In a Post Production World session he affectionately referred to as “Spot’s Toybox,” Douglas Spotted Eagle trotted out a table full of useful, often essential, production gear. Much of it was related to audio capture—an oft-overlooked task in video production—and much of it was quite affordable. After a parade of different types of mics, audio recording devices, boom poles, and more, Spot trotted out a fairly large camera rig. If you mentally removed all the accessories, you realized it was actually a small-format HD camcorder - the Sony HVR-Z1, to be precise. (read our review of the HVR-Z1 here)

Spot mentioned that the exact rig, which he dubbed the “Uber Camera,” had been used to shoot the TV series 24. So what all was attached to the small camcorder? Two Hoodman viewfinder accessories. A Bebob Twisty Tap that powers a wireless mic. A Chrosziel Matte box with french flag and side bars. A battery, and a 20W Coco light.

But what really extended the front end—and necessitated the introduction of rails below the camera—was a Red Rock Micro 35mm film adapter. (The rails are included with the device.) In front of the adapter box is an interchangeable film lens. Inside the Red Rock box is ground glass that spins. The camera lens reads that glass and sends it to the camera imager.

This gives feel of film grain, but more importantly lends a filmic depth of field. (The Red Rock adapter also introduces lens choice to cameras that otherwise don’t offer it.) The adapter flips the image - this introduces an issue for monitoring. Spot mentioned that Serious Magic’s DV Rack can flip the image for monitoring, and some monitors can flip the image themselves.

Spot says that he’s done DISH network commercials with the Red Rock adapter, which facilitates output that looks like 16mm film. At $695, it’s a lot cheaper than a comparable P+S Technik 35mm adapter (which, however, includes a prism to re-flip the image before it reaches the camcorder).