Elevate Your Indie Film Production with Top Lens Rentals from F11 Rentals

Independent filmmaking is an art that requires not just talent and vision but also the right tools. One of the most crucial choices for any filmmaker is the selection of lenses. They are the eyes of your project, capturing your story as you envision it. In Las Vegas, F11 Rentals stands out as the premier destination for procuring high-quality lenses that can bring your cinematic dreams to life. From the versatile Nisi Athena lenses to the renowned Angenieux EZ series and the versatile Sigma Cine zooms, F11 Rentals has got you covered.

Nisi Athena Prime Lenses

For those seeking to add a touch of cinematic magic to their films, the Nisi Athena lenses available at F11 Rentals are a perfect choice. Known for their exceptional clarity and color rendition, these lenses are ideal for filmmakers who demand the best in optical quality. The Athena series offers a range of focal lengths, ensuring versatility for various shooting scenarios, from intimate close-ups to expansive landscapes. Their robust build and user-friendly design make them suitable for both seasoned professionals and budding filmmakers alike.

Angenieux EZ Lens Series

The Angenieux EZ lens series is synonymous with top-tier filmmaking. These lenses are celebrated for their flexibility and superior performance. The EZ series, available at F11 Rentals, offers a modular design that can adapt to different sensor sizes, making them a smart choice for productions that might use multiple camera types. Their sharpness and contrast handling are unparalleled, providing a distinct cinematic look that can elevate any indie project. Whether you’re shooting a drama, documentary, or commercial, the Angenieux EZ lenses will not disappoint.

Sigma Cine Zooms

Sigma Cine zoom lenses are a testament to high-quality filmmaking at an accessible price point. F11 Rentals offers a range of Sigma Cine zooms known for their optical excellence and consistency across the zoom range. These lenses are a boon for indie filmmakers who need flexibility without compromising on quality. Their robust construction and smooth zoom mechanism make them ideal for dynamic shooting conditions. With Sigma Cine zooms, you can achieve breathtaking visuals without breaking your budget.

In the world of independent film production, the choice of lenses can make or break your project. At F11 Rentals in Las Vegas, we understand this. That’s why we offer a curated selection of lenses, including the Nisi Athena, Angenieux EZ, and Sigma Cine zooms, to help you realize your vision. With our gear, your story can be told exactly how you imagined it – with clarity, precision, and a touch of cinematic flair. Visit F11Rentals.com to explore our lens options and take your film to the next level.


Illuminating Your Vision: Leverage F11 Rentals' Professional Photography Lighting and Studio in Las Vegas

Photography is a captivating art form, encapsulating moments in time, telling stories, and inspiring emotion. It’s more than just pointing a camera and pressing a button; it’s an intricate blend of perspective, composition, and most importantly, light. In the dazzling city of Las Vegas, your best partner in lighting up your professional photography journey is none other than F11 Rentals.

Comprehensive Photography Lighting Equipment

At F11 Rentals, we pride ourselves on our diverse range of high-quality, professional-grade photography lighting equipment. Our collection ranges from powerful strobes for still photography, to softboxes for charming portraits, LED panels for videography, and high-speed flashes for dynamic shoots. Whether you’re shooting outdoors in the vibrant Las Vegas backdrop or within a controlled environment, our equipment caters to all your needs.

F11 Rentals’ Professional Studio

Adding to our robust suite of offerings is our fully-equipped, professional-grade studio, ready for your creative exploration. A controlled environment like our studio opens up endless possibilities, allowing you to manipulate the lighting, background, and other elements without external disturbances.

Our studio is perfect for photographers seeking to create dreamy portraits, captivating product photography, or even high-quality video productions. It comes prepped with top-notch lighting equipment, but should you require additional or specific lighting tools, our inventory is at your disposal.

State-of-the-Art Equipment

Our arsenal includes gear from industry-leading brands such as Profoto, ARRI, Kino Flo, and more. Whether you’re a seasoned photographer or a newcomer to the field, our team at F11 Rentals is here to guide you to the most suitable lighting equipment to meet your unique creative needs.

Flexible Rental Options

F11 Rentals provides the flexibility of renting our professional photography lighting equipment and studio for a few hours, a day, or even several weeks. We work closely with you to ensure you have the gear and studio time you need when you need it.

Convenient Pickup or Delivery

Situated conveniently in Las Vegas, F11 Rentals offers easy pickup options. But if you’re on a tight schedule, we’re more than happy to deliver your selected gear right to your shoot location. We strive to make your photography lighting rental experience as effortless as possible.

Unparalleled Customer Support

Unsure about the right lighting equipment for your project? Need guidance on setting up in our studio? Our knowledgeable and friendly staff are readily available to assist. We’re committed to delivering exceptional customer service and support at all times.

Conclusion

F11 Rentals is your premier destination for professional photography lighting rentals and studio space in Las Vegas. With our wide selection of top-tier lighting equipment, versatile rental options, professional studio, and superior customer support, we ensure your photoshoot is perfectly lit, leaving you to focus on creating mesmerizing images. Ignite your artistic vision with F11 Rentals today.


Anti-Theft

Protecting your equipment and crew doesn't start and stop on set, it's a full time objective that deserves the utmost attention. Safely and securely storing your equipment, transportation to and from set, and diligence on location, safety and security are a top priority. There are a few main areas to focus on when it comes to protecting your equipment and personal property from theft.

First, how secure is your equipment at your home/office/studio? Do you have a gear cage, are the cases locked, how inconspicuous is your setup? Cages are not cheap, for sure, but there are some steps you can take to protect your items if that setup won't work for you. Padlocks and zip ties on gear won't necessarily stop the item from being taken, but it may deter a potential thief from knowing what you have. From our experience (unfortunately), not every thief knows the value of that Sennheiser MKH416 shotgun microphone, or that that Sigma Cinema lens is more expensive than the Sony a7S. Instead, they'll go for headphones, laptops, things they recognize. This can be a good thing if they make off with something relatively inexpensive and easy to replace, but being robbed is always a horrible experience. Being inconspicuous has real value, what can you do to make it as difficult as possible to see/recognize your equipment?  What can you do to conceal your items going in and our of their storage place? Work harder than the thief would. Think like a thief. Have people you trust look at your setup and make sure you're not missing something.

Gear in your car. Here's a difficult one. You've got to get it to location somehow, and sometimes you need to leave your equipment in your vehicle while you grab food, get gas, etc. One thing you should never, ever do, is leave gear in your car overnight. At very least, take cameras, lenses, microphones, computers, all the really good stuff that thieves will recognize, and bring them with you. A couple extra cases lugged into your hotel or even into Chipotle is worth not getting broken into and robbed. Thieves work quick! You may think you're just having a 20 minute meal, but it only takes a couple minutes for someone to walk by your vehicle, notice that laptop bag on your passenger seat, and smash and grab.

Lastly for now, gear on set. Just because you've made it on set, does't mean you're safe. Do you know everyone on set? Are there additional staff, people around who may have an opportunity to grab something? It's one thing for someone to walk by your vehicle and know what they're looking it, it's a whole different story once all your amazing equipment is out in the open. If you're in a room at the L.V. Convention Center, the Sands Expo, or a suite at Mandalay Bay, make sure that you know your gear is watched over before you run off to grab a coffee or leave for the evening.

In conclusion. You don't want to live paranoid, but you also don't want to have your expensive and wonderful equipment stolen. Be diligent, invest in insurance, and be smart. A lot of this is simply premeditated steps you can do to ensure that you're operating using good habits. Best of luck, and see you on set!


Vegas Sound Stage

The Importance of Lighting Control

Ask any true Gaffer, Director of Photography, Grip, or Photographer and they will tell you the absolute and unquestionable importance of quality lighting control. For, it's not just the quality of the lights, the camera, the lens, and the location, but the ability to control and create the perfect light for your scene that will make or break your shot.

Similar to really great captured audio, really great lighting may not be noticed by the common view, but bad audio/mediocre lighting will be! Anyone can pop up some LEDs or Fresnels, make a couple adjustments here and there, but to know how to diffuse/intensify the light, to bend it, shape it, warm or cool it to just the right temperature, that's what makes the difference. And, in order to become a Picasso or DiVinci or lighting, you'll need the right tools.

Starting with the right light fixture is of course the first step, after that, you'll need to make sure that you get the appropriate items to control the lights. Whether you'll need exterior dimmers, a flag set, 4x4 frames with diffusion or solid, gels, bounces, etc., we've got what you need.

Now, all this said, you should know when to say when... never let your friends over-adjust and drive... But, if you have time, make another change or two, just to see what it does to the scene; you never know when your masterpiece will be created!

For your next Las Vegas video production equipment rental or Sound Stage Booking, reach out to your buddies at F11 Rentals!


Canon EOS C70 now available!

We have exciting news! We've acquired a few of Canon's new ESO C70 cameras. These cameras are absolutely wonderful, and we would love to tell you about them...

Canon wanted to provide the Cinema EOS quality camera in an EOS R size unit. Think of this camera as a C300 Mark III as a really big DSLR. The size of the camera provides great flexibility and range in how you can support the camera, whether that be by a lighter tripod than the Cinema EOS cameras, a smaller gimbal such as the Ronin RS 2, and smaller drones. Despite the smaller size, the performance, reliability and image quality is great!

Some features include a Super 35mm Dual Gain Output, (DGO) Sensor that is capable of over 16 stops of dynamic range. The DIG!C DV7 Image Processor that you would find in similar Cinema cameras enables up to 4K 120p High Frame Rate recording and Dual Pixel Autofocus. There is also a full 2, 4, 6, 8, and 10-stop internal ND filter system! Lastly for this post, just like in the Cinema cameras, the EOS C70 supports both Canon Log 2 and Canon Log 3 Gamma. The C70 also features HLG and PQ compliance with ITU-BT.2100 in "Custom Picture" presets, which allows you to record HDR footage instantly without grading.

We could go on and on, but we know that's not what you want. What you want is to get your hands on these wonderful cameras, and take them for a spin. SO! Drop us a line, let us know when your next Las Vegas video production is, and we'll get you set up with a great package to capture your cinematic magic!


DJI Ronin RS 2 now available!

We are so excited to announce that we have added the latest gimbal offering from DJI to our inventory. We now proudly offer to you, the DJI Ronin RS 2! This new and improved gimbal improves upon the Ronin S with increased weight capacity, improved performance, and expanded abilities. Paired with a new Canon C70, and you're looking at a compact and very high quality solution for your next project. Make sure to jump over to the gear section and build your perfect setup for your next Las Vegas video production!


C300 Mark III now available!

We've officially taken the plunge and got our hands on a new Canon C300 Mark III Cinema Camera! The latest in the extremely popular, rugged, and versatile EOS C300 line features a Super 35mm Dual Gain Output sensor with up to 16 stops of high dynamic range capability, providing superior HDR recording with low noise.

Canon improved on it's ability to film at high frame rates above 1920x1080; you can know record at up to 120 fps in true 4K, and up to 180 fps in 2K cropped. The Mark III offers Canon Log 2 and 3 gamma modes and the imaging quality that has come to be expected from Canon Cinema.

Beyond the tech features/improvements, some physical aspects of the camera have been greatly improved. The XLR inputs have been moved onto the camera body itself, leaving the LCD monitor to be streamlined and more robust. What was once a weak point in the LCD/XLR input hot shoe mount has been replaced with a sturdier design.

The camera also seems to have grown ever so slightly in size, enabling a few more buttons to be added to the side, saving time going through the menu.

After a few trial runs, it's clear that while the Mark II is still a fan favorite, the Mark III is going to quickly rule the roost. Make sure to reach out and give this camera a go on your next Las Vegas video production.

Canon C300 Mark III

What is a Probe Lens?

One of the cooler lenses to be introduced in recent years is the Laowa Probe Lens. This "weird but genius" 24mm f.14 lens is designed for close-up shooting. The long and slender lens barrel allows the shooter to gain truly unique and unconventional perspectives. This macro lens provides a 2:1 maximum magnification with a 1.5' minimum focusing distance, and an incredible 0.8" minimum working distance! As a wide angle lens (24mm), greater depth of field can be achieved as compared to a traditional telephone macro lens (100mm).

The manufacturer states that the optical design of this lens includes "both extra-low dispersion and extra-refractive index elements, which help to suppress chromatic and spherical aberrations for a high degree of clarity, color accuracy, and sharpness". That quality of design and performance gives the shooter the ability to create truly unique and dynamic compositions that will push your production value to the next level. Because of the wide focal length with macro style depth of field quality, shots can be created that nearly look like CGI!

On top of all this, the lens comes with a water-proof shell and led-front tip so that you can not only go places other lenses can't, but you'll have enough light to actually use the f.14 lens!

So, next time you really need to spread your creative wings and bump up that production value, give us a shout and we'll get you set up with some righteous tools!


Upgrade to our Studio!

We have moved on to the next phase on our studio! We have begun to construct our MakeUp & Wardrobe rooms, as well as our over-head Producer's Balcony.

As we move forward with that construction, we'll also be able to redesign a couple of existing rooms. We're planning on having a very spacious Green Room for your most important talent and "above the line" crew. Along with that, we'll have a prep room for clients who wish to build cameras prior to leaving, test gear, etc.

Our vision for the future is grand, and we're stoked to be moving right along.


Safely Film During COVID-19

COVID-19 is the worst! We're heartbroken for the sick and departed and their friends and families. We're also heartbroken and empathetic to those financially burdened and broken. The masks are hot and annoying, the gallons of hand sanitizer and bleach spray is not free or convenient, and we miss hugs and handshakes. However! We're doing our absolute best to follow the CDC and Nevada State Guidelines so we can beat this and get closer to how things used to be.

All that said, we need to keep the economy going, and do so safely. Here are some best practices and gear to help you stay safe and healthy:

Personal health and hygiene:

Wear a mask and wash/sanitize your hands. Doctors and scientists say it works, so we believe in it. If you don't, and you're entitled to your own beliefs of course, wearing masks and socially distancing as much as possible keeps things open. If wearing a mask keeps us on set/in the studio, we'll happily suffer through it!

Gear cleaning:

Clean and sanitize gear and work spaces. This has been a big priority for us. In hindsight, we should have been doing a better job of this all along. It's not just Coronavirus out there, so, this will be a "forever practice" for us. As a note, make sure to be careful cleaning, not every solvent works for every piece of gear!

Food safety:

Re-imagine meals/craft services. The whole idea of a bag of mixed nuts, tray of fruit, or single large bag of chips without paper plates/bowls is bad enough. During COVID-19 however, those practices must go away completely. Now, I say this also being very aware and careful about single use plastics, food waste, etc. For the foreseeable future, and probably well beyond, meals and craft services should feature individually wrapped meals/items. Another alternative is to hire a serving staff if that's in the budget. Your craft services PA may be able to act as food server if they have appropriate PPE- check local laws on that first though. One last note on this, a growing trend in the industry is to simply add the food per diem to the crew's check, and have them bring their own food.

Recommended gear and such:

As far as gear goes, there are a few items/best practices recommended to keep socially distant. Shotgun mics on boom poles are way safer than lavalier microphones. The Schoeps CMIT-5 microphone will give you amazing audio! It would also be a good idea to invest in any sort of wipes/papers the talent can use on themselves to eliminate oil/moisture on their face. NYX makes a great "Shine Killer" the talent can use on themselves. The Eye Direct Mark II is a great tool to minimize producers on set; the producer can FaceTime in, and you just put the tablet or laptop where the physical producer would have been.

In conclusion:

So, there you have it; just some tips and suggestions to help keep us on set and safe. Again, masks and social distancing are annoying, but THEY'RE NOT GOING TO GO AWAY UNTIL WE ADHEAR TO THE RULES. The longer you don't wear a mask and be distant, the longer we're going to need to wear masks and be distant. So, let's be smart, be safe, and make that money!