Film, Television and Broadcast

HDSource / Film, Television and Broadcast

The Comeback, Marlon Paul and His Story

As seen in the February 2019 issue of Canadian Cinematographer, read ahead about The Comeback, Marlon Paul and His Story: ‘Eight years ago it was discovered I had a brain tumor; I was having problems moving my legs. After I came out of surgery people were telling me I should retire, maybe start teaching, do something else, but I never thought I would ever put down a camera. So for me this picture is of a phoenix rising again, this image of...

Block Battery Linkey is a perfect low profile portable power bank for on-set accessories

Invented by gaffer Josh Linkey, the new Block Battery Linkey is a small, low profile power bank that can be mounted on a C-stand, tripod or a DIT cart in a Robocup holder.  People on sets are already using the Linkey in creative ways.  Some of these ideas include mounting a Small HD monitor on top of the Linkey; using a Teradek Bolt wireless receiver unit with Linkey on the bottom; charging your cell phone or powering a USB work...

A New Video Camera from Panasonic that Defies Expectations and Expands One’s Toolbox

Our Panasonic rep dropped by this week with a sample camera of their latest 4K/60 DCI/UHD Lumix Series camera called DC-BGH1.  It looks deceptively unassuming in its boxy form factor with a micro four thirds sensor, all in black.  It has no battery, no viewfinder, no grip and, lots of rubber covers.  It weighs very light in my hand but feels solid in its metal construction.  As you uncover the various connections behind the cover, you begin to appreciate the...

Turn Select Panasonic Professional Cameras Into Super Web Cams for Virtual Meetings

Many people are currently using web conferencing platforms like Microsoft Teams or Cisco's Webex to have virtual meetings online and to do online collaborations.  Most are using their laptop or desktop computer built-in webcams and microphones for video and audio capture. This approach is convenient but does not necessarily offer the most refined experience from a quality production point of view. Recent news from Panasonic of the availability of Virtual USB Driver that supports selected Panasonic professional cameras is a welcome one....

Back-to-School with Portable Power Bank/Inverter from Omnicharge

Started as an Indiegogo project a few years back, Omnicharge set out to create the most versatile portable battery power bank in the marketplace.  Designed as a unique multi-voltage, multi-port battery with a built-in inverter, the Omnicharge 20+ Professional Series Power Bank has made charging power-hungry devices easy when on the go.  Capable of charging multiple devices simultaneously, it features a slim profile and weight in at 1.4 lb with a high powered 60-watt USB-C port, a 100 watt AC...

Frieder Hochheim’s Revealing Lecture on Colour Science for LED Lighting

The world of film lighting is changing rapidly, and manufacturers for cinema cameras and LED lighting have been busy coming out with new approaches to colour sciences, and the technology is still evolving.  When LED lighting first came out, we have a dedicated white light source (daylight or tungsten), and then cool and warm light sources were added onto a single fixture which we called bi-colour.  Then manufacturers were adding red, green, and blue (RGB) to create theatrical and cinema...

Sony Firmware Version 1.04 Improves Operating Stability for PXW-FX9V Camera

For those who use the Sony PXW-FX9V camera, there is an important firmware upgrade to address what Sony calls "improved operating stability".  This firmware version 1.04 was released on March 31st, 2020.  It appears to address what some users are saying is a sporadic freeze-frame issue when recording. If you have purchased the camera from HD Source, we will upgrade the firmware on your behalf at no extra charge.  Please reach out to us to set up an appointment by calling...

New Kino Flo LED FreeStyle Mini Light Making a debut at HD Source

A few years back we have been asking Kino Flo whether there were any plans in making smaller, more compact LED fixtures.  It seems there was a never-ending parade of large and super large lighting fixtures coming out of the major LED manufacturers to satisfy big Hollywood studio projects, where large format lights are in great demand for chroma keying and other expanding studio sets. Then last year NAB we were given a preview at their booth of what is now...

Westcott Bi-Colour Solix LED Light is an Open Face lighting instrument not unlike the old Redhead

A popular video or film lighting that was commonly used 10 to 15 years ago was a tungsten light called Redhead.  In those days, the term was so commonly used that it would be immediately understood what light it was: a relatively inexpensive lens-less tungsten open face fixture rated from 600 watts to 1,000 watts, with the ability to take speed ring and fill light out evenly inside a softbox.  If you want to flood a room with lots of...

Firmware 2.1.0 for RØDECaster Pro Raises Your Podcast Productions to New Heights

Rode's software engineers have been very busy writing codes, testing and developing their beta firmware for Rodecaster Pro earlier this year.  At the End of March, they released the beta version of this firmware to gain additional feedback and suggestions from the podcast community.  There have been tons of ideas and comments on how to improve an already feature-packed podcast interface unit since that beta version has been released to the public.  Finally on June 11th, Rode formally released its...