Ty Harper

Good to know! No question Zoom's pre-amps have gotten consistently better over time (I was down with Zoom for a minute. Had the original H4 and then the H4N), and what they lack in sound quality they make up for in very practical features and portability. But if audio quality is your priority then the Marantz PMD661 (Version 1 or 2) and the Fostex FR2-LE are still the best bets in the sub $500 price range imho. Unless you really need 2+ XLR mics. And actually the Marantz goes for like $300 used nowadays. I just got a 2nd unit with the Oade Mod for $300 (which makes the amp's even better). It's interesting cuz these two units hardly get mentioned on video-centric blogs, even though they've out performed Zoom's newer H line releases on sheer sound quality over and over again and have maintained their rep (particularly the Marantz) in the pro audio/run n gun radio broadcast world. All that said, I wouldn't mind seeing some proper F8 comparisons to the PMD661 and the FR2-LE because I'd love to downsize + have more than 2 XLR mic channels at my disposal.

I know the Zoom line has pretty much become the go-to recorder for prosumers, and even a lot of pros, but the preamps on these units have always been disappointing imho. Then again I'm looking at capturing audio that sounds great as part of a larger visual/soundscape and equally as great solo for radio broadcast where there's nowhere to hide. I still recommend the Marantz pmd661. Its amps are way better than the Zoom line, the sound is broadcast quality level, but it isn't as big or expensive as one of the Sound Devices units.

Hey all, I thought I had everything figured out. But now I'm realizing there's also an ExFAT/FAT32 formatting issue with these cards and Canon's in-camera formatting process. I've got a 5D III with ML 1.2.3 installed on a 32GB SanDisk Extreme (60 MB/s) SD card. The SD card is formatted in ExFAT and stays that way even when I format it inside the camera. I have a 256GB Lexar 1066x CF card formatted in ExFAT and it stays formatted as ExFAT when formatted inside the camera. This is not the case for my 128GB Lexar 1066x CF cards. Whenever I format them to ExFAT on my MAC (and my PC) they get formatted to FAT32 when I format them in camera. Is the current conclusion that the 256GB Lexar is the only Lexar 1066x CF card that maintains its ExFAT formatting when formatted inside the camera? Any updates, suggestions or insight on this issue would really be appreciated.

Short EPK I did for Toronto activists/musicians LAL, who are close friends of mine. Constructive criticism is welcome. Shot, edited and produced by Ty Harper. cameras: Canon 5D III, Canon 5D II lenses: Canon 50mm f/1.2 L, Canon 100m f/2.8 L, Canon 28mm f/2.8 IS, Canon 80-200mm f/2.8 L, Tokina 11-16mm f/2.8 audio: Sennheiser G3, Marantz PMD661, Sescom line out to mic in audio cable with attenuation additional equipment: Lowel Rifa-Lite EX88, Konova K5 slider with the Basic Pan/Tilt controller, Glidecam HD4000 shot using Magic Lantern's RAW hack and edited entirely in DaVinci Resolve

Thanks, really appreciate all your advice! Did you have issues adapting the lens to your 5D and was there a particular K-mount to Canon EOS adapter you'd recommend? I've been seeing conflicting reports about the K mount lenses and its ability to fit on a Canon EOS camera.

Cool, just saw one for about $150 and am really considering going for it. Any experience with the Zeiss C/Y 35-70mm f/3.4 and how it might compare to the Pentax and Nikon?

Which one do you think would give better overall video IQ on a 5D MKIII?

Ran some tests and yes, the issue was me not having the "Files > 4GiB (exFAT)" option turned on. I had checked for it in the past but was looking in the Card settings menu. For anyone else interested, you get to this option by.... (i) pressing the trash can to access the ML menu and scrolling across to the Movie section (ii) scrolling down to RAW video (MLV) (make sure RAW is actually engaged if it isn't already... you do that by pressing the "SET" button on the camera) (iii) pressing the "Q" button on the camera (just above the "SET" button) (iv) scrolling down to "Files > 4GiB (exFAT)" and pressing the "SET" button to turn it on Thank you all for your help!

Actually no worries found it! Hopefully that was the issue. Will run some tests now. Thanks for your help!

Thanks Rob! I'm also using 1.1.3 on my 5D III. Where in the menu is this exfat setting located?

Definitely been shooting at 24p. I'd chalk it up to a defective card but I got two Lexar 256GB cards bought at different times from different sellers giving me the same recording times. Not sure how to trouble shoot this one.

Thanks! So yeah looks like I should be getting about 48.8 minutes with these cards.

Any idea how long I should be getting with one of these cards?

I know most of you have moved on to leaner 4K pastures but I still run with the 5D III/ML combo. I just picked up a couple Lexar 256GB CF cards for cheap and have been consistently getting a max recording time of 38 minutes and 34 seconds for both cards. The camera also freezes up and I have to take the battery out to get it going again. This is with global draw off and on. I should also say these cards seem to work fine as long as my recordings are under the 38:34 max. And the cards were purchased at different times from different sellers. I feel like I read somewhere that I should be able to get around 48 minutes with these cards. Anyone that can confirm or deny this? And if I should be getting more minutes out of these cards, anyone got advice on what I might need to do to get more time out these cards? The only features I have enabled are Global Draw/Live View, custom Cropmarks and False Color (RAW RGB, Log) and as I stated I got the same max recording times with Global Draw off and on. Any constructive advice/thoughts would be greatly appreciated. Ty

Should I assume that the DS1 Beholder is the best handheld small 3-axis gimbal option available for 5D users right now?

This looks really promising... best I've seen so far.... but with a max load of 1200g looks like a 5D III + lens (I use a 28mm F/2.8 IS for steadicam/gimbal stuff) would be pushing it.... and that's not even including an ND filter :-(

Been looking at LTO as well. Seems like LTO-5 would be the model to start with.

Is a BDXL Blu-ray burner + 100GB M-Discs a worthy investment for longer term video file storage compared to hard drives? My drives of video footage keep getting bigger and bigger and it's only a matter of time before they fail, so is this the best practical/affordable option for prosumers?

I'm no expert either but I'd think the sound quality of the two Zooms would be the same. But if I'm understanding the other part of your question, and your mic is going directly from that xlr connection into your camera, then you're depending solely on the sound quality of your camera's amps, which usually isn't the best quality compared to if the mic was going into a dedicated preamp and then into your dslr/mirrorless (unless dslr/mirrorless cameras have much better amps now?? I'm still on a 5D III/ML). The point of buying a dedicated preamp is to bypass the camera's preamps right? So for me I use a Marantz PMD661 with the Oade mod which gives me a great preamp + a second HQ recording. But somehow I feel like you already know this and I'm not really understanding your question. Either way interesting find!

Anybody got experience with this lens on a 5D? Going on a trip and although I have the 24-105mm I'm no longer a fan of the images I get out of it. I've heard good things about this lens, it's super cheap ($80), macro @ 70mm, and I have a nikon adapter. Or will the 24-105mm give me better photo and video images?

Thanks for the info! I haven't seen a lot of discussion about 5D RAW projected on a big screen (just a thread on the RED forum) so my assumption up to this point has been it's because it might not hold up well. But if that's not the case that's amazing news for me. Hopefully there are other knowledgable filmmakers who can chime in as well but thanks again!

Hey all, Looking for feedback on the 5D RAW image's performance on a large screen projector. This is for a doc I've been working on for a bit about the history of Toronto's hip-hop scene. I mention it's a hip-hop doc because I'm also thinking it might be possible to use the 5D RAW image's limitations at that screen size for an aesthetic advantage (?) Additionally this doc is a political exercise, meant to show local communities - whose histories filmmakers/media companies consume for profit - can create, own, tell and watch their histories in a theatre without having to subscribe to the rules and exploitative tendencies of the established film and television industry. Any constructive feedback would be greatly appreciated.

I think budget, whether you will have daily access to power outlets, and whether you need to capture HQ audio, are key things to figuring out what's best and affordable for you. Based on a `once in a lifetime' 10-day trip I took a couple years ago where I didn't need HQ audio, I'd recommend: 5D Mark III with ML Raw Canon 28mm f/2.8 IS Canon 100mm L f/2.8 IS 72mm ND Filter 58 to 72mm step-up ring 67 to 72mm step-up ring Zacuto Z-Finder Pro 3.0x NEXTO DI ND2901 portable storage: http://www.bhphotovideo.com/c/product/1061096-REG/nexto_di_nese_nd2901500g_nd2901_with_500gb_hdd.html (I'd buy the 500GB one and replace it with a 1TB SSD) NEXTO external battery (although it looks like these are discontinued????): http://www.bhphotovideo.com/c/product/588817-REG/Nexto_DI_NENA_21112_ND_External_Battery.html#customerReview 2x128GB Lexar 1066x CF Cards 2x64GB Lexar 1066x CF cards 4xCanon batteries 1xCanon charger CarrySpeed Sportsling strap system (allowed me to switch lens without putting the camera down): https://www.amazon.ca/Carry-CS-Sport-Camera-System-Mounting/dp/B0095M789A/182-0140037-4406003?ie=UTF8&*Version*=1&*entries*=0 2TB My Passport Ultra (you can connect this to the NEXTDO without a laptop): http://www.bhphotovideo.com/c/product/1140711-REG/wd_wdbbkd0020bbk_nesn_2tb_my_passport_ultra.html And it all fit snugly into a ThinkTank Retrospective 5 (this bag's look does not scream EXPENSIVE GEAR INSIDE :-) : http://www.bhphotovideo.com/c/product/847336-REG/Think_Tank_746_Retrospective_5_Shoulder_Bag.html Of course you're constantly offloading from CF card to portable storage to external drive, then repeating.... all while shooting. Also you have to remember to charge everything at the end of the day or you WILL be screwed the next day. This might be too tedious of a workflow for some and I don't know where it falls on the affordability spectrum but it served me well for what I needed. I got amazing footage, had no regrets, and would probably do the same thing again.

Just haven't switched yet.. is it that big of s difference? But more importantly, will it help me solve this workflow issue? :-)

Hey all, I've been doing all of my raw editing and grading within Resolve 11 Lite and this weekend decided to try a roundtrip with FCPX. However it was a nightmare to say the least. I keep getting a "timecode extents do not match" error message. So far the only way I've been able to relink the files when I bring the fcpx xml file into Resolve for final grade has been by manually force conforming each clip with the original dng files... which is obviously not practical. Does anyone have a tried tested and trusted settings for a 5D Raw to MLV Mystic to Resolve to FCPX (proxies for edit) back to Resolve (raw for final grade) workflow? I am totally the dude that prefers to figure things out on my own and hates asking for help. But I spent three days tinkering and trial and erroring and trying to figure it out to no avail. So this is my last resort. I honestly wish I could just edit/grade on Resolve bcuz I had fun doing my first edit in there, but the audio functions are really subpar and the inability to export just the audio is frustrating too. Anyways, any insight on this would be greatly appreciated. Sincerely, Ty And I've been adding reel numbers too.