Tim Sewell

I used to work in the world of obscure international trade shows and magazines, first as an ad/space salesman, later on the operational side. The magazines - with enticing titles like 'World Plastics and Rubber Technology', 'Railway Interiors' and 'Automotive Testing International' were 100% advertiser-led. They had editorial staff, who called themselves journalists - but in reality they were employed to put the words of the advertisers and the exhibitors into a form that looked like journalism but was, in fact, thinly disguised advertorial. There was absolutely no way in the world that any of those magazines would have criticised any advertiser, exhibitor, or potential client of the future - the companies in those industries could have caused the immolation of a small country and the only news about them in our mags would have been about their latest widget. This became especially pernicious once the publishers all jumped on the (far more lucrative) expo business as potential exhibitors would be offered puff pieces in the magazines as an incentive to book stand space.
That, I'm afraid, is the end game in non-news journalism once it becomes advertiser led. In fact, it even happens in pure news as well - witness the ongoing reluctance, for instance, of the Daily Telegraph to publish articles critical of China in the light of its regular, highly profitable, supplements sponsored by that country.
Personally I stopped taking much notice of DPR once Amazon bought it as, having the experience outlined above, I couldn't see how a website owned by one of the largest camera retailers could maintain integrity in the long term. Whether or not they actually have started to water down adverse opinions of cameras or their manufacturers, the fact is that I can no longer be sure that they don't. And that's the pity of it.
I don't make my living with cameras any more - it's a fun hobby, but an incredibly expensive one (well it isn't actually - I've got friends who are into cars and motorbikes who will happily spend tens of thousands of pounds on their passions and no-one really bats an eyelid - I spend £3K on a camera and people think I'm insane) so I need to know that the sources of information I use to guide my purchases are going to give me the bad news as well as the good. I no longer bother with any of the 'magazine' style sites at all - I research potential purchases here and on DVX User and get opinions, in the round, that I can trust.

I used to work in the world of obscure international trade shows and magazines, first as an ad/space salesman, later on the operational side. The magazines - with enticing titles like 'World Plastics and Rubber Technology', 'Railway Interiors' and 'Automotive Testing International' were 100% advertiser-led. They had editorial staff, who called themselves journalists - but in reality they were employed to put the words of the advertisers and the exhibitors into a form that looked like journalism but was, in fact, thinly disguised advertorial. There was absolutely no way in the world that any of those magazines would have criticised any advertiser, exhibitor, or potential client of the future - the companies in those industries could have caused the immolation of a small country and the only news about them in our mags would have been about their latest widget. This became especially pernicious once the publishers all jumped on the (far more lucrative) expo business as potential exhibitors would be offered puff pieces in the magazines as an incentive to book stand space.
That, I'm afraid, is the end game in non-news journalism once it becomes advertiser led. In fact, it even happens in pure news as well - witness the ongoing reluctance, for instance, of the Daily Telegraph to publish articles critical of China in the light of its regular, highly profitable, supplements sponsored by that country.
Personally I stopped taking much notice of DPR once Amazon bought it as, having the experience outlined above, I couldn't see how a website owned by one of the largest camera retailers could maintain integrity in the long term. Whether or not they actually have started to water down adverse opinions of cameras or their manufacturers, the fact is that I can no longer be sure that they don't. And that's the pity of it.
I don't make my living with cameras any more - it's a fun hobby, but an incredibly expensive one (well it isn't actually - I've got friends who are into cars and motorbikes who will happily spend tens of thousands of pounds on their passions and no-one really bats an eyelid - I spend £3K on a camera and people think I'm insane) so I need to know that the sources of information I use to guide my purchases are going to give me the bad news as well as the good. I no longer bother with any of the 'magazine' style sites at all - I research potential purchases here and on DVX User and get opinions, in the round, that I can trust.

I used to work in the world of obscure international trade shows and magazines, first as an ad/space salesman, later on the operational side. The magazines - with enticing titles like 'World Plastics and Rubber Technology', 'Railway Interiors' and 'Automotive Testing International' were 100% advertiser-led. They had editorial staff, who called themselves journalists - but in reality they were employed to put the words of the advertisers and the exhibitors into a form that looked like journalism but was, in fact, thinly disguised advertorial. There was absolutely no way in the world that any of those magazines would have criticised any advertiser, exhibitor, or potential client of the future - the companies in those industries could have caused the immolation of a small country and the only news about them in our mags would have been about their latest widget. This became especially pernicious once the publishers all jumped on the (far more lucrative) expo business as potential exhibitors would be offered puff pieces in the magazines as an incentive to book stand space.
That, I'm afraid, is the end game in non-news journalism once it becomes advertiser led. In fact, it even happens in pure news as well - witness the ongoing reluctance, for instance, of the Daily Telegraph to publish articles critical of China in the light of its regular, highly profitable, supplements sponsored by that country.
Personally I stopped taking much notice of DPR once Amazon bought it as, having the experience outlined above, I couldn't see how a website owned by one of the largest camera retailers could maintain integrity in the long term. Whether or not they actually have started to water down adverse opinions of cameras or their manufacturers, the fact is that I can no longer be sure that they don't. And that's the pity of it.
I don't make my living with cameras any more - it's a fun hobby, but an incredibly expensive one (well it isn't actually - I've got friends who are into cars and motorbikes who will happily spend tens of thousands of pounds on their passions and no-one really bats an eyelid - I spend £3K on a camera and people think I'm insane) so I need to know that the sources of information I use to guide my purchases are going to give me the bad news as well as the good. I no longer bother with any of the 'magazine' style sites at all - I research potential purchases here and on DVX User and get opinions, in the round, that I can trust.

So here's a thing - I can't justify an Adobe CC subscription just for Photoshop (I use FCPX and/or Resolve for video) as I wouldn't use it enough, but thought there was no other software that would allow me to utilise my large-ish LUTs collection for stills. Just discovered that Affinity Photo (https://affinity.serif.com/en-gb/photo/) - that's not too shabby as an editor - allows just this - for just GBP29.99! Very happy and looking forward to a lot of processing over Christmas.

So here's a thing - I can't justify an Adobe CC subscription just for Photoshop (I use FCPX and/or Resolve for video) as I wouldn't use it enough, but thought there was no other software that would allow me to utilise my large-ish LUTs collection for stills. Just discovered that Affinity Photo (https://affinity.serif.com/en-gb/photo/) - that's not too shabby as an editor - allows just this - for just GBP29.99! Very happy and looking forward to a lot of processing over Christmas.

So here's a thing - I can't justify an Adobe CC subscription just for Photoshop (I use FCPX and/or Resolve for video) as I wouldn't use it enough, but thought there was no other software that would allow me to utilise my large-ish LUTs collection for stills. Just discovered that Affinity Photo (https://affinity.serif.com/en-gb/photo/) - that's not too shabby as an editor - allows just this - for just GBP29.99! Very happy and looking forward to a lot of processing over Christmas.

Whatever hosting option you choose, if you're looking to keep your costs so low, you'll have to embed your videos rather than host them yourself - $20/year doesn't buy a whole load of bandwidth (and you should avoid hosts who tell you that it will).

I got a set of Ianiro redheads (the original redheads!) for under £150 on ebay - 3 lights, stands, scrims etc. Got a 300W Arri fresnel plus stand for around £30. Nearly a full Lowell kit - Omni, Tilta and the other one whose name escapes me, in separate ebay deals for a total of around £100. A bunch of good stands for £20. A boom and stand for a tenner. You can definitely put together a lighting package for little money if you're prepared to take it slowly and look out for deals. The only instruments I've bought full price have been a few different LEDs - there doesn't seem to be the same kind of bargain-rich secondhand market in them yet. Plus, I should mention, Lee gels are, for what they are, really cheap!
 
I should add, @Dustin, that I don't know where you're based, but the UK used cinema lighting market is like a tiny gnat compared to the big buffalo of the US one.

No doubt everyone's aware of this, but Cooke Optics' YouTube channel is yet another department of the free film school: https://www.youtube.com/channel/UC-Ya9gBlwOhRwtloTn1hvbA

I got a set of Ianiro redheads (the original redheads!) for under £150 on ebay - 3 lights, stands, scrims etc. Got a 300W Arri fresnel plus stand for around £30. Nearly a full Lowell kit - Omni, Tilta and the other one whose name escapes me, in separate ebay deals for a total of around £100. A bunch of good stands for £20. A boom and stand for a tenner. You can definitely put together a lighting package for little money if you're prepared to take it slowly and look out for deals. The only instruments I've bought full price have been a few different LEDs - there doesn't seem to be the same kind of bargain-rich secondhand market in them yet. Plus, I should mention, Lee gels are, for what they are, really cheap!
 
I should add, @Dustin, that I don't know where you're based, but the UK used cinema lighting market is like a tiny gnat compared to the big buffalo of the US one.

I mentioned it (not to be like "I already mentioned it, Jimmy! "), but yeah, same reasoning

No doubt everyone's aware of this, but Cooke Optics' YouTube channel is yet another department of the free film school: https://www.youtube.com/channel/UC-Ya9gBlwOhRwtloTn1hvbA

The Atomos (Shogun series) will go to 30p 4K Sony raw to ProRes. CDNG to the same framerate & resolution is supposed to arrive via firmware update. I'm not aware of any monitor-less recorder other than the ridiculously expensive Sony one that can achieve the same with this camera.
I certainly regard the FS700's image (via the Atomos) as having a cinematic feel to it more reminiscent of the cinema cameras you mention. I viewed quite a few videos before buying it that made me feel this way and later, when I'm on my own laptop, I'll post a link to a handy listing of them. It has to be said, however, that the F3 has more of a reputation as the 'poor man's Alexa'.

Personally I like to set ISO/SA(180)/f5.6/8 and ride the ND using a combination of zebras and waveform (@Stanley - the SLR Magic one is ace!). When I'm using my Shogun Flame I'm almost confident enough to do it by eyeball - I said almost.
Dunno who made you thread boss, Jon, but you seem to have issues that might be better off kept private.

No doubt everyone's aware of this, but Cooke Optics' YouTube channel is yet another department of the free film school: https://www.youtube.com/channel/UC-Ya9gBlwOhRwtloTn1hvbA

No doubt everyone's aware of this, but Cooke Optics' YouTube channel is yet another department of the free film school: https://www.youtube.com/channel/UC-Ya9gBlwOhRwtloTn1hvbA

No doubt everyone's aware of this, but Cooke Optics' YouTube channel is yet another department of the free film school: https://www.youtube.com/channel/UC-Ya9gBlwOhRwtloTn1hvbA

No doubt everyone's aware of this, but Cooke Optics' YouTube channel is yet another department of the free film school: https://www.youtube.com/channel/UC-Ya9gBlwOhRwtloTn1hvbA

At film school, your professors are usually not actively working in the field.  
So this WanderingDP - interview young up and coming DPs who share unique perspectives and ideas is incredibly valuable.  I learned a ton from the interview with Chayse Irvin, super talented young dp who shot the Lemonade Beyonce film.
 
http://wanderingdp.com/

Probably could use a bit more work - especially the score - but I quite like the 'thrillery' feel. Cinema EOS standard, HD, colour and contrast balanced then FilmConvert-ed to Fuji Velvia. Soundtrack done in Filmstro.
 

Probably could use a bit more work - especially the score - but I quite like the 'thrillery' feel. Cinema EOS standard, HD, colour and contrast balanced then FilmConvert-ed to Fuji Velvia. Soundtrack done in Filmstro.
 

Yeah, I was looking at standard too, probably with the sharpening dialled down a little. Would you still add any post LUTtage to that, or leave it as is (your work always seems highly stylised to me, so I'm guessing the former)? As an aside, just for fun, I manually 'legalised' some of my C log test shots then played around with some looks LUTS (DeLUTS) designed for Sony Cine4 and they didn't look too bad at all.

Off-topic, but the service being advertised fits in with a description I recently heard of today's web service industry - guys in the Valley coming up with apps to do the stuff their mums no longer do for them.

Off-topic, but the service being advertised fits in with a description I recently heard of today's web service industry - guys in the Valley coming up with apps to do the stuff their mums no longer do for them.

Blackmagic Design have announced a new camera, which they added is already shipping and available in all major retailers from midnight.