The GAF Video and Filmmaking Thread

Sec0nd said:
Get a Metabones adapter or a Metabones speedbooster and you can use your Canon glass! Works flawlessly. I personally prefer the regular adapter because I prefer the Super 35mm look and it's cheaper. You obviously can't autofocus and whatnot but that's not super important for film anyway. Don't go for Sony glass. Most of them are focus by wire which is death for film.
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problem is price. metabones stuff can run pretty costly, from what i've seen. taking it under consideration though.
 
Spaghetti said:
want to elaborate? seems a fairly decent camera (especially if i can get it at this sub-£3000 price). no 4k i can live with, 8 bit colour is a bit of a disappointment, but those ISO options are really attractive as is the built in ND filter. plus i don't have to fork out a bunch for new storage media.

just want to get a more considered picture of what i'm in for if i decide to buy it. the camera has apparently like 500 hours of usage (which isn't weird, that camera is like three years old at this point) and comes with a bunch of spare batteries and a dual charging station. it's an attractive price but buying off ebay is a bit risky.
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It's just nice, compact and has everything built right in.

I have a RED and a C100 and I use the C100 a lot more than I thought I would. Images are tack sharp, and if the 8-bit is REALLY going to kill you (it won't), get an external HDMI recorder to bump up.

I love it because:

- XLR
- ND's built in
- Cheap Media that shoots forever (32GB costs $20 bucks and rolls for 3 hours)
- Batteries last all day (spend 200 on the big battery and you get 5-6 hours)

It's everything that was great about shooting with DSLR's without the compromises.
 
Any suggestions on how to build an audio kit for a mockumentary-type webseries?

It doesn't have to LOOK great (probably just gonna shoot it on my D5200), but I don't want to cut any corners with sound. Think of the Trailer Park Boys aesthetic. I'll need a boom pole and directional mic at the very least, maybe two of them. I'm not very familiar with audio equipment so advice of any kind would be very helpful.
 
Thug Waffle said:
Any suggestions on how to build an audio kit for a mockumentary-type webseries?

It doesn't have to LOOK great (probably just gonna shoot it on my D5200), but I don't want to cut any corners with sound. Think of the Trailer Park Boys aesthetic. I'll need a boom pole and directional mic at the very least, maybe two of them. I'm not very familiar with audio equipment so advice of any kind would be very helpful.
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Field recorder. Get a great field recorder. The older ones are easier to come by and use CF cards. 4 channels are nice to have, and any lavs are a good addition.
 
Just wanted to throw this out there.... It looks like our next project will in fact be shot on 16mm!!! I'm really excited, giddy to the point of ecstasy at the thought. I was wondering if you all had any suggestions in terms of films that are a must watch for research- off the top of my head I know the first Night of the Living Dead was 16mm, but I'd love some other suggestions from film heads before I scour the internet for results.

Really though, shooting a horror flick in 16mm is like a dream come true. Self financed with a few friends of course, but I would've thought the camera market would be relegated to niche collectors instead of bottoming out price-wise. Don't know until you research I guess.
 
afternoon delight said:
Just wanted to throw this out there.... It looks like our next project will in fact be shot on 16mm!!! I'm really excited, giddy to the point of ecstasy at the thought. I was wondering if you all had any suggestions in terms of films that are a must watch for research- off the top of my head I know the first Night of the Living Dead was 16mm, but I'd love some other suggestions from film heads before I scour the internet for results.
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Eraserhead, Pi, Evil Dead, Texas Chain Saw Massacre, Last House on the Left, Maniac
 
ursa mini 4k and the micro cinema camera are apparently now reaching retailers.

anybody here have an order in on the micro cinema camera? i haven't paid much attention to it, but i'm now very intrigued by it as a more fully functional successor to the pocket camera. may make for a good B camera in future years, or even for some low-key super 16 films.
 
John Blade said:
What is your budget for it (USD) as it will depend which is good within the price range.
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$2k is about the max. This would mostly be used by amateurs to record talks/presentations but I thought one with XLR inputs would be good if I ever wanted to use it with some good mics and/or jack into the soundboard if available at presentations.

I have a zoom H4 and H6 I can record audio separately too so its not that big of a deal, might just get the consumer version HF G30 and sync later?
 
Flo_Evans said:
$2k is about the max. This would mostly be used by amateurs to record talks/presentations but I thought one with XLR inputs would be good if I ever wanted to use it with some good mics and/or jack into the soundboard if available at presentations.

I have a zoom H4 and H6 I can record audio separately too so its not that big of a deal, might just get the consumer version HF G30 and sync later?
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I guess it come down to if you want the XLR inputs or not. The video below compare those two camcorder and really the only difference between them.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=IL_Pl5YTcxo
 
John Blade said:
I guess it come down to if you want the XLR inputs or not. The video below compare those two camcorder and really the only difference between them.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=IL_Pl5YTcxo
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Well I kind of do, but I am not going to be the primary user of it. I need something that can produce acceptable footage in full auto mode with maybe some nice manual features if I want to use it.

Currently have a gh4 and Nikon d810, I am just wondering if there is something better sensor/lens camcorder out now than the xa20/hf30 that I should look at.

edit: they didn't have the G30 at the local shop so I went with the XA20.

ienookt.jpg


:)
 
blackmagic ursa 4k apparently launching over the next two weeks, 4.6k version by the end of november.

this is based on second hand information of retailers from forum posters mind you, so pinch of salt. we do know that some actually have ursa mini 4k production models based on tweets. 4.6k version is apparently in the last pass of beta testing before wider release and we should be seeing footage soon...ish.

slightly regretting ordering the 4k version over the 4.6k version given the praises being sung about the 4.6k sensor, but cfast cards and batteries would just blow my budget entirely out the water even though i can afford the camera itself.
 
Not sure I am in the right place as someone looking to take high quality videos of youth sports but it looks like the posters here definitely know what they are talking about.

Anyways, I'm looking to create higher quality videos of various youth sports teams. I just had the little plasticky consumer camcorders in the past but I'm looking to move up. As someone new to this area I'm a little confused on the pros and cons of various setups. Currently looking for an entire setup no more than 2-3k.

This site has a recommended setup that looks good and includes tripod, monitor and case to go along with a Canon Vixia HF G30 for maybe around $2000.

However, I'm intrigued by the GH4 and I can't tell what sort of sacrifices I'm making from the G30 in terms of handling, accessories, quality and flexibility of use. The GH4 is appealing for obvious reasons and would drive the cost about $1000 higher but I could also sell my existing DSLR and lenses which would essentially balance that out.

Any obvious pros and cons for the two setups that apply to a novice? Or is there something that is a significantly better option?
 
offtopic said:
Not sure I am in the right place as someone looking to take high quality videos of youth sports but it looks like the posters here definitely know what they are talking about.

Anyways, I'm looking to create higher quality videos of various youth sports teams. I just had the little plasticky consumer camcorders in the past but I'm looking to move up. As someone new to this area I'm a little confused on the pros and cons of various setups. Currently looking for an entire setup no more than 2-3k.

This site has a recommended setup that looks good and includes tripod, monitor and case to go along with a Canon Vixia HF G30 for maybe around $2000.

However, I'm intrigued by the GH4 and I can't tell what sort of sacrifices I'm making from the G30 in terms of handling, accessories, quality and flexibility of use. The GH4 is appealing for obvious reasons and would drive the cost about $1000 higher but I could also sell my existing DSLR and lenses which would essentially balance that out.

Any obvious pros and cons for the two setups that apply to a novice? Or is there something that is a significantly better option?
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Why not get the GH-3. It's basically the GH-4 minus few stuff that is special on the GH-4. The used price for the GH-3 body should be less than a $1000 dollars now as it have been discontinued. I will need to look into your equipment later as I don't have much info about it as of now. Also, do you want a camcorder only or a DSLR camera as they're pro and cons based on the situation (aka: I just need this equipment to film video or want to do video but don't mind taking some pic on the side).

Will post more info after work.
 
John Blade said:
Why not get the GH-3. It's basically the GH-4 minus few stuff that is special on the GH-4. The used price for the GH-3 body should be less than a $1000 dollars now as it have been discontinued. I will need to look into your equipment later as I don't have much info about it as of now. Also, do you want a camcorder only or a DSLR camera as they're pro and cons based on the situation (aka: I just need this equipment to film video or want to do video but don't mind taking some pic on the side).

Will post more info after work.
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I am definitely open to different options - I just brought up the G30 v GH-4 because I had read a little on both and they sort of seem like two different directions to go. I currently have a Sony SLT from a few years ago (a55) that I do use a good amount (almost entirely for stills) but I wouldn't mind an upgrade in that department either. So, if I went the G30 route then I'd just keep that a55 and add the video camera for when I am doing video. If I went the GH-4 route I'd sell the Sony and just use the GH-4 for both. Either way I definitely need get better equipment for videos (tripod, monitor, etc). I'm just not sure what the tradeoffs are in the areas of video capability and usability.
 
offtopic said:
I am definitely open to different options - I just brought up the G30 v GH-4 because I had read a little on both and they sort of seem like two different directions to go. I currently have a Sony SLT from a few years ago (a55) that I do use a good amount (almost entirely for stills) but I wouldn't mind an upgrade in that department either. So, if I went the G30 route then I'd just keep that a55 and add the video camera for when I am doing video. If I went the GH-4 route I'd sell the Sony and just use the GH-4 for both. Either way I definitely need get better equipment for videos (tripod, monitor, etc). I'm just not sure what the tradeoffs are in the areas of video capability and usability.
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I would look into Panasonic Lumix DMC-GH4 mostly because the price for it is actually good for what you`re getting. I don`t have a chance to use it yet but I did use the GH3 and it`s actually a good camera to use with some minor issue I have when i do use it. I will throw a link to you of an impression of the GH4 from someone who use it for a year to give you an impression of this camera.

http://naturalexposures.com/one-year-shooting-the-panasonic-lumix-gh4/
 
Flo_Evans said:
Well I kind of do, but I am not going to be the primary user of it. I need something that can produce acceptable footage in full auto mode with maybe some nice manual features if I want to use it.

Currently have a gh4 and Nikon d810, I am just wondering if there is something better sensor/lens camcorder out now than the xa20/hf30 that I should look at.

edit: they didn't have the G30 at the local shop so I went with the XA20.

http://i.imgur.com/ienookt.jpg[img]

:)[/QUOTE]

Why do you want a camcorder when you have a gh4 and a d810? What's the benefit of a camcorder?
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John Blade said:
I would look into Panasonic Lumix DMC-GH4 mostly because the price for it is actually good for what you`re getting. I don`t have a chance to use it yet but I did use the GH3 and it`s actually a good camera to use with some minor issue I have when i do use it. I will throw a link to you of an impression of the GH4 from someone who use it for a year to give you an impression of this camera.

http://naturalexposures.com/one-year-shooting-the-panasonic-lumix-gh4/
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Looks pretty good. How much does ease of use suffer when using the GH4 versus something like the G30 or AX100?
 
Thanks Flo, that's a clean setup you have there. I dig the 701 head, that thing has lasted in my kit for countless years and I've been brutal to it.
 
More of a prop question, but I thought I'd ask it here. Filming a short film which features characters drinking alcohol as well as smoking. Now the actors don't smoke and I wouldn't want to have them drinking alcohol on set. The drinks will be lagers so I assume something like apple juice would be a good substitute, but what about cigarettes?
 
Son Of D said:
More of a prop question, but I thought I'd ask it here. Filming a short film which features characters drinking alcohol as well as smoking. Now the actors don't smoke and I wouldn't want to have them drinking alcohol on set. The drinks will be lagers so I assume something like apple juice would be a good substitute, but what about cigarettes?
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For cigarettes, it depend if you want to have fake smoke or you add the smoke on post edit. If you want the fake smoke at the shot, then something like the link below will work fine.

http://www.amazon.com/dp/B002M0F9YI/?tag=neogaf0e-20

Another alternative is those cigarettes candy which they use to sell long time ago for smaller kid. I don't think you can find them now but in specialty candy shop do sell them.
 
thenexus6 said:
My friend is looking for a camera to film some shorts, I think he currently has a Canon 60D (or had). His budget is around £1000.
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No upgrade necessary. At least not on that budget. 60D is still fine for an amateur or even quasi-professional short film. Sure, you're lacking the full frame sensor (and 4k raw, I guess)... but that can be compensated for with proper planning -- aside from that, it remains a high quality camera. With some good post-polish, I doubt any mid-level festival would scoff at (or even recognize) footage shot on a 60D.

That 1000 dollars should go to a new lens or two. Or just tell him to keep saving for something that's as cutting edge now as the 60D/7D were upon release.
 
Just a heads up to anyone looking for a cheap stabilizer. B&H has the Merlin 2 for 200 after a 60 dollar MIR. http://www.bhphotovideo.com/c/produ...merlin_2_camera_stabilizer.html/dealZone/true

I actually bought this used from adorama last week for 305, but they screwed up the in store pick up and I didnt get it in time for a shoot I was going to use it on this weekend so I decided not to pick it up (they don't charge you if you don't pick it up), and lo and behold a few days later I get the same thing, new, for 100 less.

Does suck that I had to scrap those shots on the shoot I was on.
 
Broad question I know, but would you guys recommend as the best camera under 1000 for achieving the best all around cinematic quality? I'm new to the tech side of film making and want to start filming my own stuff.

e - mostly looking at the Nikon D5300, GH3, and some cannons
 
Gobias said:
Broad question I know, but would you guys recommend as the best camera under 1000 for achieving the best all around cinematic quality? I'm new to the tech side of film making and want to start filming my own stuff.

e - mostly looking at the Nikon D5300, GH3, and some cannons
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depends what you define as cinematic, because there are a bunch of 'modes' of cinematic (e.g shot in super 16, or super 35?)

of course it's not just the camera you need to think about, it's lenses, storage, post-production, battery, etc.
 
Spaghetti, you see this? Footage from the 4.6k.

It looks fantastic...especially considering the commentary the guy gave on it:

Hi guys, as some of you know BMD has graciously let me beta test the URSA Mini 4.6K over the past little while, and now they've let us talk a bit about the camera, and even share some footage.

First off I want to say, the footage here in, is pretty simple. Just a few shots of people and skin tones. I do have footage with a little more variety coming soon— landscapes, more stabilized footage, more dynamic range type shots, but for now just some really simple walk around type stuff that anyone with the camera might get after a few days with it. Please don't get the wrong idea about this video. Most of the shots here were not intended as beauty shots to "show off" the camera. I under/overexposed the hell out of nearly everything, and then tried to bring it to a solid place afterwards. This is me testing the camera not showing it off per se.

So, as you might know this is pre-production still at this point, as BMD is still nailing down the color science. Also to note, I am no colorist like Kholi, Hook and others here on the forums. These clips are as simple as it gets. I just did a VERY basic correction using 1 or 2 nodes at the most on any given clip, sometimes offsetting the color a bit for a look. No LUTs, or Filmconvert etc was used.

I hope to do a proper review soon, but for now I'll mention what I'm liking about the camera instead of getting too specific about differences between previous cameras and the Mini.

The new Film log is something else. Gone are the days of needing a LUT just to "correct" your footage in order to get it where it needs to be. There's enough contrast / saturation built into the log to get your images looking right in just 1 or 2 nodes. But there's a ton of flexibility. I'm able to dig a little deeper into the shadows, reach a little higher in the highlights and bend the image like I've never really been able to before.

Dynamic range is pretty significant and feels like no less than 2 full strong stops over the 2.5K. It's a little jarring to see so much information in both the shadows and highlights at the same time. It kind of made me want to crush some of the shadows and create "hard stops" to what we can see, because otherwise it just keeps going...

IR / Infrared. I don't think I'm really noticing any, or at least nothing that made me want to use the IR cut filter; none of the footage here had the IR Cut.

Noise / Low light: I have 2 night shots (the last 2 night ones in the video) which were at 1600 ISO. I decided not to use neat video or reduce the noise so you could see what that looks like. At 800 though, it's amazing and so contained it becomes a HUGE sigh of relief knowing I can go under by 1-2 stops, bring it up and see about as much noise as the 2.5K exposed properly @800. When exposed properly, it goes from good to perfect. Like... the noise is so well handled that adding in extra grain might be attractive for some (but it sure doesn't need it). In the video, there's quite a number of underexposed shots that I brought up 1-2.5 stops without doing anything to reduce noise and it was still looking solid.

Aliasing / Moire: If there is any, I haven't seen it anywhere.

Image: The image is amazing. The video here doesn't even begin to show or do the camera justice, like I'm sure other footage will soon do. The color, weight, richness... just general mojo is fucking awesome. I'm really overly satisfied with the what's coming out of the Mini 4.6K.

Hardware: This thing is a tank simply put. Absolutely solid through and through. The shoulder kit, EVF and camera meld together to form such a tight, compact and cohesive unit I shudder to think about having "put-together" rigs on my shoulder ever again.

I'm sure Tom will by sometime soon to indulge you all on more technical aspects along with others. But I just wanted to give you a super brief "feel" for the camera / my opinions.
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Video Details:

1/3rd of the video is ProRes HQ 1080 and the rest is UHD HQ. The couple slow motion shots are 1080 HQ 120fps windowed mode. There is no 4.6K Raw in this video, it's all ProRes.

I shot everything with the "Full" sensor read out, only slow motion shots were windowed

None of the footage was shot with Global Shutter, as the mode has yet to be employed

I used inexpensive vintage glass: Zeiss Contax & Canon FDs

Most everything was shot at 800 iso, with a few shots @1600.

Hoya NDs were used for most of the daylight shots.

Thanks for watching, and much better footage is soon to come!


EDIT: So, don't let this particular video scare anyone into thinking it looks different than you think. This is all vintage lenses, stress testing, different diffusion filter combos, nothing here is "purposeful" to the content so to say. Properly exposed stuff on regular modern Canon / Sigma / Tokina glass will come soon.
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Footage from another user: https://vimeo.com/146814797

I NEED THIS CAMERA. Seriously though--I'm going freelance early-mid next year and this cam looks like something that will keep giving for years and years, esp. if they continue to update the firmware.
 
Anton Sugar said:
Spaghetti, you see this? Footage from the 4.6k.

It looks fantastic...especially considering the commentary the guy gave on it:





Footage from another user: https://vimeo.com/146814797

I NEED THIS CAMERA. Seriously though--I'm going freelance early-mid next year and this cam looks like something that will keep giving for years and years, esp. if they continue to update the firmware.
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Hmmm... Can't say I'm really sold on this test footage. There seems to be a lot of detail in the images and they look really sharp and crisp but in the first video you posted the camera doesn't seem to handle highlights very well at all. Clips in the first 10-20 seconds the highlight seem very bloomy and ugly in general.

Is there any reason you want the Ursa Mini 4.6k over a camera like the Sony FS5? In all honesty I haven't really looked at the Black Magic Cameras since I've heard terrible stories about the battery life and the okay-but not mind blowing images or specs. And I'm very partial to the Sony cameras since I've only been using 'pro' Sony cameras so far (although I've got plenty to complain about those as well, FS7 menus and FS700 design I'm looking at you...)
 
Sec0nd said:
Hmmm... Can't say I'm really sold on this test footage. There seems to be a lot of detail in the images and they look really sharp and crisp but in the first video you posted the camera doesn't seem to handle highlights very well at all. Clips in the first 10-20 seconds the highlight seem very bloomy and ugly in general.

Is there any reason you want the Ursa Mini 4.6k over a camera like the Sony FS5? In all honesty I haven't really looked at the Black Magic Cameras since I've heard terrible stories about the battery life and the okay-but not mind blowing images or specs. And I'm very partial to the Sony cameras since I've only been using 'pro' Sony cameras so far (although I've got plenty to complain about those as well, FS7 menus and FS700 design I'm looking at you...)
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The post I quoted states that he under/overexposed a lot of the footage just to see what he can play with. It's less a showoff video than it is a test. He also did very minimal grading to the clips.

Please don't get the wrong idea about this video. Most of the shots here were not intended as beauty shots to "show off" the camera. I under/overexposed the hell out of nearly everything, and then tried to bring it to a solid place afterwards. This is me testing the camera not showing it off per se.
Click to expand...

Even still, I think his vid (the misty beach vid is pretty boring/unremarkable) looks fantastic, especially when you consider his comments. All ProRes, too--didn't even use RAW.

FS5 is more sensitive but the 4.6k has slightly better dynamic range, and seems to look well when pushed a few stops. I've also always just loved Blackmagic's color science and skintones/texture compared to other cameras. I think it's key to also know the weaknesses.

Of course, I wouldn't be wanting to upgrade if the 2.5K were perfect. Its internal battery sucks (but let's be honest, you're likely going to have a battery pack/mount anyway), the display sucks, the form factor/input placement is weird, moire is a pain in the ass, and its firmware still feels young, even with all the strides they (finally) made in the past year. Ursa Mini addresses a LOT of these issues, if not all (firmware is yet to be seen).
 
Anton Sugar said:
Spaghetti, you see this? Footage from the 4.6k.

It looks fantastic...especially considering the commentary the guy gave on it:





Footage from another user: https://vimeo.com/146814797

I NEED THIS CAMERA. Seriously though--I'm going freelance early-mid next year and this cam looks like something that will keep giving for years and years, esp. if they continue to update the firmware.
Click to expand...
i think blackmagic have done very well on the 4.6k sensor, though as you already pointed out the test footage we've seen so far is not to 'wow' people, but instead to push the limits of the camera in conditions that are not ideal. i don't think we'll start seeing how great an image the camera can put out until it ends up in consumers hands.

i'm still pretty happy with my purchase of the 4K ursa mini though, though there are compelling reasons to upgrade later on. can't wait to see in-depth reviews.
 
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