Messages

16

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

« on: May 16, 2013, 10:48:33 AM »

I just came across another possibility...

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

Again, to save yourself some PP grief, make sure whatever lights you get, are the same color temperature, or at least be prepared to gel some of them to match the others. Also, when filming indoors, change out your practical lights to match your lights you buy. It makes life so much easier when trying to set white balance, and for color correction/grading in post.

Good luck...let us know what you end up with, and post some examples!!!


cayenne

17

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

« on: May 15, 2013, 03:16:41 PM »

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.

Well, after a few shoots of my cooking show I'm doing (mostly to learn shooting and editing)...I've found a few things out.

1. Make sure all your lighting, practical (in place lighting) and your external lights are ALL the same temp. I replaced all the track lighting in my kitchen...and found at Lowe's / Home Depot...those particular lights were best priced at about 2700K. I then made sure to by my CFLs at the same 2700K color temp.

I bought cheap clamp lights, and some flash light stands...and use those as my external lights (key light, fill light...etc).

http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B0055PKS98/ref=oh_details_o07_s00_i00?ie=UTF8&psc=1

http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B003Y2ILB6/ref=oh_details_o06_s00_i00?ie=UTF8&psc=1

This seems to work quite well.

I also found on amazon.com, some pretty cheap 22" or so reflectors, that when you take off the covers...are nice white diffusers. I bought some clamps and I put these in front of my clamp worklights to soften the light in a DIY lightbox fashion.

http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B003Y2GTG0/ref=oh_details_o05_s00_i00?ie=UTF8&psc=1

I recently bought something from amazon, that is a kit that has 3 softboxes with 3x CFL sockets inside (I've not looked at the temp of the bulbs sent yet)...and a rack and a large green screen.

http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B0054K9ZFM/ref=oh_details_o01_s00_i00?ie=UTF8&psc=1

I've not had time to unpack and look into that yet....but I will incorporate that into my mix of goodies.

But anyway, that first thing....and this works wherever you film at indoors...if possible, switch out ALL practical light fixtures to bulbs of the same color temp as your external lights, that will save you a TON of grief in post processing.

Get lights same temp...just pick one....set your white balance to them and shoot....
I bought this to help with setting custom light balance, put it on the lens, shoot from the point of view of the talent to be filmed back at the lighting...and set custom WB to that:
http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B0002GFOSU/ref=oh_details_o00_s01_i00?ie=UTF8&psc=1

Hope that helps.

cayenne

ps. To see the problems with mixed lighting even after a TON of PP trying to grade it...my last video I did:

CWI: Chicken & Andouille Sausage Gumbo	Small | Large

I'm currently editing my latest one, using Marvels Cinestyle...and found that it was best if I exposed to meter, then set to underexpose by about 2 steps...this stuff looks great in post so far...and should be the best imaged video I've done to date...what I'm editing now as opposed to the link above, has all lights same color temp and it makes a world of difference.

18

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

« on: May 15, 2013, 03:03:38 PM »

Slighly not safe for work, but hilarious with regard to the ML breakthrough...

Hitler finds out about ML breakthrough!!

Hitler finds out about Magic Lantern RAW video for Canon DSLRs	Small | Large

 

19

Canon General / Re: It annoys me when camera phones try to take credit for professional level gear.

« on: May 15, 2013, 12:18:04 PM »

It would be equivalent to test driving a Honda Civic that the dealership secretly installed a Corvette engine in, then sending you home in a regular one without letting you know.

I'd buy one of THOSE!!!

20

EOS Bodies - For Stills / Re: Is anyone using ML after the latest 5D3 firmware update from Canon?

« on: May 14, 2013, 11:16:41 AM »

Anyone? Anyone?
Bueller?

 

21

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

« on: May 14, 2013, 10:47:18 AM »

This is insanely awesome.

But keep in mind:
* no audio recording
* only 24 minutes of 1920x1080 24fps RAW video in a very expensive 128GB 1000x CF card
* when editing on a very fast computer, playback is around 1.5fps

Yeah, I read about 15min on a 64GB card, which I think I'd do a couple of them to start with (right now, must one man banding it on private projects)...but could always have one in the camera, one uploading to the computer. I think that would work to start with.

No audio, not that bad...and I've heard possibly they might could do audio later? But even so...just use a clapper and sync in post with external audio....I've got a couple of Rode video mics (latest is the stereo pro still in box)...and I have an older Zoom H2. I'm looking to get a couple of good lav mics that I can hook to small dig recorders, or maybe even the iphone/ipod for micing up talent...

I was thinking workflow might be something along off camera, somehow into Resolve Lite...then out from that to ProRes for FCPX editing...?

Hmm...It might be time for me to build that loaded up Hackintosh I've been toying about for the past year or so....

C

22

EOS Bodies - For Video / Re: Help deciding between BMCC and C100 for RE Listing Videos

« on: May 14, 2013, 10:08:09 AM »

also, I dump the footage after the video is complete and the client is happy, so if i keep one 2TB hard drive on Thunderbolt or Esata then I should do pretty well with storage space shooting one house at a time.

Hey, just wondering, if since the BM 4K camera was announced, and also the BM Pocket Cinema camera.....have you reconsidered going BM and getting one of these cameras?

Just curious,

C

Yessir. I pre-ordered the pocket camera and will be using it with a Metabones Speed Booster and my Tokina 11-16mm f/2.8. I am also on the look out for a decent 1" c-mount super wide angle lens 5-7mm range.

Too Cool!!

PLEASE, do a post, maybe this thread, to give a report on how it all works,and of course, some footage.


I'm looking to go this route too.
I didn't think the Speed Booster was out yet, or was that just for Canon lenses it isn't out for?
I'm trying to learn the differences and what I would need for the BMPC....I am a bit of a noob, and only know what EF focal lengths are like..not sure how to relate them to the lenses for MFT lenses...etc.

Thanks!!

c

The speed booster was announced, but is not available yet for MFT and Canon combo. Basically, if you have a FF canon camera and you adapt your lenses to the BMPCC, just multiply your lens "mm" by three. That how tight the lens will be. so a 100mm lens on a FF Canon camera is 100mm but on the pocket camera it would look like a 300mm. and with the speed booster is would look like a 200mm.

Now due to some very unexpected news, releases, and possibilities from magic lantern in the last week, my BMPCC is in danger of being cancelled. Magic Lantern has announced their ability of recording 24p continuos RAW video to CF cards on the 5D mkIII with likely no heat issues. If they get this stabilized, then I may be sticking to my 5D mkIII for my RE video work and canceling my black magic pre-order. We shall see what ML brings us. The way I see it, Magic Lantern has 2 months or so to polish up the raw video from 5d mkIII and win me back from Black Magic. I doubt there are any decent lenses sub $1K that would give me the quality I have with my 5d3 and bower 14mm. So to not have to invest further and just upgrade to better CF cards would be great!

I'm excited about this ML possibility too!

I have the Rokinon version of your Bower 14mm...very fun lens for a bargain price!!

I would like to try to break into the Real Estate video business, and I've been a big fan of your posts, VERY good stuff. I'm trying to learn by the C.A.S.E method (Copy And Steal Everything)...haha.

But seriously, I'm learning a lot from what you've posted, both posts and videos.

I believe we're in different parts of the US, I'm in the New Orleans area...so,we'd have no competion, so I was wondering if you had any advice on how to get started...what all equipment and processes you use...

I have a slider, an optonika (sp?) cheap-o steadi-cam....manfrotto monopod and tripod...and use FCPX for editing.

Do you use the 14mm a lot? What other lenses do you use? Are you using HDR (I think I recall a post or two showing you did, especially to help with keeping from blowing out highlights in a room from windows, etc).
Are you doing HDR video too?

Any advice or pointers welcome.

I have a couple of contacts in local realestate, but I wanna have my story together before approaching them. I might try to shoot a couple of friends' homes first to put an example video together.

What is the going rate for a real estate video shoot? Do you sign contracts keeping your rights to the video or do you sell those?

I'm also a bit of a techie...I was thinking of offering the videos to be hosted from my home business office servers...I have a business ISP account so I'm good to go on running servers, etc.

Anyway, any advice appreciated!!

Cayenne

23

EOS Bodies / Re: 5D Mark III with Continuous RAW Video Recording

« on: May 14, 2013, 09:59:50 AM »

Well, if ML is doing a clean room reverse engineer of the camera, that should be perfectly legal. He isn't doing anything that helps 'circumvent' safe guards....like people have come down on gaming mods for. This hack doesn't allow you to circumvent copyrighted material.

Nope, the contract for a fw upgrade  (the current cannot be extracted out of the camera) it says you mustn't reverse engineer it at all.

Hmm...what contract? I've never signed a contract with Canon for anything. Are you saying ML signed some contract with Canon?

And I was referring to reverse engineering the hardware, not the software as such. If someone wanted to write a clean room firmware to replace the firmware provided by Canon, there's nothing illegal about that..

24

EOS Bodies / Re: 5D Mark III with Continuous RAW Video Recording

« on: May 13, 2013, 05:08:41 PM »

I've been poking around. Apparently the Lexar 1000x cf 64GB cards are 'on sale' now for about $299.

Hmm...I wonder if it might be a good idea to pick up one of these in anticipation of ML raw video coming online soon.

It isn't like I couldn't be using it right now for normal video/stills photography.....

Hm......


cayenne

I bought mine for $278 last fall from Adorama, so $299 is not much of a sale.  I'd wait for a better price.

HEY!!!

Thanks for the heads up!! 
I'll definitely be on the lookout for price drops on these then more to that ballpark!!


cayenne

25

EOS Bodies / Re: 5D Mark III with Continuous RAW Video Recording

« on: May 13, 2013, 04:30:04 PM »

I've been poking around. Apparently the Lexar 1000x cf 64GB cards are 'on sale' now for about $299.

Hmm...I wonder if it might be a good idea to pick up one of these in anticipation of ML raw video coming online soon.

It isn't like I couldn't be using it right now for normal video/stills photography.....

Hm......


cayenne

The two packs of 32GB cards are less, 64GB total for $250.

Interesting...got links for those?

Then again...thinking.

From what I understand, with this 'raw' recording, you're gonna get basically 15min per 64GB card, which would make 32GB only about 7 Min.

I could make due with 15min at a time, swapping out with 2x cards shooting at home (one in camera, one uploading to computer), but I think only 7 min at a time would cause a lot of stoppage.

I'll need to find out what those times vs space numbers are.....

C

26

EOS Bodies / Re: 5D Mark III with Continuous RAW Video Recording

« on: May 13, 2013, 03:28:31 PM »

I've been poking around. Apparently the Lexar 1000x cf 64GB cards are 'on sale' now for about $299.

Hmm...I wonder if it might be a good idea to pick up one of these in anticipation of ML raw video coming online soon.

It isn't like I couldn't be using it right now for normal video/stills photography.....

Hm......


cayenne

27

EOS Bodies - For Stills / Is anyone using ML after the latest 5D3 firmware update from Canon?

« on: May 13, 2013, 03:21:35 PM »

Hello all,

I'm getting ready to do the latest Canon firmware update to my 5D3.

I was also wanting to start testing out Magic Lantern on the camera, then it dawned on me, that that is a bit version dependent on the Canon firmware.

Just wanting to check to see if that was working yet and if anyone was using ML on the new Canon firmware upgrade.

Thanks in advance,

cayenne

28

EOS Bodies / Re: 5D Mark III with Continuous RAW Video Recording

« on: May 13, 2013, 03:02:06 PM »

Looking forward to this once there are faster and more affordable cards in the next year or so.  Canon more than likely had zero involvement with this, it was discovered on accident while creating a histogram for RAW photography.  Seeing this live DNG feed through the HDMI is not possible, this has been discussed extensively on the Magic Lantern forums.  Heat is also not so much of an issue because the sensor is already pushing out the RAW feed.

BMCC will still be the way to go for RAW video due to it being more reliable and the easier workflow with compressed RAW, but this is a gamechanger for people on a budget or hobbyists.

I have read about the DNG feed not being able to be fed through the HDMI, but, I wonder if this 'raw' feed discovered here could be sent through the cable?

After all, it is just data...it would be the bee's knees (did I just really say that?) if they could push this data out of the HDMI, or maybe even the USB connection to the camera, to an external recorder.

At that point, all bets are off on this I'd say....

C

That would be awesome if they could get a super crisp 1920x1080 with slightly better DR over the HDMI, pu tthat into a ninja 2 and it would be quite practical. Of course to a CF card and RAW would be best, but you could have a half way there option that would be easier to use when you value that more.

You know, the more I think about this...the more I wonder if it would be possible for ML to output the 'raw' video out through the USB port.

I'm pretty sure it is only usb2, but perhaps that still would be fast enough to push out the raw data that ML is capturing from the sensor?

Just wondering and pondering....

C

29

EOS Bodies / Re: 5D Mark III with Continuous RAW Video Recording

« on: May 13, 2013, 12:55:17 PM »

So let's be clear... ML does not modify the camera firmware with perhaps the exception that it needs to be able to boot from the card.  ML software rides on top of the firmware so it's considered and Add-on.

I think it's because the two cameras are purchased by different types of people. I own a 5D3, but would not dream of buying a 1D X or 1D C...if I needed to shoot in 4K, I'd rather rent (probably a RED Scarlet or the upcoming BMCC Pro).

Canon understands that a hacked 5D3 will see a surge in sales due to Magic Lantern, but they also understand that a hack in the 1D X to match the 1D C specs would result in a drop in purchases for that camera.

Say what you will about Canon, but they're not idiots.

So, you're telling me that a hacked 5D3 won't cannibalize sales of their higher-end cameras and video recorders? I find that hard to believe. I also find it hard to believe that a large number of 1D C cameras are being sold, as opposed to the 1D X. People who need the 1D C to shoot video all day long will continue to buy the 1D C. People who want to occasionally shoot video on the 1D X should be allowed to use the potentially more unstable hack if they want.

Is it true that if there are any rules ML would be breaking by modifying the 1D X, it would be the same as when modifying the 5D3?

Sure and good point!!

However, if ML changed and became a firmware replacement....there is nothing illegal about that at all.

30

Software & Accessories / Re: Adobe to Stop Making Packaged Software

« on: May 13, 2013, 12:53:38 PM »

According to the Adobe site, all you have to do is show a Student ID that is valid, and having a valid .edu email address also helps.

Frankly, I'm working now to register with a local college, for $50 I can get a student ID, and I will use that to buy the CS6 suite, for my own use. Plain, simple, legal.

And I have read the FAQ from Adobe themselves, and it is perfectly legal to use this educational copy for commercial uses.

http://www.adobe.com/sea/special/education/students/studentteacheredition/faq.html

Look under the "How can I use my software" section.

C

Wow! That agreement is much looser than I imagined. I didn't know they allowed it for commercial use and I didn't know there was an upgrade path. Very interesting. Honestly, the agreement almost seems to be inviting abuse – allowing persons to buy one edition every year, accepting anyone employed by a school, etc.

That's likely the reason for its existence in the first place.

And while companies don't 'like' pirating (which the educational version method is NOT), it is largely accepted as a method to get their software out there in a large fashion, which will often lead to legit purchases.

MS Windows owes a LARGE bit of their worldwide popularity and leadership in the market, to piracy. Piracy helped MS Windows spread throughout the world....and they benefit from this even to this day. No, they won't earn a dollar from everyone using it, but it is now so prevalent, that any legit commercial interest WILL have legitimate purchased licensed copies, as that it isn't worth them getting an audit and being fined heavily.

But yes, do read the TOS for the educational versions....and if you follow the letter of the regulations, it isn't piracy, even though some may have 'moral' misgivings about doing it. You don't have to follow the intent of it...just the letter of it.

This isn't a law after all.

C