2:35:1 mode?

[Juan Pablo Ramirez]

I may be misinformed but someone told me that the HD 200 was able to shoot in a 2:35:1 mode. Is this true? If so, then wouldn't there be a lot of resolution loss?

[Tim Dashwood]

You can set the frame lines to 2.35:1 either centered or shifted up for common head room.
The camera still records the full 16x9 frame.

Post production would remain the same at 16x9 but you would add letterbox for 2.35:1. This is exactly how it is done for Blu-Ray releases in 2.35:1. They are 2.35:1 letterboxed in 16x9.
The actual picture area dimensions will be 1280x544.

[Giroud Francois]

you can also add a 16/9 lens converter, over a 16/9 image it gives you anamorphic 2.35

[Juan Pablo Ramirez]

where would i get one of these?

[Claude Mangold]

I am using 2.35 in an upcoming project to be shot mixing JVC 251 and film.

We've been doing some testing / scouting in 2.35. It's a bit clumsy to use on the 251 as we add a black bar on the LCD and on the monitor. and a hair on the viewfinder (Thanks for the suggestion, Tim !). Of course, the viewfinder is even more useless for accurate focusing etc.

We plan to test a full film-out of 2:35 sequence with the 251 hd-sdi out and cineprimes and see how it can be matched with 2:35 on Kodak or Fuji stock (spherical letterboxed).

François, that's an interesting suggestion - but what about optical loss ? and would this work with primes ? is it not better to get hold of anamorphic primes and put them on with the mini35 ? we'd get better resolution as all 720 lines would be there.

(although this may be impossible due to lens rental cost plus there's no pana rep in switzerland)

[Giroud Francois]

16/9 lens are usually not adding any good to the picture, except if you can find very high end ones.

[Enzo Giobbé]

2.35:1 is actually the Super 35 capture format. I mostly work in that format (film, RED, F950, and yes, the JVC).

It's a very flexible shooting format (not really a release format). You can do a lot of things to the Super 35 capture format when it comes time to distribute.

I have suggested to JVC Japan that that make a provision in their future cam offerings that will let the safe area frame lines that are currently visible in the VF and on-board LCD pass onto an external monitor as well. You can do with the characters, so why not the frame lines (with a JUST the frame lines option)? It's not exactly rocket science. I think this valuable omission is just that nobody at JVC ever gave it a thought.

I use Panasonic BT-LH80WU on-board monitors (on a Noga arm) because the Panny has adjustable, user set frame lines. You can set the frame at 4:3, 16:9, 2:35 or anywhere in between, I also like that you can set the transparency of the out of frame area, so that those that are accustomed to working with high end film and digital cameras that do show that, can see what's just outside of the frame on cameras that don't.

Schneider / Century Optics used to make a very high end 16:9 zoom though slip on that will give excellent results when used on a 16:9 camera and then unsqueezed in post. It's a slightly better picture than using 2:35 masking in post.

I don't imagine they would be easy to find these days, but if you do, try and get the IF multicoated one. They also made a matte box and filter holder for it (uses 5x6 filters).

[Claude Mangold]

Enzo,
JVC actually has a monitor which reproduces the safe areas, it's the VF-HP840U. It connects to the cam's VF socket. Drawback is, you can't connect the VF anymore as there is no passthrough connexion. But the standard VF is near useless anyway .

JVC lent me one last year, it's not full-HD ( neither is the Panny you're using) but is has a feature which allows one to blow up part of the image to 1:1 pixels like for checking dead pixels or accurate focusing.

Main drawback: the cost is just horrendous, last year it was more than 5K. We decided not to spend then , but may well now anyway. especially if we find someone to make us a passthrough and we find the better VF P116U on ebay.


Of course you are right with S35. Problem is there are no S35 cams available in this part of the country (Geneva) just for 1-day's testing. Hard enough to find a standard 35 & glass.
Enzo, which Red are you using ? One, or the new modular type with the specific S35 module, I forget the name ? And did you match the JVC footage with film footage ?

[Enzo Giobbé]

Originally Posted by Claude Mangold

Enzo,
JVC actually has a monitor which reproduces the safe areas, it's the VF-HP840U. It connects to the cam's VF socket.

Drawback is, you can't connect the VF anymore as there is no passthrough connexion. But the standard VF is near useless anyway .

Of course you are right with S35. Problem is there are no S35 cams available in this part of the country (Geneva) just for 1-day's testing. Hard enough to find a standard 35 & glass.
Enzo, which Red are you using ? One, or the new modular type with the specific S35 module, I forget the name ? And did you match the JVC footage with film footage ?

Ciao Claude,

I don't think it's that monitor that generates the frame lines, it's the port that generates the frame lines. Any monitor that could be plugged into the VF port, would also have the frame lines visible.

I only use the Panny for Super 35 work (because of the users set frame lines feature). Otherwise I use the ikan V5600's.

I used a SmallHD DP1 awhile back, and really liked it. Great design, resolution and form factor, but it won't work for me at its present feature set. I need a on-camera monitor that can be powered off the Anton Bauer D-tap, and preferably has the ability to generate frame lines as well.

I have had some discussion with (not sure if he wants to me to mention his name, so I won't) at the SmallHD company, and I can tell you, I really liked what he had to say, and the way they are approaching their business model. Much like the RED, you are not just buying into the hardware, you are buying into a philosophy and becoming part of the family.

Actually, I use the VF for focusing all the time (or a tape). On follow shots, either the Panny or ikan is good enough to keep a check on, and all the focus points are always marked on the wheel via tape measurements anyway. BTW, the 17:1 lens distance markings are pretty accurate.

The VF on the 200B is not as good as the one on the 700, but better (even though the specs appear to be the same) than the one on the 100/110 models.

I use the RED One. The RED Scarlet is not available yet, but I am really, really looking forward to using it as well! The RED cams are pretty much designed to excel with the S35 capture format.

[Claude Mangold]

Enzo, you're right of course about the port / VF out

question is, does JVC use a proprietary connection or a standard one, I do not know.

One could probably take the connectors one needs (for us this would be f-stop and HDD and maybe battery) and leave out those signals that clutter the picture ? Has anyone tried this ?

[Enzo Giobbé]

Originally Posted by Claude Mangold

Enzo, you're right of course about the port / VF out

question is, does JVC use a proprietary connection or a standard one, I do not know.

One could probably take the connectors one needs (for us this would be f-stop and HDD and maybe battery) and leave out those signals that clutter the picture ? Has anyone tried this ?

Proprietary. As far as I know, the VF's are not even interchangeable between the 100 series and the 200 series (and definitely not the 700 series).

When I was experimenting with a Flyer rig (using a stripped down 100), I had a cable made up that would feed the LCD monitor the video signal and frame lines, so I know it can be done.

[Claude Mangold]

Enzo, now that you mention viewfinders: apparently the JVC VF P11 6U Viewfinder connects to the 200/251 and gives noticeably better results than the stardard vf.
Did you try this out by chance - or another brand of viewfinder altogether ?

[Enzo Giobbé]

Originally Posted by Claude Mangold

Enzo, now that you mention viewfinders: apparently the JVC VF P11 6U Viewfinder connects to the 200/251 and gives noticeably better results than the stardard vf.
Did you try this out by chance - or another brand of viewfinder altogether ?

Claude, I have never used any other VF on either the HD110 or HD200B except the ones that came with the cams. I did modify a JVC VF plug so that it would feed video + frame lines to a LCD monitor on a Steadicam Flyer. I know the VF pinouts are not exactly the same on both cams.

I have that P116U viewfinder mounted on my GY DV500, and it is an excellent unit, but there is no way to easily mount it on the 200B (same goes for any other non JVC viewfinder).

The VF on the HM700 is a nice unit as well, but it is not interchangeable with the VF's on the HD series as far as I know.

[Marcello Mazzilli]

Just to say.. I have a problem with my VF on my HM700... A little screw on the slide came a little out and now it's impossible to slide in or out the VF because it "hits" on this screw. It's very difficult to reach this little screw and I'll have to take it to the assistance. Be more carefull than I was !

[Claude Mangold]

Thanks, Enzo !