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EXCLUSIVE from RED Day: Working EPIC video


Joseph Hutson

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More likely shooting with the 5/7D and needing high end post kit to sort out the problems. Seems there was a bit of sorting needed when an episode of House was shot using DSLR cameras.

Not much information is available, despite 29 pages and counting of righteous indignation on Reduser :lol:

From what information I've been able to gather, in the House season finale, either the hospital itself or some other building collapses, and the 5D was specifically chosen because it allows catastrophically tight shots to be made, presumably to depict the viewpoint of people trapped in the debris.

Generally if you're going to use an inferior image capturing format, it's often better to use the same or some equivalent quality format for the whole production instead of chopping and changing, as an overall drop in quality is often perceived as less distracting than the image quality jumping all over the place.

 

The obvious lesson here is that a remote head option for the Epic is sure to be a winner.

It's significant that none of the RED employees have weighed into the discussion; they're probably too busy figuring out if this is feasible, if they haven't done it already. :lol:

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Cool videos Joseph.

 

The Steadicam Tango is amazing with a 5D. I wonder if they will adopt it to fit a bare bones Epic? I noticed the weight limit was 6 pounds - with 29 pounds put on the operator at this weight.

Edited by Neil Duffy
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From what information I've been able to gather, in the House season finale, either the hospital itself or some other building collapses, and the 5D was specifically chosen because it allows catastrophically tight shots to be made, presumably to depict the viewpoint of people trapped in the debris.

 

It could be the case of picking a tool for a particular job. The confined spaces playing to the 5Ds, strengths and not being too testing of it's weaknesses. I gather the possible Lucasfilm use is shooting cockpit scenes on a TV drama.

 

I suppose it does reduce the requirement for wild walls in the sets.

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I didn't make it to NAB,but I had a brief play with a non-working prototype of the Epic at Red Day in London.

Form factor was to my mind very impressive,with good weight and balance.

The body was configured with the battery handgrip and had one of the Red primes on it.

It felt very familiar to me,perhaps because it's only slightly larger than something like a Mamiya RZ,medium format stills camera.

 

Recently,I also got the chance to play with the Alexa,when I was out at Arri GB,it was also a non-working prototype.

Totally different design philosophy,equally impressive.

Ergonomics are excellent,and everything falls easily to hand.

If you've used any other Arri camera,you'll feel very at home with this one.

Operators are going to love it.I'm certainly looking forward to using it when it's available.

They're both very different but interesting camera's.

I've got slight concern's about the robustness of locking system for the modules on the Epic,seems like there's lots to go wrong,but I'll reserve judgement until I see the final product.

 

Tom.

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Recently,I also got the chance to play with the Alexa,when I was out at Arri GB,it was also a non-working prototype.

 

I'm surprised that they did that. We had working ones at the DGA in April, and at HPA back in February.

 

 

 

 

 

-- J.S.

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...the 5D was specifically chosen because it allows catastrophically tight shots to be made, presumably to depict the viewpoint of people trapped in the debris.

That was supposed to be "claustrophobically"!

Gotta love them spell checkers/correctors :rolleyes:

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  • 2 weeks later...
I've got slight concern's about the robustness of locking system for the modules on the Epic,seems like there's lots to go wrong,but I'll reserve judgement until I see the final product.

 

Aside from this, the thing I can't work out is how you fit a set of rods on the damn thing.

 

A crucial part of a camera system (for high end production at least) is being able to put matte box, follow focus, and so forth on the camera. From the pictures and video I've seen there's too much camera underneath the lens to have your typical baseplate. There does seem to be an adapter for rods (although I don't know how much it would support a 24-290) but it looks like with the adapter you can't slide the rods back, which means you need a different set of rods for each length lens and will have to pull all the aks off to change lenses...

 

Also the LCD in some of the pics seems fixed - not very useful for an AC or extreme camera positions...

 

Anyone know more about this?

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Aside from this, the thing I can't work out is how you fit a set of rods on the damn thing.

 

A crucial part of a camera system (for high end production at least) is being able to put matte box, follow focus, and so forth on the camera. From the pictures and video I've seen there's too much camera underneath the lens to have your typical baseplate. There does seem to be an adapter for rods (although I don't know how much it would support a 24-290) but it looks like with the adapter you can't slide the rods back, which means you need a different set of rods for each length lens and will have to pull all the aks off to change lenses...

 

Also the LCD in some of the pics seems fixed - not very useful for an AC or extreme camera positions...

 

Anyone know more about this?

 

There is a baseplate for Arri standard 19mm or 15mm rods. The LCD or EVF can go virtually anywhere. The configurations are endless.

 

Jim

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There is a baseplate for Arri standard 19mm or 15mm rods. The LCD or EVF can go virtually anywhere. The configurations are endless.

 

Jim

 

Good to hear and happy to take you at your word, IMHO it's both painful and pointless to have a camera that you have to jump through hoops to make production ready (ie this current crop of HDSLRs).

 

I still find the Epic pictures on the red site rather confusing since they clearly show a bolted on LCD and Rods that are blocked by the Epic body. They do look pretty though...

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