Tutorials
Videos from Mark Nicholson and Akira Wing using the Canon 7D and 5D Mark 2 and converting it to 24p also using anamorphic lenses slow motion from 1080p 720p 60 30 24 hacked Gh1 info tests and comparisons
Bolex Anamorphot Compatibility Chart
010 months ago
Bolex Anamorphot 8/19/1.5x Compatibility chart
Before we get into Bolex tutorials, here’s a chart showing basic compatibility with different cameras. Canon DSLRs will be similar to the Red Scarlet at 4k.
Optimal Prime Wide (widest with no vignette up to f22)
Panasonic GH2: 40mm
Black Magic Cinema: 31mm
Red Scarlet 4k: 46mm
Red Scarlet 3k: 37mm
Widest Prime with minimal circular bokeh
GH2: 35mm
BMC: 28mm
4k Red: 40mm
3k Red: 32mm
Absolute Widest – no vignette faster than f2
GH2: 28mm
BMC: 22mm
4k Red: 32mm
3k Red: 26mm
Plasma HDTV as a Computer Monitor – 16 month update
010 months ago
16 months ago I posted a video showing the Panasonic 42″ GT25 being used as a main 3D Computer Monitor. Most people thought there would be issues like burn-in very quickly. As it turns out, there have been no issues except for temporary image retention that goes away after a few seconds at most. I have the display calibrated in THX mode with screen being driven in component mode. The pixel orbiter is set to 1 minute (I’ve never noticed it active) and set the Windows 7 taskbar to hide unless the mouse is over the bottom of the screen. No burn-in anywhere.
The only change has been an improvement in the display quality over the past few months. High Frequency noise in black areas has decreased, and the gamma shift related to shifting black levels has also greatly subsided, possibly even gone away. The monitor was a fantastic purchase at the time, and you’d be hard pressed to do better at the size. Pixel density may not be the greatest, but it’s as close to a large OLED screen that you will be able to purchase in the foreseeable future.
Makinon 28-80 f3.5 Video/Cinema Lens Review
011 months ago
This is a lens design you don’t see often in older zooms. The focus is in the rear and the zoom ring is in the front.
Lens construction is completely metal, made in Japan, extremely durable with well dampened focus and zoom rings. The front element is a large 72mm, and the lens mount on this model is Konica AR. I’ve seen these offered in FD as well on ebay.
Here’s some basic specifications about the lens when it comes to film/video usage:
* Manual aperture ring: Yes
* Direct-coupled focus ring: Yes
* Focus ring rotation: Canon direction
* Non-rotating outer barrel: Yes
* Non-extending outer barrel: No
* Constant field of view: No
* Constant f-stop aperture: Yes
* Rotational zoom ring: Yes
* Varifocal
* Internal Zoom
The biggest advantage of the lens is the constant aperture. It does not vary even in the slightest from 28-80mm. The front element only extends slightly with focus, and it has an internal zoom so the lens stays a constant size while changing the FOV. Another nice advantage of this lens over many zooms of the 80′s is that the front element does not rotate with focus. It is a true dual touch design. Unfortunately, it is completely varifocal, which means you wont be zooming while recording with this lens. The varifocal nature of the lens carries over to the MFD which goes from .23 meters at 28mm to a few feet at 80mm.
Lens Performance:
Being an older lens, quality will very greatly from model to model. Fortunately, this lens looks like it was kept in a closet most of its life and has hardly any use. Stopped down past f5.6 the lens performs fantastically across the entire zoom range. While its large front element makes it susceptible to flare, I find lenses with little coating to be preferable in giving the option of the “flared” less contrast look – especially when combined with anamorphic adapters. At f3.5 the image quality is still nice. Much nicer than comparable sigma zooms of the day at the same aperture. There is a bit of organic glow that keeps the lens resolving around 2-4Mpx on this sample. I’ll make a video review later that will show more of the qualities of this lens.
Overall this lens would be perfect if it weren’t for the fact that it is Varifocal. But as a variable prime, it is a great lens for the price, comparable with Tokina in quality in fact. Just make sure you get the constant aperture version, as there is many 3.5-4.5 versions that go for the same price or more.
Quick Still Samples:
Working on new tutorial series
011 months ago
I’ll post more information and links when its done, but right now I ‘m working on making a new series devoted to the Bolex Moller Anamorphot 1.5x anamorphic adapter. Here’s a sample of the lens combined with the Konica 40mm 1.8 taking lens
4. Hacked Panasonic GH2 Tutorial Series | Testing Footage | ISO Bug
01 year ago
Brought to you by http://www.cavootle.com
What is Cavootle? http://youtu.be/D41vHGWAqts
Fourth in the Hacked GH2 Tutorial Series. In this episode we start with the footage loaded and ready to test with the streamparser software. This software will tell us that the footage has recorded at the correct bitrate, and has all red frames which represent I-frames (GOP 1) which makes this essentially a CBR Intraframe AVCHD codec. Very impressive for a $600 camera. Following this we have information on the ISO Bug which affects ISO 320 and 640 and can be countered by setting a higher ISO and returning back downward. This segment was recorded in true anamorphic which I will talk about in a later video. The video ends with using Kelvin for white balancing.
Hacked GH2 Tutorial Series | Episode 3 | Testing the card and settings
01 year ago
Brought to you by http://www.cavootle.com
What is Cavootle? http://youtu.be/D41vHGWAqts
Third in the hacked GH2 Tutorial Series. In this episode we test settings on the camera and try to test the limits of recording to the card. Here’s the best card for these settings available at B&H.
Hacked GH2 Tutorial Series – Episode 1
01 year ago
Brought to you by Cavootle.com
This is the first in a four part series that will go through and show you the basics of getting the GH2 firmware patched with new settings that will allow bitrates 6x times higher than come stock with the camera.
3200FPS?! Getting the most from the Nikon 1 Series cameras
01 year ago
The new Nikon 1 series has the distinction of being the only camera in its price range that can shoot 400FPS at 640×240. Now that doesn’t sound like much resolution, but for web delivery – it can be usable.
The way the camera comes stock, you wouldn’t want to use the high fps mode, the sharpening makes the image look like it came out of a barbie cam. Aliasing and Moire are present as well -but there’s a cure. Take advice from other video shooting large sensor consumer cams, and lower the sharpening. It not only reduces the sharpening artifacts, it also lessens other artifacts as well. No its not perfect, I wouldn’t even say that its pretty, but its the only option for $599.
Here’s the methodology of my madness. First, we have only 640×240 pixels to work with – we need to make the most of them, so shooting around it in anamorphic, or cropped 16:9 is a must. Secondly, we need to get those few pixels as accurate and neutral as possible. Fortunately, the sharpening setting fixes this perfectly. It makes a usable image from something once unusable.
Next we need to add information. At best this footage is going to look like DV transferred 16mm film. I’m ok with that, so were going to need to add grain in most cases – and evaluate how much on a case by case basis. Were also going to need to add a bit of diffusion. Both of these will be added in a 1080p timeline, so that the downsampled footage will have more information.
Workflow if more FPS needed: Add to 1080p timeline, and use twixtor. Render grading and effects on footage on a second pass so you have more options to work with. Additionally, you never want to add a grain effect before using a program like twixtor, especially with footage with so little information.
132mb GOP3 Hacked GH2 stable
01 year ago
Test the setting, click to download
I’ve been testing multiple GH2 settings for weeks, and I’ve wanted to reach the highest stable bitrate. I think 132mb GOP 3 is going to be fairly close to that for the time being. I’m no AVC expert, certainly someone who is will come up with the penultimate hacked GH2 settings in the next few months, like lpowell did with the GH13.
To get started with these settings, you’re first going to need one of these cards
Be certain to get one of the Extreme Pro cards, anything less will crash. The only other option is a Kingston Extreme XX card. In terms of sequential writes, both cards are very similar in writing performance, however the Kingston cards are more expensive and have faster reading speeds.
