by Louis Bedigian.

The company that popularized the art of shooting with a DSLR is about to release the next evolution in digital cinematography.

Last week, Canon (NYSE: CAJ) unveiled the C300, a new camera designed specifically for high-end filmmakers. Due for release in January at a price of $20K, the C300 comes with a “super 35MM-equivalent 16:9 large CMOS sensor” that shoots 4K images (or not, depending on who you talk to). Thus far, the initial test videos have been very impressive.

This announcement came just as RED announced the final plans and pricing for its long-awaited Scarlet camera, a smaller, less expensive alternative to its previous offerings. Scarlet will retail for just under $10,000 (camera body only), but you can get a ready-to-shoot model for roughly $15,000.

At first glance, Scarlet might sound like the better deal. But RED cameras typically require a bunch of expensive extras. That’s part of the company’s strategy; lure filmmakers with a low base price and hit their pockets later with a plethora of expensive add-ons. While Canon could be planning a similar strategy (ex: you’ll still have to buy the lenses and other equipment separately, but that’s true of most film cameras), the company has one significant advantage over its competitors: filmmakers are already fans of the format.

Read the rest of this article from Forbes.

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by Jim Fisher.

Canon threw its hat into the pro filmmaking ring last night, announcing the new Cinema EOS camera system.

It was only a matter of time before the company made a move like this—it has long been a major player in the consumer and prosumer video camera markets, but also found success in independent filmmaking circles with the 5D Mark II and 7D D-SLR cameras. An episode of the Fox medical drama House, in which most of the action took place inside the rubble of a collapsed building, was shot with a 5D Mark II because of the ability to work in tight spaces using the camera.

Read the rest of this review from PCMag.

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by Rachel Abrams.

With 50% more buyers from mainland China attending the American Film Market this year than last year, independent filmmakers have new avenues for breaking into the restricted Chinese marketplace.

China’s Film Bureau, part of the State Administration of Radio, Film and TV (SARFT), only allows 20 foreign films to unspool on a revenue-share basis, mostly studio tentpoles, which would seem to limit returns for independents.

But Peter Shiao, CEO of Orb Media Group, says new digital platforms have a stronger presence at AFM this year, presenting more distribution options than even a year ago.

“A lot of these portals are now trying to go legit,” Shiao says. “There’s a lot of new money coming in from these new-media activities.”

Digital platforms are slowly making inroads in China, though piracy concerns are still paramount. In June, China’s biggest online video streaming site, Youku.com, launched its Youku Premium paid content platform after signing a digital distribution agreement with Warner’s China joint venture, CAV Warner Home Entertainment.

Read the rest of this article from Variety.

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from Daiji World.

Panelists at an open forum on digital tools in filmmaking at the Mumbai Film Festival Saturday were unanimous in endorsing digital technology as the future of the medium.

“We have no choice but to adapt to digital. And unlike in the past, it is not because it is cheaper but because the quality of digital has gone up and it allows you to do a lot more,” said filmmaker Rohan Sippy.

Cinematographer Amit Roy agreed.

“Digital for years was not up to the standards of film. But in the last three to four years, it has changed. The ‘red camera’ was a game changer and now you have the Arri, the 5D and other amazing cameras,” he said.

When someone thinks digital, one thinks only of digital filmmaking. Yet, digital permeates cinema in more ways than one.

Read the rest of this article from Daiji World.

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by Steve Rose.

When Jean-Luc Godard declared that all you need to make a movie is “a girl and a gun”, he wasn’t being entirely truthful. Above all, you need a camera, which has often been more of a sticking point than the other two.

Professional-quality stills cameras have always been affordable, but even in the digital age movie cameras are traditionally the sort of equipment you hire, or remortgage your house to buy. But that’s all about to change, thanks to – of all things – a stills camera.

Canon’s EOS 7D, released last year, looks no different from any other digital SLR camera you’d take your artful holiday snaps on, but the camera’s video function – traditionally an afterthought on stills cameras – is good enough to shoot a proper movie with.

According to film-maker and photographer Mike Figgis, the 7D is “one of the major breakthroughs in cinematic technology of the last 100 years”.

Read the rest of this article from IOL Scitech.

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by Alexandra Savvides.

Philip Bloom is one of the most important film-makers working with digital SLRs today.

Philip has most recently worked on the George Lucas film Red Tails, but he’s been active as a director, cameraman and director of photography for the past 20 years. Here’s a few of Philip’s tips and tricks for film-makers using digital SLRs as their tool of choice.

Read the rest of this article from Cnet.

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Scott Simmons Interview: Useful Applications For Digital Filmmakers

Scott talks about some handy, useful Macintosh applications that would be at home in any digital filmmaker’s toolbox. The software discussed runs the gamut from free to paid, a few dollars up to a few hundred. While all stages of filmmaking is discussed with useful tools for pre-production, production and post-production, a strong emphasis is placed on post production.

Listen to this Podcast now at Filmmaking Webinars.

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This article was written by Remco Merbis.

I love film. And I love it even more now that the evolution of digital cameras, editing software and digital distribution really has opened up the world of film-making to anyone with a great idea and a handheld camera. Pixillion has been the sponsor of the Online Audience Award at this year’s Encounters International Film Festival, and that’s given me a great excuse to go nosing about online for interesting stories about how the Internet has changed the film industry over the past ten years.

Read the rest of this article from Pixillion.

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This article was written by Liam Lacy.

What do Fair Game, The Social Network, Jackass 3D and the upcoming drama Rabbit Hole have in common? All of them were shot with the RED ONE digital camera, a game-changing device that’s revolutionizing the way films are made.

At a time when digital shooting offers greater convenience, lower cost and, most important, greater artistic control, it’s fascinating to watch how some of our most acclaimed filmmakers are anxious to hasten the demise of actual film.

Read the rest of this article from the Globe and Mail.

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This article was written by Chris Newbould.

A common theme in the industry recently has been the decreasing price of film-making technology. With editing software at affordable prices bringing a bit of Spielberg to bedrooms around the world, and good quality camcorders within the typical household budget, a trip to see the family is barely complete without a viewing of the four-hour epic Our Trip to Corfu. One of the most surprising members of the cast that has brought down the cost of producing quality footage, however, was not even intended for film at all – the DSLR camera.

Read the rest of this article from Arabian Business.

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