First XDCAM EX3 Review

[Mark David Williams]

Most video cameras have a small imaging sensor while film frames are much larger. The red camera though gives the same dof as a 35mm camera.

The dof adapters have the image on a large frame giving 35mm style dof which is then filmed with the camera.

The new EX-3 with interchangeable lenses will be able to fit a dof adapter with a lens so bypassing the fixed lens of most cameras. I believe this is the idea.

[Phil Bloom]

Originally Posted by Mark David Williams

Thanks Phil! Just put a film on there. This EX3 Looks very exciting. A little miffed now because I would rather have bought that instead! Still I guess things move on.

Some really beautiful moments in your EX-3 film 3 days in April Was that the same letus extreme or a new version for the EX-3?

Yep. just the standard extreme. Literally going down to the hotel lobby now to grab the Ultimate off of Hien

[Dennis Joseph]

Originally Posted by Phil Bloom

No. It makes no difference. What makes the difference is the size of the sensor. It is that which effects DOF not the lenses (well they do obviously to a point). So even if you put on a digi prime onto the ex3 then the DOF will be identical to the stock lens. The larger the sensor, the more control of DOF you have

Excellent. Now I am at ease. In that case, i'm very happy with my EX-1. She's a nimble little beast. I can;t wait to see about the new firmware update. Hopefully they can integrate the scroll wheel to worth with the frame rate.

One more thing that I just thought about....if that is true that the lens has nothing to do with it ...how is a letus able to change the DOF using the same 1/2 sensors??

[Phil Bloom]

Originally Posted by G.A. Kokes

It seems that the EX1 will now have an upgrade in July.

http://www.dvuser.co.uk/content.php?CID=174

The article will reappear at midnight GMT. It will have what the EX1 already has plus interchangeable lens, a EVF that makes use of the HD LCD on the EX1 and a variable frame rate wheel.

There is a small change to the body as well.

Also 32GB SXS due this fall.

More to come.

Cheers,
G

This is what we are all talking about!! Nigel broke the embargo hence he had to remove it from his site. It will be up again the same time as my review

[Mark David Williams]

Originally Posted by Dennis Joseph

Excellent. Now I am at ease. In that case, i'm very happy with my EX-1. She's a nimble little beast. I can;t wait to see about the new firmware update. Hopefully they can integrate the scroll wheel to worth with the frame rate.

One more thing that I just thought about....if that is true that the lens has nothing to do with it ...how is a letus able to change the DOF using the same 1/2 sensors??

I think I'll wait till I see what phil does with Hiens new adapter for the EX-3. Got a feeling its going to be very good.

[Dennis Joseph]

upon some thinking and talking to a friend of mine who is a bit more technical....It is more than chip size he says…yes the bigger the chip the more the DOF but that is not the question.

I know there is more to it than the chip size I don’t understand it completely but this is what I get from my quick research. First a 35mm camera is pretty much a one chip camera (one 35mm film frame) it achieves a narrow DOF because of the simple lens design. What I mean by this is the 3 colors red, green and blue are aimed on one chip (1 film frame and yes I know it doesn’t have a chip) as for a digital 3 chip camera like the ex1. The lens is super complicated it has to separate the three colors red , green and blue and the point the corresponding color at the correct chip in the camera (this is very complicated)

the question is, can a detachable lens on the ex3 or any other digital 3chip camera with detachable lens achieve the same DOF as the 35mm adapter such as the letus and red rock. By using the proper lens without such an adapter like the letus.

Maybe this question makes more sense..

[Phil Bloom]

no. never Dennis. sorry

[Dave Morrison]

Also, Dennis, the separation of the light into the three primary colors does NOT happen in the lens but (basically) via a prism inside the camera body. I can create incredibly shallow DOF with an incredibly simple lens design. It's all a factor of distance to subject and image size on the focal plane.

[Mark David Williams]

Originally Posted by Dennis Joseph

upon some thinking and talking to a friend of mine who is a bit more technical....It is more than chip size he says…yes the bigger the chip the more the DOF but that is not the question.

I know there is more to it than the chip size I don’t understand it completely but this is what I get from my quick research. First a 35mm camera is pretty much a one chip camera (one 35mm film frame) it achieves a narrow DOF because of the simple lens design. What I mean by this is the 3 colors red, green and blue are aimed on one chip (1 film frame and yes I know it doesn’t have a chip) as for a digital 3 chip camera like the ex1. The lens is super complicated it has to separate the three colors red , green and blue and the point the corresponding color at the correct chip in the camera (this is very complicated)

the question is, can a detachable lens on the ex3 or any other digital 3chip camera with detachable lens achieve the same DOF as the 35mm adapter such as the letus and red rock. By using the proper lens without such an adapter like the letus.

Maybe this question makes more sense..

Light hits the lens from all sides which is focused to hit the flame plane. The bigger the film plane then less dof will result. However by opening closing the iris you can concentrate the light into a smaller area which will then need less focusing..

The smaller the film plane the more dof you will get. There is no way around this. Video cameras usually have small film planes or sensors.

The adapters use a larger film plane and the camera lens then films whats on that.

[Dave Morrison]

Next stop: Circles of Confusion

Yikes! ;-)

[Phil Bloom]

Originally Posted by Mark David Williams

Light hits the lens from all sides which is focused to hit the flame plane. The bigger the film plane then less dof will result. However by opening closing the iris you can concentrate the light into a smaller area which will then need less focusing..

The smaller the film plane the more dof you will get. There is no way around this. Video cameras usually have small film planes or sensors.

The adapters use a larger film plane and the camera lens then films whats on that.

well put!!!

[Nate Weaver]

The Circle of Confusion on this thread is about .00000001!

[Phil Bloom]

am confused!!!!!!!

Nate, why you selling your F350?

[Filip Kovcin]

hi,

can you explain us - if you know of course - something about that new letus if used with ex3 camera.

- is this adapter build WITH special (compesating) lens included ?
in another words - is this more or less typical letus but with additional lens on the back/video camera side which makes possible using camera without it's own lens on the camera body?

thanks,

filip kovcin

[Ian Smith]

Originally Posted by Phil Bloom

Will be online on my site Sunday afternoon after the official launch. It was supposed to be secret but the cat is out of the bag. I wish I could share it with you now but I have agreed to hold it until the press conference in Vegas on Sunday afternoon.

It's an in depth Video Review, a written one and a short shot with it.

Looking forward to reading your review, and hoping that while at NAB you also get a chance to look at the rumoured RED 'Scarlet' hand-held camera - seems to be a LOT of excitement amongst friends in the industry over this (although one suspects it's some time away from being delivered) vs not a lot over the Sony.