Tag Archives: DSLR

cameras

Dual Pixel AF

Auto Focus is for amateurs. Professionals would never. This is the attitude I have had for 20 year of working as an AC and camera operator. Auto Focus on a stills camera is great for stills, but Auto focus video has always been crap. Recently I had a shoot with the Canon C100 that had been upgraded with Canon Dual pixel AF. So used in conjunction with Canon DSLR lenses the sensor compares pixels in a way and changes the focus gradually as a focus puller might, not searching for it, but changing from one focus to another. I was reluctant, but as the shoot day went on, it was difficult to see the monitor in sunny conditions and we were doing a lot of walk and talk. Playing back the image it seemed to do a really nice job keeping things in focus and shifting purposefully when the composition changed. It is the little things, but that camera is winning me over slowly.

cameras, cinematography, general

follow focus

As someone that started off loading mags and pulling focus on film cameras I’ve always hated pulling my own focus. It just doesn’t seem right. With today’s style of shooting whether on a RED, a DSLR or some other camera I find myself adjusting on the fly to a small monitor or EVF. I try and teach my students the ways of the focus puller but they never quite get it. That and the monitor is right there, they can just look at it and use peaking or some other digital tool to tell them it is in focus. Not really focus pulling, but it does the job.

So after a couple of frustrating follow focuses I’ve found one that works really well with DSLR style shooting. The Edelkrone Focus One had peaked my interest when it came out, but I couldn’t pull the trigger. I’ve been using it for a couple of weeks. It is nice and smooth and has solid feel. The best part was that it fits on the rails, and doesn’t protrude too far down so I can use it with a sliding baseplate.

EDIT: The only difficulty I have found is trying to get this thing wedged between camera and mattebox when using short primes like zeiss standard speeds. My old RedRock micro couldn’t do this either. ARRI wins.

cameras

the wooden grip

I’ve tried various hand grips for hand-held rigs over the years but nothing beats the hand-grip on a film camera. I’ve never used the coveted Aaton grip, but the Arri SR grip is modeled after that and I have always thought of that as hand-held. The rosette allowed for adjustment. So after tossing another “DSLR” style handle I finally put down the money and bought one of these from KinoGrip. A handmade custom grip with an ARRI rosette. I’m still waiting for it to arrive as it takes several weeks. I will report back when it comes in.

cinematography

Rokinon 35mm lens

I’ve been shooting with the Rokinon 35mm Cine prime for a few weeks now. I have it on a 5D mkIII and it works great for the hand-held walking around stuff I shoot. Low light inside is easy with the fast T1.5. I love the look shooting near wide open. The field of view on the full frame is nice and wide, but not too wide. I also have the 85mm Cine but have used it less. That one I pull out for sit down interviews for a portrait style look.

Here’s was Mathew Duclos has to say about the quality of the Rokinon lenses. link