Photos of the Drama 2/3" CCD prototype

Status
Not open for further replies.
David S. said:
What NLEs will this be compatible with based on what you know now.
Click to expand...

The bayer material is meant to be finetuned and developed using the supplied software to uncompressed HD or DNxHD. Dailies can also be generated in SD, MP2 HD, MP4 HD etc with preview or production quality.

The idea behind this uncompressed project is to only use uncompressed AVI/MOV whenever possible to maintain quality. Using eSATA, RAID5 storage costs about 800 euro for 22 hours uncompressed and will work in any computer, including all modern laptops. All NLEs should be fine with uncompressed HD.

There is a standard Windows codec that works in Media player etc, but this is currently meant as a preview, not for production output. I have also started working on an OSX quicktime codec but the same limitation applies for now. The full development power and all custom processing I have designed, such as the custom debayer engine, the grain tools, the film gamma curves etc, require the software developer I have written.
 
Evf

Evf

Sorry if you have already answered this elsewhere, but what are you plans for an EVF. Are you going to make a special one, use Sony's or comparable, or no option for evf? Thanks, Brian
 
bpetrie said:
Sorry if you have already answered this elsewhere, but what are you plans for an EVF. Are you going to make a special one, use Sony's or comparable, or no option for evf? Thanks, Brian
Click to expand...

There are compatible viewfinders available on the market but I also have one in prototyping that will be more reasonably priced.

The 2/3" camcorder viewfinders are quite overpriced because they don't sell that many units. Some cost more than an entire Drama package. Drama is not compatible with those.
 
bpetrie said:
AquaVideo was the first company to make underwater housings for Red (which we all know can get a little warm at times) so Im sure heat won't be a problem. You should defiantly take him up on his offer b/c he is very knowledgeable with cameras as well as producing housings (I don't know him just have read many posts of his). Im sure that deep knowledge of machining and producing housings would transfer over well to your project. Anyways, I am glad to see everything really coming together, looks great! Brian:thumbsup:
Click to expand...

Thanks for the kind words and references. Heat is surely an issue, but there is the option of water circulation cooling as is done in many high performance gaming systems.

Otis Grapsas said:
The project is getting to be very interesting. I'm still convinced there is no commercial future in the consumer market sales sense but I'm very impressed but what is happening.
Click to expand...

I agree it will be hard to compete with RED/Scarlet whenever that happens - and the dSLRs and camcorders. However, in wrestling with various cameras for 3D over the last couple years, I think there is definitely room for something like this as an open and/or licensed project, because there is a real need for systems that can be customized.

Examples:

1) Red is a bit overwhelmed and although I have asked numerous times about a handheld type of remote for the REDONE, nothing has ever happened.

2) We have tried hacking the Canon dSLRs to get accurate sync but so far haven't achieved it properly.

3) The GH1 hack looked EXTREMELY promising - but now it seems that Panasonic has altered the firmware so it isn't easily hacked anymore.

We have reached an era of commodity sensors being available, along with inexpensive mass storage options. Projects like yours show that development of the capture/storage system is possible even on a tight budget.

4) And besides the C-mount lenses you have mentioned, there is the Birger Engineering mount for controlling Canon EF lenses and probably soon for micro 4/3 lenses as well. They have a long history of working with numerous machine vision and specialized cameras. Birger has enabled the highest quality and basically the best lens control for pro underwater systems ever - combined with the best imaging ever with the RED 4K, but of course RED shut the Birger/RED combo down for all but the 200 or so that were grandfathered in.

The point is NOT to knock on RED, Canon, Sony, Panasonic, etc. - I am friendly with a number of people from those companies and understand that they have their own marketing and support priorities. But when you get into the more specialized areas of motion picture production the proprietary nature of these cameras make things difficult. The trend toward open source hardware, like Arduino and others,

http://news.cnet.com/8301-13772_3-20010354-52.html

may make things much more accessible and easy to configure for special applications.

I just found out about your Drama project, but it looks promising and I look forward to seeing what develops.
 
aquavideo said:
I agree it will be hard to compete with RED/Scarlet whenever that happens - and the dSLRs and camcorders. However, in wrestling with various cameras for 3D over the last couple years, I think there is definitely room for something like this as an open and/or licensed project, because there is a real need for systems that can be customized.
Click to expand...

Systems using similar hardware and software to mine have already been used for many years in applications like industrial control, in the fishing industry, in inspection, in custom 3D, in space shuttles etc. Usually the entire design and customisation is being done for 2 to 10 units. The power is indeed the customisation, you never know what the client will need so you keep everything open and configurable.

As an example, a remote for Drama is just momentary switches, it's practically unlimited in number of buttons and fuctions (even key combinations are possible).

The hardware is quite flexible also. Within something like a large underwater case, there are no limitations in distance of cabling or positioning. Processing boards can be integrated to the case for better cooling, etc. It can be quite small if standard camcorder form factor is not required.
 
Otis,

This is great news and I definitely look forward to hearing more about the camera as work progresses.

I also look forward to hearing more about the camera "system" so to speak - supported EVFs, LCDs, and storage.

The 7D has sated my appetite for DOF and helped me learn a lot there, but I desperately wish for a camera with significantly better image quality - RAW (at 1080p and at 2K+) is definitely providing the solution.

I wish you the best of luck as your work progresses!
 
Otis Grapsas said:
As an example, a remote for Drama is just momentary switches, it's practically unlimited in number of buttons and fuctions (even key combinations are possible).
Click to expand...

Great! I keep trying to get manufacturers to give us this, simple switches to do things like white balance, iris up/down, etc.


Otis Grapsas said:
The hardware is quite flexible also. Within something like a large underwater case, there are no limitations in distance of cabling or positioning. Processing boards can be integrated to the case for better cooling, etc. It can be quite small if standard camcorder form factor is not required.
Click to expand...

That's what has me intrigued, not only customized functions but customized form factor - but uncompromised image quality and recording.

When you get to looking at mirror-rig 3d systems it can get extremely awkward in terms of size, ergonomics, and water resistance. Separated imager/mount would let us get away without mirror rig for normal shooting and even for macro where mirrors may be necessary it would still greatly reduce the size and complexity.
 
This is great to see! Congrats Otis! I can't wait to see footy and projects with Drama! Good luck!
 
This is amazing, but I have to say... For that much $, I'll be expecting a quality shell in the finished product. Is the board behind the fan actually going to be that exposed to the elements?!
 
dmpsk8 said:
This is amazing, but I have to say... For that much $, I'll be expecting a quality shell in the finished product. Is the board behind the fan actually going to be that exposed to the elements?!
Click to expand...

:) No. This one is unfiltered and it doesn't even conform to regulations for interference.
 
Glad to see you keeping up with the dream and still going forward with the project, Otis. I'm sure you'll come out with a product and make the Europeans proud!
 
Status
Not open for further replies.
Back
Top