View Full Version : XDCAM EX1 on the road blog


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Phil Bloom
November 28th, 2007, 02:19 PM
I have decided to start a blog on my website, initially focusing on my road test of the sony ex1.

http://web.mac.com/philip.bloom/Philip_Bloom/Blog/Blog.html

Robert Petersen
November 28th, 2007, 03:05 PM
Thanks for starting this blog. I plan to purchase an EX1 (hopefully in the near future), and I really appreciate feedback on how the camera performs and how it handles in real world applications.

Phil Bloom
November 29th, 2007, 01:58 PM
shot loads today with the ex1 with and without the letus extreme. Results pn myblog soon

Dean Harrington
November 29th, 2007, 08:17 PM
waiting for the tests. Nice stuff mate!

Daniel Boswell
November 29th, 2007, 09:32 PM
I have decided to start a blog on my website, initially focusing on my road test of the sony ex1.

http://web.mac.com/philip.bloom/Philip_Bloom/Blog/Blog.html



Can't wait to see that stuff with Letus XT Phil.

Which step-up ring did you end up getting? When you screw it on, does the body bump into the camera body. (I ask because the new Letus does that with my FX1)

Phil Bloom
November 30th, 2007, 07:17 AM
i have the proper 77mm attachment from Letus.

The short is up now here:

http://web.mac.com/philip.bloom/Philip_Bloom/Ex1_and_Letus_Extreme.html

Oleg Kalyan
November 30th, 2007, 07:47 AM
The piece looks very nice, has good detail in close ups, there is a detail and color loss with 35mm Letus, also it has a little yellow cast, (what lens is it?), looks great on portraits though, has a cinematic/music video feel. Without looks like great HD, possibly similar to Red.
Thank you for doing it for us!

Phil Bloom
November 30th, 2007, 07:49 AM
Thanks Oleg. It is actually colour graded with Magic Bullet looks. That is the colour you are seeing!

I will be posting clean stills on my blog later today.

Christopher Witz
November 30th, 2007, 07:50 AM
dude... i think your ready to shoot oceans 14!

very inspiring!

Lou reed in the morning goes well with my latté as well.

cheers!

Phil Bloom
November 30th, 2007, 07:51 AM
Cheers Chris.

You got yours yet?

Christopher Witz
November 30th, 2007, 08:09 AM
today or tomorrow.... I feel like a 9 year old on christmas eve itch'n to shoot my new bb gun!

Paul Cook
November 30th, 2007, 08:22 AM
Wow - very impressive, I love the grading you did - can I ask was it a simple base grade in colorista or did you add on secondarys with masks etc?

Toward the end the night time stuff does have a slightly washed out / muddy look but still very pleasing, just not as much as the dusk footage which looks like it was churned out of a Lustre station.

Also can I ask what brand/type lens you used?

Jamie Allan
November 30th, 2007, 08:51 AM
Great looking footage and grading Phill, much nicer than the demo footage thats been used on the current roadshow!

Craig Irving
November 30th, 2007, 08:54 AM
That is really beautiful footage, Phil.

I'm very eager to return to London in May next year. You really captured the wonderfulness of Picadilly Circus in that video.

Any chance you could make this video available for download? I'd love to play it back in HD on a PS3 or Blu-Ray player :)

Steve Connor
November 30th, 2007, 09:08 AM
Great looking footage, this should be a sticky for people to see just how good this camera is.

Hayes Roberts
November 30th, 2007, 09:41 AM
Your blog is awesome and that clip is smashing! Any particulars on your letus/lens setup. Any 24p footage tests? Thanks for a great blogsite.

Dave Elston
November 30th, 2007, 10:13 AM
Hi Phil,

I've spent quite some time today checking out your work, got to say that's some really nice looking cinematography (yes the 'c' word!). You've clearly got a great eye and a fine handle on getting the most out of your post processes as well!

In the new year (when I finally get my hands on an EX1) I'm looking to do one or two music vid shoots for a Brighton musician friend of mine. We're planning on heading up to the big smoke for some night-time/dawn shots as well - maybe good fun to hook up and get some two-camera stuff going if you're interested.
I plan on attaching my Redrock M2 and can only hope I'm able to get results anywhere approaching the quality of the shots from your Letus-EX setup.
Tools like these really are a dream come true for those of us who cut our teeth back in the S-VHS/Hi-8/mini-DV days!

Keep up the good work and blog,

Cheers,
Dave.

Phil Bloom
November 30th, 2007, 10:46 AM
Thanks guys,

Dave, very interested...

Hayes, I haven't shot anything 24p yet but I expect i will test it out soon.

Jamie, thanks very much. In fact I have just supplied the company who makes some of the roadshow footage half a dozen of my clips for their new one.

Paul, I use Magic Bullet looks. Quite an amazing piece of software. The grade was done pretty quickly as I just wanted to get it up so people could see how great the combo is. I am working on a newer version with each shot tweaked.

I used a Sigma 18mm f1.8, zeiss 50mm t2 macro, zeiss 85mm f1.4, nikon 105mm f2 DC

Daniel Boswell
November 30th, 2007, 10:57 AM
i have the proper 77mm attachment from Letus.

The short is up now here:

http://web.mac.com/philip.bloom/Philip_Bloom/Ex1_and_Letus_Extreme.html

Thanks for doing that Phil. Gorgeous stuff!

More overcranking slo mo stuff would be greatly appreciated.

Phil Bloom
November 30th, 2007, 11:00 AM
the 60fps in amazing. on my f350 i could only do 50fps in "Pal" mode. not with this camera. superb!

Steven Thomas
November 30th, 2007, 11:02 AM
Philip,
wonderful stuff.
You're a great asset to this board!

I'm looking forward to owning the adapter myself.

Phil Bloom
November 30th, 2007, 11:04 AM
Thanks Steven

Tomorrow I go off to film my 3 broadcast short films for christmas around the uk using just the ex1 (i broke my letus extreme incredibly last night after the shoot due to utter carelessness, Hien has dispatched a replacement but I doubt it will reach me in time).

Follow my blog as I will be updating it during the week on the ups and downs of using a small camera instead of a big one.

Robert Petersen
November 30th, 2007, 12:04 PM
i have the proper 77mm attachment from Letus.

The short is up now here:

http://web.mac.com/philip.bloom/Philip_Bloom/Ex1_and_Letus_Extreme.html

Beautiful video. I'm impressed with how well this camera does at night, especially with the Letus Extreme.

Joseph H. Moore
November 30th, 2007, 01:19 PM
Very nice, Phil! Your work is always good, and this cam lets it show through crystal clear.

Jason Bodnar
November 30th, 2007, 02:52 PM
Phil, Simply amazing footage! I was already going to purchase the camera but now the Letus is high on my list as well. Any chance you can post some pics of the EX1 and the Letus setup?

Marty Baggen
November 30th, 2007, 03:04 PM
I'm very pleased to see that the EX is fully compatible with "Venus In Furs"

Daniel Boswell
November 30th, 2007, 03:07 PM
Phil, Simply amazing footage! I was already going to purchase the camera but now the Letus is high on my list as well. Any chance you can post some pics of the EX1 and the Letus setup?

Jason, as Letus FE user and now Extreme user..i can tell you you will be VERY pleased with the Letus.

I dont have my EX yet, but here is my FX1 + Extreme set-up:

(I am waiting on Red Rock Matte & Follow Focus)

http://gallery.mac.com/epiphany2002#100017

Cavision rails and Canon FD Mount (Lens is Canon 50 mm)

Jason Bodnar
November 30th, 2007, 03:12 PM
Thanks Daniel! I can not wait but the new year is going to be good!

Ray Bell
November 30th, 2007, 10:42 PM
Phil, The footage looks great....

as to 35mm adaptors... my understanding is that the main atribute for these adaptors is the shorter depth of field...

I have always wanted to put on a tilt and shift lens on one of the adaptors
and realy be able to control the DOP...

I was thinking a Russian Super Rotator would be fantastic....

Here's a site showing the lens... http://www.hartblei.com/lenses/lens_35mm.htm

and here are some results from a tilt/shift... of course these are stills but I can't wait to see
this type of effect with a nice video camera like the EX1... you can see the possiblities

http://www.flickr.com/groups/tilt-shift-fakes/pool/

Nate Weaver
November 30th, 2007, 11:20 PM
...and realy be able to control the DoP...


Spoken like a true director.

Paul Cook
December 1st, 2007, 01:32 AM
Spoken like a true director.

Now now, its a team effort this film business... ;-)

Phil Bloom
December 1st, 2007, 02:57 AM
Phil, The footage looks great....

as to 35mm adaptors... my understanding is that the main atribute for these adaptors is the shorter depth of field...

I have always wanted to put on a tilt and shift lens on one of the adaptors
and realy be able to control the DOP...

I was thinking a Russian Super Rotator would be fantastic....

actually have just ordered a tilt and shift nikon lens. Should be fun!

Paul Curtis
December 1st, 2007, 06:18 AM
Phil,

Some really nice work there, are you using colourista too?

When you get a moment any possibility you could post a couple of full sized (even uncompressed) frames from the EX1/letus footage?

I'd never really considered one of these adaptors but it seems pretty nice and the highlight over exposure seems a little more gentle than without. Did you do all the stuff at 720 or is there any 1080 examples - im interested to see what the resolution is like through the adaptor as well, whether the system holds detail very well.

thanks a million

paul

Phil Bloom
December 1st, 2007, 06:21 AM
thanks, just using magic bullet looks.

I have a 720p version that I have uploaded to the Dvi ftp server but just waiting on Chris Hurd to link it.

All of it was shot in 1080p 25 35vbr apart from the overcranking which was 720p. I won't be able to give you any untreated stuff until next weekend as am away on a shoot from today and away from those rushes.

Paul Curtis
December 1st, 2007, 06:25 AM
Thanks Phil, once you get a chance to catch up it'd be great to see some tifs from that 1080 stuff.

Good luck on the shoot, hope you get your replacement letus!

paul

Phil Bloom
December 1st, 2007, 06:30 AM
thanks. its somewhere between stansted and my depot but unfortunately I can't get it. SO frustrating!

Christopher Barry
December 1st, 2007, 06:47 AM
Phil, awesome footage, as usual.

ex1 extreme.mov @ 30 secs: I have to laugh at the expression on the guys face and walk, as he crosses the road with coffee in hand. 60fps makes that shot a laugh riot.

Ola Christoffersson
December 1st, 2007, 07:53 AM
"I have a 720p version that I have uploaded to the Dvi ftp server but just waiting on Chris Hurd to link it."

Now - that I want to see! Where will we be able to find it once it´s linked?

Phil Bloom
December 1st, 2007, 08:42 AM
http://www.aerialsfilm.com/bloom/ex1%20letus%20720p.mp4

thanks to maxim for the space!

Seth Bloombaum
December 1st, 2007, 11:43 AM
Phil, just curious - are you using a rails support system for your letus, or is it light enough to hang off the filter threads. If so, what rails system?

Barlow Elton
December 1st, 2007, 12:46 PM
That is just jawdropping in 720. Thank you very much for sharing that. :)

Steven Thomas
December 1st, 2007, 01:17 PM
Phil you have a great eye for this stuff.
I imagine it racks nicely.

Phil Bloom
December 1st, 2007, 02:09 PM
rails are a must. I use cinevate and also cavision

Barlow Elton
December 1st, 2007, 02:18 PM
I have to laugh at the expression on the guys face and walk, as he crosses the road with coffee in hand.

Maybe he had to pay for that coffee in dollars. ;)

Forrest Burger
December 1st, 2007, 02:22 PM
Great stuff, Phil. Thanks for spending so much time bringing this to us. It's very educational, and really fun to watch.

Forrest

Phil Bloom
December 1st, 2007, 03:19 PM
rails are a must. I use cinevate and also cavision

Steve Cahill
December 1st, 2007, 04:46 PM
Phil- have you tried the Brevis on the camera yet? If so any comments on the difference between the Letus and Brevis... Nice job, camera is really tack sharp!

Christopher Barry
December 1st, 2007, 05:41 PM
Maybe he had to pay for that coffee in dollars. ;)

Now in 720p, I can laugh some more!

Raymond Schlogel
December 1st, 2007, 05:59 PM
Phil, love the footage, have watched it twenty times. I've never used a 35mm adapter and would love a little more info and advice. Though it's out of the budget at the moment your vid has made me bound and determined to get the Letus35 Extreme. What I'm hoping is that you can help me put together more or less a shopping list of what I'll need with it, adapters, lenses, etc. You mention you use Cinevate and Cavision rails, which one would you suggest I go with? And is there a particular model or any extras I'll need for the EX1? Also can you give me some specifics on the lenses you used. Keep in mind this is all Greek to me. Would love to see a pic of your rig!

Sorry for the slew of questions, just enamored with the look you've achieved.

- Ray

Phil Bloom
December 1st, 2007, 06:14 PM
I will be shooting stuff with the brevis over next two days. My problem is the ex1 monitor is so sharp you hardly need a monitor. But my brevis doesn't have the flip

thanks raymond. Drop me an email and I will let you know what u need