ICG AT CINE GEAR EXPO 2007
By Neil Matsumoto
For over a decade, Cine Gear Expo, which started as a one-day social event, has grown into one of the largest film, video and digital media trade shows in both the production and postproduction industry. This year’s expo took place at the Wadsworth Theatre and Grounds in West Los Angeles on June 22-23 and continued its tradition of hosting the opening night VIP Reception. At the reception, Local 600 presented Mole Richardson with a plaque congratulating them on celebrating their 80th anniversary. For the next two days, Local 600 members, film students, filmmakers and others attended the Expo’s numerous seminars and master class series; many of them lead by ICG members.
Also at the show, ICG unveiled its “new and improved” ICG Film Showcase. Re-titled “ICG’s Emerging Cinematographers Awards,” this year’s eight honorees were announced at the opening event at the Wadsworth Theater. The honored short films will be premiered on September 23 at the DGA Theater in Hollywood. “This is one of the most important developments for the future of our Guild,” said ICG President Steven Poster, ASC. “We were impressed by the quality of the entries. They represent the high caliber of work by new Guild members. We want to encourage young filmmakers to strive for excellence and we can be justly proud of this year’s award recipients.”
ICG also held its own seminar, “A Conversation With Local 600,” which was moderated by President Poster and functioned as a prospective member orientation. Topics of discussion included the benefits of being a member, the history of the union, roster placement, and many others.
Many exhibiting companies introduced new and groundbreaking equipment and services to professionals in the industry. Here is just a sample of products that were announced or shown.
ELEMENT LABS AND KINO FLO
LED LIGHTING PRODUCTS
www.elementlabs.com
Kino Flo announced a strategic partnership with Element Labs, designed to bring intelligent LED lighting into the professional lighting industry.
The Kelvin Technology Series represents a major advancement in the application of LEDs to create intelligent, controllable lighting. It provides variable color temperature and maintains a color-rendering index (CRI) of 95 between 3200K and 6500K. It also offers Digital Gelling™, the ability to dial in a desired theatrical gel, and the option to save, recall, and clone a series of lighting parameters. Initial product offerings from Element Labs include the Kelvin TILE™, the compact Kelvin BRICK™, and the Kelvin PAINTBOX™ remote control unit.
All Kelvin Technology fixtures offer three modes of control. The Kelvin PAINTBOX™ is a remote system that accesses Kelvin Technology’s full-range of capabilities. In addition to remote control, the Kelvin Technology Series supports full implementation of DMX.
The Kelvin TILE™ is a professional lighting unit developed specifically to adapt to the dynamic requirements of film and video shoots. Connect several Kelvin TILEs (each 300.0 millimeters by 300.0 millimeters) to build a large soft-light source. These LED-based fixtures operate with a fraction of the power required by traditional professional lighting and with little to no heat emission.
The Kelvin BRICK™ is a compact, powerful unit that provides 14.4 foot-candles at three feet. It weighs only one-half kilogram; light enough to mount onto a camera. Yet it’s durable and flexible enough to be utilized in unusual situations to solve tough lighting problems.
Element Labs’ Kelvin Technology Series LED-based lighting system will be available for rent through Kino Flo in September 2007.
CHIMERA
BIRDCAGE LANTERN
www.chimeralighting.com
Inspired by a working cinematographer, Rich Underwood, and refined by Chimera’s engineers, the new Chimera Birdcage Lantern light has emerged as a unique addition to the Chimera family of Lightbanks. This new innovative design offers flexible use—hang it, stand it up, lay it down, put it on a stand with the new CHIMERA #3860 stand adapter. The light can be shaped with the adjustable black/silver skirt, adding a glow where you desire a small to moderate area of soft accent light. The new Chimera Birdcage stands approximately 14” and comes complete with a Mogul Base fixture for 500-watt lamps plus a screw-in adapter to allow the use of standard household lamps (Stand Adapter and Lamp not included).
LRX
650 - 36 HEAD
www.lrx-lighting.com
LRX Lighting introduced the new LRX 650-36 head. The light features 36 650-watt DWE bulbs and accepts three 19 pin soca-pex cables. It fits most truss systems with 2 in. (or less) diameter chords and has robotics built in so motors or adapters are not required. Tilt (0 degrees to minus 120 degrees) and pan (360 degrees non continuous) are operated from a convenient hand controller that can control up to 32 fixtures or any DMX type lighting console.
Set-up is very efficient and takes only minutes. The fixture can be mounted on most aerial lifts, using LRX’s approved Condor mounting system or anyplace else that a truss can be installed, (cantilevered from rooftops, hung in ceilings, etc.). The light’s positive fixture mounting means no chance of movement or weathervane from the wind. Once the fixture is in place, focusing can be done quickly and safely from the supplied hardwired DMX hand controller or your DMX system, letting you put light exactly where you want, without the worry of operator safety or exposure.
JVC
HZ-CA13U FILM LENS ADAPTOR
www.pro.jvc.com
The HZ-CA13U Cine Optical PL Adapter enables the use of 16mm, Super16 and 35mm film lenses with a PL mount with JVC’s ProHD line of camcorders. JVC optical engineers have implemented an all-optical relay system that takes the image from the lens and converts it to the proper proportion of the camcorder imager, preserving the depth of field (DoF) and field of view characteristics.
There are numerous advantages and benefits to the HZ-CA13U Cine Optical PL Adapter. Depth of Field (DoF) and field of view of the film lenses are virtually matched with that of film cameras, preserving the visual essence of the optics. The adapter will accommodate a wide range of lensing options, in particular the large inventory of existing 16mm film lenses. Super 16mm and 35mm lenses can also be used with no vignetting in the image. As the construction is optics based there is minimal loss of light—approximately half a step.
The compact and lightweight construction of the adapter enables the camera system to be used in small spaces and tight quarters, as well as being ergonomically stable for a variety of shooting styles and applications. Photographers will find the combination of JVC ProHD camcorders and the HZ-CA13U to be an unparalleled combination of lensing and operation flexibility for digital cinematography.
P56/K5600
ALPHA 18
www.p56lighting.com
P56 lighting, the sister branch of K56OO, released a new 18K HMI called the Alpha 18. Weighing only 125 lbs. in open eye mode, a small shallow profile of 23” with a standard 24” Fresnel or ceramic glass to choose from, the Alpha 18 is one of the smallest, lightest and most versatile 18Ks ever designed.
At the core of this innovation is a patent pending custom made reflector molded out of quartz composite material allowing the lamp to sit much closer to the reflector therefore reducing the physical size by a third. The light output from this new reflector also increases by almost 15%, adding a softer and smoother lighting pattern as well. A computer designed extrusion/vent system, precisely angled to get maximum cooling efficiency along with a specially engineered back door (Turbine style), assures that the Alpha 18 will stay cool in any critical position. Also, a double suspension system makes the Alpha 18 lamp less fragile to rough handling.
The Alpha 18 is the only lighting fixture in the industry allowing the cinematographer and his gaffer to switch from the soft Fresnel look to a hard shadow Open Eye by interchanging lenses instantly from the front of the light by the pull of a knob.
The Alpha 18 was most recently used by cinematographer Jim Muro and gaffer Dayton Nietert for their work on Rush Hour 3.
BRON KOBOLD USA
DW200 ALL-WEATHER 200W HMI
www.bron-kobold-usa.com
The Kobold DW 200 fixture is designed for heavy-duty use, great for all lighting applications with the added benefit of maximum reliability, even under extreme weather conditions. The new 200 system can be configured as a Par or focusing Open Face, and can also be used for bare bulb applications such as soft boxes or lanterns. Conversion from one mode to another is simple (no tools are needed) and fast (10 seconds). The soft box adapter takes a standard 5” circular speed ring for direct attachment of a soft box or lantern. The system uses the Kobold EWB 200-watt AC ballast unit or the BB 200/c 30V DC ballast.
The fixture casing is made of high-strength aluminium. The HMI/hr lamp mounts in a standard GZY9.5 single-ended socket for high efficiency. The igniter is watertight and will start hot or cold even in wet conditions. The DW 200 is very small—weights in at 2.6 lbs w/reflector and measures 4x4x3.75” without the reflector. In the open-face version, the light angle can be focused between 14° and 51° using the ergonomic focus knob. In the PAR version, there are four lenses and the optional Fresnel lens to either spot or flood the light beam.
16X9 INC.
EX SUPER FISHEYE FOR PANASONIC HVX200
www.16x9inc.com
I6x9 Inc. introduced the EX Super Fisheye premiere lens accessory for the Panasonic HVX200 and other compact HD camcorders. A favorite of skateboarders and extreme sports photographers, fisheyes expand the view of the lens, providing a wide-eyed perspective that pulls the eye close to the center of the action. With a .45X magnification, the new EX Super Fisheye is the widest single-element fisheye adapter on the market. Added to the HVX200 lens, it delivers a 115-degree horizontal and 135-degree diagonal field of view. The EX Super Fisheye Weighs 13.75 oz. (390g) and has a front diameter of 120mm. It comes outfitted with a 72:82mm step-up ring for attachment to the HVX200. Anchored by a single set screw, the ring is mounted to the back of the adapter. With the ring removed, the Super Fisheye’s 72mm rear thread fits neatly to the front of the Sony HVR-Z1U, Canon XH A1, XH G1, or Panasonic DVX100B lens. For mounting to the Sony HVR-V1U/HDR-FX7, an optional 72-62mm step-down ring is available. Engineered and built in Japan for optimum optical performance, 16x9 Inc.’s HD-quality EX lens add-ons are meticulously crafted of the finest grade materials and feature an innovative, technically advanced design. Suggested U.S. price for the EX Super Fisheye is $695.
P+S TECHNIK
MINI35 COMPACT
www.pstechnik.de
First presented to the market in 1999, the MINI35 Image Converter became a successful product and a “must-know” tool to the digital film and video industry. The new MINI35 Compact combines the market proven features of the MINI35 “400” model with re-designed optical elements into a more compact and lightweight housing, especially for video cameras with detachable lenses.
The MINI35 Compact is optimized for both motion and still 35mm film lenses and has virtually the same depth-of-field, focus, and angle-of-view as with a 35mm film camera. The P+S Technik system can shoot with ARRI PL, Nikon, Panavision, Canon, BNC-R and Contax mounted 35mm lenses. The camera needs no modification—just mount the MINI35 Compact and a 35mm lens to a 1/3” video camera. The MINI35 Compact also has industry standard 15mm lightweight support rods that accommodate popular matte boxes, follow focus units and other professional motion picture camera accessories. Also, the power supply is through the camera, so no extra battery is needed.