Gadgets, Tools, Equipment Articles - The Documentary Network

Customized Camera Rigs for Shooting in Extreme Conditions

Documentary.net staff — Mon, 08 Jun 2015 11:50:32 +0000

VICE on HBO takes you deep into the world’s biggest political and cultural clashes. To capture the hair-raising stories you see on screen, VICE Media’s Director of Photography Jake Burghart and Segment DP Jerry Ricciotti are no strangers to shooting in extreme conditions -- and need reliable gear to keep up with their immersive documentary shooting style. Find out why Jake and Jerry turn to the Canon EOS C300, XF105, XF305, and 5D Mark III to get the job done and learn how they configure their cameras while shooting in hostile environments. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=b2N_M1aHCsU

GoPro to enter drone and virtual reality market

Documentary.net staff — Sat, 30 May 2015 16:40:23 +0000

Finally action-camera manufacturer GoPro brings its own drone to market. The quadrocopter should be published in 2016 and equipped with an HD camera, as used in the common GoPro Hero models. GoPro CEO Nick Woodman mentioned the new product for the first time in late 2014 but now confirmed the remote controlled aircraft from his company. He also talked about a new kit that helps to capture video footage for virtual reality helmets. While the drone market is growing and growing, industry watchers were awaiting GoPro's move in this directions. The global market for consumer drones totalled $84m last year and is expected to top $300m by 2018. Rumors are that they are aiming for a price tag between $500 and $1,000.

HX-A500 action cam from Panasonic offers 4K Point of View recording

Ben Carter — Tue, 25 Mar 2014 10:32:02 +0000

The cam records video in 4K (3820x2160) resolution and is attached to the ear so that it takes pictures from the first-person perspective. The Panasonic HX-A500 is a two-part action camera. The sensor and lens are separated from the recorder, which would allow a main unit 1.5-inch display for easier control. The integrated Wi-Fi module, however, is used for remote control via an app, which is available for iOS and Android devices. In addition, a live video stream can be streamed. The camera itself captures video at a maximum of 4K at 25 frames per second, but can also be operated per second in full HD mode with 50 images. One battery charge is sufficient for a recording time of 140 minutes. The HX-A 500 is water-and dust-proof and is supported by an ear mount. It may be submerged up to 30 minutes 3 meters/9.8ft under water. Alternatively, there are also mounting options for handlebars and other bars. The Panasonic HX-A500 will be available in June 2014 for around 450 Euros / $630. This corresponds to the level of the Gopro Hero 3 + Black Edition, which can record videos in 4K only at 15 frames per second, however, which is insufficient for smooth playback.

Tricking kids when taking photos of them just got easier

Hannes Kreuzer — Sun, 16 Dec 2012 07:50:24 +0000

Imagine you need some pictures of kids when they are playing. Not easy isn't it? And now think of portrait shots. This can be a really tough job. Maybe it just got a little bit easier with this smart invention of a new camera tool. It is called "Look Lock" and it is a camera-mountable universal smartphone holder, with an articulating arm for mounting small devices above your lens or camera body. Note: If you try to document their natural behaviour this will of course manipulate their action. The manufacturer suggests these usage scenarios that acutally make really sense.

Capture the attention of children, pets and other subjects. Once installed, play a favorite App or video on the smartphone.
Record a value added video from the camera's POV of a wedding, event or any photo shoot simultaneously.
Ideal telepromter display for DSLR video shooting.
Create a monitor for the photographer or subject to see images as they are shot.

The price of USD 75 is ok compared to other camera equioment. You can get it here:

Most Popular Cameras used by Professional Photographers in 2012

Hannes Kreuzer — Tue, 04 Dec 2012 10:11:42 +0000

If you have ever wondered which camera models are used by pro photographers, here is an interesting figure for you. Just recently news agency Reuters published the ranking of their “2012 photos of the year”. Along with the images comes EXIF data like camera model, lens, shutter speed etc. Users from the website reddit aggregated this information and created very nice graphs that illustrate the data in a very user friendly way. You will be surprised by some of the outcomes, others are not really unexpected. Of course one needs to mention that press agencies can have a favorite brand of their equipment, one ecosystem is just easier for the photographers, as a user mentions on reddit. So the rather pro Canon outcome could be a sign of Reuters preferring this brand. Nevertheless all the other data should work fine. What are your experiences? Please share them!

The next big thing from Apple

Hannes Kreuzer — Mon, 03 Dec 2012 08:26:05 +0000

Interestingly enough most of Apple’s new and innovative devices have existed before on the market: Think of phones, tablets, set-top-boxes, etc. Also the markets seemed often to be saturated. Remember the phones market? With Nokia clearly at number one spot? Not many companies would think of entering obviously saturated market with little growth rates. But Apple is different. It is not about the sole product, but about their whole ecosystem. Also their strength is and was always to create innovative products in terms of design and function. Best example would be the iPhone and iPad, both gadgets that existed before but the way we use them has significantly changed. Now, what could be the next big thing? With AppleTV they try to enter the home-entertainment segment, more or less successful. A new TV-set from Apple is awaited nearly every year. But it did not come to life (yet). Desktop computers sales decrease so nothing to expect here. They hold a very good position in mobile computing and communication; we can expect “enhanced updates”. But there is one market that would fit perfectly to Apple: Cameras. Why?

They have a lot of experience with devices that include cameras.
Due to limited size of the Phones the lenses are just too small for really high quality images.
They have experience in developing apps in this field.
They have a perfect ecosystem with the iCloud for sharing and storing content.
Creative people love adore the brand. Products of Apple have always been very successful with creative people: Photographers, animators, filmmakers, designers and many more
The combination of hard- and software in cameras will become essential in this market.
Semi-pro/pro devices like GoPro are booming. Market research firm IDC estimates GoPro's 2011 revenue at $250 million, on sales of 800,000 cameras worldwide. Makes it the fastest growing camera company.
Although margins seem to be low for digital cameras, Apple can again proof to be better.
Recording and sharing of all kind of audiovisual media is extremely booming (Instragram, YouTube, Documentary.net !!, etc.)
Android powered devices already presented by Nikon and Samsung.

Digital cameras is a “not to miss” business for Apple and with their expertise in design and function I really believe they can come up with something that surprises us again. Just think of a camera that includes all the nice possibilities of an operating system like iOS with customized hardware. Once again, Apple wouldn’t be the first on the market, Samsung and Nikon already presented Android powered cameras. Apple already had a camera in its portfolio from 1996-97: The QuickTake 200 manufactured by Fujifilm. But it was no success and stopped by Steve Jobs when he returned to Apple. Let’s wait and see.

Great News: GoPro released new HERO3 Camera(s): Smaller, Lighter and up to 4K

Documentary.net staff — Wed, 17 Oct 2012 17:51:35 +0000

If you planning to buy a GoPro action camera your time has come. But instead of getting the Hero2 you should wait and get the new one: Hero3 was introduced on October 17 and can be preordered on the GoPro website. The Hero3 comes in three different models:

Black - 4K 15fps, 2.7K 30fps, 1080p 60fps, Still photo continuous shooting: 12mp at 30fps
Silver - 1080p30 for video and 11MP at 10fps for still photos
White - still photo resolution limit of 5MP at 3fps

Available for Order: November 30, 2012

2X Faster Video Performance

The HERO3: Black Edition captures professional, cinema-quality video at 2X the resolution and 2X the frame-rate of previous models while delivering 2X better low light performance. Slow-motion aficionados and industry professionals will love the HERO3: Black Edition's 1080p-60, 720p-120, WVGA-240, 960p-100 and 1440p-48 video modes while those desiring a cinematic look will appreciate the ultra-high resolution 2.7kp-24 and 4kp-12 (Protune only) video modes.

3X Faster Photo Performance The HERO3: Black Edition's photo performance is 3X improved, now boasting 12MP burst capture at a staggering 30 frames per second with 2X better low light performance compared to previous models. Still Photo and Time-lapse Photo modes remain the same but are now joined by a new Continuous Photo mode that captures continuous 12MP stills at a steady 3, 5, or 10 photo-per-second rate, up to 30 photos at a time.

Redesigned Audio System Understanding that sound quality is as important as image quality, GoPro engineers completely redesigned the HERO3 to be as adept at capturing the subtle, natural sounds of voice and music as it is at capturing the immersive sounds of sport. Also improved is GoPro's already famous wind-noise reduction, ensuring that you'll hear more of your passion, be it your engine or expletives, and less of the wind during high speed activities.

The HERO3 Black Edition features built-in Wi-Fi and includes GoPro's Wi-Fi Remote accessory. The Wi-Fi Remote is normally available as a $79.99 accessory but is included with the HERO3: Black Edition. The Wi-Fi Remote is waterproof, wearable and can control up to 50 Wi-Fi-enabled GoPros at a time from a range of 600'. The HERO3's built in Wi-Fi means it can also be controlled by iOS or Android smartphones and tablets running the GoPro App. The GoPro App enables full camera control and live scene preview on any compatible iOS or Android smartphone or tablet. Key Specs Black Version

Professional 4k Cinema 12 fps / 2.7k cinema 30 fps / 1440p 48 fps / 1080p 60 fps / 960p 100 fps /720p 120 fps and more video capture
12MP photo capture with 30 fps burst
Wi-Fi Built-In
Wi-Fi Remote Compatible (included)
GoPro App Compatible (FREE)
197’/ 60m Waterproof Housing*
Assorted mounts and hardware included for attaching to helmets, gear and more

Included:

HERO3: Black Edition Camera
197’/ 60m Waterproof Housing*
Wi-Fi Remote + Key Ring
Remote Charging Cable
Rechargeable Li-ion Battery
QR Buckle
J-Hook Buckle
3-Way Pivot
1 Curved Adhesive Mount
1 Flat Adhesive Mount
Assorted Mounts and Hardware
USB Charging Cable

Optics

Ultra sharp ƒ/2.8 6-element aspherical glass lens
Ultra wide angle / reduced distortion
2X Better low-light performance*

Video (NTSC/PAL)

Video Resolution	NTSC fps	PAL fps	STD Mode	Protune Mode	Field of View (FOV)	Screen Resolution/ Aspect Ratio
4K	15 fps	12.5 fps	NO	ONLY in Protune	Ultra Wide	3840x2160 16:9
4K Cin	12 fps	12 fps	NO	ONLY in Protune	Ultra Wide	4096x2160 17:9
2.7K	30 fps	25 fps	YES*	YES	Ultra Wide	2716x1524 16:9
2.7K Cin	24 fps	24 fps	YES*	YES	Ultra Wide	2716x1440 17:9
1080p	60, 48, 30, 24 fps	50, 48, 25, 24 fps	YES	YES	Ultra Wide, Medium, Narrow	1920x1080 16:9
1440p	48, 30, 24 fps	48, 25, 24 fps	YES	YES	Ultra Wide	1920x1440 4:3
960p	100, 48 fps	100, 48 fps	YES	YES	Ultra Wide	1280x960 4:3
720p	120, 60 fps	100, 50 fps	YES	YES	Ultra Wide, Narrow*	1280x720 16:9
WVGA	240 fps	240 fps	YES	NO	Ultra Wide	848x480 16:9

Note: *May require a firmware update on camera

Video format: H.264 codec, .mp4 file format
White Balance: auto and manual

Photo Modes

12, 7, 5MP resolutions
Burst: 30 photos per second
Continuous Photo: 3 photos per second, 5 photos per second, 10 photos per second
Time-lapse: 0.5, 1, 2, 5, 10, 30, 60 second intervals
Simultaneous Photo + Video:
- 12MP + 1440p24 fps
- 8MP + 1080p30 fps 8
- 8MP + 720p60 fps

Battery & Charging

1050mAh rechargeable lithium-ion
Charge via USB

Audio

Mono, 48kHz, AAC compression w/ AGC
Supports optional 3.5mm stereo mic adapter **

Storage

Memory:
- MicroSD class 10 or higher required
- Up to 64GB capacity supported
Record times will vary with resolutions and frame rates

Included Cables

USB charging cable

Operating System

Microsoft Windows® Vista, 7 and later

*Compared to HD HERO2 and HERO3 White and Silver Edition Cameras **Optional accessories sold separately.

New Canon 6D – Entry Level Full Frame DSLR: 20MP, Wi-Fi, GPS, Smaller, Lighter

Hannes Kreuzer — Mon, 17 Sep 2012 10:49:06 +0000

On September 17 2012 Canon announced the new DSLR camera 6D. With 690g it is 20% leighter than the 5D. Canon clearly wants to adress the entry level full-frame camera segment. The main product details:

20.2 megapixel full frame sensor
ISO range of 100-25600 (expandable to 50-102400)
11-point AF system with a high-precision center cross-type point
63-zone metering
1080p HD video recording
4.5fps continuous shooting
vibration-based dust removal
a shutter rated to 100K actuations
3-inch LCD screen
built in Wi-Fi
built in GPS
built in HDR

The price will be $2.099 in US stores. So the big question will be: Is it "cheap" enough to go for this entry full frame device or should you go for the 5D Mark III? Or even stay with the 5D Mark II.

For filmmakers an important fact could be if it will work with alternative firmwares like "Magic Lantern". This upgraded software package turns your camera into a real pro-device. Currently Magic Lantern supports the 60D, 600D, 50D, 500D, 550D, and 5D Mark II

Confirmed: Samsung presents first Android based “Galaxy” Camera

Documentary.net staff — Thu, 30 Aug 2012 13:21:01 +0000

“Camera Reborn” is the new claim of Samsung new introduced Camera +Android OS device. Just a week after Nikon presented their first camera, the South-Korean company followed with their own gadget. You will not be able to use it with your mobile phone provider for voice calls although it will be compatible with VOIP apps from the Google Play store like Skype. It can be used both with wireless and 3G networks which makes it the first connect camera (beyond Wi-Fi) in this field. The camera will come with a 1.4 GHz Quad-Core CPU, 8GB internal storage, HDMI connectivity, Wi-Fi, GPS, Bluetooth and the possibility to use external SD-cards.

Now the interesting facts for the camera gurus: It will record in Full-HD (30fps), slow-motion (720x480, with 120fps) and offer preset modes like makro, action freeze, sunset. Additionally it will feature voice control, auto-upload to services like Dropbox, a Smart Content Manager that will enable you to tag and organize photos.

Reading through the specs this can be a really cool device if you go on location scouting or doing some first quick test shots for a shooting. Sending your pictures by email or uploading them to a cloud space in a minute with geo-tag info could be really cool for filmmakers. The interesting thing about Android powered devices is for sure that the camera’s feature list can be upgraded easily with apps and general OS updates. So you can get a lot more out of your device. But as usual the downside with those devices is very often high battery consumption. Samsung has not yet published a price.

4,77 Zoll, 1280 x 720Pixel, 308 ppi, HD Super Clear Touch Display
1.4GHz Quad-Core processor
8GB storage, microSD-card slot
16.3 Megapixel 1/2.3" BSI CMOS
F2.8, 23 mm, 21x Optical Zoom Lens
4G, 3G (HSPA＋ 21Mbps): 850 / 900 / 1900 / 2100 MHz
JPEG format 16M, 14M, 12M Wide, 10M, 5M, 3M, 2M Wide, 1M
MP4 (Video: MPEG4, AVC/H.264, Audio: AAC)
Full HD 1920x1080 30fps
Slow motion Movies in 720x480 120fps
HDMI 1.4
WiFi a/b/g/n
GPS/GLONASS
Bluetooth 4.0
AllShare Play, Family Story, Dropbox

8K Ultra-High Defintion TV standard approved: Resolution of 7680 by 4320 with 120 fps

Documentary.net staff — Mon, 27 Aug 2012 10:53:38 +0000

The new standard (also called Super Hi-Vision) will deliver 16 times the resolution of current high definition TV sets we are getting used now. UHDTV (ultra high definition standard) was approved by the ITC after public broadcaster NHK successfully tested the new format at the London Olympic Games broadcast in summer 2012. Not only the new format will get a boost to 120 frames per second, we will also “see” a wider color gamut with the effect of bringing the color range closer to the human eye. We cannot expect affordable pro equipment and TV-sets in our living rooms anytime soon since even 4K has not really arrived. Not to forget that higher resolution and frame rates will also need new (expensive) storing solutions. But the direction is set.

One of the three existing 8K cameras in the world right now.

It’s Showtime! First Android powered Nikon Camera S800c released

Documentary.net staff — Tue, 21 Aug 2012 06:34:18 +0000

Is this the beginning of a new era? With all the amazing photo applications on smartphones, "normal" cameras are risking of falling behind. Apps enhance the photographer with tools like editing, sharing, geo-targeting and more. First this seemed to be only nice for the amateur but it is for sure something we will see also in pro equipment soon. There is this rumor going on about Nikon working on an Android powered compact camera, sources report that the camera will run on version 2.3 Gingerbread and the body will be available in black and white. The camera will come with a 12x lens, Wi-Fi, GPS and of course HD recording capabilities. ~~The expected launch date is August 22nd 2012.~~ Update: The camera was introduced on 22 August and will be available end September 2012. Here are some leaked screenshots.

Filmmakers Dream? New & slimmest MacBook Pro ever with 2,880×1,800 resolution, Intel Quad-Core i7, SSD, USB 3.0, HDMI, 2kg

Documentary.net staff — Tue, 12 Jun 2012 08:37:34 +0000

Apple is once again pushing the limits with the new Retina display for mobile computing. At its developers' conference in San Francisco on Monday June 11 2012 they introduced the all new MacBook Pro that could be a dream machine for pro filmmakers. Why? Find out. The combination of full power, light weight and slim design was always kind of a dream of the mobile filmmaker. With the new MacBook Pro this dream could turn into reality. But - there is always a but: The price for this machine starts at $2,199.00. So tell us, will you buy one? Here are the facts:

Aluminium unibody design and an all-flash storage architecture 2.3/2.7 GHz quad-core Intel Core i7
Diagonal screen size 15.4 inch
Screen resolution (max) 2,880 x 1,800
8GB 1600MHz memory (upt to 16GB)
256GB flash storage (up to 768GB)
Intel HD Graphics 4000 & NVIDIA GeForce GT 650M with 1GB of GDDR5 memory and automatic graphics switching
Built-in battery (7 hours)
MagSafe 2 power port
Two Thunderbolt ports (up to 10 Gbps)
Two USB 3 ports (up to 5 Gbps)
HDMI port
Headphone port
SDXC card slot
802.11n Wi-Fi wireless networking;⁴ IEEE 802.11a/b/g compatible
Bluetooth 4.0 wireless technology
Ethernet 10/100/1000

They also included a new cooling system which could be a critical part of the laptop due to the high performance.

Height: 0.71 inch (1.8 cm), Width: 14.13 inches (35.89 cm), Depth: 9.73 inches (24.71 cm), Weight: 4.46 pounds (2.02 kg) https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=9GWBo2ZYWxI

Wonder why DSLR cameras record video only up to 30min? The reason is simple but could change.

Documentary.net staff — Fri, 25 May 2012 06:47:55 +0000

More and more people use digital cameras to shoot video clips but there is one restriction that can be annoying, especially when it comes to making documentary films: the 30min recording limit. Imagine you follow a character or you are shooting a long interview - you will always have to change SD cards or record on external devices. But this could change now, the reason is ridiculous simple. No it is not hard- or software limitations. Hardware manufacturers just want to avoid a 5.6% tax duty applied to all video cameras. By limiting the recording length these DSLRs are not classified as such. Several countries have started discussing about rethinking this rule within the Information Technology Agreement from the World Trade Organization (WTO). Once video cameras are included, the manufactures would not have to pay this duty anymore and as a result we would see no more time limitations on DSLR cameras (this of course depends on the current storage devices). Other limitations like file-size and overheating concers will still exist. A simple software update by the camera manufactures could eventually turn your gadget into a "no limits" recording device..

GoPro HD Hero 2 gets big firmware upgrade resulting in 24fps and higher bitrates

Documentary.net staff — Thu, 19 Apr 2012 09:12:22 +0000

The well known action camera producer GoPro announced an upcoming firmware upgrade called "GoPro Protune™ available summer 2012. It adds 24p, 35Mbps data rate; non-destructive 3D LUT and color presets to enable professional production workflow. These features are a bit of a surprise because normally you see them only in high budget camera. This makes the camera a really good deal! Key features of the GoPro Protune mode include (Source: GoPro)

24fps frame rate, enabling GoPro HERO2 content to be easily intercut with other sources without a frame rate conversion;
35Mbps data rate for high quality compressed images with virtually zero artifacts;
Neutral color profile, allowing for greater flexibility in a color correction workflow;
Log curve encoding, offering more detail in shadows and highlights;
Reduced sharpening and noise reduction for improved flexibility in professional post- production and color design workflows.

For us it seems that GoPro added these new core features because of two reasons: 1) Action videos with colorful pictures and rapid movements produce very likely many artefacts and 2) the GoPro is used more and more in professional film production environments. With the help of the Technicolor’s CineStyle Log-Curve you can adapt the footage more easily to other cameras in the postproduction. You can get your own GoPro HD Hero 2 directly at GoPro. GoPro Protune mode is available as a free firmware upgrade through the GoPro CineForm Studio software, which is also available as a free download here. https://vimeo.com/31160843

Canon announced new EOS D1-C DLSR Camera with 4K Video Recording

Documentary.net staff — Fri, 13 Apr 2012 05:39:08 +0000

The digital SLR camera seems to be aimed at professional filmmakers, television producers and other high-level imaging professionals. The new gadget is equipped with an 18.1-megapixel full-frame 24mm x 36mm Canon CMOS sensor and records 8-bit 4:2:2 Motion JPEG 4K video to CF memory card at 24 frames-per-second (fps) or Full HD 1920 x 1080. The D1C features frame rates from 24p to 60p. Here are some other interesting features:

camera incorporates Canon Log Gamma
full-frame 24 x 36mm 18.1-megapixel
sensitivity range of up to ISO 25600
8-bit 4:2:2 4K and 8-bit 4:2:0 Full HD video to CF cards
captured video (excluding 4K video) can be output from the camera's HDMI terminal to an external recorder using an uncompressed YCbCr 8-bit 4:2:2 signal
4K video is captured by an approximately APS-H-sized portion of the full image sensor, while Full HD video can be captured in the user's choice of two different imaging formats: The standard Full HD setting captures the full 36mm width of the CMOS and an optional Super 35 crop setting
built-in headphone jack for real-time audio monitoring
view the camera's LCD even when the HDMI port is connected to an external monitor.
same LP-E4N battery pack as the EOS-1D X, and it can also be powered by an optional AC Adapter Kit

The Canon EOS-1D C digital SLR camera is scheduled to be available within 2012 at a suggested retail price of $15,000.