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Epic Portability?

Tom Lowe

Tom Lowe

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I'm trying to get my head around how I will afford a full Epic FF35 setup.

What I really, really need is its overcranking abilities. I am wanting to mix super-high-speed shots -- 100fps and up -- with my 5.6K RAW timelapse shots. So FF35 Scarlet won't work.

But... my main issue is that I need a setup that is extremely light, fast to set up, and at least somewhat "inconspicuous". The 5D2 is so stealthy that I can set it up anywhere and shoot -- I never get hassled about permits, etc, because it looks so small and basic. People don't even realize I'm shooting video.

What would be the most stripped-down setup I could hope for with Epic FF35mm - in terms of size and weight? I guess in terms of lenses I could use Canon or Nikon with simple screw-on filters to keep the size of the rig down - or maybe the new hybrid Red FF35 lenses (will those take screw-on filters?).

I might want to throw the whole thing into a backpack and hike the camera several miles into the mountains with some carbon-fiber legs and a light fluid head. What will be the minimum setup weight and size for this type of overcranked shooting?

I guess if I am finishing a project at 1080p, I could always get a 2/3" as well for this type of thing.
 
From the looks of the pictures that have been published, a stripped down Epic with just a brain, battery handle, redmote and lens will only be about the side of a 5D2, except a bit thicker in the back (minus the overkill 7inch LCD of course).

DSMC.jpg
 
Thanks for the photo. Is there a smaller option for LCD? Is there an LCD on the body itself?
 
I sure hope so. I'm pretty sure not everyone's going to want to tote around a screen like that one, regardless of the bragging possibilities.
 
Maybe if there could be a 4" 720p screen that mounted directly to the top of the body with only a ball swivel?
 
I gotta believe that Red has something in the works. I think it'd be unreasonable to expect still shooters to be stuck with a full size LCD.
 
Isn't it a bit crazy though to shoot 5 or 6K, FF35 depth of field, and only have a tiny 4" (possibly) LCD screen to judge focus on a manual cine lens? At least with a Canon, you've got an optical viewfinder, you have auto focus controls, etc. Personally I think you're going to craving the larger LCD screen. Maybe you can flip it over the backside of the camera to reduce the profile.
 
David Mullen ASC said:
Isn't it a bit crazy though to shoot 5 or 6K, FF35 depth of field, and only have a tiny 4" (possibly) LCD screen to judge focus on a manual cine lens? At least with a Canon, you've got an optical viewfinder, you have auto focus controls, etc. Personally I think you're going to craving the larger LCD screen. Maybe you can flip it over the backside of the camera to reduce the profile.
Click to expand...

I will take 1:1 over an optical VF any time. You can also use laser distance meter and well calibrated focus marks on the lens.

But, I like larger LCD for framing.
 
I'm with David and Pawel on the big LCDs. It's pretty conspicuous but the bigger the better. If you can put a 24" on it: do it.

But for a light covert kit why not go with the little EVF that's been touted?

Edit. The bomb EVF pic...

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David, I don't know if you've played much with a modern Canon DSLR, but I have, and the optical viewfinder completely lies with it's depiction of DOF. The DOF will appear much, much deeper than it really is. Now, I'm no optics guru, but I understand it to be to do with how they make the ground glass, and make the image you see brighter.

Before anyone asks, I know about the DOF preview button, and I know how the camera shows you the scene "wide open" and only stops down when you make an exposure.

Graeme
 
From what I've seen at NAB and on here Epic can be built pretty small. So I don't think it will be a problem. Also the use of the EVF or the Bomb EVF seems to be the best bet. You should be able to position the EVF in a way on the side of the camera to almost hide it to cut down on the size of the cameras profile.
 
Yeah the Bomb EVF might be the ticket, or maybe a 5" 720p LCD on a swivel mount would be fine for focus, unless you are doing serious cinema work, in which case you're not worried about keeping a low profile or staying light and compact.

Once again, though, I would like to stress the importance of being able to digitally "zoom" in for a pixel-for-pixel or 10X LCD view, to pull and confirm focus. There is simply no way possible -- at least not for me! -- to look through an optical viewfinder and completely 100% nail focus down to the pixels on a 6K camera with a badass lens. You need that ability to punch in and check it digitally, IMHO.
 
Tom said:
Yeah the Bomb EVF might be the ticket, or maybe a 5" 720p LCD on a swivel mount would be fine for focus, unless you are doing serious cinema work, in which case you're not worried about keeping a low profile or staying light and compact.

Once again, though, I would like to stress the importance of being able to digitally "zoom" in for a pixel-for-pixel or 10X LCD view, to pull and confirm focus. There is simply no way possible -- at least not for me! -- to look through an optical viewfinder and completely 100% nail focus down to the pixels on a 6K camera with a badass lens. You need that ability to punch in and check it digitally, IMHO.
Click to expand...

I'm sure 1:1 zooming will be in the Epics right out of the gate. I just figured out that my 40D can do the same thing with the live view on. Now I can get all my timelapse shots razor sharp. Optical view finds suck on a digital camera. I love to hear people bitch about Red not having one. Granted the list of people that complain about that is rather short.
 
With the EVF Bomb and a heavy RPP mounted the setup felt tiny in my hands and feather-light when you think about what it does. Jared told me it was two or three pounds lighter than the final but you could easily make up for that with a different lens if need be, and in the process balance the setup a bit better. You are getting everything you wished for Tom, and if the EVF Bomb doesn't cut it for some reason then I think you might be able to get a thin SD-card Pelican type case to carry the 7". My hopes is that the EVF will be closer to 1080 than 720 in pixel count but you never know what works best for you till you hold the stuff and test it.
 
Andrew Walker said:
I'm sure 1:1 zooming will be in the Epics right out of the gate. I just figured out that my 40D can do the same thing with the live view on. Now I can get all my timelapse shots razor sharp. Optical view finds suck on a digital camera. I love to hear people bitch about Red not having one. Granted the list of people that complain about that is rather short.
Click to expand...

Exactly. Once I got my 5D2 and checked out that 1:1 or 10x zoom or whatever it is, I found out very quickly that my optical viewfinder skills were a joke!! But now, I always get 100% razor sharp landscapes. That's when the quality of the lens really begins to show.

I hope there will be a joystick or something handy to move a little box around the screen with Epic. It will be interesting to see what Red comes up with in terms of features to help with focusing. Who knows, they might surprise us.
 
Tom said:
I hope there will be a joystick or something handy to move a little box around the screen with Epic.
Click to expand...

Yes, it definitely should be a something like the joystick on the R1 which should become automatically activated for positioning when you open up the 1:1 and require an other button to be pressed to get out of it. I hate 1:1 boxes because of this very limitation. I don't like having to re-frame and some times it is the last thing I want to do.
 
Well, optical viewfinders in movie cameras have a magnifier function, but it's the same problem as zooming into the digital image on an LCD -- that's fine for checking focus during a static shot, or before a take, or a still image, but how do you compose during a dolly move while trying to judge focus at the same time? This is why big bright optical viewfinders are so important in a film camera, or a nice, big, sharp monitor/viewfinder image on a digital camera. You guys are thinking too much like still photographers, that focusing is done once on a static subject before you take the picture, not that you are going to have to pan and tilt and compose as the subject moves towards and away from you and the focus is always changing.

If you've ever had to judge focus during a moving shot while operating and had looked through the viewfinder of a 35mm Panaflex Platinum or Arricam versus any electronic finder made for any digital cine camera out there, you would understand why operators love a nice, clear optical image. The only thing that comes close is when you start getting into using 7" onboard HD monitors.
 
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David, in this case, I was really only talking about grabbing portable landscape and nature shots, for example. Not cinema setups. With cinema setups, there is no real need for portability of the kind we are discussing here. I'm just trying to figure out the absolute most compact setup for Epic FF35. I think I could get by with a 5" 720p LCD for a lot of this type of shooting. Being compact and inconspicuous can lead to great shots that would otherwise be impossible with a full-on movie camera setup.

A 4" - 5" LCD might be a nice option for people wanting to throw their Epics into a backpack and shoot wildlife or nature shots, or even grab slice-of-life shots around the city.
 
David, are you thinking about getting an Epic yourself?

I'm dreading the cost, but drooling over the possibilities of what could be shot with that camera.
 
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