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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 :)

Focus....

As my old eyes get less trustworthy, and AF option is a definite plus for some situations.
 
I've noticed, just about anything related to photography, with a German address, causes the price to get jacked up.
Same stuff with either a Japanese or South Korean address, with engineering as good or better, have more reasonable prices.

Just an observation.
 
Question -
What are we looking at in terms of AF lensing options for the 2/3 cinema?
I would like to build very light weight high quality stereoscopic rigs with these brains, and AF and electronic sync may be invaluable to me... though final weight/size is the highest priority.
The otherwise perfect miniprimes are only manual, no?
 
Autofocus is a brilliant addition. It allows the camera to be that more nimble in documentary and one-man-band situations especially. I think some of those who are dismissive might be a bit more embracing in 30 or 40 years when their eyes feel the sands of time.
 
Alex Mack said:
Question -
What are we looking at in terms of AF lensing options for the 2/3 cinema?
I would like to build very light weight high quality stereoscopic rigs with these brains, and AF and electronic sync may be invaluable to me... though final weight/size is the highest priority.
The otherwise perfect miniprimes are only manual, no?
Click to expand...

Alex, Your best bet in this case is the 2/3"-Fixed. Zooms are preferable for stereo work, as calibrating rig after lens change can take awhile. Plus on the fixed You will get some extra capabilities specifically designed to make stereo work easier...

Just my two cents...

Peter
 
Wow ! Great gift, this picture... I can't help beein more excited !
 
Peter Majtan said:
Alex, Your best bet in this case is the 2/3"-Fixed. Zooms are preferable for stereo work, as calibrating rig after lens change can take awhile. Plus on the fixed You will get some extra capabilities specifically designed to make stereo work easier...
Click to expand...

Yea, it looks like the writing is on the wall.. And I am actually willing to reconfigure the splitter every time for the weight/stop-n-a-half benefit.
Might the miniprimes be made electronic someday? Such a system would be a dream.
 
Looking through the looking glass to the future.

Looking through the looking glass to the future.

Jim, thanks, good to hear that you are now doing this, I have been pushing for this from early on.

Being a technical/design sort of person, rather than a true camera professional, I tend to appreciate what can be done rather than what has been done. And paradigm shifts in the way things are done can be as simple as that. I came up with many auto/equipment feature design ideas that could allow single people to replace multiple people when I started out in the 90's, and continued on during the DIY cinema camera projects. My objective for small budgets, was the director and one or two other people plus actors to shoot a simple feature film with good quality. In truth, for some very capable directors, you might not even need the other two people, but for quality, to avoid overloading the operator/director, it is good to have them.

This is good first steps to the auto future. People will probably realize/work out the advantages after it comes out.
 
Mitch Gross said:
Stepping out of the shadows...

Most models of Phantom cameras have larger sensors than the RED One. The images are kept in focus by skilled camera operators and assistant camerapeople. The NFL use them for sidelines shooting with wide open zoom lenses and they will pull focus with one finger while MANUALLY zooming with another from the same hand. It is a thing of beauty to see and shows the skills of a true craftsperson. And the focus is almost always dead perfect. I saw tons of raw footage from last year's NFL season that processed through our Post Services, and there were stunning images on a consistent basis.
Click to expand...

Sounds a bit like one of the focus schemes I came up with during the DIY days.

I have nothing against features such as an advanced autofocus system, and I'm sure that there are many times that this technology will be very useful. But a Navy officer once told me a little story. It seems that a certain class of subs have amazing fly-by-wire controls, and the entire vessel can be steered by electronic interface. There's also a backup manual system that is available should the fly-by-wire system fail. The sub captains forced their men to always use the backup systems. Because in event of emergency they wanted the men to have the skill to control the ship manually.

I like autofocus, but I also like having a tactile interconnect between myself and the task I am performing. In an intimate scene, there can be a real connection between the actors and the Camera Operator & AC. I always liked that. To each his own. When the camera can be fully controlled remotely I might shoot a movie from home in my pajamas.
Back to the shadows...
Click to expand...

When I designed my own fly by wire control schemes I specifically designed it with tactility/controllablity in mind, to get good manual control, even potentially better than conventional controls. I am reasonably somewhat confident that Red is specifically addressing this themselves, as they seem to be a pretty competent bunch of folk.
 
A competition?

A competition?

Still, I am still thinking of what name to call ourselves when we use these cameras. It is pretty obvious that from the controls and styles we have to use with them we will be a new breed (this is really just a vein attempt to get away from the term videographer on the low end, which is so less classy than cinematographer and makes me want to cringe). What should we call ourselves, motionographers doesn't quite cut it.

Jim, can we have a naming competition/thread, prize a scarlet camera, potentially even a 3D rig?
 
Wayne, Just add a D to everything...

Dvideographer Dcinematographer Dmotionographers

see sounds better and no contest needed, let these guys work and not waste time on other stuff like a contest.
 
Is that DTruth. Best to get D new name.
 
I think Anime beat us on sticking a D on everthing Wayne : )

I was out doing some in-camera matte shots today and was talking up the Scarlet 8X and I made another Red convert. Just thinking about it made the shooting fun.

Can't wait.... but will keep shooting with old Betsy lol
 
Why I like autofocus.

1. It is handy as a reference to double check things.
2. Nice to have distance feedback TTL (like TTL metering)
3.Can turn it off anytime.
4. An essential stills tool. Period. and we forget that RED is a DSMC system so it is an absolute for stills photography.

I like to be able to toggle it on and off to be able to check things.

It does not replace a skilled Drama AC. Period.
It's a great feature.

David
 
From a stills perspective (and motion too ?)

limits of exploration would be useful..

Not like the big teles that proscribe those limits (600F4 etc) but prograpmmable ones

As soon as my stills AF hunts I switch it off

I also cant use my AF in a topside waterhousing becuase is can creep onto a drip on port

Thank about that please

is scarlet AF ?

S
 
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