For this video I used the C300 PL, which as it’s name suggests, has the PL mount. During the shoot I used the RED 50mm and 85mm PL lenses. Lighting was by two LED panels with the main light coming from a Kino Flo Diva-Lite. I also had the pleasure of trying out a Miller tripod for the first time and must say, I was rather impressed. All equipment was supplied by New Day Pictures (whom I highly recommend for any video, lighting and accessory rentals).

Firstly, I need to clarify that the C300 was a pre-production model; having said this, it performed flawlessly. Having never seen, let alone used this camera, after a few minutes of training by Canon’s staff at the event I was ready to shoot. It’s an amazingly simple camera to get to grips with with a clear menu system and extremely clearly market keys dotted around the camera; I found it ergonomically brilliant. A very comfortable camera to hold and use. I was also surprised that it was lighter than I anticipated. For any prolonged handheld use though, I would probably suggest a shoulder rig. All the shots in their short film where done on the Miller tripod. My only disappointment was the microphone holder needed a spacer and so I couldn’t use my trusty Rode NTG3 to test out the camera’s audio abilities.

Vick Blatchley with the EF mount version of the Canon C300. This image is a screengrab from a Canon C300 video file. Photo: Edmond Terakopian

After the first shoot, I was impressed by the camera but was extremely keen to see what the footage looked like on the editing station. Once the files were transcoded from MXF files to Pro Res 422 (using the free Canon XF FCP plugin) we looked at them in FCP 7. Straight out the camera the files were amazingly lush. Full of detail, vivid with accurate colours and pin sharp. The most astonishing aspect was the dynamic range; the camera has it’s widest range at 850 ISO. Not only was this apparent in all the extreme highlight and shadow detail, but equally apparent was just how clean the files looked. This camera is the available light shooters’ dream. Along with it’s built in optical ND filters, shooting to achieve maximum dynamic range in outdoor situations is going to be a walk in the park. In use, the fold out LCD monitor was an absolute joy to use. For handheld use, the built in viewfinder makes things more comfortable, taking on the form factor of a DSLR and providing another point of contact to steady the shot.

For my edit here, I used FCP 7 and the Canon XF plugin to transcode the files and imported them into FCP X for my edit. Initial grading was done in FCP X and finished off using Magic Bullet Mojo. This workflow is a bit annoying (and is the first time I have used FCP7 since upgrading to FCP X) but I’m guessing it’s only a matter of time until there’s full compatibility).

My half day with the camera was an absolute joy. My nervousness at perhaps jumping in at the deep end having to produce footage on a brand new camera were unfounded. I took to it like it was a familiar piece of kit. Judging by how well it performed (running for around six hours solid) and how amazing the footage looks, I wouldn’t hesitate in recommending the C300. The only snag is the £10,000+VAT asking price. If I find my video work increasing as it has done over the last few years, I won’t hesitate in getting one of these, but until then, alas it will remain out of reach. So far, it is the most capable video camera I have worked on, and that includes the RED One and my beloved Canon 5D MkII. In fact, why not rent one from the folks at New Day Pictures and see what the fuss is about!

I must admit that since seeing the press release from Rode for the VideoMic HD, I’ve been a tad excited about the product! It’s still at a development stage so I have yet to see or use the VideoMic HD, but on paper and judging by these pictures, I think those who use their DSLRs for video are in for a treat.

Firstly, it uses a microphone based on the technology from my absolute favourite microphone, the Rode NTG3. Not only that, but it has a built in blimp which means it’ll be shielded from wind noise and vibration. The big game changer though is that it marries this amazing microphone to a built in digital recorder, allowing recording of high quality WAVs, and has a headphone socket for monitoring audio. It also has a display for monitoring audio levels. All of this packaged in a metal hosing that sits in your hotshoe. Very neat, tidy and compact.

To make it even more versatile, it also has an input for another microphone via 3.5mm audio jack. This means if you wanted to boom another microphone, say the superb VideoMic Pro, you could. You would get the shielded extension cable back from the boomed VideoMic Pro back to the VideoMic HD, thus being able to fully monitor the audio. Genius!

In operation, as far as I can tell, one would record onto the device (Micro SDHC, up to 32Gb in size) as high quality WAVs or compressed MP3s. The built in 3.5mm jacked cable then plugs into your camera and passes the monitored audio through. By setting a correct level on the camera and on the microphone, one could even just use the camera’s recorded track for quick and dirty edits in the field and later substitute the better quality WAV from the VideoMic HD when back in the office.

I for one can’t wait to get my hands on this and see how it sounds and performs. I think we’re all in for quite a special microphone.

Once in a while, a company comes up with a product that just amazes me and once I begin using it, wonder how on earth I ever did without it. One such example is Nik Software’s Viveza plugin which did away needing complicated layers and masks for colour image processing. It made the process much more natural and saved time with it’s point, click and slide approach. To my utter amazement, Nik has managed to bring a version of this to the iOS (Apple iPad, iPhone and iPod Touch) platform and it’s called Snapseed.

The iPad is definitely heading to becoming an ideal tool for photographers. It was already a great piece of equipment to use as a portfolio for photographs and video, as well as a great tool for researching stories and reading newspapers and magazines via the various Apps available. As I covered in a previous article, there are already some great image processing Apps available and once these mature and the iPad becomes more powerful and hopefully gets built in USB or an SD card reader, it will definitely become a tool more capable of image processing for the pro on the go.

Snapseed has just taken the bar set previously and raised it by a phenomenal amount. This App is practically why the iPad was invented. The touch interface works so well, that within minutes of using it, the most complex of image processing is done in a matter of seconds. User control is basically based around an up or down swipe for choosing an adjustment and a side swipe for a plus or minus value (or strength value, depending on the adjustment chosen). This way one can very quickly run through the adjustments needed and set a value. It’s so natural, simple and intuitive, with so much fine control that the user interface is simply a work of pure genius.

After the image is loaded into Snapseed, there are two sets of adjustments available; the first set are Automatic, Selective Adjustment, Tune Image, Straighten and Rotate and Crop. This set gives absolute control on the processing. The second page brings more set filters; Black and White, Vintage, Drama, Grunge, Centre Focus and Frames. Although the latter set are an automated looks, they do offer several Styles and variables that can be adjusted, with each filter having it’s own applicable set. These include Filter Strength, Saturation, Brightness, Texture Strength, Centre Size and so on.

Snapseed absolutely comes into it’s own when the Selective Adjust is used. Using the Add (a circle with a plus sign along the bottom of the screen), a spot is selected. This can for example be some blue sky, dark storm clouds, a road surface, a face in shadow and so on. This spot is where the colour to be adjusted is chosen and creates a circle, to show the area that will be adjusted. This circle can be increased or decreased using a ‘pinch’ gesture. Very usefully, as the circle size is adjusted, a red mask appears, showing which the size of the area and also which segments of the image will be covered when adjustments are made.

After the area is defined, the first setting shows a ‘B’ in a blue circle at the centre of the area, standing for Brightness. To make an adjustment, one simply touches the screen and slides left, for darker, or right, for a brighter setting. Once done, a slide upwards reveals the available adjustments available; in this case, Contrast and then Saturation. These are adjusted in a similar way. All of these adjustments only work within the defined circumference and only to the colour of the control spot chosen. If for example a blue sky over woodland is the chosen point, all the adjustments will only effect the blue sky and regardless of how complex the detail in the trees are, non of these is effected, leaving a natural and real look, without the tell tale signs of dodging and burning. It’s as simple as that and within a minute or two, a perfect image can be produced. Snapseed also has a Share button once the image is saved and will Email, Print or send the image to your Flickr or Facebook page.

The only downside to this App is what plagues all iOS photo Apps; there isn’t a single solution that does all. One has to use various Apps together to achieve the desired outcome, for example a RAW processing App (although iOS & app updates have added some RAW functionality, such as Canon and Nikon RAW file support), Snapseed and then an App that can add metadata and FTP. Depending on how many Apps are needed, the constant saving after saving of a jpeg will eventually start to degrade the image. Having said this, as an App, this is by far the most amazing photography software I have seen on the iPad, by far.

The Desktop

In January 2012 Nik Software also brought Snapseed to the Mac desktop. This standalone app works beautifully. Allowing all of the iOS adjustments but on a large desktop with huge files. It’s an absolute must have for any photographer.

Photographer and film maker Edmond Terakopian filming at the Royal National Orthopaedic Hospital in Stanmore, using a Canon 5D MkII on a Zacuto Striker with the new Rode VideoMic Pro (with a windshield fitted). In the foreground is the original Rode VideoMic. Filming in an operating theatre. May 16, 2011. Photo: Neil patience

When I reviewed Canon’s 5D MkII in 2009, I concluded that the easiest way to get good audio on the camera was to use Rode’s VideoMic. I’ve been personally using this microphone since and have been getting pretty good results. However in situations where I need to travel compact or when shooting in news type situations, I did wish the VideoMic was smaller.

Rode seems to have been listening and recently launched the much smaller VideoMic Pro. It’s 10cm shorter in length than the VideoMic, 2.2cm lower in height but 0.7cm wider. It’s also lighter with the new model being 85g compared to the VideoMic’s 176g. It is just the right size now and when mounted, it doesn’t stick out the back.

Price wise, the VideoMic Pro is more expensive. Studiospares have the VideoMic Pro at £124.17 exc VAT compared to the older VideoMic at £65.83 exc VAT.

In Use

I did a set of extensive listening tests comparing the VideoMic and VideoMic Pro, using a Canon 5D MkII with it’s audio gain set on automatic. The subject was in an enclosed area and recorded from a distance of 2 meters as well as one meter. I listened to the results playing back the video on a MacPro using Aperture 3. Initially I used a pair of speakers and then headphones. No matter how hard I tried to find differences between the two, I couldn’t. The larger VideoMic was already a superb microphone, and the VideoMic Pro, although much smaller, was as directional in it’s sound gathering and just as clear in picking up all the detail in the voice. If anything, the VideoMic Pro seemed to make a little less background hiss in the quite times, as the camera turned up the gain automatically.

As a result, it later came as no surprise when comparing the specifications of the two microphones to see that Rode have somehow managed to make them identical, even though the VideoMic Pro is so much smaller.

Photographer and film maker Edmond Terakopian filming at the Royal National Orthopaedic Hospital in Stanmore, with the Rode VideoMic Pro. Filming in an operating theatre. May 16, 2011. Photo: Neil patience

In listening tests, although I didn’t do a side by side comparison with it’s closest rival, the more expensive Sennheiser MKE 400 (£136.00 exc VAT), although I had previously tested the Rode VideoMic and in comparative listening tests, the Rode was the clear winner.

The new microphone is a completely different design, with a completely new suspension rig, which ensures camera noise doesn’t vibrate up to and get recoded by the microphone. I’m extremely glad to see that the on switch and all the filter controls are still at the back of the camera, where they are easily seen. There’s nothing worse that making a video recording and not switching on the microphone; with the Rode, an LED clearly shows when it’s on. The Sennheiser has these controls on it’s side where they are easily missed.

The smaller size naturally has it’s conveniences; it’s much harder to snag the microphone and naturally it takes up less room when packed. The shorter size also means that it’s now much easier to use ultra wide angle lenses.

Conclusions

If absolute quality is needed in audio, then currently with the video DSLRs on offer, one’s only answer is to record the audio separately and then sync it up afterwards when editing. I personally use a Zoom H4n audio recorder and Rode’s excellent NTG-3 microphone. However, this is extra equipment and expense, and demands a lot of extra time and expertise when editing. Even when doing dual audio, I still use the VideoMic Pro on a second body when shooting dual cameras (which I often do); this allows for a sound backup but also for a much cleaner audio track to synchronise externally recorded audio with. For the simpler and straight to camera audio recording, Rode’s VideoMic Pro has kept the superb sound of it’s older brother and packed it into a much smaller package. I highly recommend this to anyone wanting to use their DSLRs for video.

There are some well guarded secret methods and accessories that help beauty and fashion photographers achieve the realistic looks they get in their work. Using real looking models, these techniques help convey the honest and real beauty sought after by consumers of their work.

I hope that these videos may help those wishing to break into this market

Absolutely ridiculous. I saw a message from a picture editor asking for “iconic images” for a publication, in exchange for which a byline credit or a small fee could be paid. This is for iconic images! It is this devaluing of photography which is killing the industry. Asking for the best of this work, “iconic imagery” as was said, and offering a credit or a small fee, is quite frankly insulting to all photographers. I’m sure a lot of this iconic photography has involved colleagues risking their lives and being away from their loved ones for weeks and months on end, and the offer of a credit simply does nothing to appreciate or respect this work.

I saw another message from a different publication asking for photojournalistic work from around the world, in exchange for the opportunity for the photographer to take these pictures; so, the photographer comes up with the story idea and pictures, to give this publication, and their payment is the opportunity to have done so! When questioned, the reply was “we are a non-profit publication”.

Let me clear something up for all those after free pictures, no matter what your excuse or reasoning is. We are for profit individuals, who need to make a profit to pay for our accommodation, meals, food, water, heating, transport and so on. Let’s not even start on how much equipment costs now days. Stop asking for free pictures.

Fujifilm’s new X-Pro1 certainly looks like a very interesting camera. Very much looking forward to seeing what this camera can produce. I applaud Fujifilm on bringing out a large sensor, interchangeable lens camera with an optical finder; this is something I have been begging for from other manufacturers, way before Micro 4/3 or the Leica M9 were even announced.

As photographers we are now beginning to get what we want. There is a misconception amongst most camera manufacturers that pro photographers and serious enthusiasts want large, heavy, professional looking equipment with huge lenses-not true camera designers, please take note! Another issue I personally have is with mega complex menu systems that get in the way of photography; pro photographers we may be, but camera engineers we are not. It’s all about the photography, so please take a leaf out of Leica’s book and create simple, elegant menus which don’t need a manual and an entire day to try and understand.

It’s wonderful to see these small new cameras going back in time for their inspiration; Leica first came up with the 35mm format and designed small, mirror less cameras going back to the original  Ur-Leica, the screw mount interchangeable lens Leicas that followed and all the way to the current Leica M9. What’s wonderful is to hear that Fujifilm is producing a Leica M lens adapter for the X-Pro1 and the acknowledgement of just how good Leica lenses are. It remains to be seen how good the sensor is though, but the X-Pro1 may perform well as a second or third camera, or backup, to a Leica M9. Naturally as it has a cropped sensor, it will magnify the focal length of any lens attached.

What also made me smile was the way the short distance between the rear element on the lens and the sensor was described as producing better quality; it is naturally all true, but again, goes back in time to the original Leica. This is all great news for the photographer though. Image quality and performance is yet to be seen, but judging by their achievements on the X100, I’m sure Fujifilm have done a good job with the X-Pro1.

Addendum:

Dpreview have published their preview on the X-Pro1.

A superb selection of images, showcasing Getty Images photographer Peter Macdiarmid’s favourite shots from 2011.
 

A PCSO puts her hand up to cover the lens of Nicholas Razzell, stopping him from taking pictures. The Old Bailey. January 4, 2011. Photo: Ian Vogler

It’s a very worrying question, with an extremely worrying answer coming from some members of the Police force and even more so from Police Community Support Officers. Having several friends in the Police, I know for a fact that no where in their training does it state that officers should censor this country’s free press. As long as members of the press aren’t breaking Police cordons, or on private property after being asked to leave, the Police (and I include PCSOs in this) have no power, nor rights to interfere with a photographer going about doing their job; in this case gathering news.

Sadly, last week’s court case at the Old Bailey, where two of the racist murderers of Stephen Lawrence were finally jailed, illustrated just how ill-informed some members of the Police and PCSOs are. Just what the motivation is to stop a story like this being covered is baffling.

City of London police officers obstructing members of the press at the Old Bailey after the sentencing of David Norris and Gary Dobson for the murder of Stephen Lawrence. January 4, 2011. Photo: David Parker

Journalist, turned press photographer, Nicholas Razzell has been photographing high-profile criminal and civil court cases since 1999, including Jeffrey Archer, Paul Burrell, Kieran Fallon, Naomi Campbell, Paul McCartney, Charles Bronson, numerous murder and terrorism trials and more recently cases such as Julian Assange.

When asked about photographing these court cases, Nicholas says, “For most of that time the press and TV either self-police or on the odd occasion have had to work behind barriers. However, it is only in the last 5 years or so that I’ve found Policemen and particularly PCSO’s who have either no understanding of the law or it’s enforcement, getting involved”.

City of London police officers obstructing members of the press at the Old Bailey after the sentencing of David Norris and Gary Dobson for the murder of Stephen Lawrence. January 4, 2011. Photo: David Parker

“This came to head when Julian Assange was released from custody at the High Court in London when a Met Police Inspector (ably assisted by a Sky TV Producer) organised a “pool”…practically destroying any freelancers chance of getting a competitive picture.”

“Last week (Stephen Lawrence case, the Old Bailey) was just another occasion where we were prevented from doing our job. As yet there is no “right to privacy” in the UK (thank god) and it certainly isn’t up to uniformed and uninformed officers on the street, or PCSO’s to decide what we can and cannot photograph. Physically preventing us from getting a picture is one step away from moral and political censorship”.

City of London police officers obstructing members of the press at the Old Bailey after the sentencing of David Norris and Gary Dobson for the murder of Stephen Lawrence. January 4, 2011. Photo: David Parker

Another photographer adds, ” It was a complete joke. The Police officers couldn’t decide which side of the street to make us stand on. One officer said we couldn’t stand under the scaffolding (open to the public) on kerb opposite because “the building company haven’t given you permission” – to stand on a public street? Then they insisted we stand about 50 yards away (to do a car shot) and when the car arrived one officer followed me across the street to make sure he blocked my view. I asked another officer if this was still a public street? She refused to answer”.

One thing is for sure; a member of the Police force should not put up their hand to cover a photographer’s lens and stop images being taken. These newsworthy moments happen in a fraction of a second and are gone forever. Press photographers have a duty to bear witness, not only for the next day’s newspapers and websites, but for historical reasons too.

For any members of the Police force and PCSOs unclear about the rights of citizens (including members of the media, because we are after all, citizens too) who wish to photograph in public places, may I encourage you to read the official Met Police Photography Advice page?

Addendum:

Any member of the media, regardless of if they are a member of the NUJ or not, can report any incidents to the NUJ. Please make sure you have badge numbers and if possible, audio and/or video recordings. This will not only help the press to do our jobs properly, but will also help the Police train their officers and PCSOs better.

The Police Respond:

A City of London Police spokesperson said: ”We work closely with journalists and photographers at the Old Bailey to make sure they’re able to do their job and the public are able to go about their business. We continue to liaise with journalists, photographers and the local community to ensure this is the case”.

I’ve just come across a project shot by Don McCullin for Asus and Intel, called In Search of Incredible. There are some interesting behind the scenes videos by Clive Booth.