Okay, I'm convinced, it's a new camera!

[jimhare]

Like the rest of you, I've been reading the "OMG it's like a new camera!" threads and thought, well I'm not seeing it...

But yesterday I saw the (low) light! I was doing staging and camera tests for show I'm shooting at the Sydney Opera House tonight (5 Reds) and couldn't believe the results!

Using B20.1.3 shooting ISO800 under 4000k lighting. Ask me to do this 3 weeks ago and I would have turned the job down as the noise would be unacceptable.

Back at the studio I brought the image up to 1280 in Rocket Cine X and still couldn't see a noise problem, but the image was so damn bright and clear it hurt my eyes and I had to turn it down!

Add to this seeing and grading in real time using RED Rocket™™™, as well as exporting my test clip in real time, and I am one happy Red owner.

Have a look at the attachments (keep in mind they are JPEG), including the blue channel, which is the cleanest I've ever seen, no lumps!

And remember, this is ISO800 in a very challenging environment. On previous shoots, this is what 320 at 5000k looks like on a good day.

I know these shots and I can guarantee, if I shot this with build 17 I would be in trouble.

Thanks for pushing the limits Jim and team, now I feel like I can get on with my work without feeling I'm on the ledge!

ProRes example here (98MB) http://harebrained.com.au/kitty/kitty.mov

All the best,

Jim

UPDATE: Here is a full 47MB TIFF if you want to really see the lack of noise
Right Click to save:

http://harebrained.com.au/kitty/kitty.tiff

 

[Gunleik Groven]

Yup

Wrote an elaborate article on noise controll on RED. (I really think noise haven't been a big issue, if you just treated the shot, the cam and the files right) Up comes B20...

Drop it.

Rethink...

But that's all good.

New times. New analysis.

 

[jimhare]

Here is a full 47MB TIFF if you want to really see the lack of noise
Right Click to save:

http://harebrained.com.au/kitty/kitty.tiff

 

[Cüneyt Kaya]

hi, can you tell me wich T Stop and wich lens?

build 20 is damn great

 

[jimhare]

That's a Nikon 180mm AI, around f/2.8-f/3. Tonight we will use Master Primes, ZFs and Red Lenses so it should look even better.

 

[jimhare]

I agree completely, noise has always been manageable, I'm just glad I can leave management and return to production!
arty:

Yup

Wrote an elaborate article on noise controll on RED. (I really think noise haven't been a big issue, if you just treated the shot, the cam and the files right) Up comes B20...

Drop it.

Rethink...

But that's all good.

New times. New analysis.

 

[jimhare]

Also, might try some 3K shooting tonight as I want to use a Red 50-150, but need a 180mm focal length. Hopefully I can get a great result.

Jim

 

[Pete Wallington]

Why not just shoot 4K and crop it in post to a 180FOV?

 

[jimhare]

Simple, focus is hard enough to nail when you are wide open on a long lens and 5 metres from your moving subject. Cropping in exaggerates any softness. I've tried it and the results are not ideal. If it were a studio shoot, no problem, I do it all the time.

But these are live shows, 70 minutes long and the performer can go anywhere without notice. Our depth of field sits at about 7" or so, which makes for a very challenging situation.

By shooting 3k you get the full image filling the 24" monitors we use in the theater, giving us the best chance of a sharp image.

Why not just shoot 4K and crop it in post to a 180FOV?

 

[Brent Carter]

Thanks for the thread, Jim. We are glad to see you guys are as excited about B20 as we are here at RED

BC

 

[jimhare]

No problem Brent, I'm blown away by the difference in quality.
Shot the show last night and going through footage now. Looks amazing and clean, twice as good as what I'm used to!

Jim

 

[Brent Carter]

That's awesome, Jim. "Twice as good" - I think I heard Graeme just crack open another nice bottle of Scotch

BC