freeman

With the monopod already you can get most of the stabilization out of the way. You have to shoot with the right mindset though, as you have a cam on a pole. you'll be getting a lot of static locked off shots, but these are good and can even look like a tripod if done right. There are a lot of little things you can do with a monopod ( you already mentioned a kind of simple stabilizer) However sometimes you want to be able to run around more and I think a shoulder rig is a great. I use one on nearly everything I've shot. I made my first handheld rigs from old tripod heads, even a pair of bicycle handlebars. Eventually I bought this cheap rig: https://www.amazon.com/gp/aw/d/B0036NMQ7S/ref=mp_s_a_1_1?ie=UTF8&qid=1483287720&sr=8-1&pi=AC_SX236_SY340_QL65&keywords=cowboy+studio+rig&dpPl=1&dpID=41-C8jL4nfL&ref=plSrch this thing has been great and is very versatile. It kind of holds onto your shoulder and completely supports the cam on your body. I use mine so much, sometimes even folded kind of like a gun stock. Its not perfect but definitely a cheap useful tool. With this however you cant get too locked off of a shot like you can with the monopod. so you get more freedom of movement but you really need to be disciplined with your movements and be able to hold still to get a shot. Different tools for different shooting styles, but this thing is always in my camera bag.

If you're mounting with a speed booster that little foot on the bottom of the adapter has served me quite well. If you use a top handle though then definitely put that thing in a cage, so much sturdier and you really start to open up grip options. You shooting handheld with a top handle i'm guessing?

I see and agree with a lot of your points from a spec based perspective, especially in comparison to the new em5. Over the gh4 it certainly seems to have cleaner high iso (and on mirrorless who doesn't want some of that) but I shoot on a gh4 for everything and the little tank really has it all. I think from a more hobby perspective focused on -image quality- this g85 really is a nice deal for the cost but you can get a gh4 around the same price (I mean less really if you wait around for used) and that battery, headphone jack monitoring, in camera slo-mo.. I think for a working filmmaker those features are worth more in terms of filmmaking tools. Just my 2c, thanks for the post Andrew.

thanks guys, cinegain great point on the lens turbo for now that could solve the problem of getting them on the gh4 as I don't have any canon glass at the moment.

Hey guys, have a question for anyone with experience stacking adapters. I use a gh4 with a speedbooster (nikon mount), as well as a nikon mount sigma 18-35 and a couple other nikon lenses. I have been thinking of moving to a canon mount speedbooster because of some greater flexibility. adapting to the canon mount. I understand you can adapt nikon lenses to the canon mount, so my question is: anyone have experience using a nikon lenses adapter to a canon speedbooster on a mirrorless cam? The adapter for nik-canon is very thin, usually with an aperture lever. If this is viable I may switch to a canon speedbooster so I can use nikon, canon, as well as some contax lenses with respective adapters. I don't forsee any problems occurring as long as the adapter tolerances are close enough. Thanks

I've had problems with pixel films Lut loader as well. Even with the older fcpx it was a bit finicky however now with 10.3 I had to uninstall and reinstall the Lut loader before it began to work. Even now when I select a Lut from a folder on my desktop, no changes appear to the footage. I have to select the lut a second time, and sometimes even adjust the "amount" slider until I see the Lut applied. When the thing does end up working the way I usually grade over multiple clips is by using a title (with no text) over all the footage I want a Lut applied to. The title acts as an adjustment layer. So you drag the Lut loader onto the title instead of the clip, then everything under that title gets the Lut applied.

HEY filmmakers, wanted to share my latest out here with you guys! This is a short doc about a great youth mural arts program here in Rochester. We had some amazing mural artists work and mentor city youth for a summer program with the end result being to beautify the local recreation centers, adding some much needed color and art to them. some gear details for the gear people: all was shot with a .71 speedboosted GH4, the 18-35 1.8 and a nikon 50 1.4. **BONUS ROUND** there are 3 or 4 shots in here that were filmed with an old school Angenieux 12-120 c mount zoom... can you spot them? :P (they are all in a row) Filmmaking BTS: I basically checked in with the program every week until at the end I had amassed a -ton- of footage. After organizing it I filmed the interviews. Now.. I like working this way because you can really build up a deep story with a lot of great candid moments from throughout your subjects timeline. Often you can have exact b-roll matching an interviewed comment. However, working like this is always tough in the edit especially if you are the camera operator as well as the editor. I often find it hard to distance myself from the footage and chop up the film critically in the editing phase. I find when shooting programs like this there's always the balance between efficient planning and getting what you know you want, as well as being receptive and letting the little moments come your way. One example is when the young girl was speaking spanish with one of the youth mural artists. I was so happy to capture that moment and let it play out in front of me. So enjoy this little glimpse into Rochester. Also: Here is a film produced mainly for viewing by schools and school staff but I think the EOSHD people here will like it because all of the interviews were filmed with my favorite portrait lens: The Nikon 50mm f2. Love this little dude for faces because it is sharp yet a little more forgiving than my more modern 50 1.4. BTS: This was all interview, and lots of whittling down. Many of these youth were nervous, and I had lit the space. I knew this would put some of them off.. lighting and microphones and a camera pointed at you. So we really had to work to make these kids feel comfortable. However I wanted this to be lit well because I wanted the youth to be presented in a way that made them look professional. I was inspired by some NYT interviews that were well lit and thought that these youth deserve the same quality. Conflict resolution at so many of our schools here in Rochester is basically suspension from school. The Gandhi Institute center for nonviolence (who commissioned me to produce this film) wanted to have the youth speak in their words about how these restorative techniques are helping them. Ok there you have it, thanks for reading and watching everyone.

When all you have is crap equipment.. you make the best of it!

I am gonna third what everyone is saying about the Cowboy Studio rig. you can find it on amazon cheap and it does the job. It just lets you put the cam in a good spot, holds on to your shoulder. I have used this rig so much, definitely a good place to start.

Thanks so much Gregor!! It was produced in conjunction with a local city newspaper and they loved it as well, so more will be done in the future!

Rochester NY, no way! I live here too! You an RIT student? I started shooting with a GH2 myself and I use a GH4 now. I use the GH2 as a b-cam occasionally but would consider selling to you in your price range, send me a PM. It was my first camera and I made a ton of films with it. I'd recommend mirrorless myself because you aren't tied to a lens mount, and your existing glass will transfer. Many great cheap lens options out there too in older mounts.

For myself it has been both and there is a balance between the two. I started working freelance videography just about 3 years ago and hustled my way through film production to pay the bills. I live a frugal life and was able to build up some momentum and get the ball rolling. I've filmed shorts I was very proud of and had a deep emotional connection to that didn't make me any money. I made films I didn't really feel proud of that did pay well. And vice versa. But when push comes to shove and you need to film to pay rent and eat you do need to check some of the emotional attachment at the door and go out and WORK. The business aspect requires a ton of effort to keep yourself running and sometimes that can feel discouraging. I definitely had days when I longed for a job that was simpler where I didn't need to be the creative director, cinematographer, sound guy, interviewer, and editor for every gig. But I love it and was thankful every day that I was lucky enough to love my job. Another plus from making it your professional life are deadlines. The deadline is for the client, not for you. You are responsible for your work and your deadlines. This does have a positive side. When you make films to get paid it's actually nice (and definitely necessary) to be able to separate the attachment and say "Ok, I need to cut this in 2 days, lets get it done." Accomplishing those tasks trains you to do it better next time. Just like sustained regular physical exercise at the gym. I think your creative side is what makes you good enough to do it for work and what you can bring to the table. I love telling stories with my camera, I love watching for moments and looking for composition and using my camera to record what I see. I love stitching those moments together to make a story one can watch. Absolutely I get pleasure from this process. But work is work, there is no way around that. You need to put in the time if it's work and you have to get it done.

Nice stuff hempo, is your zeiss modified for super 16? That lens and wide angle adapter is a nice piece of kit!! Would love to film with a digital bolex and some of my 16mm glass one day. I was looking at used D16s right before the company stopped producing cameras and have been having trouble finding any used listings. Here's a short I just shot with the Angenieux 15-150 on a GH4

Ballpoint pen and stick figures. I draw out a bunch of rectangles and start visualizing my shots. if you can communicate relative size and perspective it's a huge help. I love it because it gets my brain thinking creatively before I even have a cam in my hands. And often times once i'm actually on the shoot a lot of it goes right out the window! But I have never felt like pre-vis time is wasted time or not worth it. Sucks when you sketch out this sweet shot and you know it's gonna be a real stunner and you get to location and there is just no way it's going to work.. but that's part of it all. Can't remember who it was but a filmmaker I watched on youtube recently had a great way to practice this, you pick your favorite movie sequence and reverse storyboard it. I tried it and it puts a lot in perspective.

I think that the auto settings are helping you work quickly, but if you start practicing with manual exposure it will soon become second nature and you will gain more precise control over your image. Once you lock down your shutter angle (lets say to 1/50th) you start to lose the ability to control your light. A variable ND gives you one more tool to cut down the light coming into the camera. I would learn about shutter angle and use full manual exposure. Light is at the core of our art and a greater understanding of how and why we change and control it through our cameras definitely leads to more creative outcomes. I haven't even bought an ND yet but I do use a circular polarizer to cut down light if I want to film something at a wide aperture in bright conditions. Also shutter angle is a subtle effect but you can use it to your advantage. I use between 1/30th and 1/60th of a second for different applications. I personally can't stand the staccato look a video shot at 1/100th or above gets especially when filming fast moving things.

What a monster! That guy is a little big for my documentary needs but if I ever shoot a narrative feature that would be some awesome glass to use.

Angenieux zoom time! I just got myself an angenieux 15-150 zoom (which is the zoom on the left in the photo) It is optically very simmilar to the 12-120 on the right however it is designed to cover super 16 film. I've done a lot of shooting with the 12-120 on the gh4 and will be using the 15-150 soon! Just have to get the current projects done and out the door.

Bunk I've been experimenting with different handheld setups for a little while. This one worked pretty well but actually attracted too much attention when I was trying to shoot documentary footage. Still, it did create a nice conversations and people would smile when they would see me film them with it. Cheap tripod head with a tennis ball on the pan arm and a set of (actually kind of nice) Nitto aluminum road bars from my bicycle spare parts bin. I could put the tennis ball in the crux of my shoulder and handhold that way or down towards my stomach with the screen out. If I didn't need to pull focus I could use both hands. Now my rig looks more like this: it's a very cheap rig from cowboy studio you can readily find on amazon and it really has been great. You can see the top arm that hooks around the back of my shoulder and the bottom arm goes against my stomach/ab area. This thing helps me handheld so much. I also take it off my shoulder, collapse the small arm and kind of handhold it low which for quick shots also do me a lot of good. Matt brings up a good point though sometimes I really hate having the thing "mounted" on my shoulder as I need to physically move and bend my knees to get low angles. I don't own a monopod yet but I think you are really onto something with the loop around the body (or this fanny pack idea) to help anchor something at your waist that can also be removed. Love the challenges of stabilizing these small cameras.

Policar Walter Murch is definitely one of my favorite editors. I watch some of his videos the same way I listen to Alan Watts lectures, very profound stuff! Hiring an editor (or just working with one) is definitely on my list of priorities as I grow my freelance work. I film and film and film and then have 3-4 projects that all need to be cut, it can seem like no progress is every made. One of the challenges of the one man band production. Also +1 on notes, I use a small notebook to jot down how i'm feeling about footage or concepts that come to my mind while I watch. And I know what you mean about picking the right people to show rough draft work.

Hey guys, so I know there's a lot of traffic right now in another thread about some unfortunate dealing in the film community. Want to ask a positive question during my afternoon coffee break. I've been working non stop all week on editing a big project I shot for a few months early this year... I want to ask the community out here: To all who are both cinematographer and editor on their projects what helps you edit your footage objectively? What do you keep in mind to help separate yourself from the footage you shot and know in and out? This is a very subjective question as there is no 'right' answer. Do you just need time away from it? Curious how you all deal with this phenomenon. I definitely am attached to my footage and feel a connection with many 'good' shots that I want to use but may not be necessary to the true story of the project.

The effect is being caused by the frequency of the lights not matching up with the shutter speed of your cam. You need to adjust the shutter speed so that its timing matches up with the lights frequency. In the US our lights operate at 60hz and output 120 pulses per second. Your shutter speed of 250th is catching the light at different points in its cycle. If you imagine 2 waves that are slightly out of synch with each other. Which is why lining up the footage in post can work to mask the effect because you are stacking the waves over each other to cancel out the difference. Your shutter speed needs to be divisible by 60, so you may need to lower your fps so you can use slower shutter speeds. 120th and 100th of a second usually work for me when I use vfr on my gh4. A 240th of a second shutter -should- work since it's divisible by 60 but the gh4 at least does not have that option.

Hey everyone got a workflow question, probably other documentary shooters will have some experience: I'm shooting weekly footage in a motorcycle shop and frequently have a zoom h1 with Lav mic on the mechanic. I'm able to get good audio on him wherever he goes, and he will pause often in the middle of a process to explain to me what he's doing. I leave the zoom h1 recording and over the course of an hour film the goings on at the shop. Once I get into FCPX i'm wondering my workflow options for synching this hour long audio to all my shorter video clips. Typically I have to lay the audio track down and hunt for sections that match up. How do you guys deal with this kind of situation? Curious to see how other people work as it's a pretty time consuming step. Thanks!

Hey everyone I have been thinking about this for a while and know there are a lot of great tech minded people on this forum so I want to ask some questions about in camera crop modes. My experience so far is with the GH2 and GH4. Both have an internal 2x tele-crop mode. From what I understand normally a larger amount of the sensor is read and then downscaled to output a final image. In the crop modes.. a smaller portion of the sensor is read at a higher resolution? (I know this is very basic but I am no electronics expert) I also have a question for any Sony A7s owners out there about the Clear Image Zoom. I understand this to be a variable crop all the way up to 3x of the sensor. I am wondering about all of this because of my enthusiasm for using older 16mm glass which produce smaller image circles than modern 35mm lenses. I wonder if it's possible for most if not all mirrorless cameras to have various sensor crop modes to utilize different lens image circles. For example, the GH4 can shoot 4k in 16x9 as well as a 4:3 mode that is just bigger than a 16mm film frame. Is it reasonable to assume it's completely possible for a mode to be available to the GH4 to shoot a 16mm sized crop of it's sensor? If anyone has used the Sony clear image zoom at it's furthest crop mode (3x?) I have read it is about Super16 size. Anyone shot with super16 glass on a sony? My workarounds for using the GH4 for 16 and super16 lenses depend on it's 4k crop being 2.3x, but future GH models using smaller crops of the sensor for 4k would make those workarounds obsolete. I'm wondering if Sony is a better body to shoot with older glass. Anyone who has done experimenting I'd love to hear about what you have found. And if cameras can be hacked to output higher bitrates.. maybe they can be hacked to shoot in different aspect ratios. However that must be deep into the firmware. Thanks for reading.

Yes you can audio functions normally, I often shoot the gh4 in anamorphic mode

Thanks guys, Bold the shoulder rig is from cowboy studio, it's like 30$ on amazon I'll get a picture of it. I find the threaded zoom stick so necessary. The zoom has a zoom crank, which is nice if you want a slow zoom but for quicker zooms and in general I used the stick. I am even planning on threading a longer zoom stick to get more leverage as the one I have is short. The key to being able to have a free hand to zoom is to have the camera stable on your shoulder. A heavier 16mm camera had some weight to it but the little gh4 needs to be nice and steadily mounted. The cowboy studio rig really helps for this. Looks a bit goofy but I can use both hands to operate the lens or one on the lens the other holding the camera to my shoulder.