S106 Directors Blog

Just a quick update showing where we will be staying during our 2 month shooting period in Africa.

Here it is, my new HPX300 config. The kit lens just wasn’t up to par for me, On full zoom the lens would collapse and with open aperture all kinds of artifacts came in to play.  All in all this is stuff I should be able to live with since it’s a kit lens with a 1,500 US street price.  So here is the stuff i could not live with; a 0.9 meter MOD and a 5mm field of view (1/3″ chip). This makes shooting in a car next to impossible.

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After being off the radar for nearly two months it seems fair to give you an update. I have been spending my time prepping for a big project and after signing the production contract I can now share my plans with you.

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After the release of Sony’s new PMW-350 I thought it would be appropriate to speak up for our Panasonic HPX300. Sony might have the 2/3 ” battle won but with a 35mm adapter chip size isn’t that important. The Sony still records 35 m/s Long Gop wich is an old mpeg codec, no match for Panasonics 100 m/s AVC Intra. And do remember that the Sony is double the price.

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It just didn’t work for me anymore. I tried balancing the EX1 rig with more and more Zacuto stuff. In the end it was all so heavy my back couldn’t take it anymore!

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I just wanted to share a short excerpt from my latest documentary. It’s a short interview about apartheid. Shot in an old church that provided cover for black people during this horrible period. Is was shot on a Sony EX1 in 720p HD, the video is HD flash so please be patient and do click the fullscreen button!

This week I have treated myself to an upgrade to our follow focus. We currently have the Redrock unit and are very happy with it. One of the nice things about Redrock is that they always release upgrades to the current line up when releasing new products. Here is my mini review.

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I have recently bought a set of IDX endura elite batteries and a Zacuto plate for the v-mount. I added a weight of 1,3 kg in de back and all was balanced. So I basically had a proper handheld camera in terms of weight and balance. This helps a lot in weight displacement and on one of these batteries I can shoot two full days!

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It seems Africa is starting to become a chapter in my life… I keep finding excuses to go back there! We just came back from a 2 week shooting period. The excuse this time is a documentary about a Dutch municipality that gives development aid to Emfuleni, located just beneath Johannesburg.

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After visiting the US this December I brought back a Zylight Z90 with me! A very nice light that dims, doesn’t need filters or gels and has long battery life. All in all I’m very pleased with the light and it’s build quality.

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