Pro Moviemaker Spring 2018PMM_SPRING 2018

MOVIE MATTERS ASK THE EXPERTS

USING SEPARATE EXTERNAL MONITORS

exposure tools like false colour, and will also be able to shoot more confidently, knowing your exposure is accurate and based on true IRE data ranges. Daylight viewability is another great feature in external monitors, and crucial to those working in outdoor locations. Meanwhile cross-conversion and loop through are extra features that allow you to send/ convert video signal to multiple monitors. This is useful when you want to feed a monitor and send the signal further to other devices, such as the video village or a director’s monitor. This is just the surface-level of why you will find that an external monitor will become one of your most crucial pieces of camera gear. Use one and you’ll never look back! Michael Ashman is marketing manager at SmallHD, whose latest filmmaking monitors are designed to be daylight viewable. www. smallhd.com

Michael Ashman, marketing manager, SmallHD

What are the advantages of working with a separate monitor when you’re filming out in the field? It’s easy to look at an external monitor as a simple accessory item or just one more thing that you have to, somewhat reluctantly, add to your already hefty camera rig. However, I consider it to be a fundamental tool that can enable you to focus on creating more content while worrying less about your camera settings. and, as such, it’s a really crucial piece of kit. In cameras today we’re likely to be using a LOG format to capture the most dynamic range, but the resulting image will be really flat and boring, and it can be difficult to check focus, exposure values and white-balance. To help convert this image into something more useable on-set you can apply 3D LUTS via the external monitor. You’ll also have access to built-in scopes like waveform, and

THE KEY TO USING VINTAGE LENSES

ABOVE MTF adapters allow filmmakers to use a vast array of interesting and vintage lenses.

Mike Tapa, managing director MTF Services

With so many interesting vintage lenses out there, how can I adapt them for use in filmmaking? The need for quality optics in broadcast is as clear now as it’s always been, but that doesn’t necessarily mean that brand-new glass is the answer. That’s really why MTF originally started to manufacture lens adapters. There had been an explosion of formats and the ever-evolving and continuous raft of new camera products coming to market meant that a growing number of excellent lenses were – quite literally - being left on the shelf to gather dust. The advent of lens adapters has opened the door for versatility in workflow and gives camera operators the ability to mix and match bodies and lenses; facilitating the use of older glass in new productions and negating the need to necessarily buy new lenses. As we know, older glass often comes with characteristics unique to the individual lens and the ability to work with old favourites has been something of a revelation for many.

“… shootmore confidently, knowing your exposure is accurate”

Mike Tapa is the managing director of MTF Services. You can find the range of products at mtfservices.com

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PRO MOVIEMAKER SPRING 2018

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