The brand new Pro Moviemaker magazine is out now! Great filmmaking is about finding your own voice, pushing creative boundaries and choosing the right tools to bring your vision to life. The latest Pro Moviemaker celebrates that independent spirit, from filmmakers rewriting the rules to ground-breaking cameras, characterful lenses and clever production technology. We reveal the winners of our tenth annual Gear of the Year Awards, explore the secrets of professional video podcasting and put exciting kit through its paces such as the Kinefinity Vista and Canon EOS R8 Mark II. Whether you're looking for inspiration, practical advice or your next essential purchase, there's plenty to discover.
THE ONLY MAGAZINE FOR VIDEO-FIRST CONTENT CREATORS
OM System goes retro with its write-on compact NEW PEN PAL
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How our Filmmaker of the Year makes money on her terms THE GREAT ESCAPE
Kinefinity throws open the gates to cinematic style with its incredible-value 6K Vista GATE CRASHER big-screen ambition
GET ON AIR WITH OUR COMPLETE GUIDE TO VIDEO PODCASTING MEET THE CAIRA CAM THAT PUTS AI BEHIND THE LENS
AI is already inside cameras. The real battle is how far we let it go he next generation of cameras might involve rather more than another stop of dynamic range, faster frame rates and even more clever autofocus. A series of interviews in Japan’s leading financial newspaper The Nikkei with bosses from Nikon, Canon, Sony and Fujifilm gives a glimpse of how the industry’s giants see the future. Nikon is talking about a common engine and software platform that could underpin different products. So the same sensor, processor, AI chips, storage and connectivity could be used to create very different cameras. Canon sees younger buyers embracing dedicated cameras because they enjoy the experience of using them. For filmmakers, Canon’s commitment to expanding its V series hybrid lenses is perhaps even more significant. But the biggest issue is around AI. Nikon already employs it for white- balance, exposure and subject recognition and is considering applications such as image selection. Sony uses AI for pose estimation and subject recognition, but is concentrating on in-camera authenticity technology. Fujifilm says AI should help you take the picture through tech such as AF and subject detection, but not create the image itself. Across the Japanese manufacturers, there is resistance to putting generative AI inside cameras. And then there’s British upstart camera Caira, which we’ve tried in this issue. It starts with footage you genuinely shoot, but its AI tech can turn daylight into night, relight a scene or manufacture a camera move that never happened. It’s impressive, useful and also makes that apparently neat boundary between assisting and creating suddenly rather fuzzy. It’s the debate camera makers will be having more often. AI is already inside our cameras and doing extremely useful work. The real battle will be over how far we’re prepared to let it go.
Editorial Editor in chief Adam Duckworth Editorial director Nicola Foley Chief sub editor Matthew Winney Sub editors Zanna Buckland & Chris Young Contributor Matty Graham Advertising Sales director Sam Scott-Smith +44 (0)7875 711967 samscott-smith@bright.uk.com Advertising sales executive Becky Carse +44 (0)1223 662202 beckycarse@bright.uk.com Design Design director Andy Jennings Magazine design manager Lucy Jeffery Senior designer Carl Golsby Junior designer and ad production Holly May Publishing Managing director Andy Brogden Operations director Saffron Osborn-Clay Subscriptions manager Laura Meikle PPC & social manager Keith Murtagh Media supporters & partners of
Adam Duckworth Editor in chief Adam Duckworth
Pro Moviemaker is published bimonthly by Bright Publishing Ltd, Bright House, 82 High Street, Sawston, Cambridge CB22 3HJ. No part of this magazine can be used without prior written permission of Bright Publishing Ltd. ISSN number: 2045-3892. Pro Moviemaker is a registered trademark of Bright Publishing Ltd. The advertisements published in Pro Moviemaker that have been written, designed or produced by employees of Bright Publishing Ltd remain the copyright of Bright Publishing Ltd and may not be reproduced without the written consent of the publisher. The content of this publication does not necessarily reflect the views of the publisher. Prices quoted are street prices. In sterling they include VAT (unless otherwise stated), but US dollar prices are without local sales taxes. Prices are where available or converted using the exchange rate on the day the magazine went to press.
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contents agenda 6 Better eight than never!
Sony goes wider than ever with its radical new 8-14mm zoom that goes from circular fisheye to extreme ultra wide
14 The Sage of discovery Wildlife and travel creator Maria Sage reveals how she reinvented her life and career to adapt to a chronic illness
academy 32 The fast and the curious Wonder how to record the audio from high-performance cars to make them sound their best? Not to worry, Austin Huffman is here to sound off! 38 The sound and the furry Filmmaker Jonny Lewis talks about the accessories that kept his audio pristine despite recording on a speedboat 41 Pod’s own country From cameras and mics to lighting and switching, here’s how to build a professional video podcast studio
worklife 8 The reel soul rebel Our Filmmaker of the Year Ellie Green talks resisting the urge to sell her soul to social media
18 Creator comforts
The British Caira camera that uses AI to edit your videos, plus the new iPhone Duo phone, Mavis app and retro OM Pen
toolkit 54 Glut of Sony gear
News of Sony’s latest super-telephotos, pair of external monitors with remote control and 32-bit float wireless mics
28 The shake escape
The fully revamped Canon EOS R8 II might be a photo-first machine, but it packs in IBIS and lots of video spec
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57 Bags more kit releases
92 Glass ceiling
the icon 98 Icon see clearly now
A lightweight Tamron zoom, Nikon Z mount primes, tripods from Libec and lights from the likes of Creamsource and Nanlite 72 GOTY winners unveiled It’s big-reveal time for the winners in the tenth annual Pro Moviemaker Gear of the Year Awards – check out the complete list 88 Gateway to heaven Kinefinity crashes the cinema cam party with a compact full-frame powerhouse offering 6K open gate at a low price
Sigma gets even faster than Sony with its 85mm prime that opens to f/1.2, plus its 20-60mm zoom 94 A hard day’s bright The new Shinobi 7 II is the brightest-ever Atomos monitor, yet is also slim, light and affordable 96 Wide load Tamron goes super wide with a 12–20mm full-frame zoom, promising dramatic perspectives for adventurous images
Zeiss’s legendary LWZ cinema zoom proves that great optical design never goes out of fashion
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Sony takes an extreme view with its first-ever full-frame fisheye zoom for some unconventional filmmaking angles Pigeon impossible
f you really want to make your work stand out, the last thing you need is another sensible lens. Sony’s new FE 8-14mm F3.5 Fisheye G is most definitely not that. This is Sony’s first fisheye lens of any type for its full-frame E-mount cameras, and it breaks new ground as it’s a zoom. It’s designed to produce images that immediately look very different. At 8mm, it delivers a traditional circular fisheye image with a complete 180° field of view. Zoom to 14mm and it becomes a diagonal fisheye, filling the rectangular
image while retaining that extraordinary view from corner to corner. Fisheyes have traditionally been niche lenses, loved by skateboard filmmakers, music video directors and anyone wanting an intentionally distorted view of reality. And recent trends in filmmaking have shown an explosion of content shot on super-wide optics – almost exclusively primes. But the 8-14mm’s zoom range means there’s more flexibility than with a fixed fisheye. At 8mm, the circular image is unmistakably extreme. It’s not something you’ll use for every shot, but landscapes,
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Coo-lossal view An exaggerated perspective makes the birds dominate the frame in this image, while bending the architecture into a dramatic backdrop
night skies, action sports, architecture and unusual POV shots can suddenly take on an entirely different character. Move towards 14mm and the image fills the frame, creating a dramatic perspective that’s easier to incorporate alongside more conventional footage. Straight lines away from the centre bow dramatically, horizons curve and objects loom towards the viewer. And you can get very close as minimum focus is just 15cm ⁄ 5.9in – you could put foreground subjects almost on top of that bulbous front element and allow the world behind them to stretch away dramatically.
The lens itself is light (314g ⁄ 0.69lb) and measures 82.8mm ⁄ 3.26in long, making it an interesting option for handheld work, compact rigs and gimbals. An internal zoom mechanism means its physical length and centre of gravity don’t shift significantly as you move through the focal range. AF is fast and quiet, and the aperture ring can be switched between clicked and clickless. The constant f ⁄ 3.5 aperture should also prove useful for night scenes. It’s not ultra fast and, at £1500 ⁄ $1600, it’s a specialist tool – but a seriously fun one. sony.com
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Real-world business for pro filmmakers
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Ellie Green | worklife
Words Adam Duckworth
Escape the algorithm Ellie Green says finding great stories and building a business that lets you tell them matters more than chasing social-media trends
here’s something reassuring about discovering that a filmmaker capable of winning Pro Moviemaker ’s Filmmaker of
now her husband and filmmaking partner, who began teaching her about cameras. Ellie brought the fascination with stories and something clicked. The pair initially photographed trail-running races, until event organisers began asking the inevitable question, ‘Could they make videos too?’. “Not a clue – but we said yes and tried to work it out later. So we got a couple of GoPros and Googled how to make a film. That’s how it started.” It’s an unconventional entrance into professional filmmaking. Yet, there is an important lesson, as Green didn’t wait until she had accumulated enough equipment, qualifications or knowledge. She just started making things and learned along the way. Learn what matters Those first GoPro films inevitably had the unmistakable look of early action cameras, with enormous depth-of-field and ultra-wide views. Ellie remembers asking Matt why their footage looked so different from television and cinema. “I hadn’t learned any of this in a traditional way and didn’t really understand the technical side. I remember saying,
the Year title began by buying a couple of GoPros and Googling how to make a movie. There was no film school, grand plan to become a cinematographer or even a qualification remotely connected to filmmaking. Ellie Green studied ancient history at university, then worked in a shop. “The main interest has always been stories,” she explains. “As a child I wanted to be a journalist and then a writer. But I came out of university and didn’t know what I wanted to do. Filmmaking just seemed inaccessible – not something that was possible.” After university came a move from home in Cumbria to London, a selection of jobs and redundancy. Green found herself working in an outdoor shop, partly because climbing and running were already important parts of her life and the outdoor world felt familiar. It was there that she met photographer Matt Green,
On a high Green is drawn to the connection between landscapes, people and culture
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worklife | Ellie Green
brought them into contact with outdoor brands sponsoring the events. Marketing managers wanted to use their films on company websites and the emerging social-media platforms. Those relationships then turned into commercial commissions. “There would be a spring⁄summer campaign and they’d ask us to come and shoot jackets up in Scotland or Cornwall,” Green recalls. “It was right when Facebook, Instagram and social media were really taking off, so it was new for the brands and completely new for us.” Brand work also introduced the couple to athletes and other characters whose stories seemed capable of supporting something longer. “We’d meet somebody and think, ‘That’s an incredible story.’ They might be sponsored by a brand and we knew the marketing manager, so perhaps they’d commission or support a longer film.” Looking back, the progression appears logical. At the time, it didn’t necessarily feel anything like as organised. It can be scary. Banks don’t like what we do when you start talking mortgages!
‘Why is everything on the GoPro flat, but when I look at something in the cinema there are all these different areas of focus?’” That curiosity pushed the pair towards some more sophisticated cameras, initially Panasonic Lumix GH models, chosen not for brand loyalty or fashionable specifications but because they were dependable for the conditions in which the Greens worked. “You could take them out anywhere and they perform. The batteries were amazing. People would ask why we used Lumix, and we were basically saying that whatever does the job best and whatever we don’t need to worry about.” They subsequently moved to Sony, and today Green’s main cameras include the A7S III. But that same philosophy remains. “I’m not very technical,” she admits. “My style is much more run and gun. I grab whatever I can. Sometimes I’ll shoot with a phone if that’s the nearest thing to hand.” That’s not to suggest that technical knowledge is unimportant. Green describes Matt as the more technically proficient one, while she gravitates towards directing, editing and constructing the story. “I just get obsessed with the story and the edit. Story is what draws you in.” Building organically The Greens’ business grew in much the same way as their filmmaking knowledge: gradually and organically. Trail races
“It was very organic and very slow,” Green explains. Then Covid arrived. Within days, virtually an entire year of planned work disappeared. But the restrictions eventually created an unexpected opportunity. With organised racing still restricted, endurance athletes began attempting individual records on trails and routes. The Greens could follow them with an extremely small crew. “We’d have just the two of us and a runner trying to break a record. We started making films around that and selling them directly to viewers, rather than relying completely on commissioned work,” says Green. The experience strengthened their ambition to concentrate more seriously on documentaries. Don’t chase everything That decision has become even more important as the creator economy has exploded. The simpler social-media films the Greens were producing can now be made by scores of influencers and creators carrying remarkably capable cameras in their pockets. Green sees this not as one profession replacing another, but as two different disciplines. “Really good social media content is a skillset in itself,” she stresses. “It’s just something we decided wasn’t for us.” The harder lesson has been learning to turn down jobs that pull the business
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Blackmagic URSA Cine is a revolutionary digital film camera that introduces new advanced digital film technology combined with total integration into the post production workflow. That means it’s the first digital film camera with fast high capability storage built in, plus high speed networking for on set media sync. You can also swap between PL, LPL, EF and Hasselblad lens mounts. Cinematic Large Format Sensor URSA Cine features a revolutionary new sensor designed for incredible quality images at all resolutions from 4K to a massive 17K! Building on the original 12K RGBW Super 35 sensor, the new large format design features larger photo-sites, delivering an astounding 16 stops of dynamic range! Now you can capture more detail with a wider dynamic range than ever before! A Camera Body Optimized for High End Production! The evenly weighted camera body is built with a robust magnesium alloy chassis and lightweight carbon fiber polycarbonate composite skin to help you move quickly on set. There’s a 5˝ fold out touchscreen for reviewing shots and accessing camera settings, plus a dedicated assist station on the other side of the camera, with 5˝ LCD and full camera controls.
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worklife | Ellie Green
away from that goal. “Saying no is really difficult because you’re thinking, ‘That’s going to hurt my bank account right now’. But further down the line it’s probably a wise decision if it means committing to the documentary work we actually want to do.” For Green, it’s all about creating real documentaries such as the short film Tahira , which won her the Pro Moviemaker award for 2026. A longer-form story like this is ideal for Green because she describes herself – with enthusiasm – as nosy. “I find people so interesting. I could sit there asking somebody questions for hours. I find that much more interesting than trying to create a ten-second Reel that goes viral.” There is no criticism of creators who excel in that world. It simply isn’t hers. And recognising that distinction rather than blindly following where the market appears to be moving is valuable advice in itself. Making creativity sustainable Green’s advice for filmmakers wanting to pursue more ambitious personal work isn’t particularly romantic – she says it’s about money. “I have a bit of a bee in my bonnet about this because creativity and business often don’t seem to match,” she says. “If you want to be creative, you need to get yourself into a position where you feel financially secure. “It’s easy to chase creativity for the love of it, and that’s amazing and romantic and idealistic. But it isn’t practical, because you can’t be creative when worrying about how you’re going to pay the next electricity bill.”
It’s a point not often addressed in inspirational filmmaking, but creative freedom frequently requires a degree of financial stability. “You need to set yourself up so you can work sustainably, because that gives you the time to put into projects you actually want to make. People enter creative industries for the love rather than the money, but there comes a point where you need some money behind you to allow you to dedicate yourself to the work.” That lesson has presented itself through experience. Ellie and Matt initially combined their filmmaking with part-time employment, before deciding both would commit to it full-time. Having two people dependent on the same creative business inevitably brings risk. “It can still be scary,” she says. “We’re both relying on the same income stream, and banks really don’t like what we do when you start talking about mortgages!” Rather than diversify creatively into areas they don’t want to pursue, they’ve been looking at ways to diversify where the money comes from. Commissioned work from brands remains an important part of that equation, but the Greens are increasingly interested in building income from films they own. Filmhub has enabled them to distribute titles onto platforms including Amazon and Apple TV. “It’s transformed how we can get the films out,” says Green. “We’ve got a few films on Amazon and Apple TV now, which provides royalties each month. It’s not huge by any means at the moment, but it builds
How to Ellie-vate your filmmaking 1. STORY FIRST Don’t let equipment become the point. Green will use anything from a Sony A7S III to a smartphone if that’s what gets the story. 2. MAKE A SUSTAINABLE BUSINESS Creative freedom becomes difficult when you’re constantly worrying about bills. Build enough financial stability to give personal projects the time they deserve. 3. IGNORE THE ALGORITHM Don’t change direction every time a new filmmaking style, camera or social trend becomes fashionable. Identify what genuinely interests you and commit to it. 4. KNOW WHAT YOU DON’T WANT Saying no can hurt financially in the short term, but continually accepting work that moves you away from your goals can cost more in the long run. Client commissions pay today, but films you own can potentially keep earning. Explore distribution, licensing, direct sales and other ways to monetise your back catalogue. 6. DON’T WAIT FOR PERFECT You don’t need the ultimate camera, a flawless storyboard or another six months of preparation. Green’s simplest advice is also perhaps her best: “Just start. Pick up your camera and go and film something.” 5. BUILD MORE THAN ONE INCOME STREAM
I used to love the summits. Now I love stories about people and culture
Eyes on the prize Green won our 2026 Filmmaker of the Year award for her documentary Tahira
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Ellie Green | worklife
over time. And the bigger the bank of work you have on there, the steadier that income stream becomes.” They are also experimenting with YouTube and investigating other direct-to-audience platforms. The amounts involved might not replace commercial commissions yet, but the idea is important. Instead of starting from zero every month, the growing catalogue of finished films continue generating income. For independent filmmakers, that can be part of creating the financial breathing room that Green believes is essential for better creative work. Ignore the noise Her next advice is very hard to do in 2026, and that’s to stop looking at what everybody else is doing. “Close your eyes and ears to the trends that come and go on social media,” Green says. “It’s really easy to get caught up in all that noise – thinking, I should be shooting this, I should be doing that, or I should have this camera or that camera. Follow your own path and your own vision. Stick with it and trust yourself.” Then comes the lesson that takes us back to those first GoPros, which is – don’t wait. Green recently spoke to a younger filmmaker who had spent around six months preparing a project, working through storyboards, cameras and planning before asking what to do next. Her answer
Yet, it’s interesting that her ambition today isn’t simply to tackle progressively bigger mountains or more extreme expeditions. “If you’d asked me five years ago about climbing Everest, I’d have been, ‘Yes, yes, yes!’ But now I’m much more interested in people, culture and landscapes. I used to love the summits, the fastest times and the biggest climbs. Now I love stories about people and culture, and I’m fascinated by how people, culture and landscapes combine. That’s where I see my storytelling going.” Perhaps that progression explains a lot about the work that ultimately earned Green her Pro Moviemaker accolade. The Greens’ gear has improved enormously since those first GoPros. Ellie’s main Sony Alpha 7S III bodies are joined when necessary by hired specialist lenses. They also use DJI’s drones, audio, gimbals and an Osmo Pocket that routinely goes everywhere. She remembers recently hiring a Laowa probe lens simply to create an unusual shot travelling down the sleeve of a jacket. Green’s guiding principles are simple: use whatever gives you the shot. Keep the equipment light enough to take where the story happens. Don’t get distracted by trends. Build a business capable of supporting the work you care about. And, above all, find interesting people and stories. n
Finding the balance Green says creative freedom combined with financial stability has allowed her to make longer-form documentary films
was: “Just start. Pick up your camera and go and film something. Even if you don’t use it later, just do it. Don’t wait for the perfect alignment of everything.” There may seem to be a contradiction between this and her advice to create financial stability before taking creative risks. But one is about making a sustainable career, while the other is about the destructive habit of waiting for perfect circumstances before making anything. There will always be another camera to buy, another plan to make and another excuse to delay. At some point, filmmakers just need to film. Beyond the summit Green’s own storytelling is continuing to evolve. Adventure filmmaking has taken her business, Summit Fever Media, from British hills and trails to much further afield. A recent production involved spending around two weeks hiking in Japan, following an ancient pilgrimage route through the forest, accompanied by a Yamabushi mountain monk. “It blew my little mind,” she says. “At times it felt like walking through an episode of Star Wars .”
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The creators’ guide to content that connects
Words Matty Graham Wildlife, sports and travel creator Maria Sage reveals how adapting to life-changing circumstances opened up new creative opportunities, and why authenticity , emotion and willingness to keep learning matter most Meet your creator: Maria Sage
or Maria Sage, becoming a content creator wasn’t just a career choice, but a way to continue doing what she loved
others. I draw inspiration from wildlife, landscapes, travel and events happening around me. I love learning, experimenting and using it as a creative outlet. The turning point came when I was diagnosed with ME ⁄ CFS (myalgic encephalomyelitis ⁄ chronic fatigue syndrome). I was no longer able to manage the long shooting days, so I had to rethink how I could continue in the industry. Luckily, I’ve worked with some brilliant employers for years. We had already been developing reels as a product for equestrian athletes, and they worked with me to create a set-up where I could edit remotely. It has been a learning curve, but it has also opened up a new side of content creation for me. Seeing clients share work you have edited is incredibly rewarding, and it has led to opportunities for further collaborations that I would love to pursue as my health allows. What type of content has connected most strongly with your audience, and why do you think it worked? Different subjects connect with people in different ways. With sports-based content, for example, I’ve found video tends to get the strongest response. Photography can capture emotion and movement beautifully, but high-quality video can tell the fuller story of a moment, whether that’s the elation of winning or perhaps a quieter connection between horse and rider. With wildlife, the content that performs best often captures unusual behaviour or something that feels meaningful to people. For example, last year, a dolphin was visiting the area where I live and I was lucky enough to photograph it breaching from a boat. It is still one of my favourite images. Local people connected with it because it was
when circumstances changed. After being diagnosed with a chronic illness in late 2024, long shooting days became impossible, prompting a move towards remote editing alongside her photography and filmmaking. Today, her work spans wildlife, travel, landscapes and equestrian sports. Here, she explains why staying curious and authentic beats simply chasing what’s popular. What was the turning point when you realised content creation could become a real career? Content creation takes a few different forms: creating for myself and creating for
Profile Instagram: @m_sage_photography Website: mariasage.com
Up in the air Sage approaches shoots with an open mind to make sure she captures genuinely authentic moments
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Meet your creator | reel time
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reel time | Meet your creator
something happening on their coastline, while people further afield were amazed simply because dolphins are not a common sight around British shores. The work people remember is often unusual, emotionally resonant or able to make them feel something immediately. How has your approach to making videos changed since you first started? I taught myself photography, then gradually moved into video. There are so many more aspects to creating high-quality video content, whether that’s simply the composition of the image in the frame, or the sound and music you pair it with. I’m still learning all the time. At the moment, I feel most comfortable creating slow motion content, but I’m looking forward to developing my real-time video and audio skills further. A lot of my work involves unpredictable action, so I tend not to over-plan every moment. You never know what a subject will do, especially with wildlife or sports. However, I always research the subject beforehand so that I understand what I’m capturing, whether that’s animal behaviour and signals, or the rules of a sport. With travel and landscape work in particular, I spend time researching possible viewpoints and locations to give myself the best chance of finding the shot. Google Maps is a brilliant tool for this. I approach each shoot with an open mind, respond to what happens in the moment and shape the final piece around what I witnessed. I want the finished content to feel true to the atmosphere and story of that moment. What’s your process for turning an idea into finished content?
What makes people stop scrolling and actually watch? You have to capture attention quickly. People see a huge amount of content every day, so the strongest work often gives them a reason to pause straight away. People are drawn to work that feels extraordinary, but is genuinely happening in front of the camera. My own style leans towards a more cinematic approach. I love beautiful imagery and storytelling, and I still think there’s a place for content that makes someone stop and properly feel something rather than just scroll on. What kit do you rely on most? My photography and videography journey has revolved around my Sony FE 70-200mm f ⁄2.8 GM OSS lens. It came with me to my first media job covering equestrian sports and is still one of my most adaptable lenses. For wildlife, my favourite piece of kit is the Sony FE 200-600mm f⁄5.6-6.3 G OSS. The reach allows you to get close, detailed images while still giving wildlife the space it needs. What’s one investment that genuinely changed the game for you? My Sony A1. While photography and videography are not defined by kit alone, upgrading to a camera like the A1 has been a real game changer, particularly for video. Its capabilities opened up creative options. How do you balance creating for the algorithm with creating content you really care about? I try not to chase the algorithm too much. I pay attention to what works, but I prefer to keep my page authentic to me and the subjects that genuinely interest me. Creating projects I genuinely enjoy
will always matter more than treating engagement as a measure of my skill. Plus, at the end of the day, it is essentially my portfolio and something I want to feel proud to direct potential clients and employers towards. What’s the biggest mistake you see new creators making? Trying too hard to fit into the creator space by following every trend. Trends can be a great way to learn new skills or experiment with formats, but I think it’s important not to lose your own style in the process. Focus on creating work you enjoy and are proud of. That authenticity is what makes your work recognisable. How important is personality, compared to production quality, in 2026? Both matter, but in different ways. Production quality gives people a reason to stop and watch, while personality gives them a reason to stay and connect with you. I haven’t shared a huge amount about myself on my pages, but I can see from creators I follow that showing more of who you are makes your work feel more relatable. People enjoy putting a face and a personality to the content they’re seeing. But it’s a personal choice as to what you wish to share. What’s your workflow – are you still a solo creator or working with a team? For my own personal work, I’m a solo creator. Professionally, I also work as part of a team creating content for clients, which gives me the chance to collaborate, while still bringing my own editing style and creative ideas to the work. If somebody was to start creating content tomorrow, what would your advice be? I would say to use social media as a tool. It’s an amazing place to find inspiration, learn from others and discover new ideas. But when it comes to sharing your own work, keep it authentic to you. Create what interests you, keep learning and enjoy the process!
A big splash Sage’s photograph of a dolphin breaching the water resonated with local people
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reel time | On the radar
AI candy
Post haste The Caira camera uses AI to speed up editing, allowing footage to be relit, reframed and transformed directly from your smartphone
hoot once, then add a camera move, zoom in hugely, even
and speeds up editing, grading and creating effects, turning hours of post-production into a few minutes.
change the time of day or quality of light – all on your smartphone, in a matter of minutes. Camera Intelligence’s latest Caira camera and AI video tools could give content creators a radically different way to think about editing, all via a smartphone, with simple prompts. Generative AI video often gets a bad rap, but this new Caira camera only works on content you’ve actually shot. It simplifies
The Caira is a Micro Four Thirds, interchangeable-lens camera with a
low-noise sensor. It can be fixed by MagSafe to an iPhone and run using a dedicated app. The camera stores the high-res original to its memory and a copy is downloaded to the phone. Its latest AI-driven video editing tools are impressive, and powered by AI image editing model Nano Banana.
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On the radar | reel time
Caira-fully does it Fix your iPhone to the MagSafe mount and you’re ready to shoot. Then edit the video on your phone using voice commands
We tried the system at the brand’s offices in London, starting with a video through a window towards St Pancras station, shot by CEO Vishal Kumar. Using voice commands, the original clip was transformed into what looked like a dramatic, drone-style move, pushing through the scene and zooming towards the station’s famous clock tower. This would be impossible to capture with a real drone in, as it’s a no-fly zone. Another edit transformed the daytime view of St Pancras into a day-to-night video
sequence, with car lights turning on and windows in buildings becoming illuminated. A third version effectively shifted the clock again, relighting the footage with the warmer tones of golden hour. The camera can change how you might think on location. A solo shooter creating YouTube, TikTok or Instagram content could capture a relatively simple shot and then quickly experiment with different versions, without waiting hours for the sun to move or organising an elaborate camera move.
There are limits. Generative results won’t always withstand scrutiny, and experienced filmmakers will spot moments when reality is stretched a little too enthusiastically. But Caira is aimed at creators who need to shoot, edit and publish quickly, without a crew, for smartphone-screen consumption. It’s £755 body-only and £904 with a Panasonic Lumix 25mm f⁄1.7 lens, so you have to add your own phone, and there are additional subscription models for various AI services. n cameraintelligence.com
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reel time | On the radar
Folding phones aren’t new, but the iPhone launch may drive a whole new way of viewing What Apple’s folding phone means for you Smart money
pple’s first foldable iPhone could change more than the
same aspect ratio, allowing content to scale proportionally between them. For creators, the bigger story is adapting content to the device on which it is being watched. And, of course, vertical video isn’t going anywhere: billions of people have become accustomed to consuming social content with their phones held upright. Instead, rather than composing exclusively for 9:16, 16:9, 4:5 or square delivery, filmmakers could be forced to capture a high-resolution master with sufficient space around the subject to accommodate multiple crops. Software can reframe it for the screen being used. Instead of considering if the format is vertical or horizontal, the question for creators might be how the composition will survive every format it might be viewed on. That means protecting faces, products, text
and other important elements while leaving enough image around them for alternative framing. It’s hardly a creative decision: it’s all about compromise. Foldables also make conventional widescreen video more attractive on
shape in your pocket. For creators, it offers a glimpse of a future where the video you produce is designed to work everywhere. For years, content creators have faced the choice of shooting horizontally or vertically. YouTube and traditional filmmaking favoured 16:9, while TikTok, Reels and Shorts made 9:16 impossible to ignore. Open gate shooting in mirrorless cameras aims to give the best of both worlds, as you can crop afterwards. Apple’s new iPhone Duo suggests that creating two differently shaped films could become less important. The first folding iPhone has a 5.4-inch outer display and opens to reveal a much larger 7.6-inch screen. Crucially, both displays have the
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November/December 2026
On the radar | reel time
Pro Max or Duo? If you want to upgrade your iPhone, you now have a choice, as Apple’s two new flagship phones are very different. The Duo represents the new viewing format, whereas the conventional 18 Pro Max is the more overtly creator-focused camera phone. Then there’s the price, as the base 256GB 18 Pro Max is £1299/$1299, while the 256GB Duo is £1999/$1999. Ouch. The Pro Max model has a variable aperture camera for the first time, a faster A20 Pro chip, better heat management and extensive pro-level controls. There are three 48-megapixel cameras: Main, Ultra Wide and 4x Telephoto. The Duo has 48-megapixel Main and Ultra Wide cameras, plus 5.4-inch outer and 7.6-inch folding displays, but no Face ID technology.
Adapting to the shot The new iPhone 18 Pro Max has an adjustable iris, but only on one of the three rear-facing cameras
mobile devices. Open the Duo and its 7.6-inch display becomes a considerably larger canvas for watching video than a conventional phone screen. So we could eventually see the same content presented differently depending on how a device is being used, such as social-friendly video when closed, and more expansive composition when open. For serious filmmakers, none of this means abandoning horizontal acquisition. Documentaries, branded films, interviews, travel content and YouTube productions still benefit from shooting a high-quality master. But capturing at high resolution and composing slightly wider provides more freedom to derive vertical and alternative versions afterwards. Plus, AI-powered reframing will inevitably make that process increasingly
sophisticated. Instead of simply cropping the centre of an image, software might understand that a face must remain in shot, a product can’t disappear from frame or text shouldn’t be chopped in half. That could become particularly important as viewing moves beyond smartphones and televisions to foldables, tablets, car displays and spatial devices. The most interesting thing about iPhone Duo, therefore, might not be its hardware, but that one of the world’s biggest tech companies now expects a phone’s viewing area to change shape during everyday use. At the moment, it seems the future could be adaptive video. Capture the best possible master, protect the important parts of the frame and let intelligent software decide how best to present it. apple.com
Fold rush The new iPhone Duo can be opened up to watch horizontal movies (top left), held vertically for upright films (below) or used folded for easy social media snacking (left)
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promoviemaker.net
reel time | On the radar
Pocket change Apple brings Final Cut Camera (left) to iPhones, while the Mavis app (below) also unleashes Raw
Phonely connect
Two tribes go to Raw !
If you want the best video from your iPhone, then two rival phone apps both unlock ProRes Raw
ech Goliath Apple might have billions in the bank and an army of engineers, but that isn’t stopping minnow Mavis
tally light and handy two-finger tap that clears information from the viewfinder when an unobstructed view is needed. Mavis means business Variable aperture control, ProRes Raw mean the new Mavis Camera 8.2 filmmaking app pushes deeper into serious production and brings support for the latest iPhone 18 Pro and Pro Max. Owners of the Pro iPhones can directly control their variable and professional HDMI monitoring
from taking it on at its own game. Both unveil major updates to their iPhone filmmaking apps, as the battle to turn Apple’s smartphone into a serious production camera hots up. Core blimey! Apple’s revamped Final Cut Camera adds scopes, SDI output, genlock tools and variable aperture control for iPhone 18 Pro. The free app has had a major overhaul, with a redesigned interface. For iPhone 18 Pro users, a major addition is direct control over the new Fusion Main camera’s variable aperture, allowing it to be dialled in manually or for users to choose from shutter- or aperture-priority operation. The redesigned interface also puts commonly used settings including shutter angle, ISO and white balance within easier reach. Customisable overlays include false colour and clipping indicators for judging exposure, while focus peaking now offers sensitivity adjustment. There’s also a new
aperture using the Camera Control Wheel or on-screen thumbnails. Aperture can be adjusted while recording and incorporated into manual or automatic exposure, giving another means of controlling exposure and depth-of-field from within the app. ProRes Raw recording is available on all supported iPhones. Footage can be captured in 4K or open gate, directly to an external SSD. The HDMI output offers either a clean feed or an information display showing exposure, focal length, recording status,
timecode, format, audio levels and device status. Monitoring aids including focus peaking, zebras, false colour, guides and aspect-ratio masks can also be displayed externally. The free download provides variable aperture control, ProRes Raw, as well as professional HDMI output, while a new $30 annual subscription unlocks Pro Pack, Film Kit, NDI and API functionality. UK prices have not yet been set. apple.com mavis.cloud
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November/December 2026
advertisement feature | Peli
case, ideal for keeping valuable equipment close rather than waving goodbye to it at check-in. Cabin restrictions vary between carriers and routes, so check before flying, but the compact format makes the 1535 attractive to travelling workers. The Travel version has been designed to make better use of its interior for life on the road. A lid organiser provides zipped compartments for larger accessories alongside see-through mesh pockets, so cables, batteries and other small essentials don’t disappear into the bottom of the case. Cabin class Removable packing cubes in the base make it possible to organise clothing and personal items efficiently, turning the 1535 into a travel companion rather than something reserved exclusively for camera kit. Remove those cubes and the case can be configured for video gear using optional TrekPak dividers, padded dividers or Pick N Pluck foam. The same case can carry clothes and essentials for one trip, then cameras, lenses, drones or audio equipment on the next. For content creators who travel with a mixture of production equipment and personal gear, that flexibility makes sense. The 1535 Air remains designed to take punishment. It’s waterproof, dustproof and crushproof, with a watertight O-ring gasket helping seal the contents from the elements. An automatic pressure purge valve equalises internal pressure – particularly useful after changes in altitude – while allowing the case to remain sealed against water and dust. Security is taken seriously, too, as strong Press and Pull latches incorporate TSA- accepted key locks. A heavy-duty extending handle means you don’t have to carry the case everywhere, while quiet-rolling stainless-steel bearing wheels should make airport corridors less painful. The Peli Air Travel range is available in a selection of colours, bringing personality to match its protection. The 1535 Air Travel is the perfect travel companion. For anyone moving between locations, airports and productions, it’s an ally you appreciate every time you pick it up. That’s why the Peli 1535 Air Travel takes our Gear of the Year victory. Case closed! Flying colours T he iconic Peli 1535 Air Travel is our winner in the Gear of the Year Awards as it’s perfect for filmmakers going places
Airline-friendly dimensions and proper protection mean the Peli 1535 Air Travel rolls away with our reader-voted award Come fly with me
here’s tough, then there’s Peli tough. The problem is seriously protective cases traditionally come with serious heft. The 1535
But the appeal of this model isn’t simply that it’s hard as nails. Traditional protective cases can be reassuringly substantial, but that becomes considerably less appealing when you’re dragging one through an airport or trying to stay within an airline baggage allowance. The 1535 Air tackles that problem with a lightweight polymer construction that’s up to 40% lighter than traditional Peli Protector cases, while retaining the serious protection the brand is famous for. The 1535 is designed with frequent flyers in mind. Its dimensions make it a cabin-sized
Air Travel changes that, wrapping valuable filmmaking kit in the formidable protection you’d expect from the market leader. Peli has built its reputation around protecting valuable equipment in demanding environments, so it’s perhaps little surprise that Pro Moviemaker readers have voted the Peli 1535 Air Travel their Gear of the Year winner for best roller/hard case.
More details on 01457 869999 or at peliproducts.co.uk
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November/December 2026
reel time | On the radar
Write stuff
The Pen is mightier The legendary Pen enters a new era as OM System gives it an EVF and creative tools
here’s an old maxim that the best camera is the one you actually have with you – and for today’s content creators,
that makes a lot of sense. Big productions may demand big rigs, but social content, travel films, behind-the-scenes footage and spontaneous everyday creativity call for something different. And, often, something more capable than a smartphone. Enter the new OM System Pen, the first camera in the long-running Pen family to carry the OM System name. The lineage stretches to the original Olympus Pen film camera of 1959, but this incarnation brings the concept firmly into the creator era. At its heart is a 20.37-megapixel Live MOS sensor partnered with the Truepic IX processor, while the Micro Four Thirds mount opens up a huge choice of compact and affordable lenses. Five-axis image stabilisation provides up to 5.5 stops of compensation at the centre of the frame, making handheld shooting a much more realistic proposition when you want to leave the tripod or gimbal at home. The rangefinder-style Pen is deliberately compact and portable, but this generation gains an EVF, IPX1-rated splashproof performance and a dustproof
design. And to spend less time in post, there are settings to create a distinctive look to your work straight out of camera. Profile control offers a selection of film-inspired presets, with a dedicated switch providing rapid access. Colour shooters can individually adjust the saturation of 12 colours across 11 levels, while monochrome options include colour filters, highlight and shadow adjustment, shading, grain and toning. These settings
can also be used for video, apart from Slow & Quick recording, which goes up to 120fps. The Pen includes dedicated OM Cinema 1 and 2 picture modes, vertical video and a tally light so both creator and subject can see when recording is underway. Autofocus uses a 121-point, all-cross-type phase-detection system, complemented by the Pen series’ first AI Subject Detection AF for people, cats and dogs. Pro Capture can even buffer
Flat out The flat-top styling of the new Nikon Z 5IIC means there is no EVF, but potential buyers will be used to having a touchscreen for viewing
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November/December 2026
On the radar | reel time
AUTOFOCUS AI-powered with subject detection and tracking
STILLS 30fps continuous shooting
VIDEO DCI 4K/24p, 4K/30p, FHD/60p
SENSOR 20.37MP Live MOS, Micro Four Thirds
LENS M.Zuiko Digital 14-42mm f/3.5-5.6 III
Ton-up lens bargain Spend another £100/$100 and the Pen comes bundled with the new weather-resistant M.Zuiko Digital 14-42mm f/3.5-5.6 III lens. That’s a bargain, as it costs £349/$349 alone. The OM System lens offers the full-frame equivalent of a 28-84mm optic, decent close-up capabilities and a maximum image magnification of 0.53x equivalent, along with IPX1-rated weather resistance. from compatible images on a phone and register them to preset slots on the camera. Available in black or silver, the Pen costs £849 ⁄ $1000 body-only. explore.omsystem.com/gb/en/pen
Shortcuts The retro-styled Pen offers an easy route to
creative work thanks to built-in picture modes for video and stills
up to 12 frames before the shutter is fully pressed, at rates up to 30fps. There’s plenty of computational cleverness too. A dedicated CP button gives direct access to functions including Handheld High Res
Shot, Live ND, Focus Stacking, HDR and Multiple Exposure. The updated OI.Share app handles image transfer and remote shooting to a smartphone, while its Profile Library can take colour and tone settings
New Nikon is a full-frame first Nikon’s Z 5IIC promises an easy route
Autofocus uses multi-subject detection to recognise people, pets, vehicles and birds – and the Z 5IIC becomes the first Nikon Z model capable of recognising fish. The AF sensitivity extends down to -10EV, making focusing possible in extremely low light. The Z 5IIC can capture 4K ⁄ 60p footage in NRaw, while Nikon Imaging Cloud allows Imaging Recipes to be downloaded directly. A Film Grain function can add an analogue-inspired finish to both stills and video and a magnesium-alloy frame is complemented by dust and moisture sealing. The camera costs £1349 ⁄ $1397 body-only. nikon.com
into full-frame creativity without stepping into a world of complicated controls, as it combines straightforward touchscreen operation with Subject Detection AF and serious 4K video credentials. The high-resolution, vari-angle monitor is designed to feel familiar to anyone used to creating on a phone, but there is no EVF. Underneath that beginner-friendly approach is plenty of Nikon Z technology. The 24.5-megapixel FX sensor is paired with the EXPEED 7 processor, with sensitivity reaching ISO 64,000 for stills and ISO 51,200 for video. In-body Vibration Reduction (VR) offers up to 7.5 stops of stabilisation, while Focus Point VR helps keep the subject sharp wherever it sits in the frame.
Baby I don’t glare The screen is a vari-angle type so you can move it to just the right spot
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