Tag Archives: ND Filter

DJI Mavic Air 2 has a 240fps 1080p mode that you won’t use!

DJI Mavic Air 2

DJI has unveiled the Mavic Air 2 consumer drone with incredible specs and a fit and finish that rivals their more expensive lineup. We have been waiting for a successor to the original Mavic Air to see where the platform was taking high frame rates but while we now have a 240fps 1080p mode, it hardly what we would call usable for production.  There is a softness and compression that while they look ok for amateur and some Youtube videos it fails for professionals that need that quality output.

There is a lot to like here like the 48MP sensor with 8k hyperlapse and stills mode with RAW along with a better than most other drones 4k UHD mode at 60fps with 120Mbps codec.  It is really a steal if you were waiting for a drone that can do it all and not break your budget.  You get many high-end features on a minute package that while a little big compared to mini drones, it is really small compared to the full-sized Mavic line. → Continue Reading Full Post ←

Canon EOS R Is a Good Start But Lacks Frame Rates!

People waited with extreme patience for the Canon Full Frame Mirrorless line for several years. The Verdict? Pretty good start but feels like a mid-range product.  It lacks IBIS stabilization on the body sensor which has become one of the most coveted features for camera enthusiasts. It lacks dual card slots and most important of all for us it is 2014 frame rates for a camera of this class.

The camera does shoot 4k up to 30p but it has the same crop that has made the Canon 5D Mark IV a bad proposition for videographers that want 4k footage. The crop is 1.7x which is essentially a Micro 4/3rds sensor size with a speed booster but without all the benefits of those bodies like IBIS and very low rolling shutter with the added benefit of better frame rates. This feels for all intents and purposes like a base product for a line that needed to be released to compete but is still evolving technologically. → Continue Reading Full Post ←

Solar Eclipse Slow Motion Recording?

We have received quite a few messages about how to shoot the solar eclipse next Monday, August 21st 2017 in slow motion.  After all the more frames you capture, the more temporal detail that will be preserved but there is a threshold when diminishing returns from shooting high fps take a toll on image quality, dynamic range and color accuracy.

In short, the rule of shooting the total solar eclipse at high speed will be based on timing on one hand and detail retention on the other. We have found in our research that you really do not need more than 120fps in order to get a great solar corona snapshot with enough detail and variance.  24 and 30fps regular frame rates are also good and perfectly acceptable. → Continue Reading Full Post ←

Sony FS5 Firmware 4.0 Unlocks 120fps FHD!

Sony FS5 Firmware 4.0

As it was announced back in early April 2017 the Sony FS5 firmware 4 was just released for the camera. It is of note because it unlocks the ability on the camera to shoot 120fps at full HD 1080p continuously without time limit.  Of course, you will have to pay the extra $500 USD for the right to do so by unlocking a license code.

The firmware itself which is free for camera owners does give you some really good free goodies like HDR video shooting in Hybrid-Log gamma which should make highlight and shadow retention much better in this new profile.  As an extra as well you will now be able to use ISO 3200 for S-Log2 and S-Log 3 recording up from ISO 2000. Making it more capable in low light. → Continue Reading Full Post ←

URSA Mini Pro Offers Pro Features and 120fps!

URSA Mini Pro

Blackmagic Design has announced a new camera today.  The URSA Mini Pro is a marriage of their higher end URSA camera with the still in the product line URSA Mini.  It offers built in ND Filters, 15 stops of dynamic range “which is huge for filmmakers”, tons of ports, in body buttons and controls and easy interchangeable lens mounts.

For our slow motion fans there is not a whole lot offered by the camera but there are some built in features.  60fps in 4k DCI and also at 4.6k full sensor resolution is very useful and keeps the trend with the 4k over-crank frame rates debuted in 2016 on several cameras. The other is 120fps at 2k windowed resolution which is passable but not ideal. However the slow motion on these cameras is high quality and seldom does it have artifacts. → Continue Reading Full Post ←

Sony FS7 Mark II Slow Motion Stays at 180fps!

Sony FS7 Mark II

In what could be condensed into a mild refresh at best; the newly released Sony FS7 Mark II Super 35mm 4k Camera does little to entice owners of the Sony FS7 to upgrade. It seems to be a way to replace the camera and entice new buyers without actually offering anything really revolutionary.

To be fair there are a few improvements like the E Mount now has a PL like locking mechanism for easier lens detachment without twisting. This is ideal for lenses with filters and matte box attached. Also the integrated electronic Variable ND brings it in line with other cameras that offer this compelling option to avoid ND filters altogether while setting the camera for 1/180º shutter. Added also is BT.2020 color space for UHD recording at 10 and 12 bits, 10 assignable buttons vs 6 in the Mark 1 and a few new LEDs and ergonomic fixes from user feedback on the Mark 1. → Continue Reading Full Post ←