Just shot indi feature - A few notes

[Uli Kunkel]

I just got done with principal photography on an indi feature. Overall, it was a very positive experience. The camera was a pleasure to work with, and I was quite surprised that there weren't more problems. We were using Build 15 of the firmware.

Here are the biggest complications we ran into:

Unable to Jam-sync timecode

This is a problem that Red insists doesn't exist. But it did for us and now all audio must be manually synced. It's possible that it's specific to the camera we were using. We first attempted to jam the camera from an Aaton sound mixer through the Lemo-5 connector. This is the process that the sound guy had used on a previous feature that was shot on the Red, so I know that it worked at some point. (That feature was using Build 12 and 13 of the firmware.) We also used a Dennecke lock-it box that we first jammed with the Aaton recorder then plugged into the Genlock connection on the Red. That was unsuccessful as well.

At no time did the camera detect timecode being fed into it. It never switched over to "EXT" and we never saw the chain link icon on the LCD.

Boot failure

The camera would frequently fail to boot when switched on. Instead of proceeding through the boot process, it would freeze on the "booting" screen on the rear display of the camera.

Camera freeze on playback from Red Drive

Playing back clips from the Red Flash cards was never and issue. However, doing the same thing with footage shot to the Red Drive would freeze the camera every time.

Camera occasionally unresponsive

Toward the end of shooting, the camera started showing unresponsiveness where all buttons would cease functioning. The image would still show up on the LCD and the image would still move when you panned the camera. But any attempt to change settings or reboot the camera would fail. We would be forced to disconnect camera power and reboot. We suspect that this was a symptom of the camera getting too hot. We had been shooting in the desert where the temperature was in excess of 90 degrees.

Image solarizing effect in LCD and viewfinder

At completely random intervals, the image in the viewfinder and LCD would turn to a multi-colored solarized look as if the pins on the connection were loose or breaking. The highlights of the image would clip and turn gray and the image would become completely unviewable. We found no resolution to this problem.

Has anyone else experienced these issues? Has any found solutions?

Thanks for your input and responses.

Damien LeVeck

 

[wedowee]

Boot failure - I've seen many other postings with the same problem. Mine boots correctly about every third time, and has since the day I rec'd it. I did testing tonite on build 16 (v 3.1.5) and I ran into the same boot probs.

 

[Kenn Michael]

I've been able to Jam Sync my camera to both my Denecke slate and Sound Devices 702T. Lines up perfectly in post. Might be an issue with your camera.

 

[Laco Zamba]

Boot failure - I've seen many other postings with the same problem. Mine boots correctly about every third time, and has since the day I rec'd it. I did testing tonite on build 16 (v 3.1.5) and I ran into the same boot probs.

Try to hold power button little bit longer. I think that when I push it very quickly then camera has boot problem.

 

[Matthew Rogers]

At completely random intervals, the image in the viewfinder and LCD would turn to a multi-colored solarized look as if the pins on the connection were loose or breaking. The highlights of the image would clip and turn gray and the image would become completely unviewable. We found no resolution to this problem.

Are you sure that False Color mode wasn't getting turned on for some reason? It sure as heck sounds like FC mode...

Matthew

 

[Noah Kadner]

I just got done with principal photography on an indi feature. Overall, it was a very positive experience. The camera was a pleasure to work with, and I was quite surprised that there weren't more problems. We were using Build 15 of the firmware.

Here are the biggest complications we ran into:

Unable to Jam-sync timecode

This is a problem that Red insists doesn't exist. But it did for us and now all audio must be manually synced. It's possible that it's specific to the camera we were using. We first attempted to jam the camera from an Aaton sound mixer through the Lemo-5 connector. This is the process that the sound guy had used on a previous feature that was shot on the Red, so I know that it worked at some point. (That feature was using Build 12 and 13 of the firmware.) We also used a Dennecke lock-it box that we first jammed with the Aaton recorder then plugged into the Genlock connection on the Red. That was unsuccessful as well.

At no time did the camera detect timecode being fed into it. It never switched over to "EXT" and we never saw the chain link icon on the LCD.

We've been able to jam sync for many moons but with the camera as the source not the receiver.

Noah

 

[Greg M]

We've been able to jam sync for many moons but with the camera as the source not the receiver.

Noah

I think you have that backwards. The TC input is working. The TC out is not enabled.

Sync works fine for my on both B15 and B16...I would double check the cable you are using, likely a bad cable or wired incorrectly. Most TC cables have a pigtail, one connector is IN one is OUT...are you sure you were using the correct end?

 

[Stuart English]

External Timecode

External Timecode

We've been able to jam sync for many moons but with the camera as the source not the receiver.

Noah

Ah Noah, explain. The camera doesn't output timecode, so in what sense was it a timecode source? As a timecode receiver, it must see timecode at the same timecode base as the project. So there are the following potential reasons for failure to lock.

a) bad camera

b) bad source

c) bad cable

d) sending the camera 29.97 timecode when its recording at 23.98

e) failure to check the JAM SYNC box

f) failure to enter record (it won't lock until you do at least once)

g) failure to understand that JAM is the same as External

Not saying that any of these were the reason, its just a checklist to go through.... as Jam Sync to an external sync box absolutely does work on all recent builds.

 

[Mark L. Pederson]

Jam Sync to an external sync box absolutely does work on all recent builds.

we have no problems Jam'n 16 and we Jam'd 15 on numerous jobs.

 

[C.H.Haskell]

Flicker LCD:
I have also experienced this issue, maybe three times or so where the LCD goes a multicolored static mess, I know what falsecolor is and this is not that,
This seems exactly as the oroginal poster said, looks like a bad connection but the only quick fix is re booting.

Boot failure
B15 did this several times, so far B16 has not failed to boot on me.

 

[Jeremy Newmark]

Ah Noah, explain. The camera doesn't output timecode, so in what sense was it a timecode source?

Hi Stuart,

Since the camera does not output timecode, is there no way to slave one camera off of another at this point?

 

[Noah Kadner]

Hi Stuart,

Since the camera does not output timecode, is there no way to slave one camera off of another at this point?

You could easily do this through your smart slate or through a timecode regenerator.

Noah

 

[Noah Kadner]

Ah Noah, explain. The camera doesn't output timecode, so in what sense was it a timecode source? As a timecode receiver, it must see timecode at the same timecode base as the project. So there are the following potential reasons for failure to lock.

a) bad camera

b) bad source

c) bad cable

d) sending the camera 29.97 timecode when its recording at 23.98

e) failure to check the JAM SYNC box

f) failure to enter record (it won't lock until you do at least once)

g) failure to understand that JAM is the same as External

Not saying that any of these were the reason, its just a checklist to go through.... as Jam Sync to an external sync box absolutely does work on all recent builds.

Sorry meant the other way around. It's been a while since we brought out the smart slate.

-Noah