Our Team

The People Behind the Gear

Film sets do not forgive bad equipment choices. A failing wireless follow focus ruins a take. A poorly matched projection lens ruins a screening. We built Cine Gear Guide because spec sheets lie. Manufacturers exaggerate. We test the optics, build the rigs, and report the reality.

This site exists for working professionals and serious technicians. We do not aggregate Amazon reviews. We do not rewrite press releases. Every guide, review, and technical breakdown on this platform comes from people who actually handle cinema tools for a living. We know the specific dread of a back-focus issue delaying a shoot. We know the friction of matching vintage glass to modern digital sensors. We deal with these problems daily.

We test. We break things. We write it down.

James Duke, Lead Editor & Technical Director

James Duke runs the technical editorial desk at Cine Gear Guide. He is a seasoned professional in the creative production industry and a key figure at ThinkOTS. James spends his days navigating high-end production environments. He knows the difference between a theoretical camera setup and one that survives a fourteen-hour exterior shoot in the mud.

His expertise covers the entire spectrum of cinematography hardware. James handles our heavy camera system reviews, intricate accessory breakdowns, and optical performance guides. He translates dense technical specifications into practical rigging advice. If a variable iris in a Schneider projection lens jams under thermal stress, James finds out why. He does not care about resolution charts in a vacuum. He cares about how a lens flares when a heavy tungsten source hits it directly. He cares about whether a matte box latch snaps off in the cold.

James applies his deep understanding of cinema technology to keep our readers out of trouble. He points out the flaws in popular gear. He highlights the obscure tools that actually save time on set. His perspective is rooted entirely in the physical reality of production work.

You can verify his professional background and connect with him directly on his LinkedIn profile.

The Editorial Team

We rely on a small group of active industry practitioners to keep our content accurate. They bring specific, granular expertise to our testing protocols.

Elias Thorne, Optics Specialist
Elias spent twelve years as a lens technician repairing and collimating vintage cinema glass. He writes our deep-dive optical reviews, sensor matching guides, and projector maintenance protocols. If you need to know exactly how to clean a multi-coated Tiffen filter without stripping the chemical layer, Elias is the one writing the guide.

Mikaela Vance, First AC & Rigging Expert
Mikaela works as a First Assistant Camera on commercial sets and handles our hands-on accessory testing. She focuses on the daily grind of camera builds, evaluating wireless video transmitters, follow focus motors, and power distribution plates. She knows exactly which cables fail first and tells you how to avoid them.

How We Test and Publish

Trust requires transparency. We hold a strict editorial line on everything we publish. Our readers are working artists and technicians. You need the truth.

We buy or borrow the gear we test. We mount it. We power it. We run it until it fails. We do not accept payment for positive reviews. We reject sponsored content that attempts to dictate our conclusions. If a brand sends us a pre-production unit, we state that clearly in the first paragraph of the review. If a five thousand dollar cinema zoom suffers from unacceptable edge softness wide open, we publish the test charts and name the problem.

Our testing process is rigid.

• Physical Inspection: We check the build quality, the threading on the mounting points, and the weather sealing. We look for cheap plastics hiding behind metal faceplates.
• Stress Testing: We overload rigs. We test wireless signals through concrete walls. We push optics past their intended limits to see where the chromatic aberration starts.
• Field Deployment: Gear goes on a real set. We hand it to operators and focus pullers. We record their complaints.

We explicitly do not cover consumer-level vlogging cameras or budget action cams. We focus strictly on professional cinema tools, projection systems, and high-end optics. We know our lane. We stay in it.

Pitch Us or Call Us Out

Did you find a blind spot in our testing? Tell us. Firmware updates change product performance constantly. A camera system that failed our tests last spring might work perfectly today after a software patch. We update our guides when real-world conditions change.

We want to hear from other working professionals. If you have hands-on experience with a specific projector setup or a rare set of anamorphic lenses, reach out. We occasionally publish guest technical breakdowns from verified industry technicians.

Email the editorial desk at [email protected]. We read every message. We reply within 48 hours.