SUMIX SMX 12A12C Capture Application Project(For Filmmakers)

Jose A. Garcia · March 13th, 2008, 10:01 AM

A couple of days ago I read that a Red One camera takes between 1 and 2 minutes to be ready to shoot since you press ON. My computer loads Windows XP much faster. Just think about a slimmed down version of XP just with the stuff this cam needs (Silicon Imaging used Windows Embedded I think) loading from a miniITX system with 2Gb of ram, a Core2Duo processor and a couple of big 7200rpm HDDs... How long can that computer take to load Windows and Anhar's app? 10-20 seconds? I'm not a Windows fan really, but I'm not looking for a point&shoot camera, so I'm willing to wait a few seconds before I can start.

If Sumix gives access to all internal codes and someone writes a Linux app which loads faster and needs less computer speed/power, I'll try it. I'm not too sure if an OSX app would work, because it would require a Macbook Pro, so options to build an independent system get reduced to the possibility of Apple developing a faster MiniMac.

You can always try to install a patched copy of Leopard on a miniITX computer...

Juan M. M. Fiebelkorn · March 13th, 2008, 11:17 AM

Daniel:
That is why I'm saying it, maybe Jose ends up quite happy with his camera, but it won't be an easy task to work with it.Not to mention the headaches for developers.......

About Sumix taking actions on base of what you are saying....No way!!!!

That is the "Diference" between Sumix and SI. It seems to me that Sumix is more "engineer" and SI is more "user", and Engineers usually don't make things the way people need it, but the way engineers want them.

If that weren't the case, RED wouldn`t exist.Sony already has sensors of 12 and 24 Mpixels.It is just that japanese engineers can't believe why someone would want to shoot moving images using a bulky sensor and bulky lenses with limited depth of field, when you can have a camera on the head of a nail and have infinite focus :)

Farhad Towfiq · March 13th, 2008, 01:48 PM

Juan,

Indeed we are going to open our low level software tools as much as needed so others can make this camera more useful. The technology goes obsolete so fast that we do not have the resources and knowledge to do all the work ourselves. We are working in parallel on developing driver for Linux. But, it may be faster and easier to support third parties to make their own versions.
In any case you have access to raw data and complete control of the sensor and any compression we provide with windows API that we are providing.

Farhad

Jose A. Garcia · March 13th, 2008, 02:15 PM

That sounds great Farhad!

So there it is... Open low level software tools. Possibility to migrate to other systems... What else do you want??

By the way Farhad, did you get my last mail?

Farhad Towfiq · March 14th, 2008, 10:46 AM

Thank you for your comments, We certainly understand the necessity of user support in all kind of product developments that we are engaged in. Usually we have let customers directly communicate with our engineers and derive corrections and improvements. For Cinema camera we need to go much farther and tap your creativities and encourage you to make your own versions of the finished product.

We have about 55 people full time from which about 45 are engineers and technicians, We have another 10-20 technicians helping us part time at any time. However we are small considering the depth and intensity of commercial projects we are doing. Other than what you see on our website, we are developing enterprise software, Java, for cable modem management, massive beamforming and multiplexing for 3D medical ultrasound, device for 3D
optical eye examination, mapping retina in high resolution, surface and depth.
So far our marketing and sales is quite limited, and not have used investors money we have the flexibility to work with our customers as it will be needed in the future.

Daniel Lipats · March 14th, 2008, 12:23 PM

Here is a link to the files that came with the camera on the supplied CD, and also the SDK.

http://www.dreamstonestudios.com/per...2/development/

I'm told that the SDK is currently under development. What is included now won't change but they are working on adding more features and improving old ones.

John Wyatt · March 16th, 2008, 04:05 PM

Regarding support from the Sumix company, my own experience was very positive. After I bought an M73 camera head the technical support from them was always open and helpful. At the risk of losing any credibility by endlessly emailing very basic questions, Petrovich always promptly got back with answers to help me along. And later Farhad offered a free M72 head as a comparison, which he thought would be more suitable for my needs since I wasn't chasing the resolution numbers and valued larger pixels on the same size sensor. I quickly came to the conclusion that the Sumix people really wanted to helps us! When it comes to support, it doesn't get much better than this.

Jose A. Garcia · March 16th, 2008, 09:32 PM

I totally agree John. Farhad has been extremely helpful and patient since my first contact with him long ago asking for their M73 cams. After that with all my questions about their gigE cams when they first announced them and now when I'm finally buying one, he's been always there for me answering every possible question I came up with, offering creative solutions and giving more than anyone would ever ask for.

I really think in very little time and with the help of all the people who's working on different open software projects, Sumix will be the first company to offer a really affordable fully featured digital filmmaking solution and that's possible thanks to people like Farhad and all Sumix workers.

Jose A. Garcia · March 25th, 2008, 07:26 PM

So, any news on the software? My cam arrives tomorrow. I'll be ready to start testing by thursday!

Johanes Wilenius · May 30th, 2009, 12:40 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Jose A. Garcia

So, any news on the software? My cam arrives tomorrow. I'll be ready to start testing by thursday!

Is this project still going on.... I got my sumix 12A12C 3 days ago and I have ordered intel microatx motherboard, dual core, 128 gb flash drive and some 12 volt system to run that...

Anhar Miah · May 30th, 2009, 01:49 PM

Wow, its been a long time since I started this thread.

I never got my hands on the SDKs so the project was put the back burner :D

But since I've noticed a poster has kindly posted access to the SDK, I'll have a look.

I still have the project files, I may evn fire it up one weekend.

Anhar

Anhar Miah · May 30th, 2009, 01:56 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Farhad Towfiq

Juan,

Indeed we are going to open our low level software tools as much as needed so others can make this camera more useful. The technology goes obsolete so fast that we do not have the resources and knowledge to do all the work ourselves. We are working in parallel on developing driver for Linux. But, it may be faster and easier to support third parties to make their own versions.
In any case you have access to raw data and complete control of the sensor and any compression we provide with windows API that we are providing.

Farhad

Thats amazing!

any change of .Net Support with working samples?

sorry for the double posting, only notice this.

Anhar

May 30th, 2009, 01:49 PM	#26
Anhar Miah Major Player Join Date: Dec 2003 Location: United Kindom, England Posts: 290	Long time Wow, its been a long time since I started this thread. I never got my hands on the SDKs so the project was put the back burner :D But since I've noticed a poster has kindly posted access to the SDK, I'll have a look. I still have the project files, I may evn fire it up one weekend. Anhar __________________ The IT Ninja Learn, Teach, Grow..

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March 13th, 2008, 10:01 AM	#16
Jose A. Garcia Major Player Join Date: May 2007 Location: Sevilla (Spain) Posts: 439	A couple of days ago I read that a Red One camera takes between 1 and 2 minutes to be ready to shoot since you press ON. My computer loads Windows XP much faster. Just think about a slimmed down version of XP just with the stuff this cam needs (Silicon Imaging used Windows Embedded I think) loading from a miniITX system with 2Gb of ram, a Core2Duo processor and a couple of big 7200rpm HDDs... How long can that computer take to load Windows and Anhar's app? 10-20 seconds? I'm not a Windows fan really, but I'm not looking for a point&shoot camera, so I'm willing to wait a few seconds before I can start. If Sumix gives access to all internal codes and someone writes a Linux app which loads faster and needs less computer speed/power, I'll try it. I'm not too sure if an OSX app would work, because it would require a Macbook Pro, so options to build an independent system get reduced to the possibility of Apple developing a faster MiniMac. You can always try to install a patched copy of Leopard on a miniITX computer...

March 13th, 2008, 11:17 AM	#17
Juan M. M. Fiebelkorn Major Player Join Date: Jun 2004 Location: Buenos Aires , Argentina Posts: 444	Daniel: That is why I'm saying it, maybe Jose ends up quite happy with his camera, but it won't be an easy task to work with it.Not to mention the headaches for developers....... About Sumix taking actions on base of what you are saying....No way!!!! That is the "Diference" between Sumix and SI. It seems to me that Sumix is more "engineer" and SI is more "user", and Engineers usually don't make things the way people need it, but the way engineers want them. If that weren't the case, RED wouldn`t exist.Sony already has sensors of 12 and 24 Mpixels.It is just that japanese engineers can't believe why someone would want to shoot moving images using a bulky sensor and bulky lenses with limited depth of field, when you can have a camera on the head of a nail and have infinite focus :)

March 13th, 2008, 01:48 PM	#18
Farhad Towfiq Regular Crew Join Date: Sep 2007 Location: California Posts: 63	Juan, Indeed we are going to open our low level software tools as much as needed so others can make this camera more useful. The technology goes obsolete so fast that we do not have the resources and knowledge to do all the work ourselves. We are working in parallel on developing driver for Linux. But, it may be faster and easier to support third parties to make their own versions. In any case you have access to raw data and complete control of the sensor and any compression we provide with windows API that we are providing. Farhad

March 13th, 2008, 02:15 PM	#19
Jose A. Garcia Major Player Join Date: May 2007 Location: Sevilla (Spain) Posts: 439	That sounds great Farhad! So there it is... Open low level software tools. Possibility to migrate to other systems... What else do you want?? By the way Farhad, did you get my last mail?

March 14th, 2008, 10:46 AM	#20
Farhad Towfiq Regular Crew Join Date: Sep 2007 Location: California Posts: 63	Thank you for your comments, We certainly understand the necessity of user support in all kind of product developments that we are engaged in. Usually we have let customers directly communicate with our engineers and derive corrections and improvements. For Cinema camera we need to go much farther and tap your creativities and encourage you to make your own versions of the finished product. We have about 55 people full time from which about 45 are engineers and technicians, We have another 10-20 technicians helping us part time at any time. However we are small considering the depth and intensity of commercial projects we are doing. Other than what you see on our website, we are developing enterprise software, Java, for cable modem management, massive beamforming and multiplexing for 3D medical ultrasound, device for 3D optical eye examination, mapping retina in high resolution, surface and depth. So far our marketing and sales is quite limited, and not have used investors money we have the flexibility to work with our customers as it will be needed in the future.

March 14th, 2008, 12:23 PM	#21
Daniel Lipats Major Player Join Date: Feb 2006 Posts: 260	Here is a link to the files that came with the camera on the supplied CD, and also the SDK. http://www.dreamstonestudios.com/per...2/development/ I'm told that the SDK is currently under development. What is included now won't change but they are working on adding more features and improving old ones.

March 16th, 2008, 04:05 PM	#22
John Wyatt Regular Crew Join Date: Jan 2006 Location: West Country, UK Posts: 141	Regarding support from the Sumix company, my own experience was very positive. After I bought an M73 camera head the technical support from them was always open and helpful. At the risk of losing any credibility by endlessly emailing very basic questions, Petrovich always promptly got back with answers to help me along. And later Farhad offered a free M72 head as a comparison, which he thought would be more suitable for my needs since I wasn't chasing the resolution numbers and valued larger pixels on the same size sensor. I quickly came to the conclusion that the Sumix people really wanted to helps us! When it comes to support, it doesn't get much better than this.

March 16th, 2008, 09:32 PM	#23
Jose A. Garcia Major Player Join Date: May 2007 Location: Sevilla (Spain) Posts: 439	I totally agree John. Farhad has been extremely helpful and patient since my first contact with him long ago asking for their M73 cams. After that with all my questions about their gigE cams when they first announced them and now when I'm finally buying one, he's been always there for me answering every possible question I came up with, offering creative solutions and giving more than anyone would ever ask for. I really think in very little time and with the help of all the people who's working on different open software projects, Sumix will be the first company to offer a really affordable fully featured digital filmmaking solution and that's possible thanks to people like Farhad and all Sumix workers.

March 25th, 2008, 07:26 PM	#24
Jose A. Garcia Major Player Join Date: May 2007 Location: Sevilla (Spain) Posts: 439	So, any news on the software? My cam arrives tomorrow. I'll be ready to start testing by thursday!