View Full Version : Best Letus35+reel-stream footage ever


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Steven Fokkinga
October 13th, 2005, 09:02 AM
<<<Letterboxed as video resolution (pal) and some obvious tricks:>>>>
Kurt, this makes me wonder...lower resolution, obvious tricks (unsharp masks for one) and it really looks better than the original.
It seems to me that real-stream captures the image without the same obvious built-in camcorder tricks and now we know why the manufacturers use those tricks.

Yes, some tricks that happen in camera are desirable. Other things are not, like 5:1 DV compression and 4:1:1 color conversion. The nice thing about RS is that you can choose whatever you want to do yourself...
Oh and the HD thing is also nice... :)

Obin Olson
October 13th, 2005, 09:31 AM
very very sharp, film "look" is softer then video, video is HARSH.

I have you heard about actors hating HD video? it's because it's so sharp on the skin, makes them look older.

Glen Hurd
October 13th, 2005, 11:09 PM
In response to Kurt, I agree with you. I think people confuse "sharp" with contrast, and video records with greater contrast than film for any given scene, since its exposure latitude is more limited. Assuming identical scenes, and identical exposures, shadows are darker, and highlights peak "earlier" in video. Since we respond to high contrast as being sharp (thus the "unsharp mask" filter in Photoshop), we perceive video as being too "sharp." In fact, film is sharper (referring to resolution). Just kinder to the eyes, since it takes a couple more stops more before blowing highlights or burying shadows.
For fun, you can take an HD image, copy it, apply an unsharp mask to it that "sharpens" the image somewhat noticeably, then apply a difference filter between that and the original. Using the result, adjust the levels until white lines are evident, showing where the unsharp mask had the most effect. Converting that to an alpha channel, or mask, you can then mask a contrast-reducing curve applied to the original image.
The result is an image with a less "sharp" look, which has not been effected with a blur or sharpen filter at all. Just a selective application of contrast-reduction.
By the way, beautiful looking footage.

Glen

Pekka Uotila
October 14th, 2005, 04:43 AM
Interesting indeed this question about sharpness.
It just reminds me of an experience that I had last year. The TV film that was shot by me with Sony's 570 Dvcam and I used some combinations promist and lowcontrast filters to get a nicer feeling to the story. In general it was a good choice until the day of a premier came and the picture was spread to a big canvas in a movietheatre with a very good videoprojector... the only solution for me was to close my yes when the wide shots were screened, it just looked so soft. ( I really should have done some more tests before, for that screening)

Obin,
I would like to ask your opinion about one thing. I am about to order Letus35 with a mount where I could use normal 35mm cinelenses. Queyn would make a special one.
This means that the size of the frame that videocam records from gg would be something like 18x24mm.
Since you have been using Letus35 and it seems that you know about these things very much, it would be very valuable to me to hear from you if you see any major problems in my plan immediately?

Michael Maier
October 14th, 2005, 04:50 AM
That's interesting Pekka. What cine mount you have in mind, PL?

Pekka Uotila
October 14th, 2005, 05:14 AM
Hi Michael,
no. The mount I have in my mind is Aatonmount. It's flange is 40mm. That mount would allow me to use Nikon's lenses easily aswell. I even have such a curiosity as an Aatonadapter for c-mount, I just have never been able to use it because there is not enough room for that in Aaton.
With Aaton mount I could use old Cooke lenses, old Zeiss lenses etc. But I really hope that it would work atleast with Zeiss T:1.3 (Mark I) set, that is originally made for 35mm film.

Michael Maier
October 14th, 2005, 05:16 AM
Cool! Good luck.

Obin Olson
October 16th, 2005, 05:31 PM
I see no issues at all! it should work well, you will zoom in the video camera a bit, as your image will be smaller on the gg...I would like to do the same thing ome time, tell Q to start making METAL LENS MOUNTS ASAP.

Aaron McMath
October 17th, 2005, 01:13 PM
Hey Obin,

Are you still using 4 batteries on the Letus? Has this caused any problems?

Is there some kind of restraint on your' motor? What does it look like?

Are you using the new Letus achromat or still the micro35?

Pekka Uotila
October 20th, 2005, 04:40 AM
[QUOTE=Obin Olson]I see no issues at all! it should work well, you will zoom in the video camera a bit, as your image will be smaller on the gg...


Thanks Obin.
Right now there are still some parts of the mount missing....
I will be telling more about this version of Letus35 one day, I hope.