John Emery
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Posts posted by John Emery
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1 hour ago, Zak Forsman said:
I have a post-fix for that.
I already saw it.
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All lenses work perfectly with the latest firmware!
Thanks Inazuma & Zak!
By the way... I'm digging the image quite a bit, it's nice and cinematic. But it does have some fpn when you underexpose.
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I didn't know (I'm a newbie when it comes to SBs), so BIG thanks Zak... I'll give it a try!!
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First thing I tried, but It looks like there's no firmware update for the "Bmpcc T Speedbooster"...
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Hi!
Just got my micro cinema camera and a Bmpcc T speedbooster. And I'm having problems with the latter (well, it could be the micro too)... it doesn't let me control the aperture of my EF lenses (Sigma 18-35, Canon 50 f1,4 and 24-105 f4). The 24-105 works sometimes (if I detach it a few times from the speedbooster). I'm a newbie when it comes to both pieces of gear...
Has anyone else tried this combination? Any workarounds?
Any help would be appreciated.
Thanks!
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4 hours ago, AaronChicago said:
It's possible that since it's new, everyone is trying to show off the DR and the super polished/clean look. I don't think it would be hard at all to make it cinematic. There's a lot of things that make a shot cinematic such as lighting but you could crush the hell out of the contrast and add some grain. Desaturate a little bit. Use a Tiffen Digital Diffusion filter. I may try to rough it up a bit for a test soon.
That's what I've been hoping these last months... it's probably a DR showoff/ entirely new beast thing. But it's just feels discomforting not seeing at least one of those videos that you can just say "that's it", and I'm not talking about high end production stuff, just someone in their backyard getting some nice cinematic results. But all in all, I've still got an eye on it, so if you end up doing a "rough test", please let us know.
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17 hours ago, AaronChicago said:
John, I haven't noticed a different motion than the other BM cams but most of this video is 48 fps slow mo. I've shot a few other things at 24p and didn't notice the motion being videoish.
Thanks for sharing your impressions! Dunno, I've never tried to love a camera so hard... On paper it ticks all the boxes, even when it comes to screen shots it looks great (that's why I mainly blame the motion). But I still haven't seen any footage from the 4.6K that feels truly cinematic (for my standards that is). Some footage looks great, but it's just missing that BM cinematic mojo. And I've seen plenty of nice cinematic stuff coming from bm4k, bmcc, and bmpcc...
Once it's available I'll rent it out and give it a try.
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10 hours ago, Zak Forsman said:
No 4:1 on the Micro. Up to 30fps, you have the options of RAW and RAW 3:1. At 60fps, You only have RAW 3:1 available.
Thanks Zak, I really appreciate it!
After some research I'm getting the Sandisk "extreme pros 95MB", any new discoveries worth knowing about when it comes to SDs?
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32 minutes ago, AaronChicago said:
Dug up an old thread to share some screen shots from a 4.6K video I just shot for photographer Daniel Kelleghan. Full video should be up Monday. I'm so blown away everytime I use the camera. The color and DR is just insane.
Shot in ProRes UHD with the Sigma 18-35.
Hi Aaron! I dig the DR, and color looks quite flexible (but I do still prefer the 4k colors). What do you think of the "motion" of the camera? I always get the impression it's a bit videoish, not as cinematic as the rest of BMD cameras. What do you think?
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Hi Zak! I think I'm getting mine this week, and I just wanted to ask a quick question (I can't find any clear info lying around)... Which "flavors" of Raw recording do you have @ 24 and 60fps? Is there 3:1 and 4:1 Raw for both frame rates? Which one do you like to use?
Thanks in advance!
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8 hours ago, tupp said:
A production day is often 12 hours. Even if your batteries last that long, how do you manage 5 to 8 battery-powered lights, any one of which could go dead in the middle of a take?
Yes. I have used generators many times. Everything from the smallest Honda putt-putt to 1500 amps. However, I have used "house" power countless times, and that situation is always preferred on small and medium shoots.
I ALWAYS prefer house power instead of batteries. Much easier to manage.
How do you position/mount your heavy, battery-weighted backlight so that you do not see it in the frame? If the backlight is on a stand (extra top-heavy with a battery) on one side of the frame, there is no need to dress the cable with a tungsten light, as the light and stand are already out of the frame.
If your are mounting your backlight on a ceiling pick-point, the extra weight of the battery requires an extra-heavy-duty mounting and more secure "safety." Plus, how do you easily manage that battery capacity when it is mounted on the ceiling?
I was an IA electrician and grip for several years. Please feel free to educate me on set safety and on dealing with hot lights.
Gloves are mainly needed for changing scrims and for problem lights. There exist portable tungsten lights that feature large, cool handles, and such fixtures rarely require gloves. The last two shoots I did were all tungsten, and neither I nor the swings used gloves (nor belts).
Certainly, the 120T's ability to accept Bowens front-end attachments makes it exceptionally versatile. However, it isn't as if there aren't already long-established tungsten lights that share front-end accessories with other manufacturers. Plus, the lack of luminance density makes typical LEDs not suitable for a lot of situations. I also wonder about the actual focus range of the 120T.
In regards to the "1.5K" output, I am waiting for @Ted_from_Aputure to post proper photometrics on the 120T. If the brightness is typical of most prosumer LEDs, then the output of the 120T combined with some of those accessories might be a little weak.
Power/luminance density is basically how much "oomph" a fixture has per cubic inch. In other words, "output-per-size (or output-per-pound)." Tungsten fixtures often have more output-per-size and/or output-per-pound compared to LEDs.
Yes, LEDs are more efficient than tungsten sources. However, the versatility, ease of use, focus range and, especially, "oomph" are more important factors to me.
In regards to efficiency, LEP (plasma) fixtures are more efficient than LEDs. I have followed plasma technology for over 20 years, since it was off-color, sulfur based and unwieldy. It is very possible that once the price of the plasma fixtures drop, that they will be the next "flavor-of-the-month" and everybody will flock to them. Even so, tungsten will likely still be the less expensive and more versatile way to go.
That's a real funny joke, but I have worked on tungsten sets for longer than I care to tell, and not once was anyone "stationed" at a breaker/fuse box.
We often "scout" the breaker box (and sometimes do tie-ins). On medium-sized shoots, the person who scouts the breaker box is usually called the "gaffer." On large shoots, the person who scouts the breaker box is often called the "best boy." On small shoots, I am the one who scouts the breaker box.
Daytime exteriors are usually "grip" days, unless you are using big guns. Medium-sized night time exteriors can usually be handled with 1k to 2k sources.
Keep in mind, you're probably not going to be lighting a whole night time forest with your battery-powered LED panels. You also might have trouble covering a 30'x30' exterior area with distant "moonlight" using a typical LED fixture.
I'm sort of enjoying the chat, but it doesn't really seem to be heading anywhere, and I prefer investing my time doing something more productive... You love your tungsten lights? Great! Give August McCue your recommendation for a "basic kit", but keep in mind he might want to shoot outdoors too (I personally shoot 60% indoors/ 40% outdoors), so include things like generators and so, and it would be great if you also let us know how you work around issues like recording audio with them. It looks like you know your stuff, so I honestly think something like that would be a lot more interesting for this blog.
I'll just repeat my opinion... and this is coming from someone that's got way more experience with tungsten lights than LEDs:
The days of... hiding cables/ endless sauna sessions/ wearing gloves all the time (I love my fingers)/ having someone at the fusebox (No Tupp, this was just a joke... some people will get it)/ using generators... are over. Yes, I'll still use tungsten lights when they're needed (the best lights for the job thing), but I'll slowly replace them all if I can, and after all the movement we've seen this NAB it looks like the industry will too.
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15 hours ago, tupp said:
Certainly, if one's shoot takes a short time, then batteries can work. However, lots of shoots take all day (especially narrative work) and battery power is not practical in such situations. Of course, a lot of work (especially narrative) requires the versatility and control that tungsten fixtures offer, LED fixtures are not practical. The thing is, tungsten fixtures can work in most all situations. Tungsten can sometimes generate noticeable heat, but the versatility usually outweighs that potential problem.
So a light with 2 v-lock batteries for all day isn't practical? I think it's heaven... Have you ever used a generator? Ain't fun!
15 hours ago, tupp said:You hide cables? The only time I ever hid cables was when they were in the shot, but that was just basic dressing. Gloves are usually not necessary, unless one is perhaps removing scrims or wrangling a hot Fresnel with some problem.
Yep, if you use a light with a cable as a backlight (eg), you always have to make sure that cable doesn't appear in the shot. "Basic dressing" in my experience consumes way to much time. No cable, no problem.
At all profesional sets I've ever been to, gloves are a must with tungsten lights (you know, the good old "safety always first" thing), but safety is optional I guess.
15 hours ago, tupp said:Again, LEDs also have less control, less versatility and a lower power-luminance density, when compared to tungsten units.
Less control/ versatility? I think an Aputure 120T is as versatile as it gets... a small 1,5K dimmable hard light, on which you can mount soft boxes, barn doors, a beauty disc, you name it...
Lower power-luminance density? I don't even know what that is, but I can tell you that a 120W LED is really bright, and very power efficient to boot.
15 hours ago, tupp said:You stationed someone at the fusebox? Really? Generators are almost never necessary for fixtures of 2k or less.
Yep, and we stack the snack table next to it, we call him the snacky-fuse guy. You don't use one? How unprofessional!
You talking indoors, aren't you? Do you ever shoot outdoors? What do you do then?
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Tungsten vs LED... umm, like always it depends on workflows... cableless mobility and low heat are the big ones for me (my tungsten lights are rotting in the cupboard). LED cri is up there now, and running something like an Aputure 120T on a V-lock battery makes a lot of sense to me. The days of... hiding cables/ endless sauna sessions/ wearing gloves all the time/ having someone at the fusebox/ using generators... are over, and I don't miss them at all. Higher price seems like the only true "Con" for the latest LEDs, but I think they worth every penny. That's my two cents.
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57 minutes ago, August McCue said:
Any suggestions on building my first official lighting package? Really want something that would cover most basic lighting situations.
I bought 2 of these for 199€ each...
Very well built, they mix perfectly with Aputure's HR672's, same cri +95 quality (I've done a side by side test and they look identical), but twice the power. They work 3 hours at max power or 6 outputting the same amount of light than the Aputure's (spot version) with a 220€ 177Wh "Kayo Maxtar" V-lock battery. I usually use 1 battery per light/day, I put it on and I forget about it (I hate changing NP's every hour). It's hard to think of any cons, maybe the only thing that I don't like is that the warm filters don't match the Aputure warm filters, but I don't like either of them anyway, I usually use CTO gels on both.
I think they're a knock off (or rebranded version) of these, but a daylight version...
http://www.bhphotovideo.com/c/product/1147568-REG/axrtec_axr_a_1040bv_bi_color_led_panel.html
As you can see, for that price the Excelvcan (terrible name) is a steal...
Other lights... Aputure's AL-H198C is great and cheap, and I also like the 672's, smaller and lighter than the Excelvcan's so you can easily put them up in smaller places with a magic arm. Talking of arms, the Tarion magic arms have been a great cheap discovery for my kit.
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Great skin tones, DR, motion... I'm sold!
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For your consideration...
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2 hours ago, Axel said:
I don't see the advantages over ProResHD so far. Even, as one has pointed out, the obvious advantage over the much cheaper 4k version ...
Well, it looks like there's an important advantage when you shoot Raw (specially for those that think the motion of the 4.6K cam looks too videoish). Used to 5D ML Raw, there was something bugging me about the footage I was seeing from the Ursa 4.6K, I loved the latest stills, but in motion it always lost a big chunk of its cinematic mojo. Speaking to one of the cams testers over at BMCuser, he told me that it's got to do with the Prores compression, and that shooting Raw retains the cinematic motion...
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All fears are starting to dissipate... colors, DR, decent low light/ noise. It all looks spot on...
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Low light is looking good...
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More skin tones...
Still not 100% convinced about those colors, but they're little by little getting there, could be the grading... We need those raw files!
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I just hope this is not a temporary drop.
I got a similar black Friday offer, but not as good... 4900€ (VAT included). And it's normal price went up after that. I spoke to a salesman and he told me they do those type of offers to reach a certain level of sales with Blackmagic to get better conditions from them. I don't think it will last...
I do hope it's a BM price drop... like that I can get a better deal.
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BlackMagic Micro Cinema Update?
In: Cameras
Posted
I had it, and it's terrible compared to other options!! It is a smart design but poorly executed. Mine didn't flip properly (half of the time the image staid upside down) and they didn't answer to my emails. And it's really low res (I got a MustHD and the difference was huge). I would get a Aputure FineHD V2 if I was buying now, best bang for buck if you don't want a recorder and you like big monitors.
This is my setup...
Attaching the mini plate to the monitor makes the setup fast and easy and it all fits in a small cheap Amazon camera bag.
The best thing is that when you block the tripod head (Mantona 18008) that holds the monitor (MustHD) it's feels like a handle, and it's quite comfy to hold with one hand and pull focus with the other. It's like holding an inverse Bolex D16... I really like it!
All I need is a cage to protect the cameras HDMI input.