Matthew Hartman
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Posts posted by Matthew Hartman
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19 minutes ago, IronFilm said:
Indeed, NAB is not far away as it is in early April.
But then once NAB rolls round, and IF a camera is released which blows our socks off (next to zero chance that is from Samsung), we might very well have a few months to wait until it ships? Then unless you want to take the big risk of being an early adopter, you have a few more months to wait out to see independent reviews published and read user reports of it in practice. By this point in time, oh hey, 2019 NAB maybe isn't that far away.... and so the cycle carries on forever!This is true.
19 minutes ago, jonpais said:If it’s not too much trouble, could you post links to some of these reviews?
https://***URL not allowed***/lab-review-samsung-nx1-video-mode-frustrating/
https://youtu.be/Xoqt5w3n9iQ?t=17m
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On 2/3/2018 at 7:10 PM, Allen Smith said:
I heard that the dynamic range on NX1 sucks but not sure if that is true or not. I really wanted to see some footage from someone who has tested the camera outdoors in high contrast situations to see who well it holds on to details. For example I would like to see a filmed scene with clouds and also landscape with person in scene to see if it can keep them properly exposed without clipping the clouds or underexposing the person that is in the scene. Any sample footage would be great to see and list the settings used to help me understand if the NX1 is a good purchase in 2018.
Samsung and DXOMark say the DR is around 13 stops. But having used the camera for over 3 years now I would say it's closer to 10-11, and perhaps 12 with Luca's NXL speedbooster.
Is it a good camera to buy in 2018? Yes, of course. Honestly, most camera's built when 4k was the hot buzzword are still viable systems today. We are really nearing the point of diminishing return.
Are you going to get BMD, RED or Arri quality? No. Those cameras are in the range of 14-16 stops and write to 12-14 bit RAW or high-end Apple Prores codecs.
Can you make a short or even feature film with the NX1 with decent quality? Absolutely.
If Netflix or Hulu hired you to shoot one of their productions could you use the NX1? Absolutely not. Nor could you use the GH4/GH5/s or any of the Sony flavored DSLM systems either.
Not happening.Could you shoot your own finished film on the NX1 and submit it to Netflix or Hulu? Absolutely.
There are a shit-ton of examples of NX1 footage, and good place to see some of the best examples is to start at my petition site here:
https://www.ipetitions.com/petition/samsung-keep-nx-alive
From personal experience, I can tell you the 6.5k sensor is extremely sensitive to light. Highlights often clip so you have to often shoot to the left a bit. But this is also true of the Panasonic, Sony, Canon, Nikon, Olympus, Leica, Fuji, etc., etc. in the same class. In the $1,000-3,000 price bracket, this is what you get and can expect. That being said, there are techniques, tricks and tips in getting a better image out of these cameras. If you know their weaknesses, you know what to avoid. Personally, I think these limitations force you to be a better cinematographer and think outside the box.
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18 minutes ago, jonpais said:
@Matthew Hartman I read your comment with great interest up until your last statement about the industry lynch mobbing the NX1. Could you clarify?
It's nothing quantifiable, more a perception I and some other NX1 owners have. In particular a lot of pretty reputable online reviewers where either hostile or sarcastic towards Samsung's entry into the DLSM market, and I felt they were very hard on the camera whilst giving lessor (but more well known brands) cameras flying colors. It seemed a bit "intentional".
Of course, it makes sense to be skeptical, but we're talking Samsung here, one of the most profitable tech companies on the face of the planet, that trumps Canon, Nikon, Sony and Panasonic put together.
I don't want to fanboy out too hard on the NX1 because it is not a perfect camera. But it definitely didn't deserve the hate it received from some of the industry. The camera still competes well with other mirrorless systems in 2018. And certainly our very own Andrew Reid is a big fan too.
*EDIT*
Trust me, it's not lost on me that no one hurt the NX1 worse than Samsung themselves.
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On 1/27/2018 at 1:00 AM, Kisaha said:
60D was a great camera at the time, did some personal projects with it, and low budget stuff, 80D is more like a joke of a camera. Seriously, what is the upgrade vs the NX1?? Slightly better AF? The NX1 with the 18-200 (terrible lens, but versatile) is around 98% touch focus success in day light. The NX1 is so much better in everything, that a slightly better AF is not doing it. And it has a time lapse mode also. To really upgrade from the NX1 you really have to go much higher, and still not everything is so much better, especially if you truly need a true hybrid camera. The top Canons, like Dave (and you) mentioned and the A7Riii are the ones coming to mind now.
If you want to specialize in video, consider buying a more typical video camera form factor. In my opinion still can't beat that for video. Canon C100mkII is a very good camera, if you do not shoot, or need 4K, and 80D isn't a C100mkII in dSLR form, no way! You should have stick to your NX1, and wait for the next generation though.
I'm going to be bold and just state my opinion some may find offensive. To get better video (or better moving images) in terms of the NX1, like Kisaha said you have to move up to a dedicated proper cinema camera, which judging your talent you should be seriously considering.
Even the GH5 or Sony A7RIII isn't going to give you a huge leap in terms of quality except the 10-bit in the GH5/s, over the NX1, but even here the difference isn't going to be staggering.
I'd hate to see you throw your money at these bodies and be let down, because I know your next investment has to really count for you, and I know how much you like the NX1. I know you and I have spoken about this away from these boards, but I want to state it here too for those in a similar situation. I think a lot of us think about this subject a lot.
This is why I'm personally moving into BMD (still keeping my NX1 for BCam) which seems like the natural step up in terms of cost/quality gain. Dollar for dollar the UMP gives you a ton of bang for the buck, I'm actually shocked BMD is not jumping on the RED/Arri bandwagon and charging an arm and a leg for their products, because they could and still sell them just fine. Kinefinity is another that comes to mind here. This is great news for the industry. Bad news for RED and Arri.
I've seen the UMP footage cut with the Alexa footage and it holds up very well, they're very similar in terms of DR, aesthetic and how they capture motion. Both look very filmic. The drawbacks of course is the weight and size, ( and limited low light capabilities of a cinema camera) which if you're like me, would mean also updating some of my stabilization gear to support the cam's weight. Sigh. No one said this industry is cheap.
Personally I'm not impressed with the EVA 1, which by the time you outfit the UMP is comparable in price. It's build is very plasticy (although light) and ultimately the image looks less filmic and more "video-ish" to me, much like the GH5. Some ppl like that, it's just a preference thing for me, no hate here.
Cams like BMD, RED, VariCam, and Arri have a certain "weight" and "depth" to their image, whereas with a lot of the competitor brands the image looks a bit "thin" and "edge-fringed" to me. I struggle to describe the image in technical words but my eyes notice it right away. Perhaps it's because I've only seen "bad" examples online or perhaps it is what it is.
But hey, it's a wonderful thing that we all have options in the market, so each to their own.
Like you and I discussed already, it's probably worth waiting a few months. I have this nagging feeling someone is going to drop a bombshell camera this year and give many of us buyer's remorse. IF (a tentatively doubtful if) it's a new NX camera, it's going to crush a lot of competitor's dreams, let's get that straight. And hopefully this time the industry won't lynch mob it like they did with the NX1.
On 1/26/2018 at 9:34 AM, webrunner5 said:I don't see what is wrong with the 80D you tested here at the end compared to the 1DC softness wise. And surely it would weight less. And to have DPAF, seems like a winner to me. Trouble is you have to have both. No 4k in the 80D is just stupid on Canon's part in this day and age.
Interesting that you can do a 4k time lapse on a 80D though. A damn good looking one at that!
The sky looks rich in this.
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On 2/3/2018 at 7:18 PM, Allen Smith said:
Do you have any recommendations on tips to prevent the sky from blowing out or clipping while keeping all other elements in scene properly exposed?
"Properly exposed" is a bit of a subjective thing. There's properly exposed in terms of what the Histogram, Waveform, False Color, etc., says, and then there's properly exposed in terms of what the mood and/or message you're trying to portray.
In some cases, it's okay to have crushed shadows or blownout highlights because that information is not essential to the scene, mood, message, story, etc.
Your style could be more techincal and buttoned-down or more artistic and impressionistic. There is no right or wrong way. It's whatever you intend.
If I had to guess from these stills I would say this person shoots left, protecting the highlights, and crushing shadows and noise in low light, which for the NX1 and it's limited DR is probably wise. Samsung says the camera produces 13-stops of DR, which if were true would be outstanding. However, in realworld use, I personally would say it's effectively more like 10-11. The sensor is extremely sensitive to light, even dimmed practicals can clip on a technically "properly exposed" scene. I have no doubt however if the camera gave a RAW signal in video those could be recovered. The codec (distribution) is the camera's biggest weakness.
Honestly, the best meter is your eyes. If it looks good to you and your audience and tells the story, who cares what the Waveform monitor says? It's just a tool, not a governor.
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On 2/3/2018 at 7:21 PM, Allen Smith said:
I would love to see the final film for the photos posted. Is it available yet?
Me too. These have to be some of the best images coming from the NX1 I've seen to date. I think many ppl would have a difficult time distinguishing this from a more expensive cinema camera. Of course, we can't really see any highlight rolloff and motion in these particular frame grabs.
Also, the lighting is superb, and you definitely know how to expose for dark scenes. A less experienced person would have tried to bring up shadows, most likely clipping highs and introducing terrible noise, instead of allowing them to roll into darkness, which is a clear rookie mistake in my view.
A lot of ppl would say these shots are "under exposed" not realizing when you shoot for dark scenes you only need an "impression" of what's happening in the scene, the brain automatically fills in the gaps.
I'm saying all this because I see your methodology and wanted to give it props, and I feel like since the whole Sony ISO craze, ppl are losing this skill, which has been evolving since cinema began.
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3 hours ago, Lotfi Kaz said:
(its me ) Thanks Matthew, settings pretty much same however it's probably because this time it's exported in 1440p rather than 1080p so it could be that.
I'm also soon getting the BMD because clients keep asking for slow motion ..but I'll still keep the NX1 for pretty much all moving shots that require a gimball so all static shots can be done with BMD because you know how much it'll cost extra to have the BMD move...I think it's a good compromise.
PS: there is a trick I use now for smooth slowmo with 4k which is not bad for quick shots, I tried it and it's making me question now if I really need BMD for 4k 60P!!!
This technique has been around for over a decade. It's basically subpixel sampling and it can take a long time to render. It was originally an After Effects thing.
If you're going to use this technique make sure you shoot with a high shutter speed because too much motion blur will ruin the effect. You have to preplan this.
The best implementation of this technique I've seen is from a plugin called Twixtor, which gives you a set of adjustable parameters, which optical flow does not. You also don't have to conform your footage to a different timeline.
Results vary:
If this is all you need the plugin will be way cheaper than buying an Ursa Mini.
I still think the Ursa Mini is a good investment if you have the money. You gain quite a bit of advanatges over the NX1 other than just frame rates. The good thing about the NX1 is that it cuts nicely with BMD and RED footage. It would be a good A/B cam setup.
I am definitely NOT looking forward to the weight and size of the Ursa. Knowing my luck Blackmagic will release a smaller/lighter Ursa Mini, just right after I purchase the 2017 model.
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48 minutes ago, Marco Tecno said:
I'm not so sure about paradigm shift happening "now". It will happen, sure, but there would have been room for another iteration of nx tech, in the meanwhile.
Oh no, I guarantee you it's happening right now, just incrementally. That being said, technology grows at a exponential rate, which means any projections about technology growth in the past is garbage data going forward. A lot of people forget to factor this in which skews projections.
Expect some manufacturer with an industry reputation like RED to change the game and watch ppl flock to it in droves, (once they get over the concept of bigger is better) just as everyone is flocking to the GH5/s. They couldn't hand over their money fast enough to Panasonic, and for what, marginally better features than the GH4?
I'm not making any claims that this is a good or bad trend, that remains to be seen. But I am saying it will be a thing at some point sooner than later, and helping people to mentally gear up as to not be so shocked when it hits it's peak craze.
On a personal level, even though I don't know if I'll adopt it myself, I'm looking forward to the industry getting it's much deserved dispelling of the notion that to make a feature film you have to shoot on with a $60k camera. Several top cinematographers actually disagree with this notion as well, but their clients lock them into those costly systems because brand reputation and status is part of securing big budgets oddly enough. Kind of like if you were to cost your services too cheaply the perception would be you don't produce high quality. All it's going to take is just ONE reputable manufacturer that the industry respects to dispel this and it's the point of no return.
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Guys, as many of you know I'm the guy behind the petition being referenced on the FB page. I tried to contact a handful of Directors and ex employees that actually worked on the NX1 and even the new CEO of Samsung. It took me a lot of digging to find the right players. I even used my street creds and contacts within the tech industry. I hold over 13 patents. Crickets.
They are focusing on smartphone cameras right now. They are an incrediably elusive company when it comes to their product development (as most tech companies are) but they have been vaguely clear about their projections. The problem is there's a language barrier with a lot of them and their vaugeness whether intentional or not always leaves that door cracked. This is giving many of us false hope.
My inclination is that the "NX3" is the evolution of the NX1 promise carried through into their smartphone technology. Samsung is NOT going to allow Apple, LG, Google, Nokia best them in this department in 2018. Samsung has always been very aggressive in this department and they have all the resources they need to pull it off.
I think we're going to see some interesting camera tech in the S9 and Note 9 series, as well as the aforementioned foldeable screen device.
I think these products are going to blow away the competition in spades. Their true competitor (in camera tech) right now will be RED's hydrogen One who's promising one of their super35 image sensors in a add-on module. This would revoluntionize and galvanize the industry if they pull it off. Ultimate mobility will be the new buzzword. Peripherals are all going wireless.
The industry is having a paradigm shift and the first stage is denial. And plenty of people are steep in it.
The industry is already priming right now:
https://mashable.com/2017/07/01/michel-gondry-iphone-7-film/
I think we're going to come to understand Samsung's decision to pull out of the camera market as we currently know it. I would not be suprised to see Sony, Panasonic and Even Apple jump into the game. I think Canon and Nikon are already on their death march.
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God, I can't stand pop culture. Money, money, sex, money, excess money, sex, I'm trendier and sexier than you because I gotz'duh monie. Meh. Reminds me of Trumpism. ?
However, I love the images you're getting from the NX1 and your camera work in general.
Did you change your settings or workflow from previous videos? I'm seeing a cleaner image in these examples, less banding, artifacts, etc. The blue tones are reading really well.
It's amazing to see the NX1's footage on a 10bit monitor. For some reason, it looks cleaner, especially gradients, than on an 8bit monitor even though the footage is encoded to 8bit. It's a pretty noticeable difference. I have a 2.5k 10bit BenQ, extremely color accurate, so maybe that's part of it.
I'm going BMD soon, but definitely holding on to my NX1 because the image can be pristine in certain circumstances, and better in low light than any BMD cam currently on the market.
It's unbeleiveable to me that 4 years after it's release (2014 correct?) it still holds up nicely.
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5 hours ago, Juxx989 said:
It seem this RED phone will be the real BMPCC spiritual successor
I believe it will go through a large rejection period. The industry tends to get pissed and dismissive when tools costing significantly less produces results nearly to the level of their gear costing disportionately more.
I wouldn't be suprised to see BMD respond to this RED smartphone proposition with the evolution of the BMPCC, nor would I be suprised to see the Panasonic CM2. The trend towards ultimate compact portability is unquestionable in this point in time.
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3 minutes ago, IronFilm said:
It will have a near S35 sensor shooting compress RED raw for $1.6K?! Color me skepticalNo, no. The base model (w/out the camera module, which is a seperate accesory) starts at $1,600. Knowing RED, that add on module is probably going to be twice or triple as much.
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Steven Soderbergh’s New Movie was Shot on the iPhone: Here’s the Trailer
Haha, this is going to piss off a lot of industry ppl.
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On 1/29/2018 at 9:06 PM, IronFilm said:
Wish 1" sensors with a prime lens were more common in smartphones.
Heck, I wish I could buy a point & shoot with a 1" sensor with a prime lens!! But such a camera doesn't exist.Then you're probably going to like the rumors that RED themselves are touting about their Hydrogen One phone camera module. They claim it's going to house one of the sensors of their normal RED lines. Base price (without the module) is said to be $1,600.
If I'm not mistaken, that sure looks like a lens release button in the upper right corner to me. I'm also seeing a variable apeture ring.
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On 1/30/2018 at 1:47 AM, ReinisK said:
On my gimbal there seems to be decent amount of rubber between the camera and metal, but I guess I'll try that, thanks!
I would love to get the Samyang 12mm f2.0, have been thinking of it for a while, but on nx mount it seems to be more expensive, than m43 or e-mount. Also not a lot of them available. Will probably get it one day, when I get rid of my Tamron 10-24.
Everything is in top perfect order. I take extremely good care of my equipment.
I'm also selling the Rokinon 135mm f2 as well for $400 if you're interested?
Shipping for both to Latvia from the U.S., will cost between $60-$100.
Both are pictured together below
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5 hours ago, IronFilm said:
I assume of course you are remember to distinguish between the 4K and 4.6K when looking at reviews/opinions online?
As the 4K sensor indeed crazy bad in lowlight, as you're basically stuck with just one ISO
Have you considered the 12 Step Program?No, but I'm definitely considering 15 Stops of dynamic range. ?
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11 hours ago, IronFilm said:
If you do buy a mid range f2.8 zoom and don't get the Sigma 18-35mm f1.8, then don't rob yourself completely of a super lowlight fast option! Get one or two primes on the cheap to help yourself out in a pinch.
50mm f1.8 lenses are always dirt dirt cheap, so get that at least. Although a fast 35mm or 24mm is likely more useful in my opinion if you only have one.
Anyone can have this: https://www.bhphotovideo.com/c/product/1158443-REG/yongnuo_yn35mm_f2_yn_35mm_f_2_lens.html Better than nothing in an emergency.
Or other options:
https://www.ebay.com/itm/Rokinon-Samyang-Canon-EF-24mm-f-1-4-Aspherical-ED-UMC-Lens-For-Canon/282813284219
https://www.ebay.com/itm/Excellent-Sigma-AF-24mm-f1-8-EX-DG-Macro-Lens-24-1-8-Canon-EF/272788802326I'm definitely leaning towards the Sigma 18-35 1.8 art. I'm seeing online that even a couple stops can make a pretty meaningful difference in terms of this camera and low light.
I know myself too well bro. I'm fucking OCD when it comes to IQ. If there's noise that Neat Video can't take care of at a reasonable exposure I'm going to obsess in the most unhealthiest of ways. I'm a lunatic.
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6 hours ago, ReinisK said:
On my gimbal there seems to be decent amount of rubber between the camera and metal, but I guess I'll try that, thanks!
I would love to get the Samyang 12mm f2.0, have been thinking of it for a while, but on nx mount it seems to be more expensive, than m43 or e-mount. Also not a lot of them available. Will probably get it one day, when I get rid of my Tamron 10-24.
I'll sell you mine. In excellent condition. $200 plus ship. Where are you?
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7 hours ago, MKSN said:
I still have this beauty as second phone
41 freaking mp. Insane.
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1 hour ago, IronFilm said:
Yes, the day the average high end smartphone has 8K will be pretty dreadful.
As 4K really should at least have another 10 year life span as a delivery format.A Sony F3 is seen by many as "not current" because it lacks 4K (even though the frequency is high I'm on shoots with a hired FS7 but they're just recording in 1080/2K!). Would be terrible to buy a F5 with 4K that then quickly becomes just as "outdated" as a F3
Exactly.
We also need better functionality / ergonomics with our cameras too.
Was very pleased to see the GH5 have a full size HDMI port, that is an important development. Likewise the Panasonic DMW-XLR1 was a *MASSIVE* improvement over the YAGH
And now the GH5S has a timecode input.
Those developments are just as important as higher frame rates / better codecs / etc!Am hoping the next generation will see built in ND filters like the AF100 / LS300 have (or maybe even eND). And a movable EVF, like on the GX8. Perhaps an additional SDI connection too? To have all this packed into a body the size of a large DSLR would be phenomenal.
Would'nt you say Kineifity is close to achieving this? Look at the trend, RED brains are increasingly getting smaller and now we have Alexa "mini". It turns out ppl actually like mobility. RED jumping into the smartphone arena is a good indicator where the market is headed.
Samsung is able to cram adjustable/mechanical apeture blades the size smaller than a finger tip.
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3 hours ago, Hugovau said:
Thanks a lot
@Matthew Hartman I have Laptop would It help if I upgraid the RAM 32GB?
thanks in advance
It will help but the amount of cores is probably more meaningful in this scenario.
I had 32GB in my last system but 4 cores (i7 3rd gen, 3GB GPU) and I was unable to play h.265 in realtime in a media player, let alone in a Premiere timeline.
I'd hate to see you spend money to upgrade your RAM for little benefit as far as 4k h.265 is concearned.
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4 minutes ago, Hugovau said:
@Matthew Hartman I have the I7.7700 hq he has 4 cors.
Thanks in advance
I wouldn't even consider running smooth 4k on anything less than 8 cores, especially in Premeire, which uses the CPU inefficiently.
I don't want to alarm you, but realistically you may have to upgrade your processor if your computer/motherboard supports that, if not you may have to consider a new motherboard or new computer.
For now, I would use a proxy workflow, which thankfully Premiere makes simple.
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39 minutes ago, mercer said:
The Canon 17-55mm f/2.8 is a nice lens... I believe it is used on the Narcos show. But don’t underestimate a fast lens with these cameras. These images will get noisy fast, so it really helps to have that fast lens to keep your ISO levels low.
With that being said, I would recommend a good two lens setup. A zoom lens like the aforementioned 18-35mm or Canon 17-55mm which would be your walk around go to lens but then get one fast Prime in your favorite focal length for lower light, shallow depth, and your money shots.
You're talking about this guy?
Decisions decisions
In: Cameras
Posted
Exactly. Biased. That guy is a muppet anyway. Loves the GH4, but made fun of the NX500. Makes no damn sense to me.