Category: Reviews

Metabones Speed Booster for Micro Four Thirds – First Look and GH3 images

Friday, 17 May, 2013 16:45

The Micro Four Thirds Speed Booster for Leica R is now in stock at Metabones!

The Speed Booster for Micro Four Thirds gives cameras like the Panasonic GH2, GH3 and Blackmagic Cinema Camera a Super 35mm / APS-C sized sensor using clever optics, in the same way that the E-mount version turned cameras like the Sony FS100 and NEX 7 into valid alternatives to full frame.

As well as shrinking the image circle of a full frame lens to fit a smaller sensor, the Speed Booster lives up to its name by giving you a 1 stop increase in brightness so that F2.8 effectively becomes F2.0.

I’ve been testing the Leica R mount version of the new Micro Four Thirds Speed Booster on the Panasonic GH3 and here are some of my early observations.

Sony RX1 Review

Wednesday, 01 May, 2013 00:20

Download my full resolution 6000×4000 photos from the Sony RX1

The Sony RX1 is a compact camera that beats Leica and Hasselblad for image quality.

The Canon 1D C review

Friday, 26 April, 2013 16:11

Iscorama anamorphic on the 1D C and my test footage at Vimeo

I shot with the Canon 1D C and Canon C100 Cinema EOS cameras recently with SlashCam in Berlin. The 1D C is the most Jekyll and Hyde camera I’ve ever used and a difficult camera to review. The 1D C is a marriage of beautiful 4K images and an unwilling partner who hasn’t shifted an inch to accommodate it.

The full Panasonic GH3 review

Monday, 15 April, 2013 22:39

Above: my GH3 kitted out with Leica 14-50mm F2.8, Lanparte follow focus, carbon matte box and baseplate

Six months in the making here is my final and full review of the Panasonic GH3 jointly published with DPReview.com. I highly recommend checking out that review as well, to which I contributed the video mode insights.

The Panasonic GH3 is an affordable $1299 hybrid camera and has a special legacy to build on with indie filmmakers.

Does it succeed?

Switronix TorchLED BOLT variable temperature LED light review

Wednesday, 27 March, 2013 02:22

See the full specs of the Switronix TorchLED BOLT and accessories here

LEDs are in my opinion the future of cinema lighting. Until now though I’ve not been too satisfied with the throw of light they produce. Too short, too directional and the character of the light isn’t the most flattering. The BOLT has been designed with input from filmmakers and contains two sets of LEDs of different temperatures and you can mix the temperatures.

What’s it like?

Ikonoskop A-cam dll versus Blackmagic Cinema Camera

Friday, 08 March, 2013 19:05

Read more in the first part of this article

Back in November I tested the Ikonoskop A-cam dll with Rob of Slashcam.de and Ludwig Reuter of HD Video Shop here in Berlin.

We spent a few hours comparing it to the Blackmagic Cinema Camera – here’s how it turned out.

Nikon D5200 review

Sunday, 17 February, 2013 18:42

UPDATE: The HDMI output on this camera is uncompressed 4:2:2, for a leap in image quality over the internal 24Mbit codec! Check the forum for my ProRes noise grain sample shots

The Nikon D5200 is the best mid-range Nikon yet for video. What is more of a surprise is the relish in which it takes on the much more expensive 5D Mark III, Panasonic GH3 and Nikon’s own flagship the D800 and D4.

Prototype Metabones Speed Booster equipped NEX 7 VS full frame 5D Mark III – 1st comparison shots

Tuesday, 15 January, 2013 02:47

Speed Booster at 35mm F1.0 on the Sony NEX 7

With the Metabones Speed Booster APS-C and Super 35mm sized sensors have taken a barrelling charge up to the door of full frame.

Does it blow the doors off?

EOSHD’s top 5 cameras of 2012

Friday, 21 December, 2012 02:28

Starting with number…

5. Sony RX100

Get the full countdown after the break…

The Hobbit HFR Review – my verdict on 48 frames per second

Saturday, 15 December, 2012 15:58

Above: Peter Jackson in the camera department of “The Hobbit”

Peter Jackson chose to take a controversial step away from the cinema look and shoot The Hobbit at 48p HFR. I’ve now seen it in glorious 48 frames per second and that isn’t the biggest problem. Jackson is shooting The Hobbit like an epic but the material this time is not of epic proportions, and the action sequences are typical popcorn schlock. The Lord Of The Rings was an allegory tale with the horrors of Word War II echoing throughout, an epic work of art. Perfect material for an epic film (and LOTR was a huge leap in CGI technology at the time the film was shot). The Hobbit is simply 6 chapters of a thin children’s book stretched to 3 hours.

Switronix PB70 BMCC external battery review

Thursday, 29 November, 2012 21:22

You can find the Switronix PB70 for Blackmagic Cinema Camera at Adorama for $299

When the Blackmagic Cinema Camera was announced at NAB many DSLR users were quite concerned by the lack of interchangeable battery and the short 1 hour run time on one charge.

In practical reality it is one of the best features.

Panasonic GH3 – my short test “Civilian”

Monday, 26 November, 2012 17:01

At the moment I am using the Panasonic GH3 like a bit of a director’s viewfinder. But the advantage is, it is a rolling one. You can then put a draft cut together of the concept you’re thinking of shooting – like a live action storyboard, see if it gives you an emotional response and if it succeeds – hire actors, and go back out and shoot it fully.

Ikonoskop A-Cam dll vs Blackmagic Cinema Camera – first impressions

Friday, 23 November, 2012 17:29

The Ikonoskop A-Cam is a 12bit uncompressed raw digital cinema camera that shoots in Cinema DNG format, much like the Blackmagic Cinema Camera.

In many ways though this is a different animal.

The Ikonoskop addresses some of what the Blackmagic Cinema Camera lacks in that it features a global shutter (it uses a CCD sensor rather than CMOS) and uses interchangeable Sony batteries (NP-F770, the same ones the FS100 uses). The only other digital cinema camera currently to feature a global shutter is the Sony F55 (likely over $25,000 when it hits the market). The Ikonoskop is 7700 Euros.

Blackmagic Cinema Camera Review – DSLR killer?

Tuesday, 13 November, 2012 23:16

A version of this review will appear in the UK edition of Mac User magazine. Check out the subscription here

This review is based on the final retail model (not a pre-production camera or loan unit). I pre-ordered from CVP in London back in April. The camera is currently £2148 at CVP but of course availability is still unfortunately very limited indeed.

The Blackmagic Cinema Camera is the most Apple-like camera I have ever used, in fact the only camera. Like the iPhone it stands out on the market as better than the mass market clones, at least on paper.

Is it worth the wait?

Panasonic GH3 hands-on report

Tuesday, 18 September, 2012 19:18

Panasonic’s Philipp Wolf showed me the inner-workings of the new GH3 at Photokina today. I was then let loose with the camera to shoot some test footage in 1080/25p ALL-I and 50Mbit 1080/50p mode.

This camera was running firmware version v0.4 and so by no means final yet. What I found impressed me.

A guide to the best wide angle lenses for the Blackmagic Cinema Camera

Thursday, 30 August, 2012 17:41

Blackmagic Cinema Camera wide angle lenses

A French rental house tries lenses on the Blackmagic Cinema Camera (La Blackmagic Camera passe chez PhotoCineRent)

Here I have rounded up all the lenses I have in mind for achieving a wide angle on the 2.3x crop sensor of the Blackmagic camera.

Nokia PureView 808 Review (vs iPhone 4S)

Friday, 03 August, 2012 17:37

The best camera is the one you have with you and the best smartphone is an Apple iPhone.

Unfortunately the camera on your iPhone just became very very obsolete.

EOSHD deals with a dilemma.

Olympus OM-D E-M5 Review

Thursday, 19 July, 2012 19:37

Journey – by Andrew Reid

Does the new OM-D E-M5 manage to produce a GH2 style virtuoso performance in video mode?

I have to say there are some question marks over that – but as a stills camera it is now my absolute number one choice against some very tough competition – the 5D Mark III, Fuji X Pro 1 and Sony NEX 7.

Canon EF 40mm F2.8 Pancake Review

Wednesday, 04 July, 2012 18:39

Canon EF 40mm F2.8 Pancake Review

Canon’s first ever pancake has been cooked up. Is it sweet or a bit crêpe? EOSHD takes a look.

Revenge of the Great Zacuto Shootout Part 1 – Review

Sunday, 17 June, 2012 00:12

Above: one of my favourite scenes from the episode, click it to enlarge to 1080p, the colour on this shot is ‘early Technicolor’ and ‘Hitchcockian’. But I am not 100% sure which camera was used to shoot it (although I have a gut feeling!) – and that tells you a lot about how evenly matched cameras like the FS100 and GH2 are with much more expensive offerings (if viewed at 1080p)

If you haven’t already I advise you to watch the episode before reading this and draw your own conclusions first. If you have seen the full screening please do not reveal the results on the comments forum.

Watch episode 1 here!

The Zacuto Shootout is like a torch light in the dark for many aspiring, young filmmakers and it is useful – not to mention fascinating and enjoyable – to see these incredible tools fight for the best image. Now the Revenge series has added people into the mix it is even more interesting and educational.

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