# What does Vincent Laforet Think is a Game Changer?



## Canon Rumors Guy (Apr 4, 2013)

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<strong>A teaser from Laforet</strong>
Apparently Vincent Laforet is going to share a product shortly that he calls a “game changer” for the video shooter. He swears it’s not a camera.</p>
<p>In case you didn’t know, Vincent Laforet did the “Reverie” video that changed the DSLR world when the 5D Mark II launched.</p>
<p><strong>Says Vincent…</strong>

<em>“I’m predicting that this device will follow a very similar path and will stir things up (in a positive way) in our industry.  I know it has already changed the way I shoot.  And while it will be more expensive than the Canon 5D MKII was, its price will pale in comparison to the current tools that it will come to compliment or perhaps even replace.”</em></p>
<p>I guess we’re going to know shortly.</p>
<p><a href="http://blog.vincentlaforet.com/2013/04/03/expect-an-announcement-on-this-blog-within-24-48-hours/?utm_source=feedburner&utm_medium=email&utm_campaign=Feed%3A+wordpress%2FjvaG+%28Vincent+Laforet%27s+Blog%29" target="_blank"><strong>Read the teaser on Vincent’s blog</strong></a></p>
<p><strong><span style="color: #ff0000;">c</span>r</strong></p>
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## LOALTD (Apr 4, 2013)

Ok, I'll guess: an "affordable" steady-cam system!


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## KyleSTL (Apr 4, 2013)

Fast 50mm epitomizes the "one device". My guess: Canon 50mm [f/1.4-2.0] IS USM. Heard it here first. Works perfectly with the release cycle of Canon's other IS USM primes:

24mm IS - Aug 2012
28mm IS - Aug 2012
35mm IS - Jan 2013
50mm IS - Apr 2013


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## ddashti (Apr 5, 2013)

Since it's definitely not a sensor, the only thing I can see being revealed is a ground-breaking stabilization system or a lens with incredible stabilization functions.


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## LOALTD (Apr 5, 2013)

KyleSTL said:


> Fast 50mm epitomizes the "one device". My guess: Canon 50mm [f/1.4-2.0] IS USM. Heard it here first. Works perfectly with the release cycle of Canon's other IS USM primes:
> 
> 24mm IS - Aug 2012
> 28mm IS - Aug 2012
> ...



I was really excited when I read your suggestion, which is pretty much my dream lens! Then I read this part:

“And while it will be more expensive than the Canon 5D MKII was”

I really, really hope the 50mm f/1.4 IS is not that pricey. I’d have to be a 50mm f/0.95 IS for that price…

The way he is talking though, it really does sound like a lens. Imagine every time he says device/devices that he’s saying lens/lenses…it fits. I’m still going with some sort of lightweight, low-bulk, easy-to-use stabilizer though. Since this is supposed to be able “shooting how you want to shoot”


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## SwissBear (Apr 5, 2013)

color-management?
RAW footage?

An IS-Lens seems too trivial, its not a game changer in my eyes...


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## TommyLee (Apr 5, 2013)

I would guess
a small, effective, (relatively) inexpensive stabilizer system...

that would be very useful...


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## AG (Apr 5, 2013)

Either that or it will be some kind of Gyro or Cage system that you can use on multiple camera bodies.

How much of a game changer that is im not sure about, but we will see.


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## KyleSTL (Apr 5, 2013)

LOALTD said:


> KyleSTL said:
> 
> 
> > Fast 50mm epitomizes the "one device". My guess: Canon 50mm [f/1.4-2.0] IS USM. Heard it here first. Works perfectly with the release cycle of Canon's other IS USM primes:
> ...



Yeah, forgot about the part that it's $3000+. Maybe a 24-105mm f/2.8 IS? Sounds crazy, but Tamron made 28-105 2.8. Maybe wishful thinking, but I'm not sure I'd classify it as 'game changing'. 

Could it possibly be a 50mm f1.2 IS? I think that could command 3 G's.


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## LetTheRightLensIn (Apr 5, 2013)

LOALTD said:


> Ok, I'll guess: an "affordable" steady-cam system!



yeah, guessing some sort of insanely small and light steady-cam with very advanced features and controls and gyros for just over the price of a 5D2


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## DavidRiesenberg (Apr 5, 2013)

My guess it will something way less exciting than anything we guess now.


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## wayno (Apr 5, 2013)

DavidRiesenberg said:


> My guess it will something way less exciting than anything we guess now.



 yep


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## TrumpetPower! (Apr 5, 2013)

He's making it pretty clear that this is as revolutionary for videographers as the 5DII was for videographers. That would rule out lenses. And he's calling it a device, and implying that it's something to be used on the shoot alongside the camera. And that it'll cost more than $3k.

A stabilization rig is a very reasonable guess.

I doubt it'll have anything to do with audio; you can already get superlative audio for as much as you currently have to spend on non-L primes. I'm thinking of the H4n, that sort of thing.

I also doubt it'll have anything to do with metering or color balancing or anything like that. You just don't need to spend big bucks to get top-quality results.

Similarly, I kinda doubt it'll be lighting equipment. $3k will get you a most luxurious Paul C. Buff studio with multiple Einsteins. I can't imagine the video hot light equivalents being radically more expensive.

So I think I'll go with the consensus of a stabilization rig (or something along those lines). Maybe even with a gyro? Like a whole-camera IS setup, using similar technology as the Segway? Now _that_ could be interesting, even for stills photographers....

Cheers,

b&


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## Policar (Apr 5, 2013)

TrumpetPower! said:


> Similarly, I kinda doubt it'll be lighting equipment. $3k will get you a most luxurious Paul C. Buff studio with multiple Einsteins. I can't imagine the video hot light equivalents being radically more expensive.



They are:

http://www.bhphotovideo.com/c/product/417447-REG/Arri_563500_Arrimax_18_12_KW_HMI.html

http://www.bhphotovideo.com/c/product/417450-REG/Arri_562814_Arrimax_18_12KW_Electronic_Ballast.html

That's $34,000 for a single light that still needs more parts to turn on. A decent indie-level grip truck has half a million dollars in gear in it.

But more expensive than lights is renting a crew to operate them and a generator truck, etc. I'm not sure any one light could be that big a deal. Some LED kit maybe?

I think it's stabilization, too. I would love to be able to do the kind of moves I see on bigger productions with cheaper gear, but cheap gear is not steady... or handhold a camera without much shake.


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## TrumpetPower! (Apr 5, 2013)

Policar said:


> TrumpetPower! said:
> 
> 
> > Similarly, I kinda doubt it'll be lighting equipment. $3k will get you a most luxurious Paul C. Buff studio with multiple Einsteins. I can't imagine the video hot light equivalents being radically more expensive.
> ...



Oh, I don't doubt but that there're insane amounts of money in video lighting. There are insane amounts of money in stills lighting, too, though perhaps not quite insane. And there're insane amounts of money in video lenses, more than in stills lenses, but both insane. And bodies and so on.

My point was more along the lines of that there are presumably less-expensive alternatives, similar to the Buff gear, that's already revolutionary. And you can pump the ISO quite a lot on DSLRs as well -- the high ISO performance is already the major lighting game changer.

But even the stupid-expensive pro Steadicam rigs still require a skilled and talented human operating it. And even then, they're not going to be as smooth as a dolly or a boom or what-not, even if they'll be much more mobile.

That's why I'm thinking an electronically motorized / stabilized support rig is likely. I could see one of those being made for the $3K - $6K range, and it would really be a game changer. Something that lets any drunken klutz make videos that look like they were shot from a dolly? Yeah, that'd be big.

b&


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## that1guyy (Apr 5, 2013)

Is it "Bulletproof?" The thing that Magic Bullet guys are touting.


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## FormerEnigma (Apr 5, 2013)

(Lung time lurker, I thought that I had registered a while ago ... )

I always though one mayor issue with videography is focus is always a huge issue. Getting it spot on, especially with erratically moving targets at close range, especially with short depth of focus is very tough. A game changer would be some way to make it much easier which would make it make it more affordable for smaller groups to be more creative while producing better output.

One possibility (which would be much more universal but would take quite a bit of work to implement ) would be to use a belt drive system hooked up the the camera lens autofocus. Sort of a follow-focus with possibility with counterweight as in car engines to prevent torque shift at high speed. The device would monitor the digital output of the camera's for critical focus and refocus based on lens profile. The area of focus desired could be selected via touchscreen, joystick, or even be pre-programmed. The speed would be limited mostly by motor speed. If you have a powerful motor (much stronger than one built into the lens, it would focus even faster than the lens' built in motor and more accurately than all but the most trained hands.


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## deleteme (Apr 5, 2013)

While I am interested in this "game changer" of which he speaks I feel his role these days is that of a Canon sales person. Sales people often toss around the phrase "game changer" when trying to hype a new widget.
I truly cannot think of anything particularly radical that would merit the phrase but then again I am not particularly visionary.


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## joshua-martin (Apr 5, 2013)

Look out for the name Frazier. This guy has been saying he has a game changing lens in development for a few years now.


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## verysimplejason (Apr 5, 2013)

cheap lighting system.


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## NormanBates (Apr 5, 2013)

It's out, visit his blog.

It's a $15K stabilitation system ($7.5K version coming down the road).

Not a game changer for people without that kind of budget, I'm afraid...


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## BJNY (Apr 5, 2013)

http://blog.vincentlaforet.com/2013/04/04/movi-a-revolutionary-handheld-stabilized-system-takes-flight/


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## iP337 (Apr 5, 2013)

This is interesting but how is this on par with the first announcement of DSLRs video? First off it's way too expensive to go mainstream and the end result isn't much different than what you could do with a steadicam. I get it's an improved steadicam that can do a bit more but come on, game changer is a bit much for this.

I am not convinced this is better or easier to use than a steadicam for most shots. Most of it looked like footage from a bad steadicam operator, focus and composition was all over the place and it made me a little sick trying to watch. Every shot had camera movement just for the sake of camera movement. Don't get me wrong; it's a good idea and very cool but in the wrong hands it could be the most annoying piece of kit ever.

This is not on par with the announcement of the 5D2, I think Vincent was just trying to get more traffic for his blog. 

https://vimeo.com/62917185


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## DavidRiesenberg (Apr 5, 2013)

The movie was meant to showcase the tech so the excessive use of it is understandable. 

As for the Movi itself, it IS pretty cool but not so much of a game changer, me thinks.


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## iP337 (Apr 5, 2013)

DavidRiesenberg said:


> The movie was meant to showcase the tech so the excessive use of it is understandable.
> 
> As for the Movi itself, it IS pretty cool but not so much of a game changer, me thinks.



I understand that and I agree, just to be clear I'm not disappointed in the technology of this thing:
"...Don't get me wrong; it's a good idea and very cool..."

But I am very disappointed in Vincent LaForet's use and hype of it. It's not a game changer like the 5D2 and DSLR filming was.

DSLRs broke down barriers (both price and location barriers) and was useful to every filmmaker for every one of their shots, a true game changer. This is actually putting up new barriers as its price is obviously not for everyone (or anyone really) and from what I've seen requires a bit of new training and experience to use properly. Cool new technology? Yes. Game Changer? No.


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## DavidRiesenberg (Apr 5, 2013)

I agree. They hype was targeted towards Laforet's readers while this tech's market is mostly Laforet himself and other similarly sized production studios. The price, the two (skilled) men required to operate it properly and hardware limitations that require more money (wireless monitoring) all preclude it from being a "game changer".


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## iP337 (Apr 5, 2013)

DavidRiesenberg said:


> I agree. They hype was targeted towards Laforet's readers while this tech's market is mostly Laforet himself and other similarly sized production studios. The price, the two (skilled) men required to operate it properly and hardware limitations that require more money (wireless monitoring) all preclude it from being a "game changer".



Yep I totally agree, and I told him that. (btw I heard the price includes wireless monitoring, may not be HD though and no wireless follow focus or exposure controls)

FYI, check these out! zenmuse, picloc, tarot,skyline, radian and alexmos
http://www.youtube.com/embed/v6TWct7VqCY


> Peter Kent 20 hours ago
> This is interesting but how is this on par with the first announcement of DSLR video? First off it's way too expensive to go mainstream and the end result isn't much different than what you could do with a steadicam. I get it's an improved steadicam that can do a bit more but come on, game changer is a bit much for this.
> 
> Vincent Laforet PRO 19 hours ago
> ...





> xCreative PLUS 18 hours ago
> Stabilization result is really impressive. Also pleased that the device can be held with one hand. However, in my view, your words as "revolutionary", "Game Changer" is greatly exaggerated. When I read your blog entry (before the official video), I was expecting something completely unimaginable. There are many questions: first of all - the price. "The entry level M5 is $ 7,500 and the mid level M10 is $ 15,000." - After this words becomes clear that about any indifilmmakers, videography and other are not talking. Steadicam, type, Glidecam, Flycam, Merlin are ten times cheaper and yield similar results. Also not entirely clear how this device to shoot footage - top - down. And most importantly - on the Glidecam, Flycam can quickly "throw" camera monopod rig etc. using a quick release plate, and how to rearrange the camera on the device, from the video, it was not clear.
> 
> Old Dead Eye PLUS 7 hours ago
> I agree. It's interesting when reading the blog that after the price is mentioned suddenly there are a lot of justifications and comparisons to other products. Almost as if Vincent Laforet feels that this could be sold for cheaper but is trying to rationalise. At $3000 this would've been a game changer, at $7500 the only revolution is might cause is with productions commanding a 5 figure budget or more. DSLR's were a game changer because for what they could do, they were pretty much within most peoples budgets. I think due to Vincent Laforet's association with the history of those cameras, there is some serious manipulative branding going on here. Nice device though and I'm sure it'll do well at the top, just a shame that it couldn't be a little bit cheaper.





> The Shot Above PLUS 1 hour ago
> At this price it is way beyond what I at least was expecting. I own the Zenmuse, and I use it with a hacked GH2 or simular sized DSLR. Others are currently working on this exact rig for an Epic and by summer, it will be available with the Alexmos control boards....so for under $1,000 I can build one. Your previous "Radian" system by Freefly cost $1,100 for the electronics plus another $1,500 or so for the rig and servo motors. Servo motors have [now] been replaced by brushless motors at the same price or lower, so the prices should be dropping not going up. I get it, your the first to do it with larger cameras, but this victory will be short lived for all of one more month. Get the price reasonable for what it is cause 1,000's more are coming.


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## Policar (Apr 5, 2013)

It's very cheap. Relative to a $50k budget for a short or $1 million for a very low budget feature it's nothing to rent something like this.

If you want it and can't afford to buy it, rent it. Footage looks fine, but not quite "great" yet. I'd love to use one of these and plan to rent one for a few projects if I can. If these become popular so will ultra small cameras (1DC, etc.) perhaps...


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## Gulado (Apr 6, 2013)

Oh so his game changer was something he's making money from? Surprise surprise...

The next chump to use the term game changer gets a free enema.


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## azezal (Apr 6, 2013)

I guess I'm gonna be grilled for saying that I find this product to be a game changer, well atleast for me but then i'v Said it so ...............I dunno


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## AG (Apr 7, 2013)

azezal said:


> I guess I'm gonna be grilled for saying that I find this product to be a game changer, well atleast for me but then i'v Said it so ...............I dunno



I have to agree.

For those of us shooting low budget shorts and indy films the price of the current model puts it out of affordability to purchase outright but I'm still going to rent one when i get a chance to have a play around.

I feel that a lot of people that are complaining that this is "just another gyro" or steady cam obviously don't need what this would be used for. 

It seems that whenever someone mentions even the hint of something to do with DSLR Filmmaking on this forum, people go into witch hunt mode, as if its going to bastardise the sanctity of pure DSLR photography. Or something along those lines.


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## azezal (Apr 7, 2013)

AG said:


> azezal said:
> 
> 
> > I guess I'm gonna be grilled for saying that I find this product to be a game changer, well atleast for me but then i'v Said it so ...............I dunno
> ...



+1
The price makes renting a better option


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## npeters (Jun 7, 2013)

From reading his blog, my guess is that it will be an IS version of his favourite 24-70mm f2.8 lens. Here in Australia the lens RRP is $2,400, more than the old 5D2 body used to sell for.


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## KyleSTL (Jun 7, 2013)

npeters said:


> From reading his blog, my guess is that it will be an IS version of his favourite 24-70mm f2.8 lens. Here in Australia the lens RRP is $2,400, more than the old 5D2 body used to sell for.


Couple months too late. It was a video stabilization system that uses accelerometers and ultrasonic motor for a lightweight and silent solution.

http://www.freeflysystems.com/products/moviM10.php


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