mercer

Well I believe there used to be a rule with the MPAA regarding motion picture length, for some reason 70 minutes sticks out in my mind, but I could be off. I believe most festivals consider anything over 45 minutes a feature. And I have seen a few features listed on amazon prime at around 60 minutes. So I guess it really depends on what your goal with the screenplay is? If you’re looking to sell the script to a production company, 50 minutes isn’t long enough and any Hollywood producer would tell you, you aren’t writing a feature or you didn’t tell the story properly. If you’re looking to make your own films from your script, then there are self distribution outlets like Amazon Prime that a 50 minute length is acceptable... but I would try to stay at 60 minutes or more. But this is a very interesting topic that I have been thinking a lot about lately, so thanks for posting it.

Are Log to Rec709 utility LUTS necessary with B&W sLog2 or ML Raw footage? I know some people don’t even use them for color, but I’m not a good enough colorist for that. But I thought that as long as I correct the B&W properly, that I may not need to use a utility LUT?

True, but I must admit that after watching Casey Neistat and Peter McKinnon’s videos with it, I was pretty impressed. When it hit $1249 for a refurbished model on the Canon store, it’s not a horrible choice with the better high iso performance it has over the 80D and SL2. Full frame with DPAF and articulating screen for under $1300 isn’t a bad deal for a hybrid camera... especially if you shoot a lot of photos.

Yeah, it’s rather strange how some camera makers have different quality video with comparable cameras in their product line. I shot the B&W videos in 4K and then downscaled it to 1080p before bringing it into FCPX. I did notice some aliasing and a little moire, but I chose the 4K for the higher bitrate to match the higher bitrate of the 120p... but I think I will try all 1080p on my next test. It’s amazing how much more DR there is with sLog2 compared to Cine2 but since the RX10ii is a 1” sensor, I wonder if I were to use an aps-c DSLR, if the larger sensor would make up for the DR gain in sLog2... in B&W?

I am referring to movies like The Paper Chase, or some Peckinpah like Picnic at Hanging Rock or Let’s Scare Jessica to Death. I even think with ML Raw, higher budgeted films like Jaws or Close Encounters is a look that could be emulated fairly well.

Well some people like the look of real life. With some 4K cameras, on the market, the image is clearer and sharper than my eye would normally adjust to on a regular basis. I prefer a softer, filmic look. I think that a lot of videographers are trying to emulate modern, high end video with these consumer cameras, and I think it’s an exercise in futility. No consumer camera, on the market, will look as good as an Alexa... even when shooting at higher resolutions than even the Alexa shoots at. But I think even the lower end consumer cameras can emulate the “look” of 70s and 80s film... which is my favorite era of films. When you take that goal and mix it with a camera like the 5D3 with ML Raw, that goal is more easily obtainable and can closely resemble the properties of film. And that’s the look I’m going for.

Congratulations @hyalinejim I just watched it on your Vimeo page after watching your GH5 wedding video. It looks beautiful and thoughtful. Good luck with it.

That was shot on a GH4?

Well there are the photos of the new body. But I think, in a sense, you may be right. Even though the rumors, which are usually correct, point to a 12mp GH5, I think it could possibly be a new body for $2499 with some new features, and then a paid FW upgrade for existing GH5 owners. We’ll know soon enough.

Well, if you can find a GH4 for the right price, you can’t go wrong with that either... but of course I know what you mean... use what you have and let your creativity move you forward.

How is it not another camera? That’s the only thing we’re sure of.

More fast lens options. Also the 80D uses a higher bitrate 1080p.

Huh?

In one sense, yes who cares what camera Casey Neistat uses, camera choice comes down to preference based on a multitude of variables. If he ditched the GH5, he did it for his reasons, it doesn’t make the GH5 any less of a camera and it doesn’t make him wrong for ditching it... everybody has different needs... and if AF and an easy color solution is high on that list, Casey made a smart move going back to Canon... for his needs. Honestly, the GH5 was a weird choice of camera for him to begin with.

I wanted to get one but in the end, without focus peaking... it wasn’t worth the price to me.

Damn Marty, this looks amazing... great find. I can’t believe this is 720p from the GH1. Do you know if it was shot from a hacked GH1? I am surprised more people don’t shoot in black and white... I really think the 4 luma values takes footage from low end cameras to a higher level and instantly makes them look more cinematic. I’d love to see some B&W from the G6, if you get a chance.

Yeah, I agree... I’m going out today to do some comparison shots between 5D3 Raw and RX10ii sLog2 B&W. I’m pretty sure I already know the results but I’m still curious to see how the two will compare. Btw, love your B&W shots on instagram. I always try to guess which camera you used. I remember that video, and man it still holds up so nicely. If you get some time, I’d love to see a clip from the GH5 and the MonochromeL profile. The RX10 is such a fun little camera when I don’t have to try and figure out the color special sauce.

Jay, nice test! This briefly shows exactly why the Pocket cam is so special. Beautiful color!!!

I can’t unsee that.

Sage, I really appreciate the work you have put into your Alexa/GH5 LUTS, and they look great, but I don’t think it is really honest to say that there will be no difference between the GH5 and an Alexa... the GH5 is amazing but the 2K image from the Alexa mutilates the Cinema 4K image from the GH5... As it should.

@Cinegain did you think my original 3 screengrabs were more grey tones than B&W? The Cine2 sample definitely is, but the light had such a haze to it, that it was either light and hazy or black silhouette. Btw, I like your new profile design.

You should be able to use sLog2 or any PP and use monochrome as the color instead of cinema, pro, etc... that’s what I did with the initial samples I posted. Actually, my time with the GH2 was short lived, I couldn’t stand not having focus peaking, so I ended up selling it for a small profit. I did enjoy the quality of video, though. It still blows my mind the image that 6 year old camera is capable of. Yeah, I love that video... some of his finest work. His off kilter sky shot is gorgeous.

I found an old screengrab from my 50D ML Raw days that I forgot about. The projects I am working on are in the horror/thriller genre, so I tend to push the image to the darker side but I may have pushed this a tad too far. But the texture of Raw video still amazes me... So it would seem that I’ll lose the thickness of the image with sLog2 on the RX10ii but I’ll gain some dynamic range even with the significantly smaller sensor. Either way, I want to experiment more with B&W, in the future, in both Raw on the 5D3 and in sLog2 on the RX10ii. It’s interesting not worrying about color and WB while I concentrate on exposure and composition... it should be a good lesson for me to improve my skills as an operator.

True and his results are pretty good considering the low bitrate of the camera. I really don’t need a third camera, but at $199, it is kinda tempting. Lol.

True, but you aren’t getting a DCI 4K Camera with a Log profile and mic input with the GM1. Plus, the tiny, box form factor is appealing. Plus-plus, I think I like the Z Camera’s color science better than I like the Panasonic color science. JMO.