The compelling dramedy Paddleton, starring Ray Romano and Mark Duplass premiered at Sundance Film Festival 2019 in the premiere category. The film is part of a four-picture deal between Duplass and Netflix. We discussed the cinematography behind the film with DP, Nate Miller.  Image Credit: Netflix DP: Nate M. Miller FILMS: Paddleton (dir. Alex Lehmann) SUNDANCE CATEGORY: Premieres CAMERA:  Canon C700 GLASS: Cooke Speed Panchros DP Philosophy: I’m always of the mindset that it’s not the camera that makes the movie, but the creative energy behind it. Having said that, you need the right tool to put your mind at ease. Do your research so that on set you can rely on instinct. Be conscious of not putting the photography in front of the story. The Duplass Brothers are great because they keep their crews small and create an atmosphere of family. No a**holes. This is surely one of the most important building blocks. I’m nothing without my crew and I never forget that. cinema5D: What camera body and optics did you choose for Paddleton?  NM: The Canon C700. I’ve worked with Canons consistently throughout my career and have always been happy with the image I’ve captured – we also needed a 4K acquisition. We paired the C700 with the Cooke Speed Panchros. They create a rich, warm world, and add a softness that helps mellow out a sharp 4k sensor. Image Credit: Netflix. Nate Miller operating on the right in Paddleton. cinema5D: Talk a little about pre-production for this project. How did you work with the director, Alex Lehmann, during this part of the process?  NM: Although Alex and I had more time than I’ve had on other projects, we still had to keep things rather abbreviated. You just soak up as much information from the director as possible so you can be in sync with them on the day when every second counts. To be honest, we’d didn’t watch any films or even talk about them really. Alex knew what he wanted cinematically and I was on board right away. No storyboards. Simply shot listing and a lot of discussion about the best way to tell this story visually. We didn’t want any fancy camerawork to detract from the story. Alex and I (as 2nd Unit DP / Op) had worked together before on his first film, Blue Jay. This meant there was a built-in comfortability factor and pre-established communication with us that helped expedite the technical and get straight to the creative side of things. cinema5D: Any go-to glass filtration in your kit? NM: I always have a Hollywood Black Magic in my kit. I never go above a 1/8. I like to keep it really subtle. Just to soften the digital image a touch, and if there’s a practical source in the frame, I appreciate a soft bloom, as opposed to a harder digital edge. We also used a Low Con 1/8 on daytime exteriors on this one. cinema5D: Talk a little about your approach to the lighting specific to this film.   Any particular challenges?  Any looks that you knew would be tough?  What were you really pleased with at the end of the shoot in terms of aesthetic?  Basically highlight anything you want about the cinematography of this film.  Don’t worry about being too concise, we can trim it for you if need be. NM: It was just more about realism than anything. Alex and I also really encourage mixing color temperatures. The film was improv heavy, so as much as we could we created a 360-degree set the actors could roam around in. A lot of lighting with practical’s. It was a two camera shoot too… lighting is always a tightrope in these situations, but my gaffer, Armando Ballesteros, is a wizard, so I always felt in good hands. Image Credit: Netflix. Photo Credit: Patrick Wymore cinema5D: What is your goal for the future? Do you see your process changing going forward?  NM: I just keep rolling with the punches. I don’t have a hard take on this despite seeing constant change. I came up right when digital was just getting going. I learned my craft as things were changing fast so I guess that’s prepared me for this ever-changing world. Having said that, I thing it’s important to keep things simple. Stick to simple storytelling through imagery. Don’t try to impress. It’s obvious and will take away from what’s important. For more of Nathan M Miller’s work be sure to visit his website HERE. This was a Netflix original production so we expect a streaming date soon and we’ll update here when Paddleton goes live for Netflix users. 

As Canon’s flagship cinema camera, the C700, announced in late 2016, has already gone through quite the evolution in a short period of time. Beyond the new C700 Full Frame, the C700 also comes in Super 35mm and Super 35mm Global Shutter varieties. We’ve covered the other versions elsewhere, so let’s stick to the full frame here. Also, the Canon cinema prime line is now one lens larger in the form of a T1.5 20mm. More on that below:  The cinema full frame world has become a crowded place lately and Canon’s jump into full frame wasn’t necessarily a surprise, though it is good to see such a respected manufacturer make the jump. First, let’s talk price (which is getting a little complicated) – the C700 Full Frame is listed for $33,000 and the C700 Super 35mm version is listed at $28,000 — both for the base package. The global shutter version (called simply the C700 GS in many listings) lands somewhere in the middle at $30,000. I’d imagine many owner operators or rental houses would jump straight to the Full Frame version given the closeness of the pricing, but the global shutter certainly has its advantages (most notably the reduction of moire). Canon C700 Full Frame Peter Marr from Canon Burbank was nice enough to show me around the C700 Full Frame. Visibly the camera shows no outward signs of necessarily being a new camera, so if you liked the body style of the other versions, you’ll still like it here. As they say with a nice car, it’s about what’s under the hood. In short, a 5.9K (5952 x 3140) CMOS 38.1 x 20.1 mm full frame sensor is under the hood. Boasting a promised 15-stops of dynamic range and 5952 x 3140 12-Bit RAW recording (external only) these are head turning specs and absolutely worthy of the “cinema” name on paper. Keep in mind while shooting in 5.9K you’ll have an aspect ratio of 17:9 with the camera, which especially lends itself to anamorphic shooting. To unlock the full potential of the C700 Full Frame, you’ll want to add a codex external recorder to your kit. The recorder mounts directly to the rear of the camera and makes raw shooting a reality. Without the recorder you’re limited to a still impressive XF-AVC 4:2:2 10-Bit 4096 x 2160 at upto 60 fps in-camera. Step down to 2K and you can record internal XF-AVC 4:4:4 12-Bit to two CFast 2.0 slots. The codex external recorder is not a cheap investment at $6,995.00 (not including storage SSDs), but in my mind it is an absolute necessity if you want to really put the C700 FF through its paces. I’ve always liked the image out of the C700 and the Full Frame version looks great in the booth, but we’ll need to get our hands on the camera to judge how the image holds up in the field. The CN-E 20mm T1.5 The 20mm fills a gap between the 14mm and the 24mm bringing the Canon Cinema Prime set to a total of seven lenses. While the T-stop varies throughout the line, the 20mm covers full frame and lands at a very speedy T1.5. It makes sense to add a 20mm to the set and I’m told the price point will land somewhere in line with the other primes at roughly $4K. The C700 line, with the addition of full frame, is absolutely headed in the right direction and it may yet prove a worthy competitor to the other players in the high end cinema camera segment. Hollywood is a tricky place to break into, for DP’s and cinema cameras alike, but Canon has demonstrated their willingness to continue to innovate on the cinema side and that’s great to see. Links: Canon.com | CN-E 20mm What do you think of the new C700 Full Frame Cinema Camera? Comment below!

The Canon EOS C700 FF was just announced. Now Canon also goes full frame with this new flagship camera that sits at the top of the powerful Cinema EOS range. It uses a next generation full frame 38.1 x 20.1mm CMOS sensor which, according to Canon, can record 5.9K with up to 15-stops of dynamic range. Three sensor modes One main difference and advantage of this new C700 model is that the EOS C700 FF has a brand new, cutting edge, high-resolution full frame sensor (38.1 x 20.1mm) with three sensor modes – full frame, Super 35mm (crop) and Super 16mm (crop) – to offer high quality and versatility while shooting, which makes this camera suitable for large range of productions and operators (DPs, freelancers and broadcasters).  Canon C700 FF – Canon goes Full Frame with their new flagship camera. 5.9K RAW footage at 60 fps The EOS C700 FF can capture 5.9K RAW footage at 60 fps, 4K (crop) at 72fps and at high speed, up to 168fps (2K crop), and records 5.9K RAW files, or 4K ProRes files, with an optional CODEX CDX-36150 recorder. Furthermore, there are options to record 4K internally to ProRes or XF-AVC formats to dual CFast 2.0 cards. These multiple recording formats allow for a very diverse workflow with this camera, and it makes it a very flexible tool.  Canon is a bit vague about whether there will be different versions of the camera with PL and EF mounts. It will probably be interchangeable, but only through a service center, like it is already the case with the original C700.  Dual Pixel AF technology The Canon EOS C700 FF uses the really superior Dual Pixel AF technology – which is probably the best video autofocus in the industry, so I’m sure it will be just as good in this model.  Canon EOS C700 Full Frame Cinema Camera (Cinema Locking EF-Mount) Canon EOS C700 FF Key features 5.9K full frame CMOS sensor 15-stops dynamic range Canon picture science Broad range of lens options Various sensor modes including full frame, Super 35mm and Super 16mm Accurate and reliable Dual Pixel CMOS AF system with Canon EF mount Supports multiple recording formats including Canon Cinema RAW, ProRes and XF-AVC Built-in ND filters, IP streaming capability and optional accessories for camera control for flexible camera operation   Canon EOS C700 FF Full Frame camera with the Codex recorder at the back. With the release of the EOS C700 FF – will any other Canon products be discontinued? According to Canon the answer is: No. As stated by Canon: The EOS C700 FF is the latest addition to Canon’s EOS Cinema range, sitting above the EOS C700. No other Canon cameras will be discontinued because of its launch into the market. Price and availability The price of the C700 FF will be :  $33,000 or €27,999, and will be available in August 2018.  Canon CN-E 20mm T1.5 L F Cinema Prime Lens In addition, Canon has just announced a new fast 20mm Cinema Prime T1.5 lens. It fits right into their existing line-up. Covers Full Frame and Super 35 sensors 11-blade iris Focus breathing minimized to virtually zero Markings on both sides of the barrel Rear markings on an angled surface Smooth, stepless 300° focus ring Geared manual iris ring Shares 114mm front barrel diameter, focus rotation, 36° iris rotation, and focus and iris gear positions with the rest of the CN-E line-up Glass construction counteracts temperature induced marking discrepancies Dust and water-resistant housing Focus markings can be switched to metric labeling if you send the lens to Canon for modification Clearly, the main deal of the C700 FF is the 5.9K full frame sensor, which will allow to generate a new visual look, a shallower depth of field and a wide field of view. Canon clearly has just made a significant step forward by upgrading its cinema line. They now have a comparable product to the Sony Venice, ARRI Alexa LF and the RED Monstro sensor. Could the EOS C700 FF compete with RED, Sony and ARRI? Let us know what you think in the comments!

With new and significant camera announcements by Canon throughout many of their camera lines, there is one that certainly stands out — it’s the new “flagship”. In case you missed Nino’s announcement post on September 1st, the C700 is the new leading camera in Canon’s cinema line. Read on for my initial impressions of where the camera sits in the crowded cinema field. I’ll be the first to say I love Canon. I am a Canon fanboy. The Canon 1DC, C100 and C500 are all sitting on my shelf right now, and that’s the majority of the Canon “cinema” lineup. There is just something about that otherwise intangible, slightly warmer Canon image that keeps me coming back again and again to their cameras. Like many Cinema5D readers, I fell in love with the Canon 5D Mark II and haven’t looked back since. Until now. It’s clear that Canon listens to some feedback: the Canon C700 is unbelievable looking on the surface. With its 4.5K Raw sensor, better shoulder ergonomics, modular design, global shutter option, 4K 120fps capability (with an added attachment) and the same sensor as the Canon C300 Mark II, it all seems poised to produce a great image, and yet I find myself underwhelmed. Why? I’m underwhelmed because this feels like the camera I wanted two years ago. I love the Canon C500. They could have added a 6K sensor, better EVF, and better slow motion options and the camera would fly out the door as a true competitor to RED Cinema. Today, I am duty bound to compare the Canon C700 spec list with other cameras around its price range such as the Sony F55, Arri Amira and several RED Cinema cameras, not to mention the folks over at Blackmagic Design. The Canon C700 falls behind in categories such as resolution, frame rate options, dynamic range (though only slightly) and usability. Having to add an external module to record anything higher than 4K 60fps is a major pain point. I want everything done internally without adding weight and another device that can break in the field. What’s in the box The price, currently sitting at $28,000, is for the camera body alone and doesn’t include the OLED monitor, CFast 2.0 media, shoulder mount or the Codex external recording module. It’s expensive. It’s so expensive, in fact, that if you are seriously considering buying this camera you are either a rental house used to making this type of purchase, or you are an operator who already owns a RED, Arri, or Sony F55, and are thinking of switching. I just don’t see the C700 being the camera that convinces cinematographers to switch to Canon, which is a personal disappointment for me because I’ve been raving to skeptics about the C500 for years. If you review lists of the 2016 Oscar nominated films, you’ll note that the Best Picture nominees field is almost entirely dominated by Arri and RED. Sony is even struggling to make the cut. This tells us that Canon has a long way to go to break in to a very insulated group of filmmakers that stand by Arri. The Canon C700 doesn’t give filmmakers who require a cinema camera a reason to switch, and that’s a problem. Canon needed to knock this one out of the park and establish itself as the innovator in the higher end cinema camera environment. So much money goes into developing new cameras, and we anticipate the release of those cameras for years, so Canon needs to use the resources at their disposal that matter most: the filmmakers outside of the Canon community. To become a kit staple for the top DPs, you need to find out what they find crucially beneficial in the camera bodies they’re already using, and what luxuries you can innovate to bring them over to your side. Until I have this camera in my hands and I’m out in the field shooting, I’ll reserve my full judgement. But for now, take advantage of the price drop of the Canon C500 and grab an Odyssey 7Q+ for 4K and you’ll save yourself $20,0000+. What do you think? Is the Canon C700 going to dominate the next round of films being produced? Or, is this camera too little too late. 

The Canon EOS C700 has just been announced, a new flagship camera model for their Cinema line that will likely replace the C500, which dropped in price by $3000 earlier today. With the C700, Canon has moved on to a different form factor for the first time in quite a while. The Canon EOS C700 is reminiscent of competitor cameras such as the Panasonic Varicam, Arri Amira or the Sony F55/F5, and its features and pricing clearly target it at the higher end of filmmaking. Like with the C300 Mark II, Canon claims 15 stops of usable dynamic range in the standard rolling-shutter CMOS version of the C700. There is a Global Shutter version of the C700 available, which comes at a loss of 1 stop of dynamic range, for a total at a claimed 14 stops of usable DR. Like with their C300 and C500 line, there will be separate EF and PL versions of the camera. The Canon EOS C700 camera offers internal 4K recording to CFast 2.0 cards at up to 59.94p in XF-AVC (10-bit 4K, which we already know from the C300 Mark II) and also in ProRes (even in 4K 10-bit 422HQ, or 2K in ProRes 4444 at 12 bit). Sampling from a 4.5K sensor and using the optional, specifically-developed Codex CDX-36150 recorder for which there is no pricing or availability yet, the Canon EOS C700 provides 120fps 4K RAW recording, which is probably its most mind-blowing feature. 4.5K RAW recording at up to 100fps is said to be coming at a later point via a Firmware upgrade. When it comes to higher internal frame rates, the Canon EOS C700 can record the following: 4K internally to the CFast 2.0 cards at up to 60fps in XF-AVC format. Apple 4K ProRes up to 30fps. Up to 180 fps using the 10-bit 4:2:2 combined with the 2K centre crop. Ability to record a 4:2:0 proxy onto an SD card in XF-AVC in 2K in 1080p, which is very useful for rushes Other highlights of this new camera: Dual Pixel CMOS AF (with compatible EF lenses), which is quite brilliant and easily the most innovative feature in Canon cameras these days, as seen already in many other cameras from Canon lately (5D Mark IV, C300 Mark II, 1DX Mark II …) Dual Pixel Focus Guide (for manual focus confirmation). Canon Log 2 and Canon Log 3 including all the color science that sets Canon cameras still apart from Sony and others for many users B4 Lens Support (for traditional 2/3″ ENG lenses). Built-in ND Filters. Anamorphic De-Squeeze (when outputting to EVF or monitor outputs, the image is stretched to 2.39:1 after de-squeezing. The magnification factor can be set to OFF/2x/1.33x to match the anamorphic optics in use). Detachable remote panel, a’ la Panasonic Varicam (it mirrors the camera controls, so an assistant can adjust settings easily). 12V and 24V power outputs that enable users to power all kinds of professional accessories through the camera High resolution EVF with proprietary Canon connection like on the C300 mkII. Optional servo control grip for most lens functions, allowing ENG-like functionality. What’s in the box Optional accessories: 1080p viewfinder EVF-V70, a new dedicated viewfinder clearly priced as high as other high-end viewfinders from Arri and Sony, and like them only works with the dedicated cameras (C700 and C300 Mark II) Baseplate with Sony VCT Quick Release and what seem to be 15mm rods Control grip is now optional too, looks similar to other control grips on large Canon ENG lenses and makes it an ENG-style camera B4 Mount optical adapter to use 2/3 inch broadcast lenses on the camera Above, footage by Canon marketing Japan. It is yet to be seen how this new line of camera and accessories will be received by rental houses and high end professional users, but for now, one thing is sure: Canon just made a clear declaration of wanting to be a part of a handful of camera manufacturers who are aiming to the top.