GH2 Hack + Zeiss Super 16 Zoom + ETC mode

K

Kholi

Section Moderator

www.vimeo.com/33326531

I suggest downloading the file to really see what it's doing.

From Vimeo --

GH2 | Driftwood seaQuake 176mb Patch
Hot Rod Cameras PL Mount (hotrodcameras.com)
Zeiss Superspeed Super16mm Zoom T2 10-100
Profile: Smooth -2 -2 -1 -2
NDS: .3, .6, .9
ISO: 400

Nothing special, it's footage that I grabbed pre hack re-install so I need to go back out and try this again. I noticed that, after I re-patched, ETC mode looked a lot cleaner than what's being shown here. However, my eyes may be playing tricks on me.

This is a very specific look. Lots of noise. I did a chroma denoise with Magic Bullet Denoiser and left the luma noise alone, as I'm not a fan of how soft the image gets when you tear noise out of it.

I am a fan, however, of the noise altogether. It's different, adds something to it.

Pretty cool to be able to get two distinctly different looks out of one camera at this price point!

Footage has been graded and is not the image right out of cam.

And, yes, I know, I have shakey hands. Try holding this camera with a zoom on it and focusing without a neckstrap! I've found a temp solution though, so next time it'll be a lot smoother.

Promise
Click to expand...



I do have some after re-patch footage and it is definitely cleaner in the same situation. Some of it was in the other video. Looking forward to grabbing the combo again to test it out.

http://vimeo.com/33761833


Vimeo description says it all, but ETC mode and S16's again.


After the re-patch, and now Quantum-V2. Please read the vimeo description.
 
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No way.

I removed the color noise that was in the image, though. I think Magic Bullet Denoiser desats it, which is great.

Again, this was before I re-installed the first hack, afterward the footage from ETC mode was less grainy. Which you can see in this video (http://vimeo.com/33016592) at the end. ETC mode is on the dog, second shot. Nowhere near as a noisy.
 
Pietro Impagliazzo said:
Ah, now I see, ETC. I ignored that bit. :p

ETC noise resembles S16 grain indeed.
Click to expand...

Bad Pietro! Ignoring info... =P

I must say, with the hack re-install/re-patch I do like the noise pattern in ETC mode a ton. It's something that at first is jarring, then watching it back on large sources or production monitors it becomes apparent that there is an application for it. You'd have to go through a very light denoise process because of the chroma noise but afterward it's pretty sweet. I can't wait to experiment more, or better still... shoot something serioys with the S16 glass and ETC mode.

Definitely want to get my hands on a S35 lightweight zoom sometime soon. ETC mode on and off is night and day for noise and clarity. Two looks, one cam.
 
When you mentioned you got different noise characteristics after re-installing the hack, it made me think that you might have actually been running into the iso 320/640/1250 bug. Not sure if you've seen this, but depending on how you switch to these iso values, you can get more noise in your shots.

Thanks for the test video. It's always cool to look at the GH2 through more uncommon lenses and setups.
 
Trucci said:
When you mentioned you got different noise characteristics after re-installing the hack, it made me think that you might have actually been running into the iso 320/640/1250 bug. Not sure if you've seen this, but depending on how you switch to these iso values, you can get more noise in your shots.

Thanks for the test video. It's always cool to look at the GH2 through more uncommon lenses and setups.
Click to expand...

Fortunately, a few DVXusers had tipped me on to the ISO bug before I even installed the hack, and strangely enough it's stuck with me! I always remember to go up then go down to the ISO I want to shoot.

Sage believes it was "virgin hack syndrome", meaning that some of the settings don't take when you first hack and you should shoot some stuff, then re-hack with a higher number. It could be the issue, I never tried to go back to the initial patch I had installed which was the GH2-X hack. I'm now on Driftwood seaQuake normal 176mb/s patch and it's working out so I stayed with it.
 
Kholi said:
Definitely want to get my hands on a S35 lightweight zoom sometime soon. ETC mode on and off is night and day for noise and clarity. Two looks, one cam.
Click to expand...

nice footage :)
do you have any examples of S35 zoom you put your eye on?
will it be easier to operate than the 16mm?
price?

thanks.
 
roei z said:
nice footage :)
do you have any examples of S35 zoom you put your eye on?
will it be easier to operate than the 16mm?
price?

thanks.
Click to expand...

Thanks Roei.

Im trying to find the pair of angenieux DP series zooms. This one is the 16-42. And then there's a 30-80.

I think these would be perfect for the Gh2.

In still world, though, if you could get and adapter that controls the iris the Nikon 14-24 would be amazing to try, although limited.

My final resort would be a 17-50/2.8 and a 70-200/2.8. Two zooms to rule them all.

That's kinda why I like the 10-100/2 s16 though. It's small, light, fast, gas macro and is cheap! Also very sharp for old glass.
 
Kholi said:
This one is the 16-42
Click to expand...

ok... this is affordable ;)

i guess the classy vintage easy zoom look is a barrier pricewise and handling wise
(don't want to start mounting up a mega rig- i use the simplest shoulder mount and it's the best for me)
i'll have to give up on zoom fantasies for now, until a budget workaround will arise.
with no zoom, my FD's are excellent. great look.
good luck in the meantime.
btw- until i'll get the 64G Sandisk, do you have some FD lens to test with the highest patch?
 
I do not have FDs actually. Sorry about that.

I'd be interested in finally tryIng them out though. Could see tryin one of the zooms but the variable aperture is a bit of a headache.

I do have a canon 70-200/4 and I think the 70-200/2.8 Nikon is still here somewhere.

I'll have to find a chance to test, and adapters.

I posted some footage with Zeiss sps.
 
i think the main problem of not using cinema or video lens, is the focus loss while zooming.
there's no solution for that at the moment (without getting broke). is this correct?
 
roei z said:
i think the main problem of not using cinema or video lens, is the focus loss while zooming.
there's no solution for that at the moment (without getting broke). is this correct?
Click to expand...

Focus is one. But, remember, not all lenses are created equal in that regard. A lot of old glass may have hard stops, which is cool. Other than that, reasons to shoot cinema primes:

. No breathing when focusing
. Constant Aperture
. Faster Apertures
. Made for motion and not still photography (coatings, etc)
. color matched sets
. designed to handle certain tones and values differently

Some cinema lenses aren't as sharp as others. Cooke S4s vs Master Primes = no contest in resolved detail, master primes will snuff S4's all day. However, S4's render the most pleasing colors to my eye, and Matty G taught me about the roll off, highlight handling, etc that have made me realize how intense the S4 look is.

All about preference, though. I think the 70-200 (or 80-200) nikon 2.8 Zoom looks silky smooth as well.
 
the price steps between fixed vintage still primes that can give pleasant results and decent good zoom's that are actually usable is wayyyy too high for me.
how do you plan to solve it? renting?
i hate going around with rented stuff. the GH2 is so homey and affordable, that it looses the whole point, no? you could also rent an Epic ;)
 
roei z said:
the price steps between fixed vintage still primes that can give pleasant results and decent good zoom's that are actually usable is wayyyy too high for me.
how do you plan to solve it? renting?
i hate going around with rented stuff. the GH2 is so homey and affordable, that it looses the whole point, no? you could also rent an Epic ;)
Click to expand...

Yes, you would probably have to rent, but at the same time I think it adds an advantage to the GH2 that you can't get with still lenses, not just in mechanical functions that will help you shoot, but the image aesthetic that moves the picture closer to what you're used to seeing on television or on big screens. You've got to remember, most motion pictures and television still rely on very traditional techniques and equipment, glass included.

When you shoot outside, you shoot with NDs. You stack them. The higher quality the ND (Tiffen, Schneider) the better, and the more ND the more "flawed" the image ,which is exactly what you've seen for years now. That's why I shoot high ISOs outdoors (aside from the fact that low ISOs create banding), because I want to stack the crap out of the NDs and Polas.

That's why I want to shoot with PL glass, because I recognize the minute details in it that scream "cinema".

However, that may not be worth it to some and it doesn't mean that you can't find lenses that do the same for much much cheaper. I think a great set aside from the FDs would be Contax Zeiss lenses, the fastest you can grab.
 
hey kholi. where do you find your S16's?

I've been looking at this Fujinon lens 8.5-119 for my gh2 that comes with an adapter...but I do not know if I should plunge in to getting this lens.

What are your thoughts on it?
 
I haven't had any experience with that Fuji but it's cheap and it could be fun! Just don't spend a lot on it.

The S16 Zeiss Superspeeds are owned my a friend here in LA, he got them when he bought his S16 camera years ago and they're just his personal play stack.

Matty G has a set of Baby S16 Cooke lenses that are downright sick. You can find those on ebay as well.
 
hi kholl ... thanks for shraing...
i have one dude... when using my gh2 on etc mode, with any lens, i realize that lcd/evf resolution becomes to poor (even dificult to get focus)... and just become nice when hitting record button ... so i use to set etc mode, hit record and then focus (and "action¡¡" ... i'm considering the s16 lens route, but i 'm worried about this ... do yo know if happens the same using hdmi output and a electronic viewfinder or monitor ...
ps. it would be nice, too, to see footage from a gh2 with a s35m/zoom lens (no etc mode)
 
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