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What's in ISSUE 1?

(Published May 2010)

NEWS FROM NAB Our man in Vegas gives us the low-down on the products that caught his eye this year.

3D - IS IT REALLY THE NEXT BIG THING? are being spent developing new products - but does the punter really want them?

BADGERWATCH The enigma that is Tony Badger takes a quirky look at the Canon EOS5 MkII and assesses whether it will improve his chances of BAFTA glory.

KITTING OUT THE ONE-MAN DOCUMENTARY MAKER What will you need to help you make top-notch programmes (besides talent, flair, insight - and a commission)?

SUPERMAN'S BEST FRIEND No, it's not Lois, it's a go-anywhere shoot anything marvel!

JUST HOW MUCH TECHNOLOGY CAN YOU FIT IN ONE BOX? We wave goodbye to mountains of traditional kit as we say hello to the ingenious Tricaster from NewTek.

YOUNG, GIFTED AND SCOTTISH We find out why director Michael Ferns couldn't celebrate his film's success at the Festival of Fantastic Films...

A VIEW FROM THE BRIDGE What drives the fastest-growing broadcast and professional solutions provider in the UK -or should that be who?

SO YOU NEED TO CHOOSE AN EDIT SYSTEM? We conduct a Q&A session with the man with all the answers.

GOING TAPELESS Everything you need to know about tapeless acquisition - we explain the formats, the codecs, the features and benefits, and we discuss best working practices in this invaluable reference work.

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What's in ISSUE 2?

(Published October 2010)

NEWS FROM IBC A look at the products that caught our eye in Amsterdam

PANASONIC AF-3DA1 We get our hands on the first all-in-one 3D camcorder - does it cut the mustard?

BADGERWATCH Badger makes a music video on a shoestring (well, on Colin and Barbara actually). Will it make Annie Jones a star?

MONEY FOR NOTHING Just how sensible is it to finance your kit? We examine the arguments - moral and financial...

THE BEST E.N.G. CAMERA? Professor Flux Capacitor goes 'Baxter the Future' to find out!

TO HELMAND AND BACK... Wheeler Dealer Mike Brewer on the making of 'Frontline Battle Machines' for Discovery.

A RARE LOOK AT A RARE BREED... What makes a Broadcast Engineer tick? Brett McCaughan fixes it for us to find out.

STORAGE SYSTEMS FOR NLE Do you know what type of storage is most appropriate for your needs? Brummers provides the data...

CANON XF305 REVIEW We put Canon's BBC-approved offering through its paces - at the race track and in the laboratory

SOUND DEVICES Peter Knowles waxes lyrical...

MATROX PLAYS HAPPY FAMILIES Find out how Matrox's MX02 is taking HD to the Max...

IT'S ALL IN THE SOFTWARE! Dean Jackson profiles two big-value offerings from Quadrus

WHAT'S HAPPENING TO MY RADIO MICS? Peter Knowles gives us the low-down on the switch-over from UK69 to UK38, and why it's a great opportunity to go digital.

NICE LEGS - AND SILKY SMOOTH TOO! Don't get too excited - we're talking tripods! But then again, it is Manfrotto's excellent new 504HD

DATA PAGES Every current broadcast/professional camcorder rated - or slated

FEEDBACK We print some of your comments, and announce the winners of our competition

WHITE BALANCE OR RIGHT BALANCE? Phil Baxter extols the virtues of the Blues (and the Greens)

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What's in ISSUE 3?

(Published February 2011)

NEWS A look at the products that have been catching our eye...

GROUP CAMCORDER TEST The Iron, the Ship and the Hamster - a detailed comparison of three sub �3.5K HD camcorders, one each from JVC, Canon and Sony.

IT'S ALL ABOUT GOBS! Peter Knowles takes us through the basics of good audio recording practice.

AFFORDABLE DIGITAL CINEMATOGRAPHY CAMCORDERS Our team put The PANASONIC AG-AF101 and The SONY PMW-F3 through their paces and examine the technical merits of each product.

THE TECHNOLOGY SECTION

TAKING CORPORATE COMMUNICATION TO THE BANK A look at how HSBC UK tackles the challenges of communicating with their workforce in the UK and their colleagues around the world.

STARTING AN IN-HOUSE PRODUCTION FACILITY We take a look at the questions that need to be addressed by companies and organisations that are thinking of bring their video production in-house.

BADGERWATCH Badger takes a typically sideways look at two prompting solutions that are powered by the ubiquitous iPhone.

CLAPPERBOARD ETIQUETTE Iris reader Peter Ford reminds us why the Clapperboard still has a place in modern digital video production.

UNIVERSITY CHALLENGE Stephen Partridge puts the case for new and stronger partnerships between the digital media industry and Higher Education.

THE iPHONE CHALLENGE We wanted to know if it was really possible to make a professional video programme using an iPhone. Badger was just the test pilot we needed!

THE ANATOMY OF A MATTE BOX Have you ever stopped to take a close look at what a matte box is, how it's made, and why? We have - and we like to share!

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What's in ISSUE 4?

(Published May 2011)

NEWS from NAB A look at the products that have been catching our eye in 'Vegas...

SONY FS100 We test the latest addition to the clutch of 'Big Sensor - Shallow Depth of Field' camcorders and discover it'll be hard to beat at the price.

WATER BABY! Sony's new NX70 doesn't let anything get in the way of acquiring stunning pictures - including dust storms and a raging torrent from The Squirrel's patented 'CamShower'

BADGERWATCH 'Dear John' Badger is invited to try JVC's HM750E camcorder, but warned NOT to call it silly names... Hmmmm!

GLIDECAM X-22 After a prolonged acquaintance with Glidecam's popular stabilisation system, Simon Wyndham gives his verdict.

THE LADY OF THE LOCH We visit the Scottish Wildlife Trust's Visitor Centre in Dunkeld and meet a bird who's story is making news all around the world.

BLU-RAY PRODUCTION Iris reader Oliver Clements has spent several years finding a production and authoring workflow that doesn't cost megabucks. He shares his findings with us - thanks Oliver!

WOMBAT SCIENCE Alan Roberts compares three large sensor cameras using empirical science rather than personal judgement. Wombat science? All will be revealed....

HOW TO BUILD A STUDIO Peter Knowles discusses how NOT to make a dog's breakfast of the process.

LED LIGHTS - JUST HOW GOOD ARE THEY? Ian Muir examines how far LED technology has come, and explains why all LEDs are not equal.

BRUMMERS BYTES Chris Brumwell takes a close look at the latest offering from Avid - Media Composer 5.5.

PRODUCTION STORAGE file-based acquisition here to stay, Phil Myers looks at our options for storage.

THUNDERBOLT It's not a new Bond movie - it's not a bird - it's not a plane.... So what is it?

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What's in ISSUE 5?

(Published October 2011)

NEWS from IBC A look at the products that have been catching our eye in Amsterdam...

BADGERWATCH Steffan Hewitt shows Badger how to get some stunning shots armed with a DSLR and an ingenious set of carbon-fibre poles he had in a box in his car... It's a Polecam masterclass!

3D BABY The Squirrel reports on his time with a pre-production prototype of Sony's new ultra- compact NX3D1E stereoscopic HD camcorder. Can it really go from 0-3D in just 2 seconds?

EXTERNAL RECORDERS Phil Myers gives us a guided tour of this new product segment that seems to have arrived almost overnight....

BAXTER THE FUTURE Everyone's guessing about what Canon are going to announce on November 3rd in Hollywood... Will it be the EOS5D MkIII - or something even more interesting? Enter Mr Baxter, our resident clairvoyant....

THE FINAL CUT PRO DEBATE... Does the latest incarnation of Apple's NLE software still deserve the 'Pro' moniker? Craig Heffernan rehearses the arguments.

NEW TECH FROM NEWTEK It was nearly 18 months ago that we last looked at Tricaster - NewTek's 'studio in a box'. Since then the accolades - and the developments - have been coming thick and fast.

POLE CAM MAN Phil Coates is one of the world's most experienced 'extreme conditions cameramen'. Armed with Canon's latest compact HD camcorders and a sled-ful of batteries - he set off on an expedition to the North Pole. We find out how he got there.

SQUIRREL SEES THE LIGHT Just what lamps should a modern-day lighting cameraman nave in his kit? Our tame expert gives us his view based on years of getting it wrong....

WOMBAT SCIENCE Our favourite 'professor' attempts to explain how to devise a meaningful rating system for TV lights.... How's your differential calculus?

CUBES AND CUBELETS... Phil Myers looks at Teradeck's family of wired and wireless encoders and decoders for HD streaming and monitoring.

MAKING THE GRADE Brummers checks out the latest version of DaVinci's industry-leading 'Resolve' colour correction software from Blackmagic Design.

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What's in ISSUE 6?

(Published February 2012)

APPETISERS A look at the products that have been catching our eye...

CANON EOS C300 Philip Bloom takes Canon's new Super35mm camcorder for a long weekend in Brittany. Romance blossoms!

WOMBAT SCIENCE Alan Roberts believes that the C300 could well have been prompted by a suggestion he made... Whatever, he was keen to test its performance in the Wombat Laboratory.

THE NEW BOLEX? Den Lennie has been shooting with the Sony FS100 since it first appeared on our shores - he gives us a 'seasoned user's review'....

`KARAK'S RANT! Worried that we're like corks bobbing about in a tempestuous sea of technological change, Karak vents!

SONY F65 - WHY WOULD YOU BUY ONE? Everyone knows that it's good, but here's a rather more in-depth look at the technology that explains why.

TECHNOMORPHOSIS That's what happens when you install the guts of a 3D High Definition cam-corder into a set of binoculars... and it's a seriously cool phenomenon!

ONE CAMERA IS NOT ENOUGH! Squirrel believes that today's cameraman needs a range of increasingly specialised weapons in his camera bag....

BADGERWATCH Badger is a hugely experienced NLE editor, but he'd never done it in the third dimension.... until now! 3D all about it!

THE HXC-D70 - SONY'S NEW STUDIO STAR OneShirt & Squirrel, both closet professors of studiology, have joined forces to give us the run-down on this exciting newcomer

THE ONLY WAY IS DIGITAL Peter Knowles makes the case for digital radio microphones

LIGHTWAVE ELEVEN Mat Recardo leaves behind his 3D modelling addiction for just long enough to give us the lowdown on the features and benefits of LW11 (no, it's not a postcode)

SONY F65 - WHY WOULD YOU BUY ONE? Everyone knows that it's good, but here's a rather more in-depth look at the technology that explains why.

4K - THE BIG PICTURE The next technological tidal wave is crashing in already - how long before we're watching 4K at home? Never say never..

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What's in ISSUE 7?

(Published May 2012)

NEWS There was a plethora of new and exciting kit announced at NAB 2012 - we look at some of the highlights including new cameras from Sony, JVC, Panasonic - and Blackmagic Design

SONY F65 - HANDS ON The first projects have now been filmed on Sony's flagship. We get the low-down from the people who have actually used it...

SONY NEX FS-700 Den Lennie was one of the first DoPs to work with it... here's his review.

CANON EOS C300 Jamie Knights is a freelance cameraman/DoP who has been shooting broadcast programmes with the c300 for nearly 5 months. Does he like it?

3-PLAY Ever wondered how broadcasters can instantly play back that wonder goal from 5 or six different angles? Here's NewTek's way....

ADOBE CS6 Brummers, our trusty staffer and NLE guru takes a look at Adobe's latest version of Creative Suite and finds that they have their head in the clouds.. ..

ARCHIVE Data, data, data - just how are we expected to store it all.... and where? El Shrimpy's guide will enlighten us....

DATA WRANGLING In the new tape-free world of acquisition, just whose responsibility is it to back up all those ultra-valuable camera files?

CINEDECK With new external recorders hitting the market every week, Phil Myers looks at the range that seems to do it all...

SONY XMPILOT Metadata is all well and good, but camera operators already have enough to do... Hyper Slim investigates Sony's ingenious new solution to the problem...

WOMBAT SCIENCE The good professor explains how the science of measuring the performance of cameras has now been translated into a new EBU standard

CAMCORDER GUIDE

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What's in ISSUE 8?

(Published November 2012)

NEWS Although it was a while ago now, IBC this year provided its usual feast of new and interesting products. Here are some which we haven't covered in more detail later in the magazine...

WOMBAT DOES IBC You'd expect Alan Roberts (aka Professor Wombat) to view the show from a slightly different perspective.... and he does!

'THE NEW F' When we discovered that Sony were about to announce a new addition to their large sensor camera range, we promised to delay the publication of the Iris to cover it... Feast your eyes on the sensational new PMW-F5/F55!

PANASONIC LUMIX GH3 A surprisingly capable HD video acquisition device masquerading as a harmless-looking mirrorless compact stills camera... prepare to be impressed!

LIFE WITH THE BLACKMAGIC CINEMA CAMERA... James Tonkin is one of a very elite few. When we met he'd been shooting with BMD's elusive Cinema Camera for over a month, so naturally we were very keen to find out what he thought about it...

DAVINCI RESOLVE 9 The BMD Cinema Camera comes complete with a full version of DaVinci's Resolve 9 - fast becoming the industry'd favourite colour grading software. So how easy is it to use? We explain...

BADGER MEETS PMW-200 Our trusty Badger reviews what is probably Sony's most important new camcorder for several years... Does it cut the mustard?

DATA WRANGLING In the new tape-free world of acquisition, just whose responsibility is it to back up all those ultra-valuable camera files?

OUR BIT-RATE EXPERT ASKS 'WHEN IS ENOUGH ACTUALLY ENOUGH?' Broadcasters may not all agree, but Sony are aiming to at least keep Aunty happy with their new additions to their PMW range of camcorders and recorders....

ACTION CAMS GoPro used to have the market pretty much to themselves, but now competitors are popping up all over the place.... but are they any good?

MEDIA COMPOSER TURNS 6.5... ...and our man Brummers is tasked with finding out what new toys Avid has brought to the party.

HAS ANYONE SEEN ADOBE ANYWHERE? Brummers has, and he's happy to spill the beans....

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