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  • Hey all, just changed over the backend after 15 years I figured time to give it a bit of an update, its probably gonna be a bit weird for most of you and i am sure there is a few bugs to work out but it should kinda work the same as before... hopefully :)

Birger Rumors Here

Artfoley

Artfoley

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San Francisco AC has posted on CLM that he's used the Birger mount and it's not much cop. Like to know more about it? How many Birger mounts are out there and why is it getting lashed before it has shipped? I wish someone would post here about it.
 
Artfoley said:
San Francisco AC has posted on CLM that he's used the Birger mount and it's not much cop. Like to know more about it? How many Birger mounts are out there and why is it getting lashed before it has shipped? I wish someone would post here about it.
Click to expand...

I believe there are only a couple of the industrial version out there on RED cameras or other cameras. The first prototype of the real RED version was shown at the REDUSER party at NAB. I believe the first of the production model real RED versions will be in my (and a couple of other beta testers) hands tomorrow. Any evaluation based on the industrial version would be silly.
 
AquaVideoRed206 said:
I believe there are only a couple of the industrial version out there on RED cameras or other cameras. The first prototype of the real RED version was shown at the REDUSER party at NAB. I believe the first of the production model real RED versions will be in my (and a couple of other beta testers) hands tomorrow. Any evaluation based on the industrial version would be silly.
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So, if we haven't even gone into Beta, how much longer do those who have reservations have to wait?
 
Kenn Christenson said:
So, if we haven't even gone into Beta, how much longer do those who have reservations have to wait?
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It shouldn't be long - it isn't really a beta test program so much as a few users who helped Erik out early (I loaned him my camera for 3 weeks after RED changed the mount) and we are getting one of the first ten or so that will be done before the production line is really setup to crank them out.

Also remember knobs are a couple more weeks out. Initial mounts will be primarily used with manual focus but the buttons on the mount allow you to change iris. We won't have full capability (and therefore a real evaluation) until the knobs are done, but anyone that saw the prototype working with a proto knob at NAB (or saw the youtube video) knows that the focus was very precise and smooth.
 
Any seasoned AC will have issues using the Birger simply because the lenses do not have real distance or witness marks. That means most marks will have to be set by eye. That slows an AC down, but that doesn't mean it doesn't work smooth and accurately.
 
I wondered about this Evin - what you are saying is that the AC will have to mark the controller with the key focus points or measure out the distances with a tape and mark that on the controller. This is a pain in ass.

Would it be possible to make interchangeable plastic (white discs) with witness marks on the disc calibrated to the lens you are using. The discs would have to be specific to the lens.

It struck me that this might work when I was watching the little NAB party video - the lens re-calibrated to the same focus point on the controller.
 
Saturday Delivery

Saturday Delivery

I am scheduled for delivery tomorrow of one of the first production versions. I've had the industrial mount since January and I've shot with the 16-35II, 28-70 2.8, 70-200 2.8, 24 1.4, 35 1.4, 50 1.2, 85 1.2 and 300 2.8. The industrial mount I have doesn't control focus and only controls iris when connected with a PC. Fine for studio but too difficult for an exterior location. So far all my experience with all these lenses have been at WFO using ND's. I now have a hot mirror so no more blue blacks. I was at the Red user party at NAB and met Erik and saw the production mount mated with the knob and it was everything I dreamed it could be. I'm really excited about getting the production version and shortly the knob. This new workflow using the focus motor in the EF lenses are going to make all of us so increadibly happy. My experience has been mostly on TV spots and the EF lenses are truly awesome. I have two shoots sceduled using the new mount on Monday. I choose the EF route because I felt the Red camera should be a viable upgrade to my VariCam while not being too heavy. 35mm cine lenses are beasts and push the weight threshold of the Red to the into the body builder zone as far as I am concerned. This new Birger focus workflow solves another big problem. When I first installed my HD 1080P home projector mated to a cable HD box I was shocked at how out of focus close-ups on network TV shows were. I think as high as 20 percent of the close-ups are out of focus. I think it's because TV is a fast paced production and when relying on the old focus mark and tape measure meathod while only able to really check focus on a dark ground glass. That was fine in the days when standard def hid most close but no cigar focus errors. Now with HD it is all so out there. We in this new HD world can see our focus on high RES monitors as we shoot and using the EF lens focus motors will help us nail perfect focus with a much greater percentage of accuracy. Bottom line for me . . . This system rocks.
 
Mark Crabtree said:
and when relying on the old focus mark and tape measure meathod while only able to really check focus on a dark ground glass. That was fine in the days when standard def hid most close but no cigar focus errors. Now with HD it is all so out there. We in this new HD world can see our focus on high RES monitors as we shoot and using the EF lens focus motors will help us nail perfect focus with a much greater percentage of accuracy. Bottom line for me . . . This system rocks.
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I think setting focus marks by eye might replace using tape for a lot of people when shooting with SLR lenses. It's faster. I've been using a Nikon mount and focusing by eye only. No tape. Pretty good overall - though I have blown some shots. I've been weakest in low light with wide angle lenses. Definitely requires practice.
 
"Would it be possible to make interchangeable plastic (white discs) with witness marks on the disc calibrated to the lens you are using. The discs would have to be specific to the lens. "

i haven't used any of the canon lens .. i did ask Canon at a Still photo workshop about their zoom lens ... they stated none are "true zooms" ( holds focus thru entire zoom range).. so the focus marks you make for 25mm at 10 ft may not be sharp focus at 75mm 10ft ... they mentioned that the only true zoom ( still lens) they remember was made by vivitar years ago , i think they said it was the 70-210 series one AND there were several versions of the lens made over the years and only a few versions were true zooms - that lens was a push/pull for the zoom ...
also the Canon guys were well aware of RED ( JJ) and they had heard about the Birger Mount to be used with RED ... they said very small zoom in/out might be OK but to plan on using the zooms as varible primes ...
 
While they are correct in stating that the design goal of their lenses was not true zoom, by whatever happenstance some seem to be just that. More testing is required to be exact about focus at each focal lenght but I have been pleased with zoom shots I have made with all my zooms.
 
Evin Grant said:
Any seasoned AC will have issues using the Birger simply because the lenses do not have real distance or witness marks. That means most marks will have to be set by eye. That slows an AC down, but that doesn't mean it doesn't work smooth and accurately.
Click to expand...

So, the Birger is 6's with the Red 18-50 lens, since it doesn't have real distance or witness marks, either.

-Thor
 
Please excuse my ignorance. Will someone explain to me what they are calling a Hot Mirror Filter? Are they talking about an IR filter that cuts light off at a certain nanometer or are they talking about reflective mirrored neutral density filters? I would love to know. And yes, I know this is the Birger site, and yes, I too ordered one for my Zeiss Contax eos mounted lenses.
 
A hot mirror actually reflects the IR light off the front surface of the filter. This is why the hot mirror needs to be the outer most filter from the lens. Also, the hot mirror can reflect a magenta hot spot back onto your subject, so this is something to be watching for so you can alter your angle or try to flag it off. An IR ND has a special dye in it to absorb the IR light. Downside here is they are expensive, they have a warming effect, and they heat up as they absorb lots of IR. No solution is perfect but not reducing the IR when using ND's creates a blue cast.
 
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