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Those of you who have visited Vincent Laforet’s website know that he is doing a great job these days, despite his busy shooting schedules, of sharing his knowledge and experience on different types of HD DSLR cameras and support equipment and accessories.

Vincent is regarded as one of the first photographers to set in motion a new camera revolution with his short film ‘Reverie’ shot entirely on the HD capable Canon 5D Markll. That was back at the end of 2008. Today, this revolution has spread throughout the entire film industry and HD DSLR’s and the equipment that has evolved with them are appearing on many shoots. Ironically, the humble HD DSLR is starting to look like a conventional film camera with many accessories attached to it, needed for high-end shooting, such as follow focus, matt box, filters, monitors etc.

Watch this video of Vincent showing the camera gear he took to Italy to shoot a TV pilot and you will see what I mean. Then visit Vincent’s website for his take on all the gear he uses on his shoots.

http://www.vimeo.com/14250282

The problem of recording good quality sound always pops up when you are shooting with consumer HD cameras, including top end HD DSLR’s. However, because these cameras have been around a while many solutions to this problem are available, see my earlier blog on Shooting HD video on your HD DSLR.

But what if you are shooting a movie or an interview on your newly minted iPhone and you need pro quality sound? The iPhone’s internal mic just won’t cut it, so how do you record great sound on this little wonder? The answer to this is simple; you could use the same solution that is available for HD cameras or simply hook up your own external XLR microphone to your iPhone using the right adaptor cable for the job.

Need the right adaptor? Look no further than kvconnection.com. There are other adaptors on the market, but I have been told this one works!

Despite the dodgy sound quality, here is a Cinema 5D interview worth listening to with Vincent Laforet about the gear he uses on his commercial shoots and some sound advice he has for still photographers who want to move into shooting video.

This year has seen some amazing camera gear coming onto the market. At the top end we have had the Epic from RED with their 5K wonder that will fit into the hand and capture still frames on the run, and recently from ARRI, the ALEXA digital film camera. The entry-level price point for these cameras is US$45,000 for the ARRI and US$30,000 for the Epic without lenses.

Unless you are shooting a feature film destined for a theatrical release you won’t need the incredible image quality that these cameras will give you.

Most people in the film community have been saying that HD DSLR cameras are a game changer and by all accounts that seems to be the case with many cinematographers including them in their arsenal of camera gear.

At the other end of the camera spectrum is small consumer point-and-shoot HD cameras. All these cameras have one thing in common; you need to connect to a computer to edit the footage.

Well, that is about to change. Say hello to the Apple iPhone 4 with HD video at full 720p. Weighing in at a mere 4.8 ounces with a starting price of around US$199, this little gem may just change the movie landscape once again, not the big screen perhaps, but the small screen. Okay, I know it doesn’t have interchangeable lenses or a shallow depth of field, but what it does have is the ability to shoot and edit with the iMovie app, on the go, without a computer and in your hand, and… it’s always in your pocket!

If you are shooting a short film on a very, very low budget and you intend to distribute it on the Internet, then it maybe the answer for you, with amazing quality for a 5mpx camera phone (think larger pixel pitch verses the number of pixels). Check out this comparison with the Canon 7D and make up your own mind.

http://www.vimeo.com/12925855

To be fare, this is not a proper camera test and should not be taken as such, nonetheless, it is an interesting comparison.

In case you missed this: Here is an overview, presented by Vincent Laforet, of his trip to the Cine Gear Expo 2010 in LA, which took place earlier this month. It includes some cool gear for all types of shooters.

If you’re a camera gear freak then you will know all about Cine Gear Expo 2010 in Los Angles. This is where a lot of behind the camera Hollywood professionals hang out. For anyone living in LA or who were able to jet in, this was the chance to meet some of the working professionals who shoot for the big screen, network and get hands on experience with some of the coolest gear around for HD DSLR’s. But don’t rush to get there now…the wrap party was on the 6th. June.

Worry not if you missed it because Cinema 5D was there and they did a great job of covering the event and showing what the movie industry is doing with HD DSLR’s and all the support gear.

For those about to join the HD DSLR revolution and are wondering what is coming next in the way of cameras, I have singled out this interview with Tim Smith from Canon cameras who talks about a new codec they are developing for up-and-coming cameras and how HD DSLR’s are now on the camera equipment list of most major movies.

Tim Smith from Canon USA speaks to Cinema 5D

Carl Zeiss has been quick to see the direction HD DSLR filmmaking is heading and announced last week at the NAB show in Las Vegas a set of cine style lenses designed specifically for HD DSLR cameras.

The Compact Prime CP.2 lenses will fit directly to HD DSLR’s without adapters, allow for extreme accuracy of focus and greater aperture control and will also cover the full sensor area of cameras such as the Canon 5D Mark II.

Richard Schleuning from Zeiss talks to Cinema5D at NAB 2010 about the new line-up of cine style lenses.

Since its announcement at NAB 2010 this month photographers and video filmmakers have been blogging about the Panasonic AG AF-100 4/3” video camcorder.

What is getting them all excited is this camera will allow interchangeable lenses of all kinds including still lenses from Canon, Nikon and Olympus as well as DSLR lenses. Also, Arri PL mount lenses with an adaptor.

The new video camcorder is using the recently developed Micro Four Thirds system and the same sensor in the highly popular Panasonic Lumix DMC-GH1 2009. This sensor has been optimised for high definition recording and extends the aspect ratio capabilities to native 16:9 and 3:2 image formats similar to 35mm cameras. This sensor will also deliver a shallower depth of field (The Holy Grail for most video camcorders) and a wider field of view of a larger imager setting a new benchmark for digital cinematography.

Interview with Panasonic’s Jan Crittenden at NAB 2010 about the new AG- AF100 4/3” Camcorder which is scheduled to ship at the end of 2010.

And this is what one blogger had to say about Panasonic’s announcement…