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1tkman

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    SLR Magic HyperPrime CINE 10mm T2.1 Review

    In: Cameras

    Posted

    There is much to be excited about considering this lens and I have a lot of faith in the quality of SLR products. Informative article and wonderful video, needs Peter Buck song! (just saying) :) I also like the look of the viewfinder paired with the BMPocket, just seems like a fun way to shoot. Can I assume you are using that octopus looking thing for stabilization? 

    Am I right in thinking that with the unreleased lens mentioned, it would really come down to the difference in costs and speed/light capturing abilities? What do you assume (gut feeling) on if there will be a significant difference between the two lenses? 

    Lastly, what is your favorite color and what is the air speed velocity of a maiden swallow? 

    Alternatives to Rode Videmic Pro

    In: Cameras

    Posted

    Here's the Azden SGM2x on location from a b-roll excerpt.  You can see my co-director in the upper left of the screen holding the shotgun about 3.5 feet from the guy at which she points the mic, and the pickup the mic gets from the woman in which she does NOT aim the shotgun.  The mic was plugged directly into a Zoom H1.

    The audio compression of these clips I made is probably too high, but this should give you a hint at real-world performance:  http://www.path88files.com/Mieko/TESTS/Chikori-San_Printer1_bRoll.mp4

    Also, here's that ew100 lav wireless in action with the H1.  Personally, I can't imagine a shooter not wanting some sort of wireless mic system!  http://www.path88files.com/Mieko/TESTS/Chikori-San_Printer_1.mp4

    ​Really beneficial and helpful information and I will use this as a guide. What camera and lens (if you remember) were you shooting with for this project. The colors and look for the interview are outstanding. 

    Shooting inspiration and ideas

    In: Cameras

    Posted

    This thread I find inspiring, something about viewing the favorites of proffessionals is too intriguing to miss! A video that I always return to is Javier's showreel. The music he selected smacks left field and moves me. 

     

    The Skin Tone Holy Grail

    In: Cameras

    Posted

    After shooting and editing extensively with the 5D3 (H.264 + RAW), Sony FS700, GH4, and A7S, based not only on my personal opinion, but on feedback from actors/models/clients, cameras which produce better skin tones are preferred. I found this out by shooting the same scenes with multiple cameras and reviewing the results with others. Doing research online I found that skin tones were the single most important element for cameras used to make money. Resolution, frame rates, viewfinders, ergonomics, etc., are all very important too, but skin tones are number one. Skin tones affect emotion, and emotion is used to tell a story or sell a product.

    What cameras provide the best skin tones? ARRI and Canon. What cameras are used the most professionally? ARRI and Canon. What cameras are used the most in Oscar winning films (last few years)? ARRI. What DSLR was used most in feature films? Canon (5D, 7D, 1D): http://shotonwhat.com/?s=5D. Why did the C100/C300 far outsell/outrent the FS700, even though the FS700 has way more features (and can even look full frame with a SpeedBooster)? C100/C300 produce better skin tones with less effort. 

    In the end, it's possible to get similar, sometimes even better (rare/unusual lighting conditions) skin tones from the GH4 and A7S vs. the 5D3, however on average, the 5D3 requires a lot less time and work.

    How do we know when skin tones are better, when it's so subjective? Shoot the same scene with multiple cameras then show the results to multiple people for feedback. Some DPs do a ton of testing to figure this out before shooting a feature: http://www.hurlbutvisuals.com/blog/2013/10/arri-alexa-vs-canon-c500/

    ​l

    Hey, insightful! Thanks for these thoughts.

    Official Atomos Shogun thread

    In: Cameras

    Posted

    As a twist of fate would have it, found a used 1D C for £4999 and it arrives Tuesday. C U next Tuesday 1D C :)

    Now we will see what it's really made of vs the A7S and Shogun.

    ​"For the man who has everything..." :) 

    Sounds great! Looking forward to 2015! 

    Football game at night?

    In: Cameras

    Posted

    Can anyone advise me on the best camera/lens setup for shooting a football game at night (I am assuming low light would be an issue?)... shooting from the press box (think high and center). 
     
    During post, I would like to be able to zoom in with an acceptable quality... it would be a highlight film for specific players.
     
    It makes more sense to me to not shoot in 4k due to time limitations during recording and having to stop-and-start recording. 
     
    Any input would be appreciated.
     
     

    A7s Grading

    In: Cameras

    Posted

    "Get ready for this" - I remember liking that song as a little boy... Didn't expect to hear that song today :)

     

     

    I like a lot of what I've seen from the A7S. My main nitpick with that camera is the Sony color science.

     

    When I compare the Sony colors to the Nikon colors that I'm so used to - there is something odd with the color science of Sony Alpha cameras. I've struggled with trying to get same color and same white balance out of my NEX-5R as I do with the stills from D800 or the near ancient D200. Since the struggle is there with raw, movie mode and jpegs, it's some other processing characteristic of the cameras that is the issue.

     

     

    With raw stills I've found that no matter what I do, there's some kind of cast that just isn't there on my Nikons (not even on the old D200). Colors seem off compared to what I saw when I captured the still and compared to the Nikons not mattering how I adjust the white balance in Lightroom. If I shoot a portrait on D800, I find in most light situations that I can tweak it and say that is very close to what I saw with my eyes at the scene. In good light / low ISO, D200 is usually not that far from what a D800 can achieve colorwise, I can get fairly close to natural colors.

     

    What I find with the Nex, is that I either have a magenta cast for the whole face, or I lose the reddish colors that you often find in shadow areas of a face as well as the reds for lips. Instead, the whole face has a uniform yellow/brownish skin color and a lot of skin color nuances are lost. If I want skin colors close to natural skin color, I'll have to resort to a lot more post-work than just adjusting a few sliders in Lightroom.

     

    Also, in dramatic/high contrast scenes, containing higher dynamic range: you just can't adjust white balance and expect the shot to look good all the way from deepest shadows to brightest highlights. You'll have to pick best white balance for midtones + highlights, or best white balance for midtones + shadows.

     

    I assume Nikon does some processing to create a better color / white balance output for the full dynamic range in their processing that Sony does not.

     

    In Brandon's video, as well as in many stills and videos from Sony alpha cameras, I can recognize these color tendencies that I've struggled with: getting skin tones natural looking in a variation of light conditions, getting nature scenes in dramatic/high contrast light to not have extra color casts.

     

     

    Don't take me wrong on this one. I like the A7S and what it can do. But I'd really love it if it came with Nikon colors out of the box. My ideal camera at the moment would be some kind of mirrorless blend of D750 and A7S, although the A7S as-is comes close.

     

     

    EDIT: Oh, and I forgot why I got interested in commenting in the first place - great shots Brandon! I really like the camera movements, brings such a natural organic feel to the footage. Is it mostly handheld? Monopod? Are you using stabilisation in post? I need to learn :)

    I've always enjoyed your input and your reasoning on this board. If you were to purchase a new film camera today, are you saying that A7S is one of the best options? Just curious if you were waiting for something else to come to the market.  

    GoPro Hero 4

    In: Cameras

    Posted

    I would like to see more examples of the 4k option online, not much has popped up yet. I noticed where the stock was negatively effected by a few crashes from early adopters, but this type of issue strikes me as one "too soon to judge" regarding stability. With so much on-the-line with this new camera and company, I feel any issues with stability would be addressed quickly.  Curious what type of limitations there are with 30fps, I don't fully understand how fps affects video. 

    SLR Magic Anamorphot Timelapse Workflow

    In: Cameras

    Posted

    I've really enjoyed watching your work over the years (timescapes) and I look forward to seeing what you can do with this adapter! I understand your workflow well and own the adapter, I just don't feel comfortable enough to advise at this point. How were you planning to Bramp and is there anyone else trying to use the GH4 with "holy-grail" success? The reason I am asking is that I came across a clip or two, from someone using the GH4, that was very smooth.

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