DOF testshot - person in a room, closeup
 

Hello forum,

I am new here and just a few steps away to order a PMW-EX1 :-)
For me the main criteria is: How far can I get the DOF in a standard dialogue situation? Is the 1/2 sensor system that much better for that than 1/3 ?

So please If anybody could do one or two simple still shots with his PMW:

- medium close up
- close up

of a person (or something what has approx. the size of a persons head) in a room with something other (or the wall) in 2, 3 meters distance.
Iris full open, so the shallowest DOF possible can be archived.

I know getting good DOF outdoors is relatively easy, as I can use tele settings and higher distance to the actor, but indoors I am limited to work with shorter focal length.

Many thanks !

DOF test
 

This is setup really quick. The camera is 8 feet from the person the person is 8 feet from the wall.

Natural light 24p, 48 speed shutter, aperture all the way open. Sorry about the color I have been playing with the "picture profiles"

www.thevideodepartment.net/EX1/16005806.tif
www.thevideodepartment.net/EX1/16012201.tif

DOF-wise alone, this camera really seems to make sense.

Chris, on the .tifs, around the childs' nose, mouth and eye sockets, I see what looks like either some weird pixel stuff, or bits of makeup. Almost like macro-blocking. Is that just me or can you see it too?

Cute kid, BTW.

Sorry about that I am pretty sure she had just finished eating a Hostess cupcake for breakfast. Mom was gone. Checking the video footage it is in the same place on her face throughout.

(Note to self, don't let talent eat cupcakes right before their scenes.)
The small disadvantages to HD.

Thanks for those, Chris.

How did you focus? Have you played with the hybrid focus yet?

Actually, I don't think I have shot anything on auto focus. I have played with it to see how it works. And it works about as well as any other I have used, but I always shoot in manual focus mode. Too much of a control freak I guess. I like to know if I miss focus on a shot it is my fault.

The lens is the thing that really sold me on this camera.


Say no to servo. ;)

Isn't their a hybrid mode that gives you creative control to focus manually, then the camera grabs to ensure perfect micro-focus?

Nice.
That's great to know you can get only 8 ft from your talent and still frame a fairly wide shot with a tighter DOF. The 1/2" sensors sure makes a difference.

Chris, I happened to notice these DOF example images looks a tad soft. This was using the XDCAM codec, not SDI, right?

Is it possible some settings may have changed that are causing the softer image. I say this since all you other stuff and footage from others looks real sharp.

Barlow mentioned the SDI stuff looks a bit soft too. Maybe a camera setting?

Maybe, I really love to tinker. I will reset the camera to factory specs before doing anymore tests. It is amazing how configurable this camera is.

@Chris - thank you so much for the examples!
And congratulations to your nice daughter :-)

the DOF is surprisingly good for me and I think It is good enough to match the standard situations in storytelling, even indoors with limited space. No more need for 35mm adaptors!

If you do the math, the step 1/3 -> 1/2 should be 1 stop less DOF (equivalent), but this seems to be much more. PMW looks like super 16 mm for me.

I guess I am sold. I try to find a US Dealer now shipping to europe (bhphotovideo unfortunately don´t)

What is the biggest Iris on the PMW in wide or normal settings - 1.9 or 1.6 ?

The EX's lens certainly appears to be a non-ramping zoom that maintains its f/1.9 aperture (though not of course T stop) throughout the zoom range.

The 1"/2 sensors are much bigger than the 1"/3 variety - in fact they're very nearly twice the surface area at 30.72 mm2 as against 1"/3's 17.28 mm2. So this means that for any given image size you'll be using a much longer focal length. This is just what DoF freaks (like me) want and pray for. Big chips are much better in low light situations too of course.

On top of that you can use f/1.9 whenever you like, whereas all 1"/3 chipped camcorders have ramping zooms that rapdly tail off to f/2.8.

tom.

Carlos, just make sure that the camera is PAL for Europe

Stelios