Canon’s 5D MKII 24p/Manual Audio firmware has been pulled due to an audio issue, outlined yesterday in this post.

I had downloaded a copy of the 2.0.3 firmware a few days ago (message me on Twitter if you need a copy for troubleshooting and testing), and just took the time today to install and test it, as some users are reportedly seeing a black dot issue at high ISO settings in a situation where highlights are clipping. I’ve checked it on my 5D MKII body at various ISO’s above 800, in both 24p and 30p modes, and cannot replicate the black dot issue. Perhaps I’ve not found the magic mix of settings, or perhaps it only occurs on certain sensors (perhaps a sensor that had multiple hot pixels already…just speculating). At any rate, besides the manual audio issue with Custom presets, the firmware seems to be working for me. I’ve got a shoot this evening that we are using the 24p on (sync sound, so no audio concerns), so I’ll be testing it pretty thoroughly and will of course report back if I run into further issues.

As promised, Canon’s 2.0.3 firmware update for the 5D Mark II has been released. It adds 24p, 25p, a pre-record video histogram, and allows you to turn off the audio auto-gain. There are a few other enhancements, but those are the big kahunas that everyone has been asking for. You can download a copy here. Be aware that users are reporting an audio recording bug when shooting in Custom image modes (C1, C2, C3). Apparently when shooting using a custom image mode, audio is not recorded. Even worse, the audio level meters show levels, but nothing is recorded. Yikes.

This is a major bummer, as so many users utilize the Custom presets to flatten their image. There are some workarounds described here, but I’d say the safe thing for now is to either wait for the fix (Canon has acknowledged the issue and promised a fix), or avoid using Custom image presets when not shooting sync sound.

Here is Canon’s official response to the audio bug reports:

“We have learned that some users of the Canon EOS 5D Mark II digital SLR camera are experiencing issues with Firmware Update Version 2.0.3. We are working on a new firmware update to address these phenomena, which will be available soon.”

Recently Avid contacted us and asked if we’d participate in a Community Q&A with the post-production team behind Alice in Wonderland. We asked a couple questions about the how editing for a 3D release may have changed editing style, and what new tools and workflows have changed the director/editor relationship. You can read these questions and their answers here.

You already know this, but it’s worth repeating. Good gear often makes tasks simpler and easier to accomplish high-quality results. But even the weakest of tools in the hands of an artist can deliver stunning results. Case in point…in the following video clip, an artist hand paints a Bushmaster ACR weapon using Microsoft Paint. Once again, artistry and ingenuity trumps “pro-level” tools.

The Digital Story has a short post on how to painlessly snag still frames from DSLR footage with Aperture 3, which now supports video. For what it’s worth, 1080p footage is approximately 2 megapixels (2.1 MP) and 720p is about 1 megapixel (0.9 MP).

While visiting PMA and WPPI recently, FreshDV snagged a few video segments that should be of interest to filmmakers and video creatives. We’ve posted all our coverage of PMA and WPPI over at ProPhoto Coalition, but you can watch just the video-related segments in our channel over at ProVideo Coalition.

It’s certainly an interesting commentary on the state of our industry when you can find cool video-related tools at a photography tradeshow.

Tyler Ginter has posted a fantastic video called “Why We Fight,” it’s a documentary short that focuses on the Afghanistan Special Forces called Strike Force Lion, on why they are fighting for their own freedom and way of life in Afghanistan. It was shot on the Canon 5D MKII.

Jim posted a framegrab from the forthcoming Red Epic, shot 5k 2:1 Redcode 28 @ ISO 800 on the Red Pro Prime 300mm lens. See it here.

FreshDV just picked up a new sponsor, Hawaii-based RedHead windscreens. You can see their banner in our sponsor sidebar to the right.

A lot of us are shooting sync sound with the Zoom H4n recorders, and RedHead offers a variety of “dead cat” type windscreens to protect your critical audio from gusty breezes. Not convinced you need a windscreen for your recorder? Then you should check out the following quick video demo. My jaw dropped when I saw and heard this.

Zoom H4n + Redhead + Canon Mark II + 85mm + Windy Maui’s North Shore from iamkalaniprince on Vimeo.

RedHead is a great example of what I love about our sponsors…they are companies that build tools that we can respect and promote without any reservation, tools for professionals that simply work day in and day out.

One of the benefits of DSLR filmmaking is the incredibly small physical package an HDSLR and lens represents. But start adding professional accessories to simplify certain aspects of shooting, and something odd happens. Your rig can grow to be quite a medusa with wires and cables and arms all over the place. Case in point…the following behind the scenes photos from a music video shoot directed by indie-legend Robert Rodriguez. The Canon 7D rig they shot with is a good example of the need for a good support system once you begin to add pro accessories.

You can see more of these behind the scenes images in this blog post over at Zacuto (that’s a Zacuto support system underneath what looks like about 700 cable ties). There’s also a further explanation from the DP on the rig and it’s myriad cables. Cool to see Robert shooting on these new cameras, but is anyone really surprised? He always seems to embrace new formats.

Coldplay’s video for the track “Strawberry Swing” is one of the most innovative uses of stop motion I’ve ever seen. They collaborated with the creative group Shynola to reinvent the genre, using perspective and live elements in new ways, and the results are simply stunning.

Those who have frequented DVXuser over the years will no doubt recognize the name Macgregor. He’s been creating and sharing hauntingly beautiful short films for years now, and has quite the following of fans. Back in 2006, he made a short film called SIMILO with the DVX100 and a pre-production Cinemek 35mm lens adapter. The idea was to create a short film concept, to help raise funds to make a longer version of the same story.

As of summer 2009, principal photography on SIMILO has wrapped. Now they just need $25,000 to finish post-production and VFX on this sci-fi story. And Macgregor and producer Mike Hedge chose to use Kickstarter to raise those funds. They’ve already raised over $14,000 from the community, and you’ve got less than 2 1/2 days to pledge cash if you wish to join them. You can check out their Kickstarter project here, contributions can be as little as $1. Those who contribute $40 or more get onscreen credit and access to an HD download version of the film, and there are rewards for higher pledges as well ($4000 gets you an IMDB producer credit).

Why are we sharing this Kickstarter project here when we have no vested interest in it? I’m glad you asked. Because it’s the first Kickstarter short film project that came across my inbox that I personally chose to back, and it’s a good example of how to effectively use the Kickstarter concept as an independent filmmaker. Not to mention that Macgregor’s films are always extremely visually engaging, and this is a project that I’d love to see finished. So if you agree, head on over to their project page and support your local filmmakers.

Not sure who Macgregor is? Check out the teaser of SIMILO, embedded below. Note: some NSFW nudity.

SIMILO teaser from Macgregor on Vimeo.

If you’ve not been following Shane Hurlbut’s blog on his and the Bandito Brothers use of Canon DSLRs for video, well you should be. They’ve been pushing the limits of DSLR filmmaking, applying their professional tools and knowledge to these very imperfect, but oh-so-tasty visual tools.

In Shane’s latest post, he talks about why he doesn’t like to add gyro stabilizers to his handheld HDSLR rigs. If you’ve never shot with a gyro before, it’s a small grenade shaped device that attaches to your rods and restricts jiggles and fast movement. They come in larger sizes as well. It can be an issue for whip pans, and Shane makes the case that it’s simply not necessary on these type of rigs (unless you are filming from a helicopter, etc).

This is not to slam gryos…they have their place in filmmaking. I’ve used gyros before for air-to-air shooting, and they are an invaluable tool in that application. They are also pretty reasonable to rent…around $150/day for a small camcorder gyro at places like Abel Cine.

The post title says it all. Canon was handing out 70-200mm lens lookalike coffee mugs at the Vancouver games, and I want one so bad I can taste it.

Over at PVC I’ve posted a video tutorial from Cineform on muxing multiple 2D sources using their Neo 3D software. It’s a great demo of very cool tech, check it out.