Robin Phillips

A 2k scan can get shrunk down to 1080 if you want. some of what you're missing in the cost estimate isnt the resolution bump, its how and the speed at which the scanners run. A 1080 telecine (usually a spirit 2k/4k these days) is running at full speed, having a look applied as it goes. Your one light / best light off one of these machines tends to mean the operator sets the look based on your charts at the head of the roll and lets it capture. Scene to scene means more care is given to each shot / take to ensure there is greater consistency between the rolls. Some times you can just do a flat pass off these machines, which is a log-ish image that gives you a bit more to work with than a one light rec709 image (with its relatively limited attitude). FYI your "ungraded" images look like they have a 1 light look applied. If you choose to use an "HDR" scanner, what use to be called a cineon scan in vfx circles, you'll get an image more in line with what you'd expect out or a red camera or something - that is, a more washed out log image. These scanners will flash each frame at different exposures and/or with different color LEDs to extract the most out of the negative. Some scanners flash twice, some three times, and I think the fancy new Director 10k can flash a given frame 9 times if you want to burn money. Cinelab's Xena scanner is pretty darn spectacular, especially for the price, but if you want 2k definitely make it clear you want that HDR image. I think they do 2k on the scan station right now which, while great, I dont believe is set up for HDR. Robert Houllahan posts here frequently, so you can probably DM him or just give cinelab a call.

Just wondering are you at Chapman? if so, glad to hear the old datacine is still in use. IIRC they were primarily intended for HD work and dalies pipelines, but I don't think there is anything stopping you from doing a rec2020 / DCI scan with one. oddly, the wikipedia entry on the spirit series of scanners/telecine devices is fairly comprehensive as a crash course into the system https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Spirit_DataCine This probably isnt that helpful, but I've seen some spectacular scans off spirit 4ks in the past, though they were rec709 finishes (Fruitvale station was Spirit->HDcamSR, ol fotokem just wont let tape die). The operator should be able to give you a flat image with which you can unfold more latitude ala SLOG or a similar container. I've seen stuff off scanstations and goldeneyes done this way, so I'd imagine you can do it with a spirit. If the scanner has a keycode reader, consider sending a pull list to a lab that has one of the fancier "HDR" scanners (theres a bunch on the forum). it'll will cost, but if you want a triple flash scan thats the best way to really play with how far you can take film. My colorist was floored when he got a look at stuff we got back that went through cinelab's Xena scanner. And man, if you can use a director 10k like they have at Roundabout... your mind will be blown

you might want to consider dropping an LLD filter in and shooting 500T rated at 400 instead. theres no light loss with that filter, and it makes it a bit easier to match to daylight stocks. 250D is fairly grainy I've found on its own when rated/exposed per the box compared to 50D, so if you're diving into grain land may as well just do 500T and color correct and save the cost of push processing.

theres usually some optar s16 lenses that show up on ebay. They're fast, have gears and markings for cinema use. I dont personally have experience with them but they may be worth looking at

digital rolling shutter is one of those things that just never feels right, and once you notice it its like it can't be unseen. I've noticed adding a tiny bit of film grain can help reduce it, at least with Alexa footage, but why we've moved away from putting in the effort to do global shutter digital systems is just beyond me... I was really hoping the panavision DXL was going to be global shutter. alas...

do you have an asking price? does it have the anamorphic viewfinder or the spherical viewfinder?

wait, theres Chinese knockoff Eterna? when did this happen and how does one find it?

HD telecine / 2k scan really varies a lot by shop. Cinelab in boston posts their rates online, which are by the ft. most other places seem to be by labor hour, but the per ft scan/hd telecine rates for 16mm seem to range from .20/ft to .60/ft depending on the shop, the volume of stock, the type of scanner (spirit, arriscan, lasergraphics etc). and if you need keycode or anything else embedded in your files keep in mind these are rough numbers and calling to get quotes will get you an accurate number for a given shop.

IIRC Roundabout in Burbank has a Director 10k for 35mm, not sure if they have it set up for 16

did anyone else feel like if they wanted a JJ style pilot they should have just hired JJ to do the pilot?

how far would you venture they pushed the stock? just one stop or 2?

judging from the contrast, and lens distortion (or lack there of), my money is on arri/zeiss Ultra16s. these are the successors to the zeiss s16 superspeeds. they're arguably the sharpest 16mm lenses ever made, all T1.3.