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Samsung’s New Galaxy Note 9 Points Out Flaws In Your Photos

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Aug 112018

Samsung today announced the new Galaxy Note 9 smartphone. Among its new features is Samsung’s “most intelligent camera yet” and a new Flaw Detection feature that will point out when your photos aren’t up to par.

The Note 9 features a dual camera on the back with a 12MP f1.5/f2.4 wide-angle lens (it has a dual aperture like the Samsung Galaxy S9) and a 12mp f/2.4 telephoto lens. Both lenses have built-in optical image stabilization. The front-facing camera is an 8MP f/1.7 unit.

“New revolutionary features make it nearly impossible to take a bad shot,” Samsung says. “The Galaxy Note 9 intelligently recognizes what you’re looking at, optimizing color settings like contrast, white balance, exposure, and more.”

And when you do snap a bag shot, the new “Flaw Detection” system will display notifications when it detects things like blinks, blurs, smudges (from dirty lenses), and backlighting.

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Sigma 135mm 1.8, 14mm 1.4, and 70mm 2.8 Art & Contemporary Lenses for Sony E-Mount Now Shipping

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Aug 112018

Sigma announced in February that their ART and Contemporary lenses would be coming to E-mount to a warranted level of excitement, but the wait for delivery has been rough on some. That wait, however, was over in June when Sigma started shipping the first 5 of the 9 announced E-mount lenses, and now three more are ready to go: 14mm F1.8 DG HSM, 70mm F2.8 DG MACRO, and 135mm F1.8 DG HSM Art lenses for Sony E-mount.

The Sigma Art lenses have been prized for their optical performance which should see no change in the native e-mount versions, but some of the other performance abilities have been dampened on Sony units due to the required Sigma Mount Converter MC-11. Sigma claims these abilities that should be realized in full with the new native models:

“…the new Sony E-mount models feature a newly developed control algorithm that optimizes the autofocus drive and maximizes the data transmission speed. In addition, these lenses are compatible with Sony’s Continuous AF (AF-C) and high-speed autofocus, which are not addressed by Sigma Mount Converter MC-11. Like MC-11, the lenses are compatible with in-camera image stabilization and in-camera lens aberration correction, which includes corrections for peripheral illumination, chromatic aberrations and distortion.”

Read More:

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Snap On, Snap Off – Bright Tangerine Left Field Quick Release Bridge Plate

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Aug 112018

The Bright Tangerine Left Field 19mm Studio Quick Release Bridge Plate is a snap on, snap off bridge plate for ARRI Dovetail, compatible to ARRI and RED height standards.

High contender for the longest name in camera accessory history, the Bright Tangerine Left Field 19mm Studio Quick Release Bridge Plate initially surfaced around NAB last year, hidden under a few more-specific ARRI Alexa Mini accessories.

Bright Tangerine has now announced it as a stand-alone product, ready to pre-order.

What Makes it Unique

There’s a fair amount of Bridge Plates out there; the ARRI dovetail has been one of the industry-standard camera plates in the professional market for years.

Yet most conform to the old school way of slide on/slide off mounting.

Whilst the slide function is fantastic for fine (and broad) tuning the balance of the camera rig, it can be a bit of a fiddle to completely removing or mounting the camera.

Snap plates have the standard for other plates for ages (Euro, Arca Swiss, Sachtler, Manfrotto), it’s interesting to see the lack of snap on/off function in the ARRI Dovetail-compatible market.

This is exactly where the Bright Tangerine Left Field comes in, it’s a bridge plate that has full slide function for adjustment, but can be removed by turning the lever further and lifting the camera straight off.

It does this at half the price of the similar ARRI snap plate – The CBP-1 Compact Bridge Plate.

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Canon 5D Mark IV & Canon 6D Mark II With $400 Rebates & Free Battery Grip | Ending Soon

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Aug 012018

In our field, gear matters, and you’d have to have a bank balance bigger than your bank account number for you to acquire all you likely would want when the whim takes you. However, if you keep your ear to the ground like we do, you come about the best photography deals currently on the market, and within our Deal Dashes, we share them with you:

Summer started with a bang when it came to gear deals, as we saw some of the best we’d seen off peak holiday times on everything from mirrorless and DSLR bodies to lenses and cases and all else. Some of the best deals were for top-tier Nikon and Canon DSLR bodies with big rebates that came (for a limited time) with free first-party battery grips, which on their own go for anywhere from $300-$450. This is on bodies like the Nikon D500, D750, Canon 5D Mark IV, and 6D Mark II.

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DJI Mavic 2 Is Coming – Leaks Reveal Not Just One, but Two New Drones

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Aug 012018

If you’re like us here at cinema5D eagerly waiting for some news on the anticipated DJI Mavic 2 drone, Well, here’s some solid information for you: British digital retailer Argos issued their latest (print) catalogue and in it, alert readers found two brand-new drone models : The Mavic 2 Pro and the Mavic 2 Zoom.

Cinema5D HQ actually received an invitation for an official event that should have taken place during July but this event has been postponed without any alternative date so far. So, now with everybody on the edges of their seats, let’s have a look at what surfaced in that aforementioned catalogue:

There will be not one but two models of the upcoming Mavic 2 drone and the difference lies within the actual camera gimbal. The so-called Mavic 2 Zoom will sport a 2x optical zoom (24mm – 48mm) while the Mavic 2 Pro will feature a Hasselblad camera with a 1-inch sensor but no zoom. You will have to decide whether Pro image quality or the flexibility of a zoom lens is your thing.

There’s no word on video recording capabilities. I assume 4K (UHD) recording but the amount of compression and the quality of the codec deployed are yet to be revealed. The gimbal itself doesn’t seem to be detachable, which is unfortunate but since we’re talking about a drone listed in the consumer section of the company’s lineup, it’s not surprising, really.

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Canon is Already #1 in Mirrorless Cameras in Japan

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Aug 012018

Sony has multiple full frame mirrorless cameras on the market and Nikon is planning to unveil its first later this month, but it seems that having a pro-oriented mirrorless camera isn’t a prerequisite for doing well in the mirrorless market. Case in point: Canon is apparently already the #1 mirrorless camera company in Japan even before announcing its own rumored full frame mirrorless system.

Canon Rumors reports that in reporting its 2018 2nd quarter financial results recently, Canon claims that it has taken the #1 spot in mirrorless camera market share over the first half of 2018.

The APS-C Canon EOS M50 is apparently selling well enough to the masses to beat out the technologically impressive cameras by competitors such as Sony (which won “Camera of the Year” for the a9).

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Leica and Others Investing in “Light”, Raising $121M

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Jul 232018

As part of a $121M series D funding round, German manufacturer Leica –among others– invests in Light. The startup tech company focuses on multi-lens cameras which make massive use of computational imaging. With fresh money and the renowed Leica brand in their back, new fields of products are in plain sight.

Remember the Light L16 concept camera which actually became a reality in 2017? This pocket-sized camera is able to capture 52 megapixel snaps with 16 lenses (and therefore 16 sensors). All the individual images will be combined into one single 52 MP picture using computational imaging. Now, with another $121M at their disposal, the company wants to drastically expand their lineup.

Light Cameras

If you’re still not sure about what exactly the L16 camera concept is, this quote by SoftBank’s Partner Akshay Naheta (SoftBank led this Series D funding) might clearify things:

Light is a world leader in computational imaging. By replacing mechanical complexity with digital sophistication, they have been able to drastically reduce the size, weight, and cost of traditional cameras. This has paved the way for a whole new era of intelligent imaging applications.

As a first product, and after three funding rounds in which Light raised a total of $64.7M, the L16 camera was announced in 2015 and released in 2017. The L16 is a pocket-sized 52 megapixel beast of a camera. In terms of video it’s capable of shooting 4K video but it only uses single lenses out of its 16-lens arsenal. Choose between 28mm, 70mm or 150mm. No image-fusion in video mode, at least not yet.

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Fujifilm Unveils the Fujinon XF 200mm f/2 and 8-16mm f/2.8

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Jul 232018

Fujifilm has announced two new lenses for its X Series line of mirrorless cameras: an XF 200mm f/2 OIS telephoto lens and an 8-16mm f/2.8 ultra-wide-angle zoom lens. There’s also a new 1.4X teleconverter.

Fujinon XF200mm f/2 R LM OIS WR and 1.4X TC

The new Fujinon 200mm f/2 OIS is Fujifilm’s first super-fast telephoto lens in the XF stable. It has a maximum aperture of f/2.0 and a 35mm equivalent focal length of 305mm.

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Call to Action for All Sony Shooters: Test Your Lens Adapter for Sharpness

Cinematography, Gear Comments Off

Jul 232018

With the exodus of Canon users to Sony’s Alpha series, adapters have become incredibly important, particularly the Metabones V and the Sigma MC-11. Photographer Luis Gabriel Gerena has done a comparison and produced some slightly alarming — albeit very limited — results regarding sharpness when shooting with a wide angle lens.

It’s worth keeping in mind that Gerena’s results are based on just one comparison and one lens, so here’s our call to action: if you have access to both the Sigma MC-11 and the Metabones V, please perform your own test with your widest lens and post the results below.

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Nikon’s New 500mm f/5.6 to Offer High-Quality Super-Telephoto in a Handheld Package

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Jul 162018

Nikon announced the development of a new AF-S 500mm f/5.6E PF ED VR lens last month, but now we finally get a look at it thanks to an image posted to Twitter by Photographer Pavel Bednyakov, whose photograph makes it look like the new 500mm could be easier to hold than Nikon’s 200mm f/2.

If you’ve ever shot with the Nikon 200mm f/2G VR II (or the earlier version), you’ll likely remember how it was more or less at the limit of what could reasonably be handheld for longer periods of time. Essentially, the Nikon 200mm f/2 is to we normal humans as the 600mm f/4 is to Dwayne Johnson. But that’s what makes this new “PF” technology so exciting, as it enables this 500mm in development to be smaller and lighter than anything else before it.

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Mounting a 70-200mm Lens on the Ronin S

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Jul 162018

I’ve always wondered what it would be like to mount a longer lens like an 85-200mm on to a gimbal and get footage with it. I feel like a lot of video we see shot on a gimbal is from a wide angle lens, but in this video we see something a little more interesting.

My curiosity about mounting a telephoto lens to a gimbal came from a while ago when I saw that the Inspire could mount different lenses. Being so into drones, I really wanted to have that ability and create this new look from the sky. Once I ended up with my Inspire 2, I began to learn how to fly a 25mm and 45mm lens which both double in focal length because of the micro 4/3 sensor. After a good amount of practice flying, I was finally able to achieve the shots I wanted and have been using this for a lot of my work ever since.

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Panasonic EVA1 Guide by Barry Green now Available – For Free

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Jul 102018

Do you own a Panasonic AU-EVA1 camera? Tired of digging through YouTube and/or shady forums to get additional intel on how to squeeze the very last piece of performance out of it? Well, look no further. Barry Green has published a comprehensive e-book – An EVA1 Guide for free!

Almost every major camera manufacturer has its own industry specialist. One who knows every last detail of a given camera and spreads the word among the community. Sony has Alister Chapman, RED has Phil Holland and Panasonic? Well, Panasonic has Barry Green. And that exact Barry Green has just published an extensive e-book, an EVA1 guide.

Panasonic AU-EVA1 Guide

Just as Alister Chapman’s guide to the Sony FS7 Cine EI mode, this EVA1 guide isn’t just a manual. It’s a comprehensive real-life guide to the camera. Since Barry Green is a professional in his line of work, this guide is far from real-life Youtube flicks which oftentimes come without too much insight.. This guide to the EVA1 covers everything there is: The camera body itself with all the connectors, buttons and dials, the menu structure, codecs and recordings formats, LUTs and looks, and everything else. All in one PDF. For a brief overview of the camera in question, watch the video below, also hosted by Barry Green:

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SLR Magic Anamorphot 65 Adapter Review – Your Alternative to Anamorphic Lenses?

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Jul 052018

Last month we reported about the new Anamorphot 65, an anamorphic lens adapter by SLR Magic that can mount to lenses with 82mm front thread like SLR Magic’s own micro cinema primes and FUJINON’s MK family of lenses. There is also a chance that by the time you read this review, this promising adapter will be available for preorder.

SLR Magic Anamorphot 65 anamorphic adapter on a Sony a7 III camera

Nino, my colleague, caught up with Andrew from SLR Magic during this year’s CineGear to discuss the new product, yet it was time to actually test it and put it through its paces.

The Anamorphic Lens Routine

First thing first: Why should one actually consider “shooting anamorphic”?, well, the answer is clear. If you are looking to mimic the true aesthetic of cinematic looks, then shooting with an anamorphic lens is the way to go. As this is a product review I will not go deep into the subject anamorphic filming, but please consider heading to our cinema5D essentials episode where Li-Lian and I were aiming to explain what anamorphic filming is all about….

Ok, so if shooting with anamorphic lenses has the benefit of producing a unique look, why is it not too widely spread? In short: budget and training. TRUE high quality anamorphic lenses simply coast A LOT, far beyond the budget of most independent filmmakers. There are, of course, ways to track and purchase vintage anamorphic lenses, but this is not too easy. Speaking of anamorphic – I urge you to visit our friend and content contributor, Tito Fernandez’ YouTube channel, where he demonstrates a great deal of knowledge and shares valuable tips for anamorphic lens and adapter lovers.

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This Week’s Top 10 Deals for Filmmakers – Atomos, DJI Drone, Gimbals and More

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Jul 052018

There are lots of interesting deals for filmmakers available online. We selected the best 10 offers of filmmaking gear from our partners’ online shops for this week. Including gimbals, Atomos recorders, DJI drone, tripod and wireless follow focus.

I went through the current deals on our partners’ websites and selected the top 10 offers currently available, which I think could be interesting for you. First, there are B&H offers listed for our readers based in the US and then a couple of deals from our European partner CVP. By shopping at our affiliate partners’ stores you are supporting cinema5D through our buy links, as we get a small affiliate commission when a purchase is completed. Now, let’s take a look at this week’s top 10 deals for filmmakers:

B&H: ikan EC1 Beholder 3-Axis Gimbal

Starting off this week’s deals with motorized stabilizers, the ikan EC1 Beholder supports cameras between 2-4.5 lb (1-2 kg), which should be enough for most mirrorless cameras and smaller DSLRs. Keep in mind though, that using heavy lenses can cause problems with balancing the setup. This is generally the case with most handheld stabilizers.

The gimbal features 360° rotation along all 3 axes, 32-bit controller & 12-bit encoder, three follow modes plus auto-inversion, lock mode & auto point-and-lock mode. It has a quick release baseplate, OLED display, 3/8″-16 tripod mount threaded hole and 1/4″-20 accessory mount threaded hole.

Buy link: ikan EC1 Beholder 3-Axis Gimbal ~~Was: $699.00~~ Now: $449.00 (Savings: $250.00)

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Canon Has Two Full Frame Mirrorless Cameras in the Works: Report

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Jul 052018

It’s not just Nikon. Canon is also reportedly planning to launch two different full frame mirrorless cameras in the very near future.

Canon Rumors is hearing that Canon will be releasing two full frame mirrorless cameras before the middle of 2019. And like Nikon’s rumored pair, Canon’s cameras will also arrive as a high-megapixel “flagship” model and a lower resolution, cheaper model.

The first camera to be announced will be a 30.4-megapixel mirrorless camera that could be “closely related” to the sensor found in the existing Canon 5D Mark IV, Canon Rumors writes. Canon said back in May that it’s finally willing to cannibalize its DSLRs to play a bigger part in the growth of mirrorless cameras.

The second Canon full frame mirrorless body launched afterward will reportedly have a lower pixel count — possibly 24 megapixels.

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Magmod Launches Three New Revolutionary Lighting Tools for Photographers

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Jun 272018

MagMod has become known for pushing the boundaries of light modifier design. They always put quality, portability, and ease of use into all of their products. With the release of three new lighting tools, they don’t disappoint.

Magmod recently announced three new products to add to their lineup of existing products: a new MagBox, MagRing, and MagShoe.

MagBox

MagMod’s past lineup of modifiers has always been extremely small and portable. The only problem is those small modifiers can’t produce the soft light found on larger modifiers. The MagBox aims to fix this. The MagBox is a 24-inch octabox that packs a number of revolutionary traits. The first is an integrated gel holder. So no more trying to tape gels to the inside of your softbox. The Magbox also has a built-in side zipper to make changing out gels simple and fast.

The most interesting feature of the MagBox though is in the diffusion panels. The first is a traditional cloth diffusion that you find on most softboxes. But the second is a new diffusion material they call the FocusDiffuser. This diffuser has a microstructure that focuses and directs the light forward. This minimizes spill similar to a grid but also increases the light’s effective output similar to a Fresnel lens. What you’re left with is a gridded softbox that now has a two-to-three stop increase in effective power.

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This Week’s Top 10 Deals for Filmmakers – Z Cam, Canon DSLRs, MacBook

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Jun 272018

There are lots of interesting deals for filmmakers available online. We selected the best 10 offers of filmmaking gear from our partners’ online shops for this week. Including Canon DSLRs, Z CAM E1, LED lights and gimbals.

I went through the current deals on our partners’ websites and I selected the op 10 offers currently available which I think could be interesting for our audience. First I listed B&H offers for our readers based in the US and then a couple of deals from our European partner CVP. You are supporting cinema5D by buying on B&H and CVP through our links because we get a tiny affiliate share. Let’s take a look at the offers.

B&H: Z CAM E1 Mini 4K Camera with MFT Mount

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Diana Instant Square: The First Instax Camera with Swappable Lenses and a Hot Shoe

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Jun 272018

Lomography has unveiled the Diana Instant Square, a lo-fi toy camera that shoots Fuji Instax Square instant film. It’s the world’s first Instax camera to feature interchangeable lenses and a hot-shoe mount.

The camera is compatible with all of the lenses that have already been released for the Diana F+ instant camera, which shoots Instax Mini film. These include the 110 mm telephoto lens, 75 mm glass lens, 20 mm fisheye lens, 38 mm super-wide-angle lens, and a 55 mm wide-angle lens (which comes with a close-up attachment).

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Sony Unveils the 400mm f/2.8 Lens, a $12,000 Sports and Wildlife Monster

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Jun 272018

Sony has just unveiled the long-awaited 400mm f/2.8 G Master prime lens. The E-mount ecosystem finally has a fast super-telephoto lens designed for sports and wildlife photographers, and the Sony a9 finally has a best friend.

The new Sony 400mm f/2.8 GM OSS is the first super-telephoto prime in the E-mount lineup. The existing Sony 100-400mm G Master lens can provide the same reach, but it’s a zoom lens with a slow variable maximum aperture of f/4.5-5.6.

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Samyang Unveils an 85mm f/1.4 Full Frame Lens for Canon EF

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Jun 192018

Samyang has just announced its new Samyang/Rokinon 85mm f/1.4 full frame autofocus lens for Canon EF-mount cameras. The announcement comes just one week after the company unveiled its new 24mm f/2.8 lens.

The lens is the equivalent of a 136mm when mounted on a Canon crop sensor APS-C camera.

Thanks to its internal design and technologies such as a Hybrid Aspherical element, the 85mm measures less than 3 inches long and is lightweight for its focal length (17oz/482g). The features (including Ultra Multi-Coating) also help reduce and control distortion and aberrations.

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