AF-100 Wishlist/Suggestion Discussion Thread

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Erik Olson said:
Kind of like putting hard stops on a professional follow focus. I get what you're saying. Here's the thing, most DPs and operators aren't going to have (nor should they) patience for a 1st who is programming stops into the camera during blocking. That would get you streamlined on the first set-up.

This is how you do it. DP and operator spec the set up. ACs build the rig to that spec. Director, DP and other dept. heads block the scene with camera, talent and other necessary departments. During blocking, 1st AC sets talent marks (and any additional focus marks) on the floor with tape or natural marks whenever possible. 1st AC marks follow focus disc accordingly. More complicated set ups rehearse a few times, crew practices moves and gets ready for picture.

Nowhere in that formula is there room to be programming auto-focus during this tried and tested technique for filming narrative scenes. For anything more than one fixed rack focus (which you should be able to accomplish manually in fractions of a second), will programming the camera work. Simply won't.

If you want Panasonic to waste space and boards and time setting up AF programming, so be it. I'm just telling you how narrative filmmaking works in the real world. And AF is nowhere to be found.
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On House when they were using the 5D they had motorized follow focuses geared to the lenses that went to another area where they had an AC pulling focus remotely looking at a monitor...I am just thinking that if there was a way to utilize the motor already built into the lens they wouldn't need to setup the motorized follow focus and waste time when swapping lenses.
 
They would have the Preston and Bartech FIZ systems I prescribed earlier in this this thread on those DSLRs. I haven't seen the set-up, but this would be typical. There is no programming. It is a man with a remote FF/FIZ transmitter, a radio frequency, a receiver and a motor attached to the lens. No fuzzy-logic or face recognition or excuses.

I'll just say this. Many 1st ACs will not focus on a monitor. [Especially in wireless FF applications], they will spatially guage the distance from a somewhat perpendicular angle to the action between the camera and the talent / scene. Critical focus stuff is handled differently by each camera assistant. There are often many marks on the floor both for talent and the AC. I've put down a dozen marks for scenes that seem pretty simple at first glance. They all correspond to what you've got on the wheel and in your spatially aware and experienced mind.
 
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Erik Olson said:
They would have the Preston and Bartech FIZ systems I prescribed earlier in this this thread on those DSLRs. I haven't seen the set-up, but this would be typical. There is no programming. It is a man with a remote FF/FIZ transmitter, a radio frequency, a receiver and a motor attached to the lens. No fuzzy-logic or face recognition or excuses.

I'll just say this. Many 1st ACs will not focus on a monitor. They will spatially guage the distance from a somewhat perpendicular angle to the action between the camera and the talent / scene. Critical focus stuff is handled differently by each camera assistant. There are often many marks on the floor both for talent and the AC. I've put down a dozen marks for scenes that seem pretty simple at first glance. They all correspond to what you've got on the wheel and in your spatially aware and experienced mind.
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Yeah I hear that.

I'm saying forget the programming, at the very least we can use the AF motors linked to a remote follow focus to control the lens...manual focus, not AF...no programming. You can be right there or further away. What you could quickly program in is how sensitive you want it to be.
 
I'm hearing your vision, but I'm telling you the AF isn't the way to do this on a real set. It is with a mechanical, made to the lens follow-focus or on a wireless follow-focus when the scene necessitates that the AC not be physically touching the camera.

I don't know what the interface is that you're imagining, but it already exists in professional form in the Bartech, Preston and new lumps like the HoFo or even the very taut iPhone interfaced F-Stop.

goldmember.jpg


These systems are universal. You just need the proper gear (Fujinon, Canon or Film Pitch) in the best diameter and you're entirely universal for every lens that could come along. It's like iris rods, there are 15mm and 19mm versions and nobody needs to re-invent the wheel.

Furthermore, I don't want Panasonic making the camera more expensive with a largely useless AF feature-set. That's just my opinion. And you know what they say about opinions. Everybody has one. There are some fantastic suggestions so far, I would put AVC-Intra and on-board P2 waaaay above AF. Anything we see implemented is going to add $$ to the final AF100 to some extent.

My larger point is that AF absolutely should not be a priority feature for someone who prescribes that this camera is for "cinema / narrative" filmmaking anyway.
 
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whats with the AF squabble?
all you have to do is:
stick a MF lens on the thing --voila! Manual focus!
stick the 14-140 HD lumix lens --voila! Auto Focus!

Problem solved!
 
Same goes for selectable codec. Panasonic is pretty good at giving us choices. The choice should be AVC-I100 and that other one...whatever they call it.
 
J Davis said:
So Jan you just confirm it for real?

Because you said this does not line skip then this is a totally new sensor from Panasonic micro 4/3rds size (sorry I said apsc earlier).

And since it doesn't line skip it creates 1080p naturally on a 1:1 instead of downscaled from a still camera resolution ???????

This is BIG BIG news if its fast enough for 24 frames per second without line skipping.
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It is a video camera, not a DSLR. DSLRs line skip. Video cameras do not.
 
it would be interesting if they put avc-I 100 on sd cards... but i highly doubt it being avccam and all.

i just did the math and it is plausible to put avc-I on a class 10 sd card...
 
As a FCP editor, I'd like a codec that I can use with my Mac with relative ease-so either the dvcpro (I know they'll never put Quicktime) or something similar. If not, at least there's the uncompressed route, but it means spending money on additional gear to support uncompressed, along with the purchase of the camera.
 
Threaded holes on the front of the camera where you can screw in (not sure how big the front is but ideally) either 15mm or 19mm rods. It seems to me that if you are going to be using interchangeable lenses on a video camera it might be nice to have lens support.

I guess this depends on what the body is made out of. Wouldn't be much use if the camera was plastic, but might work well if they could screw into metal? Some thought would obviously need to be given to making this as solid as possible.

love

Freya
 
I'd like to see them offer this camera with or without a kit lense, like they do the 500. Many people would want a lense while others might already have glass. I think the reason their are some many differing ideas on the wish list is that the camera is appealing to a lot of people and that Panasonic has a potential for a huge hit of a camera.
 
Bucknfl said:
...I think the reason their are some many differing ideas on the wish list is that the camera is appealing to a lot of people and that Panasonic has a potential for a huge hit of a camera.
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Bingo.

I think too many people are looking at this through the lens (pardon the pun) of their own particular specialty, and some folks actively arguing against certain features need to realize that. Panasonic says this is designed for more cinematic applications, but like the DSLR's that no doubt inspired it, this is going to be used in a whole lot of other applications. Given the price point and announced features, this is going to find a home in the kits of many a lower budget operation. Churches, documentary makers, web video producers... wedding videographers alone are probably going to account for a huge portion of it's sales.
 
Low light capability - for me, that's key. Sure, we can get lights, but that adds to the cost, and frankly you have more artistic options as well as practical options with a camera that can do low light. I guarantee, Panasonic, that if you deliver on that, you'll have a monster hit on your hands - because one of the biggest reasons for people going for DSLR video is low light capability... if the Canon DSLRs (or whoever else steps into the game) has superior low light capability cameras, they'll get the sales - and I mean stuff that's available at the same time the AF-100 comes out (son of d7?). Small example - I have a low budget feature I've been planning for a year now, and finally looks like it'll be shooting end of this year / start of next... initially I was going to go for the hmc-150 or whatever came next, but given the demands of the script (lots of low light situations) the DP is lobbying for a DSLR - and I'm going to go with that, unless the AF-100 is better in low light. Yes, I know all about sound and a thousand other things - but I need the best noise free low light I can get, and that's my #1 priority. Panasonic, I want to give you the money - please let me!
 
G-Man said:
As a FCP editor, I'd like a codec that I can use with my Mac with relative ease-so either the dvcpro (I know they'll never put Quicktime) or something similar. If not, at least there's the uncompressed route, but it means spending money on additional gear to support uncompressed, along with the purchase of the camera.
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With Final Cut Pro Studio 2, you can edit AVCHD footage.(YOU MUST HAVE VERSION 6.05 OR HIGHER TO EDIT ALL THE FORMATS AND FRAME RATES OF AVCHD, INCLUDING THE PH MODE).


Since Final Cut Pro does not handle AVCHD natively, you can transcode your footage to ProRes or DVCProHD. This should be very simple through the "Log and Transfer" tool.

ftp://ftp.panasonic.com/pub/Panasonic/Drivers/PBTS/papers/AVCHD_Editing_FCP_2_Workflow.pdf

A video guide:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=QSPLGt80viY

or

without "Log and Transfer"
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=m9alRCx6upo
 
A nice flat top with 1/4"-20 (and maybe also 3/8"-16) tapped holes that are strong enough to support the camera and/or various accessories would be nice.

If built into the handle, then a nice flat top on the handle and the handle should be sturdily attached to the body.

- Mikko
 
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