This almost makes me want to go hiking…

Petrol introduces the Broadcast Trailer Professional Backpack – a rugged new camera carrier especially designed to transport full-size broadcast cameras like the Sony F900R and Panasonic AG-HPX500.

Ideal for traveling or hiking into hard to reach locations, the Broadcast Trailer is ergonomically equipped with padded shoulder straps and adjustable sternum and waist straps to ensure correct weight distribution and enable more comfortable carrying. Cushioned back support is provided for optimal spinal comfort. A convenient collapsible cover shields and protects the Broadcast Trailer’s integral backpack system when it is not in use.

The carrier’s two main compartments are well padded to safeguard sensitive equipment. Six removable dividers offer extra protection and create cavities for organizing a camera light, batteries, cables, or other accessories, as well as a special oversized pocket for carrying a camera plate. Inside the upper chamber, internal adjustable binding straps and Petrol’s proprietary sliding pipe system (SPS) secure the camera and keep it firmly – and safely – in place. A viewfinder compartment is reinforced with cold-molded laminate panels for extra protection. The zippered lower compartment’s detachable divider system can be removed to create ample room for other belongings. Additional features include 9 exterior pockets for additional storage and Petrol’s dual directional easy-glide zippers. The exterior is constructed of heavy duty water resistant blue and black Cordura and tough ballistic nylon.

List price for the Broadcast Trailer Professional Backpack (#PCBP-2N) is $425. For further information, go to http://www.petrolbags.com or contact: Petrol, 709 Executive Blvd., Valley College, NY 10989, Phone: 845-268-0100, Fax: 845-268-0113, Email: info-cd-usa@vitecgroup.com

Here’s a look at the new Matrox MXO2 (shipping this summer).

This box runs on 12 volt power and allows just about every possible source input or output into Final Cut Pro (or Premiere) running on a Mac. Everything from Composite to HD-SDI and unbalanced audio to AES/EBU.

E-I-E-I-O!

It is basically the Leatherman for Mac.

Check it out after the break…

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Lectrosonics‘ Karl Winkler let us use the new SR - Dual UHF Wireless Camera Slot Receivers on the floor at NAB. Just before we returned it, Karl told us a little about how it works.

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Note: To those of you gullible enough to be confused… this is a joke! (and a bad one at that).


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We roamed the aisles of NAB all day on Monday to see what new toys we could find.

Thanks to Andy “focusthis” Grossman for manning my tiny Canon HG10 (weighed down with great gear from Lectrosonics and zylight). Andy wanted to make it clear that he would have rather had a full size Sony on his shoulder.

Lectrosonics loaned us one of their brand new SR - Dual UHF Wireless Camera Slot Receivers, and zylight let us use a z90.

Sadly, we had to return the loaners at the end of the day…

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We don’t even leave to explore the NABshow for a few days, and I’m already checking out new equipment. I’m excited to see first hand the new FireStore FS-5 from Focus Enhancements.

At quick first glance, it looks as if it has a monitor to view video on the unit itself, and wi-fi capability which lets you log-in remotely and tag your video. This is getting more and more like Max Headroom every day.

From the press release:

Tag media on the fly.
The Focus FS-5 Portable DTE Recorder lets you personalize and optimize workflow-while you shoot. With your wireless handheld device or laptop, you can access the FS-5 through a browser and assign custom metadata to video while you’re recording. When you transfer footage from the FS-5 to your NLE system or PX Media Server, all of the information that you assigned during the shoot goes with the clips, saving you hours or even days of logging time.

Read more about it here.

I’m excited to have the folks at D-Pro join b-roll.net as a sponsor. Granted we love all our sponsors - they help keep b-roll.net alive - but D-Pro has a new toy that I want to play with.

The D-Pro Xtender is one of those products you dream about creating after tons of run and gun interviews. I’ve thought to myself many times, “If only I could put my top light a little off to the side, this boring interview might actually look acceptable.”

The photos look promising. This could be the perfect tool for roaming the halls of the Capitol picking off soundbites. I look forward to testing the product in the near future.

Thanks for the support, D-Pro, and good luck with your new venture.

Check them out at: http://d-pro.tv/.

NFL Films is capturing all the gridiron action in its award-winning, signature style this fall using an expanded complement of Fujinon HD lenses. A large complement of Fujinon HD lenses, including HA25X11.5 ENG-Style telephoto lenses, HA22X7.8 telephoto lenses and HA13X4.5 super wide angle lenses have been added to the company’s equipment roster. NFL Films plans to round out the remainder of their cameras with Fujinon glass as well.

According to Hank McElwee, NFL Films’ Director of Photography, putting HD lenses on film cameras has never been done on this scale before. The high speed film cameras used by NFL Films help create the slow motion highlights that are a classic element of NFL Films productions. Putting Fujinon HD lenses on high-speed film cameras allows NFL Films to improve image quality while maintaining its signature style.

NFL Films, based in Mount Laurel, New Jersey is best known for producing compelling highlight films of the National Football League, but the company also shoots a variety of other events including rock concerts and commercials in the off-season. Recently, NFL Films had six crews stationed in Wisconsin and then in Kansas City following the Kansas City Chiefs during training camp. The show was produced for HBO and called “Hard Knocks, Training Camp with the Kansas City Chiefs.” The crews were using Fujinon’s HA25X11.5 ENG-style telephoto lenses and HA22X7.8 telephoto lens mounted on Arriflex, Aaton and Sony HD cameras to shoot the team at practice and at pre-season games.

NFL Films is a long-time user of Fujinon lenses. McElwee said that the decision to add more lenses to NFL Films’ inventory stemmed from a recognition of value and a familiarity with Fujinon quality and performance. “All of our existing Fujinon lenses were used during the last Super Bowl. They performed tremendously in all the rain we had that day. They perform equally as well in, for example, Green Bay where we often have to deal with frigid conditions. The workmanship of these lenses is outstanding, and I know I’m getting a lot for the money.”

NFL Films is upgrading its equipment with an eye toward shooting completely in HD within the next couple of years. “Three years ago, we had all SD lenses on the ground, so we brought in a number of lenses for evaluation,” explained McElwee. “The Fujinon lens offers more speed, and it’s great when you want cutaways of the coach from across the field. The fact that it’s HD and you’re fully covering the 16×9 frame helped us decide to go again with Fujinon.”

All of the lenses that NFL Films purchased have Fujinon’s Digi Power Zoom mechanism built in, which is used often during concert productions. But McElwee explained that all NFL Films’ camera operators zoom by hand when shooting football: “We have some of the best camera operators in the field shooting for us. One in particular, Don Marx, is a real talent behind the camera, probably the best sports cinematographer in the world. When he shoots night games with the 22X using the 2X extender, he just loves that he can follow the ball through the air and still get enough light (exposure) stop to do what he does.”

Like many of you, I’m jumping into the “tapeless” swimming pool. With the July delivery of brand-new Panasonic HPX2000 P2HD cameras here in DC, I’ve had to dive into the deep end. There was no time to simply dip in my toes. All in all, the plunge was succesful, and the water’s fine.

The cameras are solid performers, and the images they produce are amazing (having them set up by the folks over at Macie Video didn’t hurt either). The only real challenge with these tape-free cameras is developing the best workflow. What do you do when you only have the equivalent of 5-30 minute tapes in your gear bag?

Enter HD Expo

We’re proud to be a regional sponsor of the HD Expo - P2 Workflow Workshop:

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Going Tapeless: Evolving a freeform non-linear image workflow

Liberate your creative process! Discover the true freedom of a non-linear image workflow! Go Tapeless! In production facilities around the world…in cameras across the universe…in post houses on every continent, tape is disappearing and being replaced by data cards, hard drives, and compact storage devices designed for speed, capacity, and efficiency. With P2, the tapeless revolution has spread from the newsrooms to the production community, from post houses to cinematographers. This two-day P2 Workflow Workshop illuminates the process of becoming completely tapeless, illustrates the entire workflow from image acquisition to data archive, and shows you how you can join the non-linear, tapeless revolution. Lead the revolution and register today!

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Coming to a city near you: Washington DC, Chicago, Denver, Los Angeles, Atlanta, New York and many more, click here for all the details: http://www.hdexpo.net/education/p2/p2.html For more information about all the education HD EXPO offers, click here: http://www.hdexpo.net/education

Back in November, we told you about a cool new product from Canada called Cell Phone IFB.

Basically, the Remote Talkback Cell Phone IFB is a compact amplified adapter that allows you to use professional IFB earpieces with a standard cell phone. The concept is simple and effective — why deal with a complicated built-in IFB system in your live truck when you can have your earpiece connected to the cell phone already hanging on the reporter or photographer’s belt?

We’re pleased to announce that b-roll.net is the exclusive U.S. online dealer for the Remote Talkback Cell Phone IFB. You can now purchase the product directly from the b-roll.net GEAR store.

Steve Gullickson of Active Media has built a quality product, and we’re proud to make it the first TV equipment sold at the b-roll.net GEAR store.

With more products to come, the b-roll.net GEAR store is a great way to learn more about innovative TV photography products and support b-roll.net at the same time.

For more information, check out:
http://cellphoneifb.com
b-roll.net GEAR store