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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 :)

New James Bond will not be EPIC. :(

Erich Ocean said:
This should surprise no one. Deakins doesn't like the RED, and he does like the Alexa. Epic hasn't changed his mind.

I'd be shocked if he doesn't shoot some stuff with the 4:3 Alexa with the rotating shutter and optical viewfinder (assuming it's available, I don't know the ship date on that one).
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I don't think it's available if it is he will have a few on set I think, based on the Deakins forum the optical viewfinder is very important to him.
 
It's hard to second guess the decision of an artist like Deakins but I am disappointed to think that when I watch the Bond movies in 2016 on a 4k laser projector, 2012's "Skyfall" will be noticeably softer than "Dr. No" shot on 35mm in 1962.
 
Justin O'Neill said:
It's hard to second guess the decision of an artist like Deakins but I am disappointed to think that when I watch the Bond movies in 2016 on a 4k laser projector, 2012's "Skyfall" will be noticeably softer than "Dr. No" shot on 35mm in 1962.
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I don't know if I agree with this. Yes, 35mm film theoretically has more resolution than the Alexa but the optics used for Dr. No were nowhere near as good as the ones we have today and film stocks have improved significantly since 1962. I happen to think that Skyfall will look sharper projected in 4K than a 4K scan of Dr. No. pumped through the same projector.

And I actually like the softer look of the Arri sometimes. If I was shooting on Epic, I would go with vintage glass or some light diffusion because I think it can be a little too sharp but I agree that it is better to start with something that is as sharp as possible and then soften it to your liking. In this respect, the Epic is more flexible than the Alexa in terms of the different looks it can pull off.

Dr. No


1962 35mm 1080p by Andrew Rieger, on Flickr


1062 35mm 1080p by Andrew Rieger, on Flickr

Alexa


4776_18_large by Andrew Rieger, on Flickr


Alexa 1080p by Andrew Rieger, on Flickr
 
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Andrew is right. These older films will not hold up as well at 4K as most would have you believe. Modern digital is much cleaner.
 
how does he look through an optical viewfinder when a ND 1.5 is infront of the lens?
with 16/35 mm cams i almost see nothing. it gets damn dark through the viewifnder. does arri have a solution for this problem?
 
Don't get me wrong, I think 4K scans of old films look stunning but I think that a modern, all digital pipeline will still produce a cleaner, sharper image than the film scan. The above Alexa movie was recorded in 1080p uncompressed raw to a Codex. I am guessing that Dr. No's blu ray is a 2k scan downresed to 1080p.
 
Cüneyt Kaya said:
how does he look through an optical viewfinder when a ND 1.5 is infront of the lens?
with 16/35 mm cams i almost see nothing. it gets damn dark through the viewifnder. does arri have a solution for this problem?
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I have never used an optical but I guess he could look at the video feed? Just because it has an optical viewfinder does not mean that he could not also use a EVF since it comes from the 1080 signal going out.
 
Cüneyt Kaya said:
how does he look through an optical viewfinder when a ND 1.5 is infront of the lens?
with 16/35 mm cams i almost see nothing. it gets damn dark through the viewifnder. does arri have a solution for this problem?
Click to expand...

I'm sure you can still see through an optical viewfinder with an ND on I mean it's not like the ND filter wasn't invented until after the digital evf.
 
My guess is that it isn't shot prores... :)

And if they have one of the 4:3 protos and are shooting anamorphic, the pixelcount won't be that bad.

Alexa RAW is not bad, guys - from any perspective.

Even Jim likes the competition.

I happen to think that F65/Epic are the next-gen cinema-cams, but that doesn't make the rest bad.

Now. If that was a 5d or c300 in there, I'd have had some second thoughts.
Now I just look foreward to watch the movie...
 
Tom Lowe said:
It's Deakins' choice. He prefers the native dynamic range of the Alexa. I happen to think the film should be shot at 4K, to increase its value and future-proof it, but Roger Deakins is so far beyond any of us here on this forum that I think we should respect his opinion.

It's fair to assume that with Deakins going digital and essentially putting out recent statements about the end of chemical film, digital has now surpassed film for cinema. And it's also fair to say that Jim Jannard deserves significant credit for that.
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What is the DCI spec for 4K 2.39 ? 4096H × 1714V (cropped from a 2048v container). Alexa Studio (4:3 camera used on skyfall) is 5162 X 2160 unsqueezed for 2x scope in camera. I'm pretty sure the film is going to be scope (Hawk lenses). I heard that some where. If so, they will reduce from 5162 x 2160 to 4096 X 1714 for digital projection. I mean "In Time" looked really nice. No need to worry.
 
i am of the opinon that Roger Deakins with a pinhole camera could shoot circles around all of us.

He is somewhat above the fray, and beyond the tools. he just needs what get the job done for him to his liking. Plus hes so polite about everything.

I wish he was my dad.......
 
Well, I'll watch it whatever it's shot on...

Cameras have developed to a stage where this is more of a filmstock kind of discussion thank an absolute quality dscussion...

I wouldn't ike RED to have world monopoly either... :)
 
Bob Torrance said:
This film will look great. For one, it's Roger Deakins, for another it is Alexa Studio with 2160 vertical Res. and Hawk Anamorphics. It will fill out the 4K raster in DI. The vertical res of Epic in 2:40 mode is also 2160. Of course Epic in ana mode with Hawks would look great as well.
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Epic is 3296x2700 in anmorphic mode (8.9 megapixels)
Alexa Studio is approx 5.5 megapixels in anamorphic mode.
 
Erich Ocean said:
Isn't the sensor size a lot different though?
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That's what I had thought, Epic may provide you with more resolution but if you lose the FOV advantage that an Anamorphic lens provides then what's the point? Besides supposedly Alexa Studio's Mechanical shutter all but eliminates rolling shutter artifacts (Or so they and Sony Tell us)
 
Deanan said:
Epic is 3296x2700 in anmorphic mode (8.9 megapixels)
Alexa Studio is approx 5.5 megapixels in anamorphic mode.
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True. Epic is a little sharper . My MX and Epic rentals usually go out with classic softs, black promists, or something to take the edge off. I rent cameras (sometimes I shoot). What I like is that the cameras are starting to have different looks, like different film stocks. EPIC is sharp and slick. Alexa is mellower, etc. They are all usable. My background is film and the first camera I found acceptable for feature work was the MX. Now there are many (or soon will be). Better for everyone. What I'd like to see is a full height Epic sensor (4:3) for use with 2x anamorphics. Dragon?
 
With Anamorphics in mind, Alexa has 2880x2160 and Epic has 3296x2700. Epic has 3:1, and Alexa has 1:1 w/ codex. I'd go with a 4:3 Alexa only because of mechanical shutter. All of the rolling shutter scan lines and artifacts disappear. Red needs to confront this issue.
 
Cüneyt Kaya said:
how does he look through an optical viewfinder when a ND 1.5 is infront of the lens?
with 16/35 mm cams i almost see nothing. it gets damn dark through the viewifnder. does arri have a solution for this problem?
Click to expand...

I agree, stick a ND1.2 on a SR3, and suddenly the world goes very dark :D But the Alexa Studio has a new viewfinder, so we'll see how bright that is, plus Arri is working for a "behind the glass" slot for filters (plus, there's this solution from Clairmont cameras, though I guess it'd be different for the Alexa Studio)
 
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