XDCAM EX1 on the road blog

Phil Bloom · February 28th, 2008, 03:05 AM

1080p version online on the trench page and blog

Bill Ravens · February 29th, 2008, 09:17 AM

Phil...

I'm still waiting for my LEX. Once I have it, I'll run some new PP's and post. The CINEMA matrix I sent you is rather "experimental" Use it with care.
Best of luck on your trip to the colonies.

Phil Bloom · February 29th, 2008, 11:10 AM

Thanks Bill. Off tomorrow.

Phil Bloom · February 29th, 2008, 12:09 PM

I am hearing that a firmware update will be out potentially within a week. Although the only feature I have had confirmed is support for 32gb cards.

It will be done by connecting the camera to the computer via USB, the downloaded firmware will include a utility that will detect the ex1 is connected and update like that.

Phil Bloom · March 2nd, 2008, 06:05 PM

We are shooting a feature doco in many global locations and for 3 nights next weekend we will be in Las Vegas.

If anyone is available to help us out that would be great! We are a low budget small team consisting of me the DP, a Director, a Producer and a Sound Recordist. We could do with an assistant. Someone keen to learn and hang out with a bunch of very laid back people.
 We are in LA at the moment and we may need someone here too, but the producer thinks he has found someone.

We are shooting on two EX1s, one of them with a Letus Extreme 35mm adaptor. We are also shooting at night!

Ideally you need to be local as all we can offer is the food expenses and the experience, but if you are interested drop me an email @ philip.bloom@mac.com

Thanks!

Sebastien Thomas · March 3rd, 2008, 10:36 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Phil Bloom

it's the component one. Need an sdi one. Need a true HD one. The Clarion looks like my next purchase. One guy makes them. they look great

Hi Phil,

Do you have more informations about the Clarion ? Can't find anything on google.
I had a look on B&H, and there seems to be no good panel for under 2500€ with HD-SDI.
The Marshall seems fine, but are only 800x480, where the Astro are 1024x768.
I also noticed that those LCD are around 30 watts, where cheaper one are 30/35 watts....

I have never used on field LCD other than Astro or BT-LH900. I'm about to start a new thread to ask for comments, but maybe you have advices ?

Thanks.

Jamie Baughman · March 3rd, 2008, 11:27 AM

Phil...I've actually had pretty good luck on Craigslist posting for AC's and PA's. You might want to post a listing on there in advance of the Vegas trip.

Good luck.

Steve Cahill · March 5th, 2008, 05:24 PM

Just posted 2 blog reports about my trip to Prague with EX1 and Letus footage.
Check it out @ http://web.mac.com/stevecahill/Steve...Blog/Blog.html

Phil Bloom · March 5th, 2008, 05:46 PM

hey Cahill,

stop hawking your blog on my page!! Dirty trickster!

Did you just chat up those young Czech girls to pose for you?!? Very nice!

Steve Cahill · March 5th, 2008, 06:47 PM

Someone has to hawk. Mr. Bloom get blogging! Looking for a installment state side.

Mark OConnell · March 5th, 2008, 06:52 PM

Steve, you said "I used Magic Bullet but I found going back and forth from MB to FCP showed the applied grade different from the two applications on the laptop must be a graphics card thing." Do you mean the rendered clip was different then what you set up in the preview? If so I've seen the same thing, and I don't think it's a graphics card issue. I've noticed that if you use the presets things usually match, but if you really customize the settings the rendered file can be quite different from what you expect. This from within both FCP and AE on a Mac Pro.

Sebastien Thomas · March 6th, 2008, 02:48 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Steve Cahill

Just posted 2 blog reports about my trip to Prague with EX1 and Letus footage.
Check it out @ http://web.mac.com/stevecahill/Steve...Blog/Blog.html

Nice shoot. Nice girls :)
On the 2nd article we see you macbookpro with 3 hard drives. Are they alone, and you copy data 2 or 3 times, or are they in RAID ?
Are they firewire (400/800) or usb ? auto-power ?

Isn't the EX1 + Letus + rigs + matebox a little heavy and hard to manage alone ?

It seems the edges are really blury... is it because you don't have the EX1 special part or does it comes from your lenses (or MB ) ?

many thanks.

Steve Cahill · March 6th, 2008, 05:21 AM

Magic Bullet Looks, yes on the Mac Book Pro the model I have puts about a 3x effect more in FCP than in Looks. This seems to be a common issue with other people as well with the laptop that I have read on http://toolfarm.com/phorumNew5/list.php?14

This is NOT a issue on the MacPro I have tried to compensate in Looks but I need to tweak some more or just do the grade on the Mac Pro vers the Mac book pro.

The drives I used for this were G- Technology drives http://www.g-technology.com/Products/G-RAID-mini.cfm I used their firewire 800 ports. Power supplied via the 800 port but beware you will need the power adapter to use two of them @ the same time. The Macbook Pro cannot power more than one at a time when using firewire with them. I copied the SXS cards 2x for backup, and another drive for the transfer of the SXS cards data to Quicktime for editing.

The EX1 + Letus + rigs + matebox are a bit I would say akward and challanging to manage alone at times, but welcome to the business. There is a advantage to work alone and quickly.

"It seems the edges are really blury."
I do have the EX fix, but welcome to DOF unless the object you are shooting is flat and you are aligned to that object like photographing a painting or a dollar bill, square on, (see my blog on "Critical Focus" )then you will get areas out of focus. That being said the DOF is extremely shallow when the lens is wide open and or stopped down one stop. With the 85mm lens and with a tight shot the difference of 1/2 inch in the subjects surface can make the difference of that being in focus or not. I think MB might of added some softness with some of the grades I used.

This is a area I need to do more testing with stopping down, I have generally found 2 stops is the max you can stop down, however with these DOF adapters stopping down too much can result in the grain of the DOF adapter showing, so more testing is needed here. I use the 85mm lens allot as I love the DOF that it produces. It is a difficult lens to use wide open.

You will be challanged with critical focus at every point with DOF adapters and even more so when on location and when shooting in HD and the subject is moving!

Phil Bloom · March 6th, 2008, 06:05 AM

will be blogging as soon as I can catch my breath on this shoot

Steve Cahill · March 12th, 2008, 04:25 PM

Meanwhile as Philip catches his breath, take a look at a new short using the Zylight for interviews I did on my overseas trip.

http://web.mac.com/stevecahill/Steve..._Zylight.html#

February 28th, 2008, 03:05 AM	#406
Phil Bloom Trustee Join Date: Aug 2006 Location: London UK Posts: 1,939	1080p version online on the trench page and blog __________________ Philip Bloom Cinematographer, Director, Filmmaker www.philipbloom.net

February 29th, 2008, 11:10 AM	#408
Phil Bloom Trustee Join Date: Aug 2006 Location: London UK Posts: 1,939	Thanks Bill. Off tomorrow. __________________ Philip Bloom Cinematographer, Director, Filmmaker www.philipbloom.net

February 29th, 2008, 12:09 PM	#409
Phil Bloom Trustee Join Date: Aug 2006 Location: London UK Posts: 1,939	I am hearing that a firmware update will be out potentially within a week. Although the only feature I have had confirmed is support for 32gb cards. It will be done by connecting the camera to the computer via USB, the downloaded firmware will include a utility that will detect the ex1 is connected and update like that. __________________ Philip Bloom Cinematographer, Director, Filmmaker www.philipbloom.net

March 2nd, 2008, 06:05 PM	#410
Phil Bloom Trustee Join Date: Aug 2006 Location: London UK Posts: 1,939	Help Needed In Vegas We are shooting a feature doco in many global locations and for 3 nights next weekend we will be in Las Vegas. If anyone is available to help us out that would be great! We are a low budget small team consisting of me the DP, a Director, a Producer and a Sound Recordist. We could do with an assistant. Someone keen to learn and hang out with a bunch of very laid back people.  We are in LA at the moment and we may need someone here too, but the producer thinks he has found someone. We are shooting on two EX1s, one of them with a Letus Extreme 35mm adaptor. We are also shooting at night! Ideally you need to be local as all we can offer is the food expenses and the experience, but if you are interested drop me an email @ philip.bloom@mac.com Thanks! __________________ Philip Bloom Cinematographer, Director, Filmmaker www.philipbloom.net

March 3rd, 2008, 11:27 AM	#412
Jamie Baughman Regular Crew Join Date: Nov 2005 Location: San Francisco, CA Posts: 180	People in Vegas Phil...I've actually had pretty good luck on Craigslist posting for AC's and PA's. You might want to post a listing on there in advance of the Vegas trip. Good luck. __________________ Jamie Baughman

February 29th, 2008, 09:17 AM	#407
Bill Ravens Join Date: Nov 2001 Location: santa fe, nm Posts: 3,264 Images: 10	Phil... I'm still waiting for my LEX. Once I have it, I'll run some new PP's and post. The CINEMA matrix I sent you is rather "experimental" Use it with care. Best of luck on your trip to the colonies.

March 5th, 2008, 05:24 PM	#413
Steve Cahill Major Player Join Date: Dec 2003 Location: Boston, MA Posts: 321	Letus in Prague Just posted 2 blog reports about my trip to Prague with EX1 and Letus footage. Check it out @ http://web.mac.com/stevecahill/Steve...Blog/Blog.html __________________ Regards Steve

March 5th, 2008, 05:46 PM	#414
Phil Bloom Trustee Join Date: Aug 2006 Location: London UK Posts: 1,939	hey Cahill, stop hawking your blog on my page!! Dirty trickster! Did you just chat up those young Czech girls to pose for you?!? Very nice! __________________ Philip Bloom Cinematographer, Director, Filmmaker www.philipbloom.net

March 5th, 2008, 06:47 PM	#415
Steve Cahill Major Player Join Date: Dec 2003 Location: Boston, MA Posts: 321	Someone has to hawk. Mr. Bloom get blogging! Looking for a installment state side. __________________ Regards Steve

March 5th, 2008, 06:52 PM	#416
Mark OConnell Major Player Join Date: Feb 2007 Location: Seattle WA Posts: 420	Steve, you said "I used Magic Bullet but I found going back and forth from MB to FCP showed the applied grade different from the two applications on the laptop must be a graphics card thing." Do you mean the rendered clip was different then what you set up in the preview? If so I've seen the same thing, and I don't think it's a graphics card issue. I've noticed that if you use the presets things usually match, but if you really customize the settings the rendered file can be quite different from what you expect. This from within both FCP and AE on a Mac Pro. __________________ http://www.markoconnell.org

March 6th, 2008, 05:21 AM	#418
Steve Cahill Major Player Join Date: Dec 2003 Location: Boston, MA Posts: 321	Magic Bullet Looks, yes on the Mac Book Pro the model I have puts about a 3x effect more in FCP than in Looks. This seems to be a common issue with other people as well with the laptop that I have read on http://toolfarm.com/phorumNew5/list.php?14 This is NOT a issue on the MacPro I have tried to compensate in Looks but I need to tweak some more or just do the grade on the Mac Pro vers the Mac book pro. The drives I used for this were G- Technology drives http://www.g-technology.com/Products/G-RAID-mini.cfm I used their firewire 800 ports. Power supplied via the 800 port but beware you will need the power adapter to use two of them @ the same time. The Macbook Pro cannot power more than one at a time when using firewire with them. I copied the SXS cards 2x for backup, and another drive for the transfer of the SXS cards data to Quicktime for editing. The EX1 + Letus + rigs + matebox are a bit I would say akward and challanging to manage alone at times, but welcome to the business. There is a advantage to work alone and quickly. "It seems the edges are really blury." I do have the EX fix, but welcome to DOF unless the object you are shooting is flat and you are aligned to that object like photographing a painting or a dollar bill, square on, (see my blog on "Critical Focus" )then you will get areas out of focus. That being said the DOF is extremely shallow when the lens is wide open and or stopped down one stop. With the 85mm lens and with a tight shot the difference of 1/2 inch in the subjects surface can make the difference of that being in focus or not. I think MB might of added some softness with some of the grades I used. This is a area I need to do more testing with stopping down, I have generally found 2 stops is the max you can stop down, however with these DOF adapters stopping down too much can result in the grain of the DOF adapter showing, so more testing is needed here. I use the 85mm lens allot as I love the DOF that it produces. It is a difficult lens to use wide open. You will be challanged with critical focus at every point with DOF adapters and even more so when on location and when shooting in HD and the subject is moving! __________________ Regards Steve

March 6th, 2008, 06:05 AM	#419
Phil Bloom Trustee Join Date: Aug 2006 Location: London UK Posts: 1,939	will be blogging as soon as I can catch my breath on this shoot __________________ Philip Bloom Cinematographer, Director, Filmmaker www.philipbloom.net

March 12th, 2008, 04:25 PM	#420
Steve Cahill Major Player Join Date: Dec 2003 Location: Boston, MA Posts: 321	Interviews with the Zylight Meanwhile as Philip catches his breath, take a look at a new short using the Zylight for interviews I did on my overseas trip. http://web.mac.com/stevecahill/Steve..._Zylight.html# __________________ Regards Steve