Zacuto jumps on the DSLR bandwagon...

There's a video on vimeo as well. http://vimeo.com/2223602

I don't think this is ridiculous personally speaking, but I'm probably the biggest Zacuto fan on here. What distinguishes professional from home video with these cameras? I think it's about proper balance and element of cinematography that we're all familiar with. I mean super35 DOF with awesome lenses available from Canon! Who wouldn't want to potentially use this in their next feature film.

They look ridiculous... the rigs from Zacuto and Redrock... but I do think there's something to be said for balance and professional functionality.
 
I would question the wisdom of someone who buys a support system that costs so many times what the camera body that will be mounted on it costs but there is no lack of people who spend their money unwisely out there.

All you have to do is scan the Marketplace here a few times a week and you see it in action.

Dan
 
I'm going to assume that we all use filters, matte boxes & follow focuses with our current cameras, what makes you think this class of camera would be any different? It is very difficult to get critical focus with Super 35mm DOF. Professional assistants struggle with this. That's why FF's were invented to assist in repeatable accurate focus pulls.

How will you hold this DSLR steady in handheld? The subway video I saw floating around on the internet that was shot with the D90, is a perfect example of what I'm talking about. Lots of rocking side to side motion. When Scarlet comes out, I'm sure we will see accessories added to that and I'm sure everyone will be fine with that.

I agree the D90 is not that great, but I have had my hands on the Canon 5D Mark II and I can tell you this camera can produce images and the Mark III will be even better. The future is going to look like these cameras, maybe not this year but definitely next year. Keep and open mind and hopefully you can use all of your current accessories. If they are Zacuto you can.
 
How will you hold this DSLR steady in handheld? The subway video I saw floating around on the internet that was shot with the D90, is a perfect example of what I'm talking about. Lots of rocking side to side motion. When Scarlet comes out, I'm sure we will see accessories added to that and I'm sure everyone will be fine with that.
Click to expand...

I personaly dont think anyone should have to think about holding a DLSR steady, because a DSLR is a stills camera, they are not designed for making films. At a stretch, these DSLRs are perfect for jounalists that go out, take afew photos and can grab a few seconds of video for the website, they are not for making movies.
 
All I ask is that you try it. We are at all of the conventions. When people try it on, they are surprised at how comfortable it is.
 
Im not saying it wont be comfortable, im saying you are solving a problem that shouldn't really exist...

This is like trying to roll the road flat with a smart car, its just not designed for what people are trying to use it for...
 
zacuto said:
I'm going to assume that we all use filters, matte boxes & follow focuses with our current cameras, what makes you think this class of camera would be any different? It is very difficult to get critical focus with Super 35mm DOF. Professional assistants struggle with this. That's why FF's were invented to assist in repeatable accurate focus pulls.

How will you hold this DSLR steady in handheld? The subway video I saw floating around on the internet that was shot with the D90, is a perfect example of what I'm talking about. Lots of rocking side to side motion. When Scarlet comes out, I'm sure we will see accessories added to that and I'm sure everyone will be fine with that.

I agree the D90 is not that great, but I have had my hands on the Canon 5D Mark II and I can tell you this camera can produce images and the Mark III will be even better. The future is going to look like these cameras, maybe not this year but definitely next year. Keep and open mind and hopefully you can use all of your current accessories. If they are Zacuto you can.
Click to expand...

To me, the financial equation doesn't even come close to working. Your products are great, I just don't think that a wise person would dress up a prosumer DSLR with thousands of dollars worth of support and try to shoot movies with it. Lenses for stills? Maybe, that is a whole different ball game.

We do live in interesting times.

Dan
 
How to look at 35 DOF in the future

How to look at 35 DOF in the future

What you have to think about is that a SI-2K or a Scarlet are basically just imagers with a lens. That’s what a DSLR is. This is the first generation of DSLR’s. Future DSLR’s are going to incorporate more of the things that filmmakers want like XLR audio inputs, 24p, etc. Independent filmmakers are willing to go to enormous lengths to get 35mm depth of field and use prime lenses. The cool part here is that these devices already have larger chips and come with 35mm DOF. Also you can get high quality lenses relatively cheap compared to PL primes. I had a video at NAB and you can see it here http://www.vimeo.com/1088550 that compares Zeiss ZF still lenses against Zeiss PL primes. You be the judge. Really, it was a logical move to add HD video capabilities to DSLR cameras. Yes, I agree that the first generation of the Nikon is really only for web journalists or web cinematography. But the Canon is going to be better, how much better on the big screen is yet to be seen. But in the future, you can bet we will see these video cameras. In the picture below to untrained eyes it looks like the traditional 35mm DOF setup is really jumping through a lot of hoops, it’s heavier, it's re-photographing the image and needs a lot of parts compared to the DSLR 35mm DOF setup.

I’m not trying to convert anyone but there is an a-s for every saddle and Zacuto has saddles for both.

p557207524-4.jpg
 
Z:

I'm with Hoarp on this one... The problem you're solving doesn't really exist (yet), because the cameras just don't appeal to cinematographers (yet).

Things that would need to change before I'd ever consider rigging a DSLR up like that:

Faster read/reset on the sensors(!) - I like being able to pan.
A monitor you can pull focus on - the MKII's VGA display isn't going to cut it.
Selectable framerates
XLR?

That seems like a pretty good start... And with the D90 and the 5D mkII just weeks old, it seems unlikely that either Nikon or Canon will have anything attractive to the cinematographer, anytime soon.

Just my $0.02
 
Like I said an a-s for every saddle. The Nikon is great for turorial videos on the web, which we are making a lot of. I will keep you updated on the picture quality of the Canon as I get one in the next week or two. Just to speak for the Nikon, the cameras screen is 10 times easier to focus then an HVX200 and comparable or sharper then the EX3. It's very sharp. I was surprised with that. Finall, one very cool feature that we haven't discussed is true optical focusing when setting FF points. That's nice. I'll keep you updated with my results.
 
That's interesting.. I'm all about new kit, but only if it serves a purpose.

I'm looking forward to your results.

ps. How are you only a junior member? :huh:
 
Zacuto knows what he's talking about

Zacuto knows what he's talking about

Anyone who's used a very light prosumer or consumer camera, such as the hvx200/dvx100 knows the problems with stability during hand held moving shots. The same applies for these DSLR's but worse. Shooting a still frame that doesn't shake with an SLR is NOT the same as following a subject around with a steady yet handheld frame for a dramatic movie. Any professional operator knows that providing options such as counterbalance, shoulder rest, glidecam/steadicam, proper eye to viewfinder distance, are all tools to help improve operational stabilty and function so that you can properly frame and execute the shot.

While I can't say I like the prices that Zacuto may charge for this gear, I completely appreciate that they make this stuff. I've used it with various camera bodies. It's good stuff. The philosophy behind Zacuto's and Redrock's gears designed for DSLR's is more at question. Why provide expensive professional gear for first generation still cameras that will be operated by bottom of the barrel indie or amateur filmmakers? I would personally wait until this market niche matures a bit more, but hey, I've never been a good businessman and maybe they'll make bank.
 
Why not just have the equipment ready for anyone interested?

Second and third generation DSLR video technology will still work with the same rigs. So why wait?
 
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