My challenge to Jim !

[morgan_moore]

Attached are two images, both from the nikon D90, the left is a print quality still, the right is a nasty video grab,

Technical challenges were stupid to create this on a budget, the D90 housing doesnt even have a button to activate the video and dont even ask how we released the shutter on the stills shot (think many condoms and broken remote releases)

my challenge is to recreate this with usable video hopefully a DSMC will do this for me

What do I need..

A small light camera, the surfer has to be able to use it and I need to be able to carry it to a remote location

AF that does not hunt to the drips, ie searches just in the 1-2 m region as programmed by me

Radio Control Providing
Control of shutter and iris and release, change of stills to motion mode and maybe activation of power saving mode

I will need to take my still image a 1000th to freeze the motion

I will need to take my motion at 2Xtheframe rate probably 1/48 or 1/120

I think if this can be done then maybe we are in business with a true DSMC

Any less and I will hobble along with my nikons and whatever video offering I can afford at the time

S

 

[Stephen Gentle]

I think if this can be done then maybe we are in business with a true DSMC

Any less and I will hobble along with my nikons and whatever video offering I can afford at the time

S

Good luck with that then...

 

[David Rasberry]

The demands of still and motion shooting are very different. Though a camera like RED that can shoot both raw at very high quality gets you in the ballpark, it still won't solve the schizophrenic split in aesthetic requirements. At some point you will have to make a choice for the primary purpose of the shot and live with the inherent compromises. Do you set shutter times and exposures for best still extraction from the frame sequence or for best cinematic qualities? At least with a raw motion camera there won't be any difference in quality between the image on the left and the one on the right as in your example above.

 

[morgan_moore]

My vision for shooting this is the rider catches a few waves with the device in stills mode 1/1000th and then a few more in motion mode

Of course 250th may freeze a still and look good with 120FPS motion, that nature of the subject would probably make slomo a benefit

Hence the desire for good selection of controls available remotely rather than any of the DSLR options which are minimal or non existant

I see no reason why a computer contolled remote application is not simpler and cheaper than the physical FFs etc meintioned on the CanNik thread

S

 

[Pietro Impagliazzo]

Why do you need AF?

Doesn't the distance between the camera and the surfer stay basically the same all the time?

 

[morgan_moore]

That is a fair point. in this situaton we did lock the focus with tape and use a suitable Fstop

You see the motion shot where the rider goes for hang 10 the focus is lost

In other applications AF is more critical

my personal bugbear with DSLR AF is the lack of any system (apart from some extreme teles) to lock its range, those teles use mechanical technology offering a couple of modes

i would like to see that range software driven

in the case of waterhousing DSLR Af is nogo because it grabs the droplets on the housing so a "Guess and Tape" works better than all the technology that the corporations can bring us - thats dumb canikon for you who prefer to bring in camera sepia mode and whatever crap than AF that works to their supposedly professional market

S

 

[I Bloom]

That is a fair point. in this situaton we did lock the focus with tape and use a suitable Fstop

You see the motion shot where the rider goes for hang 10 the focus is lost

In other applications AF is more critical

my personal bugbear with DSLR AF is the lack of any system (apart from some extreme teles) to lock its range, those teles use mechanical technology offering a couple of modes

i would like to see that range software driven

in the case of waterhousing DSLR Af is nogo because it grabs the droplets on the housing so a "Guess and Tape" works better than all the technology that the corporations can bring us - thats dumb canikon for you who prefer to bring in camera sepia mode and whatever crap than AF that works to their supposedly professional market

S

Morgan, I have my doubts about an autofocus that can see through droplets. Instead have you though about remote focus. This would add some weight to the front of that board but I've put remote focuses in splash bags in the past... albeit not mounted to a surf board... it works well. You can then measure the board so an operator on the beach can just watch the action from the edge of the water with the transmitter and adjust the focus.

Could be a solution.

Cheers,
IBloom

 

[George Butterfield]

I think if this can be done then maybe we are in business with a true DSMC

I think it was Jim who coined the term, "DSMC".

 

[Joseph Hutson]

I think if this can be done then maybe we are in business with a true DSMC

S

I think anything Mr. Jannard decides to make a DSMC will be a DSMC. :wink5:

 

[Peter Osinski]

You see the motion shot where the rider goes for hang 10 the focus is lost

how does he hang 10 with a camera on the end of the board, or if the cam is not on the end then what is the point you can't see it

 

[Marc_L]

in the case of waterhousing DSLR Af is nogo because it grabs the droplets on the housing...
S

A couple of coats of Rain-X on the housing in front of the lens may reduce the water drops, though I've never tested it in salt water. This, assuming that you'd rather not have the drops there.