Hannes Famira

Let me just start out saying that I am not a big fan of Proaim products in general. They seem clunky, heavy and are missing the sort of mechanical refinement that I am always looking for in my gear. This jib is an exception. Big, heavy and clunky are actually positive qualities in this case. It feels like a tractor. There is no play or slack in the joints. I found that once the jib is recklessly overloaded my heavy-duty Ronford&Baker tripod becomes the bigger problem, not the jib itself. I solved this issue by mounting it on fat, old Mitchell risers rather than on the tripod. If the base stays level, the head stays level too and I have had no issue with that.

Also check out the Proaim 10 Wave jib. New it's $680.00 and I have had mine for a couple of years. Your camera package has to be massive to make it jiggle. The worst thing about this monster is its carrying bag, which works but is just too soft sided for a heavy item like this: https://www.proaim.ca/collections/jibs/products/proaim-10-wave-2-plus-telescopic-jib-arm-crane

In camera support mass is your friend. See if you can find an old Ronford&Baker F7 on eBay. Here is one (completely overpriced): https://ebay.us/49Yz73 I found one a while ago for $800 and had it serviced. Now it's as good as new. No weight limits, works underslung on a jib and I hear reports they even function under water.

I have no idea what a crystal dome is either. Could I ask you to please share your findings.

Taking measurements for a new (custom CNC) top plate:

I hope this link works: https://www.ebay.com/sch/i.html?_from=R40&_trksid=p2334524.m570.l1313&_nkw=odyssey+7q%2B&_sacat=21162&LH_TitleDesc=0&_osacat=21162&_odkw=odyssey+7q

Hey everybody. I need to pick up a shot for which I am looking to borrow a crazy long zoom lens, just for one evening. Cine gears for a controlled creeping zoom (using a lens motor) and either PL or Nikon F-mount preferred. This is the missing, closing shot for my no-budget short. If you have the lens and would not mind hanging out on that hill in Sunset Park one early Winter evening, that would be tremendous. There is no rush. Sometime in November or even December would work. It would be nice to meet you and chat while we wait for the right light. I will bring my camera and everything else we need, including beers and possibly sandwiches? You will bring your lens. Just for this one shot: Cinemascope, it starts really close on a lit window and slowly, slowly keeps zooming out. First revealing facades of a row of buildings. Then you see the roofs of Brooklyn. But we keep going until the Manhattan skyline is revealed. It wouldn't hurt if there was some fog hanging between the skyscrapers that day. And finally the glow of sunset over New Jersey is revealed. Ideally I would be looking for a cine converted zoom with a filter thread of around 52mm (like any of my old Nikon primes) as I am planning to use my Schneider 2x anamorphic projection lens, which I used to shoot the rest of the project. Let me know if you are interested. Thanks!

This is a very compelling argument. I was going for focus on the left but I have a very experienced operator friend who disagreed. He works mostly in TV (big camera on sticks) and he is used to the FIZ handle with all the buttons on the right. So your point comes as a relief. I think this settles it for me. Thanks Satsuki!

Very interesting. Thanks Aapo. So when I operate shoulder mounted with both hands on the grips you would tend to still use the left hand for focus?

I am craving Tilta's Nucleus-M FIZ system mightily. Without having actually tried it I am wondering: Coming from still photography my instinct is to map focus to my left hand. I am right hand dominant though. So over time I might actually be able to achieve more precise control if focus was mapped to the right Tilta handle. It's a finger wheel that I assume is operated with the index finger. Does anybody have experience with this, can share their preference with me and maybe add a reasoning for their choice? Thanks!

Ladder, ubangee and camera underslung?

Hey everybody. I just ordered a xMac mini Server, Thunderbolt 3 Edition (https://www.sonnetstore.com/collections/thunderbolt-expansion-systems/products/xmac-mini-server-thunderbolt-3-edition?variant=28533878587426) intending to turn my 2018 MacMini into a powerful Davinci Resolve editing workstation. Can anyone advise me as to what GPU card would be compatible with Mac OS and currently offer the most effective speed-up for Resolve? Any pointers are appreciated.

I am just working my way through the Film Simplified online courses and I am very happy about the way things are explained: https://deals.filmsimplified.com/home They have a bunch of free classes that will give you a good idea of the level of detail and the pace of the classes. I am a total beginner and from my vantage point I highly recommend it!

How about a eyepiece cup heater unit? There is a Denz heated eye cup on eBay https://ebay.us/YmBWKC I wonder if I could somehow have that fitted to my (more budget friendly) Alphatron. Or is there a lens it these?

I have no experience with these. Are they somehow standardized? I am interested to learn more.

Thank you Robin, while this looks like a great product I am not sure it will work in my Alphatron. Has anyone tried anti-fog sprays? I am reading wildly different reviews on Amazon and I am reluctant to spray any of this stuff on my EVF without having someone here confirm that I won't ruin the diopter and that it actually works.

I am using an Alphatron EVF. When I am operating shoulder mount and break into sweat the diopter fogs up and it's basically impossible to work that way. Any advice would be great. Thanks!

I have the Tilta EVF mount and extension that use standard Arri connectors. For behind the camera I am combining this with Arri eyepiece leveler support. Works like a charm. No wiggling: https://tilta.com/product-category/tilta/support-systems/evf-support/

Operator work out: https://video.xx.fbcdn.net/v/t42.9040-2/62386936_463407177768609_6728038940307095552_n.mp4?_nc_cat=103&_nc_sid=985c63&efg=eyJ2ZW5jb2RlX3RhZyI6InN2ZV9zZCJ9&_nc_ohc=sMVG93THOIkAX-eT4cT&_nc_ht=video-lga3-1.xx&oh=71cd39e8035d7c8bda8b694ec57d794c&oe=5EF60465

Thank you everybody. This is really good guidance. I know now what to do and I even understand why. ?

So I shot my first short and I started poking around in Resolve and now I want to get the basic set-up right. My question for you is: What size should I choose for editing my project. The obvious question is what is the intended use for this film, how would I deliver it? I do not expect to ever show it to anyone besides the participants and "friends 'n family". So it really doesn't matter. But it seems a good moment to learn about the considerations going into this decision. The footage was captured on a Super 35 sensor at 1080p with an anamorphic 2x squeeze. So if I keep the 1080 vertical lines and apply the 2.39:1 formula it gives me a resolution of 2581x1080. That means that once the picture is de-squeezed I'd be chopping off a lot of pixels that extend horizontally beyond the CinemaScope frame: 1920 x 2 = 3840. So I would be giving up 1259 pixels per line. Wow. Still, I have no problem with this as it means that I can even adjust my framing horizontally and I am keeping every single pixel of the vertical resolution. Cool. Now I am reading that 2560x1080 wide is actually the maximum width for DVI dual link and a standard Scope film on a BluRay is just 1920x800. The last contestant for this game is the 2k Cinema DCP at 2048x858. And now I am at a loss which way to go. I hesitate to reduce the vertical size for the edit. While it would allow me to tweak the frame in all 4 directions, I would be surrendering resolution. I am thinking that if it became necessary for the delivery format I might as well just scale down the finished edit, right? Can you sway me in any of these directions? Do you have a personal preference or any experience what film makers prefer and why? Any input is appreciated. Thanks guys!

Outstanding, thanks Kyryll!

Much appreciated. Thanks guys! That old thread answers half of my question. I realize now that I was mixing extension tubes (that simply add space between the rear element and the focal plane) with extenders, which add essentially a "magnifying glass" behind the lens that doubles the image in size). It makes sense to me now that extension tubes will not work. Wouldn't a 2x optical extender keep things in focus as it adds an optical element? I have the Century 2x Extender with PL mount that works on zoom lenses but I lack an anamorphic lens to conduct the experiment myself.

Hey everybody, I am not in the position to test this myself but the curiosity is killing me: Why will a 2x extender not work with with 2x anamorphic lens? I have read multiple times in forums that it won't work and even the Duclos website notes that their extension tubes won't work with anamorphic lenses: https://www.ducloslenses.com/collections/adapter/products/exttubekit The physics prohibiting it escape me. Does anybody have actual experience trying this and can explain?