mercer

I’d like to at least shoot a small short film with it before letting it go, but after shooting FF the last couple of years, the crop factor of the Micro is a little frustrating. But, as I said, I am an FCPX user, so the ProRes aspect of the Micro is a MAJOR bonus for some projects. In fact, I only use Resolve for basic corrections and transcoding to ProRes4444 with ML Raw, which is great for any CST I wanna do and to get a high quality intermediary codec for FCPX. However, I agree about owning multiple cameras, if you can afford it and have a use for them. As you said, they’re just tools. But for me, I’d need to get something out of a second camera that my first camera doesn’t give me. With your situation, you’re getting a few features with the S1H (IBIS, 4K/6K codecs, Anamorphic, a Netflix approved A-Cam) that may make it worth it, but with my situation, I’m not too sure if the Micro gives me enough to warrant the second kit. I was really stoked for the Sigma FP and it seems to have delivered with everything I was concerned about but again... it’s just not enough to warrant a second system right now. Plus, I think less is more sometimes and forces creativity. I am a lazy shooter to begin with, so lack of features force me to think creatively and to concentrate on craft... lighting, composition and support. I’d rather spend the money on a good slider or some lights than a second camera. Of course, I’m one of those guys that would rather have 1080p raw on a camera that’s built like a tank than 4K anything. This never ending spec race is getting really ridiculous and only benefits the manufacturers and I think Cosmos is proof that a good 1080p image is more than enough and will be for the foreseeable future.

Thanks for posting this. I’ve been following this film for a while and posted the trailer a few months back in another thread. Not only was it shot mostly with one lens, they shot it on ProResLT. The BTS is a great story as well... For anybody that isn’t following this film, these guys ended up getting a US theatrical and VOD release that opens next week. Here’s the official theatrical trailer... Their success is a testament to DIY filmmaking that proves talent, imagination, hard work and perseverance can lead to great things. Being an FCPX user, this film is actually one of the reasons I decided to buy another Micro and give it another try. Of course, I haven’t really used the camera for more than a few minutes. Every time I go out to shoot, I reach for my 5D3, but I hope to get out and give it a thorough test sometime this Fall and hopefully produce something with it this Winter. Or I may just follow their lead, and continue shooting with my 5D3 and sell the Micro. In the end, the camera is just a minor ingredient. Either way this is a great story for aspiring filmmakers and I wish these guys the best of luck with their film.

I’d love to hear a comparison between 1080p ML Raw at 14bit vs Sigma’s 1080p Raw at 12bit in your review.

My experience is very similar between my Canon 28mm 1.8 and Canon 35mm f/2 IS. The 35mm is hands down a “better” lens, but the 28mm has way more character.

And I appreciate your level of commitment to decipher why one lens may be “better” than another. Now if you are wondering if you can replicate the field curvature of the Zeiss Hollywood lens in post... I would say probably not because the curvature creates an optical separation that helps create the signature “Zeiss 3D Pop” but I know how you enjoy post work, so you may be better off getting the sharpest lenses you can find. If I were you, I’d probably dump the Voigtländer... part of that lens’ charm is shooting wide open with it, so if you’re questioning its IQ, then dump it... with the money you make from the sale you can buy 2 of the 3 Sigma 1.4 M4/3 lenses which are probably better at 1.4 than the Voigtländer is. Plus you’ll have One Shot AF, instant IBIS without changing the setting manually.

In my opinion, you’re looking at this too analytically. Test charts and head turning videos on boring sets can only tell you so much. One of the most important factors in any image is rendering and an MTF chart will not show you that... only your eyes will. For instance, the Veydra vs Zeiss CP.2 numbers you referenced... Take the Zeiss 28mm f/2 lens for example... the Contax version was known as “The Hollywood” due to the way it renders the OOF edges of the frame due to the extreme field curvature. The ZF Classic version is a very similar design as the C/Y version and uses the same glass as the CP.2. Check our this, real world, review of that lens... https://www.google.com/amp/s/blog.mingthein.com/2012/07/19/zf28distagon/amp/ Also look at Cookes or Baltars... they aren’t perfect lenses by any means, but they have character and some of the best films of all time have been shot with them. Anamorphic lenses are revered due to their flaws. Color separation, tonality, 3D Pop, OOF highlights and even flaws... these characteristic can add charm and dimension to your images. They can help you tell the visual story you’re trying to tell.

Sorry to intrude, but to clarify about my non-ai question from the other day... do you think if I found a non-ai lens that was converted to ai, then the Leitax or Simmod Mount changes would work? I wonder how hard it is to find the original ai conversion kits from Nikon. My 28mm f/2 H.C. is in mint condition but most adapters on non-ai lenses are sloppy.

There is a mention in the specs of a 1.5x crop but it seems to be part of the stills menu and I can’t find any asterisks, elsewhere, to correspond with it. If it is FF, it’s probably pixel binned like Magic Lantern Raw.

It records out, via USB-C, to Samsung T5 SSD drives... it doesn’t get much smaller than that.

Hahaha... Leica Summicron... as sharp as a knife - subscribe to John Wayne Gacy Tasty Images with Jeffrey Dahmer How to gut a lens that will not be blamed for nothing ... From Hell with Jack

Hahahahahahaha... that may just be one of the funniest stories I've heard in a while. I even told it to my GF and now she wants to know the guy’s name because she watches all of those murder doc shows on TV.

I noticed it more in lowlight shots, dimly lit interiors and ext. night so I guess noise reduction could be kicking in more aggressively at higher ISOs?

The lack of weight to the image. I’ve noticed it in some of the footage as well.

Nope, they raised enough money to pay the codec consortium, aka the Illuminati, the 24 cents for 24p. I don’t think he was being pro-Canon here... it’s like the folks that say, Canon isn’t withholding features, that wouldn’t make any sense... they just don’t have the tech to do it.

I’m trying to figure out how, or if, non-ai Nikkor lenses can have their mount converted to EF?

I don’t know, I’d still suggest the Cine version in EF if he wants a declicked aperture. I’ve had a couple of the M4/3 Cine lenses in the past and didn’t mind the geared focus ring when focusing by hand. The other option would be the Fotodiox Viselex adapter that has a built in variable ND filter... I assume Auto SS would work the same??? That’s a nifty little set up... I used to use focus levers when I was a responsible tripod user and I can see how those reverse gears would be useful.

I didn’t realize you shot auto, I just assumed you shot manual. I think Nikon G adapters have an “aperture ring” and will make all Nikon lenses have a smooth aperture... but I’m not a hundred percent sure on that.

Questions for your follow up question... why do you need a declicked aperture? Do you use a variable ND filter? Also, which mount are you thinking of getting?

I assumed as much and I feel the same way about my 5D3 and ML Raw. It gives me everything I need in a traditional, filmic, organic image except some modern conveniences like IBIS and that crisp modern “Netflix” image which I have grown very fond of lately. What’s the trick for exposing vLog? Is middle grey at a drastically different spot on the curve than other Log formats? Are you using the official Varicam LUTS from Panasonic, or someone else’s? I shoot manual as well, but I’ve found, with past Panasonic cameras, that face tracking worked good enough that you could usually get a clean cut as long as you shot enough coverage. Is it the same? I shoot run and gun guerrilla style so this is what I look for in every camera purchase but it’s been difficult to find something that has great IQ, DR and IBIS... with the ability to shoot raw in a future update... that’s just icing on the cake. Thanks for the thorough reply and please share some footage when you get the chance.

Do you prefer it over the Micro?

Not bad for a FF f/4 kit zoom. I’m looking forward to some more of the small Sigma lenses like the 45mm 2.8. Interesting camera. When the footage looks good... it looks exceptionally good. If it’s less than $3000 this time next year, I may just bite.

That looks pretty good. I wonder what lens they used.

Same. This is one of the few reasons I decided on a single prime or a zoom for any given film. You can’t really second guess yourself if you don’t have the options, it becomes about composition, lens placement, or thinking about the shot from an entirely different way than how I envisioned it when I wrote it.

Do you have to realign your follow focus when you swap lenses?

Yes, please let me know when you get a chance. I ended up buying a Micro a couple months ago but haven’t done much with it. I have a couple c-mounts (Cine-Nikkor 10mm & Zeiss Tevidon 10mm) so I’m going to test them out first, once I get the rig situated and an IR Cut Filter. If I don’t like the c-mounts, I may get a speedbooster for my Rollei Zeiss 25mm. Which brand of speedbooster do you use? And how do you like it? I decided to take a minimalist approach to filmmaking going forward, but the Micro’s crop factor makes it difficult to get anything wide with what I currently own.