Bright Light, ND and Zebra

Guy Bruner · January 26th, 2004, 08:50 AM

Quote:

Panasonic also sent me an extensive Q&A about its iris/ND system.

Frank,
Was the Q&A other than the PPT slides? If so, could you share it with us?

Allan Rejoso · January 26th, 2004, 08:50 AM

The Optura Xi has 6-blade iris with independent ND, but it's good for stills only, and if I remember correctly, can be set as Auto or Off only.

Haven't read any details about the 2-blade iris with built-in ND of the MX5K but it seems to exist. I wonder if it's for still mode also.

Yow Cheong Hoe · January 26th, 2004, 09:13 AM

Thanks for indulging me :)

Well, Bogdan, I was just refering to the fact that the ND is switchable on the VX2000, a feature most very high-end cameras has, and certainly lacking in the MX500.

And, Guy, I strongly agree that we are looking at the product. I am a peson of extreme tight budget, not only in video but in all aspects of life, and I find it fun and challenging to get to the 'uptown' standards with whatever resources that I have. In video, the tool is my MX350.

Actually, the most disappointing thing cam to me a few days back, when a uncle (60 years plus) showed me a night video of Taiwan, saying that he couldn't see a damn, but the video captured it all. Well, it was a Sony and the famous 'grey-green' Night-shot and it was noiser than a snow storm, but he liked it. I, on the other hand, will never bother to shoot anything like that. So, the audience has the final say...

Frank Granovski · January 26th, 2004, 09:33 AM

Quote:

Was the Q&A other than the PPT slides? If so, could you share it with us?

It was from Pana Technical. I'll see if I still have it. If I do, I'll post it tonight.

Guy Bruner · January 26th, 2004, 10:05 AM

Quote:

Actually, the most disappointing thing cam to me a few days back, when a uncle (60 years plus) showed me a night video of Taiwan, saying that he couldn't see a damn, but the video captured it all. Well, it was a Sony and the famous 'grey-green' Night-shot and it was noiser than a snow storm, but he liked it. I, on the other hand, will never bother to shoot anything like that. So, the audience has the final say...

Over in one of the Vegas forums I frequent, a well-known expert in DV editing/videography said that people will forgive a less than perfect picture, but will never forgive weak audio. So, I guess your uncle was not distracted by the audio and accepting of the lower grade video. If you must have a picture to tell the story, I guess any reasonable one within the capabilities of your equipment will do. And, the customer is still the customer even though the picture we have is unacceptable to us. I guess that is why a recent horror movie that had a terrible picture was a howling success here.

That being said, I'm still interested in the technical limitations of the DV953 with respect to picture quality. So, I'm looking forward to reading the Panasonic Q&A that Frank has.

Frank Granovski · January 26th, 2004, 10:41 AM

I'm sorry, I can't find it. I might have nuked it by mistake. D_mn! I shouldn't have opened my big mouth.

Guy Bruner · January 26th, 2004, 10:50 AM

Too bad. Maybe someone else saw it and retained a copy. I suspect there is no reason to agonize over the lack of information since the operation of the ND filters is transparent to the user anyway. It was just an interesting technical question on my part...

Based on what I now know, I'll just either increase shutter speed (as Bogdan suggested) or slap on a screwon ND filter to stop the bright blowouts. That was what I would have to do even if there were no internal ND filters...

Yow Cheong Hoe · January 26th, 2004, 07:09 PM

It's on DVfreak.

Do a search in Yahoo, with the words "MX500" "ppt" and maybe "dvfreak". You'll get it.

Guy Bruner · January 26th, 2004, 07:25 PM

YowCH, that's Frank's site. I think he thought he had additional information. I have the PPT slides.

Yow Cheong Hoe · January 26th, 2004, 07:33 PM

Ooops, early morning sickness and blurness of the eyes... ;)

Frank Granovski · January 26th, 2004, 09:23 PM

Guy, that info I had was sent to me by Pana Technical. I doubt anyone else has it because it was written in an e-mail to me. It was only about 100 words long.

January 26th, 2004, 08:50 AM	#17
Allan Rejoso Major Player Join Date: Oct 2002 Location: Tokyo, Japan Posts: 569	The Optura Xi has 6-blade iris with independent ND, but it's good for stills only, and if I remember correctly, can be set as Auto or Off only. Haven't read any details about the 2-blade iris with built-in ND of the MX5K but it seems to exist. I wonder if it's for still mode also.

January 26th, 2004, 09:13 AM	#18
Yow Cheong Hoe Major Player Join Date: Nov 2002 Location: Singapore, Passport: Malaysia Posts: 407	Thanks for indulging me :) Well, Bogdan, I was just refering to the fact that the ND is switchable on the VX2000, a feature most very high-end cameras has, and certainly lacking in the MX500. And, Guy, I strongly agree that we are looking at the product. I am a peson of extreme tight budget, not only in video but in all aspects of life, and I find it fun and challenging to get to the 'uptown' standards with whatever resources that I have. In video, the tool is my MX350. Actually, the most disappointing thing cam to me a few days back, when a uncle (60 years plus) showed me a night video of Taiwan, saying that he couldn't see a damn, but the video captured it all. Well, it was a Sony and the famous 'grey-green' Night-shot and it was noiser than a snow storm, but he liked it. I, on the other hand, will never bother to shoot anything like that. So, the audience has the final say...

January 26th, 2004, 10:41 AM	#21
Frank Granovski Outer Circle Join Date: May 2002 Location: Hope, BC Posts: 7,524	I'm sorry, I can't find it. I might have nuked it by mistake. D_mn! I shouldn't have opened my big mouth.

January 26th, 2004, 10:50 AM	#22
Guy Bruner Major Player Join Date: Nov 2003 Location: Ashford, AL Posts: 937	Too bad. Maybe someone else saw it and retained a copy. I suspect there is no reason to agonize over the lack of information since the operation of the ND filters is transparent to the user anyway. It was just an interesting technical question on my part... Based on what I now know, I'll just either increase shutter speed (as Bogdan suggested) or slap on a screwon ND filter to stop the bright blowouts. That was what I would have to do even if there were no internal ND filters...

January 26th, 2004, 07:09 PM	#23
Yow Cheong Hoe Major Player Join Date: Nov 2002 Location: Singapore, Passport: Malaysia Posts: 407	It's on DVfreak. Do a search in Yahoo, with the words "MX500" "ppt" and maybe "dvfreak". You'll get it.

January 26th, 2004, 07:25 PM	#24
Guy Bruner Major Player Join Date: Nov 2003 Location: Ashford, AL Posts: 937	YowCH, that's Frank's site. I think he thought he had additional information. I have the PPT slides.

January 26th, 2004, 07:33 PM	#25
Yow Cheong Hoe Major Player Join Date: Nov 2002 Location: Singapore, Passport: Malaysia Posts: 407	Ooops, early morning sickness and blurness of the eyes... ;)

January 26th, 2004, 09:23 PM	#26
Frank Granovski Outer Circle Join Date: May 2002 Location: Hope, BC Posts: 7,524	Guy, that info I had was sent to me by Pana Technical. I doubt anyone else has it because it was written in an e-mail to me. It was only about 100 words long.