It’s not breaking news that we have been waiting for a viable model of the much-lauded TS3cine to walk in our door. For the past 18 months, we have been working closely with the engineers at Fastec Imaging to develop an affordable, portable, DSLR-esque, high-speed camera. The wish list for the camera has been daunting: a stand-alone camera that will go anywhere and provide 720 HD resolution up to 720 fps, internal processing and storage capability, EF and PL mounts, a large high-resolution color LCD viewfinder while being lightweight and portable, and, finally, with the no-nonsense feel of a DSLR. The TS3 has been a challenge in the making, and we have been along for the ride (virtually on the edge of our seats) waiting for the first unit to arrive. Matt Kearney at Fastec arrives today with the camera (with fmount). We’ll post some photos later today and updates as they develop. In the meantime, join us for Wednesday’s, January 11th Learning Lab at 10am. Tom Talbot will have the TS3Cine prototype and provide an overview of the camera’s capabilities. Brian Malcolm, General Manager, malcolm@rule.com
Canon C300 Pub Night With Larry Thorpe
I would like to thank all of those who joined us for Canon’s C300 event last night. It was very well attended with a record 150 guests at our popular Pub Night series. It was great to see a crowd of seasoned professionals eager to learn about the exciting new cinema camera offered by Canon. As always, the night began with an excellent selection of pizza and beer, but the floor was quickly handed over to Canon’s Larry Thorpe, an industry veteran who is one of the masterminds behind the development of the C300. He was, by far, the best candidate to give the presentation. He led the audience through many exciting specifications on the camera including its new Super 35mm sensor designed from the ground up with its native 850 iso sensitivity. For a great list of specs on the camera you can visit Canon’s EOS web page. Larry also showed various Canon-funded projects that were commissioned to highlight the range and resolution of the new camera. The projects clearly show that the C300 promises to be a very important cinematic tool for filmmakers. We had four C300s on display (two with EF mounts and two with PL mounts) with one set-up to record Larry’s presentation. Afterward, all hands were on the demo C300 models which were configured in various handheld and studio setups. It was a great opportunity for everyone to push buttons, prod accessories, focus lenses and ask questions. Although the cameras will be returning to Canon, we expect to have another unit in-house soon for those of you who may have missed the event. We are actively working with Canon to finalize a dealership agreement for the C300 which would place us in a newly-formed Canon group titled “Professional Production System Dealers”. The group was formed not only to support the C300 but also to reinforce Canon’s commitment to produce future cinema cameras and lenses. I am very excited about our developing relationship with Canon and all that it promises to bring to our clients. I will, of course, keep you posted. We should have pricing and delivery info by January 17th. If you are thinking about purchasing a C300 please consider talking to us first. We are here to support you. Brian Malcolm, General Manager, malcolm@rule.com