DZOFilm Introduces Arcana Primes – A Hybrid Approach to Anamorphic

DZOFilm Introduces Arcana Primes – A Hybrid Approach to Anamorphic

DZOFilm’s new Arcana series enters an increasingly crowded anamorphic market with a familiar promise: deliver cinematic character without the traditional tradeoffs. Compact, lightweight, and relatively affordable, Arcana positions itself as a practical alternative to larger, more demanding anamorphic systems. The real question is not what it claims to do, but how much of the anamorphic experience it actually preserves in the process.

Continue reading “DZOFilm Introduces Arcana Primes – A Hybrid Approach to Anamorphic”

Nikon Announces New 24-135mm f/4… Cine Lens?

Nikon Announces New 24-135mm f/4… Cine Lens?

Nikon’s upcoming NIKKOR Z 28-135mm f/4 PZ (Power Zoom) lens is aimed squarely at the filmmaking community, marking another step in the company’s ongoing efforts to cater to video professionals. While Nikon has long been a key player in the world of photography, this lens represents their latest attempt to break into the cinema lens market. However, a closer look reveals a mix of promise and potential areas for improvement.

Continue reading “Nikon Announces New 24-135mm f/4… Cine Lens?”

Canon Expands Compact-Servo Line with 70-200mm Tele-Zoom

Canon Expands Compact-Servo Line with 70-200mm Tele-Zoom

A favorite focal length of still photographers, and naturally of hybrid cinematographers bridging the gap between the worlds of still photography and motion picture, the new 70-200mm Compact-Servo is sure to be an ideal choice for the ultra-light documentary shooter. Canon’s 18-80mm Compact-Servo was announced about the same time last year, just ahead of NAB 2016. If you’re unfamiliar with the Compact-Servo line, imagine all the camera operators in the world using Canon’s L series still lenses. Now imagine half of them called Canon and complained that their L series lens doesn’t hold focus through the zoom and it doesn’t have integrated gears, and the focus isn’t reliable or repeatable… Then imagine Canon going to their engineers and explaining this – and that’s where we get the Compact-Servo zooms.  Continue reading “Canon Expands Compact-Servo Line with 70-200mm Tele-Zoom”