Leaderboard

Wow! That's a game changer for ultra low priced PL lenses, and about time. Now it might finally make sense to buy one of those crazy cheaply priced URSA Mini PL bodies, or a C500/C300 PL mount body.

You certainly had a busy day on Thursday joining EOSHD and all these other forums and asking this exact question : https://forums.overclockers.co.uk/threads/how-to-remove-shadows-on-dslr-sony-a5100.18888587/#post-33640493 https://www.cnet.com/forums/discussions/how-to-remove-shadows-on-dslr-sony-a5100/ https://forums.tomsguide.com/threads/how-to-remove-shadows-on-dslr-sony-a5100.468121/ https://www.fredmiranda.com/forum/topic/1648443 https://www.cloudynights.com/topic/709844-how-to-remove-shadows-on-dslr-sony-a5100/

My EF and F lenses follow me from camera to camera, so it will be a long time before I buy anything other than EF. I'd love to see Rokinon get some competition for affordable EF cine style lenses. It's great that they also have mirrorless mounts as well. Gotta love the #vlogger on Meike's tweet about manual focus cinema lenses though.

It's definitely worth differentiating opinion vs. fact. But I'll second the opinion in this case: be wary of old pro audio equipment, modern engineering has done marvels at a low price. I tried out an FR2 back when I owned a DR-60D mk2. The FR2 was noisier using the same mic in a sound proofed studio. Granted, @independent 's numbers are for the FR2LE (which is supposed to have better preamps) and the DR-60D (which has worse preamps than the Mk2). also keep in mind that if your problem is too much wind, then you are certainly not going to be hearing the noise floor of the recorder. The difference between self noise in any of those recorders is negligible in any normal outdoor recording. And, to bring it back to the original suggestion, I've had a Zoom F4 for a few years now. It is superior audio quality to either the FR2 or the DR60 Mk2 by a significant margin. Even more importantly, it has better ergonomics than the FR2. The headphone preamp is much cleaner than Tascam's rather terrible one, and the construction is another league from the DR60.

So many times I wish I were a photographer instead You can get a beautiful shot with a camera that looks the same whether moving or still... But movement always has to justify itself. If the frame floats or moves with IBIS, shot dead. Mood gone. It's such a fine art. Camera movement is such a fussy thing. It's like colour - There's no point it being there unless the movement is beautiful or has meaning. Otherwise, may as well be still - or black and white. With a photo you can just make a pretty shot and it's job done. It's about timing, framing. With video you have to sustain all that's nice and has meaning for 10x longer. Sometimes 1000x longer. With photos there's the one-man nature of it... with video, you have to rely on others a lot more - actors, writers, and so on. And that's before you've even started the shoot Sometimes I hate video. And think I'd be better off with a Fuji GFX 50R, just enjoying myself. Just one man and his camera. With video, you often have to lug around rigs, tripods and monitors. To anybody who sustains their filmmaking over the years at a high level I salute you. It must be incredibly stressful!

Pocket 6K - better codec, raw options, small, great performance - better screen - better menu system - better slow motion quality but crop S1H - better color (V-Gamut) and better dynamic range/low light - much better battery life - no rig needed - IBIS - no crop 120p but line skipping and what seems like 10 bit readout Artifacts are a non-issue on both now that Panasonic finally fixed the NR (-1 setting) and H265 codec issues. Motion cadence also looks similar on the S1H now.

Here's an in-depth overview of the camera:

@Alpicat Nice, I've wondered about this combination. Thanks.

Yes, I have a little bit of that as well. I'm very critical of myself and others. But that's why I want to direct. I'm more critical of others and think I can do a better job. Sometimes I'm wrong...😅 I started a documentary project two years ago and I'm finishing it next month. My biggest lesson from it is that it's better to do than not to do. That famous sentence that perfect if the enemy of the good. Yes, I made plenty of mistakes but learned a lot. And next time i'll have those mistakes in mind. If I stayed at home, thinking of projects and criticing others in my head, I wouldn´t have meet a lot of great people and do some of my best work with this series. I had some friends that didn´t believe on the project and bailed on the beginning. I understand some of the reasons for bailing, since it was a long project with no money at all. When they saw the rough cut, they regreted not being part of a project like this. A "big" finished project ( big as in length of the final videos ). If you make the jump to a video, project, etc it's not only the reward of finishing something, it's also the places you visit and the people you meet on the way. It's better do to than not to do. If you make something, it can lead to more opportunities in the future. With better conditions. And you'll have more experience to do a better job. If you do nothing, nobody will know of your best ideas and intentions. As a direct answer to the title of this topic, video is difficult but that's why it´s so rewarding when you make one.

Well, still a camera limited to 8bit 4:2:0, and even for the Vlogger target group, I don't quite get how you can release a camera in 2020 that only has USB 2.0 with a MicroUSB port... Not getting very excited by the image quality either - just see the newest DPreview episode which was alternatingly shot on the Fuji XT-4 and the ZV-1. IMHO, the ZV-1 footage sticks out like a sore thumb: In the last segment (at 13:10), I actually find the iPhone XR footage looking much better than the ZV-1 footage... So then why bother with the ZV-1?

Is there any update on progress with this @BTM_Pix? Thanks

I've directed 3 times, and each time I cannot let the project go. I cannot give myself a deadline. I need a producer or someone above me to tell me to STOP. I will tweak something until I hate it. Hating myself the whole time. I am hyper critical of myself when I'm in charge of everything. I work far better, and have a much better level of mental health, when I'm working on someone else's project. Does this mean I'm a bad director? Yes. Yes it does, which is why I don't enjoy it. It is why I'm not a director, and why not everyone should be a director.

If you go back and read my original comment, you can see I wasn't hating upon the Fostex, in fact I even started out by giving it a complement that it was good value piece of kit for its time. But my point I was making was for the OP in particular, specifically that it wasn't worth them going through the effort to swap out their DR60Dmk2 for a FR2LE: "today in 2020, I don't think you can make a solid argument it is worthwhile swapping a DR60Dmk2 for a Fostex FR2LE instead" That doesn't even mean I don't think someone should buy a FR2LE themselves, if they're looking for a cheap sub $100 recorder. (just like I also think the R44 / DR680 / etc still have their place too, although they need to be very well priced to beat out a DR60Dmk2/DR70D, as otherwise it just makes more sense to go for the next step up to a F4/MixPre3) Remember the question is not "should @josdr buy a Fostex FR2LE?" but the question is "should he swap his DR60Dmk2 for a FR2LE?" (and my answer was "I don't think it is worth the hassle", and even answer the same about others such as a DR680/R44/etc which I do respect even more, why sell and rebuy for a marginal gain if that? And especially not if a much better choice is not that much further way: MixPre3 / Zoom F4) People tend to often get narrowly focused on just a single spec measurement, and lose track of the bigger picture. Such as "which has the best limiters" or "which has the quietest preamps", when a few dB here or here won't be a deal breaker for the context of what the OP needs to do. We see the same when discussing cameras too, with sometimes people being obsessed with only just the resolution, or the best AF, or which has the best lowlight etc... to the exclusion of everything else, forgetting the bigger picture. This is like those discussion where people go on and on arguing for why the Sony a7S is so so so much better than a Panasonic GH5 purely on the basis of it being not as noisy, and being better at lowlight. Completely missing the point of why there are all the many reasons why a person would want a Panasonic GH5 in the first place. I didn't want to go into a detailed discussion of the FR2LE, as I didn't think it was worth the time, but here we go. Negatives vs a Tascam DR60Dmk2: 1) can't be camera mounted underneath the camera body, not purpose built for that 2) half the number of audio channels that can be recorded 3) can't be easily powered via any USB powerbank you happen to have at hand 4) uses CF cards (and with the Fostek's very old age, you're limited to smaller sized cards too) 5) you'll run a greater risk of failure by choosing the FR2LE due to its very old age vs a new (or at least "young") DR60Dmk2 (I do admit, perhaps my opinion of the FR2LE is slightly colored due to the only time I came across a FR2LE was a few years ago when it died on set!!! Luckily there was a Zoom H6 available someone had happened to bring along. Side note: this wasn't me! I wouldn't have brought a FR2LE to set, I was instead the AC on this short film, the last time I was ever a 1st AC! As I'm too focused on sound now) 6) no dual recording feature for safety with the FR2LE (quite a major negative in my eyes, as this is a very handy feature on the DR60Dmk2 for any newbie recordist) Can you see why for the OP's specific situation I don't think the FR2LE is worth the hassle to change over from a DR60Dmk2? From where I'm sitting it looks like one step forward, two steps back, if I'm being generous. Perhaps from another vantage point you could very generously say it is instead two steps forward, one step back??? Still, not exactly a highly compelling argument to go through the hassle of swapping out from his existing DR60Dmk2???

Have YOU ever had corner shadows?? I don't think so!! IF you ever did then you'd understand the IMMEDIATE REQUIREMENT to get AS MUCH advice AS POSSIBLE!!! This is a COMPLETELY NATURAL RESPONSE!!! THE HUMANITY!!!!!1!!!1!!

Same here. Would be cool if they offer nice PL to EF adapters to go with them, super versatile then.

i kind of think if the 1/8 is too weak, then perhaps it can be enhanced in post. You have dedicated a whole thread to making something from nothing, not that i am knocking your efforts at all. My mentality is its easier to physically fill a hole than it is to dig a hole, so if i carry that over to the digital realm i would rather add than subtract. I feel that for my way of doing things, its better / easier (perhaps) to do it in camera, then if you have to enhance it in post you have that option. damn it kye, now your costing me money as im now curious as how a 3/8 would work and how it would compare to a 1/2 and i dont even have a 1/8 yet 🙄 actually for a bit of a theological side debate, do you guys feel that an image will hold up longer if your add "effects" to it as opposed to subtracting an "effect" and it would break sooner ? Hmm not sure i articulated that well enough, hopefully you get the idea

These two videos cover the subject:

The nice thing about redcode is all the different compression rates you can choose. That said I am sure Prores is easier on most CPUs. Plus shooting in HD or anything other than full res crops the sensor.

Therein lies the problem, the buggers refuse to shift to that "oh go on let's have a go" level ! I keep meaning to get the V-LOG upgrade my FZ2000 as the camera itself edges the XC10 in terms of lens speed, ND range etc and is certainly a cheaper used price for anyone looking for an all rounder. There aren't masses of V-LOG examples of it on YouTube but I just grabbed a screenshot of this random one and did a quick correction and even on a low res grab like this it can certainly be pushed around a bit.

This is not good manners to say the least... If you can add something constructive to our conversation please do so but not in this manner. Thank you. You are supposed to try and help me 😁😁

I’m saving up for my favorite camera and Oscar leader Arri LT 35mm film camera...

Thanks @kye - I'm going to mount the sensor with bolts and springs. Essentially your idea, but the springs will push the sensor away from the lens and a nut will push it towards the lens. Once I get the right distance, I'll use some glue to stop the sensor moving if the springs ever get loose or whatever. The whole front panel where the turret is mounted comes off the camera body, so to get it into position shouldn't be too hard with some time, a clamp and some careful positioning. The most difficult part will be positioning the sensor so it's centred in the image circle. From there is a case of tightening or loosening the nuts. As for raw - I can technically record raw video, but I have no way to view it for now. For the time being I'm going to just shoot h264, but the beauty of the Pi is you can change the settings really easily. Over SSH from my phone it's possible to edit and load different scripts, so when the raw thing becomes more developed and supported, I can switch.

I can confirm the 1990's and well into the 2000's. The type of cameraman making a decent living in my corner of the world never required any particularly creative skills. In many ways, it still doesn't, but if you were a shooter with even a semblance of knowledge and some kind of refinement, you'd be at an advantage because you knew how to run the beast camera systems. Film cameras, an Ikagami NTSC tube cam, "portable" 3/4" tape deck...that sort of thing. However, because you can point a camera obviously doesn't mean squat now that everyone's got 'em. Yeah, back in the day just getting access to the gear and learning the basics of the craft could get you through. I could push a GrassValley switcher to it's analog limits and edit quickly and cleanly on any linear tape deck system, so that skill set had value for a time. But that's the other side of the coin for being enamored with technology and putting your focus on that side of things. It's always going to change and advance. Tiger by the tail stuff. OTOH, the practice of composition, storytelling, lighting. etc. That's pretty solid. I don't think the "passive viewer" aspect of story telling is going away anytime soon. We all still want to gather around the fire and be told stories.

Higher standard is NOT expected. People are influenced by youtube and instagram these days, or from the 1 bazillion reality shows they are watching on Mtv and 1000 other networks producing crap. The only thing they want from their photos, is more bokeh. Shoot 5000, crop 200 of them, add some "filters" and you got a job done. 20 even 30 years ago we were going 1-2 or even 3 days per week at the cinemas to catch up with the latest and greatest. Now cinema seems to be based only on technical aspects. Youtube is the big educator of YOLO generations, and all the main professionals are NOT there, there are just young kids, doing a few weddings, and then suddenly are the world's experts about film making! I have worked with some of the previous generation here and abroad, and not one of them is on youtube!

David Sandberg is awesome, a huge inspiration for me. I also agree its better to stick to gear you know, or at least do a ton of testing on new gear prior to using on paid gigs. I've found out the hard way. Funny enough I just got the URSA he mentioned in the vid. No more updates suck but its a great camera. CDNG is better than BRAW in many ways (imho) and if I need something a bit less data heavy I can shoot HD 444.

Experimental filmmaker legend Maya Deren had an excellent take on this, in 1959! Her text "Amateur versus Professional" is worth quoting in its entirety: The major obstacle for amateur film-makers is their own sense of inferiority vis-a-vis professional productions. The very classification “amateur” has an apologetic ring. But that very word – from the Latin “amateur” – “lover” means one who does something for the love of the thing rather than for economic reasons or necessity. And this is the meaning from which the amateur film-maker should take his clue. Instead of envying the script and dialogue writers, the trained actors, the elaborate staffs and sets, the enormous production budgets of the professional film, the amateur should make use of the one great advantage which all professionals envy him, namely, freedom – both artistic and physical. Artistic freedom means that the amateur film-maker is never forced to sacrifice visual drama and beauty to a stream of words, words, words, words, to the relentless activity and explanations of a plot, or to the display of a star or a sponsor’s product; nor is the amateur production expected to return profit on a huge investment by holding the attention of a massive and motley audience for 90 minutes.Like the amateur still-photographer, the amateur film-maker can devote himself to capturing the poetry and beauty of places and events and, since he is using a motion picture camera, he can explore the vast world of the beauty of movement. (One of the films winning Honorable Mention in the 1958 Creative Film Awards was ROUND AND SQUARE, a poetic, rhythmic treatment of the dancing lights of cars as they streamed down highways, under bridges, etc.) Instead of trying to invent a plot that moves, use the movement of wind, or water, children, people, elevators, balls, etc. as a poem might celebrate these. And use your freedom to experiment with visual ideas; your mistakes will not get you fired. Physical freedom includes time freedom – a freedom from budget imposed deadlines. But above all, the amateur film-maker, with his small, light-weight equipment, has an inconspicuousness (for candid shooting) and a physical mobility which is well the envy of most professionals, burdened as they are by their many-ton monsters, cables and crews. Don’t forget that no tripod has yet been built which is as miraculously versatile in movement as the complex system of supports, joints, muscles, and nerves which is the human body, which, with a bit of practice, makes possible the enormous variety of camera angles and visual action. You have all this, and a brain too, in one neat, compact, mobile package. Cameras do not make films; film-makers make films. Improve your films not by adding more equipment and personnel but by using what you have to its fullest capacity. The most important part of your equipment is yourself: your mobile body, your imaginative mind, and your freedom to use both. Make sure you do use them. https://hambrecine.com/2013/12/10/amateur-versus-professional/ (also includes a PDF of this text.) - She shot all her films on a 16mm Bolex H16 btw.

Agreed. I'm a relative newcomer to video (~3 years) after almost 5 decades of photography and I got into it reluctantly because I like keeping things simple. But as a creative outlet I don't think anything else can match it. I get to conceptualize and tell a story, compose my own music, solve lots (and lots) of problems, and learn new skills like color grading. The technical details and nitpickery can be overwhelming, but it's good to remind myself that I don't shoot videos for cinematographers and colorists. They're not my audience.

A few stills from a shoot last night all on the Pocket 4K XL and CZ 35mm 2.8.

First post after visiting and enjoying this site for quite a while. I'm mostly into writing and looking to produce on low budget so it's interesting to read how others are getting stuff done with readily available gear. Came across this short and thought it might be of interest. Two versions on Vimeo ( via cinematography on Reddit ) and Instagram. Enjoy 😀

The issue this video covers was already mentioned in several topics, but I promised a video explanation and fixes, so here it is. Beware: long, boring, bad English.

It’s not anybody’s job to help you. Some posters are giving you opinions. Some are giving you facts. Help yourself.