I want to see footage with their most recent firmware update. They supposedly corrected how black level metadata is recorded which should eliminate the magenta cast problem.
Interested in an Ikonoskop A-Cam DII
- Thread starter petermullett
- Start date
I want to see footage with their most recent firmware update. They supposedly corrected how black level metadata is recorded which should eliminate the magenta cast problem.
No NLE handles uncompressed DNG raw files real time for now unless you are willing to accept mediocre quality fast debayer algorithms. You need to treat the DNG's as what they are, digital negatives. Transcode to a high quality DI codec like Prores, Cineform, or DNXHD and finish as you normally would any video. The key is to use the highest quality debayer option which won't run real time on most current computers and do primary gray scale, white balance, and color correction to get close to your finished look.
petermullett
Well-known member
Ok, I am very close to pulling the trigger on ordering a DII, if I do so it'll be in the next couple of weeks......I love the "S16 concept" and like pretty much everything about the camera but I am still somewhat nervous about the RAW workflow.
I have discovered that none of my three Mac's will handle the post using Resolve to work the RAW files, so a newer computer has to be in the mix too, and probably a 27" iMac because I can't stand working on small screens for editing or any kind of post work.
Would the newer iMacs be ok?
Real time playback I hope?...If not that could be a killer.
I do wish that making the decision to buy this camera was an easy one, it's not. It's hard to get any real feedback and as there's few of them out there it's hard to be "hands on" with one.
So if any of you out there would like to chip in with your experiences with the Ikonoskop A-Cam DII I'd be very keen to read what you have to say right now.
Thanks!...PM
I have discovered that none of my three Mac's will handle the post using Resolve to work the RAW files, so a newer computer has to be in the mix too, and probably a 27" iMac because I can't stand working on small screens for editing or any kind of post work.
Would the newer iMacs be ok?
Real time playback I hope?...If not that could be a killer.
I do wish that making the decision to buy this camera was an easy one, it's not. It's hard to get any real feedback and as there's few of them out there it's hard to be "hands on" with one.
So if any of you out there would like to chip in with your experiences with the Ikonoskop A-Cam DII I'd be very keen to read what you have to say right now.
Thanks!...PM
resonance_image
Active member
The new firmware update 1.28 that Ikonoskop just released is great; false color in the viewfinder now as well as a LUT that is in the viewfinder as well as the SDI output which makes the image in an external monitor just gorgeous. This may open up the possibility to recording externally via Atomos Samurai or Pix 240 and getting a 422 10 bit image if you don't want the RAW for longer shoots. Youre not going to get real time playback at full speed in Resolve unless you match their specs for a graphics card which means you'll have to have an NVIDIA card(do the new iMacs have them?). Speedgrade is no problem and plays the DNGs flawlessly. You'll also need something like a Pegasus Thunderbolt RAID or GRaid. I got an 8TB Thunderbolt GRaid from Safe Harbour for $650 which was a great price. If you're doing commercial work just factor in the cost of one of these for your quote to your client since its not practical to store everyones RAW footage for a year.
My A-Cam is going with me to Africa in two weeks for a documentary that will last a year. I have distilled the "in the field" workflow down to a very manageable system. The camera always works, never a problem other than a couple of restarts after upgrading firmware. The company is very responsive and will help you with any questions very quickly.
Any specific questions feel free to ask, I will be updating my blog with many more experiences on the equipment I'm using, rig, evf etc and a video of the workflow in the next week.
My A-Cam is going with me to Africa in two weeks for a documentary that will last a year. I have distilled the "in the field" workflow down to a very manageable system. The camera always works, never a problem other than a couple of restarts after upgrading firmware. The company is very responsive and will help you with any questions very quickly.
Any specific questions feel free to ask, I will be updating my blog with many more experiences on the equipment I'm using, rig, evf etc and a video of the workflow in the next week.
petermullett
Well-known member
As ever, an informative post....Thanks. I think you've pushed me over the edge!
I am going to have the check the new iMac's specs, and maybe, reluctantly very reluctantly, move from FCP7 Studio to Premier with Speedgrade.
I hate having to learn new software, too much time sitting in front of a LCD, but if needs must......
Good news about Ikonoskop's updated firmware too, thanks again for that, maybe now my PIX 240 will be a decent partner with this camera, especially when it comes to handling the audio files....and if the SDi gives a useable feed maybe I would be able to offline first with files from that device before even touching the DII's raw files.
Hopefully TC is embedded in the SDi out, but if not I guess I could jam the camera and the PIX so they are in sync.
I hope too to be able to use some of my A-Minima "bits" with the DII, namely the AM top handle, the AM power base, the Origin C+ for TC slaving, and for external power I hope that some of my Aaton batteries would work too with the external power cable. It would be nice if these accessories could be useful. Certainly my good collection of S16 glass will find work to do.
One question, how are you powering the camera? Are you just using the internal Sony batteries or do you have an external source too?
Good luck with the documentary, and I look forward to your updates when you have time to post them.
PM
resonance_image
Active member
Well it looks like the new iMacs have Nvidia cards so you could run Resolve lite, just offline with your prores files from the PIX240 and then replace with the DNGs in Resolve. Resolve will also match up the audio files for you so it makes things very quick and painless. Its free so worth a shot before switching to CS6.
I was going to get a Pix for the documentary but its too power hungry for long unsupported shoots away from mains. I am just using the NP770s internally to power the camera which lasts about an hour but keeps the camera light for travel. I have 8 which is fine for a day or two before needing to refresh. Shooting in North America a V lock balances the camera with a zoom very nicely.
petermullett
Well-known member
.......are you recording the audio direct to the DII or will you record to an external device like a SD 702 or another recorder? Maybe split to both?
You're right about the newer iMac, they seem to have to graphics cards that will run Resolve, even the newer version announced at NAB yesterday.
My order should in for a DII at the end of the week. I was waiting to see what would have been announced at NAB and although Blackmagic's new offerings are very interesting, and despite their pricing for features offered do make the DII look extremely expensive by comparison I still like the S16 lens usage and the form factor of the A-Cam more. I do wish of course that the camera offered more flexible outputs without the use of external recorders, but maybe down the road Ikonoskop may find a way of doing that with a firmware and hardware upgrades.
You're right about the newer iMac, they seem to have to graphics cards that will run Resolve, even the newer version announced at NAB yesterday.
My order should in for a DII at the end of the week. I was waiting to see what would have been announced at NAB and although Blackmagic's new offerings are very interesting, and despite their pricing for features offered do make the DII look extremely expensive by comparison I still like the S16 lens usage and the form factor of the A-Cam more. I do wish of course that the camera offered more flexible outputs without the use of external recorders, but maybe down the road Ikonoskop may find a way of doing that with a firmware and hardware upgrades.
petermullett
Well-known member
I appreciate all the help and advice from those who have joined this thread and have helped me make this decision.....My order for a DII has been made, so I look forward to receiving the camera in about a month or so.
I am sure that a good period of post/raw file processing confusion lays ahead, but I am equally sure that the experience will be well worth it....
Thanks to you all.
Peter
I am sure that a good period of post/raw file processing confusion lays ahead, but I am equally sure that the experience will be well worth it....
Thanks to you all.
Peter
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Congratulations. I think the Kodak CCD's have a denser more film like texture to their images than most CMOS cameras. Love the way they look. Can't wait to see some samples with the latest firmware. Color quality should be significantly better without the typical magenta cast to deal with. The magenta cast apparently results from black level metadata not being written correctly to the raw file and this is one item they listed as being addressed with the latest firmware update.
The Ikonoskop and the upcoming Digital Bolex are both designed to appeal more to film shooters than videographers. It is a functional paradigm and workflow that I like a lot.
Check out this demo of the Pomfort DIT debayer and transcode software that was developed in partnership with Digital Bolex for cinemaDNG cameras and will be available for sale from Pomfort in the no too distant future as well.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Xw9vpCxFeoM
The Ikonoskop and the upcoming Digital Bolex are both designed to appeal more to film shooters than videographers. It is a functional paradigm and workflow that I like a lot.
Check out this demo of the Pomfort DIT debayer and transcode software that was developed in partnership with Digital Bolex for cinemaDNG cameras and will be available for sale from Pomfort in the no too distant future as well.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Xw9vpCxFeoM
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petermullett
Well-known member
Hmmm, thanks for the "heads up" on the Pomfort software. If it is as simplistic as Joe demo'd then it has great appeal for me. I hate having to delve too deep into utilising software programmes, the simpler the better for me. Messing with many of the NLE's and other digital software tools really sucks time away.
It will be really a bonus if it will work with the Ikonoskp's RAW output too. Is there any reason why it should not, it's not just Bolex D16 specific is it?
Like Ikonoskop I really appreciate the Bolex D16's "film like" approach to their cameras. Leica's of the film world.
It will be really a bonus if it will work with the Ikonoskp's RAW output too. Is there any reason why it should not, it's not just Bolex D16 specific is it?
Like Ikonoskop I really appreciate the Bolex D16's "film like" approach to their cameras. Leica's of the film world.
The software will work with any cinemaDNG camera. Digital Bolex paid part of the development costs and will include it free with their cameras. But the software belongs to Pomfort and will be an open market product. Mac only at first, but they are supposed to port it to PC too.
I'm really liking the Lightworks NLE too: www.lwks.com There is a free version and the pro version is only $60/year subscription license. Watch the video tutorials for an introduction to the work flow. I've been playing with it on my laptop since the first public beta was released, just editing some old DV footage. The more I use it the more I like it. Great color grading tools built in. I recovered highlight and shadow detail from some sundown beach footage shot with my GL2 that I didn't think was possible.
petermullett
Well-known member
Lightworks NLE does look interesting, but it's only available in PC/Windows right? Pity....
I only work on Macs...too bothered, ( lazy? ), to get involved with another OS and yet more computer clutter.
But good news about the Pomfort software, I will definitely give that a whirl when it becomes available, and I have some DII footage to play with.
I only work on Macs...too bothered, ( lazy? ), to get involved with another OS and yet more computer clutter.
But good news about the Pomfort software, I will definitely give that a whirl when it becomes available, and I have some DII footage to play with.
Lightworks will have a Mac public beta version in about a month or so and a full release version by the end of the summer.
petermullett
Well-known member
Good news.....I definitely will try it out when the Mac version appears...
Postmaster
Dark Side of the Camera
...or wait for Resolve 10 coming out in October, it does the same than Pomfort and you get a mighty grading solution with it.
petermullett
Well-known member
So, I'm still trying to work through the annoying fact that I will have to get another Mac to be able to process and grade the DII's Raw output. I'd like find out what others would do.
It seems that even the newest 27" iMacs don't have graphic cards that will fully utilize what the newest Resolve can do, but the higher end Macbook Pro's seem to have more powerful graphics cards that can handle it all. Hopefully including real-time playback of the Raw files in the application...( ??? )
I don't want to buy another MacPro that would undoubtably be able to use graphics cars that will do everything and anyway the "new" MacPro's are still only a rumour.
So, I am thinking of getting a near high end 15" MBP that I will use to handle the DII's Raw files in something like Resolve then output the timed footage as ProRes in some form or other that will still be acceptable on my current iMac and FCP& Studio set-up for edit.
Does this make any sense?
Would it work?
Which MBP configuration would be the best choice?
Or what would, or what do you do?
It seems that even the newest 27" iMacs don't have graphic cards that will fully utilize what the newest Resolve can do, but the higher end Macbook Pro's seem to have more powerful graphics cards that can handle it all. Hopefully including real-time playback of the Raw files in the application...( ??? )
I don't want to buy another MacPro that would undoubtably be able to use graphics cars that will do everything and anyway the "new" MacPro's are still only a rumour.
So, I am thinking of getting a near high end 15" MBP that I will use to handle the DII's Raw files in something like Resolve then output the timed footage as ProRes in some form or other that will still be acceptable on my current iMac and FCP& Studio set-up for edit.
Does this make any sense?
Would it work?
Which MBP configuration would be the best choice?
Or what would, or what do you do?
petermullett
Well-known member
vanvideo;1986307081 [I said:
I haven't a clue what that is, LCOS that is. But VGA isn't very high resolution I am sure.
The people behind Ikonoskop come from a solid film background, Aaton S16 owner/operators I believe. Same as me.
The camera reminds me a lot of the A-Minima, and that's a good thing.
With the DII I think that they wanted to create a digital camera that is as close to working in film as possible. One choice, DNG Raw, the digital equivalent of negative film stock.
However I will at times take advantage of using the SDI out to my PIX 240 and thus record ProRes 422 simultaneously with the Raw files. The PIX will also be a great way to handle audio files too.
But it's all guesswork for me right now until my camera arrives in about a month. It's going to be different that's for sure, but I am looking forward to it all.