Epic Q&A

[Steve Gibby]

So what zooms do people recommend for 5K shooting?

So far the PL mount has been the only mount available for Epic. As Ketch mentioned, the cine zooms we've been using are the RPZ 17-50 and Red 18-85. He forgot to mention the Ruby 14-24, which I also used in Utah, with excellent results. Each of those lenses covers 5k on Epic.

When the Canon mount is available, the zooms I'll immediately be using on Epic will be the 16-35 f2.8 MKII, 24-70 f2.8, and 70-200 f2.8 MkII. These Canon FF35 lenses easily cover 5k on Epic.

[Brook Willard]

Sorry I've been MIA, folks... been under the weather.

Quick question about the HDMI and the HDSDI connections. I would assume that it is easy to go out of either of these to say a Panasonic BT-LH2550 for director viewing using a wired connection? I know Mark (Offhollywood) posted a picture on Twitter where this was the case.

Sure. HDMI is disabled as of the build that I am currently using, but it will be back in no time.

But what are you guys using / have tried using / can you use for. Wireless option? Assuming that the camera is being operated more than a few feet from the director / Pnasonic, what's the best option for getting the output to the Panasonic - if there is one?

I've been using Panasonic BT-LH1760 monitors for the village, TVlogic LVM-172Ws for the assistants and a TVlogic XVM-245W for myself, all over HD-SDI. I also use my Leader LV5330 waveforms as additional monitors when I need to monitor more cameras simultaneously.

I'm interested in how she's performing in still-camera mode. Is it enabled yet?

It is not enabled in the current firmware.

Extract a still from the HDRx™™™ stream. Since that stream adjusts exposure by using a faster shutter speed, the image should be more-or-less free of motion blur (depending on the HDRx™™™ setting). Boost the ISO in post (since it's just metadata) to get a normal exposure.

The point of this is to get both a smooth motion clip (which may not even require the HDRx™), plus sharp stills at the same time. Simultaneous DS and DM.

This would work, but your second still would be underexposed by however many stops you selected in the HDR setup. It'd be sharper [less blur] but underexposed.

So what's the difference between 5K Full Frame and 5K 2:1? The sensor is 30mm x 15mm, so I would think Full Frame would already be 2:1.

As has been mentioned before, 5K FF is 5,120 x 2,700 and 5K 2:1 is 5,120 x 2,560.

Any idea when 1080psf will be available, instead of only 1080p?

I won't speculate, but it is not currently available.

So what zooms do people recommend for 5K shooting?

I've seen the 11:1 and 4:1 cover surprisingly well. The real determination of acceptable sharpness in the corners is up to the individual.

Most lenses will cover up to 5K without any light-loss vignetting... but the corner sharpness will be lacking. It will also vary [a surprising amount] from serial number to serial number. I've seen some 12:1s vignette and others not.

To me I think that 5K will have a huge value for certain projects... but for most, people will shoot 5K but frame for ~4.5K. It gives you a "normal" super 35mm negative area but also records your "look-around" area.

We're framing for 4.6K on Spider-Man for the sake of post convergence and visual effects.

[Blair S. Paulsen]

I think what Brook and the Spidey crew is doing will catch on for projects with a proper virtual telecine pipeline. Go ahead and record the whole frame for greater flexibility in post but use frame guides to keep critical bits well in frame. IMHO as long as you have guides for composing nice frames then you're golden. If you are actually going to DI at 4K then I would concur with what Brook is doing and keep 4.5K or so in the "action safe" area so after decoding (debayering) it still resolves 4K of resolution

Obviously some faster turnaround projects may choose something like 4KHD that can be turned into 1080P quickly and cleanly. Horses for courses.

Cheers - #19

[Steve Johnson]

Sorry I've been MIA, folks... been under the weather.



Sure. HDMI is disabled as of the build that I am currently using, but it will be back in no time.



I've been using Panasonic BT-LH1760 monitors for the village, TVlogic LVM-172Ws for the assistants and a TVlogic XVM-245W for myself, all over HD-SDI. I also use my Leader LV5330 waveforms as additional monitors when I need to monitor more cameras simultaneously.

Hope your feeling better now Brook!

Thanks for the response. So are you using all those monitors via wired HD-SDI connections? Or can you recommend a wireless option for when the camera is far away? Can you get cables that go a fair distances?

Thanks

Steve

[Steve Johnson]

Hi Steve,

I'm not an epic owner yet, but I did get to test a brite-view airsynchd with my hand made power cable last year when Ted visited showbiz expo. Even though this was a long time ago, the hdmi port worked, and I've used the airsynchd with a hdmi/dvi adapter on panasonic btlh1760 and 2550 several times.

Here is a YouTube video of it in action:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=OFUlVjB0Qwo

Hey Dan,

Thanks for that. Interesting idea. I know that there must be products like that out there for using with either the HDMI or the HD-SDI for monitoring out.

I am looking for a solution for when I order my Epic-X so I can offer a semi-decent package for the local filmmaking community. I know you can get HD-SDI cables stretching 50 meters but was just wondering if there where any wireless options.

Any other feedback would be good.

Thanks

Steve

[Zakaree Sandberg]

the 15-40 optimo comes in clean at 15mm
the 12:1 comes in to 5k below 28mm/30mm ish.. but clears the 16x9 frame.. I havent checked on other frame set ups..

[Brook Willard]

Hope your feeling better now Brook!

Thanks for the response. So are you using all those monitors via wired HD-SDI connections? Or can you recommend a wireless option for when the camera is far away? Can you get cables that go a fair distances?

Thanks

Steve

We are wired most of the time. When we're wireless, we're using RF Film's equipment. Wireless has been spotless, but it is not for the faint of heart.

[Steven Caesare]

Firstly, thanks for this excellent thread, Brook.

I have a general question regarding hte overall use and functionality of the side handle. It appears that all of the Epic-M's thus far delivered (to at least individuals, as opposed to film productions), have included it, yet I've seen very little about it's functionality discussed.

So far we know:

- It displays "EPIC" on the screen in a cool font(not Comic Sans!) when the camera boots up!

- The RedVolt batteries it will house aren't generally avaialble yet

- It threads in to the side of the camera body after removing a covering panel

- It has all sorts of cool buttons, wheels, controls, and a display.


Other than those things, how have people generally used it OTHER than simply as a grip?

1. Does the record button work?
2. Can you currently assign any of the buttons to a function?
3. Do they default to anything?
4. Can you assign the scroll wheel to a function?
5. Is the navigation control currently enabled?
6. What info does the LCD screen give you and how is it laid out?
7. What's the overall feel of the controls?
8. Is there a good tactile feel of the half-depress on the record button?
9. Is the LCD screen backlit?
10. Anything else?

Thanks!

-Steve

[Peter Lyons Collister, ASC]

One additional note to brook's regarding how we are using RF Film's video/data transmission.

It enables us to transmit both left and right eye information as well as 2 way data for the 3ality rigs SIP to be transmitted and received with fast enough rates to control the rigs.

This was designed so that we could have 1000 foot Spydercam cable rigs flying down streets.

It has worked incredibly well.

[Peter Mosiman]

That sounds awesome. I bet the footage from that is just killer.

How often do you guys upgrade firmware? Do you ever do "beta" (I guess they are all beta, but beta's with no bugs that would affect shooting) upgrades or have you guys been trying to stick with the same firmware?