JSD Labs: DJI Mavic Air, iPhone 7 Plus, and Cherry Blossoms in Japan

2018 Apr 01 By answer 0 comment

A few weeks ago I finally got my own drone. The Mavic Air came out at the right time and had the right specs for my needs, so I picked one up. I have flown drones plenty of times in Japan, either rentals or client’s drones, but this is the first one I have owned. It’s a different experience flying something that you personally have something invested in. One wrong move and it could be gone. So I haven’t done anything crazy with it. Drones are banned in Tokyo, which is a shame. I have been working in Tokyo…

JERHELL – KINGDOM HEARTS Music Video, Directed by JSD

2017 Dec 19 By answer 0 comment

My first real music video in awhile, and my first music video as JSD. Pretty excited to get it out there and the reception has been great! Jerell wanted something quick and gritty, and he was thrilled with the result. After he told me what he wanted, I knew the perfect setting: Minato Mirai in Yokohama. We filmed half the video in Shinjuku and half at Minato Mirai. I had planned to try and film more in the Cosmo World amusement park, but they closed on days we needed to film and closed early the day we were there….

JSD LABS: GOLDEN AFTERNOON – GH5, SLR Magic Anamorphot-50, Iron Glass Modified Helios 44M, and Kenko Orange Filter

2017 Dec 13 By answer 0 comment

I had been thinking of ways to make use of the SLR Magic Anamorphot-50 outside of it’s basic look. I had already done some tests in DCI Cinema 4K with it, which with the Anamorphot gives you the same aspect ratio as a 2x lens in the GH5’s Anamorphic Mode. I was already trying to think of tests using 1.33x lenses for landscape and wide shots to mix with 2x shots for focused areas or people. I really wish I had access to another GH5 to do some real testing of this kinda stuff. But done right, the Anamorphot…

JSD Labs: Panasonic GH5, Möller 32/2x Anamorphic, and the Beholder DS2A testing

2017 Oct 04 By answer 0 comment

Full stats: Camera: Panasonic GH5, 60fps 4K, ISO 1600 mostly, SS 100 always. V-LOG, Firmware 2.0 with Anamorphic IS and IS lock. Lens: Pentax Super Takumar 50mm 1.4, used at f/1.4 and f/2.0 Anamorphic: Möller 32/2x 0.5+ and 3.0+ diopters. Filmed near Yokohama Station, Japan. This ended up being a pretty epic combination. I’ve had the Beholder DS2A for a few weeks now, but I’ve been dealing with weather, flaky people, and health issues that have kept me from making this video. I hope to have a full review of the DS2A soon, but I have to focus on…

Yokohama in 8K – A Panasonic GH5 6K Photo Mode Anamorphic Exercise

2017 Aug 26 By answer 0 comment

Becoming impatient waiting for Panasonic to release the firmware update with full resolution Anamorphic mode, I decided to take Friday off and try to get some good shots around Yokohama using the 6K Photo mode. It didn’t end up going as planned, but I decided to upload a few shots anyway. In order, the shots were filmed at Yamashita Park, Osanbashi Pier, the Landmark Tower Sky Garden Observatory, and Ishikawacho Chinatown. As luck would have it, it ended up being one of the hottest, or the hottest days of the summer. It made it hard to move around, focus…

JSD Labs: iPhone 7 Plus Anamorphic Video Test

2016 Sep 26 By answer 1 comment

(vimeo) After a week of waiting, I finally received my iPhone 7 Plus from docomo on Saturday. With little time for tests and setting up, I ventured out to Hakkeijima in Kanagawa the next day to shoot some video with a rig that I wasn’t even sure was going to work. Because none of the manual camera control apps worked with the dual lens setup yet, I decided to do this first test with just the Camera app. Keep it basic, no color correction just to see what the rig can do. I had tested the setup with my…