First impressions of RED One for wildlife shooting

Lauri Kettunen · March 21st, 2009, 02:16 PM

Been up in north and spent all day outdoors shooting landscapes as it's the very lasts of this winter that we have trees covered by icy snow. Found the EF 28-300mm/f3.5-5 L lens highly useful with Red One and preliminary the image quality seems to be very good. Today there it changed back and forth from snowing to sun shine every five minutes and a lens from wide angle to a moderate tele is quite useful in conditions when it's difficult to change a lens without getting snow to the sensor.

The good news of the day was that the long lenses will work after a software update to the mount. The newest version of the long lenses such 500mm/f4.0 and 600mm/f4.0 with the IS stabilizer work already with the Birger mount. Found this once had a chance to make tests this evening. The problem is related only to those lenses which havea focus speed switch and as said this will disappear after a software update.

The last weeks I've been generating Cineform avi-files from the Red R3 raw files I've shot during the last year using Redcine. It has been a pleasant surprise to discover that shots taken in rather low light result in very low noise 2K 16:9 avi files.

Grading the raw files require some experience to get the best possible outcome. Redcine is a pretty good tool, it only takes quite a lot of time to export the files. So far I've graded each shot separately and then left the computer to process the files over night.

Lauri Kettunen · March 23rd, 2009, 01:44 PM

Here are some samples of what I shot last weekend. The trees covered by icy snow are shot with the EF 28-300mm/f3.5-5 L (camera: 4K 16:9 mode) and a ND filter and the Great Grey Owl with the EF 28-70mm/f2.8 L lens (camera: 2K 16:9 mode).

Mat Thompson · March 23rd, 2009, 02:02 PM

Fab stuff Lauri, this is one of my favourite owls. Im trying to film Short Eared owls at the moment....if I could only get that range on them! I'm guessing you were about 15 metres ?

Brendan Marnell · March 23rd, 2009, 04:53 PM

I'd love to talk about your beautiful Great Grey Owl, Lauri, but recent photoshopping has wiped out my credibility (temporarily!).

I am much more impressed by the sheer variety in the cast of snow-creatures moving left-to-right across the stage in your bottom-left photo. That is a truly wonderful shot.
I would have thought that only humans of differing ages and sizes could convey such diversity but you have captured all those shapes and movement within a scape of tree tops in frozen snow ... quite bloody marvellous.

Dale Guthormsen · March 25th, 2009, 05:32 PM

Lauri,

How about putting a bit of actual video up on vimeo HD??

Great shots!!!

we are still covered in snow and it is snowing al day today.

At least lauri has trees, Heck I haver a tuff time finding one, eh? ell, at least a naturally occuring one!

Ofer Levy · March 27th, 2009, 06:42 AM

Great shots! I could never tell these were taken with a video camera rather than a stills SLR.

My main argument for prefering the EX3 over the RED for wildlife is the limied reach. When I mount a 600mm lens on my EX3 I get an effective 3300 mm lens but when mounted on the RED it is still 600mm.

Mat Thompson · March 27th, 2009, 08:33 AM

Ofer - Thats not actually the case, because you can apparently 'shut down' portions of the sensor, so I guess that simply gives more flexibility.

Quote
"In the 4K mode the factor is about 1.4. In the 2K mode there's another factor of 2, so a 400m lens in the 2K mode corresponds to a 1100mm lens in a 35mm SLR camera."

Gilles Debord · April 2nd, 2009, 03:56 AM

Hi Lauri

Could you post a little clip on Vimeo or other.

Gilles

Ofer Levy · April 2nd, 2009, 06:10 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Mat Thompson

Ofer - Thats not actually the case, because you can apparently 'shut down' portions of the sensor, so I guess that simply gives more flexibility.

Quote
"In the 4K mode the factor is about 1.4. In the 2K mode there's another factor of 2, so a 400m lens in the 2K mode corresponds to a 1100mm lens in a 35mm SLR camera."

Thanks for the input Mat. A 400mm lens on the EX3 is like a 2200mm lens on a 35mm SLR which is significantly longer the the 1100mm you mention.
Generally speaking, although I have no experience with the RED ONE and I am sure it is a fantastic camera based on the images I have seen, I still think it is not the best camera to use for wildlife. Not enough reach as mentioned, heavy, huge files - looks like an over kill to me if you are not planning to show your work on the big screen.
The EX3 is a fantastic camera, coupled with the Flash XDR - gives you top quality footage which is accepted by every TV channel - 1920x1080, progressive, 4:2:2, 50-100 Mbs.
Cheers,
Ofer

Lauri Kettunen · April 4th, 2009, 11:34 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Gilles Debord

Could you post a little clip on Vimeo or other.

Just returning from shooting in the north. But, yes, I'll create some clip in the near future.

The slight problem is that I'm producing a large document taking couple years and according to the agreement not allowed to post any clips or clips similar to those that will be included in the final document.

Ofer, as Mat said it all boils down to the sensor size and clipping yields larger zooming factor. However, after got Red One I've pretty much given up of making close ups´with long teles. The nice thing of HD is that one can shoot images showing also the environment and I find them far more interesting than close ups. Or whenver I make need close ups I put a short lens and remote control the camera. But, of couse, this is a matter of taste.

Sverker Hahn · April 6th, 2009, 10:53 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Lauri Kettunen

However, after got Red One I've pretty much given up of making close ups´with long teles. The nice thing of HD is that one can shoot images showing also the environment and I find them far more interesting than close ups.

Agree. Nature with animals instead of animals in nature ...

Sverker

check LentoVision: Birds.

Jonathan Shaw · April 9th, 2009, 05:19 PM

I just got back from a deserted island shoot with RED, Arri / Zeis Master Primes etc etc. It was my first shoot with RED and the project is a feature on Sea Lions....

I loved shooting on RED, and actually found it relatively straight forward, a few little glitches and focusing is extremely critical. Probably the biggest challenge is the sheer size of the rig fully kitted for wildlife. There was only two of us on the shoot and we probably could have done with another at least. I have attached some piccy's below.
The other challenge is the amount of times we needed to lens change which was always a nervous time in the dust and wind.

Here are a couple of pics

http://www.ginclearfilm.com/images/s...joredsmall.gif

http://www.ginclearfilm.com/images/s...redsmall_1.jpg

Cheers

Jon

Tim Cee · April 13th, 2009, 09:21 AM

Looks like you get into some great opportunities Lauri with some awesome encounters. I would also like seeing some video. Using a video camera for stills is not the same as a DSLR for stills. Having both a Video Cam and DSLR's I would never dream of capturing still images with my Video Camera as the image quality is just not there for that irregardless of what Video Camera you are using or what the MFG touts.

Leon Lorenz · April 13th, 2009, 12:59 PM

Hi Lauri

Terrific shots with the Red. I to like the wide shots with wildlife, however, I find the medium and tight shots are also needed for great story telling.

Best,

Leon Lorenz
Canadian Wildlife Productions: Grizzly Bears, Bighorm Sheep in Alberta & BC Rockies DVD Videos

Lauri Kettunen · April 25th, 2009, 01:23 PM

Here's finally a sample video shot with Canon EF500mm/4.0L lens (without IS) and after 53s there's also the EF 1.4x II extender in front of the lens:

www.luontovideo.net/EF500mm-and-1.4x-sample.wmv

It's all shot in about 10 minutes from our backyard. So, perhaps better not to expect an artistic view. There is also a clear difference between this compressed and an uncompressed file.

March 21st, 2009, 02:16 PM	#16
Lauri Kettunen Major Player Join Date: Aug 2004 Location: Kangasala, Finland Posts: 445	Outdoors ... Been up in north and spent all day outdoors shooting landscapes as it's the very lasts of this winter that we have trees covered by icy snow. Found the EF 28-300mm/f3.5-5 L lens highly useful with Red One and preliminary the image quality seems to be very good. Today there it changed back and forth from snowing to sun shine every five minutes and a lens from wide angle to a moderate tele is quite useful in conditions when it's difficult to change a lens without getting snow to the sensor. The good news of the day was that the long lenses will work after a software update to the mount. The newest version of the long lenses such 500mm/f4.0 and 600mm/f4.0 with the IS stabilizer work already with the Birger mount. Found this once had a chance to make tests this evening. The problem is related only to those lenses which havea focus speed switch and as said this will disappear after a software update. The last weeks I've been generating Cineform avi-files from the Red R3 raw files I've shot during the last year using Redcine. It has been a pleasant surprise to discover that shots taken in rather low light result in very low noise 2K 16:9 avi files. Grading the raw files require some experience to get the best possible outcome. Redcine is a pretty good tool, it only takes quite a lot of time to export the files. So far I've graded each shot separately and then left the computer to process the files over night.

March 23rd, 2009, 01:44 PM	#17
Lauri Kettunen Major Player Join Date: Aug 2004 Location: Kangasala, Finland Posts: 445	Samples Here are some samples of what I shot last weekend. The trees covered by icy snow are shot with the EF 28-300mm/f3.5-5 L (camera: 4K 16:9 mode) and a ND filter and the Great Grey Owl with the EF 28-70mm/f2.8 L lens (camera: 2K 16:9 mode). Attached Thumbnails

March 23rd, 2009, 02:02 PM	#18
Mat Thompson Trustee Join Date: Sep 2006 Location: Kent UK Posts: 1,397	Fab stuff Lauri, this is one of my favourite owls. Im trying to film Short Eared owls at the moment....if I could only get that range on them! I'm guessing you were about 15 metres ? Last edited by Mat Thompson; March 23rd, 2009 at 05:04 PM.

March 25th, 2009, 05:32 PM	#20
Dale Guthormsen Inner Circle Join Date: Jun 2005 Location: Saskatchewan Posts: 3,048	Lauri, How about putting a bit of actual video up on vimeo HD?? Great shots!!! we are still covered in snow and it is snowing al day today. At least lauri has trees, Heck I haver a tuff time finding one, eh? ell, at least a naturally occuring one! __________________ DATS ALL FOLKS Dale W. Guthormsen

April 2nd, 2009, 03:56 AM	#23
Gilles Debord Regular Crew Join Date: Apr 2007 Location: France Posts: 152	Hi Lauri Could you post a little clip on Vimeo or other. Gilles __________________ Gilles Debord http://www.wwvideo.tv

March 23rd, 2009, 04:53 PM	#19
Brendan Marnell Major Player Join Date: Dec 2004 Location: Dublin, Ireland Posts: 938	I'd love to talk about your beautiful Great Grey Owl, Lauri, but recent photoshopping has wiped out my credibility (temporarily!). I am much more impressed by the sheer variety in the cast of snow-creatures moving left-to-right across the stage in your bottom-left photo. That is a truly wonderful shot. I would have thought that only humans of differing ages and sizes could convey such diversity but you have captured all those shapes and movement within a scape of tree tops in frozen snow ... quite bloody marvellous.

March 27th, 2009, 06:42 AM	#21
Ofer Levy Major Player Join Date: May 2005 Location: Sydney-Australia Posts: 443	Great shots! I could never tell these were taken with a video camera rather than a stills SLR. My main argument for prefering the EX3 over the RED for wildlife is the limied reach. When I mount a 600mm lens on my EX3 I get an effective 3300 mm lens but when mounted on the RED it is still 600mm.

March 27th, 2009, 08:33 AM	#22
Mat Thompson Trustee Join Date: Sep 2006 Location: Kent UK Posts: 1,397	Ofer - Thats not actually the case, because you can apparently 'shut down' portions of the sensor, so I guess that simply gives more flexibility. Quote "In the 4K mode the factor is about 1.4. In the 2K mode there's another factor of 2, so a 400m lens in the 2K mode corresponds to a 1100mm lens in a 35mm SLR camera."

April 9th, 2009, 05:19 PM	#27
Jonathan Shaw Major Player Join Date: Nov 2007 Location: Sydney Posts: 552	I just got back from a deserted island shoot with RED, Arri / Zeis Master Primes etc etc. It was my first shoot with RED and the project is a feature on Sea Lions.... I loved shooting on RED, and actually found it relatively straight forward, a few little glitches and focusing is extremely critical. Probably the biggest challenge is the sheer size of the rig fully kitted for wildlife. There was only two of us on the shoot and we probably could have done with another at least. I have attached some piccy's below. The other challenge is the amount of times we needed to lens change which was always a nervous time in the dust and wind. Here are a couple of pics http://www.ginclearfilm.com/images/s...joredsmall.gif http://www.ginclearfilm.com/images/s...redsmall_1.jpg Cheers Jon __________________ www.ginclearfilm.com www.facebook.com/ginclearfilm

April 13th, 2009, 09:21 AM	#28
Tim Cee Regular Crew Join Date: Mar 2007 Location: Orange County, California Posts: 179	Looks like you get into some great opportunities Lauri with some awesome encounters. I would also like seeing some video. Using a video camera for stills is not the same as a DSLR for stills. Having both a Video Cam and DSLR's I would never dream of capturing still images with my Video Camera as the image quality is just not there for that irregardless of what Video Camera you are using or what the MFG touts. __________________ www.socalt.com

April 13th, 2009, 12:59 PM	#29
Leon Lorenz Regular Crew Join Date: Jan 2007 Location: McBride BC Canada Posts: 100	Hi Lauri Terrific shots with the Red. I to like the wide shots with wildlife, however, I find the medium and tight shots are also needed for great story telling. Best, Leon Lorenz Canadian Wildlife Productions: Grizzly Bears, Bighorm Sheep in Alberta & BC Rockies DVD Videos

April 25th, 2009, 01:23 PM	#30
Lauri Kettunen Major Player Join Date: Aug 2004 Location: Kangasala, Finland Posts: 445	Sample video Here's finally a sample video shot with Canon EF500mm/4.0L lens (without IS) and after 53s there's also the EF 1.4x II extender in front of the lens: www.luontovideo.net/EF500mm-and-1.4x-sample.wmv It's all shot in about 10 minutes from our backyard. So, perhaps better not to expect an artistic view. There is also a clear difference between this compressed and an uncompressed file.