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We met with Laowa over at NAB 2023, where they showed us two new Nanomorph lenses: a 65mm T2.4 and an 80mm T2.4. Those lenses join an already existing set of 27mm T2.8, 35mm T2.4, and 50mm T2.4.
Those lenses caught my attention because they have some unique features on top of some of the other anamorphic lenses in the market. If you are out for a Super 35 anamorphic lens set, they are definitely worth your attention.
I want to warmly welcome the new Kelvin Play (link) – an RGBACL panel light. Of all the many LED panels I have seen in the market, I don’t recall a single panel using the RGBACL technology.
The Kelvin Play was announced at NAB 2023 last week and received quite a bit of excitement. While we are not new to colored RGB panels, seeing an RGBLAC in the wild was an exciting discovery. If you are new to RGBLAC technology or want to learn why this is a big thing, hit the jump.
A while back SmallRig entered the tripods market with a heavy-duty aluminum tripod. It was an entry-level video tripod at about $150. Now, there is a second, more professional version of the SmallRig Heavy-Duty Tripod in Carbon Fiber ($399.00), and it is packed with features.
I guess that Smallrig took the time between the design and manufacturing of those tripods to listen to customer feedback, because a lot of the things that were missing from the first-generation tripod are now solved. Let’s jump right in.
We just shot 35 — a one-minute horror movie. While the movie is only one minute, there are three different scenes in there, each with its own setup and motivation, and I would love to break them down. But first, go watch the video. It’s only one minute, but still. Spoilers. Actually, let me put the actual video at the beginning of the BTS.
35 is a short visual story about a guy who finds a coat with a key. The key says 35, and our hero goes to door 35 to find out what’s behind the door. Clearly, something menacing. When he engages with the door, the door opens and reveals what’s inside.
We teamed up with our friends at Zhiyun to give away one of the best tools any filmmaker needs – a Zhiyun Weebill 3 Gimbal.
Gimbals, as you probably know, are one of the first tools you should buy as a filmmaker. It adds that magic that allows you to take long, moving, smooth shots. It should probably be your next purchase after getting a camera, a lens, and a tripod. And the Zhiyun Weebill 3 has the perfect combination of features and size for most mirrorless/DSLR videographers. Hit the jump to join the sweepstakes.
April’s 1st (aka April’s fools) is upon us, and it is important to remember that you should be specific of anything funny, suspicious, or generally too weird to be true. It’s also worth remembering that We are now living in a global world, and while your date may be March 31st, in other places, it can already be April 1st (hello, Australia). Likewise, While your clock may already say April 2nd, in some parts of the world, it’s still April 1st. So Take anything you hear today with a grain of salt.
Now, without further ado, here are the best photographers April’s fools pranks readers and brands sent us. If we missed any post-worthy jokes, let us know in the comments.
We teamed up with our friends at B&H to give away a Two Watson Pro Cine High-Load V-Mount Battery with D-Tap Charger Kits.
As the saying goes, no good battery goes unused, and we want to know what you are using batteries for. So all you have to do to win a shot at those beauties is simply tell us what you use batteries for. (back in the day it was toy car remotes, but hey! This is a photo-video blog). At the end of the sweepstakes, we will choose one lucky winner, and we will send two full High-Load V-Mount Battery kits complete with DTAP chargers their way. Hit the jump to join the sweepstakes.
Zhiyun just announced two new small lights: the Zhiyun MOLUS G60 and the Zhiyun MOLUS X100. Both of those lights are incredibly small for their output and feature unique designs. I find it quite interesting how Zhiyun are expanding into the lighting lines. They are not doing it by copying the “standard” COBs but by trying new things like the Zhiyun FIVERAY F100 (review) and M40 lights. Definitely not the run-of-mill lights.
And coming up with new types of lights does carry a risk. “Standard” COBs are safe. You know there is a market. On the other hand, this is also a very competitive market, so you have to do something to stand out. And Zhiyun are definitely doing things differently. Let’s dive into this new announcement:
If you look at current trends in the industry, there are quite a bit of layoffs going around. Companies like Google, Amazon, and Meta (Owner of Facebook, Instagram, and Whatsapp) just laid off tens of thousands of people. While we mostly know Adobe as the maker of creative tools, it is also considered a mega-tech company with lots of similarities to companies that are laying off employees. In fact, Adobe had its round of layoffs at the end of 2022.
Here is the thing, though. While some tech companies are said to be staging for a second round of layoffs (See Meta for example), Adobe’s Chief People Officer, Gloria Chen, just committed in a Bloomberg interview to “not having company-wide layoffs” in 2023.
If you have ever tried developing film at home, you know the joy this magical process brings. You probably also know that while processing one, two, or even five rolls is relatively easy, going large volume is not trivial. This is where the Dunkbot comes in.
The appropriately named Dunkbot is a Kickstarter project that, well… dunks! Dunks rolls of film.
Udi Tirosh is an entrepreneur, photography inventor, journalist, educator, and writer based in Israel. With over 25 years of experience in the photo-video industry, Udi has built and sold several photography-related brands. Udi has a double degree in mass media communications and computer science.
Alex Baker is a portrait and lifestyle driven photographer based in Valencia, Spain. She works on a range of projects from commercial to fine art and has had work featured in publications such as The Daily Mail, Conde Nast Traveller and El Mundo, and has exhibited work across Europe
Dave Williams is an accomplished travel photographer, writer, and best-selling author from the UK. He is also a photography educator and published Aurora expert. Dave has traveled extensively in recent years, capturing stunning images from around the world in a modified van. His work has been featured in various publications and he has worked with notable brands such as Skoda, EE, Boeing, Huawei, Microsoft, BMW, Conde Nast, Electronic Arts, Discovery, BBC, The Guardian, ESPN, NBC, and many others.
John Aldred is a photographer with over 20 years of experience in the portrait and commercial worlds. He is based in Scotland and has been an early adopter - and occasional beta tester - of almost every digital imaging technology in that time. As well as his creative visual work, John uses 3D printing, electronics and programming to create his own photography and filmmaking tools and consults for a number of brands across the industry.
Dunja Djudjic is a multi-talented artist based in Novi Sad, Serbia. With 15 years of experience as a photographer, she specializes in capturing the beauty of nature, travel, and fine art. In addition to her photography, Dunja also expresses her creativity through writing, embroidery, and jewelry making.
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