1DX Mark II, 4K, DPAF, + Rodeo

[Jon Roemer]

1DX Mark II film I made to test the camera out:

Rodeo Sunset on Vimeo

Filmed in 4K 60p for the most part to enable the slo-mo sections. Daylight WB until the arena lights took over, then Auto WB. No auto-light optimization. 180 deg shutter, 1/125. Modified Prolost flat for profile -> Neutral/0, -2, -1, 0. All focusing via DPAF. Majority shot wide open on 100-400 f/4.5-5.6 IS II and 70-200 f/2.8 IS II.

Full info is on my blog, Rodeo Sunset – Canon 1DX Mark II Test Run – Learning to See, and the same post is on newsshooter.com, The Canon 1DX mkII 4K video DSLR reviewed by Jon Roemer .

It's not c-log but the color is great out of the box and the DPAF is amazing.

I haven't had to match it yet to my C300 but I did use it on a project this past Monday when HFR was needed.

Sample showing shadow recovery:

Canon 1DX Mark II 4K Shadow Recovery on Vimeo

[Mark Dobson]

Interesting film Jon.

Well executed and the camera obviously works very well. It's an odd bit of kit which I imagine will appeal to photographers who also do video rather than the other way round.

[Robert Benda]

Originally Posted by Mark Dobson

Interesting film Jon.

Well executed and the camera obviously works very well. It's an odd bit of kit which I imagine will appeal to photographers who also do video rather than the other way round.

Why is that?

Because of no articulating screen?

[Jon Roemer]

Originally Posted by Mark Dobson

Interesting film Jon.

Well executed and the camera obviously works very well. It's an odd bit of kit which I imagine will appeal to photographers who also do video rather than the other way round.

Yep, most likely true. That said I am already finding it advantageous on video projects. I was on a two-day project Monday & Tuesday. All b-roll type footage and the C300 was the primary camera. The first morning after getting the initial shots the client asked if I could by chance get some slo-mo footage. So, out came the 1DXM2. Perfect in that scenario.

https://www.instagram.com/p/BG480v6k...-by=jonroemer_

https://www.instagram.com/p/BG6SvI6k...-by=jonroemer_

https://www.instagram.com/p/BG7gtHUk...-by=jonroemer_

Much of the rest of the shoot was shot outdoors in lifts, 40' up, and for that C300 was the better way to go. To have the all-in-one camera with built-in NDs, EVF, and external screen; all in high pressure situations with the light changing rapidly was key.

https://www.instagram.com/p/BG8L1eGk...-by=jonroemer_

That said there is something about the 1DXM2 files - probably much like the C300 Mark II.

[Jon Roemer]

Originally Posted by Robert Benda

Why is that?

Because of no articulating screen?

That's one aspect but there are a few more. Most dealing with the DSLR form factor and the lack of pro inputs/outputs.

There are two sides to it though - the 1DXM2 is more rugged, weather sealed, and it calls less attention to itself when filming in public.

I go into it vs. the C300 in the blog post.

[Dan Brockett]

Great write up on your blog Jon. It's funny, I shot stills at a small Rodeo in California a few months ago and my stills look almost identical to your video, it's possible that even some of the same riders are in both projects. The video looks great, the 1DXII is obviously capable of shooting nice 4K footage and is about half the cost of a new C300 MKII. It would take a lot for me to go back to the limitations of the DSLR form factor though, I shot video almost exclusively on the 5D MKII and MKIII for about two years and it really made my job much more of a PITA to always have to sync audio, the ridiculously shallow DOF even at decent apertures and the overall softness of the image.

Just out of curiosity, why didn't you use a small 5"-7" monitor on the 1DXII instead of the Zacuto loupe?

[Jon Roemer]

Originally Posted by Dan Brockett

Great write up on your blog Jon. It's funny, I shot stills at a small Rodeo in California a few months ago and my stills look almost identical to your video, it's possible that even some of the same riders are in both projects. The video looks great, the 1DXII is obviously capable of shooting nice 4K footage and is about half the cost of a new C300 MKII. It would take a lot for me to go back to the limitations of the DSLR form factor though, I shot video almost exclusively on the 5D MKII and MKIII for about two years and it really made my job much more of a PITA to always have to sync audio, the ridiculously shallow DOF even at decent apertures and the overall softness of the image.

Just out of curiosity, why didn't you use a small 5"-7" monitor on the 1DXII instead of the Zacuto loupe?

Dan - I agree on the issues with going back to DSLR after working with a true cinema camera.

I didn't use a 5"-7" monitor for that particular shoot because I was on my own, working handheld or on a monopod, and I didn't want to call any extra attention to myself. I wasn't there as "press" or as an official videographer. I also knew that once the light dropped I could ditch the z-finder and just use the camera's screen.

Last week I was on a client project and did use the 1DXM2 along with my C300. For that I had the 1DXM2 in a Wooden Camera cage, on small jib, and with a 7" monitor. Worked great. Allowed me to do some slow-motion 4K footage.

https://www.instagram.com/p/BG6SvI6k...-by=jonroemer_

https://www.instagram.com/p/BG7gtHUk...-by=jonroemer_

[Dan Brockett]

Cool shoot Jon. A friend of mine is just introducing his own line of distilled spirits, it's kind of a fascinating world.

[Leon Lorenz]

Great high speed action video that's well shot Jon. I'm impressed how good the footage looks, including the slo-mo shots. There is something to this camera. I've been using the Canon C300 for wildlife filmmaking since it was released with excellent results, however I need to start shooting in 4K. The C300 MK 11 seems to be way overpriced without getting 4K 60P. The 1DX MK11 might be good for fast moving wildlife and shooting at 4K 60P is what I plan on doing. Anybody have any thoughts if this camera might work for wildlife filmmaking, including for low light shots. I like the idea that it's a high resolution still camera for the occasional scenic and wildlife still image that I want. Has anybody tried pulling stills from 4K 6OP footage with this camera and if you have how is the quality?


Leon Lorenz
www.wildlifevideos.ca
Canadian Wildlife Productions

[Jon Roemer]

Originally Posted by Leon Lorenz

Great high speed action video that's well shot Jon. I'm impressed how good the footage looks, including the slo-mo shots. There is something to this camera. I've been using the Canon C300 for wildlife filmmaking since it was released with excellent results, however I need to start shooting in 4K. The C300 MK 11 seems to be way overpriced without getting 4K 60P. The 1DX MK11 might be good for fast moving wildlife and shooting at 4K 60P is what I plan on doing. Anybody have any thoughts if this camera might work for wildlife filmmaking, including for low light shots. I like the idea that it's a high resolution still camera for the occasional scenic and wildlife still image that I want. Has anybody tried pulling stills from 4K 6OP footage with this camera and if you have how is the quality?

Thanks Leon!

The stills pulled from the 4K 60P are stunning. They blow away the stills pulled from my C300. You can get a sense of the stills at the end of my video where I use frame grabs for the credits. ~03:01, 03:05, 03:09, 03:13, and 03:15 (run the video in 4K on Vimeo).

The usual caveats apply when pulling stills from video - with lots of motion, like with the rodeo, even at 60p 180 deg. shutter of 1/125 you are going to get motion blur. Up the shutter rate to compensate and you sacrifice the video quality.

A big factor though is also the 1DXM2's inefficient codec. 4K 60p looks amazing with the camera and you can push/pull in post to your heart's content but to shoot 4K 60p on the camera you have to use CFast 2.0 cards. A 128GB card only holds ~16 minutes of footage and the card costs ~$370 (Sandisk @ B&H).

I haven't run any tests but the camera is a bit noisier in video mode than in stills mode. There is no in-camera NR in 4K mode. Stills can take advantage of in-camera NR for jpegs or NR in post for raws.

[Leon Lorenz]

Jon, yes the still shots do look amazing, I wonder how large they could be blown up and still look clean. I'm doing framed canvas pictures from the C300, all pictures in my website / photo gallery are taken from it. Take a look and let me know what you think.

Sixteen minutes per 128 card shooting 4K 60P, WOW! I'm pretty conservative in shooting wildlife and even more in archiving only the cream shots so hopefully no worries, however, a number of cards will be needed for extended trips . Shooting always at that frame rate will enable most high speed action shots to be decently slowed down if needed and should also make better frame grabs over 30P..

Leon Lorenz
wildlifevideos.ca
Canadian Wildlife Productions

[Jon Roemer]

Originally Posted by Leon Lorenz

Jon, yes the still shots do look amazing, I wonder how large they could be blown up and still look clean. I'm doing framed canvas pictures from the C300, all pictures in my website / photo gallery are taken from it. Take a look and let me know what you think.

Sixteen minutes per 128 card shooting 4K 60P, WOW! I'm pretty conservative in shooting wildlife and even more in archiving only the cream shots so hopefully no worries, however, a number of cards will be needed for extended trips . Shooting always at that frame rate will enable most high speed action shots to be decently slowed down if needed and should also make better frame grabs over 30P..

I don't have a direct side by side but looking at a recent shoot with clips shot in the same environment - if I rez up a C300 frame grab to match the size of a 1DXM2 frame grab the 1DXM2 frame is much sharper and has a lot more detail. (I can't show any samples from this project.)

If you can get a 12"x19" canvas print out of your C300 frame grabs, pretty amazing in itself, you'll have no problems with 1DXM2 frame grab.

[Sabyasachi Patra]

I am fine pulling stills from the 1DXII when required. Having said that, I click a shot or two and then move back to the 4K mode and wait for the right moments to film. The 128 GB card just gets over in no time. And when it happens, then it stops as it won't automatically move to the other card. Wish Canon had introduced two CFast 2.0 cards in the 1DXII.

In the past I have shot fine art prints 20x30 inch from a Canon 10D (6.3 MP camera). Ofcourse raw stills. However, we are getting close. Wish the 1DX II could have done raw 4k video for a few seconds. That would have been phenomenal.

1Dx2 can't compete with the C300 in the low light. ISO 12800 is simply not enough for me in many situations.

[Jon Roemer]

Originally Posted by Sabyasachi Patra

1Dx2 can't compete with the C300 in the low light. ISO 12800 is simply not enough for me in many situations.

Sabyasachi - you can expand the 1DXM2 ISO range for movies up to ISO 204800 even for 4K.

2nd tab of the Camera Settings in the menu. "ISO Speed settings" and then "Range for movies" and "Range for 4K".

You need to be in Movie Mode to access this.

[Sabyasachi Patra]

Thanks Jon!

Immediately checked and got it. I somehow had misread the default ISO 12800 limit in 4K to be the max limit. I will now have to test and see how good the higher ISOs are.

Cheers,
Sabyasachi