Andrew Reid

You are so smart Andrew, a daylight shot with a good sensor doesn't need any noise reduction, maybe these samples are just at some ISO they are not meant to be. The ship is definitely not a silhouette area, it's not shot against the sun altough it is in the "shadow", it's shot 90º off the sun with a lot of ambient light, looking east (if that is australia) at mid day, there should be no fucking noise at all. 

But hey, for vimeo videos, who cares... Let's wait for some lowlight samples, and the ETTR mystery solved.

Firstly, don't need the attitude problem in my backyard so quit it or be quitted.

You don't get how a raw image works.

With a DSLR, the sensor and image processor are 'gained up' to a set ISO. The ISO is baked into the image.

With raw, all the image is data is present and you can apply any ISO in post, to any part of the image. When you play with the levels in a raw file it is like playing with ISO on the camera.

Like shown in Zacuto Shootout, a DP uses a light meter to measure the ISO of different objects in a scene. This signpost would be rated for ISO 3200 and the bright sky for ISO 200. Then they can choose the appropriate film stock.

With John's raw DNG frame the default ACR exposure when dropping it straight into Photoshop does not go off the metadata of the file, it is a guess. It has already lifted the exposure considerably as you can see by dropping some of the other shots into Photoshop which immediately appear too bright and need bringing down.

By not crushing back the shaded red signpost in the shadows you're pushing the limits of the sensor in terms of high ISO noise.

If you'd tried to shoot this same frame on the GH2 and exposed it the same, that signpost would be unrecoverable and the noise would be far blockier and more compressed.

What you're suggesting is just incorrect. You're suggesting the sensor is noisy at ISO 200 in good light. It isn't. Check your facts with another source before posting more misleading comments.

Everybody can break an image, much harder to make one.

This amount of luma noise is pretty normal and you can get rid of it without smearing fine detail. Try that instead of just breaking stuff. See if you can fix it. If I have time I will fix it and show you.

These are silhouetted areas of the image and under exposed. I have opened the DNG in Photoshop and that's what they are.

Also with raw you need to apply any noise reduction in post as the camera doesn't do any. You have not applied any NR and you've blown the area up 400% or something to magnify the grain. The grain is a nice fine texture on the BMPCC and nothing like what you're representing.

Fine grain is actually quite a lot like film, and people often add it voluntarily in Film Convert so a bit of texture to the image isn't actually always a bad thing.

It certainly looks worse than ML raw from the 50D.

http://www.specsavers.co.uk

Don't think the mids are noisy, I think the shadows when pushed into the mids are noisy. John has exposed for the sky I think. These shots are beautiful looking, and really push the boundaries of 13 stops dynamic range. This is a 10x better image than what we're used to from the GH2 and GH3.

The rear glass size is 50mm, the attachment thread size is of course larger. Was 52mm on the prototype. Likely will be same on the one in LA.

I expect Andrew will bring some stepping rings.

But if you are bringing a lens to try it on, make sure it has a small front element and is a prime not a zoom.

Yes it has a rotational mechanism where you loosen a collar and rotate the lens block. This part of the design is finalised and improved on the pre-production lens compared to the V3 prototype I tried.

Iscorama paranoia haha. Yes. When I am shooting with one, I look around on the street to see if there's any shadowy figures watching!

Canon won't have Blackmagic's niche market until they have software as good as Resolve, and software designers capable of making it.

In the software world the Japanese are actually way off the cutting edge.

Isn't Cinema EOS a bit off topic? We're talking about the enthusiast video market.

I think Mr Harding hit the nail on the head - Canon are more interested in the billion dollar consumer market and billion dollar pro market than they are in the million dollar enthusiast video market.

They will just have to watch as Blackmagic come up through the million dollar enthusiast video market to take over both the consumer and pro market then with keener pricing and more compelling products, haha.

Clue is in the word VOLUNTEER programme. If you don't think an exciting new anamorphic lens that improves massively on the LA7200 and comes bundled with a $500 cine lens and two diopters is worth more than the price of ONE 10 year old used LA7200 on eBay then you clearly have no reason to VOLUNTEER to buy one!

No I mean are you paying cash as you are suggesting we do.

 

It's not a troll comment. You've thrown quite a lot of vitriol towards other gear blogs like PB for this exact thing, it only seems fair if you are specifically enticing your reader base to purchase this thing that you disclose if you are doing the same. S'all i'm sayin.

I'm not suggesting you do anything, apart from maybe f***ing off from the forum for good.

The offer is out there. I think it's a good one. Take it or leave it.

For the more constructive crowd... If you are in San Francisco on October 21st or LA on October 26th, Andrew from SLR Magic will be holding a meet up there, for people to try the anamorphic.

Email support@slrmagic.com if you're interested.

Andrew i'd still like to know if you are paying the 1300 to participate in the prototype round, it's fair disclosure since you

are suggesting we do.

Some of the comments on here are outrageous.

It isn't a case of paying to enter a prototype round. For a start, it isn't a prototype round! It's a pre-production lens, identical in design to the final version and it is coupled to a retail "Mark II" cine lens. It is reduced in price to reflect the fact it is the V1.0 product. They could have just opened the sales but they are honest in calling it a testing stage and requiring user feedback.

If you want to wait until the retail version, feel free to shut the f*** up and wait until 2014. But don't complain on here if you have no interest in contributing to the project and owning the lens on offer.

I would happily pay the $1300 myself if I wasn't in the position of instead devoting massive effort into helping them with the product, in terms of the flare, test shoots, feedback, blog coverage... the works. That effort spent on a commercial project or a book would have made me a lot more than $1300, so that's the sacrifice I've made in time.

@Andrew.  Please can you get confirmation from SLR Magic on if this is a 2 or 3 element design because this is a deal breaker IMO.  - if its the 3 element design, with the choice of single coating, DSO will start researching into a nice fast taking lens for dirty looks and boosted ovals on this thing:)

It was actually SLR Magic who told me it is a 3 element design. I don't doubt them!

Once the final version is ready, with final coating, housing, etc. then there's going to be far better tests out there so people can properly evaluate it.

My footage shows the lens is sharp on the Blackmagic Cinema Camera and 35mm T1.4. What it doesn't show is the character on full frame, the sharpness at fast apertures, the performance against the LA7200, and a ton of other stuff because it was only a prototype.

I think critics need to bear this in mind. Indeed like myself, nobody has all the facts yet.... it's early days.

In my opinion the volunteer kit is good value for money and it is the final lens. Compared to similarly priced existing lenses -

- It is more practical than the LA7200 especially getting close focus.

- It is WAY more practical than dual focus stuff and heavy projection lenses

- Much sharper at fast apertures than LA7200

- Much sharper edges than LA7200

- The 35mm T1.4 is a nice prime for Micro Four Thirds users

- Build quality is very good, not cheap plastic like LA7200

- Edwin and my footage to judge it from - both were nice looking in my view

So yeah not a full battery of tests or info yet but for those not sure, just be patient. Don't sling mud at something without having all the facts.

if you are talking about the rare focus century it will not be like that.

that was 3 times the price of the non focus century.

 

i have 3 of those very nice full focus helicoid quality product perfect fo m/43 still not an iscorama but better than panasonic big chunk of glass.

Tony my friend...

Enough of the bullshit now.

You don't know if the SLR Magic lens is like the rare focussing century as you've never had your hands on it.

Stop making blind assumptions just because they are Asian.

It will work on full frame. It's an adapter, you don't have to only use it on the 35mm T1.4 and Micro Four Thirds.

Once lens is out of prototype stage and into pre-production stage, samples will likely come from full frame.

Edwin Lee says it works well with Zeiss primes.

Such rumours have been put around before about the 7D and have not turned out true, if Canon really were interested in pros using DSLRs for video they would not have a Cinema EOS line. As for enthusiast video I really think they have kind of given up.

Sony sensor I read. I will believe it when I see it. Toshiba seems more likely. I've also ready conflicting reports over whether it does 60i or 60p. Sony sensor does 60p (as A77) and Toshiba sensor more likely to do 60i (as D7100). Another interesting feature is it does 4K MOV files from the time-lapse interval mode.

First DSLR with 4K... Kind of!

Just to clear up some of the misinfo... It isn't a rework of any existing lens, century or LA7200 and it isn't a single element design. It is a custom design, 3 elements, a real anamorphic. Flare is tamed in new version. Andrew at SLR Magic and I had a long discussion about what attractive anamorphic flare is and what isn't.

If one approaches new stuff with a suspicious mind just do it based on the facts that's all I'd like to see. I remember when SLR Magic brought out the lovely 12mm T1.6, Vitaliy and others tried to dismiss it as a reworked CCTV lens with wide angle converter!

Edwin Lee is next to shoot with the V4 lens, when he posts the footage I will blog about it on the site. Then you we be able to judge the pre-production lens. I shot with the prototype. Big difference.

Really nice condition. I believe this to actually be an original Iscorama not the 36.

The original is single coated, flares more. Has 30mm rear element but hardly more vignetting than a later '36'.

Very nice sir.

I guess you are going to participate? :)

When you have no MFT BMCC laying around this time, gimme a call - just like the last time :)

 

Regards!

Certainly will do. I will also enjoy using it on the Pocket camera.

C'mon Andrew; your'e sitting on a mountain of choice glass which no doubt includes the aforementioned lens range and it did not cross your mind to see how this thing performed with them. What kind of review is that?

 

You got me thinking that you may have sold yourself cheap for the price of a pizza  :rolleyes:

 

Asking folks to spend $799 or more without an option for a refund is illegal business practice in the European Community, as it contravenes distance selling regulations, inciting folks to do it is an entirely different ball game (cf bollocks!)

 

So what is the answer to my question - let me guess - B-L-U-R ?

With the vested interests you have in impractical projector lenses, I can hardly take a word you say seriously about this.

I agree that the lack of specs is a bit worrying. Can we have a wee bit more info on the thing?

Is the diopter now replacing the macro focus switch we'd read about on prototype units? Which lens coating (if any) did they opt for?

Just need to know if it's worth listing my LA7200 on eBay or if I should keep the thing for now.

It is much sharper at the edges than the LA7200. The flare is no accident, it is designed with filmmaker input. The adapter is smaller and lighter, and has a built in close focus ring. The optical design is newer and is designed for large sensor sizes, with the 50mm rear element.

The LA7200 is a old 90's adapter for the DVX100, designed for a small sensor. It is OK at F4 or F5.6 on a 14mm lens with Micro Four Thirds sensor. The SLR Magic by contrast is sharp at F2 and F2.8 on a 35mm, with a shallower depth of field especially at closer focus distances. The LA7200 has a large front element, almost impossible to fit a diopter over. The SLR Magic has a standard circular front element which is the right size for a screw on diopter, and SLR Magic have developed their own to suit it. From the diopter to the rear element of the prime they are designed to work together.

Haven't tested it on your selection of unnamed lenses John. How about being more constructive than the usual forum user and buying the kit to find out :) Be part of something great.

So volunteers are basically early bird buyers who cannnot return items, cannot select which ones they want (forcing to buy the 35mm is quite absurd) and have to make a short video for free giving SLR commercial rights on it.

In return? 20% discount on the whole package, plus probably shipping and taxes which bring the price at starting point, if not higher.

Forgive me if I cannot be so enthusiastic about it as others..

Like $799 for a cutting edge modern anamorphic is unexciting... I can only chuckle at that.

Also - the short video is a way for aspiring filmmakers to get their work noticed.

In the early adopter package you're getting the anamorphic for $500.

The 35mm T1.4 cine lens is already pretty good value at $499, then add the set of two diopters for the price of just one used Tokina ($299).

Sorry but you can't fault the pricing.

Iscorama is $3000 + tax + whatever the greed on eBay is rated at these days, so good luck with that.

SLR Magic aren't out to reap a load of short term profit from us and they won't even cover the R&D costs on the initial shipments. They are here to jump start a dead market. Be grateful! There are no new anamorphic lenses. SLR Magic and Letus stepped in and now there are. It is the beginning of something so get behind it. Standing back slinging mud only to reap the rewards in 5 years when they're producing Iscorama beating optics in Asia for consumer prices is myopic thinking.