Just got done shooting the first day of a doc on the F3 and I've got a couple of observations. First, I LOVE LOVE LOVE this camera. I wound up shooting at a 0 gain (800 ISO) with only a chimera'd 650W fresnel for a key, a 150w pepper hair light, and a bounce card and I was still a smidge over exposed for my tastes. Second, You absolutely need the best calibrated monitor you can get your hands on because the lcd's are really tough on old eyes. Finally, and this is cool, you can program the firewire output to SD and use it with OnLocation for a SD feed/record.
Just shot a documentary on the F3
- Thread starter pennred
- Start date
LeavingTheCandy
Well-known member
What profile did you use? Very nice looking stuff. Love mine too...goodbye DSLR's!!
I'm only about 1/2 hour from you. If you need another F3/shooter, give me a shout!
I'm only about 1/2 hour from you. If you need another F3/shooter, give me a shout!
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morgan_moore
Major Contributor
I would not say for your 'taste'; get you eye dropper over the faces and you will see a pile of blowing in the red channel at least*
I wonder how you metered ? is there not an onboard histo, forget calibrated monitors and use that histo
I think shooting tungsten is going o hot up your reds too, maybe get some blue filters and try to keep the cam on daylight
*now im aware the images may have had some color shifts in the path to my eyes via the web and various re-compressions changes in color space
S
Lenilenapi
Carbonite Member
getting a "film look" is not dependant on using cine gammas, its a matter of careful shootng and lighting.
Unfortunatley the client was a real "are we ready to go" type so there was very little time for getting creative. Plus my audio (former) never showed so I was doing double duty.
Therefore, this was straight "no prfile shooting". Safe and solid. I hate shooting that way but sometimes time constraints hold sway.
Believe me if given the oppourtunity to really light the way I like to, I get very sourcey in my choices.
Therefore, this was straight "no prfile shooting". Safe and solid. I hate shooting that way but sometimes time constraints hold sway.
Believe me if given the oppourtunity to really light the way I like to, I get very sourcey in my choices.
The F3 I used was a rental that was being demo'd right up until I was picking it up. I was talking with a Sony tech there at the demo and I was asking about profiles and he gave me a "it's still pretty new" response when i asked about the EX3 profiles. Based on that and that i had no time to chart the camera and work out looks on my own, I went on the side of safety since it was a paying client. The last thing I need is to risk a gig by playing on-set. I tried to keep it "flattish" so I can time it in post.
The point of my original post was to show how sensitive the camera is to even minimal lighting. The term game-changer is thrown around alot, but this camera really forces you to think "small' in terms of light. And coming from 35mm/16mm, where you often "pushed' film stocks 1/2 stop to lock in your blacks, the idea of "pulling" my exposures back 1-2 stops is something I will work out when i get the camera back next week to do my own tests.
The point of my original post was to show how sensitive the camera is to even minimal lighting. The term game-changer is thrown around alot, but this camera really forces you to think "small' in terms of light. And coming from 35mm/16mm, where you often "pushed' film stocks 1/2 stop to lock in your blacks, the idea of "pulling" my exposures back 1-2 stops is something I will work out when i get the camera back next week to do my own tests.
morgan_moore
Major Contributor
I agree, I think the greatness of an 800 camera of any brand is you can work with ambient light - that doenst mean you dont have to supplement or modify it but work with it
I work with the ambeint usually by using a reflector and my single flouro
I went from Ex1/Letus which sucked light to the 5d , I have found tungstens (I had and sold 800 redheads) to be totally innapropriate in small spaces because they override any practivals, you cant include the window etc
I think flouros are the best for these cams, often the hair or rim light might be created by a moving desk lamp or some other practical (uncorrected)
In terms of exposure I think the histogram is a very strong tool - especially if you have a zoom and can 'meter' different areas of the shot before rolling
I think if you have to kick the image a little in post you will be better than having a file that is too hot (as you shown) - because recovering exposure down at the top end will get you a nasty look
You defo have placed the faces about a stop over to my eye
You may of course want to stop down a couple to get a little more DOF, - it appears you have missed focus on one of the shots
It is exciting indeed - less crap to cart around and a more natural look
My primary income is still from stills, I used to shoot 50 ISO hassy - which required big light ALL the time, now 80% of my work is 800 nikon D3 - it has totally changed my whole approach to lighting and shooting - for the better I hope
If I light something and my audience says - "you were lucky with the natural light" - then I feel I have done a good job - especially if the light was not natural at all
S
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LeavingTheCandy
Well-known member
Come on guys...give him a break. Not every project has a "film budget" and sometimes you just have to run and gun. (yeah, yeah...the F3 is TOO glorious for that).
The Asian lady is the only one which is THAT problematic. I bet his client was thrilled.
When I can, I prefer to light a set properly, but am often pigeon-holed into a timeframe or budget where better is the enemy of good. A couple weeks ago I had to do a shoot for a VERY WELL known major brand which afforded me one Chimera and one light panel and about 10 minutes of setup in 10 locations. It looked great (I did shoot 10-bit, Cinegamma, and a tad under) but they wouldn't have cared if I gave them footage from the 35MB SxS and uncorrected.
Some projects are ok with "video look", some projects can't afford grading, and again: sometimes better is the enemy of good! ;-)
The Asian lady is the only one which is THAT problematic. I bet his client was thrilled.
When I can, I prefer to light a set properly, but am often pigeon-holed into a timeframe or budget where better is the enemy of good. A couple weeks ago I had to do a shoot for a VERY WELL known major brand which afforded me one Chimera and one light panel and about 10 minutes of setup in 10 locations. It looked great (I did shoot 10-bit, Cinegamma, and a tad under) but they wouldn't have cared if I gave them footage from the 35MB SxS and uncorrected.
Some projects are ok with "video look", some projects can't afford grading, and again: sometimes better is the enemy of good! ;-)
LeavingTheCandy
Well-known member
It's a process... whenever I do a shoot, I am always watching the highlights since I grade too and I know the pains. ;-)
As you play with the cine-gammas, you'll realize how they work and how they'll help stretch the range on the ends. But again, if you don't grade, Cinegammas aren't for you and I realize that some projects just don't need/justify it.
Once I got Davinci, I have the mindset that never everything gets graded, even if it's just a quick auto-pass. It begs note that if you are grading the 4:2:0 MPG from the SxS that you have a LOT less latitude to push-pull the range than you do with 10-bit files delivered over the SDI. Of course S-Log will be even better than that.
When/if you're able to shoot without grading in mind (oh, my...crowd gasps) and deliver very pretty material to your clients, you'll be able to do it effectively with the other gammas built into this amazing piece of hardware!
As you play with the cine-gammas, you'll realize how they work and how they'll help stretch the range on the ends. But again, if you don't grade, Cinegammas aren't for you and I realize that some projects just don't need/justify it.
Once I got Davinci, I have the mindset that never everything gets graded, even if it's just a quick auto-pass. It begs note that if you are grading the 4:2:0 MPG from the SxS that you have a LOT less latitude to push-pull the range than you do with 10-bit files delivered over the SDI. Of course S-Log will be even better than that.
When/if you're able to shoot without grading in mind (oh, my...crowd gasps) and deliver very pretty material to your clients, you'll be able to do it effectively with the other gammas built into this amazing piece of hardware!
starcentral
Veteran
pennred, did you light your subject and use ambient light (daylight pouring in, or, overhead building lights) for the background lighting - or did you use lighting for both subject and background? thanks..