Videos.... There are a lot of them... I make them and so do others

Origami In the Pursuit of Perfection from MABONA ORIGAMI on Vimeo.

This is an amazing video that I found around Vimeo...

Mascot Collisions from James Adamson on Vimeo.

This is a video that I produced recently with my friend Lee Eisenhower and others.

Operation Spicy Pepper

Operation Spicy Pepper is a comedy short made for the Mill Valley Film Festival's 10-hour Film Race. This event was put on by Cinema Sports.

This is a short film about the burn.
A coworker's prank goes beyond
the norm and extends in to the
supernatural.

The ingredients:
1. Secret Document
2. A Shaman
3. A Spicy Pepper

Produced by the Pearl Handle Revolvers:

James Adamson
Aaron Leroux
Lee Eisenhower
Damien Warren

This was shot on a 5D Mll with 35mm and 85mm lenses. Edited in FCP and done in 9 hours. I also used Magic Lantern firm ware and a sony stereo mic. This worked great for editing speed because I did not have to covert the footage to match the audio.

Enjoy the burn!

Operation Spicy Pepper from James Adamson on Vimeo.

This is the most epic road trip time lapse I've ever seen.

Light and Water

This is a video that I shot for a 1 minute short competition on Vimeo. The rules were simple. Don't do anything but shoot one shot, no movement, no cuts, no sound, just one shot. This was shot with a 5D and a zeiss 85mm lens.

Lights and Water from James Adamson on Vimeo.

ZEISS 85MM 1.4 ZE FOR VIDEO

I was lucky enough to get a Zeiss 85mm 1.4 ze today for my Canon 5D Mll. After reading the reviews of this lens I was a bit skeptical both of the lens and the reviews. I had to see for my self. My first impression of the lens, it's built like a Benz (not a C class). I had a chance to shoot a short video with it tonight and as I had imagined it created great contrast. The bokeh is very creamy compared to the 85mm 1.8 canon lens and for the video purposes that precisely what I am after. I wanted to see how the lens shot video not photos. I know that the reviews state that it does not perform that well against the canon glass but really it does in many ways. The contrast is amazing and the focus is fast because I do it. I always do it, either with a follow focus or with my hand. Shooting video requires manual focus and this lens is a dream to work with in that regard. There is a lot of negative feeling about the edge and corner sharpness. Well, I don't have corners, really, I am shooting in 16:9 so that really doesn't matter. What matters to me is a distinct look that sets the lens apart from other glass in it's class, and this lens has a look and a feel. Zeiss has a good lens here. I think that the color depth and the contrast are great. For video this lens will work great. I can't wait to take it out.

James

Return to Cocktail Town...

These are shots from the 5d video...the one of the drink being poured is the 7D....









I have been shooting a great series for the folks up in Portland, Oregon at Ricochet Partners. We have been traveling around San Francisco shooting in bars and restaurants capturing the feeling and excitement of the drink menus and the creative and talented people that put them together. This art is called Mixology.
I do not drink but I have seen some amazing drinks being made in some splendid restraints and I am greatful to be part of putting something together that brings people great tastes.. The Ricochet Partner, Jeanne, Peter and Ron are coming out with a book called, something like Cocktail Town. And these videos are to help promote the book and website.
We have been using a mix of cameras but the last few days of production have been shot on video DSLRs. We have used the 5D Mll on every shoot and we have mixed and matched the 7D and the EX1 in for various applications. The 5D footage looks great. Especially with the contrast brought up.
In the last few shoots I have left the cameras Wide Open in color and contrast and sharpness so that it will be workable in post. I have learned a lot about how to work with the video DSLRs in different environments. The shooting techniques are different than regular video cameras and there are limitations along with areas to grow and expand into, including the low light ability of these cameras.
Lighting is hard in bar environments as there are mirrors and shining glass everywhere but we have been successful at taking advantage of the low light sensitivity to keep the set from getting to hot.

I returned the 7D

I returned the Canon 7D without problem today to the store where I purchased it at. I also returned the wide 16-35mm L ll lens that I bought with it because I don't really need anything that wide if I'm not using a crop sensor. I really liked the lens. Sharp, sharp, sharp. I will be sticking to my primes 35, 50 and 85mm Canon.
I really didn't want to take the 7D back but I really didn't want to wait for Canon to recall the cameras or have to ship it back through UPS which is a huge risk. The camera could easily be broken and then I would have a broken camera that doesn't work. Not good.

I sent a letter to Canon and this is the response that they sent me:

"This is not normal operation standards on this camera as you can
imagine. At this time we have no received other reports regarding this
issue so I am glad that you wrote in to let us know about it. I have
also forwarded your comments to Canon USA through our Customer Feedback
process regarding this overheating on your EOS 7D camera. This process
allows us to capture important feedback from our valued customers. As
we constantly strive to improve our products and services, your comments
are vital to our continued success."

"Thank you for your reply regarding your EOS 7D. We value you as a Canon
customer and appreciate the opportunity to assist you. I am sorry to
hear that your camera is overheating during video recording.

We have no known issues with the EOS 7D that we sell.

Canon USA has made no announcements regarding the development or release
Of a firmware update related to the issue you have described.

I would be more than happy to send you a shipping label to cover the
Cost of shipping into the factory."


Yah, thanks but, no thanks. I'll be happier with my money back and I'll wait this one out from the bleachers not the sidelines. I'd rather be able to leave the game when I want and come back if the score changes. I don't want the coach yelling at me when it's time to play and the camera doesn't turn on.
This issue does not seem to be something that will be fixed with a firm ware update so sticking it out for that was not an option.

Another thing that I found out today is that when a sensor heats up each degree Fahrenheit adds twice the noise to the picture. So as the camera heats up you are loosing all that great color and contrast information that you paid so much for. That's not good either.
I’ll tell you something, the 5D Mll shoot great video, you get a shallow depth of field with the full frame, and it does not over heat, it even looks better. Go with the look not the versatility, if that’s what your after at this point by a Sony EX1.