typing ‘192.168.0.1’ into the address line.

4) Click on the “Disk Setup” tab. (There are 4 options for connecting drives here. NSFv3, NSFv2, CIFS and DEV. DEV (device-to-device connection) is used for eSATA. The other selection refer to network/server connections which is covered in the Ethernet section of this manual.)

5) For eSATA, click “DEV”. You should see the properly setup external drive that is connected to the SR-PC4.

6) Select the external drive from the drop-down menu and click “Mount”. (You will see a directory browser open and you can navigate to pre-existing folders or make a new directory.)

7) Make a new directory by using the interface labeled “MKDIR”, or select an pre-existing directory. Note: you have to type in a name first before clicking the “MKDIR” button.

8) Once the target directory is selected, click over to the “Import” tab.

9) Insert your SRMemory card into the SR-PC4 if you already haven't. A list of files will appear.

10) To select all files, Shift-Click on the first file in the list.

11) Below that, you will see a queue of files open, and below that is the transfer window. Now click 'START' and watch the progress meter transfer your files.

12) Once the process is completed you will receive a notification on the browser window of successful completion.

Writing Error·

If a writing error is displayed after you hit “Start”, it may be due to a lack of permissions on the target drive.· Please try the following sequence of commands.

This will require typing in some terminal commands, which require exact capitalization and spelling. In Terminal you can issue powerful commands but your only interface is text. Also, you will receive no confirmation from the computer for successfully entering a command, only an error if you entered a command improperly. You can copy the commands directly from this document to make sure they are accurate. Copy what is inside the “ “ quotation marks, but not the quotation marks.

1) Open the program Terminal (“Applications” -> “Utilities”).

2) Once the program is open you will be presented with a text prompt. Type in “ls /Volumes” and press <Enter>. This will show you the names of the drives mounted. (E.g. If you have a G-Raid attached it will show “Macintosh HD, G-Raid”. This is your boot drive and the G-Raid.)

3) Type in ‘'chmod 777 /Volumes/G-Raid”. This will change the permissions on the drive to allow full access. If it displays another text prompt, you were successful and can quit Terminal. If you receive an error message, check your spelling and capitalization and try again.

The Real Workflow Begins

Once successfully copied, these F65RAW files can be viewed in F65RAW Player. F65RAW Player can also output stills in DPX and OpenEXR format.

To manipulate, color and transcode the F65RAW footage, import them into a Baselight, Colorfront or YoDailies system to create dailies, color correct, and/or watch playback.· Blackmagic Resolve support should be available soon, as will other post production programs.

F65RAW Player

At the date of the publication of this manual, HD-SDI playback of F65RAW is not supported.· This will be enabled with the upcoming release of SR-PC4 firmware v1.1.

If requested, F65RAW Player will be provided to Band Pro customers. It is currently a beta version but will allow software playback of files and adjustment of metadata. Also, it allows F65RAW files to be output as DPX or OpenEXR stills. F65RAW Player is only compatible with Mac computers running Lion OS. Contact Randy Wedick for more information.

=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=

This manual will be updated regularly in the coming weeks and more topics will be added as well. To stay updated please contact Randy Wedick.

Randy Wedick
Technical Consultant
Band Pro Film & Digital, Inc.
818.841.9655 x 119
randy.wedick@bandpro.com

Download this tutorial as a PDF.

Some setup needs to be performed on the SR-PC4 before taking the steps below. Please review our "Primer on Setting Up the Sony SR-PC4 and Choosing a Connection/Transfer Protocol” to make sure your device is ready for further setup.

About the SR-PC4’s Ethernet Option

Here is a multi-step guide to connecting your SR-PC4 to your Mac via Ethernet, either Gigabit Ethernet (1GbE) or 10 Gigabit Ethernet (10GbE), and dropping the files off in your boot drive. Once you have this up and running you will see how to place the incoming files wherever you want.

1GbE is the regular Ethernet port that most computers come with as standard. The use of 10GbE requires the installation of a high speed networking card into the computer. The cards recommended in the Sony Installation manual are:

*There are many types of networking cards available from these manufacturers, but please make sure you only get the ones on the approved list.

For file transfer you need Snow Leopard OS or Lion OS installed on your Mac.

Connecting the SR-PC4 via eSATA is certainly a simpler process, and is covered in another tutorial, but the top speeds of a 10GbE network greatly exceed that of eSATA. Connecting to your SR-PC4 via 1GbE or 10GbE requires the use of some higher level IT type commands.

This guide will walk you through connecting your SR-PC4 with your Mac via the standard 1GbE connection.· This connection will be slower than eSATA or 10GbE and only serves as an example of how to hook up a proper 10GbE connection.

Ethernet (1GbE and 10GbE) File Transfer Setup (for Mac only)

The instructions below apply to setting up either 1GbE or 10GbE transfer solutions. If setting up a 10GbE connection, pay attention the extra information needed in Step 13 below.

1) Download the program "NFSManager" at: http://www.bresink.com/osx/NFSManager.html (This is a program that works on OS X Snow Leopard and also Lion.· Its features are limited in Lion, but the features that you will need do work. It does not work on Leopard. It will help set up a share point through NFS (Network File System), which is the file transfer protocol that the SR-PC4 uses.)

2) Enable root access on your Mac. Click “System Preferences” -> “Accounts” -> “Unlock” (click on the lock icon).

• At the bottom of the list of accounts you should click on “Login Options”.
• Click “Network Account Server” -> “Join”.
• Click “Open Directory Utility” -> “Unlock”.
• From the “Edit” menu in the top menu bar, select “Enable Root User”.
• Once completed, quit out of “System Preferences”.

3) Create an “export” folder

• In the Finder, create a New Window (Command-N).
• In this window, click on your boot drive, and open it up. In that folder (for example “Macintosh HD”) create a folder called “export”. (Spelling and punctuation are critical.)
• Right-click (Control-click) on this folder, click “Get Info”, go to the field “Sharing and Permissions”, set to “Read and Write for All Users”.

4) Launch NFSManager. (Running in demo mode will get you started.)

5) Select “Share Definitions”, hit the “+” icon located on the right side of the screen. (This will create a new share point.· This share point will designate where the SR-PC4 will transfer the files.)· Keep this share point selected.· You will see it has a description next to it of “-ro”, denoting it is Read-Only.

6) Now click “Select” immediately below it. In this window, navigate to your “export” folder, and select it.

7) Deselect the button marked: “Share – Read Only” from the same page. (Doing so will remove the “-ro” tag to the right of the share point.)

8) Click “Show Advanced Options”. Under the “Options” tab select “Enforce 32-bit folder cookies although NFSv3 requires 64-bits”. (This will enable proper communication between the selected folder and the SR-PC4.)

9) Close this window and click “Apply”. Enter your password and close NFSManager.

10) On your Mac, go to “System Preference”->”Network”.

• Set your IP address to 192.168.0.x (x = any number between 0-255, except for 1).
• Set your Subnet Mask to 255.255.255.0

11) Open an internet browser.

• Type in the IP address of the SR-PC4 into your address bar to open the interface to the SR-PC4. (Its default address is 192.168.0.1)

12) Click the tab “Diagnosis” and the sub-tab “Network”.

13) Under the heading “Network”(which in this case means 1GbE) enter the following information*:

• IP Address: 192.168.0.1
• Subnet Mask: 255.255.255.0
• MTU: 1500
• Click “Apply”.
• Follow the prompt to power cycle the SR-PC4. Wait until it has loaded (5-10 seconds). (You can keep the browser open during this process.)

*If setting up for 10GbE, fill in the same information for “Network 1”. If the Ethernet card has two ports, fill in the same information for “Network 2” as well. Just make sure that the correct drive in the “Drive Setup” tab is selected.

14) Once the SR-PC4 has rebooted, stay in the UI (User Interface) and click the tab “Disk Setup”.

• Select “NFSv3”. Type the following information in the fields:
• Server IP: the IP address of your Mac (same as the one entered in Step 10).
• Server Dir: “/exports”. (Please note that drives with spaces in the name will cause a problem. Remove any spaces. To do so properly, go to “Get Info” on the drive, then open the tab “Name and Extension”. Changing the name there will cascade the name change throughout the machine.)
• Click “Mount”.

Transferring Files

1) At this point, if all the steps have been followed properly and there are no spelling, punctuation or permissions errors, you will get a successful connection and the UI will display the “export” folder in this page.

2)When it is displayed, insert the SR Memory card into the SR-PC4 and click on the tab “Import”, then the sub-tab ”Mem Control”.

3) Select all the clips on the card by shift clicking the first clip in the clip list, then click “Add”. (This will load those clips into the transfer queue.)

4) At the bottom of the page, click “Start”. The files will transfer over, displaying with a progress bar.

Once successfully copied, these F65RAW files can be viewed in F65RAW Player. F65RAW Player can also output stills in DPX and OpenEXR format.

To manipulate, color and transcode the F65RAW footage, import them into a Baselight, Colorfront or YoDailies system to create dailies, color correct, and/or watch playback.· Blackmagic Resolve support should be available soon, as will other post production programs.

This should get you up and running with 1GbE (Single Gigabit Ethernet). These same instructions hold true for 10GbE as well.

To use 10GbE you will have to fill in additional fields in the “Diagnosis”->”Network” fields for “Network 1” and “Network 2”. This process is identical to the one described above, and enables the additional ports. The term used for the 1GbE port is “Network”. The term for the 10GbE port is “Network 1”. If there is a second port on the card, that can be used as “Network 2”.· Make sure that you select the proper drive in the “Drive Setup” tab and you will be off to the races, laying off footage on your 10gig network.

Remember that top read speed on the SRMemory cards is 700MB/sec. The SR-PC4 has to do some muxing to create the MXF file so you won’t be able to get that full read speed out to your drive, but it should be something very close.

VERY IMPORTANT NOTICE:
This is the current procedure recommended by Sony. Unfortunately, this procedure opens up the “export” folder to the entire world, doing away with most of the security protocols typically used in Mac OS X. We recommend disabling all internet access, WiFi and Bluetooth capabilities on any transfer station once it is set up, unless under the control of a IT professional. Band Pro will be providing a future update to this email to provide greater security when that becomes available.

F65RAW Player

At the date of the publication of this manual, HD-SDI playback of F65RAW is not supported.· This will be enabled with the upcoming release of SR-PC4 firmware v1.1.

If requested, F65RAW Player will be provided to Band Pro customers.· It is currently a beta version but will allow software playback of files and adjustment of metadata.· Also, it allows F65RAW files to be output as DPX or OpenEXR stills.· F65RAW Player is only compatible with Mac computers running Lion OS. Contact Randy Wedick for more information.

=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=

This manual will be updated regularly in the coming weeks and more topics will be added as well. To stay updated please contact Randy Wedick.

Randy Wedick
Technical Consultant
Band Pro Film & Digital, Inc.
818.841.9655 x 119
randy.wedick@bandpro.com

New Features:

1. F65RAW HD Monitoring: Viewing (*1) of F65RAW files is available.
···· Supporting system: 4,096 x 2,160 23P, 24P, 25P, 29P, 59P
···· (*1) An HD signal is created:
········· 1. down-converted into 2,048 x 1,080 from 4,096 x 2,160
········· 2. cropped into 1,920 x 1,080 from 2,048 x 1,080 (crop position can be selected in SR-PC4 GUI)

2. Partial Import:
···· Partial file import (*2) with IN/OUT entry is now supported.
···· (*2) a partial file import is only available for the files, which match to the present selected SYSTEM FORMAT.

3. 'CHUNK' Import:
···· When importing a large size file, such as an F65RAW long duration clip, you can split the files into several chunks, to fit into limitation of file size.
···· The "CHUNK" Configuration menu is added into IMPORT -> FILE SETUP

4. Attribute, Write Protect Editing:
···· File attribute or Write Protect status can be edited through SR-PC4 GUI. By viewing clip content on GUI or HD-SDI output, "OK" takes can be assigned, for instance.

The new software can be downloaded from this Sony website: https://www.servicesplus.sel.sony.com/sony-software-model-SRPC4.aspx

The full release notes from Sony explain the installation procedure*: https://www.servicesplus.sel.sony.com/downloads/SoftwarePLUSReleaseNotes/Release-Notes-FSRPC4110.pdf

*Please note that Instruction #1 says the the USB needs to be formatted for PC. It can be formatted for MAC as well. Also, Instruction #4 says "PC browser," however, you can use a MAC or PC to interface with the SR-PC4 during the upgrade.

(VALENCIA, Calif., September 9, 2011) – As digital camera bodies shrink in size and weight, high-quality prime and zoom lenses easily are becoming the heaviest piece of the package, resulting in a very front-heavy camera setup. The Cine Base M15 from 16x9 Inc. elegantly solves this with a support rod and baseplate system that, with the flick of a quick-release lever, can be quickly adjusted and readjusted on the fly according to balance needs.

With the Cine Base M15, one can avoid having to step up to an expensive, heavy-duty tripod system or having to attach batteries or other random backend ballast, which defeats the whole purpose of a smaller, lighter camera. The Cine Base M15 consists of 20” of length of industry-standard support rods—a front 12” section and an 8” rear section— and a three-part plate system: the 9” dovetail sliding baseplate, the rod support plate and the camera spacer plate (which varies by camera). The Cine Base M15 is ideal for compact cameras that frequently change balance when adding or removing accessories or lenses—again, adjustable with the flick of a quick-release lever. It is also quite versatile in that the 15mm rod support plate can be directly mounted to ARRI BP3/BP8 bridgeplates with proper height alignment for industry-standard matteboxes and accessories.

The quick, balance adjustability allows for easy lens and battery changes, monitor repositioning and the swapping of onboard recorders. Other features include a dovetail balance plate to help center any weight offset and a unique dovetail quick-press, spring-load mounting and release system.

Cameras also may be used with just the spacer and dovetail slide plate for simple, low-profile balancing for jib, car and Steadicam mounting. The industry-standard 15mm rods serve as a lightweight support system for a mattebox and other accessories.

Band Pro Technical Consultant Randy Wedick got a chance test the Angenieux Optimo 45-120mm zoom lens and in this video he shares his thoughts on what is an incredible piece of glass. The 45-120mm zoom joins the other two zooms in the new Optimo family, the Optimo 15-40mm and Optimo 28-76mm. All three have an identical size and the focus, iris and zoom rings for each lens match up perfectly.

The Angenieux Optimo 45-120mm is a T2.8 PL mount lens that provides a great range and is small and light enough to fit naturally into a handheld camera configuration.

Thank You!

All of us here at Band Pro would like to thank all of our customers, vendors and manufacturers who helped make this year's One World Open House such a great success. We had a lot of fun and we hope that you did too.

If you were unable to attend the event this year, you can still keep up with all of our exhibitors by clicking on their listing below and following the links to their websites. Additionally, you can check out the latest news from some of our exhibitors in the digital press kit below. Thanks again to all our friends and best wishes for the new year!

Band Pro One World Digital Press Kit

Band Pro One World Video Conversations

Codex Digital introduced a few new products at Band Pro's 2011 One World Open House, including the much-anticipated Vault and the Transfer Station's LTO compatibility. Band Pro's Randy Wedick stopped by to check out their booth and see the demo.

At Band Pro's 2011 One World Open House, Randy Wedick caught up with Ted Schilowitz of RED Digital Cinema to discuss the RED Epic and demo the new live playback feature.

Band Pro One World Photos

The TruColor Foton from PRG is a small, lightweight LED light that could be seen all over the Band Pro One World Open House. Five of them were used to spotlight the Sony F65 and one of the Foton lights was the top raffle prize given out to attendees. Learn more about the TruColor Foton by viewing the PDF below.

PDF single sheet for the TruColor Foton LED Light

Press Announcement
December 12th, 2011
For Immediate Release

Meet P+S TECHNIK @ BandPro One World Open House

P+S TECHNIK Media Contact: Matthias Brabetz
+49.89.450 98 25 64, Matthias.Brabetz@pstechnik.de

Revolutionary Motion Effect Camera PS-Cam X35 Is Available To The US Market

P+S TECHNIK is setting up a new Technical Base in Hollywood taking over service and support of the PS-Cam X35 and other P+S products in the United States.


The creative industry needs inspirational tools for exceptional motion picture images. That is the passion and mission at P+S TECHNIK. Since its founding in 1990, P+S TECHNIK has blazed new trails in camera manufacturing, emphasizing technological precision and successfully making the best technologies even better.

P+S TECHNIK´s proven track record includes the development and manufacture of digital cameras such as the SI-2K, WEISSCAM HS-1 and HS-2, and award winning optical and mechanical systems such as the PRO35 and SKATER Mini dolly. Our 3D Freestyle Rig is one of the industry´s lightest and easiest to use systems for stereoscopic productions. Projects worldwide are successfully employing the P+S TECHNIK Freestyle Rig in many challenging environments. The current release, the PS-Cam X35, represents the next level in digital motion effects camera.

P+S TECHNIK now announces the start of the P+S TECHNIK Technical Base in Los Angeles. This base located in the center of Hollywood will offer service and support for North America. The center will serve as a single point of contact for customers, cinematographers, directors, technicians and partners.

The P+S TECHNIK Technical Base will be operated by Alan Lasky and Michael Gamböck. It is located in Hollywood, California on the lot of the Television Center Studios.

Michael Gamböck joined P+S TECHNIK this year in April and will spend half of his time in America to support you with any business issues. Michael has a long history in sales within our industry and has worked for Avid, Elektrofilm (post production) and Bavaria Film.

Alan Lasky will run the office fulltime in Hollywood. He will help customers, partners and endusers with technical and workflow issues. He has a long track record in Hollywood in camera and visual effects.

The P+S TECHNIK Technical Base is right in Hollywood in the Television Center:

P+S TECHNIK GmbH
Technical Base
6418 Santa Monica Blvd #8200 I
Los Angeles, CA 90038
UNITED STATES
Phone: 323 467 6000
Email: service.us@pstechnik.de
alan.lasky@pstechnik.de
michael.gamboeck@pstechnik.de

The P+S TECHNIK Technical Base opened for business on November 15, 2011 and is currently operational.

Meet P+S TECHNIK @ BandPro One World Open House

Find more technical details on the new PS-Cam X35 at www.ps-cam-x35.de.

Like P+S TECHNIK on Facebook to get immediate notification of product news, pictures, discussions and much more: http://www.facebook.com/pstechnik

About P+S TECHNIK:

A passion for innovation and exceptional pictures – that’s the maxim of P+S TECHNIK, the Munich-based manufacturer of top end professional film equipment.

Since its founding in 1990, P+S TECHNIK has blazed new trails in camera manufacturing, emphasizing technological precision and successfully making the best technologies even better. That way, pictures become more ambitious, more unique and more thrilling: everyday images turn into exceptional pictures.

By constantly cultivating close relationships with prominent DoPs and influential producers, P+S TECHNIK has established itself as a competent and experienced partner for the film, television and advertising film industries.

In 1999, P+S TECHNIK began developing and manufacturing products for the field of digital cinematography, later starting to produce digital film cameras in 2006. Together with 3D pioneers, P+S TECHNIK has dedicated itself to the development of technologies for the production of realistic stereoscopic imaging for film and television. Also, the company has become the technology leader in designing and manufacturing professional 3D rigs.

For more information about P+S TECHNIK and its products, please visit www.pstechnik.de.

Press contact:

For further questions please do not hesitate to contact Matthias Brabetz
phone +49 89 / 45 09 82 564 or e-mail presse@pstechnik.de

Please find press photos on our ftp server:
ftp://ftp.pstechnik.eu/
ID: presse
Password: pstechnik

P+S TECHNIK
Professional Cine Equipment Manufacture
Siemensstraße 12
85521 Ottobrunn
Phone: +49 – 89 – 45 09 82 30
Fax: +49 – 89 – 45 09 82 40
Email: info@pstechnik.de
www.pstechnik.de

PDF News Release: MSE's DC-Slider and HD DC-Slider Hit Target for Today's Shooters

Even though the Band Pro One World Open House was held underneath a large tent, when an afternoon rain storm flooded the show floor the audio equipment at Lectrosonics' stand came through just fine. And this wasn't the first time that their equipment had withstood a deluge. Check out their case study below about what happens when a tub of Gatorade gets dumped on an interviewer's equipment.

Case Study: Lectrosonics Wireless Withstands Sports Celebration

K5600's Joker lights are well-known on production sets all over the world. At Band Pro's One World Open House they showed off not only the Jokers but also their Softube lights to an eager crowd of production professionals.

PDF Catalog of K5600 products

Dolby brought their increasingly popular Professional Reference Monitor to Band Pro's One World Open House and treated the guests to some beautiful footage. Topping the list were scenes from Brainfarm and Red Bull's highly acclaimed snowboarding epic, Art of Flight, which used the Dolby PRM-4200 during their post production.

Case Study PDF: 4K Restoration of Apocalypse Now

Guests at the Band Pro One World Open House were treated to demonstrations of how to make good use of the Sony PMW-F3's ability to output beautiful S-Log 4:4:4 images. An external recorder is required to capture the images, which is where the Convergent Design Gemini 4:4:4 recorder comes into play. Not only does the Gemini capture high-quality 10-bit images, but its built-in 5" monitor reduces the need to have one more piece of kit hanging off the camera.

PDF single sheet of the Convergent Design Gemini 4:4:4 Recorder

PDF single sheet of the Convergent Design nanoFlash Recorder

Astrodesign introduced the HR-7502-A 2K SSD recorder to Hollywood at the Band Pro One World Open House. Recently certified in October, the HR-7502-A offers live HD monitoring of the ARRIRAW stream and records the complete set of metadata.

Product PDF for the Astrodesign HR-7502-A

The ARRI L7-C LED Fresnel light lit up the room at the Band Pro One World Open House. ARRI considers the L7-C to be their like-for-like replacement of traditional Fresnels with LED-based units.

PDF on the ARRI L7-C LED Light

ARRI LoCaster and BroadCaster Hybrid Kit Brochure

16x9 Inc. Adds Movcam to its Product Line

Effective:  Immediately

(VALENCIA, Calif.,) -- 16x9 Inc., long-time distributor of quality film and video production accessories, has signed an agreement with Movcam Tech to be the exclusive distributor of Movcam camera accessories in the United States. Previously known for their camera stabilizer systems, China-based Movcam has recently expanded their offerings to include standard camera accessories and some designed specifically for the popular Sony PMW-F3 Digital Cinema Camera.

"What first caught our eye with Movcam," said 16x9 Vice President, Jeff Giordano, "was the high quality of their products, which is why we're proud to offer them with a two-year warranty. And as we have seen with their Sony F3 accessories, they are interested in creating new and innovative products, which is what 16x9 Inc. is always looking for."

Movcam's current offerings include universal products such as follow focuses and matteboxes. For the Sony F3, Movcam has developed a full package of accessories that can be built up into personalized configurations, or used individually. These include baseplates with 15mm rod support and an integrated shoulder pad, a top mount and handle to provide stability and more mounting points, and they can all be connected with side handles to create a safe, accessible cage around the camera. 16x9 Inc. will be working closely with Movcam in the next few years to design and develop even more quality products for the professional market.

PDF of full Movcam accessories product line

###ABOUT 16X9 INC. - A distributor and producer of high-end accessories for film and video production, 16x9 Inc. offers a full selection of camera accessories as well as the latest products from renowned, innovative manufacturers such as Bebob Engineering, EasyRig, Movcam and Noga. 16x9 Inc. has also created its own line of top-quality camera accessories as well, including the EX Collection of HD-quality lens adapters, the CineLock accessory mount, PL mount adapters and the new Universal Cine Baseplate. Backed by more than 60 combined years of industry experience, the goal of 16x9 Inc. is to expand its lenses, adapters, and camera accessories to meet the changing needs and challenges of professional cinematographers.

(November 11, 2011, Colorado Springs, CO) Convergent Design today announced initial shipments of the highly anticipated Gemini 4:4:4, full uncompressed video recorder have commenced.

Convergent Design is driven to bringing innovative, high quality, products to our industry that are exceptionally reliable. Like its predecessor, the nanoFlash, the Gemini 4:4:4 is an industry leading recorder; combining low size (138 x 120 x 37 mm (5.4 x 4.7 x 1.45”)), low power (8 to 15W), and light weight (575g or 1.26lbs). As the next generation of Convergent Design’s product family, the Gemini 4:4:4 offers the ultimate in quality; recording DPX 4:4:4 RGB uncompressed video. This uncompromising quality is ideal for high-end television and cinematography applications. Additionally, its ability to accept video in 4:2:2 makes unthrottling your camera’s potential a possibility for all videographers.

Not only is the Gemini 4:4:4 a recorder, it also serves as a monitor for recording and playback. Barely larger than a 5.0” LCD monitor, Gemini’s advanced touch screen allows for easy menu access and selection of features with an included stylus. In record and playback mode, the brightness of the 800 x 480 24-bit LCD gives you brilliant images. The 1:1 Pixel Mapping feature assists in achieving critical focus. The menu functions are easy to use and quickly hidden out of view when desired.

The Gemini 4:4:4 has withstood rigorous testing to achieve the highest degree of reliability in both the hardware and firmware. The Gemini 4:4:4 is made from rugged milled aluminum and engineered to withstand extreme environments. In addition, Convergent Design has many enhancements planned including 3D and ARRIRAW support, slated for release in 4Q 2011 and 1Q 2012 respectively. New features and firmware updates are provided free of charge via website downloads. Certain significant upgrades will be available at extra cost, such as ARRIRAW and 3D.

The Gemini 4:4:4 Production Kit includes the recorder, 6.0 Gigabit per second eSATA Transfer Station, AC power supply (with universal adapters), cables, hot shoe ball mount, microfiber cloth and stylus, all housed in a custom-fitted hard plastic case. The 1.8” 256GB and 512GB SSD’s are available through Convergent Design dealers.

The Gemini 4:4:4 has revolutionized the recording industry with its Features-to-Cost-to-Portability trifecta, and has earned 4 prestigious awards for these achievements. Whether you are creative, financially or technically motivated, the Gemini 4:4:4 will exceed your expectations.

For more information on the Convergent Design Gemini 4:4:4, visit our product page.

Check out the product page for the Sony F65.

When the Gemini 4:4:4 is initially released not all features will be enabled. Those features that have been fully tested will be included from the outset and can be seen in the list below. (We're glad to see that 4:4:4 Record/Playback and viewing on a LUT-corrected 422 output are both functional from the start, as many of our customers are buying this unit to go with their Sony PMW-F3 cameras.)

Even as the first Gemini recorders are leaving the factory, testing on other features will continue, and once they have been proven reliable they will be included in future firmware upgrades. Some features will require a paid upgrade (3D and ARRIRAW), but these should not come as a surprise as they were always intended to cost extra.

But, as the man on the TV said, wait, there’s more…

Sony has also released a rebate program for when customers buy a 3rd party external recorder with their digital cameras. Participating products include external recorders from Convergent Design, AJA and Cinedeck.

Both rebates can be combined. Say, for example, you purchase a Sony PMW-F3K and a Convergent Design Gemini 4:4:4 from Band Pro. You’ll receive an $800 mail-in rebate for the camera PLUS a $450 mail-in rebate for the recorder you purchased with it. That's a total savings of $1250.

If you were waiting for the right time to buy a new camera, now may be that time. See full rebate details below and contact us for availability.

Camera Purchase Mail-In Rebate

External Recorder Mail-In Rebate

Originally from New York, Sicignano relocated to California to attend Cal State Long Beach and went on to pursue extended education in motion pictures, financing, distribution and marketing. For over 10 years he has worked in the film and television industry as a freelance director, producer and consultant. Sicignano’s past projects include live concert, reality, features, commercials, and music videos for clients such as NBC, Universal, Paramount, ESPN, E! Entertainment Television, and Sony.

Before joining Band Pro, Sicignano spent three years at AbelCine in Burbank working as a Sales Representative and Showroom Manager. With his product knowledge, industry experience and enthusiasm for the business, Sicignano is a welcome addition to the digital cinematography sales team at Band Pro Film & Digital, Inc.

New ORCHID® 7-inch portable monitor offers “glasses-free” solution for 3D camera operators, cinematographers, and content producers.

El Segundo, CA, September 8th – Marshall Electronics, a leading manufacturer of professional LCD monitors for Broadcast, Studio, and Television production will unveil the world’s first autostereoscopic 3D (“glasses-free”) 7-inch portable / camera-top monitor at IBC 2011 in Amsterdam on September 9th-13th. The ORCHID® OR-70-3D lightweight 3D monitor does not require passive or active glasses and can be used as a camera viewfinder or portable 3D production display.

The OR-70-3D is the latest addition to Marshall Electronics’ expanding lineup of 3D monitoring solutions. In 2010, Marshall introduced the robust and highly-praised 3D-241-HDSDI 24-inch stereoscopic 3D LCD monitor, which is currently being used on a number of high-budget 3D projects around the world. “Marshall continues to support the growth and expansion of global 3D production,” said Nathan Mordukhay, VP of Sales & Marketing. “The OR-70-3D is now the most versatile and technologically advanced 3D monitoring solution available to filmmakers and content producers.”

With parallax barrier and lenticular hybrid technology, the OR-70-3D provides superior 3D images with 1600 x 600 screen resolution. For precision 3D calibration, the OR-70-3D provides dual real-time Waveform and Vectorscope, along with various 3D analysis features such as Check Box, Difference, Blending, Compare, and more. Integrated mux and independent loop-through eliminate the requirement of an additional external converter. Delay-compensated horizontal mirror flip supports both channels respectively. Like most portable Marshall monitors, this unit also supports large battery adapters and ¼”-20 mounting for mobility and flexibility.

Compare Box
Compare Box is a new and innovative feature for 3D calibration. This handy onscreen tool compares a specific region of both channels with easy-to-read graphs for Y, R, G, B with numeric display. Compare Box is a “must-have” feature for precision 3D camera alignment.

Check Box (Checkerboard)
Check Box provides a quilted layout of both left and right channels for depth check, channel difference, and more. The size of the box can be adjusted using the front panel rotary encoder.

Emboss (Alpha-Channel View)
A full frame Embossed or Luminance Difference View shows the difference between Left Eye and Right Eye.

H Marker
This new horizontal marker provides a ruler for 3D depth control. The position and space between lines can be adjusted using the front panel rotary encoder.

The OR-70-3D retails for $7899 and will be shipping October 1st.

(VALENCIA, Calif., September 9, 2011) – As digital camera bodies shrink in size and weight, high-quality prime and zoom lenses easily are becoming the heaviest piece of the package, resulting in a very front-heavy camera setup. The Cine Base M15 from 16x9 Inc. elegantly solves this with a support rod and baseplate system that, with the flick of a quick-release lever, can be quickly adjusted and readjusted on the fly according to balance needs.

With the Cine Base M15, one can avoid having to step up to an expensive, heavy-duty tripod system or having to attach batteries or other random backend ballast, which defeats the whole purpose of a smaller, lighter camera. The Cine Base M15 consists of 20” of length of industry-standard support rods—a front 12” section and an 8” rear section— and a three-part plate system: the 9” dovetail sliding baseplate, the rod support plate and the camera spacer plate (which varies by camera). The Cine Base M15 is ideal for compact cameras that frequently change balance when adding or removing accessories or lenses—again, adjustable with the flick of a quick-release lever. It is also quite versatile in that the 15mm rod support plate can be directly mounted to ARRI BP3/BP8 bridgeplates with proper height alignment for industry-standard matteboxes and accessories.

The quick, balance adjustability allows for easy lens and battery changes, monitor repositioning and the swapping of onboard recorders. Other features include a dovetail balance plate to help center any weight offset and a unique dovetail quick-press, spring-load mounting and release system.

Cameras also may be used with just the spacer and dovetail slide plate for simple, low-profile balancing for jib, car and Steadicam mounting. The industry-standard 15mm rods serve as a lightweight support system for a mattebox and other accessories.

- AATON’S DELTA PENELOPE DELTAPACK TO WORK WITH CODEX VAULT -

London, UK – 7 September 2011 - Codex, the leading developer of digital media recorders and media management systems for film and television production, today announced an agreement with French camera manufacturer Aaton to support the Aaton Delta Penelope camera with the new Codex Vault products.

The Aaton Delta Penelope camera has a Super 35 Dalsa® CCD sensor and will record uncompressed RAW files compliant with the CinemaDNG format on the internal Deltapack®. According to J.P. Beauviala, founder of Aaton, “We have designed a high-quality, versatile camera with an internal RAW recorder; Codex however provides the workflow. Their technology has become the standard for high-end film-making and we are pleased that our products will work together to provide a seamless and efficient workflow.”

Codex Digital’s new product line, the Vault, will allow for the ingestion of files from Aaton’s Deltapacks. These files will then automatically be archived to LTO-5 media and Codex Transfer Drives, allowing for easy delivery to a post house. The Codex Vault also incorporates the Codex Virtual File System, allowing for the creation of dailies deliverables such as Avid DNxHD MXF, Apple ProRes, DPX and OpenEXR using a unified ACES workflow.  This provides an entire back-end dailies and deliverables workflow for the Delta Penelope Camera.  “Our aim is to provide a standardized, streamlined workflow for as many cameras as possible, whether or not they use our onboard recording technology,” explains Codex’s Managing Director Marc Dando, “and also to provide an easy way of moving files back and forth from production to post production and VFX.”

The full line of Codex Digital products are available from Band Pro.

(VALENCIA, Calif., September 9, 2011) – Getting cinema lens characteristics on Micro 4/3” cameras is now a reality with the introduction of the Cine Lens Mount adapter from 16x9 Inc for PL mount cine lenses. The adapter works with the Panasonic AF100 Micro 4/3” sensor camcorder, as well as with Sony’s new E mount NEX-FS100 camcorder that features an S35 APC-size sensor. Not to be left out, mirrorless cameras such as dSLRs can take advantage of the PL Mount adapter.

Designed from aluminum and stainless steel, the 16x9 Inc. Cine Lens Mount adapter features front and rear bayonet locking mechanisms. 16x9 Inc. offers an optional 15mm mini rod support bracket, and the Cine Lens Mount adapter also accepts third-party 15mm mini rod support brackets.

The Cine Lens Mount adapter comes preset to the appropriate flange focus depths for back focus.  However, when a minor adjustment may be required due to non-calibrated lenses, inserting or removing sized shims allows you to adjust the total mount depth depending on how far off the lens is to its markings. For best accuracy, this is done with the PL Mount on the camera with lens and using a professional-grade back-focus chart. The shims are interchanged by removing the back mount, which adapts the PL mount body to the actual camera and is held in place by six screws. Removing the back mount exposes the already-inserted shims. Just add or remove shims based on the non-calibrated lens needs.

The 16x9 Inc. Cine Lens Mount works with virtually all PL mount lenses, including the new Angenieux Optimo DP Digital lenses.

The 16x9 Inc. PL Mount adapter is $595. The optional mini rod support bracket is $275.

- CODEX TO SUPPORT PS-Cam X35-

London, England – 8 September 2011 – Codex Digital, the leading developer of digital media recorders and media management systems for film and television production, today announced a collaboration with P+S Technik to provide a workflow for the new PS-Cam X35 digital camera.

A setup of the PS-Cam X35 and a Codex Onboard Recorder can be seen on the P+S Technik booth at IBC 2011 (Hall 11, Stand E28). A Codex Onboard Recorder will be recording images from the PS-Cam X35 camera. The data packs can be moved over to a Codex Transfer Station for Mac OS X where the unique Codex Virtual File System will generate whatever deliverables are required such as Avid DNX-HD MXF or Apple ProRes for editorial or DPX for VFX and finishing. Codex is providing an entire production platform for the X35, from recording the images produced by the camera, through to dailies delivery and post production. “Our aim at Codex”, explains Managing Director Marc Dando, “is to provide robust, common workflows that support the various camera choices that are available today. P+S Technik have produced an interesting camera, and we are pleased to support their technology.”

“We are very excited that CODEX will support the PS-RAW and uncompressed workflows. Many P+S TECHNIK cameras such as the Weisscam HS-2 MKII digital high-speed cameras are in use today worldwide. Our new flagship camera for motion-effects – the PS-Cam X35 – shows impressive image quality. The support of the CODEX product range widens the possibilities of our users to provide exceptional pictures”, said Michael Erkelenz, Manager Business Unit Digital Capturing of P+S TECHNIK.

The full line of Codex Digital products, including the Onboard Recorder, are available from Band Pro.

Italian Camera Stabilizer Manufacturers Easysteady Teams Up with Band Pro Munich

MUNICH—The Easysteady camera stabilizer system began as a small project for Fabrizio Minuz and Riccard Filippini, but the result has become one of the best and most affordable systems available. Recently Easysteady chose Band Pro Munich to help them take their product to the international market.

“The Easysteady is perfect for the growing market of camera operators,” said Gerhard Baier, Managing Director of Band Pro Munich. “It provides the full quality and precision of more expensive rigs at an entry-level price.”

Easysteady's newly introduced “Pro Series” will support cameras up to 32kg (70.5 lbs) and features an interchangeable spring system so that the operator can easily adjust the arm to match the camera's weight. The already popular “Lite & Go” systems currently support smaller cameras up to 4.5kg (9.92 lbs) and up to 8.5kg (18.73 lbs). All of Easysteady's individual components, including their lightweight vest, are compatible with other existing stabilizing systems.

“We wanted a international distribution partner with expertise in the world of video and digital cinema,” said Minuz. “Band Pro Munich's level of knowledge and professionalism made them an easy choice.”

Band Pro Munich is the exclusive Easysteady reseller in Germany, Austria and Switzerland, and sells in other markets as well. www.easysteady.it

London, England – 8 September 2011 – Codex Digital, the leading developer of digital media recorders and media management systems for film and television production, today announced that they have introduced 60fps ARRIRAW capture on the Codex Onboard Recorder.

With the release of SUP 5.0, the ARRI Alexa camera is now able to output ARRIRAW at up to 60 frames per second. Franz Kraus of ARRI explains, "Our goal with Alexa is to keep improving its functionality, based on feedback from our customers. Higher frame rate ARRIRAW recording is an example of how we can work closely together with Codex to implement these features. Codex have stepped up and met the challenge."

As part of their ongoing collaboration with ARRI, Codex Digital’s engineers have ensured that Codex recorders and data packs are able to record these higher ARRIRAW frame rates, utilizing existing technology. The Codex ARRIRAW PLUS recorder is now able to record ARRIRAW at up to 60 FPS, as well as two channels of ARRIRAW at up to 30 FPS.

Codex recorders have already been used with the Alexa camera this year on many productions utilizing ARRIRAW, including Extremely Loud and Incredibly Close (Warner Bros/Paramount), Gravity (Warner Bros), Abraham Lincoln: Vampire Hunter (Fox), Rock of Ages (Warner Bros), This is Forty (Universal), World War Z (Paramount) and The Avengers (Paramount/Disney).

The full line of Codex Digital products, including the Onboard Recorder for ARRIRAW, are available through Band Pro.

Weisscam Unveils Working Prototype of the T-Cam at IBC 2011

MUNICH—At Cinec 2010, Weisscam inventor and CEO Stefan Weiss debuted the concept design for the remarkable T-Cam camera system. Then he exhibited it  at this year's Cine Gear Expo with Band Pro and introduced it to Hollywood. Weiss demonstrated a working model of the T-Cam for crowds at IBC 2011.

Designed to be small, simple and high performing, this is the camera that Weiss, himself a cinematographer, has always wanted. The camera on display, the T-1, features a 2/3” sensor, speeds from 1 -350 fps, 11 stops of dynamic range, and the option to record 12-bit RAW or 10-bit HD.

Weiss has designed the T-1 to meet three basic principles: Pure, Fast and Uncompressed. The settings are simplified to meet the needs of cinematographers: ASA, FPS, Shutter, Color Temperature, etc. The camera has been designed to perform equally well at normal speeds (23.98p, 25p) and high speeds (350 fps). And, allowing uncompressed capture helps to preserve the beauty of the image in post production.

“We are convinced that the best way to create a product is to shoot with your own product,” said Weiss, “and every person who works at Weisscam also shoots. We have never wanted to establish a sales channel, which is why a partnership with Band Pro and their strong sales experience on high end products is a win-win situation for us.”

A working prototype of the Weisscam T-1 as shown at IBC 2011. This camera had a 2/3" sensor and recorded 350 fps. The final version of the T-1 will have a B4 lens mount for sports and broadcast applications.

A second version of the camera will come with a PL lens mount (as shown here), but will feature a Super35mm sized 4K sensor. All other specification, including 1 - 350 fps, will remain the same between the two cameras.

- NEW SOLUTIONS FACILITATE ON-SET DAILIES REVIEW, COMPACT STORAGE FOR QUICK AND EFFICIENT FILE TRANSFER -

London, UK – 25 August 2011 - IBC 2011 will see the European debut of the new Codex Digital Vault series. The Codex Vault is a next generation on-set laboratory solution for dailies review, deliverables production and archiving that supports digital cinema cameras made by RED, ARRI, Aaton, Sony and other leading manufacturers.

A fully featured Vault is a standalone solution requiring no external drives because it utilizes Codex’s new Transfer Drives, which are also being introduced at IBC 2011. With the ability to support all of the most popular professional cameras, the Vault provides a single, standardized workflow. It also has the capability to produce deliverables in all formats required for dailies review, post production and archival purposes.

The new Codex Transfer Drives provide 1TB of storage in a compact form, designed to work along with the Codex Vault to facilitate the transfer of files from production to post. Each transfer drive can, for example, contain almost 100 minutes of ARRIRAW material from a Codex Onboard Recorder. The Codex Transfer Drives are ideal for moving data back to a post house from set, eliminating the need to transport Codex Datapacks back and forth and increasing efficiency and throughput. The drives will work along with the new Codex Transfer Dock (USB or SAS).

All Codex Digital products are available from Band Pro.

Pre-order Your Sony F65 Camera Package Today

Band Pro is now accepting pre-orders for the new Sony F65 digital cinema camera. With Sony's F65 Introductory Pack you can be one of the first to get their new 4K camera when it starts shipping in January 2012. And, with the full compliment of accessories that are included in the pack price of $85,000 you'll be ready to shoot 16-bit 4K footage out of the box.

The Sony F65 Introductory Pack* includes:

• Sony F65 Camera Body with Mechanical Rotary Shutter
• Sony HDVF-C30RW Color Viewfinder
• Sony SR-R4 Digital Recorder
• 1x Sony 256S55MB SRMemory Card
• Sony SR-PC4 Data Transfer Unit

The Sony F65 camera utilizes an 8K digital sensor to generate a next generation 4K image. Because the F65 sensor has more color sites than any other professional digital camera, it is capable of capturing more color information and can deliver a wider color gamut than film. It offers 14 stops of dynamic range and is capable of frame rates from 1 - 120 fps. The Rotary Shutter is a mechanical shutter upgrade for the camera that will eliminate the rolling shutter effect common in many other digital sensors. SRMemory conforms to the Academy's ACES-IFF Workflow and will be supported by a full compliment of providers, including Adobe, AJA, Avid, Blackmagic Design, Colorfront, Quantel, Vegas and more.

Visit our Sony F65 Product Page. Contact us today to reserve your camera.

*The Introductory Offer on the Sony F65 at the package price of $85,000 is only good on orders placed through December 2011. Pricing will increase for all orders placed on or after January 1, 2012. From now until December 31, 2011, only orders for the Introductory Pack are being accepted. Orders for individual items will begin in 2012.

BURBANK—Band Pro Film & Digital, Inc. is proud to announce that the first sets of Leica Summilux-C Cine Lenses are delivering from the new Leica factory in Wetzler, Germany.

Otto Nemenz International in Hollywood, CA, took delivery of several production sets of eight lenses each. “The lenses are already out working on productions,” said Otto Nemenz, president of Otto Nemenz International. “Everyone that has used the lenses likes them and the demand for the Leicas is very high.”

Just prior to IBC, Amsterdam-based rental house Cam-a-lot received the first set of Leica Summilux-C lenses in Europe. Within days the full set of lenses was sent out on a job. The feature film using Cam-a-lot’s Leica lenses is shooting on Red Epics, making this the first project to pair the industry’s highest resolution cameras and lenses.

The Leica Summilux-C lenses, distributed exclusively worldwide by Band Pro, are the first cine lenses produced by legendary imaging company Leica Camera. They also represent the new generation of lens design with unique physical characteristics, as well as imaging advancements, like ultra high resolution and optimization for new digital sensors which reveal more lens imperfections than traditional film.

“The new Leicas are the perfect answer to this new challenge,” said cinematographer Florian Ballhaus, who field-tested the Summilux-C lenses on his recent feature film Gambit (CBS Films). “In the world of digital cinematography with its clean, sharp images, there is an increased spotlight on the choice of lenses. The Leicas have a wonderful character while being perfectly predictable with their gentle Leica look that one expects from the still lenses we all know and love. They are as sharp as you want them to be but the focus falls off quite gently. I found myself using less filtration with them because they render skin tones so beautifully. I was very impressed with how uniquely they handled highlights and flairs.”

New York cinematographer Max Goldman, who used the new Leica lenses on a recent commercial for Diet Pepsi, was also impressed with them. “The Leica lenses render images with a naturalistic look, the same way the human eye sees. The look that comes from these lenses is what I see with my mind's eye when I imagine a scene. Usually I can only get that with anamorphics, but the Leicas have it. That's what I'm looking for with my images.”

Band Pro President and CEO Amnon Band had this to say, “These are in every way the lenses that we’ve been waiting for. When Leica first approached us with this project they had some very high design and performance ambitions for these lenses. All I can say is they’ve delivered.”

About Band Pro Film & Digital, Inc.

Band Pro Film & Digital, Inc. specializes in products and solutions for professional filmmakers and videographers. From their offices in Burbank, CA; New York City, NY; Munich, Germany; and Tel Aviv, Israel, Band Pro offers the highest level of knowledge and expertise along with the finest equipment and accessories available. The company’s research and development protocol allows product lines to expand toward the newest technologies so clients can focus on the art and craft of cinematography. With close relationships in Hollywood and worldwide, and long-standing partnerships with camera and lens makers, Band Pro has remained at the forefront of the newest developments in digital cinema.

The new electronic viewfinder from Cineroid, the EVF-4MSS, builds on the design of Cineroid's previous model, the EVF-4L. But, there have been substantial improvements since the 4L debuted months ago.

While the early EVF was designed more for DSLR cameras like the Canon 5D MkII and the Canon 7D, which only had HDMI outputs, many cinematographers wanted to use them on a new generation of compact digital cinema cameras, such as the Sony PMW-F3 and the Panasonic AF-100. The requirement to use the camera's HDMI output while the perfectly good and professional HD-SDI output sat unused frustrated a number of users. An HD-SDI connector actually "locks" into place, which prevents it from becoming disconnected during camera movements and from accidentally bumping the cable. It short, HDMI falls short of the rough and demanding situations in which many production cameras find themselves.

Enter the Cineroid EVF-4MSS Electronic Viewfinder. The new EVF not only features the coveted HD-SDI input, but also has a loop-through HD-SDI output so that it can feed to other onset monitors as well. In another nod to the rigors of production, the housing of the EVF-4MSS has been redesigned out of solid metal, replacing the plastic housing of the previous model. The metal makes the viewfinder more durable but without adding a great deal of weight.

Additional features of the new design are the ability to flip up the viewfinder's eyepiece, leaving a small hood around the LCD screen to cut down on glare. The eyepiece can also be removed entirely and without tools using two pressure buttons on the top of the unit. This allows the viewfinder to be converted directly into a small onboard monitor in seconds. To see a series of images demonstrating the different positions of the eyepiece, visit the Cineroid EVF-4MSS Product Page, and click on the Images tab.

The new metal version of the Cineroid Electronic Viewfinder comes in two other I/O configurations. There is an HDMI in/HD-SDI out version, and a HDMI in/out version as well.

Visit the full product page for the Cineroid EVF-4MSS HD-SDI Electronic Viewfinder.

The new EVF in a solid metal housing.

Rear view.

Neat ability to flip up the eye piece and you've got a hoodedLCD monitor.

You can also remove the eye piece entirely and use the EVF as a standalone LCD monitor.

What began in 1984 as a small-time start up has since grown into an internationally recognized HD institution. The early 1980s signaled a shift in ENG production. News was no longer the sole domain of the major networks. In an effort to reduce overhead, networks chose to hire independent freelance owner/operators for much of their camera work. A young Amnon Band realized that these new independents needed a supplier for their tools of the trade. He seized the opportunity and opened Band ’84, the precursor to today’s internationally known Band Pro Film & Digital, Inc.

Milestones: Anton Bauer, Chrosziel, Sony

From his Burbank storefront, Amnon Band’s first line,Anton Bauer, fast became an industry staple and for two decades Band Pro was the largest reseller of these power products. But the new company needed more top lines.

Amnon Band saw the many accoutrements filmmakers enjoyed over videographers. “From the beginning, I was determined to bring film accessories to the digital world,” he explains. “When a new camera came out, I wanted to be there with accessories that were derived from the film world but worked in the digital realm.”

With a plan, he flew to Munich, Germany, and miraculously convinced Alfred Chrosziel to make Band Pro the exclusive U.S. agent for Chrosziel matteboxes, baseplates, whip zooms and follow-focus controls. “Putting a mattebox on a video camera sounds simple today,” Amnon Band admits. “But back then – it was unheard of.”

Returning to Burbank, Amnon Band urged Howard Preston to modify his popular handheld MicroForce zoom control to work with Fujinon and Canon ENG zoom lenses, allowing videographers to do cine-style zooms. Thirsty for competitive advantages, the freelance community readily purchased the gear.

By 1986, Band Pro was ready to shake up the Ikegami-dominated ENG market. Explains Amnon Band, “Greg Pine, manager of Sony’s handheld camera business sent freelance cameramen to our 500 square foot warehouse to buy our accessories. Those guys were defying the market by using Sony cameras.” A light went on. Soon Band Pro forged a relationship with Sony U.S. and went on to become their biggest-selling sales partner for many years.

High Definition Education
Band Pro became a widely-recognized supplier of cameras, lenses, audio, power and lighting gear. They searched the globe for unique equipment to give shooters an edge. Their warehouse was stocked, ready to rush to any set or location. Their showroom displayed the latest cameras fully-rigged. The Band Pro team knew their stuff and went to the ends of the earth for their clients.

To Amnon Band, education was and is a key to success, “With the arrival of the HDCAM in the 1990s, we stepped up our business ideology to train users to fully understand the equipment.” The workshops were informative, crowded and fun—a meeting place for technicians, artists and equipment makers.

In 1994, Band Pro Tek opened. “It was time for us to go beyond selling and back the equipment with technical expertise,” Amnon explains. “The division specializes in Sony authorized warranty and non-warranty camera service and new technologies.” Today, aside from Sony’s own facility, it is the top factory-authorized service center in the U.S.

Band Pro worked with Sony in preparation for the first handheld 2/3” HD camera. The line started with the HDW-700, HDW-700A, and evolved into the HDW-F900 and HDW-F950 24p 4:4:4 CineAlta. When each was unveiled, Band Pro was ready with an ensemble of cine-style accessories. They supported the new format that seemed to finally be the answer to electronic cinematography.

Band Pro Israel & Equipment Bags
The next year, Band Pro Israel opened. On a routine business trip to Tel Aviv, Amnon Band met with the owners of KATA, makers of products for the military and high tech markets. Disappointed with existing camera carriers, he worked with KATA to design a line of soft bags for filmmakers/videographers to hold cameras, lighting support, audio and more—all lightweight yet rugged and smartly designed with a place for everything. KATA-Band (later KATA) was introduced at Band Pro’s NAB booth to massive crowds.

Friends & Features
Amnon Band’s relationships grew. Friendships with people like Marker Karahadian, who’s Plus 8 Video was also championing High Definition, gave Band Pro insight into the feature film world. If there was a major HD production, chances are Band Pro and Plus 8 played a part. Their support of Lucasfilm’s Fred Meyers on Star Wars: Revenge of the Sith was key to HD’s acceptance.

KATA and Band Pro eventually parted ways. Later Amnon Band introduced his new Petrol™ equipment carriers at IBC. The comprehensive soft bag line included a new concept of hidden, hard panels within to protect the valuable contents. Seven years later, Petrol was sold to the Vitec Group.

Focus on ZEISS
Amnon Band realized that Hollywood’s acceptance of High Definition wouldn’t happen until cinematographers trusted the lenses that went on the new HD cameras. So in 1999 he flew to Oberkochen, Germany, and solidified a relationship that eventually led to a worldwide partnership with ZEISS to make high-end prime lenses for 2/3” HD cameras.

Band Pro kicked it up a notch in 2001 with the premiere of ZEISS DigiPrime® lenses at the IBC tradeshow. This elevated Band Pro from an equipment source to a Hollywood powerhouse and spawned relationships with major camera houses, as well as with individual operators, technicians and cinematographers. DigiPrime and DigiZoom™ lenses opened doors and proved to be an endorsement for Sony HDCAM and for digital acquisition as a whole.

16x9 Inc. & Band Pro Munich
Band Pro opened the subsidiary, 16x9, Inc. in 2000 to distribute several European brands such as Alfred Chrosziel and Bebob. Optical specialist Jeff Giordano was onboard to launch the 16x9, Inc. lens accessory line that includes high-end wide angle adapters, converters and fisheyes for DV cameras.

That same year, Band Pro Munich opened to become the distribution center for Zeiss DigiPrime and DigiZoom lenses and to bring Band Pro’s electronic cinematography expertise and enthusiasm to the European market.

Focus on CineAlta®
It was 2004. Back in Burbank, Band Pro hired Jeff Cree. According to Amnon Band, “With his background as a Sony camera specialist, Jeff added in-depth, hands-on knowledge, from CineAlta camera menus to workflow.” Cree knew how to make the cameras sing and was gifted at teaching others the song. His workshops and on-set help are globally renowned.

Digital acquisition for feature films was heating up. Top filmmakers like Michael Mann, David Fincher and Francis Ford Coppola were choosing DigiPrimes and DigiZooms for their groundbreaking digital motion pictures.

The next year, Band Pro East opened to serve the New York and Eastern seaboard community with Jim Hegadorn at the helm. 2006 also marked the introduction of the revolutionary Sony F23 2/3” 3-CCD HDCAM SR format camera with dockable SRW-1 recorder at Band Pro’s Open House-turned-tradeshow, One World on HD. The camera quickly caught on and was used on high profile projects from the Academy Award®-nominated feature, The Curious Case of Benjamin Button, and the upcoming Michael Mann project, Public Enemies, to hit television series’ like Gossip Girl.

A year later, ahead of schedule, Sony delivered the phenomenal F35 camera complete with PL mount and full-frame sensor. “The F35 is probably the best digital camera ever built, the closest to film,” says Amnon Band. “Contrary to the state of the economy, the sale of F35s is surging. It’s already working on major Hollywood productions and television. Rental houses tell me their F35’s are all out.”

The 2009 Anniversary
Despite the economic slowdown, Band Pro is investing in the future. They now offer Silicon Imaging’s new digital camera that helped Slumdog Millionaire sweep the Academy Awards. The SI-2K camera is available in full Band Pro style with everything from a Chrosziel mattebox to a ZEISS DigiPrime lens.

The Band Pro staff of highly-qualified experts was at NAB ’09 to display the new offerings that are ready to work in today’s world. “We’re moving into another exciting phase of the technology,” says Amnon Band. “Products like the Sony F35 and SI-2K are changing the face of production.” And at Band Pro’s 25^th anniversary “One World On HD” open house Band Pro will unveil a new set of 4K “Mystery Primes”, the next horizon in optics.

Watch the making of the new Duracell "Tornado" Commercial, shot with the F35!

Director: Michael Karbelnikoff
Director of Photography: Bryan Newman

Watch the Video

The Converter from Band Pro Film & Digital on Vimeo.

*The lenses pictured in the video below are not the new Leica Summilux-C prime lenses; however, the exactitude shown in this video is part of why the Summilux-C lenses represent the top of the line in PL mount cinematography lenses.

Leica Lenses (English) from Leica Camera on Vimeo.

Visit the the Leica Camera website, or the Band Pro product page for the Leica Summilux-C Lenses.

The Sony PMW-F3 CineAlta camera just grew even more powerful with the recent release of two new firmware upgrades: Firmware Version 1.1, and CBK-RGB01.

What follows is a breakdown of the features of each upgrade; however, it’s important to note a few things first. Firmware Version 1.1 is a free upgrade and we recommend that every PMW-F3 Owner install the update. Not only does it enable a few very useful features, but it is also the base upon which future upgrades will be released, so it needs to be executed first. After it has been installed, the camera owner will be able to load the optional upgrades: CBK-RGB01, also known as the RGB/S-Log Upgrade (now available); and CBK-3DL01, the 3D Link Upgrade (not yet released).

Note: As of 6/17/2011, the new cameras that Band Pro is receiving from Sony come preloaded with Firmware Version 1.1.

Firmware Version 1.1 - Free

Download Link
Official Release Notes
Note about performing the upgrade: After Stage 1, during Stage 2 the screen will go blank. Do not turn off the camera. The upgrade is working and once Stage 2 is complete, the display will return to the screen.

Key Features:

• Simultaneous output via HD-SDI and HDMI is enabled, solving many of the early problems of how to record externally and use an onboard monitor or electronic viewfinder at the same time.
  • Note: If you turn on the 2/3 pulldown it will affect both outputs. If you active the A Link of the Dual Link as a 4:2:2 feed it will always be a clean feed and will not have 2/3 pulldown. This would be the preferred output for external recording.
• The two Dual link HD-SDI outputs are now enabled (4:2:2 10bit 1080  23.98/ 25/ 29.97PsF)
  • Also, the signal format of the Dual Link output is visible in the STATUS window.
  • Note: Dual Link and HDMI output can not be used simultaneously.
• Planning Metadata is also available, allowing control of the file naming convention prior to shooting.
  • With the addition of the CGK-RGB01 Upgrade and the CBK-WA01 WiFi Adapter, Planning Metadata instructions and subsequent changes can be performed via WiFi.
  • Note: Once the upgrade has been enacted, Metadata Planning is automatically turned on and you will see a display of the next clip number in the viewfinder. You will need to go to the Metadata Planning menu to turn off the display of this data in the viewfinder.
• The Slow & Quick Dial can now be used for menu navigation.
  • Note: This feature must be toggled on and off. To enable it, hold down the CANCEL button (behind the rear viewfinder) and press the S&Q Dial. Repeat to disable and return to regular S&Q functionality.
• Thumbnails can now be navigated vertically as well as horizontally.
• The PMW-F3’s TC output will now follow the internal Timecode Generator.
• Peaking, Brightness and Contrast in the LCD and EVF displays can be adjusted with one click.
  • Note: Firmware Version 1.1 is required before enacting other upgrades.

CBK-RGB01 - $3680

Contact Band Pro to order your upgrade today! 

About the Upgrade:

• The firmware upgrade will be delivered on a Sony SxS card, with one CBK-RGB01 on each card. Each camera will require its own SxS card with the upgrade on it.
• Each CBK-RGB01 comes with an identification key that prevents it from being installed on more than one camera at a time; however, the upgrade can be uninstalled from one camera and reinstalled on another camera.

Key Features:

• Record RGB4:4:4 10-bit, 1080 23.98/ 25/ 29.97PsF from the Dual Link HD-SDI or 3G-SDI.
  • Note: 3G-SDI is only available from the “A” SDI output. When active, the “B” SDI output will be Off.
• Record in S-Log Gamma from the Dual Link HD-SDI or 3G-SDI for a greater dynamic range by recording the equivalent of a digital negative.
• LUTs for monitoring on-set are enabled, including S-Log LUT.
  • LUTs include four pre-set LUTs and 5 user-created LUTs. Custom LUTs can be created by the CVP File Editor. (Available for download here)
  • LUT name is recorded as NRT metadata to the SxS cards and can be viewed in the XDCAM Browser.
  • Note: LUT On/Off applies to the HD-SDI output and the SxS internal recording simultaneously.
• Planning metadata can be controlled and edited via WiFi.

Janusz Sikora can be reached at www.lightextreme.com.

Special thanks to ARRI Lighting and Matthews Studio Equipment who provided equipment for the workshop.

Upcoming Workshops:
Burbank - August 3-4, 2011 - Wednesday and Thursday
(Reservation Deadline: July 15, 2011)

New York - August 11-12, 2011 - Thursday and Friday
(Reservation Deadline: July 15, 2011

Available and In Stock Now! Call Band Pro to get your camera today.

The Sony PMW-F3 may be the answer for productions currently using DSLR cameras for depth of field, but hungry for the professional and familiar camera outputs and workflow.

See our PMW-F3 Product Pages for more details and specifications.
Sony PMW-F3K (with Sony PL mount prime lenses)
Sony PMW-F3L (camera body only)

For those customers looking for a better viewfinder option for this camera and other cameras with HDMI outputs, check out the new Cineroid Electronic Viewfinder. With HDMI loop through, battery power and features such as peaking, saturation and pixel-to-pixel, this first-of-its-kind viewfinder is a must have for many of the new, smaller cameras.

You can also get more information about the camera from Film & Digital Times' Special Report on the Sony F3.

"Covergence" - a short film

<iframe src="http://player.vimeo.com/video/16898584?title=0&amp;byline=0&amp;portrait=0" width="500" height="281" frameborder="0" webkitAllowFullScreen allowFullScreen></iframe><p><a href="http://vimeo.com/16898584">Convergence - Short Film shot on Sony PMW-F3</a> from <a href="http://vimeo.com/scanners">Martin Scanlan</a> on <a href="http://vimeo.com">Vimeo</a>.</p>

Directed by Martin Scanlan
Director of Photography Steve Lawes
Music by Micah Berek

PMW-F3 Launch Video from Sony UK

<iframe src="http://player.vimeo.com/video/16897383?title=0&amp;byline=0&amp;portrait=0" width="500" height="281" frameborder="0" webkitAllowFullScreen allowFullScreen></iframe><p><a href="http://vimeo.com/16897383">Sony PMW-F3 launch promo</a> from <a href="http://vimeo.com/user4099216">Mike Saunders</a> on <a href="http://vimeo.com">Vimeo</a>.</p>

16x9 Inc. Cine Lens Mount

The 16x9 Inc. Cine Lens Mount allows Sony E-mount cameras, such as the Sony NEX-FS100U and NEX-VG10, to use professional PL mount cinema lenses such as Leica, Carl Zeiss and Angenieux. Although Sony offers a number of E-mount lenses, most cinematographers will want to pair their favorite film or digital cinema lenses with the camera to take advantage of Sony’s newly designed Super 35mm sized digital sensor.

The Cine Lens Mount has a male E-mount on one side that attaches to the camera like a lens, and a female PL-mount on the other side to receive cinematography lenses. The critical lens mount elements are made of stainless steel in order to prevent any changes due to temperature fluctuations. Back focus adjustments can be made by using any of the four shims included with the Cine Lens Mount (0.2mm, 0.4mm, 1mm, 2mm).

The Cine Lens Mount is designed to be used with the 16x9 Cine Lens Bracket and any 15mm Mini Rod Support system when using larger lenses. The Cine Lens Mount itself only weighs 12.83 oz (364g).

16x9 Inc. Cine Lens Bracket

The 16x9 Inc. Cine Lens Bracket adds support to 16x9's Cine Lens Mount adapters by mounting directly to the 15mm rods on a lightweight support system. (Lightweight Support sold separately.)

The Cine Lens Bracket utilizes a 1/4"-20 screw to attach directly to the 16x9 Cine Lens Mount.

Product Introduction by 16x9's James Lee - Courtesy of Cinema5D

C5D NAB 2011 - Very high quality PL-mount for FS100 by 16x9 Inc. from cinema5D on Vimeo.

Sony’s latest promotion makes it easier than ever to add an SRW-9000PL to your inventory. Whether you’re making the switch to digital for the first time, or adding to your existing line-up of cameras, Sony wants to help you make room on your shelves for the 9000PL. From now until the end of March 2011, you can trade-in your old 35mm film cameras or a variety of digital cameras and receive a $20,000 cash rebate on a fully-equipped Sony SRW-9000PL. For more information, contact a Band Pro Sales Representative.

 View more details on the Sony SRW-9000PL

Trade in the following cameras for a $20,000 cash rebate on the purchase of an SRW-9000PL:

• 35mm Film Cameras
• PL Mount Digital Cinema Cameras
• Sony HDW series or DVW series Digital Camcorders

End users must purchase the following camera (1) SRW9000PL, option Boards (1) HKSR-9002, (1) HKSR-9003, and Viewfinder (1) HDVF-C30WR on the same purchase order within the promotion period of December 15, 2010 through March 31, 2011 and trade in a qualified camera to qualify for a mail-in $20,000 cash rebate. Eligible product must be ordered by and shipped to the end user within the promotion period to qualify.

Certain restrictions may apply. Non-working cameras may be accepted.
Contact your Band Pro sales rep for more details.

Sony's VideON media website has a quick testimonial from Francis Kenny, ASC about the SRW-9000PL. Francis has done extensive testing with the camera and currently uses on the television series "Justified" on the FX Network.

Band Pro Film & Digital and RED Digital Cinema Announce EPIC/Leica Summilux-C Marketing Agreement

Band Pro Film & Digital, renowned pioneers of digital cinematography equipment including the ultra-high resolution Leica Summilux-C PL mount lenses, and RED Digital Cinema, groundbreaking developers of RED cameras including the RED EPIC, announce a joint sales and marketing agreement that provides RED EPIC and Leica Summilux-C™ lens packages for sale.

Under the arrangement, Band Pro will sell the coveted 5K RED EPIC cameras bundled with the Leica Summilux-C lenses. The kit will include a set of 5 Leica primes in prespecified focal lengths.

“We will provide our customers with the ability to purchase a beyond-4K camera equipped with beyond-4K lenses,” said Amnon Band, President of Band Pro. “I take my hat off to Jim Jannard and his rebel crew at RED for putting this deal together with us. RED has never allowed anyone else to sell their cameras in the U.S. before, so that’s a first, and we feel honored and challenged. We bring traditional experience to the RED sales and marketing machine. RED brings us into the rebellion, into tomorrow.”

"RED is thrilled with Band Pro's commitment to true high resolution cinematography,” said Ted Schilowitz of RED Digital Cinema. “Band Pro’s bundled package of the RED EPIC camera and a special matched set of Leica Prime lenses will be the killer package for lensing big budget movies, 3D movies, high-end TV commercials, and everything else that is looking for the best possible image quality from the high rez sensor, to the lens and onto the screen.

“RED has used these new Leicas on EPICs and RED ONEs, and just like the rest of the top end of the movie and TV industry, we couldn't be more pleased with the quality, the resolution and coverage they are able to capture from our 5k sensor, and their look on the really big movie screen. Not to mention their light weight, all matched physical sizes through the set, and small form factor, they make the perfect combination to use in tandem with the EPIC,” he concluded.

The Leica Summilux-C™ lenses are PL mount primes designed to deliver ultra-high optical performance for film and digital capture. These T1.4 close focus primes employ a unique multi-aspheric design and high-precision cine lens mechanics to provide unmatched flat field illumination across the entire 35mm frame and suppression of color fringing in the farthest corners of the frame with no discernible breathing. “These lenses are superior to any lenses Band Pro’s team of experts has yet seen,” said Amnon Band.

The RED EPIC has been a much-anticipated addition to the RED family, the answer to many cinematographers wildest dreams. Hailed as the most sophisticated and capable camera ever built, it is one third the size of a RED ONE, features a 5K Mysterium-X™ sensor and a 27 layer advanced ASIC processor, enabling EPIC to capture up to 120 frames per second, each frame at full 14MP resolution.

EPIC is engineered to be a DSMC™ (Digital Still & Motion Camera), a camera that excels in both worlds ... by design. Providing native dynamic range of over 13 stops and resolution that exceeds 35 mm motion picture film, this is the camera of the epoch. Add to that RED's newly developed HDRx™ extended dynamic range technology and EPIC boasts an amazing dynamic range of up to 18 stops. Purpose-built for perfect multi-camera synchronization, EPIC comes to market at a time when 3D capture requires the sophistication of a new generation of innovative technology.

RED EPIC and Leica packages will be sold from all four Band Pro offices in Burbank, California; New York, NY; Munich, Germany; and Tel Aviv, Israel. The camera and lens packages from Band Pro will not interfere with deliveries of RED EPIC’s to those customers who have them on backorder.

Band Pro Screens First Leica Lens Footage at NAB 2011

Band Pro announces that their first production footage of the new Leica Summilux-C prime lenses will be screened in booth C10308 at NAB 2011. Band Pro will also have the lenses available on a variety of cameras including RED EPIC, ARRI ALEXA, Sony F35 and the ViewPLUS 4K 12-bit RAW camera showing live 4K output to a 4K monitor.

Band Pro recently provided cinematographers Harris Savides, ASC and Tom Lowe as well as Band Pro’s Randy Wedick with a set of the new PL Mount lenses and tasked them with pushing the lenses artistically in demanding situations of their choice. “We wanted to avoid demo footage image fatigue of the many well-known Los Angeles scenes and opted for less common settings,” explains Amnon Band. “The technical tests will be performed a million times over once the lenses get out into the world. Our idea was to go for the artistic heart of what the Leica lenses are capable of and the character they represent.”

Savides paired the lenses with the ARRI ALEXA and recorded to a Codex Onboard in New York. His footage explores the luminous quality of the lenses and the way they portray skin tones and deal with highlights as well as shallow depth-of-field, flaring and their ability to hold contrast in heavy backlight. The footage was finished by fashion photography colorist Pascal Dangin, who does covers for Vanity Fair and Vogue. He used the Filmlight Baselight finishing system and ARRIRAW workflow.

Lowe captured his images with a RED EPIC-M and Canon 1D with a PL mount, carefully choosing California locations. His footage includes time-lapse and astrophotography, pushing the lens resolution, corner-to-corner sharpness and showcasing the lack of distortion on the wide end (18mm). He was also able to shoot wide open at T1.4 and maintain sharp images that usually require a 2-stop down on lenses. Lowe’s footage was finished by Lightiron in Los Angeles using RedCine-X.

Wedick took a Sony F35 with Codex Onboard to the San Francisco Bay Area and Sonoma County. His footage challenged the lenses in high contrast situations, the quality of lens flares and their bokeh characteristics. This footage was ingested into the Codex workflow system at Tunnel Post in Santa Monica and finished utilizing the Nucoda Film Master finishing system.

“The results were amazing,” says Amnon Band. “By freeing ourselves from test charts that simply gives nuts-and-bolts answers we were able to give our selected cinematographers a chance to really expound on the creative possibilities of these lenses. Each of the three mini-features, shot with different cameras and in different places, really tells the story of what these new Leica lenses can do for today’s filmmakers.”

Footage by Harris Savides, ASC

Leica Summilux-C w/ Harris Savides, ASC from Band Pro Film & Digital on Vimeo.

Footage by Tom Lowe

Leica Summilux-C w/ Tom Lowe from Band Pro Film & Digital on Vimeo.

Footage by Randy Wedick

Leica Summilux-C w/ Randy Wedick from Band Pro Film & Digital on Vimeo.

LONDON—April 7 2011—Codex Digital, the leading developer of digital media recorders and media management systems for film and television production, and its premier reseller Band Pro, announce a record-breaking first quarter of 2011.

“Band Pro has leveraged their long-standing relationships in the motion picture and television industry into significant sales of Codex equipment this year. We hope our relationship with them will continue long into the future,” says Marc Dando, Managing Director of Codex.

Band Pro represents Codex’s entire line of production and post production solutions, including its Onboard Recorders, Datapacks, Transfer Stations and Digital Labs. It will also represent Codex’s new Vault series, which includes an on-set RED workflow solution, scheduled to be launched at NAB 2011 in Las Vegas. Band Pro has sales offices in the United States, Germany and Israel.

Band Pro will be showcasing Codex Digital products at NAB (Booth C10308), April 11-14 in Las Vegas. Codex Digital will also be exhibiting at NAB (Booth C8615).

About Band Pro
Band Pro Film & Digital, Inc. specializes in products and solutions for professional filmmakers and videographers. From their offices in Burbank, CA; New York City, NY; Munich, Germany; and Tel Aviv, Israel, Band Pro offers the highest level of knowledge and expertise along with the finest equipment and accessories available. The company’s research and development protocol allows product lines to expand toward the newest technologies so clients can focus on the art and craft of cinematography. With close relationships in Hollywood and worldwide, and long-standing partnerships with camera and lens makers, Band Pro has remained at the forefront of the newest developments in digital cinema. For more information, please visit: www.bandpro.com or www.bandpro.de.

About Codex Digital

Codex Digital, who are based in London, England design and manufacture high-end digital equipment for motion picture and television production, products include the award-winning high-resolution media recorders and a range of media management stations to manage the entire workflow of a digital production from set to post production. The company is setting new standards for end-to-end production workflow.

For more information please visit www.codexdigital.com.

Editor’s Note: The product names and registered trademarks mentioned are each the property of their respective owners.

Press contact:
Linda Rosner
ArtisansPR
310.837.6008
lrosner@artisanspr.com

The Offer
Band Pro is currently offering a Try & Buy program for our new Horseman TS-Pro tilt and shift lens system. For a limited time, customers across the continental United States can get the full TS-Pro kit delivered to their door for testing and evaluation free of charge.

The Horseman TS-Pro is a first of its kind affordable tilt and shift lens system for digital cinema cameras. By using a flexible bellows system that attaches between the camera and the lens, cinematographers can achieve unique looks and dynamic depth of field control that had previously required either specialty lenses or a much more expensive system. Selectively control focus and depth of field, create miniaturization effects, adjust perspective to straighten out architectural structures and other linear elements, or easily reframe shots without moving the camera, all in one compact, easy-to-use system.

The innovative design of the Horseman TS-Pro features interchangeable camera mounts and lens mounts, making a single system usable in a variety of combinations. For example, the system can be mounted directly on cameras with the following mounts: PL, Micro 4/3, Canon EOS and Nikon F. A wide variety of medium format and full frame lenses can also be used, such as: Hasselblad, Pentax 645, Mamiya 645, Canon EOS, Nikon F and M39 mount lenses.

The Details
Sign up using the email address below and we’ll send you the full TS-Pro Kit with all the camera and lens adapters and an 80mm Rodagon lens in a Pelican case and give you three days to run it through the paces, test it on your next job, and put it in real-world situations. (We will need to do an authorization for the amount on a credit card, but not charge it, prior to shipping.) If after three days you decide to return the TS-Pro, we’ll pay for the return shipment. If you fall in love with the TS-Pro and all the possibilities of tilt/shift that it can add to your cinematography, simply keep it and we’ll send you an invoice for the purchase.

How to sign up for the Try and Buy
If you would like to try out the Horseman TS-Pro for free, simply send us an email to info@bandpro.com with your name, phone number and what kind of camera(s) you plan to use it with. We’ll contact you to arrange the details.

For more information on the Horseman TS-Pro, including a video showing the products functionality, visit the product page here.

Band Pro's Seth Emmons is interviewed by Studio Daily correspondent and Digital Cinema Society President James Mathers. Seth covers a number of products in this interview.

Seth starts of with the new Horseman TS-Pro, which is an affordable tilt and shift lens system that utilizes modular camera and lens mounts for a number of interesting combinations. Camera options include Canon, Nikon, Micro 4/3 and PL mount. Lens options include medium format lenses, such as Hasselblad, Pentax and Mamiya, full frame Canon and Nikon lenses, as well as M39 lenses such as the Rodogon Rodenstock lenses available with the TS-Pro.

Next are the Wise SxS Cards. These express cards are rated to work with all Sony cameras and are significantly more affordable the the Sony version. They also feature a mini USB port on each card for direct offload of data to a computer or editing system without the need for a costly transfer station.

Finally Seth discusses Band Pro's announcement from Monday morning of NAB that Band Pro will be selling the Epic cameras from Red Digital Cinema as packages with the Leica Summilux-C lenses. For more information on the announcement, read the full press release here.

Leica Summilux-C w/ Harris Savides, ASC from Band Pro Film & Digital on Vimeo.

Shot in ARRIRAW 3K on an Arri Alexa. Master DP Harris Savides, ASC took the Leica Summilux-C lenses into the Upper West Side of NYC for a test shoot.

Those familiar with Harris's work will see his trademark style come through in this piece. This film in particular shows the absolute sharpness in the focal plane that these lenses provide, combined with the soft pleasing focus falloff. Highlight tones & flare quality is notable as well.

The quality of the bokeh (out of focus highlights) in this piece is a combination of lens & the Alexa itself. Notice as the circles travel from the edge to the center as they go from an almond shape to a circular shape. After shooting on these lenses with many cameras, this feature only showed itself on the Alexa.

Special thanks to TCS for providing the Alexa camera package and so much more.

Music is All Sewn Up by David Holmes. Available on iTunes here bit.ly/?erBUGO

**Due to the highly compressed nature of footage displayed by Vimeo, it is recommended that the higher resolution version be downloaded for more critical viewing. The high quality version is available to Vimeo members via a link on the Vimeo source page.**

More information on the demo shoot can be found in the official press release.

For technical details about the Leica Summilux-C lenses, or to request more information, visit the product page.

Leica Summilux-C w/ Tom Lowe from Band Pro Film & Digital on Vimeo.

Shot in 5K on a Red Epic. Director/DP Tom Lowe took the Leica Summilux-C lenses out for a shoot in the deserts of the Southwestern US and returned with this impressive footage.

This piece showcases the lack of distortion in the wide range (most of this piece was shot with the 18mm prime). Other optical characteristics are the edge-to-edge sharpness of the lenses when wide open (see the astrophotography shot).

Music is Violin Concerto: III by Philip Glass. Available on iTunes here bit.ly/?hJsUrI

See Tom's other work at timescapes.org

**Due to the highly compressed nature of footage displayed by Vimeo, it is recommended that the higher resolution version be downloaded for more critical viewing. The high quality version is available to Vimeo members via a link on the Vimeo source page.**

More information on the demo shoot can be found in the product page.

Leica Summilux-C w/ Randy Wedick from Band Pro Film & Digital on Vimeo.

Shot in Uncompressed 1080p on a Sony F35. Band Pro's technical consultant Randy Wedick took the Leica Summilux-C lenses out to San Francisco & Sonoma to test them out.

This piece shows a wide variety of lighting conditions, particularly very strong backlight and other scenes where you would expect and encounter flare. Many shots are made at T/1.4 or T/2 (with the help of Tiffen NDIR filters in strong daylight). Beautiful edge to edge sharpness and the hard to describe "Leica look" really come through.

Special thanks to Joel K & Vanessa for setting up the incredible Scribe Winery location.

Music is A Walk In The Park by Beach House. Available on iTunes here bit.ly/?cXSLVr

**Due to the highly compressed nature of footage displayed by Vimeo, it is recommended that the higher resolution version be downloaded for more critical viewing. The high quality version is available to Vimeo members via a link on the Vimeo source page.**

More information on the demo shoot can be found in the official press release.

For technical details about the Leica Summilux-C lenses, or to request more information, visit the product page.

March 11, 2011 -- S.two is pleased to announce that all OB-1 on-board recorders have been certified by ARRI for ARRIRAW T-Link, now at v3.0. A simple software update provides full ARRIRAW recording support, real-time visualization, and playback. No hardware modification is necessary.

S.two was the first manufacturer certified for ARRIRAW T-Link in March 2008, and OB-1’s are in use around the world with ALEXA and D-21 in ARRIRAW. OB-1 supports sync timecode and remote stop-start from the camera head for full integration of an ARRIRAW/DTE 'dual record' workflow.

Easy to use uncompressed workflow, supporting all Alexa modes including high speed and dual-camera 3D, is completed with the S.two FlashDock. It features real-time playback of full raster ARRIRAW under edit control, high speed transfers of uncompressed ARC-compliant .ARI V3 files, and available archive to uncompressed LTO. S.two has become the worldwide leader in uncompressed recording and workflows with customers in 22 cuntries.

For more information about the S.two OB-1 and the rest of the S.two family of products, including where to rent them, click here.

The Convergent Design Gemini 4:4:4 allows for HD and 2K recording at 8-bit or 10-bit and in 4:2:2 or 4:4:4 color space. Uncompressed data is recorded directly from the camera to various input options: HD-SDI, 3G-SDI or Dual-Link. It records 16-Channel Audio. The tiny unit (5.4 x 4.5 x 1.1", 1 lbs) features a 5" touchscreen monitor (800 x 480 resolution) which acts as the device interface and as a color monitor for live view or playback for file verification.. An HDMI output is available for further external monitoring options. Furthermore, the Gemini comes with corrective LUTs for monitoring S-Log and Log-C footage.

Read more about the Gemini 4:4:4 on our Product Page and check out the introduction video below.

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ARRI CSC to Offer Codex Recorders for Rental in the United States

PRLog (Press Release) – Feb 28, 2011 – LONDON— Codex Digital, the leading developer of digital media recorders and media management systems for film and television production, today announces that ARRI CSC, a subsidiary of ARRI, Inc. and the largest, full-service camera equipment rental group in the USA, has made a significant investment in Codex Digital Onboard Recorder and other equipment and will soon have them available for rental.

Codex Digital recently became the first company to receive ARRI’s ARRIRAW T-Link (Transport Link) certification, confirming the ability of its recorders to record raw data from the ARRI Alexa film-style camera. Its recorders are similarly certified for recording ARRIRAW from the ARRIFLEX D-21 camera for the Codex Studio Recorder.

“We are very pleased to be working with ARRI CSC and to help them service their customers with their digital production needs,” said Codex Digital Managing Director Marc Dando. “ARRI’s Alexa, particularly with ARRIRAW, has generated enormous excitement in the industry, and pairing the camera with Codex recorders results in a camera-to-post solution that is production proven, and unparalleled in its quality, flexibility and performance.”

ARRI CSC, which has rental facilities in New Jersey, Florida, North Carolina and Los Angeles, offers a variety of digital recording solutions to support its extensive digital camera inventory. They also offer a full range of lenses, film cameras and accessories, as well as a substantial selection of lighting and grip equipment.

About ARRI CSC
ARRI CSC is a fully owned subsidiary of ARRI Inc. Trading as ARRI CSC in New Jersey & Florida and as Illumination Dynamics in Charlotte and Los Angeles, the Group offers rental equipment & services to the feature film, television, broadcast & events markets. For locations and more information, visit www.arricsc.com.

About ARRI
Located in Munich, Germany, Arnold and Richter Cine Technik (A&R) was founded in 1917 and is the world’s largest manufacturer and distributor of motion picture camera, digital intermediate and lighting equipment. In 2001, ARRI was converted into a public limited company; it is involved in all aspects of the film industry: engineering; design; manufacturing; production; visual effects; postproduction; equipment rental; complete turnkey lighting solutions and both film and sound laboratory services. Manufactured products and technologies include professional digital acquisition with the ALEXA and ARRIFLEX D-21 cameras; film camera systems for 16mm, 35mm and 65mm; location and studio lighting fixtures; digital imaging solutions such as the ARRISCAN, ARRILASER, ARRI RelativityTM and various archive tools. These products and services are offered through a global network of subsidiary companies, agents and representatives.
For locations and more information, visit: www.arri.com

About Codex Digital
Codex Digital, who are based in London, England design and manufacture high-end digital equipment for motion picture and television production, products include the award-winning high-resolution media recorders and a range of media management stations to manage the entire workflow of a digital production from set to post production. The company is setting new standards for end-to-end production workflow.

February 2011
When we received our demo set of Leica Summilux-C lenses we knew we had to get them over to New York. And out of the NYC visit came a lot of good feedback from the cinematographers, producers and directors who stopped into Band Pro East's Manhattan office for a day of playing with lenses on a Chrosziel projector and a multitude of cameras, including Sony PMW-F3 and Sony F35, Canon 7D, film, and even an Epic-M for testing with OffHollywood.

One evening we found ourselves on the Upper East Side with a couple Leica lenses, a modified, PL mount Canon 7D, and Jon Fauer, ASC. See two stills from that shoot below and read more it at Film & Digital Times.

<Mouse over the images for captions>

Codex Receives ARRIRAW Certification on the Alexa Camera

February 9, 2011

LONDON—Codex Digital, the leading developer of digital media recorders and media management systems for film and television production, today announces that film and digital camera maker ARRI has awarded it an ARRIRAW T-Link (Transport Link) certificate confirming the ability of its recorders to record raw data from the ARRI Alexa film-style camera.

The certificate states that Codex Onboard Recorders meet rigorous standards set by ARRI and can perform tasks required when using the ALEXA camera in ARRIRAW mode, including recording the ARRIRAW T-link stream, showing a live preview while recording and playback of ARRIRAW images. Codex Digital received a similar certificate in 2008 for recording ARRIRAW from the ARRIFLEX D-21 camera for the Codex Studio Recorder.

“This is good news for Codex, but also for filmmakers who can now use the ALEXA camera with ARRIRAW in complete confidence,” said Codex Digital Managing Director Marc Dando. “There is now a proven means to record imagery from the Alexa camera and deliver it to post production in its optimal format, ARRIRAW.”

“Codex Digital has great recording and workflow technologies to support raw data,” noted ARRI Head of Digital Workflow Solutions Henning Rädlein. “We are very pleased to provide Codex with this certification, filmmakers can now take advantage of the superior quality and enhanced flexibility provided by ALEXA and ARRIRAW.”

Codex is prepared now to provide immediate support for productions using the ALEXA camera with ARRIRAW. Daruis Khondji was the first cinematographer to use the certified Codex Onboard Recorder, principle photography of “Amour” started on February 7th in Paris.

Codex Digital is the first maker of recording systems to receive ARRI’s ARRIRAW T-Link certificate for the Alexa camera. The certification permits Codex to use the certificate label on its products, website and marketing materials.

About Codex Digital

Codex Digital, who are based in London, England design and manufacture high-end digital equipment for motion picture and television production, products include the award-winning high-resolution media recorders and a range of media management stations to manage the entire workflow of a digital production from set to post production. The company is setting new standards for end-to-end production workflow.

Product information on Codex can be found at the links below:
Codex Onboard Recorder
Codex Desktop Transfer Station
Codex Digital Lab

Band Pro has received the first official demo set, comprised of 8 focal lengths (18, 21, 25, 35, 40, 50, 75 and 100mm). We will be scheduling demonstrations of the lenses for interested companies and individuals over the next two weeks. The lenses will be available for testing on cameras and will also be projecting the lenses for resolution and field evaluation.

If you are interested in visiting us in Burbank or New York during our demonstration period, drop us a line at summilux@bandpro.com or give us a call at the office nearest to you.

Burbank: +1 (818) 841-9655
New York: +1 (212) 227-8577

To see the footage, visit our Vimeo page .

Visit the Leica Summilux-C Product Page for more information on the lenses.

Codex products that have new software builds ready for download include:

Codex Onboard Recorder
Codex Desktop Transfer Station
Codex Digital Lab
Codex Studio Recorder

*ALL DOWNLOADS AVAILABLE HERE*

CHANGES IN VERSION 2011.r1.2100 (Feb. 4, 2011)

New Onboard features
* Support for Alexa V3 firmware RC1 / RC2 / RC3 metadata
* Duplicate 422 video output option
* Onboard controller UI layout and naming changes.
* Show audio mute on controller
* Show varispeed status on controller
* Show D21 high-speed mode in video format on transport screen
* Separate brightness for screen, Onboard and Controller rings

General new features
* Transform function now allows altering of shots' aspect ratios
* Make clone the default copy mode.
* New default layout for Project page.
* Change DoP to DP as acronym for Directory of Photography as more prevalent.
* 3D MXF default to side by side style. Use sysconfig “OverUnder3DMXFs” to use over under.
* Move buttons for datapack operations to below datapacks on Storage Tab.
* Support for Alexa V3 firmware RC1 / RC2 / RC3 metadata
* Global filter for VFS configurations. If present this is 'and-ed' with each file type's own filter.
* Change defaults for new VFS configuration's illegal chars and replace character.
* Rename VFS button “clear all” to “delete all”, make red and move position.
* Set default Production Name to Codex if none.
* Default settings changed and UI tweaks for clarity and consistency.
* Playback single channel from a multi-video channel shot.
* Update shot metadata from camera whilst in E-to-E.

RENTAL HOUSES
The following companies currently offer Codex products for rental on feature films, commercial and episodic television work: 

Cine Photo Tech
Atlanta, GA

Clairmont Camera
Hollywood, CA - Toronto & Vancouver, Canada

Congo Films
Bogota, Colombia

Evergreen Films
Los Angeles, CA - Anchorage, AK 

Otto Nemenz
Los Angeles, CA

PACE
Burbank, CA

TCS
New York, NY

VER
Los Angeles, CA

Videofax
San Francisco, CA

POST HOUSES

Digital Film Central
Vancouver, BC

Fotokem
Burbank, CA

Scarab Digital
Los Angeles, CA - Vancouver, BC - Beijing, China

Sony Pictures
Culver City, CA

Tunnel Post
Santa Monica, CA

Enter the Cineroid EVF. This battery-powered, feature-rich viewfinder provides an ideal solution for many modern cameras the lack a professional viewfinder. And, in response to increased on-set monitoring needs and fewer available camera output options, the Cineroid EVF can include an HDMI Loop Through ability, allowing simultaneous use of a larger reference monitor that can prevent crowding around the camera. The EVF is compact, lightweight and comes with a full compliment of accessories allowing it to go to work right out of the box without the need for any other bits and pieces.

For more information, specs and images, check out the Cineroid Electronic Viewfinder.

Cinematographer Steven Poster, ASC, known for features like Donnie Darko, Cats and Dogs, Southland Tales and The Box, recently wrapped the independent crime/comedy Flypaper produced by and starring Patrick Dempsey, directed by Rob Minkoff. Poster’s approach to shooting has always been out of the mainstream. If there is an interesting new cinematic tool available, he will find a way to put it to good use on his films.

For Flypaper, which was shot entirely on location in Baton Rouge, Louisiana, Poster chose to test the limits of today’s newest form of capture, DSLR cameras. With the help of Band Pro, he put together a package of two FGV-Schmidle modified Canon 7D cameras with PL lens mounts, along with Chrosziel Follow Focus and Matteboxes, Anton/Bauer Power Taps, Marshall 7” Monitors, Element Technica Mantis Handheld Rigs, Pelican Cases, and more.

As the film moved into the post-production process, Poster sat down to assess his choice of capture. Following is the account detailing his unbiased approach to turning what is essentially a still photography camera, into a high-quality filmmaking tool.

Reprinted with the permission of Steven Poster, ASC.

Digital Single Lens Reflex Cameras Used To Capture High Def Video

First hand experience with any new technology is the only way to get an understanding of how that technology impacts the workplace. And if you have new technology that is a hybrid (not belonging to any genre, but a combination of two or more) making that technology (say the Canon DSLR cameras) into something that it isn’t, is an even more complex (and costly) set of set of circumstances.

Let me say now that I am a fan of those cameras and have used a series of Canon 7D DSLR’s on the movie I am just finishing, Flypaper starring Patrick Dempsey and Ashley Judd. So I do have the first hand experience I was talking about.

But, let’s face it; you get what you pay for. Yes, you can go into a Best Buy and walk out with a camera that is capable of shooting HD Video images. But that doesn’t get you very far into having a reliable production tool that you can rely on day after day to deliver the right kind of images you need.

The Canon cameras (there are several models that will work) are still photography cameras with motion video capability. Canon cameras are built as robust and reliable tools for still photography. Our demands, whether for a commercial or for a movie, are much more demanding. For instance there are functions that are indispensable to make coherent images. Focusing the lens is the first that comes to mind. The still lenses that come with the camera are not built for the continuous, smooth focus pulling, or to the 1/16” accuracy that movie lenses require. And no, you can’t use auto focus available on these cameras. Please remember they are built to capture still photographs. So, elaborate Follow Focus devices are needed for an assistant to adjust the focus. A competent, trained First Assistant is necessary to do this because it is very difficult to operate the camera and focus that accurately at the same time. In fact, because of the size and low weight of the camera, it is even better to have a small remote focus device so that the Assistant doesn’t put any pressure on the camera while the operator is trying to hold the camera steady.

The lenses that come with the camera are not suitable for making motion images for several other reasons other then the focus. There is a difference between shooting for a magazine ad and shooting for a commercial or narrative movie. The importance of consistency between lenses can’t be stressed enough. So it has been found that the best lenses to use are regular cinematography lenses attached to the Canon’s body. Most available lenses are physically unable to connect without modification of the camera to install what is called the PL Mount. Also, because of the optical design of typical movie lenses, the camera’s mirror and shutter have to be removed for the movie lenses to fit inside of the camera. And usually a full complement of fixed focal length lenses as well as one, or two movie zoom lenses are carried on any production so that the desired shots can be used to tell the story. Caring for those lenses and helping attach them to the camera and calibrating those lenses for the focus device is the usual job of the Second Assistant Cameraperson. That crew member will also have an important roll in maintenance of the cameras. They are not made to take the kind of rough service we put any motion picture camera through, whether digital or film.

Along with these cine lenses there will be a need for various support brackets and matteboxes to shade the lens and provide a mounting system for camera filters which are most often used in cinema-style shooting for technical and artistic reasons. Again, more parts for the Camera Assistants to keep track of and know how to fit all of the configurations.

This brings us to another inherent condition of these cameras. There is another built-in problem with these DSLR cameras; if they are used for more then an hour or two the image-gathering chip heats up and the image response changes. These changes often come in the form of increased sensitivity, unevenly across the field of the chip, and sometimes an increase of digital noise (which can look ugly in the image). So, when we notice this happening the cameras are changed so that they can cool down. I know one Cinematographer who believes that the cameras should be changed every ½ hour to be safe. We are carrying four bodies on this show. I know shows that have carried up to seven bodies. It is also the job of the Camera Assistants to make sure the bodies are changed properly and are set up consistently with the ones used earlier in the scene. Even a small detail setting buried deep in the cameras menu may cause a shot to become unusable or very expensive to fix.  Such details may not be visible on set.

One of the ways we can tell that the chip is changing and needs to cool down, as well as the way we can guarantee the consistent look of the image, is through the work of the Digital Imaging Technician, and the use of tools like a Waveform Monitor and Color Management System. For commercials with the kinds of deadlines of production and the demands of the advertising agency for high quality of work these kinds of tools and the skills to operate them can be a big money saver.

The final element of any production is the safe and efficient downloading, inspection and transcoding for the editorial system. This is the essential crew member who can help avoid catastrophic data loss and insure proper use of the recording media as well as transferring Metadata for post production. This is a position that must be filled with a trained technician, a Digital Downloader. Would you trust your day’s work to a production assistant with a computer who wouldn’t know anything about proper protocols for this important work?  Local 600 has not only designed these protocols, we have trained over 300 members on how to follow them. With the Canon cameras or with any DSLR systems it makes a lot of sense to do this continuously throughout the day to insure that each shot is properly recorded, protected and stored before finishing the day’s work.

One of the advantages of using this style of cameras is that they can be configured in many different ways to adapt to the shooting circumstances. This allows for some very creative choices for getting the images you need to tell the story. But each configuration takes a number of accessories connected either mechanically, electronically or digitally to make the cameras work properly. The cameras can be mounted for tripod or dolly use, or even on a jib arm or camera crane. They can be handheld or mounted on a Steadicam. They can even be easily mounted on automobiles or motorcycles. We even attached the cameras to a machine gun for a POV shot. Any position you can imagine the camera in can be accomplished with the right accessories and tools. Viewing the image takes a small High Definition monitor mounted with the camera and configured for the Camera Operator to see properly. These accessories are being developed and manufactured at a very accelerated pace. Every week we see some new attachment announced to the industry.  You can see the complexity of fitting together all of these parts in the photos we have provided. We researched what was available just before our show started two months ago. Even in that short time there have been new developments in accessories available for these cameras.

I am very excited about these camera systems as I said in the beginning of this note. I am realistic, however, about the quality of the files these cameras produce and the limitations of the equipment as well as the image quality and inherent characteristics of these types of imaging chips. It is a scary thought when seemingly simple equipment like this is put in unskilled hands. As I said at the beginning, you get what you pay for.

Steven Poster, ASC

President ICG, Local 600 of the I.A.T.S.E.

The latest installment in Disney’s Pirates of the Caribbean franchise, Pirates of the Caribbean: On Stranger Tides is currently in post-production and scheduled for release on May 20, 2011. The film is the first of the series to be shot and distributed in 3D. The production shot with RED MX cameras in Element Technica rigs and used the 1 Beyond Super Wrangler on-location to manage all the data from the cameras.

The Super Wrangler from 1 Beyond is an excellent solution for managing and reviewing the footage on the fly. The Super Wrangler, equipped with two RED Rocket Cards, was able to ingest the R3D files from both left eye/right eye cameras, verify the files, back them up, build the 3D clips and playback in 3D. And the entire unit, with 17” screen and flip down keyboard, weighs about 42lbs and is comparable in size to a carry-on suitcase (13.6”x17”x9.6”).

The Super Wrangler is almost infinitely configurable, depending on your production, and is capable of supporting files and media from RED, Alexa (including auto off-load and verify, and LTO5 off-load), SI-2K, SI-3D, Phantom, SxS, P2, or Single or Dual Link HD-SDI input. With 24 internal processors, it can do the job of a much larger system in a rugged and travel-friendly form factor.

Band Pro One World Exhibition Draws Industry Professionals

Once again, Band Pro Film and Digital’s One World digital cinema symposium and equipment exhibition drew industry professionals from around the world to Burbank, CA. The three day event, which concluded December 16, featured seminars and future outlooks from major equipment manufacturers and an Open House with dozens of exhibitors and 600 attendees.

“I have not seen a real takeover of the market by digital like we’ve had this year,” stated Amnon Band, President of Band Pro, in his state of the industry briefing to the press. He cited purchases of digital cameras by film industry rental houses to replace film cameras that are increasingly sitting idle. Band also made a prediction about 3D. “I’m going to say about 3D what I said about high definition 10 years ago: I feel that 3D will explode when it reaches our home in a simple, seamless way, possibly without glasses. It has to be in the home. Homes are what drive our industry.”

At the One World press conference, the new Leica digital cinematography lenses were passed about the room. Designed for 4K imaging and beyond, the lenses will begin delivering in the first quarter of 2011.

Industry professionals spent a day at the Sony Pictures lot in Culver City for an up-close look at Sony’s PMW-F3, the company’s first professional handheld digital production camera with a Super 35mm imager, and other new Sony products including OLED monitors and solid-state recording. Sony also announced a new line of digital cinema lenses to accompany the new camera.

A second day of seminars was hosted at Dolby Laboratories in Burbank, which included a presentation on Dolby’s own theater 3D presentation system. Additionally, Silicon Imaging and 1 Beyond presented their solutions for a complete stereoscopic capture system, Dolby showcased its PRM-4200 Professional Reference Monitor, and attendees saw SI-3D cameras production-ready in an Element Technica Neutron rig.

Band Pro’s annual One World Open House saw hundreds of professionals ranging from feature film DPs to wedding photographers getting hands-on with the latest in digital cameras, lenses and accessories.

About Band Pro Film & Digital, Inc.
Band Pro Film & Digital, Inc. specializes in products and solutions for professional filmmakers and videographers. From their offices in Burbank, CA; New York City, NY; Munich, Germany; and Tel Aviv, Israel, Band Pro offers the highest level of knowledge and expertise along with the finest equipment and accessories available. The company’s research and development protocol allows product lines to expand toward the newest technologies so clients can focus on the art and craft of cinematography. With close relationships in Hollywood and worldwide, and long-standing partnerships with camera and lens makers, Band Pro has remained at the forefront of the newest developments in digital cinema.

Codex Digital Appoints Priestnall to Chief Marketing Post for North America
Press Release from Codex Digital
November 18, 2010

http://www.studiodaily.com/main/news/prc/127-Hours-Big-Pictures-in-Small-Spaces_12653.html
by Bryant Frazer
October 19, 2010

http://www.studiodaily.com/filmandvideo/currentissue/127-Hours-Digital-Workflow-in-the-Desert_12652.html
Bryant Frazer
Film & Video

City Productions, and their parent company Grupo Nautilus, have always been into big things. What began as small, Mexico City film and video production house and publicity agency in 1982 has grown into a robust one-stop operation that takes the term “production” very broadly. Sure, they provide rental of film and video equipment with production, post production and screening facilities for music videos, commercials and feature films. But, not content to stop there, they also organize, plan, outfit, capture and hosts major events of up to 3,000 attendees. With that kind of large-scale experience, the group felt ready to move into their next big thing: 3D.

A spin-off company, called City 3D, began researching stereoscopic production with an eye toward creating a similar end-to-end operation, just like their event planning counterpart. Every piece had to integrate into one smooth system, from equipment and capture, through post, and finally to display and projection.

When they got to Silicon Imaging's SI-2K 3D system they stopped. “The SI-3D was the first camera system with built-in software that lets you synchronize, monitor, adjust, shoot, balance...basically control both cameras at the same time,” said Damian Aguilar, resident DP and stereographer. “This got our attention because it's an all-in-one solution for shooting 3D.” They decided to give it a closer look, and Aguilar is glad they did.

“I’m really happy with the tools that the SI-3D system offers. The sync between cameras is just too easy, the size of the SI-Mini camera heads, the bit rate. The 3D display modes (anaglyph, side-by-side, mesh, 50/50, wiggle, split) are great for setting the I/O, to align the cameras, to match lenses. The possibility of playback on set in 3D instantaneously is just necessary to check that everything is going O.K.”

Because City 3D was looking for a full in-house workflow with Final Cut and their Quantel Pablo, the deliverable format was also important. With the SI-3D system, the left and right eye images are recorded in uncompressed RAW or CineFormRAW and are saved nondestructively with metadata in a single Quicktime-wrapped Cineform file for easy import to FCP, or separately to allow for other post production options. They had a winner.

One thing that Silicon Imaging didn't integrate was lenses. In fact, the camera has an interchangeable lens mount, so almost any lenses could be used. Knowing that they had so many options, the City 3D team went back to researching. Stereoscopic 3D was being done with many different lenses of various sizes and formats, but eventually they decided on ZEISS DigiPrimes. Their research led them to Band Pro in Burbank, CA. Band Pro had pioneered the DigiPrimes in 2001 and seemed like the logical place to start.

“We felt that the lenses were a good deal,” said Ana Leticia Reyes, General Manager of City 3D. “Plus, Band Pro offered support, with customs and with technical questions. They tested multiple lenses and matched them for best compatibility. When we ran into a problem, they answered very quickly. They also sell the SI-2K camera, so they were familiar with our system.”

There are many parts of stereoscopic production that are vital to prevent bad 3D, and having good, consistent lenses is one of them. Said Aguilar, “The Internal Focusing Design of the DigiPrimes is for sure another big reason to work with these lenses. When focusing the image remains perfectly centered. There is no tilt, rotation, or shift.  Each lens is designed to be virtually free of breathing, so focusing does not influence image size.”

Although he prefers not to shoot below T 2.8 or T 4 in order to maintain depth of field, Aguilar appreciates the speed of the DigiPrimes. “When shooting through the mirror in the beam splitter mode of our Element Technica Quasar 3D rig, we loose between one stop and stop and a half. Having a T 1.6 is great.” City 3D was so impressed with the Quasar rig that they purchased another one, allowing for multi-camera production. To compliment what is already a top of the line operation, they also have Barco projectors and a RealD projection system for theater and location screening. City 3D brought in specialists to train them for every part of the process, not just stereographers, but also rig technicians and Pablo post-production experts.

Since acquiring their SI-3D package City 3D has been busy demonstrating their talents all over Mexico. Ever the consummate integrator, Reyes is looking toward the future, “Our challenge is to let the businesses know that 3D does not end in film and TV. We can do that, but we want to produce much more, from live events to entertainment for museums and amusement parks.

“The interest is there. The theaters are ready for the distribution. They’ve been screening 3D features for a few years. And a lot of production companies and publicity agencies are looking forward to creating 3D commercials and videos.” With all this possibility around her, Reyes is confident. “The market is just starting and we are pushing hard to show that we are fully capable of shooting any kind of 3D content, with the best quality.”

View PDF of magazine article

View full issue PDF on FD Times Website

Vice President/Technical Services
Band Pro Film & Digital Inc.

The success of James Cameron's Avatar has ignited interest in 3D camera systems and the parts to produce these systems. The early adopters of 3D had to design and manufacture the rigs but in many cases repackage the cameras to get the desired results. I have had the pleasure of being around a large group of the early adopters of these systems and have witnessed the issues of packaging existing products into workable 3D systems. The process was often long and tedious and made it impossible for those without high levels of engineering expertise to enter the market. During the recent NAB exhibition, it was very evident that this has changed. New products from both the established manufacturers and new boutique manufactures are providing all the various elements to construct functioning 3D systems without a machine shop.

3D Rigs
Since the integrated 3D cameras from Panasonic and Sony are not available, some type of rig is required to produce those 3D images. These units come in many shapes and sizes to support the various camera systems, but all these rigs are divided into two basic categories, Side-by-Side or Beam-Splitter type.

Side-by-Side rigs are the most cost effective and simplest way to produce 3D. Simply mounting two cameras on a bar or platform parallel to each other will provide the basic stereoscope view needed to produce 3D. These systems are generally used for wider shots or longer-range shots as the intraocular separation is limited by the size of the cameras and lenses, making it almost impossible to perform close-ups with these systems. This can be improved by using special camera systems modified for this purpose such as the Sony "J" camera which was designed to allow for a 1 %" inch separation. Block cameras are also used for this purpose, but with some loss in quality. When automating functions like intraocular separation and convergence are added to the package, the expense and sophistication of the systems multiplies. Maintaining alignment of the images also moves beyond the budget and abilities of most low-budget projects.

Beam-Splitter rigs have become the common system as they allow the use of higher-quality, full-size cameras. One camera looks through the split mirror and the other looks at the reflected images allowing the smaller intraocular separation required for capturing close-ups. Additionally, depending on the size of the mirror, the separation may be increased as required for those long shots. These rigs can be very large depending on the cameras and lenses utilized for the production. The mirror size is also a key factor in the size of the rig. A larger mirror can increase the versatility of the system to produce a wider range of images while reducing the usefulness due to the size of the rig. Many of these rigs have utilized the "T" head cameras such as the HDC-F9S0 and HDC- 1 SOOR from Sony. These allow the optical block of the camera to separate from the processor, keeping the mounted portion of the system very small. New camera systems like the Sony HDC-Pl provide the performance of much larger system while reducing the size and versatility of the rigs. The smallest split mirror rig that I have seen for a performance camera was built by Element Technica for the Silicon Imaging SI-2K.

These types of rigs required a build-it-yourself approach in the past, but that is no longer the case. Currently more manufacturers than could fit in this magazine issue are making 3D rigs. Here are a few the key players:

Element Technica builds 3D rigs for all sizes of cameras, from the F3S down to the Iconix miniature cameras, and all of their rigs are convertible from Beam-Splitter to Side-by-Side and back. Their new Quasar is very popular with Red One users, but the new Sony HDC-P1 fits very well on this system too. This unit can use the wireless 3D Technica Hand Control for controlling the functions of the rig. Those in the EXl/3 market will find that the Pulsar rig will fit their needs at a lower price point. A simpler design with fewer features than the Quasar, the Pulsar still provides good performance for this part of the market. The Neutron Rig is the smallest production unit from Element Technica which works very well with the SI-2K cameras and other smaller cameras. P+S Technik has their popular Universal Mirror Rig, designed to handle the largest of cameras from all manufacturers. P+S provides the necessary pieces to customize the rig to the camera selected for the project. System costs can be minimized by selecting the manual version of the rig, but a full servo control version is available as well.

The Stereo Tango Rig is a space-age carbon fiber construction, reducing the overall weight while maintaining the rigidity of this full-size rig. The rig is designed to interface with the full line of Arri camera accessories including bridge plates, bellows, and filter frames. The unit is available in both manual and full servo configurations. All of the major lens control systems-Arri, Cmotion, Scorpio and Prestoncontrol the rig to simplify the interface.

3D Film Factory of San Diego has a line of both Side-by-Side and Beam-Splitter rigs. They are best known for their well-built economical units, but the 3D-BS Pro Rig is a full featured system that can handle the Red One, Sony HDWF900 and HDC cameras. Designed for the smaller EX1 type cameras, as well as the new DSLR systems, the 3D-BS Mini Rig provides a low-cost entry system for the masses. The 3D Film Factory's Side-by-Side Pro and Indie systems are of a simple rail design for the less-demanding, fixed applications.

Cameras
The camera system used on a 3D rig is a very subjective choice. Many of the experienced 3D production companies prefer 2/3" cameras rather than some of the newer cameras with large format imagers because the increased depth of field is often considered enhancement of the 3D image. However, by now nearly every camera has been paired for 3D. Here is a rundown of the most common cameras used for 3D production.

Due to the low cost, compact size and high performance, the Red One has become very popular with the independent 3D production companies. It still requires a full size rig, but the compactness of the system reduces the overall mass of the 3D system. New introductions from Red promise to help reduce rig size even further.

The Silicon Imaging SI-2K Mini provides a 2K image in a very small package. The camera lends itself to Side-by-Side rigs or very small Beam-Splitter rigs. The SI-2K outputs a RAW image so recording is performed directly to a computer or to the new Cinedeck recorder unit. To simplify the process the SI-3D system uses two remote head SI-2K Mini connected to a single processing system and custom software via gigabit Ethernet, where they are synchronized and controlled through a touchscreen interface.

The Sony HDC-F9S0 and HDC-I SOOR444 are popular with the high-end 3D companies for their 4:4:4 capabilities and their "T" Head configuration. The optical block is separated from the camera processor and placed on a special 50-meter cable reducing the size and mass of the 3D rig while maintaining the image quality and control of the high-end system camera.

Industrial box type cameras are used for 3D systems when size is a key element of the rig. The performance of these systems have never been up to the quality levels of the system cameras and camcorders used by normal production companies so Sony designed a hybrid camera they call the HDC-PI. The simple box design maintains the small size of the box type cameras while providing the performance of the HDC-1500R system camera. The camera includes Genlock in 4:2:2 outputs and interfaces with the standard Sony remote control systems. On elite productions where size of the rig is not a limitation, you will find full size "Cine" cameras such as the Panavision Genesis and Sony's F23 and F35 attached to full size Beam-Splitter rigs. Mounted to the correct rig these cameras provide high performance with real-time viewing capabilities that has made them the choice of higher budget projects.

Lenses
Choosing the right lenses can the key to a successful project. Finding a matching pair of lenses is no easy feat. Just taking two prime lenses of the same manufacture, model, and focal length off the shelf will not guarantee a matching pair. Zoom lenses that are to be used in tandem for 3D productions must share the same focal length-and during shooting, they must also match zoom and focus position. The Fujinon 3D Synchronous Control System uses 16 bit encoding to synchronize the left and right lenses so zoom and focus accurately move in unison. Fujinon is producing four models providing coverage from 6.3 to 175 mm without using the extender.

The creation of these tools for the 3D production has opened opportunities for the entire market, not just master machinists and mechanical designers. By taking these individual pieces and putting them together, it is possible for a crew with reasonable mechanical skills to assemble a 3D rig. However, not all 3D is good 3D, so you must take the time to learn process, procedures, and skills to produce quality 3D. Good Luck!

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The SI-3D system has been getting a lot of attention lately from it's use on films such as "Saw 3D" and "Jackass 3D." The SI-2K (camera head for 2D) was also the primary camera on Oscar-winner Danny Boyle's latest film, "127 Hours."

Tapeless Workflow Solutions from Band Pro

Band Pro IBC 2010 from Band Pro Film & Digital on Vimeo.

Seth Emmons and Fred Meyers of Band Pro show you around the booth on IBC 2010 and talk about camera lenses of Leica, Zeiss and Schneider, new tapeless workflow and production engineering services.

Among the innovative technologies featured by Band Pro were a number of digital recording and digital asset managment/workflow solutions. Some were familiar names, like S.two and Codex Digital. The S.two OB-1 was mounted on the back of a Sony F35 on a Steadicam, showing a powerful and portable option for high quality, uncompressed recording. The Codex Onboard was also present, now with direct pin connection to the F35 for controlled ramping, a new innovation and the first of its kind outside the Sony product line. Also on display were the Codex Transfer Station, a fantastically flexible solution for generating LTO back ups and capable of outputting almost any file format imaginable. What was new from Codex was the Desktop Transfer Station. This unit, about the size of a shoe, can connect directly to a high-powered CPU and emulate all the file management functionality of the full-size transfer station.

Newcomer to the world of digital asset management was Marvin. From Marvin Technologies, this unit streamlines and automates the back up and verification of files from digital cameras, greatly removing the chance of human error. Simply plug in a CF card (or hard drive, P2, etc.) and Marvin creates a verified back up copy on an internal RAID, copies to LTO tape, creates proxy files for editing and at the end of the day burns a DVD of the dailies for the director. All parameters are created at the beginning of production so the system is plug-and-play throughout the day.

Band Pro also had on display the most diverse collection of professional lenses on the show floor. Headlined by the new Leica Summilux-C Primes in a black and red showcase straight from Leica Headquarters in Wetzler, the collection also included the Carl Zeiss Compact Primes CP.2 lenses in PL, Canon and Nikon mount, Zeiss DigiPrimes and DigiZooms, Schneider Cine-Xenar Primes, Ruby Zoom, and more.

In the camera department, the selection was also diverse. Sony's top line cameras, including the SRW-9000PL and F35 were shown with full production accessories. An Arri Alexa showed Codex Onboard recording and sported a Leica Summilux-C Prime. Also wearing Leica was the new camera from Red, the 5K EPIC. Ted Schilowitz spent over an hour each day in the Band Pro booth discussing the benefits of high resolution imaging, hence the 5K camera with the 5K+ Leica lens.

Complete Camera Data Management for Demanding 80-Day Shoot

Amsterdam: August 24, 2010… The MARVIN camera data management system is currently proving itself on a demanding shooting schedule for the high-profile Dutch mini-series Lijn 32 (Route 32).

Directed by Maarten Treurniet, the eight-episode thriller opens with a bang when a bus arriving in Amsterdam suddenly explodes. The series then retraces the steps of everyone on the bus, uncovering their individual stories, and ultimately, the mystery of what caused the horrific explosion. Among other firsts, the 80-day shoot, which wraps in early October, represents the production debut for MARVIN, the new digital cinematography workflow system from MARVIN Technologies.

Cinematographer Jan Moeskops is shooting Lijn 32 on RED MX cameras. The shoot is generating between 150 and 200 GB of data each day, captured on 16 GB CF cards. Once full, the CF cards are attached to MARVIN, which copies the data to its internal 12 TB RAID5 array, as well as separate hard drives. MARVIN verifies the data as it copies, flagging any corrupt file it finds. When the data is verified, MARVIN automatically generates LTO tape masters, QuickTime proxies for offline editing and DVD dailies.

“The idea of the MARVIN is one thing, but when you put it to use on a real production, you experience the difference it makes in your work,” said director Maarten Treurniet, inventor of the MARVIN, (along with developer and business partner Guus Zijlstra). “We made some interesting discoveries on this project and what we have learned is flowing directly back into development on the MARVIN.”

With a multitude of locations and characters, the shooting schedule for Lijn 32 is extremely challenging. During the first few weeks, the team found that the standard Core i7 920 CPU could not process data fast enough to keep up with the volume of material being captured every day. They decided to upgrade to the MARVIN Pro configuration, which features the Intel Core 980x processor. “That changed everything,” recalled Treurniet. “MARVIN was able to copy 16 GB cards in under 10 minutes, as well as verifying all the data. We had wondered if we would need to upgrade to an LTO4 drive, but we have found that LTO3 is fast enough to keep up. While we continue shooting, MARVIN processes the data, creating the masters, offlines and dailies.”

“We’re using a total of five CF cards on Lijn 32,” said Marcel Vendrig, digital imaging technician on Lijn 32. “When we’ve copied the data, we erase the card and send it back to the cameras. We typically use each of those cards several times each day.”

MARVIN saves high resolution stills for each take. “The full resolution stills are excellent,” explained Vendrig. “I use them to check image quality, for example to make sure all the camera sensors are registering correctly.”

Throughout the shoot, maintenance and updates to the system have been provided remotely by MARVIN support. “It was incredible,” enthused Treurniet. “Wherever you are in the world, when you connect your MARVIN, support can get right into the machine if you need help with anything. It’s the same with software updates. There is practically zero maintenance for the user. It’s all done remotely through MARVIN support.”

MARVIN from the DIT’s Perspective
“Before MARVIN, I did my data wrangling with a laptop, Data Manager and external hard drives,” explained Vendrig. “When I had copied the files, I sent the drives to the post house where they created the dailies and offlines. It was more complicated and much more time-consuming, and there was always the nagging fear that something might go wrong.

“I was excited about the opportunity to work with a new technology on this project,” continued van Vendrig. “I no longer need to spend time just copying data. Instead I can focus on my real work – checking image quality and fixing problems when they come up.”

MARVIN from the Cinematographer’s Perspective
“This is my second project on the RED camera,” said Jan Moeskops, director of photography. “I still like shooting on film, but for this project, I’m glad we’re using the RED. We have such a complex script with so many locations and characters. It’s a relief to have MARVIN with us.

MARVIN creates the rushes, and I don’t have to think about any of it. I can check lighting and sharpness as we go. At the end of the day, I know that every shot is good. It takes a big load off your shoulders.”

MARVIN from the Editor’s Perspective
“These days in post, it often feels like we are one step behind the camera technologies,” said Jasper Quispel, who, along with Bas Icke, is editing Lijn 32. “A cameraman is already shooting with a new camera, but Final Cut Pro and Avid are not yet compatible with the new system, and the RED camera is no exception.”

“We’ve had many issues converting the R3D files in the past few years, and for an editor, this is really annoying,” added Icke. “With MARVIN these issues are solved, and we can focus on the creative side of editing, which is what we’re supposed to be doing!”

On Lijn 32, file conversions are done on the MARVIN. The editors receive offlines as DNxHD 36 MXF files with a mixdown of the audio included. “We can load that right into the AVID,” said Quispel. “Having access to the DVD dailies as MPEG-2 files and stills of every shot is a big help too.”

MARVIN from the Director’s Perspective
“Now that we’ve seen what it can do in the real world, I can recommend a MARVIN to anyone,” said Treurniet. “Transcoding on MARVIN is faster and more reliable than anything else. Other systems crash if there is a corrupt file. MARVIN just flags the problem and continues transcoding.

We know right away when there was an issue with a file. We can check right away to see if there is enough material to salvage the shot, or if we need to re-shoot. You can 't do that if you only find the problem later."

"Out of 385 reels, which we have shot so far, we've only had four corrupt takes," he added. "MARVIN flagged all of them and we had no problem dealing with the issues right there on the spot."

MARVIN at IBC
MARVIN Technologies will be exhibiting at booth A.38 in Hall 13 in the RAI in Amsterdam, Sept. 10-14, 2010. To book an appointment for a demo, IBC visitors should contact Adam Welsh or Russell Branch (russell@marvintech .com, tel +44 (0)7900 692 000).

Lijn 32 is a Dutch mini-series being produced by ID TV for NCRV Channel 2 and KRO. The series includes eight episodes and will air this fall. Visitors to IBC will be able to see preview footage from the series at the MARVIN booth.

About MARVIN
MARVIN automates the creation of backups, L TO tape masters, QuickTime proxies for offline editing and DVD dailies. As a result, MARVIN saves filmmakers, camera owners and rental houses significant time and expense in comparison with current practices of manually copying and wrangling data . MARVIN supports the RED One camera, the Silicon Imaging SI-2K, ARRI D21 /Alexa, Panasonic P2, as well as high-speed cameras such as the Vision Research Phantom and Weisscam HS-2.

About Band Pro
Band Pro Film & Digital, Inc. specializes in products and solutions for professional filmmakers and videographers. From their offices in Burbank, CA; New York City, NY; Munich, Germany; and Tel Aviv, Israel, Band Pro offers the highest level of knowledge and expertise along with the finest equipment and accessories available. The company's research and development protocol allows product lines to expand toward the newest technologies so clients can focus on the art and craft of cinematography. With close relationships in Hollywood and worldwide, and longstanding partnerships with camera and lens makers, Band Pro has remained at the forefront of the newest developments in digital cinema. For more information, please visit: www.bandpro.com or www.bandpro.de.

About MARVIN Technologies
MARVIN Technologies was founded by Dutch filmmaker Maarten Treurniet in order to develop a simplified and reliable data workflow for the digital cinematography. The company's flagship product, MARVIN, accomplishes this by establishing a clear set of protocols and automating the creation of backups, masters, offline proxies for editorial and dailies. Based in Amsterdam, MARVIN Technologies is a privately held company with a growing network of international sales offices. For more information, please visit: www.marvintech.com

Munich, Germany. In a stunning turn of events, Northern California native and acknowledged production engineering expert Fred Meyers, who just finished George Lucas’s independent feature Red Tails, is joining Band Pro team. Meyers will serve as Director of Production Engineering for Band Pro Munich, and be available for on-set consultation or to create workflow for productions that requires his expertise.

Meyers, who has worked in technical production since 1969 is known for his innovative work and developments that helped grow ILM into the state-of-the-art production/post production facility it is today. After leaving ILM a few years ago, Meyers began to see a disturbing trend in the industry. “As the required amount of time to do the engineering work for projects is reduced, it becomes more difficult to get technical information for testing and good recommendations from people who do the production engineering work,” Meyers says. “There is a compromise for how well things could be done.”

A good production engineer translates the creative needs of a project into technical requirements and interfaces with the facilities to complete the process as smoothly as possible. A producer or creative team needs someone to walk them through the process and make recommendations on what equipment and facilities to use and where to get the equipment. “I looked at the way things are becoming for the independent production and it makes sense to me that some of that production engineering work could be done independent of the production itself. A company like Band Pro offers some of those services alongside their equipment.”

Meyers sites Band Pro’s access to cutting-edge technology provided by top equipment manufacturers as one reason the company is in demand. “Band Pro is able to provide consulting, evaluation, testing, integration and ideas that can be a real benefit to any project,” he explains. “They also work with manufacturers to tell them what they need to do to make their equipment more usable and user-friendly. In this way we can help the manufactures make better products and provide our customers with more information and support. What could be better for the whole production workflow?”

Band Pro’s clients can now take advantage of Meyers’ years of experience in developing a consistent and supportive workflow, which includes pioneering high-end 2D and 3D graphics for video-post-production in the Bay Area through the San Francisco Production Group. He was a main force in building the video engineering department, designing electronic dailies and digital editorial systems for Industrial Light & Magic. While at ILM he expanded their production engineering department, combined editorial, video and production software groups to service the computer graphics and digital productions and then went on to create history-making images in such films as Terminator 2 and Jurassic Park. He also led special projects at ILM and Lucasfilm, including development of 24P high definition video workflow that enabled Star Wars II Attack of the Clones to be the first major motion picture shot, posted, mastered and released using an HD pipeline. He also led pipeline refinements by introducing 4:4:4 camera and recording systems on Star Wars Episode III.

In 2006 Meyers left ILM to pursue projects that embraced digital and 3D cinematography including Journey to the Centre of the Earth 3D. He has also provided HD and engineering supervision and consultancy on Speed Racer, Yogi Bear (3D) and most recently Lucasfilms’ Red Tails. Meyers will be based out of Band Pro’s new production/post production satellite facility in Prague, Germany.

 Visitors to IBC will be able to see MARVIN at the Band Pro Munich stand (12.B20) during the show. MARVIN, which is already being used in the field on an 80-day shoot for the Dutch miniseries Lijn 32, automates the creation of backups, LTO tape masters, QuickTime proxies for offline editing and DVD dailies, all in a single step. At a fraction of the cost of competing data recorders, MARVIN provides data security and all of the production formats required for digital cinematography.

"This year we have been taking a good, hard look at the direction our industry is going," said Amnon Band, president of Band Pro. "With the growing use of data cameras, like RED and SI-2K, data management is becoming as important as the camera used to capture it. MARVIN is a natural result of this transition and is perhaps the simplest, most elegant solution available. Band Pro is positioned to lead this movement, and the MARVIN one of the products that will take us there."

MARVIN supports the RED One, Silicon Imaging SI-2K, ARRI D21/Alexa, Panasonic P2, Phantom, and Weisscam HS-2 cameras. The system is housed in a 4U housing with a padded case and controlled through a simple browser GUI running on a laptop computer connected via ethernet.

After entering the settings for a new project, MARVIN automates the rest of the process, saving filmmakers countless hours of manual data wrangling and effectively eliminating the risk of human error. When removable media from the camera is attached to the system, MARVIN creates verified copies of every shot to its own internal RAID5 storage array. The system then generates multiple verified LTO copies of all of the shots from the day, along with DVD dailies and QuickTime files for offline editing.

Said Gerhard Baier, Managing Director of Band Pro Munich, “We are excited about adding MARVIN to our product line-up. New technology demands new tools, and the MARVIN is the data management solution that many RED owners and data camera-based productions have been waiting for.”

“We’re delighted to be working with the team at Band Pro to make MARVIN available to filmmakers, rental houses, production companies and camera owners in Europe and the US,” said Adam Welsh, general manager of MARVIN Technologies.

See MARVIN at IBC
Visitors to IBC in Amsterdam, Sept. 10-14, 2010, can see MARVIN at the Band Pro Munich stand (12.B20) and at MARVIN Technologies (13.A38). For more information, or to book a demo, visitors should contact Band Pro Munich GmbH at +49-89-9454849-0 or info@bandpro.de.

About Band Pro
Band Pro Film & Digital, Inc. specializes in products and solutions for professional filmmakers and videographers. From their offices in Burbank, CA; New York City, NY; Munich, Germany; and Tel Aviv, Israel, Band Pro offers the highest level of knowledge and expertise along with the finest equipment and accessories available. The company’s research and development protocol allows product lines to expand toward the newest technologies so clients can focus on the art and craft of cinematography. With close relationships in Hollywood and worldwide, and long-standing partnerships with camera and lens makers, Band Pro has remained at the forefront of the newest developments in digital cinema. For more information, please visit: www.bandpro.com or www.bandpro.de.

About MARVIN Technologies MARVIN Technologies was founded by Dutch filmmaker Maarten Treurniet in order to develop a simplified and reliable data workflow for the digital cinematography. The company’s flagship product, MARVIN, accomplishes this by establishing a clear set of protocols and automating the creation of backups, masters, offline proxies for editorial, and dailies. Based in Amsterdam, MARVIN Technologies is a privately held company with a growing network of international sales offices.

To quote Roger Ebert's review of the film, "'127 Hours' is like an exercise in conquering the unfilmable." This is literally and figuratively true. The majority of the film takes place in a narrow canyon requiring the camera crew to exist in almost as tight of a space. When Director Danny Boyle and Cinematographer Anthony Dod Mantle began working out the details of actually capturing this film, they needed a camera the would allow them to work easily and eloquently in such limited space.

Having used the Silicon Imaging SI-2K camera on Oscar-winner "Slumdog Millionaire," they decided to try it out again and were surprised by the advances made with the camera since their last feature. HD Camera Rentals, a Los Angeles-based rental house that has supported SI-2K productions for years, was there to show them all the advances, including small-form recording/monitoring with the Cinedeck for SI and data management/digital workflow with 1 Beyond.

Two of the best stories on the technology behind "127 Hours" can be found on Studio Daily by Bryant Frazer and include discussion with HD Camera Rentals' Michael Mansouri.

127 Hours: Digital Workflow in the Desert

127 Hours: Big Pictures in Small Spaces

Director
Danny Boyle

Director of Photography
Anthony Dod Mantle
Enrique Chediak

Produced By
Cloud Eight Films
Everest Entertainment
Darlow Smithson Productions
Dune Entertainment III
Pathé

Distrbuted By
Fox Searchlight Pictures

Synopsis

127 Hours is the true story of mountain climber Aron Ralston's remarkable adventure to save himself after a fallen boulder crashes on his arm and traps him in an isolated canyon in Utah. Over the next five days Ralston examines his life and survives the elements to finally discover he has the courage and the wherewithal to extricate himself by any means necessary, scale a 65 foot wall and hike over eight miles before he is finally rescued. Throughout his journey, Ralston recalls friends, lovers, family, and the two hikers he met before his accident. Will they be the last two people he ever had the chance to meet?
Written by Fox Searchlight Pictures

ARRI's newest digital camera, the ALEXA, has begun delivering. Band Pro has the external recording solutions that will allow you to record uncompressed HD or 2K ARRIRAW. Owner/operators and rental houses can choose the S.two OB-1, the Codex Onboard, or even the Sony SRW-1 depending on their needs.

After purchasing your ALEXA camera, Band Pro can offer attractive financing for your external recording solution and accessories through our leasing company partner. Financing terms of 0 down/0 interest for 12 months, or 2.99% interest for 24 months (on approved credit) are available.

Contact Band Pro for more details and be ready to hit the ground running.

Burbank: +1 818.841.9655
New York: +1 212.227.8577
Email: info@bandpro.com

Recorders
S.two OB-1
Codex Onboard
Sony SRW-1

The SI-3D shoots uncompressed raw imagery from two synchronized cameras and encodes directly to a single stereo CineFormRAW QuickTime file, along with 3D LUT color and convergence metadata. The stereo file can to be instantly played back and edited in Full 3D on an Apple Final Cut timeline, without the need for proxy conversions.

Traditionally, 3D content was captured from two independent left and right cameras, each with its own settings, color controls, record start, timecode, content management and monitoring outputs. A variety of complex devices would be used to synchronize the recordings or combine the outputs for viewing. The content would then have to go through a tedious process of being ingested or converted to formats compatible with the editing or grading systems, matched up from the independent left and right sources, flipped if the shot was on a beam splitter and the timeline adjusted to have the first frame overlapped. A color grade could then be applied, convergence adjusted and finally a stereo image viewed for dailies playback.

“The SI-3D camera system streamlines the entire stereo-3D content acquisition and post production process;” states Ari Presler, CEO of Silicon Imaging. “Combining two cameras into a single control, processing and recording platform enables shooting and instant playback like a traditional 2D camera with the added tools needed on-set to analyze and adjust the lighting, color, flip orientation and stereo depth effects. In post, a unified stereo file plus associated metadata can be immediately graded for dailies, edited, and viewed in either 2D or 3D.”

The SI-3D system uses two remote SI-2K Mini cameras with an P+S interchange lens mount connected to a single processing system via gigabit Ethernet where they are synchronized and controlled through the familiar SiliconDVR touchscreen interface. On-set, each camera can be viewed individually or in stereo mixed modes using modern 3D LCD and DLP displays. Various tools are used to visualize and adjust the focus, lighting and 3-D effects including alignment grid overlays, false color zebras, digital zooming, edge detection, spot meters, dual histograms, parallax shifts, anaglyph mixing and wiggle displays.

Unlike modern HD cameras, which develop and compress colorized imagery, the SI system captures raw “digital negatives” where they are non-destructively developed and colorized for preview using the cinematographer's desired "look" for the scene. This color metadata, along with stereo convergence, flip orientation from beam splitter rigs and alignment data are encoded into a single CineFormRAW QuickTime stereo file. These files can be edited directly in Apple Final Cut without the need for conversion or rendering. With the addition of CineForm’s Neo3D, convergence plus stereo or individual eye color adjustments can be dynamically controlled and modified, while viewing live 3D playback using side-by-side, over-under, or interlaced output modes.

“Driven by increasing numbers of 3D film projects planned by Hollywood studios, the demand for efficient 3D camera and post workflows has increased significantly in the last two years,” said David Taylor, CEO of CineForm, Inc. “The combination of the Silicon Imaging SI-3D camera with CineForm high-fidelity compression-based 3D workflow will significantly reduce overall project complexity and costs.”

"The Silicon Imaging camera’s form factor and flexible lens mounting system enable us to develop innovative lightweight beam-splitter and parallel rigs to shoot steadicam and hand-held stereo footage with incredible latitude and film like results" stated Max Penner, CTO of ParadiseFX. We have the SI Mini’s as part of our 3D camera package to shooting feature films including Thomas Jane’s “Dark Country 3D”, Patrick Lussier’s, “My Bloody Valentine 3D” and Joe Dante’s “The Hole 3D”.”

The SI-3D system is also establishing new benchmarks in image quality and data rates with its ability to record dual-stream 12-bit uncompressed raw directly to mobile 2.5” SSD (Solid State Drives), with peak rates up to 200Mbytes/sec (1.6Gbit/sec). A 250 GB drive can store up to 1-hour of footage per camera. The resulting Silicon Imaging Video (.SIV) footage can be seamlessly viewed and graded directly in Iridas FrameCycler and Speedgrade XR with look and stereo metadata applied. The files can also be exported as a CinemaDNG sequences or converted to CineFormRAW 2D or 3D files, at a later time.

“There is an incredible amount of latitude and resolution from the Silicon Imaging cameras” states William White, CEO of 3D Camera Company. “Shooting directly to SSD gives us the flexibility to record stereo footage in an extreme lightweight and rugged configuration as shoulder or vehicle mounted for ‘Rescue 3D’ and even body worn for shooting from a skydiver in the upcoming ‘Human Flight 3D’. The SI-3D system with on-set visualization and integrated stereo workflow will speed up our entire shooting and production process for creating compelling 3D content.”

Official Website Site

Director
Joseph Kosinski

Director of Photography
Claudio Miranda

Produced By
Walt Disney Pictures

Soundtrack
Daft Punk

Release Date
December 17th, 2010

Synopsis

Sam Flynn (Garrett Hedlund), a tech-savvy 27-year-old, is haunted by the mysterious disappearance of his father Kevin Flynn (Jeff Bridges), a man once known as the world's leading video-game developer. When Sam investigates a strange signal sent from the abandoned Flynn's Arcade—that could have only come from his father—he finds himself pulled into a world where Kevin has been trapped for 20 years. With the help of the fearless warrior Quorra (Olivia Wilde), father and son embark on a life-or-death journey across a visually-stunning digital universe—created by Kevin himself—which has become far more advanced with never-before-imagined vehicles, weapons, and landscapes and a ruthless villain who will stop at nothing to prevent their escape.

-Wikipedia

February 5, 2010 (Burbank, CA) -- At Band Pro's One World on HD Open House back in December we debuted one of Sony's newest cameras, the HDC-P1. This compact, box-style camera does full HD with a 2/3" CCD sensor, B4 mount and variable frame rates, including 24p. Originally conceived as a studio camera, this camera will soon find itself flying off the shelf in pairs because of its natural fit for 3D production.

 One primary concern for today's stereographers is the size of the cameras. Bigger cameras require bigger 3D rigs and limit mobility. When a handheld or Steadicam shot is necessary, the smaller the cameras, the better. The HDC-P1 measures 8 3/8"x5 1/8"x3 1/2" (LxWxH), and with a weight under 4 pounds, your flexibility can go even further. Order now from Band Pro and take delivery around the beginning of March.

For fantastic cinema-quality images, ZEISS DigiPrime and DigiZoom lenses are an excellent match for these cameras. Not only are these ZEISS lenses designed specifically for 2/3" cameras like the HDC-P1, but they have all received the Carl Zeiss proprietary color matching treatment to ensure uniform color between lenses. With the exacting specifications and image matching required by 3D production, ZEISS lenses stand ready to deliver.

The technical rigors of stereoscopic production demand a great shot in the field because a "fix-it-in-post" image capture mentality will result in unusable footage and costly reshooting. That's why Astro Design came up with the SM-3324 monitor. This 24" 3D LCD monitor incorporates many features that cinematographers have been asking for. The LCD panel has an impressively wide viewing angle, and the internal 3D processor can ingest multiple 3D formats (Line-by-Line, Field Sequential, and Side-by-Side) and automatically display them as a 3D image. Perhaps the most unique feature is the ability to process two HD-SDI feeds (single or dual) simultaneously and output a 3D image. Get it right the first time by seeing it right in the field.

All of these products and much more 2D and 3D equipment are available from Band Pro's Burbank, New York, Munich and Tel Aviv offices.

We’re focused on providing the equipment that will position us strongly in the growing Southeastern production market. With so many television shows shooting digital in the Georgia area, we needed a camera that would get us the jobs.

We turned to our long-time friend Amnon Band and his crew at Band Pro. They not only provided us with the best digital camera available, the Sony F35 and SRW-1 workflow, they also set up a series of seminars to educate our clients, that made it a lot easier to get the camera out and working. With Band Pro behind us, this is just the first step in making CPT the place for the latest and the best in production equipment.

Frank Battaglia & Brian McGraw
WWW.CINEPHOTOTECH.COM

After three years of design and prototyping, the new T1.4 lenses, still code named “Mystery Primes” within Band Pro, are fully developed and 3 focal lengths are due to be demonstrated on the F35 camera at the event. The series of prime lenses, available exclusively worldwide from Band Pro, will eventually total 15 different focal lengths, ranging from 12mm to 150mm. Delivery of production models of eight of the lenses will begin in early summer of 2010.

“A unique use of aspheric technology and cutting-edge mechanical cine lens design provides the “Mystery Primes” with unmatched evenness of illumination across the entire 35mm frame and into the corners with no discernable breathing” said Michael Bravin, Chief Technologist of Band Pro. “Suppression of color fringing into the farthest corners of the frame is superior to any lenses I have ever seen.”

The entire set of “Mystery Primes” features unified distance focus scales, common size and location of focus and iris rings, and a 95mm threaded (for filters) lens front--all allowing quick interchange of lenses in a busy production environment. Another unique feature is an integrated threaded net ring in the rear of the PL mount. Designed to be light in weight yet rugged on the set, the mount and lens barrel are manufactured using lightweight high strength titanium materials. For example, a typical Mystery Prime weighs just 3 lbs (1.4kg).

The core set of “Mystery Primes” includes 18mm, 21mm, 25mm, 35mm, 40mm, 50mm, 75mm, and 100mm lenses. Additional focal lengths will be delivered in a second phase.

The first 25 sets of lenses will be delivered to Otto Nemenz International. Their experienced team provided invaluable user input from the beginning of the design process.

“When we started prep for season two of the series, our DIT Nick Kay suggested we use the OB-1 and FlashMag on our F35 cameras,” says Cernjul. “It may be representing a new turning corner in camera acquisition.

“We now use these units for wireless acquisition solutions in tandem with IDX custom wireless Cam-Wave HD systems, for all Steadicam and breakaway shots, to allow for a lightweight camera body, and magazine-based workflow for assistants to handle,” he explains.

“Currently, the method of acquisition relies mainly on laying back to tape with an additional OB-1 unit. The unit’s record time of 30 minutes per magazine is a great improvement from the past 10 minute record time and more drastic mag rotation needed in older generation solid-state recorders.

“The most important benefits of the unit are that it acquires DPX file sequences directly to the magazine, which, hopefully soon, can be played out to fit many different future post scenarios.

“The system has been a great help with getting the cameras un-cabled and closer to a fully wireless system, to allow us the freedom of movement that this series needs.”

“We talked about how the F35 processed information and how it could see beyond the visible spectrum of light that would, on occasion, let us see into the ultra violet areas,” explains Lonsdale. “We also talked about gain control, the dynamic range we could use without the need of ND filters as well as the gamma curves.” Once the show was up and running, Londsdale’s choice of camera was confirmed. “The F35 gives us a beautiful negative,” he explains. “I need a raw image that I can work with in telecine. The F35 does that. There is a great deal of latitude and I’m not worried about shooting in direct sunlight or going on location at night with the camera. I love the F35 for Bones. It is the only camera that is light sensitive enough to work on our sets and it is fast to use. With the F35, I am able to save more than 20 thousand a week on my lighting budget and retain the look of the show.”

The F35 CineAlta camera system captures "10-bit"; and "1 to 50fps" 4:4:4 images from a single Super 35 size sensor at variable frame rates from 1-50fps. The sensor size allows cinematographers to use familiar and comfortable 35mm PL mount optics.

Now celebrating its 30th anniversary, Otto Nemenz International is known throughout the industry for supplying the highest quality motion picture cameras and equipment available. Company president Otto Nemenz explains, “With the help of our friends at Band Pro, we're finally making the move to high definition. When they showed us the Sony F35 camera, we knew it was time. We take pride in offering our clients only the best products. The F35, together with our existing cine Cooke, Angenieux, and Zeiss PL mount lenses, gives us a system we're proud to put our name on.”

With offices in Burbank, New York, Tel Aviv and Munich, Band Pro Film & Digital is one of the most recognized suppliers of high definition equipment from Sony cameras to lenses, audio, power supplies, lighting and more.

Band Pro Film and Digital Premier Distributor of New Fujinon Line of PL Mount Zoom Lenses

Band Pro Film and Digital announces that the company has been selected by Fujinon as the premier distributor of the lens maker’s new PL mount zoom lens series.

“We chose Band Pro as our distribution partner because of our long-standing business relationship and their history of bringing high-quality, high-performance products to the digital cinematography market” says Hank Hayashi, President and CEO Fujinon, Inc.

Fujinon’s series of four zoom lenses provide unprecedented focal range choices from 14.5 to 400mm, with fast T stop performance and exceptional optical quality. Uniform front barrel size (136mm) and gear placement, with consistent color matched image quality in four focal ranges, facilitate quick lens changes, efficient production, and creative expression.

The first lens in the series, the 18-85mm T2.0, debuted at last year’s NAB and is now available from Band Pro. The company is also taking orders for the 75-400mm T2.8-T3.8, which will soon begin delivery. The other two lenses, the 24-180mm T2.6 and 14.5-45mm T2.0, will be unveiled at April’s National Association of Broadcasters (NAB) exhibition, and are scheduled to begin delivery in the coming months.

The camera is already hard at work.

“We chose the F35 because it allows cinematographers to use all the 35mm glass they have grown to know and love,” explains Erik Schietinger of TCS. “Sony provides a well thought out product and a proven workflow in HDCAM SR that our customers can rely on. We have worked hard to bridge the digital and film worlds and to make the transition as seamless as possible.”

A 30-year old family-owned company, TCS is run by brothers Erik and Oliver Schietinger, who explained, “To bring our customers from the film community into the digital world, we turn to companies with quality reputations. Throughout our long relationship with Band Pro we've found that not only do they support the products they sell, but they also offer technical expertise to the filmmaking community. When we bring in a new Band Pro product, one of their technicians is there for us when we demo it to our customers.”

The Sony F35 is a 1920x1080P HD CineAlta camera with a single super 35mm size CCD image sensor recording 10-bit 4:4:4 at variable frame rates from 1-50fps. It records to dockable HDCAM SR recorders. It allows the cinematographer to shoot with the full line of PL-mounted 35mm motion picture lenses.

TCS Inc. is located at 341 West 38^th St, Fourth floor, New York, NY 10018. Phone: 212-247-6517, e-mail: rental@tcsfilm.com, www.tcsfilm.com

Just 11 days before leaving for an extended shoot in China for our feature-length documentary “Deep Green”, and the day before the 2008 NAB convention opened, we decided to buy a Sony F900R camera package. I thought we'd picked the worst day in the whole year to do this and there wouldn’t be any salespeople available.But Band Pro’s sales team put it together for me, while still manning Band Pro’s NAB booth, to bring the package together in time for the shoot.

During my long career with CBS News, I’ve had a lot of experience with Band Pro. They have this reputation of, “wherever you are, whatever circumstances you require.” The guys went out with their television cameras doing news, and if something happened, in a day and a half Band Pro would send a loaner until they could either repair or replace the camera.

It was an easy decision to use the Sony F900R for “Deep Green”. We wanted the highest quality we could get. This camera is the descendent of the camera that George Lucas shot “Star Wars” Episodes II and III on. It is a stunning piece of equipment.

Having shot with an ENG camera over all those years, I particularly appreciated that the F900R’s digital cinematography technology was packaged in the familiar ENG form-factor. The camera looks exactly like a DigiBetacam camera that a news cameraman carries, and the switches are in the same position.

The F900R gave us the portability our small crew needed to shoot run-and-gun style as we moved throughout China. It is extremely easy to handle when it’s not on a tripod. You can fly it around, put it on your lap, stick your nose out the door of a helicopter—you can do all kinds of things with it.

We opted for the Sony HDVFC35W viewfinder with our F900R, and I’ve found its image quality astonishing. It is a superb color finder, and it has a removable eye tube that allows me to fold out the TFT paddle monitor and view it directly.

We chose Fujinon 13X4.5 and 18x7.6 HD lenses, and a Chrosziel mattebox, keeping in mind quality and low weight as we would be trekking into some rugged terrain. We purchased four IDX E10S battery packs for their ample power rating, and a couple of lighter-weight IDX E7S packs for situations where we had to be extremely mobile.

I've also long been a fan of Sachtler camera support equipment. I knew the safe choice would have been the Video 20 Plus combination with ample excess capacity, but I wanted to keep the weight down, so we bought a Sachtler Video 12 SB system. And even with the camera, the big Fujinon HD lens, matte box and large batteries, the smaller head and legs worked just fine.

I can’t thank Band Pro enough for bringing our camera package together at the last minute, during their busiest time of the year.

“Deep Green”, due to premiere in the spring of 2009 picks up where Al Gore’s An Inconvenient Truth left off, exploring people, governments, companies and organizations working to create a sustainable world.

Carey Weatherford shot television news from 16mm film through the days of electronic newsgathering, including CBS News in New York. He now lives in Oregon and is finishing cinematography on the “Deep Green” project.

The OB-1 sets new standards for size, weight, power consumption, performance and flexibility in an uncompressed recorder, including support for 3D. It is designed to be mounted directly on new-generation digital film cameras such as Sony’s F23 and F35. The 8x5x4-inch unit weighs less than 6 pounds, records uncompressed 4:4:4 RGB from two cameras simultaneously, and requires less than 28 watts of camera power at 10 to 36VDC. The removable FlashMag media has a capacity of more than 30 minutes 4:4:4, incorporates multiple levels of internal redundancy, is hot-pluggable, and uses a connector rated for 100,000 insertions.

The FlashDock supports video and file-based data transfers by incorporating multiple video and computer interfaces, includes a color touch-screen monitor. It can operate on 100-240VAC or 22-30VDC without external adapters, making it suitable for both Field and Facility usage. An optional FlashDock Expansion Chassis supports multiple user-configurable peripheral devices such as LTO tape drives for completely self-contained backup and archival of data.

“We are enthusiastic about offering the innovative S.two technology to our clients. These pioneering products are the next step in tapeless recording. It is tomorrow’s technology ready to work today,” says Amnon Band founder and president Band Pro Film & Digital.

The OB-1 and FlashMag products are in current inventory at Band Pro for immediate delivery, and are supported by current S.two Corp docking stations in use at facilities around the world. FlashDock models will soon add to the population of supporting docking and transfer stations.

“I’ve really come to love the Zeiss DigiPrime and DigiZoom lenses,” he says. “I love shooting wide open. They render beautiful softly blurred backgrounds and focus racks have virtually no breathing or shifting. They are about as transparent a lens as I have ever used. Not to mention the rugged Zeiss built quality, smooth action and great focus scale markings that make them a pleasure to work with. They really add a whole level of depth to any HD camera they are mounted to.”

For his award-winning Discovery project that explores the journey that human sperm undertakes, Benning matched the Zeiss lenses with the Sony F900R, taking the package through water slides, farmer’s fields, studios, the Canadian Rockies and the UK. “Knowing that we would be in some harsh daylight environments with extreme contrast (full sun, mountains, lens flares and extras all dressed in white) it became evident that choosing the best lenses for flares and contrast for the Sony F900R was important. With all of the CGI work being done in post, we needed super-sharp imagery. I knew that the Zeiss DigiPrimes and DigiZoom were the way to go. We carried a full set of the primes as well as the 6-24mm zoom.”

For the story of the “Manson Family Murders”, which aired on the History Channel in September to coincide with the 40th anniversary of this shocking story, Benning needed to be able to create images that would play on big screens in festivals. “We paired the Sony F900R with Zeiss DigiPrime lenses and got mercilessly sharp images, which I diffused a little with a 1/8 Black Pro-Mist or an occasional ¼ to let the hot desert backgrounds blow out a tiny bit and take some of the detail out of our actors’ faces, so we could get that period 1960s feeling. This combination worked really well to smooth out the hyper crispness of the DigiPrimes without degrading them. We shot everything wide-open on these lenses to keep our backgrounds as soft as possible, which really gave the HD look so much more depth and romance. The DigiPrimes are as sharp wide open as they are stopped down!”

Emcee’d by DCS founder James Mathers, the event was arranged to educate increasingly interested industry professionals about the camera that few of them had used but all had heard about.

Silicon Imaging Engineer Sinclair Fleming began the presentation by explaining how the company has evolved from industrial camera manufacturer to digital cinematography pioneer and how it is approaching image capture from a different direction. Rather than a video-based recorder like most digital cameras, the SI-2K records images (raw digital negatives) as data directly to a PC (or a Mac run in BootCamp) via gigabit Ethernet and utilizes a Super 16mm-sized 2K sensor with 11 stops of dynamic range. Other revolutionary Silicon Imaging achievements are the integration of the virtually lossless CineForm RAW codec and the unique touchscreen interface for in-camera control.

Cinematographer Ulf Soderqvist spoke next and qualified the interface as “very mature and stable.” And Soderqvist would know. He was one of the first cinematographers to embrace the camera technology over three years ago and has used it on three indie feature films and numerous commercials. Among the greatest benefits of the system that he cited is the ease of editing. The SI-2K outputs files that can be dropped directly onto a Final Cut Pro timeline without additional conversion. Also, LUTs can be non-destructively added during shooting, travel with the footage into post, and then be applied seamlessly to achieve the desired look of the footage.

Soderqvist spoke at length about the form factor of the SI-Mini, the stand-alone camera head that measures only 105x70x45mm, allowing it to be configured in almost limitless compact variations from handheld to mini jib arms. He also noted that the interchangeable lens mount system gives him creative flexibility not available to most DPs: one camera that can be outfitted with PL, C, Nikon F, or B4-mount lenses, such as the Zeiss DigiPrime and DigiZoom lenses.

Band Pro Technical Consultant Randy Wedick then gave a thorough walkthrough of the SiliconDVR interface and the seemingly limitless in-camera options available via the touchscreen monitor. Some standout items are a false color exposure and histogram meter, which give the cinematographer a quick and precise check of exposure. Additionally, edge detection and display zoom provide an accurate focus reference. The system also features the ability to create non-destructive 3D LUTs that can be toggled on and off, a first for an in-camera control system.

New Service Provides Unique Finance and Lease Options to Production and Broadcast Companies Needing Cine and Broadcast Equipment and Accessories.

Band Pro Film & Digital, Inc. proudly announces a new customer-focused financing program. Now Band Pro can offer a number of customized financing options specifically designed for the needs of the broadcast and cinema production industries. Following the existing tradition of excellent service, a team of finance professionals will be available to help secure flexible and competitive financing options for new and existing Band Pro customers.

For 25 years Band Pro has been an industry leader in technology, sales and training. A greater commitment to support and training has always set Band Pro apart from competitors, and the new financing focus goes even further. Aiming to serve customers requesting financing options from 12 to 60 months, with most applicants approved within 24 hours, Band Pro continues to make it easier for professionals to get the equipment they need in their hands and get to work.

Band Pro Film & Digital Inc in Burbank welcomes Jeffrey Feldman

As the 16x9, Inc. specialist, Feldman will be Band Pro’s resident expert on new HD Lens Attachments, Chrosziel matteboxes, follow-focus systems, Bebob LED On-board and Field Lights, Noga Cine Arms, and the rest of the Band Pro products.

For more information, contact Band Pro Film & Digital, 3403 West Pacific Avenue, Burbank, CA 91505, Phone: 818/841-9655, email: info@bandpro.com or Jeffrey.Feldman@bandpro.com

SRW-9000
No Learning Curve, Long Earning Curve

 
The SRW-9000 is designed for future growth and earning potential with an upgradeable sensor, lens mount and recording module. The HDCAM SR recording format is built-to-last. Already an industry standard and available at post houses around the world, you can rest assured that Sony's solid state recording solution, SR Memory, will be just as universally compatible.

So why not make your lenses upgradeable as well?

Those who purchase a SRW-9000 and a set of ZEISS DigiPrime lenses now will be eligible to trade-in their DigiPrimes on a brand new set of Leica Summilux-C Primes.*

Start working today:
2/3" sensor B4 mount - HDCAM SR Recording - 10-set of ZEISS DigiPrimes

Upgrade to:
Super 35mm-sized Sensor and PL mount - Solid State SR Memory - 8-set of Leica Summilux-C Primes

Reliability + Availability + Your Ability

*Lenses Trade-in Offer (Some restrictions will apply. Lens condition and depreciation will be taken into account. More details available upon request.)

Burbank: +1 818.841.9655
New York: +1 212.227.8577
Email: info@bandpro.com

SRW-9000 Product Page

More info on Zeiss Digiprimes

Vice President/Technical Services
Band Pro Film & Digital Inc.

The transition to High Definition and its many transmission formats have created a dilemma for the freelance cameraperson. I am often asked, what camera or camcorder should I own? Unlike the day when a freelance cameraperson would draw most of his work from one network, today's freelancer must be able to answer the call from any of the various programs and networks. In the past it was easy. You purchased the product the network that you were affiliated with used and owned. Now it is not so easy because each network uses different formats.

Last year Sony finally introduced a camcorder that met the needs of the current freelance market. With CBS leading the move, the PDW-700 seemed to be the solution for this market. At the networks' suggestion many freelancers made the move and purchased the PDW-700. The camcorder provided full 1O8O and 720 formats with no sub-sampling like HDCAM, XDCAM-HD and Varicam at 4:2:2. The PDW-700 had a 2/3" imager allowing all the lenses that had been developed for the HDW-F900 and Varicam to be used on this new news camera.

If there was any complaint about the product, it was that it was built for the news business. In fact, it was the networks that provided most of the input for this product since they were making large commitments to purchase PDW-700s. Of course the freelance market complained that news was only a part of their market. They needed 24P for their entertainment and news magazine productions. Sony did respond, although slowly, and are now providing a 24P upgrade to the PDW-700. But Sony did not stop there. They went on to develop a full production "F-Series" camcorder using the MPEG 4:2:2 50Mb/s XDCAM format that was introduced at NAB 2009 as the "PDW-F8OO."

The PDW-F8OO is the first of the 2/3" imager "CineAlta" camcorders from Sony that does not record to tape as it uses the Professional Disc Media of the XDCAM systems. Like the PDW-700 before, it uses the MPEG HD422 codec as its main high definition recording system, but it can record in the previous 4:2:0 based XDCAM-HD as well. Another feature of this system is the ability to record standard definition using the MPEG-IMX and DVCAM formats. One of the major improvements of this product over the PDW-700 is the ability to over-crank to 2X normal speed in all the progressive formats and under-crank down to one frame in single frame increments.

The camera section of this camcorder is based on the same imager employed in the HDC-1500 camera, currently in use by a large percentage of the mobile production trucks in the US market. The three 2/3" Power HAD FX CCDs provide a combination of very low noise (59 dB with digital noise reduction) and high sensitivity (T11@2000 Lux at 59.941, T12@2000 Lux at 501, 25P, and 23.98P). The use of the 14 Bit A/D allows the full dynamic range of the camera to be passed to the processor with no pre-knee compression required.

This level of processing also allows functions such as Shading, Flare Compensation and White Balance to be performed in the digital processing rather than in the analog areas of the camera. One thing different from the PDW-700 camcorder is the use of dual filter wheels. The PDW-700 depended on the wideband processing of the processor for color correction, but because of the demands of the market, the filter wheels have returned to this product. With production other than news being the focus of this product, a variety of Gamma settings including the popular HyperGamma curves provided in earlier CineAlta cameras have been included. Advanced matrix features such as Multi Matrix have been added to fulfill the needs of a true production camera.

The key to this product is the very sophisticated up-/ down- and cross conversion chip set. This allows the camera to capture and process in 1920 X 1080 at all times which assures that the optical low-pass filter in front of the imager is optimized to the pitch of the imager. Conversions to the other formats available in the PDW-F8OO are done after the image is processed by this advanced chip set. This allows recordings to be performed in one format while outputting another for air play.

This conversion system can also be used with the two optional input boards that allow composite and SD/HD SDI to be recorded directly to the camera from an external source such as a pool feed. These Signals can be recorded in their native format or converted to any of the capable formats of the system. The sophisticated converter is what makes this the perfect camera for the freelance cameraperson. If working for NBC or CBS you have a full resolution 1920 X 1080 system or if working for ABC, ESPN or Fox it can provide 1280 X 720. In addition, if you have a corporate client that has not converted to high definition you can deliver standard definition as well.

This being a production camera, the need for at least 4:2:2 sampling was required and the MPEG-HD422 system provides that. As mentioned earlier, this is accomplished without the sub-sampling required by earlier production formats from Sony and Panasonic.

24-bit uncompressed audio is selectable between two and four channels in most formats. Standard analog inputs are provided for a stereo front microphone, along with two channels at the back of the camera, and two inputs exist at the base of the wireless slot. Being a production-based camera, AES audio is also available via the two XLR connectors at the back of the camera.

The recording system of the PDW camcorders writes to the Professional Disc Media that comes in two forms, the PFD23A (23.3 GB Disc) and the PFD50DLA (50 GB Dual Layer Disc). The dual layer system provides recording times in the MPEG-HD422 format of about 95 minutes. This can be stretched to about 200 minutes in the 25Mb/s MPEG-HD 4:2:0 variation of XDCAM-HD. This is a clip file based system that allows it to integrate into non-linear based edit systems with ease. The clips can be configured in two ways. Each start and stop generates a new clip, or for cine applications you may want to utilize the Clip Continuous Record mode. Clip Continuous Record makes one clip that can be assigned a prefix (i.e. scene number) that contains multiple takes. Thumbnails can still be generated for each take for editing, but it keeps things numbered the way we are accustomed to for this type production.

The limited amount of time that I have had with the camera has proved to be inspiring. The low light capability of the camera is as excellent as you would expect from the specifications. The 14 Bit A/D and advanced processor handle high dynamic range situations well, getting all the range the ITU-709 standard allows. If you need more range, the HyperGamma curves are available to improve the capabilities. The advanced matrix control gives you all the handles that are available on the HDW-F900 to adjust the colormetry of the camera. Add the proven XDCAM Clip-based recording system and you get a very powerful system.

I had one Studio Executive indicate that he would like to replace some aging HDW-F900s from an existing TV show but was afraid the camera would look too good since it was recording the full 1920 X 1080 image.

All of this may sound like a sales brochure, but it is hard to talk about the PDW-FSOO without falling into this mode. The freelance cameraperson now has an HD version of what Betacam SP was to the standard definition market. All of this is incorporated into a camcorder that weighs under 13 1/2 pounds with the viewfinder, microphone and battery installed-all that must be added is the lens. Final pricing has not been generated for this product, but the ballpark figure given to me from Sony is approximately $42,000 US. Considering that the Betacam BVW-D600 was listed at $68,500 when first released, this system might be considered a bargain.

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Vice President/Technical Services
Band Pro Film & Digital Inc.

Do l need a DIT when working in HD? The honest answer to this question is maybe. While I am a proponent of the DIT (Digital Imaging Technician) position for multicamera episodic and feature productions, I would not consider it a requirement for the normal single-camera documentary or
natural history productions. I say this, yet I know of natural history and documentary productions that would not have been successfully completed without the participation of a well-rounded DIT. Multi-camera productions are another matter. It is very rare to have someone on the normal camera crew that can put together the necessary equipment for the more complicated production, but this should be easy for a good DIT. I find that much of the resistance to using a DIT on the camera crew comes more from the lack of knowledge of the position or from a history of an unsuccessful collaboration between a DP and a DIT. Knowing the basic skill sets that every DIT should have makes it easier to determine if a DIT is necessary.

Most of the positions in the modern day camera crew have been clearly defined. Everyone knows the duties of the Camera Operator, First Assistant and Second Assistant, but the D IT position remains ambiguous.

Reviewing the roster of those that call themselves a DIT, the ability levels vary greatly. Some have engineering backgrounds; others come from the video control position; still others come from video assist backgrounds. Each of these backgrounds brings a different skill set to the production.

A Director of Photography has to consider if these skill sets provide a benefit to their production workflow. As with other positions in a camera crew, we find that all those who fill them are not created equal and DITs are no exception.

Certain individuals may have advanced skills in camera setup and developing custom looks for the show. They might have special talents in designing production systems and interfacing with post production. Some have proven abilities to develop camera packages for special applications, such as aerial imaging or underwater applications. For this very reason some of the more advanced personnel in this field have stopped using the job title of DIT to differentiate their particular skills from those of the average DIT.

So what is the basic skill set that constitutes a qualified DIT? I polled some of the most advanced working DITs and assembled a fairly good consensus of the baseline requirements for this position. They come down to four basic skill sets. Interestingly enough, those polled all came back with variations of the same criteria and the first requirement had nothing to do with the technical portion of the position.

• The ability to communicate

A DIT must have the ability to communicate with the Director of Photography and other members of the crew. This includes providing clear explanations of issues and problems to the crew, production, and the rental facility that is providing the equipment. The most important aspect of this requirement is that the DIT must be willing to identify issues that affect technical aspects of the production so that corrective measures may be instituted.

The best relationships I've had with the Director of Photography as an Imaging Technician have been collaborative in nature. The result is a project where my knowledge of the camera and the visual creativity of the Director of Photography work together for the good of the production.

• Knowledge of the controls and setup of the equipment to be used on the production

Knowing the equipment sounds simple, but with the rotation of models from the various equipment manufactures, it is not always possible to have a background on every model in use. Someone who is good on a Panasonic camera may not have enough knowledge to work on a show using Sony F23 systems. In fact, a DIT who has only worked with the HDW-F900 may not have the knowledge to get the full performance and benefits from a Sony F35.

If this is the case, the DIT must insist on getting proper preparation time to learn the equipment. The DIT must take advantage of every workshop and seminar to stay up-to-date on the current equipment. Rental facilities around the country have been very open to working with DITs to get the basic knowledge required to interface and control the equipment in their production systems. The best DIT has a network of knowledgeable resources to call for advice. This may be from the rental facility, equipment manufacturer or supplier, but the network needs to be in place prior to the production. It is imperative that the DIT has this knowledge prior to going on set.

Some of the cameras like the Viper, Red, F23 and F35 limit the on-set manipulation required to operate these cameras in Cine Mode, but the DIT must still know how to configure these cameras with the proper setting.

• A basic understanding of video (analog and digital), audio (analog and digital) and timecode

To design a system, the DIT must know the characteristics of the signals coming from the cameras and other sources on set. Cable limitations, signal loss and delay characteristics are keys to having a system that functions properly.

With the F23 for example, knowing the difference between a 4:4:4 dual-link feed, which has embedded audio and timecode, and a 4:2:2 monitoring feed, which only has audio and timecode during playback and may have a LUT applied, is very important.

On-camera recording simplifies this process, but more and more of the systems are using off-camera recording, which requires timing of the video, audio and timecode to achieve a proper recording, due to the independent feeds and sources. Fiber transmission systems and HD-SDI routing sometimes make us forget about these timing issues, as all the signals are in time in the embedded HD-SDI signal, but when working with them separately, transmission delays and timing become an issue.

As they are often used for monitoring on set, down conversion and cross conversion fall into this category. Processing delays and sync sound may be issues addressed setting up this series of feeds.

• Monitor setup

This sounds like a basic skill for the position, but it was included on everyone of the lists I received from working DITs. Knowing how to establish proper setup and matching monitors is important especially if the DIT will be performing on-set color adjustments. Not having a proper reference monitor is a sure way to have a problem during a production. Many of the new monitors have LUT boxes built into the monitor. It is essential that the DIT know how to route this feature, especially when using RAW or Log outputs for monitoring. I have seen more than one production go bad when the output of the LUT box was fed to the waveform monitor and adjustments were made that could not be repaired in post.

These four skill sets were listed by every DIT who was asked what the basic knowledge is to perform the job. When deciding if a DIT is a necessary element of the crew, a Director of Photography needs to ask whether these skill sets will make the production run properly.

Even if members of the existing crew have these abilities, do they have the time to perform these functions during production? Does the on set workflow require someone with skills beyond the basics?
Some of the newer camera systems like the F23 and F35 from Sony have operating modes that lock out most of the adjustments that might be manipulated by the DIT, limiting the need for the position. So the camera itself may help in the hiring decision.

Many of the DITs that come from the engineering side can perform field repairs. If the production happens to be in a remote location, this could be an added benefit of having a DIT on the crew. On the other side of the issue, if you decide to utilize the talents of a DIT, be sure to make them part of the camera department and use their available skills. The best way to lose a good DIT is by using them only as an on-set grunt to move equipment.

There are many options on how to utilize the services of a DIT. Many productions have used the services of a DIT for only the preproduction period and the beginning of the show, to establish the working system. Others have a DIT on set for the full production to monitor the technical aspects of the program.

A DP must be aware that it is their responsibility to clearly define the duties that are required from your DIT. The biggest failures of this position have originated from a poor definition of duties at the start of production. As the production proceeds, the duties of the DIT can always expand based on individual skill sets.

So do you need a DIT on your next HD production? The answer is still maybe.

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