TV commercial shot with HD100E + LetusHD100 adapter

Miltos Pilalitos · February 28th, 2007, 08:00 PM

Phil Bloom: No problem with light loss or mount for us but there was a small issue with a particular kind of grain for which we are still not sure about it's source.

Hayes Roberts: We used Canon FD lenses which is something i have now regretted.

Sean Adair: No doctoring with the swish pan! :-)

Farishad Latjuba: Both! I was using the viewfinder and my DP was checking an 9'' HD monitor.

I hope tomorrow evening (CET) i will manage to post a page with lots of details about the shooting and some photos.

Gotta run now!

Cheers!

Miltos

Hayes Roberts · March 1st, 2007, 08:07 AM

Miltos-
Why the regrets with the Canon lenses?

Drew Curran · March 1st, 2007, 11:07 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Alan Ortiz

This was amazing. I wish I saw this weeks ago before I started to go on an HVX craze thinking I could get much better images out of the HVX. I dont see as much great stuff coming out of the HD100 camp as I do the HVX. A friend of mine is hell bent on getting rid of his DVX (he does mostly narrative work) and I keep trying to tell him and myself that its more than just the camera- its great direction, acting, scripting, editing, lighting, audio, etc and basically the overall mise-en-scene in a short that create something truly great. Thanks for posting it.

-Alán

This is so true. I think we forget that talent can get excellent results from any camera. We all get so carried away with numbers and colour space techno jargan. I also think the HVX has had a wonderful pedigree heritage (the DVX), which is why its success is so great - an out of the box its results are excellent. The HD100 seems to need some tweaking to get similar results.

I've struggled on and off with thoughts of jumping ship to the HVX becasue of the footage I see, but then I remember that the good footage I'm seeing is all well produced and planned out shots, and not rushed/adhoc shoots like all of my stuff has been - hence the quality is so much better. Taking time and considering lighting, location, composition, camera settings, lenses, etc, and a lot of talent, will pay off and produce excellent stuff.

Miltos obviously has the talent and taken the time to plan this shoot - and the result is excellent - equal to anything produced on any camera, IMHO.

Andrew

Chad Terpstra · March 6th, 2007, 12:34 AM

Miltos,

This looks very natural and extremely well-done. I love the opening shot. Great job!

I was wondering if you got a chance to put up that page with photos yet. I have two questions:

1.) What are some specific lenses you used as far as focal lengths? Is the 1.9x magnification an issue for you?

2.) What sort of grain were you seeing? Was it the "stuck grain pattern" variety? I don't think the HD100 likes the introduction of extra grain when it encodes footage. What were you seeing?

I don't know how much light the Letus loses, but light loss can be a subjective thing depending on who's using it. Someone used to shooting film or who has regular access to a grip truck for example will not think anything of it. -Just add more. The lighting here was perfect.

I think bypassing the HD100 lens does a lot of good when it comes to adapters and it may make up for a few problems with the Letus. I'm interested to see the results from Dennis's relay project for the Brevis.

Miltos Pilalitos · March 11th, 2007, 04:55 PM

Sorry for taking so long to post! My free time is very limited lately... :(

So the page can be found here:
http://pilalitos.blogspot.com/2007/0...radio-tvc.html

Chad i hope your questions will be covered!

Catch you later guys!

Miltos

Panos Bournias · March 12th, 2007, 04:43 AM

Hi Milto, I am wondering were are you based, in Athens or the US? I remember your post a few months ago with a roof that looked very much like a roof in Athens. Anyway your commercial is really good and congratulations. Milas Ellinika?
Panos

Miltos Pilalitos · March 12th, 2007, 12:12 PM

Ellinikotata! hehe

I am based in Athens!

Panos Bournias · March 13th, 2007, 12:57 AM

I am based in Indonesia. I was using an M2 adapter with Lomo-Nikon lenses but it has been stolen, cam and everything, a year ago.
I am looking on buying the JVC 16mm adapter but as I see the Letus does a very good job.
Do you have problems with focusing/ light loss etc.?
We are about to start shooting a film about the see gypsies of the Banda archipelago and we need the look of a super 16 camera. Can you give me some information about the Letus. My e-mail is yantra@dps.centrin.net.id, I meen not to bother the forum with info that are already posted.
Thank you, I would like also to hear some news about the reality in Athens.
Anyway if you have the time drop me a line.
Thank you.
Panos Bournias

Miltos Pilalitos · March 13th, 2007, 03:44 AM

I will drop you a line soon.

Miltos

Chad Terpstra · March 14th, 2007, 08:42 PM

Thanks for the info page. It's interesting how well the non-adapter (handheld) footage cuts with the Letus footage. I know the film of grain of which you speak. You can see it when you stop down on my Brevis to 5.6 or when using a higher-grain diffuser. Quyen will probably make a fix for you soon. It's too bad it comes out more in color grading... It's a consideration of the vibrating gg design. Good work though. That's a really nice piece.

Hayk Paul · March 14th, 2007, 09:04 PM

looks beautiful. is that 'static dirt' even visible in any of the shots that made into the commercial, because i can't spot anything, or does it show up when you watch it on a bigger screen???

Miltos Pilalitos · March 15th, 2007, 12:36 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Hayk Paul

Is that 'static dirt' even visible in any of the shots that made into the commercial?

The 'static dirt' was removed from the shots that made it into the commercial in post production.

It was a dirty job that had to be done... :)

Miltos Pilalitos · March 15th, 2007, 12:41 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Chad Terpstra

You can see it when you stop down on my Brevis to 5.6 or when using a higher-grain diffuser.

Hey Chad, do you have any Brevis/HD100 footage available that display the static dirt? I d'like to see how it compares to the Letus'.

Chad Terpstra · March 15th, 2007, 10:08 AM

Miltos, I don't have a great example online right now. It's not really dirt though and I don't think it could be removed in post. It's more of a film of stuck grain over everything. It's barely visible at the end of this diffuser test:
http://www.terpstar.com/test/Brevis/...fuserTests.mov If I panned the camera it'd be more visible.

Dennis is now re-working CF3 to get less grain in it, but it's meant for really wide lenses like F1.2-1.8. CF1 is clear up to F5.6 for me. What does your dirt look like?

Miltos Pilalitos · March 15th, 2007, 05:56 PM

Thanks for posting this.

Although the footage is highly compressed i think i noticed it better on the last shot. Especialy on the forhead.

That's exactly what the Letus does, only more. I am almost certain now that it's the ground glass's grain.

Hmmm... i wonder if Quyen can fix this...

March 12th, 2007, 04:43 AM	#21
Panos Bournias Regular Crew Join Date: Sep 2005 Posts: 109	Hi Milto Hi Milto, I am wondering were are you based, in Athens or the US? I remember your post a few months ago with a roof that looked very much like a roof in Athens. Anyway your commercial is really good and congratulations. Milas Ellinika? Panos

March 13th, 2007, 12:57 AM	#23
Panos Bournias Regular Crew Join Date: Sep 2005 Posts: 109	Orea I am based in Indonesia. I was using an M2 adapter with Lomo-Nikon lenses but it has been stolen, cam and everything, a year ago. I am looking on buying the JVC 16mm adapter but as I see the Letus does a very good job. Do you have problems with focusing/ light loss etc.? We are about to start shooting a film about the see gypsies of the Banda archipelago and we need the look of a super 16 camera. Can you give me some information about the Letus. My e-mail is yantra@dps.centrin.net.id, I meen not to bother the forum with info that are already posted. Thank you, I would like also to hear some news about the reality in Athens. Anyway if you have the time drop me a line. Thank you. Panos Bournias

February 28th, 2007, 08:00 PM	#16
Miltos Pilalitos Regular Crew Join Date: Sep 2006 Location: Piraeus, Greece Posts: 53	Phil Bloom: No problem with light loss or mount for us but there was a small issue with a particular kind of grain for which we are still not sure about it's source. Hayes Roberts: We used Canon FD lenses which is something i have now regretted. Sean Adair: No doctoring with the swish pan! :-) Farishad Latjuba: Both! I was using the viewfinder and my DP was checking an 9'' HD monitor. I hope tomorrow evening (CET) i will manage to post a page with lots of details about the shooting and some photos. Gotta run now! Cheers! Miltos

March 1st, 2007, 08:07 AM	#17
Hayes Roberts Regular Crew Join Date: Apr 2006 Location: Naples FLA Posts: 89	Miltos- Why the regrets with the Canon lenses?

March 6th, 2007, 12:34 AM	#19
Chad Terpstra Major Player Join Date: Jun 2005 Location: Grand Rapids, MI Posts: 320	Miltos, This looks very natural and extremely well-done. I love the opening shot. Great job! I was wondering if you got a chance to put up that page with photos yet. I have two questions: 1.) What are some specific lenses you used as far as focal lengths? Is the 1.9x magnification an issue for you? 2.) What sort of grain were you seeing? Was it the "stuck grain pattern" variety? I don't think the HD100 likes the introduction of extra grain when it encodes footage. What were you seeing? I don't know how much light the Letus loses, but light loss can be a subjective thing depending on who's using it. Someone used to shooting film or who has regular access to a grip truck for example will not think anything of it. -Just add more. The lighting here was perfect. I think bypassing the HD100 lens does a lot of good when it comes to adapters and it may make up for a few problems with the Letus. I'm interested to see the results from Dennis's relay project for the Brevis.

March 11th, 2007, 04:55 PM	#20
Miltos Pilalitos Regular Crew Join Date: Sep 2006 Location: Piraeus, Greece Posts: 53	Sorry for taking so long to post! My free time is very limited lately... :( So the page can be found here: http://pilalitos.blogspot.com/2007/0...radio-tvc.html Chad i hope your questions will be covered! Catch you later guys! Miltos

March 12th, 2007, 12:12 PM	#22
Miltos Pilalitos Regular Crew Join Date: Sep 2006 Location: Piraeus, Greece Posts: 53	Ellinikotata! hehe I am based in Athens!

March 13th, 2007, 03:44 AM	#24
Miltos Pilalitos Regular Crew Join Date: Sep 2006 Location: Piraeus, Greece Posts: 53	I will drop you a line soon. Miltos

March 14th, 2007, 08:42 PM	#25
Chad Terpstra Major Player Join Date: Jun 2005 Location: Grand Rapids, MI Posts: 320	Thanks for the info page. It's interesting how well the non-adapter (handheld) footage cuts with the Letus footage. I know the film of grain of which you speak. You can see it when you stop down on my Brevis to 5.6 or when using a higher-grain diffuser. Quyen will probably make a fix for you soon. It's too bad it comes out more in color grading... It's a consideration of the vibrating gg design. Good work though. That's a really nice piece.

March 14th, 2007, 09:04 PM	#26
Hayk Paul Regular Crew Join Date: Feb 2006 Posts: 64	looks beautiful. is that 'static dirt' even visible in any of the shots that made into the commercial, because i can't spot anything, or does it show up when you watch it on a bigger screen???

March 15th, 2007, 10:08 AM	#29
Chad Terpstra Major Player Join Date: Jun 2005 Location: Grand Rapids, MI Posts: 320	Miltos, I don't have a great example online right now. It's not really dirt though and I don't think it could be removed in post. It's more of a film of stuck grain over everything. It's barely visible at the end of this diffuser test: http://www.terpstar.com/test/Brevis/...fuserTests.mov If I panned the camera it'd be more visible. Dennis is now re-working CF3 to get less grain in it, but it's meant for really wide lenses like F1.2-1.8. CF1 is clear up to F5.6 for me. What does your dirt look like?

March 15th, 2007, 05:56 PM	#30
Miltos Pilalitos Regular Crew Join Date: Sep 2006 Location: Piraeus, Greece Posts: 53	Thanks for posting this. Although the footage is highly compressed i think i noticed it better on the last shot. Especialy on the forhead. That's exactly what the Letus does, only more. I am almost certain now that it's the ground glass's grain. Hmmm... i wonder if Quyen can fix this...