Robbie Carman
Forum Replies Created
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[Greg Barringer] “Is the Nikon D3s .AVI format better than AVCHD?”
Noooooo…sorry to say. Current Nikon Cameras are using Photo JPEG while pretty universal is not the greatest nor most efficient, modern codec out there
Robbie Carman
—————-
Colorist and Author
Check out my new Books:
Video Made on a Mac
Apple Pro Training Series DVDSP
From Still To Motion -
[David Slater] “he way I see it, the image sensors of these cameras are fantastic, but there is no way to record the video to a broadcast standard codec. AVCHD (a/k/a MP4, 264, etc.) is not ready for prime time with its low bandwidth, 8 bit color, and less than 422 encoding.”
While I get your point this statement needs to be reconsidered. I’m a broadcast colorist and and I will tell you there is a lot worse being used for prime time. First most acquisition formats from HDV, XDCAM, HDCAM DVCPRO HD are all 8-bit to begin with. While many formats are 4:2:2 many formats being used in a broadcast environment are not with many as you point out 4:2:0 is common. Compressed formats like AVCHD are being used EVERY SINGLE DAY for broadcast. You might be shocked to know that HDCAM SR which is Discovery, National Geographic and others preferred deliverable format uses an MPEG 4 based compression scheme just like a DSLR. The issue is partly data rate. Take a Canon 7D that shoots around 50mb/s. This is for many brodcasters an acceptable minimum data rate but not nearly has high as say HDCAM SR
Part of the issue broadcasters are having with DSLR footage is that they haven’t tested it enough through QC departments, but I will tell you last year we graded over 150+ hours of shows for Discovery and the like and DSLR footage was used in a lot of those shows. For example I just completed grading a feature length doc for MSNBC on Patty Hearst and most of the recreation footage originated on DSLRs.
So while footage from DSLRs might not compare to something like HDCAM SR in data rate or have the latitude of 16-Bit DPX file off a Dalsa Origin it in many cases is acceptable. And I’ve found quite easy to grade. If I had to choose between grading HDV or DSLR footage the DSLR footage would win everytime.
[David Slater] “From the previous posts I’ve read here, the HDMI output in Live View is unuseable because it is less than full resolution and contains a red dot watermarks and other embedded graphic information from the camera. My question is, are there any ways around these recording limitations either now or in the future? “
Currently not really, groups like the Syndicate and Magic Lantern are hacking firmware and trying to get this to work, but from what I’ve seen less than full raster is the result. If you were Canon or Panasonic or Nikon would you really make this easy to do? They’re not stupid recording direct to disk would cannibalize their video camcorder market.
[David Slater] “Also, I believe that these cameras can put out all of the raw data (4k and above-resolution) in time lapse photography (i.e. in a series of stills). Is there any way that could be adapted to get 24 or 30 fps of the same raw data”
Sure the sensors can record huge raw images but I do not know of any DSLR that can record bursts of faster than 12 or so frames per second. Even then the limiting factor is processing and storage (which is the same for recording video at that size). The frame buffers and recording mediums cannot keep up. And seeing how you can’t output and record to disk via HDMI don’t think this is happening in the near future.
The only alternative is for DSLRs is to move more into what companies like RED are doing. RED can shoot 4k+ but they’ve developed they’re own color science, compression schemes and processing, and REDCODE is hugely compressed btw
Robbie Carman
—————-
Colorist and Author
Check out my new Books:
Video Made on a Mac
Apple Pro Training Series DVDSP
From Still To Motion -
yes I do but I want to get the next blizzard in the video too! Oh wait thats happening tomorrow!
Robbie Carman
—————-
Colorist and Author
Check out my new Books:
Video Made on a Mac
Apple Pro Training Series DVDSP
From Still To Motion -
sweet! While I have not put it to the max I was out and about during the blizzard this weekend (i’m in DC) with 7D and my trusty 70-200mm f/4 which is weather sealed (with the addition of a B + W UV filter). Followed the same basic steps as you but the camera and lens got covered with snow and zero problems.
The only thing I did cause I have a small creek in my compact flash door was to apply a little strip of gaffers tab to the outside just incase.
Robbie Carman
—————-
Colorist and Author
Check out my new Books:
Video Made on a Mac
Apple Pro Training Series DVDSP
From Still To Motion -
[Norman Pogson] “So in custom preset, it will always default to the saved iso, in manual mode it will wake up to whatever you set it too. “
yep thats what I was saying in my last post in this thread
Robbie Carman
—————-
Colorist and Author
Check out my new Books:
Video Made on a Mac
Apple Pro Training Series DVDSP
From Still To Motion -
I’m sorry I should have been more clear by shooting mode I meant manual , aperture priority etc
I think I know your problem – but will test this when I get back in front of my camera. Using custom modes I’m pretty sure the camera saves everything about that particular setup, shutter, aperture, iso picture style etc. So it wouldn’t surprise me when the camera is turned off or goes off automatically that it resets to whatever the custom is set to.
This may have happened to me I’ve just never noticed, as I often just leave in manual for video but use customs for photos
Robbie Carman
—————-
Colorist and Author
Check out my new Books:
Video Made on a Mac
Apple Pro Training Series DVDSP
From Still To Motion -
well those crazy guys at the syndicate are machining them now and already in prototype. We’ll see if its pans out but you can check it here
https://www.syndicate.se/Default.aspx?Id=294
Also incase you really want to drool check out a panavision on a 7D
Robbie Carman
—————-
Colorist and Author
Check out my new Books:
Video Made on a Mac
Apple Pro Training Series DVDSP
From Still To Motion -
The Waves software is indeed very good. I’ve also used Apple Soundtrack Pro and Adobe Soundbooth to isolate noise (creating a noise print) and then reducing that noise through out the entire file. Does a very good job
Robbie Carman
—————-
Colorist and Author
Check out my new Books:
Video Made on a Mac
Apple Pro Training Series DVDSP
From Still To Motion -
hmmm what mode are you guys in? – I have not had the camera default back to an ISO I haven’t adjusted when falling a sleep
Robbie Carman
—————-
Colorist and Author
Check out my new Books:
Video Made on a Mac
Apple Pro Training Series DVDSP
From Still To Motion -
Can’t go wrong with an older set of Nikon Primes especially since the older ones have manual aperture which is super nice so you can do splits.
The other thing that a lot of folks are doing with these other older nikons (and other primes) is converting them to a cinema style lens. When you do that you get much improved focus dampening. Also the aperture rings can be de-clicked and you can get a follow focus gear press fit on the lens. If you really really are bothered by the reverse direction of the focus gearing on those nikon lenses you can also convert the direction in which the ring operates but keep in mind this extremely expensive as the entire lens has to be taken apart and many of the companies doing those conversions don’t offer awesome warranties for that.
In my kit I’ve been carrying the following lenses – to combo as photo and video lenses. Would love to pick up a set of Cook Primes and a PL adapter but alas I haven’t won the lottery!
Canon 70-200mm f/4 L IS – i find it to be shaper then the 2.8 and of course much lighter (and yes I’ve owned the 2.8)
Canon 100mm 2.8 IS L Macro – awesome lens! Great for both macro video and photo work and doubles as tack sharp portrait lens
Canon 35mm 1.4 – great walk around lens nice and about a 50mm on a 7D, super fast for nice bokeh on photos and great for video too. I’ve found it wide open though (like other fast lenses) hard to hit focus in video. When shooting video with it I’ll stop down to 2 – 2.8
Canon 50mm 1.2 – I just got this lens and its amazing. If your a DOF and bokeh junkie nothing better in my opinion – great for video portrait work on 7D but again must be stopped down to get good and reliable focus.
Tamron 17-50mm 2.8 love this little lens – no IS and not quite as sharp as the 17-55 EFS canon lens but much cheaper and still produces great results.
Robbie Carman
—————-
Colorist and Author
Check out my new Books:
Video Made on a Mac
Apple Pro Training Series DVDSP
From Still To Motion