Interview with Stephan Schulz, Leica Camera on the SL2 and filmmaking

Stephan Schulz of Leica Camera - Interview

When I began shooting with my own Leica SL2 earlier this year, I found a lot to like about the high-spec mirrorless camera for filmmaking, and of course the SL2 is superb for photography. However, the battery power management has prevented shooting in 4K and 5K reliably, varying depending on the type of lenses used. After making Leica aware of this issue, Leica’s Head of Product Management, Professional Photo System and co-designer of the SL2 Stephan Schulz has been on my case and I have been on his!

The good news is that Leica are investigating the possibility of a firmware update to alleviate the problem and I will be carrying out testing duties for Leica on the video side going forward.

The Leica SL2 battery grip is on the way from Wetzlar and could offer an instant solution, but this needs to be tested. Here we hear directly from Stephan at Leica Camera AG, in this exclusive interview on EOSHD…

Read moreInterview with Stephan Schulz, Leica Camera on the SL2 and filmmaking

Leica SL2 has power flaw – Until fixed I recommend not using for professional 4K shooting

I was very excited for the Leica SL2 and bought mine in December 2019. I have been using it ever since and it is every bit as beautifully designed as the previous model, but this time with high-spec 4K video features, IBIS and an anamorphic 5.5K mode. As usual, I paid the full retail price out of my own pocket and didn’t take a camera on loan. This is something I am now regretting because the SL2 has a major show-stopping problem which effects ALL models out there and isn’t isolated to mine. By the time I was sure of the problem, the 14-day window to return my camera to the retailer had lapsed. I then reached out to Leica in Wetzlar to alert them via my contacts at Leitz Cine lenses. UPDATE: Leica has got back to me and the issues are being looked into – the battery grip is one possible solution and there will be an update on the blog this coming week.

Read moreLeica SL2 has power flaw – Until fixed I recommend not using for professional 4K shooting

Blackmagic Pocket 4K – why I am staying with the Cinema DNG firmware

Comment on the EOSHD Forum Blackmagic Pocket 4K topic
(415 pages and 1 million views on just one thread!)

Something for Blackmagic to look into here on the EOSHD Forum thread for the Pocket 4K. Anecdotal evidence say the camera is suffering from macro-blocking and banding in blue skies which you don’t expect to see with a 10bit codec let alone a RAW codec. Since the BRAW codec update, various users have been claiming it’s a backward step for the film-look of lossless Cinema DNG raw.

Read moreBlackmagic Pocket 4K – why I am staying with the Cinema DNG firmware

Canon C300 Mark II suffers black spot issue

[youtube]https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=tTQ5uq6PyUg[/youtube]

[pullquote]Comment on the forum[/pullquote]

The Canon C300 Mark II appears to have a firmware bug. This will need a fix from Canon if the C300 Mark II is to be completely bullet-proof on a shoot.

Highlights burn to black in certain situations (as with car headlights or the sun).

Read moreCanon C300 Mark II suffers black spot issue

Sony FS5 codec problems and 4K ripped edges bug

[vimeo]http://vimeo.com/150618927[/vimeo]

[pullquote]Comment on the forum[/pullquote]

The Sony FS5 has had a largely warm welcome from the video community but there has been one thing bugging a lot of owners and potential buyers alike – the quality of the internal codec.

Just how good or bad is it?

Read moreSony FS5 codec problems and 4K ripped edges bug

Sony confirm A7S II 25p sunspot bug, firmware update to come

[pullquote]Comment on the forum[/pullquote] A quick post – Sony have moved quickly to begin fixing the A7S II sunspot bug pointed out in the first part of my review. Here is the official statement I was emailed today: “We have confirmed this phenomenon and are now analyzing it to develop a firmware solution to solve it. We will be in touch as soon as we are ready to confirm timings for this update. Thank you for your understanding.” Good news and until the firmware update is ready A7S II users in Europe can use the camera 100% reliably by switching to NTSC …

Read moreSony confirm A7S II 25p sunspot bug, firmware update to come

Phase detect AF strips showing up in Olympus E-M1 video

e-m1-sensor

Ever wondered if those sensor AF pixels or “sensels” can show up in your images?

I’m just fresh from shooting a music video with the Olympus OM-D E-M1. I love this camera for professional video. Really love it… The 5 axis stabiliser is unique on the market and no other interchangeable lens camera can do what the E-M5 can do with Micro Four Thirds lens, that stabiliser and no rig, even a tripod.

It’s unfortunate however in that the camera has a very unusual bug…

Read morePhase detect AF strips showing up in Olympus E-M1 video

How Mac OSX still *screws* your GH2 / FS100 / NEX footage – A must read!!

I’ve had my suspicions for a while now about AVCHD footage having a different exposure on my Mac to on the camera. When I edit my GH2 and FS100 stuff natively in Adobe Premiere Pro CS5.5 or the new CS6, or preview AVCHD MTS files in VLC Player (Quicktime X still does not support AVCHD) blacks are crushed and the image is darker overall with far less shadow detail than on the camera’s LCD.

Read moreHow Mac OSX still *screws* your GH2 / FS100 / NEX footage – A must read!!