Christopher Malcolm

The good news keeps on coming for filmmakers looking to get the highest quality images without breaking the bank. Today, it was Blackmagic Design’s turn, as it announced the new Blackmagic PYXIS 12K. As a filmmaker currently on the lookout for my next cinema body, two of the most exciting cameras I’ve been considering over the last year were the Blackmagic Design PYXIS 6K and the Blackmagic Design URSA Cine 12K LF. Don't even get me started on the 17K. Having used several Blackmagic Design bodies over the years, the one constant among their older models is the consistency of image quality.

I got to spend a week with the new Canon PowerShot V1 and wanted to share with you my impressions that might hopefully help you decide if this is the right camera for you. What Is It? The Canon PowerShot V1 is an ultraportable walkabout, travel, and content creator camera with a built-in 8.2–25.6mm (16 to 50mm in 35mm equivalent) f/2.8–4.5 zoom lens. It uses a 1.4-inch sensor and is capable of producing 22.3 MP stills and 4K video up to 30 fps using the full sensor (or 60 fps with a slight crop). It can shoot in C-Log 3 and borrows its autofocus system from the more expensive R6 Mark II.

Canon’s new EOS R50V has just hit the shelves, and I was fortunate enough to get my hands on an early unit to put it through its paces. Canon announced the EOS R50V on the same day as it announced its newest point-and-shoot camera, the PowerShot V1. It’s easy to see why they made this pairing. From a sheer size standpoint, the two cameras are nearly identical (in terms of the actual body). Neither has an EVF. Both pack high-end features into low-cost, affordable bodies.

Canon has just released the fourth lens in its L VCM line of Hybrid Primes, the RF 20mm f/1.4 L VCM. I got to have an early look and wanted to share my thoughts. It is rare that I will start a lens review talking about ergonomics. Sure, I always get around to it in the end. But generally speaking, I’ll lead with tech specs and get to the more subjective things, like ergonomics, in the end. Well, I’m breaking that tradition today for very good reason.

Today, I’d like to share a personal story which some of you out there may just be able to relate to. I’d forgotten something recently. Amidst a bevy of changes in my life, both professional and personal, I found myself at what seemed to be a never-ending crossroads. The choices I was facing were a million miles away from those I faced at the beginning of my career. Back when the main hurdle wasn’t whether to go right or left. Back then, the main hurdle was whether to go at all. In the beginning, I was fighting the greatest villain of them all: doubt.

Today, I'd like to share three simple rules for success in art and in life that have helped me through both the ups and the downs.

Today, I’d like to take a moment to focus on what has really mattered in my life as a photographer. I’ve been writing a lot of product reviews lately. Like, a lot. This is a blessing and a curse. It’s a blessing because I get first looks at many of the most exciting new technologies being introduced to the market. It’s a curse because, when you’ve been in the photography industry for as long as I have, you’ll know how minor a part gear plays in the overall picture. I’m not talking about the literal pictures.

Last night, I got a chance to have an early peek at the upcoming Fuji GFX Eterna cinema camera. Set to be released later this year, the camera puts a large format sensor in a cinema-focused body that promises to be a serious tool for high-quality filmmaking. Now, to be clear, I haven’t tested the camera yet. The final release date of the camera is still yet to be set.

We’ve all heard a million and one stories about happy endings. But the real success stories lie in the not-always-so-joyful beginnings along the way. I never know what to post to Instagram. I realize this is a very modern problem. And, for many of you, it's not really a problem at all. Those younger folks who are “digital natives” post to social media with the ease of brushing your teeth. Some of us who came of age before social media see daily posts as more of a chore than a form of social engagement.

Today, we will take a look at new tools inside DaVinci Resolve Studio that help improve efficiency in the early stages of your editing workflow. The other day, I heard an interesting quote from someone discussing the recent barrage of AI advancements. AI is a complicated issue and is not the subject of today’s article, but because a couple of the enhancements I’ll discuss today fall under the AI tools category, I thought it worth a minor prelude.