mercer

Thanks, I'm still having a problem getting my grades to look consistent on different devices. Obviously, I know part of the issue is my MacBook Air's screen. But it's like a tint gets added. Weirdly, it even happens with B&W. So I usually end up tweaking the color accordingly until I find a happy medium. Since I'm still in production, none of these grades are necessarily a reflection of the final "look" of my film. When I get into post, I'll probably update my computer and my screen. Here's a B&W version of the shot...

So, I almost sold this lens again. As addictive as collecting lenses can be, the utilitarian approach can be just as addictive. Luckily, I came to my senses before the lens sold. Here's another shot from the 35mm 1.4 at f/2 that I processed with an Alexa conversion LUT...

I can't say for sure until I open up the lens, but it feels like something is inside the lens binding up the focus ring and not a limitation of the modification. If the guy who sold it to me was being honest, and Jim Buchanan did the mod, then it was most likely done properly and focuses to infinity. The Nikkor 35mm 1.4 AI-S is a pretty special lens in its own right. Wide open the images feel a little more chaotic than the smooth, dreamy character of the Minolta, but stopped down, the Nikon is a lot sharper and takes on a more "modern" feel. It also seems like Nikon's coatings are more effective than Minolta's were. Of course, this is based on Minolta MC lenses. The MD lenses tend to offer a slightly different look with better coatings.

Honestly, I forget... it's been a minute since I've read about modifying Minolta lenses. I think the biggest issue with the mods is that each lens Minolts built was mechanically different. With FD lenses, the internals were very similar but with Minolta, nothing was interchangeable... you have to dissect each lens and machine parts to make them work. Google Jim Buchanan, he is/was the guru of Minolta to EF mods. The 35mm 1.8 I have was supposedly modified by him, and I tried contacting him but never received a reply. I need to figure out why my copy won't focus past 4 feet, though because it's not only one of the best 35mm lenses... it's probably one of my all time favorite lenses.

I asked a similar question a few pages back. It seems the crop is a little more than the Micro... I think a 3x crop... so it's closer to 16mm... which opens up some possible c-mount 2/3" zoom lenses. That 2.6K resolution interests me a lot as well... downscaled to 2K, it could really have that "Alexa look."

It's a beautiful lens. Good luck with it... I hear it's one of the harder ones to modify.

They're referring to the 2x crop of the sensor compared to full frame. So with M4/3 you would need a 12-35mm lens to have the same field of view as a 24-70mm lens on full frame. You also have to double the aperture value... so an f/2.8 lens on M4/3 will act as an f/5.6 lens on full frame. If you're using native lenses it may not matter as much, but if you're adapting lenses, it can be difficult to get fast wide angle lenses.

Why can't you use Highlight Recovery with Alexa footage? I shoot ML Raw with a 5D3 and use Highlight Recovery in the Raw Tab. I assume it's because I'm interpreting the CDNGs as BM Film or Rec709? But if that's the case, couldn't you just transfer the Alexa footage to CDNGs, interpret as BM Film and then do a CST to LogC, with Luminance Mapping, and also use Highlight Recovery to utilize the full range + of LogC? Btw, I'll often use the WB presets to tweak any issues, or just to get uniformity between clips and it defaults to 10 Tint... should I be turning that to 0? As Shot, my tint is usually a little less than 10. Anyway, cool product. How does your PowerGrade handle shots that the Alexa would excel at, but the P4K/P6K would struggle with?

Interesting theory about the helicoid oil. As far as the comparison video... I preferred the Cooke for obvious reasons... color and field curvature that borders distortion on the Lomo. However, I do like how the frame comes alive on the tilt... but that was evident with both lenses.

@heart0less Not bad at all. I like how you let your shadows fall off into black while still pushing your highlights in your B&W shots.

I love Taks! I've had a couple copies of the 35mm f/2 and found it to be one of the most interesting lenses I've ever owned. It has a butt load of character... even if the 3.5 is probably a better lens overall. I still have the 3.5, a 50mm 1.4, 55mm 1.8 and a couple of the tiny, older Auto-Taks. Going forward, I want to test and build one of those cheaper sets of lenses... either finish off a Nikon set, the SMC Pentax, or SMC Takumars... or maybe all 3...

Nice shots... I should make it a rule on my posts that you can only post your own samples if they're worse than mine. Haha. Seriously though... it's a cool little lens and I would have paid double or triple for it an I would have been happy. Pentax-M lenses are amazing. Along with the Nikon 50mm Series E, the Pentax-M 50mm 1.7 was the first good lens I ever bought. I still have it in my closet somewhere. I should give that a test the next time I go out.

OH... I just figured you bought a used one within the past couple years... I didn't realize you were the OG Red One. So you're very familiar with Red and their products then. How did you... do you like the Red One? It's a club like any other. And when that club is elite... The same thing is happening with BM. Whenever people start referring to a personality they don't know, on a first name basis... there's a bit of a cult of personality involved.

Good to know, thanks! As I've said ad nauseum, I am happy with my current set up, but it's possible my next camera will be a proper cinema camera and it's obvious from your samples, the F3 is still more than capable of a relevant image. I figured from the snow on the ground that you weren't in Philly anymore. What a great resource though. Hopefully you can take advantage of it for your future films. Do you have any plans to make/direct your own films? Also since you have some Nikon lenses... have you ever used the Nikkor 20-35mm 2.8 D?

It's an odd forum with a ton of information to be had. But I also read a couple of veiled threats regarding forum membership and Red camera ownership. With that said, I think Netflix's requirements, for their original programming, partially inflated Red's value. Add the filmmakers that are willing to pay to be part of the club, Red was able to price their cameras accordingly. However, with the rise of Blackmagic, Kinefinity and Z-Cam, over the past few years, Red's business model doesn't seem sustainable. Add the Hydrogen debacle and the whole RedMag thing, I think they may have to come in at, or damn close, to their suggested price. Don't you have a Red One?

I recently won a Minolta MC 58mm 1.4 lens that was converted to EF mount with a Leitax adapter... for less than the cost of the adapter if I were to buy it new. As you guys probably already know, Minolta lenses do not easily adapt to EF cameras due to the difference in flange distance, but there are two lenses that will with either the Leitax or EdMika adapters... the 58mm 1.4 and the legendary "bokeh king" dream lens... the 58mm 1.2. There are other ways to adapt Minolta lenses if you're handy or want to pay someone to do it for you. In fact, I posted some frames from an adapted 35mm 1.8 a couple years ago... Unfortunately, that lens will only focus to 4 feet. It seems like there is something inside the lens that is binding it up, but I haven't been able to easily open the lens to inspect it. I was able to get a partial refund so it was worth keeping the lens. Needless to say, I was pleasantly surprised when I stumbled upon the 58mm 1.4 on eBay and ecstatic when I won the auction. On my last shooting day, I was able to take the 58mm 1.4 out for a spin. First let me say that they just don't build lenses like they used to. These old Minolta lenses are a pure joy to use. The focus ring is silky smooth... I wish there was a better adjective to describe it, but other than Takumar lenses, it's one of the smoothest focus rings I've ever used with the perfect amount of dampening. The lens is also sharper than I expected it to be... when stopped down. Wide open the lens lacks contrast, but stopped down to f/2, the image starts to come alive... contrast gets a bump and it sharpens up nicely. Here are a few frames from my test... I wish I was a better colorist to take advantage of the saturation capable with these lenses. The color separation is gorgeous, but I don't trust my eyes or my screen to really push it. Overall I found the lens to be well worth what I paid for it, but not as good as the 35mm 1.8... which is one of my favorite lenses of all time. I hear the old 55mm 1.7 kit lens is a sharper lens and since I have a mint copy in my lens collection, just collecting dust, I think I'm going to try and adapt it myself, so I can do a comparison. But as is, this 58mm 1.4 is a beautiful lens that is older than me and has stood the test of time better than I have. For 33 bucks... how could I possibly complain?! For you mirrorless users, the good news is that these beautiful and cheap Minolta lenses can be adapted with a cheap, dumb adapter. But with a little ingenuity and patience, even EF users can experience shooting with legendary Minolta glass. For a further, more in depth, discussion of Minolta lenses, I highly recommend the Rokkor Survival Guide over at the RedUser forum... https://www.reduser.net/forum/showthread.php?92246-Minolta-Rokkor-Survival-Guide If I can get the 35mm 1.8 to focus to infinity, I'll have a beautiful, two lens set for less than $150. What more can I ask for?

Sorry, good point! I just had a grumpy moment as I occasionally do. Carry on.

Hey, you are free to post whatever you want... obviously. I do. But instead of the "favorite" threads... why not advance the conversation in these specific threads? It could bump the threads and perhaps push the conversation in a different direction. Just a thought... carry on.

Would the original 5" BMVA work with the F3? Btw that media center sounds awesome. I wish there was something like that near me... I assume you don't live out in the Philly suburbs anymore? You could make a feature film on a "borrowed" F3 and keep your budget next to nothing. That's really cool.

I was trying to follow the Komodo thread a few months back but got lost in an argument that Red would go out of business if they didn't price it at the same level as the P6K vs Red could require the cremated remains of a loved one as down payment and still stay competitive. Strange argument...

2/3rds of a stop can be the difference between a little extra shadow detail and a noisy mess in available/practical light... especially if you're trying to hold the native ISO.

Yeah it's a weird mix of... "just throw a Sigma Art on it" and "I had the same copy that Sergio Leone used in his lost spaghetti western Chef Boyardee and the Dead." Strange place but useful sometimes.

That middle shot from the sLog external looks high end... like theatrical level!!! Great work. What external recorder are you using?

That's definitely a cool lens. It seems to get mixed reviews on RedUser. Does it cover FF or will you use it in S35 mode? Keep me updated about the FP!

Didn't realize you had an F3, how do you like it?