[Robin Probyn]

Sorry I havnt used the new for HD softs,I use a 1/8th white promist mostly now,to be honest its main purpose is to protect the front element of the lens!

The filter tray,or mattbox will cut in from the sides before top or bottom.7.6 should be fine,but when you get down to 4.7 you may need a new mattbox.
You can use the grad in the rotating tray sometimes for (arty) dutch angle shots,etc,no rules really,but its going to look more than a bit strange if you have say a sea horizon in shot.
Great thing about an ND grad,is you can pretty much see where it is in the eye piece,a colour one is ofcourse not a good idea in a BW eye piece,then you need a good monitor.
Can also zoom through a grad if you need to grab a long lens shot right then,but best to take it out when you dont need it!

[Robin Probyn]

I think you,ll find the .3 and .6 grad not much use for skies,unless you double them up in the mattbox.I eventually found a 1.2 ND grad and pretty much only use this,it will bring down a very bright sky,and make a darkish sky really moody.
Also have a Thunder Grad,cant remember the maker,but this is great for skies,ND with some blue.
Out of habit I once used a 1/4 black promist with a F900 at 24p,and got feed back that it was too soft? as by shooting 24p the image is no where near as sharp as shooting HD in 50i or 60i.

[Robin Probyn]

Hi there

Yes all camera people learn/are told by editors early on to have a hold on each end of a pan,hold a shot for 10 sec,s etc.
But thanks for clarifying that not hitting the return button a couple of times in a week shoot is not going to mean the production company will go bust,or editors hurl themselves from tall buildings.Which is sometimes the message that they seem to put out 🙂

[Robin Probyn]

I had the same with an HDX900.The problem was it was an older viewfinder (from an SDX900 I guess)that didnt support a PAL signal.The rental company had got away with it for a while as all their work was for NTSC!!!

[Robin Probyn]

Yes Iam all for happy editors … arnt they all .. on those massive salaries and 2 hr lunch breaks 🙂
Is 10 sec really needed in this day and age,if a camera can record in about 3 sec,s from save, whats the story with editing gear?
Not questioning you.. just surprised..

Thanks

[Robin Probyn]

While your on the subject.. I know you should always try to hit the return button on the lens after power down and on again with the tape still in the camera.
But if you dont(sometimes there just isnt time) is it really such a big problem for TC,or a minor annoyance ???

Thanks

[Robin Probyn]

If your really out in the sticks,some hotels will turn off the electricity at night,and back on in the morning.So you think your bats have had a good charge.. then 10mins later they die.
Worth checking with the hotel if they are doing this.

[Robin Probyn]

Dont worry no one is going to mistake you for an engineer by plugging in a charger .

[Robin Probyn]

ha! thanks.

Yes they are all the same size,except DVCAM ofcourse,as far as I can see.Maybe the HDCAM tapes are somehow better quality than a digibeta,but then why would panasonic tape be the same for SD and HD??…

Is all video tape made by elf’s in a far away land,overseen by an evil witch(which could actually make it the UK in the 80,s)… I wonder

[Robin Probyn]

I just wondered as it seems with DVC Pro.. a tape is a tape.. regardless.So does Sony tape work the same way.. would be a bit of a scandal 🙂