SI-3D .. silicon imaging 3D camera

[Mohammed El Sharqawy]

have you guys checked this:

A LINK>>>

thoughts?

 

[Michael Hastings]

Seems pretty nice. Hopefully RED is working on something similar for Epic/Scarlet as whether 3d is a short term gimmick or here to stay, it is a hot topic right now and the epic/scarlet packaging should be very adaptable.

I've been playing with U/W 3D with two canon hfs100s and it is pretty cool but there isn't any easy 3d monitoring option, so what SI is doing would really simplify all types of 3d shooting.

 

[Mitch Gross]

Silicon Imaging's integrated 3D software makes using the system a real joy. Shooting 3D with cobbled together gear is a major pain. Having one controller to run the complete stereo rig as a single unit changes everything. Nobody wants to work with a science project on set.

 

[Rudi Herbert]

Silicon Imaging's integrated 3D software makes using the system a real joy. Shooting 3D with cobbled together gear is a major pain. Having one controller to run the complete stereo rig as a single unit changes everything. Nobody wants to work with a science project on set.

Is this based on the Cineform 3D software?

 

[Mark L. Pederson]

Is this based on the Cineform 3D software?

No. The software (Silicon DVR) was created in association with Iridas.

Silicon DVR allows you TWO recording options. You can shoot directly to the Cineform codec, or shoot directly to .SIV RAW files - the native RAW format of the camera. .SIV can be converted to DNG, DPX or Quicktime format of your choice.

The Cineform 3D software is Neo3D - which allows editing in stereo in FCP, along with tools for correcting 3D material and adjusting convergence, etc.
The latest build of Silicon DVR allows you to create muxed 3D interleaved Quicktimes that will drop directly into Neo3D.

 

[Lauri Kettunen]

I'm not familiar with 3D practices, but read recently an article in which it was claimed that most 3D movies are animations because it's a real pain in neck to keep two digital cameras properly aligned for 3D movie. Then it was added that very tiny errors in the alignment that follow, for example, from heat expansion makes it rather difficult to shoot 3D movies.

How is it, is the alignment of cameras a real issue that requires constants adjustments? Guess this boils down to the issue how sensitive the errors of 3D images are to small variations.

 

[Michael Hastings]

Silicon Imaging's integrated 3D software makes using the system a real joy. Shooting 3D with cobbled together gear is a major pain. Having one controller to run the complete stereo rig as a single unit changes everything. Nobody wants to work with a science project on set.

This is why I am hoping RED will do something soon. But SI certainly seems to have a leg up and a powerful system. Wish I could afford it but my discretionary funds are committed toward the Epic-X upgrade.

Mitch:

Any interest in having us make an underwater housing for this rig? I would do it on spec but would need hands on the camera a couple of times for a few days.

Rudi and I have been playing with some u/w 3D with canon HFS100s. Only shot with it once so far (sharks in the Bahamas), but even that is fairly cool.

 

[Rudi Herbert]

I'm not familiar with 3D practices, but read recently an article in which it was claimed that most 3D movies are animations because it's a real pain in neck to keep two digital cameras properly aligned for 3D movie. Then it was added that very tiny errors in the alignment that follow, for example, from heat expansion makes it rather difficult to shoot 3D movies.

How is it, is the alignment of cameras a real issue that requires constants adjustments? Guess this boils down to the issue how sensitive the errors of 3D images are to small variations.

Well, I don't know what to tell you, but my initial impressions are quite the opposite. I am a very experienced editor and color grader but never once worked in 3D until I got my hands on the shark footage Mike talks about above, which was also the first time he had been shooting in 3D. The stuff looks VERY good, and I actually had to synch the cameras based on actions that happened onscreen since these cameras don't have genlock. On top of that, one of the cameras kept loosing focus relative to the other, and even then, the resulting footage is quite convincing. I'm not saying that 3D, or any other complex technology, is a walk in the park, but I have found mostly that listening to those who preach the no-can-do philosophy will keep you from venturing out, whereas going out there with a can-do attitude will help you tackle and fix problems. My initial impression with working with 3D has been so positive in fact that I'm committing a budget to it and buying the Cineform software. So no, although there are levels of sophistication and perfection that can be attained with different set ups and gear, like with anything else, bare bones 3D can yield quite acceptable results if you follow a few basic principles.

 

[Rudi Herbert]

Mitch:

Any interest in having us make an underwater housing for this rig? I would do it on spec but would need hands on the camera a couple of times for a few days.

Rudi and I have been playing with some u/w 3D with canon HFS100s. Only shot with it once so far (sharks in the Bahamas), but even that is fairly cool.

I would love to help shoot some stuff with the SI's, I've used footage from the cameras before and it was very, very, very good stuff, surpassing RED in dynamic range though loosing to it in sheer resolution. Those camera heads are small enough that Mike could make a nice, compact housing that could be used by almost anybody. I'm gonna be doing some shooting in the next few weeks with this housing that Mike developed, and we're already working on ways to improve it, so given the fact that the Canon AVCHD cameras and the SI mini heads are so similar in size, Mike already has a great head start for such a housing.

 

[Dan Hudgins]

Sony single lens 3D camera vs. twin Stereo cameras

Sony single lens 3D camera vs. twin Stereo cameras

Sony is working on a single lens 3D camera to go with their 3D-Blu-ray and 3D-Lenticular TV systems (see attached photos).

In Lenticular 3D TVs you cannot have disparity in the plane of the screen since that decreases the resolution and increases the bandwidth, so they will want content for their 3D TVs shot with their single lens 3D cameras.

That makes the question: "Will content shot with two cameras size by side or shot with a semi-mirror rig be able to be distributed through the new 3D TV media and watched well on the new 3D TVs".

You can not toe in two cameras to get the same effect as using the single lens Sony camera, you can get too much divergence in the backgorund.

Its a big issue for people who are planing on their 3D camera setup and where they will market their works, if it looks like s**t on Sony 3D TVs then that will push you out of that market?

 

[Mitch Gross]

Our SI cameras are so busy right now that I wonder when I'd ever be able to get a pair of them over to you. Best to talk to SI directly. PM me and I can set up an introduction.

 

[Lauri Kettunen]

but my initial impressions are quite the opposite.

Rudi, thanks a lot for the comment. I have been thinking of making 3D experiments once Red cameras are there and felt the tone of this article was far more pessimistic than the impression I've got by reading Redusernet. Sounds like the person who wrote the article had not experience of his own.

 

[Rudi Herbert]

Rudi, thanks a lot for the comment. I have been thinking of making 3D experiments once Red cameras are there and felt the tone of this article was far more pessimistic than the impression I've got by reading Redusernet. Sounds like the person who wrote the article had not experience of his own.

Lauri,

go ahead, give it a try, you'll be surprised at how (relatively) easy and fun it is! Just take 2 cameras, put them 7-8 cm apart, use the same settings on both, especially the same focus, make sure they are parallel to each other, use a clapper to establish sync, and shoot things in front of them. Ideally, nothing closer than 2 meters to the cameras, and then that's it. Download the Cineform 3D trial software, read its easy instructions, load the clips and voila, instant 3D! You'll be amazed. You can use the anaglyph display which only requires the red and blue glasses you can buy anywhere, and you'll be amazed at how good it looks. Of course, you don't need the cameras to be RED, anything will do, and in fact, we've been playing with small Canon AVCHD cameras and getting amazing results. I'l be happy to answer any questions, although of course, I'm learning myself