The Ultimate Camera - RED Scarlet X

When I found out about this... I couldn't wait to blog about it too!

RED Digital Cinema has finally unveiled its long promised "ultimate camera," the RED Scarlet X, immediately after Canon annouced its new EOS C300.  The Scarlet has been hinted about for more than 3 years, but has not been formally launched until a few days ago.  In the wake of Canon's reveal, RED immediately responded with the Scarlet X to douse the excitement building around the EOS C300 -- The Scarlet X will be retailing at half the price (9K + to the C300's 20K) and will be available by December (the C300 will be available Jan. 2012).  These are exciting times indeed!

I call the Scarlet X the ultimate camera, because it can be used for both professional still photography and cinematic videography -- like the new generation DSLRs, but for high-resolution (4K) pro-cinema grade applications.  The other professional grade digital cinema cameras currently in the market (including the new C300) are all dedicated motion picture cameras.

The RED Scarlet X looks really good on paper, capturing 5K stills (Redcode RAW) up to 12 fps and 4K motion resolution to 30fps.  The camera is modular and is adaptable to any shooting scenario, be it still or motion, and can be fitted with an array of gadgets and accessories including multiple lens mounts (the camera comes standard with either a Canon EF or PL mounts). 

The RED Scarlet X configures both as a still or motion picture camera

Canon Enters Pro-Cinema - EOS C300

When I found out about this, I couldn't wait to blog about it!

As a hybrid photographer/cinematographer I was somewhat personally disappointed by the new Canon 1DX that came out a couple of weeks ago.  It is impressive for what it can do (perfect for wildlife, photojournalism and sports), but I felt that it somehow stood in the middle of nowhere... The fastest still Pro at this point, yes, but it is neither the fattest DSLR for high-end still photography nor the most capable Digital Cinematography camera out there.  I am heavily invested in Canon lenses, so I've been watching Canon camera (both still and video) development closely.

Enter the new Canon EOS C300, with a Super 35mm CMOS sensor.  It uses a new DIGIC DV III Image Processor and 50Mbps 4:2:2 codec. Compact, modular and compatible with all existing EF and the new EF-Cinema lenses.  A PL-mount version is also available, the EOS C300 PL. 

Modeled after the Super 35mm 3-perf motion picture film, the C300's CMOS has an active image size of 24.4 x 13.5mm, smaller than the 5D Mark II (and the 1DX), but slightly bigger than the 7D (and the 60D).  6.4 x 6.4 micrometer photosites (photodiodes), with individual lenses, efficiently gather light.  Proprietary technologies embedded in each photosite simultaneously lower the image sensor's noise floor, while enhancing the photon capacity of the photodiode resulting in an impressive dynamic range.  

The sensor also employs an innovative readout technique that delivers full bandwidth individual RGB video components without debayering algorithms.  Each of these components has a 1920 (H) x 1080 (V) sampling structure at up to 60 frames. From the original video component, a 1080-line 60i format or a 1280 (H) x 720 (V) at 60P HD format are selectively derived.

The EOS C300 CMOS is the first Canon CMOS sensor designed for high frame-rate motion picture applications.  With its large Super 35mm sized sensor and the DIGIC DV III Processor this camera has a remarkably high signal to noise ratio, capable of delivering cinema quality images with superb detail and high dynamic range even with minimal light.

The camera also has a special Canon Log mode within the DIGIC III RGB video processing system, which enables the Cinematographer to manually set exposure values to fine-tune his or her footage for post-production purposes similar to the current DI process.

Aaron Siskind - Abstract Expressionist

Aaron Siskind was a photographer with a Graphic Artist's "Eye."  Best known for his Abstract Expressionist photographs, he was associated with the Abstract Expressionist School of New York (art movement) in the 1940s and 50s -- which included close friends Franz Kline, Barrett Newman, Adolph Gottlieb, and Mark Rothko.

He worked as a high-school english teacher, before receiving his first camera as a honeymoon gift -- igniting a life-long passion for Photography .  He started his photographic career as a documentarian in the New York Photo League, creating photo-essays of political importance including Harlem Document, Dead End: The Bowery, Portrait of a Tenement, and St. Joseph's House: The Catholic Worker Movement. In the early 1940s, his work shifted to the abstract and metaphoric.  During a trip to Martha's Vineyard, Siskind began approaching still objects from a very intimate range, framing them up-close so as to underscore the formal qualities of their lines, colors, and textures. This newer, more abstracted work was well received, and he was invited to show his work at the Charles Egan Gallery, in the company of many Abstract Expressionist painters.

With Jacques-Henri Lartigue, Manuel Alvarez Bravo and Andre Kertesz 

Siskind joined fellow photographer and friend Harry Callahan in the Institute of Design in Chicago, where he became the Head of the Photography Program when Callahan left.  He help found the Society for Photographic Education in 1963, then reunited with Callahan at the Rhode Island School of Design, where he continued to teach until his retirement in 1976.

  

Aaron Siskind's Abstract Expressionist Photographs (particularly his "The Road" series) have influenced me greatly.  As a whole, I believe they represented the next logical shift of Photography as a fine art during the analog era.  Deliberately obscuring his subject matter by simply concentrating on form, texture and simple visual elements, Siskind was able to push photography into the realm of abstraction-- Simple and direct, without employing elaborate tricks and gadgets.  In this era of digital excess, we can learn a lot from this photographic master and genius.  All you really need is your imagination and vision (your innate ability to "See") to create stunning works of Art.

Here are some examples of his work:

New Canon DSLR Flagship: 1DX

Canon, Inc. just introduced its newest "flagship" professional DSLR model, the EOS 1DX. It succeeds both the 1Ds and the 1D lines, combining the best of both worlds -- high-quality image with high-speed capture. The "X" in 1DX designates the cross-over or the merging of Canon's two pro digital lines; "X" also represents the 10th generation of professional DSLRs from Canon; and finally, "X" stands for X-treme.

The new camera uses not just 2, but 3 separate processors (2 DIGIC 5) to deliver full-resolution RAW or RAW+JPEG images at 12 fps, with a high speed choice of 14 fps at JPEG mode.  One sensor (DIGIC 4) is dedicated to the new 61 point high-density Reticular Auto Focus (41 cross-type points) and the 100,000 pixel ambient/flash RGB metering sensor, which gives the 1DX lightning speed focus and exposure accuracy capable of tackling the most demanding action and motion shots.

The new full-frame 18 megapixel (5184 x 3456 pixels) sensor features gapless microlenses and larger individual pixels (1.25 microns larger than the 1D Mk IV and .55 larger than the 5D Mk II). This gives the 1DX an ISO range of 100-51200, with an extended range of a low 50 and 2 high option -- to a maximum of 204,800.  This camera guarantees sharp low-noise images even in the most dimmest conditions.

The video capabilities of the camera have also been upgraded.  It is capable of 1080/30p/25p/24p HD video capture, with options for 720/60p/50p as well.  Downsampling errors as well as moire have also been reduced.  The 4GB file system limit has been improved with an automatic file splitting function, giving the camera almost 30 minutes of continuous video capture.  It also supports both intraframe (ALL-i) and interframe (IPB) compression, to aid post-production and editing workflows.  The camera supports two SMPTE-compliant timecode embedding (Rec Run and Free Run) to ease syncing multiple cameras in post.  It also supports manual audio control, with an option for external stereo microphone.

Canon also redesigned the shutter mechanism with lighter carbon fiber blades, making it more faster and more durable.  It is rated at 400,000 cycles.

For more information on the other new and improved features this camera has, please go to www.canoneos.com   

Here is a video of the New EOS 1DX:

--Photos from www.canoneos.com.  Video from Youtube.com by BryanMumble.

Steve Jobs Dies at 56

Steve Jobs - computer icon, media innovator and Apple Computer co-founder, died early today at age 56 after battling pancreatic cancer for several years.  He stepped down last August after handing the reins of the company to current Apple CEO, Tim Cook.  A Beatles fan, Steve named the computer company he co-founded with Steve Wozniak after the Rock group's Apple Records label. 

An innovator, more than an inventor, Steve changed the media landscape forever with masterful products like the Apple II - the first commercially successful personal computer, the Macintosh - the first commercially viable graphical user interface PC, the iMac and the Powerbook - which changed how computers are packaged, the iPod - which transformed digital music players, iTunes which revolutionized how music is sold, the iPhone - that defined the next generation of smart phones and finally the iPad - which has created a new and growing segment in the PC industry.  Aside from these, he was also the founder and CEO of Pixar Animation Studios (sold to Disney in 2006), which led the digital animation Features revolution we are currently enjoying.

An uncompromising perfectionist, Steve orchestrated his products from the development and design phase, all the way to its packaging and marketing strategy.  His pursuit for aesthetic perfection bordered on the extreme.  He is famous for his "insanely great" aesthetics in product design and packaging; his Apple Stores are some of the most striking retail outlets anywhere in the world; he even insists on beautifying the insides of his computers.  Infamous for immersing himself into the smallest details, his meticulously planned onstage product unveils are legendary.

Steve Jobs was an iconoclast of the 1st degree, comparable only to Edison and Disney.  Like most legends, he was able to accomplish so much at such a short time.  He will be missed, and we can only speculate about the many other wonders he could have achieved given more time.  But his legacy continues on through his company (including Pixar), through his products and through his example - of a life lived to the fullest.  He truely exemplified what he preached, " Think Different."

iPhone 4S

Apple just introduced the new iPhone 4S, the newly updated version of its popular smart phone.  As a photographer who uses the iPhone regularly as a camera (I've used all 4 previous models), I am happy to announce an upgrade on the camera of our favorite pocket/everyday phone-camera.

The camera on the iPhone 4S was upgraded to 8 megapixels from the 5 megapixels of the iPhone 4 (rear/main camera).  The lens was also improved to provide sharper and crisper images, with a slightly faster aperture of f/2.4 from the previous f/2.8.  The video capability was also increased from 30 fps 720p HD to 30 fps 1080p HD.

The other notable upgrades are the faster processor, new OS 5, better antenna (reception), higher capacity (new 64 GB model) and Apple's new talking voice activated task software, called Siri.

The iPhone 4S will be available in the US, Canada, Japan and most of Western Europe by October 14 and to 22 other countries by the end of October.

Is it a worthy upgrade?  You be the judge.

Click here to see some sample photos taken with the new iPhone 4S camera.

--photo taken from http://www.apple.com/

Like Father Like Son

(photo by Anne Prado-Magadia)

HAPPY BIRTHDAY BUDDY!

My son, Ari (Renato III), turned 7 today.  We had a big party for him last Saturday in my parent's home.  Most of his classmates and friends attended, and everybody had great fun (one fell into the pool, another ran naked in the garden and a couple of them wrestled in the mud).

I am proud of my son, who is not only bright and artistic, but is also very popular.  He is funny and full of life.  He is also beginning to show some interest in photography, using his Nintendo DS to shoot and edit, and I am excited about it.

My son clowning around in my studio

I wanted to get him a real camera for his birthday, but decided to delay it for another year or two (to see if he really wants it).  I gave my daughter her own camera when she turned 6, but she hardly uses it.  Unfortunately it was in Pink, so my son would not touch it with a ten foot pole.  I do not want to force photography on him, anymore than I want to determine what he wants to be or to eventually do with his life.  But I am struggling hard to restrain my fatherly instincts to make him like what I like.  I guess it is just natural for any father... 

Instead of a card this year, I am also giving my son a 'birthday comicbook,' like what I gave my daughter a month ago ("10 Years Ago Today").  As a storyteller, I find it more natural and fun to say what I am feeling by telling a story (plus I really love this iPhone App. - I highly recommend it).

Spencer Tunick's Naked Art

A thousand plus naked volunteers flock to the Dead Sea

Last Saturday, September 17, one thousand two hundred people (men and women aged 20 to 60 years old) flocked to the Dead Sea in Israel to get their photos taken in the 'buff.'

Most Photographers are happy to have a camera and a nude model, but 44 year old Spencer Tunick likes his pictures populated by hundreds, if not thousands of naked and willing volunteers.  Referred to as "installations" by the artist, these epic nude photographs often feature an immense number of participants shot on scenic locations.

Photographer/Artist Spencer Tunick

A New York native, Spencer Tunick began photographing nudes in public locations in 1992.  Since then, he has taken his 'installations' all over the world.  According to him, "The body is always beautiful... It is a living entity...  It represents life, freedom, sensuality and it is a mechanism to carry our thoughts..."  His work has been documented in three HBO specials, "Naked States," "Naked World" and "Positively Naked."

Spencer directing his cast of thousands.

The Dead Sea shoot was Spencer's first 'installation' in the Middle-East and probably the only one ever.  The organizers timed the shoot to coincide with the voting of the Seven Natural Wonders of Nature contest, hoping to draw extra attention to the Dead Sea's declining water level.  According to them, the pictures will also give the world a different perspective of Israel, instead the images of war, tanks and terrorism regularly seen on the news.

Tunick directed his models with a megaphone.  There were four predetermined sets:  Models standing on the sea bed, models floating on the buoyant salt water, models waving to the camera and models standing on the shoreline to show how much the water has receeded in recent years.  The shoot took place from 6am to 8am, since the permit was only granted for that length of time.  

Orthodox Jews objected to the project from the beginning on moral grounds, especially since the chosen location is very close the known site of the ancient city of Sodom and Gomorrah.  So the organizers timed the shoot early Saturday morning, since most orthodox Jews will not take motorized transport from Friday night to Saturday Night.  Most of the models were ecstatic to be given a chance to be a part of history and Art -- the only compensation for their effort is a limited edition photograph of the experience.

Here are some examples of Spencer Tunick's "installations" in different cities throughout the years.  Please be aware that there are some graphically explicit images here.  Anyone under 18 should not click through.

Happy 172nd Anniversary to Photography

The Fathers of Photography: Louis Daguerre and William H. Fox Talbot

Happy World Photography Day to all my fellow photographers, photo enthusiasts, and shutterbugs!

Today marks the one hundredth and seventy second year since the invention of Photography.  172 years ago, Louis Daguerre and William H. Fox Talbot gave the world the ability to capture images.  We have come a long way technically (from chemical processes, we now capture light digitally), but the basic premise of Photography has remained the same -- "fragments of life (light) captured for our contemplation."

Even though we now work with digital sensors and are far removed from the primitive Calotype and Daguerrotype, we must never forget the genius of our predecessors who formulated the original "key" to unlock the mysteries of "light" and the magic of the photographic process.  Daguerre and Talbot's legacy to mankind is truly immeasurable (specially to Art and Science) and is "Wizardry" of the highest order.

Can you imagine a world without photographs (it will have devastating consequences for Science, not to mention Art)?  So it is just fitting for us to remember the origins of our Art today, August 19 and whenever we click our cameras (and our cellphones) to capture an image... for it is a precious gift that was presented to us 172 years ago, but continues to be relevant in our lives today, and into the future.

10 Years Ago Today

Ten Years Ago...        I became a father.  It was a defining moment for me.

Today, my daughter turned 10, so I decided to give her something different.  Instead of the traditional card, I decided to give her a "Birthday Comicbook," chronicling her first ten years of life (through my eyes of course) and to celebrate a decade of fatherhood.

Interview: Esy Casey + "Jeepney"

Esy with "Thing With No Name" director and Co-Producer Sarah Friedland

Esy Casey is a 30 year-old Filipino-American filmmaker who has been making waves in the Indie film circle in the last 4 years.  A visual artist who also does graphics, illustration and photography, Esy loves telling stories and is genuinely interested in the lives and cultures of people from all over the world.

The daughter of a Filipina from Zambales and an Irish-American from Detroit (they met at the University of Chicago), she says that the "Jeepney" is the perfect metaphor for her (half Filipino, half American).  She was born in LA, but has lived in different cities growing up because of her parents' research work.

Esy is currently raising funds for her new film project, "Jeepney" - a feature-length documentary that chronicles the development of the Jeepney from a military relic to a "hotrod" mass transit vehicle.  The film will also contain vignettes of conversations and stories from drivers, passengers and policy makers to chart the iconic vehicle's uncertain future.

I interviewed Esy to give you a broader picture of the artist/filmmaker behind the "Jeepney" movie.

What made you become a filmmaker?

I fell into it in my mid-twenties, when my filmmaking partner Sarah asked me to shoot her film in South Africa (THING WITH NO NAME, 2008).

Did you make films when you were younger?

I've drawn since I can remember, and have been a photographer since my teens, but I'd never held a video camera before that first film.

I understand that you are also a graphic/visual artist. How has this influence your filmmaking?

Both share the same principles of composition, color theory, gesture and expression; it's all about subtle faces, emotions, visual cues that speak a thousand words, and catching them before they slip away.

Esy at work

Please discuss your photographic background.

My dad let me use his nice, heavy Nikon FE camera from the 70s since I was a teenager, and I loved understanding the mechanics of it, the winding and clicking and developing. It was a very material pleasure, something I wasn't sure would fulfill me with the moving picture. But I've always been attracted most to a sense of motion and rhythm in still photos and print design, and that was how I fell in love with cinematography. It tells a story, and can share a lifetime of someone else's experience in a matter of minutes, which is very exciting and can change your outlook on a certain area of the world, and in your own world.

What equipment do you use to shoot your films?

I use a Canon 7D, and sometimes a LitePanels Micro, but usually available light.

I read somewhere that you won an award?

I was nominated for the Wexler cinematography award for THING WITH NO NAME, and won a Book Design Gold Award with a group of fellow designers for the book SHOW ME HOW.
 

Last Space Shuttle + IPhone 4

The Space Shuttle Program's last flight blasted off yesterday in Florida for a 12 day mission to the International Space Station.  The lift-off of Space Shuttle Atlantis marks the end of America's 30 year old Space Shuttle program.  It has been a fruitful 30 years of labor, highlighted by the Hubble and the International space station, and I salute all the astronauts, engineers, scientists and support crews of NASA for a job well done!  Your work will benefit us all.

Here is brief video of that historical launch:


Here is a tribute video with Hi Def images of various shuttle launches:

Nothing combines photography and technology more perfectly than "space photography" -- the final frontier.  I happen to be an avid fan of both.

Speaking of technology, Space Shuttle Atlantis is carrying two IPhone 4s aboard its last mission loaded with the new SpaceLab App for iOS. The App is designed to utilize IPhone 4's cutting-edge capabilities including the 3-axis-gyro, accelerometer, retina display, cameras and A4 processor.

The IPhones will be used to conduct 4 experiments:
- An experiment will measure the distance and exact location of the iPhone in relation to the Earth’s center.
- Calibration of the three-axis gyro and accelerometer to make subsequent measurements more accurate.
- Calculation the longitude and latitude of the spacecraft multiple times to predict the spacecraft’s path of orbit.
- To monitor and categorize how radiation affects the iPhone.

The goal of the SpaceLab App is to gather as much data as possible now to aid in developing more advanced mobile applications in the future.

Here is a gallery of my favorite photographs from 30 years of Space Shuttle missions.  Enjoy!:

My Big Canon (humorous email)

My big Canon

When it comes to Photography, my father and I hardly see "eye to eye."  He considers Photography the hobby that has taken over my life.  But he sent me this email today that had me in stitches.  For the first time ever, we connected (about photography) and I thought it was worth blogging about.

WARNING - subject matter might be offensive to some people.

iCloud and Photography

It is Apple Computer WWDC (Worldwide Developers Conference) time again and the tech world is abuzz with the latest Apple tech news. This is the annual event most IPhone and Mac lovers wait for, since it has been the traditional venue where the newest version of their favorite gadget is unveiled.  But this year, the company decided to delay the unveiling of their latest hardware to give centerstage to their newest platform dubbed "the iCloud."

In yesterday's keynote address, delivered by Apple chairman Steve Jobs, Apple announced a new free service called the "iCloud" (in obvious response to the recent "cloud" music services launched by Amazon and Google).  Like other "cloud" services or 3rd party online storage services, iCloud will synch user content from their device/s to servers in Apple's data centers, where it can be readily available and distributed to all the user's other devices.  But unlike similar online storage services, which just backup and centralizes data, "iCloud's" smart system offers some added features like: purchases from iTunes (Apps, music, media) will be mirrored on all your other devices (IPhone, IPad, IPod and computer), documents created and updated on any device will be automatically stored in iCloud and updated on all your other devices and photos (and videos) taken by an apple device or uploaded on a computer will automatically be available in your other devices for a short period of time via "Photo Stream."    

This is great news for photographers and photo enthusiasts worldwide. Aside from the obvious storage space service (5 GB is free not counting music, photos, apps and books), photos taken by Apple devices or photos downloaded from your digital camera to your computer (including PCs) can be instantaneously available to all of your devices, and will be stored in "iCloud" for 30 days.  This automatic feature will save us the hassle of manually backing up and uploading our photo files to our online servers or to our individual devices constantly.  As soon as I found out about this, my mind started to think of the different ways I can use "iCloud" for my own photography.