RED V-Raptor X in 2026: my 2-year review Nick Salazar 2026-09-21 | RED V-Raptor X in 2026: my 2-year review
Getting 1200fps from a Mirrorless (Optical Flow Test) Nick Salazar 2025-10-01 | Just a quick test of what 1200fps looks like using Optical Flow. Source video was Sony A9 iii at 120fps, 1/8000th shutter. I'm extremely happy with the results in this case. Good enough for me to scratch the "ultra slow motion" itch when it arises for the kind of work I do. No, it's not for all cases, but it's good enough for me.
Why GREAT actors work on NO-BUDGET films Nick Salazar 2025-09-28 | Watch the Trailer!!! youtu.be/ZyRZ5jH0CSYJust because your project is small doesn't mean it can't be GREAT. Now that my film is in the can, I'm going to start diving a little deeper into how we made it, and some of the really important things we learned along the way.
The Game of Life - Official Trailer Nick Salazar 2025-09-18 | Written & Directed by Nick SalazarCopyright Stillside LLC, 2025. All Rights ReservedCamera Operator: Dawson StorrsCamera Operator: Arlo Pérez Esquivel1st AC: Jason EitelgeorgeGrip: Heather WheelerStarring:Brittany ShonkaAlexa PottsMark CanjarArt RazoCharles DumontNatalie LocketzLindsay CaputoEquipment:Camera: RED V-Raptor X - red.comLenses: DZOFilm Arles - dzolink.com/3I9AgR7 Lenses: Xelmus Apollo - xelmus.comLighting: Aperture and Amaran LED fixtures - aputure.comSound: Rode Wireless PRO, Zoom M3, Shure SM7B, Sennheiser MKH 416
DZOFilm Arles, Vespid 2, and Thypoch Simera-C Nick Salazar 2025-09-11 | Quick Look at three very different but equally impressive lens sets. Lots more to come.DZOFILM Arles: dzolink.com/3I9AgR7 DZOFILM Vespid 2: dzolink.com/3W6HisR
why I IMMEDIATELY preordered the Vespid 2 Lenses Nick Salazar 2025-08-28 | I couldn't help it, apparently I'm a complete lens junkie now. I know some of you couldn't care less, but some of you are here for it. Let's goooo!DZOFILM Vespid 2: dzolink.com/3W6HisR
Incoming! Arles vs Lustre, full review soon. Nick Salazar 2025-08-11 | A quick look at the Lustre lenses which just arrived. More info here: DZOFILM Arles: dzolink.com/3I9AgR7 DZOFILM Lustre: dzolink.com/3VpIAiz
Today’s mobile Raptor build. Nick Salazar 2025-07-26 | Just a quick look at how I have this Raptor built up for a shoot where light weight and easy mobility is important. Low weight doesn’t have to mean using bad gear, it just takes a little more care and planning. Here’s my version of a compact Cine rig.
The Future of mobile Cinema is ... an adapter?? Nick Salazar 2025-07-24 | Thypoch has upped the game for lightweight cinema lenses with their new Positive Lock M-Mount Adapters. You can find them here (affiliate link, offers 5% off): store.thypoch.com/products/thypoch-m-lens-adapter?ref=NICKSALAZARI'm a big fan of what Thypoch is doing, which is why I was happy to take a look at these new adapters. They sent them to me for free, but no money changed hands, other than when I actually paid THEM to buy my original set of Simera-C lenses. For more info on Simera-C, check out my in-depth review of the set here: youtube.com/watch?v=8qkLGmY8C-ATo get 5% off any Thypoch order, use this link and use NICKSALAZAR at checkout. At present, they're also running a promo for a free Tilta Follow Focus with the purchase of a full set of lenses: store.thypoch.com/?ref=NICKSALAZAR (I do get a referral bonus for purchases made through that link, so if you'd like to support my work, please feel free!)
Unboxing Thypochs new Simera Adapters Nick Salazar 2025-07-17 | UPDATE - the adapters are now LIVE on Thypoch's web store, available in E, RF, Z, and L mount, and you can find them here (affiliate link with 5% discount): store.thypoch.com/products/thypoch-m-lens-adapter?ref=NICKSALAZARJust a quick look at Thypoch's new adapters for Simera-C and other M-Mount lenses. These are a very nice step forward. I'm a big fan of what Thypoch is doing, which is why I was happy to take a look at these new adapters. They sent them to me for free, but no money changed hands, other than when I actually paid THEM to buy my original set of Simera-C lenses. For more info on Simera-C, check out my original videos here: First Look: youtube.com/watch?v=UFi5WdyerWASimera-C REVIEW: youtube.com/watch?v=8qkLGmY8C-ATo get 5% off any Thypoch order, use this link and use NICKSALAZAR at checkout: store.thypoch.com/?ref=NICKSALAZAR (I do get a referral bonus for purchases made through that link, so if you'd like to support my work, please feel free!)
Watching fireworks ... in Anamorphic? Nick Salazar 2025-07-05 | Just a quick few test shots I took during the firework craze this weekend. Personally, I really like how everything looks, and the Xelmus lenses always make things look nice. Enjoy!
the WILDEST flares Ive ever shot Nick Salazar 2025-06-27 | Just a quick test inspired by the recent movie A Complete Unknown, which shot a lot of night scenes as deep as T11 on the Panavision C-Series lenses. This is a test of something similar with my Xelmus Apollo 40mm lens. Wild stuff.
Xelmus AURA: Perhaps the finest cinema lenses ever sold. Nick Salazar 2025-06-10 | I'm incredibly grateful to have gotten the chance to demo these fantastic lenses. They truly are unique and I can't wait to shoot on them again some day. What do you think of them? Oh, and what do you think about my little pre-roll jingle with the NS icon? Should we keep it, or is it lame? If it stays, I might add "NickSalazar.com" on top of the NS logo for future videos.My previous videos about Xelmus:1 - My first go with Xelmus: youtube.com/watch?v=Quqm36ovhL02 - Modding Xelmus for square format: youtube.com/watch?v=e0VhD7TVT_03 - Buying my OWN set: youtube.com/watch?v=UK6wtzEhhFs
Xelmus Apollo: why these change EVERYTHING for me. Nick Salazar 2025-05-09 | I've talked about these lenses before, but today we're going to go just a bit deeper into what they are, why I love them, and why my new set has really changed how I look at scopes generally. This is a LONG video, so if you don't like rants, run now. If you enjoy the details, buckle up cause this one's full of them :-)Things mentioned in the video include:The Scope Series by Media Division: youtube.com/@MediaDivision/search?query=scope"Anamorphic Channel" by Tito Farradans: youtube.com/@AnamorphicChannel/videosNew Life Cine: newlifecine.comThe Keep Camera: thekeepcamera.comThe Keep Camera Instagram: instagram.com/the.keep.cameraNorthwest Camera Co: youtube.com/@NorthwestCameraCo/videosV35 Project: v35project.com
Second Reef Coral: the PRO anamorphic youve never heard of! Nick Salazar 2025-04-23 | Another quick look at some lenses from the showroom floor at NAB Show 2025. I didn't get a lot of time to test them, hopefully that changes some day soon :-)
Directing for Amazon Prime: Director Shea William Vanderpoort Nick Salazar 2025-04-11 | Ever wondered what it's like to go from indie filmmaking to working for Amazon Prime? Let's talk to Shea William Vanderpoort who directed the series finale of Harlem. My thanks to Shea for sitting down with me for this interview about his journey, directing, and all things filmmaking. You might not have expected this channel to turn into a long-form interview format, but it's well worth the change of pace for the amazing stuff in this chat. I hope you all enjoy it!Find Shea on instagram at instagram.com/sheawilliamvanderpoort
DZOFilm Arles Lustre: my favorite sphericals get TUNED Nick Salazar 2025-04-09 | Apologies for the slightly hot/saturated audio. Keep checking back for more from the NAB showroom floor. Hope you're enjoying the coverage! #NABShow2025 #NABShow #NAB #cinematography #lenses #dzofilm
Best swag from NAB Show 2025: Blazar Mantis scale model! #blazar #lenses #filmmaking #NotLego Nick Salazar 2025-04-08 | ...
Blazar Mantis: their BEST lenses EVER Nick Salazar 2025-04-08 | Just a quick look at the Blazar Mantis 1.3x anamorphic from the showroom floor of NABShow 2025. Plenty of test footage including a close look at the flares, and my thoughts on these lenses, Blazar as a company, and the budget anamorphic space generally. Enjoy! And stay tuned for more NAB 2025 coverage.
I just shot a movie. Heres what I learned. Nick Salazar 2025-04-04 | For those of you who have been following along, this is a HUGE step forward in my journey towards completing my first independent full-length feature. This block of shooting was a BLAST, and I cannot wait to get the remaining pages in the can and start editing! Thanks for all your support.
Small room? Go WIDE. Nick Salazar 2025-03-18 | A really fun update today featuring some very unique lenses from Laowa. Enjoy!
My Perfect Focus Pulling Station Nick Salazar 2025-03-15 | About to start shooting my first feature, using this setup. Wish me luck!
First of its Kind: the Thypoch Simera C in M Mount FULL REVIEW Nick Salazar 2025-01-18 | Full review of the Simera-C lens set in M Mount. I know there isn't a ton of demo footage here; I only received the lenses about a week ago, and I just wanted to get this video out as fast as possible. I'll probably post more footage from these gems as I continue to shoot with them. Below are links to some things I mention in the review. Feel free to hit me in the comments if you want to know anything else that I didn't cover. Get the Simera-C set here: https://www.thypoch.store/?ref=NICKSALAZAR - use code NICKSALAZAR at checkout for free shipping.Here are the adapters I'm using (they had the least play of everything I tested):TTArtisan E to M mount (for Sony cameras): amzn.to/42qmi4GTTArtisan RF to M mount (for Canon and RED cameras): amzn.to/42iEQUsComparisons of Simera to Leica lenses:Phillipreeve.net: phillipreeve.net/blog/hands-on-thypoch-simera-28mm-1-4-and-35mm-1-4Fredmiranda.com: fredmiranda.com/forum/topic/1878983 and fredmiranda.com/forum/topic/1825553How to correct for vignette in Resolve: youtube.com/watch?v=K8lEkgZ9ptM
Preview: Thypoch Simera-C in M-Mount: the Mini Cine Miracle! Nick Salazar 2025-01-09 | I preordered these a while back and now they’re here. “But Nick,” you say. “Didn’t these JUST become available for preorder?” Why yes dear viewer, that’s true. But the lenses were shown at IBC back in September, and I absolutely hounded Thypoch/DZOFilm for weeks and weeks until they took my money for an M mount set. And now that my set is here, I can’t wait to start shooting and tell you why I think these are some of the most important lenses in the market today.
Anamorphic Lens Flares: wheres the limit? Nick Salazar 2025-01-01 | Some silly test shots from a little New Year's celebration at the Salazar household. I wanted to see, for myself, how much anamorphic lens flare is "too much?" Some people go by a rule of "one flare per edit." But for me ... the limit might not exist, especially on the Xelmus lenses ;-)Happy New Year everyone!
do NOT buy the DJI Ronin 4D Nick Salazar 2024-12-21 | Three strikes and it's out for this one. Maybe this camera works well for some folks, but here's why I don't recommend it.
The NEW SmallHD Monitor Clamp Nick Salazar 2024-12-17 | Just one of those little parts I needed to exist, but didn't ... so I made it! Get yours at fzerocamera.com/plastic
Xelmus Anamorphic in Square Format? Nick Salazar 2024-12-14 | Here's a very fun little experient I did with the legendary Xelmus Anamorphic lenses.Again, a BIG thanks to Riley Hanlon for lending me these lenses, and letting me experiment with them. Check out his ShareGrid rental listing, which is (as far as I know) the ONLY set you can currently rent with the ability to mount rotated: sharegrid.com/denver/l/337363-xelmus-apollo-anamorphic-prime-lens-seriesOr check out Xelmus in general, at xelmus.com
The best anamorphic lens money can buy Nick Salazar 2024-11-26 | Big thanks to Riley Hanlon for loaning me these lenses. Check out his listing for them on ShareGrid: sharegrid.com/denver/l/337363-xelmus-apollo-anamorphic-prime-lens-seriesOr check out Xelmus in general, at xelmus.com
Cameras all SUCK (and how to fix them) Nick Salazar 2024-11-22 | Okay, this one is me in full-on rant mode. If you prefer to see fun demo footage from a new lens, that's next week's video. If you like hearing an old man be grumpy on YouTube, then this one's for you.
Breakthrough Filters: pricey but worth it. Nick Salazar 2024-11-10 | Fair warning - this one really does drone on for a while. If you don't want to hear me talk aimlessly, feel free to move on. I won't hold it against you :-)
The secret ingredient has arrived! Nick Salazar 2024-11-02 | As I start to get familiar with my new Sony A9 iii, I’ve been trying to find out how to make it play nicely with some of the stuff I use on my larger RED camera. This little beauty from Breakthrough Photography helped seal the deal! Since lots of folks keep asking: the right-angle USB cable on the LiDAR and focus motor is a DJI product, which I bought right here: amzn.to/3YLQ3uK
Sony A9 iii vs RED V-Raptor vs Canon R5 C LATITUDE TEST Nick Salazar 2024-10-31 | Just another useless test that you probably wish had been conducted differently. Enjoy!
Sony A9 iii: WAY better than we thought! Nick Salazar 2024-10-29 | I took a flier on this thing, and so far it's been very rewarding. Not perfect, but a lot better than the reviews had led me to believe. Here's why this might just be my new favorite small camera.
review bias (dont hate me) Nick Salazar 2024-10-10 | This rant has been in my head for a WHILE now. I hope it doesn't offend too badly, but even so I feel like it needed to be said.
The truth about DJIs Focus Pro LiDAR system ... Nick Salazar 2024-09-24 | As usual, this one is a bit of a rant. Enjoy :-)
Custom Caps: it’s all in the details :-) Nick Salazar 2024-09-19 | I wasn’t thrilled with the standard DZOFilm lens caps, but found a solution with a combination of Aliexpress and 3D printing. I got the 95mm caps on Aliexpress. They're absurdly inexpensive, fit great, and they're very well made (metal lined with flannelette): aliexpress.com/item/3256803952269152.htmlHere's the STL for the lens cap toppers I designed, for those of you who want to print them yourself or play around. nicksalazar.com/files/95mm-cap-toppers.zip Or, if you want to go for custom caps, you can get them from Simmod or Cordvision. They appear to be basically the same construction as the Aliexpress caps, but with nice custom graphics options and still very decently priced.Simmod: simmodlens.com/product-page/95mm-o-d-custom-lens-caps-all-brandsCordvision: cordvision.com/shop/95mm-cine-rings-and-caps/95mm-deluxe-cine-lens-cap-optionally-marked
The gimbal didn’t deserve this … Nick Salazar 2024-09-15 | I’ve been playing with the DJI Lidar system and it is really fun. But with my set up getting heavier and heavier, I wanted to see how far I could push the Ronin RS3 Pro. Turns out it’s pretty robust. 
DZOFilm Arles: the Perfect Lenses? Nick Salazar 2024-09-06 | For those of you who want to see more sample footage from my Raptor X or the DZOFilm Arles, enjoy! For those of you who think I talk about Arles too much ... well, this video may not be your favorite. I fell in love with the 50mm and 100mm demo lenses I got to review, so I bought the full set. This video explains why, and includes demo footage from all focal lengths.
XEEN Meister 85mm T1.3 Cine Lens - FULL REVIEW Nick Salazar 2024-08-24 | A longer-form view of my take on this very interesting lens. Big thanks to XEEN for letting me take a look at it. Stay tuned for more gear stuff. It's an exciting time if you like nerding out about cameras.
XEEN Meister: the T1.3 Cine Beast - FIRST LOOK Nick Salazar 2024-08-16 | This underappreciated lens set has been on my radar for a while now. It's a modern, VERY fast, clean set by the folks who make what has been one of the most popular budget cine primes ever (the original XEEN set). While the original XEEN lenses are getting a little long in the tooth, the newer Meister line definitely caught my attention. What are they like? Let's find out together. This is just my first look, and I'll be going more in-depth with them, so let me know if there's anything in particular you'd like me to test.
MOTORLESS Follow Focus. Can we Make this BETTER??? Nick Salazar 2024-08-13 | Sometimes, I really want a stripped down ultralight camera rig. Canon's tiny RF lenses and other modern glass fits the bill really well, with some very impressive little optics. They even have their own integrated focus motors. So why can't we leverage those motors with wireless follow focus products? The ONLY obstacle is software. Canon, RED, Sony, Nikon, Fujifilm, Olympus, etc... can you make this work please? So far RED is the only one who has even dipped their toe into this space, but it requires an iPhone and is cumbersome to say the least.
Making impossible Lenses Nick Salazar 2024-08-04 | At first, this is a quick tip on using Power Windows for vignette control, and then we get into a slightly deeper dive on when, how, and why this is helpful. Lens design, exposure, and noise floor all come into play. Also, for more information on the F-Zero Camera demonstrated toward the end of the video, head to youtube.com/@fzerocamera or fzerocamera.com
Great data EVERY time: RED V-Raptor [X] Workflow Nick Salazar 2024-07-29 | By request, here's a bit of a breakdown of how I tend to shoot with the RED V-Raptor [X]. Come to think of it though, "RED V-Raptor [X]" is becoming a bit of a mouthful. I've seen "X-Raptor" used as shorthand and I think I like that, but I worry it might be confusing. Any other suggestions? Just "Raptor" maybe?
Lens Compression and Other Lies Nick Salazar 2024-07-19 | This is a long one, so here are the topics: 1. Lens Compression doesn't exist.2. Equivalency of Lenses exists, and it's important. 3. Anamorphics don't work as commonly described.4. If you have some time to listen to this overlong rant, I'd love your opinion on my "lens quest" and the idea of buying just one exotic lens.If you want to look deeper into Equivalency of Lenses, then I highly recommend digging into the Depth of Field calculator by Points in Focus, which you can find here: pointsinfocus.com/tools/depth-of-field-and-equivalent-lens-calculatorAlso, if you dig the shallow depth-of-field thing, or want to look at more great adapted lens projects, here are a couple that have inspired me:Media Division (I LOVE this guy and all his work is fantastic): youtube.com/watch?v=-4uzyhbDFasDIY Perks (this project got a lot of buzz): youtube.com/watch?v=9cT0jXI7l4EAnd you can see the F-Zero Camera at fzerocamera.com
Laowa Proteus Review: Surprisingly Good 2x Anamorphic Lenses Nick Salazar 2024-07-07 | I had the opportunity to play with the Laowa Proteus anamorphics, a set of no-holds-barred cine primes that deliver a gorgeous 2x image that is rated as Super35+, but covers full frame on the V-Raptor. Thank you Laowa for sending me these lenses to play with, thanks to my wonderful family for playing dress-up with me for the test, and a huge thanks to YOU for watching! I absolutely love playing with this kind of equipment and making these videos, so thank you for your time and support. Enjoy!Quick note: toward the end of the video I mention that the Nanomorph lenses in PL mount protrude too far back to use a VND adapter. After reviewing the specs on the Laowa website, it actually looks like everything from the 35mm and longer WILL fit the Breakthrough VND. I'd have to check to be sure, but the specs line up, and given my experience with the Athena primes, it appears that using spec sheet math for that particular adapter is reliable. So I'm curious to find out. On the Nanomorph zooms, they don't have a spec sheet, but from eyeballing it, I'd *guess* that the 28-55mm doesn't fit, but that the 50-100mm would fit with the Breakthrough VND.
Powering the V-Raptor for SIX HOURS: SmallRig VB212 Nick Salazar 2024-07-01 | Thanks to SmallRig for helping me put together this little Frankenstein battery. I certainly didn't invent this idea, and you'll see similar concepts at work in a lot of modern productions. Generally the operator wears an Easyrig vest with a bunch of stuff bolted to the back (batteries, Teradek, etc), then the power and SDI cable go together in a single cable sleeve over to the camera, either handheld or on a gimbal or Stabileye. This was my first time trying something like this, and it works really well. The SmallRig batteries let me daisy-chain for 6 hours of runtime and keep the weight in my hands relatively low, even with bigger lenses. Here's what I used in the video:SmallRig VB212 Battery: amzn.to/4clmcxC10-foot DTap to LEMO (for V-Raptor or Komodo X): amzn.to/3L65syw
Why Fast Lenses MATTER: final thoughts on DZOFilm Arles Nick Salazar 2024-06-27 | See the rest of my Arles review videos at youtube.com/@nick_salazar/videos
