[Danny Grizzle]

BTW – some people are saying, “You don’t need a specialized variable ND. Just stack a circular polarizer on top of a linear polarizer.”

No way I would put up with that kind of jury-rigging in a real production situation. Too many rotation rings, too much filter threading, too thick a mount, too much trouble.

[Danny Grizzle]

re: LightCraft “teardrops”

I just took my Light Craft Workshop Fader ND Mk II out into direct sunlight and inspected it closely at a variety of rotation angles, and also viewing angles off perpendicular. I even took my giant magnifying glass.

If my filter has any optical glass flaws or polarization interference artifacting, I can’t see it.

Definitely not knocking Singh-Ray. I have known for decades they make superb filters. In fact, the only reason I didn’t buy Singh-Ray was they were out of stock – no doubt a run on orders by HDSLR filmmakers. I think B&H is the only outlet in the U.S., other than manufacturer direct on their website. Both were out of stock at the time I was trying to buy.

Light Craft Workshop, which I had seen Phillip Bloom mention on his blog, was also out of stock. But I registered my email address, and shortly got a notice that the Mk II design was now available.

I can’t fault build quality, either. Rotation is silky smooth.

Delivery was prompt. I couldn’t be happier with this filter.

I consider a variable ND to be absolutely essential for HDSLR filmmaking. So important, in fact, I might consider a second copy just for backup, should I drop one during a lens change or something. It would ruin my day — and maybe my week — if something were to happen to this filter.

BTW – Light Craft Workshop is now available through Amazon.com. Go to Amazon and search for “Light Craft Workshop”. Unfortunately, I think they are just getting this set up. The Amazon link on the Light Craft Workshop website is broken, and Amazon is missing the 77mm size which is essential for most Canon L series lenses.

[Danny Grizzle]

I get an occasional vertical silver line in my 5D footage.

Turns out to be a setup problem — light stand placement.

[Danny Grizzle]

Robbie,

Now a few days later, I have been watching your Color training on lynda.com.

Just thought I would add a recommendation to others on these titles because I am enjoying them.

A few days ago, I posted something on this thread to the effect of disliking many online trainers. This is true, but does not apply to you. The thing that really wears me out is trainers who verbalize too much information, and specifically recite every command key equivalent in every instance they are used. And as if that were not enough, stating both Mac and Windows variants.

Your presentations are just right.

I have read of studies which claim humans can process speech much faster than words can be spoken. I’m sure that’s true in casual conversation. But when it comes to advanced technical details, it is exhausting for the mind to parse a deluge of superfluous information. Language use in long technical training titles needs avoid overstimulation, much like neutral lighting in a color grading room.

Thanks for the good work!

[Danny Grizzle]

I watched a bit of Vincent Laforet hosted on the B&H Photo website, and it was good.

I won’t name names in public, but I am building a list — currently containing names of three famous media production trainers — whose offerings need to contain notice of serious side-effects including suicidal thoughts.

In general, I can’t stand the guys who bury key concepts in blizzards of arcane verbosity. These are the trainers who are too impressed with their own prolific knowledge and too in love with the sound of their own voice. They are never satisfied with one word when they can breathlessly spew forth 50 instead. After the first 15 minutes watching their videos, it is bad as living next to a talentless heavy metal band tirelessly rehearsing 24/7.

[Danny Grizzle]

Robbie, I’ve ordered 3 of your books from Amazon over the last few days:

+ Video Made on a Mac

+ Final Cut Pro Workflows

+ From Still to Motion

Which should I read first?

Or, more generally, who is the target audience for each book, which one is most current, etc.

Thanks!

[Danny Grizzle]

I’d be concerned about needing an exceptional tripod and fluid head with longer focal length lenses. My experience is correct fluid head match to load is essential — too much or too little fluid head for the lens you are using, and your shots are ruined. This is a real complication for long lenses.

Never used one, but the gimbal head mounts used by still photographers (Wimberly heads) are said to make these lenses much more manageable versus typical top-heavy mounting. Normally, a still tripod head is a horrible idea for video, but if you are going to shoot extensively with long lenses, I think it would be worth your while to rent a beefy tripod and Wimberly head from lensrentals.com. The Wimberly might prove serviceable for video based on the fact they are used for wildlife — particularly birding — not just photography, but long binoculars also — where it is essential to smoothly track the erratic motion of bird in flight.

[Danny Grizzle]

Specific problem:

I need to set the LaCinema to loop play. The video looks fine, but at the loop point the LaCinema “reloads” the program. The source program is 1080P, a perfect match for the monitor. But after looping, the video restarts in letterbox mode, with program video horizontally squished.

If I cycle through the monitor inputs, it correctly sets the aspect once my video begins to play. Not workable for unattended continuous playback.

Also, I’m not getting audio.

My current workflow:

5D 1080P @ 24P –> MPEG Streamclip to ProRes 422 LT –> FCP –> output as H.264 file (via FCP -> File -> Share).

The LaCinema supports a wide variety of file formats. Documentation is little more than a spec sheet.

[Danny Grizzle]

OK, OK… I’ve set my 5D on 24p, never to be changed again. Thanks for the input!

[Danny Grizzle]

I was being a smart aleck on 30i.

I’m still not moved by esthetic comparisons of nightly news vs. feature films. They are different animals on so many levels. Not least of which is typical feature multi-million dollar production budgets, guys who actually light scenes, and a workflow that involves more than 30 minutes in post. Not to mention every other variable in the world. In the past 15 years, since Plumbicons went away, I’d bet most TV station guys don’t think about camera setup after the day a new camera is unboxed.

I frankly don’t buy into the argument that there is a painfully obvious visual difference in motion artifacting. The 24fps vs. 30fps discussion seems to become mired in the kind of religious views once reserved for golden eared audiophiles.

This is obviously not a simplistic answer, but an issue with many dimensions. The aesthetic difference maybe less than world distribution, depending on objectives. Professional workflow maybe second in importance (because everybody is doing 24p).

The technicalities of standards conversion for distribution is what Charles Poynton addresses in the paper referenced on the Wikipedia page you cited. I met Poynton in the late 1980’s when he spoke to the D/FW Section of SMPTE.

So, I take it that anybody who knows what they’re doing shoots 24p. End of discussion. Why kick against the pricks? (That being a biblical reference, not a vulgar disparagement.)

Is the 5D Mk II 30 fps setting useful for anything at all?