Dust, Sweat, but no Tears

We think it’s high time we brought you more news from one of our more unusual clients, in the form of the TMV 6x6 development program. We took a call from Michael Hodges recently (who heads up top auto agency MPH) to shoot a second round of off-road images for the military vehicle manufacturer. Just days prior to the 6x6M SF’s launch at Millbrook’s DVD exhibition, Michael, expert video cameraman Rob Knowles (who’s expensive, but dusty-looking gear is pictured above), myself and the TMV development engineers hot-footed it down to Millbrook for a spot of roughtie-toughtie action with their latest incarnation of the ‘go anywhere’ fighting machine.
The proving ground’s cross country track is always fun at the best of times, made all the more dramatic by clouds of dust thrown up by the TMV and our Vauxhall Frontera chase car.
The static’s were shot with the Phase One, but for moving images we switched to the new Canon EOS 1D MK IV, using a mix of 50mm f1.2 L, 70-200 f2.8L IS MK II and the 300mm f2.8 L on the front. This has been the first real, under pressure test for the new MK4, to which it really coped well. The focus tracking (as Canon claim) has got better, aided by the addition of heaps more focusing points and improved sensitivity. We’re having less luck with the 5D MKII, but that’s another story completely.