Film & Editing Blog - Behind the Scenes

This year both Ash and myself made it to the Canon Pro Event in London. This event showcases all the latest equipment, software and expertise in the world of indie film making and photography. Without a shadow of a doubt the star of the show was the recently announced Canon EOS 1D X which was reviewed. I managed to get my hands on a 1D X and I've got to tell you I was impressed. Canon went from the 1D mk III photographic stallion to the slightly confused 1D Mk iv which was a worry but it's clear to see they've come back with a thoroughbred here.

The key features are already well documented such as 12 FPS continuous shooting, dual CF slots, 61 AF points etc. But there's other cool stuff when you dig a bit deeper into the menu.

Two features that really caught my eye:

Multiple image blending modes

This camera has a range of modes for blending multiple images as well as the usual additive default. This means we can get more creative for multiple exposure shots. It also optionally lets you discard the original images.

Quicker response shutter release

There's normally a slight delay between pressing the button and the picture firing. The reason is that as you press the button you cause a slight movement on the camera. But you can switch this off and get a faster response. This might introduce more movement but if you're locked down on a tripod or shooting very fast speeds then this shouldn't be a problem.

Other Hightlights from the event

The Adobe team were on hand (main image) doing a series of demonstrations of the new features in the CS5.5 suit. And there was also the usual Canon hand's on stalls where we could play with different cameras such as the FX305 (inset image). It's been a quiet year for film camera development it seems but with another Canon announcement due round the corner who's to tell what's next?!

3D Film Cameras? Hello? anyone there?

One highlight was the complete lack of 3D film camera rigs and software solutions. Last year it was hard to move around without tripping over a Heath Robinson looking 3D rig. This year... nothing just a 3D void! which I'm pleased with. Don't get me wrong, it's fascinating technology, but it's not 3D. And with 3D cinema sales dropping I think more and more people are appreciating that 3D is, for now, a gimmick with little or no real world value. As Ash said "I'll get excited when we have holographic projection". And I agree, so I was glad to see more focus on relevant technologies and a complete absence of 3D.