On a smaller note, or should I say in a smaller box, Canon showed off their Vixia HF S10 HD mini camcorder. The physical looks of this inexpensive camera would make any filmmaking snob pass it by immediately. But a closer look at the camera’s specs will make you give it a second look! With an 8.59 megapixel full HD CMOS image sensor and an internal 32Gb flash memory, this mini packs a brute punch. It allows for additional storage through removeable SDHC flash cards, face detection for proper focus, and the ability to take 8 megapixel still photos while recording. Believe it or not, this camera was used to shoot the entire film, Crank: High Voltage.
Canon Vixia HF S10. Notice the mic is bigger than the camera.
Cinematographer Brandon Trost remarked that they accidentally left one of the Canon cameras mounted to a rigging so high in the air that they would have needed to hire a crane to come and get it down. Because of the low cost of the camera, they just left it there! So if you want to save some money, and feel like spiderman, you can shimmy up to where it's hanging and grab it!
Redrock Booth beacon.
Continuing the synergy between Canon and redrock, the 5D Mark II was shown in a gorgeous set up at the redrock booth. They have developed a mounting system that allows for quick release from tripod mount to shoulder mount and even low mode handheld shooting. The mounting system is fully customizable, and each piece can be purchased separately so you aren't paying for pieces you don't need. It’s amazingly modular, reminding me of legos.
