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Showing content with the highest reputation on 03/21/2018 in all areas
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SLR Magic APO lenses
Stanley and 2 others reacted to John Brawley for a topic
Here's a little update Andrew from SLR Magic has allowed me to share. I want to share as much as I can remember from my phone call with Andrew so hopefully it's relevant to those of you who are interested in these lenses. For anyone going to NAB, Andrew will have a booth and will be there. I invite anyone interested in these lenses to go see them. Andrew is a very knowledgeable and open guy and he really love to talk lenses. He cares about his products and making them the best they can be. They have some pretty cool announcements for NAB, whcih I won't share, but he's what I can... Here's a picture of a pre-production 32mm lens. www.flickr.com/photos/johnbrawley/40047075535 I haven't shot with this copy yet, but this means SLR Magic are very close to going into production with this lens. I imagine he'll announce shipping at NAB. After this they're working on the 18mm and the 135mm to fill out the set. I also received an updated version of the 25mm to replace my copy. It developed an issue with the focus bumping sometimes at close focus and Andrew tells me he's totally updated the helicoil design and has already updated a few customers copies. Anyone who sees this issue should be able to arrange to have it fixed. I didn't want to let go of my 25mm as I was in the middle of a job so he's sent me a second one and I'm now sending mine back. What's cool is that SLR Magic went and immediately addressed the issue and have re-designed the lens to make sure it doesn't happen again. I've just finished a 6 month TV series using them day in and day out and this has been the only issue with them, even though they've been on prestons / motors with clamp on's all this time. I recently did a blind comparison between Zeiss CP2's, Panavision Primos and SLR Magic APO primes. See if you can see which is which here. Don't read the description if you want to try and guess which you like most. After that are some clips from a series I did which are all SLR Magic APO prime shots. https://youtu.be/s6fFUCSZzOg (everything except super macro shots which were Cp2 50mm macro) www.flickr.com/photos/johnbrawley/40047076045 Andrew also sent me copies of their new E mount, MFT and EF adaptors. www.flickr.com/photos/johnbrawley/40941422171 www.flickr.com/photos/johnbrawley/40047075035 This means you can use your APO primes on any of the above mounts and with the SLR Magic adaptors they've kept the tolerances very tight so the witness marks should line up perfectly without having to actually re-shim the mounts / lenses, though you can do that if you need to. As a bit of a surprise, Andrew also sent me some brand new ND filters that he's been working on. Many would already be familiar with the Variable ND's they make, which many rate as one of the best made and offering very good IR protection as well. Some of you may know I shoot a lot of MFT lenses on Olympus, DJI and Blackmagic MFT cameras so I use a lot of smaller lenses with screw in ND's. Lately I've mostly been using the Hoya / Kenko PRO screw in ND's as they seem the most neutral. Andrew tells me he decided to make these after he decided to buy some Hoya Pros for his own work and was firstly forced to buy them from three different countries because no one stocked the full set and he THEN found that the deeper stop copies had more than 2/3 of a stop variation in exposure from where they should be. Well SLR Magic have done their own take on ND filters. They've aimed to be less than 1/3 of a stop variation and to sell them together as full sets. They make a set of N3, N6, N9, N1.2 and N1.5 (1-5 stops) and a second box of N1.8, N2.1, N2.4, N2.7 and N3.0 (6-10 stops) and each set is only $399. Pretty decent deal. I don't want to come off as a shrill, but I really like what these guys are doing and I especially like how responsive they are to feedback from us that use these lenses. In lieu of them having better marketing I'll try to let as many know as I can about what they're up to. JB3 points -
call me a canon fanboy but i'm with @docmoore on the 5D IV.. it is a fantastic camera. any pro stills shooter who's used a 5D will know why. the ability to combine single point back button focus and trigger continuous servo focus via front DOF command button is genius. none of my nikons or MILCs can do that. The mark IV takes the 5D to a new level with a bunch of great add-ons. the touchscreen is extremely responsive (like what you'd expect in 201X) and allows full control of the menus, gestures, and silent lens/shooting commands. it's got C-Log & dual pixel AF (actually an even better implementation than on C200). you can extract an 8MP still in-cam from 4K footage. Timelapse etc.. these are all cool features imo. the 1.7x crop, annoying..sure. it is still less crop than a GH5 and if you're shooting in 1080p you're getting FF. every camera has its caveats. the MJPEG codec. yeah it's a huge bitrate. but that also means very little compression and it's also 422 intraframe. it essentially gives you the same IQ as the 1DC which everyone here gushes over. in the end, yes of course Canon segment the hell out of their cameras. they're also a little slow in product cycle/development. but as stated by the execs, they are very careful to ensure their cameras run stable (no overheating, bugs etc). and that's how they get the olympics and other events where camera failure just isn't an option..3 points
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NX-1 Best Alternative to A73
Francesco Tasselli and one other reacted to Juxx989 for a topic
http://bokehmarket.com/blog/Best-Budget-Alternatives-Sony-A7II-Samsung-NX1-Fuji-XT-2-A7RII2 points -
With DPREVIEW: - The EOS M50 offers 4K video and Dual Pixel CMOS AF, but not at the same time. Is there a technical reason for this limitation? "With the EOS 5D Mark IV, we do offer 4K video and Dual Pixel CMOS autofocus, so technically it is feasible. But given the position of the M50 in the lineup, we can’t include all of the features available in a product like the 5D IV. Given the position of the product, we wanted to achieve the optimal balance [of features] in a camera in that range." We all knew Canon was crippling its products. Now is another proof. How can they dare sell you completely crippled shits for so much money? And people buy that. What a ridiculous company. I am speechless.2 points
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Conspiracy theory alert: Arikhan started this rumor purely because he has a heap of NX1 bodies he wants to offload on eBay at the highest prices possible! ;-)2 points
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He's in another thread too but I hope they leave that post alone as it just says 'Panasonic is a device wrapped in the heart of the house is used.' I don't mind spam when its as poetic as that Though I'm surprised it didn't spark an angry response regarding the weather sealing of that house such is the recent hair trigger vibe of this place.2 points
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Fuji X-H1. IBIS, Phase Detect 4K beast?
Inazuma and one other reacted to webrunner5 for a topic
Yeah I am using a Sony battery grip on my A7s, and I also have one of those extension ones you can flip to 90 degrees on a tripod. My Pinky finger hangs over without them. But I do like the option to be able to use it either way. The A7xx cameras are an amazingly small package for FF. I love them. I would love to have a Nikon D850 for an all arounder for travel, hobby. But man if you put any sort of Long native zoom on them they are just embarrassingly huge! Really m4/3 is sort of the only way to go if you are into long lenses. They are amazingly compact and pretty damn light. Ehh in my case I am getting way too big LoL.2 points -
Mind blowing Canon executive interview
Rinad Amir and one other reacted to docmoore for a topic
Folks Canon is not a non profit corporation that has the corporate ethic of giving you the best of everything at no cost. It is interesting to read the rants here about how bad the Canon cameras are ... Disclamer ... I have used a number of video cameras over the past 10 years ... while my main focus has been landscape photography. Short list ... in order of acquisition ... Sony 1XER ... Red One ... Red Epic ... Panasonic GH2 ... 3 ... 5 ... Sony A7S ... A7RII ... Canon 7D ML ... 5D Mk 2 ...Mk3 ... 1Dx Mk I ... Mk II Nikon 810 ... almost every Leica camera in the last 25 years ... Truth is that the 5D Mk IV is stellar ... in spite of the crop ... when you have unparalleled lenses from 11 to 600 the crop is a non issue. Gorgeous screen and wonderful DPAF ... God forbid that you might have to pay for the above. Most of us in the west spend enormous amounts of change for ... coffee ... net access ... designer clothes. The entry fee for Canon is not that bad ... and their products are built to last decades ... My main camera is a Hasselblad ... but for video the 5D Mk IV smokes most others ... Here is a short video ... non C Log with the camera and the pitiful 24 - 105 F4 https://vimeo.com/256661656 Yes it is a conspiracy ... they exist to make a profit. Hopefully they will continue to do so and offer products that are as compelling as the present line. Out of your range ... then buy what you can afford and run it into the ground. But honestly ... all the whining is getting a bit old. Bob2 points -
Future Proof with the Current Crop
samuel.cabral and one other reacted to BTM_Pix for a topic
Whatever fantastical AI driven gazillion megapixel light field camera recording onto a grain of rice that manufacturers come up, you can bet your life they still won't put a microphone input on the entry level ones.2 points -
Shot this one and put a real gritty/grungy CG. Still shooting for max cinematic feel from this camera. Feedback welcomed.2 points
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NX1 RAW VIDEO???
Werner H. Graf reacted to timmyturntable for a topic
So, this is filed under the NX2 rumors thread...but, if true, I thought this warrants its own thread... 20 hours ago, Arikhan said: Im have good news for you: I just shot RAW video with the NX1...RAW VIDEO in 25p - nice workflow with 25 DNGs per second. Just an unbelievable quality (in my eyes). Problem: I'm just writing my graduation exam...after that I'll download the footage and describe the methodology. It's quite special but it's great for my Ipurposes. With the 60mm 2.8 at F6 an unbelievable detail and sharpness. It's quite exciting...1 point -
Samsung Galaxy S9 Camera 4K Video Test (4K 60fps) Pretty impressive.. with 240fps 1080p and 960fps options I got S8 but this one is a lot more stable probably crop a bit but definitely a huge upgrade in terms of video quality1 point
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Mind blowing Canon executive interview
RedWineMogul reacted to mercer for a topic
This is just getting silly now. Canon is a company that is in business to make money. To make money, a business needs to offer a product or service that people want or need. If the entry level market needed these “features,” that Canon apparently diabolically leaves out of their lower tiered camera models, and Canon was losing sales opportunities based upon these needed features, then why wouldn’t they include said features? Furthermore, I am one hundred percent sure Canon understands the entry level, interchangeable lens, camera market better than some videographers on a forum does. It’s been repeated time and time again on this forum that the market share isn’t large enough for all of these companies, so eventually other companies will go the way of Samsung and I can guarantee it won’t be Canon. With that being said, I do wish Canon would be more aggressive with their lower tiered products because I love using Canon cameras. But when it comes time for me to upgrade, and if Canon doesn’t offer a product I need or want, then I will look elsewhere but I won’t waste my time assigning conspiracy theory motives to their marketing and product choices.1 point -
Mind blowing Canon executive interview
mkabi reacted to Mattias Burling for a topic
I carried an X-Pro2 and was actually approached with curiosity and enthusiasm from a couple of french sports photographers. We had a great conversation about the Pro DSLR vs what we use for pleasure. For them, just like me, there is a big difference between the work tool and what I enjoy using with my family. They all agreed that they would love to be able to use something like a small Sony or Fuji for work. But they would never risk it.1 point -
Sony a7 III discussion
Trek of Joy reacted to Simon Young for a topic
Remember I said I got a copy without the blinking pixel row when I swapped the first one? Well guess what, the replacement has them as well. Sometimes they pop up, sometimes they don’t. It’s fucking abysmal. And another thing I noticed is the motion cadence is a lot worse than on the A7rIII - a lot worse. It almost seems like the processor can’t handle the downsampling of the 6k image and it just gets horrible. As soon as you do a pan this weird almost shimmering effect turns up. Add to that the stuttering from the lacking computational power of the thing and the image gets shitty, no matter how good the low light performance is. If Sony don’t issue a firmware update within a week regarding the pixels I’m returning it for sure. Guess it was too good to be true. I really wanted to like this camera. The A7rIII on the other hand, is a true beast.1 point -
I regret selling my NX1 and all lenses last year. I sold it to also pay some hospital bills. But now thinking about buying another and the lenses again. Can't find anything else that has the hybrid features, and a lower price. GH5 is nice though.1 point
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Mind blowing Canon executive interview
BTM_Pix reacted to Mattias Burling for a topic
The only time Ive actually counted the numbers of cameras around Swedens biggest sports arena it was less than 1% Nikon. Literally. But Im sure you are right. It doesn't matter one bit, I still make my point, which was that you don't see a bunch of mirrorless1 point -
Mind blowing Canon executive interview
ade towell reacted to BTM_Pix for a topic
We must work at very different events then as I'm in Europe too and shoot Premier League, Bundesliga, La Liga, UEFA Champions League, UEFA European Championships, FIFA World Cup, Tour de France, Le Mans, Rugby Union (club and World Cup), Rugby League (club and World Cup), WBC/WBA/IBF/WBO World Championship boxing, Test Cricket, UCI Track Cycling World Championships, FIS World Skiing Championships and so on. Its a lot more than 1% shooting on Nikon, in my experience. Even when Canon are sponsoring our photo vests.1 point -
The world is not heading to full frame... The world is heading to smartphones with sensors that are on average about 1/2.5". DOF will be handled with tech similar to what Lytro has... which btw was purchased today by Google.1 point
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They would do well to put out a pocket camera with killer specs and low price to gain some trust and credibility. Few are willing to dump $12k on a camera brand they do not have any hands on experience with.1 point
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Hahahahahahaha... LOL. I'll remember this every time I watch a video that shows the crap highlight rolloff (fall off) of those 8 bit Sony cameras. I have Sony, Canon and Panasonic for video Panasonic is all around best. For stills Canon rules the day. Sony is ok, but with no weather sealing it's not really in the same league for serious use.1 point
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Sony a7 III discussion
TheRenaissanceMan reacted to Django for a topic
I'm just an actual user here reporting a potentially serious issue that seems to be affecting a large amount of units. this isn't a $200 phone, it's a $2000 camera. and the 'date trick' seems indeed a fudge not a fix. why you feel the need to downplay the situation or call me a drama queen is beyond me but clearly there seems to be an aggressive pattern from you insulting anyone that disagrees with your opinion on a product or camera brand.1 point -
Canon 5D mark iii RAW video 2018
webrunner5 reacted to kye for a topic
That makes sense.. sorry for the distraction. Nothing to see here - move along!!1 point -
Canon 5D mark iii RAW video 2018
jpfilmz reacted to webrunner5 for a topic
I think jpfilmz is talking about the buggy LiveView on the LCD that still has some problems. It is probably better now since this statement was written by A1ex. From A1ex : April 1st, 2017. Where's the catch? This is only a very rough proof of concept. It has not been battle-tested and has many quirks. Some of them may be easy to fix, others not so. In particular: * It feels quite buggy. I'm still hunting the issues one by one, but it's hard, as Canon's LiveView implementation is very complex, and our understanding on how it works is still very limited. * Write speeds are high. For example, 10-bit 4096x2500 at 15 fps requires 180 MB/s. 1080p45 should be a little more manageable at 111 MB/s. * Canon preview is broken in most modes; you need to use the grayscale preview in the raw recording module. * High-resolution modes (in particular, full-res LiveView) may cause trouble with memory management. This is very tricky to solve, as we only get 3 full-resolution buffers in LiveView, with restrictions on the order in which they must be freed, and lots of other quirks. * Since these settings were pushed to limit, the risk of corrupted frames is high. If it happens, decrease the vertical resolution a bit (from the crop_rec submenu). * When refreshing LiveView settings, the camera might lock-up (no idea why). Pressing MENU twice appears to fix it.1 point -
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Kinefinity Terra 4k has landed
webrunner5 reacted to BTM_Pix for a topic
Yeah, I think people will be sold on the image (crop aside) but its the longer term reliability thats troubling everyone so it'll be great if he does a brief monthly update. "And this week, I put version 2.3 firmware on which allows you to charge the batteries in the grip without removing them and I have to say the results were mixed...."1 point -
Dolly wheels?
Matthew Hartman reacted to BTM_Pix for a topic
I'm having to pour the WD40 on mine as well. Its the remote that fascinates me. Especially if its combined with the gimbal remote.1 point -
Handheld 4k60fps footage of Samsung S9
kaylee reacted to Matthew Hartman for a topic
Are you GenX? Boomer? (I'm GenX) Only the older 30 something GenY would have any familiarity with a look that is different than this. My two GenY and one GenZ children have only known this type of video look on a practical level. They're well acclimated to this look as this is the quentesential look of most social media. If we're comparing the look and feel of this camera on that level then you can certainly understand their enthusiasm. But I get ya bro. A clean technical image so clean that looks pretty sterile and general. But remember, a lot of this has to also do with the subject matter. Most average people don't know how to tell a visual story, they just document. Same camera: https://youtube/nVnDRbKdzCU1 point -
Rebranded our web series, now called WORK
webrunner5 reacted to freeman for a topic
Just finished up the 5th episode, the series is growing!1 point -
Canon 5D mark iii RAW video 2018
jpfilmz reacted to webrunner5 for a topic
I think he means the view on the LCD?1 point -
can we collude so we don't try to outbid each other pls1 point
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Canon 5D mark iii RAW video 2018
webrunner5 reacted to jpfilmz for a topic
Canon 70-200mm f2.8 II and I think the 24-70mm f2.8. Definitely the 70-200 on the closeups. The first 3 shot were mirror reflection shots. If they could stabilize the live view the 5D3 would be a beast.1 point -
NX1 RAW VIDEO???
kaylee reacted to Matthew Hartman for a topic
It reportedly looks far better than just dope. It will be compared with the RED Epic 8K footage, at least that's the current game plan.1 point -
GH5S Sample Footage and Reviews
Lux Shots reacted to AaronChicago for a topic
I recently did a test with the GH5s + Speedbooster Ultra and Ursa Mini Pro (Super 35). They were nearly identical. Actually the GH5s might have been ever so slightly wider FOV.1 point -
NX2 rumors
Pavel Mašek reacted to tupp for a topic
Not sure that Tizen is "Linux-like" -- I think it actually is version of Linux. This sounds like the old Magic Lantern HDR video in which alternating H264 frames have different ISOs (WARNING! STROBING/FLASHING FRAMES): The trick is that you shoot with the ML HDR video feature at a higher frame rate (50fps or 60fps) and then combine every two consecutive images to get HDR video at half the frame rate (25fps or 30fps). As mentioned in the video, one can encounter motion/ghosting problems with this method. I wonder if the Magic Lantern HDR option works their 60fps raw video feature on the 5d III (although I am not sure if this HDR method makes sense when shooting raw).1 point -
NX2 rumors
IronFilm reacted to MountneerMan for a topic
Me too. But "Extraordinary claims require extraordinary evidence" - Carl Sagan.... and until then the logical explanation is that it is not true.1 point -
Fuji X-H1. IBIS, Phase Detect 4K beast?
Emanuel reacted to Attila Bakos for a topic
Long but informative review:1 point -
If @Arikhan is completely serious, I want in on the hacking as well. I'm an EE student as well and have been writing embedded firmware for stuff like SSD's, so this linux-based camera is so freaking cool to me. I've been on this forum on and off for like 2 years now. Recently I started looking again for an NX1 with S Lens on Craigslist and Ebay and I can't find any good deals. Been deciding between GH5, Ursa Mini, and NX1 for semi-pro use, but would love to get an NX1 so that I could try writing some hacks. Been slowly trawling through @Otto K's github repo and a good amount makes sense but the some of the setup instructions don't (I think they will once I have a camera and start digging through the menus). Anyone see any good deals?1 point
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Schneider ES Cinelux 2x (Custom Single Focus Test)
Erthal reacted to Dr. Verbel' for a topic
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I hope they also offer a speedbooster for it. 65mm 6K RAW? OMFG Alexa65 on the cheap and with 3:2 ratio which is much better for the internet (and closer to IMAX).1 point
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Historically we will plateau when IQ becomes close to the limits of our perception, HOWEVER we are nowhere near these limits yet. Think 4k is enough because movie theatres were fine in 2K? What about VR capture - if your field of view is 120 degrees (just to pick a nice number) then that means you need 6k to spread 2K over your entire vision, but that's not what we're talking about here - we're talking about the angle of view of a TV - which is something more like 45degrees, which means you need 8 * 2K horizontal, just to properly render sitting in a room watching a 2K TV. What about VR simulation of a 4K TV? Forgetaboutit!! But why just talk about resolution - let's talk about pixel depth.. what is the DR of the human eye? When they get "retina DR" devices, what will the bit depth of that video signal look like across that amount of dynamic range? I'm thinking that 10-bit isn't going to cut it at that point. And we're only talking 2D here.... what happens when we want 3D environments to be simulated from AI processed video feeds? Just mount a grid of cameras in the ceiling perhaps 12 inches apart and feed all those to an AI that creates a 3D VR environment and UH OH! The AI doesn't have enough information to go by and so the virtual attendees of the latest Hollywood whatever event can't see the expressions on the stars faces (or tell the difference between Elijah Wood and Daniel Radcliffe!) so we need to up the resolution. Now deaf people can't lip read, up it again. Now the FBI gets interested and decides that the tech is now ready for AI facial microexpression monitoring at all airports and other critical locations - more resolution needed! To many of you this will sound like science fiction, but you will be proven wrong. if you want evidence of this - pick up your smartphone and start talking to your virtual assistant, and then cast your mind back 35 years when many people still had Black and White Television. This is an array of audio microphones with computer processing... 8 years ago. https://www.wired.com/2010/10/super-microphone-picks-out-single-voice-in-a-crowded-stadium/1 point
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Shoulder rig for a mirrorless camera - how not to go overboard?
Matthew Hartman reacted to Kisaha for a topic
Gimbals are tools. I do not particular "love" gimbals, or drones, or IBIS, but in the right moment they add to production values and to the moving images language. I would say that no more than 5-10%(at the most) are anything other than tripod and monopod shots, in most the shots I can influence. Disclaimer: recently directors "order" the use of IBIS at 100% rate, 50% drones usage, and less of gimbals (because drones and IBIS are cheap, but we usually rent Ronin gimbals, and it costs money and time to setup, and they hate those kind of needs!). None 1 of those people are worth anything other than our pity, but they are been paid 10 times, or more than me!1 point -
Samsung NX2 camera release!?
Francesco Tasselli reacted to Kisaha for a topic
This is the good ol' rumor. What amazes me, and it is rather significant, is that the rumor is still circulating by many, and different sources, and despite the unbelievable specs, people accept that an NX2 could make them happen. That is how strong an impression the NX1 made in the industry and the initiated.1 point -
Am reviving this zombie thread to say... I've got a CS1 now! Was at a price I couldn't resist1 point
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I haven't seen La Soufriere, but I will definitely watch it! Thanks for the kind comment. Herzog is amazing! Sure, I'll be honest. Due to being inundated with other projects, this doc was always being queued last to edit (which is why it took a year to release). We unfortunately didn't get picture lock until two days before the release. So during those two days I did colour and sound. It wasn't much time and I am not totally happy with the results. That aside, what I did to save time was that I would pick one shot from each day and match each camera to it. I then would use that preset to start grading the other clips. It worked out fairly well, but we weren't diligent enough about colour balance throughout the shoot. As for sound, we had a ton of wind issues throughout the shoot. I am not sure how much more you can prevent this when you are run and gun. I would LOVE to have a sound person on the shoot. That would have made things so much better. Also, for the next time I would definitely hire a colourist and a sound mixer. We just found out that we got into one of the film festivals that we applied for so I will definitely revisit sound and colour now. It was really difficult when we found out the dates changed. At the time we felt satisfied with the footage that we got from the beginning of the ceremony. At the time we felt that maybe we would go down the road of not mentioning that the dates had changed. I mean, it was the ceremony. We would just miss the final parts which are apparently similar to what we filmed. Ultimately in the end we felt that this resulted in a better ending and definitely a more truthful ending. Also, it was really important for us to show the viewer that the 9-5 day doesn't exist in a lot of the world. These people are used to things changing like that. They don't care about clocks1 point
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GH5S Sample Footage and Reviews
estarkey7 reacted to webrunner5 for a topic
SOOC my ass. You can say a Canon T2i has a better color science, it might be better than the GH5s, but it doesn't mean it is worth a crap to compare to each other. Hell this is sort of suppose to be a Cine type forum not a beauty contest. Ohh my Reds are better than your Reds is what is happening with this Fuji X-H1 on here. It is a nice camera but it is like comparing a Sony FS5 to a F55. Both are good, one is great. That is what I think is the difference. It is amazing how few people on here even give the GH5s a look let alone talk about buying one. It is a miracle camera for the money. You can make a living with it. A feature movie. There is hardly anything it can't do. And there is like 20 people on here in a Cine forum that could gives a shit, and there is 1,000 that think the X-H1 is the second coming of Jesus Christ! Crazy place, just crazy LoL.1 point -
Im have good news for you: I just shot RAW video with the NX1...RAW VIDEO in 25p - nice workflow with 25 DNGs per second. Just an unbelievable quality (in my eyes). Problem: I'm just writing my graduation exams...after that I'll download the footage (DNG images) and describe the methodology. It's quite special but it's great for my purposes. With the 60mm 2.8 at F6 an unbelievable detail and sharpness. It's quite exciting...1 point
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If you are fine with the Rode sound (and why you shouldn't), then I would advise you to get rid of the Sennheisser, get an NTG-3, and later on buy the Audix. The 3 is very different than the 2, it doesn't replace it per se, and you can always do with a backup mic anyway (I always take 3 boom mics with me on any job, and at least a lav more that I should, plus a stereo mic just in case). NTG3 is different than the 416, I do not know how this rumor is sustained, it took me less than a year of 3 different jobs to realize that. Obviously the Rode has a wider polar pattern and less frequency sensitivity to the two extremes (especially the low end is less pronounced than the 416). So, if two microphones have different patters and different acoustic qualities, then they are different in my book. I do not say that it is a bad microphone (it is excellent for the price), but that it is different. I would say that it favors more amateurish behavior on set, as it is more forgiving than the absolute 416. After working a full 2 years on 3 TV documentary series with the Rode mic (and blimp) and various other jobs in the middle, I went and bought the 416 with the Sennheisser basket/blimp. Since then I am avoiding the Rode even if I have to offer my 416 for free; not because it is bad, I just prefer what I am getting from the 416. Also, the Sennheisser blimp is night and day against the Rode. I can't even stretch that enough. The new Cyclones are really bad at the moment, they are not ready to compete with the classic zeppelin design yet. I would say Sennheisser -> Rycote (classic design) -> K-Tek -> Rode If you have the power module, ME64/ME66 can be an excellent two way system for exteriors and interiors the same time. That used to be my main set when I started with sound. Since then I followed a bit the hype of the Rode microphones, but if I managed to get rid of the cheap NTG (they sell extremely low for new), I will go for a MKE600 for crude sound work, when the delicacy of the 416 doesn't cut it. Wish I could afford the 30 & 40, which are the mics I usually rent when I have the budget and the time. The warmth that you are mentioning is the forgiveness of the polar pattern and less dialogue orientated acoustic quality of those mics. They are just different. Mics are like lenses, of course you can do a feature with a 50mm, but it is probably better to have a few more options. For indoors you need different microphones that those mentioned. A 64, a 40, an Oktava, the Audix, Schoeps (if you can afford them), a DPA e.t.c It is like to do an interview on a 1.5m wide room with only a 300mm lens; you probably need a 35mm for that..1 point