5DMK2 Manual Control Via Star Button
 

I viewed this link on Vimeo recently.

EventDV TV // 5D Reel - DSLR Cinema on Vimeo

The use of Star Button x3 to set Aperture, ASA & Shutter (For Canon Glass), further enhanced with addition of Vari ND filter.

Of all the suggestions for manual control with Canon Glass, I find this to be the most effective.

Ron

I have been using this technique for a while & it is pretty easy to open the aperture right up to maximum but it's more difficult the attain some intermediate position between fully open & closed right down. It's also not just as simple as 3 presses on the star button as there is much more going on.

I am sitting my desk by a windows & if I take my camera with a 50mm F1.2L lens & point it out the window I half press the shutter button when in Live View it is
1/50 sec F16 (stopped right down) ISO200
If I cover the lens then hit the * button I force it to maximum aperture
1"6 F1.2 ISO 3200.
Now pointing it at the window & successively hitting the * button I get
1/50 F1.2 ISO640
1/125 F1.2 ISO100
1/400 F2 ISO100
1/160 F5.6 ISO100
1/50 F16 ISO200
Now if I cover the lens again & keep it covered with each successive press of * I get
1/40 F16 ISO2500
1/6 F16 ISO2500
1/25 F2 ISO3200
1/4 F1.2 ISO3200
1"6 F1.2 ISO3200

This cycling up & down between F16, F5.6, F2 & F1.2 is very reproducible. At time the ISO or shutter speed may vary a bit e.g. ISO 800 instead of ISO640 or 1/50 instead of 1/40 but basically the pattern is the same every time.

Not all of these settings are usable either as the first couple of presses at least will give an overexposed setting & while it is easy to get F1.2 it's impossible to get F8 or F11. So even using an ND filter to get the exposure correct not all aperture settings can be set.

The big assumption that we are making is that the figures displayed are in fact correct. It's likely that the aperture is as you can clearly see the shallow DOF at F1.2 & F2 but whether the shutter & ISO are accurate is unknown. The behaviour may be different with another lens too.

5DMK2 Manual Control Via Star Button
 

Nigel,

Your description is really what I do in actual fact. I just thought it best to deliver the light version, rather than an in depth for openers. Most will be tempted to toggle the button a few times to reveal new options.

It appears the camera is programmed For a range of 4 apertures - F16, F11, F5.6 + the lens wide open, if you are very lucky, with a combination of improved ASA & Shutter speeds.

All in all, It's a handy tip that may save the bacon at some stage.

Ron

I think that the actual apertures will vary with different lenses. I will repeat my tests with other lenses.

I just tried pressing the star 3 times and everything works just as you described, but when I compare the f16 I shot to the 2.8 there is no change in depth of field. I think this is another example of where the info is thrown out in video mode and the camera just does whatever it wants. I am curious if anyone else has this same outcome, I could be doing something wrong.

Hi

Just watched the video from the orig. poster.

Does anyone know which company makes the rig mentioned early in the video?

Regards

Thanks "Matthew Ebenezer" for the links:
http://www.cinevate.com/catalog/prod...0de9ae2b61e067

Star button x3
 

Daniel, Have the camera in video mode, your hand blanking lens, half press shutter button and note the settings in information panel, top of camera. Move your blanking hand a little to give a change of readings. If they look fairly good hit the star once to lock this in, then a second time, note the changes to ASA, a third time for a better shutter speed. If need be toggle the star x3 again for a result that suits the occasion. This tip is further enhanced with use of a Vari ND filter ( make you own, simple, cheap), to vary the light falling on lens, therefore hand over lens front is not required.

Finally, Look at the Vimeo video, play it several times to understand what they are doing,

Ron

Hey Tom,

The company that makes the rig is Cinevate - www.cinevate.com

Here's a direct link to the rig: Cinevate Inc.

Cheers!

Matthew.

Thks for the detailed explaination I have been using the 5D a couple of times for the video but never master fully how the 3x * works.

Thats precisely what I did and I was thrilled when the info did say f2.8 @ 100 but when I compared the footage to the f 16 I shot at the same time the DOF was no different. I shot at 50mm at objects set from near to far in the same frame, so the depth of field should be quite different between 2.8 and 16 but it was identical. There are other instances where the info on the screen is not what the video shoots, like shutter speed. There have also been a few posts where someone thinks they have fixed the aperture issue but the info pane was deceiving. Perhaps the info refers to the still images that you can shoot while in video mode but when switching on record the camera does what it wants.

The nd works perfectly and I see a dramatic difference in dof with and without. It works prefectly regardless of my pushing the star 3 times because it makes a shut down aperture impossible for the camera.

So far I do not trust any of the video info on the 5DmkII viewfinder. I use the lens twist-off method to be certain at least my aperture is set. As far as ISO settings - wouldn't it be nice if the camera would remember the settings inbetween takes.

In what mode do you generallu shoot video: Program AE?

I always shoot on manual mode and I can do pretty much everything on it. I mean, I can change aperture even while filming.

this thread was started prior to the ability to manually control things in movie mode.