Rick Wise
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You ordered “both things”???? Why? The radio mic for consumer cameras does not need the XLR to mini jack adapter.
Rick Wise
director of photography
Oakland, CA
http://www.RickWiseDP.com
email: Rick@RickWiseDP.com -
That’s the wrong rig to use with a camera, unless your camera is stationary and you can park the receiver right next to you.
As it is, you cannot plug it into your camera since the kit comes with an XLR, not a mini-stereo jack. You can buy an adapter (I think this will work: https://www.bhphotovideo.com/c/product/133528-REG/Comprehensive_XLRJ_MP_3EXF_Mini_Male_to_3_Pin.html)for around $9.
You might want to consider this radio mic which is designed to use with a consumer camera: https://www.bhphotovideo.com/bnh/controller/home?O=NavBar&A=getItemDetail&Q=&sku=68055&is=REG&si=acc&showAll=1#more_accessories
You can also spend many hundreds of dollars more for a better mic. Those will all come with XLR plugs but the above cheap adapter will work just fine, I believe.
Rick Wise
director of photography
Oakland, CA
http://www.RickWiseDP.com
email: Rick@RickWiseDP.com -
Thanks very, very much to all of you who have responded to this post. My summary of your suggestions and advice for a rig that carries some/much of the weight on the hips is:
–the least expensive solution that any shooter likes: $100 (B&H) the Steady Stick Compact. Disadvantage as far as I can see: no shock absorber
–the next up in expense: $320 the DvRig Junior; one poster does not like it, but Adam Wilt does a whole lot; advantage: shock absorbers, right hand on camera with access to zoom rocker, left hand free to adjust focus etc., able to tilt up/down, and dutch; disadvantage, B&H does not sell it so no discount; must buy at full price from maker
–and then: $382 (B&H) Varizoom DV Traveler; also shock absorbers, also ability to tilt, dutch; but both hands locked to handles; requires a remote zoom controller; uncertain if can free left hand to focus etc.
–the most expensive solution: $1,000 (B&H) Easy Rig Turtle X; no one here has suggested this rig. The one review on B&H is not good but I’m not sure the guy knew enough.
I have not listed any of the Cine City rigs (https://thecinecity.com/tcc/home.php?cat=3)as they have to be shipped from India, making them extra expensive. Also, they seem to take support too high — abdomen — which means they will rise and fall with your breath if you breathe (as you should) from your “stomach” instead of high in the chest.
My conclusion: for an EX1 with no add-ons other than possibly a wide-angle lens, the DvRig Junior is the one to get. From one post it would appear that if you add lights, sound, then the rig will not handle the weight effectively. If you need to do that, then it looks like you need to go to the Varizoom rig, and add remote controls to attach to the hand grips.
Rick Wise
director of photography
Oakland, CA
http://www.RickWiseDP.com
email: Rick@RickWiseDP.com -
There’s a great description of shooting a feature on the EX1 by Adam Wilt: https://provideocoalition.com/index.php/awilt/story/maelstrom_production_part_1/ Note his embrace of the DvRig Junior for all handheld work. Also note at the end of part 2 his camera settings.
Rick Wise
director of photography
Oakland, CA
http://www.RickWiseDP.com
email: Rick@RickWiseDP.com -
It looks like the DvRig JR, similar in design to the Tiffen stick, works well for the EX1. Adam Wilt describes using it on a feature he shot this last summer and liking it a lot. (https://provideocoalition.com/index.php/awilt/story/maelstrom_production_part_1/)The DvRig JR is more expensive ($320 VS. $100), but includes a pan-tilt head and a shock-absorber column.
Wilt writes in part: “The DvRig’s spring-loaded center column carries the weight, while its dual-axis fluid head (tilt and dutch-tilt axes) allows full freedom to aim the camera as needed. The Rig will remain on the camera for all but a fraction of the shooting, and I now consider it an essential accessory for EX1 handheld work.”
Rick Wise
director of photography
Oakland, CA
http://www.RickWiseDP.com
email: Rick@RickWiseDP.com -
Interesting idea. If you’re not comfortable wiring up your 3-extension, 3 dimmer kit, you can probably find an electrician who is. I’m sure you’re aware that when you dim a tungsten light, you decrease the Kelvin color temperature. The more you dim, the warmer (more orange) the light becomes.
In practice, I see no need to dim your key light. Only the back light, and the fill. If for fill you use a piece of foamcore on a c-stand kicking some of the key back into the face on the darker side, it’s a quick fix to move the foamcore closer or farther away to adjust the intensity.
A common problem with the key is placement for one interviewee may be wrong for the next. If you go from shooting a round and flat face to an angular face with deeply set eyes, you will have to move the key to a somewhat more frontal position and lower its height. A dimmer will be of zero help here.
Everything takes a little time. And of course we try to make everything as quick as we can.
Rick Wise
director of photography
Oakland, CA
http://www.RickWiseDP.com
email: Rick@RickWiseDP.com -
Got it. Thanks!
Rick
Rick Wise
director of photography
Oakland, CA
http://www.RickWiseDP.com
email: Rick@RickWiseDP.com -
John, I am a moderator on two forums (Lighting and Cinematography) and I find no way to add such a checkmark.
Rick Wise
director of photography
Oakland, CA
http://www.RickWiseDP.com
email: Rick@RickWiseDP.com -
I must respectfully disagree with the statement that a Varicam will take pictures as good as super 16mm. There is as yet NO digital video camera that matches or surpasses film, though Sony’s F35 begins to come close. The reasons are that video cannot handle the range of light-to-dark that film can, and that film records much more visual information than film. Where this difference shows up is in highlights of high-contrast situations as well as in the subtle shade differences you see in the human face.
The comments about the “true” cost of shooting film are perfectly true. Post is extremely expensive, to say nothing of processing and work prints. Going direct to telecine, when performed on a first class machine operated by a first class colorist, is the best route if the final film will be seen on TV or the web. (You will see a significant improvement over the image you get by shooting super 16 and going to tape over the image you get shooting any video camera. It’s not the tape that’s the problem, it’s the ability of the video camera to record fully.)It is possible to telecine everything in a way that tracks key codes so that later the negative can be cut to match the video edit. In fact, most feature films still shot on film are handled that way. The days of cutting on the flatbed or the upright Moviola are almost gone, and I say, having cut millions of feet that way, good riddance.
For post, the dominating software these days is Final Cut Pro. However, a less well known but much loved software is put out by Sony: Vegas Pro, currently version 8. Either one has a somewhat steep learning curve. Those who use and know both tend to prefer Vegas. But if you are thinking eventually of working as a freelance editor, better go with FCP. (For a rundown on a comparison between the two, Google the topic. Here’s one answer from the Cow: https://forums.creativecow.net/thread/24/875617 Vegas costs about half as much as FCP. I use it and love it.
As for which film camera to buy, any one will do for starting out, provided it has been retrofitted or made to shoot super 16mm, and you also buy lenses that cover the additional width. If you can get one with a PL mount you can rent additional lenses as needed. I believe there are even wind-up Bolexs rigged with PL mounts and retrofitted to super 16.
An alternative approach would be to buy one of the better prosumer cameras and one of the 35mm adpaters. Or, buy a Red and a set of lenses, though that will end up costing around $50,000 before you are done. Currently in the prosumer range, Sony’s EX1 and EX3 are the only cameras recording to 1/2-inch tape and the images they make are to my eyes remarkable. The EX3 has interchangeable lenses.
Since you are on a tight budget, I don’t see how it’s possible to shoot film, but perhaps you have factored in the post equation and are determined to shoot film. How about renting a camera for a while? You can probably get a pretty good deal on an Aaton Xtrprod on a month-to-month, or else an Arri SR. Since you are trying to learn, I highly recommend you start out with at least 3 fixed lenses: 10mm, 25mm (“normal”), and 75mm. Learn to shoot well with these three before adding more, or a zoom. Starting out, avoid the zoom as you will never learn about the characteristics of different focal lengths with it.
Finally, to repeat a truism said here and everywhere the pros hang out, it is not the camera that makes the film. It’s the filmmaker. You can make a truly world-class film on a $300 video camera, and you can make something no one will ever watch on a $300,000 system. As a still photographer, I imagine you know that.
Rick Wise
director of photography
Oakland, CA
http://www.RickWiseDP.com
email: Rick@RickWiseDP.com -
I suggest you find your tripod first and then find quick-release systems to fit it and the shoulder mount. My favorite source of gear is bhphotovideo.com. When I’m looking for more expensive items, I check daily their used equipment section.
Note that there are many, many shoulder mount systems, and a huge range in price. The Indian one looks pretty slick, but I’ve never used it, nor any of the others you can find by searching both bhphotovideo.com and a general, google serach for shoulder mount camera. Here are a couple that have caught my eye:
—https://www.bhphotovideo.com/bnh/controller/home?O=product&A=ShowProduct&Q=&sku=554866&addedTroughType=replacementLink
—https://www.dvtec.tv/
—https://www.studio1productions.com/vsb1.htmI think the qualities to look for are: comfort to wear, lightness, durability, ease of mounting camera in different configurations, ease of free movement.
A moderately cheap tripod I’d consider is the Cartoni SPD2 (https://www.bhphotovideo.com/c/product/569363-REG/Cartoni_SPD2_SPD2_STATUS_Pro_Video.html#specifications) for $950. Below that I’d consider the Manfrotto 701 HDV and legs for $300 (https://www.bhphotovideo.com/c/product/591118-REG/Bogen_Manfrotto_701HDV_547B_701HDV_FLUID_HEAD_w_547B.html#features)
Rick Wise
director of photography
Oakland, CA
http://www.RickWiseDP.com
email: Rick@RickWiseDP.com