JazzBox

Ciao! 

Most of the time I shoot music video with very low budget  and little time.

For the last video I shot we had less then 3 hours, because the location's owner gave it for free to this band just for the lunchtime. I had to put the lights, to dispose the band, to shoot and to change lenses between the shots... so it was a very "run&gun" situation. I wanted to use the Micro Cinema Camera with Video Assist, but I felt safer with my trusty GH4, easier to control for WB, shutter etc...

So, I'm thinking to buy a little camera that could help me to go even quicker without loosing quality. 

I have read Andrew's review of Sony RX IV, Panasonic GX80 and Panasonic LX100. I also saw a nice Leica D-LUX Typ 109, that seems the LX100 twin.

Of course with GX80 I could sell my GH4 and continue using my Contax Zeiss lenses, but maybe I could have great results also with the compact cameras.

Do you have any suggestion about those four cameras?

How about codec quality in 4K (and 1080 slow motion), color science, dynamic range, battery life, eventual overheating issues, LCD / EVF quality etc...? 

Which one would you pick? Would you take the GH4 or sell it?

Thank you very much!

 

Anyone used the NTG4 or NTG4+? Are they "hotter" then NTG2? 

I was posting the same "walking video" (clearly not a... music video ) a certain PTA shot for Radiohead, but I saw in this page @kaylee posted it

Why a music video should stick to rules? Come on, it is 2016, we saw some millions playback videos! If someone has a nice idea and can skip the "performance video" I can only say "bravo!"

First af all the images are in the same mood of the song (which I like very much), they go hand in hand with the music.
Then the cinematography serves perfectly this kind of story. Beautiful spontaneous images!

I really love this MUSIC VIDEO (or call it as you prefer, you could call it "geppo", "sarchiapone" or google a name for it, but it remain a great MUSIC VIDEO) and I think Jonatan really made an amazing piece of art!

p.s. @Jonatan: I have more or less the same combo (Micro Cinema, Video Assist and a magic arm), but until now I had not the confidence to shoot with this camera and I'm still shooting with my trusty GH4. Of course I like the Micro's file 1000 times more then the GH4's one, but I still have more confidence with the GH4 (I'm faster on it, when I have to change shutter angle, WB etc...).

Have you some advices to use it "run and gun"? How do you deal with histogram, peaking etc?

And, last question: how did you shot the beautiful night shots? They are really awesome to my eyes! 

Thank you!  

2 hours ago, AnthonyWithNoH said:

Don't waste your time on the Zoom H5 shotgun capsule, it's terrible - I own one. An NTG4+ or NTG3 would be good for outdoor use. I bought the NTG4+ and while it's good enough with my Zoom H6, I wish I would have just gone with the NTG3. 

Thank you for your advice!  

3 hours ago, IronFilm said:

There is no one mic which is perfect for everything, you'll often be using a different microphone for indoors vs outdoors. 

So don't write off a mic because it is not suitable for outdoors.

There are many different NTG models from Rode, the two most popular ones are the NTG2 and NTG3. The NTG2 is a solid enough cheap entry level mic, I have it myself, but it is not a hot mic at all by any measure as the output is rather on the low side. The NTG3 is a totally different kettle of fish, is more expensive, and is highly regarded and also seen as very good value. 

Thank you very much! 

Maybe the best bet would be Rode NTG3 (or NTG4+ http://www.thomann.de/it/rode_ntg4_2.htm) for outdoor and an Hyper for indoor  

EOSHD changed the way I looked to filmmaking: thanks to your articles, to your advices on shooting handheld, thanks to the precious answers I had from the great people of the forum I grew up a lot!
I will be always grateful to you and to this amazing community of kind and expert people for your help and inspiration.  
 

Thank you very much for your precious advices!! 

I've a bag of 57, a Beta 57 and some condenser (pencils and LDC), I'll do a test of each!
 

2 hours ago, Andrew Reid said:

Guest posts by email or proxy, no, because there are plenty of other blogs that do this and sitting at my emails all day isn't my idea of filmmaking fun.... but moving out of Berlin and getting a real team of talent around me, shooting stuff and producing EOSHD content together for YouTube... YES to that.

One of the issues I've found in doing this though, is that nobody has the time or money, or the willingness to exit their day jobs to commit to doing so, because we're all slaves in an oligarchy.

I'm with you for 99.9% of your (de)motivations - I wrote for 10 years for the biggest italian national guitar monthly paper magazine that slowly become just an online magazine (with a totally different way of writing: my reviews or interviews went from 6 magazine's pages to 500 characters) and I ran a blog about home recording for 3 years, now for your same reasons it is 2 years that I frozen it.

But I really can't understand one think: Berlin is one of the most interesting city in Europe, in every street you could shoot something great, why you want to move out? 

Thank you all!!

What about capsules for Zoom H5? Are those toys or useful piece of gear?

Thank you all!! 

I know the Samson C02, the AKG Perception 170, the Beheringer C2 etc... they are all perfect for live instruments micing, for indoor shooting, but outdoor they become quickly very difficult to use. 
I'd like to find some "video" mic so I can rely on it when I shoot indoor and outdoor.

The Rode NTG are bad?

Thank you all!

Thank you very much for your kind answer and for all the tips, I'll try to search something also on DVXUser.com!

I know very well the modded Oktava MK-012 (a friend of mine has a matched pair in his studio), amazing on instruments!
I have a pair of pencils and I tried to use them while shooting, but I had a lot of noise outside and the series will have a good amount of external shots. For that I thought to ADR in the first moment, but I don't want to bother the actors at the end of the editing... 

I added the "on-camera" mics just because they where cheap and I could find a way to mount them on a boom. I don't want mic on the camera, otherwise when I'm pulling focus etc. all the noise could be recorded. 

My maximum budget is in the € 300 range, but if a €200 NTG-2 would be fine... better

http://www.thomann.de/de/rode_ntg_2.htm?ref=prod_rel_358843_7 

I just need a nice, clean, not harsh mic with good volume and no noise to record with my trusty Zoom H5.

Huge thanks!  

Dear all, 

I'm going to shoot a web series and I need some tips for the dialogues.

I own a recording studio, I have microphones for vocals and music that are perfect for voice over, ADR (which I made quite often) etc... but not for cinema, since it is difficult to mount them on a boom.

Since it is an indie (super low budget) series I'm thinking to record the dialogues with a shotgun mic and then sync in post with the camera's audio. 

I saw some Rode mics (I already own a Rode Lavalier for interviews) and I'd like to have some advices from you:

http://www.thomann.de/de/rode_videomic_go.htm?ref=search_rslt_rode+video_329025_2

http://www.thomann.de/de/rode_videomic.htm 

http://www.thomann.de/de/rode_videomic.htm?ref=search_rslt_rode+video_177309_8

http://www.thomann.de/de/rode_ntg4_2.htm?ref=search_rslt_rode+video_358843_10 

I also saw this, that look useful on set: http://www.thomann.de/de/rode_blimp_mkii.htm?ref=prod_rel_358843_1 

Do you think one of those mic could have a good sound (no hiss, harsh frequencies, good volume etc...) or there are some better choices? 

Of course I could still think to ADR after the editing of all dialogues, but since the budget is low... if I could have the audio on set that would be better

Thank you all!

On 12 maggio 2016 at 10:34 AM, Xavier Plágaro Mussard said:

Because you prefer B and think it should be more expensive??

The C looks a little greenish on my monitor, so I thought it would be the cheaper. The A and the B are both good but the B to my eyes is slightly better on skintones.

Probably the technology of A and B is improved from the expensive but old Lite Panel. 
I'm happy to notice that, because I also have a couple of Youngnuo 600  

Yes, Aputure are probably a little better in terms of construction, but they are very close in color rendition. Lots of people hate cheap  LED panel, but I really love the simplicity of use for independent/ low budget shooting and the great look you can achieve. 

I would say Led C is the 50 € one, Led A the 100 €, Led B the 300, but of course it is perfectly possible I was wrong to guess :D 

52 minutes ago, muhammadahmad said:

I dont need slow mo. Music videos and short ads.

For music videos you could need it, especially if you shoot a story besides the playback.

I had the Pocket and now  have the Micro: the quality is similar, you could intercut them and none could tell which is which.

The Pocket has the monitor, so it is more easy to use without rig, the Micro has not, but the battery life is definitely better. With Pocket you need a lot of batteries to shoot for a day, because they last just 30-40 minutes.

For 500 dollars anyway the Pocket is a great buy.
 

I'm thinking to this one for both the Micro and the GH4, it seems pretty solid.

 

10 minutes ago, Zak Forsman said:

it's in both.

Thank you very much for your help!

I hope it is something manageable that does not compromise the usability of the camera... I still have my GH4 but I'd love to shot my next gig with that.
If the overall quality is good I'll keep it... In this moment I'm sorry that I have not here with me to make some tests... I hope at the end of the week I'll have some hours to try it.

Do you think this Rollei Cage could work for both Micro and GH4?

Excuse if I bother you, but I love the images you made with GH4, so I'm sure you know exactly the pro and the cons of both

http://www.rollei.com/products/tripods/video-tripods-video-accessories/rolleiflex-4k-s-cage,p252124

@Zak Forsman is the FPN a RAW issue only or is it present also in ProRes?

I still have to test my Micro for that  problem, because I'm far from home to shot a music video with my GH4.
In the meantime I noticed that BlackMagic Video Assist drop frames at 50p (ProRes 422 HQ) while it doesn't in ProRess 422... 

Thank you!!  
 

Patona are good! 
I use them for VA, at the moment I charge them directly with the monitor, very quickly, I will order an external charger as soon as possible, but I have other Patona's charger and they are very slow. 
If you have a suggestion for a charger please let me know

Ciao,
sorry to bother you: I tried to format the SD card in ExFat (both on Mac and on the Video Assist), but in ProRes 422 HQ I always have "Dropping Frames".

Did anyone had the same experience? 
 

6 hours ago, AaronChicago said:

It definitely needs a good source of light. If you're raising the exposure to look brighter than whats actually there it can cause problems. The 4K BMD cameras are the same. FPN can show up if you're boosting the shadows. Alot of us are used to great lowlight cameras (DSLRs, mirrorless) but I feel with V Log and BMD cameras you have to change that mindset and shoot in a more film style approach.

Thank you very much Aaron!
I'll try my best to shot in the right way: honestly my only experience with log was with Pocket and I had great results, but GH4 is so simple to use (and V-Log in external is just amazing to not use it!!) 

Just another question, excuse me if I bother you: do you think it could work in the same video using both V-Log in external and "Natural" indoor (of course with color grading)?

All the best and thank you again!
 

On 20 aprile 2016 at 3:23 PM, AaronChicago said:

Yeah, GH4 + VlogL + 10bit external is great in my opinion. If you're shooting any of the other color profiles it probably doesn't make much sense to go 10 bit.

Aaron, I had a super quick test recording V-Log in ProRes on BM Videoassist and I had quite the same results I had internally: super good exterior shots and very noisy internal shots.

The exteriors are so good (and they grade superbly with the LUT you suggested me) that I probably made some mistake in interiors, but I always have noise in shadows with V-Log, while I have good images with "Natura" or CineD: could you please suggest me something to have good shadows indoor? Thank you very much!  

13 hours ago, bluefonia said:

H

Hi, - it's been a long time :-).

The short answer to your question: if you want both the easy way and the option to dig deeper get both FilmConvert and ColorFinale.

The long(er) answer: Well, well, - it all depends. As a matter of fact I also have the fairly new CoreMelt LUTx and have demoed the KojiColor. They all have their weak and strong points. If you want good looking results, quickly and  without much hassle - with LUTs - I think FilmConvert is a great solution. It has few LUTs, they are all good though, but FilmConvert can't load thirdparty LUTs. You can dig deeper in ColorFinale - due to the added curves, vectors and the layers, but ColorFinale has no LUTs preview function, - you have to add the LUT to see the result. The new $49 upgrade should include the option though. ColorFinale can load third party or your own custom LUTs

I would say ColorFinale is a much better grading tool if you want to develop your own grades than FimConvert, -  it is really good for both primary and secondary corrections. If it had masking tools it would be close to perfect. I find the color wheels are difficult to adjust though, but that might just be me.

If you want to mess around with lots of LUTs CoreMelt LUTx has great preview options and nice browser functions for organizing all the LUTs in the world. Has also pretty good color adjustment tools. KojiColor like FilmConvert has few but well executed LUTs and some nice color adjustment features. Does not load third party LUTs.

EDIT: If I should choose only one I would take ColorFinale. After spending a great deal of time lately with all the above plugins I think in the feature I´ll try and make my own style of "looks" and for that purpose ColorFinale is a better tool.

Thank you very much for your precious tips my friend!
What I like more about FilmConvert is the grain simulation, but I have to try with some other third part solution, because Color Finale - especially thanks to vectors - is something that I really enjoy.

I just bought Color Finale, because with the vectors, during the trial days, I was able to nail some nice grading. 

I also have the Film Convert trial and I like it for the grain possibility: do you think it worth to have both Color Finale and FilmConvert?

I like it very much!