Ursa vs. C500 vs. C300 for best cinematic image?

[Ollywood88]

9 hours ago, Dogtown said:

Hello Olly, when you say you are having issues with the C500 and the Odyssey 7Q+ (is that he plus you have) those problems are they with the peaking for focus, and the image glitches, are they on playback on the Odyssey, or just monitoring picture on the Odyssey? I see some glitches monitoring some times but have never had a problem with recorded footage on the SSD's, just remember to always safe eject before removing those drives.

 

 

@Dogtown No thing major, files are always ok. What happens is when I press breaking the screen freezes, I spoke to CD and they said just pull the cable out and reinsert and that does work. I mean when I play clips back, I have like glitch looking screen, then I go back out and play again its fine. 
 

I love the setup it produces great images, just the file size sucks. The grade is perfect tho, the footage. I haven't shot much 4k just 12 bit 4444. I normally shoot 2k 50fps and then 1/100 shutter and decide to slow down in post or not, Looks nice. 

Just need a cage for the 7Q for holding it now. 

[John Brawley]

 

I often see this "low light" thing coming up with regards to Ursa 4.6K....

Some of my favourite frames from the Ursa 4.6K, including some low light shots.  Most of the car interiors are lit available light with a single matchstick and some cyan outside on the windscreen.  These are frames I've take from dallies on a series called Queen Of The South. There are graded in CDL (no kets or secondaries) and no noise reduction.  I've also included some before and after frames of a scene in the first episode in the series where we ended up shooting well after sunset with no lighting.  Again, no NR.

JB

I would add, I own a 7q and a 7q+.

I couldn’t think of anything worse as an operator than having to rely on an external recorder that you have to power and cable reliably. It will get in the way, especially for hand held. 

JB

[EthanAlexander]

5 hours ago, John Brawley said:

 

I often see this "low light" thing coming up with regards to Ursa 4.6K....

 

I think that people rag on these cameras because they'd never be comfortable not seeing every detail in the shadows. "Crushed blacks. I see CRUSHED BLACKS" is all they'd say.

Noam Kroll has an interesting article "How dynamic range is killing your images" or something like that. People get obsessed with preserving highlights and shadows at the expense of a creative image.

[Dogtown]

Some nice frame grabs John. Olly, I like the shape cage for the Q7+ and the 15mm adjustable rod mount, but what I've been using and it works very well is one of these 1/4 -1/8 with Arri rosette adjustable plate, cheap as chips and works!

https://www.ebay.com/itm/ARRI-Type-Rosette-Cheese-Plate-Mount-Baseplate-fr-DSLR-RIG-15mm-Rod-Support-GH4-/361508743028?hash=item542b99a774:g:tbUAAOSwP~tW4neq

 

[John Brawley]

1 hour ago, EthanAlexander said:

I think that people rag on these cameras because they'd never be comfortable not seeing every detail in the shadows. "Crushed blacks. I see CRUSHED BLACKS" is all they'd say.

Noam Kroll has an interesting article "How dynamic range is killing your images" or something like that. People get obsessed with preserving highlights and shadows at the expense of a creative image.

Totally. 

Lets makes the blacks black for starters on night scenes. Otherwise it’s not night it’s a day scene. 

JB

[IronFilm]

On 10/16/2017 at 8:06 AM, rokkimort said:

For the upcoming project we need the best image possible, preferably 12 bit 4:4:4, since we will grade it heavily in post and want the image to hold the colors in the best possible way.

 

Unless you've done side by side tests with 12bit 444 and 10bit 422, so you're certain you'll need that extra data then I wouldn't trouble yourself with it. 

ProRes HQ is already a nice sweet spot of size to performance.

On 10/16/2017 at 10:12 PM, rokkimort said:

Are you saying that 4k output from c500+odyssey downscaled to HD will look less sharp then if I just shoot HD?

 

if you're considering just shooting in HD, then add the Sony F3, BMPCC, and BMD Micro Cinema Camera to your list to consider as well.

On 10/16/2017 at 10:12 PM, rokkimort said:

This is great, I would love to see some test footage, if you can actually do this, it will certainly help me make a more though-through decision. Does c300 shoot 8 bit externally though? For some reason I though it can do 10 bit external.

 

C300mk2 has a good internal codec, the C300mk1 is limited to 8bit not just internal but externally too. (that is a big advantage here of the Sony F3, that it had 10bit external)

[Ollywood88]

23 hours ago, John Brawley said:

 

I often see this "low light" thing coming up with regards to Ursa 4.6K....

Some of my favourite frames from the Ursa 4.6K, including some low light shots.  Most of the car interiors are lit available light with a single matchstick and some cyan outside on the windscreen.  These are frames I've take from dallies on a series called Queen Of The South. There are graded in CDL (no kets or secondaries) and no noise reduction.  I've also included some before and after frames of a scene in the first episode in the series where we ended up shooting well after sunset with no lighting.  Again, no NR.

JB

I would add, I own a 7q and a 7q+.

I couldn’t think of anything worse as an operator than having to rely on an external recorder that you have to power and cable reliably. It will get in the way, especially for hand held. 

JB

John loving this images, in the right hands this camera is very nice. 

Also the c500 has a good HD mode, you can shoot externally 12 bit or 10 bit. Internal the c500 is just a c300. 

I feel 2k 50fps or 60ps US is where to camera excels. Haven't shot 4k with it I need to. 

 

[redimp]

On 10/20/2017 at 2:55 PM, Ollywood88 said:

I feel 2k 50fps or 60ps US is where to camera excels. Haven't shot 4k with it I need to.

Hey Olly! I’m looking at get a c500 with 7q combo as well, but I’ve read that if you shoot 2k with this combo you can only go up to 30p. Can you go to 60p with yours?

 

Also, can you please, pleeease, share some 12bit 2k original footage I can play with? I couldn’t find it online, and would love to test a couple grades on it. You can send a clip up to 2gigs for free via wetransfer website to maxprodaniuk@gmail.com

I would REALLY appreciate it and owe you a beer!