Neumann Films

Just now, Andrew Reid said:

Blacks are crushed.

 

I know, I know.  I pushed the grade way too far.

This is a bit off topic but...what is your New Years Resolution going to be this year, Andrew?

8 minutes ago, Andrew Reid said:

Is that a 4:3 aspect ratio clue Mr Neumann?

¯\_(ツ)_/¯ (best viewed in original quality in NLE of your choice)

8 hours ago, Rinad Amir said:

Any news on slomo capability?

I'm sure it will be good news, when it's announced.

32 minutes ago, webrunner5 said:

I don't like hearing "the many words in gray" thingy! 6k thing not surprising.

Gray due to it being an early version etc. 

4 minutes ago, Don Kotlos said:

@Neumann Films if you wanted more shaky footage could you let's say use a GX85 with ibis on? 

Also if I wanted to buy a camera in the future what codec would you suggest ? 

 I am afraid I might have more fun decoding your messages than transcoding my future files.

Codecs are codecs, whatever is necessary is usually used IMO.  Some are slower than others but I imagine Adobe and others will figure it out over time. I have never used a GX85.

There is always a "post cost" for a "production gain" when it comes to camera/codec.  So I think it will all come down to what you're shooting and how you plan to finish.  Some shots will call for the beefier codec (where a lot of grading will be used).  If that's not the case, I would probably just go with the lesser codec.

Oh, we are always testing stuff.  Can't confirm or deny WHAT we are testing.

That said...testing is going well.  Wish we had more time to test but at a certain point you just have to call it good (the 15th).

1 bit, 2 bit, 3 bit, 4,

10 is what I have and I couldn't ask for more.

Sensor and lens, balanced and stable,

Shaky footage I cannot capture, even if I am able.

Many words in grey, I wish they were not,

At the top of the list, the word with six thousand dots.

Many boxes ticked.

Funny story.  My wife and I went to Montana to do a Real Estate video for what was, no joke, the most amazing house I have ever been to.  We stayed there for a week.  When we walked in our jaws hit the floor and we just couldn't believe it.  A few days in however and we started critiquing the house a little bit:

"I don't really like where that 3rd hot tub is placed"  

"Gold is SO ugly"

"Ugh...WiFi is so bad here"

Things of that nature.  It hit us both pretty hard.  How despicable.  That was BUILT into us.  No contentment.  Always wanting more.  

Being happy with what you have is a virtue.  It is something that we, as Americans, have to actually WORK at.  We expect more, we want more, because "more" is always at our fingertips.  

How can you stop that train?  Capitalism didn't make it out of the 20th century in my opinion.  True Capitalism at least.

The current state of big business in the US (and the entire planet) is based on the bottom line and lacks any sense of morality.  I was in this world before getting into video.  It is so discouraging.  

I herniated a disk in my back and tried to push through and keep working (on my feet all day lifting and driving forklift).  My managers didn't DIRECTLY say that I couldn't go home, but it was very much insinuated that I shouldn't.  In hindsight, this is still affecting me.  At times it was so bad I had to lay down on the cement and ease the pain before going back to work. Once I finally went to the doctor and it was discovered that it was indeed a herniated disk, the doctor insisted that I stay in bed and heal up.  I was fired for missing work.  Then, when I tried to get unemployment, the company fought it.  It went to a judge and I had to fight to get anything from them.  This was after I did irreparable damage to my back because they couldn't afford to give me the day off.  

Once I was fired, they replaced me with some other kid.  It didn't matter to them.  I was a blip on the radar.  It's not so much a problem with B and H (although, it could be)...it's the system in general.  It's just not good anywhere.  If you're part of the working class, you're replaceable, and therefore you have almost no power.  

Unions can be great.  Any amount of power taken away from the top and given to the guys at the bottom is good.  Without that, there is no balance and what you are left with is no reason for accountability or morality.  

The Inspire 1 Pro/Zenmuse X5 has been really disappointing.  The flickering and poor codec leave a lot to be desired (image quality wise).  It is one of the worst looking 4K images I have seen out of any camera and DJI does nothing to fix it.  Now they announce a new drone and seem content to let current customers eat the mistake that was the X5.

Hoping I'm wrong and they get it right via firmware and then knock it out of the park with the X5R because THAT is the camera I am really keeping my eye on.  Zenmuse X5R on a drone and then the OSMO?  Sign me up.

The difference is that back then a lot of the look was simply the film stock and different film stocks produce different looks.  

The "orange/teal" look has been around forever and is simply a result of using lights with color temps of 3200k and/or 5600-6000k and shooting on stock that is either Daylight or Tungsten.  When they would mix lighting temperatures the result would often be a variation of the "orange/teal look" by default.

I think it comes down to familiarity with a system and sticking with that system instead of ditching it, buying a new camera, and having to re learn what you do well.  I have spent the last 3 years with RED cameras and I am having trouble using anything else.  From the menus to my personal workflow for getting the colors I like, to knowing how far I can push the sensor...all of that stuff.  I hate re learning tech.  Hate it.  I think it's key to find "your system" and get really comfortable with it.  I think the idea is for the camera side of things to be effortless.  Some people hate RED but I would imagine if you spent enough time with it and adapted to it...you would change your mind.  I know I did:

https://www.facebook.com/greenshredder

Absolutely nothing.  Which is exactly what the UHD Blu Ray of Mad Max Fury Road will be.

I agree but it will obviously get better and make more sense soon enough.  Right now I pretty much cannot tell the difference between a good HD stream and a Blu-Ray.  We just rented "The Martian" online and it looked great.

The worst thing about the Sony cameras is the white balance.  It's just so...off.  Daylight looks like it is 4500K or something. No matter how much you fine tune the custom settings it never (ever) looks correct. 

Yet Mad Max will be one of the first UHD Blu Rays released.  Go figure.

Netflix demands 4K and soon other online platforms will as well.  It might not mean much to the filmmakers but it does to the distributors and the platforms where your work could be sold so...there is that.

I think it's the same in almost every way.  With raw photos being the widest, 2.2x in 4K/DCI and 2.3x in UHD.

With a 3:2 native sensor I really hope they realize the potential of the X5R and allow a 4:3/full sensor height video option.  For $5,000...it almost needs to be in there.

The X3 compression is really bad.  The X5 hasn't improved on it much but I can already see the gains from interchangeable lenses and the extra DR.  With that in a RAW package, I think the X5R will be a really great solution since the RAW stills on the X5 are great.  Granted, it's a full readout and the RAW video from the X5R will not be.  Still, it should allow you to get good looking colours.

I think the X5R will be worth the price.  A 4K/RAW camera that can handle all of the establishing shots and maybe work in unison with a BMCC for the close ups/talent footage.  It will be pricey but I would take the X5R/OSMO/Inspire with a BMCC over a middle of the line Sony camera.  

Basically, the production value you will gain from a 4K/RAW drone/gimbal camera is worth it, even if it is relegated to B-Cam work.  If it can handle A Camera work...even better.  

Then it would be the only camera in my kit.

Yes, as an absolute pre requisite...the camera has to be able to separate from the gimbal.  If DJI doesn't allow that simple request, there's no way to justify the cost of the X5R...unless you're doing a ton of drone/gimbal work.  Even then, it's a tough sell.

However, if you can separate them and throw the X5R on a tripod and use, say, a Speedbooster and PL mount lenses somehow, I think the value goes up incrementally.  BM has some great things going but at this point the new line of cameras are as untested as the X5R, so that's a wash.  They also don't have a dedicated drone system, that's a big plus for DJI and their major selling point.  If you have no need for that, then it's a different story.

IMO it's an essential piece of gear.  The Inspire 1 drone is such an advanced piece of tech.  Being able to take it up 50 feet and let go of the sticks and get a (essentially) tripod establishing shot is so valuable.  Forget the normal drone shots, you have a mobile tripod.  Then if you could take it off, throw it on the OSMO and use a DIY crane, a car, or even just normal handheld stabilized shots is pretty important.  The cost of the OSMO by itself is really affordable compared to other stuff.

The most important thing is gimbal/camera separation though.  I have to assume that DJI will make this possible for the X5R.  If they do, I think it's a pretty big gamechanger as a complete system.  From tripod, to handheld, to dolly/crane, to car, to drone...4K/RAW at the size/weight of an orange and controlled via an app on your phone.  Crazy.

If they don't separate gimbal/camera...it's a much harder sell because you would still need an "A cam".  I want it to be my A Cam, I really do.  I'm hoping it checks off all of the essentials.  TBD I suppose.

Forget the OSMO for a second.  I don't know if people realize how awesome this new X5R camera will be.  4K RAW that is the size (and weight) of an orange.  Think of all the costs you could cut.  

With an Inspire 1, an OSMO, and the X5R you have an AMAZINGLY versatile kit.  You can put that camera all over the place.  Build yourself a 30 foot DIY crane and throw the OSMO on the end.  Attach it to the car mount and shoot car interiors the easy way.  Throw it on the drone and get any establishing shot you want.  Put it on the tripod and use it like a normal camera.

Honestly, the "make or break" thing at this point is, they need to allow us to use any lenses we want for non OSMO/Inspire applications, which I'm sure they will.

Personally, I'm going to use this set up for everything for a while.  Tired of big cameras, tired of being slowed down by my gear.  I'm willing to sacrifice a few things to have such a versatile camera that is portable and easy to use.  

This is the X3?  That's like saying the new BMCC 4.6K is going to suck while showing footage from the 2.8K version.

I will be uploading some stuff soon, for sure.  

- Yeah, I believe it can do 4K/UHD at 25fps as well.  

- Just what the SD card can hold, I don't think there is a recording limit since people shoot for long periods in the air.  Don't quote me on it though

- Yeah, they have "DLog" which seems to be pretty good so far.  Hard to tell since it's 8 bit 60Mbps...but it's a log profile nonetheless. 

- Right now they only have 3 lenses with the longest being a 15mm.  I'm assuming by the time the OSMO comes out they will have added more.  For drone work I doubt a 45mm would be too usable (as even a 15mm starts to show some "shake" that wasn't there on the X3).  Switching is really easy and the camera recognizes the lens and adds the profile automatically.

- Lowlight is pretty good so far, I would say it's comparable to the GH4 in that aspect.  

- They have two versions, TB47 and TB48.  The TB48 seems to last about 15-20 minutes and that is with constant recording and movement.  We used to mount the drone onto our car and get stabilized shots that way, since the drone wasn't actually on the battery seemed like it would've lasted for hours.  Not sure what kind of battery is going to be on the OSMO though?  

Quick update.

I hate it now.  Ha ha.  Seriously though, I'm starting notice a lot of the same "quirks" that made me get tired of the X3.

Motion blur looks absolutely horrible.  So bad that I would suggest shooting at 1/120 or so and adding it in post.  It's like the codec is SO bad that it looks at motion blur in a shot and goes "nope, nothing here" and just wipes it out.  It looks so so so bad.  The compression does seem to be better overall, not as much of that weird shutter artifacting.  DR is slightly better, not sure about low light performance yet.  It is fun to mess around with a longer lens as well.  A 15mm lens (30mm s35) creates a totally different look so that is fun.

Ultimately...I kind of think it shapes up like this:

X3 - Intro Video and Photos

X5 - Intro Video and "Pro" Photos

X5R - "Pro" Video and Photos

I will probably come back to the middle after using it a bit more but I personally just don't think it's justified at the price tag.  Might as well go for X5R if you're doing video.  For photos?  This is the one.

Just got the X5 in (with an Inspire Pro) and I have to say...it's a pretty big upgrade over the X3.  I was a little worried when I heard what the bitrate was but as long as you shoot in 24fps it seems to be quite a bit better.

Ultimately the X5R will be what you'd want to use but in the meantime (and for a lot less money) I would take the X5 over the X3 ALL day.  Even just being able to throw on a 15mm lens makes a difference.  Very impressed so far.

On the flip side, this is the second time my "slave" controller hasn't worked and DJI hasn't provided an answer on how to solve it.  So, the rumblings about their customer service are very real.  It's not like they aren't helpful or nice...it's just that they don't have ANY answers.  

I agree on the GH4, it's one of the first things I noticed with that camera and it was a pretty big turn off.

RED is middle of the road.  It's better than a lot of cameras but it still looks...not 100% right.  

In my personal experience the Alexa has the best.  I haven't used a Bolex so I can't say for sure.  

From this site I liked the footage from the Kine 6K camera as well.

I like what you suggested.

A good hazer can make a bigger difference in your look than a new camera if you know how to use the hazer correctly.

What about some camera movement?  3 axis gimbal is great but what about a crane?  I have really liked the Came TV 33 ft. crane.  Comes with a pan/tilt head, fairly easy to set up, and is surprisingly cheap.

Drone?  I know they are bordering on cliche at this point but the customer/clients still "ooh" and "ahh" when they see a full production.  Aerials still go a long ways in rounding out what you bring to the table.  

I would go for the Inspire 1 with dual remotes.

LOL...they have plenty of character.