Buying Guides

So the wait is now over and you’ve finally got your hands on one the most sort after cameras currently on the market, but what now? You need the camera to fulfil a specific task but how do you go about doing that; perhaps you need the aid of some of the many accessories that work seamlessly alongside the Blackmgaic Design Pocket Cinema Camera 4K. With so many on the market, aimed at delivering different results and from a whole host of brands it can be a mind field. So we’ve put together our selection of ‘Recommended Accessories.’ Lenses The...

Introducing the next generation handheld 4K digital camera Blackmagic Design Pocket Cinema Camera 4K What's all the fuss about?! Blackmagic Design’s original Pocket Cinema Camera took the industry by storm. It was, and still is, used extensively throughout the industry for everything from shooting Vlogs to filming big budget movies as a B-camera. Whether stripped back for use in-car, or rigged with follow focus, matte box, external monitors and battery systems on-set, the Pocket Cinema Camera with its RAW and ProRes recording capabilities established a new benchmark for the industry. The revolutionary new Blackmagic Pocket Cinema Camera 4K is the...

G-Technology recently produced a quick animated video showing the barebones basics of RAID. If you missed it, check out the video below: https://youtu.be/guNXlbG_294 Now, they aim to quickly recap that video and take you on a slightly deeper dive into which RAID levels might be best for your needs and how to implement them on your G-Technology storage enclosure. By the time you've finished reading, you’re going to know: How different RAID levels are suited to different workflowsHow switching between RAID levels is probably easier than you thinkHow to change RAID levels on the fly with a G-Technology storage enclosure RAID...

The Ultimate Guide to External Hard Drives External Hard drives have massively increased in popularity in this digital age, whether it's for simple back-up purposes, additional storage or the need to transport large digital files from one location to another.  Often, modern day laptops and notebooks ship with a Solid State Drive (SSD), partly as the smaller size (2.5”) allows the manufacturer to keep the size and weight down, and partly because they are blazingly fast compared to their full size (3.5”) spinning cousins.  However, the smaller size and increased performance comes at a cost and not just in pounds...

For the dedicated audio engineer or music producer, studio monitors are an essential part of your setup. In previous generations, a high-quality finished piece of audio could only be achieved at a professional studio, but thanks to the wonders of modern technology it’s now possible to enjoy professional results in the comfort of your own home – and studio monitors are key to making the most of your recording space. Unlike standard speakers, which are designed to enhance the sound of recordings, studio monitors aim to provide an accurate reproduction of the original recording – by giving you a ‘warts...

In years gone by, a dedicated audio engineer would have had to visit a professional studio to guarantee their productions were of the highest quality. But the lightning pace of technological improvement has ensured that, nowadays, creating a studio in the comfort of your own home is no longer an impossible dream. Starting from just a couple of hundred pounds, you can install reliable studio monitors which will allow you to create high-quality recordings with a minimum of fuss – but with normal speakers available at a much lower price, you may be wondering whether the extra outlay for studio...

If you’re a budding audio engineer, you’ve probably heard of studio monitors - but you might not know exactly what they are, and what they do. To the naked eye, a studio monitor can look much like any other type of speaker, but they offer a very different set of features – in fact, in many ways they’re the exact opposite of speakers, fulfilling very different requirements. We’re here to give you a rundown of everything you’ll need to know to get the most out of your studio monitor. Producer or consumer? Where your average speaker is designed to make...

What Pro Tools activation code do I need? Confused about the myriad upgrade options relating to Pro Tools?  Fear not, you are not alone - we get a lot of calls here at ESV regarding the best upgrade options.  In this guide we will try to simplify things and outline the relevant options available to you for your system. I have Pro Tools HD 12 with an active Upgrade and Support Plan that is soon to expire For users who have previously purchased a new system that included Avid’s Upgrade and Support Plan or have purchased an Upgrade and Support...

Whether you’re a professional audio engineer or an amateur musician looking to ensure your work sounds as high-quality as possible, a decent studio monitor is a must for any dedicated music fan. Designed to maximise the quality of your audio when you’re recording, mixing and mastering, studio monitors are essential for ensuring your recordings sound great, offering precision sound that allows you to hear what works and what doesn’t – but they don’t always come cheap, with some models easily costing upwards of £5,000 per pair. For those on a budget, however, there are plenty of options available which offer...