Peer Landa

Phil... ..thank you so much for taking the time & effort making that video. Your rig looks very streamlined, considering all the stuff it includes. Though, that counterweight is just plain silly since the pivot point (shoulder) is just next to it, (i.e., that weight thingee will only add more weight to the rig and on your shoulder). By the way, here's a stupid video of my current setup: -- peer

I wouldn't call that clunky cage "very thought through" or "very inexpensive" -- it doesn't even have space for an extended battery-grip. --peer

To avoid noise, try to shoot with as low ISO as possible, and use 1/48 (1/50) shutter speed for 24fps. -- peer

I try to shoot as linear (flat) as possible, and then do the grading in post. The same for B&W. This gives me more grading options for the B&W desaturation (I tend to like crushed footage). Here's a quick & dirty test example from a portrait series that I'm currently working on: -- peer

The 5D2 will give you approx. 12 min/4GB. -- peer

So why not then just bump the aperture on your 5D..? -- peer

I used this camera for that shoot: -- peer

I'd go with Zeiss. Here's a raw snippet from a portrait series that I'm currently working on -- and yes, even if I have a few L glass as well, I mostly end up using my Zeiss lenses. Notice the nice DOF: http://www.vimeo.com/25851323 -- peer

Is there a price list and an order form somewhere on that site? -- peer

I went with the Blue (with some Red sprinkled). Happy as a clam: -- peer

Yeah, that's also what I felt... but my Irish buddy argued that he's "a professional drinker" and hence "shouldn't worry". I guess I'm too gullible to keep friends like that. -- peer

Here's a short clip that shows my current setup, shot the other night as my Irish buddy came over with a few bottles of Guinness -- I'm shooting with his 5d2 while he's molesting my camera rig: <br style="font-size: 13px; "> https://ccrma.stanford.edu/~peer/fastmotionfilms.html -- peer

Initially I started out with inexpensive gear, mostly from India, including a follow focus unit that I thought looked decent enough. This, however, I can only describe as a BIG mistake. Except for the little money I could recoup later by selling the items. Basically, getting this cheap Indian stuff was like flushing dough down the drain -- and the last piece I got rid of was their follow focus. Yes, if I only knew back then what I know now, I could've saved quite a bit of money by going with Redrock (or even Zacuto) to start with. I've now built a new 5d2 rig with mostly Redrock parts (including their follow focus) and some CPM carbon fiber stuff. Here's my new ff-unit: http://tinyurl.com/252u5cm So the above was the more sensible part of this post -- here comes the remaining silly one: I was thinking; a good way to test & exercise my new ff-unit would be to use it with my most Doffy lens -- an old 85mm f/1.4 Carl Zeiss, and shoot with it wide open. Hence, the Depth of Field is VERY shallow (at one yard this lens has less than 10 millimeters of DOF). And since I'm currently cat-sitting three crazy cats, I tried to capture one of them, "Trouble", and his unpredictable ways -- no, it doesn't get more silly than this: -- peer

So what's next -- discover how a V5600 can mitigate your neck pain from overusing the Z-Finder...? Just teasing. -- peer (who got both)

I'm sure all what you're saying here is very correct and classy, but yet to me just words that make my simpleminded brain even more confused. Hence, I'm still curious if someone could point me to some sharp footage shot with a Lomo on a 5D. Perhaps that's too much to ask..? -- peer

Well, my questions/comments have all been in regard to the topic at hand -- Benedict's lens -- and whether I should purchasing it after he posted the following soft footage taken with it: -- peer

I don't dispute this at all, especially since I have no idea how either of those will work as a projector lens. The only thing I know is that I have not, so far, found any footage out from a Lomo (as a shooting lens) that has stacked up to the Isco (35/42/54). Hence, I ask again, can someone please point me to some sharp Lomo footage, so I can change my mind -- I'd gladly lash out dough on some classy & classic Russian glass. Glasnost. -- peer

That goes without saying. Of course. And that's why I wanted you (or anyone) to point me to some sharp Lomo/5D footage because I have certainly not found it -- and I have been looking hard & long (it has always been a dream of mine to use Lomo's -- I'm an old Andrei Tarkovsky fan). -- peer

So could you then point me to some sharp Lomo/5D footage, or are the "people operating them" all inept when it comes to pulling focus? -- peer

Sorry about that. Now fixed. Perhaps "fine" and "perfectly acceptable" but still costing almost 10 times an Isco, four times the weight, and only half as sharp. I don't get it. Just take a look at this 5D Lomo shoot: http://www.vimeo.com/12450109 ...and compare that to this 5D Isco clip: Be honest -- if the above was a blind A/B test, which one would you had said was shot with the more expensive lens..? -- peer

Although I always thought Russian glass looked cool on DSLR's -- but is it just me or does most all Lomo footage appear to end up so soft that it's not even funny..? No offense, but would lash out $7000 for such a lens, methinks..?! -- peer

I'm looking to buy an Iscorama 36 or 42. -- peer