Locking Mode Dial Modification for the 5D MarkII and 7D

One of the little improvements on the 60D that I really like is the locking mode dial and now you can have one put on your 5DMkII or 7D by Canon for $100.

Effective December 6, 2010, Canon will start to provide as a chargeable service, a locking mode dial modification for the “EOS 5D MarkII” and “EOS 7D” digital single-lens reflex cameras.

This modification is available, for a fee, to owners of these cameras who would prefer a Mode Dial which locks in place and can’t be accidentally moved during normal camera operation.

For USA residents, the pricing of the locking mode dial modification service for EOS 5D Mark II and 7D cameras has been set at $100 per camera as of December, 2010 – Canon Website

8 Things I’ve Learned From Shooting Long Form Drama on the 5D That I didn’t Know Before I Started

Yeah yeah, long title for a blog entry but this is an important one. I consider myself pretty savvy about shooting on DSLRs and have made a monstrous heap of mistakes over the last eight months, enough to have learned some things. Having now wrapped production on Ladies and Gentlemen I think it’s only fair that I share a few things that I’ve learned that I simply wouldn’t have learned any other way. I’m not talking about moiré or rolling shutter, we all know about those already, more about the consequences of working with DSLRs over a protracted period on a big project.

1. Shooting handheld is nothing to be scared of

We all worry about the rolling shutter issue, and shooting handheld is a sure way to get that monstrous CMOS sensor jiggling like a jelly in a hurricane. Hurlbut shoots handheld all the time, he shot a bunch of marines (hoohah) running around and got away with it. If you’re properly kitted out (we had a fully featured Redrock setup) then those no reason to be scared of it. Oh but what about focus? – I hear you say. True that, focus is a problem, but only if you’re not ready for it. Don’t go shooting on an 85mm, wide open … Continue Reading

Cardboard Warfare – The Interview

OK, so we all saw how cool and fun Cardboard Warfare was earlier this weekend, so I tracked down the filmmaker to answer some questions for PCN. The first thing to know is that the dude is only 18 years old and that he’s only owned the camera for about a month. His name is Clint Jones and he currently lives in Atlanta.

PCN: What inspired you to feature cardboard in your short film?

CJ: To start from the beginning, my friend Tyler gave me a call about a year ago saying, “Dude, how cool would it be to build a life-size tank!” After thinking about the various ways of building the tank we decided on cardboard, because it’s free and lightweight. So about a year later the tank was finally completed. (We built off and on.) Then the idea, “What if we filmed a short film with a cardboard theme? Cardboard weapons? Cardboard everything?” was brought up. So Tyler and I got right to building these cardboard weapons. Each weapon was painstakingly traced out on cardboard and cut out up to 6 times for added stability. It took about a month to make all the guns, including the minigun, and grenade launcher. I must have gone through 12 box cutters!!!
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A Bunch of Cardboard, Canon HDSLRs, a Few Friends and a Lot of Time on Your Hands

This video started getting viral type attention after it was shown on Attack of the Show. It’s called Cardboard Warfare and it’s a great example of what happens when you get cheap HDSLRs into the hands of people with some creativity and time on their hands. This no budget action short uses cardboard actors weapons brought to life with special effects.
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LADIES AND GENTLEMEN: WEEK 3 DAILIES

LADIES AND GENTLEMEN – Week 3 Dailies from Robin Schmidt on Vimeo.

Week 3 dailies from Disclosure Productions (disclosureproductions.co.uk/) forthcoming one hour drama pilot ‘Ladies and Gentlemen’. Shot on the Canon 5D using L series primes supplied by Canon. Directed by Robin Schmidt (elskid), Produced by Robert Lucas, Jo Defendi and Linda Taimre, written by Robert Lucas. Full blog writeups can be found on photocinenews.com, more info about canon DSLR filmmaking on the el skid blog: elskid.com/blog

Music: Nina Simone – ‘I put a spell on you’

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LADIES AND GENTLEMEN: WEEKEND 2, DAILIES

Weekend 2, dailies from the pilot shoot of Ladies and Gentlemen, shot on the 5d mkii, 7D, and various Canon L series lenses, 14mm L, 35mm L, 50mm L, 85mm L, 100mm f2, 24-70L. Directed by Robin Schmidt, written by Robert Lucas, 1st AD Pedro Rilho, Producers Joanna Defendi, Robert Lucas, Linda Taimre. … Continue Reading