CAMERA

I've had a blog for a few years now that talks primarily about film gear that I've used that I can't find much info on. You can read more at

www.theclosefocus.com

Angenieux Optimo Primes with IOP

I had a project come up quickly, and my normal ‘go-to’ lens set was out of the rental house at that time, but my rental manager mentioned...

Jonathan Hall

Feb 19, 20243 min read

Arri Alexa 35 vertical shooting… handheld

It’s been a few years since I was tasked with shooting a vertical spot, especially one that was just a vertical spot, with no need to...

Jonathan Hall

Aug 20, 20233 min read

CALDWELL Chameleon 1:79X Anamorphics

I was recently given the opportunity to shoot a film with the S35 Caldwell Chameleon 1.79x anamorphic primes and my first thought was;...

Jonathan Hall

Jan 21, 20234 min read

Accsoon CineEye 2S 5G video transmitter

I didn’t think this thing would be as cool as it is … but it is. Basically, what we are talking about with this device is the ability to...

Jonathan Hall

Jan 9, 20223 min read

Scorpion 2x FF Anamorphic & RED Monstro

There has been a lot of talk about all the options for full-frame anamorphic lenses recently and after going over quite a few options, I...

Jonathan Hall

Aug 30, 20213 min read

Shooting in COVID-19 times…

I was fortunate enough to get to work on a very fun documentary project during these crazy times, but even more fortunate enough to work...

Jonathan Hall

Jun 26, 20201 min read

Better Zoom Videos

I’ve seen a lot of posts on Twitter looking for advice on how to make their live video streams better and I’ve been watching some major...

Jonathan Hall

Apr 10, 20207 min read

2:1 Aspect Ratio for a Feature Film

There are many different aspect ratios being framed for out there, but the one getting a lot of screen time these days is the hybrid...

Jonathan Hall

Jun 18, 20183 min read

Arri “OPENGATE” for 2.39:1 for Spherical

I was in pre-production for a film when I ran into the need to understand all my options for shooting in a 2.39:1 ratio on digital. I...

Jonathan Hall

Aug 26, 20174 min read

Sony a6300 travelcam

I’m not much of a DSLR guy. Normally I prefer bigger cameras for any regular job, but sometimes you need an all-in,...

Jonathan Hall

Jul 31, 20162 min read

Sony A7s Drone Short

So, I’m out for drinks one night with my friend Jordan Rubin and he turns to me and says, “I’m thinking about doing a mock trailer for a...

Jonathan Hall

Jul 3, 20153 min read

Step-down Voltage Converter

I did a project in Berlin, Germany a little bit ago and I wanted to share a cool little gadget that helped us a lot. In some older areas...

Jonathan Hall

Jun 6, 20151 min read

Hands on the Arriflex AMIRA

I finally got my hands on the new Arriflex “Amira” camera system. Actually, I got my hands on it for two projects in a row, which...

Jonathan Hall

Nov 19, 20143 min read