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Nick Salazar
United States
เข้าร่วมเมื่อ 11 ต.ค. 2013
I'm an independent filmmaker currently working on my first feature-length film, called "The Game of Life". This channel is my diary of the process, from script writing, to casting, to equipment selection, blocking, editing, color-grading and more. Making these videos helps me work things out and learn them better for myself, and hopefully these lessons are useful for you too. Thanks for watching!
XEEN Meister: the T1.3 Cine Beast - FIRST LOOK
This underappreciated lens set has been on my radar for a while now. It's a modern, VERY fast, clean set by the folks who make what has been one of the most popular budget cine primes ever (the original XEEN set). While the original XEEN lenses are getting a little long in the tooth, the newer Meister line definitely caught my attention. What are they like? Let's find out together. This is just my first look, and I'll be going more in-depth with them, so let me know if there's anything in particular you'd like me to test.
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MOTORLESS Follow Focus. Can we Make this BETTER???
มุมมอง 89519 ชั่วโมงที่ผ่านมา
Sometimes, I really want a stripped down ultralight camera rig. Canon's tiny RF lenses and other modern glass fits the bill really well, with some very impressive little optics. They even have their own integrated focus motors. So why can't we leverage those motors with wireless follow focus products? The ONLY obstacle is software. Canon, RED, Sony, Nikon, Fujifilm, Olympus, etc... can you make...
Making "impossible" Lenses
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At first, this is a quick tip on using Power Windows for vignette control, and then we get into a slightly deeper dive on when, how, and why this is helpful. Lens design, exposure, and noise floor all come into play. Also, for more information on the F-Zero Camera demonstrated toward the end of the video, head to www.youtube.com/@fzerocamera or www.fzerocamera.com
Great data EVERY time: RED V-Raptor [X] Workflow
มุมมอง 75321 วันที่ผ่านมา
By request, here's a bit of a breakdown of how I tend to shoot with the RED V-Raptor [X]. Come to think of it though, "RED V-Raptor [X]" is becoming a bit of a mouthful. I've seen "X-Raptor" used as shorthand and I think I like that, but I worry it might be confusing. Any other suggestions? Just "Raptor" maybe?
"Lens Compression" and Other Lies
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This is a long one, so here are the topics: 1. Lens Compression doesn't exist. 2. Equivalency of Lenses exists, and it's important. 3. Anamorphics don't work as commonly described. 4. If you have some time to listen to this overlong rant, I'd love your opinion on my "lens quest" and the idea of buying just one exotic lens. If you want to look deeper into Equivalency of Lenses, then I highly rec...
Laowa Proteus Review: Surprisingly Good 2x Anamorphic Lenses
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I had the opportunity to play with the Laowa Proteus anamorphics, a set of no-holds-barred cine primes that deliver a gorgeous 2x image that is rated as Super35 , but covers full frame on the V-Raptor. Thank you Laowa for sending me these lenses to play with, thanks to my wonderful family for playing dress-up with me for the test, and a huge thanks to YOU for watching! I absolutely love playing...
Powering the V-Raptor for SIX HOURS: SmallRig VB212
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Thanks to SmallRig for helping me put together this little Frankenstein battery. I certainly didn't invent this idea, and you'll see similar concepts at work in a lot of modern productions. Generally the operator wears an Easyrig vest with a bunch of stuff bolted to the back (batteries, Teradek, etc), then the power and SDI cable go together in a single cable sleeve over to the camera, either h...
Why Fast Lenses MATTER: final thoughts on DZOFilm Arles
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See the rest of my Arles review videos at www.youtube.com/@nick_salazar/videos
Breakthrough DFM clears the NiSi Athena Lenses
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Here’s a quick demo for those who have wondered about this combination. The breakthrough DFM is my go-to match for the Nisi Athena primes. It will clear all of them and works perfectly. It is the only twist on adapter with a drop in VMD which will clear these lenses.
My "Forever" Lenses? DZOFilm Arles Primes
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Just some more of my thoughts playing with these beastly beauties. I don't think I'm finished exploring these lenses, and should have more to say soon. Any questions? Feel free to ask. Thanks for watching!
Absolute BEAUTY: DZOFilm Arles FIRST TESTS
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So this afternoon, the 50mm and 100mm Arles arrived at my doorstep. At the same time, DZOFilm published more information about the lineup, with details on all ten lenses. In my short time with these lenses, I am ABSOLUTELY BLOWN AWAY. These are my jam. Yes please.
IRIX Cine Lenses: Diamond in the Rough?
มุมมอง 1.1K2 หลายเดือนก่อน
Another set I really enjoyed looking at during Cinegear 2024. With the 65mm IRIX Cine lens finally shipping, the set is nearly complete. I'm sure they'll add one or two longer mid-tele lenses eventually, but for now IRIX users have to make do with a big gap between 65mm and 150mm. Other than that, the uncommon focal lengths, and the lower iris blade count, these are very strong choices in the b...
DZOFilm Arles: FIRST LOOK from Cinegear
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I finally got my hands on them! And although these demo shots are still pretty sloppy (my apologies for that), I'll soon take delivery of two demo lenses for some more careful testing. Enjoy this first look and interview.
The "Cooke Look" - REAL or just HYPE?
มุมมอง 2.2K2 หลายเดือนก่อน
In my continued journey down the lens rabbit hole, it was inevitable that I would arrive at the venerable and legendary Cooke Optics. As I take a quick look at their lenses, let's talk a little about the landscape of what matters, what might not matter, and how I would encourage you to think about these things. Enjoy!
V35 Project: STRONG opinions making STRONG art.
มุมมอง 2.1K2 หลายเดือนก่อน
In my neverending quest for the perfect lens, I found my way to the good folks at V35 Project and Northwest Camera Co. They're doing some really interesting and amazing things, and it has been a pleasure to meet them and play with their wares. They've got a really nice point of view, and I've really loved watching the evolution of this line. Check them out at www.v35project.com and nw-camera.co...
The SECRET Anamorphic they WON'T discuss: Lensworks Legacy
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The SECRET Anamorphic they WON'T discuss: Lensworks Legacy
Canon C400: a Camera you Can't ignore
มุมมอง 4.1K2 หลายเดือนก่อน
Canon C400: a Camera you Can't ignore
Color Matching: RED V-Raptor [X] and Canon R5 C
มุมมอง 1.1K2 หลายเดือนก่อน
Color Matching: RED V-Raptor [X] and Canon R5 C
Why Movies are Magic, Pt 1: Cheating the Audience
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Why Movies are Magic, Pt 1: Cheating the Audience
RED V-Raptor [X] Review: Four Months of Awesome
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RED V-Raptor [X] Review: Four Months of Awesome
They Taught You WRONG: Falloff, Roll-off, Rendering, and Micro-Contrast
มุมมอง 2.2K3 หลายเดือนก่อน
They Taught You WRONG: Falloff, Roll-off, Rendering, and Micro-Contrast
DZOFilm Arles UPDATE: Pricing, Coverage, Thoughts
มุมมอง 2.3K3 หลายเดือนก่อน
DZOFilm Arles UPDATE: Pricing, Coverage, Thoughts
DZOFilm Arles: the AMAZING new lenses NO ONE is covering yet!
มุมมอง 3.3K3 หลายเดือนก่อน
DZOFilm Arles: the AMAZING new lenses NO ONE is covering yet!
There's only ONE correct aspect ratio, and it is ...
มุมมอง 2.2K3 หลายเดือนก่อน
There's only ONE correct aspect ratio, and it is ...
PLASTIC Lenses on RED V-Raptor X: Blasphemy or Genius?
มุมมอง 1.8K3 หลายเดือนก่อน
PLASTIC Lenses on RED V-Raptor X: Blasphemy or Genius?
V-Raptor X: best there will EVER BE???
มุมมอง 3.7K3 หลายเดือนก่อน
V-Raptor X: best there will EVER BE???
RED V-Raptor X on DJI Ronin RS4 Pro: Will it Balance?
มุมมอง 2.9K3 หลายเดือนก่อน
RED V-Raptor X on DJI Ronin RS4 Pro: Will it Balance?
Love your rant! I could rant on LUTs and GAMMA too. I feel you might have mangled GAMMA a bit, or might have given the wrong impression. As you said, same for me, I might be wrong ;) GAMMA is an adjustment to the image to get the linear physical data to look more pleasing to us--more detail in shadows and highlights. A RAW image without GAMMA is perfectly viewable (simple transform at 18% gray say). The difficulty is that we don't have a term for the transform and curve used to translate RAW sensor data to our 8-bit color space (everything ends up 8-bit, as you know). I guess LOG curve comes the closest, but there again, the camera manufacturers provide "LOG" curves to bring in garbage data from the sensor for more detail in 8-bit. The bottom line is that when you process RAW you need to curve and transform it into 8-bit color spaces (so you can view it on your monitor). So your point still stands, but it isn't really GAMMA because it's an artistic decision, not an industry agreed "look". And LUTs are always 8-bit. There's no point changing a color to something you can't see ;) So I feel LUTs have nothing to do with raw image acquisition or processing. So not only do we have misleading terms, as you point out, we're missing terms that explain what does happen in the pipeline. I agree with you that all sensors are fundamentally the same. I rant about it on my channel. However, I do wonder if ARRI, because they make their own sensors, do more calculations on RAW data coming from the sensor and use a DUAL ISO (60 fps 30 frames normal, 30 frames lower ISO amplification) to create better falloff. If they do have some special electronics it might give them a better image. Cinema cameras in general have better video images than hybrids-IMHO. If I had to bet though, I'd bet you're right. ARRI sensors are no different than any others.
I am NOT saying that all sensors are equal, or even fungible. You're right that ARRI does something special, but not quite what you're describing. What you describe with the multiple frames is how RED does its "Extended Highlights" feature (formerly called HDRX). But because that's two subsequent exposures, you can get motion artifacts. What ARRI does, and they have a patent on this, is to split the sensor data down two pipes, one low gain and one high gain. That's part of how they achieve such great dynamic range on their sensors. Another part is their great heat control pipeline (ARRI cameras are basically 50% chimney/heratsink by volume). Sensors are most definitely NOT all the same. There are broad differences in dynamic range, which make a real difference to the cleanliness of your final image. They also make a real difference to how you can and should expose on set. For example: historically, ARRI cameras have much better range in highlights, but noisier shadows, compared to RED. So on the ARRI cameras you need to be more careful to retain shadow detail, knowing you're less likely to clip your highlights. And on RED you need to be more careful on highlights, knowing you're less likely to have super noisy shadows. But the Alev4 (on the Alexa 35) has shadows which match RED, and even better highlights than previous ARRI cameras. So the range there is just incredible. Mostly you can just expose visually and shoot, without fear of clipping. On my V-Raptor X, I just watch the "traffic lights" tool, which shows sensor-level clipping. As long as it's good and my on-screen image looks okay, I know I can pull out a fantastic image in the grade. Regarding your comments on LUTs and Gamma, I don't really know what you're saying, nor where you think I've gone wrong. Gamma is a mapping from one color space to another, that's correct. It can also be used to control how we map highlights into our delivery image, so it definitely is where the "rolloff" occurs.
@@nick_salazar I didn't say you said all sensors are THE same, but their fundamentals are the same. I wish you gave me the benefit of the doubt. Moving on. There is no such thing as splitting an analog electron stream into two pipes. I rant about this too. Especially when it comes to 32-bit float audio which is a fraud, IMO. You can find my essay on that by searching "Microphone Clipping, The Three Types Explained" When the well fills up with electrons they must be amplified (either pre-filling the well) or by using them in a amp circuit later. Perhaps ARRI using a clock mechanism to split the values into two streams, but but here I'll make a semantic quibble, don't call them low gain and high gain. They are electrons. They don't know what they are ;) At the end of the day the fundamentals of all sensors mean that each photosite has limitations in how much light it can read and how much discern (before the well overfills). In short, I disagree with you. There are theoretical limitations in dynamic range, and also experimentally, if you look at Bill Claff's database. That is; the size of each photosite and the filter placed above it determine the sensitivity and that can't be changed. What ARRI and RED are doing certainly give better results, but as you point out, they have their limitations because they're improving how they read data from the photosite, not the photosite's physical characteristics. And in a sense, they cheat, when using dual ISO, because it's really alternative amplification on a sensor that does NOT change its fundamental sensitivity. GAMMA, IMO, is not about mapping color from one space to another. There is no "space" to RAW sensor data. There's no such thing as "flat" RAW footage. A bugbear of mine. It's simply electron counts that should match the photon counts. GAMMA is a function that maps linear electronics data to another linear space that looks better when we apply the colors sequentially from dark to bright. I'm not saying you're wrong about anything. Read my comment again less defensively. You haven't brought up any of the good points I thought I made! Cheers!
Many features use one lens. 28mm is the most used on a S35mm sensor. NiSi have the new 18mm, 40mm and 135mm. I think you could do it all with those 3. But locking yourself into one lens means you have to work for it and that constraint makes the film more interesting.
But i disagree about "focus rollof" and "image rendering" being wrong description. Both terms arent used as technical in any means, yet that explains mix of characteristics in the way of human preseption. Its like describing taste. You dont care about engridients but you still can explain flavor.
By the way there is no such thing as native roll off on sensor anyway. Because all sensors records only in linear, including ARRI's Alef sensors. Its all just the way thay transform that linear data to be displayed. That's all about gamma aplaied to linear source.
Micro contrast just shuld be changed to high frequency contrast. And suddenly that will have a lot of sense.
“High frequency contrast” … aka sharpness? :-)
Who is “they”?
Just got the 25mm Arles. Good God........such a great champion lens. Heavy suckers though......
I might be wrong, but I thought that the stills in DSMC meant that the video was so good (and 14-bit RAW data capture) that you could use it for stills. I’m probably wrong on this one, don’t know where I heard it. Also, some people like me still shoot film photos occasionally because the process is fun, and it’s a good (kind of) cheap way to experiment with other ways of photography. Because all my cameras are APS-C, and I don’t want to spend all my money on a full frame camera, I sometimes shoot film. Other than that, great video!
Rodriguez Paul Hernandez Sharon Williams Patricia
Xeen: the design is not the same. Salazar" Can I see the design, Xeen: no but trust me, bro. The hope that I will trust them is close to zero as we know how things go. The images look fantastic on the other hand.
I cannot fault your logic.
A local store accidentally listed this for 23$. I ordered it of course, but unfortunately they had to cancel...
love the gaffer :)
Thank you Nick! have you found any drop-off in sharpness when you use the Breakthrough VND filter?
Not at all. It does add significant warmth, something like 300-500 degrees kelvin. But it's at least consistent, it doesn't get much warmer throughout the range of 1 stop to 9 stops. Either way, just be prepared to adjust temperature compared to a clear or no filter setup.
Finally someone is talking about these amazing lenses!
Yeah I’ve been looking at them for a while but there isn’t much out there about them.
Wow. Looks great!
Thank you Mark!
Nice! How would you rank/compare these with the DZOFilm Arles primes?
Stay tuned ;-)
where you at with the feature? i subbed to the channel to see your journey in the feature. can you update us in a video please? all the best.
Thank you so much for asking! The first ten minutes of the film are in the can. Filmed, edited, color graded, foley, soundtrack, and score, all done. I’m trying to find a good location for the next block of it. It’s been a tough nut to crack but I’ll get there.
1917 was shot on a Zeiss 40mm Prime.. as Roger Deakins has spoke about in interviews
The entire film was shot on the Arri Signature Primes, which are made in conjunction with Zeiss. EDIT: according to CineD, it was mostly the 40mm as you say. The 47mm was used for a river sequence, and 35mm for a bunker sequence. Thanks!
@@nick_salazar In this video on the 2:15 mark your specifically said “1917” was shot ENTIRELY on 40mm on full frame. HOWEVER Roger Deakins in an Interview with Arri (on TH-cam look up.. Arri Interview: The Immersive Camera Movement of “1917”) Roger clearly stated with his own mouth that 99% of the entire film was shot on a 40mm Signature Prime. He said they barely even used the 47mm or the 35mm. Next time you make a video just get your facts right.. because people believe the words you say.
Hi Nick - really interesting and huge thanks for your thoughts. I have very similar background and I suppose there for all of this caught my attention. Currently I'm working mostly on documentaries. Shooting some commercial work in between but really prefer as close to a cinematic style as possible, even thought most scenarios are shot using available light. I'm currently using Milvus's that resemble for me the style I got while using Leica M-lenses in stills. Most of the time I use Red Komodo and building up a set up for my next project I've been wondering if I should invest on small set of Pavo's. Have you tried them out and how would you see them as in comparison to Arles? I'd assume Arles are cleaner/sharper but..
So personally, I find that very few anamorphics are interesting to me. Most are too slow, focus too far, are too big/heavy, flares are just a sing;e line, and just don't convince me that they're worth the inconvenience. For example, I reviewed the Laowa Proteus, and they were beautiful lenses, but for the price and weight, give me Arles instead. Pavo is smaller yes, but still expensive, relatively basic flare, and resolution suffers. There are a SELECT FEW anamorphic lenses that I really love. Most of them are Panavision and therefore unattainable. The others are pretty expensive. There's one anamorphic I've been strongly considering ... stay tuned for more info there. If you're considering Arles vs Pavo ... for the price, I'd 100% go for multiple Arles lenses versus a single Pavo. In fact, stay tuned for when my recent lens set purchase arrives, I will have something to say about purchase decisions ... 🙂
Bluetooth is too slow
Thank you. I've always hated the hype with Film look. It makes little sense, if the past was so great, nobody would have moved away from it. I love beautiful clear glass
Lumix has a partnership with DJI so using their gimbals in combination with for example their LiDAR AF units you can do exactly that with Lumix S lenses and Lumix cameras. So not just racking focus manually using the AF motors but also getting LiDAR AF using the DJI LiDAR units. Not sure if they have that with other brands like Canon or Sony but with Lumix cameras (a select few of the newer ones) you can do exactly that. How well it works i'm not sure as i haven't tried it but i've heard it works good. I'm not sure if you can use DJI's wireless focus handles to manually focus using Lumix S lenes though, might just be possible via their gimbals.
Yeah, it’s another “halfway there” method but not quite what I’m talking about. Check the pinned comment for more info.
@@nick_salazar Yeah, it would be cool if it worked with any generic FIZ handle but i'm pretty sure companies don't wanna release SDK's to anyone. That's probably why you just see this sort of thing when companies decides to strike up partnerships like Lumix and DJI did as this seems (at least from what i found) to work just like you wanted but only with Lumix cameras, Lumix lenses and DJI focus units.
it probably doesnt exists because of politics with different brands.
good disruptive rant! 👌
Okay, so after further clarification from the comments section (thanks everyone!) it appears there are a couple ways other than the RED app to achieve this method. None of them are the simple solution I imagine, where you just pair a generic handwheel with your favorite mirrorless camera. Again, that's possible with existing hardware, it's just a software problem. So my request still stands. Anyway, here are the current methods for "motorless" follow focus: 1. RED Control App - allows control via iPhone app only, of any AF lens connected to the RED's RF mount (either native RF or adapted lenses) 2. ARRI EF Mount - allows handwheel control, for AF lenses with EF mount only 3. SONY camera control app - similar to the RED solution, you're pulling focus via phone screen only (either native E mount or adapted lenses). 4. DJI camera control (Ronin 4D, certain gimbals, and the Lidar Focus Pro) - certain cameras and certain lenses will allow wireless control. This requires the camera be mounted into one of these systems, has limited compatibility (mostly L-mount, or E-mount, perhaps the Blackmagic Pocket EF cameras), allows handwheel control via DJI hand unit and potentially the Tilta remote grips. Again, none of these are "pair a handwheel to your camera, then pull focus on any attached AF lens" ... which we CAN AND SHOULD HAVE. Let's do this, camera manufacturers. Please!
I totally agree. There are two cameras that can do this. The Ronin 4D, and the Iphone :D lol and i just checked my Sony A1 can do it with the control app but there is no compatible hardware. but i can focus pull only using an tablet with wireless video too
man you are a genius
Well dji ronin 4d does it by itself with no wireless focus motor. And if you want follow focus wheel proper you would just by the dji three channel follow focus. So your idea is definitely possible.
Conceptually it's a simple idea but it depends on how the hardware and software interface. We don't even know if the existing focus wheels can even communicate with each other. This is why open standards are so important, so that everyone uses the same tech and then implementing what you just said would be a piece of cake
you are boring
@@evgeniy9582 Maybe, but i spit fax and enable people to do cool shit... 🤷🏽
@@8lec_R ok, dream big
That sounds like a great idea 💡
i think sony can do this with the app as well
You can do this with the EF mount for Arri cameras, you get full focus, iris, metadata and stabilisation. Plus with a Hi-5 or WCU-4 you can communicate straight to the camera.
The only camera I know I can do this with is my BM pocket 4K on the original DJI ronin S gimble. When connecting to the camera via usb I can focus with the wheel on the gimble. Super useful! I so wish this was possible on handheld units and not a gimble.
This works with the RS3 pro as well. The tilta nano 2 can be used to control the RS3 pro via a Bluetooth adapter been meaning to test it out if works the same with p4k.
Well... it works with Sony camera :) So it means they're aware of that. But yeah as a Komodo owner that has same tech, it's soooo frustrating.
Yes please. Same goes for controlling all camera functions AND for example autofocus (on capable mirrorless cameras) via an external monitor. just exactly like you would tap on the camera LCD. there are some kinda basic slow and glitchy options for some cameras out there but nothing really is perfect. all it need would be a monitor with a good touchscreen (or just use a smartphone/tablet) and an open standard for communicaton all camera manufacturers would stick to. not even new hardware. just a bit of code. it is so annoying that we still live in the dark ages in this regard. we could build so much more flexible and better rigs with the function.
you know whats funny ? yongnuo included a wireless controller that you can use to pull focus and control aperture , all for 99$ , works with their 230$ lens with the "WL" mark ( 56 1.4, 33 1.4, 11 1.8 ) it completely bypasses the camera control by just taking over the lens
I kind of want something different. I want the Canon AF and face detection software in the R5c/C400 to control a tilta nano focus motor so I can use my Cine glass with Canon autofocus. I’m still waiting for my DJI Focus Pro to arrive and I even tried designing my own (it’s hard) till the DJI came out.
Sony have same app for FX line cameras - Monitor and Control. In this app you can even make A and B focus points. If we are talking about Tilta Nano II it all ready works with BalckMagic camera app for Iphone :) I think it is very simple - companys like Tilta just wants to sell their focus motors 😊
I experimented with follow focus on my RF AF lenses on my R5c and found that even with linear response on the focus ring after a few racks forwards and backwards the calibration would drift slowly over time. I’m not entirely sure how AF works as I’m not a canon engineer (although I do work in software and electronics by day), but I strongly suspect their focus is “relative” and not “absolute focal point values” in their focus by wire system based on my experiments with many RF lenses. I’m totally guessing.
Dji Focus lidar Pro will focus pana/leica lens w internal focus motor. Auto or manual. Think its a Lumix thang. So yeah like zoom f 3 should trigger record w camera record stsrt /stop. To have synced audio instead of pulling the phone out to go to the app to stop the audio . Oh and miss a sjot😂Thank You
And technically the Ronin 4D can do this with L or E mount lenses. But neither of those is the solution I imagine, where you can take a mainstream Sony, Canon, RED, or Nikon camera, slap on an electronic EF, E, RF, Z, or F mount lens and just wirelessly focus with nothing but a hand unit. In the DJI cases above you still need a bit of extra gear to get it working.
@@nick_salazar yes. It could be simpler i think.Thank You
PUT YOUR BIRD IN THIS VIDEO.
Haha, TH-cam does not work that way. But I’m glad you like Oscar.
@@nick_salazar Bird videos get millions of views... and birds are great as well.
Where the side handles from Boss. I know that's really why you made this video, to show them off...
The handles are my custom ones! You can buy them at www.fzerocamera.com/plastic
Bro. Someone already invented the controller for the APP you pointed out. 2. Don't ever make a video without including your BIRD IN IT.
Yes I mention it in the video. Unless you know of another DSMC3 hardware controller other than the Cmotion one? And it’s still something you have to attach to the camera, and power, and it’s very expensive.
@@nick_salazar yes at some point someone made a wooden dial to put on top of the red app, maybe it was even a whole case, so you could turn that and it would turn the dial in the app, using the same thing one of those pencil tablet things uses. I do see what you are saying though, but I got out of bed to go turn on the computer because I was practically yelling at the tv that the app does this, and then you pull out the app... anyway... make the thing you are talking about! Get ahold of the guy who made "the Lens Cuff" he may be able to help you, he is an ingenious guy and trustworthy.
Why would you need a third party to make the wheel handle,,, For example, if Sony made their internal software capable to do this, they should also make the wheel hardware as well, so they could make the money on the units!!! It is still a great idea but a company making the camera should also make the controller as communication would be more robust within its own algorithms, architecture etc.
Yes of course Sony or Canon or Nikon or RED etc could make their own hand wheel. My point here is that no one has to make ANYTHING. Just a few lines of code are needed, to get the existing wheels to play nice. But yes a new hardware solution would work too. So someone either has to build their own system, or play nice with someone else’s existing one. In either case, this is a trivial innovation which would make a very nontrivial difference to lots of people.
Actually the Canon BRE1 can control zoom over Bluetooth already but it only has “more wide” and “more narrow” buttons. I’m not sure canon can set a focal point in software today to 2m or 12.2ft with absolute distance values, or 0.7124 of the focal throw of the lens as absolute percentages of the lens throw - their system seems to “seek” relative to the areas in focus.
100% I'm with you on this.
This is a hilariously accurate rant! I’m on board. How much do you think it’d be a “paid for” feature though? The money that’s in follow focus systems must be pretty high. Great idea though. It’d do away with mounting and powering focus motors. All the lens data could be communicated over the network connection. It’s kinda crazy I’ve never heard anyone else think about it!
You don’t even need lens data communicated. All you need is the wheel to communicate its position from 0 to 100% rotation. The camera would convert that into motor position as it already does with the focus ring on the lens, and record lens data just as it already does.
As a working 1st AC, I've never agreed more with anyone in the world than I do with you right now. I've had the exact same thought for literally years. I've reserved myself to the idea that something like the CinePi or OctopusCinema Camera (Open source home built cinema cameras with off the shelf image sensors and computers running the OS) would have the community develop the standard that then could be either also home built and then put into a cnc'd knob and case like a Arri or Preston hand unit, or hacked into a DJI or Tilta hand unit or convince one of these more entry level wireless fizz product companies to support it. After that, it takes 1 person to reverse engineer the lens communications between a Sony Lens and Censor, Canon, Nikon, Sigma ect... and trust me a hacker faced with a problem around propriety and a dream is a dangerous combination. A guy even reversed engineered red mags because older units were dying on him and red refused to service or replace them... only to learn red was just using off the shelf m.2 SSD's and a serial number verification algorithm to say whether the red mag was legit or not in camera. Anyways a long way of saying, I agree, thanks for being the voice of reason!
Yeah it’s insane to me that this doesn’t exist yet. Like if ANY major camera company released a “wireless focus wheel” product for video, they’d immediately have a KILLER feature over every other competitor. And it would take so little effort. I’ve asked companies like Canon about this at the trade shows, and I just get shrugs back, or absurd answers like “real cinematographers don’t want to work with stills lenses because of focus breathing” and it makes my brain explode.
This looks great! Any recommendations for attaching to the npf side without a battery? I can’t seem to find any kind of cap for the npf slot.
What about using an NPF dummy battery, or DC adapter, like this one? amzn.to/4dij06s or this one: amzn.to/4dH3Jf2
Love my Cooke SP3 lenses. The images from the Cooke lenses are definitely different from my other Nikon, Canon and Irix lenses. They do create beautiful images.
as my cinematography teacher says - why do you need location scouting, why do you need a production designer, a prop designer, if you shot everything with an open aperture? You could just as well have filmed the entire scene in your yard, with your Christmas tree in the background, and no one would ever notice the difference.
Haha, I guess they wasted a lot of money with films like Oppenheimer, Tenet, The Dark Knight, etc. those were all shot with very shallow lenses on IMAX, with the best production design in the business. I guess Christopher Nolan should have stayed in his back yard. I’ve heard that critique, but I think it’s massively overblown. Yes there are cases when too shallow a view can make you miss important things in the background. But those cases are few and far between in my opinion.
@@nick_salazar If we do not take into account the requirements of cinemas, but take into account only artistic goals, then large formats have the following tasks: 1) Emphasize, enhance the volume created by lighting devices, make the image more convex. 2) Make the acting more intimate for the viewer, bring the viewer as close as possible to the actor. Background blur unmotivated by artistic goals is bad form in cinematography
@@user-kp1qn4ev8b ignoring resolution and grain, large formats only do one thing: shallower depth of field for an equivalent f-stop and field of view. The fancy language people like to use around it is completely incorrect. It's JUST a difference in depth of field. A 50mm f2.8 on super35 is EXACTLY the same image as a 75mm f4 on full frame.
@@nick_salazar But what about using a large format to install an 85 mm lens to cover the entire scene. Some actors don't like their faces, their noses to be distorted and the cameraman can put 85mm on medium format so that the actor's face doesn't get any distortion and the scene is covered.
@@user-kp1qn4ev8b I think perhaps you're not grasping the equivalency of lenses. If you pick the right focal length, you get EXACTLY the same framing from one format to another. Same image, same distortion, same everything. The "large format look" is not about perspective distortion, not about framing, etc. Larger formats offer a little more resolution, a little less grain, and a little shallower depth of field for equivalent field of view. The way you frame does not actually change based on the format (as long as you select the correct focal length). That's a common misconception.