Mountain 4x4
Mountain 4x4
I've been working as a professional cinematographer and still photographer since 1978. Since then I've also produced and directed hundreds of television programs for several national broadcast and cable TV networks in the genres of adventure travel, alternative sports, tourism, music, documentaries, and wildlife.
When me and my crews use motion camera kits its usually my multiple Red Epic digital cinema cameras, with loads of accessories and a wide range of Canon and Nikon lenses. I also have a Canon 5D II and Nikon D800 I use for time lapse sequences and stills, and several GoPro Hero 3 Black Edition cameras for POV use.
My favorite lenses and focal lengths for shooting alternative sports, adventure travel, and wildlife with my Red Epic cameras are:
Canon 16-35 f2.8 II, Canon 24-70 f2.8 II, Canon 70-200 f2.8 II, Nikon 14-24 f2.8, Nikon 24-70 f2.8, Nikon 80-200 f2.8, Nikon 50-300 f4.5 AIS, Nikon 200-400 f4, and my stock Canon FD 150-600 f5.6L (with Century PL mount conversion). I also use a Canon FD 800 f5.6, and a Sigma 120-300 f2.8 (at times with a 1.4x extender). My focal lengths and f stops used will constantly vary depending on the framing and depth of field wanted and needed.
I use those same Canon zooms on my 5D II for stills and time lapse. I also use those same Nikon lenses on a Nikon D800 for stills and time lapse. Because I very much prefer to use the Red Epic for motion work, I don't normally shoot motion footage with the 5D or D800.
Because the genres we shoot require maximum mobility, and thus lightweight camera setups, we don't use matte boxes or follow focus units. All filtering is via screw-on filters. For motion work we use a wide range of Miller fluid head tripod systems (with CF legs), including Compass 15, Compass 25, Arrow 55, and Skyline 70. I use a Really Right Stuff ball head on a CF tripod with the 5D and D800 for time lapse and stills work. I also use several sliders, mini-dollies, and mini-jibs when shot sequences call for them.
I do own and occasionally use prime lenses on Epic, 5D, and D800, but the genres I shoot almost always call for using zooms. In the genres we work in walking to each framing, as a prime requires, will cause us to miss a ton of shots, get hit by something, or worse yet even get eaten! Thus we use zooms. Even when shooting motion sequences with Red Epic we use those zooms as variable primes - getting a shot at a chosen focal length, pulling back or pushing to a new focal length, then getting the next shot, etc. Modern zooms are incredibly crisp so the shot sequences are spot-on.
I hope the above info is helpful for those venturing into professional cinematography and/or still photography in my genres of work! Many shared their insight with me when I was starting out, so I'm passing that good "karma" onward.
My home is a ranch in the mountains of southwest Utah, centrally located close to seven National Parks. But the company I partly own is based in the Bay Area. I regularly fly out of Las Vegas to work worldwide.
Expedition Portal is incredibly cool - I'm way glad I found it and joined!
When me and my crews use motion camera kits its usually my multiple Red Epic digital cinema cameras, with loads of accessories and a wide range of Canon and Nikon lenses. I also have a Canon 5D II and Nikon D800 I use for time lapse sequences and stills, and several GoPro Hero 3 Black Edition cameras for POV use.
My favorite lenses and focal lengths for shooting alternative sports, adventure travel, and wildlife with my Red Epic cameras are:
Canon 16-35 f2.8 II, Canon 24-70 f2.8 II, Canon 70-200 f2.8 II, Nikon 14-24 f2.8, Nikon 24-70 f2.8, Nikon 80-200 f2.8, Nikon 50-300 f4.5 AIS, Nikon 200-400 f4, and my stock Canon FD 150-600 f5.6L (with Century PL mount conversion). I also use a Canon FD 800 f5.6, and a Sigma 120-300 f2.8 (at times with a 1.4x extender). My focal lengths and f stops used will constantly vary depending on the framing and depth of field wanted and needed.
I use those same Canon zooms on my 5D II for stills and time lapse. I also use those same Nikon lenses on a Nikon D800 for stills and time lapse. Because I very much prefer to use the Red Epic for motion work, I don't normally shoot motion footage with the 5D or D800.
Because the genres we shoot require maximum mobility, and thus lightweight camera setups, we don't use matte boxes or follow focus units. All filtering is via screw-on filters. For motion work we use a wide range of Miller fluid head tripod systems (with CF legs), including Compass 15, Compass 25, Arrow 55, and Skyline 70. I use a Really Right Stuff ball head on a CF tripod with the 5D and D800 for time lapse and stills work. I also use several sliders, mini-dollies, and mini-jibs when shot sequences call for them.
I do own and occasionally use prime lenses on Epic, 5D, and D800, but the genres I shoot almost always call for using zooms. In the genres we work in walking to each framing, as a prime requires, will cause us to miss a ton of shots, get hit by something, or worse yet even get eaten! Thus we use zooms. Even when shooting motion sequences with Red Epic we use those zooms as variable primes - getting a shot at a chosen focal length, pulling back or pushing to a new focal length, then getting the next shot, etc. Modern zooms are incredibly crisp so the shot sequences are spot-on.
I hope the above info is helpful for those venturing into professional cinematography and/or still photography in my genres of work! Many shared their insight with me when I was starting out, so I'm passing that good "karma" onward.
My home is a ranch in the mountains of southwest Utah, centrally located close to seven National Parks. But the company I partly own is based in the Bay Area. I regularly fly out of Las Vegas to work worldwide.
Expedition Portal is incredibly cool - I'm way glad I found it and joined!
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