in these unpredictable times swift and non-bureaucratic help is of course very welcomed. Many members of the filmmaking community live in uncertainty about the near future, their jobs have been cancelled, new ones are out of reach for now. This obviously arises financially problems and Netflix, as one of the biggest content producer, knows this. So the company has put together a $100 million fund in order to help crews around the globe. image credit: Thibault Penin (via unsplash.com), edited by cinema5D. In order to help, Netflix decided to create a fund for easing out some of the troubles the COVID-19 pandemic causes all around the globe as we speak. The money is aimed at professionals working on Netflix productions but some of the money also goes to non-Netflix third parties and non-profits. Netflix Creates $100 Million Fund To explain what’s going on and for whom the money is exactly, I’ll quote Ted Sarandos, Chief Content Officer at Netflix on a news release from March, 20th: The Covid-19 crisis is devastating for many industries, including the creative community. Almost all television and film production has now ceased globally – leaving hundreds of thousands of crew and cast without jobs. These include electricians, carpenters, drivers, hair and makeup artists and more, many of whom are paid hourly wages and work on a project-to-project basis. This community has supported Netflix through the good times, and we want to help them through these hard times, especially while governments are still figuring out what economic support they will provide. So we’ve created a $100 million fund to help with hardship in the creative community. Netflix benefitted a lot from the rise of the internet and therefore from all the professional workers all over the globe who developed, shot and produced their ever-growing stream of content. Now it’s time for giving back. Mr. Sarandos continues: Most of the fund will go towards support for the hardest hit workers on our own productions around the world. We’re in the process of working out exactly what this means, production by production. This is in addition to the two weeks pay we’ve already committed to the crew and cast on productions we were forced to suspend last week. Now, not all of the $100 million will go straight to Netflix-contracted workers but also to third parties, such as TV Networks and other production companies as well as to non-profits. Mr. Sarandos again: Beyond helping workers on our own productions, we also want to support the broader film and television industry. So $15 million of the fund will go to third parties and non-profits providing emergency relief to out-of-work crew and cast in the countries where we have a large production base. In the United States and Canada non-profits already exist to do this work. We will be donating $1 million each to the SAG-AFTRA Foundation Covid-19 Disaster Fund, the Motion Picture and Television Fund and the Actors Fund Emergency Assistance in the US, and $1 million between the AFC and Fondation des Artistes. In other regions, including Europe, Latin America and Asia where we have a big production presence, we are working with existing industry organizations to create similar creative community emergency relief efforts. We will announce the details of donations to groups in other countries next week. So as with everything these days, an exact plan of action still needs to be figured out but it’s good to see that some of the heavyweights of the business step in when help is sorely needed. The Future is Unpredictable Since nobody knows when things will be back to somewhat normal, nobody knows whether this $100 million aid package will serve its purpose or whether it will end as a drop on a hot stone. Either way, the last paragraph of Ted Sarandos press release couldn’t be more on point: What’s happening is unprecedented. We are only as strong as the people we work with and Netflix is fortunate to be able to help those hardest hit in our industry through this challenging time. Let’s hope for the best, stay healthy and stay safe. links: Press release What do you think of this $100 Million fund? How are you affected by the ongoing crisis? Share your thoughts in the comments below!

Once exciting deals for filmmakers appear, we try to share these with you guys. We selected some of the best offers of filmmaking equipment from our partners’ online shops for this week – including Canon XC10, SmallHD FOCUS OLED, Panasonic GH5, Rokinon Cine lenses, FUJIFILM X-T3 and more. I went through the current deals on our partners’ websites and have selected the best offers currently available, which I think could be interesting for you. First, there are B&H offers listed for our readers based in North and South America, and then there are a couple of deals from our European partner CVP. By shopping at our partners’ stores, you are supporting cinema5D through our buy links, as we get a small affiliate commission when a purchase is completed. Now, let’s take a look at this week’s top deals for filmmakers: B&H: Canon XC10 – $500 Discount The Canon XC10 is an all-in-one camcorder that features a 1″ CMOS Sensor and DIGIC DV 5 processor, capable of recording in 4K at up to 30 fps. The camera incorporates a built-in 10x F/2.8 – F/5.6 zoom lens. It’s an excellent camera if you are often shooting concerts, live events, or anything else that requires long-time recording capabilities. Indeed, there is no time record limit on the Canon XC10. Buy link: Canon XC10 Was: $1499.00 Now: $999.00 (Savings: $500) B&H: SmallHD 5.5″ FOCUS OLED Monitor – $240 Discount The SmallHD FOCUS monitor is a 1080P daylight-viewable OLED monitor with a touchscreen display that offers a lot of features – especially for that price – including a Waveform Monitor/False Color/Vectorscope, and you can also load 3D LUTs.This deal is currently available on the HDMI version only, but it has the ability to power select DSLR and mirrorless cameras Buy link: SmallHD FOCUS OLED Monitor Was: $539.10 Now: $299.00 (Savings: $240.10) B&H: WD 2TB My Passport External Drive – $11 Discount Filmmakers never have enough storage. There is a deal on a 2TB WD My Passport external drive that could be the perfect “client drive.” Indeed, it’s not the fastest drive out there, but it features large storage capacity for a reasonable price. Also, you can password-protect it thanks to the built-in 256-bit AES hardware encryption. Buy link: WD 2TB My Passport External Drive Was: $69.99 Now: $58.45 (Savings: $11.54) B&H: Panasonic Lumix DC-GH5 Bundle – $702 Discount The Panasonic GH5 was released almost three years ago, but it is still one of the best camera bodies with a micro four-thirds sensor for filmmakers. The GH5 can record both compressed and intraframe codecs up to 4K 60fps and in 10-bit up to 4K 30fps. All of that with the 20Mpx stabilized sensor in a weather-sealed body with flip out touchscreen display. Additionally, with this kit, you get free SanDisk 64GB extreme UHS-I SDXC memory card, a Ruggard camera bag, a Zeiss Lens Care Kit, and a spare GH5 battery pack from Watson. Buy link: Panasonic Lumix DC-GH5 Bundle Was: $1999.99 Now: $1297.99 (Savings: $702.00) B&H: Rokinon Cine Lens Bundle – $350 Discount This standard Cine Lens kit consists of the Rokinon 24mm, 35mm, and 85mm, all at T/1.5. This set of fully manual standard focal lengths features 180° de-clicked apertures, with gears for the aperture and focus rings and the same optics as the far more expensive XEEN line of cine lenses. The kit is available in Canon EF, Sony E, Nikon F, and MFT lens mounts. Buy link: Rokinon Cine Lens Bundle Was: $1447.00 Now: $1097.00 (Savings: $350.00) CVP: FUJIFILM X-T3 – €125 Discount The FUJIFILM X-T3 is our 2019 mirrorless camera of the year, and you definitely can’t go wrong with this offer. The X-T3 is the current top-of-the-line APS-C body from FUJIFILM, and it is overall a competent filmmaking device. Buy link: FUJIFILM X-T3 Was: €1,332.81 Now: €1207.82 (Savings: €124.99) CVP: Canon 50mm F/1.8 STM – €20 Discount Canon’s affordable plastic 50mm f/1.8 STM lens is on sale at CVP. The new version of this full-frame EF Mount lens features a 7-blade circular aperture, STM focusing motor, and improved optical design. Buy link: Canon 50mm F/1.8 STM Was: €117.37 Now: €97.81 (Savings: €19.56) CVP: Shape EVA1 Handle EVF Mount – €186 Discount If you are a Panasonic EVA1 owner, this offer could be a great deal for you! This kit includes the Shape top plate, top handle, and EVF mount for the EVA1. This setup allows you to quickly adjust the position of your camera’s LCD with one push of a button. Buy link: Shape EVA1 Handle EVF Mount Was: €542.34 Now: €355.64 (Savings: €186.70) CVP: Aputure Barndoors for LightStorm Lights – €10 Discount The Aputure Barndoors are compatible with every Bowens-mount fixtures, including Aputure’s COB 120D/300D. If you want to control and precisely shape the beam of light coming out of these powerful LED lights, these barndoors are an excellent first step. Buy link: Aputure Barndoors Was: €67.17 Now: €56.89 (Savings: €10.28) CVP: Zacuto Nucleus Dual Trigger Grips – €158 Discount Last but not least, there is a discount on the Zacuto Nucleus dual trigger grips. This accessory relocates the Nucleus M FIZ handgrips to the perfect position for should rigs operation. They are compatible with 15mm rails and are infinitely adjustable. As always with Zacuto products, the quality is top-notch, and there is a lifetime guarantee. Buy link: Zacuto Nucleus Dual Trigger Grips Was: €990.95 Now: €832.07 (Savings: €158.88) What do you think of this week’s selection? Share with us if you know and like any of these products in the comment section below!

Charter is a masterfully made film from Swedish director/DP duo Amanda Kernell and Sophia Olsson.  This film has the grip of a chase movie, the psychological tension of great suspense, the urgency of a fugitive film…and yet still manages the heart of a great family drama.  This movie puts the audience inside a mother’s spontaneous abduction of her children during a terrible custody battle. Read on to learn more about the film’s cinematographer Sophia Olsson and how she achieved its bold look in some truly challenging circumstances. Name: Sophia Olsson Film: Charter (dir. Amanda Kernell) Category: World Cinema Dramatic  Camera Body: Alexa Mini Optics: Cooke Anamorphic cinema5D: How did you find your love of cinema? SO: I’ve had the passion for film since I was a teenager, especially when I found the smaller art house cinemas in Stockholm, Sweden, where I grew up. These cinemas screened films from many different countries in the world,  and that was a completely new experience for me—watching films I hadn’t had the chance to see before. This was way before internet. No streaming and nor Imdb existed. Imagine! Later on, I studied film science for a year, and there I got to see films on the big screen almost every day. So many of those still remain as my inspiration. Ane Dahl Torp appears in Charter by Amanda Kernell. Image Courtesy of Sundance Institute | photo by Sophia Olsson. cinema5D:  Any in particular that you’d like to mention? SO: Hard to say…there have been so many, and they are always changing, but one of the early films that has stayed (an inspiration) for example, is the film Happy Together by Wong Kar-Wai and DoP Christopher Doyle. It really got to me in so many ways. The beginning of that film is very smart and strongly told—the way you get to know the characters and story in a captivating and truthful way…just in the first 10 minutes! Another one is L’année Dernière à Marienbad from Alain Resnais and DoP Sacha Vierny. The absurdity of scenes and the playfulness of how it’s being told is always inspiring to watch. Again and again. cinema5D: So then how did that love of global cinema translate into  a career in cinematography? SO: I started with still photography and then moved over to film. When I started with film, I was doing everything, and then I got into Valand Film at Gothenburg University, formerly Högskolan för Fotografi och Film. I studied directing for three years. I never felt completely comfortable with directing, but I really tried to for those years. After I had finished my studies there, I shot a short film, and that was totally different. I got the feeling of being in the right place—that I just belonged, and I felt calm. It was so obvious. After that, I ́focused on cinematography. I then went to another film school, The National Film School of Denmark, and I had the same feeling there—finally, at the spot where I needed to be. (I spent) four great years there, and then I was out working. Ane Dahl Torp and Tintin Poggats Sarri appear in Charter by Amanda Kernell, Courtesy of Sundance Institute | photo by Sophia Olsson. cinema5D: You’ve collaborated with director Amanda Kernell before on Sami Blood— a film, I have to tell you, has stuck with me since Sundance 2016! Were you excited to work together again?  SO: When Amanda wanted us to continue working together for Charter, I wanted to of course! Amanda is great in so many ways. Her scripts have a drive and no scene is left to chance. Her characters are complex and very different. At the same time, there is room for reflection and precise detail. Her directing and choice of actors are very well thought out. Yet, at the same time, she’s very intuitive on set. cinema5D: What about Charter in particular attracted you to the project?  SO: The number one reason was  director/writer Amanda Kernell. I guess that’s it. Then, we got the great production designer Sabine Hviid on the project as well, and the three of us had a strong and intense collaboration that I hope we will have many times more. We were insisting on finding the best locations, which took time, and finally we did. But we found or built locations that really served the story, and that enhanced the relationship within the family and all the emotions and phases they go through. Sophia Olsson on a location scout in Tenerife, Spain in the  Canary Islands. cinema5D: You and Amanda  seem to have the ideal Director/DP relationship.  Do you have advice for others on how to reach that kind of collaboration?  SO: I would say it goes both ways. Listen to each other’s ideas. Be patient. Try to have the time to talk through the script and be open. Nothing has to be final right away. If you know early on that you will work together, I would say to invite the cinematographer before the script is finished to have her/his view on the story. That can be very helpful in the making of the film. cinema5D: Before the script even! Wow. What else did you and Amanda do in pre-pro to prep the look? SO: Amanda and I go through the scenes thoroughly to find the focus of each scene, what we want to achieve and how we think the transitions should be between the scenes. When we have the locations, we go there and walk it through to see if it ́s working. We write shotlists but very seldom storyboards. Floorplans though, are very (beneficial) for the crew and for ourselves to remember the scenery and shots we’ve planned out. We had a close collaboration as well with production designer Sabine Hviid about colors, style, fabrics, reflections and so on—especially when it comes to the difference between the cold wintery North of Sweden and the warmth in Tenerife. Ane Dahl Torp and Sverrir Gudnason appear in Charter by Amanda Kernell, Courtesy of Sundance Institute | photo by Sophia Olsson. cinema5D: What made you go with the Mini and the Anamorphics?  Why that combo? SO: We really liked the texture of the Cooke Anamorphic for what we wanted to achieve. The family in the film is in a nightmare situation, and we therefore wanted the film to have a touch of something surreal, but just a touch. After tests, the Cooke Anamorphic were the ones that fit that expression the most. The softness and ability to have information in the blacks without becoming bland…they keep the dark side dark, but still not too contrasty or crushed blacks. The Cooke Anamorphic doesn’t have that strong of an anamorphic effect, but at the same time, you can sense there is something strange. It still breaks up the colors and ”straightness” of the feeling of reality, which we wanted to achieve. cinema5D: Is there any strategy during principle photography that you and Amanda employ that you find to be consistently successful? SO: Amanda has a lot of rehearsals with the actors before filming, and that is very helpful for us.  We can see if our thoughts are working or not. Sometimes we have planned our shots before the rehearsals and sometimes the other way around. cinema5D: What about your interaction with the camera department and G&E? SO: I really like a collaboration where you can be open and honest. That helps the creativity grow further. The collaboration with my gaffer Per Olsson is great. He gets ideas  from our talks about the feeling of the scene for how to solve the lights, not only technically, but creatively.  I trust him fully.  In general with my crew, (I make sure they know) we’re in this together and (ensure) we ́re kind to one another. Ane Dahl Torp and Troy Lundkvist appear in Charter by Amanda Kernell,  Courtesy of Sundance Institute | photo by Sophia Olsson. cinema5D:  There are so many scenes in the water for this movie…Most people who have worked on an indie crew know what that means  for the workload on those shoot days.  Did you guys have some underwater housing?  Did you shoot from a boat? How did all of that go down? SO: We did have underwater housing for the shots in the pool and when the mother and son are swimming in the sea as well. I was operating. On the last scene in the film, when the mother is swimming in the sea at night, there we had a scuba diver operating. The underwater housing we had was pretty big and heavy. It was fine to operate when I was underwater, but as soon as I was above (the surface), it was very ungainly and difficult to operate. But we made it work with some homemade solutions. The scene at the end at night, out on the sea—we used a boat, and it was very difficult. I would do it differently, if I had to do it again, because it got complicated, and we had to work very fast—which is difficult in water. It was very cold  for Ane Dahl Torp, the lead actress.  We had to stress the shoot because of the danger for her health. She is such a champion. Ane Dahl Torp and Troy Lundkvist appear in Charter by Amanda Kernell, Courtesy of Sundance Institute | photo by Sophia Olsson. cinema5D: There is such a strong color story in this film.  Is involvement in post something you negotiate into your contract? SO: It is. I was at the grading with Amanda and colorist Dylan Richard Hopkin. We had 10 or 11 days, and Dylan did a fantastic job. This film is a deep exploration of complicated choices, which puts the viewer inside the protagonist’s dilemma. If you happen to be in Switzerland, Charter will drop in cinemas on March 13, 2020.  The rest of the world will have to wait for news of international distribution.  Fingers crossed. Until that fine day, you can take in Sophia’s work on Amanda Kernell’s first feature Sami Blood on Amazon Prime. 

The first ever Musicbed Challenge is starting today. It is a 30-day competition for filmmakers to create one short film featuring music from Musicbed artists and a chance to win prize packages totalling more than $80k in grants and gear. There are five categories and the submissions are due until July 9th. The winners will be picked by the jury and announced on July 19. Musicbed is a music licensing site which you have probably, as a filmmaker, already heard of or used. The site has been around since 2011 offering many hand-picked songs for licensing. Last year in October they launched membership plans. Today Musicbed launches their first ever filmmaking competition – the 2019 Musicbed Challenge. Musicbed Challenge The Musicbed Challenge is being launched today and it will run for the next 30 days with the deadline for entries on July 9th 2019, at 11:59 p.m. (CST). Musicbed challenges filmmakers to create short films using pre-selected songs from their artists. The films can be entered in one of the following five categories: Narrative Documentary Music Video Spec Ad Travel Lifestyle Talking about prizes, Musicbed awards a total of $30,000 in film grants to bring winning projects to life. There are also additional $50,000 in film gear as part of the prize packages from various Challenge partners, like Freefly, RØDE, Rhino, PolarPro, and others. Musicbed Challenge 2019 offers prizes worth $80k. Source: Musicbed Entering the Musicbed Challenge is free and the Starter Kit with more instructions can be downloaded by clicking this link. The Musicbed team has put together a panel of judges to evaluate the applied films and select the winners. They will announce the results on July 19. I think filmmaking challenges, if you have the time for it, are a good opportunity to realize a project with a high degree of freedom. It will give you the opportunity to try some new techniques and to experiment a bit. None of those things are usually possible on a regular paid job. As a bonus, there is a chance to win some really cool stuff. However, even if you won’t win, the experience will certainly push you further. In the past, I have taken part in a couple of competitions myself. I did not win but I still use the applied project to present my work from time to time. What do you think of the Musicbed Challenge? Are you considering to enter this competition? Have you ever taken part in a filmmaking competition? Let us know in the comments underneath the article.

There are lots of interesting deals for filmmakers available. We selected the best 10 offers of filmmaking gear from our partners’ online shops for this week. Including Gimbals, Panasonic GH5S, V-Mount Battery Set, MacBook Pro, 4K Monitor and more. Watch out – The first deal in this article expires tonight, August 14th, at 11:59 PM EST! I went through the current deals on our partners’ websites and selected the top 10 offers currently available, which I think could be interesting for you. First, there are B&H offers listed for our readers based in North and South America and then a couple of deals from our European partner CVP. By shopping at our affiliate partners’ stores you are supporting cinema5D through our buy links, as we get a small affiliate commission when a purchase is completed. Now, let’s take a look at this week’s top 10 deals for filmmakers: B&H: IDX System Technology V-Mount Set – $218 Discount There is a very interesting – limited time – deal regarding a set of two 14.4V 96Wh V-Mount batteries along with a 2-channel sequential desktop charger from IDX. The batteries handle up to 10A loads and they have circuit protection, two unregulated D-Tap accessory outputs, 5-LED battery life indicators and USB port. The charger supports Li-Ion and NiCd batteries and has 4-Pin XLR power output (36W). Watch out – This deal expires tonight, August 14th, at 11:59 PM EST! Buy link: IDX System Technology V-Mount Set Was: $657.00  Now: $439.00 (Savings: $218.00)   B&H: Moza Lite 2 Gimbal Stabilizer – $300 Discount This 3-axis motorized gimbal stabilizer from Moza has a maximum load capacity of 11 lbs. It features a modular design with detachable handlebar and offers upright, underslung & briefcase modes. This particular product is the “premium” version, which includes the wireless thumb controller, bluetooth interface for configuration, power distribution box and 2800mAh battery with a charger. The “professional” version, which includes even more accessories, is also on sale. Simply click the link below and choose the “professional” bundle. Buy link: Moza Lite 2 Gimbal Stabilizer Was: $1,099.00  Now: $799.00 (Savings: $300.00) B&H: Feiyu SPG Plus Gimbal Rig – $20 Discount This discounted dual-handle, 3-axis motorized gimbal is probably the cheapest one I have ever seen at the moment. With the available payload of 3.9 to 7.8 oz (110 to 220 g), it can handle most smartphones and action cameras. It has a dual handle design and five 1/4″-20 threaded accessory mounts. The remote control shutter button can be found on one handle and the gimbal can automatically switch to vertical mode. The gimbal has up to 8-hour runtime after charging it once. Buy link: Feiyu SPG Plus Gimbal Rig Was: $99.00  Now: $79.00 (Savings: $20.00) B&H: Panasonic GH5S Camera and Microphone Set – $200+229 Discount The 10.28MP Panasonic GH5S is the lowlight king among MFT sensor cameras. We reviewed the camera back in January 2018 when it came out. To find out more about it head over to our hands-on video, mini documentary or lowlight comparison against the GH5. It records video up to 4K60p, Full HD up to 240fps and can record internally up to 4K/30p 4:2:2 10-bit ALL-I at 400Mbps. The discounted set includes the Rode VideoMic Pro with Rycote lyre shockmount. Buy link: Panasonic GH5S Camera and Microphone Set Was: $2,727.99  Now: $2,297.99 (Savings: $200.00+229.00) B&H: Apple 15.4″ MacBook Pro with Touch Bar (Late 2016) – $1,400 Discount Once again, there is an interesting and powerful MacBook Pro configuration with a huge discount. It has 2.9 GHz Intel Core i7 Quad-core CPU, 16GB of 2133 MHz RAM, 2TB PCIe SSD and AMD Radeon Pro 460 GPU (4GB GDDR5). Furthermore, the laptop displays the MacOS Sierra on a 15.4″ 2880 x 1800 retina display and communicates through 802.11ac Wi-Fi, Bluetooth 4.2, 4 x Thunderbolt 3 (USB Type-C) ports and 3.5mm headphone jack. Buy link: Apple 15.4″ MacBook Pro with Touch Bar (Late 2016) Was: $4,299.00  Now: $2,899.00 (Savings: $1,400.00) B&H: BenQ PD3200U 32″ 16:9 4K IPS Monitor – $100 Discount This 32″ IPS panel from BenQ has a native 3840 x 2160 (UHD) resolution at up to 60Hz, 1,000:1 contrast ratio, 350 cd/m² brightness, 178°/178° viewing angles, 4 ms response time and 1.07 billion colors (8-Bit+FRC bit depth). It can be connected via DisplayPort, HDMI or mDP inputs. Buy link: BenQ PD3200U 32″ 16:9 4K IPS Monitor Was: $799.99  Now: $699.99 (Savings: $100.00) B&H: Dracast LED160 3200-5600K Variable Light – $80 Discount The Dracast on-camera LED light has a 160W equivalent light output with 45° flood beam angle. It features 3200K and 5600K CRI 95 LEDs, a brightness dimmer, an integrated L-Series battery plate and a 4-LED battery indicator. Buy link: Dracast LED160 3200-5600K Variable Light Was: $149.95  Now: $69.95 (Savings: $80.00) CVP: FeiyuTech MG-V2 – over €113 Discount I am starting the European list with a motorized stabilizer. The MG-V2 from FeiyuTech is a single-handed 3-axis motorized gimbal, which can carry cameras up to 1,630g. It features 360 motors for unlimited movements, a quick-release plate and a handful of useful functions. Buy link: FeiyuTech MG-V2 Was: €565.96  Now: €452.77 (Savings: €113.19) CVP: DJI Mavic Propeller Cage – over €57 Discount Safety first – the Mavic propeller cage is used to protect people and objects from the Mavic’s 7728 quick-release folding propellers. The propeller cage improves overall flight safety and will also protect the propellers from being damaged. Included in the box is: 4x propeller cage, 2x securing lock and 3x Pair of 7728 quick-release folding propellers. Buy link: DJI Mavic Propeller Cage Was: €179.00  Now: €121.66 (Savings: €57.35) CVP: TV Logic VFM-055A OLED Monitor – over €118 Discount The TV Logic VFM-055A is a 5.5-inch Full HD 1920×1080 OLED viewfinder monitor. It offers cinematic image quality with deep blacks, wide-gamut colour reproduction, a very wide viewing angle, and support for multiple video formats via 3G-SDI and HDMI 1.4 inputs. Useful functions include cinema camera log-to-linear LUT conversion, HDMI-SDI cross-converted output, waveform and vector scope, markers, focus assist, audio level meters, among others. There is even an extra gift included – with the purchase of the VFM-055A monitor you can get a 5 inch Monitor Guard for free. More informations and conditions are available on the CVP product page. Buy link: TV Logic VFM-055A OLED Monitor Was: €1,187.72  Now: €1,069.23 (Savings: €118.49) What do you think of this week’s selection? Share with us if you know and like any of these products.

Roll up, roll up. Weekly deals time. We selected 10 great offers of filmmaking gear from our partners’ online shops for this week. Including lenses, cameras, hard drives and a camera crane (remember those?). Here’s a few deals we found in the bottom of the digital bargain bin that you may find interesting. As per usual, 5 items are from our US partner B&H, and 5 are from our European partner CVP. B&H: Zhiyun-Tech Crane v2 3-Axis Handheld Gimbal Stabilizer Starting us off is a 3-axis handheld gimbal. Zhiyan-Tech seem to have a general sale on at the moment, this is one of best picks of the bunch. The Crane v2 has a 3.9lbs payload, so Sony mirrorless with a decent lens territory. Buy link: Zhiyun-Tech Crane v2 Was: $649.00  Now: $359.00 (Savings: $290) B&H: Sony Alpha a7R III Mirrorless Digital Camera (Body Only) Speaking of Sony mirrorless, here’s a deal to go with your new handheld gimbal. The A7sIII is currently the sole flagship Sony Alpha mirrorless body, whilst many users anticipate the A7sIII. You currently get a $200 saving plus 2% reward, not bad. Buy link: Sony Alpha a7R III Was: $3198.00  Now: $2998.00 (Savings: $200) B&H: Canon EF 24-70mm f/2.8L II USM Lens There are quite a few Canon lenses currently on offer. I’ve gone down the middle with the 24-70mm, a staple and reliable ‘standard zoom lens’. Here are respective links if you want the tele or the wide zoom sale versions. Buy link: Canon EF 24-70mm f/2.8L II Was: $2199.00  Now: $1899.00 (Savings: $300) B&H: LG 29UM68-P 29″ 21:9 UltraWide FreeSync IPS Monitor Ultra wide monitors can be a great option for edit suites. Particularly if have a grading monitor already, having two working monitors starts to clog up space and ports. Combining them saves a bit of space, but clearly most importantly super cool. Here’s an offering from LG that saves a few quid. Buy link: LG 29UM68-P 29″ 21:9 UltraWide Was: $399.99  Now: $229.99 (Savings: $170) B&H: Samsung 1TB 860 EVO SATA III 2.5″ Internal SSD A modest saving here of just $20, but it’s always worth keeping an eye on useful media like this. 2.5” SSDs are very handy, not only good for upgrading your computer systems, but can be used as media for Atomos devices (and similar) or my favourite – paired with a standard enclosure to make a fast onsite backup drive. Buy link: Samsung 1TB 860 EVO Was: $269.99  Now: $249.99 (Savings: $20) CVP: G-Drive EV Raw SSD 1TB Starting the European deals is another hard drive, this time a portable rugged one. Less versatile than the aforementioned Samsung 2.5”, but a great option for fast onsite backup that is a little more client-friendly. Buy link: G-Drive EV Raw SSD 1TB Was: £341.06  Now: £237.47 (Savings: £103.59) CVP: Hawk-woods DC-5D1X 70CM The LP-E6 battery has been become a bit of an industry-standard micro battery solution. Tons of manufactures use these style of batteries – from cameras to wireless follow focus systems to monitors. A LP-E6 dummy should be a staple bit of kit for any filmmaker/AC, here’s one with an 8.4V regulator. Buy link: Hawk-woods DC-5D1X Was: £76  Now: £53.20 (Savings: £22.80) CVP: Kessler Pocket Jib Traveler Remember jibs? With the influx of drones and gimbals, the good ol’ jib hardly gets a mention. There is only one of these in stock (opened item), but the price makes it worth a mention. Kessler are one of the most renowned brands for compact jibs, here is their smallest offering. Buy link: Kessler Pocket Jib Traveler Was: £406.25 (new)  Now: £354.16 (Savings: £52.09) CVP: Cinedesign CDL-VCT14 A VCT plate – maybe one of the most boring purchases one can make. But another product that can be found in nearly every filmmakers kit bag. This is one of the best prices I’ve seen from a reputable new seller, so it makes this weeks list. Buy link: Cinedesign CDL-VCT14 Was: £179  Now: £125.30 (Savings: £53.70) CVP: Dedolight SYS-DLED9-BI The 150W Dedolight has been the industry-standard micro hard light for years. Here’s a bi-colour LED version. This is personally probably one of the best deals on the list. The versatility of a traditional 150w Dedo needs no introduction, add to that low power draw, cool running LED and bi-colour, this becomes a very attractive little package indeed. Buy link: Dedolight SYS-DLED9-BI Was: £1701.90  Now: £1191 (Savings: £510.90) There’s a ton of offers from both B&H and CVP currently running. These are just a few that stuck out particularly for me. Follow through on one of the below links for a full list from either reseller.

There are lots of interesting deals for filmmakers available online. We selected the best 10 offers of filmmaking gear from our partners’ online shops for this week. Including gimbals, Atomos recorders, DJI drone, tripod and wireless follow focus. I went through the current deals on our partners’ websites and selected the top 10 offers currently available, which I think could be interesting for you. First, there are B&H offers listed for our readers based in the US and then a couple of deals from our European partner CVP. By shopping at our affiliate partners’ stores you are supporting cinema5D through our buy links, as we get a small affiliate commission when a purchase is completed. Now, let’s take a look at this week’s top 10 deals for filmmakers: B&H: ikan EC1 Beholder 3-Axis Gimbal Starting off this week’s deals with motorized stabilizers, the ikan EC1 Beholder supports cameras between 2-4.5 lb (1-2 kg), which should be enough for most mirrorless cameras and smaller DSLRs. Keep in mind though, that using heavy lenses can cause problems with balancing the setup. This is generally the case with most handheld stabilizers. The gimbal features 360° rotation along all 3 axes, 32-bit controller & 12-bit encoder, three follow modes plus auto-inversion, lock mode & auto point-and-lock mode. It has a quick release baseplate, OLED display, 3/8″-16 tripod mount threaded hole and 1/4″-20 accessory mount threaded hole. Buy link: ikan EC1 Beholder 3-Axis Gimbal Was: $699.00  Now: $449.00 (Savings: $250.00)     B&H: Axler Handheld Gimbal This 3-axis motorized gimbal stabilizer is aimed at lightweight mirrorless and compact cameras as it only supports loads up to 1.9 lb (862 g). The gimbal has a quick release plate and offset adapter, follow and lock modes and a thumbstick for pan and tilt adjustment. It can be used in inverted mode for low-angle shooting. It has a 3/8″-16 threaded mounting hole, 5V USB output and is powered by three 18650 batteries. There is a USB-Powered LED light included in the kit. Buy ink: Axler Handheld Gimbal Was: $599.00  Now: $299.00 (Savings: $300.00)    B&H: Zhiyun-Tech Smooth-Q Smartphone Gimbal The smallest of this week’s price-reduced gimbals is the Smooth-Q from Zhiyun-Tech. This smartphone gimbal can take loads up to 7.8 oz (220 g). It can charge the phone via USB while shooting. The stabilizer has one-step balancing knob, up to 12-hours run time, 320° pan, tilt, roll axis rotation, 4-way joystick, zoom control switch and a 1/4″-20 mounting thread on the bottom. Buy link: Zhiyun-Tech Smooth-Q Smartphone Gimbal Was: $139.00  Now: $99.00 (Savings: $40.00)   B&H: Canon XC10 4K Camcorder The Canon XC10 camcorder was presented already back in 2015. My colleague Johnnie did a review of the camera. The Canon XC10 is a category of its own – looking a bit like a mix between DSLR and camcorder. It has 1″ CMOS sensor accompanied by the DIGIC DV 5 processor. The XC10 can shoot up to UHD 4K at 29.97/25/23.98p, up to 305 Mb/s 4K or 50 Mb/s HD Recording. It has SDXC/SDHC and CFast card slots, HDMI output which supports 4K monitoring. The camera has a fixed lens (f/2.8-f/5.6) with 10x zoom (8.9 to 89mm focal length), 100 to 20,000 ISO range and an ergonomic tilting handgrip. Buy link: Canon XC10 4K Camcorder Was: $1,599.00  Now: $1,399.00 (Savings: $200.00)   B&H: Manfrotto Nitrotech N8 Video Head & 546GB Pro Tripod This interesting video-head-tripod combo by Manfrotto is now available at B&H at a discount. The Nitrotech N8 is a 17.6 lb (8 kg) capacity fluid drag tripod head. It has a sliding balance plate with safety lock and nitrogen piston counterbalance system. The Nitrotech N8 also has adjustable pan & tilt drag, 75mm flat base with half ball adapter. We took a closer look at this video head back at NAB 2017. The 546GB Pro Tripod has a ground-level spreader, 12.8 to 62.4″ height range and independent leg adjustments. Buy link: Manfrotto Nitrotech N8 Video Head & 546GB Pro Tripod Was: $949.95  Now: $749.95 (Savings: $200.00)   B&H: CINEGEARS Single-Axis Wireless Follow Focus Express Plus Basic Extreme Kit CINEGEARS now has a good deal for this wireless follow focus set. It includes a wireless express plus focus controller, high-torque wireless lens control motor, 19mm mounting bracket, 19mm to 15mm adapter bushing, two hard stops, additional focus marking disc, customizable rubber lens gear ring and waterproof case with foam inserts. Buy link: CINEGEARS Single-Axis Wireless Follow Focus Express Plus Basic Extreme Kit Was: $1,979.00  Now: $1,579.00 (Savings: $400.00)   B&H: HP 14″ ZBook X2 G4 Mobile Workstation This multi-touch 2-in-1 computer is suitable for creative professionals thanks to the NVIDIA Quadro M620 graphics card (2GB). It has 2.7 GHz Intel Core i7-7500U Dual-Core processor, 8GB of DDR4 RAM and 256GB PCIe M.2 SSD. It displays the Windows 10 Pro (64-bit) OS on the 14″ 3840 x 2160 UWVA IPS touchscreen. Connectivity is provided by an SD/SDHC/SDXC card reader, Thunderbolt 3, USB 3.0, HDMI 1.4, 802.11ac Wi-Fi, Bluetooth 4.2 and NFC. The set includes the ZBook X2 Pen. Buy link: HP 14″ ZBook X2 G4 Mobile Workstation Was: $2,399.00  Now: $1,699.00 (Savings: $700.00)   CVP: Atomos Ninja Flame This week I will start listing the European deals with Atomos recorders, as our partner CVP now has interesting offers on older models. First is the 7.1″ Atomos Ninja Flame which features a 1920 x 1200 resolution 1500 cd/m² (nit) bright touchscreen display. It is capable of 10-Bit FRC monitor processing, has 4K HDMI input/output, HDR mode with 10-stop dynamic range, high bright mode for Rec. 709 viewing. The Ninja Flame can record UHD 4K up to 30p or 1080p up to 120 fps in 10-Bit 4:2:2 ProRes & DNxHR encoding to to 2.5″ SSD/HDD media. It is powered through dual Sony L-Series battery slots. Buy link: Atomos Ninja Flame Was: €784.33  Now: €657.37 (Savings: €126.96)   CVP: Atomos Shogun Flame Next good deal on external recorders from Atomos is the Shogun Flame. It has the same features as its cheaper brother Ninja Flame (see previous specs) but it additionaly offers a 12G-SDI inputs/outputs. My colleague Tim took a closer look at the Shogun Flame and tested it in the field. Buy link: Atomos Shogun Flame Was: €987.46  Now: €798.43 (Savings: €189.03)   CVP: DJI Phantom 2 Quadcopter And finally, this week’s last deal is quite an interesting one. CVP currently has a good offer for the old DJI Phantom 2 drone. Please note that the offer is for the drone plus the remote controller only. There is no camera included, nor a gimbal. For GoPro owners this could be a great bargain though. It achieves up to 25 minutes flight time. Buy link: DJI Phantom 2 Quadcopter Was: €292.29  Now: €112.48 (Savings: €179.81)   What do you think of this week’s selection? Share with us if you know and like any of the products.

As every year, November is the month of special offers and discounts. We prepared a quick roundup of the best deals for filmmakers currently offered by B&H, because we think they are relevant to our audience. You can support cinema5D by buying through the links of our sponsors. Dracast LED1000 Silver Series Bi-color Light The Dracast LED1000 Bi-Color Light with V-mount adapter has a nice discount. There is one on the 30W version too, but the best deal available goes with the stronger 60W version that offers 70% off. Was: $795.00  Now: $344.50 (Savings: $450.50) Link: Dracast LED1000 Silver Series Bi-color LED Light with V-mount battery plate Panasonic GH4 Body with RODE VideoMic Kit Although we now have the Panasonic GH5, the GH4 is still a very affordable alternative for beginning shooters. Now available at a discounted bundle with the RODE VideoMic for a lot less. Was: $1,497.99  Now: $897.99 (Savings: $600.00) Link: Panasonic GH4 Body with RODE VideoMic Kit Panasonic G7 with 14-42mm Lens The Panasonic G7 is an even cheaper camera than the GH4, but still offers good video quality in 4K. It is now on sale as a bundle with the stabilized Lumix G Vario 14-42mm f/3.5-5.6 II Lens. Was: $797.99  Now: $497.99 (Savings: $300.00) Link: Panasonic G7 with 14-42mm Lens Steadicam Merlin 2 Who needs gimbals? A mechanical stabilizer from the brand “Steadicam”, for small cameras up to 2.27kg (5lbs) is also on sale. Was: $599.00  Now: $199.00 (Savings: $400.00) Link: Steadicam Merlin 2 Zhiyun-tech Crane V2 3-axis Gimbal Here’s the popular 3-axis gimbal stabilizer from Zhiyun-tech. It can carry cameras up to 1.8kg (3.9lbs). The sale is not huge, but there’s a worthwhile discount. Was: $649.00  Now: $479.00 (Savings: $170.00) Link: Zhiyun-tech Crane V2 3-axis Gimbal Sony A6300 Kit with 16-50mm and 55-210mm Lenses The Sony A6300 mirrorless camera in a bundle with the 16-50mm f/3.5-5.6 OSS Lens, the 55-210mm f/4.5-6.3 OSS Lens, a 64GB SanDisk memory card, an extra battery and a shoulder bag comes at an interesting price. While the image quality is amazing, keep in mind that the a6300 has the overheating issue which usually limits your recordings to under 3 minutes. It’s worth eyeballing the Sony a6500 that comes without overheating. Was: $1,346.00  Now: $996.00 (Savings: $350.00) Link: Sony A6300 Kit with 16-50mm and 55-210mm Lenses and more accessories Canon EF 24-70mm f/2.8L II USM Lens This popular zoom lens from Canon (EF mount) is now slightly cheaper as well, so it deserves a place in this list. Was: $1,899.00  Now: $1,699.00 (Savings: $200.00) Link: Canon EF 24-70mm f/2.8L II USM Lens Apple New Macbook Pro (Without Touchbar) And here’s a limited time offer on the entry level Apple Macbook Pro (without touchbar) with a significant discount. Was: $1,499.00  Now: $1,199.00 (Savings: $300.00) Link: Apple Macbook Pro Luxli Viola 5″ Multicolor LED Light Finally here’s a very handy LED light that Seb used on some of his productions (example) as a back light. It’s not cheap, but very useful. Was: $349.95  Now: $289.95 (Savings: $60.00) Link: Luxli Viola 5″ On-Camera RGB LED Light