Suggest A Cinema Camera at DVinfo.net

Haitham Lawati · September 4th, 2010, 07:40 AM

Which cameras can deliver this stunnig quality and breathe-taking scenes at affordable prices as seen in the following link:
YouTube - Porsche 918 Spyder Concept Promotional Video

Wacharapong Chiowanich · September 4th, 2010, 09:08 AM

Hard to say for sure as the video posted only plays at 480p maximum resolution and if 480p is all you need the Canon 5D Mk2 with appropriate lenses and mounting apparatuses will do. If you need to have it look that good at 1080p I guess you would need at least the Red One plus all the required accessories, which I can hardly say "affordable". The Red One system nevertheless seems to be the cheapest to yield that kind of look, the high frame rate capability (to get a smooth slow motion effect), and the tonality that comes very close to film. Some other digital systems shoot even better looking footage but every one of them costs much, much more.

Arnie Schlissel · September 4th, 2010, 09:18 AM

The Arri Alexa will give you the best bang for the buck. Great quality, very usable, simple post workflow. Pricing is around $50k or $60k, plus lenses.

Perrone Ford · September 4th, 2010, 11:01 AM

That was shot on a Canon 7D. Cost: US$1500

Haitham Lawati · September 4th, 2010, 01:17 PM

If I use Canon 5D Mark II with EOS 24-105mm f/4 lens and set it at Full HD, is it possible to attain this quality with this cinematic look?

Perrone Ford · September 4th, 2010, 02:22 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Haitham Lawati

If I use Canon 5D Mark II with EOS 24-105mm f/4 lens and set it at Full HD, is it possible to attain this quality with this cinematic look?

With a few years of practice.. sure. That "cinematic look" is the combination of gear and skills. There's no "easy" button to get you there.

Brian Drysdale · September 5th, 2010, 04:43 AM

As mentioned, the camera is just the tool, you have to learn how to use it and then apply the imagination and creative energy.

Sareesh Sudhakaran · September 5th, 2010, 10:22 PM

SI2K rig with the bells and whistles might be cheaper than a RED or Alexa. Most professionals don't accept H.264 as a professional medium of source, so I would rule out 7D/5D unless budget is a huge issue.

Brian Drysdale · September 6th, 2010, 12:12 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Haitham Lawati

If I use Canon 5D Mark II with EOS 24-105mm f/4 lens and set it at Full HD, is it possible to attain this quality with this cinematic look?

Usually these cameras are used for a shallow DOF,( which also helps reduce the moire patterning artefacts when shooting video), so prime or fixed focal length lenses are normally used rather than a relatively slow (f stop wise) zooms intended for stills.

Perrone Ford · September 6th, 2010, 12:31 PM

F4 on a 5D is going to be very much like F1.8 on a 7D. It's pretty darn shallow.

Brian Drysdale · September 6th, 2010, 01:47 PM

Pretty much in a ball park of each other, perhaps a bit more on the 5D at f4. But are people using the 5D shooting at f4 or are they tending to use wider apertures when shooting for commercials?

Certainly pulling focus would keep you busy..

Charles Papert · September 6th, 2010, 03:59 PM

Overall, the folks using these cameras in the industry are shooting at higher stops (i.e. more closed down) than folks in the indie world. I myself rarely go below a 2.8 and usually deeper, especially with the 5D. I'm always fascinated when I read about people raving about their f1.4 lenses. No clue how you guys are achieving critical focus, we have a hard enough time with it at a 4.

"Most professionals don't accept H.264 as a professional medium of source"

These cameras are in use on many high-end commercials, music videos etc. and make plenty of appearances on TV shows these days. No-one loves the codec or the other issues with the cameras, but it's the flavor of the month and they are being used for many surprisingly high-end jobs (like this Porsche one) where the budget could obviously manage a more "appropriate" camera. What we see more often than not is a camera package owned by a director or producer being brought to these jobs; they get the rental and that's that.

Brian Drysdale · September 6th, 2010, 04:40 PM

Somehow I'm not too surprised about the ownership of the camera package.

Dylan Couper · September 7th, 2010, 10:32 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Charles Papert

Overall, the folks using these cameras in the industry are shooting at higher stops (i.e. more closed down) than folks in the indie world. I myself rarely go below a 2.8 and usually deeper, especially with the 5D. I'm always fascinated when I read about people raving about their f1.4 lenses. No clue how you guys are achieving critical focus, we have a hard enough time with it at a 4.

Charles...
It's called FocusLite(tm).
It's new.
It's like critical focus, only not.
Since indie folks rarely rent HD monitors to check focus, and most indie DPs don't know the numbers on the lens mean something, no one ever notices 'till post, and at that point the editor (usually the director) is too scared to say anything.
So when someone asks "you sure that shot is in focus?" You can answer, "Yeah, it's FocusLite."

I should make a rail mount FocusLite device...

Perrone Ford · September 7th, 2010, 10:48 AM

EPIC!!!!

FocusLite(tm),

I'll take one for each lens please!

September 4th, 2010, 07:40 AM	#1
Haitham Lawati Regular Crew Join Date: Jul 2010 Location: OMAN Posts: 107	Suggest A Cinema Camera Which cameras can deliver this stunnig quality and breathe-taking scenes at affordable prices as seen in the following link: YouTube - Porsche 918 Spyder Concept Promotional Video

September 4th, 2010, 11:01 AM	#4
Perrone Ford Inner Circle Join Date: Nov 2006 Location: Tallahassee, FL Posts: 4,100	That was shot on a Canon 7D. Cost: US$1500 __________________ DVX100, PMW-EX1, Canon 550D, FigRig, Dell Octocore, Avid MC4/5, MB Looks, RedCineX, Matrox MX02 mini, GTech RAID, Edirol R-4, Senn. G2 Evo, Countryman, Moles and Lowels.

September 5th, 2010, 10:22 PM	#8
Sareesh Sudhakaran Trustee Join Date: Jan 2008 Location: Mumbai, India Posts: 1,385	SI2K rig with the bells and whistles might be cheaper than a RED or Alexa. Most professionals don't accept H.264 as a professional medium of source, so I would rule out 7D/5D unless budget is a huge issue. __________________ Get the Free Comprehensive Guide to Rigging ANY Camera - one guide to rig them all - DSLRs to the Arri Alexa.

September 6th, 2010, 12:31 PM	#10
Perrone Ford Inner Circle Join Date: Nov 2006 Location: Tallahassee, FL Posts: 4,100	F4 on a 5D is going to be very much like F1.8 on a 7D. It's pretty darn shallow. __________________ DVX100, PMW-EX1, Canon 550D, FigRig, Dell Octocore, Avid MC4/5, MB Looks, RedCineX, Matrox MX02 mini, GTech RAID, Edirol R-4, Senn. G2 Evo, Countryman, Moles and Lowels.

September 6th, 2010, 03:59 PM	#12
Charles Papert Wrangler Join Date: Jan 2002 Location: Los Angeles, CA Posts: 6,810	Overall, the folks using these cameras in the industry are shooting at higher stops (i.e. more closed down) than folks in the indie world. I myself rarely go below a 2.8 and usually deeper, especially with the 5D. I'm always fascinated when I read about people raving about their f1.4 lenses. No clue how you guys are achieving critical focus, we have a hard enough time with it at a 4. "Most professionals don't accept H.264 as a professional medium of source" These cameras are in use on many high-end commercials, music videos etc. and make plenty of appearances on TV shows these days. No-one loves the codec or the other issues with the cameras, but it's the flavor of the month and they are being used for many surprisingly high-end jobs (like this Porsche one) where the budget could obviously manage a more "appropriate" camera. What we see more often than not is a camera package owned by a director or producer being brought to these jobs; they get the rental and that's that. __________________ Charles Papert www.charlespapert.com

September 4th, 2010, 09:08 AM	#2
Wacharapong Chiowanich Major Player Join Date: May 2008 Location: Bangkok, Thailand Posts: 400	Hard to say for sure as the video posted only plays at 480p maximum resolution and if 480p is all you need the Canon 5D Mk2 with appropriate lenses and mounting apparatuses will do. If you need to have it look that good at 1080p I guess you would need at least the Red One plus all the required accessories, which I can hardly say "affordable". The Red One system nevertheless seems to be the cheapest to yield that kind of look, the high frame rate capability (to get a smooth slow motion effect), and the tonality that comes very close to film. Some other digital systems shoot even better looking footage but every one of them costs much, much more.

September 4th, 2010, 09:18 AM	#3
Arnie Schlissel Major Player Join Date: Jul 2006 Location: New York NY Posts: 322	The Arri Alexa will give you the best bang for the buck. Great quality, very usable, simple post workflow. Pricing is around $50k or $60k, plus lenses.

September 4th, 2010, 01:17 PM	#5
Haitham Lawati Regular Crew Join Date: Jul 2010 Location: OMAN Posts: 107	If I use Canon 5D Mark II with EOS 24-105mm f/4 lens and set it at Full HD, is it possible to attain this quality with this cinematic look?

September 5th, 2010, 04:43 AM	#7
Brian Drysdale Inner Circle Join Date: Feb 2006 Location: Belfast, UK Posts: 6,158	As mentioned, the camera is just the tool, you have to learn how to use it and then apply the imagination and creative energy.

September 6th, 2010, 01:47 PM	#11
Brian Drysdale Inner Circle Join Date: Feb 2006 Location: Belfast, UK Posts: 6,158	Pretty much in a ball park of each other, perhaps a bit more on the 5D at f4. But are people using the 5D shooting at f4 or are they tending to use wider apertures when shooting for commercials? Certainly pulling focus would keep you busy..

September 6th, 2010, 04:40 PM	#13
Brian Drysdale Inner Circle Join Date: Feb 2006 Location: Belfast, UK Posts: 6,158	Somehow I'm not too surprised about the ownership of the camera package.

September 7th, 2010, 10:48 AM	#15
Perrone Ford Inner Circle Join Date: Nov 2006 Location: Tallahassee, FL Posts: 4,100	EPIC!!!! FocusLite(tm), I'll take one for each lens please! __________________ DVX100, PMW-EX1, Canon 550D, FigRig, Dell Octocore, Avid MC4/5, MB Looks, RedCineX, Matrox MX02 mini, GTech RAID, Edirol R-4, Senn. G2 Evo, Countryman, Moles and Lowels.