XL2 stills for portfolio at DVinfo.net

Devin Doyle · March 15th, 2005, 09:27 AM

Hello all! It's been a while since I've been around the boards, but it's good to be back. Since I checked this board religiously prior to purchasing my XL2 i thought I'd post some stills I've used from the camera to hopefully convince some other videographer of its worth.

In re-designing my portfolio site I began to shoot stills of my old 8mm projector with a digital camera, but found it lacked the ability to pull close focus or zoom to the extent I wanted. I pulled out the old XL2 and began shooting, and was highly impressed with the image quality. Here's the link:

http://devin.par-t-com.net

20x lens, 16:9, 30p, cine-gamma / matrix, high knee, pressed blacks, with color saturation up several notches. I of course color corrected the stills in PPro and PS to give them a vintage look. I was highly impressed! BTW, the same stills were used in the intro and outro to my reel. Any feedback on that would be appreciated as well!

Tony Davies-Patrick · March 15th, 2005, 12:48 PM

I will need stills for promotion during and after my next film project - but as good as the XL series is at taking stills (or any high-end camcorder/movie camera for that matter) the results rarely are good enough for high quality print production (OK for small size jpg on the web, though).
That is why I intend to to take plenty of still shots of the same subjects using an SLR camera - for the purpose of using any photographs needed for future advertising, DVD covers, magazine features etc, and not simply stills taken from a miniDV camera.

Rob Mitchell · March 15th, 2005, 12:55 PM

Devin, your site is really well done. I've shot stills commercially for years and never would have thought something like the XL2 would give that quality. Nice sepia tone, lighting and overall effect to the site. The detail is excellent. Have you printed any shots to see how well they enlarge?
I just got my XL2 today and will definitely explore the still photo side. Thanks and good luck with the film making.
Rob

Mathieu Ghekiere · March 15th, 2005, 02:18 PM

What a great site?

Devon, did you scripted and directed that short films too, or where you only on the job as DOP?

Fade Away was maybe a little cliché story (sorry for saying that, it isn't ment bad, because I still think some stories keep working) but it still had me cringing (or how do you say that, my english isn't that well) very well made, and gripping (nice use of the camera-idea!)

Nice use of the Fifth Element Music too ;-)

And I saw Detonate too, very cool begin credits, very funny use of musical, and very beautiful lightning too!

I didn't like Climax that much, but more because of the story that I didn't find really interesting.

But, in general, very very beautiful work, you should be proud!

Devin Doyle · March 15th, 2005, 11:57 PM

Rob and Tony - Thanks for the kind words. I haven't blown up the images, nor do I really intend to. As you mentioned Tony, the 720x480 image works fine for web, but as for print - forget it!

Mathieu - I was DP on all those films, that's the role I enjoy the most, and have been pursuing for quite some time now. Thanks for taking the time to check out my work!

Mathieu Ghekiere · March 16th, 2005, 08:41 AM

It really was great, I mean it!

March 15th, 2005, 09:27 AM	#1
Devin Doyle Regular Crew Join Date: Jun 2003 Location: Los Angeles, CA Posts: 188	XL2 stills for portfolio Hello all! It's been a while since I've been around the boards, but it's good to be back. Since I checked this board religiously prior to purchasing my XL2 i thought I'd post some stills I've used from the camera to hopefully convince some other videographer of its worth. In re-designing my portfolio site I began to shoot stills of my old 8mm projector with a digital camera, but found it lacked the ability to pull close focus or zoom to the extent I wanted. I pulled out the old XL2 and began shooting, and was highly impressed with the image quality. Here's the link: http://devin.par-t-com.net 20x lens, 16:9, 30p, cine-gamma / matrix, high knee, pressed blacks, with color saturation up several notches. I of course color corrected the stills in PPro and PS to give them a vintage look. I was highly impressed! BTW, the same stills were used in the intro and outro to my reel. Any feedback on that would be appreciated as well! __________________ http://devin.par-t-com.net

March 15th, 2005, 12:48 PM	#2
Tony Davies-Patrick Trustee Join Date: Feb 2005 Location: Worldwide Posts: 1,589	I will need stills for promotion during and after my next film project - but as good as the XL series is at taking stills (or any high-end camcorder/movie camera for that matter) the results rarely are good enough for high quality print production (OK for small size jpg on the web, though). That is why I intend to to take plenty of still shots of the same subjects using an SLR camera - for the purpose of using any photographs needed for future advertising, DVD covers, magazine features etc, and not simply stills taken from a miniDV camera. __________________ www.WILDCARP.com www.NIKON.me.uk

March 15th, 2005, 11:57 PM	#5
Devin Doyle Regular Crew Join Date: Jun 2003 Location: Los Angeles, CA Posts: 188	Rob and Tony - Thanks for the kind words. I haven't blown up the images, nor do I really intend to. As you mentioned Tony, the 720x480 image works fine for web, but as for print - forget it! Mathieu - I was DP on all those films, that's the role I enjoy the most, and have been pursuing for quite some time now. Thanks for taking the time to check out my work! __________________ http://devin.par-t-com.net

March 15th, 2005, 12:55 PM	#3
Rob Mitchell Regular Crew Join Date: Nov 2004 Location: Miami Beach, FL Posts: 38	Devin, your site is really well done. I've shot stills commercially for years and never would have thought something like the XL2 would give that quality. Nice sepia tone, lighting and overall effect to the site. The detail is excellent. Have you printed any shots to see how well they enlarge? I just got my XL2 today and will definitely explore the still photo side. Thanks and good luck with the film making. Rob

March 15th, 2005, 02:18 PM	#4
Mathieu Ghekiere Inner Circle Join Date: Jun 2004 Location: Belgium Posts: 2,195	What a great site? Devon, did you scripted and directed that short films too, or where you only on the job as DOP? Fade Away was maybe a little cliché story (sorry for saying that, it isn't ment bad, because I still think some stories keep working) but it still had me cringing (or how do you say that, my english isn't that well) very well made, and gripping (nice use of the camera-idea!) Nice use of the Fifth Element Music too ;-) And I saw Detonate too, very cool begin credits, very funny use of musical, and very beautiful lightning too! I didn't like Climax that much, but more because of the story that I didn't find really interesting. But, in general, very very beautiful work, you should be proud!

March 16th, 2005, 08:41 AM	#6
Mathieu Ghekiere Inner Circle Join Date: Jun 2004 Location: Belgium Posts: 2,195	It really was great, I mean it!