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Chris Whitten

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Posts posted by Chris Whitten

  1. Most of their previous cameras have been difficult to use. I had the DP 2 and 3 Merrills. Stunning picture quality, but at 100 to 200 ISO only. You got a Sigma proprietary raw file which other platforms like CO and Lightroom didn't support. Sigma's own raw processor was awful.

    Even traditionalist Leica have an app where you can upload your pics to a phone or iPad for Instagram.

    So far having only dabbled a bit with the photo side, and yet to start shooting video footage, I'm seeing some of the same hurdles.

  2. I'm not sure about sales. Several people have been dumping the FP on Ebay UK presumably out of frustration.

    There is virtually nothing on the web about stills photography using the FP except the first few blog posts that are now months old. 

    Very little on Youtube except people uploading 1 minute test footage clips without much info. I was an early original BM Pocket user and there was much more dialogue and information sharing going on then. Thank heaven for this discussion, also one or two Youtubers who are testing and discussing.

  3. I'm disregarding the exposure preview.

    I'm trying to set my settings manually based on the exposure meter and histogram. I'm shooting only with auto ISO and still getting blown out highlights because the camera is countering my conservative shutter and aperture settings by changing the ISO to make the scene too bright. Of course being raw I can adjust the exposure in Capture One.

    But, it really is a basic for any cheap camera, let alone a supposedly sophisticated £1900 body. Return the shot with the same exposure the user set.

  4. Sigma are a weird company. Their lenses are so sorted, but they keep releasing cameras that aren't finished or have obvious flaws.

    In the past I owned the DP2 and DP3 Merrills. Superb images, but only at ISO100-200 and no way to process the raw without their cluncky 'Pro Photo' software.

    Based on a few forums such as this, I dove in again and bought an FP.

    Haven't tried the video yet, I'm a BMPCC4K owner. Maybe I can use the FP on a gimbal? I'm certainly used to CinemaDNG and Resolve (former BMPCC owner).

    In stills mode I'm using the FP with Leica M glass - I would love some Contax/Zeiss too.

    At the moment I have the camera set to full manual with auto ISO, because you can't have exposure compensation without auto ISO (why?).

    At -3, my raw images are still blown out in the highlights, although recoverable in Capture One. I guess I'm going to -7 next. Just seems bizarre in this age where there are so many fantastic cameras, to have to fiddle about to get a properly exposed raw image.

  5. Yes, if there is a fault. I was more talking about if I didn't get on with the gimbal.

    Anyway, I took it back, there was a fault and I exchanged it for a Zhiyun. CVP were excellent in terms of customer service.

  6. I'll probably have to drive to the store, see if they can figure it out or exchange it. This morning, perfectly balanced without the Moza turned on, it vibrates crazily and makes a loud motor noise when I switch it on. 

  7. Update 2

    The smoothest footage so far - using my SLR Magic 10mm.

    Maybe the wider view is more forgiving, or maybe my other 'wide lenses' are light with long bodies, and that's causing the end to wiggle. The SLR Magic is weightier and shorter.

     

  8. Update...

    I did the calibration procedure from the computer. Also, not many set up videos explain the YAW balance procedure in depth. I found a couple and redid the YAW balance.

    Now I'm getting usable footage at least, still a bit jerky and wobbly. I guess I'll experiment with the motor power levels. I have them at 80%, maybe I should go back closer to 100%.

     

  9. This is the smoothest I've managed. I set the motor power to 70% and it looks less jerky than something I shot at 100%. I start standing still, then walk slowly and as smoothly as I can.

    So far it's better than I was achieving yesterday, although I haven't really changed anything about my approach. As I walk the camera has a tendency to drift to pointing right, this is in yaw follow mode (mode 1). It should be pointing down the lane, not drifting towards the cars. I assume that's a balance/set up problem? I've tried several different ways of balancing the camera on the Moza. It always sits balanced nicely before I power up, and then when powered, but as I walk along it does this drifting to point right thing.

     

     

  10. Thanks all for the advice. I'm getting a bit down about it.

    I didn't read Amazon reviews, but I did watch a lot of user Youtube videos, comparing Moza Air to other gimbals and explaining how to balance it, set it up etc.

    The most dispiriting thing is that most users say it's pretty good out of the box, but even with my simplest of set ups it is resulting in completely unusable footage.

    I have updated the firmware, I've tried several different set ups via the Moza App. I've tried several different camera set ups too. The camera is balanced and stable before I turn on the Moza Air, so it should be smooth when I'm using it I think. I'll try and shoot the best bit of footage I can today and post an example.

  11. I've had my new Moza Air for a couple of days now. I've followed online video advice from other users, and Gudsen's own set up videos.

    My test footage is jittery and jumpy, not seeming to be smooth at all. I'm walking very slowly and as smoothly as I can.

    I've tried the motors on full power, and on reduced power. I've tried a light camera rig (BM Pocket with small Voigtlander wide lens), I've tried a heavier rig (BM Pocket in full metal cage with a larger m4/3rds wide lens). I don't know what else to try, but I'm far from achieving anything usable.

    Most of the user videos claim this system is easy to set up and achieves pretty much great footage straight out of the box.

    Help?

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