Barry_Green
Moderator
Well, it's here. Fifty thousand. This is my 50,000th official post on DVXUser.
Fifty thousand. Is that insane, or what? Clearly I need more of a life. I've been here for almost exactly 11 years, so that's 4,500+ posts per year, or an average of about 12+ posts per day.
What can I say to that? DVXUser has been my obsession, my home, my job, my hangout... I've participated in a lot of forums over the years, but there's just no place like this. Especially in the early years, it was just an incredible experience.
And my, how things have changed. Jarred started DVXUser back in 2003 and I was one of the first to join, later becoming a co-owner of the site. Around the time that DVXUser started, the standard camera we were shooting with was a 60i, standard-def 720x480 4:3 image, recorded in DV format, from a 1/3" CCD chip, in a regular camcorder form factor, with a fixed zoom lens, onto tape.
Now, barely 11 years later... NONE of those things practically even exist anymore!
1) Interlace is finally dying, and modern cameras all shoot 24p, 60p, and even faster frame rates.
2) Standard-def has nearly been completely replaced with HD; while some consumers still may have SD sets and some cable channels may be still broadcasting SD, in the production world it's all HD (or 4K or more). Heck, the 720p vs. 1080i wars seem like ancient history, don't they? 3D even came and went, all in this same time frame.
3) 4:3 is pretty much gone, replaced by 16:9
4) DV is largely gone, replaced by a dizzying array of formats from DVCPRO-HD and HDV and XDCAM and AVCHD and AVCI and AVC-Ultra and XAVC and RedCode and raw and Cinema DNG and ProRes and more...
5) 1/3" chips still exist, but for filmmakers we've seen an utter explosion of options, and filmmaking cameras now feature film-sized sensors, from >S16 size (like the BMC), or R35 size (like the AF100) or S35 size (like everything else). An S35 sensor is literally about 16x larger than the 1/3" sensors we used to use.
6) The handycam form factor is still with us, but it's no longer the only form, nor is it the preferred form among most filmmaker types. The "brick" of the FS100/FS700, the "cat on the shoulder" of the Alexa etc., the cube of the Red, or the DSLR style camera have all come in and largely now outnumber the conventional handycam form, at least in the filmmaking realm.
7) Fixed lens? Interchangeable lenses are now the standard, in cameras used to make films.
8) CCD? Gone. CMOS has replaced them in nearly all film-oriented cameras and all 1/3" cameras or smaller.
9) Tape, once ubiquitous, is long since dead. We saw hard discs and optical discs briefly, but now we're all solidly on memory cards.
Seriously, if you stop and think about it, almost everything we used has been totally stood on its head, replaced, supplanted, superseded, obliterated, and obsoleted. In just 11 short years.
What hasn't changed? The "User" part of DVXUser. The "DVX" part has changed, but the "User" part hasn't. We're still here to inform, assist, encourage, build up, answer, empower, and collaborate. The technology may change, but the fundamental dream hasn't, and won't.
So, yes, I've spent a lot of time here, and posted a lot. I'm proud to say that my 50,000 posts are legit, they're not an inflated post count. In fact, the number is slightly higher than 50,000; as I was getting close to that number I kept going in and deleting old useless posts from years ago, to bring the number back down, so I could delay reaching the 50,000 threshold. I wanted to have a big announcement, but after negotiations broke down, unfortunately there will be no big announcement, and at the pace I'm answering questions about a new camera, it's unavoidable that 50,000 is gonna get here sooner or later. Well, it got here now, so here it is.
What can I say other than -- Thank You. Thanks for coming here. Thanks for joining. Thanks for sharing your footage. Thanks for sharing your knowledge. Thanks for all the support you've offered to other filmmakers and videographers over the years. There are, at the time of this writing, over 2.8 million posts on this forum. I only did 50,000 -- the rest were all you. And thanks to Jason and Luis and all the moderators who work tirelessly to keep this ship floating and pointed in the right direction!
I got involved with DVXUser because I was fascinated by the then-new DVX100, and I really like teaching and answering questions and helping people accomplish what it is that they want to do. I am somewhat proud to say that of my 50,000+ posts here, I think at least 90% of them are direct answering of questions. I have occasionally posted something silly in the cafe or whatever, but -- in general, it's been about finding out what works, why it works, and answering questions about things, so that the users can do what they wanted to. And I've gotten directly involved too; I've produced or funded films, or contributed funds to films for a lot of DVXUsers over the years; people like David Jimerson, Kholi Hicks, Stephen Mick, bosindy, JP Bankes-Mercer, Doug Spice, Terri Hartley, Jack Daniel Stanley, Zak Forsman, Noel Evans, Mark Harris, Tim Hyten, and I can't remember who else. These contributions may range from a few bucks to well over five figures, and while sometimes the films haven't even been completed, sometimes they've taken us places like the red carpet opening-night gala at SlamDance. I've given well over $100k to DVXUsers over the years to see them accomplish their goals, and (while I'm totally done giving out money so please don't ask), I'm also very proud of them all and what they've accomplished. And I'm equally proud of other DVXUser filmmakers who've made successes of themselves, guys like Bob Gundu and James Longley and Jabez Olssen and Marc Singer (no, not the Beastmaster, the other one...)
A lot has changed in the last 11 years. Heck, 11 years ago, Red Digital Cinema didn't exist. Today, my partner Jarred is the President of Red. Funny world...
When we started DVXUser, the DVX was the big thing because it finally, finally gave us the chance to create something that looked like as if it had been shot on film. Back in 2002/2003, everyone dreamed, lusted after, wished for, and longed for the visuals (and the credibility) that came from shooting on film. Today? Film is dead. A half-million-dollar Arri BL4 film camera package will sell on ebay for just a few thousand dollars.
Where does that leave us, going forward? Well, one thing I can tell you is this: no matter what gear you're lusting over, and every time we have a camera war or gear fight, all that stuff will end up on the junk heap in just a few years. I don't care if it's the latest and greatest DSLR, or an F65 or whatever, it'll be discarded and supplanted before you know it. Heck, during this time frame the F35 went from being a $350,000 premium ultimate film-replacement camera, to something some of our members have picked up on ebay for less than the cost of a Sony FS700(!) 11 years from now, everything that seems soooo important (gear-wise) will be soooo outdated and you'll look back on that F55 or VariCam and think "ugh, I used to shoot on that outdated stuff?"
Ultimately, unless you're a rental house... gear doesn't matter. Having the latest, or the best, doesn't matter. For a filmmaker, having something to say is far more important, than what you say it with. The Constitution of the US of A was hand-written with a quill; they didn't wait for a ballpoint pen or a typewriter or a word processor or Microsoft Office to be invented before they wrote it. If you've got something valuable and worthwhile and entertaining to say, it won't matter what gear you use to get the message out. And, if you don't have anything valuable or worthwhile or entertaining to say, it won't matter what gear you use then, either...
As for a video -- people always want a video; in years past the tradition was that when someone crossed a major post-count milestone, they'd post a celebratory video. So here's a video. But it's not mine. It's one my daughter found on the Internet and pointed me towards. Watch this. Think about it. This was made with a webcam. No graphics, no special effects, no After Effects, no sets, no props, no locations, no crew, no permits, no insurance, no wardrobe, no makeup, no camera moves, no dollies or jibs or cranes, no actors. No budget. No money spent. Just a guy, telling a story. (stick with it; it starts slow, but stick with it to the end).
Tell stories. Use beautiful images to do it, sure, but -- images aren't, generally, in and of themselves, stories. Tell a wonderful story -- and use the gear and techniques to enhance it. And DVXUser will be here, to help you on your way, and we hope you'll be here to help other DVXUsers do the same.
With that -- on to 50,001!
Fifty thousand. Is that insane, or what? Clearly I need more of a life. I've been here for almost exactly 11 years, so that's 4,500+ posts per year, or an average of about 12+ posts per day.
What can I say to that? DVXUser has been my obsession, my home, my job, my hangout... I've participated in a lot of forums over the years, but there's just no place like this. Especially in the early years, it was just an incredible experience.
And my, how things have changed. Jarred started DVXUser back in 2003 and I was one of the first to join, later becoming a co-owner of the site. Around the time that DVXUser started, the standard camera we were shooting with was a 60i, standard-def 720x480 4:3 image, recorded in DV format, from a 1/3" CCD chip, in a regular camcorder form factor, with a fixed zoom lens, onto tape.
Now, barely 11 years later... NONE of those things practically even exist anymore!
1) Interlace is finally dying, and modern cameras all shoot 24p, 60p, and even faster frame rates.
2) Standard-def has nearly been completely replaced with HD; while some consumers still may have SD sets and some cable channels may be still broadcasting SD, in the production world it's all HD (or 4K or more). Heck, the 720p vs. 1080i wars seem like ancient history, don't they? 3D even came and went, all in this same time frame.
3) 4:3 is pretty much gone, replaced by 16:9
4) DV is largely gone, replaced by a dizzying array of formats from DVCPRO-HD and HDV and XDCAM and AVCHD and AVCI and AVC-Ultra and XAVC and RedCode and raw and Cinema DNG and ProRes and more...
5) 1/3" chips still exist, but for filmmakers we've seen an utter explosion of options, and filmmaking cameras now feature film-sized sensors, from >S16 size (like the BMC), or R35 size (like the AF100) or S35 size (like everything else). An S35 sensor is literally about 16x larger than the 1/3" sensors we used to use.
6) The handycam form factor is still with us, but it's no longer the only form, nor is it the preferred form among most filmmaker types. The "brick" of the FS100/FS700, the "cat on the shoulder" of the Alexa etc., the cube of the Red, or the DSLR style camera have all come in and largely now outnumber the conventional handycam form, at least in the filmmaking realm.
7) Fixed lens? Interchangeable lenses are now the standard, in cameras used to make films.
8) CCD? Gone. CMOS has replaced them in nearly all film-oriented cameras and all 1/3" cameras or smaller.
9) Tape, once ubiquitous, is long since dead. We saw hard discs and optical discs briefly, but now we're all solidly on memory cards.
Seriously, if you stop and think about it, almost everything we used has been totally stood on its head, replaced, supplanted, superseded, obliterated, and obsoleted. In just 11 short years.
What hasn't changed? The "User" part of DVXUser. The "DVX" part has changed, but the "User" part hasn't. We're still here to inform, assist, encourage, build up, answer, empower, and collaborate. The technology may change, but the fundamental dream hasn't, and won't.
So, yes, I've spent a lot of time here, and posted a lot. I'm proud to say that my 50,000 posts are legit, they're not an inflated post count. In fact, the number is slightly higher than 50,000; as I was getting close to that number I kept going in and deleting old useless posts from years ago, to bring the number back down, so I could delay reaching the 50,000 threshold. I wanted to have a big announcement, but after negotiations broke down, unfortunately there will be no big announcement, and at the pace I'm answering questions about a new camera, it's unavoidable that 50,000 is gonna get here sooner or later. Well, it got here now, so here it is.
What can I say other than -- Thank You. Thanks for coming here. Thanks for joining. Thanks for sharing your footage. Thanks for sharing your knowledge. Thanks for all the support you've offered to other filmmakers and videographers over the years. There are, at the time of this writing, over 2.8 million posts on this forum. I only did 50,000 -- the rest were all you. And thanks to Jason and Luis and all the moderators who work tirelessly to keep this ship floating and pointed in the right direction!
I got involved with DVXUser because I was fascinated by the then-new DVX100, and I really like teaching and answering questions and helping people accomplish what it is that they want to do. I am somewhat proud to say that of my 50,000+ posts here, I think at least 90% of them are direct answering of questions. I have occasionally posted something silly in the cafe or whatever, but -- in general, it's been about finding out what works, why it works, and answering questions about things, so that the users can do what they wanted to. And I've gotten directly involved too; I've produced or funded films, or contributed funds to films for a lot of DVXUsers over the years; people like David Jimerson, Kholi Hicks, Stephen Mick, bosindy, JP Bankes-Mercer, Doug Spice, Terri Hartley, Jack Daniel Stanley, Zak Forsman, Noel Evans, Mark Harris, Tim Hyten, and I can't remember who else. These contributions may range from a few bucks to well over five figures, and while sometimes the films haven't even been completed, sometimes they've taken us places like the red carpet opening-night gala at SlamDance. I've given well over $100k to DVXUsers over the years to see them accomplish their goals, and (while I'm totally done giving out money so please don't ask), I'm also very proud of them all and what they've accomplished. And I'm equally proud of other DVXUser filmmakers who've made successes of themselves, guys like Bob Gundu and James Longley and Jabez Olssen and Marc Singer (no, not the Beastmaster, the other one...)
A lot has changed in the last 11 years. Heck, 11 years ago, Red Digital Cinema didn't exist. Today, my partner Jarred is the President of Red. Funny world...
When we started DVXUser, the DVX was the big thing because it finally, finally gave us the chance to create something that looked like as if it had been shot on film. Back in 2002/2003, everyone dreamed, lusted after, wished for, and longed for the visuals (and the credibility) that came from shooting on film. Today? Film is dead. A half-million-dollar Arri BL4 film camera package will sell on ebay for just a few thousand dollars.
Where does that leave us, going forward? Well, one thing I can tell you is this: no matter what gear you're lusting over, and every time we have a camera war or gear fight, all that stuff will end up on the junk heap in just a few years. I don't care if it's the latest and greatest DSLR, or an F65 or whatever, it'll be discarded and supplanted before you know it. Heck, during this time frame the F35 went from being a $350,000 premium ultimate film-replacement camera, to something some of our members have picked up on ebay for less than the cost of a Sony FS700(!) 11 years from now, everything that seems soooo important (gear-wise) will be soooo outdated and you'll look back on that F55 or VariCam and think "ugh, I used to shoot on that outdated stuff?"
Ultimately, unless you're a rental house... gear doesn't matter. Having the latest, or the best, doesn't matter. For a filmmaker, having something to say is far more important, than what you say it with. The Constitution of the US of A was hand-written with a quill; they didn't wait for a ballpoint pen or a typewriter or a word processor or Microsoft Office to be invented before they wrote it. If you've got something valuable and worthwhile and entertaining to say, it won't matter what gear you use to get the message out. And, if you don't have anything valuable or worthwhile or entertaining to say, it won't matter what gear you use then, either...
As for a video -- people always want a video; in years past the tradition was that when someone crossed a major post-count milestone, they'd post a celebratory video. So here's a video. But it's not mine. It's one my daughter found on the Internet and pointed me towards. Watch this. Think about it. This was made with a webcam. No graphics, no special effects, no After Effects, no sets, no props, no locations, no crew, no permits, no insurance, no wardrobe, no makeup, no camera moves, no dollies or jibs or cranes, no actors. No budget. No money spent. Just a guy, telling a story. (stick with it; it starts slow, but stick with it to the end).
Tell stories. Use beautiful images to do it, sure, but -- images aren't, generally, in and of themselves, stories. Tell a wonderful story -- and use the gear and techniques to enhance it. And DVXUser will be here, to help you on your way, and we hope you'll be here to help other DVXUsers do the same.
With that -- on to 50,001!
