Film Look Cameras
 

Hi, would anyone be able to help me. What is the cheapest way to go about getting a camcoarder not necessarily High Defenition that will give me great Film looks. I have looked here

http://www.hdvinfo.net/articles/jvcp...ini35test2.php

and these are the types of shots i would like to achieve. But it is expensive and i couldnt afford this. I would like the same equipment as this, however my main problem is the lens cost's $ 7,455, id be dreaming. Is there an alternative way of achieving this with cheaper lens etc.

Thankyou very Much

Chris Evans

I would recommend the JVC GY-HD100. The clips, you have seen, were shot with this camera.
Take a look at all the clips, that were posted here at DV Info Net and at DVXUser regarding not only the JVC, but also the Canon XL H1, Panasonic AG-HVX200 and Sony HVR-Z1, and then make your own decision.
But for me the choise is clear. Nate Weaver has already made some great and filmlike looking footage with the JVC, also Tim Dashwood, who provided some very usable scene files with cinelike gamma and cinelike colour matrix settings, and Stephen L. Noe posts nice footage too all the time. Just have a look at the JVC section.

Even easier, you can use any camera and apply great 24 frame effects like Nattress filters that are indistinguishable from in camera 24 frame. It can save you the expense of a new camera. Here are two local commercials I shot in regular video with a DVX and used Nattress filters to make it have a film-like 24 frame appearance:

http://www.bluesky-web.com/al1.mov

http://www.bluesky-web.com/zeropercent.mov

I don't think you can communicate the difference between 60i and 24p on a progressively-scanning computer monitor (which can really only show 24p and 30p, but not 60i). You really need to watch the material on a CRT-based TV to really see the difference.

If you have FCP, just get the Nattress demo and see for yourself. In my opinion it's not a big difference (between 60i and 24p), but it is a difference. The whole 24p thing is vastly overrated in my opinion. Lighting will make a much bigger difference.

2- In my opinion again, the camera doesn't make too much of a difference. Check out the trailer for "the silencer" in the DV for the masses forum... shot on a Canon GL2. (Caveat: There are many other things going on in that movie clip, like the use of Magic Bullet Editor's [not that I would endorse the product, but it does dramatically alter the look].)

My personal opinion is that what sells the film look in order are:

24P or 30P capture instead of 60i.

Crafting the shots and light (including shallow DOF and crafted camera moves).

Reducing electronic detail and adjusting gamma curves. Creative color correction

Thanks for the great reply guys, im goanna experiment with what you have said, and thanks for the footage example's.

Cheers

Chris Evans

Matthew Greene - I agree 100 % with your take on this subject matter. The 24 cadence is number 1 on the checklist in my opinion.

Chris - Don't let anyone tell you different. Start with native 24 in camera. It is not overrated and it is most definately not the same thing using a deinterlace or filter program.

Glenn Chan - I am amazed that people still refer to 24p as overrated. The 24p (fps) cadence is the main ingredient to that 'mystical' filmmlook it seems most persons are after. Professional lighting and 60i is a soap opera. (I love Simon's SILENCER footage; but isn't that FRAME MODE in PAL LAND ?) And it most definatley does not look like 24p

How can you say 24p is overrated if someones goal is specifically the filmmlook ? How can you say it is not a big difference ? The difference is NIGHT and DAY.

I think this is misinformation that confuses people and leads them astray. Nothing could be farther from the truth that this statement. Doesn't using a deinterlace program reduce your resultion practically in half (you know this mang) ?

And that footage you submitted with 'Regular' 60i just doesn't compare to native progressive. Sorry to burst your bubble on this one. Ya know, the filters do make it look better, but the blur is a much diffferent effect thaan the actual progressive framerate capture.

seems like the absolute cheapest way currently to get a good in-camera non-high-def 24p film look is a used DVX-100. this is the camera which put 24p on the map, after all. you can pick these up fairly inexpensively these days.

I think it was even a GL1 :-)!!

Those days are far behind us. In the absolute worst case that might happen,
but that kind of software has gone through tremendous quality improvements.

They will probably never match the real deal, but that is not to say such software
is unusable or throws away half your resolution, not anymore.

the p+s technik in that link you gave is a depth of field (35mm) adapter. check out the alternative imgaing forum. i own the letus35 and use it with my xl1s. they let you use a 35mm slr still lens and preserve the same picture (dof, focal length, etc...) you can get these for really cheap

The "film look" on that page is mostly because of the adapter.. not the camera. my xl1s gets the same film (depth of field) effect with my letus.

I would never say it was a throwaway or unusable. It has it's place for those that settle.

(Muahahahhahah)

Chris,

What is your budget?

If the most important aspect for you is "filmlook" meaning progressive scan, get a camera that will record it in camera if you can afford it. Ideally something like the XL2, DVX100 or JVC HD100. If you budget is lower, a second hand GL1 is a lovely camera and has the "progressive like" frame mode. With the release of the HVX, I'm sure there are going to be a lot of 2nd hand DVXs coming on the market, so you may be able to grab a bargain.

You can add the effect in post but why waste time rendering and loosing a little quality if you don't have to.

It is just my opinion but in general, a £1000 camera combined with £1000 of lights will give better results than a £2000 camera alone. Of course you need to know how to use them as well. :)

the original post was about how he wanted an image like the ones in the link he posted... 35mm adapter is your answer!!!! thats what the product on that page is.. get a letus or an sg35 etc...

I think you are probably right Andrew. Chris, is it purely the depth-of-field characteristic you are referring to? i.e. in my article I show the same shot with and without the Mini35, demonstrating the shallow depth of field...? Also wondering what is the $7445 lens you are referring to--perhaps you mean the Mini35 adaptor itself (which is closer to $10K all in).