Rhood

The Jinbei EF-ZF3 I'm talking about
https://www.jinbei-deutschland.de/en/products/ef-zf3-spot-vorsatz-2399

The Nanlite PJ FZ (Forza 60 mount)
http://en.nanlite.com/products/detail/PJ-FZ60

Fine detail work could be for instance illuminating a label, having a mini slash of light on a (small) product, etc.

I know the Nanlite PJ BM (Bowens mount) is not really suited for this type of work. As when you get up close you start getting the rainbow effect.

I watched the gaffer and gear review a few times.
Normally with a projection mount he says if it's any good for product and fine detail work or not.
 

There's currently a promotion running but it ends soon.

So my question, is it also good for fine detail work?
Is there a difference quality wise when paired with 60 or 150?
Other thoughts?


Has anybody had there hands on the Jinbei EF-ZF3? How does it compare to others?
 

On 2/21/2022 at 10:17 AM, Django said:

 

A quick search on GFX forums confirms this:

Same with my GFX 50S.

The OOC jpgs have heavy chroma NR applied (with in camera NR -4).

Developed raw, with NR off or low, moire false-colour artefacts become apparent (colours between dead white stalks in field below), though small coloured objects are retained - such as red berries on distant trees, even the subtle colour shifts in the autumn leaves is lost. The chroma NR removal of fine coloured information in the OOC jpg is great loss IMO.

The bayer CFA of the GFX is v.prone to moire and false colours on hard edges, but not x-trans - with those sensors OOC chroma NR need not be so high.

Fuji X jpg engine chroma noise reduction setting very high

Since the GFX 50 and Hasselblad X1D share the same sensor.
Is the X1D affected by this as well?

11 hours ago, androidlad said:

Again the root cause is indeed the X-Trans CFA. Fuji uses a demosaic algorithm for video/jpeg that prioritises speed and efficiency in a small camera body. This leads to colour smearing issue. It doesn't happen to X-Trans RAW stills anymore because modern RAW processing softwares have much more refined algorithms to deal with X-Trans.

I disagree on the modern RAW processing.
I'm at the moment switching from Adobe to Capture One.
It comes with a few extra pluses, like the ability to buy a perpetual license (a big plus in my book).

2 hours ago, Nikkor said:

In stills cameras CCD cameras have much nicer noise. A shame they stopped developing CCD sensors.

Well it’s not only in stills camera’s.
The Sony F35 I mentioned earlier uses a CCD sensor as well.

It’s digitally as close as you can get to film / print.

The Alexa is of course pretty close as well, but the grain is nicer on the Sony F35.

2 hours ago, Django said:

Agreed, my Leica M9 is by far the closest to film camera I own. Not just noise but also image thickness and colors. It just nails that film look. Digital Bolex (arguably the camera with most lo-fi mojo) also used the Kodak CCD.

Another great benefit from CCD was global shutter.

But sadly the DR & ISO spec race killed CCD in favor of CMOS.

I think it’s actually due to production costs. CCD sensors are more difficult to make, and cost more to produce if I’m not mistaken. 

Most pleasing grain ( / noise) on a digital camera?

Definitely the SONY F35

also
Panavision Genesis
Ikonoscop a cam dII
Arri Alexa

(If you are interested. I might be tempted to sell my F35 for the right price. It’s sitting on the shelf as most of my work now is photography based.)

Thanks a lot for the recommendation @bjohn!
 

Then why are there camera specific IR Cut filters to be used with ND filters?
And why are there ND / IRND filters that produce quiet different results on camera A vs camera B?
Ok, it may not be the sensor but it may be the IR cut filter in front of the sensor. I've seen it, on Alexa/Red/Sony. It could be that it's different for Hdslr / Mirrorless cameras. I just added the Fuji X, since there are quite a few people on this forum who use or used this camera and probably have one or a few ND / VND filter they use or used on their system.

Also I'm not looking for the perfect filter.
Just looking for a decent variable ND filter that is good enough.
A few years ago I used Lightcraft variable ND filter, it was good enough. There's probably something better and cheaper around now?

I disagree about the not camera related thing. Of course they can be used on various cameras.
But some might perform better on camera sensor A versus camera sensor B.

I know variable ND's aren't as good as single ND filters.
I have a mattebox and rectangular ND filters.
I'm looking for a Variable ND filter for documentary and other faster pace type of work.

13 hours ago, kye said:

the quality is limited regardless of budget.

Also, cost isn't a predictor of performance either, with some mid-priced options out-performing higher priced options, often quite considerably.

That's exactly my reason for asking here 🙂
Since there are so much variations out there.

@MrSMW Thanks! I'll look into the Gobe ones!

Will check it out!
Thanks!

Hi all,

probably already discussed but the search option on the forum didn't do the trick.
What are the best budget variable ND filters for the Fuji X range? What to look for?

Anybody who has any experience with these from Rollei?
https://www.rollei.com/collections/rundfilter-nd-filter/products/fx-pro-variabler-nd8-512?variant=33074919833677

Thanks!

Ah I see!

Would a focusing diopter on the front solve this?

Thanks!

Hi,

I have an Iscomorphot 16 2x lying around.
I searched here on the forums and on the net but couldn't find the version I have lying around.

Mine doesn't have any rings that turn.
So it seems like focus through version?
Is anyone familiar with this version?

I did some quick test handholding it in front, but didn't seem to get it sharp at 1 to 3m.

Ok thanks a lot for the clear answer!
Was about to buy, thinking it would be more or less the same as a focus diopter.

Hi,

does anybody know what a vario diopter or close-up filter is?
On the filter is marked 2.3 to 3.7 feet.

Is this like a variable diopter ala SLRRangefinder for example?

Thanks!

I know it's been not a full day between my post.
But I need to decide today. Help appreciated.

I just saw an 5D2 for even lower, around 250!

Hi all,

can't really make up my mind and need to choose as soon as possible.

Options I'm tinkering about

Octabox 150cm with grid (and inner diffusion layer) (only around 50 cm deep which is a good thing)

Ball / lantern softbox 120cm with curtains

Balloon / lantern softbox 65cm (no curtains)

What I'm getting it for?

Mostly for round catchlights as I don't have any softbox type for that at the moment.
Portraits / Fashion
Film, table scene top down softbox

What I'm currently leaning most to?
Octabox 150 cm and Balloon / Lantern softbox 65cm

Am I right in thinking that the 150cm octabox and ball lantern 120 cm will produce pretty similar results?
The octabox will probably create larger catchlights, which is most of the time a little more pleasant.
The ball lantern is a lot deeper, don't know how much, which can be a big disadavantage for those table scenes or such.
Is there anything I'm missing?
What is your opinion?

More or less know what I'm gonna do regarding the monitor mount.
Anybody any suggestions on the USB-C adapter/hub/... thing?

What do you mean with 360° adjustment?
Like a noga arm or such?

Anybody experience with the Edelkrone monitor / evf mount?
Anybody who has had experience with both Edelkrone, Zacuto and Smallrig one?

Hi all,

2 questions.

Monitor mount
Anybody any experience with the smallrig 1587?
Is the position adjustable without having to loosen any knob? Or is it loosen knob, adjust position, tighten knob?
I see the screw for attaching the monitor doesn't have arri pins, that's a slight bummer.

Anybody any experience with the Zacuto axis / axis mini?
Is it also useable for a 5" to 7" monitor? I only see pictures of evf's with these.
I know this one is adjustable without having to loosen or tighten knobs.

USB C Hub / dock / SD card reader
I read there were quite a lot of reports about people bricking their Macbook M1 by using a USB C hub / dongle / dock.
There are only 2 usb c ports on the Macbook M1 so they are quite a necessity.

What I need
SD card reader (safe, reliable and fast)
Hub to (more or less) 2 usb c and 2 usb a ports (safe, reliable and fast connecting SSD / HDD (and a mouse))
HDMI (not a necessity)
Preferably without the need for external power
Can be an all in one solution, but not a necessity

What are your thoughts? What do you suggest or use?

Hi all,

just bought a uses Fuji XF60mm Macro lens.
Was wondering if it is normal that it's quite noisey.
And with noisey I mean the motor. Seems a bit like an automatic zoom lens.

Also the focus seems a bit stepy if that makes any sense.

I actually bought this for a project where I need the autofocus to go from macro to 1 meter in a smooth transition (the moving action will be relatively slow).
And also for a macro timelapse.

I think it is normal behaviour, but just wanted to double check.
And if you have any tips with this lens for what I intend to do with it, let me know.

Thanks!
 

Normally Noctua are one of the best brands in terms of fan cooling and certainly when it comes to being silent.

On 3/25/2021 at 9:04 AM, kye said:

I think you make excellent points but disagree with this part of your post, as I think we've been concentrating on the wrong things in camera development.

Specifically, we have way more pixels than we need, which you mentioned, but the missing link is dynamic range, which is still very immature in terms of development.

Almost everyone can compare an Alexa frame with a sub$2500 digital camera frame on a big TV and see why the Alexa costs more.  Under certain controlled situations this difference can be managed and the cheaper camera can come a lot closer, but in uncontrolled lighting and high DR situations it's quite obvious.  

This comparison still holds if you compare those images on a laptop screen, and even a phone screen in some situations.  The fact that the Alexa looks better on a 2.5K laptop display, or a 720p phone screen, means that the image quality cannot be about resolution, as the resolution advantage of the cheaper camera will be eliminated by the downscaled image.

What is left is colour science and dynamic range.  

We should be taking these 8K sensors, putting on the OLPF from a 4K sensor, and sending every fourth pixel to a different ADC pipeline with differing levels of gain, which are then digitally combined to get a very high dynamic range 4K image.  

The Alexa was released over 10 years ago, shot 2K, and had a dual-gain architecture.  Here we are over a decade later and we have cameras that have 16 times as many pixels, but still don't match the DR, and still don't look as good.  

The real "progress" that has been achieved by the manufacturers is convincing people to buy more pixels despite the fact that they really wanted better pixels.

Good to read some common sense.
I really don't get the need for even more resolution.
Or certainly not as a priority.

Quite a few years ago, when 4K was new. There were so much more sceptics. Lot's more people downsizing the importance of resolution. I mean this in a good way.
But now it seems like almost everybody got convinced by the resolution marketing.
I remember reading an article going from 2K to 4K, where they did a cinema screen test. The increase in resolution was only visible from the first few front seats.
I do understand the practicality when it comes to slightly reframing or being able to virtual dolly with a push in. But that's not how they market it at all, and thats not how the people get convinced.

The Alexa and the Sony F35 are both still the best when it comes to digital cinema camera's.
Colour science, dynamic range and motion cadence over these 4K, 6K and 8K buzzwords.
And let's not forget, an easy workflow. Both the Alexa and Sony F35 suffice with a simple LUT to make them look good (cinema good).

To keep it on topic
It doesn't tick all of your boxes but it's quite a bit cheaper, Yiomo have you thought about a Sony pmw F3 ?