Brevis35 Production Tests on XL1, XL2, DVX, HVX, VX2100 at DVinfo.net

Dennis Wood · April 2nd, 2006, 03:35 PM

I'm firing up a thread to include links on various tests with the production version/diffuser of the Brevis35. Tonight, some GS400, and XL1s footage. Tomorrow XL2, later this week, DVX, HVX and VX2100. A very busy week!

By week's end we should have achromat specs nailed down to keep the big lens cams happy...and custom coated achromats manufactured in 2-3 weeks after.

So pick em apart, and let me know what you think. The local film school is turning out to be a great partner in this...

Dennis Wood · April 2nd, 2006, 08:35 PM

GS400 clip from production Brevis (9MB)

XL1s on production Brevis (11MB)

Quick shot of the Brevis SN#1 on the XL1s

Can you guess what the floated red dot is? I only had an hour, and it was snowing/raining, so the XL1s stuff is done indoors. The cam was set to manual, manual focus on the 16X lens, and aperture set at around F4.0. Everything else was set to defaults. Forgive the blown out window footage. The XL1 footage is deinterlaced by WME9. It would have been nice to play some more, but family time took precedence today. I have to say, compared to the GS400, I find the cam a bit noisy. I had one of my testing (cheap) macros affixed.

Lens is Minolta F1.4 50mm.

Tomorrow night, XL2 stuff.

Dennis Wood · April 3rd, 2006, 06:51 AM

We're lined up for HVX, DVX, XL2 and VX2100 tests tonight. Any requests?

Wayne Kinney · April 3rd, 2006, 06:58 AM

Dennis,

Yes looks like you have a good opportunity tonight, take a res chart with you.

The XL footage is very nice indeed.

Dennis Wood · April 3rd, 2006, 07:12 AM

Actually Wayne, I found that XL1s footage a bit noisy...but I'm picky. I don't know the cam at all, and I suspect an experienced shooter could tweak the camera a bit. We have 3 hours, and four cameras...so I'll do my best with the charts. I just found out that the HVX (they have four) does not have P2 cards...so it's DV from them unless I can figure out a direct firewire dump for HD.

Can anyone suggest a quick way to get HD off an HVX without P2 cards? My PC is not set for HD editing at all...so a solution over firewire would be great.

Guy Bruner · April 3rd, 2006, 10:11 AM

If you have access to a Mac with FCP, you can do it. PC solutions for capture/editing are iffy on a PC at this point.

Dennis Wood · April 3rd, 2006, 10:37 AM

Thanks Guy. It looks like 24P 16:9 DV from the HVX then ...

Dennis Wood · April 3rd, 2006, 07:46 PM

Here are a few pics from today:

http://www.cinevate.com/pages/testing/camtests.htm

Great news on the HVX200. It's a direct attachment via an 82 to 58 step down. No vignetting, no macro.

More footy later....

Dennis Wood · April 3rd, 2006, 10:43 PM

Grabs from all four cams ... http://www.cinevate.com/pages/testing/grabs/

Note the HVX ones are not HD...the cam did not come with P2 cards.

Wayne Kinney · April 4th, 2006, 02:05 AM

Dennis,
Which grabs are from which cam?

Dennis Wood · April 4th, 2006, 10:53 AM

I figured that question would come...I need to edit the combination of 4:3 24P, 4:3 interlaced, and 24P 16:9 into clips and I'll pull the grabs, and post the clips. I should note the test purpose was to establish macro strength, not to test the cameras at their best.

Basically the ones with the noticeable CA came from the XL2. The 16X manual lense had noticeable CA before we strapped the macro, Brevis and 50mm on. I was pretty surprised to see it. The XL2 (trike, branches, toy snake) also had very sharp images in 16:9 progressive...even with the strongest of the macros.

The HVX grabs were the wine glasses on the table, sticky shapes on window, and rack through the same window. The cam was in 16:9 24P..I think. The adapter was not properly attached to the HVX as my 82-72 step down rings are in transit. I'll be shooting more from the HVX on Saturday, with a proper setup. The Brevis on the HVX is a direct attach...no optics/spacers were needed.

DVX are the doorknob (that's a yellow slide, not CA in the background) and the cupboard handles.

VX2100 are the candle holders hanging outside.

Wayne Kinney · April 4th, 2006, 11:57 AM

Dennis,
Thats interesting that the HVX200 could focus without an achromat/macro. Did you require a large distance between the HVX flange and the GG?

Dennis Wood · April 4th, 2006, 12:44 PM

No optics, no spacers.

Just weighed the Brevis production unit: 270 grams (9.2 ounces). My 50mm F1.4 is 250 grams for comparison.

Mike Testin · April 4th, 2006, 02:17 PM

Dennis,

Are you going to test this with the HD100?

Mike

Dennis Wood · April 4th, 2006, 04:40 PM

Mike, not personally, but one of the units is going to an HD100 user. Based on CAD/frame tests, it will work just fine, but will require an achromat. So far the only issue with the different cams has been macro strength, but I'm pretty sure I have a good handle on this now. The HVX lens at 82mm shows zero vignetting and that's without an achromat.

We'll have our custom, coated achromats done (72mm) in a few weeks.

April 3rd, 2006, 06:58 AM	#4
Wayne Kinney Major Player Join Date: Jun 2005 Location: Brighton, East Sussex, UK Posts: 938	Dennis, Yes looks like you have a good opportunity tonight, take a res chart with you. The XL footage is very nice indeed. __________________ Thanks, Wayne.

April 4th, 2006, 02:05 AM	#10
Wayne Kinney Major Player Join Date: Jun 2005 Location: Brighton, East Sussex, UK Posts: 938	Dennis, Which grabs are from which cam? __________________ Thanks, Wayne.

April 4th, 2006, 11:57 AM	#12
Wayne Kinney Major Player Join Date: Jun 2005 Location: Brighton, East Sussex, UK Posts: 938	Dennis, Thats interesting that the HVX200 could focus without an achromat/macro. Did you require a large distance between the HVX flange and the GG? __________________ Thanks, Wayne.

April 4th, 2006, 02:17 PM	#14
Mike Testin Regular Crew Join Date: Jan 2006 Posts: 28	Hd100 Dennis, Are you going to test this with the HD100? Mike

April 2nd, 2006, 03:35 PM	#1
Dennis Wood Major Player Join Date: Mar 2005 Location: Ontario, Canada Posts: 916	Brevis35 Production Tests on XL1, XL2, DVX, HVX, VX2100 I'm firing up a thread to include links on various tests with the production version/diffuser of the Brevis35. Tonight, some GS400, and XL1s footage. Tomorrow XL2, later this week, DVX, HVX and VX2100. A very busy week! By week's end we should have achromat specs nailed down to keep the big lens cams happy...and custom coated achromats manufactured in 2-3 weeks after. So pick em apart, and let me know what you think. The local film school is turning out to be a great partner in this...

April 2nd, 2006, 08:35 PM	#2
Dennis Wood Major Player Join Date: Mar 2005 Location: Ontario, Canada Posts: 916	GS400 clip from production Brevis (9MB) XL1s on production Brevis (11MB) Quick shot of the Brevis SN#1 on the XL1s Can you guess what the floated red dot is? I only had an hour, and it was snowing/raining, so the XL1s stuff is done indoors. The cam was set to manual, manual focus on the 16X lens, and aperture set at around F4.0. Everything else was set to defaults. Forgive the blown out window footage. The XL1 footage is deinterlaced by WME9. It would have been nice to play some more, but family time took precedence today. I have to say, compared to the GS400, I find the cam a bit noisy. I had one of my testing (cheap) macros affixed. Lens is Minolta F1.4 50mm. Tomorrow night, XL2 stuff.

April 3rd, 2006, 06:51 AM	#3
Dennis Wood Major Player Join Date: Mar 2005 Location: Ontario, Canada Posts: 916	We're lined up for HVX, DVX, XL2 and VX2100 tests tonight. Any requests?

April 3rd, 2006, 07:12 AM	#5
Dennis Wood Major Player Join Date: Mar 2005 Location: Ontario, Canada Posts: 916	Actually Wayne, I found that XL1s footage a bit noisy...but I'm picky. I don't know the cam at all, and I suspect an experienced shooter could tweak the camera a bit. We have 3 hours, and four cameras...so I'll do my best with the charts. I just found out that the HVX (they have four) does not have P2 cards...so it's DV from them unless I can figure out a direct firewire dump for HD. Can anyone suggest a quick way to get HD off an HVX without P2 cards? My PC is not set for HD editing at all...so a solution over firewire would be great.

April 3rd, 2006, 10:11 AM	#6
Guy Bruner Major Player Join Date: Nov 2003 Location: Ashford, AL Posts: 937	If you have access to a Mac with FCP, you can do it. PC solutions for capture/editing are iffy on a PC at this point.

April 3rd, 2006, 10:37 AM	#7
Dennis Wood Major Player Join Date: Mar 2005 Location: Ontario, Canada Posts: 916	Thanks Guy. It looks like 24P 16:9 DV from the HVX then ...

April 3rd, 2006, 07:46 PM	#8
Dennis Wood Major Player Join Date: Mar 2005 Location: Ontario, Canada Posts: 916	Here are a few pics from today: http://www.cinevate.com/pages/testing/camtests.htm Great news on the HVX200. It's a direct attachment via an 82 to 58 step down. No vignetting, no macro. More footy later....

April 3rd, 2006, 10:43 PM	#9
Dennis Wood Major Player Join Date: Mar 2005 Location: Ontario, Canada Posts: 916	Grabs from all four cams ... http://www.cinevate.com/pages/testing/grabs/ Note the HVX ones are not HD...the cam did not come with P2 cards.

April 4th, 2006, 10:53 AM	#11
Dennis Wood Major Player Join Date: Mar 2005 Location: Ontario, Canada Posts: 916	I figured that question would come...I need to edit the combination of 4:3 24P, 4:3 interlaced, and 24P 16:9 into clips and I'll pull the grabs, and post the clips. I should note the test purpose was to establish macro strength, not to test the cameras at their best. Basically the ones with the noticeable CA came from the XL2. The 16X manual lense had noticeable CA before we strapped the macro, Brevis and 50mm on. I was pretty surprised to see it. The XL2 (trike, branches, toy snake) also had very sharp images in 16:9 progressive...even with the strongest of the macros. The HVX grabs were the wine glasses on the table, sticky shapes on window, and rack through the same window. The cam was in 16:9 24P..I think. The adapter was not properly attached to the HVX as my 82-72 step down rings are in transit. I'll be shooting more from the HVX on Saturday, with a proper setup. The Brevis on the HVX is a direct attach...no optics/spacers were needed. DVX are the doorknob (that's a yellow slide, not CA in the background) and the cupboard handles. VX2100 are the candle holders hanging outside.

April 4th, 2006, 12:44 PM	#13
Dennis Wood Major Player Join Date: Mar 2005 Location: Ontario, Canada Posts: 916	No optics, no spacers. Just weighed the Brevis production unit: 270 grams (9.2 ounces). My 50mm F1.4 is 250 grams for comparison.

April 4th, 2006, 04:40 PM	#15
Dennis Wood Major Player Join Date: Mar 2005 Location: Ontario, Canada Posts: 916	Mike, not personally, but one of the units is going to an HD100 user. Based on CAD/frame tests, it will work just fine, but will require an achromat. So far the only issue with the different cams has been macro strength, but I'm pretty sure I have a good handle on this now. The HVX lens at 82mm shows zero vignetting and that's without an achromat. We'll have our custom, coated achromats done (72mm) in a few weeks.