American Cinematographer - September 2008 - 86

the Act 2 vest remembers the fit and requires no readjustment. Both the Act 2 vest and Act 2 C arm feature industry-standard connections for compatibility with systems by Sachtler and other popular makes. For more information, visit www.artemishd.com or www.sachtler.com. The Flyer-LE’s patented toolsfree ISO-elastic stabilizer arm supports 19 pounds of camera weight, and the tools-free arm/vest interface enables quick customization for individual operators. The arm’s open design also provides incredible freedom of movement for its weight class, and the adjustable arm/post assembly is generally a feature found only on more expensive systems. For quick and neat storage, the arm comes apart with a pin. The Flyer-LE’s vest assembly features an ergonomic breastplate combined with solid-metal shoulder fasteners for increased comfort during extended use. The pads are easily removed for cleaning or replacement, and all components fit neatly and securely in the provided travel bag. For more information, visit www.tiffen.com. To Infinity and Beyond Thomson has announced that its Grass Valley Infinity Digital Media Camcorder (DMC) is now widely available from certified equipment dealers and system integrators across North America. Thomson’s dealers are fully trained in the features, benefits, functionality and workflows of the camcorder. Complementing all types of filebased workflows, the Infinity camcorder uses a full 1920x1080, 2⁄3" Xensium CMOS imager; Thomson Grass Valley Rev Pro removable media; and industrystandard CompactFlash. The Infinity DMC is switchable between hi-def and standard-def, with format choices including 1080i, 720p, PAL and NTSC. At this year’s National Association of Broadcasters conference, Thomson introduced the Infinity DMC 1000/20, a high-performance camcorder for ENG and EFP applications that offers expanded recording capacity and improved performance via Thomson’s new Rev Pro XP and ER disks. Other new additions to the Infinity product family include the Infinity Digital Media Recorder (DMR), which records and plays back material shot with the Infinity DMC 1000/20 and stored on Rev Pro XP and ER disks. The DMR also records and plays back material from other external sources, including cameras and nonlinear editors. For more information, visit www.thomsongrassvalley.com. Steadicam Flies with LE Based on the award-winning Steadicam Flyer technology, the Tiffen Company’s Steadicam FlyerLE offers a number of new features and benefits to operators. With a newly designed sled assembly, the Flyer-LE boasts a robust, no-tools, carbon-fiber, extendable post; an internal safety system prevents the post from separating, and an index system keeps all parts in alignment. A friction-free gimbal assembly with a large, knurled, extended handle fits securely in the operator’s hand, and tool-free locking mechanisms on the top and bottom of the sled allow for quick adjustments on the set. Additionally, precision stage adjustment ensures exact balance, and the sled works with both 12- and 24-volt cameras. 86 September 2008 A Classic Look for HD Schneider Optics recently introduced HD Classic Soft filters in response to requests for a high-quality softening filter to complement new high-resolution, small-chip HD cameras. The HD Classic Soft filter family delivers subtle, effective softening performance for shooting in the ¼", 1⁄3", ½" and 2⁄3" HD formats. Available in strengths of 1⁄8, ¼, ½, 1 and 2, HD Classic Softs produce the same quality of diffusion as the standard Classic Soft series. Each filter features a carefully calculated amount of MicroLenslets to provide a soft, controlled image overlaid on a sharp, in-focus image, creating “in-focus diffusion.” This effect

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American Cinematographer - September 2008

Table of Contents for the Digital Edition of American Cinematographer - September 2008