5DmkIII & Nanoflash at DVinfo.net

Simon Wood · April 30th, 2013, 05:53 AM

Anyone tested this combo yet? Any thoughts? Best settings?

I just downloaded the Firmware and will run some tests this evening. Just need to find that mini HDMI cable that was thrown in a drawer a few years back....

From what I gather so far, the following needs to be taken into consideration:

1) Only 50i out in PAL. Presumably 25p will be recorded with PSF on?

2) No audio signal (typical Canon!). As I use external audio, this is not a big problem, but I usually need a scratch track to sych with. Could you run a 3.5mm cable from the Headphones out on the 5D to the Mic In on the Nanoflash (just a as a scratch track)? Or could you just plug in a VideoMic directly to the Mic in on the Nanoflash?

Dave Sperling · April 30th, 2013, 07:20 AM

In your testing, have you noticed any delay in the HDMI output from the camera (which would throw external audio input out of sync with video from camera)?

Simon Wood · April 30th, 2013, 08:56 AM

Not sure about that, but will have a look into it once I start messing with the audio.

Ok, I have tried to set it up and record. It took a while but it definitely works (though its a bit of a rats nest of cables at the moment - the nanoflash is small on an XLH1, but big on a DSLR!).

- Turn on HDMI mirroring in the 5D (so the LCD stays on when you plug in the HDMI cable).
- The Nanoflash definitely sees the signal, but not the timecode.
- Have to set timecode to internal.
- Trigger to Record Button.

The Canon HDMI outputs 50i in PAL, but recorded at 25p with PSF On in the Nanoflash.

Records the image fine, but no audio over the HDMI.

Will post more once I have a chance to run some tests.

Simon Wood · April 30th, 2013, 02:05 PM

By no means a scientific test.

I recorded some footage in my garden, and then put the Internal 5Dmk3 Footage (1920, 25, IBP) beside the the Nanoflash Footage (Mov 50mbs).

I then took 3 scenes with different lighting, side by side, and added a sharpen filter to them, and then added some preset looks from Magic Bullet Looks to see how the codecs handle aggressive grading.

The idea was just to try and replicate some of the typical everyday conditions people will shoot in, and deliver on the internet. No pixel peeping here.

Password is 'nano'.

I think this shows that Canon probably squeezed as much as they could out of the camera with the onboard codec. Its hard to see much difference, though I will still a lot more testing over the next few weeks under different conditions.

I imagine that the 5Dmk3 with a Nanoflash would be a good combo for when doing green-screen work, and handy perhaps for broadcast (when using the 5D for cutaways at least you can hand over footage all in the same codec to the editor).

For most other jobs it probably would not be worth the hassle of having to use a large rig (to support the nanoflash, all the extra cables, batteries etc).

Time will tell though.

David Paul · May 7th, 2013, 06:39 PM

So far our testing to get Nano (and a Pix240) triggering via TC (embedded in HDMI) from the 5DIII record button have failed.Both def' get the video/image signal, but no TC coming through or if it is , then not being read by the Nano and Pix.
Having to use Trigger/record button on Nano and internal TC is a tad boring and a bit cumbersome for doco type shooting, or hand held with your 5DIII/Nano combo...and too slow.
Ideally one needs to be able to trigger both camera and recorder with one button.

But am a tad confused why Ninja reads and triggers off TC (via HDMI from 5D) but Nano and Pix (both far superior products in my view) can't.
Can anyone explain why this may be?

I also note a few saying elsewhere they can't see much image quality difference with Nano (or other off-camera recorders) but what it does deliver, is now we can get 50mbps, 4:2:2 , Long Gop ( on the Nano) which meets international HD broadcast delivery std's. To date I personally have not used the 5D for doco's (except for some inserts) as all my work needs to be HD deliverable locally and internationally. So that's a huge bonus being able to use the Nano...well it will be when I can trigger the Nano from the camera. :-)

Thanks.
Regards.

Jack Zhang · May 7th, 2013, 08:03 PM

The Nanoflash has no HDMI TC trigger at the moment. It is "promised" in a "future" firmware but we haven't seen that in 2 years.

April 30th, 2013, 05:53 AM	#1
Simon Wood Major Player Join Date: Nov 2010 Location: Entebbe Uganda Posts: 768	5DmkIII & Nanoflash Anyone tested this combo yet? Any thoughts? Best settings? I just downloaded the Firmware and will run some tests this evening. Just need to find that mini HDMI cable that was thrown in a drawer a few years back.... From what I gather so far, the following needs to be taken into consideration: 1) Only 50i out in PAL. Presumably 25p will be recorded with PSF on? 2) No audio signal (typical Canon!). As I use external audio, this is not a big problem, but I usually need a scratch track to sych with. Could you run a 3.5mm cable from the Headphones out on the 5D to the Mic In on the Nanoflash (just a as a scratch track)? Or could you just plug in a VideoMic directly to the Mic in on the Nanoflash? __________________ http://vimeo.com/channels/guerrillafilms

April 30th, 2013, 07:20 AM	#2
Dave Sperling Major Player Join Date: Jan 2010 Location: Tinton Falls, NJ Posts: 780	Re: 5DmkIII & Nanoflash In your testing, have you noticed any delay in the HDMI output from the camera (which would throw external audio input out of sync with video from camera)?

April 30th, 2013, 08:56 AM	#3
Simon Wood Major Player Join Date: Nov 2010 Location: Entebbe Uganda Posts: 768	Re: 5DmkIII & Nanoflash Not sure about that, but will have a look into it once I start messing with the audio. Ok, I have tried to set it up and record. It took a while but it definitely works (though its a bit of a rats nest of cables at the moment - the nanoflash is small on an XLH1, but big on a DSLR!). - Turn on HDMI mirroring in the 5D (so the LCD stays on when you plug in the HDMI cable). - The Nanoflash definitely sees the signal, but not the timecode. - Have to set timecode to internal. - Trigger to Record Button. The Canon HDMI outputs 50i in PAL, but recorded at 25p with PSF On in the Nanoflash. Records the image fine, but no audio over the HDMI. Will post more once I have a chance to run some tests. __________________ http://vimeo.com/channels/guerrillafilms

April 30th, 2013, 02:05 PM	#4
Simon Wood Major Player Join Date: Nov 2010 Location: Entebbe Uganda Posts: 768	Re: 5DmkIII & Nanoflash By no means a scientific test. I recorded some footage in my garden, and then put the Internal 5Dmk3 Footage (1920, 25, IBP) beside the the Nanoflash Footage (Mov 50mbs). I then took 3 scenes with different lighting, side by side, and added a sharpen filter to them, and then added some preset looks from Magic Bullet Looks to see how the codecs handle aggressive grading. The idea was just to try and replicate some of the typical everyday conditions people will shoot in, and deliver on the internet. No pixel peeping here. Private Video on Vimeo Password is 'nano'. I think this shows that Canon probably squeezed as much as they could out of the camera with the onboard codec. Its hard to see much difference, though I will still a lot more testing over the next few weeks under different conditions. I imagine that the 5Dmk3 with a Nanoflash would be a good combo for when doing green-screen work, and handy perhaps for broadcast (when using the 5D for cutaways at least you can hand over footage all in the same codec to the editor). For most other jobs it probably would not be worth the hassle of having to use a large rig (to support the nanoflash, all the extra cables, batteries etc). Time will tell though. __________________ http://vimeo.com/channels/guerrillafilms

May 7th, 2013, 06:39 PM	#5
David Paul New Boot Join Date: Jan 2009 Location: Wellington, New Zealand Posts: 11	Re: 5DmkIII & Nanoflash So far our testing to get Nano (and a Pix240) triggering via TC (embedded in HDMI) from the 5DIII record button have failed.Both def' get the video/image signal, but no TC coming through or if it is , then not being read by the Nano and Pix. Having to use Trigger/record button on Nano and internal TC is a tad boring and a bit cumbersome for doco type shooting, or hand held with your 5DIII/Nano combo...and too slow. Ideally one needs to be able to trigger both camera and recorder with one button. But am a tad confused why Ninja reads and triggers off TC (via HDMI from 5D) but Nano and Pix (both far superior products in my view) can't. Can anyone explain why this may be? I also note a few saying elsewhere they can't see much image quality difference with Nano (or other off-camera recorders) but what it does deliver, is now we can get 50mbps, 4:2:2 , Long Gop ( on the Nano) which meets international HD broadcast delivery std's. To date I personally have not used the 5D for doco's (except for some inserts) as all my work needs to be HD deliverable locally and internationally. So that's a huge bonus being able to use the Nano...well it will be when I can trigger the Nano from the camera. :-) Thanks. Regards.

May 7th, 2013, 08:03 PM	#6
Jack Zhang Inner Circle Join Date: May 2005 Location: Burnaby, BC, Canada Posts: 3,053	Re: 5DmkIII & Nanoflash The Nanoflash has no HDMI TC trigger at the moment. It is "promised" in a "future" firmware but we haven't seen that in 2 years.