EVA1: New EVA1 footage is here

Agree that the character of the grain is actually pleasing, but was surprised by the amount of it at iso 2500. I wouldn't expect that much grain at a base iso in a scene that has been lit...even if there are lots of dark areas in the frame.

In any case, thanks for the review Noel! Well done.
 
Thanks Noel for the update (good work)! Still need to get the EVA1 in my hands (complete my own test) before making a decision.
 
The noise doesn't look offensive at all at ISO 2500, I do like the look. Unlike other camera's on it's price range where the noise looks blotchy and bigger with noticeable rainbow colours.

Thanks Noel! The footage may just be shots unlike a full short film but it demonstrates what the camera can do. Keep'em coming!
 
Please remember the sequence shots were very early firmware and where essentially my personal camera tests. Camera I used on firmware just prior to final version was much much better. Many improvements across the board. We also need to keep in mind that this footage is all 150mbps long gop. Yes, it's 10bit, but it's hardly the best codec this camera will have come updates early next year. With an all I codec, I wouldnt touch long gop with a 10 foot pole, however it's good to know it works quite well.
 
A few thoughts / notes:

- Early b-roll style shots around town are on new firmware
- Martial arts sequence A/B shot pre Oct 9th earlier firmware (same as Superstition, etc.). This isn't the update to firmware with improved noise. We still have yet to see any low light ISO 2500 footage of that nature.

The noise I am seeing on the older firmware main martial arts sequences here look in line to me as to what we were seeing on the earlier launch films. On this firmware, there's a lot of noise, even in ISO 800, in dark areas of the scene (background of warehouse in ISO 800 is pretty noisy). ISO 2500 has a lot of noise, though I agree with others in it's pleasing nature, I am hoping the newer firmware has fixed this and I look forward to seeing low light ISO 2500 on the latest. Otherwise, ISO 2500 looks like a grade done with filmconvert where a reasonable amount of film grain was applied. It's not bad, sometimes that is actually desirable and people intentionally add it. This noise is nice for noise, but man, it is there, and if you want a clean ISO 2500 shot for lets say a clean, cutting corporate piece where you are working with limited lighting... per this firmware you are stuck with a sort of film-grain look.

Let's see what this looks like on the newest firmware when footage comes out.

The outdoor dynamic range shots which stretch the camera nicely look good and hold up very well. The 2K 120 slow motion also looks nice even on my 4K monitor.

Other image characteristics which I was concerned about seem better to my eye on this viewing. I've just done one watch through but at first glance the overall image aesthetic doesn't have that same plasticity sharpness that was bothering me in the footage I'd viewed before. It still doesn't have that creamy smoothness of the VaricamLT range which was a big marketing point, or at least how I personally interpreted the verbiage. In fact, there is nothing about this image that makes me scream Varicam. I don't think I could mistake this side by side for an LT in a documentary situation. The colors and DR are very nice, but it doesn't have that aesthetic.

All in all this is looking good. Thankful for the newer b-roll footage included at the start as this is very helpful and I think is a nice display of how the camera renders images as-is, before set dressing, kitting, and lighting.

This looks like a really great tool that slots perfectly between the GH5 and VaricamLT in every way. I think a lot of hype and anticipation here has made us all dream dreams of a VaricamLT image minus some features and weight, but the reality is I think we have not just a camera body/feature set that slots in between the GH5 and LT, but also an image quality that slots smack dab in between them.

Personally I am good with that, I would just like to see more ISO 2500 on the new firmware to assess, as well as some examples of handheld EIS in action, and some more slow motion tests in a variety of modes and different lighting conditions. Otherwise the whole package and feature set is a very compelling option.

I suspect for many, not withstanding the exceptional size/weight/controls/features on the EVA-1, the raw image quality choice may come down to noise VS resolution. No matter how many ways you cut a cookie, 5.7k pixels has smaller photosites and is going to give you a more detailed and resolved image with proper light, and a bit noiser image in darker settings. So far Dual ISO isn't living up to the implied promise of negating any low-light problems introduced by extra pixels, but that could all change on the next firmware footage showing, so I think we can all look forward to seeing some of that footage and perhaps having our world turned upside down.

Otherwise, this is another very competitive option and welcome addition, with its own set of strengths and compromises to be considered. Once our expectations re-enter orbit, I think there's a lot to really like here.

Look forward to more footage. Thanks Noel!!
 
Noel Evans said:
Please remember the sequence shots were very early firmware and where essentially my personal camera tests. Camera I used on firmware just prior to final version was much much better. Many improvements across the board. We also need to keep in mind that this footage is all 150mbps long gop. Yes, it's 10bit, but it's hardly the best codec this camera will have come updates early next year. With an all I codec, I wouldnt touch long gop with a 10 foot pole, however it's good to know it works quite well.
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Yes, fair comment Noel and worth reiterating. Lots more still to come from this camera, I think we can all appreciate that.
 
Thanks for the footage Noel! Did you plug in any devices like a monitor to the camera can you speak to any delay or lag between camera and external display?
 
soarprod said:
Thanks for the footage Noel! Did you plug in any devices like a monitor to the camera can you speak to any delay or lag between camera and external display?
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We've had lots of externals plugged into it and I've seen no lag.
 
Thanks for the footage Noel!

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On a separate note, that applies to all camera brands and launch videos:

I'd much prefer if grading was restricted to a one "node" restoration of contrast and saturation. And no noise reduction, obviously. It's fine to stage action and to light it. But when the video is launched with LUTs that change native color, or secondary grading is applied (or even completely external image elements such as flares, particles, sparkles and stuff like that) it's not about the camera anymore, but rather the person/team behind the video.

There's a difference between "how good can I make this camera look" and "this is what comes out of the camera". Both perspectives are interesting, but the range of "how good can I make this camera look" goes all the way to a carefully planned shoot with an iPhone that can look amazing.

Companies are very welcome to enlist people who's work they like, but I would prefer if the "guy/girl" was taken out of the launch, branding wise, so they didn't need to attach their own name to the material. And like I say, this isn't about Noel's video specifically, since we've seen lot's of this including Philip Bloom and other personalities for other brands.
 
AndreeOnline said:
Thanks for the footage Noel!

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On a separate note, that applies to all camera brands and launch videos:

I'd much prefer if grading was restricted to a one "node" restoration of contrast and saturation. And no noise reduction, obviously. It's fine to stage action and to light it. But when the video is launched with LUTs that change native color, or secondary grading is applied (or even completely external image elements such as flares, particles, sparkles and stuff like that) it's not about the camera anymore, but rather the person/team behind the video.

There's a difference between "how good can I make this camera look" and "this is what comes out of the camera". Both perspectives are interesting, but the range of "how good can I make this camera look" goes all the way to a carefully planned shoot with an iPhone that can look amazing.

Companies are very welcome to enlist people who's work they like, but I would prefer if the "guy/girl" was taken out of the launch, branding wise, so they didn't need to attach their own name to the material. And like I say, this isn't about Noel's video specifically, since we've seen lot's of this including Philip Bloom and other personalities for other brands.
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+1
 
Side note, I kind of like the tone curve of the iso 2500 better. may just be the milkier shadows due to noise though. I saw it on an iPhone briefly though.
 
I can see the point of Andree's post, however, there will be lots of "straight out of the camera" footage in the coming days. Good to see the footage can be brought into the Panasonic varicam feel with a bit of effort. Thanks Noel for the footage and your quick evaluation of the camera's usability. Most helpful.
 
I'm not sure I understand the restrictions requested on tests of the EVA...it was conceived as a Cinema camera....once I see a satisfactory image from a camera, that is the criteria I need to buy one...any comparisons to say an Arri or a Varicam are futile, if one expects the footage out of the EVA to be handled with no post, as obviously the other Cinema cameras get post treatment...My interest is in the best the camera can include including post, Neat Video and whatever other post tools are used to get the image to where it needs to be...personally if I was going to buy this camera based on image alone, I would buy it. I think for those who are still looking for that "right" image from the camera, the EVA is probably not for them...I do think some lose track of the fact that this was designed and is being released as a Cine camera, and that is where it will shine the most...with production design...proper lighting...a camera crew and proper post.
 
fboonzaier said:
I'm not sure I understand the restrictions requested on tests of the EVA...it was conceived as a Cinema camera...
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Watch the Zacuto shootout where a hacked GH2 takes on and wins against a number of cameras like RED, Arri, etc.

The more a shoot is set up, dressed up, lit up, planned out, the more the shoot becomes about the DP and the less it becomes about the camera.

Seeing a camera's footage in the raw - such as the b-roll shots at the start of Noel's footage, or the video in the other thread from extrashot (b-roll around the docks), is helpful for determine what's what and how the camera handles it. Seeing a camera's default color profile or LUT shows us what the camera's color looks like. Put another way, we know Sony's color science leaves a bit to be desired... a Sony camera test in which an editor spent a dozen hours in Resolve, grading the footage to look more like Panasonic, isn't really a helpful demo for assessing the camera's color science. Most of us just want to see what the camera can do out of the box, because after years of working in the industry, we can quite well imagine how that translates into idyllic conditions and creative grading.
 
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