Messages

1

EOS Bodies - For Video / Re: Need help with video lighting!!!

« on: May 16, 2013, 11:50:31 PM »

I went out to EVS (in Glendale) and looked at the F&V K4000 LED panels.



Nice lights, at a much better price than Litepanels. If you're looking for LED panels on a budget, it looks like these are the ones to get.

The 5600K monolight is a lot brighter than the bi-color one. And the color it gives off looked decent (plus it's easy to gel). But, compared to tungsten, I was underwhelmed with the brightness (although doubling up LED panels helps). When I considered this underwhelming brightness, combined with other shortcomings (price and color), disappointment quickly set in. It would feel weird to pay that much money for something that would be more about ease/convenience than versatility/color/brightness.

It's actually the versatility part that is my main problem with the LED panels. For key/fill light, you lose most of the light when you try to diffuse it. As I see it, these aren't designed to be diffused. It's sort of an as-is light source.

So I'm back to considering tungsten again. And what I've learned is that, until we reach the space age, you can't get a bunch of light without also getting a little bit of heat (or wallet drainage). Oh well, it was worth a try.

2

EOS Bodies - For Video / Re: Need help with video lighting!!!

« on: May 16, 2013, 06:18:02 AM »

I just came across another possibility...

FV K4000 LED
http://www.fvlighting.com/store/lighting/led/k4000.html

3

EOS Bodies - For Video / Re: Need help with video lighting!!!

« on: May 16, 2013, 05:06:18 AM »

After doing a ton of research (and raising my budget a little), here's what I think I'm going to get...


Litepanels 1x1 LS Daylight Flood LED Panel
http://www.bhphotovideo.com/bnh/controller/home?O=&sku=880837&is=REG&A=details&Q=


GiSTEQ Flashmate F-198C LED Video Light
http://www.bhphotovideo.com/c/product/863687-REG/GiSTEQ_C8_03_F198C_01_Flashmate_F_198C_LED_Video.html

And when my funds replenish, I'll get this one for my third light...


Genaray SpectroLED-14 Light (100-240VAC/12VDC)
http://www.bhphotovideo.com/c/product/850293-REG/Genaray_SP_AD75_SpectroLED_14_Light_100_240VAC_12VDC_.html

I know this won't be the most powerful/sexy light kit. But whatever I lose in light quality... I should get back with other benefits: low temperature in my no-AC-having L.A. apartment, super easy to move and pack, and low power draw. The only thing I'm not sure about is color. But as long as the colors aren't noticeably bad, I'm okay with it.

I'm not looking for the ultimate/perfect lights. I just want something that gets me in the ballpark of good quality, and isn't a buzzkill to use. I feel like tungsten would be too much of a hassle for the type of shooting I'll be doing. The heat alone sounds awful. And for on-the-go, it would also be a pain in the ass.

Any thoughts?

4

Lenses / Re: 50 f1.4 vs 85 f1.8.....

« on: May 15, 2013, 09:32:54 PM »

On a crop camera like the 60D, I would grab a 50mm over an 85mm, for its flexibility. But both are great.

5

EOS Bodies - For Video / Re: Magic Lantern... CONTINUOUS raw recording @ 24fps on 5D3

« on: May 15, 2013, 07:14:55 PM »

1. make a folder and plop rawtodng.exe and the RAW video file into it
2. drag the RAW video file onto rawtodng.exe, wait a while
3. move the RAW video file and the rawtodng.exe to some other folder

Can I do these first three steps in Windows, and then perform the remaining steps on a Mac?

Presumably someone will develop a Mac version of rawtodng.exe in the next few months.

I'm still stunned by the possibilities here.

I'll do you one better. Here is the raw2dng app compiled for mac. Same thing applies. Just drag your raw file and drop onto this app(after unzipping app of course) and it will create a folder wherever your raw file is with DNG's

https://www.dropbox.com/s/01ms48zavggcjzu/raw2dng.app.zip

THANK YOU !!!!!!!!!!!!!!

 

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EOS Bodies - For Video / Re: Magic Lantern... CONTINUOUS raw recording @ 24fps on 5D3

« on: May 15, 2013, 02:56:01 PM »

1. make a folder and plop rawtodng.exe and the RAW video file into it
2. drag the RAW video file onto rawtodng.exe, wait a while
3. move the RAW video file and the rawtodng.exe to some other folder

Can I do these first three steps in Windows, and then perform the remaining steps on a Mac?

Presumably someone will develop a Mac version of rawtodng.exe in the next few months.

I'm still stunned by the possibilities here.

7

EOS Bodies - For Video / Re: Need help with video lighting!!!

« on: May 15, 2013, 05:18:25 AM »

Tungsten lights like Arri, Mole etc. is top of the line. They have the best color spectrum around.

As soon as you move to Kino Flos and the like you start getting small spikes in the spectrum. Even HMIs are not perfect.

When you then move down to CFL, and if we head straight to the cheap ones, the color is visibly worse than any tungsten light and a camera set to 3200K.

LED is another ball park again, since even the decent brands like LitePanels don't render color good enough. The best LEDs I've seen is the Arri L7 which has a pretty nice color rendition.

In what I would consider the budget end, the K3200 LEDs would be the best bang for the buck.

In the tradional light end, you'll get better results buying a tungsten worklight and either bounce and control it or diffuse it that wasting your money on CFL / cheap LED lights.

The worlds best cinematographer Roger Deakins still uses good old tungsten lights bounced on muslin etc for his interior shots. That says a lot....

This is a great breakdown. Much appreciated.

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EOS Bodies - For Video / Re: Need help with video lighting!!!

« on: May 15, 2013, 04:15:53 AM »

Good stuff! These are very helpful responses.

To make my question easier to answer, I have refined it...

If you were just starting out with video and needed an inexpensive lighting kit for indoor shooting... what would it be?

Thanks!

9

EOS Bodies - For Video / Re: Need help with video lighting!!!

« on: May 15, 2013, 03:21:48 AM »

I tried my best but could not figure out what to say.

What are you shooting and for what? On what format?

What is the kind of end result you looking at?

How many crew members? Will you have someone who can hold reflectors, lights or you will have to fix all on stands yourself?

How many lights do you want to use and what power supply do you have?

Thanks!

It's just me. I will be shooting personal projects. No crew, low budget. I'm just starting out with video, but I have a lot of experience with stills. I will be shooting with a 5D3.

I plan to shoot random different stuff. For the end result, I will probably go for a variety of looks. Flexibility is good. I'd like to have some sort of 3-light setup:rim/spot, key, fill/ambient. Everything will be on stands. I will mostly be shooting in small rooms and tight spaces. Power supply for indoors will be AC wall power. For outside, I will assume a battery does the trick (I don't need to light up the Eiffel Tower :-).

I'm not necessarily looking for a magic/complete answer. I'm just looking for whatever advice you've got: which bulbs to use for what, where to go DIY, where not to skimp, etc.

My target budget is $300-400. I'm trying to keep my costs low so I can get a decent slider.

10

EOS Bodies - For Video / Re: Need help with video lighting!!!

« on: May 15, 2013, 01:46:56 AM »

I'd prefer not to rent. I'd rather buy and sell, if that's what it comes down to. I will be shooting without deadlines, all personal projects.

I would say my budget for purchase (or DIY) is around $300-400, but flexible if I find something incredible. Kino-flow kits look great. But I'd like to start with something less expensive and see what I can do with it.

I will look into those cheapo fluorescent kits. Thanks for the tip.

I'm also looking at building something like this...

https://www.youtube.com/watch?feature=player_embedded&v=NFzIP_TN75A

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EOS Bodies - For Video / Re: Need help with video lighting!!!

« on: May 15, 2013, 01:28:42 AM »

I am a working DOP and wish I could help. But your question is too loaded.

Glad to hear you are a working DOP.

Maybe you could muster the energy to pick one of the sentences I wrote and give a half-assed response? ;-)

12

EOS Bodies - For Video / Need help with video lighting!!!

« on: May 14, 2013, 11:25:05 PM »

What should I get?

I will be shooting a variety of indoor and outdoor. I want to have a variety of lighting options for different situations.

It would seem like I could save money with CF bulbs from Home Depot. But last time I went, I couldn't figure out what to buy. What brand and color temp of bulbs is good? I'm looking for good prices, over quality (unless it's worth it to spend a little more).

What about modifiers? A friend of mine was telling me "china balls" are good modifiers. Where might I get something like that in Los Angeles?

I have a softbox... what's the best way to rig up a bulb in that?

What about spotlights or big fill lights?

Your help is greatly appreciated!!!

EDIT:

I have refined my question...

If you were just starting out with video and needed an inexpensive lighting kit for indoor shooting... what would it be?

13

EOS Bodies / Re: New 5D3 Raw video samples mind blowing!

« on: May 14, 2013, 03:48:11 AM »

* when editing on a very fast computer, playback is around 1.5fps

Can you elaborate on this? I'm wondering what this will mean for workflow.

14

EOS Bodies / Re: New 5D3 Raw video samples mind blowing!

« on: May 14, 2013, 03:41:45 AM »

Stunned.

15

Software & Accessories / Re: How would you achieve this look in Lightroom?

« on: May 04, 2013, 04:14:09 AM »

In addition to raising the shadow levels, it looks like they sampled that green color and used it as the shadow tint in split toning.