Andrew Reid

I film look takes a lot of data.   I think the compression required on DSLRs plus the fact that engineers think grain is a fault, makes for a very electronic looking image.

I think they need to get focus sorted out for digital displays.   Peaking isn't the answer. Nothing they have come up with so far has been much good.   I would suggest a small green focus confirm box which moves around the frame and sits over the focus point like a face detection square.   That is the least intrusive way of showing where the focus is.   Peaking makes my composition look like it is bleeding and the magnified focus assist is absolutely 100% useless when trying to shoot live action.

Yes it is a shame Nikon don't make a mirrorless camera as serious as the D800.   They have very old school people who think optical viewfinders and mirrors are somehow relevant in 2013.   Of course from a business perspective swapping to mirrorless may involve an entire lens line-up to be wiped from shop shelves. Canon and Nikon both got bitten in the ass big time when they moved from the old AI / FD glass to modern Nikon and EF lenses so they are relucant to let this happen with the mirrorless revolution. Both pay lip service to the mirrorless models, the lens line-ups for the EOS-M and 1 Series are PITIFUL.   I think they want us to keep buying the old glass and not just to adapt any old crap to their new camera :)   But Sony have gone the other way since they don't have such a big legacy of existing glass to protect. They actively promote third party lens adapters in their Sony Style stores, at least here at the flagship one in Berlin. Interesting strategy which I feel benefits their camera sales, but not so much their E-mount lens sales. So you can understand Nikon and Canon wanting to hold onto their magic ability to 'lock' people into a specific lens range.

It certainly explains the dynamic range. Combining the two exposures at the earliest opportunity is very clever.

There's just been some pretty startling research published by a university in the UK which could herald the biggest change to imaging since the switch from film to digital. Indeed before it has even begun, 4K may become obsolete along with resolution itself - killed not by 8K or Super-Hi Vision but a completely different kind of technology. A vector based video codec has been developed at the University of Bath.

The other thing to look out for is that only Leica R lenses adapt to Nikon mount easily, the rest are a no-go even M42 which is off by 1mm.

It looks like Toshiba didn't get the memo "All DSLRs must suffer from moire and aliasing in video mode". The Nikon D5200 equipped with a new Toshiba sensor appears to outperform both new full frame Nikon D600, Canon 6D and even the Nikon D800 when it comes to video.

I find the magic window magnified focus assist is working well. Keeps your composition full screen and magnifies the centre.

Well, at least it encourages one to be extremely economical with takes - almost as if editing in camera like John Ford. That way when you get the stuff back to the editing room no producer or executive can mess with your shoot quite as much ;) Less control sometimes equals more control!   It is the anamorphic mode I'd still love to see, as that has a material effect on image quality. I'd love those almost-2000 lines of resolution, it would be competitive with 4096x2160 on the 1D C if you cropped that but used an anamorphic on the BMCC. I certainly would rather shoot that way than hanker after 4K in any future model.

  No - GH2 is better than AF100 on a test chart for resolution.

I've tried the GH3 with Blackmagic HyperDeck Shuttle 2.   Unfortunately there's no quality gain from the HDMI 1080i output. Internal codec is very good and the HDMI output is interlaced before it reaches the external recorder. I could successfully deinterlace it with JES but final result was a bit softer than internal recording. It would be interesting to try the 1080p output, but you'd need a recorder that can do 1080/60p.   It doesn't do 24p or 25p native 1080p via HDMI. The 24/25p is PsF (interlaced wrapper).

Nope. Shot on it tonight and love the image. It is the best image you can get cheaper than a Red. Lots more Blackmagic stuff coming soon. Things only slowed down because of the winter period and Christmas.

What's new? Timelapse interval recording Canon lens F-stop display on the monitor ExFAT file system support for SSD media SDI output now supports RP-188 timecode I've installed the update and here's what I think...

So how do you think they shot this material? With an empty box!?   https://vimeo.com/41309513   https://vimeo.com/37930525   https://vimeo.com/53660366   https://vimeo.com/38327634   https://vimeo.com/38286282   Do you think this bunch of engineers sit on Facebook all day with no work to do?     What WOULD they do with no working prototype? Why employ them at all?   Your hypothesis is fundamentally flawed.

Engineering samples and prototypes exist. If that is fiction then maybe there's a bit of HAL floating about in space?

I really do believe people need to cut them some slack.   It took a company with a backing of millions of dollars (Red) years to deliver their first camera and it was very late.   These guys have what, $150,000 from Kickstarter? That is peanuts.   They are delivering a camera which does 2.4K from a global shutter for $3000!!!   This will be a fine back-up for the Blackmagic where rolling shutter would be an issue on the BMCC CMOS sensor.   The image quality from the samples so far look great.   The form factor is fine, it is is still a picture making box like all the other cameras. I don't see what is wild and weird about it. The handle comes off and you can rig it up like a DSLR or put it on a tripod. I do prefer the Epic's form factor but there were very few complaints about the original Bolex's form factor, and tons of interesting 16mm stuff was shot with just the handle and nothing else.

  Got a link for more info? Somehow I missed this.

I'm really impressed by this new Digital Bolex blog post detailing what they have been spending all this extra time on. The project has had a massive yet very sensible improvement on the original specs of the camera.

The latest model looks really impressive. Glad to see the extra time taken is being put to very good use.

You know what I mean :) If we start taking away useful modern technology because 'the film guys coped' then we wouldn't get very far.   NEX 3 = $200 = peaking   1D C = $12k = no peaking!!   I think Canon's thinking here is that everyone will use it with a monitor or EVF which supplies the focus assist tools and so they don't have to spend a dime adding it to the display.   Actually since the built in display is so small that is the thing that most needs it.   Stupido

You'd be surprised how far you can push 1080p though.   Go to the cinema for starters... Last thing on my mind there is 'wish it were sharper'   I also saw 1080p Blu Ray upscaled to 4K and it looked like... 4k.

That wasn't the case if Philip's labelling was anything to go by.   He put "100% crop" on the 4K screen grab.   No mention of downscaling to 1080p.   Maybe it is not clear and maybe that is what he did.

  Agree it is very nice image (as it should be for $12,000) as long as you're not doing heavy grading work and don't mind some banding on skies, skin tones, walls, etc. Bringing up shadow areas on actors faces will not bring good results, I think the 1D C is something that benefits from being lit as well as possible and crushing the blacks for a more contrasty look = better tonality. Glad you are enjoying yours. I am trying to get one to test soon.

  1. You're f***ed 2. $1000 on top of $12k is not much, most will already have one. Atomos Samurai should go well (since you'll also need the monitor) 3. If it is portability you want then go for a DSLR no question 4. Battery - need to research that

  Tell them I sent you :)