M2 Footage looks awful

What cam. were you using? It looks like the motor wasn't on... And you camera lens may not be focus properly on the ground glass. Why don't you tell us how you set it up step by step, so that we can help you figure out what you did wrong...
 
What codec do I have to have to play that? It's driving me crazy.

Anyway, the first thing would to do would make sure you're focused precisely on the ground glass (my brevis is in precise focus at 9 and I check that number hasn't moved every shot, gaffer it if you want). You weren't shooting with low light and having to shoot with the lenses wide open were you? Cause your images definately won't be sharp then.
 
HVX200
Nikon 35-70mm 3.3
720p24pn

I know I had it too dark for one. It looked good on the LCD (and still does) but clearly, I had it too dark (either 1/8 or 1/64 ND). I had no filters in front of the lens.

I checked the focus (or at least I thought I did). But there is so much to potentially go wrong here, it's hard to keep up with it.

1. I set the angle on the camera lens to be wide enough to not see the M2 motor and hopefully (but not successfully) eliminate the vignette-ing effect.
2. I pointed at a bright part of the sky to set the camera focus on the ground glass...using "Focus Assist"... until it was a sharp grain.
3. turned on the M2
4. focused on the background (infinity)

Any ideas?

As far as the codec...I just exported it out of FCP set at HDV 720p24.
 
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hi Jdorsey,

I couldn't see the file. You should use a more common codec or something.

I tried setting my focus outside as well, I had a really hard time doing it. I had better luck indoors. maybe the sun was too bright.

Also if you can connect to a 23" hdtv or computer monitor with component inputs, it helps a lot. its hard to set the focus on the little lcd. I really recommend this one.

Another thing that I like is the hard mount. do a search for it here on the forum, but basically what you do is get a polarizing filter (the kind that can be rotated) and break the glass. then you attach it to a step down ring, then take out the clear glass the back of the m2 comes with and you screw a female to male adapter then you screw in the polarizer because it can spin without unscrewing on the camera side. so everything is screwed together.

There is some play on the hard mount solution due to the play that the polarizer has to have in order to spin. I solve this problem by attaching a few rubber bands from the top handle of the m2 to the handle of the camera. this keeps it all nice and neat.
 
tmnt said:
What codec do I have to have to play that? It's driving me crazy.
Click to expand...
I couldn't open it either with the Windows version of QuickTime. When I press Ctrl-I to get the file information, it says the file is in HDV format, using some bizarre dimensions.
 
It seems the right side of frame has very dark blue sky then as you pan it lightens up and the left side finishes up dark. What would cause that?
Also I thought the intention of using the adapter was to achieve a shallow DOF so just curious as to why you would want to use it on a panorama shot?
 
I like the hard mount idea. Nice link, too. Thanks.

I just went through the video tutorial at the RR forum. I think I could sharpen up my focusing process, for sure. (pun intended, sorry).

I'll see if I can put up a better version of the sample.
 
jdorsey said:
HVX200
Nikon 35-70mm 3.3
720p24pn
As far as the codec...I just exported it out of FCP set at HDV 720p24.
Click to expand...

Zoom lens, probably not the best choice here.
HDV codec, definitely not the best choice for exporting.
 
jdorsey said:
I finished my first shoot this a.m. with the M2 adapter and it turned out awful--blurry, noisy, etc.

I'm not sure what happened. Any suggestions would be appreciated.

http://www.boomkin.com/test/M2test.mov (25MG)

Thanks.
Click to expand...

I saw your clip with Quick Time Player 7.1.5...
Movie Info says "Apple HDV 720p24, 1280 x 720"... but I think you used an HVX.. so why HDV? an not DVCProHD 720p24?
Obviously it looks terrible with a lot of chroma noise and blury, but it seems more to be a compression problem and a lack of better tweaking on your M2 also.

That link Siniarch posted will help you a lot.

Post your progress. Good Luck!
 
ozduc said:
It seems the right side of frame has very dark blue sky then as you pan it lightens up and the left side finishes up dark. What would cause that?
Click to expand...
Polarizer?
 
Yeah, I think I might have had a polarizer on there. I was changing it up a lot. I've done more golf course photography than videography so I'm seeing the differences now. I think for long course shots I might be better off shooting without the M2...I mean, I don't need the DOF for the most part....and it would make the running and gunning a little simpler.

Thanks for help with the codec...I'm in the earlier, earlier learning stages here.
 
Okay, I know what your problem is.
You cannot use the in camera ND filter when you use a 35mm adaptor. All filters, including ND filters must be used in front of the lens (the 35mm lens that is).
You need to remember that when using a 35mm adaptor, your camera is recording a projection on the ground glass.
 
SomewhereinLA said:
Okay, I know what your problem is.
You cannot use the in camera ND filter when you use a 35mm adaptor. All filters, including ND filters must be used in front of the lens (the 35mm lens that is).
You need to remember that when using a 35mm adaptor, your camera is recording a projection on the ground glass.
Click to expand...

Why is this? I've used an ND filter with my M2 all the time and I don't think I've run into anything strange.

It's also a good thing to remember that just putting the lens at infinite doesn't always mean it's going to be in focus. That infinite mark is dependent on a precise measurement between the lens and the ground glass. If that measurement is off, your infinite focus will be off too.

The hardmount method works WONDERS for the M2, I noticed such a difference when I started doing it and it gained my faith back into it. The next thing I would suggest to you is this....

http://www.global-batteries.com/product_info.php/cPath/10/products_id/1334

Buy that, and pick up some velcro. Just velcro it to the side of your adapter. It's also nice because I've had mine for 4 months now and I haven't had to charge it yet. The battery lasts FOREVER.

Using an external battery spins the ground glass just the tiniest tinch faster, that tinest tinch takes out a lot of the grain. Something I really wasn't a fan when I first got my adapter.

Those are just a few tips to getting it going, I've spent a long time trying to get great looking footage out of this thing, and it is possible. It just takes some tinkering with.
 
RyanT said:
Why is this? I've used an ND filter with my M2 all the time and I don't think I've run into anything strange.
Click to expand...
Ditto; I've used the in-cam ND filters with the Letus35FE and it didn't cause any problems.

It's also a good thing to remember that just putting the lens at infinite doesn't always mean it's going to be in focus. That infinite mark is dependent on a precise measurement between the lens and the ground glass. If that measurement is off, your infinite focus will be off too.
Click to expand...
Excellent point, most excellent point. These adapters need to be checked for proper back focus; if the back focus is off, all your measurements will be off.
 
The reason why light must be controlled before it hits the GG is because once the image is overexposed (in the projection), you can't recover the detail.

It's the same thing as taking an overexposed digital photograph, printing it on paper, and expecting to be able to recover the detail by looking at it through a ND filter -- it's just not gonna happen. All you'll get is a dark and muddy mess.

If you use the camera's ND filters with a DOF adapter and are happy with the results, you're missing much of the adapter's potential.
 
I wish i had a mattebox to test this, but i've used my sgpro outdoors using the in camera nd's and was very pleased.
 
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