Jake Fruia
Sony Artisan, photographer, cinematographer and pilot Jeff Berlin has had a storied career. Over the last year or so he’s been focused on his video work, shooting a number of films (Anathema, 3 Days In August) on Sony cameras. So Clint Milby brought him down to Cine Gear to talk about the latest Sony camera, the Sony A9, and it’s numerous uses.
The Sony A9
This mechanism-free camera can deliver a-class-above performance conventional mechanical SLRs have only sought. For example, this system realizes a totally blackout-free viewfinder while conventional systems can only try to reduce blackout time. A high-speed, vibration-free, silent Anti-Distortion shutter vastly extends the range of shooting situations while a mechanical system can only aim for lower vibration and quieter shutter release sound. α9 provides continuous tracking of moving subjects for foolproof AF/AE while traditional SLRs can only challenge such AF/AE performance improvements. Moreover, α9 allows its viewfinder to show not only images of the subject — available on conventional systems — but also the final image of a shot. Now, thanks to a new image sensor that superbly manages all these roles, you can surpass all expectation with α9.
Features:
- 24.2MP Full-Frame Stacked CMOS Sensor
- BIONZ X Image Processor & Front-End LSI
- 693-Point AF System & 20 fps Shooting
- Blackout-Free Quad-VGA 3.7m-Dot OLED EVF
- Internal UHD 4K Video Recording
- 5-Axis SteadyShot INSIDE Stabilization
- 3.0″ 1.44m-Dot Tilting Touchscreen LCD
- ISO 204,800, Silent Electronic Shutter
- Built-In Wi-Fi/Bluetooth, Dual SD Slots
- Integrated LAN and PC Sync Terminals
Our NAB interview with Sony’s Amy Koppmann on the Sony A9
The Sony A9 is available now for $4,499. You can find out more at www.Sony.com/electronics/interchangeable-lens-cameras/ilce-9
The Yuneec Typhoon H Drone
As a trained pilot (as in real life actual planes, he even served as editor of Plane and Pilot, Pilot Journal and PilotMag magazines) Jeff Berlin had a fascination with drones. Recently he wrote an editorial piece for HDSLR Shooter on his work with the Yuneec Typhoon H. From the article:
Fact is, one of the most appealing things about Yuneec, to me as a pilot, is that the company has a long history in not only remote controlled electric aircraft, but they also have designed and produced full-scale airplanes like the eSpyder and E430. One of the company’s founders is a pilot, so that further inspires confidence in me about their approach to aviation.
While the Typhoon H hexcopter is a lot of fun to fly, I actually see it as another tool to enhance my creative value to a client. It’s a camera platform first and foremost, and when it comes to UAS camera platforms, I want a system that has good automation, is easy to operate, inspires confidence, and is smooth, precise and stable.
And one thing that I should mention here is that according to FAA regulations, operating a drone for commercial purposes requires the operator, the pilot in command, to have a Remote Pilot certificate, also known as a 107. Since I was already an airplane pilot and am well-versed in aviation weather and how the airspace system works, getting this license took only a couple hours of drone-specific study and passing a short written test. The process for non-pilots is more exhaustive since there is a lot aviation-specific knowledge to cover for the certification, which is good! If you have designs on using unmanned aerial systems to support your creative endeavors, I suggest you get cracking on training for your 107.
You can see the whole article at indieshooter.com/The-Yuneec-Typhoon-H-A-Capable-Aerial-Camera-Platform
Find out more about Jeff Berlin, go to his page on the Sony website at alphauniverse.com
