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IronFilm

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  1. Thanks
    IronFilm reacted to Benjamin Hilton in Burning Professional DVDs in 2024   
    It's been years since I created a professional DVD. Recently though, we are seeing a resurgence in desire to own physical DVDs for content consumption. (a lot of people are getting sick of the streaming networks)That being said we decided to take the plunge and release a new documentary on both digital download and DVD on our online store. 
    After some research, I realized the only legitimate way to create a DVD menu and such today are the old professional (but discontinued) software giants with either Adobe Encore, or Apple's DVD Studio Pro. Apparently the professional DVD companies still keep a fleet of old computers running the old software as there are no modern alternatives. 
    So I thought I'd detail my process here in case anyone else in interested in doing this too, I might be able to help out with any questions if I've run up against the same issue. 
    This is my process so far:
    - Bought a Mac Mini on Ebay from 2008 for $50, it works surprisingly well. (unfortunately it was updated to OS Yosemite 
    - Bought a copy of Snow Leopard on Ebay for $25, installed it on a partition with no issues
    - Bought a copy of Final Cut Studio 2 on Ebay for $30 that was supposed to include the serial number
    - Upon install I realized the serial number was hand written, and couldn't decipher it exactly even though I tried dozens of different combinations
    - I bought a second copy of Final Cut Studio 2 on Ebay for $50. Upon install I realized that it was an upgrade copy, not an original as advertised. Therefore I couldn't install it since an upgrade requires you to have an original serial number. (I returned this copy and got a refund)
    - With the printed serial number on the upgrade copy though, I was able to decipher the pattern of what a final cut serial number is supposed to look like. I was able to compare this to the hand written number from the original purchase and try a few more variations, it finally worked!
    - After a lengthy install process, DVD Studio pro and Final Cut Pro run no problem on the old Mac Mini, very snappy performance
    - I took my final video files and encoded them to MPEG 2 with Handbrake, Studio pro threw an error code on import, it said it couldn't recognize the file format
    - I tried a bunch of combinations with hand brake, no luck. I also tried a bunch of combinations with Shutter Encoder, also no luck.  
    - I tried encoding with Apple's old compressor software that was included with the Studio 2. That worked fine, just really long encoding time due to the old mac, and the quality wasn't nearly as good as Handbrake or Shutter. 
    - I finally got gave Adobe Media Encoder 2025 a try, and that worked! The quality wasn't quite as good as Handbrake, but a lot better than Compressor. I was able to play around with encoding settings and sharpening to find a happy medium for a final output that looks pretty good, even for SD
    - After that it was just a matter of building menu graphics in photoshop, importing and linking everything in DVD Studio Pro. It's surprisingly intuitive software to use, but very powerful at the same time. I'm about to burn my final DVD to send off to the duplicator, so fingers crossed everything continues to work. 
  2. Like
    IronFilm got a reaction from Davide DB in Nikon buys Red?   
    It's perfectly matched after all with a Nikon ZFc / ZF after all, which is aimed at the same target market! (which is hey also the same the old Nikon Df existed for. And a similar market that Fujifilm often targets.... just look at their X-Pro or X-T etc series) I certainly do understand the appeal myself. 
  3. Like
    IronFilm reacted to Davide DB in Nikon buys Red?   
    Let's say that the product is so unique that the price simply reflects the commercial aspect. I mean it is mainly aimed at an audience that wants to take a whim off and look cool.
    BTW I agree, Voigtlander!
  4. Like
    IronFilm reacted to newfoundmass in Pana S9 is definition of an underrated camera   
    I've been itching to buy this. I don't think I will because for my work it'd make sense to just get a S5II to go with my S5II X, but it reminds me of my beloved GX85, which I still regret selling. It's one of those cameras that you can walk around with and if you're using a small enough lens no one really bats an eye at you, whereas even stripped down people will look at me when I'm using my S5II X because I think people have been taught DSLR style bodies = professional camera.
     
    I'm glad to see you interested in cameras and posting again @Andrew Reid!
  5. Sad
    IronFilm reacted to zerocool22 in Pana S9 is definition of an underrated camera   
    Wow I did not even realize it did not had a flash hotshoe. Flash is so crucial for my style of photography.  I cant understand how they can sell a 1000+ camera without a hotshoe flash..
  6. Like
    IronFilm reacted to Andrew Reid in Pana S9 is definition of an underrated camera   
    You can save 100,200,300g it doesn't matter, it depends mainly on what lenses you're going to use with it. Some these can add 2kg, and are obviously the wrong choice. But with the small manual focus M mount stuff from Voigtlander or a smaller autofocus Sigma prime it makes much more sense and you feel the weight saving over the S5 II which is already itself incredibly light compared to the S1H.
    It is true that when you put it side by side with your average Sony a7 body, it's not significantly smaller or lighter - it is not a GM1.
    What it is, is an S1H in a Leica Q size camera with interchangeable lens mount, 10bit 6K and IBIS.
    It could also be considered a strong alternative to the Sigma Fp since it has the all important articulated screen and IBIS.
    One thing it is not, is the same as all the other mirrorless cameras... and that is a good thing.
    I admire the speed and simplicity of it, and the burned in LUTs.
    And the palm of hand descrete handheld shooting as pioneered by the GH1. It is in that mould. IBIS makes it even more capable for handheld enjoyment, as adding a tripod defies the point of it being small and light.
    The fun factor is huge with this trust me.
    It feels amazingly fast and responsive during a shoot.
    Sure there's no EVF, mechanical shutter, but I can't think of much else the S5 II offers for photograph aside from those two features? So to say it lacks numerous features is overplaying it a bit in my view.
  7. Like
    IronFilm reacted to Andrew Reid in Pana S9 is definition of an underrated camera   
    The more I use mine the more dictionary definition of underrated this thing gets
    Best with small M mount prime lenses, or LTM...doesn't have to be fancy
    For autofocus best with a small Sigma L mount prime like 35mm F2
    Smallrig grip is a must.
    The LUT feature gives everything on the display more impact during a shoot, stuff simply looks beautiful and exactly as you intended... and it's so immediate... And in general the camera is so fucking nimble and fast. Then there's the minimalism of it... the simplicity. It is truly one of those cameras that gets out the way and leaves you to enjoy shooting.
    Yes, build quality could be more high-end... yes, wish it had a mechanical shutter and an EVF... but really thats where the complaining ends as it has everything else and then some, and what it doesn't have like a stacked sensor, you can't reasonably complain about because it cost me a shade over £1000 (open box deal).
    Really glad they did not scrimp on the battery, it takes a big chonky one.
    If it had a powered hotshoe they could have sold me an EVF to go on the top... but for now I'm using the RX1 optical finder from Sony...

  8. Like
    IronFilm reacted to Ninpo33 in Black friday deals 2024   
    Japanese sites with 10% off coupons and no sales tax keep things just under $1,000 US for open box deals. Not bad. 


  9. Like
    IronFilm reacted to newfoundmass in Something is nagging at me to go back to smaller sensor   
    If the GH7 had come out three years ago I'd still be a m43 shooter. I only made the change because I thought Lumix had abandoned m43 and the S5 on the used market was such a bargain. It was like, do I hold on to all this m43 gear and hope Lumix comes out with a camera that works for me or do I offload this gear while it still has value and switch to something else?
    The full frame look never blew me away the way it did others. For me the primary benefit has been the better low light, but as you said @Andrew Reidthe low light on the latest m43 cameras has been pretty darn good, certainly "good enough" for most of us. I sparingly want shallow depth of field, so I'm often shooting at f4 or more anyway. Is it nice to be able to throw on one of the fantastic Lumix f1.8 prime lenses and get really shallow depth of field when I want it? Yeah, but I usually only want that for stills not video and I can count maybe two or three dozen times in the last 3 years when I've wanted that look. That's not a lot, and I can't sit here and say that if I'd been "forced" to settle for a f1.4 or f1.7 prime on m43 to achieve it that I wouldn't have been pleased with the results.
    I DO see an improvement in image quality, but I've also never been a stickler for that either. I loved the GH5 because of how it changed the way I shot, not because it had the best image quality or color science. For me, image quality and color were more than "good enough" even if they weren't THE BEST. I didn't need the best though, I just needed the features that the GH5 gave me that no other camera did. I used to have to use stabilizers to get useable handheld footage. All the sudden, because of IBIS and lens stabilization, I was able to get great handheld footage with nothing more than the camera, lens, a cage and a side handle. I could still get great footage even without the cage and side handle if I wanted to! That was HUGE. It was the greatest leap forward I'd had in changing my workflow since the switch from big clunky S-VHS and Betacam cameras to the Canon XL-1 and Canon GL-1 camcorders.
    There is still a lot to love about (and potential in!) m43. I miss the smaller, lightweight lenses of m43. I miss the smaller footprint overall (being able to take the GX85 with the 35-100 f2.8 into any venue with rules barring interchangeable lens cameras and not even raising an eyebrow was amazing!) I really, really wish they'd devote some resources to make truly small and compact cameras, because to me that is what is missing from the market. I don't want to use my phone because I don't get the same joy out of taking a picture or filming something with it. Could a modern Lumix GM1 work? I think so! I'd buy one and carry it with me everywhere! I think it'd even be a hit with the YouTube "creator" crowd.
    But yes, we really have kind of lost the plot when it comes to this whole hobby and industry as a whole. We've gotten so caught up in hype and specs, while placing less value in what got us into it to begin with and that's the process and the rewards. To me, that's the biggest difference between modern "creators" and those of us who have been doing this before becoming a YouTuber/creator/social media influencer ever became a career path. I shot with extremely limited cameras (compared to today), edited on linear editing systems like Videonics and Video Toaster, and had to devote a lot of time, patience, and passion into what I created, even if it was a project that was under 5 minutes in length. Even when things moved to digital and NLEs first became available for us poor folk (thank you to my college friends that got me academic discounts!), we'd have to still capture the footage and do a lot of the work in editing. Now you just film, dump the footage, bring it into your editor, and the NLE does a lot of the heavy lifting. It's why most of it all feels and looks the same. 
    Fuck it, let's all just start filming on Betacam shoulder cams and Video Toaster again! Or at least mini-DV and old copies of Avid or Final Cut Pro! I know I still have my original Final Cut Pro 4, 5, 6 & 7 install discs somewhere!
  10. Like
    IronFilm got a reaction from Davide DB in Nikon buys Red?   
    Calling themselves "Nonikkor" is hilarious/awesome!
    I can see indeed how in their physical look they are indeed taking inspiration from the early Nikkor lenses. 
    https://fstoppers.com/reviews/artra-lab-nocty-nonikkor-50mm-f12-retro-inspired-manual-lens-bokeh-lovers-687091
    https://www.thephoblographer.com/2023/07/26/artralab-35mm-f1-4-80s-review-the-perfect-lens-for-the-nikon-zf/
    https://nikongear.net/revival/index.php?topic=10883.0
    Price seems to be a tad high though? For that price I could just pick up a Voigtländer or similar one of those higher-ish priced manual lens. (maybe even Zeiss? Hmm... maybe a step too far, unless going secondhand)
  11. Like
    IronFilm got a reaction from MrSMW in Something is nagging at me to go back to smaller sensor   
    I was just joking around, as I don't think the next generation Z50 or a "Z90" (the mirrorless version of a D500) is coming any time soon. But if it was then it would for sure have 4:2:2 10bit and more?
     
  12. Thanks
    IronFilm reacted to eatstoomuchjam in Nikon buys Red?   
    They were literally called "cine-nikkor."
  13. Like
    IronFilm reacted to PannySVHS in Something is nagging at me to go back to smaller sensor   
    There are plenty lenses at F2.8 or F4 on MFT which deliver your desired depth of field and not being wide open. The 12-35 already fits the bill and is exellent at F4, same for the Oly 17mm F1.8 at 2.8/4 or some optics from Laowa and so on. F4 vs F8 also eliminates a two stop difference in iso performance.
    @QuickHitRecord GH1 really has color mojo and palette. A GH1 with the 50mbit codec and highlight rolloff of a GH3 would be all I really need. With 10bit and 10 stops dynamic range it'd be all I want. Lovely montage and video!
    @BTM_Pix You, your humour, support and knowledge are staying!:) I'm eager to see your footage of these lovely birds filmed with the mighty FZ2000!:)
    @Andrew ReidI think the universe deserves a British gentleman filming the world on sticks. The nerd will celebrate your renewed interest in Mft. Dual Gain sensor and fast read outs in a rock solid body are compelling. I get a solid image out of full frame Lumix any time of the day. But I am not falling in deep love with it. The S line kicks ass in lit scenarios beyond anything I would be able to buy though. I could imagine the GH6/7 and G9II being a S1H with mojo, magic and fast readouts, also weighting 40% or 400g less and adding super much nerdy toys to play with, such as 4K120, HD240, crop modes and so on plus the aforementioned Dual Gain, an exiting tech and new processing as well as colour science to explore and tinker with.
  14. Haha
    IronFilm reacted to MrSMW in Something is nagging at me to go back to smaller sensor   
    I find they don’t tend to give a fuck these days as their attention spans are limited to TikTok memes only.
    Birds just aren’t what they used to be…
  15. Like
    IronFilm reacted to QuickHitRecord in Something is nagging at me to go back to smaller sensor   
    I'm all about smaller sensors for passion projects in 2024. The EOS-M, GH1, and FZ47, specifically. I strive for a deeper depth of field, yet somehow a bit soft. After all of this trial and error over the past 15+ years, that's what looks best to me. And the shooting experience is a lot simpler and more straightforward than with modern cameras, which I feel is more fun and makes me more creative.
    Funny how it has come back around full circle to some of the first sensors I've ever used...
  16. Like
    IronFilm reacted to ALKW in Something is nagging at me to go back to smaller sensor   
    The Realtime LUTs on the M43/Lumix cameras are worth it for that feature alone. Some of the ones by Nick Driftwood are amazing but I'm also having a lot of fun tweaking the image to my taste.
    With the update to the Metabones to work with phase detection, it's brought new life to the Sigma 18-35 (which I had sold and now re-bought). This is for when I need to work in lowlight. Otherwise, I much prefer running around with my 15mm f1,7 , 25mm f1.4 and 42.5 f1.7 primes. So easy to carry around. I have the Sony A7iv as well but the G9ii is a much more fun camera to use.
  17. Haha
    IronFilm reacted to Davide DB in S1HII Late 2024   
    They seem to be accumulating wood for an upcoming fire. Still can't tell what color the smoke will be....

  18. Like
    IronFilm got a reaction from Leon Postma in Raspberry Pi Releases an Interchangeable-lens Camera Module   
    Another 10bit camera module for the Raspberry Pi recently got announced, this time it is an "AI camera":
    https://www.raspberrypi.com/products/ai-camera/
    https://www.tomshardware.com/raspberry-pi/raspberry-pi-ai-camera-review-ai-for-the-masses
     
  19. Like
    IronFilm got a reaction from Davide DB in Nikon buys Red?   
  20. Like
    IronFilm got a reaction from eatstoomuchjam in Nikon buys Red?   
  21. Like
    IronFilm reacted to eatstoomuchjam in Nikon buys Red?   
    Are you asking IronFilm for more links beyond those that Davide DB was already kind enough to provide you?
  22. Like
    IronFilm reacted to eatstoomuchjam in ARRI ALEXA 265 - new 65mm camera - size of Alexa 35 Mini!   
    For the most part, measurements/comparisons won't matter too much.  The Alexa 65 is going to get used on a bunch of Hollywood productions and the 12K/17K will get used will get used on sets where budget matters and where the entire cost of buying the 12K is about the same as renting the Alexa for 2-3 days.  🙂
  23. Like
    IronFilm reacted to MrSMW in EOS R5 dips below 2000 euro used / Pros and cons of current mirrorless cams   
    Also, forgot to say, I watched 2 of the 3 videos above (not watched the Zf one yet) and the Nikon picture looked sooooo much better than the Sony.
    Possible lens and editing differences and then there is Youtube compression etc, but if the variables were as close as possible, that Nikon picture looked much nicer to my eyes.
     
  24. Like
    IronFilm reacted to Thpriest in Something is nagging at me to go back to smaller sensor   
    I used to really enjoy filming with the Voightlander 17.5mm 0.95 on the GH5. I filmed several weddings without changing the lens and really liked the results.
  25. Like
    IronFilm reacted to BTM_Pix in Something is nagging at me to go back to smaller sensor   
    Perhaps the Nikon Z50ii might be the solution ?
    There is no need to switch the IBIS off when it doesn't have it in the first place😂
    People seem to be clutching their pearls because it uses the sensor from the D500, which is a clear indication that they’ve never shot with the D500.
    And it moves the video side of the story on massively as well from the D500 of course.
    10 bit 4:2:2 N-Log with the RED lut compatibility, single button access to custom built profiles, waveforms, wireless timecode, headphone jack etc etc.
    If you want to shoot 4K60 then the additional crop will be less significant to you if you're shooting on S16 lenses and its worth bearing in mind that the D500 had an additional 1.5x crop to shoot 4K25 etc so thats a win anyway !
    If you want higher frame rates for the occasional shot then up to 1080p120 is available without penalty.
    All with the Z mount which will take every type of lens even hoarders like us can throw at it.
    With the TechArt you can have AF as well if you want it for all the vintage glass.
    The native Z mount DX lineup isn’t stellar in it’s breadth but with the Megadap adapter does that even matter when it turns it into more or less an E mount native camera to massively expand that choice of compact lenses?
    I might have talked myself into getting one.
     
     
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