Tom Miller
Forum Replies Created
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Hi Josh,
Very good questions. There are many ways to control the intensity of a light. Some also impact other qualities of the light, and some don’t. Let’s take a look at a few:
1) Dimming – Dimming a light does indeed reduce its intensity, but it also reduces its color temperature. In other words, the cost of dimming is that it goes warmer. This may be the effect you’re after, but if not then you should use another method. BTW, I like dimming back lights as warmer back lights are often the effect I’m after anyway.
2) Diffusion – Pacing a diffusion gel (or soft box) over the light will reduce it’s intensity, but it will also soften and spread the light. Again, this may not be the effect you’re after.
3) Scrims – A scrim either placed in front of the light (e.g. as a net on a c-stand), or behind the barn door, is the most controlled way to reduce a light’s intensity without impacting another quality of the light. For example, a double NET or scrim will reduce the light’s intensity by 1 full stop. That means the light intensity is effectively cut in half. So you’re 800 becomes a 400 just like that!
4) Distance – Moving the light farther from the subject reduces its intensity in a predictable way – perhaps obvious but an alternative that should be noted. Again it’s about doubling and halving (funny thing about light and F-stops.)
We produced a whole DVD on this subject (called Lighting and Shooting Gorgeous Interviews) – which the COW sold until recently. We will be re-packaging it into a second edition shortly and make it available as a downloadable DVD or even an app.
Let me know if you have any questions about this, or if anything didn’t make sense.
Tom Miller
Big Pictures, Denver
(303) 670-0625http://www.BigPicturesMedia.com
“Award-Winning Camera Crews and Production Services in the Rocky Mountain West”
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It’s amazing that we are still responding to a thread that started in 2006 – when few had even heard of the HDX900! Now it’s fully entrenched as one of the most flexible cameras out there. But as this economy hits our business, I suppose it’s always valuable to reflect on rates. By the way, Nick, masterful use of keywords!
Tom Miller
Big Pictures, Denver
(303) 670-0625http://www.BigPicturesMedia.com
“Award-Winning Camera Crews and Production Services in the Rocky Mountain West”
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Here in the Denver area, we are also charging $2,250 for a two-person crew. This seems to be the going rate across the country for this camera, with a well-equipped lighting and sound support package.
Tom Miller
Big Pictures Media, Inc.
Colorado Camera Crews & Equipment
http://www.BigPicturesMedia.com -
Two more cents on this topic: We are intrigued by XDCAM over P2 because XDCAM seems to be the latest greatest technology that best emulates our current tape-based workflow on location. On 85% of our shoots we hand tapes over to our client, rather than post them ourselves. I like XD because they are just like tapes – we buy them (or they bring them), we fill them with great footage, and the happy client leaves with them to post. This is the reality of the freelance crew workflow. There’s no downloading, or Lacie drives to deal with, or lending out P2 cards. We have both Sony and Panasonic HD cameras, and are very happy with them – so this is a neutral comment – but we are likely placing our bets on XDCAM with our next purchase.
Tom Miller
Big Pictures, Denver
(303) 670-0625http://www.BigPicturesMedia.com
“Award-Winning Camera Crews and Production Services in the Rocky Mountain West”
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Glad to hear you squashing any rumors of this camera being discontinued. We’ve had tremendous success with it, and it is now “asked for by name” by our top clients. Also, we did finally receive the Goodman Guide, thank you.
Tom Miller
Big Pictures, Denver
(303) 670-0625http://www.BigPicturesMedia.com
“Award-Winning Camera Crews and Production Services in the Rocky Mountain West”
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Sorry to come in a little late here (like months), but we have the HDX900 and one of our lenses is the Fuji 16×6.3 and we are extremely happy with it. It’s the most versatile I’ve ever used because it is somewhat wide, but still has enough focal length for the longer shots as well. It’s a great handheld lens, albeit a bit heavy, because it has a minimum focus distance of like a foot. Feel free to contact me if you have any further questions about it.
Tom Miller
Big Pictures, Denver
(303) 670-0625http://www.BigPicturesMedia.com
“Award-Winning Camera Crews and Production Services in the Rocky Mountain West”
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Oops. Good point.
Tom Miller
Big Pictures, Denver
(303) 670-0625http://www.BigPicturesMedia.com
“Award-Winning Camera Crews and Production Services in the Rocky Mountain West”
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It looks like this will be taken care of in the next couple of weeks. Here’s my correspondence with Meryl of Panasonic, in reverse order of course…
Please do. This is my fault solely and my colleague Jan Crittenden has been taking a good deal of the heat in the Creative Cow Forums. Please extend my apologies to our loyal client base. The remedy is close at hand.
MerylOne Panasonic Way.
Secaucus, NJ07094Tel: 201.392.6091 Fax: 201.348.5318
altmanm@us.panasonic.com
Meryl E Altman
Product Line Business Manager
DVCPROHD/D5/Studio Cameras
Panasonic Broadcast and Television SystemsFrom: Thomas Miller [mailto:tom@bigpicturesmedia.com]
Sent: Friday, January 04, 2008 3:38 PM
To: Altman, Meryl
Subject: Re: Goodman Guide for HDX900??Thank you for getting back to me. May I follow up with this information to the people I’ve contacted about it, including the Creative Cow Forums, or would you prefer to do it yourself?
https://forums.creativecow.net/viewforum/120?&remote_logo=%3CREMOTELOGO%3E
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Tom Miller
Big Pictures Media, Inc.
tel: (303) 670-0625
fax: (303) 670-0627
cel: (303) 717-7773
tom@BigPicturesMedia.com
http://www.BigPicturesMedia.comOn Jan 4, 2008, at 1:33 PM, Altman, Meryl wrote:
Tom,
Please accept my apologies for the delay in getting these books out to everyone. As you know I am a relatively new hire here at Panasonic. Part of the blame falls on me as I didn -
Hi Jan, I’m not sure you read the above posts. We already went to the website and sent the form in for the Goodman’s Guide for HDX900 back in early November – and haven’t received a thing. Many others are in the same boat. Any ideas on what is going on?
Tom Miller
Big Pictures, Denver
(303) 670-0625http://www.BigPicturesMedia.com
“Award-Winning Camera Crews and Production Services in the Rocky Mountain West”
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As a reply to my own post, here is some further information. First of all, Jeff Merrit from Panasonic who was kind enough to return my call, even though he is now retired. He gave me the email of his replacement – which is altmanm@us.panasonic.com, her name is Meryl Altman. I’ve also gotten emails from a number of other people who haven’t received the promised guide either. My contact at Abel Cinetech said that they are also checking on this for a couple of their clients. Any further info would be helpful. At this point, might as well just pay the hundred bucks for it!
Tom Miller
Big Pictures, Denver
(303) 670-0625http://www.BigPicturesMedia.com
“Award-Winning Camera Crews and Production Services in the Rocky Mountain West”