[Ken Zukin]

Durwood,
You might keep an eye on your local Craigslist photo & video category.
What DS directed you to buy makes sense — look for Arri or Mole Richardson fresnels: 650 or 1K — you’ll really need to double or triple your budget to assemble a workable lighting package. Search back thru this forum — this topic has been covered extensively…

[Ken Zukin]

Look around for some used P2 cards, Phil; half the priced of new.

[Ken Zukin]

[Dennis Radeke] “With Premiere Pro CS3, we came back to the Mac specifically for Mac users. At the time FCP was going super strong but we had some users that wanted an integrated workflow. We again listened to Pro users and made that decision as part of our commitment to open and platform agnostic workflows.”

Dennis,

Your posts always seem intelligent, reasoned, informed, etc., and they inspire trust in your company.
And at some point, I will probably become a Premiere Pro user, as FCP X isn’t going to cut it for me.

But what you wrote here is classic misleading marketing: you’ve made it seem as though Adobe did something to benefit Mac users; unless I’m mistaken, the move you describe here followed Adobe abandoning the Mac platform, which left it’s users high and dry.

[Ken Zukin]

Hey Stephen,

I think you’re on the right track — wanting a small, portable DC fixture — but I would recommend using it as a key — rather than a fill. You should key from the direction your subject is looking — assuming the subject is looking off-camera. An on-camera key light is going to render flat results, which are less than desirable.

Anyway, a fixture that is dimmable, so as to match the level of the ambient level in the room, and has the ability to have it’s color temperature adjusted to match the ambient color temperature, sounds perfect.

I’m really not that familiar with what’s avaiable on the market these days — in a way, it doesn’t really matter — just pick-up something dimmable, and color-temperature agile — and you’re good. Remember too that the larger the lighting fixture, the softer the light (given that it’s going to be 6 feet or so from your subject). You can fill from on-top of your camera — that fill light can double as your “back-up” key.

[Ken Zukin]

If you want to lighten your load, a Sachtler Hot Pod isn’t the answer.

I’d suggest going to a trade show (NAB) and sampling what’s out there. The problem with getting recommendations on-line like this is everyone praises what they have — but most end-users aren’t really up to speed on what’s out there, or how the marketplace has changed.

I have a 20 year old Sachtler 8 III that works well — it has 3 stage CF legs which help with height issues (vs. 2-stage) — it lacks an illuminated bubble, which drives me crazy.

Good luck.

[Ken Zukin]

Thanks Roland for the detailed explanation.

I too am interested in hearing AJA’s response to this.

[Ken Zukin]

I’m an IO-HD user, and realize that within a year, or so my IO-HD will be little more than a doorstop.

But, the anger should be directed to Apple — AJA would have been very happy I’m sure had Apple simply released FCP8.

AJA hasn’t screwed you over — Apple has.

[Ken Zukin]

Well, you’re covering a lot of ground here.

First off, I think you need to really evaluate what type of shooting your primarily going to be involving yourself with.
If it’s run & gun, then a large sensor camera can be a liability. Focus becomes more of an issue, and a fixed focal-length lens can be super-limiting. News still photographers always use zoom lenses as they can recompose shots in a heartbeat. Changing fixed-focal length lenses when something important is happening in front of you is an exercise in frustration.

The large-sensor, blurred-backround look you crave is hard enough to achieve with a 2/3″ camera, let alone a 1/2″ sensor, which I believe the Sony EX-3 offers. The EX-3 recording format also leaves a lot to be desired, if my memory serves me.

You could bring along a cine-style zoom for your AF-100 (or Sony F3, which is a better choice), but those zooms are wickedly heavy, very expensive, and scream “professional” which you may want to avoid in the 3rd world.

If you’re dealing with wildlife, and audio isn’t an issue, than maybe a DSLR is the right tool. In that case, you’ll want long, heavy, expensive, fast fixed focal-length lenses…like a National Geographic still photog might use.

I currently shoot a full sized Panasonic HPX-3100 — it’s a nice camera, but full-sized. If I were heading say, to Africa, I might look at the HPX-250, as it’s small in stature (looks pro-sumer), yet records in AVC-Intra 4:2:2. The sensor is small, so achieving a fuzzy backround is a little more difficult, but for documentary work it’s a reasonable compromise.

You could also consider two bodies; a small video camera for handheld up-close-and-personal Doc work, and a DSLR for scenics, long-lens stuff.

Hope this helps.

[Ken Zukin]

It is what it is. No sense whining about it. I’m predominantly a cameraman — have been so for 30 years. It’s hard for me to watch documentaries on say HBO, that have sub-standard camerawork. Even nature shows, once the domain of the most talented documentary DP’s, have slipped — badly.

If more people now have access to a pro-editing environment, so be it.

In the end, there’s nothing to do but produce work that shines. The top people get the calls; that’s the way it’s always been — here’s to a free and open market.

[Ken Zukin]

Just make sure the glass is truly pitted — and not just some gunk that has attached itself.

Most pro zoom lenses never get serviced — and they should — there are quite a lot of technical adjustments that need to be dialed in — things that shift over time….like focus when you engage the 2X extender — also, if you ever shot in dusty, or salty environments — that will affect performance too.

I personally never use a clear UV filter to “protect” my lens either — stray light can cause all kinds of issues with them.

Just the cost of doing business I guess — good luck!!