Three hundred mile-an-hour speeds, extreme gravity pulls, high wind, turbulence and tight spaces recently gave a hard workout to a combination of Sony’s XDCAM HD optical camcorders and the company’s new XDCAM EX solid-state memory camcorder.
Director and cameraman Jody Eldred used the Sony cameras at the “Gathering of Mustangs & Legends” air show in Columbus, OH, which brought together a collection of more than 50 legendary World War II fighter pilots. The crowd got an aerial demonstration of vintage P-51 Mustang fighter aircraft and current U. S. Air Force aircraft.
Eldred had four crews shooting throughout the four-day event using the PDW-F350, the new PDW-F355 and the new PMW-EX1 XDCAM EX camcorders. Each camera was chosen for a specific application, since there was a range of different shots and environments.
To capture dramatic POV footage, Eldred attached a fisheye lens adaptor to a XDCAM-EX1 and mounted it inside the cramped cockpit only inches behind the pilot’s head. It performed flawlessly under a stress of 10 Gs.
All the HD cameras were color matched and the video files cut together seamlessly in Final Cut Pro.
For more information, visit www.sony.com/XDCAM.
