Daniel Acuña

Yep I also find hard to believe that the red dragon has 18-20 stops of DR. Maybe it has something to do with the HDRx mode on the dragon, I don't know.

Great article! Thanks for sharing Andy.

I've been reading American Cinematographer for a while, it's simply one of the best magazine for DOP and filmmakers out there! You should seriously consider subscribing to it and get the digital edition ;)

"The A7S remains by far the best option for video shooters and filmmakers. At the time of writing it is not much more than $500 off the price of the A7 II. It’s worth the extra." Yep just what I taught, I hope the A7s II will get some of the ergonomics issues fixed! And have a better In Body Stabilization, right now I don't see the use of it for video!

Great article btw Andrew!

Gx7 all the way! Just bought mine and I am loving it!

I had the exacts same doubts about these two cameras, but focus peaking was crucial for me and everyone here seems to like panasonic cameras, so go for it!

Note to the OP : We are not liking Canon right now :) especially in this forum.

Do as Andrew said ;) Or get a sony or a panasonic camera!

Wow, I really like the results of this filter, It looks very filmic, I think I'll take it for my GX7.

Do you think DR is improved with this filter?

Arriflex 435, Arricam lt with Kodak Vision3 200T 5213.

no seriously I would get an Amira with some zeiss glass :)

In my 20s I would probably run people over in the street to make sure I got to a movie on time.  If I missed even 10 seconds it was totally ruined for me.  It would NEVER occur to me to leave a movie in the middle--I never did.  If people were talking I physically grabbed them and told them to shut up, no matter how many of them there were. Thirty years later and I can live with missing the beginning of the movie (though I try not to) and I now find it easy, not hard, to walk out of many movies.  As for people talking, ironically, I now often find their commentary a lot more entertaining :)

 

Daniel, the point of all my comments is that Interstellar could have been a lot better.  I didn't walk out of it.  It was watchable.  There were good ideas in it.  However, I believe that when YOU get a chance to watch more of the classics you will not only become inspired (again, don't have to go back far, GATTACA is already a classic, at least in my book), you will get more enjoyment from good films.  That is, when I saw GATTACA I was BLOWN AWAY.  It is a great feeling, when you've watched so many movies, to see something new and great.  I felt the same way watching "The Wire".   When I saw "Fifth Element" it got horrible reviews.  I thought it an instant classic.  I agreed with what the reviews said, but the cool way he brought fashion in Science Fiction was beautiful to behold.  Since that movie I have dreamed of a day stewardesses dress like that :)

 

That's why I ask about Interstellar.  Is there something in it that, in time, will be recognized as beautiful/interesting?  If I've missed something maybe I'll watch it again.

Yes I get your point ;)

I am a film student so I watch all kinds of movies and "old" classics are some of my favorites! I love Hitchcock, Stanley Kubrick is one of my favorite directors (the other one is Terrence Malick), Fellini, Bergman, Sergio Leone, David Lynch, Godard, Truffaut, De Sica, Orson Welles and so many others.

I guess one of the reasons I really liked Interstellar is the fact that I love space related stuff (space opera), I am also a big fan of 2001 : A Space Odyssey and I must say Interstellar is just something else compared to other blockbusters from Hollywood that we have today, you can feel the effort made by Nolan to make a Good original Blockbuster movie.

But that is just my point of view ;)

PS: Yes Gattaca is a great movie I love it! I just wish I could've watched all this classics movies on the big screen and not on Netflix or Blu-ray. That's one of my biggest regrets :)

Wow I am surprised so many people didn't really like Interstellar, it was really a great movie for me at least, I guess It's for a different generation I don't know...

My favorite movies this year where Mommy by Xavier Dolan (he is 25 years old and makes such amazing movies it's insane! that guy is a genius) I also liked Gone Girl, Locke, Under the skin, The Grand Budapest Hotel and Boyhood.

Great review! This is a really interesting camera!

I just wonder what they are doing at Canon headquarters!!  :huh:

Hey you can also check Dave Dugdale's Variable ND filter Shootout :

I hope this is the right thread for this, I didnt want to open a new one...

 

So I own a GH4, a Speedbooster (for some Canon Lenses) and the Panny 12-35 2.8 (as an allrounder). Now I am really thinking about giving back the 12-35mm and getting the Sigma 18-35 1.8 instead and put that one on the Speedbooster.

The main thing that bothers me about the 12-35 is that the focus ring is...pretty much non existant. For video work it is nearly unusable IMO.

What do you guys think?

 

Also semi related: I need to get some NDs...Vario or fixed? And does it have to be the Heliopan ones or is there a cheaper alternative with as good a quality as the Heliopan ones?

 

Thanks a bunch in advance!

Tiffen and Hoya have also very good ND filters and its less expensive. Just avoid the very cheap ones if you are doing serious work.

the whole Carl Zeiss Distagon 'Hollywood' look is all referanced to Super 35mm film field of view (in dslr terms thats APSC or micro 4/3 WITH a speedbooster to give a Super 35mm Field of view)

 

The Carl Zeiss Distagon f2 28mm lens has this reputation and the nick name 'Hollywood' in referance to it giving a similar look to a 27mm Carl Zeiss Master Prime Cinema Lens or a Zeiss Ultra prime 28mm

 

The Zeiss Master Primes is in fact a 27mm lens not a 28mm like the Distagon.

It's is David Fincher's favourite lens and used alot on all of his films plus DOPs like Roger Deakins use Zeiss Master Primes alot and large postions of the James Bond film Skyfall where shot on a Zeiss 27mm Master Prime.

 

 

To get the 'Hollywood' look with the Carl Zeiss Distagon 28mm f2 you need to shoot with it WIDE OPEN at f2

Its a very good expensive lens because it is sharp wide open at f2 - it is very very usable there!

If you shoot with this lens at f5.6 it just looks like any other 28mm lens - BUT VERY SHARP!

 

The 'look' is wide open at f2.

 

The other month I was fliming with a 2 camera set up and I wanted the same lens on both cameras.

I only have one Zeiss 28mm lens I was using on camera 1 on a Lens Turbo speesbooster on a g6

so I came up with a very good alternative for camera 2 that looks practically the same as the Zeiss.

 

Here is how I did it- poor mans Distagon 28mm f2

 

you take a Canon new FD (nFD) 28mm f2.8 and put it on an RJ canon fd - micro 4/3 speed booster - this gives you the Super 35mm field of view like you need and makes the lens f2 which gives you that look - the speed booster also sharpens the lens so its now of similar sharpness to the Zeiss .

 

When I cut between camera 1 and camera 2 in the edit it worked great both looked the same!

 

The Canon fd lens has the same warm look and great blacks like the Zeiss and its now f2!!

 

So there you have it Hollywood 28mm f2 lens look on the cheap !!

 

If you are serious about getting a Hollywood look on all your footage the three focal lengths you need to be using

they are

28mm , 40mm and 70mm all shot at f2 all the time in a Suoer 35mm field of view (so APSC or Micro 4/3 on a speedbooster)

 

28mm for the wides

70mm for all the close up head shots

and 40mm for all the rest the coverage shots

(use a 50mm lens if you don't have a 40mm lens and take 3 steps backwards!! haha that ususally gives the same look)

 

 

and for all of you that read about me harping on about the Nikon 28-70mm f2.8 'Bourne' zoom lens will see it covers all those focal lengths I have mentioned above in just one lens - instant Hollywood in one lens !!  stick it on a speed booster and  that makes it the all magic f2 you need to get the 'look'

Hey thanks for the answer Andy!

So if I understood well, i can have the same result with the Carl Zeiss Distagon 28mm 2.8? But with a lens booster on my Gx7?

Thanks Andy, always a great help.

 

I love lenses that flare - Canon FD's can produce lovely flares with a bit of work and they are really cheap. 

 

Have you used the Contax Zeiss "Hollywood?" I love the look a wide angle can produce when focused on a very close subject. The SLR Magic 12mm is almost a macro in that respect! 

Same here, I am also very interested in the Zeiss with the "hollywood" look. I wonder though if it will be wide enough on a APS-c sized sensor to get that look.

If you are in Europe, these guys are great. Their prices are reasonable and they are very helpful.

 

There are some nice low price Nikon lenses right here:

 

http://wycameras.com/product-category/lenses/nikon-lenses/nikon-manual-focus/

Thank you vey much I'll take a look ;)

I have a friend coming next month from the US and there just seems to be more options there and the price is lower, unless you know a good place to buy vintage lenses here in Europe.

If that's your budget I'd go with a 50mm f1.8 and just do without the wider FOV. I shoot a lot with just the 50mm because I like the character and it's not that long really on S35. Somewhere between normal and portrait, which I think is a good combo.

Yes, I guess I'll do that and go with the 50mm but which one would you recommend, some versions to avoid? I also saw this 35mm 2.8 is it any good? https://www.keh.com/220853/nikon-35mm-f-2-8-ai-manual-focus-lens-52

Thank you.

Hi, thank you for your answer :) You know where I can buy it, the sigma 30mm f1.4? for around the price I mentioned above?

Thanks again.

It's too expensive, my budget for the lens is about 150$, You guys seem to know a lot, what can I get? I would like a 35mm or wider with an aperture of 2.8 or faster, is it possible to find something good?

Thank you

Thanks but how can I even check the serial number? And what price is it?

I have one of these. It is a superb lens.

 

Make sure that you buy the CRC (close range correction) version. It is as sharp as the reviews say.

Ok thank you, but how can I know if it is the CRC version? I am buying it on Keh.com 

https://www.keh.com/220798/nikon-28mm-f-2-8-series-e-ais-manual-focus-lens-52

So I finally made a list of what I might buy (I hope it won't change)

So I am planning on buying a GX7 with a Mitakon Canon EF Lens to Micro Four Thirds Camera Lens Turbo Adapter Mark I and a Nikon 28mm f2.8 AIS

So the only concerns I have now is how good is the Mitakon lens turbo? are there any other options (apart from Metabones), I heard of th RJ lens turbo but I don't know if it is better, or should I take an other one with a different mount (Nikon mount)?

I know that I have to buy an adapter for the lens (Nikon F to Canon EOS Camera), I just hope it won't create any problem. 

So what do you think?

Thank you

It would be a Gx7 with Lens Booster for EF mount, I was looking for some glass and I heard Nikon ai lenses are quite good, so yes I want to have a 50mm equivalent or less that's why I asked for a 35mm ;)

Hi, would you know a good lens for about 150$, it would have to be a manual, fast prime lens not more than 35mm for the focal length. For EF mount.

Thank you.

What do you guys think about the Sony a5100? Is it really that better than the a6000 because of xavc-s? There is not much information out there, so I am turning to you guys, once more  :)