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So, trying to function as professional in the industry is more about people skills than not. At least that's been my experience at the level I'm at. No one's ever going to hire me because I have a craft level that's superior to those in the upper echelon of film making. I'm just not that guy. Which leaves me in a precarious situation --as most of the time the work I'm doing has been quick boutique "one-offs" wherein I go in for a day or two, gather footage, then take it back to the homestead and edit it together. Rather simple, small and fun stuff to do. Nothing special about that. 12 year olds have better equipment and do the same. The tough situation I'm facing is that my ability to tolerate a difficult client has diminished. Maybe it's a sign of getting older? This is no small thing. Seriously, the desire to coddle a client has seemingly disappeared. For instance, I'm working on a documentary thing where the client is so maddeningly absent minded, she has forgotten about shoots, called me in at the last minute to locations, sent me on location for shoots that are irrelevant to the product, has failed to produce shoots that offer any useable coverage, won't stop talking (about herself) to the documentary subjects on location to allow clean b-roll of said subject, doesn't seem aware that words from an interview require some sort of image to cover the endless droning of a talking head, refuses provide interview (trans)scripts with accurate time-code, etc, etc, etc.... Basically, she's kind of incompetent (from my point of view) to direct documentaries. Nice person, but her choices and process are maddeningly pathetic. Nevertheless, she's paid me a flat rate to do all this stuff for her. Aha! Therein lies the problem. Never, ever, work with a bad client on a large project for a flat rate. --AND ALWAYS assume first time out of the gate, no matter how sweet they are, that you're getting in bed with a potentially difficult client. You'll end up being exploited and resentful; resentful to your client and resentful to yourself for agreeing to such ridiculous terms to begin with. Anyway, that's my advice. How to y'all cope with a shitty client? I drink lots and lots of wine and get fatter. You?

Hey, I visited Japan for a week, and tested out the 5D III and to see what it can do with Magic Lantern.

OK I'll pass your note onto Sony's engineering team

Doing some traveling with the XT2, here's a screencap, shot from the bridge in Sydney Harbor. This is Classic Chome SOOC 4k/30p. Wish there were more clouds and a little less haze. Good color is so effortless with the XT2. Love.

I do a fair amount of music demos and the 1DX II has been amazing on a gimbal. I LOVE the 4K, and the AF isnt just for shallow DOF movement. Big long pushes with deep DOF still benefit from the DPAF. But keep in mind that the sweet touchscreen isn't available on a gimbal, I'm currently testing ways to get it to work with my iphone. This is a teaser for a Music video, so not synced up or anything :

At film school, your professors are usually not actively working in the field. So this WanderingDP - interview young up and coming DPs who share unique perspectives and ideas is incredibly valuable. I learned a ton from the interview with Chayse Irvin, super talented young dp who shot the Lemonade Beyonce film. http://wanderingdp.com/

I think it's as simple as those two examples representing the two opposite extremes, and people here want something more in the middle- a detailed image without artificial sharpening making it look gross. 6D footage has issues outside of resolution and sharpening- mainly awful moire and aliasing- and you can't really fix them.

I think as well, like relationships, expecting things to change is a lost cause. It's key to accept that a cheap and difficult client will always be a cheap and difficult client. Time spent trying to shape them otherwise is time *much* better spent by finding better clients. I'm definitely guilty of this trap.

This post should be a sticky. Pinned!

Aputure for sure. The stuff that they're doing is game changing. Great color balance. Remote controls where can assign all of your lights onto 1 small dimmer. Lightweight, battery powered (if needed), powerful.

Lovely work...another good example of why I've kept my 5D3 and have not bought any colour crippled, 8 bit 4K over-sharpened newer offerings. Now ML is refining it's 10-12 bit and crop mode options - the improvements and surprises of what that camera can do are STILL being uncovered.

That is just wonderful. Well done. Just shows what a hacked, cheaper camera can do with some really good skill. Made my day.

Beautiful work... 5D mkiii with ML Raw is pretty much unbeatable at that price range. And you really showcased how nice it can look under varying conditions. Good job!

I have a bunch of Lowell stuff I got off eBay for pretty cheap over the years. It's kind of the opposite ethos from cheap plastic LEDs- all metal, good build quality. They do get hot, and they use a lot of power, but the light quality is great and the stuff is heavy-duty and reliable. For LEDs you may want to wait for the next videos in that series, Caleb said he was going to do the same sort of comparison in higher price brackets. Hopefully he finds something decent for $100-200.

This is true. I first noticed it when I had a Panasonic GX7 and a Sony a6000 in my possession a couple years ago. There was no real DR or noise advantage to either of them despite DXO's score. And you can see for yourself with dpreview's tools: Noise / DR

You have to give more information. Usually it goes a mic per person, or you have a boomman do the work moving the microphone accordingly. If the people are close, you can use a cardioid microphone. You should check the Oktava 012 set, with 3 capsules, a cardioid (good for two people close together, instruments), a omni (taking sound from all around it, good for bad placement, but in our industry is a disadvantage, because it receives unwanted sounds) and a super cardioid, like a cardioid, but with narrower "beam", the most appropriate for our industry, and it could be possible good for what you want too. It is in your budget, but you will need a good Rycotte wind shield and a good Rycote mic holder with the Lyre system so you have to add 100-200$ to your budget. It is extremely sensitive to air, mic movement, and handling noises.

Everyone makes this mistake and there is no echelon too high for it. “Flat rate” bankrupted Rhythm and Hues. Learn that you’re more talented than the upper echelon now. Charge accordingly later. Learn how to charge way, way more so the even higher echelon that awaits won’t screw you over. (They got there by being good at screwing peons over, even screwing over Fincher on Alien 3!) But don’t worry about the credit hurting you. Either the project goes nowhere and no one knows about it or it goes somewhere and it’s a good credit. You’re potentially more fucked, however, if you’re above the line. Drop the directing or producing credit if you have one but don’t want it... but do so carefully. Drop the financial stake immediately. An artist with a supervising role (one step down from above the line) on a historically top grossing blockbuster and a senior artist on features that have grossed billions told me this about free work (which I don’t do, so I apply this dictum to low rate work, but higher end people often will do free work to curry favor): stipulate a number of revisions and charge way more beyond them, but have that in the contract. If you don't, you'll be working free forever because the contract says you can and you will until you can't unless your client is fucking awesome. I've seen it. At the highest end. Failing that, if you truly have no leverage, distance yourself and run out the clock. Time is money. If you have a flat rate as regards money, find a way to leverage your time. Don't let others' credits impress you. That's how they know you're a sucker. Deliver slowly. Establish an end date. Then run out the clock. But also don't let the resentment build up and make things toxic. No, you can't be fully honest, but you need to change the relationship because it's bad to start with. Create a timetable and a reason why you need one (or maybe convince your client to create one around a festival submission or color grading date). Express at least some frustration. Push back. If you don't, your partner will assume you're behind this as much as she is and then you're leading her on in bad faith and that helps no one. It's toxic to you both. Find the leverage you still possess (time and skill are usually it if the contract doesn't specify money per revision or day) and leverage it, but do so honestly. She's not leading you on in bad faith. The real top brass will use the hell out of you, but it sounds like she's merely enthusiastic and naive in this particular capacity. It's not her fault, it's just bad communication. Make things as good as you can, get what you can out of it, learn, fail, learn more, fail, learn, thrive. Do so well and in five years you'll be directing Star Wars.

Sony F3 is small and light compared to mx MX is incredibly heavy and cumbersome when rigged.

That's because DXO is full of horsepoo... and always has been. I can't help thinking that there's someone's eccentric uncle spitting out random numbers atop of a building paid for by camera manufacturers. They've got a serious racket going!

What we learnt at school was that whatever small work we did, there should always be a foolproof contract that ensures that both parts understand what's included and what's not, even if it's a project that takes only a few days. A properly written contract can save you a lot of stress by providing you an exit from terrible clients. A well written contract will also protect the client and make them feel safe about buying services from you. If the client would want to avoid using a contract - that's a warning sign!

I would imagine it is a lot harder these days with everyone with something, even a Smartphone that can record Video. When I was younger it was rare for anyone to have anything even close to professional equipment. But I got into it when Pro Digital cameras were coming out. Ikegami was about the first, then Sony, then Thompson was hot rodding Sony cameras also. Panasonic, JVC was doing the lower end stuff like VHS, SVHS, later on. Prosumer things. I never could afford a integrated ENG rig for years. Had separate recorder setups. Old wooden tripods with fluid heads that would have supported a 70mm Mitchell Studio film camera that weighed 50 pounds LoL . Oh it was fun! Lots of people had a cheap 8mm film camera. Other than some Bolex movie stuff, wind up at that, which few could afford, they pretty much sucked. So getting jobs were easier but man the money it cost to move up. 16mm you could not afford the film let alone process it. Anything used was beaten to hell and back, till the end of it's life back then. So you had to work in the business, or know someone that did, or be rich as heck, and not many people were rich then. Plus camera setups on Digital cameras were a voodoo science back in the days. It was a turd to do well. So if you were skilled wow you were in in a heartbeat. Didn't make much money but was fun just the same. Now editing you Had to work or be in the business, stuff was scary expensive. Later some of the smaller TV stations would let you rent out usage of the machines at the studio for a somewhat reasonable price to help offset their investments which were pretty unbelievably high. One good thing back then the technology did not change very rapidly so you could somewhat learn it before it was outdated like now! But most people seemed nicer back then. The whole world was nicer, politer back then. But now you can't wait to get out of bed to see what new technology has bought today. Exciting times to be able to shoot stuff nearlly as good a NBC, CBS, ESPN in the palm of your hand. So don't be too grumpy about your craft, we are a lucky few even now. It is just the beginning for you younger people.

Digital Bolex D16

Here is the Panasonic GX85 contrast vs Canon 70d. With +4 on the panasonic it matches close to the Canon

Hey all, Made my first real music video, and it just came out. For the most part it was a two-man-band of me + my filmmaking partner for every step (writing/cinematography/editing/etc), with some help in lighting, transit, and makeup from a few members of the band and our actors. In short, this is about a woodworker who has at least 2 accidents. It was about 50% scripted and 50% improvised, and we shot this over the course of about 12 hours in Astoria, Sunset Park, and the LES with no permits, no budget, and no crew (and our gimbal went haywire). Some things could have been neater for sure, and I wish I could change a few shots, but I'm also very happy with a lot of it. My big takeaways are I need to step up my lighting game a lot, and I just need to simply allow for more time in my production schedule for this kind of thing. Framing could use some work in a few places too. We shot on an NX1 as our a-cam, and a hacked NX500 in 2.5K mode as a b-cam. Critique & suggestions are definitely welcome and appreciated. Thanks everyone!

Haha I really don't sleep much. And thank you! yeah we definitely wanted to keep it taking left turns

I think it depends on what your needs are. I take everything from a writing standpoint and how I envision the project. If you're writing an action film, you may just need the 120fps. I'm a cabinet maker by trade and like carpentry you need the right tool for the right job. A lot of people can make due with what they have, but the proper tool makes the job easier. This is why I have resigned myself to having 2 or 3 cheaper cameras with a couple lenses for each one... different tools for different jobs. But do I really need 2 or 3 cheaper cameras... of course not... it's just the projects I am planning require different features that not every camera in this price bracket has. So need and want is subjective.

Super Jan!! Gratulation! Very Nice.. Gr Franz

Yes the 18-55 lens has to be updated, I also run into this problem when I bought the X-T2 kit, It is not something you expect when buying a brand new camera. But after updating the lens, ois is very close to the ibis of my GX85. I absolutely recommand buying the kit, this lens is definitely worth the 300 Euro/Dollar when you buy it in the kit. For a flat setting you can probably best use negative standard with al the other settings dialled down to the lowest value. In the Q menu you can save up to seven different camera profiles. I picked up a X-T2 kit just for our holiday to Kos (Greece) and started shooting there figuring out the settings on the way. After some days I choose Astia low which worked best for me under these high contrast circumstances. I put together some footage I shot on Kos, nothing spectacular all handhold, mainly shot with the kit lens and the 50-230 f4.5-6.7, which I bought for 180 Euro. Greets Jan

Or get both! Aaaaaand we arrived at the opposite of the point of the thread

You must not get very much sleep at night LoL. I like it, did not really know where it was going, which is a good thing.

JVC LS300 is 8bit output also. Wouldn't a used Sony FS5 with the latest firmware tick all the boxes also? You can strip it down and use it on a Gimbal, use it shoulder mounted, a lot more versatility. And with FilmConvert you can make it look like any camera you want. Also the Red MX or Sony F3. Red is far from a run and gun camera for sure. Not that the F3 is a lot better. It is just the Sony F3 is so damn cheap for what you get. Unless you buy a Whole Red MX kit form someone I think I would pass. Bits and pieces for them are crazy expensive to add on. But the 4k on the Red is sort of future proofing itself more so than the F3. If had 6k I guess I would have to go with the Red MX or Sony FS5. I am not too big fan of the Sony FS700, Now if you need Slo Mo it IS the camera to buy. But it does tick all the boxes you want. Probably the best one trick pony available for the price. Not much it can't shoot. I have seen the 4k model for 4k lately. That is a bargain for what they can do. And to add a Canon EOS C500 4K Cinema Camera. They pop up at 5k once in awhile. B&H has them for 7k new. Older science but wow what a great look. http://www.thehurlblog.com/cinematography-online-red-epic-vs-canon-c500/ Wow no easy choices.

You offer a "in theoretical world base only on my personal opinion" without owning a 1Dx or a Gimbal.... I'm offering a real world opinion using the 1Dx II on a gimbal at 4k 60p using AF in a similar way that the OP is intending to use. You are probably much more skilled and talented than me but the OP did try in real world your "theoretical" approach manual focusing on a gimbal and he was not so happy and I know why, because I'm been there and I don't want to return doing that way. I'm really not sure why you cannot use AF with strobe, these are all done with the 1Dx, strobe and using AF (including long lenses, night shots, backlight, etc...:

Arourke - just wanted to say thanks for the LUTs! I've just recently started playing with them and am getting great results with that 1DX LUT. My Gamma DR settings are slightly different than yours but it seems to work very well with it.

When snowy. Setup the same as on previous msg.

No doubt everyone's aware of this, but Cooke Optics' YouTube channel is yet another department of the free film school: https://www.youtube.com/channel/UC-Ya9gBlwOhRwtloTn1hvbA

This was a specific clip to go for a moddy style, but you can go for a more vibrant style very easily and it still looks great. Most people who did get the NX1 arent good, they were consumers who wanted a camera, very few prosumers/professionals actually got the NX1, so i'd pick carefully what you're watching online, because most of it is going to look terrible.

Well, the LX100 doesn't have a constant aperture throughout either, I still find it a lovely camera. I don't do zoom-ins/-outs. I just treat it as multiple focal lenghts in one... so for convenience sake of not having to swap lenses. Want to change the framing/focal length? Do like on an interchangeable lens camera. Stop recording, get something that has the focal length/field of view you're after, adjust settings accordingly to get the proper exposure and hit record again. Might be a little slower than just zooming in and knowing you're good, but I'm a slow kinda guy. No rush, no stress. Admittedly not very run 'n gun, though. True story about the weight shift, you still have internal movement. Didn't understand why he would say that either to be honest. This camera might be great for some... I've heard some voices of people who want to use it as a 2nd camera to a Panasonic GH and in certain conditions it might be a great pair. Great as an all-in-one travel cam too. But for filmmaking, I think this doesn't really cut it. It's roughly the same price as the G80 w/ 14-140mm, which I think would make a nicer option.

@scotchtape are you comparing g7 with 750?! Are you serious? And I am pretty sure G7's DR destroys completely the iphone 6's DR! The Fuji has exactly the same Sony sensor, how is it worst in low light? Image quality seems better with Fuji, Nikon+Fuji seem to squeeze better performance from the same Sony sensors, than Sony. You can't really say that a6500 has a touch screen either, all the reviews state that the touch screen can do 2-3 things (exactly those), and only 1 works ok. The new Olympus, from what you have read here and elsewhere seems like NOT a good camera (?!)?! And doesn't do anything right? G80 isn't like the best value for money camera right now?! This thread is about 6500, not the 6300. I agree with @Cinegain (again!) but the vari-angle screen is not a nessecity for me anymore, and the way I use my cameras (cage, handling e.t.c) it could easily be a nuisance. The flip up-down/selfie screens are perfectly fine for me, even though it was strange when they first introduced, but this is just my opinion ofcourse.

I agree, it could've been. Like the X-T2 could've been if it had sensor stabilization and a vari-angle touchscreen. But that's just it. They're not seriously awesome and that's because they lack those refinements. Atleast the Fuji is reliable and delivers on the promise on paper, so you know what you're getting yourself into. The A6500 just seems a hot mess. Pardon the pun.

So I noticed Cinema5d has a preliminary review on the camera. Upon reading up on it and from this thread my thoughts are this. I understand the small form factor of the camera but why in the world would I want to buy a camera that that has a heat issue and the manufacturer knowingly issues the camera with a workaround mode. This doesn't solve the problem. I haven't used this or the a6300 but if I'm spending my money, I want something that will work where I won't have to worry about burning my hands. While I love what I've seen from Andrew's new profile for Sony cameras, so far I'm not sure I can justify purchasing a sony in the future. Unless this heat thing is overrated? (I realize this probably depends on shooting style/environment conditions on set etc.).

Looks good. Great job. The slog, g-film, settings you cooked up matched perfectly with the Ursa.

1DC with my contax Zeiss 50mm 1.4 all c log