barefoot_dp

Well despite telling myself I'm saving for UMP G2 and have to save money, I accidentally just went out and bought an a6400 as a b-cam. It should be here next week along with a couple of accessories.

I know it has horrible rolling shutter in 4K but it'll be a tripod mounted b-cam most of the time. I also got it to use in a water housing as it's one of the few models that has an inexpensive pre-made surf housing (as opposed to dive housing) available. For that purpose it will mostly be used in 1080p slow mo, or sometimes for photos.

I also kind of wanted something small that I can pick up and shoot family stuff with or just carry with me. My current FS700/Inferno rig is made for proper shoots and takes a day to charge up all the batteries, so I wanted a little setup that I could just grab and go if I need to. Gonna use it with a Sigma 18-35 and will use a Tilta Mini Matte Box for ND filters. I've ordered the Titla MB but it's going to take at least 4 weeks to arrive due to Coronavirus delays.

I think it will find it's way into a lot more applications than just big budget films.

I'd imagine in a decade or so instead of booking a cyc wall studio, you'll be able to book a similar though scaled-down setup like this. You'll be able to select from a couple dozen pre-loaded environments or load your own if you've got the budget to create the virtual set (and eventually there will be a market for the sets). Perhaps not quite self-funded short-film budget level, but much cheaper than flying a crew to 3 different locations for a commercial.

Swappable lens mounts? Over-sampled sensor (4.6K) for better 4K quality? Recording straight to affordable SSD drives (either via USB-C or an integrated module)? Cheapest camera to use V-Locks natively? One of the best viewfinders available today? Internal compressed raw recording that avoids Red's pesky patent? One of the best UI's of any digital cameras ever? Larger internal displays (though admittedly the one on the Pocket is not that good - perhaps even as bad in daylight as the one Panasonic put on the EVA1)? Prores recording to SD cards (appeared first on the Video Assist monitors)?

It's ok not to like their products. They've certainly had their issues over the years. But it makes you look rather silly when you ignore everything they've done and denigrate all their achievements because of some grudge.
 

Personally I'd in general strongly recommend NOT getting deep into debt to get into the film industry! Recipe for distaste if not very very careful. 


But to answer your question, it depends a LOT on where you live, what your credit score is, how many assets you have, if it is a secured or unsecured loan, what your income is, how much you are borrowing, what you're borrowing it for, etc etc etc

Swappable lens mounts? Over-sampled sensor (4.6K) for better 4K quality? Recording straight to affordable SSD drives (either via USB-C or an integrated module)? Cheapest camera to use V-Locks natively? One of the best viewfinders available today? Internal compressed raw recording that avoids Red's pesky patent? One of the best UI's of any digital cameras ever? Larger internal displays (though admittedly the one on the Pocket is not that good - perhaps even as bad in daylight as the one Panasonic put on the EVA1)? Prores recording to SD cards (appeared first on the Video Assist monitors)?

It's ok not to like their products. They've certainly had their issues over the years. But it makes you look rather silly when you ignore everything they've done and denigrate all their achievements because of some grudge.
 

Kinda shooting yourself in the foot when you try to deny that Blackmagic are innovative... and then you go and post this.

Kinda shooting yourself in the foot when you try to deny that Blackmagic are innovative... and then you go and post this.

Well I just got an URSA mini 4.6k, kind of an impulse buy but I don't think I'll regret it. Just watched a video comparing it to a C300 MK2. It sucked at high iso but the dynamic range killed the C300 and that was just shooting with Prores 422

I'll often have a back up right here with me. 

Sure, I don't have a second Sound Devices 833 (or say a 2nd PMW-F3) but I do have a spare Zaxcom Maxx (or a BMPCC, to carry on giving a camera analogy). 

Canon are not doing anything special. They just don't compress beyond 5:1 or whatever the limit for the Red patent is. That's why Canon C200 files are still massive compared to BRAW or Prores Raw options.

As others have said, lighting is the key to cinematic images.

Learn to light with whatever you have available. Use sunlight/window light if you have nothing else, and practice shaping the light in mock scenes. Get a feel for how you can diffuse light, or bounce light. Practice, practice, practice with what you already have.

If you do come across a few dollars to spend, get some cheap LED lights. Your current camera will be fine while you're just starting out.

I'm hoping to get an URSA Mini Pro G2 this year.

I'll wait until NAB to see if they bring out anything new, as they've released some sort URSA update every year bar one since the original big URSA. I'm hoping they announce an USRA LF, not because I want full frame, but because then all the G2's will start hitting the used market and I can get one cheaper.

G2 is the only camera so far that ticks all my criteria to spend money on an upgrade: 4K120p, V-lock batts, proper audio controls/inputs, 10-bit 422 intra, easily shoulder mountable, and around ~$10,000 for a full package.

 

I'm perpetually baffled that nobody has release an APS-C lens to rule them all yet. Something to replace the aging ~18-50ish lenses already on the market. I guess the companies all know that APS-C & DSLR's are going to die out so they've pretty much given up on them.

I'd love to see a standard cinema zoom made to fill the current gaping hole in the market though. Something like a 19-60 f/2.8 version of Sigma's cine lenses, available in EF or PL. For $3500 that would be an absolute winner for every person who owns an FS5/7, C100/C200/C300, URSA, BMPCC 6K, Raven or EVA1. Everyone I know using those lenses is still holding onto ancient Canon 17-55's or speed-boosted 24-105's and would be happy to upgrade them if something came along.

The lenses that have come closest so far are:
Fujinon 18-55 T2.9 - but doesn't fit EF/PL
Sigma 18-35 T2 - not long enough for "all-purpose" shooting
Red 17-50 - PL mount only and no longer in production.

These cameras are designed to be used in a professional capacity.

They tend to assume that people using them will not routinely make the mistake of shooting a f/8 instead of f/2.8 (ie: 3 stops underexposed).

Same reason why these cameras don't have aggressive NR like the consumer cams do - they assume you'll be using lights and managing your exposure to prevent noise. The downside is that they are less forgiving when you do make mistakes. But, really... 3 stops under? How? When?

These cameras are designed to be used in a professional capacity.

They tend to assume that people using them will not routinely make the mistake of shooting a f/8 instead of f/2.8 (ie: 3 stops underexposed).

Same reason why these cameras don't have aggressive NR like the consumer cams do - they assume you'll be using lights and managing your exposure to prevent noise. The downside is that they are less forgiving when you do make mistakes. But, really... 3 stops under? How? When?

That one video alone might stop ARRI ALEXA Classic prices from falling any further in 2020

But why?

I don't understand his claim that what he is doing in not the same as a panorama.... it is.
 

He's a working DP in LA. Most of the high end gear would come from connections there, or rentals he's already got temporarily. He's one of the few Youtubers who've impressed me when they've actually shown some of their professional work.

Perhaps at some point his Youtube stuff became more lucrative and is now the main focus, but the connections he'd have within the industry would certaily make it easy to get his hands on gear temporarily.
Of course, the lower end stuff is probably all brand deals or stuff he went and bought. The Alexa was an older model that he paid $6000 for. That's nothing in terms of professional cinema cameras. He may or may not have ever used it on a proper job but if he did it could've saved/earned him most of that back in rentals. And he could've easily sold it a week later for the same - or even more (the buzz around that video alone would've caused quite a few people to go looking for rock-bottom Alexa's).
It might seem like he's flushed with cash but really he's just in a saturated local market. It's not rocket science and if you're already making a full-time living as a cinematographer, gear all just becomes part of the cost of doing business. Most working DP's will rent/borrow any new cinema cameras that come out so they can test them out anyway - only difference is he puts some time in to shooting a Youtube video at the same time.

 

He's a working DP in LA. Most of the high end gear would come from connections there, or rentals he's already got temporarily. He's one of the few Youtubers who've impressed me when they've actually shown some of their professional work.

Perhaps at some point his Youtube stuff became more lucrative and is now the main focus, but the connections he'd have within the industry would certaily make it easy to get his hands on gear temporarily.
Of course, the lower end stuff is probably all brand deals or stuff he went and bought. The Alexa was an older model that he paid $6000 for. That's nothing in terms of professional cinema cameras. He may or may not have ever used it on a proper job but if he did it could've saved/earned him most of that back in rentals. And he could've easily sold it a week later for the same - or even more (the buzz around that video alone would've caused quite a few people to go looking for rock-bottom Alexa's).
It might seem like he's flushed with cash but really he's just in a saturated local market. It's not rocket science and if you're already making a full-time living as a cinematographer, gear all just becomes part of the cost of doing business. Most working DP's will rent/borrow any new cinema cameras that come out so they can test them out anyway - only difference is he puts some time in to shooting a Youtube video at the same time.

 

Orange and teal/blue works when you shoot with mixed lighting sources.

The reason is simple: Shoot with a tungsten source and a daylight source and WB somewhere in the middle, and you'll get orange and blue tints on the lights. Then you can apply this to use colour contrast to separate your subjects/background/compositions in realistic situations. Warm interior light mixed with "moonlight" coming in through a window. Dusk exteriors with flames or lanterns drawing focus. A candle or warm overhead lamp to make one table stand out in a restaurant/bar scene. By emulating real mixed-lighting situations, we can use the colour contrast very effectively. Pretty much every scene that uses mixed-temperature lighting is using the orange-teal technique to create contrast and draw focus or interest.

If you're just throwing a couple of LUTS and maxing the saturation on a scene that lacks colour contrast, it's not going to work.

Orange and teal/blue works when you shoot with mixed lighting sources.

The reason is simple: Shoot with a tungsten source and a daylight source and WB somewhere in the middle, and you'll get orange and blue tints on the lights. Then you can apply this to use colour contrast to separate your subjects/background/compositions in realistic situations. Warm interior light mixed with "moonlight" coming in through a window. Dusk exteriors with flames or lanterns drawing focus. A candle or warm overhead lamp to make one table stand out in a restaurant/bar scene. By emulating real mixed-lighting situations, we can use the colour contrast very effectively. Pretty much every scene that uses mixed-temperature lighting is using the orange-teal technique to create contrast and draw focus or interest.

If you're just throwing a couple of LUTS and maxing the saturation on a scene that lacks colour contrast, it's not going to work.

Easy,  I'm choosing the original BMD Cinema Camera 2.5K
Was groundbreaking for its price and quality. First camera with raw for anywhere near that price point. And was the entry of BMD into the camera market, who are now major player, which makes the BMCC 2.5K especially notable. 

Mine is my FS700.
Had it for six years and it's never skipped a beat. No other camera I've owned has given such longevity.
I feel as though 2020 is going to be an upgrade year but I just can't see any cameras at an affordable price range that are not going to be overtaken quickly. It feels as though we're on the precipice of a big leap in standard features; I imagine very soon 10-bit, 4k120, All-I, & super-sampling will establish themselves as commonplace and cameras like the C200, EVA-1 and FS5/7 will fall out of fashion.

Mine is my FS700.
Had it for six years and it's never skipped a beat. No other camera I've owned has given such longevity.
I feel as though 2020 is going to be an upgrade year but I just can't see any cameras at an affordable price range that are not going to be overtaken quickly. It feels as though we're on the precipice of a big leap in standard features; I imagine very soon 10-bit, 4k120, All-I, & super-sampling will establish themselves as commonplace and cameras like the C200, EVA-1 and FS5/7 will fall out of fashion.

Mine is my FS700.
Had it for six years and it's never skipped a beat. No other camera I've owned has given such longevity.
I feel as though 2020 is going to be an upgrade year but I just can't see any cameras at an affordable price range that are not going to be overtaken quickly. It feels as though we're on the precipice of a big leap in standard features; I imagine very soon 10-bit, 4k120, All-I, & super-sampling will establish themselves as commonplace and cameras like the C200, EVA-1 and FS5/7 will fall out of fashion.