Speed King - SLR Magic 35mm T0.95 Review and 5 Axis Stabilisation samples

[Andrew Reid]

[media]http://vimeo.com/71346820[/media]

The SLR Magic 35mm T0.95 is an ultrafast manual focus lens targeted at cinematographers. It is a Leica M mount lens with bespoke adapters for mFT and Sony E-mount.

Until now I had been using this lens on my Sony FS100 but Olympus recently updated their OM-D firmware to support 5 axis stabilisation in video mode with all manual focus lenses.

Move over MoVI...

[url=http://www.eoshd.com/content/10896/slr-magic-35mm-t0-95-review-and-5-axis-stabilisation-samples]Read the full article here[/url]

[aly324]

Can't wait for the full frame NEX with 5-axis stabilization! I hope Sony at least gives us decent video on that one.

 

Do you have to specify the focal length manually every time you put a "dumb" lens on the OM-D for the IBIS to work properly? Is there a way to put a computer chip on the lens to make it recognizable?

[QuickHitRecord]

How does IBIS compare to the image stabilization built into certain EF and Lumix lenses? It looks as though it may be smoother, but that may also be a result of the 29.97fps, which I don't see very often at the shallow depth of field you have here.

[Andrew Reid]

How does IBIS compare to the image stabilization built into certain EF and Lumix lenses? It looks as though it may be smoother, but that may also be a result of the 29.97fps, which I don't see very often at the shallow depth of field you have here.

 

Different league.

 

Sony were impressed enough to buy into Olympus for its use, and Panasonic are reinforcing their OIS with their own in-body system. Canon are as usual doing nothing, but their ultrasonic IS on the 100mm F2.8 macro and new 35mm F2 is good at preventing jitter even if not the kind of huge swaying and judder you get when walking*

 

* Hope you read that word correctly ;)

[nathanleebush]

Impressive, to be sure, but it kind of looks like existing software solutions to my eye. I suppose it's nice to see it in camera so you can decide if you need to reshoot. Can't wait to see this filter into other cameras.

[Ernesto Mantaras]

Impressive, to be sure, but it kind of looks like existing software solutions to my eye. I suppose it's nice to see it in camera so you can decide if you need to reshoot. Can't wait to see this filter into other cameras.

 

No post stabilization (warp or any kind that's actually available to us, at least that I'm aware of) will give you better results than what you can get from true optical image stabilization.

 

Motion blur, parallax and specially rolling shutter artifacts will always tell on you.

[zephyrnoid]

Very impressive, but I note that the algorythm's causing a lot of edge softness. I guess that's the price you pay for overall stabilization.

[johnnymossville]

in-body stabilization has such amazing promise for filmmakers.  Sony will no doubt exploit it in their upcoming cameras.   Panasonic is just getting started with the upcoming GX7 and has quite a bit of catch up to do, but I have high hopes for the technology.  

[Leica50mm]

Hate to say this, but it looks pretty soft .

[ntblowz]

Yes you need to specify the local length when you put manual lens on the camera in order for IS to work properly

 

Can't wait for the full frame NEX with 5-axis stabilization! I hope Sony at least gives us decent video on that one.

 

Do you have to specify the focal length manually every time you put a "dumb" lens on the OM-D for the IBIS to work properly? Is there a way to put a computer chip on the lens to make it recognizable?

[tehgeek]

That is nowhere near MoVI, why even mention it? It does look nice but not in a natural way, something about it looks off but I can only imagine how good this will get in coming years.

[Nikkor]

It looks great, could you make a video with a hand held rig, I guess the lens movements will be lower and therefore it will look more like MoVi

[Andrew Reid]

Very impressive, but I note that the algorythm's causing a lot of edge softness. I guess that's the price you pay for overall stabilization.

 

That's not from the stabilisation, which is not an algorithm but mechanical movement compensation. The sensor moves to catch the drift.

 

Any softness is from the Olympus OM-D E-M5 video mode which is very compressed and not optimally processed internally, or the 180 degrees shutter speed I used in low light.

[Andrew Reid]

Impressive, to be sure, but it kind of looks like existing software solutions to my eye. I suppose it's nice to see it in camera so you can decide if you need to reshoot. Can't wait to see this filter into other cameras.

 

The advantage over software solutions is that you have a steadier shot in the first place to work from, which doesn't need as much of a crop to steady further in post.

 

Check out the back of the tram shot with the taxi in the background, and the sweeping pans - everything is shot handheld with one hand on camera grip and one hand on the focus barrel. There's no other stabilisation system either in the lens or in the camera that is as effective.

 

Even combining this with a Z-finder, a stock or minimal shoulder rig, let alone something like MoVI would result in even more natural looking movement.

[mjones41]

OMD in one hand, Olympus 50mm f1.4 in the other, just waiting for my metabones OM-M43 booster to come out in August.  Agree the OMD 5-axis for video is sublime, love it with the Nokton 17.5mm.  The rest of the manufacturers will catch up soon.   Just hope Oly steps up to the video plate before they do.

[Rungunshoot]

I'm not loving the glowy softness of the bokeh.  To me, it doesn't have the same richness as the image from an f/1.4 lens on a s35mm sensor.

 

I am excited about the possibilities with 5-axis IBIS, though.  With some practice, I bet it would be possible to replicate some Movi-type shots (like descending a spiral staircase), though probably not everything (running, for example).  Certainly the 5-axis IBIS will be invaluable for telephoto work.

[nigelbb]

Are there any sample video files from the OM-D (uncompressed & unedited i.e. straight off the SD card) available for download? This camera is highly rated for stills (unlike the other MFT cameras) & the OIS is amazing so I might be tempted to get one.

[mike_tee_vee]

dpreview.com has some samples straight from the card.  They have some steadicam type samples.

 

I only wish the OM-D had native 24p.  Any tips on the best method to convert 30p to 24p?

[Andrew Reid]

dpreview.com has some samples straight from the card.  They have some steadicam type samples.

 

I only wish the OM-D had native 24p.  Any tips on the best method to convert 30p to 24p?

 

You can get a slight slow-mo from it - right click the clips in Premiere's project window and interpret footage as 24p.

 

Straight 30 to 24 doesn't really work very well, too much jitter from uneven frame skipping.

 

Curiously I found the crazy handheld work suited 30p more than slow-mo at 24p.

[ntblowz]

Look at this guy's video, he is already using E-M5 for wedding video, mostly handheld. Though he used 1 slider, 1 skater and 1 flying shoot with monopod (that one looks like it shoot on jib)

http://vimeo.com/69368786