Caleb Genheimer

[color=#000000][font='lucida grande', 'Lucida Sans Unicode', tahoma, sans-serif][size=3][left]Hey, everyone. I've been gallery hopping in Chelsea today, and I came across a really interesting film/video piece in the James Cohan Gallery. Anyone in NYC should definitely go check it out. I think it is open for another week or so.[/left][/size][/font][/color] [color=#000000][font='lucida grande', 'Lucida Sans Unicode', tahoma, sans-serif][size=3][left]Jesper Just has made some short films in anamorphic that have two cameras (and therefore two screens) following the story and scene in tandem. They are projected on opposite walls of a dark room in uncropped 3.55:1, with two projectors for each screen. I must say, I looked for the dividing point between the two projector images that make up a single large image, and it is difficult to find and therefore not distracting at all.[/left][/size][/font][/color] [color=#000000][font='lucida grande', 'Lucida Sans Unicode', tahoma, sans-serif][size=3][left]It is a surprisingly immersive experience, requiring you to look back and forth between the two opposite walls. Some of his other films are listed as shot on 35mm, but the 3.55:1 aspect ratio of these images (along with some other things) leads me to believe these were shot on digital.[/left][/size][/font][/color] [color=#000000][font='lucida grande', 'Lucida Sans Unicode', tahoma, sans-serif][size=3][left]As a side note, I'd love to hear from anyone who has successfully "merged" projector images for higher than 1920x1080 resolution. I had always assumed that it was theoretically plausible but realistically too finicky to bother pulling off.[/left][/size][/font][/color] [color=#000000][font='lucida grande', 'Lucida Sans Unicode', tahoma, sans-serif][size=3][left][url="http://www.jamescohan.com/artists/jesper-just/selected-works/"]http://www.jamescohan.com/artists/jesper-just/selected-works/[/url][/left][/size][/font][/color]

I found it, actually. doesn't exist until you run VLC for the first time ;)

I'm having trouble finding the preferences file. I'm running Lion, which might be the issue? I've already unhidden my user library, but there doesn't seem to be any VLC stuff in there. Where else should I look?

If I had to guess, the projector anamorphics from Kowa, Sankor, etc. use a different optical design from the focus-through anamorphics. They were made during a time when Isco had a patent on focus-through technology, and the more recent focus-through designs are all 1.33x squeeze factor, from the La7200 to the Century/Optex units. That being said, there are quite a lot of decent 2X projection lenses, and some downright brilliant ones (the Kowa 8Z/16H as an example). If someone smart figures out how to mod these into focus-through units (even if they must be permanently coupled to the spherical lens), they'd be able to make a pretty penny. I'd shell out a couple thousand to have my Kowa modded to focus-through and coupled to a Voigt f0.95.

Hey Tony . . . was the Isco Inflight 1.75x the one that was up on the 'bay a few months back? I almost bought one but couldn't find enough info to feel comfortable dropping the considerable amount of dough required. How is it?

A lens hitting the sensor? That is just silly. A lens is designed to be a very exact distance from the image plane, and any correct adapter will keep it at that distance. Since it is designed to be that distance from the sensor . . . only a lens DESIGNED to hit the sensor would be able to do so, and nobody designs lenses to do this (ultimate photographer troll, anyone?)

Tony, I'm talking about replacing the thumbscrew ones with the non-thumb-screw ones so they don't stick out all over the place.

I think I might just carry a small flathead screwdriver around and ask RedStan to send me six extra of the smaller nylon screws (Like three of the six already on the front end adapter).

[quote name='EOSHD' timestamp='1346711974' post='17259'] Maybe all these money obsessed filmmakers need to go to school as well. Or at least art class. [/quote] What? Filmmakers taking art classes? That's me; in NYC for the semester and loving it. L.A. last semester, no work this summer, NYC this semester, broke, single and in debt . . . life's a roller coaster. Before you go being a negative nancy, ask yourself what good it'll do in the grand scheme of things (usually the answer is no good at all). Just keep on trucking, learn from the hard stuff, work hard when you get the opportunity. That's what I like about products like the BMCC. There's clear innovation, and were there's innovation these days, there's usually a pretty special team of people behind it. They're persistent, passionate and professional; they wouldn't be able to innovate otherwise. I'm very excited for the BMCC not for the nitty gritty details that it is measured by. I'm exited about what it means on the grander scale. It is innovation and progress. Hats off to Blackmagic.

Ah, Dula Lock. Another brilliant little innovation from 3M. Gotta love it.

Anyone tried two cameras on a mirror rig to offset and double their FPS?

The game is changing fast, that's for sure. If this becomes reality, the next question is wether they will move the FS line over to this full frame mount. I could see it going either way. If they make the next FS full frame, it may be enough of an upgrade to give them one more model before they have to think about giving it RAW capabilities. They may, however, make the argument that as a small cinema type camera, the FS line will remain Super 35 . . . in which case I think they'll have to go RAW with that line pretty quick to stay on top of their game. Either way, the next FS cam will be in prime position to kill the current EOS cinema line. Canon needs to either jump in or jump out pretty quick.

I'd say wait a bit. New cameras are coming pretty soon.

I think this is yet another sign of how things will begging in the camera business from now on. Until such a time when there is a full-featured, high quality cinema camera for under $4K, enthusiastic cinematographers will continue to attempt and make their own. The GH2 is a prime example of this, along with the NEX body kit as well s ReWo and other high quality cages and gear. This goes to show that many are still looking for much more than what is currently available from any camera out of the box. The first camera company to realize this and cater to it would be able to capture a large and loyal user base very quickly if they played their cards right. The latest offerings are much closer but still leave something to be desired. The BMCC has a smaller than S35 sensor, as well as completely unnecessarily long FFD. The Sony FS700 does not yet shoot 4K, and does not deliver RAW, but is otherwise incredibly well-endowed. Canon is either using old sensor tech, or slaps on a $15K price tag. Also, rolling shutter is still an issue basically across the board. If I were a betting man, I'd put my money on Sony coming up with the first truly great RAW camera. The FS cams are a perfect candidate, and the BMCC is almost certainly forcing many of the big players to seriously consider RAW offerings. They have all the trappings of a serious video camera (ND, XLR, etc.), as well as the incredibly short FFD NEX mount and a S35 sensor. I have a sneaking suspicion that there is another race happening in the shadows, though . . . one between RAW cameras and compressed codecs that are very nearly just as good. Compressed codecs have the potential to be every bit as good as shooting RAW once sensor DR reaches a certain point, assuming the DP is careful and exposes correctly. It may take until after several good RAW cameras are on the market before folks start realizing that RAW is not a necessity.

Oh, also . . . has anyone replaced the ungainly-long plastic screws in the Redstan clamps with some small female hex ones? I'm thinking of trying to do this. having them stick out is a pain, I'm afraid because they're elastic I'll end up breaking them off.

Ok, so I've had my Kowa 16-H for a while now, and just shot my first short film with it, and I now have a few questions after my first real use of the lens. [list=1] [*]I was shooting very quick, improvising as we went. This meant the Tokina ATX diopter went off and on the Kowa a lot. It inevitably got smudges, etc. Those with Tokina ATX diopters . . . how do you clean them? I tried a Zeiss lens cloth, but that left streaks. I'm seriously considering permanent protective glass either side of the Tokina seeing as it is an expensive, rare, high damage-risk type of item. Am I crazy for considering this? [*]How do you cap the back of your Kowa when not in use? I have the Redstan clamp set, which is great, and I'm thinking of getting a threaded rear cap that fits the rear Redstan clamp. Are there other options? [*]How to support the Kowa's weight? There's no denying, the Kowa is a massive chunk of glass and metal. The weight of it puts a lot of stress on the focusing mechanism of the spherical "taking" lens that it is mounted to . . . so much so that many of my taking lenses seize up, almost unable to focus. Does anyone have a support solution for alleviating the weight of the Kowa? Perhaps one designed for a 15mm rod system? A regular lens support won't work with any taking lens with a moving front (most older lenses). It needs to both support the Kowa and slide in and out with the taking lens as it focuses. [*]Has anyone tried pulling focus with two pullers and two follow focus units? Theoretically, this should be possible . . . assuming the camera and actor movements are accurate. Does anyone have a gear on their Kowa? Just curious :) [/list]

Still so glad I don't have L glass. Don't get me wrong . . . it is great for stills on a Canon DSLR, but for video I've found that fly-by-wire focusing is near impossibly impractical for me personally. A nice Sony video full frame DSLR would be awesome. I love their products, just waiting for the right one, really. I've shot with FS100 which is an awesome step-up from DSLR, and the NEX cameras give a big bang-for-buck. All they really need is a full frame mirorless FScam. I'd jump on that train right away. This could be the next best thing, though.

Oh, there's plenty coming soon. I've got a short film that will be in the can by the end of this week that is shot on this lens excepting one scene where I was in a tent and used a 24mm to get wider. I'll certainly throw up a link on this thread once it is edited and on Vimeo.

I have the Konica as well, and I love it. It is a pancake lens on the konica system, so it is relatively small and VERY light weight on the GH2. Canon FD lenses are of good optical quality, as are Tamron Adaptall-II lenses of which I have several. There are innumerable older lenses from various systems (Canon FD, Nikon Ai, etc.) that are all really great glass. The awesomeness of the GH2 is its ability to use these lenses thanks to a short flange distance. If you're really set on shallow DOF, make sure to get lenses faster than f2. I didn't pay much attention to maximum aperture when I started buying lenses, and I now find myself desiring shallower DOF than my f2.5 Tamrons can provide. Ultimately, however, the only lenses that will give you that "full frame 5D super-shallow-wide" look are the Voigt 25mm and 17.5mm f0.95 lenses. I would have a Voigtlander already if they had a longer focal length f0.95 in micro four thirds mount. 25mm is a bit too wide to play nice with my Kowa anamorphic.

Hi, all! Just thought I'd share some photographs that I took today with my Kowa 16-H, Mir-1B, Tokina ATX diopter, L.C.W. Fader ND MkII, Redstan clamp set and GH2. Its just a sandcastle, I'm trying out some "professional" sandcastle building techniques, and it is actually quite fun. I was extremely and pleasantly surprised at the image that came beaming through this lens combination. At 37mm, the Mir-1B is a perfect mate in terms of focal length for the Kowa 16-H, and as a lens, it is a Flektagon copy, so it distorts very little. My Kowa has decently thick flares, classic blue from the light source and a lighter aqua blue secondary flare. The older Russian glass of the Mir-1B splashes the Kowa horizontal flares with some very warm, Lomo-esque ovals and big, faint blue rings sometimes seen from Panavision.

wha- where did the picture go?

Yeah, I know. I've found my Kowa to be incredibly crisp and clear even without a diopter, so I'm not too worried. I am, however, trying to figure out how to use ND filters without killing all the flares.

RX100 casing would be cool, especially if you came up with some sort of anamorphic solution.

the general consensus on the la7200 is that it needs diopters to be sharp. stopping down can improve things a bit, but diopters do the best if you get good ones.

That's why I've got a Tokina Achromatic 0.4 diopter on the way from Redstan ;) Its a multi-element diopter that works to cut a lot of that junk.