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Okay AF100 users, I need your expertise and opinions.

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    #31
    Originally posted by Jon Hout View Post
    You've got some great advice here from all of the other guys, especially EndCredits - that stuff is gold!

    I won't repeat everyone else - it sounds like you've got your lighting and audio advice covered, but I do want to echo what hscully said. I can't tell you how many times I've run into people who treat Hair and Makup, as well as Art Department in general, as last priority. You could not make a bigger mistake! Make sure you put emphasis on finding a proper Production Designer to dress your sets and make sure your locations look fantastic. It's impossible to make a bland, boring location look good - no matter how good your camera and glass are - and this makes the Production Designer the DP's best friend!

    Also, since you're still researching glass and you might want to hold onto it after the shoot wraps, you'd do well to look at the Contax Zeiss still primes. It's old glass, but very sharp and it looks quite nice. My owner/operator set consists of several of these lenses, and it's been an absolutely fantastic investment. If you do look into them though, make sure you get the MM versions (not AE), as the bokeh looks much, much better on that version of the lens. Just in case you haven't found it yet, www.keh.com is a great resource for buying old still glass.

    As for low-light situations, you'd be surprised with how far you can push the AF100 with the right camera settings, and that's probably my biggest piece of advice: run camera tests. Try every available setting, and find out the limits of the camera. I've personally found that setting both Detail and V.Detail to -4, and using the B.Press gamma with the NORM2 matrix is very, very effective in low-light scenarios. Also, I've found that a DRS (Dynamic Range Stretching) setting of 1 can produce acceptable footage, but I'd not go any higher than that. These settings will let you go up to 1600 ISO only a very small bit of noise in the blacks. I once shot a close-up of someone's face this way lit only by a Zippo lighter in the actor's hand, and the lens we used only opened up to an f/2.

    All that said, making the camera more sensitive to light (either through fast glass or camera settings) is no substitute for actually lighting the scene with a proper amount of light. If your narrative lighting skills aren't that strong, I'd definitely try to hire someone to do it for you - at least on the more complicated parts of the shoot. Also, try to choose locations that play to your equipment's strengths. For instance, if you don't have the lighting muscle to compete with the sun, then don't frame the shot with a giant picture window in the background. Seriously though, try to keep your subject at least a stop or two brighter than your background - it's a good rule of thumb that'll make your footage look much better in the end.

    You've got a wonderful camera in the AF100, and it sounds like you're doing all the right research to get ready for your feature! Let us know how it goes - happy shooting!

    - Jon
    Thanks!

    I'm trying to orchestrate this shoot now, balancing script work, auditions, scouting locations, getting my hands on equipment/getting my hands on hands that know how to use said equipment etc.

    I'm early in the process (although I've finished a re-write of the script and think it is pretty watchable), but I'm already blown away at how much orchestration this takes. It is like a symphony in which I have to not only direct the music, but direct each musician on where the venue is and teach them to play for months prior as well!

    But, I'm having a blast.

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      #32
      So my Nokton f0.95 came in the mail, and they sent me the type I (clicked) version, despite the auction specifying type II.

      I've got a case open with eBay, but does anyone have experience working with a clicked lens in such a situation? I don't have any indoors-to-outdoors shots that will make on-the-fly stopping an absolute necessity, but obviously even in controlled situations it is important.

      It really doesn't seem to be a super harsh click, but if sending the lens back and waiting for a new one to come pushes my initial photography back I'm not sure if it's worth it.

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        #33
        I wouldn't push back because of it. All my lenses are de clicked and I have never used them to pull aperture. I had that 25mm f0.95. That is just a freakin' fabulous lens.

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          #34
          Originally posted by hscully View Post
          I wouldn't push back because of it. All my lenses are de clicked and I have never used them to pull aperture. I had that 25mm f0.95. That is just a freakin' fabulous lens.
          Yeah, I'm loving the **** out of the lens. There are more slow-motion "blowing-out-a-candle" shots on my SD card than I am willing to admit. ;)

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            #35
            The AF100 can be good enough to get a film screened at Sundance, such as the 2013 film Blackfish (reference http://www.reduser.net/forum/showthr...makers-Shot-On). That said, 99% of the films screened at Sundance use other cameras, so it's not exactly popular. But it is possible.

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              #36
              Originally posted by MichaelTiemann View Post
              The AF100 can be good enough to get a film screened at Sundance, such as the 2013 film Blackfish (reference http://www.reduser.net/forum/showthr...makers-Shot-On). That said, 99% of the films screened at Sundance use other cameras, so it's not exactly popular. But it is possible.
              I'm not really expecting to make it to sundance. ;)


              Update on the lens... The seller acknowledged that the listing was incorrect, and is refunding me %33 of the auction price. So I got the Nokton for $500, which seems like a great deal. So looks like I'm going to keep it clicky.

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                #37
                Used a portion of the lens savings on a cheapo jib... I've just always wanted to play with one, and the script calls for about 2 big jib shots.

                Hired an artist for concept/wardrobe and storyboard. I knew him prior, but he seems flaky. That has been my entire experience with artists.

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                  #38
                  1st round of auditions are complete! We had a great time.

                  Finding times when everyone is available is going to prove to be the most difficult part of this, I think!

                  I also had some grain on my camera from the auditions, but I hadn't black balanced (wasn't too worried about image/sound since it was just an audition tape and I had another camera for behind-the-scenes). It does make me nervous and anxious to do some real screen testing on my final location under final lights. The Lowell kit I used worked like an absolute charm; I really love the lights.

                  The lens is pretty slick, too.

                  The jib and lens have already earned me two paying gigs, so I may just be able to fund the film by using volunteer help to finish other paying projects... That would be nice.

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                    #39
                    First day of shooting... So far so good! I'll whip up a teaser in the coming weeks and get er' posted

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                      #40
                      https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=tfLBxQ3dFpA

                      So my biggest complaint is finding people to hold the mic correctly... That may become my job. :P

                      As you can see, all of the "newbie" mistakes are well represented here in my first teaser, but I'm learning.

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                        #41
                        Looks like someone's having a good time ;) The jib shots look great. Knock 'em dead.

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                          #42
                          Having an absolute blast. The next teaser is going to be a gut-buster... We're at the point where equipment/tech isn't limiting us, just our own work and skill and writing.

                          Loving it!

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                            #43
                            *Edit*

                            I won.
                            Last edited by dreoftheblue; 09-05-2014, 08:39 AM.

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                              #44
                              Quick question:

                              I'm having issues with my audio levels being either too quiet to monitor or clipping... It's like an imaginary line on the dials keeping the increase from being smooth. It jumps from "I can't hear it" to "oh dear heavens the red bars indicate clipping"

                              This is simply plugging the mic directly into the AF100, and have the "mic" setting selected.

                              I know a field mixer might help here, but if the sensitivity is the camera itself, I can only imagine it being useful in duplicating my signals so that one can be cranked down and one cranked up... Not exactly a perfect fix.

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                                #45
                                That doesn't sound right. Experiment with the Line & mic switch. Some one else would have more info on the Audio side of things.
                                Whats the mic setup your using?
                                Producer-Director at Jackson Speed PTY LTD. Media Production in Sydney
                                Also, freelance DOP.


                                Web Site: www.jacksonspeed.com
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                                Blog: AnyCameraWillDo.com
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