Preping for Varicam shoot, shalow d.o.f concern

[T-Spect Le]

I'm preping for a Varicam shoot. I have 2 concerns:

 

1) The producer like to have the shallowest depth of field possible, fish eye lenses is also considered.

 

2) Output to 35mm film, Cine Alta or Varicam is more suitable for this?

 

So far I'm looking into the 2/3" Zeiss & Fujinon E-series 20mm and 40mm. Are they comparable to 35mm in terms of shallow d.o.f? I'm thinking of renting a P&S Technik Pro 35mm adaptor for 2/3" to get that extra shallow d.o.f, is this necessasry since they already have 2/3" prime lenses? How about fish eye 2/3" lens?

 

Any comments on actual film output fr. Varicam vs. Cine Alta?

[David Mullen ASC]

There's no difference in depth of field characteristics between the F900 and the Varicam, since both have 2/3" CCD's. The F900 image is 1080P and the Varicam image is 720P. You'd have to decide if you are OK with the 720P resolution on the big screen.

 

There is about two and half stops more depth of field with 2/3" CCD HD cameras over 35mm. This means that if you shoot at an f/2.0 in HD, you'd get the equivalent of shooting at an f/4.0-5.6 split.

 

Not shallow focus except for longer-lensed, tighter shots. I think that's fine, personally, in half the cases anyway except wide-angle shots (where a shallow-focus look is always hard to get anyway).

 

A super-fast HD prime lens opened to f/1.6 will help even more, but for a super-shallow-focus look, you'd have to use the P&S Technik Pro35 and fast 35mm cine lenses.

 

Fish-eye and shallow focus are contradictory almost.

[Phil Rhodes]

Hi,

 

I can't really add much to Mr. Mullen's comments - I recently shot with Varicam, and... really, it's just another video camera that happens to have the useful ability to shoot at 60fps. Very easy to use. I am used to 2/3" video and I don't have a problem with the depth of field; obvious focus artifacts are if I want them to be there, but if I have a particularly evil focus pull to do and I don't want it, I can get rid of it! Ideal.

 

Phil

[Frank Barrera]

if you plan a 35mm out you probably should do a test BEFORE you commit to the 35mm adaptor. all my research says that it softens the image which might look cool on a $20,000 HD monitor but is not something you want to look at on a giant theatre screen. for max dof get the fastest longest HD lens you can and shoot in big rooms keeping your actors as far from the back wall as possible. you will get that "look" you're looking for. obviously, any wide angle lens will give you tons of focus. shoot a test with the various lenses at you disposal and show it to the bosses.

 

 

good luck

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