Black Friday Specials

IronFilm said:
https://www.bhphotovideo.com/c/prod...race_atv_mixpre6_audio_tactical_vest_for.html

How about a chest harness?
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I appreciate the suggestion, but it would foul me up on gimbal six ways from Sunday. Because I hold the rig right in front of me and often close up to my body. Plus that vest is huge! Compared to my little sling. Seems better for boom opping as your arms will be raised.

That vest seems great if you need to manipulate what you're carrying, but I won't need to access the gear while I'm operating, so I dont have that problem
 
ahalpert said:
Does anyone use filmconvert? Do they like it?
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I have Filmconvert Pro. And recently installed the newer Nitrate update (trial). They are essentially the same product, but the Nitrate version has more controls and better interface. Nitrate is also replacing the "Pro" version.

I'm thinking the way the grain works is a little different, and I can't decide which I like better in a quick A/B comparison earlier today. I like Nitrate a little better, but I had bought the Pro version a couple months before the Nitrate version landed, and I don't want to buy it again.

It's a good plugin/app. As those LUT grain things go. The second image has a very light amount of film convert grain on there. http://www.dvxuser.com/V6/showthrea...n-Sale&p=1986850472&viewfull=1#post1986850472

Filmconvert has a download trial.
 
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Run&Gun said:
Isn't it kind of funny that Aputure is considered a premium brand, now?
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Will only be the first wave of many, as Chinese brands improve and get better and better.

ahalpert said:
I appreciate the suggestion, but it would foul me up on gimbal six ways from Sunday. Because I hold the rig right in front of me and often close up to my body. Plus that vest is huge! Compared to my little sling. Seems better for boom opping as your arms will be raised.

That vest seems great if you need to manipulate what you're carrying, but I won't need to access the gear while I'm operating, so I dont have that problem
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How about just keep it in a normal backpack? With an iPad vest (running the app for the Zoom F6) to keep an eye on the audio:
https://www.bhphotovideo.com/c/product/1400465-REG/gig_gear_ggtht9_tablet_chest_harness.html
https://www.bhphotovideo.com/c/product/1469676-REG/setwear_sw_05_539_ipad_radio_chest_pack.html
https://www.coaxsher.com/Radio-Chest-Harness-p/rp202.htm

It is a system I'm strongly considering switching over to myself.
(well, on a mini cart, rather than in a backpack)
 
ahalpert said:
It's possible that I'm conflating how I feel about the lighting and how I feel about the acting. But the two play off each other and contribute to the zombie feeling.

I can read a series of decisions following a playbook that contributed to the awkwardness. Like - we'll turn off all the interior lights because the color wont match, and that's what we do. We'll leave a space directly behind his head free from extras so we dont have any overlap even though it creates a halo of void in the crowd around him. We'll light him the standard way we light interviews and light him much more strongly than the background that we weakly filled so we can keep our ISO and noise levels down on this camera.

There just isn't a sense of an aesthetic gestalt that was carefully thought out. And the result clashes with the message of the propaganda - which was, "I'm a normal guy, sitting in a normal diner, surrounded by normal people just like you."

Of course, I dont watch TV news, so I may be less used to the aesthetic. Either way, it's a failure.



Your shot looks very nice, Run&Gun.

But I think there's a misunderstanding about my critique of the Beshear shot. I don't think it should have looked like a Hollywood film. I think it should have looked like a diner to your eye, perhaps with brighter, more flattering light on Beshear.

Here's another widely mocked political speech that failed in the opposite direction, by trying to be too cool.

Here, I think the lighting is totally fine. The surrounding hallway is a little dimmer, but totally acceptable. The lighting is a little hard, but not unflattering.

The weird thing is - why do they do this big zoom move from a wide shot to a medium? Totally unnecessary, and draws our attention to the rest of the hallway that is not filled with flags.

And then why are they standing so close together? To share a podium? To fit in 4:3? There are more naturalistic ways of staging it to solve those problems.

Then, lastly, the acting is about as bad as the extras in the diner, and drew comparisons to American gothic.

But both speeches should have simply tried to look more normal and drawn less attention to how they were filmed.

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Initially I saw the thumbnail and thought "nothing looks wrong with this..."

Then I clicked play

OMG!

wtf was wrong with them, they never should have done that zoom with that setup

ahalpert said:
Again...I wasn't the only one

View attachment 141448

Most of the mockery directed at the shot addressed their demeanor. But, again, the staging and framing contributes to that perception.

https://www.cbsnews.com/news/schume...ss-becomes-instant-meme-sensation-on-twitter/

And yeah. It did fail me. Do you truly think it was effective propaganda?

They definitely should have used 3 cameras and cut between a wide and 2 close-ups. I have no idea why they wanted to do it all in one take on one camera, maybe to imbue a greater sense of realism and immediacy.

Oh wait - am I not allowed to analyze that obviously very deliberate thought process? It was all probably accidental and random, right?
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If they wanted to just do it with one camera for whatever reasons (perhaps budgetary), they should have just kept it simple with a locked off shot and no zooms/pans/whatever!
 
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ahalpert said:
I dont think I can exercise creative choices myself without having feelings, sometimes strong ones, about what I see. Without that interest and sensitivity, I probably wouldn't be in this field in the first place.

I'm not trying to say they're bad at their job. Maybe circumstances were changed on them at the last minute. Maybe they executed their orders perfectly and whoever was calling the shots had a bad idea.

I critique my performance after every shoot, going over the successes and failures in my mind. Sometimes, I screwed up a move or a focus pull in the execution. Sometimes I made a bad conceptual choice at the outset for how to stage or light an interview. I kick myself an awful lot (mentally)

In these speech examples - I am personally a target audience member. If it fails to communicate the message to me, it certifiably fails at least for one person. And in each case, I was clearly not alone in disapproving.

I think I give a lot of positive feedback to fellow dvxusers. And if I disapprove, I try to give constructive feedback or just say nothing. I'm not a total negative nancy. And if I were talking directly to the people responsible for those shots, I would definitely try to soften the blow.
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Yes, just because it is a livestream that you do hundreds of, doesn't mean you should settle for sh*t!

Everything you do you should be open to criticism over, and you should always be happy to seek ways to improve your craft.

James0b57 said:
I love you Abe, but you got to chill on slipping politics into all of your posts. I don't want you to get banned, my man! I saw another guy go because of less.
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There was no political angle in his posts whatsoever, this is not about "Left" vs "Right".
ahalpert said:
I never meant to imply that the cameraman did a bad job, per se. Just that I didnt think the end result worked.

Like if I said The Matrix was a great movie. There's an assumption that the directors get the most credit for its success. Ok, but which director is responsible for what? How much of the script was changed by the actors? How much of the goodness is creditable to the DP? Obviously, the formula is complex. At the end of the day, I can only dissect the result and how the visual presentation impacts me
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Agreed. The cameraman might have zero blame here, it could be some clueless political operative who was calling the shots.

And I don't buy the excuses such as "but he may have had no time", one of these were a SOTU response for goodness sake! That is planned well in advance, and is a high profile and high stakes shoot. You don't take a casual slap happy approach to that.
 
James0b57 said:
I have Filmconvert Pro...
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Off a cursory observation of the various YouTube clips, FC does help lose the "video look" but more importantly it provides more custom options to the editor at the time when a lot of cameras look good but also look a lot alike. And FC helps in setting them apart.
 
All of these similar programs operate in mostly the same way and you can achieve exactly the same thing from scratch in advanced coloring software (even FCP X provides you primitive panels/options for you to get close, including a very limited film grain).

FC has been around forever.

The main difference between using one of these applications is you have an interface that is much more straightforward. Controls are all in one place, buttons, sliders, strengths...you can quickly adjust your picture instead of diving in deep in other ways.

IMO, the speed is what's worth the money (because you can do everything for free if you know how to). Best to download it and try it as was mentioned above.
 
IronFilm said:
Will only be the first wave of many, as Chinese brands improve and get better and better.



How about just keep it in a normal backpack? With an iPad vest (running the app for the Zoom F6) to keep an eye on the audio:
https://www.bhphotovideo.com/c/product/1400465-REG/gig_gear_ggtht9_tablet_chest_harness.html
https://www.bhphotovideo.com/c/product/1469676-REG/setwear_sw_05_539_ipad_radio_chest_pack.html
https://www.coaxsher.com/Radio-Chest-Harness-p/rp202.htm

It is a system I'm strongly considering switching over to myself.
(well, on a mini cart, rather than in a backpack)
Click to expand...

I thought about getting a normal backpack. But I want something as small as possible (just large enough to fit what I need), and every backpack was larger than that. Which means extra weight in the backpack itself as well, then. Plus, I'd rather not have straps coming over my shoulders. But a snugly-fitting backpack could work.

And when I say I'm monitoring audio - I really just mean listening in to make sure there isn't a drop-out or static or some other unacceptable problem. I would not be able to monitor it visually or make adjustments while operating gimbal. But I set a level for the mix before starting, and the F6 records a lower level of the mics as well that will never clip.

So, I went with the Peak Design Sling 5L. Part of what sold me on it is they had some shots in the commercial of a guy riding a skateboard and the pack clung to the middle of his back with zero play. That's what I want - something I can forget I'm wearing. It's the size of a large fanny pack, but large enough for a couple lenses, lens cleaner, filters, batteries/cards. Or my zoom f6 and 2 sennheiser receivers with room to spare
 
DLD said:
Off a cursory observation of the various YouTube clips, FC does help lose the "video look" but more importantly it provides more custom options to the editor at the time when a lot of cameras look good but also look a lot alike. And FC helps in setting them apart.
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Well said!

FC-N is a great tool, and the Cyber Monday deal is well worth it.

I'd upgrade to Nitrate from the Pro, but then I'd be close to $200 all in, when Davinci and FCPX are $300. And if you get those apple store gift cards on sale, then FCPX is 15% off. So, I'll try to get by with the Pro version, even though I really like how the Nitrate version works better. I can do a lot more with Davinci Resolve, which I still haven't purchased yet, crazily enough. But plan to when work picks up to normal or maybe after the official version of DR17.

FilmConvert switching from the Pro to Nitrate felt like a Red Digital Cinema move... "Obsolenscence obsolete". They made it seem like if you buy FC Pro then you are locked into an evolving product. But then they do a major update and then change the name, raise the price, phase out the old, so they can capitalize on the existing user base, after saturating the market. I don't fault them for that, and I feel they deserve the asking price. Just leaves a bad taste is all.

The black Friday upgrade price is really only $60, so tempting. But that is $60 taking away from a Davinci Resolve or FCP price. And Davinci is $300 taking away from a LED light purchase, and the LED light is $500 taking away from a new monitor purchase. And the monitor is $1000 taking away from a microphone purchase. AND and.... haha.

It is all about priorities, and if FC-N gives a short cut or even enables one to get to a higher level, it is then worth double what they ask.
 
ahalpert said:
I thought about getting a normal backpack. But I want something as small as possible (just large enough to fit what I need), and every backpack was larger than that. Which means extra weight in the backpack itself as well, then. Plus, I'd rather not have straps coming over my shoulders. But a snugly-fitting backpack could work.

And when I say I'm monitoring audio - I really just mean listening in to make sure there isn't a drop-out or static or some other unacceptable problem. I would not be able to monitor it visually or make adjustments while operating gimbal. But I set a level for the mix before starting, and the F6 records a lower level of the mics as well that will never clip.

So, I went with the Peak Design Sling 5L. Part of what sold me on it is they had some shots in the commercial of a guy riding a skateboard and the pack clung to the middle of his back with zero play. That's what I want - something I can forget I'm wearing. It's the size of a large fanny pack, but large enough for a couple lenses, lens cleaner, filters, batteries/cards. Or my zoom f6 and 2 sennheiser receivers with room to spare
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I bought this a while back. The Portabrace 3-lens hip-pack.

https://www.bhphotovideo.com/c/product/966982-REG/porta_brace_hip_3lens_waist_belt_for_4.html


It is technically a hip pack, but I often use it as a sling. It is the most versatile "bag" I own. I am considering getting a second one.

The hip-pack design makes lens changes easier, since it is in the level and upright position when worn belt like. But it that ever gets uncomfortable, or makes one selfconcios (fanny-pack conatations) then it can just sling over the shoulder as well.

It has a deceptive amount of pocket options. The top and front zipper pockets hold a lot, since they are just cloth. The belt portion has a slim zipper pouch for things like lens cloths. And there are two open pockets on either side that are open, but good for temporarily storing quick access tools or lens caps. There is also a rear flat pocket on the inside back, which is good for things like color checker passport or whatever.

The utilitarian black design can work with any industry, I feel. But likely won't win any fashion awards.
 
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That CLAR Illumi Max 500 is tempting. 500w on the cheap. Still, $700 isn't nothing and if the Aputure is much better then it's worth the extra $1K. But for say attempting an M18 replacement, three 600Ds gets a bit pricey at $6k, while say two CLAR Maxes and an Aputure 600D for $3500 is more affordable.

Is the CLAR Max separate ballast and control box so there are three pieces to it (making it more of a hassle to deal with like the original 300D), or is the ballast and control unit on the same piece?

I'd read that the CLAR 300 had three separate pieces, but could not find that info for the 500. Adorama only lists weight specs for the ballst and head, which are actually around half of the weight of the 600D. I haven't checked dimensions, but I suspect it's smaller as well, which could be a big selling point to trying to fit a lot of raw power into a small vehicle on the cheap.

Full mast rotation isn't important to me. I guess the light may not be as reliable as Apurture. Any other downsides? I don't want to throw away money on cruddy gear just because it's on sale.
 
Eric Coughlin said:
Is the CLAR Max separate ballast and control box so there are three pieces to it (making it more of a hassle to deal with like the original 300D), or is the ballast and control unit on the same piece?
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As far as I know, it's two pieces. Ballast and control box are combined into one unit that sits on the ground, same as the Clar 350. The Clar 300 had the old ballast/control box, which were seperate

Eric Coughlin said:
Any other downsides?
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DVXuser Jbregar has put most of my concerns to bed but looking at it closely, the build quality doesn't look as solid as the Aputure or even Godox lights.
 
ahalpert said:
Personally, I'd get the 500 and 180 for more power and versatility.

I agree with run&gun about caring more about output than minimum dimming. Of course, more capabilities are always a good thing (all else being equal) and I've swapped out fill lights numerous times in favor of smaller units after dimming them down all the way and still being too bright. But I own about 15 sub-100w LEDs and what I could really use is a more powerful key.

Btw for anyone who doesn't know the aputure design and full-tilt range James has been referring to - the rear end of the CLAR sticks out too far to rotate through the yoke, unlike the aputure which can do this:

View attachment 141499
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I've not understood the point of this and I've seen it some reviews. Attach the DC in power cable to the light to, you know, power it and this function
essentially disappears? Do people like to twirl their unpowered lights 360 degrees just because they can? ;-)

The dual mount spigot on the Godox is better anyway. Between the two mounting points, you can get the light to shine anywhere, regardless of the DC power cable.
 
soarprod said:
Nanlite Forza series is on sale at Adorama. Just grabbed 2 Forza 500s - POWER!
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Cool light. But for the $1,500.00 on sale, I could buy three of the Godox VL300s and have more flexibility assuming I only occasionally needed to key
with that much power like through a 4x4, 6x6 or 8x8. I like the two and three light bars from Matthews. But seems like a good deal for a powerful single instrument.
 
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