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Will Montgomery

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Posts posted by Will Montgomery

  1. I have used Video Post & Transfer in Dallas to do a 2k scan of some 7218. The results were pretty good.

    I use them for SD transfers and have to say they have really great colorists and quite a few major national commercials are handled there. Also their lab is great too. I think its the only 16mm & 35mm lab in the area. They are opening a new facility in another part of town in a trendy cool building that will be all HD.

     

    Dallas Video Post and Transfer

     

    They might be a little expensive though since they handle pretty high-end clients that spend a ton of money. For more less money you should look into Flying Spot in Seattle. Make sure they have the tape format you want, but I've had HDCAM transfers done there for around $400/hour I think. Good job on Super 8 negative and 16mm B&W Negative stock too.

     

    Flying Spot Film Transfer

  2. A slow film that's been refrigerated over 15 years may show some deterioration of image quality, but it may still be acceptable. Most likely some loss of shadow density and some additional graininess. Try a roll or two before shooting anything critical. Process at Kodak Switzerland until September 25, or at Dwayne's Photo.

    What about some Kodachrome II from 1969? A friend has a Double 8 Magazine camera and I found some unopened film from 1969, thought we'd try it and get it processed into B&W by Rocky Mountain labs. Interesting to see what we get.

  3. I've used a K-3 for several years now and been very happy with it. The downside is winding that puppy... it can make your hand hurt and if its mounted on a tripod its a real bitch to wind.

     

    As far as your budget goes, figure out your film costs and work backwards...

     

    15 minutes of film is 540ft of film, so figure 600ft x 3 = 1800ft for multiple takes... probably a little more than that.

     

    Film Cost: 18 (100ft rolls) x $35 = $630

    Processing: 1800ft x .18 = $340

    Transfer: Figure about 4 hours if you don't get too picky... 4hr x $350 = $1400

     

    Now if $2500 in film costs doesn't scare you, then go for an Arri. Or maybe pick up 2 or 3 K-3's for $175 a pop off eBay. Test them completely and have them serviced as neeeded. It would be good to have a couple loaded and ready to go on filming days.

  4. The Genesis is high-end HD, but it is still HD, 1920 x 1080 pixels, so in theory Super-16 and it are similar, resolution-wise. In practice, it seems less so... for the reasons I've said already.

     

    The Varicam is 1280 x 720 pixels, so it does not even have the pixel resolution of the F900, Viper, or F950, etc.

     

    How does a 1920x1080 captured image look so sharp when its blown up to 4k 35mm? I know that 1920x1080 at 24p has a ton of information to work with, but it seems like that would be the "resolution" of 16mm, not 35. I know we can't compare resolutions the same way between film and video, but how does that smaller starting image look so good on 35mm film?

  5. I just got back from Sony/Apple's XDCam/Final Cut Pro road show in Dallas. Have to say I'm impressed with the format.

     

    The cameras did a great job too. The real slow-mo from variable frame rates (up to 60fps) and the time-lapse options made for some great artistic shots.

     

    The film look is hard to compare the film look features to the DX100 and HVX200 because the lenses are soooo much better and the CCDs are a different level altogether. Does it look like film? Not to someone who works with film. Does it look more pleasing to the eye? Yes, for some types of shots.

     

    That being said, the images in general were amazing, especially on Apple's 4k projector. They played it directly from an XDCam deck and there were times that it looked almost like a 35mm print even though I knew it was video.

  6. Tell me why this wouldn't work...

     

    Could a 16mm camera be modified to only expose 1/2 of the standard 16mm frame vertically so you wind up with a wide screen format (not sure of the ratio) and 2x the running time?

     

    I realize this would result in significantly less area exposed than on Super 16, but if someone shot standard 16 and just cropped off the top & bottom in telecine, it would basically be the same, but you'd get more running time.

     

    Perhaps instead of in 1/2, you could take 2 standard frames and divide that space by 3, gaining 33% more running time and not losing much in quality if going to HD (or SD widescreen).

     

    I'm sure this has been thought of and not done for a reason... maybe telecine machines would have a problem adjusting... just thought if this had ever been explored.

  7. Would it be possible to somehow adapt this lens to an M42 mount for my K-3?? 6mm sounds awsome. I need something really really wide.

     

    It would be easier just to buy a new Peleng 8mm with the correct mount. I have this lens and its extremely wide with plenty of fish-eye distortion if that's what you're looking for.

  8. Straight to hard drive, 10-bit uncompressed, does not necessarily lead to better results if the quality of the telecine machine & transfer is mediocre (nor will it make up for mediocre photography.)

    Amen brother. But I thought the Spirits had a big red button that says, "Correct Crappy Cinematography."

  9. Personally, I'd get the footage transferred to 1080i at a place using a Spirit or Millenium TK, not the Cineglyph used at Bono.

    I was wondering why the footage I got back from Bonolabs looked a little lifeless, even though the resolution was pretty amazing to work with. Of course, it couldn't have anything to do with crappy cinematography on my part... :rolleyes:

     

    Actually, I think just having a good colorist do a scene by scene transfer would work wonders whereas Bonolabs goes for a "neutral" transfer to allow the client to do the color correction... fine if you have that talent, no so good if not.

  10. looking for quotes on a good place to convert my k-3 to s16 and maybe a crystal sync motor

    www.duallcamera.com

     

    These guys are very good and reasonably priced. They also bought the last few Tobin motors for the K-3, but they're not letting them go cheap.

  11. .

    P.S.: Please reduce the size of your signature image, so this thread won't need to be horizontally scrolled.

     

    John, you really just need to get a Mac 23" monitor, then you'll be fine. : )

     

    cvander: My practical experience with the two stocks is that 250D has a little more grain just as you'd expect. Vision2 50D is just amazing on a nice day, I mean it almost looks "too good." As a hobbyist, I sometimes prefer the look of a reversal film like the 100D or Kodachrome so when people see it on DVD they know its film. I always have both V2 50D and V250D on hand and use the 250D on a slightly cloudy day.

  12. The first models didnt have a reflexive viewfinder ''because it would make the camera too big and expensive'' according the manufacturer. However the manufacturers eventually changed their minds so the latest version of this camera now has a reflexive viewfinder (praise the lord).

    //Jan

     

    The reflex version is actually a modification by Duall camera in NYC and its not cheap. Ikonoskop still doesn't make a reflex version of one.

  13. My lab guy always laughts about the "daylight spools." He says there's really no such animal, but I think you could get away with loading in shade with Kodachrome maybe.

     

    Since this is the first or one of the first times loading your K3, I'd go to a room without windows (bathroom?) and crack the door until you can just barely see, then load. Once you do it enough you can do it in a bag without seeing anything.

  14. FWIW, Kodak offers two modern color negative films for professional still photographers needing "ultracolor"

     

    I love this Ultra Color stock. I use it constantly on my 35mm Nikon. I'm sure there's a reason why it wouldn't work, but it would be fun to see in a Super 8 or 16mm stock. Could someone like Pro8mm or Spectra cut some down for motion picture use?

     

    But then I guess noone could process it right?

  15. In 20 second increments. And your wrist is going to get mighty sore from winding.

     

    With a retrofitted motor, stretch that out to 2.5 minutes. Then spend the next 2.5 minutes reloading. Repeat.

     

    I guess that's one definition of "slice" of life. ;-) Many small slices...

     

    That's why I wish I could use my Kodak K-100 more, the wind lasts for 40 seconds. But I need a reflexed lens for it and I can never find one for sale.

     

    I still have little circle indentations on my palm from winding my K-3 this weekend. K-3 owners know what I'm talking about.

  16. Heck . . . it looked good . . .

     

    but it WASN'T FILM. It simply didn't look as "good" a some 16 footage that I'd seen (heck, should I say ALL 16 footage that I'd seen?).

     

    We need to help younger film makers understand the advantages of film, when Kodak talks about it, it seems like sour grapes to some people. But lets face it, when starting out these days, video is just a far easier medium to enter. The good news is that with so many people exploring filmmaking with video, the best of them will come to realize the quality difference and seek out film. After all, these people keep saying, "Its almost as good as film!" But when they actually work with film, it will be tough to go back.

  17. Fuji has release the 250D in Reala now. I've never used Fuji, but I just ordered the F-64D, Reala 250D and Reala 500D for testing.

     

    My favorite stock for normal outdoor right now is Kodak's Vision2 50D. I'm happy with the saturation and the range, it doesn't seem overly "pastel" to me, but so much depends on the transfer its tough for me to critically anaylize. Curious to see how the Fuji stacks up though.

  18. The following page about Bonolab, which does datacine transfers to hard drives, has me concerned.

    http://www.cinematography.net/digitk/digitk.htm

    Are there places that you all would recommend? Or any thoughts in general? Thanks!

    I worked with Bonolab pretty early with the uncompressed direct to disk in Super 8 and I have to say that the images didn't look soft at all... the progressive frames were great to work with, each was like a high-res scan that I could make photo prints from.

     

    But, since it was a "1-light" it was left to me to color correct and I suck at color correction. But the 10-bit, uncompressed transfer gives you alot to work with if you know what you are doing.

     

    You REALLY have to have a MONTSTER system to work in uncompressed HD. Bonolabs is happy to help you setup a system, but remember, its not like working in DV.

     

    I've had great results with Flying Spot Film Transfer in Seattle just going to HDCam, and now they offer the uncompressed to hard drive option so I'd check them out too.

     

    www.fsft.com

  19. Use both. You probably won't have time to do more than a couple loads on 16mm, so save it for slow-mo shots of the bride getting out of the limo or walking down the steps on the church, maybe a few smiles as she works the crowd. Then use super 8 for the rest so you can quickly change loads.

     

    The trick will be in a good telecine which will cost you, but you can always go to HD later when the money is available.

  20. Peleng 8 mm lens have 4 rear filters:

    - compensative, on lens

    - UF

    - Orange O-2.8x

    - Green YG-1.8x

     

    I've been looking for an 85 filter for my Peleng and my 16mm lens as well; both with that back end screw in filter. Anyone run across something like this?

  21. The whole point of Super 16 is to blow it up to 35, Is that what you want to do? If not stay w/ 16mm.

    Actually I've found Super 16 on my K3 to be great for High Def transfers. Even in SD, I've worked out an anamorphic system with my colorist that allows me to bring in the full frame and tell Final Cut Pro that it is anamorphic and it cuts perfectly with my anamorphic DV footage (except of course the change in look, but that works fine for what I do.)

     

    So once I've done an SD edit in the 16:9 ratio, I can have the footage transfered again in HD when I want to be stupid about money. Of course, one hour of HD transfer would buy me 2 K2's new.

     

    I've done transfers to high def from my Kodak K-100 and my Super 16 K3 and there is a difference with all that extra film to work with.

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