Snowfun

SLR Magic 12mm purchased. With a VND so I can use it wide open.

I'm surprised Sony have never done something with the PS Vita for this. It exists (with what appears to be limited success) and could - I speculate - be useful as a field monitor.

Choice now between the Samyang 12mm and the SLE Magic 12mm T1.6. The fully "real" manual focus and aperture are, I think, preferable...

Hi, Any thoughts/opinions/advice on chosing between the Olympus 17mm and the Samyang 12mm? Or, I daresay, a Panasonic equivalent in there too. I'm looking for a one lens set-up for "city breaks" and want something different to my Voigtlander 35mm I have been using. I don't want to spend much! The field of view differemce between the 17 and 12 doesn't worry me - I zoom with legs and make do with what I have! (Indeed that's partly the fun - getting what I want with what's available). I use the Samyang 24mm on my A7s and am happy with it - enjoying MF etc. So in that respect the Samyang 12mm would be fine. But would I gain anything with the Olympus? Sort of AF and iris adjustment... And it's smaller. Thoughts? Tim

Do you enjoy the process as much as the product? I have an A7s and it's superb for aurora shooting. But it's "horrid" to use (with Shogun and v-loks). The BMPCC on the other hand is something I rather enjoy using. It's simple and elegant and gives you something you can play with (ie grade etc.) back home. And you will be carrying it with you at all times. To me, a lot of the enjoyment is the process - the product isn't the sole or even primary goal.

All this raises a dilemma... Blackmagic Pocket (£696 in UK) or wait for this... I have a BMCC (too big for holiday travel), A6000 (used mainly for stills), rx1004 and A7s/shogun (used only for aurora filming). I do enjoy "fiddling" (any other term would be to overstate my competence) with the Blackmagic image so the Pocket is still number 1 but it's tempting to replace the A6000 with the A6300... Pocket is possibly over-priced now? (It's ridiculous to say that, I know). Pocket 2 @ NAB? (but delivery "in May" not soon enough...) I head to Oslo for a long-weekend in March (wonderful light) and want something pocketable. So either I use the rx1004 (and ? buy the A6300 later) or get a Pocket now. Thoughts? Tim

I don't like the emphasis GoPro are placing on connectivity and solutions for image-to-final-product workflow. I bought a Session and like it but have zero interest in wifi or cloud or gopro's editor. A decent image in a one-touch waterproof box is all I want. A lot of "typical" GoPro users I know (skiers, climbers, canoeists etc.) are using their 'phones to capture those "memorable moments".

Sounds like PKN remixed... with typical finnish driving? Not a UMK16 entry I hope! Fun video!

A link to footage I shot of the aurora in Saariselka (Lapland, 3rd Jan 2016). Not claiming it's cinematic or has any artistic or technical merit. But the A7S impressed me. Unfortunately the Manfrotto video head froze (-28) so the camera movement isn't great. Slog at 25/40k iso recorded in Shogun with Samyang 24mm T1.5. All realtime and graded to look as it was. https://click.email.vimeo.com/?qs=ff270841caf6f31e744cb88599a9d8de085489b11b5dbc3463e3bbbeb700f83f45a0e34df8e2abf53c8965fc89d1490a

I like it. Just one thought... even tho' it is a traverse, there are times when the ratio does rather beg the question of what the feet are using! As a climbing film - as opposed to a short with some climbing in it - I'd like to see hands & feet at all times... It's interesting that you portray it as a relaxed and calm activity (music & other cuts). Rock ballet rather than the powerful thuggery it sometimes turns into! Personal choice - I'd have desaturated the colours. Thank you for posting. Tim

or the pocket...

I rather liked it as a clever, imaginative and thoughtful portrayal of one potential voter's debate with her own conflicting opinions and reasoning. Where I object to it is the rather absurd notion that it depicts how the "fate of the free world" will be decided. So, one short piece - two contrasting responses!

search for camera drone and Hirscher (Austrian slalom ski racer) to see something quite spectacular and rather worrying... The footage is available on the BBC Sport website and I assume in countless other locations too.

and I thought Jurassic World was a dinosaur movie... must have missed that bit. tim

I was watching the (impressive) demo on a Panasonic 4K TV which was apparently shot on the GH4. The salesman assured me that if I bought the tv and the GH4 then I too could produce stuff as good... I wanted to ask exactly where I would find the money for the lenses and crew... The immediate response to the image was to be astounded - the "detail" (feathers of birds) was incredible. But after a while it looked over sharpened and too analytical. Jury is out... Tim

Eventually, the sensor will merely read the available information (light and sound [temperature, smell etc???]) and send it to a storage device. That's the "camera" part done. Neither "video" nor "still". The interesting and creative bit is simply what one chooses to do with that information. Some will select an instantaneous moment (a still) or a period of time (video). Indeed there is no reason why they can't be combined. This is the point at which the technology becomes irrelevant - it records "everything" by default. The artist will be able to focus exclusively on the art... But I think we have a few years of mega(pixels/DR/iso/etc.)-wars ahead of us first! Tim

Ok - mine is not the DS1. It's an earlier model I assume. But I'll play with it and see what happens. Thanks for noticing.

I use mine with the rx1004 (using a Kirk to Arca QR to add weight). It balances perfectly. And it functions as it should - you can't adjust the pan speed or anything but that's not an issue if you predict movement. But my unit also has moments when it goes beserk - vibrates furiously and needs to be switched off. Hideous when it happens. Possibly caused by moving the handle off vertical too much? Unfortunately cannot be used inverted (I wanted close to ground shots). Tim

MDMA is about empathy above all else. A feeling of warmth and closeness and intimacy and caring in situations where those emotions either don't exist or they exist in "lower doses". Difficult to depict in isolation. But - and I think this is critical - easy to depict by way of contrast. Before, during & after. There is no dramatic perception change or distortion of physical reality. It's subtle. It's emotional: "I love you now but I won't tomorrow". Maybe "love" is too strong. "I care now but I won't tomorrow"? It's easy to hold hands with someone whilst taking mdma. Easy to hug. Not even necessarily sexual. Music & sound? Not convinced. It's a peaceful time of silent caring. Soft edges. The (dance) music is the same. But these things are quintessentially personal experiences which are difficult to characterise or bind by generalisations. Tim

Thank you. I have AE as part of CC so I'll look into it. I have also found the "draw a mask" tool in FCX which gets round preset shapes and looks to do what I need.

Hi, I'm new to all this so apologies if this is a trivial question! I'm looking to create a shot with time-lapse sky/clouds against a normal speed foreground. I can achieve a reasonably horizontal and "simple" horizon - but it isn't a "straight line". The "foreground" (normal speed) shots would be tripod based. There are then two alternatives: 1. foreground action taking place under the horizon (i.e. not impinging on the sky or time-lapse space) 2. foreground action takes place above the horizon. I assume that I need a mask to achieve this? But my question is what is the best tool for this? I use FCX as an editor but have failed dismally to get to grips with Motion. Any advice much appreciated. Tim

my Shogun just arrived today! Not a huge difference is there? Size & weight not an issue. tim

A6000? (Focus on my rx100iv is terribly slow for close objects. Slightly less terrible for more general views.)

Tripod - I use a 3leggedthing for travel. Stable, strong and light. I think they'll do one within the budget. Tim

Sony A6000? APSC sensor fast AF vast MF lens range (with adapters) plus decent native AF offerings. Cheap - albeit all things are relative! Will be even cheaper once the new A6100/7000 is announced. Customizable - almost everything can be mapped to physical buttons and/or quick access Fn menu. Small and convenient for travel & street (& unobtrusive). [xavcs video if required] A super little camera! Tim