Shooting modes? at DVinfo.net

Andreas Fernbrant · January 17th, 2004, 08:06 PM

I just sat and thought about the PS Techniks Mini 35 and how you shoot when you use one?

I have and XL1 so I guess that would be a good camera to ask for. Do you want to shoot frame or not? To my knowlage the spinning pice of glas inside make the image look more like film if it spinning but you can have it of too?

So the question is interlaced or frame? Anyone have any experiance? What about the shutter? low like 25/50 pal? or 30/60 for NTSC? or fast (minding the spinning of the glas)

Charles Papert · January 17th, 2004, 10:13 PM

Andreas:

My experience has been that to shoot without frame mode or the intention to de-interlace in post via Magic Bullet or the like is not really worth it. I have seen some 60i footage shot with the Mini35 and it looks, well, strange--like a soap opera with oddly shallow focus. I personally subscribe to the theory that the number one factor in creating a film-like feel from video is to alter the frame rate down to either 30 or 24 fps, and so when shooting with the Mini35 I always use frame mode. I think that if the project is to remain 60i, it's not worth the time and money to use the film optics.

As far as the spinner is concerned, I always shoot with it in the on position. If you have it off, you tend to get a fixed pattern in areas of solid tones like the sky that is not ideal, sort of like shooting through a dirty window.

Barry Green · January 18th, 2004, 02:06 AM

What Charles said is exactly the truth.

Get the demo DVD from ZGC, there's one clip on there that was shot in interlace mode, and the difference is startling and jarring -- in fact, it clearly makes the case that the #1 most important element in the "film look" is the frame rate.

Shooting with the ground glass not spinning is really not a good idea. The grain pattern is visible, and it makes your footage look like you're shooting through a dirty lens. Spinning the ground glass makes the pattern go away, giving clear images with a hint of filmlike "grain".

Andreas Fernbrant · January 18th, 2004, 10:38 AM

Do you reccomend a high or low shutter value? I've never tried a mini 35 but if I where to guess a low value would be good. A high shutter would or more likely could, pick up the spinning glas?

Do you know what it looks like if you put the shutter to let say around 1000? I mean just to see if it picks up some fun video effects of the glass?

Barry Green · January 18th, 2004, 07:33 PM

Didn't experiment with that. High shutter speeds lead to very staccato movement on your subjects, and are usually avoided unless you're looking for a specific effect (such as the zombie movement in "28 Days Later"). This has nothing to do with the mini35, of course, it's just typical video shutter speed talk.

January 17th, 2004, 10:13 PM	#2
Charles Papert Wrangler Join Date: Jan 2002 Location: Los Angeles, CA Posts: 6,810	Andreas: My experience has been that to shoot without frame mode or the intention to de-interlace in post via Magic Bullet or the like is not really worth it. I have seen some 60i footage shot with the Mini35 and it looks, well, strange--like a soap opera with oddly shallow focus. I personally subscribe to the theory that the number one factor in creating a film-like feel from video is to alter the frame rate down to either 30 or 24 fps, and so when shooting with the Mini35 I always use frame mode. I think that if the project is to remain 60i, it's not worth the time and money to use the film optics. As far as the spinner is concerned, I always shoot with it in the on position. If you have it off, you tend to get a fixed pattern in areas of solid tones like the sky that is not ideal, sort of like shooting through a dirty window. __________________ Charles Papert www.charlespapert.com

January 17th, 2004, 08:06 PM	#1
Andreas Fernbrant Major Player Join Date: Oct 2002 Location: Sweden - Helsingborg Posts: 283	Shooting modes? I just sat and thought about the PS Techniks Mini 35 and how you shoot when you use one? I have and XL1 so I guess that would be a good camera to ask for. Do you want to shoot frame or not? To my knowlage the spinning pice of glas inside make the image look more like film if it spinning but you can have it of too? So the question is interlaced or frame? Anyone have any experiance? What about the shutter? low like 25/50 pal? or 30/60 for NTSC? or fast (minding the spinning of the glas)

January 18th, 2004, 02:06 AM	#3
Barry Green Barry Wan Kenobi Join Date: Jul 2003 Location: North Carolina Posts: 3,863	What Charles said is exactly the truth. Get the demo DVD from ZGC, there's one clip on there that was shot in interlace mode, and the difference is startling and jarring -- in fact, it clearly makes the case that the #1 most important element in the "film look" is the frame rate. Shooting with the ground glass not spinning is really not a good idea. The grain pattern is visible, and it makes your footage look like you're shooting through a dirty lens. Spinning the ground glass makes the pattern go away, giving clear images with a hint of filmlike "grain".

January 18th, 2004, 10:38 AM	#4
Andreas Fernbrant Major Player Join Date: Oct 2002 Location: Sweden - Helsingborg Posts: 283	Do you reccomend a high or low shutter value? I've never tried a mini 35 but if I where to guess a low value would be good. A high shutter would or more likely could, pick up the spinning glas? Do you know what it looks like if you put the shutter to let say around 1000? I mean just to see if it picks up some fun video effects of the glass?

January 18th, 2004, 07:33 PM	#5
Barry Green Barry Wan Kenobi Join Date: Jul 2003 Location: North Carolina Posts: 3,863	Didn't experiment with that. High shutter speeds lead to very staccato movement on your subjects, and are usually avoided unless you're looking for a specific effect (such as the zombie movement in "28 Days Later"). This has nothing to do with the mini35, of course, it's just typical video shutter speed talk.