Matching Lenses/Stock between GH2 and Arri Super 16mm

Roland Mathias · January 7, 2015

I am planning to shoot a black and white short on Super 16 with one or two Arri Ultra Primes.

Since I don't want to waste any money I would like to do test with my GH2 and then go in and basically reshoot shot for shot with the Arri 413.

So I am looking for a good way to approximate a Ultra 16 T1.3/12 mm (for example) on the GH2 with a cheaper lens, that still would give the same framing and a sort of close DoF performance.

It would also be nice to be able to emulate the filmstock response of the ORWO UN 54 stock which is rated at 100 . If I would for example shoot with a 2/3rds lens that has a rating of 1.4, and I would set the Iso also to 100, could I expect a sort of (although surely differnt in quality/highlights etc) rending of the image on the GH2 or is this generally not a good idea?

Thanks for your help.

Edited January 7, 2015 by Roland Mathias

Will Montgomery · January 8, 2015

You might be better off using/borrowing a Black Magic Pocket Cinema Camera for this test.

You can get a PL adapter and use the same lens you'd use in S16 and the sensor size is closer to S16 on the BMPCC which may help you visualize better. I've found the BMPCC to be the closest to S16mm in both look and lens focal lengths. Setting it to RAW gets even closer. As far as emulating the response of ORWO, that's more tricky. You can certainly emulate the LOOK of the stock in post, but setting the camera to match exposure characteristics at ASA100 is a little like apples and oranges.

Good news is that your lens choices between S16 and BMPCC will be the same whereas the GH2 could mess you up with that larger sensor.

Kenny N Suleimanagich · January 9, 2015

Are you really saving money by doing the whole thing twice?

Will Montgomery · January 18, 2015

Shot a music video last year with an SR2, Canon 5D m3 and Sony FS700. I was extremely surprised how I was able to make it all work together. Must have a good colorist for sure.

Chris Burke · January 21, 2015

Don't bother with look too much if you are going to reshoot anyway. It could be more expensive to do it twice, but if you are not paying anyone, go for it.