The Filmtools Blog

Canon Cinema EOS C300 Cameras & Accessories Now Available To Buy At Filmtools

Filmtools.com — Tue, 17 Jan 2012 17:20:57 +0000

Filmtools is excited to announce that we have been selected as one of 17 authorized dealers in the United States for the Canon EOS C300 Digital Cinema Camera and accessories. Not only can you purchase Canon EOS C300 camera equipment from Filmtools, but we’ll be offering basic service for the equipment here as well.

The price for the C300 is $15,999. We are taking reservations for both EF and PL versions of the C300 camera with a $500 deposit, or you may choose to pre-order for the full amount now to get Priority Placement on our waiting list. First shipments starting January 30th, 2012.

As our C300 camera reservation list is bound to start filling up quickly, we recommend getting in line as soon as possible by pre-ordering the camera on our website or by coming into our store in Burbank, CA.

Filmtools Seeks Rental Operations Manager

Filmtools.com — Wed, 04 Jan 2012 17:23:40 +0000

Filmtools is constantly growing. We’re currently looking to add a few new members to our team and we hope that you are what we’re looking for. All positions are based out of our headquarters in Burbank, California.

RENTAL OPERATIONS MANAGER

Filmtools, located in Burbank, California, has been online since 1996 as the web’s only store dedicated to supporting the Motion Picture Camera Department. Over the years Filmtools has expanded, aiming to supply all studio departments and aspects of filmmaking including equipment and supplies for Directors, Gaffers, Lighting Technicians, Grips, and Electricians as well as independent filmmakers and students.

Due to expansion, Filmtools Rentals was created to provide film related equipment to motion picture companies on a rental basis. The ideal candidate for this position will bring a wealth of expertise and technical knowledge to customers in person and on the telephone. The manager will also be able to put together systems big or small, which include camera, grip, lighting, etc., while sharing knowledge with customers.

Reports to: President

Job Requirements:

Experience with rental software a high priority including R2/Rent Trace.
10 years in the motion picture equipment rental industry required.
Prepare camera, lighting, grip packages etc. for customers
Maintain various equipment to include cameras, film lenses and accessories
Hands-on/take charge person with the ability to work with clients, enlightening and educating, suggesting additional items or steering to a better solution
Strong communication skills (verbal & written)
Enthusiastic attitude and outgoing personality required to bring an overall positive experience to our customers
Consistently stays abreast of new product information
Ability to work well in fast-paced environment
Demonstrates initiative, sense of urgency, and assertiveness and treats all customers with respect and dignity
Ability to hold self accountable
Ability to promote a safe work environment
Willing to work overtime, weekends, flex schedule when needed
Bachelor’s degree in Business Administration or similar degree required.
Microsoft Office proficient
Bilingual a plus
Performs other duties as assigned.

Salary is commensurate with experience.

Please send your resume with salary history to humanresources@filmtools.com. No telephone calls or walk-ins please.

Click Here to view all Employment Opportunities at Filmtools

Win A Free GoPro Original HD HERO Camera from Filmtools!

Filmtools.com — Fri, 02 Dec 2011 19:35:38 +0000

That’s right, the Filmtools GoPro Giveaway on Twitter is on NOW! For official rules of entry, click the link below.

CLICK HERE TO ENTER

UPDATE*** This contest is now closed and the winner has been chosen. Follow us on Twitter, Like us on Facebook and Circle us on Google+ to be notified of future sweepstakes and coupon codes.

Exclusive Unreleased Interviews from Canon C300 Announcement Event

Filmtools.com — Tue, 29 Nov 2011 23:29:30 +0000

When Filmtools had the opportunity to attend the Canon announcement event at Paramount, we were lucky enough to conduct interviews with many people involved with this camera, including the makers of the camera itself, the first filmmakers to shoot on it, and manufacturers who have been collaborating with Canon to create accessories designed specifically for the C300. Below you can watch the yet unreleased interviews with Jon Fauer, ASC of Film and Digital Times, Erik Allen of Canon, and Richard Crudo, director of “Max is Back,” shot on the C300. And in case you missed any of the previous interviews, check out Filmtools.tv for more.

Jon Fauer, ASC of Film and Digital Times

Erik Allen of Canon

Richard Crudo, director of “Max is Back,” shot on the C300

The Pod: Handy Beanbag Stabilizer for Your Camera

jenatfilmtools — Wed, 16 Nov 2011 22:10:08 +0000

This summer I went hiking with some friends. I took my camera along in case of photo opportunities, but I didn’t bother bringing my tripod as I had no desire to lug a large, awkward item around with me all day. Towards the end of the day as we were heading back, we could not help but notice a beautiful sunset on our left. In the fading daylight, I struggled to set the camera up on a nearby stump, doing my best to use sticks or rocks or my lens cap to support the camera and compose the shot, setting the timer and joining my friends in the photo. After all the hassle, I ended up with a canted horizon and too much headroom for the subjects.

On this occasion, and many others like it, The Pod would have been a life saver. This beanbag-like contraption attaches directly to the threaded tripod mount on the bottom of your camera. The consistency of the beans allows for easy positioning of your camera, and then maintains the position you set it to.

With The Pod placed between the stump and my camera, it would have taken far less time and effort to compose my shot. They call it a tripod alternative, and that’s exactly what it is. The ideal compact piece of equipment to take along when carrying an actual tripod is just not practical.

Great for steadying your camera during run and gun documentary style shooting when you only have one chance to get the shot, timelapse setup, and for use in those little photo and video emergencies.

The Pod comes in different configurations based on your needs. The RED Pod has the tripod mount directly in the center of the bag, for DSLRs and other small digital cameras. The GREEN Pod is specifically designed for DSLRs with a longer lens, up to about 200mm. The tripod mount is positioned at the edge of the pod, allowing the pod to provide support for the lens and offer easier balancing.

The BLACK Pod is for larger prosumer cameras and has the centered tripod mount. The SILVER Pod is for DSLRs with longer, heavier lenses, and has the off-center mount. Additionally, accessories are available to help balance more unusually shaped cameras, such as a DSLR with a battery grip.

The Pod is in-stock and available to purchase online at Filmtools.com or at our store in Burbank, CA.

As always, be sure to “Like” Filmtools on Facebook and Follow us on Twitter for all of the latest news and deals from Filmtools, Hollywood’s most trusted source for film equipment and expendable supplies.

DP Dana Christiaansen Interviewed by Filmtools About The Making of “XXIT” & Canon’s New EOS C300 Cinema Camera [Video]

nickatfilmtools — Fri, 11 Nov 2011 22:12:31 +0000

Dana Christiaansen, DP for Sam Nicholson’s short film “XXIT” was nice enough to sit down with us at Canon’s unveiling of the new Cinema EOS C300 Camera at Paramount Studios in Hollywood last week to talk with us about working with new C300 Digital Cinema Camera and how it affected their creative process.

Update From the Pacific Voyagers!

nickatfilmtools — Wed, 09 Nov 2011 23:47:49 +0000

Faafaite leaving Kahoolawe with a special escort © Danee Hazama

Filmtools has partnered up with Danee Hazama and the Tahiti Voyaging Society to help with their experience in sailing from Tahiti to Hawaii using only traditional watercraft and navigational methods in their journey.

Filmtools has sponsored the ship “Faafaite” and supplied the team with GoPro cameras and mounting systems to help them capture their journey for an upcoming documentary. GoPro cameras are small, lightweight, waterproof, and, most of all, 1080p HD Video quality!

Here is the latest update from Danee as they make their trip back across the Pacific Ocean.

Danee Hazama blog November 1-8, 2011

To all the Filmtool family and supporters,

On our previous journey we left our Polynesian Voyaging Canoe in Hawaii due to the Cyclone season that would have arrived in our path returning to Tahiti. A long time ago voyaging to Hawai’i from Tahiti was in the legends and chants. Since several hundred years ago, a double hull canoe from Tahiti has never made a voyage to Hawai’i. There is an Island called Kahoolawe (Kanaloa) in the Hawaiian Islands where voyagers once started their journey from. The point is called Kealakahiki or the pathway to Tahiti or to foreign lands. No present day canoe has left from this sacred point also in hundreds of years. Our Tahitian Double Hull Canoe is presently making this historic journey for cultural and environmental. We are using ancient wayfinding to find our path using celestial navigation without instrumentation.

There has been a bird following the canoe for a whole day. It’s very unusual to see this type of bird 900 miles or so out at sea because it’s a bird of prey. It has a curved beak with brown to light brown type of marks and the wing span is about 3 feet wide.

We have watched it hunt 3 smaller birds and it seems like it would like to rest on the canoe but never does. Informats tell me it’s a Peregrine Falcon migrating from Alaska to South America.

We have been sailing in the south east trade winds. Sometimes it is rough and at other times it is smooth. For two days now, we have not had to manually use the sweep to steer. The sails are trimmed and the sails are full. It’s a nice break for the crew who has to steer the canoe. Sometimes it gets so rough that it’s very hard to control.

We just passed the doldrums, a area near the equator where the south east and north east trade winds converge. The sea flattens out and becomes sky is overcast. The gray clouds gives it a dark gloomy look. The air is still and is a eerie calm. We had concerns heading in this area because sometimes you can get stuck for a few weeks staying in one place without wind.

We were lucky enough to pass through the doldrums in a day and a half. It was difficult to keep the wind in the sails during this time because there was very little. We were constantly wet for 4 days. It rained on and off and the moisture in the air was so humid that even the sheets and bedding were damp where we slept. Our hands and feet looked like shriveled up prunes because everything was constantly wet.

After departing the doldrums. The sun came out along with the wind that filled our sails. The cumulus cotton ball clouds were suspended in the blue sky. Faces changed from serious quiet to smiling and talking. Faafaite became a floating dry cleaners with wet clothes hanging from every possible space.

We have just entered the equator. The seas are a rolling calm and the sailing becomes more enjoyable. A Tahitian and Hawaiian cultural ceremony takes place while in the Equatorial zone. The blessing asks wind goddess Atea Tao Nui to give us favorable wind. The water is blessed to connect us to the new ocean from north to south. Blessings to the ancestors of the north and asking for a welcome the south.

We are a little more past the halfway mark of our voyage. Two non-instrument navigators from Hawai’I are part of the crew. We are guided by the rising stars and verify our position at sunrise and sunset.

The voyage continues…..

Make sure to check out their website http://www.pacificvoyagers.org where you can get up to date info about the journey, facts about the crew, and to raise awareness about the problems the ocean is facing today.

Precision Adjustments with the Ikan EV2 Adjustable DSLR Baseplate [Video]

nickatfilmtools — Tue, 08 Nov 2011 20:27:37 +0000

If you’re looking for a new baseplate for your DSLR, but you’re on a budget (who isn’t?), look no further. Filmtools has got you covered with the new EV2 Adjustable DSLR Baseplate from Ikan.

At the Filmtools low price of $279, you get a flexible product while leaving some cash in your wallet so you can save up for something like a higher quality follow focus unit or monitor. Set on the standard 15” rods, this support will pair up with any other system using 15” rods, allowing you to create a unique setup that fits your needs.

The price isn’t the only great thing about this baseplate, however. While other baseplates are created for specific cameras in mind, Ikan has gone the universal route by giving you the ability to shift both horizontally as well as vertically to make sure your camera is centered where you want it. This feature gives you the flexibility of choosing which camera you want to use with it. From DSLRs to small camcorders, the Ikan EV2 Adjustable DSLR Baseplate is a great solution for supporting your camera. In the video below, Jen from Filmtools gives us a closer look.

Make sure to check us out online at www.Filmtools.com or stop by our brick and mortar location in Burbank, CA for all of your expendables and film equipment needs!

And, as always, to stay up to date on all Filmtools news, become a fan on Facebook and follow us on Twitter!

Canon Rocks Hollywood With New EOS C300 Digital Cinema Camera

nickatfilmtools — Sat, 05 Nov 2011 02:52:24 +0000

On November 3^rd, Filmtools and Filmtools.tv were given the opportunity to be in attendance at Paramount Studios in Hollywood where Canon announced their brand new digital cinema camera, the EOS C300.

Canon rolled out the red carpets, flashed the lights, and for 7 hours put on a show that would be hard to match. The guest of honor? A newly designed filmmaking machine that will even further secure Canon’s place in Hollywood.

The Canon EOS C300 is the flagship of Canon’s new professional “Cinema EOS” system and features your choice of PL or EF mount for interchangeable lenses. A new line of lenses and new digital SLR cameras are being introduced as well, making this is a truly exciting announcement for Canon, Canon enthusiasts and the filmmaking industry. Canon has truly taken their commitment to Hollywood to the next level.

The new cameras are scheduled to be available in late January 2012 for an estimated list price of $20,000. As for the tech specs on the camera, they are as follows:

IMAGING SENSOR

Effective Pixels: 3840 x 2160 pixels; Approx. 8.29 megapixels
Total Pixels: 4206 x 2340 pixels; Approx. 9.84 megapixels
Sensor Type: CMOS (single-panel), equivalent to Super 35mm
Sensor Size: 24.6 x 13.8 mm effective screen size (6.4 x 6.4 μm pixel pitch)
Scanning System: Progressive
Number of Sensors: 1
Filter: RGB Primary Color Filter (Bayer Array)
Imaging Processor: DIGIC DV III

LENS SYSTEM

Interchangeable Lens System: Choice of PL or EF mount camera
bodies for compatibility with a wide variety of lens systems.
ND Filter: Mechanical ND filter system with option of clear, 2 stops, 4 stops, and 6 stops
Iris Ring: Iris Dial located on camera body for use with EOS EF Lenses with electronic Iris control
Peripheral Illumination Correction: Available on EOS C300 (EF Mount only)

EXPOSURE AND METERING

Exposure Modes: Manual
Manual Gain: Normal Setting -6dB to 30dB
ISO: 320 to 20000
Shutter Modes: OFF; Speed; Angle; Slow Shutter; Clear Scan

Shutter Speed Range:

59.94i/59.94p: 1/60 to 1/2000 in 1/4 or 1/3 stops; SLS: 1/4, 1/8, 1/15, 1/30; CS: 59.94 Hz – 250.70 Hz
29.97p: 1/30 to 1/2000 in 1/4 or 1/3 stops; SLS: 1/4, 1/8, 1/15; CS: 29.97 Hz –250.70 Hz
23.98p/24p: 1/24 to 1/2000 in 1/4or 1/3 stops; SLS: 1/3, 1/6, 1/12; CS: 23.97Hz – 250.70 Hz
50i/50p: 1/50 to 1/2000 in 1/4 or 1/3 stops; SLS: 1/3, 1/6, 1/12, 1/25; CS:50.00 Hz – 250.70 Hz
25p: 1/25 to 1/2000 in 1/4 or 1/3 stops; SLS: 1/3, 1/6, 1/12; CS: 25.00 Hz –250.70 Hz

Shutter Angle Settings:

59.94i/59.94p: 360, 240, 216, 180, 120, 90, 60, 45, 30, 22.5, 15, 11.25
29.97p: 360, 240, 216, 180, 120, 108, 90, 60, 45, 30, 22.5, 15, 11.25
23.98p/24p: 360, 345.6, 288, 240, 180, 172.8, 144, 120, 90, 86.4, 72, 60, 45, 30, 22.5, 15, 11.25
50i/50p: 360, 300, 240, 180, 150, 120, 90, 60, 45, 30, 22.50, 15, 11.25
25p: 360, 300, 240, 180, 150, 120, 90, 75, 60, 45, 30, 22.50, 15, 11.25

FOCUS

Focus System: Manual
Autofocus System: Not Available

RECORDING/CODEC

Signal System: NTSC and PAL
Compression: 8 Bit MPEG-2 Long GOP
Color Space: 4:2:2 at 50Mbps recording
Maximum Bit Rate: 50Mbps (CBR)
Canon Log Gamma: Available

Recording Options:

Mode Resolution Frame Rate

50Mbps (CBR) 4:2:2 422P@HL

1920 x 1080 59.94i/29.97p/23.98p 50i/25p True 24 (24.00)

1280 x 720 59.94p/29.97p/23.98p 50p/25p True 24 (24.00)

35Mbps (VBR) 4:2:0 MP@HL

1920 x 1080 59.94i/29.97p/23.98p 50i/25p
1280 x 720 59.94p/29.97p/23.98p
50p/25p)

25Mbps (CBR) 4:2:0 MP@H14

1440 x 1080 59.94i/29.97p/23.98p 50i/25p

Recording Time:

Card Capacity Bit Rate

CF Card 50 Mbps 35 Mbps 25 Mbps
2 GB 5 Minutes 5 Minutes 10 Minutes
4 GB 10 Minutes 10 Minutes 20 Minutes
8 GB 20 Minutes 25 Minutes 40 Minutes
16 GB 40 Minutes 55 Minutes 80 Minutes
32 GB 80 Minutes 110 Minutes 155 Minutes
64 GB 160 Minutes 225 Minutes 310 Minutes

Recording Media:

CF Card (Type 1 Only); 2 Slots (Movie Files); UDMA supported
SD Card (Still Images, Custom Picture Data*, Clip Metadata, and menu settings); SD/SDHC/SDXC Supported; MMC Cards are not supported

* Custom Picture Data and settings is not compatible with data from others Canon models

File Format: MXF (OP-1a)
Maximum Clip Number: 999 (per media)

AUDIO

Recording Format: Linear PCM; 2-Channel; 16-Bit; 48 kHz
Built-in Microphone: None
External Audio Inputs: 2 – XLR inputs (Auto and Manual level settings)
Recording Channel Selection: Two Channel Recording
XLR Mic Trimming: Available; -12dB, -6 dB, 0dB or +12dB
Recording Level Adjustment Range: – Infinity to +18dB
Phantom Power: Available; +48V
Headphone Adjustment: 16 Settings; Volume is muted at lowest setting
1KHz Tone: Available; -12, -18, or -20dB

INPUT/OUTPUT

HD/SD SDI

Yes (with embedded audio);
HD 4:2:2(YCbCr) 1920 x 1080: 60i/50i, 1280 x 720: 60p/50p;
SD 4:2:2 (YCbCr) 640 x 480: 60i/50i
BNC Connector, output only
NTSC 480i/PAL 576i: Compliant with SMTPE 259M
Embedded Audio: Compliant with SMTPE 272M
Time Code Standard: (VITC/LTC) SMTPE 12M
HD-SDI: (Compliant with SMTPE 292M)
1080i/720p: Compliant with SMTPE 292M
Embedded Audio: Compliant with SMTPE 299M
Time Code Standard: (VITC/LTC) SMTPE 12M
Time code In/Out: Yes; BNC Connector (Input and Output)
Genlock: Yes; BNC Connector
Adjustment range: -1023 to +1023
Synch Out: Yes, BNC Connector
HD tri-level signal (HD Sync)
HD-Y signals (HD-Y)
Black Burst signal
Composite
HDMI: Yes (Type A)
Audio Input Terminal: 2 – Balanced 3-pin XLR (Mic Level, Mic Level
with phantom power and Line Level)
3.5mm Microphone terminal
Headphone Jack: Available; 3.5mm stereo mini-jack
Remote Terminal: Available (Fully LANC Compatible)

POWER

Power Terminal: DC in on camera (no need for “Dummy Battery”)
Battery: BP-9 Series
Compact Power Adapter: CA-940

Got questions? CLICK HERE to email Filmtools with any questions you might have regarding the Canon Cinema EOS product line or CLICK HERE to read more about the brand new Canon Cinema EOS product line on Filmtools.com

Gizmodo Covers DSLR Filmmaking

nickatfilmtools — Fri, 07 Oct 2011 21:49:41 +0000

DSLR Film making has taken the industry by storm and now it’s fully hitting the consumer level too. Popular tech blog, Gizmodo.com posted a simple article this week titled “6 Tools to Make a Cinematic Masterpiece With a DSLR.” In it, are 6 (surprised?) items that are all available at the Filmtools store in Burbank, CA and online at Filmtools.com!

Here are the items: