The Kowa 40mm 35-BE Anamorphic Cine Lens & the Start of a Journey

2021 May 19 By answer 2 comment

https://youtu.be/UkB-e27dxfQ Luckily for me, I have yet to catch Covid. However, I have spent the latter part of the past two years in and out of clinics and hospitals for other reasons. It has been hard to get any projects done in a reasonable time and even harder to shoot anything for myself. When I felt well, I usually worked for others. I did what I could. That aside, I have been very lucky over the past two years. A lot has happened. I’m thankful that I continue to improve and hope that I can feel normal for more than…

Aivascope PRO 1.5x Anamorphic Lens test, quick update

2019 Nov 28 By answer 0 comment

https://youtu.be/QOEcdmLCo2g (vimeo) OK, so it’s been awhile. It’s been a weird year of ups and downs and I just don’t even know where to begin. So, let’s begin with the Aivascope Pro 1.5x single focus anamorphic adapter. After asking nicely, Valdas of Aivascope graciously lent me one of the test copies of his new lens. I was excited to give it a try and looking forward to shooting as much as I could with it. Well, first came the rainiest early summer I can ever remember. Then, I got sick. Really sick. I was in doctor’s offices and hospitals in…

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…

Filming the Eupholks Live at the Basement Bar in Shimokitazawa, Tokyo

2017 Oct 24 By answer 0 comment

I have know the singer of the band Eupholks, Koike, for a few years now. He asked me to film some of his live shows, so I decided to give it a shot. The first time I tried to do a 2 camera shoot by myself… and it didn’t go well. More people showed up than expected and my b-camera was blocked partially or fully for most of the show. So, I acquired some help for the next one and figured… why not do it in anamorphic? At first I was going to try some kind of 2x/1.33 hybrid,…

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…

The GH5 Era Begins and the Start of Lots of Updates

2017 Aug 17 By answer 0 comment

So, after a deal with a very dangerous group of individuals, I have finally acquired a GH5. This wasn’t planned to happen for a few more months, maybe even a year… but hey… GH5. Not having a GH5 is not the reason for the lack of updates. I was very sick over the past few months. Last year a had a bout with vertigo that came back with a vengeance this year. Makes it hard to focus on anything. This was compounded by a list of other problems I won’t mention here. I am much better now. That’s all that…

JSD Labs: Aivascope and Focuser 8 – First Test

2017 Apr 17 By answer 1 comment

Vimeo: https://vimeo.com/214292200 I had a full scale review of the Aivascope planned. And then this happened: It was the middle of my shoot day. I was taking off the Magfilter when it slipped out of my hand. Only fell 10 cm or so, but flipped on the way down. Right now it’s on it’s way back to Lithuania to be repaired. I will continue my tests when it returns. As for the video above, I wasn’t planning to make a video with those shots. But I had to put together something while I wait. It’s not the best, but…