New Letus Ultimate Footage

Will Schryver · July 10th, 2008, 09:49 AM

As always, I enjoy and learn from your posted footage. After taking my LetusExtreme off my XH-A1 for a couple weeks just to make myself do some "no attachments" 60i shooting, it is now attached once again and ready to do some serious work. I've gone through at least a dozen tapes of test footage just trying to see how the thing will react to different conditions, etc.

I was impressed that you were able to shut down the aperture to f8 and even f11 for those sky shots. That's something you just can't do with the vibrating gg without risking gg grain in your shot.

One thing I find myself wondering about is your current workflow. I know you've talked about it in the past, but I seem to perceive that it is an evolving thing with you. What is your typical 24f workflow at this point?

Steven Dempsey · July 10th, 2008, 02:20 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Julian Shapiro

I'm assuming you didn't do any color-correction in post since I've read that that isn't your thing. So, does this mean that you adjust the camera's color settings for each and every single shot you take? I'm asking because you are the only man on this forum who delivers consistently beautiful-looking footage. I am not a fan of VIVIDRGB and I didn't detect its use in this footage. I would love to be able to get such color-real and natural shades as you do-- could you please explain what your process is? Is it because you use great compression? Hah... anyhoo... clueless over here... once again: you are a god of the XH-A1. Keep it coming.

Julian, not sure where you read that I don't do color correction, I sure do but it's not a lot because the original image is pretty solid. I also don't like stylizing the look of my footage so that's maybe where that came from.

Basically, at this point, I am using my Panalook 2 settings. I quit using the VIVIDRGB because it was too red. The Panalook 2 preset is way better and more neutral. It also keeps the saturation way down so I can play with it more in post.

I push the saturation in post by about 20% and also crush the blacks, using a levels adjustment, just to the point where I am about to lose detail in the shadows. After getting a good even white balance across the timeline, I then nest that timeline into a new timeline and apply a color curves adjustment reducing the blue a little to warm the overall tone of the scenes up. That's my basic process.

In case you are not familiar with the Panalook2 preset, here are the parameters:
Gamma: Cine2
Color Matrix: Cine2
Color Gain: -4
CPH: 0
Knee: Low
Black: Stretch
Master Ped: -7
Setup Level: -1
HDF: Mid
DHV: 0
Sharpness: -2
NR1: Off
NR2: Off
Coring: 0
RGN: 8
GGN: 11
BGN: 12
RGM: 0
RBM: 0
GRM: 0
GBM: 0
BRM: 0
BGM: 0

Michael Chenoweth · July 10th, 2008, 03:11 PM

steven,

that rocks. there isn't anything that says "adapter" in that footage. Like you said, it's as though you slapped some $$$ film cam primes on the canon. definitely a contender with it's higher priced counterparts. I can see this becoming the next P+S

cheno

Jeff Nelson · July 11th, 2008, 09:14 PM

Steven, your daughter is beautiful, a very open face.

This adapter is also a winner: 4500 bucks, but you're getting your money's worth.

One thing you might want to experiment with -- when she's backlit by the sun, try raising your bounce so the light is coming down onto her face, rather than up from below. Might be more pleasing to fill from a higher angle. Just a thought. All looks terrific.

Steven Dempsey · July 11th, 2008, 09:37 PM

LOL, the reason I didn't raise the reflector was because I didn't have a stand at hand and when I saw the light coming through the window, I yelled out "Tara, get in here!"...I agree higher placement would have been better.

Jeremy Nemeth · July 11th, 2008, 09:39 PM

Steven,
First off, I will say that the Letus Ultimate is an absolutely incredible piece of equipment. I have recently recieved my Letus Extreme and love it. But what I'm really here to say is that I am always truely amazed by your films. You always capture the true and simple beauty in life. I don't know how you do it, so simple but so beautiful. I have been using your VIVIDRGB preset and love it. I have just recently found your Panalook2 preset and can't wait to try it. Thanks for you inpiration to a newbie and all other inpiring filmmakers... Heres to great fun and filmmaking...

Jeremy

July 11th, 2008, 09:37 PM	#20
Steven Dempsey Disjecta Join Date: Apr 2004 Location: Seattle, Washington Posts: 937	LOL, the reason I didn't raise the reflector was because I didn't have a stand at hand and when I saw the light coming through the window, I yelled out "Tara, get in here!"...I agree higher placement would have been better. __________________ Try my Digital Therapy: http://www.pinelakefilms.com/digital_therapy.html Films on ExposureRoom: http://exposureroom.com/members/disjecta.aspx/videos/

July 11th, 2008, 09:39 PM	#21
Jeremy Nemeth Regular Crew Join Date: May 2008 Location: Valparaiso, IN Posts: 37	Wow... Steven, First off, I will say that the Letus Ultimate is an absolutely incredible piece of equipment. I have recently recieved my Letus Extreme and love it. But what I'm really here to say is that I am always truely amazed by your films. You always capture the true and simple beauty in life. I don't know how you do it, so simple but so beautiful. I have been using your VIVIDRGB preset and love it. I have just recently found your Panalook2 preset and can't wait to try it. Thanks for you inpiration to a newbie and all other inpiring filmmakers... Heres to great fun and filmmaking... Jeremy

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July 10th, 2008, 09:49 AM	#16
Will Schryver Regular Crew Join Date: Aug 2007 Location: Cedar City, UT Posts: 60	As always, I enjoy and learn from your posted footage. After taking my LetusExtreme off my XH-A1 for a couple weeks just to make myself do some "no attachments" 60i shooting, it is now attached once again and ready to do some serious work. I've gone through at least a dozen tapes of test footage just trying to see how the thing will react to different conditions, etc. I was impressed that you were able to shut down the aperture to f8 and even f11 for those sky shots. That's something you just can't do with the vibrating gg without risking gg grain in your shot. One thing I find myself wondering about is your current workflow. I know you've talked about it in the past, but I seem to perceive that it is an evolving thing with you. What is your typical 24f workflow at this point?

July 10th, 2008, 03:11 PM	#18
Michael Chenoweth Regular Crew Join Date: Jan 2007 Location: Sandy, Utah Posts: 128	steven, that rocks. there isn't anything that says "adapter" in that footage. Like you said, it's as though you slapped some $$$ film cam primes on the canon. definitely a contender with it's higher priced counterparts. I can see this becoming the next P+S cheno

July 11th, 2008, 09:14 PM	#19
Jeff Nelson Regular Crew Join Date: Oct 2004 Location: Los Angeles, CA Posts: 194	Steven, your daughter is beautiful, a very open face. This adapter is also a winner: 4500 bucks, but you're getting your money's worth. One thing you might want to experiment with -- when she's backlit by the sun, try raising your bounce so the light is coming down onto her face, rather than up from below. Might be more pleasing to fill from a higher angle. Just a thought. All looks terrific.