Scott Billups' charts shot with XL-1
 

Scott Billups has demonstrated some impressive results shooting his charts using an XL-1 with both auto and manual lenses and recording to tape vs. direct to disk.

I've included the link below for anyone who's interested in viewing/commenting. To my eyes, the direct to disk shots are crisper, and the chart shot using a "broadcast" lens is amazing.

Would love to hear some opinions on Billups' test.

Thanks.

http://pixelmonger.com/graphicref194

Thanks for the images.

But I don't get it. Why does the image change using the same lens but using tape vs. disk?

Thanks,
Ron

It doesn't. DV is DV. To suggest a distinction based on recording medium would be directly analogous to suggest that the contents of a computer file depends on whether it's stored on your hard disk or a CD.

As a stand-alone exhibit the images are not useful for many reasons. Scott's a very savvy fellow and he certainly knows this. Since I've not seen the context in which he presents the images (i.e. an article?) I certainly would not comment further on such an out-of-context exhibit.

The image titled "Canon-Broadcast Lens-SDI" does indeed look significantly better, and that is because it is not DV. It was shot with Billups homemade Digibeta Direct-to-disc camera.

That isn't made completely clear on his site, but I emailed him a while back about that and he clarified it for me.

The first 4 images are from an XL-1. From what I understand, the final image is taking an RGB signal off the chips of an old Beta camera he modified. The signal is sent through a (Miranda, I think) A/D converter, and sent through SDI into his Mac for capture at 4:2:2 uncompressed.

There is a picture of his camera at the bottom of his camera page, next to Dan's VanceCam.

-Luis

Some more thoughts on this by me in this thread.

Those pictures are useless without an explanation on how they
where "captured". As Ken also pointed out. miniDV tape and
direct-to-disk record the exact same signal.

Thanks all for the considered investigation.

Michael