Projects
WALK LIKE AN EGYPTIAN Jeremy Benning on how the F900R stood up to the rigours of the Moroccan sun to give stunning results
“It’s a tank – a workhorse.” So says cinematographer Jeremy Benning of the HDW-F900R which he used recently on a week-long shoot in the blistering Moroccan sun for Wide-EyedEntertainment’s factual comedy The Egyptian Job about a daring heist on a pharoah’s tomb.
“I've used this camera in just about every condition you can imagine – extreme heat, humidity, dust, cold, vibration – and whatever you throw at it, the F900R just keeps on ticking,” declares Benning.
Despite its reputation for resilience, Benning took the precaution of constructing heat shields for the cameras using silver foil car windshield protectors on exterior sets where temperatures reached 47°C. “The only exposed part was the metal carrying handle, which was so hot that you could not touch it for more than a few seconds,” he recalls. Benning and director Nick Green decided on Zeiss Digiprimes and 17-112mm
Digizooms to limit the F900R’s depth of field for the look required. “To help keep the depth of field as shallow as possible I shot at the maximum T-stop on the Digiprimes and zoom. The Zeiss lenses look wonderful wide open, with lush soft backgrounds and fall off. I use the Sony filter wheel and a Polariser filter, which is great for tweaking burning highlights on skin, allowing me to dial in just how much shine I want.” “With fantastic optics like this on the F900R, the full potential of the camera can be utilised,” says Benning, who adds: “The rental cost of these lenses is often an issue but the results justify the expense – everyone always comments on how spectacular the F900R looks with this glass.” Another benefit of using this lens and camera combination, adds Benning, is that the latitude of the camera’s CCDs is expanded, with highlights holding further into the extremes, with minimal flaring.
Autumn 2010 theproducer 21
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