mercer

I've been shooting ML Raw on a 5D3 for the past couple years on a short film that has slowly morphed into a DIY feature. I still have a bit to shoot for it but am planning my next film on my downtime that I should start late next year. I thought about upgrading my camera for that film, but I'm truly happy with ML Raw. Since I've always wanted to shoot anamorphic, I think a scope would be a better investment of my time and money. With all that said, I'd love some suggestions to put me on the right path. Obviously, I would prefer a single focus lens and obviously I would love for it to be an Iscorama 36 or 54 but I doubt I could find, or afford a good copy of one. I've also seen some footage from the Baby Iscorama that I liked and from the S8 Animex that looked gorgeous but both seem pretty hard to come by and I assume fetch a good price. I also like what I have seen from the Kowa anamorphics and I assume I can put one of those rigs together for a lot cheaper than an Iscorama? So, my wish list is this... • single focus • 50mm taking lens • sharp, modern look • as compact as possible The film I am working on now has been run and gun relying on IS and one shot AF. For my next film I am planning on doing a lot more controlled set ups... with a combination of static/slider/dolly shots stopped down with deeper focus than I am shooting now... so I am curious how difficult double focus would be, or how expensive a good focusing unit is? Anyway, any suggestions or advice would be appreciated.

Yeah, I wish the transmitter was a little smaller. It seems like a great solution if it doesn't double the size of your rig. But I am very particular about the Micro... I don't see the point in making it any bigger than it needs to be. I'd have to see it mounted flat to the top of the cage because that seems the least cumbersome. Basically, I had the Micro back in the summer of '16. I loved the image but didn't love rigging it up. At the time, there weren't many peripherals to keep it compact. So, out of frustration with the ridiculously large rig and the piss poor battery life, I ended up selling it. Eventually, I moved on to ML Raw and found the perfect camera for my needs, and wants, with my 5D3. Fast forward 3 years and I found a great deal on a lightly used Micro. Since I really liked the IQ and since there are more options to keep the camera compact, I decided to give it another try. All in all, with the Ikan monitor, I have around $500 into it. Even though it's a great second camera for me, whenever I reach for a camera, I always grab my 5D3, so I'm kinda on the fence about it. On the one hand, it was so cheap that I'd love to find the perfect rig to make me want to use it more. On the other hand, I'm not the most prolific filmmaker and I barely have enough time to work on my current film, let alone set up a new project with a different camera. So I'm on the fence with it. I may sell it, but I hope to hold on to it a little while longer and shoot a small short film with it this winter. With that said, I love what Z-Cam is doing and prefer the image from the E2 to the P4K. I also love the phone/monitor solution they've integrated. If I was going to buy a new camera today, the E2 would be at the top of the list, along with the Sigma FP and the S1H.

Good to know, thanks. I think I have the Touch 4, so I'll have to check... it is pretty old. Those 3" androids look interesting as well. All in all, it's very intriguing... just wish it was a touch smaller or could be integrated cleaner into the rig... maybe by wrapping it inside a chest pad or shoulder pad.

@BTM_Pix that is pretty slick but I wish it was a touch smaller... I have an old iPod Touch sitting in the drawer collecting dust... it would be perfect for it. Right now I'm using the Ikan VL-35 but I may trade up for the SmallHD Focus to get the ability to power the camera and monitor from a single source.

This thread has really inspired me to take another look at my lenses. As much as I'd love an S1H or a C200, I'm definitely better off investing that money into lenses, filters, lights and support equipment. I may eventually trade in my Micro for a Z-Cam e2c when more footage comes out from it, but that's really the least of my concerns right now. Great thread, I hope it continues for a while longer.

@Matt Kieley cool video and lens. I tried picking up a few of those lenses in the past but I could never find any at a condition or price I felt comfortable with. I'd love to see a color edit of that video if you get a chance. Or some frame grabs.

@CaptainHook are there any plans for Braw in the Micro?

I only use Resolve for basic Raw corrections and sometimes a CST before transcoding to ProRes for FCPX. Is there a zraw plug-in for FCPX?

I just saw that the e2c has zraw and ProRes... not bad for an $800 camera!!! I wonder if it's worth trading up my BMMCC for it.

@leslie I really like the color contrast you’re getting from the P4K. It’s very natural but also cinematic. Nice job.

Haha, okay. I thought an HDMI cable could be added from the removable EVF side and then powered through a dummy battery or something... but this is way out of my depth so I’ll take your word for it. They used an old m42 28mm f/3.5 with a speedbooster. For sure, although I think they chose ProResLT to save card space. These guys went DIY and good enough wherever they could. They even built their own shoulder rig out of copper pipes, seatbelt pads and a velcro ankle weight for counterbalance... But don’t worry, they had a boom operator. Haha.

I never heard of the gnarbox before but it looks like a great solution. The Ninja 2 would be great but lack of 60p is a no go... one of the few reasons I’m considering keeping the Micro is for its 60p. Btw, any chance you can make a Canon EOS-M EVF work with a Micro? That thing would be a perfect little Super 8 digital camera with a small EVF instead of a screen. It’s a fun little camera the size of Rubik’s Cube. I prefer ML Raw personally but if you are a Resolve user, you may like the Micro better. You can’t go wrong with either one, really. And if you’re patient, you can find a Micro for stupid money.

Dang, that’s some crazy savings. I’m really interested to see how the camera evolves after a firmware update and to see some more footage from it. So far, I am impressed but not blown away. I’d love to see Sigma put ProRes in the camera, which is a major benefit of BM cameras... including the Micro. If Sigma made a bold move like that, in a FW update, the camera almost becomes a no brainer... especially for Japan prices. Back to the Micro for a second... can I shoot internal raw and export to an external recorder for ProRes? With the new Video Assists coming out, I assume I can get a deal on the original. A ProRes and Raw version of my clips, on SD cards, could negate my desire to use the small Ikan VL35 I have now... cut a proxy ProRes LT version in FCPX and then send the edit to Resolve for raw color work, audio mix and export.

Yeah, the Production 4K is a nice camera but I don’t know if it’s worth a swap from the BMMCC. As much as the crop factor annoys me, there are some benefits with some c-mount lenses I own. I think my point was that I think minimalism is underrated around here and in my equipment closet. For some, if you have the need, or the means, why not have a few cameras and a slew of lenses... I probably would if I was in that situation but I’m not. I’m a hobbyist that have always wanted to make movies. I’d love to get an FP, but it would be a second camera right now. I feel the same way about the S1H. It’s an amazing camera, and in some ways it would probably be more fun to shoot with than my 5D3. I don’t know, maybe I’m just easily impressed, but I am still enamored with the images I am getting from my 5D3 and ML Raw and I don’t feel I’m missing out on any IQ based on any newer cameras on the market... that I can afford. In fact, unless the ML team has a breakthrough with the 5D4 or EOS-R, I could see myself going straight to a proper cinema camera after my 5D3 runs its course... barring any surprises from Canon... 1DX Mark III or the 5D5. With that being said, and to stay on topic... I think the Micro is an amazing little camera, so I am going to keep it for a bit longer and give it a fair chance, with my sensibilities, before I sell it... unless a quick and easy and profitable sale comes my way from this thread. Lol. Btw, did you get an FP yet? If so, what do you think? I think you mentioned this before, and I agree, the FP seems like a full frame, spiritual successor to the Micro... with the a screen.

I’d like to at least shoot a small short film with it before letting it go, but after shooting FF the last couple of years, the crop factor of the Micro is a little frustrating. But, as I said, I am an FCPX user, so the ProRes aspect of the Micro is a MAJOR bonus for some projects. In fact, I only use Resolve for basic corrections and transcoding to ProRes4444 with ML Raw, which is great for any CST I wanna do and to get a high quality intermediary codec for FCPX. However, I agree about owning multiple cameras, if you can afford it and have a use for them. As you said, they’re just tools. But for me, I’d need to get something out of a second camera that my first camera doesn’t give me. With your situation, you’re getting a few features with the S1H (IBIS, 4K/6K codecs, Anamorphic, a Netflix approved A-Cam) that may make it worth it, but with my situation, I’m not too sure if the Micro gives me enough to warrant the second kit. I was really stoked for the Sigma FP and it seems to have delivered with everything I was concerned about but again... it’s just not enough to warrant a second system right now. Plus, I think less is more sometimes and forces creativity. I am a lazy shooter to begin with, so lack of features force me to think creatively and to concentrate on craft... lighting, composition and support. I’d rather spend the money on a good slider or some lights than a second camera. Of course, I’m one of those guys that would rather have 1080p raw on a camera that’s built like a tank than 4K anything. This never ending spec race is getting really ridiculous and only benefits the manufacturers and I think Cosmos is proof that a good 1080p image is more than enough and will be for the foreseeable future.

Thanks for posting this. I’ve been following this film for a while and posted the trailer a few months back in another thread. Not only was it shot mostly with one lens, they shot it on ProResLT. The BTS is a great story as well... For anybody that isn’t following this film, these guys ended up getting a US theatrical and VOD release that opens next week. Here’s the official theatrical trailer... Their success is a testament to DIY filmmaking that proves talent, imagination, hard work and perseverance can lead to great things. Being an FCPX user, this film is actually one of the reasons I decided to buy another Micro and give it another try. Of course, I haven’t really used the camera for more than a few minutes. Every time I go out to shoot, I reach for my 5D3, but I hope to get out and give it a thorough test sometime this Fall and hopefully produce something with it this Winter. Or I may just follow their lead, and continue shooting with my 5D3 and sell the Micro. In the end, the camera is just a minor ingredient. Either way this is a great story for aspiring filmmakers and I wish these guys the best of luck with their film.

I’d love to hear a comparison between 1080p ML Raw at 14bit vs Sigma’s 1080p Raw at 12bit in your review.

My experience is very similar between my Canon 28mm 1.8 and Canon 35mm f/2 IS. The 35mm is hands down a “better” lens, but the 28mm has way more character.

And I appreciate your level of commitment to decipher why one lens may be “better” than another. Now if you are wondering if you can replicate the field curvature of the Zeiss Hollywood lens in post... I would say probably not because the curvature creates an optical separation that helps create the signature “Zeiss 3D Pop” but I know how you enjoy post work, so you may be better off getting the sharpest lenses you can find. If I were you, I’d probably dump the Voigtländer... part of that lens’ charm is shooting wide open with it, so if you’re questioning its IQ, then dump it... with the money you make from the sale you can buy 2 of the 3 Sigma 1.4 M4/3 lenses which are probably better at 1.4 than the Voigtländer is. Plus you’ll have One Shot AF, instant IBIS without changing the setting manually.

In my opinion, you’re looking at this too analytically. Test charts and head turning videos on boring sets can only tell you so much. One of the most important factors in any image is rendering and an MTF chart will not show you that... only your eyes will. For instance, the Veydra vs Zeiss CP.2 numbers you referenced... Take the Zeiss 28mm f/2 lens for example... the Contax version was known as “The Hollywood” due to the way it renders the OOF edges of the frame due to the extreme field curvature. The ZF Classic version is a very similar design as the C/Y version and uses the same glass as the CP.2. Check our this, real world, review of that lens... https://www.google.com/amp/s/blog.mingthein.com/2012/07/19/zf28distagon/amp/ Also look at Cookes or Baltars... they aren’t perfect lenses by any means, but they have character and some of the best films of all time have been shot with them. Anamorphic lenses are revered due to their flaws. Color separation, tonality, 3D Pop, OOF highlights and even flaws... these characteristic can add charm and dimension to your images. They can help you tell the visual story you’re trying to tell.

Sorry to intrude, but to clarify about my non-ai question from the other day... do you think if I found a non-ai lens that was converted to ai, then the Leitax or Simmod Mount changes would work? I wonder how hard it is to find the original ai conversion kits from Nikon. My 28mm f/2 H.C. is in mint condition but most adapters on non-ai lenses are sloppy.

There is a mention in the specs of a 1.5x crop but it seems to be part of the stills menu and I can’t find any asterisks, elsewhere, to correspond with it. If it is FF, it’s probably pixel binned like Magic Lantern Raw.

It records out, via USB-C, to Samsung T5 SSD drives... it doesn’t get much smaller than that.

Hahaha... Leica Summicron... as sharp as a knife - subscribe to John Wayne Gacy Tasty Images with Jeffrey Dahmer How to gut a lens that will not be blamed for nothing ... From Hell with Jack

Hahahahahahaha... that may just be one of the funniest stories I've heard in a while. I even told it to my GF and now she wants to know the guy’s name because she watches all of those murder doc shows on TV.