Interested in an Ikonoskop A-Cam DII

So it's possible to connect a recorder device, like an Atomos Samurai, to the Ikon's SDI out and record in ProRes 422? And bypass the CinemaDNG completely?
That would be very useful for shoots when you just don't need Raw video. Maybe the Ikon won't use as much power if it's not recording internally?
And how do you adjust the audio? I don't see any audio controls.

Edit - just saw the posts about connecting a PIX 240. So that would give a more manageable workflow, when raw isn't needed?
 
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vanvideo said:
So it's possible to connect a recorder device, like an Atomos Samurai, to the Ikon's SDI out and record in ProRes 422? And bypass the CinemaDNG completely?
That would be very useful for shoots when you just don't need Raw video. Maybe the Ikon won't use as much power if it's not recording internally?
And how do you adjust the audio? I don't see any audio controls.

Edit - just saw the posts about connecting a PIX 240. So that would give a more manageable workflow, when raw isn't needed?
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Sure, that's what I plan to do. I haven't received the DII yet so I've not been able to test this out with my PIX 240 but with luck it should work. 10 bit 4.2.2 and recording to ProRes or other formats on the PIX will be very handy.
The PIX would also be excellent to use as a "pass through" and to make adjustments when recording audio. Hopefully it is possible to jam sync the TC camera / PIX though I am told that the DII loses TC on battery changes. That's dumb, but I guess not too difficult to re-sync/jam.
It will be interesting to find out if it will be possible to use my Aaton Origin C+ as a TC Clock to jam the DII and the PIX.
 
Has anyone imported one of these to the US?
If so, what did it take to bring the camera in? Are there some kind of taxes or fees? Did it clear customs easily?
 
vanvideo said:
Has anyone imported one of these to the US?
If so, what did it take to bring the camera in? Are there some kind of taxes or fees? Did it clear customs easily?
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You have to pay the brokers fees to the UPS driver w/ cash when he shows up. I totally forget how much it was, but remember it being around $180~350, something like that. Not too bad at all when you figure those in the Eurozone get slammed w/ VAT and we don't. Also, didn't get held up in customs at all.
 
supergrafx said:
You have to pay the brokers fees to the UPS driver w/ cash when he shows up. I totally forget how much it was, but remember it being around $180~350, something like that. Not too bad at all when you figure those in the Eurozone get slammed w/ VAT and we don't. Also, didn't get held up in customs at all.
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What is a broker's fee?

And how do you like the camera?
 
Pix 240 makes the most sense for external recording since you would still need an external preamp if you use with an Atomos Samurai. The new firmware makes the SDI output look great and I wouldnt hesitate to use it for many scenarios. If you want to really see glorious skies though stick to CDNG since it makes so much of a difference. I paid about 735USD for my order in brokers fees which with all the accessories was about 12,000USD it didn't get held up at all. I didn't have to pay on the spot but a couple of weeks later i got a bill in the mail from UPS.
 
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Postmaster said:
...or wait for Resolve 10 coming out in October, it does the same than Pomfort and you get a mighty grading solution with it.
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The Pomfort software is a onelight dailies DIT media management package. Not meant to be an editing or grading solution. The emphasis is on highest quality debayer and ease of use for quick prep of dailies and media backup.
 
vanvideo said:
Peter, any updates? Did you receive the dII yet?
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Hi vanvideo, thanks for asking....In fact the DII was sent out last week by Ikonoskop, got to NYC overnight then got stuck there in US Customs for three days...Frustrating, because I was planning to "meet" it in NYC, but now I will have it sent onto me sometime midweek, hopefully Wednesday.
Otherwise I am sort of ready for it. I bought the top of the line MacbookPro, ( well "top of the line" until Apple releases the next newest/fastest/thinest, probably in a few weeks if my usual computer buying luck runs true to form ), that's to handle the DNG Raw in Resolve Lite. Also bought Wooden Camera's Ikonoskop "Quick Kit" to mount the camera better than using the Zacuto Base that I was thinking of using.
I also found at a local camera repair shop a couple of Bolex Switar 16mm lenses that I really want to try out with the DII, ( ordered the C mount adapter with the camera too ). The lenses were cheap enough, 60 bucks for the two of them, I think they had been gathering dust there for years!
My Zeiss SuperSpeeds have all been checked out, ( an actual film / negative test ), and are ready for their new role and I am trying to decide which of the zooms I have will make the trip with the SS's back to France with me at the end of June.
I haven't looked forward to getting a new camera this much since buying my Aaton's....Hope it lives up to expectations.

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I actually almost ran over a guy standing next to an Ikonoskop this Friday. It was in Stockholm-Sweden so not that strange considering it being made here. Didn't stop to chat due to no time but glanced enough to see it was a fully rigged camera on sticks.
 
petermullett said:
Hi vanvideo, thanks for asking....In fact the DII was sent out last week by Ikonoskop, got to NYC overnight then got stuck there in US Customs for three days...Frustrating, because I was planning to "meet" it in NYC, but now I will have it sent onto me sometime midweek, hopefully Wednesday.
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Peter, it's being prepped now. Soon, soon!
 
Normally no I don't think so.
I have been travelling a lot in recent weeks and I asked ACT if they would handle the importation for me and hold the camera until I could receive it. Though Mitch did tell me today that they have serviced or checked out some "local", ( NYC I guess ), DII's for some of their customers.They are great too for sensible advice on how to accessorise the camera, they've helped me a lot there.
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AbelCine is not an official reseller of the Ikonoskop camera, but we have a friendly relationship with the company and have offered this service to several clients. Because of our long history in Digital Cinema and our deep knowledge of optics and other technology, many clients come to us for services on a large variety of camera platforms and other equipment. We like to help our clients wherever we can.
 
So, the DII has been in my hands a few days now and this weekend has been the first time I've had the opportunity to really look it over so I thought I'd jot down a couple of first impressions.

Right off I know instinctively that this is going to be a "keeper", I love it's form and feel in the hands. It feels solid that's for sure and what I call "honestly made". No frills, but that was one of the main reasons for me taking this step away from the ever increasing digital world of options and menus.
I have yet to shoot any serious image with the camera, though I did shoot some test clips so that I could affirm that Resolve would work on my new MBP and that the files loaded and were workable. I have yet to scratch the surface of the understanding usage of Resolve, that'll all come later in July when I will have more time to deal with all those new areas of confusion.

The VF on the DII is my main problem. I believe I will not mind too much the rather low resolution of the image in the finder, but for now I am having a problem with being able to see the image well enough to be certain of focus. This is due to the fact that the diopter adjustment on the DII's VF will not quite compensate for my close vision, ( I wear glasses for reading, about +2.75 ). I have been told that a Nikon still camera diopter will fit in the VF, but right now which size of diopter will work I have not been able to find out. If anyone knows this, please PM me.

There is one other problem with the camera that occurred this weekend, but I am sure that it is due to "operator error" and not the camera itself so I will not go into that here until a solution is found, hopefully it will. Ikonoskop is helping me with this, even at the weekend.....Thanks to them!

The manual that comes with the camera is spartan to say the least, and at first I was quite pissed about that thinking that for what I spent on the camera I should at least have a "proper" manual. It's 15 pages of photocopied paper stapled together....Even the most basic camcorder comes with something much more comprehensive for Gods' sake.......But then I recalled that every one of the much more expensive Aaton film cameras I have bought over the years had the same "manual", photo copies stapled together. The DII is like the Aaton and every other serious camera, you learn with it, and bring to it what you've learned to date.

I bought Wooden Camera's Quick Kit for the Ikonoskop, ( http://woodencamera.corecommerce.com/Ikonoskop/New-Releases-Ikonoskop/Quick-Kit-Ikonoskop.html ), and found it to be excellent except for the Top Plate that needs some further development I think so that it doesn't interfere with the Histogram jog wheel on top of the DII. Everything else is really good. I also bought a Zacuto shoulder pad with 7" rod extensions to go with the Wooden Camera gear and apart from having to add a couple of "stoppers" at the ends of the rods to prevent the pad sliding off I think this is going to work well. It's simple, and that's pretty much what I am striving for with moving to the DII.
I do have matte boxes that will fit with the DII / Wooden Camera rig, the S16 Zeiss SS's and Canon / Cooke zooms I have that all will work well with the DII, but I will mostly use a Series 9 Tiffen rubber lens hood and screw in NDs I think, again to try to keep everything simple and uncluttered.

I have also found in a local camera repair shop a couple of Bolex Switar lenses, 10mm and 16mm.....Cheap, $60 for them both, so what the hell!...I have the C mount adapter with the DII so it's going to be interesting to see what sort of image these old lenses will deliver on the camera. It's great to be able to make the DII so "small" with just a C mount lens on-board.

Power? For now I will keep to the Sony L on-board battery/power option. I see no reason yet to find off-board powering solutions.

And I will have to buy another memory card, I have two 160gig but I feel insecure only having two cards. I wish I could find an 80gig DII card, but Ikonoskop has stopped making them now, so it looks like I will have to pony up for another larger one.

All for now....I'll post some photo's when conforming the rig is settled in and I'm happy with it, and hopefully soon enough I will be able to post a link or two to some clips from the camera. But all in all instinctively I know already that this camera is a good move for me, I am sure I am going to love it even after the headaches to come in learning the new software I need to process the Raw output from the Ikonoskop.

Peter
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Great news that you finally have your DII! I can't wait for the pics of your rig and your video footage.

Interesting on your VF observations. I think this shows the age of the camera, as it was designed in 2007-8, correct? If Ikonoscop upgrades the camera, I hope they add a sharper EVF, perhaps an OLED finder.

How long will a battery run the camera? I've heard as little as one hour. I guess raw video eats up power.
I didn't know Ikon stopped making 80gb cards. They still offer them in their basic kit package.

Keep the updates coming!
 
Hi, sure I will post some photo's of the camera and the Wooden Camera rig when I finish trying out what does and does not work for me.
I am working out of town for most of this week, but hope to get back to the DII after next weekend.

I knew the VF was going to be the weakest part of the camera, and I was concerned, ( correctly as it happens ), that the diopter adjustment would be limited....but that didn't stop me from going ahead with the camera. I just have to find out which Nikon diopter can be made to work so that focus isn't the calculated guesswork it is right now for me.

Hopefully Ikonoskop will develop a VF upgrade and make it retro' for existing cameras. They are a small company don't forget and have to be careful with how they spend their R&D dollars / kroner and make and market their cameras at the same time. I am certain it's on their radar as something to do as soon as they can find a good solution.
It is a weak point and has to be improved though, that's for sure.

The battery? It lasts about 1 hour, and that's ok by me to be honest. Sony L batteries are inexpensive enough and it's no big deal to carry say six of them and / or a charger. What I don't like so much is that you drop TC when you change the battery, I wish they had a capacitor in the camera to hold enough power to keep the TC generator alive for a minute or so while the batteries are switched.....like Aaton has in its cameras.....So you have to re-jam after each battery change.

Memory cards? Yes the 80 gig cards are no more even though they are still offered on their website. I wish I had a couple of them but no, 160 gigs from now on.
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I know when I first got my Ikonoskop that I felt the same way; that you are kind of left on your own to figure it out and once you get over that its such a rewarding experience. Anytime I've had any serious questions I've gotten an answer from Lukas within a day and this attention has been ongoing and consistent.

I have 5 80gb cards and they are nice since offloads are quick, I'm definitely buying two more 160gb cards though since I'd like to walk around with at least 2hrs on hand.

Wooden Camera stuff is great, I just met Ryan at Cinegear in LA and they are very receptive to catering to the A-CAM. I suggested a variation of the A-Box with pots for volume control to be able to use a mic without having the camera attached to a large preamp ( i use a MixPreD which is perfect most of the time) for ultra low profile shoots. They will also do a battery plate with a lemo lead wired for the A-CAM so you can use external batteries. I have 8 Sonys and its easy to swap them out but I'd like to power my monitor from it as well. Oh and the top plate does get in the way of the toggle switch on top but you can actually activate the histogram using the side toggle as well.

The best upgrade that I made so far was adding the Cineroid Retina EVF. Exposure is very easy to judge in camera especially with the new false color firmware but I like using the waveform on the Cineroid. Focusing is so much easier now with a hi res screen and with peaking. I never felt 100% using the built in EVF and have to punch in with the magnification toggle often.

Its definitely a camera to grow with but all the quirks do tend to get overlooked when you're staring at the footage.
 
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....interesting post, thanks.
Yes I know the feeling with the Ikonoskop, you are sort of thrown into the deep end of the pool without a lifebelt at first, but as I said it was that way with the Aatons I bought way back too, and that all worked out.

I have been playing with the idea of having a small hi res' screen to help out with the focus and framing, but I will wait until I return to France at the end of this month and see how the PIX 240 does when used with the DII. The PIX of course has the great advantage of being able to record ProRes files from the SDi out as well as handle the audio much better than directly piping it into the camera.

I know A-Cam is "quirky", but that is what I bought into. It's also a purer form of working with digital imaging, much closer to working film, and that is important to me.

The VF issue is still something I HAVE to find a solution for. I can see how a Nikon diopter would do the trick, in fact I have one here that makes the VF's image much better for me, but the diopter is smaller than the VF's thread size so it will not stay in place. I am really hoping someone out there can point us into the right direction for diopter sizing..........Ikonoskop really should have this basic information available and share it with the owners who need it, but no. That's somewhat frustrating.

I too have been in touch with Ryan at WC this weekend and he said that they would be looking into some mod's on the Top Plate, that will be good. The rest of the kit I bought from them I am pretty happy with. It's good to have a company like that interested in our A-Cams.
 
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