Andrew Reid

http://vimeo.com/60401188 "They each have their own unique character. Which image do you prefer?" Iscorama VS Iscomorphot 8 2x VS Iscomorphot 8 1.5x by QuickHitRecord. This is a new weekly series on EOSHD. The forum is really booming at the moment. A while ago on the site I decided to redirect the article comments system into the forum and that has seen a big increase in the number of people using it not just to comment, but to add their own content. Some of it deserves to be given wider attention so the best posts will from now on be promoted to the front page.  

The Blackmagic does have a simplicity to it. Using it versus the Ikonoskop last month was a doddle in comparison. You dive into the menus far less than on a DSLR and you don't need to change ISO or shutter angle for 90% of shots. You just point the lens at stuff and focus it.   Main issues with the ergonomics are - it is quite heavy and the screen visibility isn't great. The weight distribution is on a very narrow plain and the camera is quite wide compared to a DSLR. There's no physical controls - but again you don't really need any. The Epic controls are mostly on a touch screen as well.     Here's my review   http://www.eoshd.com/content/9186/blackmagic-cinema-camera-review   Pros Cinematic overall output Under the price of a ready to shoot Scarlet it beats everything for resolution & dynamic range including Canon C300 Film like noise grain Much more latitude in the highlights than a DSLR Black detail can be pulled up more than on the FS100 and DSLRs Very high build quality with no plastic used at all (rubber and metal) DaVinci Resolve is superb editing package and colourist’s dream Responsive in-camera playback of raw Responsive touch-screen and user interface Thunderbolt and HD-SDI, no wobbly HDMI. Robust SSD port and card door Large screen negates need to use external monitor or EVF in many situations Straight forward and minimalist approach to design of both software and hardware Superb battery life with external battery solution, internal battery useful to have as a back-up Affordable media Affordable raw editing with correct GPU on a PC The camera has ‘soul’ unlike many mass produced products Cons Potentially large extra investment in lenses, hardware, etc. for some shooters No built in ND filter No Super 35mm sensor size No HDMI port for lower end external monitor / EVF options No global shutter mode, rolling shutter not the best Cinema DNG raw not as space efficient as GoPro CineForm compressed raw No 2.5K recording option other than raw (2400 x 1350 80Mbit Intra-frame H.264 would be nice option for those who only do minimal grading) Screen not articulated (difficult to see from low angle when camera is above eye-level) Narrow viewing angle of LCD panel compared to DSLRs (polarises quite easily) Poor screen visibility in strong sun light Electronic aperture control on EF lenses is fiddly – should be two buttons or a jog dial Final packaging issues – debris inside the lens mount on some cameras shipped so far Fluff and debris tends to cling to rubber on rear of camera and cannot easily be wiped clean Consider the FS100 too.   I enjoy the lighter body and it isn't as tall. The screen is articulated and the sensor is larger. It is miles better in low light and the codec is actually very good (for AVCHD). You've got slow-mo with 1080/60p and it doesn't cost much more than a Blackmagic now. Rental price I've no idea about but it shouldn't be more than the BMCC. As it is E-mount you can fit just about any lens to it. Ergonomics & menus are OK it is just that the button layout is awful. All the dials and buttons are tiny and slightly recessed into the body, so I don't recommend it for when you need to adjust stuff very quickly on the fly.

Will there be a passive Canon to M43 mount Speed Booster from Conurus until the smart adapter ships in the summer? This is something I'd love to see. I actually use Canon mount adapter rings for all my Contax Zeiss, Leica R, M42, Pentax, Olympus OM and Nikon glass and so for these lenses I don't actually need an EOS Speed Booster for Micro Four Thirds to have electronics in it :)   Although it is of course preferable and most people would buy the Smart version, I'd love to see a passive Canon mount version in March alongside the others.

Zen was the Isco CentaVision 2x anamorphic, which is basically a 2x stretch version of the normal Iscorama. The 2x anamorphic gives you the most dramatic anamorphic look but a very wide aspect ratio from a 16:9 camera. The prime lens was cheap $20 Helios 44-M 58mm F2.0, mostly stopped down to F5.6 for extra sharpness.   Plenty more info in my book if you want to get started on the anamorphic stuff.   http://www.eoshd.com/anamorphic-guide   Tarantino shot Django Unchained in anamorphic and it looks superb.

Why does that guy shoot so many shots at crazy shutter speeds like 1/700, 1/2000, etc. It looks trashy. The footage looks very clean though considering the ISOs, and there is some gold in there.

  It is a good solution.   That comment makes you look a bit silly.

Prefer the bokeh on the 2x stretch but overall the Iscorama wins it for me.   Both the 2x and the Iscorama look great. What is your mod on the Iscorama 36?

  If they did switch it off before release I hope they also lowered the price.

This decision was made before that.   More likely is that the F55 isn't in Hurlbut's hands yet and he has an agreement with Canon already. He's an Explorer of Light (like LaForet).

Yes sure. Only thing holding back the review is the sample footage. I want it to do the camera justice and that takes time to get right. I don't just want to sling up some test shots as I have done before with the GH3. That is taking some time to put together with the current shooting schedule.   BTW I'm also interested to hear from anyone in Berlin with a C100 or C300. Get in touch and come on some shoots. So few people actually own one, it is all rental stuff!

So it is a creative thing?   Well it didn't work. Please stick to the normal language from now on, cheers!

The problem I have with Leang's use of the offensive word is that he put it on print appended to one of my own articles.   I don't want to control like a hawk what goes in the forum. But this takes the biscuit it really does. If a print newspaper or magazine used such offensive words, with such vague context and a completely unclear meaning as to whether it was meant as an insult, slang, a joke or outright racism they'd offend thousands and rightly be taken to task for it.   I don't want that to happen here.

I'd expect Jews are an advocate of Tarantino's writing for the same reason the rest of us are. It's bloody good.   I really don't get the rest of your point or your excuse for using the word, to be honest.

Personally I prefer the 5D Mark III's image, but the D5200 delivers WAY more value. The image is close yet the thing costs $700!   I am planning a day light shoot yes. Though to be honest, you can tell a lot more from the low light images because of the way the tonality and lighting is. One thing that I do need to do a day light test for however is dynamic range. A tunnel test. The GH3 and 5D Mark III can both shoot flatter than the D5200 without a load of banding being visible. Generally though, I find all the DSLRs to be pretty similar when it comes to dynamic range. As soon as you grade the image they all have about 9 USABLE stops. Nobody likes the look of an ungraded flat CineStyle image, you're trading other attributes for the ability to place your 9 stops in a different spot, that's all.   The dilemma at the moment is that the BMCC is so nice in raw that it leaves all the other cameras looking a bit too digital.   I highly recommend experimenting with Film Convert and Film Stocks plugins for Premiere to give the compressed footage more grain and a more authentic film look.

That language isn't acceptable on this site. Don't care if it was made in jest or whatever. There are just too many who will find it offensive and out of place.   Leang you will have a PM shortly.   I'm not going to censor you but you have to keep the language inline with acceptability.

Video on the J1 was OK. I'd be interested to see if the J3 is any different.

I've tested the 1.3x thing on the D5200 in video mode and it is rubbish. Unlikely the D7100 is any different as uses the exact same sensor & image processor, and it is also 60i in 1.3x mode... Kind of useless for those wanting 24p.

Surely a better choice than either the Alexa OR C500 on this shoot would be the F55 because it has a global shutter readout. If you are shooting a ton of action sequences like in Need For Speed, you are going to see jello even on the Alexa. Shane's thinking might be that the C500 is better in low light, and that the Alexa can be used for the wider dynamic range shots - I am not sure if low light is an Alexa weak point but it seems strange to have the C500 on the set at all when you have access to an Alexa. Will the C500 be recording 4K? Unlikely since the film is being shot at 2K on the Alexa!   Interesting use of the GoPro though. I'm going to have fun spotting those shots in the movie.   Good luck to Shane with the shoot.

  You are quite right.   I doubt even the D800 is true 4:2:2 as that requires the sensor to sample far more data. It can't even sample data fast enough to avoid line skipping how can it sample colour at 4:2:2?   Also confusing is that the original GH1 "did 4:2:2" in MJPEG mode. The file metadata said 4:2:2. Can that really be true?

In the early days of DSLR video the codec was probably the weakest part of the camera. With the advent of uncompressed HDMI out - the codec is no longer a weak point but sensor sampling becomes an Achilles Heel. Can the Nikon D5200 benefit from a hike in image quality from using an external recorder?

GH2 is still up there in my top choices. The Micro Four Thirds SB is coming out next month, then for EF lenses on M43 with the electronics in the Summer. The GH3 is one to consider and any new E-mount NEX mirrorless camera that comes out is worth keeping an eye on to see if they have improved video on the NEX 5N / NEX 7. There's a NEX 7N rumoured to be coming soon. If the jump in video is the same between the NEX 5 and NEX 5N then that NEX 7N will be something.   FS100 is a great deal, there's no better camera for image quality around the $4000 mark at the moment apart from the Blackmagic Cinema Camera. That one in MFT mount of course very hard to get hold of for a good few months yet - but should be great with SB.

It is -7 and snowing in Berlin so I haven't noticed any over heating problems :)   Speed Booster requires a mirrorless mount. The concept doesn't work with Nikon F mount or Canon DSLRs and never will unfortunately.

Question is too broad my friend!   First of all put it in 1080/24p because they use NTSC in that country. Set the shutter to 1/50 if you have NDs, if not then you will need to use that and the aperture to control exposure. Get some fast SD cards. 16GB... Nothing too large like 64GB as losing so much data if you lose or damage one card is a bad idea. I tend to split my shoots between several cards rather than put all the eggs in one basket.   Picture profile I am using is Standard, sharpness on zero, contrast and saturation down just 1 notch. Don't shoot flat if you do low light stuff. Don't go above ISO 3200. Keep the ISO as low as possible in day light. Lenses I am using are Nikon 35mm F2.8 AI, Nikon 50mm 1.4 AI and Nikon 85mm F2.0 AIS.

The Iscorama is 36mm opening, so no 37mm is fine. This lens goes after the prime like a normal anamorphic. It will be similar to the LA7200 in terms of the image. You might be able to go out to about 18mm on the GH3 with it, maybe wider.

Yes HDMI output from live view has sound. It is on my ProRes files from the HyperDeck. You will be able to use it for monitoring too so the lack of headphone jack is less of an issue.