Robin Phillips

IIRC if you just go 1080p out from the alexa, the alexa will be doing its bayer demozaic calculations on board the camera. the reason for it being a "2.8k" camera was to overcome the loss of color information a 1080p native bayer sensor would suffer. So when it downsamples to 1080 out to prores, you're getting an image that was intended to be the output option for HDTV. Doing 2.8k arriraw and demozaicing into a 2.8k image means you're rolling with color interpolation to achieve a 444 2.8k image, vs basically super sampling for a true 444 1080p image. That being said I think the vast majority of everyone has long since abandoned using these cameras as just 2k or 1080p, so I dont think you can go wrong shooting arriraw 2.8k -> 2.8k proress 4444. just providing some context about the camera and why of all numbers its a 2.8k camera.

I was once on a show where they were focusing only by the monitor for the first week of shooting. Panavision Alexa package, all top tier stuff. 50% of the footage was out of focus. We in the post team hypothesized that the monitor was so small (or was not full HD) such that the scaled down image looked in focus when it actually was just ever so out of focus (and not salvageable by post tools). After repeated warnings from us production finally started using laser rangefinders measuring from the image plane to talent, and lo and behold suddenly everything was in focus. On camera monitors lie, or at least are not suitable for interpreting the final image short of a calibrated high rez monitor in a dark tent at video village. Get your marks, measure your focus with a tape measure or a laser finder, or ideally get a cinetape or similar if spending the extra 15-30 seconds to measure your marks is too great an inconvenience. Doing any less is potentially throwing money into a shredder, and leading to heartbreak, disappointment, and scrambling in post to save the picture.

you might want to check with Herman at Cameramarket.eu, he had a small gold mine of fiber screens and ground glasses a while back. Also try hitting up AM Camera at amcamera.com since Andree might have some (or may be able to make you one)

you'll see extra blue in the film grain if you dont do some optical filtration, even after your correction. I've used an LLD filter in the past to take the harshness off those tiny blue grain bits when I dont want to use the 85, since LLD doesnt loose any light. That being said, 500T with the 85 filter looks really good, and brings out a warmth to it you'd otherwise not get. Much better IMO than a corrected, unfiltered 500T.

What is the refresh rate of that monitor? if its 30hz (or even under 60hz potentially) you may encounter problems. If you have another laptop that can do 120hz or higher, you're unlikely to see this sort of behavior (you dont see it at all on TVs anymore). I would test this with a 180 degree shutter if you have not already. I see you're in europe, so I'd see if you can manually jam the laptop display to 50hz or 100hz while shooting at 25fps and see if that improves things. I'd note I have shot iphone screens at 24fps and a 180 degree shutter on an alexa before and we were able to use the in camera footage without manipulation, and there was no ghosting. so I wonder if the 180 degree shutter is necessary. If you have to use THIS laptop, try plugging the laptop and the camera into the same wall circuit. IF the laptop will actually directly pull power from the wall (without going thru the battery first), then it may phase jam the two devices to eachother and get you what you need. If theres anything else messing with how power is delivered to the display though this may not work. In that case, I'd use some screen capturing software to record whats happening on the screen separately, and then do a screen replacement (odds are you can track the display corners alone and not need tracking markers. If you do the take with a dark screen (which will keep your reflections), and then you record the screen and motions matching what you wanted in the good take, you should be able to comp it in relatively easily. Your last option would be to get a phase sync box like the one cinematography electronics made, but to be honest I've never used one with a digital camera so I've got no idea if it would play ball or not. good luck

red 8k S35 body will give you a 4k extraction for super 16. Did that on a music video once, was quite impressed how sharp the canon s16 zoom lenses can actually be.

Knowing what I know now, I would have gone with AM's setup. My SR3A has the Visual Products IVS replacement and its.... kinda just ok. Just make sure your elbow optic has the C mount thread and not the CEI thread (which was slightly different)

Generally speaking digital cameras loose value fast. And now that there is a "true 4k" super 35 alexa, you're likely to encounter people who see that the Amira isnt that and then insist on the newest thing. And resale value will continue to drop. (Oddly the only cameras I own that have actually increased in value are the film cameras, go figure). So if you were to buy a camera, odds are either the Alexa 35 or the latest Red may make the most sense. Now alternatively, lenses can be a great investment if you can ensure your set always works your jobs. Other support gear as well, though at some point unless you want it for personal projects or you want a full rental side hustle you may want to not go overboard there. That being said, I definitely get wanting to have your own camera that makes the images you like for your projects. If thats really what you're after, if you can maybe wait a little bit to see if the Amira prices fall any further (Im betting they will). Or you can get a set of glass that'll always work the shows, and pick up an older, more affordable camera that is fine for the personal/no/low budget projects.

if thats the case, I'd buy the new one so you can make $$$ back on it ASAP. Bonus points for getting it new and having a warranty

if its for renting and jobs, everyone (read: clients) always seem to want the new thing regardless of if the old thing is just as good. If its your personal camera and you're getting a hell of a deal on it, that may work occasionally, then may as well get whatever you want. I saw a Red Ranger Gemini listed for 12k on ebay not sell the other day, so theres deals to be had for sure. Hopefully someone who rents more can chime in. I know a lot of people who have played the constant upgrade game and few seem to enjoy it

cinestill in LA had at least one (unsure if its 400ft or 1000ft) can of ektachrome 35mm as of a few days ago, but they're local pickup only for motion so you'd need to find someone to pick it up for you and ship it on found the link https://cinestillfilm.com/products/ektachrome-100d-color-reversal-film-5294-35mm?variant=41335944020140

is it a modern LCD? if so, make sure its running at a higher refresh rate, ideally at a frame rate divisible by 25. My experience has been that when shooting 24 fps, on a tv or LCD running at 60htz or higher theres no real issue shooting a TV screen without a sync box. This comes from the LCD holding on a given frame for a few cycles before it changes (when your video on the display is fewer fps than the monitor refresh rate). On one rear projection job (projector was running at 120htz) we considered plugging the camera and projector into the same circuit to phase jam them that way, but it wasnt necessary (this was with an alexa on battery). For... reasons... the source video playback was actually at 30, but there was no artifacting or anything weird on the final shot. If you have a DSLR or even an iphone handy, do a test filming the monitor you want to use. if the refresh rate is high enough you probably wont have any issue.

I think ablecine in Los Angeles will still service Aaton 16mm cameras, though I havent had to service mine since the pandemic started so I havent actually been by to ask. I think AM camera could as well. Visual Products in Ohio should be able to since they occasionally sell them with 6 month parts/labor warranties

The master primes are all sharp enough for s16 work, and substitute for U16s no problem resolution wise. the 14mm U16 I specifically avoided cause its kinda a weird focal length. It more or less looks like a 29.4mm would on s35. The 18 works out to something like a 37.5mm equivalent, but definitely feels closer to a 40mm. My personal preference for a 16mm focal length is just cause that one works out to looking like a 33mm in s35 terms, and just "feels" better to me as a medium/normal shot lens. You may not need a 6mm in your kit, but its nice to have. The U16 has surprisingly straight lines. the Century has more character but cuts pretty well with the ziess superspeeds. I got the 12mm for my kit in part to round it out as a rental, but also in part to have a sharp lens in the wider range that I wouldnt be too upset about if something happened to it (say for a stunt or otherwise). There are effectively no spare parts for the U16s, so you need to be aware of that and basically price in master primes as their replacements when it comes to insurance. Im not sure I needed the 12 to round out my kit, as I've often had people telling me they only want to rent the 8, 18, and 35. Take from that what you will.

the difference between a 6mm, 8mm, and 9.5mm is actually pretty noticeable. I think if you're trying to rent then you probably want more or less a full set - so a wide along with the 12, a 16 or 18 (U16s only came in 18, but you can substitute a normal 16mm ultraprime if you want that focal length), and you probably want the 25 or 35 (be it panther, elite, or u16) and a 50. TBH I think its also totally reasonable if you're a zeiss guy to mix or substitute in 35mm format lenses for the longer end of your set. Also the LWZ.2 zoom lens also is sharp enough for S16, and gives you a range of 15.5-45 at t2.6 with the xp (master prime) coating and has basically no breathing. That all being said, given how expensive these can be and how long it can take to find a set (especially of ultra16s) you might consider doing what I did, which was just hunting down the lenses you specifically want for your own use first, followed by ones to round out the set when stuff became available and if you had the cash handy. If it helps at all, I lean almost exclusively on my 8mm, 18mm, and 35mm U16s, with my 6 and 12 being in reserve/part of the rental kit. But given the option on a larger project, I'd actually prefer to use an 8mm U16, a 16mm master prime, and a 40mm master prime.

copy all. thank you for the details

Im a sucker for an optical viewfinder. extremely interested. does it use a built in battery or something removable?

I should clarify, Im wondering if its possible to do any sort of 400ft mag, including non-coaxial. Im not sure what good a 200ft mag is given that kodak doesnt make 200ft rolls, though I know people pay to have re spooled 200fters for the a minimas out there

they posted a basic rendering here https://www.logmar.dk/galapagos/ I feel like theres gotta be a way to do a 400ft mag, given that the port side of the camera looks like its a detachable 100ft mag...

I looked into this some years ago before I found some ultra 16s. I dont have the details handy, but the issue was basically that any semi-off the shelf solutions would not clear the mirror on a rotary mirror film camera. You'd have to go down a very expensive road to solve that issue. I bet there'd be a market for it if one could be made and sold for $500, but I dont believe thats remotely possible. Honestly one is better off finding a set of Elite or Optar lenses (maybe with a panther 35mm t1.3) to have a better range of focal lengths than the zeiss super speeds. IIRC you can use Digiprimes on a super16 film camera with the optex B4 to PL adapter as well. Its also worth noting that zeiss now sells a very nice set of new c mount lenses that cover super 16 (they're advertised as M4/3rds) if what you're after is a modern solution to wider lenses. https://www.zeiss.com/consumer-products/us/industrial-lenses/dimension-lenses.html

for the record, I'd love to be wrong. I'd also love to see market research proving Im wrong. I think I may try to get in on the more limited run of the super 8 camera, assuming the market doesnt do a full meltdown. Arguably a tough time to be putting out any product much less a niche one

Rockhopper is listed as "retired" on their website. I just think if they figured out a mag solution like the arri S or bolex that take an add on a non coaxial 400ft mag, the roughly 30k usd price tag would very acceptable, at least to the pro crowd. I think for the owner operator crowd no 400ft option at that price is probably a deal breaker. The only situation I could see where it wouldnt be is if it was a very small or otherwise specialty camera that can actually fill a roll nothing else currently can in super16. Were that the case, if they only need to sell 15 or so then maybe there will be the buyers. Alas odds are I will not be one of them now

I did not. this is the thread for anyone who wants to see it https://www.facebook.com/groups/8mmand16mmfilmmakersgroup/posts/10158562726035671

Tommy told me on facebook that it wont support 400ft mags FYI

So as a graduate of USC's MFA cinema program, I'd mention 2 things - 1 at the end of the day theres really only 3 or 4 classes that were truly "worth it" and 2 some of those classes have historically been available at USC's cinema summer program (used to be called the summer production workshop). That program is open to anyone who applies, you dont need to be an active USC student. UCLA I believe has a similar program. In the case of USC, you'll be taking classes with normal film school students who have decided to stick around for the summer. So it is possible to do a lite version of these film schools via these summer program classes, make some connections with students and staff, and get out without the burn of 100k in expenses and or debt (or whatever USC charges these days). Just some food for thought. (Note I do not know if these summer programs have become more competitive or how well known they are now)