Anton Bauer Cine Battery 600WH 14V/28V VCLX2 NM2Flightsafe high capacity battery kit £55/day£165/week Add to cartRead more
Anton Bauer Cine Battery 560WH 14V/28V VCLXFlightsafe high capacity battery kit £46/day£138/week Add to cartRead more
VMI SPONSORS CINEMATOGRAPHY 2023 AWARD AT PORTSMOUTH UNIVERSITY 23 July 2023 We never forget that we were all once students – even James Cameron and Martin Scorsese had to learn the art of film craft once! VMI are proud to have … Read more
VMI sponsors Cinematography award at Portsmouth University 14 July 2022 One of our favourite sayings is that ‘Everyone got to where they are today, from where they were yesterday’ – even Steven Spielberg was a student at one time! VMI … Read more
VMI Sponsors First Prize of Cine Circle Film Festival 27 September 2019 VMI sponsored the 2019 Cine Circle Film Festival, a relatively new film festival designed to encourage recognition for new film makers. Founder, Zbigniew Siwek, describes Cine Circles aims are “to connect, … Read more
VMI Open House Day 13 Sep – Book Now 24 August 2023 A lot has changed in 2023, so instead of waiting until December for our annual new products day, we are hosting an ‘Open House’ in September with lots of new … Read more
VMI New Products Day 6/7/8 Dec. Limited Availability 1 November 2022 *** FREE EVENT – LIMITED AVAILABILITY *** VMI’s biannual New Products Day is this week! This is a big deal for us, as we only host this once every 2 … Read more
VMI awards Best Shorts award at KIFF 2023 24 July 2023 VMI loves to support new entrants to the industry and after a successful inaugural Kingston International Film Festival (KIFF) in June 2022, VMI are proud to be continuing their support … Read more
VMI Sponsors Year 2 of KIFF Film Festival 31 January 2023 VMI loves to support new entrants to the industry and is a founder member of a brand new film festival which started last year. The Kingston International Film Festival aims … Read more
VMI Supports Roundhouse Young Filmmakers 30 January 2023 VMI has been a long been a supporter of young filmmakers by providing discounted equipment for the Roundhouse Young Creatives Group, who help new entrants to the industry to learn … Read more
VMI Hosts Successful Ronin 4D Workshops 14 July 2022 VMI continues with is new post-COVID 2022 workshop season with three bespoke Ronin 4D workshops held at West London College’s Studio in Ealing Green and also at the Cleveland Arms … Read more
VMI Sponsors KIFF Film Festival 7 March 2022 VMI loves to support new entrants to the industry and is proud to be a partner of a brand new film festival in June, which aims to celebrate a diverse … Read more
Camera Technicians Apprentice Scheme Builds on Successful First Year 18 February 2022 The new Apprenticeship Standard for Camera Prep Technicians is looking to expand after a successful first season launch. Last summer, nine trainees became the first cohort of apprentices to participate … Read more
VMI Bristol is 6 years old 1 April 2021 VMI Bristol celebrates six years since it was set up and in that time, Gary, Jon and the rest of the Bristol team have established it into a mainstream camera … Read more
VMI’s Barry Bassett wins prestigious Nelsonian Award. 16 December 2020 A surprise announcement by Infinity Photo-Optical Company, saw VMI’s Managing Director, Barry Bassett being awarded their annual Nelsoniantm Award to recognise his work and lifetime commitment to imaging excellence and … Read more
2019 VMI Annual Client Survey – Best Ever Results 4 December 2019 The latest annual VMI client survey had the best results of all time achieving a client satisfaction score of 4.7 out of 5 for the 5th year in a row, … Read more
We did it! Superheroes raised over £60K in past 3 years to make world landmine-free 15 July 2019 8 riders calling themselves, “The Superheroes” raised £27,000 for MAG International to help make the world landmine-free by 2025 by riding from London to Bristol and London to Amsterdam in 2019 for the 3rd year … Read more
VMI runs successful Phantom Workshops 24 May 2019 VMI ran a series of 6 Phantom Super Slow Motion workshops in London in late May to teach Cinematographers and Operators how to shoot in super slow motion with the … Read more
Account of VMI Anamorphic and Large Sensor Event in January 4 March 2019 VMI hosted an Anamorphic and Large Sensor event in late January at the newly opened CVP Creative Space in Newman Street Fitzrovia, an elegant new showroom over four floors. The three-day event was well … Read more
We’ve been super busy-busy 7 January 2019 VMI has been busy-busy over the past 12 months and have supplied camera equipment for 17 drama series, 5 x Natural History Series, plus several features, promos, commercials,corporates and feature films. … Read more
VMI 2018 Customer Survey Results are in 13 December 2018 Link: https://vmi.tv/about/client-satisfaction-survey In December 2018, we held our 10th annual client satisfaction survey, asking all VMI clients who had hired from us in the previous 12 months exactly what they thought about … Read more
VMEDIA Invests in Camera Power Range 19 November 2018 Link: https://vmedia.digital/equipment/213/power VMEDIA, VMIs camera storage rental division has increased its rental range to now also stock camera batteries for hire. VMEDIA , better known for its rental stock of large CFAST and … Read more
Netflix Surgeon’s Cut Shooting With Cinema Cameras and Lenses Netflix’s cinematic documentary, ‘The Surgeon’s Cut’ has won a well-deserved Emmy in the category of Outstanding Science and Technology Documentary. This four-chapter series demonstrates some new and intriguing filming techniques. … Read more
Sigma Cine Primes and Canon C700 capture the post-apocalypse To survive in a world destroyed by global warming a family needs to make a heartbreaking decision which could split them apart forever. This is the dystopian vision of writer-director … Read more
Making a Mini-Epic – A Real Bug’s Life A Real Bug’s Life is among the most ambitious and innovative natural history series ever made. Over nine episodes the Disney+ docu series uses the latest technology to shine a … Read more
Greensleeves- A Film To Satirise Influencers on Fashion Greenwashing. It’s the art of presenting a product or a brand as eco-friendly and sustainable when, in reality, it’s anything but. As consumers increasingly seek out ethical and environmentally conscious … Read more
FIELDTRIP: Exploring the Uncharted Frontiers of Science Fiction “FIELDTRIP,” a 25-minute science fiction, multiple award-winning short film, stands as a testament to the creative ingenuity and collaborative spirit of filmmakers Paul Arion and Soren Bendt. Shot against the … Read more
Linney has high speed food shoots licked with Ember In the world of food commercials you only have a limited time before the item you are photographing begins to lose its appetising freshness. “If a lettuce wilts or a … Read more
Tracking the shots on Midsomer Murders… with Ronin 4D You’d be forgiven for thinking that time moves rather slowly in the rural villages of Midsomer, but behind the scenes technology has not stood still. For the evergreen ITV crime drama’s … Read more
Apple TV’s Earth At Night In Colour Natural History DP, Mark Payne Gill shoots a series entitled Earth At Night In Colour using Astrograph lenses and Canon ME20 with 4m ASA in order to shoot entire episodes being lit just by the moon.
Area 51 Incident delivers horror thrills from the Abyss Horror fans will devour Area 51 Incident. The new movie from genre specialists Dark Abyss Productions imagines an alien species landing on earth to make it their new home and to commit … Read more
Shooting Tyger on SIGMA Classic Primes New British indie feature Tyger has finished filming with a Canon C500 II and SIGMA Classic Primes, a combination picked to enhance the emotional impact of an ex-soldier’s internal conflict. … Read more
Going viral with Venice in lockdown London Enterprising young filmmakers Edoardo Forato and Fyras Slaiman hope their new short film In-Flu-Enza will catch the attention of producers and directors. The period drama, set amid the 1920 Spanish flu outbreak, … Read more
Resource Productions: Breaking down the glass door Resource Productions: Breaking down the glass door The film and TV industry is a Catch-22 for many aspiring filmmakers. How can you attract the attention of producers, commissioners and agents … Read more
Indie feature shoots under Covid-conditions Reports of the death of independent filmmaking are premature. Indie feature This Is The Night Mail has been produced entirely under lockdown with a degree of ingenuity and ‘can-do’ spirit that augurs well … Read more
Canon CN20 lenses pitched perfectly for World Cup heroics To many Indians, the nation’s World Cup cricket triumph in 1983 is as culturally significant as England’s momentous soccer success in 1966. A new film replays the achievement in all … Read more
Pioneer Productions and Canon ME20 captures secret world of Nocturnal Britain Sport’s broadcasters have a reputation for advancing live production techniques but wildlife filmmaking routinely pushes camera technology about as far it can go in efforts to explore the natural world. … Read more
Sci-Fi Short Shoots Anamorphic On 16:9 Sensor Shooting anamorphic with KOWA anamorphic lenses and a 16:9 widescreen camera is an unusual combination but it proved the perfect technical and aesthetic choice for a futuristic short film about … Read more
Dare the Unknown with the F55 in neon-lit Hong Kong Fashion brand Palladium wants you to ‘Dare the Unknown’ in a new promo featuring rule-breaking New York-based super model Jazzelle (Zanaughtti), London Grime artist Octavian and Arthur Bray, a Hong … Read more
Owl Short Film shot with Phantom VEO – “More Efficient and More Productive” It’s part of the job description of every natural history filmmaker to travel, often overseas, typically to remote locations or extreme environments – or both – and without the luxury … Read more
Going Fast and Furious with Reds and Celeb 250s Film producer Lars Sylvest has a successful track record producing features with stars such as Sandra Bullock, Kevin Bacon and Kurt Russell but he’s long harboured a passion project to … Read more
Wacky Races: Rogue Films jumps aboard The Grand Tour Rally In celebration of Season 2 of Amazon Prime’s The Grand Tour, social media stars took to roads across the world in The Grand Tour Rally cars. To fuel their favourite … Read more
Classical music gets unconventional treatment Internationally acclaimed pianist and composer Ludovico Einaudi takes inspiration from the elements of nature in his latest stunning work so any recording of his electric live performances have a lot to … Read more
The Edge pits Celere versus the elements Brimming with the elemental forces of nature, Wales is a land of dramatic scenery from coastline to mountains captured by The Edge Picture Company for a distinctive new campaign. Regional … Read more
The force is strong for Star Wars: Made GREAT in Britain Rogue One: A Star Wars Story was 2016’s top-grossing film at the UK box office, more than £1m ahead of its nearest competitor, Fantastic Beasts and Where to Find Them. … Read more
Filming Lucid is a dream come true Cinematographers often eulogise about the alchemy of vintage optics combined with a high-end digital cine camera but for most low budget features their use remains a distant dream. For Lucid, … Read more
The Great Migration – Long Lens Action! DoP Geraint Warrington has just completed filming the prestigious documentary series on the Migration of Wildebeest across the African Plains. “The Great Migration” is a 4 part 1 hour documentary series … Read more
Nocturnal activity caught on camera for the first time The biggest prize in natural history filmmaking is to capture animal behaviour in a way that’s never been done before. Offspring Films achieved this in its eye-opening document of Tarsiers … Read more
Olive Green – The World’s First Interactive Feature Length Film for English Language Learning The jump from producing adverts, training videos and corporate films to shooting a feature length movie is a daunting prospect. However, this was not the only challenge that production company … Read more
In Fear revives the thriller A couple are lost on a deserted, maze-like country road. Surrounded by thick woods and with night closing in, the scene of terror is set. In Fear, funded by Studio … Read more
Delicious, The Film. Arri Alexa “Over the past two years, everything has changed. Now we find ourselves using the same cameras and lenses whether we’re producing a TV comedy or an independent feature film. And … Read more
What real world Cinematographers think about using Infiniprobe lenses The Digital Cinema Society presents an exploration of Micro/Macro cinematography with three DPs including Bill Bennett, ASC, James Mathers, and Cameron Cannon. The trio photograph a variety of shots in order to evaluate these exceptional lenses and also share their insights in behind-the-scenes coverage.
Macro and Micro Cinematography We all love to see images of extreme magnification to show a world which we can’t experience with our own eyes but just like all cinematography, this is hard to do well. The choice right lens for the specific shot is key and this article aims to explain the differences between Close Up, Macro and Micro photography/cinematography and in particular, to introduce the cinematographer to a relatively recent new type of lens, which are called Nelsonian Lenses made by Infinity Photo-Optical and which use microscope techniques to create unique images which are not possible using traditional optics.
Sigma Cine Primes and Zooms – all you need to know This article seeks to introduce the range of Sigma Cine Primes, Classic Primes and Film Zooms and to explain why we like them as much as we do.
How Infrared light affects Cinematography Infrared cinematography opens up a whole new spectrum of light not visible to the unaided eye. This has the potential to give otherwise ordinary scenes a surreal and dream-like appearance … Read more
Power to the People You can have the best camera kit in the world but if you can’t power it because your batteries have failed you, then you are really stuck. This article explores the battery standards which exist today and how to make the most out of every type of technology.
Is 4K or 6K Enough. Do we even need 8K or more? This article aims to explore that there are further considerations to make when considering the image size and CODEC, which means more data, more transfer time, more media resource and in post, more render time, ultimately costing production more money. However, there is also a sustainability argument which becomes relevant, since more data also means more energy usage and a greater carbon footprint.
Easyrig – all you need to know This is a short article to explain the principles behind the Easyrig concept and to introduce the product range of models with advice to their suitability for various camera configurations.
Shooting Anamorphic in Full Frame and S-35 Everyone appreciates the cinematic quality of shooting anamorphic. With the popularity of Full Frame, it made sense for VMI to make more options available for capturing in both anamorphic and Frame. This is a new article to explore these options.
The Creative and Technical Differences between Full Frame and S-35 Fully Updated Article, April 2023: To shoot Full-Frame or S-35? Are there really artistic reasons for shooting on FF? What are the advantages and what gear will I need?
Phantom VEO 4K demand scales new heights Read how in the 5 years since VMI pioneered stocking the Phantom VEO 4K, it has become the go-to camera for many genres including natural history.
Shooting Large DoF with InfiniProbe lenses @vmitv New VMI blog post: A considerable effort is given to creating a shallow depth of field (DoF) to create a more cinematographic look, however there are occasions when a large DoF is needed. Here’s how to achieve this.
Is This the End of 8K TVs? 8K TVs are so power-hungry, that they are now about to be banned from the European Union, so does this mean that the quest for higher and higher resolution monitors will now cease? My private 4K TV is in the A+ efficiency category but 8K sets are currently classed as G, so is 8K doomed?
Too much lighting choice? Let’s cut through the confusion British Prime Minister Harold Macmillan made an optimistic speech in 1957 that “we have never had it so good” and the same can be said of lighting today! With so … Read more
Z CAM: Does This Powerful Underdog Have a Future? Did you know that the American heist action feature film “A Day to Die” was shot entirely on Z CAM E2-F6 and S6? Also, did you know that the E1 … Read more
Mid-range cameras don’t mean compromise At VMI we’ve noticed a recent trend among filmmakers and wondered if you agree? We’ve spotted that a significant number of productions are ‘trading down’ from using traditional top of the range cine-cameras…
New generation of Auto Focus lenses now available with E and EF Mounts Auto Focus is here to stay and whilst this is not a panacea to force all focus-pullers to retrain, the increased adoption of Full Frame (which necessarily makes focussing more critical than S-35 or APSC formats) and the enhanced development of the technology, makes this functionality more useful and as a result, we are noticing an increased interest in it.
Some S-35 zooms already cover FF (you just didn’t know this!) This is an extremely brief article to help to explain a lesser-known but extremely valuable tip. In summary, film zooms designed to cover S-35 sensors, will also cover Full Frame as well IF used with a 1.5x extender and this is built into several zoom lenses already, such as the Canon Cabrio zooms.
Beginner’s Guide to Depth of Field This article is written mainly for those who want to know the very simple concepts which allow camera operators to manipulate the Depth of Field in order to make them look more cinematic.
How to achieve the most from the Canon C500 Mk II A brief article written by DP Clemens Majunke on how to achieve the most out of the Canon C500 II
An account of a successful Sigma Lens Day held on 13 February 2020 at VMI VMI held a Sigma lens day on 13 February 2020 in London.
A VMI guide to lens extension tubes and diopters to reduce the minimum focus distance of lenses. Connecting a lens tube behind the lens will move the lens farther away from the camera’s film plane or digital sensor, which allows the lens to focus much closer than … Read more
VMI evaluation of whether the Canon C500 Mk II is any good? The Canon C500 Mk II may look like a C300 II but it has been completely redesigned and we think that in this configuration it becomes a fully-featured 4K camcorder … Read more
Anamorphic and Full Frame Lens Tests, including a 57 Video Playlist. Do you ever wonder what a Zeiss Supreme looks like next to a Zeiss Masterprime? or what about a Tokina Vista next to an ARRI Signature prime, or even how … Read more
VMI evaluates the Canon Sumire Primes – the first Canon lenses designed with character Canon’s latest lens group, the Canon ‘Sumire’ lenses have landed at VMI and 2 sets of 14mm-135mm primes are now complete.
E-Mount Lenses – perfect for the Sony FX9, FS7, AS7 & FS5 Article introducing the native E-Mount lenses
Capturing 2:1 Anamorphic with Alexa LF and S-35 lenses Capturing 2:1 Anamorphic isn’t quite so straight forward on the Alexa LF and Mini LF, due to the number of photosites on the sensor.
VMI Guide to Film Lenses Article introducing the differences between film lenses and explaining the terms and factors which distinguish them.
A Filmmaker’s Guide to Sensor Sizes and Lens Formats This article aims to help questions such as: – “Will this lens work with my camera?” – “Will this lens cover 8K?” – “Will this lens cover full frame.” – “What will full frame lenses look like on a S-35 sensor.”
Panasonic EVA1 now permits external 5.7K RAW record to external recorders to 30p The Panasonic EVA1 camera installed with their updated v2.02 firmware enables external 5.7K RAW recording to certain external recorders up to 30p. Presently it works with ATOMOS inferno and will … Read more
Slow Motion – What you REALLY need to know | Phantom VEO 4K | Phantom FLEX 4K VMI guide to shooting super slow motion on the Phantom VEO 4K camera.
The difference between the Phantom FLEX 4K and Phantom VEO 4K This is an article illustrating the differences between the Phantom FLEX 4K and Phantom VEO 4K and including essential Information about the Vision Research Phantom VEO 4K that you really need to know before your first production.
2016 Film Zoom Lens Comparison Chart A very useful chart including all current film zoom lenses in a table and compariring useful data including image coverage, front diameter, weight, min T stop etc.Compiled by Tom Fletcher and Gary Adcock and reproduced with kind permission from Tom Fletcher
Wireless Lens Control Systems – all you need to know (updated Sep 19) THIS ARTICLE AIMS TO INTRODUCE THE CURRENT RANGE OF WIRELESS LENS CONTROL SYSTEMS WHICH VMI CONSIDERS THE BEST IN THEIR FIELD AND EXPLAIN WHY WE THINK THAT THEY WORK VERY WELL IN GIVEN SCENARIOS.
2019 Camera Comparison Chart A very useful chart including all current HD and 4K cameras in a table and compariring useful data including image size, latitude, pixel resolution power consumption etc.Compiled by Tom Fletcher and Gary Adcock with information gathered from numerous conversations with various cinematographers, colorists, colleagues and manufacturers. and reproduced with kind permission from Tom Fletcher
2016 Anamorphic Prime Lens Chart Compiled by Tom Fletcher and Gary Adcock with information gathered from numerous conversations with various cinematographers, colorists, colleagues and manufacturers and reproduced with kind permission from Tom Fletcher. Click on the chart to … Read more
Ronin & MōVI Gimbals – all you need to know This article explains the benefits and limitations of using these Gimbal systems and provides essential information if you want to use one in production. Revised June 2021. Introduction This is … Read more
The Canon C300 Mk II vs C300 – What’s the fuss about? Article exploring the differences between the Mk I and Mk II C300 camera.
Lighting – a short walk through the minefield of location lighting for Film & TV This is a short article examining the most popular lighting fixtures and technologies.
What it is like to shoot with Uncoated Lenses – Duncan Telford DoP DoP Duncan Telford shot a Weetabix commercial with Uncoated Cooke Mini S4s and describes in this article what it is like to shoot with uncoated lenses and how this look varies between different types of lenses
2016 revised IATA Guidelines on air transport of Lithium-ion batteries The rules have on air travel with Lithium-ion batteries have become much more restrictive over the past few years and you have to be aware of recent stricter limitations for transporting Lithium-ion batteries. This article has been completely updated with the guidance of IATA in July 2016 to help make you aware of these new rules.
Improve Phantom VEO 4K workflow by using 10Gbit network port This is an article about configuring and using the built-in 10Gbit ethernet interface of the Phantom VEO 4K to take advantage of the most efficient and fastest workflows from internal RAM to hard drive, which can be even more efficient than the workflow of the Phantom FLEX 4K.
12 bit RAW capture ARRI, Panasonic, Sony, Canon and other cameras using Odyssey 7Q/7Q+ RAW Recorder This article explains how 12 bit RAW capture of ARRI, Panasonic, Sony, Canon and other cameras is possible using the Odyssey 7Q/7Q+ RAW Recorder.
Shoot the best quality 200fps available using Odyssey 7Q and Sony FS 700/C500 The Convergent Odyssey 7Q is a new off board 4K recorder with 8” OLED screen that offers outstanding slow motion capability at very high image quality when used in conjunction … Read more
Shallow DoF for Streaming A shallow Depth of Field can reduce the bandwidth requirement of video, which is good for the internet.We wanted to test this theory and this article explores this idea and concludes that you can save around 10% bandwidth by shooting with a large sensor camera compared with a small sensor camera, as the shallow depth of field means that you capture only the bits that you want in fine detail and as background is defocused.
HDR reality and monitoring – a DOP’s Perspective THESE ARE SOME EXCERPTS OF A CML THREAD ABOUT HDR AND MONITORING HDR, WHICH I HAVE REPRODUCED WITH PERMISSION FROM GEOFF BOYLE AND ART ADAMS. IT WAS REALLY INTERESTING AND IS ABOUT HDR FROM THE DOP’S PERSPECTIVE.