New Blog Coming Soon: But here's something for you...

It's been a while since I've updated any of the latest news in photography and cinematography. The main reason is trying to get the new blog to implement with everything properly, which is taking far more time than I expected. Add to that the fact that I might have to simply start from scratch and allow this blog to live and die on it's own...(Sad face). However, I would like to bring you up to speed on some of what's going on.

First: The Canon vs Nikon war and some of the issues we have.

I've shot with both Canon and Nikon cameras, I love both...but since my first camera was a Nikon I do favor their cameras. However, when Canon introduced their 5D Mark II back in 2009, it opened up a window for cinematographers that we really didn't expect. While the AF system for photography was the dog's poo, it was a revolution as far as what was happening in the cinema world.

It's 2012 and Nikon has finally caught up with Canon in the video department. Canon has finally managed to get a wicked AF system happening. And while the reviews of BOTH the Canon 5D Mark III and Nikon D800 (Direct competition IMO) are absolutely amazing cameras for stills and video compared to the past models, there are some issues.

Let's start with Canon: The 'light leak' issue. While it's unclear if all the first batches of Mark III's have been affected or not, there is a substantial amount of anger in the Canon community about this issue. What happens is if you illuminate the top display to get a better look at your settings, this light leaks into the camera affecting exposure metering. While I'm not sure why one would have their display illuminated during a shoot, the simplest solution is to just not use it OR to get your exposure readings when the illumination is turned off. Still, it's very disappointing that right out of the box we've got this issue. So far I haven't seen this affect actual picture quality or video quality. I'm sure more tests will be done and Canon have announced (In the U.S anyways) that they will be responding to this sometime mid-April (That's about now) to the issue.

The other issue, that is a non-issue IMO, is the video quality. No, I'm not talking about the inability to get clean HDMI out, I'm talk about the 'soft' look of the image. Because Canon wanted to tackle the issue of aliasing and moire, they needed to 'soften' things out (Pretty technical huh!?) BUT, adding sharpening in post brings everything back, something you couldn't do with your 5D Mark II files. On the Mark II, if you added sharpening it would simply cause the already present aliasing and moire to be worse. This time around it handles the sharpening in post like it should. It brings back the detail you need/want. Still, some have complained that this is something they will constantly have to do in post now, completely forgetting the fact that before the Mark III they were complaining about the aliasing and moire and that it is now GONE. We can't have everything at ones boys and girls.

Nikon's turn: The Nikon D800 as far as photographer's tool (Not cinematographer) is a beast and was the way to go as far as pricing was concerned. While I'm not sure about the rest of the world, at least in Japan and some other Asian countries, Nikon released a press announcement saying that there were errors made in pricing. The price now exceeds the price of the Canon 5D Mark III, and while the Nikon D800E was suppose to be more expensive, it is now cheaper than the D800 (Non-E). To me, this just seemed like Nikon underestimated their own product and decided to push the prices up to make more money. Corporate greed...

So with both of these cameras at the same price what does Nikon have to offer that Canon can't. The first is that massive 36MP sensor. This is great for studio photography...and that's where it stops. I'm not saying a sports photographer or wedding photographer couldn't shoot with this, but with file sizes doubling in size, you're workflow is going to slow down some. Also, instead of getting a nice 6 frames with the Canon, you only get 4 with the Nikon. 2 doesn't seem like much, but it can make the difference. That said, at 36MP you've got a lot of resolution and are able to crop and hold a lot of detail in the image compared to the other cameras out there.

What about video? Well, straight out of the camera I've seen some pretty impressive stuff for what I would consider Nikon's first 'real' try at video (Sorry D90 and D7000). It produces SHARP video straight out of the camera BUT suffers from horrible aliasing and moire. Canon is the winner there. Also, with the high MP sensor, the ISO's aren't holding up as well compared to the Canon. BUT what I have yet to see is the CLEAN HDMI OUT feature that allows you to record to an external recording giving you more color space to work with. The fellas at f-stoppers did a quick test and found that the external recording wasn't as robust as they thought it would be, but then they are photographers first and cinematographers in far second. More needs to be seen and done to get a real idea of what can be done.

Regardless of whether you go Canon or Nikon you won't be disappointed with the photography or video features of each camera. If you're invested in Canon glass, you'll be happy with the 5D Mark III. If you have Nikon glass, you won't regret getting a D800. Until Canon releases their 1Dx we won't really be able to compare their flagship cameras (Nikon D4 vs Canon 1Dx).

It's always important to stay calm when new gear comes along. We all jump on the latest and greatest BUT first batches tend to come out buggy and with problems. This isn't just when it comes to Canon or Nikon or even cameras. Wait a while, let them figure things out, then buy. A good 6 month wait would be the way to go before buying something like this. I do have to confess though, I per-ordered my Canon 5D Mark III. Luckily for me, the shop never got their batch in and I was able to put my order on hold and I'm currently waiting for a call back from Canon Japan to see what they have to say about the light leak.

Here's a good review of both cameras: Funny, but not exactly work safe!

This is a shootout of the new Nikon D800 and Canon 5D mkIII DSLRs, with a focus on the video quality in particular. More more detailed info, you can read my write-up of the tests at www.crisislab.com.

Edit: The greenscreen gag at the end was shot on the D800.

The Canon EOS 5D Mark III

It's here:



We've been hearing about the Canon 1Dx, then Nikon came out with their Nikon D4 and not so long after that the Nikon D800/D800E. Now Canon is finishing things off with The Canon EOS 5D Mark III. This has been a camera that Mark II owners have been waiting for for ages...or at least what seemed like ages. When I heard about the Canon 1Dx most of the Canon community around me where saying they would upgrade to that, since it is a full-frame camera. However, I wonder if minds have changed with the Canon EOS 5D Mark III.

The specs:

22.3 megapixel full-frame sensor
61-point AF
6 fps continuous shooting
ISO 100–25,600 sensitivity, expandable to ISO 102,400
Full-HD video with manual control
14-bit DIGIC 5+ processor
Weather sealing
8.11cm (3.2-inch) 1,040,000-dot screen
HDR mode

That's not a big bump in resolution (megapixel count) but Canon promises that the image quality will be far better with the way the camera actually handles the files. Until we get some real world samples we just won't know. The differences between this camera and the Canon 1Dx will be ISO sensitivity and continuous shooting with the Canon 1Dx taking the crown on both of those.

However, in the video department many are happy to hear that like the new Nikon cameras coming out, there will be an audio-jack for headphones so you can monitor your audio levels and make the necessary adjustments. This is a feature that is lacking in the Canon 1Dx, but we all have to remember that these cameras are being aimed at photographers more than they are cinematographers.

Until we get some real hands-on reviews, it will be hard to tell whether or not this will be a reason to upgrade your mark II for a mark III since the mark II is still a great camera and doing great things in both photography and cinema. After these cameras hit the markets and we start seeing some of those real-world tests, we won't know for sure which direction you should go in. For now just sit back, relax be ready to watch some great shorts and features to be made on these cameras.

Just one last comment, I'm liking the Canon 7D like layout of the new Canon EOS 5D Mark III. Also some new accessories: Wireless transmitter, GPS device and flash are all going to be coming in this month (And I believe end of April for the transmitter)

The Canon EOS 5D Mark III

It's here:



We've been hearing about the Canon 1Dx, then Nikon came out with their Nikon D4 and not so long after that the Nikon D800/D800E. Now Canon is finishing things off with The Canon EOS 5D Mark III. This has been a camera that Mark II owners have been waiting for for ages...or at least what seemed like ages. When I heard about the Canon 1Dx most of the Canon community around me where saying they would upgrade to that, since it is a full-frame camera. However, I wonder if minds have changed with the Canon EOS 5D Mark III.

The specs:

22.3 megapixel full-frame sensor
61-point AF
6 fps continuous shooting
ISO 100–25,600 sensitivity, expandable to ISO 102,400
Full-HD video with manual control
14-bit DIGIC 5+ processor
Weather sealing
8.11cm (3.2-inch) 1,040,000-dot screen
HDR mode

That's not a big bump in resolution (megapixel count) but Canon promises that the image quality will be far better with the way the camera actually handles the files. Until we get some real world samples we just won't know. The differences between this camera and the Canon 1Dx will be ISO sensitivity and continuous shooting with the Canon 1Dx taking the crown on both of those.

However, in the video department many are happy to hear that like the new Nikon cameras coming out, there will be an audio-jack for headphones so you can monitor your audio levels and make the necessary adjustments. This is a feature that is lacking in the Canon 1Dx, but we all have to remember that these cameras are being aimed at photographers more than they are cinematographers.

Until we get some real hands-on reviews, it will be hard to tell whether or not this will be a reason to upgrade your mark II for a mark III since the mark II is still a great camera and doing great things in both photography and cinema. After these cameras hit the markets and we start seeing some of those real-world tests, we won't know for sure which direction you should go in. For now just sit back, relax be ready to watch some great shorts and features to be made on these cameras.

Canon launches three new lenses

Here it is on DP Review



I can't tell you how long many of my photography buddies have been talking about Canon would 'soon' be coming out with an upgrade to the Canon 24-70mm F2.8 with. Now it's here as the Canon 24-70mm F2.8 II USM...(Soon anyways). It promises a better build quality in a smaller package and better optics. Read the review at DP Review for more information on how all the optics work.

No clue as to what the street price will be, but it will certainly bring down the price of the older version by some. I'll wait and see whether or not the optics add anything special that would make it worth upgrading.

Additionally, Canon has announced 2 non-L prime lens updates, the Canon 24mm and 28mm F2.8 primes. These two bad boys will come with IS (Image Stabilization). Some may ask 'why' for such wide lenses would you want stabilization? The answer would be that some of us would like to be able to take some low light shots indoors without adjusting the aperture or ISO settings. The unfortunate side to this is that you will have to PAY for that IS. Again, not sure what the prices are going to be but I'm happy that Canon is working on non-L lenses for those of us on a budget.

D800: Another challenger from Nikon

It wasn't long ago (Just a few weeks now) that Nikon introduced us to their new flagship camera, the Nikon D4. We have yet to see real world users put this camera to the test as far as photography and video are concerned but it shouldn't be too long since we're now in February, the release date of the Nikon D4.

The D800 is set to replace the wonderful (But without video) D700. You can check out the press release HERE for all the glorious information.

First opinions on this camera as far as photography is concerned:

Nikon decided to go with 36.3 megapixels which is going to give you some seriously amazing dynamic range. However, that also means you're going to need a whole lot of extra storage space in the form of CF/SD cards (Why they didn't go with CF dual slots I don't know) and you'll need a few extra HDD's to store it all.

It's not as sensitive as the Nikon D4 is going to be (ISO 100-6400) but at a price HALF that of the Nikon D4, it doesn't matter. At ISO 6400 you're still going to be able to get some really good shots in low light situations.

There will be no Ethernet port available on the D800, which is too bad. Without it you will not be able to take advantage of the new optional WT-5 wireless transmitter that would allow you to remotely view and adjust settings via your Ipad or Iphone (And many other devices I'm sure).

The D800 will come in 2 flavors, the Nikon D800 and D800E. The E version of this camera will come WITHOUT a low pass filter. The low pass filter deals with moire and anti-aliasing. For some photographers, removing this filter will allow for sharper images. How much sharper? I'm not sure but we'll see some comparisons sometime in March.

The video: It should shoot just as nicely as the the Nikon D4, minus the ISO sensitivity. However, I don't see much of a difference with the exception of the crop factors (Available on the Nikon D4). Nikon certainly went out of their way to please many of the cinematographers this time around. I know that many photographers don't care for these 'video options' as they make the prices go up for functions they won't use. And be WARNED: If you plan on using this for video DO NOT get the D800E as it will be full of moire and anti-aliasing...not pretty.

For those planning on time-lapse shooting, those extra megapixels should be a lot of fun. Again, you will have to make sure you have the storage to do it, but I can't wait to see what people can do. As for the built-in time-lapse function, the one that stitches all your pictures together and produces a movie all inside your camera...that's not something I'm overly excited about. Being able to import your photos, adjust everything, pan and zoom effects (At a minimum) are all still part of the process of a good time-lapse.

For half the price of the Nikon D4 it might be worth getting 2 Nikon D800's if you're shooting video mainly. Unlike the Nikon D4 you won't be getting continuous shutter at 10fps but instead you'll get 4 or 5 fps (Those files are going double the size of your average files).

Now, these are all just opinions of course. We need real users in the world out there to tell us how they are getting along with the newest cameras coming from Nikon. They are certainly giving Canon a run for it's money this year. The Canon 1Dx still isn't out but already I'm wishing that it had some of the options that both the Nikon D4 and Nikon D800 have. Let's wait and see...

Joy Ride from Sandro on Vimeo.

A film by Sandro shot with the Nikon D800.

Director: Sandro
Editor: Alaster Jordan / Whitehouse
Music: Yessian
Production: Cap Gun

View the Behind the Scenes Video shot by the Nikon Crew: http://vimeo.com/36306101

New Nikon D4 Pro DSLR Camera is HERE

The Nikon D4 has been announced. Let's take a look at what we know about the FX-format 16.2-megapixel CMOS Sensor and other 'stuff' we get with this beast.


For photography: Things that I look forward to trying out on this, as far as what's been announced, first and foremost is the 51-point auto-focus system. The way it has been touted is as if you have two choices, to cast it out like a net (For subjects in motion) or to concentrate on one focus point (When shooting more controlled environments). For studio work I don't really need to worry that much about auto-focus since I'm in a controlled environment, but when shooting at an event where people are constantly on the move, that 'net' had better live up to what might well be a 6000 USD camera (Although now word on prices yet). Also there is the 'enlarge images up to 46X' ability. Getting in there to see if you're right on the mark as far as focusing is concerned. Not that big a deal for some, but for others (Perhaps those not tethered to a computer while shooting) it's great. ISO ranges are said to be as low as ISO 50 to the high of ISO 204800 equivalent. How well this ranges will work we can only know after someone out there puts it to the test, but knowing Nikon, I have a feeling it will outdo it's predecessor.

For video: So far all I'm curious about is how well the codec stands up against the rest of the DSLR market. Have they caught up to Canon in anyway shape or form? I see the options of shooting full 1080p at 30fps and 24fps but nothing yet on 60fps and whether it will be at 1080p or 720p (Here's hoping for 1080p because that would killer for slow motion work). And as with the photography portion, I'm curious as to how the noise will be handled when bumping it up. The ability to adjust volume and a mic jack (Something we've been waiting for on the Canon's) is also an interesting addition, and a very welcomed one at that. And of course, no more 12 minute limit on video capture. That's going to be EXTREMELY important for event cinematographers. Now we just need some video samples to see what the codec is like...

There certainly is more to the camera than what I just mentioned, but these are what I hope to get to first. Then move on to other aspects of the camera. The fact that it is weather sealed makes it great for those extreme conditions, but just how extreme can we get. Stuff like that is what will be next on my list of many 'Can it...?' list.

UPDATE: The first video from this wonderful camera. Remember to click on the 1080p option to watch it in it's full glory!


And Jared Polin had a sniff of the upcoming camera and goes into some of what he learned from his 30 minutes or so of talk time with a Nikon rep and some hands on with the camera. Sit back and grab a sandwich or something because he's got a lot to cover:

Another Kickstart Campaign makes it...and offers a lot in return.

I talked a bit about the Kickstarter success that some have had. This time around it goes to the people at Realm Pictures with their project The Underwater Realm.

I think what helped them bring in their backers was the offerings to be had: Leading up to the January 1st 2012 deadline, Eve Hazelton (The DOP on the project) managed to put together some very interesting (And free) lighting tutorials originally made for Phillip Bloom's blog. This showed her (And the studio's) keen skills on lighting a scene. So, as a backer when you pledge $50.00 or more you get some REALLY COOL rewards:

The @EveHazelton Lighting Guide! An hour long tutorial with practical examples of how to light for film and video. This will cover everything from the theory of light through to equipment demonstrations & how to plan and execute lighting setups for dramatic scenes! Available as a digital download or DVD

Ocean Fan Pack - Blu Ray (or DVD) of the final films with your name in the credits as a supporter! This compilation will include all the concept artwork, production blogs and the behind the scenes documentary. Find out in-depth exactly how the project you helped create was made and watch it all in HD on the sofa (couch)! We will also send you completely exclusive behind the scenes still photos and messages from the cast and crew during production that nobody else will see!

LED Lighting Pack - good quality soft light is hard to achieve cheaply, and almost impossible to achieve on location. We have developed a set of rugged, low power, high output, fully submersible, cinema quality, battery powered lights and are giving you the plans to build and develop this system for yourself!

All of these for $50.00...not too shabby!! It certainly beats some of what people are offering as rewards! I would suggest future Kickstarter people to take note here and learn. While there are certainly plenty of free resources online that you can learn from, for a few of your hard earned dollars you get some pretty amazing tutorials and setups, not to mention supporting a great project. If you're not already a backer, I'd suggest you take a look at their Kickstarter Page to see what they are up to. As I write this they are in their last hours, but already they've made a great impact on the indie community. I can't wait to see the final results!

Check out Eve's lovely tutorials and be sure to check out The Underwater Realm.

The Hobbit Trailer Debut: Will 48 fps be the way to go?

So we get a glimpse into the world of The Hobbit. From the trailer, it looks like it will be quite an adventure...although judging by a trailer is like judging a book by it's cover really. What I am most looking forward to, as a tech geek, is how well the 48 frames per second will look instead of the usual 24 frames. Peter Jackson had this to say about it a while back:

"We are indeed shooting at the higher frame rate. The key thing to understand is that this process requires both shooting and projecting at 48 frames/s, rather than the usual 24 frames/s (The great majority of films have been shot at 24 frames per second since the late 1920s). So the result looks like normal speed, but the image has hugely enhanced clarity and smoothness. Looking at 24 frames every second may seem ok–and we've all seen thousands of films like this over the last 90 years–but there is often quite a lot of blur in each frame, during fast movements and if the camera is moving around quickly, the image can judder or "strobe." Shooting and projecting at 48 frames/s does a lot to get rid of these issues. It looks much more lifelike and it is much easier to watch, especially in 3-D."

While I'm not a big fan of 3D (Avatar being the only movie I could really enjoy in 3D) it will be interesting to see how people take to it. I'm not sure about theaters in Canada/U.S/U.K work as far as 3D movies and glasses go, but here in Japan you buy a pair (Clean, never been used), it's add to your first 3D movie experience at $2.00 a pair. Then you bring them home with you. So long as you remember to bring your glasses the next time you watch a movie in 3D, they cut the cost by $2.00. If you forget your glasses, you pay the extra money and now you've got 2 pairs.

So, will 48 frames a second be the next step in film. Unfortunately, I can't say. Outside of those making the film I don't think anyone can say. It was only a year ago that people wanted 24p for their Canon 5D mark ii. One has to wonder if the next thing we'll be demanding is 48p? What do you think?

Success: Youtubers vs Vimeo Users

With all the sites out there that provide services for you to upload videos and pictures to, it's sometimes hard to decide where you want to plant your feet. Let's take a look at some of the differences between the two as seen from a candid viewer like myself.

Youtube for me is a place to watch wacky clips of animals, viral videos, crazy people doing crazy stuff. But there are also quite a few Youtubers who have become quite a success. The first and possibly biggest as of late is Freddie and Brandon from freddiew and their friends Sam and Niko from Corridor Digital. These guys started off with nothing and built what is now a huge following. If you go back to some of their earliest work, you can see how well they've progressed through the years. They are visual effects masters but are always kind enough to run through tutorials on their second channels so that people like you and me can have a go at it. Their clips are short and entertaining. But now with a combined following of almost 3.5 million people (A majority going to the freddiew channel) they managed to get to a point where companies as big as EA (Electronic Arts), are impressed enough to ask them to make paid national commercials for them. The commercial is only going to add to their popularity and possible revenue to make more movies.

And speaking of movies, freddiew managed to get an insane amount of support on their Kickstarter campaign to produce what they believe to be (We'll have to wait and see) a great feature. Youtube fans have shown their appreciation for the art they've created so much so that they managed to make $273,725 in contributions when their goal was only $75,000. That's 4 times more than they asked for, give or take. Compare that to indie film DP Phillip Bloom's Kickstarter campaign which fell short almost $18,000 short of their $48,000 goal.

Which brings me to Vimeo. I like putting up my artsy stuff where someone might appreciate a little technical information or where some might be offered up concerning the video. To be honest, if I made a feature, I would like to see it up on Vimeo. For some reason the community there is far more constructive and appreciative of what you put up, as far as the comments go. The lack of trolls that are all over Youtube is what makes Vimeo very appealing to some. It's also less cluttered and simply a nicer viewing experience. Unfortunately, Vimeo does not have a system in place to monetize videos...and I don't know why with so many wonderful pieces there to watch. I admit, a different crowd would be watching, but still a great way for filmmakers to continue making more of what people like to see would be to offer a way for them to make money to budget for future videos. The limits set for regular, Plus and Pro users is either good or bad depending on who you are. Without going into too much detail, I've stayed a regular user and will upgrade to a Plus user when I am able to make better contributions to the channel I have. So who are the stars of Vimeo? Well, it's hard to say. There are some wonderfully talented people doing all sorts of creative and informative stuff. Phillip Bloom is someone I've followed. He likes to put his gear to the test and then share his experiences, and I'm glad for that. He does have a great following and I believe is very popular in the indie film world. Unfortunately, as I mentioned above, the Kickstarter campaign he was part of didn't do well at all when you compare it to freddiew and friends. That's not to say they are poor. Phillip and others like Vincent LaForet, Tom Lowe, the Stillmotion crew and others still make plenty of money doing what they love.

I'll end it like this: A friend of mine who is also a lover of films told me that his Youtube watching is like partying with a bunch of friends, eating pizza and drinking beer. Whereas Vimeo is like sitting down by yourself with a bottle of wine (Or whiskey) and enjoying the flavor in a quiet room alone and content. What do you think? Where would you put your feature? What would like Youtube or Vimeo to do to make it 'better'?

Galaxy Nexus: My change over from Blackberry

I'm going to make this short and sweet:

When I bought my Blackberry, I had decided I wanted it because of the QWERTY keyboard and because quite a few of my friends back home were using it. I has heard good things about it. But as time went by and with so many people buying iPhones (Not available with my carrier), I was feeling a bit green with envy. I wanted to take pictures and instantly upload them to my site or Facebook or any other social network. Unfortunately, the Blackberry camera is CRAP!

Then along comes the iPhone 4S and rumors that my carrier would be accepting transfers. I'm not sure how it works in other countries, or even here in Japan really, but from what I heard my carrier NTT Docomo, could technically allow the use of a Docomo SIM card in the iPhones. This was not something that Softbank (The official carrier) or NTT Docomo would confirm.

Next thing I know I have a friend talking to me about Android phones. I had never paid much attention to Android phones but when I saw the announcement of Android 4.0 for the Galaxy Nexus and it's camera functionality, I was sold.

Have it for barely 2 weeks now, I'm still getting use to things. I had a problem with it initially as it wouldn't show my contacts in order and Google Earth seemed to be missing altogether, even though it was installed. NTT Docomo advised a backup of my contacts and a factory reset. That did the trick.

Now I'm able to shoot video, take pictures and have some serious fun with my social networks...the kind I couldn't have with my Blackberry. As I am writing this I realize I should have some video and pictures to share but I don't, I'm still having a little too much fun with the other apps. I will however update this entry with content as soon as possible. I just need to get my shiznit together.

A word of advice: Turn off your Wifi and GPS as it drains the power. Also, understand that this massive screen takes a lot of juice so if you're watching videos or playing games, it's not likely to last you as long as your other phones. My wife was kind enough to supply me with a charger just in case.

Time 4 Timelapse

The idea: I had to go to Umeda this day for work, but it would only be for about an hour. It felt like such a waste to go there and just come back home. I decided to bring my gear with me and do a little time lapse of the area. Many of my friends who live in Osaka will instantly recognize all these spots. Originally I wanted to get more train shots at both JR Osaka Station and Hankyu Umeda Station but found myself getting lost in some of the other areas of Umeda. This is an 'incomplete' project as I would like to add far more to it.

The Gear: Canon 1Dm4, Canon 17-40 4L lens, a cheap (light weight) tripod and the Canon TC80N3 Timer Remote Control.

The Settings: In manual at f4, I first focused the lens with auto-focus on and then set the focus to manual (So that it would try and focus while doing the time lapse), I set the white balance to what I liked (Avoid Auto-White balance as this can change the colors with clouds moving overhead and the sun going up or down). I took a couple of test shots to make sure it was composed properly. Before starting the time lapse I turned off the preview picture option so as to save on battery power. I set the controller to take a picture every 2 seconds. I shot in jpeg because I was really just looking to have a bit of fun. I would shoot RAW but I only had 1 of my CF card with me and no spare batteries.

I decided to take about 700-800 jpegs per location. I took out my ipod and listened to music while the camera snapped away. The most boring part of the job. I would then move the camera and repeat all the above steps. Once I ran out of power (The camera and myself) I packed it all up and went home.

The Edit: I imported all my jpeg files into Lightroom and did a batch color correction on the images in their respective sequences. Doing this is easy in Lightroom: Simply make the necessary changes to your first image in the sequence, then select all your images with the color corrected image highlighted and hit the sync button in the lower right-hand corner of Lightroom. This should then apply all the changes made from your first image to all the other images. Then export them to a new folder.

Import the images in After Effects to create the 'almost' equivalent 4K project. From here you can re-size the sequence to fit your 1080p or 720p timeline. Or you can do some fancy zooms and pans as I did with this video without losing any quality/detail. The zooms and pans are done using key frames. I set a key frame at point A (The start) and then pan or zoom and set a key frame at point B (The end) over a desired length of time. Do a quick Google search on key frames in Adobe After Effects and there are plenty of easy to follow tutorials on this.

Since this is more of a test video than an actual project, I am not too worried about all the details (read: flaws) in the video...with the exception of 2. The first is a brief moment of black between the last scenes, even though it was for just a split second. I had already deleted the project and really couldn't be bothered to go in and edit that out. The second, something that was really out of my control, was the second to last scene where I wanted trains coming in and out of the station to be the subject, but a couple decided that they would stand right there. I thought they would move out of frame eventually, but they never did.

Music: Crash OTS

Bye Bye Yoko

View on ExposureRoom

A farewell video...need I say more. The poor video quality in the middle is because I was using the GoPro HD in very low light.

The Maestro

This is a favorite film of mine. They do an incredible job of incorporating time-lapse in their video. I just love this and had to share.

Tomoyuki // Rena

Shot on the Canon 1Dm4 with the Canon 100mm f2.8L and Canon 70-200mm f4L. This was a difficult shoot. I was the minister at their wedding and had to setup cameras as well. I brought my HV20 and GoPro for some B-Roll but didn't have time to set everything up. During the wedding I had a guest 'point' the camera down the aisle. Unfortunately, with the lighting and lack of time, the footage was not as high-quality as I would have liked it to be. Of course, I wasn't sure what the quality would be until I actually got home and put on the footage on my computer.

I joined the party and with beer in one hand and a shaky hand on my the Canon 1Dm4, I shot little bits and pieces. This was all done for fun of course. It was only AFTER the wedding that I thought 'Well, I could've put THIS camera THERE and THAT camera HERE'

Some Great Talent

It's always nice to work with talented people, it makes my job a whole lot easier. On this day, knowing that I would have very little time to set anything up (We were working), I brought my 1DM4, Rode Stereo/Video mic and Zoom H4n. I knew Kawasaki kun would be there that day and as far as tenors go, he's one of the most talented I've had the pleasure of working with. I'm constantly asking him to do the 'higher' version of Nessun Dorma. Usually, in order to keep his voice clear and 'safe' for work, he doesn't perform it that high, but he did on this day. The violinist, another amazing talent, was kind enough to play a variety of musical scores, my favorite one being the theme song to Totoro. A great animation and must see, if you haven't already. Once we got some of the 'main' stuff down, the two did a bit of Mario Brothers for me.

I wasn't able to get everything on the Zoom, and I was going hand-held on everything. Exposure was hard to get right because it's basically a small chapel on the 23rd floor with window walls. It can go from blindingly sunny to dark (Literally takes a couple of clouds to make a world of difference).

Here are the videos I've edited so far and will add the rest as they are processed.

Tonari no Tottoro // となりのトトロ from Jason McDonald on Vimeo.

Nessun Dorma // Kawasaki Kun from Jason McDonald on Vimeo.

Vanity and the New Year

I decided to be vain and do a self-portrait to send out as a response to the wonderful New Years cards I got from family, friends and students. Nothing says Happy New Year like vanity!

Harmonie Embrassee Wedding Hotel - Christmas dinner

My wife and I enjoyed a lovely Christmas dinner (On December 23rd mind you) at this nice hotel. While I wasn't able to eat everything that was put in front of me, it was a pleasant experience. It went a little something like this: champagne to start, appetizers that ranged from raw fish and small portions of duck, to some rather delicious pate of sorts. Next, the soup. I have to admit, my tongue couldn't really tell the difference between this soup (Which was suppose to be 'expensive') and soup that I make at home from water and soup mix. Then we had a half a quail, which is pretty tiny. It was stuffed with some sort of rice and bread. Then came the fish dish which was lobster. Very nice, although I'm not much for lobster (I really should've looked at the menu before ordering). After the lobster came some flavors ice, a kind of break between the main dishes. The next big dish (My favorite) was the beef and Foie Gras (Fatty duck liver). The portion size was small (I could've finished it off with a single bit) but instead I took the time to savor the taste. My wife, not being the biggest fan of Foie Gras, gave me her portion. The beef was so soft that it almost melted away when you put your knife to it.



And just when you thought it was all over, the cheese cart made it's way to our table. The waiter kindly asked us what our preferences were and cut us each our own plates of cheese. All of this of course was with a bottle of the cheapest wine on the list (About 4000 yen). I managed to sneak in a beer near the end.

The evening ended with the desert tray and choosing from an assortment of different deserts. A nice cup of tea with that and we were already wishing we could just lay in the hotel lobby for a couple of hours.

A nice dinner...here's hoping that next year turkey is on the menu!!

A Room with a View

Here is a picture taken from entrance on the 10th floor of my apartment. You can see all the little houses, mountains and a pond named Bentenike Pond. This photo is taken from the 10th floor of my apartment. A wonderful view of the Nigawa area in Takarazuka City. I also put my Canon HV20 outside one morning to capture the sunrise again. I find that I'm using my HV20 far less these days unless I'm going for some time-lapse and I don't want to worry about leaving more expensive gear in the open. The total recorded time was just over an hour and was compressed into 39 seconds. Some color correction was done in Adobe Premier Pro using Magic Bullet Looks.

Sunrise Time-Lapse from Jason McDonald on Vimeo.

A Great Short Film on the Canon 7D

This is another great video that inspires. The 10 minute short captured by the Canon 7D is done masterfully well. It feels a bit like the movie Stranger than Fiction, but just a bit. What is impressive is the acting, the cinematography, the coloring and editing. And of course we can't forget that this was all something filmed on a camera that cost less than 2000 bucks.

Vicky and Sam from Nuno Rocha on Vimeo.

GoPro HD All over the car

This would be the first time I actually use the little camera and it's various attachments to see how it would stand up in the extreme conditions of Japanese highways etc.



Obviously, checking footage isn't possible unless you bring a laptop into the field with you. You have to kind of guess what you what taken and just work with what you get. I wouldn't rely solely on this for a project. This is definitely one of those cameras that are for "Danger Zones" so as not to break your more expensive gear.

The suction cup was amazingly strong. I was surprised at times that it didn't leave any kind of markings on the car. I had it in it's waterproof sealed case rather than having it open at the back because clouds where in the air and I wasn't sure if it was going to rain or not. That left me with some crap audio to work with.

I hope to get a small video up showing what I got. Some of the video is fogged up due to the moisture in the air I'm sure. The battery lasted surprisingly long. At one point on the highway I thought "The battery has to be dead or the card full." When I jumped out the next chance I got I was surprised to see it was still going strong.