Why Ikonoskop, two years after.
It took me almost 2 years to appreciate the camera that I had in my hands since its purchase.
I came very close selling the camera due to the cinemaDNG files incompatibility in pre 8.02 Resolve color finishing software (many of you remember the magenta issue in crashed highlights).
BMCC came along and Black magic design finally started working on cinemaDNG format in depth (lucky us) because of the up coming release of the 2.5k cinema camera.
Then suddenly everything changed, cinemaDNG, the heart and soul of Ikonoskop’s
d-II (same format as Black magic’s camera) along with the amazing capabilities of RAW image process in post production, turned the Lilliput camera into a monster, a total metamorphosis!
Resolve V9.1 was released soon after and ACES color space (Academy Color Encoding Specification) did the trick, fast and reliable base to start working on, one-light dailies was easy and fast to create. Jesses Barkowski “how to” video explained everything you needed to know when working with the ACES helped a lot.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?feature=player_embedded&v=B7DqtW7LB7g
Now back to the camera it’s self. 8 reasons not selling my camera ever again:
1. The viewfinder (no clumsy EVF add-ons) we are talking about the real thing.
2. A real hand held camera with No mambo jumbo accessories surrounding the camera body.
3. Only 2.440g with Zeiss mk3 lens, LMB3 matte box, battery and card.
4. Mount versatility, you can mount any 16mm vintage glass like c-mount lenses and of course high end glass like the Zeiss ultra 16 primes as well as the legendary canon 8-64mm zoom lens.
5. Global shutter.
6. Amazing skin tones.
7. 12bit RAW
8. The new 1.28 firmware, REC709 out, false color, complete data details on side monitor, stability and many more. (rec/stop trigger for devices like samurai/sound devices still missing).
Ikonokops Announcement
The d-II camera finally came into fruition and people started realizing the virtues of the camera. But the timing is bad. Ikonoskop announced the postponement of the production (temporarily I hope) and many potential buyers are now pushed back.
If you are looking to buy a used one I think is the right time to buy one…
Stay tuned for the next tutorial: setting color temperature in Davinci resolve using a color meter during principal photography.
IKONOSKOP - DAVINCI RESOLVE 8.2.1 BASIC TUTORIAL WORKFLOW
Ikonoskop basic tutorial using davinci resolve lite 8.2.1
magenta issue quick fix, dailies export to
fcp and round tripping for final grading.
magenta issue quick fix, dailies export to
fcp and round tripping for final grading.
IKONOSKOP - DAVINCI RESOLVE 8.2.1 BASIC TUTORIAL WORKFLOW from Decoy studios on Vimeo.
Why IKONOÎŁKOP
It’s been almost 2 years since the DSLR movement arose, large sensors, shallow depth of field, high ISO’s and many more but still, a photo camera.
I was one of the first filmmakers here in Greece that adapted the new trend. I sold
my Aaton camera and bought a Canon 5Dmk2, after a long period of research and
lens tests.
Now I believe the DSLR fashion is gone because big industry giants started manufacturing tools and cameras with down to earth prices. I’ll have to admit that Canon and Nikon shook the big giants and made them produce large sensor video cameras in modest prices.
It’s time for me to move on and the question is what camera sould I buy next. Ok, let’s talk about prices, a decent Scarlet or C300 package comes to $19.000 with out the lenses. Both cameras could use a plethora of lenses from the astonishing Master primes to canon photography lenses. Investing your money into these cameras with a decent set of prime lenses (35mm Zeiss mk2’s or early Cook’s) we’re looking about $40.000 a lot of money for an independent filmmaker.
The question is what kind of lenses I would like to use from now on (Cine or photographic). The price drop on the Super 16mm lenses drove me to the Ikonoskop camera, so I started flirting with the a-cam dII for the past 4 months and when I finally found a set of Zeiss super speeds I ordered the camera. Using cine lenses on a digital camera like the Ikonoskop feel’s like shooting with my little Aaton. RAW files and 12bit color, beautiful skin tones, good value for money and many more made me say yes to the a-cam.
Final CUT PRO X Tutorials
For those who downloaded FCPX and need some help here are the best tutorials around. Watching the tutorials I can tell for sure that in a years time X will catch up its ancestor and become an industry work horse again. You can have a look here:
http://www.izzyvideo.com/final-cut-pro-x-tutorial/
http://www.izzyvideo.com/final-cut-pro-x-tutorial/
FINAL CUT PRO X
I was going to buy a video converter from the app store and accidentally saw the most expected editing software for Mac the legendary Final cut X.
For many years I was editing on avid but some people insisted to give FCP a go. I was very reluctant trying something new, I had crazy fears like my edit will go out of sync, the trimming mode is not as good as Avid's and I can name a hundred more.
The main reason that I finally sat down and learned how to use FCP is because I hated Avid's update policy, every time that was an update you had to pay for it, Apple's update policy was different and a lot cheaper.
Apple's new strategic plan to eliminate software piracy introduced the app store for Mac and reduced software prices in many occasions less than half price. For example the upcoming Lion OS costs less than €30 and Final cut X costs €239.99
I will definitely buy the new FC X and try it out. Looking forward importing directly from my 5D and play around.
I will be posting my first impressions very soon!
Technicolor cine style samples
By clicking on the videos below you can view samples using cinestyle patch
on your DSLR.
on your DSLR.
Baby Primes
Here we have a set of prime Lenses from kelvin Kamera, all re-housed photo ZM.2Zeiss lenses, with manual aperture, fitted with follow focus gears and wait to hear this...
2 sided scales for focus and iris.
The front diameter of the lenses is 95mm and the price is going to be 35-40%less thanCP.2 lenses. Let's see, a single CP.2 lens costs €3.600 minus 35% for a baby prime comes to € 2.340 still expensive but not unreachable. Looking forward testing them!
article source www.cinema5d.com
Cine style profile by Technicolor
Here is an interesting profile for Canon DSLR cameras when used on video mode. Cinestyle's profile expands the dynamic range of the image captured and allows the cinematographer expanding his grading options during color timing.
You can download cinestyle for free. The installation on the camera is really easy, just make sure that your running EOS Utility v2.6
Happy birthday HDSLR filmmaking !
It’s been almost 2 years that HDSLR short video clips appeared on Vimeo, most of them unedited with a piece of music running along, usually portraits, cityscapes, landscapes and some timelapses using digital photo cameras. As an avid emulsion lover till then the only words spoken by me was 1.66, 1.85, super 35mm super 16 etc. Industry people back then started shooting on the Legendary RED ONE but still the look of the image was still “videoish” yet expensive for indie filmmakers and students.
Along with the experimental HDSLR videos shot by students mostly, a DoP Guru suddenly appeared on blogs, forums and video related pages. One of his early HDLR works was shot on location at George Lucas ranch and everybody started commenting how beautifully the picture looked, some other interesting shallow depth of field videos came along and here you go Boom! The HDSLR dogma bloomed like spring flowers. Despite the fact that photo cameras never mend to be used vastly like video cameras some accessories was designed in no time to make photo cameras friendlier to camera operators and industry professionals.
DVD’s how to use a DSLR along with BTS materials and useful tips started spreading around and then the first truly detailed comparison test was shot by Zacuto, it was then I’ve decided to sell my film equipment and buy a DSLR camera body and a good set of prime lenses, monitor and accessories. Actually it took me several months of research, shooting lens tests, reading blogs and forums in order to choose the best products and lenses out there.
Since then many things changed, HDSLR became an industry standard, BBC started using it, many TV commercials was shot with it, House seasons last episode was in the list and a few short films rereleased to cinemas. Of course sites like Vimeo and Youtube helped young filmmakers to present their work and I’ll have to admit that there are very interesting pieces of work out there with excellent stories to tell, narrative or not, experimental or docs and 99% was shot with no – low budget.
Bottom line I do miss film and I’m looking forward shooting something on my little bolex or 35mm on commercials that I direct for a living, but seriously nowadays that budgets shrank due to recession buying a DSLR was a good choice.
Director’s notes on Toylife
Day 1. A plastic children's bicycle was left near a garbage bin for some one to pick up.
a) Best case scenario, some one will pick it up and pass it to a child poor or not, by the way the bicycle was in excellent working order and shape.
b) Worst case scenario, the bicycle will end up in the dumpster.
Day 2. An idea came into my mind. I slept over it.
Day 3. Next morning I shared my thoughts to a creative director that I usually work with and he came back with a concept. A copy was sent to me two hours later!
Day 4. I called up people that we usually work together, told them the concept. They loved it!
Day 5. The production was organized.
Day 5. Late afternoon, I've asked my wife for some money in order to start the preproduction... She said ok, spend them carefully.
Day 6. Went for location scouting!
Day 6. Late night, I started casting robots on eBay.
Day 7 & 8. Principal photography.
We spent almost a month for the motion design in cinema 4d and after effects. On principal photography we always had in mind to let the picture breath a little bit in order to give some space to the motion designerto work on.
The music score was created in five hours! WoW! and my wife’s mood got better because I DIDN'T wasted my money!
Vivian Maier new website
THIS WEBSITE WAS CREATED IN DEDICATION TO THE PHOTOGRAPHER VIVIAN MAIER, A STREET PHOTOGRAPHER FROM THE 1950S - 1990S
I was always FASCINATED by Maiers work, some times a single picture say's it all!
Subscribe to:
Posts (Atom)