1x 35mm 2x DV project

Oscar Spierenburg · February 5th, 2005, 04:59 PM

One shot only, because one camera shoots right past the mirror. So you only get half the frame (the right one)
I tried to put a mirror at a spot so it'll reflect the LCD of the non flipped camera and assemble the two images, but it doesn't work.
I've made a separate viewfinder that shows an image with no DOF at all (more like a telescope)
I probably don't mind using the old technique used for movie cameras, measure the distance from the lens to the subject and pull the focus to that number on the ring of the lens. In fact, it's more precise than your eye.
Maybe I'll put a laser measure on the camera.

Oscar Spierenburg · February 8th, 2005, 05:39 PM

So, here's the progress. Mostly on the housing, but I’ve also done the microphone plugs, four jacks for the two stereo channels on the DV camcorders. Maybe I'll use them for surround sound, but maybe I'll just use it for a well balanced stereo mix.

And I've put the remote on to the housing (connected to the batteries of the GG motor, and extended the infrared thing and placed it between the cameras.)

http://s01.picshome.com/52a/2.jpg

http://s01.picshome.com/52a/3.jpg

http://s01.picshome.com/52a/4.jpg

'
New test shots were good, only I'm not posting them, because one of the cameras was not focused well.
I'm amazed that the grain looks very natural and film like, in stead of the color noise the DV normally gives.

Dan Diaconu · February 8th, 2005, 05:47 PM

That is very exciting Oscar.
I can't wait to see some stills from the combined footage.
Looks good so far.
What program do you use to combine the images?

Graham Jones · February 8th, 2005, 05:55 PM

All I can think of is using 2 HDV cams!

Oscar Spierenburg · February 8th, 2005, 06:08 PM

How about 3 HDV cams with two mirrors, but I can't afford it.

I'm now using After Effects at a friend of mine, but other software in which you can size, flip, rotate and blend edges of the footage should be fine I think.

Dan Diaconu · February 8th, 2005, 07:17 PM

Oscar,
When you say "blend edges" you mean as a permanent "half dissolve"? Is this the blending?

Leo Mandy · February 8th, 2005, 09:38 PM

Oscar, looks great! I love the way you are very open about showing what you are doing - a true visionary!

How is the Spinning CD working for you? HAve you gone with your own home-made GG cd or just the factory one? Are you getting any wobbling or light dispersement when it is running?

Oscar Spierenburg · February 9th, 2005, 06:00 AM

Dan, I think a permanent "half dissolve" is the right term yes, an area in the middle where the two images need to have an overlap that fades to the left or to the right (depending on which side is on top). I'll post a next test with and without the fading (so one with a hard edge)

Mandy, the GG is not a final version, but gives neither wobbling nor a light flickering. I just polished a CD until all the silver coating comes of. Than I glued (with a glue spray) a slice of 'smooth tracing paper' or 'calque' onto the CD. It works very well, but has some more light loss than other options.

I had to change the CD motor once for a more stable one. Also, try a higher or lower voltage, because at some point, the spinning rate conflicts with the shutter speed of the camera (or try another setting on your camera)

Oscar Spierenburg · February 16th, 2005, 07:53 PM

OK, here's another test. With this footage I found out, the infinity wasn't set well, so it's a bit blurry.

http://www.degalerie.nl/1/dak2.wmv

It's the sunset on my roof, so it should be a bit dark.

But I managed to mix the two cameras pretty well. The colors and the brightness of the left and the right part aren't really visible anymore.
You can see the GG slightly, I think because the whole thing is overexposed, so the lens openings of the DV cameras aren’t correct.

The footage is compressed of course, if I have a test to show the sharpness, I'll better post a still frame.

Leo Mandy · February 16th, 2005, 08:03 PM

Wow is all I can say. That footage looks great. You are really bringing this 35mm X 2 thing up a notch, Oscar!

Rob Lohman · February 18th, 2005, 05:10 AM

I just remembered that we are in the same country Ocar! Funny to
see that someone here is playing with such systems. Where are
you in the country? I'm up in the north.

Oscar Spierenburg · February 18th, 2005, 06:08 AM

Haarlem N-H. And it's Oscar, I mistyped when signing up. I know a De Savornin Lohman who bought a sculpture of mine, but that's not you right?

Rob Lohman · February 18th, 2005, 06:26 AM

That's not me. Please send an e-mail to chris@dvinfo.net to notify
him of your invalid username, he'll get it fixed. I'll also point this
out to him.

Chris Hurd · February 18th, 2005, 07:25 AM

Fixed -- thanks Rob,

Oscar Spierenburg · February 18th, 2005, 09:54 AM

Here is a low light test I made. It's shot with one 500w spot and is the minimal to have acceptable dimmed images.

http://s01.picshome.com/52a/lowlight.jpg

It's much compressed JPG, but I think the image is pretty sharp.

February 8th, 2005, 05:55 PM	#19
Graham Jones Major Player Join Date: Jan 2004 Location: Europe Posts: 489	All I can think of is using 2 HDV cams! __________________ www.irishfilmmaker.com

February 18th, 2005, 05:10 AM	#26
Rob Lohman RED Code Chef Join Date: Oct 2001 Location: Holland Posts: 12,514	I just remembered that we are in the same country Ocar! Funny to see that someone here is playing with such systems. Where are you in the country? I'm up in the north. __________________ Rob Lohman, visuar@iname.com DV Info Wrangler & RED Code Chef Join the DV Challenge \| Lady X Search DVinfo.net for quick answers \| Buy from the best: DVinfo.net sponsors

February 18th, 2005, 06:26 AM	#28
Rob Lohman RED Code Chef Join Date: Oct 2001 Location: Holland Posts: 12,514	That's not me. Please send an e-mail to chris@dvinfo.net to notify him of your invalid username, he'll get it fixed. I'll also point this out to him. __________________ Rob Lohman, visuar@iname.com DV Info Wrangler & RED Code Chef Join the DV Challenge \| Lady X Search DVinfo.net for quick answers \| Buy from the best: DVinfo.net sponsors

February 18th, 2005, 07:25 AM	#29
Chris Hurd Obstreperous Rex Join Date: Jan 2001 Location: San Marcos, TX Posts: 27,366 Images: 513	Fixed -- thanks Rob, __________________ CH Search DV Info Net \| 20 years of DVi \| ...Tuesday is Soylent Green Day!

February 5th, 2005, 04:59 PM	#16
Oscar Spierenburg Major Player Join Date: Jan 2005 Location: (The Netherlands - Belgium) Posts: 735	One shot only, because one camera shoots right past the mirror. So you only get half the frame (the right one) I tried to put a mirror at a spot so it'll reflect the LCD of the non flipped camera and assemble the two images, but it doesn't work. I've made a separate viewfinder that shows an image with no DOF at all (more like a telescope) I probably don't mind using the old technique used for movie cameras, measure the distance from the lens to the subject and pull the focus to that number on the ring of the lens. In fact, it's more precise than your eye. Maybe I'll put a laser measure on the camera.

February 8th, 2005, 05:39 PM	#17
Oscar Spierenburg Major Player Join Date: Jan 2005 Location: (The Netherlands - Belgium) Posts: 735	So, here's the progress. Mostly on the housing, but I’ve also done the microphone plugs, four jacks for the two stereo channels on the DV camcorders. Maybe I'll use them for surround sound, but maybe I'll just use it for a well balanced stereo mix. And I've put the remote on to the housing (connected to the batteries of the GG motor, and extended the infrared thing and placed it between the cameras.) http://s01.picshome.com/52a/2.jpg http://s01.picshome.com/52a/3.jpg http://s01.picshome.com/52a/4.jpg ' New test shots were good, only I'm not posting them, because one of the cameras was not focused well. I'm amazed that the grain looks very natural and film like, in stead of the color noise the DV normally gives.

February 8th, 2005, 05:47 PM	#18
Dan Diaconu Major Player Join Date: Dec 2004 Location: Vancouver, Canada Posts: 804	That is very exciting Oscar. I can't wait to see some stills from the combined footage. Looks good so far. What program do you use to combine the images?

February 8th, 2005, 06:08 PM	#20
Oscar Spierenburg Major Player Join Date: Jan 2005 Location: (The Netherlands - Belgium) Posts: 735	How about 3 HDV cams with two mirrors, but I can't afford it. I'm now using After Effects at a friend of mine, but other software in which you can size, flip, rotate and blend edges of the footage should be fine I think.

February 8th, 2005, 07:17 PM	#21
Dan Diaconu Major Player Join Date: Dec 2004 Location: Vancouver, Canada Posts: 804	Oscar, When you say "blend edges" you mean as a permanent "half dissolve"? Is this the blending?

February 8th, 2005, 09:38 PM	#22
Leo Mandy Major Player Join Date: Dec 2004 Posts: 749	Oscar, looks great! I love the way you are very open about showing what you are doing - a true visionary! How is the Spinning CD working for you? HAve you gone with your own home-made GG cd or just the factory one? Are you getting any wobbling or light dispersement when it is running?

February 9th, 2005, 06:00 AM	#23
Oscar Spierenburg Major Player Join Date: Jan 2005 Location: (The Netherlands - Belgium) Posts: 735	Dan, I think a permanent "half dissolve" is the right term yes, an area in the middle where the two images need to have an overlap that fades to the left or to the right (depending on which side is on top). I'll post a next test with and without the fading (so one with a hard edge) Mandy, the GG is not a final version, but gives neither wobbling nor a light flickering. I just polished a CD until all the silver coating comes of. Than I glued (with a glue spray) a slice of 'smooth tracing paper' or 'calque' onto the CD. It works very well, but has some more light loss than other options. I had to change the CD motor once for a more stable one. Also, try a higher or lower voltage, because at some point, the spinning rate conflicts with the shutter speed of the camera (or try another setting on your camera)

February 16th, 2005, 07:53 PM	#24
Oscar Spierenburg Major Player Join Date: Jan 2005 Location: (The Netherlands - Belgium) Posts: 735	OK, here's another test. With this footage I found out, the infinity wasn't set well, so it's a bit blurry. http://www.degalerie.nl/1/dak2.wmv It's the sunset on my roof, so it should be a bit dark. But I managed to mix the two cameras pretty well. The colors and the brightness of the left and the right part aren't really visible anymore. You can see the GG slightly, I think because the whole thing is overexposed, so the lens openings of the DV cameras aren’t correct. The footage is compressed of course, if I have a test to show the sharpness, I'll better post a still frame.

February 16th, 2005, 08:03 PM	#25
Leo Mandy Major Player Join Date: Dec 2004 Posts: 749	Wow is all I can say. That footage looks great. You are really bringing this 35mm X 2 thing up a notch, Oscar!

February 18th, 2005, 06:08 AM	#27
Oscar Spierenburg Major Player Join Date: Jan 2005 Location: (The Netherlands - Belgium) Posts: 735	Haarlem N-H. And it's Oscar, I mistyped when signing up. I know a De Savornin Lohman who bought a sculpture of mine, but that's not you right?

February 18th, 2005, 09:54 AM	#30
Oscar Spierenburg Major Player Join Date: Jan 2005 Location: (The Netherlands - Belgium) Posts: 735	Here is a low light test I made. It's shot with one 500w spot and is the minimal to have acceptable dimmed images. http://s01.picshome.com/52a/lowlight.jpg It's much compressed JPG, but I think the image is pretty sharp.