TheRenaissanceMan

59 minutes ago, IronFilm said:

I'm very tempted by these:
http://www.newsshooter.com/2016/05/10/nab-2016-spot-lights-on-a-budget-aputure-launch-ls-c20-led-mini-fresnel-for-199-us/

I think these are what I'll order next for my lighting kit, once my next few audio purchases are sorted out.

I'll definitely be interested to see what you think of them. They're intriguing fixtures for $199, but I wonder how good the output will fare against comparable tungsten options.

I generally run dual system sound, so I'm not really sure. I have a VideoMic Pro though, and could test it for you if I can find the time.

I prefer the 50mbps. Looks better and takes less space. And Natural all the way! Generally with NR and Sharpening at -4 (-5 actually does some weird stuff), Saturation and Contrast at -2. You can pull the shadows pretty well, but there's generally nothing hiding in the highlights to pull out later. Err on the side of caution, and don't let the histogram drift too high if you're not okay with clipping your hotspots (the roll off is nice, so it's not the end of the world if you do).

Also, avoid bright point sources at high ISOs. They can sometimes produce these weird blobby artefacts that can't be removed in post. The GH4 suffers from this too, and I'm not sure why.

I've been rocking the GH3 for a long time and love it. Solid 50mbps HD, 1080/60p, legendary battery life, ergonomically wonderful, headphone and mic jacks, and it even has a mini HDMI out, which is much more solid than micro.

My only real issue with it is, as you all have pointed out, the lack of peaking, but the back screen is usually good enough to pull off of; plus, I use my Aputure VS-2 FineHD whenever I can, which has all that useful shit built in anyway.

Apparently, the big Ursa 4K PL just dropped down to $3000 on B&H. Feels like a bad omen for people who bought into that body on the promise of future upgrades.

The Aputure 198s look cool to me as well, but mostly for kickers/hairlight/accents. Source Four Pars are only $10 more apiece for good used copies and offer much more output and control. Plus, at 575W, you can run two off the same circuit with headroom to spare. If I were on a budget and needed two lights, I'd choose those in a heartbeat over LEDs. They're small, too, so you don't need amazing light stands to support them. I've used aluminum Insignia stands from Best Buy without an issue, although you're going to want to sandbag them.

Also, I almost forgot China Balls! Insanely cheap, but used in all kinds of production from two guys in their dorm room to Roger freaking Deakins. Pop an incandecent bulb, flourescent, or even a rolled-up LED strip inside and you've got a soft, even light that's easy to rig where you need it.

I just struggled a bit with this very issue, and here's what I ended up doing.

I started with a couple used Mole Richardson 1K fresnels. I got each for about $150 off eBay, used in good condition. Beautiful lights, very robust, and easy to control. They're my bread and butter--I use them on everything.

Next, I hopped over to Home Depot and picked up some dirt cheap clamp lights. Fitted with some high-wattage incandecent bulbs, they're great for accents, hairlights, background splashes, etc.

Next thing on the list (should be coming this week) are a few ETC Source Four Pars. $70 each shipped, again used. These are 575W tungsten fixtures, but the design of the bulb makes them about the same output as a 1000W open face. These are great for bouncing or pushing through diffusion if you just need raw output, but they also come with 4 lenses: wide flood, medium flood, narrow spot, and very narrow spot. These attachments don't produce the same quality as a fresnel, but they're usable as direct light and easier to control than a redhead. I've used them on a few sets for background punch, kickers, and even as an effect spot for a dream sequence, and they're surprisingly versatile. You can even pick up 3rd party barn doors for $15 or so. Dollars per lumen, S4 Pars are unbeatable.

As soon as I sell off a few more things, I'm picking up a couple Aputure Amaran 672S LED panels. Excellent CRI, dimmable, run on batteries or AC, remote operable, and easy to diffuse (if necessary) with the built-in umbrella mount or Aputure's softbox attachment. I'm debating going with the Ws instead, as I already have enough hard lights, and maybe a variable color temp version, but we'll see how things pan out once I'm actually ready to buy.

Last item on my wishlist is a Lowel Rifa. I admit, this one is a luxury item; it's essentially a big tungsten softbox, but what makes it cool is that you can have it out of the bag and set up in maybe 20 seconds because of the slick way it collapses and expands. Great for motivating interior lights, as a dramatic toplight, beauty light, or anything else you'd use a big soft source for. Some of the newer Rifas even have a system where you can replace the tungsten fixture with three florescents, lowering your power consumption and giving you the option of daylight balance. Very nice. You can find used ones missing the front diffusion sheet for reasonable prices, then just replace the front for $20 or so.

Just remember, don't skimp on light modifiers, stands, and flags.

Go back to Home Depot and find those big 4x8 ft. pieces of styrofoam insulation--white on one side, silver on the other, 1" thick--cut them in quarters (halves if you have the space), and wrap the edges with gaff tape. Bingo bango, you've got some pretty dope bounce boards! If you're using fresnels, grab some used scrims off the 'Bay. They're a little pricier than dimmers, but they won't mess with your color temp when you need to knock down your output. Buy some basic Lee Gels (get these new) in all the essential flavors: CTB, CTO, Straw, Diffusion, ND. They sell a combo pack of 1'x1' gels that include all these, as well as more exotic stuff and some fun colors (primary red is a personal favorite). Grab a bag of clothespins to hold them on your barndoors, and 1" pony clamps for anything else that needs securing. Grab some blackout fabric (duvetyne) for negative fill and controlling spill. Extension cords seem like a "duh" item, but you'd be amazed how many beginners forget about them. You can't be loading 4000 watts of light onto one circuit, so keep enough of these around to run power everywhere you need it. Lastly, some black wrap (I use Rosco Cinefoil) is great for any time you need to shape a light on the fly. I like to cut mine into big, useful-size pieces so they can be reused from project to project.

When it comes to stands, it's hard to cheap out. You simply don't want to trust heavy, expensive, hot lights to a subpar stand. Most brands are great, although my friends speak pretty harshly about Impact. I haven't used enough to confirm or deny. A lot of people like to use C-Stands for their lights, especially the Matthews ones. Personally, I think they're best-used to hold your bounce cards and flag, as the leg design and articulating arm on the top make gripping and positioning modifiers quick and easy. A good one will run you $180-200 retail, although areas with more local filmmaking may have some on the used market for less. In terms of actual light stands, my favorite for the dollar is the Kupo Master Combo HD Stand. It folds up nicely, has both a baby pin and a junior receiver, gives you a leveling leg for uneven surfaces, a solid steel construction, and can hold up to 88 pounds. What a beast! Best of all, they only cost $150 retail. Use these for your fresnels, Rifas, or anything you need to fly high. Don't forget to pick up some sandbags to keep all this from tipping. I have a set by Impact filled with fine gravel from Home Depot (I feel like they should be paying me for this). Lastly, for your C-stands, some Matthews flags are a staple in any grip's kit. It's essentially just a sheet of black fabric on a metal frame with a post on the end for clamping into a c-stand knuckle, but they're invaluable for shaping your light the way you need it.

This may seem daunting at first, but the best way to learn is to pick up the basics and start using them. Practice makes perfect, and lighting is no exception.

Cheers!

5 minutes ago, SuperSet said:

Since this model doesn't have an articulating display, which gives me great pause since it's such a useful feature, does the Fuji have an app that can be used for remote viewing?

It has an HDMI port.

Ming Thein has tried both and claims the D750 is the king of low light stills IQ, as well as the best-focusing full frame at its price point. With lightly used/grey market prices hovering between $1200 and $1500, it's a hard offer to turn down.

On 10/27/2016 at 10:09 PM, kidzrevil said:

Downscaled 4K frames from the xc10 

Are those both using the same filtration? Highlights are beautiful in both, but the skin tones are noticeably warmer in the second screen grab.

1. skin tones, greenery, lake/ocean water, and sky (memory colors). Maybe a box of crayons or some fabric swatches if you've got them laying around.

2. Rolling shutter. Still haven't seen these two compared.

3. Highlight rendering. Shoot a scene with the sun or some bright practicals (a bare lightbulb works well) in the frame and see how gently each camera renders the transition into clip.

4. Over and under exposure. This is the biggest one. Shoot a scene with a correct exposure, then under expose, going by steps of 1/2 stop until you reach 3 under. Then do the same for over exposure. Then, see what each camera looks like when corrected in post. This gives you not only the latitude of the camera (how far off you can expose with good results), but also gives you an idea of DR by showing where the noise sits and when you lose highlight detail.

5. Battery life! See how long each camera will run on one fully charged battery, both in standby and continuously recording (might be tricky with the Sony overheating).

2 hours ago, IronFilm said:

Are you using an external recorder?
Are you using weather sealed lens (and need them)?
Would you use the YAGH?

If you answer no to these three questions (which all require significant extra costs), then almost 95% likely the Panasonic G85 will be a better choice for you than a GH4.

There is still a few small percent left over for a few other small niche cases  (such as if you think the 96fps slow motion quality is mighty fine and want to use it all the time?!). 

The G85 is weather sealed, so that's a non-factor.

That's baffling to me. Have you looked at a Nikon menu lately? Anything but simple.

I find the image more or less identical between the G7, GX85, and G85. All are cleaner and have improved colors over the GH4.

I love the body and features of the G85; in fact, I'm considering buying 2 once they're out. I just remembered @andy lee mentioning an improvement in RS and wanted to point out that it hasn't made itself apparent in any of the clips I've seen.

It really depends. If your handholding technique is good and/or you use a cheap shoulder rig, you can get pretty usable handheld with no IS, provided you use a reasonable focal length. I do so regularly with my 12mm and 17mm lenses, and even got a few nice 25mm handheld shots on the BMPCC (although it takes on a little Paul Greengrass "nervousness" at that point).

Narrative tends to be almost entirely on sticks, dollies, and cranes, so I don't see the lack of IS as a deal-breaker if I like the camera in every other regard. Building it up a bit will also give it a more "professional" handheld look, as the added inertia will resemble what you get with a larger cinema camera (think Breaking Bad).

8 minutes ago, Michael Ma said:

His original question was "if you had to choose one (micro 4/3) lens for shooting narrative films on the GH4 (without a speedbooster) in 4k what would you choose?"  That's what my answer was based on.  He never mentioned price originally so why restrict yourself to the budget.  We're talking about "in your opinion, the best one lens for this job with these specifications".  Sure, if we had the option to choose many lenses for the job, I don't know if 12mm f/1.4 would even be in consideration for a wide or a low light shot.

With all due respect, shooting an entire narrative film on a 28mm equiv. is a very... specific... style. I wouldn't exactly suggest it as a catch-all recommendation for new GH4 shooters.

Yeah...you can get a set of Contax Zeiss, Leica Rs, Minolta MDs, Olympus OMs, Olympus M Zuikos, Voigtlanders, or SLR Magics for $1600. Seems silly to blow it on one situational (imo) focal length.

I'm not seeing that massive improvement in rolling shutter Andy was talking about. Seems there's no real improvement in quality from the G7/GX85.

SLR Magic primes get my absolute highest recommendation. I use them for almost every project and they produce beautiful results every time.

If I had to choose one single lens, I'd go with the Voigtlander 17.5mm f/0.95 for a prime and the C/Y Zeiss 28-85mm f/3.3-4 on a Speed Booster XL for a zoom.

What lens did you use on the second shot? Very cinematic look there.

You guys may be selling me on Nikon...my only issues are the backwards controls and lack of upgrade path.

Everything I've seen out of the 58mm f/1.4 Voigtlander has been gorgeous, and it has both an aperture ring and full manual focus. Seems like a slam dunk for video.

Keep in mind the only lenses that work with face tracking on the C100 II are a few STM zooms, so you might want to consider at least one of those.

It seems like an artifact of aggressive temporal NR.

Agreed. The G7 or G80/85 offer much more bang for the buck than a GH.

Mercer, those are the best sceencaps I've ever seen you post. Lovely work!