Stephen Williams
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Posts posted by Stephen Williams
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Hi,
> And I believe film is easier to shoot than video.
Drivel! How is it possible for a seemingly-intelligent person to make this preposterous contention?
I'm not going to go over the reasons this is insane again, but really, honestly...
Phil
Phil,
Who are you quoting?
I said "I think shooting on film can be easier than video! mabe even quicker if you don`t have a video tap! "
Stephen Williams DoP
Zurich
www.stephenw.com
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I'd like a really soft image to use for close-ups and interviews. Thanks.
The larger the soft box the softer the light will be.
Stephen
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Here's the actautor for the gate swing up thingie. It's the brass rod on the right. It pushes down. Along the top edge of the lens mount plate is a mount system for something. There are screw holes, a rectangular opening above the light path, and some kind of portruding, square rod tip in the middle. What the heck does this all do? Included are pics of the gate device up and down.
Paul,
I think this could be a capping shutter! Mabe the camera was used to shoot SLIT SCAN (Like the titles for 2001).
The inside moving plate is the buckle switch to kill power if the film jams.
Best wishes,
Stephen Williams DoP
www.stephenw.com
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Hi
I've been given a cooke kinetal 50mm prime. Unfortunately the lens has yellowed, I've been told that this is due to some sort of radiation action within the glass. Does this means that the lens is now scrap or can it be rectified?
Thanks Rob Spence.
Rob,
I have used a very yellow Cooke Speed Pancro 75mm lens! Its still a great lens and you don't need to use an 85 filter! You should test the lens, However I am sure that you will be able grade out the yellow by printing or in telecine.
Good Luck
Stephen Williams DP
Zurich
www.stephenw.com
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Are those scratches? Why so many lines? Could this be a problem with the processing/transfer?
Thank you for your help!!
IMHO it looks like negative scratches on the emulsion side of the film. You need to check the camera and magazine very carefully and try to recreate the problem with unexposed film.
Stephen
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What does the quarter circle selector (in increments of 10) on the back do?
Thanks for any help,
Paul
Paul,
Was that the camera from E-Bay?
That is the shutter angle adjustment (Max 170). If you post some photos relating to the other questions I mabe can help further.
Stephen Williams DP
Zurich
www.stephenw.com
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You should also keep in mind that renting an HD camera
Is going to cost 2x more than renting and SD camera.
I think an F900 goes for about 1grand a day.
As opposed to the SDX900 which is around 400 a day.
SD lenses are also less expensive than HD lenses...
Be expected to shell out close to 2000 a day for a good HD package
Especially one with prime lenses.
I'd expect to double your budget in the camera dept
When moving from SD to HD.
You might work out some good deals with rental houses
But you should ask around for rental prices for cameras...
Depending on how many days shoot and your shooting ratio , Super 16 could be an option as you want the highest quality. I charge the same whatever format I shoot. IMHO the final product looks much better when shot on film, so is the best value for my client.
Stephen
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Hi,
Compare to SD or DV production, how much more does a HD production would cost to clients in general? I know this is sort of a nonsensical question since there are many factors that can increase cost, but, say, if someone is to hire a production house ( pre, production, post prodcution all included as one) to make a 10 min. video to display in a museum. When all other things are equal, like travel, personnel cost, getting copyrighted material approval and so on, if the client want to go with HD not regular definition, what kind of cost increase does a client face? In general, how big of a difference does it make budget wise today from regular definition to a HD ?
Thanks in advance
Luka Kito
It depends on where you are located and which HD format. Not every Facility can handle HD ! However it should be priced at a small (if any) premium to Digi Beta. The tapes are a little more expensive.
Stephen Williams
DP Zurich
www.stephenw.com
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I'm aware that thr Arri III is a single pin registered camera or more exactly single claw and a double claw is preferable. I want to know about other DP's or camera persons shooting HIGH SPEED with this camera. Cheers!
I have used Arri III at most speeds upto 130 FPS without any problems. However don't let the film run out at high speed! Its not as steady as a Mitchell, but if you finish on Telecine double pin registered won't help.
Stephen Williams DoP
Zurich
www.stephenw.com
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Hi,
> I just have to say I love the way they shoot "The Office"
Eugh, it is brown and flat and dull.
Phil
I think he means the camera movement, I thought it was different and cool.
Stephen
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This picture was taken on F5.6.
And that JUST about get's the subjects head in focus. (Although I appreciate it's a dog, long face, but then again F5.6 isn't exactly small)
(200iso Kodak HD - 50mm static lens - F5.6)
Daniel,
I have been looking at the American Cinematographers Manuel, comparing Acadamy 185 and Vista Vision 185. Assuming you use the same focal length lens for both formats I think to match your picture's DoF on a motion picture camera would be approx f2.8. or slightly wider. (Assuming your picture was landscape and not portrait )
Stephen Williams DP
Zurich
www.stephenw.com
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Greetings,
I just have to say I love the way they shoot "The Office". It reminds me of Von Trier's handheld style. It's strange the actors look at the camera all the time. It's letterboxed so I wonder if it's shot HD. Anyone know?
It was shot 16x9 as this is the standard for UK Television.
Stephen Williams DoP
Zurich
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It defies logic and physics so until someone gives me a reason I can understand, I'm going to file that into the "wive's tales" and "psuedo-science" that permeates the film industry, the same thinking that got us believing that the Frazer lens had more depth of field or that you need to poor more light on a black object to make it black.
David,
I think I have an answer you will understand!
David Samuelson's HANDS-ON manuel for cinematography second edition page 220 explaines it well. I simplify as follows:-
DoF is measured from the enterance pupil of the lens NOT the film plane.
With a zoom lens the enterance pupil MOVES during Zoom and focus changes
The Panavision Primo 11:1 T2.8 24-275 is a good example.
With the lens focused at infinity:-
@24mm the enterance pupil is 305.9mm in front of focal plane
@275mm the enterance pupil is 263.4 behind the focal plane.
At the wide end of the Zoom there is less DoF than a prime. However at the long end of the zoom there is more DoF!
With all lenses the enterance pupil data is available from the manufactures. This is why the charts supplied by Cooke for the S4 lenses do not exactly match the Ultra Primes charts by Arri.
Stephen Williams DoP
Zurich
www.stephenw.com
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Look, I don't know how to thread a 35mm Panaflex. I've never had a reason to learn.
David,
Thats interesting, I feel uncomfortable when using an Arri 435 because I don't know how to load it! I guess you came the Gaffer route!
Stephen Williams DoP
Ultracam & Mitchell Owner
www.stephenw.com
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Yes, these two things are connected, but the correct solution would put an awful lot of loaders and second assistant cameramen out of work and we couldn't possibly countenance that, could we!
Phil
Phi,
I guess most of the loaders and second assistant cameraman would pick video cameras. Then they would call themselves cameramen or DoP 's!
Stephen Williams DP
Zurich Switzerland
www.stephenw.com
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$500.00/day on a low budget film is not a deal:(
It depends on how experianced the DP is, and how many days you are booking him for?
Stephen Williams DP
Zurich
www.stephenw.com
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Try and find an arri 2, much better for hand holding and cheap to rent!
Stephen Williams DP
Zurich
www.stephenw.com
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Oxberry camera's & optical printers sometimes come up on E-Bay. There is little demand and the price is usually under 1000 USD . IMHO This would be a perfect way to register the film, when building a scanner.
Many years ago I did time lapse with a Nikon and a 250 frame back. As the Nikon was not pin registered I had to line up the images by overlaying the frames with reference to the first frame. Finally I filmed them on an Oxberry. It worked well
Stephen Williams DP
Zurich
www.stephenw.com
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Hmmm, if you were just 1mm out on your line up, you would be a foot out on a decent size cinema screen every frame. That will make a few people think there's an earthquake!
Well you could line up the perf and make it sort of Pin registered! I think the perfs are accurate to 1/100 mm. The corners should match much better than 1mm as they are exposed in the camera gate, so for a non pin registered camera they would be very good. Remember TK's are not pin registered, they usually rely on the edge of the film. A very bad idear IMHO.
Stephen Williams DP
Zurich
www.stephenw.com
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But if we forget all about budget, then I guess he should just reshoot on 65mm! :rolleyes:
IMHO If you have a good colourist then you can do a lot in 1 Hour! I find the slight adjustments made in Flame are nothing like as good as a final TK. The TK option is often cheaper as a good colourist is very fast.
Stephen
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Hi,
> Remember the DigiBeta is compressed
Yeah, but not very much.
> and the reduced SDI color space
The colour space is similar, or at least similar in chromatic resolution, to any other 10-bit medium, such as a DPX film scan. The spatial resolution is reduced, not the colourspace.
Phil
Phil,
IMHO would still go back to the original the original neg to grade.
SDI is 4:2:2 , Digi Beta is about 2:1 compressed.
Film has a greater color range than 10 bit DPX in any case.
Stephen Williams DP
Zurich
www.stephenw.com
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Here's the difference:
Someone who's career is as a professional colorist vs. an editor who knows how to use the controls in an Avid. It's more expensive because it's better quality and you have someone with a trained and critical eye helping you. It's the small adjustments, like you require, that neccessitate a more skilled operator.
I would recomend the professional colorist working from the original film material. Remember the DigiBeta is compressed and the reduced SDI color space
Stephen Williams DoP
Zurich
www.stephenw.com
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Hello.
I'm looking into possibly going over to new york to shoot a couple of commercials later this year. I'm basically here to ask what are THE laboratories and THE telecine facilities in NYC to go after, since I've never done anything there? Source would be S16 and telecine something of the sort of Spirit or Shadow with DaVinci 2K or similar. Telecine would be done onto PAL Digibeta.
Also if anyone here has their 5 cents on camera and lighting rentals companies they are especially happy with in NYC, speak up.
Thanks a million, people.
antony
Anthony,
I shot on a Minima in New York 18 months ago. Camera Equipment from Abel Cine, processing and telecine at DuArt. We did a VERY GOOD Best light transfer on a SPIRIT to a PAL Digibeta in 16x9 FHA.
Both companies highly recomended.
Stephen Williams DoP
Zurich
www.stephenw.com
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What have you heard about the Aaton XTR and its reliability. Do you like the Arri SRI or SRII more, and why?
The choice is a very personal one. The Aaton XTR was designed for super 16mm. The SRI & SRII are just converted. A great deal depends who converted the camera and how much money they saved at that time! Both cameras will need regular servicing, allow USD2000 every 4 years, even with low usage. The Arri will stand rough handeling which is why its the first choice for rental companies. A well maintained XTR is probably quieter and steadier, than an SRII or SRI.
Stephen Williams DoP
Zurich
www.stephenw.com
HD production cost
in HD
Posted
Phil,
"many times more expensive" If that were true then only people with the highest budgets could shoot film. However many students make films on film, instead of making a video on video.
Stephen Williams DoP
www.stephenw.com