Finnerknowsbest.com

[Damien Molineaux]

Earthling...

The link doesn't work because I just went live with the new website... the new site is all PHP driven and the old links aren't labeled the same. Here is the new link. http://www.finnerknowsbest.com/index.php?option=com_content&task=blogcategory&id=27&Itemid=92

Once more companies send Finner gear for us to review the website will grow. We can only review what people have sent us. As far as doind comparisons.... that's something we've been talking about but we haven't had a chance to use competing products yet.

OK, but does Finner really know best if he hasn't compared products ?!

I don't think so. It just looks like a bunch of advertising to me.

Damien

 

[Finner]

OK, but does Finner really know best if he hasn't compared products ?!

I don't think so. It just looks like a bunch of advertising to me.

Damien

Hi Damien

If you would have read the first post I made that started this thread you would have understood that I did many days of comparing gear at NAB and that the products listed were the best of what I saw at NAB and have tested and used in past shoots. So of course the reviews were positive of the gear listed on Finnerknowsbest.

As for advertising you could not be more wrong. Not one penny has been paid by any of the companies of the products listed. Myself and others spent many hours of work to put together the reviews and website to assist other redusers in making 3rd party accessory decisions. I also explained why these products were on the top of my list but again the explanation about what the website is all about is on the opening post at the begining of the thread. If you would have taken the time to actually read it you may not have come out with such uneducated accusations.

All the products I endorse are what I feel to be the best product/value for that particular accessory. What is listed on the site is what I would buy for my cine style shooting (commercials, TV, featues and music vids). A number of the companies in fact I have been in contact with for many months and was involved with development input and beta testing of a lot of products I mention. There are currently a few products that are really great but can not yet talk about due to NDA's.

I am happy to do reviews and product head to head long term tests of gear. Like most of you though I already have a lot of $ going out on gear and I am not going to buy extra equipment just to do reviews on it so if companies would like us to due a product review for them please get in contact with me. Better yet if you want to buy it and send it to me Damien that would be great. What is listed is what I feel to be best for my purposes while keeping my wallet in mind.

I am a little ticked off that myself and bussiness partners go to all the work of putting this together and get complaints from you. I guess there are always complainers in life and it is quite clear where you fit in.


As far as your question about "does Finner really know best?" well just ask your MOM, she'll tell you "Finner knows best about A LOT of things!"

cheers
Daren

 

[Jason Ing]

NAB is simply huge and overwhelming. I scoured it with a fine tooth comb ...

Hey Finner, don't let it get under your skin. There are some earthlings among us that have difficulties... you know... reading... thinking... those sort of things...

I appreciate your efforts. I found your reviews helpful. Particularly the matrox review since I saw it at NAB and just passed it by after overhearing it was for hd, etc. I didn't think it relevant to Red. But now I do. So just letting you know that your website is helpful... even without "comparisons". Good job!

By the way, since you're doing this for "free", comparisons can take a lot more time. Maybe just including links to competitor products would be easer for now, but helpful to those who want to do their own research while keeping in mind your preference.

 

[Dan Dumouchel]

I guess there are always complainers in life and it is quite clear where you fit in.

Speaking of complainers... it's 'DO' Daren, not 'due' ya frigin redneck.

 

[Patrick Tresch]

Hello Finner.

First of all a big thank for this website.

I've loved to go through the tools available for RED and not having to go to NAB to see what's going on. I know more in what direction I have to go now. Looking forward to see the hand held solution from ET.

I'm not a complainer... LOL

Just want to ask you : did you made any tests about Lensbabies 3G PL?

http://lensbabies.com/xcart/customer/home.php?cat=7

I do really wonder how will optical quality be of an 490$ lens. I would love to buy one. I have some application for this type of optic.

I know that a "hand hold tilt focus" style lens will have "some" out of focus but what will be left on a 4k medium? Is it optically good enough to have a focus at any place in the picture?

Of course it is thought for special use, but is it usable?

Thanks

Pat.

 

[Jason Ing]

It was used by Janusz Kaminski in the "The Diving Bell and the Butterfly".

Of course it is thought for special use, but is it usable?

 

[Adrian T.]

I do really wonder how will optical quality be of an 490$ lens. I would love to buy one. I have some application for this type of optic.

I know that a "hand hold tilt focus" style lens will have "some" out of focus but what will be left on a 4k medium? Is it optically good enough to have a focus at any place in the picture?

Of course it is thought for special use, but is it usable?

Yes it is. Of course it's not as perfect as a Cine lens but it's really good if you're able to nail the focus.

Look at the following still from one of my Lensbaby tests: http://www.mediafire.com/?g3ivnu5bu4g

 

[Damien Molineaux]

Hi Damien

If you would have read the first post I made that started this thread you would have understood that I did many days of comparing gear at NAB and that the products listed were the best of what I saw at NAB and have tested and used in past shoots. So of course the reviews were positive of the gear listed on Finnerknowsbest.

As for advertising you could not be more wrong. Not one penny has been paid by any of the companies of the products listed. Myself and others spent many hours of work to put together the reviews and website to assist other redusers in making 3rd party accessory decisions. I also explained why these products were on the top of my list but again the explanation about what the website is all about is on the opening post at the begining of the thread. If you would have taken the time to actually read it you may not have come out with such uneducated accusations.

All the products I endorse are what I feel to be the best product/value for that particular accessory. What is listed on the site is what I would buy for my cine style shooting (commercials, TV, featues and music vids). A number of the companies in fact I have been in contact with for many months and was involved with development input and beta testing of a lot of products I mention. There are currently a few products that are really great but can not yet talk about due to NDA's.

I am happy to do reviews and product head to head long term tests of gear. Like most of you though I already have a lot of $ going out on gear and I am not going to buy extra equipment just to do reviews on it so if companies would like us to due a product review for them please get in contact with me. Better yet if you want to buy it and send it to me Damien that would be great. What is listed is what I feel to be best for my purposes while keeping my wallet in mind.

I am a little ticked off that myself and bussiness partners go to all the work of putting this together and get complaints from you. I guess there are always complainers in life and it is quite clear where you fit in.


As far as your question about "does Finner really know best?" well just ask your MOM, she'll tell you "Finner knows best about A LOT of things!"

cheers
Daren

Sorry Darren, Finner & the Hoff,

I didn't mean to tick you off. I wasn't complaining either. I was just expressing myself and how I perceive your website. The term advertising wasn't the right one, sorry again, I didn't think you were getting paid for your website, it's just the way you present things. Some people write a feedback of their NAB experience and findings, that's great, I thank them, and if that's what you're doing, fine. However, I may be under the wrong impression, but I feel like you're presenting products like a review, however without a comparison, it sounds like promotion. The fact that you are so close to a number of companies is great, but confirms my opinion. You can't be objectiv. That doesn't mean I don't like your website, or that it's not useful to some, but I'm entitled to my opinion and the above last phrase of yours is uncalled for. You are rude. You shold ask your mom about rules of conduct.

Damien

 

[Mick van Rossum NSC]

It was used by Janusz Kaminski in the "The Diving Bell and the Butterfly".

Where did you get that info ? AFAIK he used the Arri Swing shift system. I just tested the Clairmont swing shift, the Arri Swing shift and the Lens baby 3g PL against each other, and I clearly think the lensbaby is inferior to the other systems. The Arri is by far superior mechanically, however I found the Clairmont giving the best results. One of the big differences I found between the Lensbaby and the Swing shift lenses was the fact that the lensbaby has 3 adjustment points so every "out of focus" area has some sort of anamorpic distortion , always on two axis, while the swing systems have 4 points to adjust so if you do it right your out of focus area will have just one axis out of focus which I think is better looking. Also the quality of the coatings on the swing shift systems is superior to the lensbaby. Still a nice lens for its money.

Mick van Rossum NSC

 

[Colin Sheldon]

Sorry Darren, Finner & the Hoff,

I didn't mean to tick you off. I wasn't complaining either. I was just expressing myself and how I perceive your website. The term advertising wasn't the right one, sorry again, I didn't think you were getting paid for your website, it's just the way you present things. Some people write a feedback of their NAB experience and findings, that's great, I thank them, and if that's what you're doing, fine. However, I may be under the wrong impression, but I feel like you're presenting products like a review, however without a comparison, it sounds like promotion. The fact that you are so close to a number of companies is great, but confirms my opinion. You can't be objectiv. That doesn't mean I don't like your website, or that it's not useful to some, but I'm entitled to my opinion and the above last phrase of yours is uncalled for. You are rude. You shold ask your mom about rules of conduct.

Damien

I think there is still a bit of confusion here, so let me try and clear things up. Now my job was in the post-production area so I'll focus on that.

While I was at NAB I visited almost every single booth that was providing a server solution - and trust me, there were a dozens and dozens of them. From this master list we created a short list of servers that we felt were the best options. We then revisited the finalists to look even more in depth at their product offerings. Finally, we selected Caldigit as the best low cost solution, and EVO as the best mid-range solution.

Are we promoting their products? yes. But it's not because we have a relationship with them. In fact, we don't have a relationship with either of those companies. We are promoting them because they have (in our opinion) the best products. It's as simple as that. Are we trying to build a relationship with them? Absolutely. Because we feel they make great products. Doesn't everybody want to build relationships with great companies?

Now down the road if company ABC gives us a server to review will we give them a good review? Only if the product warrants it. I think you can tell by now that Finner doesn't pull any punches. When you go to the website you get honest reviews.

So why don't we have all of the different companies up there for comparison's sake? Our goal with the site was to cut through the clutter and provide the information on, what we feel, are the best products. And, to be honest, the thought of spending hundreds of hours providing information on products that we don't recommend doesn't seem like a good use of time. We'd rather use that time on the products we believe in.

Anyways, I hope things make more sense now. If you have more questions feel free to PM me as well. And I'll talk to Finner's wife. Maybe she can straighten him out...

cheers

 

[Patrick Tresch]

Mik van Rossum, Jason Ing and Biglebowski.

Thanks for your feedback.

Patrick

 

[Finner]

Where did you get that info ? AFAIK he used the Arri Swing shift system. I just tested the Clairmont swing shift, the Arri Swing shift and the Lens baby 3g PL against each other, and I clearly think the lensbaby is inferior to the other systems. The Arri is by far superior mechanically, however I found the Clairmont giving the best results. One of the big differences I found between the Lensbaby and the Swing shift lenses was the fact that the lensbaby has 3 adjustment points so every "out of focus" area has some sort of anamorpic distortion , always on two axis, while the swing systems have 4 points to adjust so if you do it right your out of focus area will have just one axis out of focus which I think is better looking. Also the quality of the coatings on the swing shift systems is superior to the lensbaby. Still a nice lens for its money.

Mick van Rossum NSC

http://lensbabies.com/products/3gpl/

There is a link on that page that takes you to see some of the shots from "The diving bell and the butterfly" that the lens baby was used for. For the price and use in the right shot a lens baby is near impossible to beat in my mind. I have a Hartblei 45mm super rotator that optically is better in many ways but can not push the limits like the lens baby. For beautiful table top shots or a shot that is held for a long time I would most likely choose the Hartblei or rent an an arri or clairmont set. The lens baby can get you some stunning results though and I would not hesitate to use it on car badges or other quick frame music vid style shots.

Sheldon you did a great job of explaining exactly what we did to compare and base are opinion on products. In fact this is what we did for production hardware accessories as well. For the record Damiens mom is HOT!

Oh ya please don't tell my wife.

 

[Finner]

Hello Finner.

First of all a big thank for this website..

Glad people are finding it useful. Hope to be able to expand it with more tests and reviews in time.

I've loved to go through the tools available for RED and not having to go to NAB to see what's going on. I know more in what direction I have to go now. Looking forward to see the hand held solution from ET..

ET builds amazing gear. I will be reviewing the handheld solution as soon it is available.

Just want to ask you : did you made any tests about Lensbabies 3G PL?

http://lensbabies.com/xcart/customer/home.php?cat=7

I do really wonder how will optical quality be of an 490$ lens. I would love to buy one. I have some application for this type of optic.

I know that a "hand hold tilt focus" style lens will have "some" out of focus but what will be left on a 4k medium? Is it optically good enough to have a focus at any place in the picture?

Of course it is thought for special use, but is it usable?

Thanks

Pat.

I picked up a lensbaby for myself at NAB and think it is great. It has CA and some other issues but for the right shots I feel it can not be beat. Rent "The diving bell and the butterfly." to get an idea of how good a job this lens can do. The movie is a very nice film so thats an added bonus. Don't worry it is really easy to tell which shots the lensbaby was used for. I find the lens is quick and easy to use and really lets you warp out the focal plane very aggressively.

 

[Finner]

I appreciate your efforts. I found your reviews helpful. Particularly the matrox review since I saw it at NAB and just passed it by after overhearing it was for hd, etc. I didn't think it relevant to Red. But now I do. So just letting you know that your website is helpful... even without "comparisons". Good job!

Hi Jason

I was really impressed with the Matrox MXO2 and feel it will be a great attribute to all red productions. I hope to be able to test one soon and will get more information out along with some video's of how it fits into our workflow when that happens.

cheers
Daren

 

[Jeff Kilgroe]

Where did you get that info ?

It was covered in American Cinematographer magazine. January 2008 issue, page 22. Kaminski used the Lensbaby 2.0.


While one can argue that other lens systems from Arri or others may be "better", I still think the Lensbaby has its own unique look. And for the price, it's somewhat of a no-brainer. It's an effects lens or even just a fun lens. It's under $500, why not have it in the kit?

 

[Mick van Rossum NSC]

It was covered in American Cinematographer magazine. January 2008 issue, page 22. Kaminski used the Lensbaby 2.0.


While one can argue that other lens systems from Arri or others may be "better", I still think the Lensbaby has its own unique look. And for the price, it's somewhat of a no-brainer. It's an effects lens or even just a fun lens. It's under $500, why not have it in the kit?

Thanks for the info guys, I did not know that. It looks like it was used for the first wake up shots ? I do have it in my kit. I was just saying that you can not get the same effects as a swing shift system, but for it's price it is a great product.