A Solution I Require..I Think This Is th Right Place at DVinfo.net

David Braund · October 23rd, 2007, 08:29 PM

i havent been able to find alot of info about SI and its products, so i hope this si possible/already exists.

i really havent got the money (12k) to splash out on the camera so i was hoping a smaller solution was available, without the added bits

i dont need, the computer on board, LCD, lenses etc

what i need it basically just the head that will process the image and pass it down (using HD-SDI or something similar) in order to record onto directly onto a computer.

all i need is the 2k resolution and colour depth, then add lenses and other stuff as needed

is this possible from SI or will i need to go somewhere else?

thanks

Brian Drysdale · October 24th, 2007, 03:07 AM

Since you're in London, is that £12k or $12K?

Bob Grant · October 24th, 2007, 04:49 AM

You can buy just the MINI and use it with a laptop.
Add lens mounts etc as required. A full price list is on the SI website I believe.

David Braund · October 24th, 2007, 06:24 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Brian Drysdale

Since you're in London, is that £12k or $12K?

i just saw 12K i wasnt sure whether dollars or pounds

it may be 6K out here, but customs tax, shipping etc would raise it still.

Bob, i checked the SI website and couldnt find a price list or even specifications on the mini, do you have a link?

thanks

Bob Grant · October 24th, 2007, 08:27 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by David Braund

Bob, i checked the SI website and couldnt find a price list or even specifications on the mini, do you have a link?

thanks

Dang NO, my bad.

I think what I have is what was emailed to me. Maybe Jason can chime in and tell you where to find it or else email Jason or Arri for the latest price list.
Certainly you can buy just the head (that's the MINI), the head comes with a mount very similar to a PL mount and then onto that mounts a range of lens mounts.

There's more info actually on the P+S site:

http://www.pstechnik.de/en/digitalfilm-si2k-mini.php

but no price list.

Brian Drysdale · October 24th, 2007, 09:23 AM

The old price was around $14k for the Mini, but there was a price increase mentioned around the time of IBC. However, it was getting a bit confusing with the optical V/F option being brought in.

If that's too steep, the next option would be the new Sony XDCAM HD EX camera or one of the HDV cameras. With the JVC HD 250 and the Canon XL H1 you have HD SDI outputs.

David Braund · October 25th, 2007, 03:34 PM

the Sony XDCAM HD EX sounds pretty good, ill try look into that more.

but would be great if i could get the SI2K mini for the same price.

also, talking about the SI2K mini, how exactly would i go about capturing using HD SDI?

or is the gigabyte ethernet good enough to use, with Prospect 2K or something?

thanks

Jason Rodriguez · October 25th, 2007, 03:58 PM

Unfortunately the SI-2K MINI is quite a bit more expensive than the XDCAM EX, that's just the nature of the beast.

As far as HD-SDI support, the SI-2K MINI actually records RAW bayer data from the camera head, this is something that is not possible with YUV-based pre-processed information like you would find on all the other video cameras out there (except for the Viper, and that is 4:4:4 RGB RAW rather than bayer RAW). We are also capturing to a special version of CineForm called "CineForm RAW", not the normal YUV or RGB CineForm codec (which is more commonly referred to as CFHD).

The advantages of course of recording RAW data from the camera are numerous . . . you get much higher quality images because of the lack of in-camera pre-processing, you get the maximum dynamic range the sensor can deliver (over 11 f-stops total from black clip to white-clip), you can change all the color information such as white-balance and the "look" of the footage in post at-will because all color-decisions are metadata, and finally RAW data also enables really high-quality compression at nominal bit-rates since the data-stream is 1/3 the size of a RGB stream. So for instance, we record a 10-bit LOG 4:1-5:1 compressed stream, a feature that you can only find in super-high-quality tape-based formats like HDCAM-SR and D-5 . . . and it's clearly superior to what you'll find in on-camera 8-bit long-GOP-based compression from the likes of the XDCAM-EX.

David Braund · October 25th, 2007, 05:37 PM

alot of great info i didnt know there

thanks, i may wait and get the SI2K mini in about 18 months while i use a HV20 just for now

thanks

John DeLuca · October 25th, 2007, 09:53 PM

Go with the camera that suits your needs. We didn’t step up to the SI-2K until our clients started asking for- “something better than hd video, but cheaper than film”.

You could also rent the SI-2K on an "as needed" basis.

-John

October 23rd, 2007, 08:29 PM	#1
David Braund Regular Crew Join Date: Jun 2007 Location: London, UK Posts: 75	A Solution I Require..I Think This Is th Right Place i havent been able to find alot of info about SI and its products, so i hope this si possible/already exists. i really havent got the money (12k) to splash out on the camera so i was hoping a smaller solution was available, without the added bits i dont need, the computer on board, LCD, lenses etc what i need it basically just the head that will process the image and pass it down (using HD-SDI or something similar) in order to record onto directly onto a computer. all i need is the 2k resolution and colour depth, then add lenses and other stuff as needed is this possible from SI or will i need to go somewhere else? thanks

October 24th, 2007, 04:49 AM	#3
Bob Grant Trustee Join Date: Nov 2005 Location: Sydney Australia Posts: 1,570	You can buy just the MINI and use it with a laptop. Add lens mounts etc as required. A full price list is on the SI website I believe. Last edited by Bob Grant; October 24th, 2007 at 05:55 AM. Reason: corrected spelling

October 24th, 2007, 03:07 AM	#2
Brian Drysdale Inner Circle Join Date: Feb 2006 Location: Belfast, UK Posts: 6,143	Since you're in London, is that £12k or $12K?

October 24th, 2007, 09:23 AM	#6
Brian Drysdale Inner Circle Join Date: Feb 2006 Location: Belfast, UK Posts: 6,143	The old price was around $14k for the Mini, but there was a price increase mentioned around the time of IBC. However, it was getting a bit confusing with the optical V/F option being brought in. If that's too steep, the next option would be the new Sony XDCAM HD EX camera or one of the HDV cameras. With the JVC HD 250 and the Canon XL H1 you have HD SDI outputs.

October 25th, 2007, 03:34 PM	#7
David Braund Regular Crew Join Date: Jun 2007 Location: London, UK Posts: 75	the Sony XDCAM HD EX sounds pretty good, ill try look into that more. but would be great if i could get the SI2K mini for the same price. also, talking about the SI2K mini, how exactly would i go about capturing using HD SDI? or is the gigabyte ethernet good enough to use, with Prospect 2K or something? thanks

October 25th, 2007, 03:58 PM	#8
Jason Rodriguez Trustee Join Date: Mar 2003 Location: Virginia Beach, VA Posts: 1,095	Unfortunately the SI-2K MINI is quite a bit more expensive than the XDCAM EX, that's just the nature of the beast. As far as HD-SDI support, the SI-2K MINI actually records RAW bayer data from the camera head, this is something that is not possible with YUV-based pre-processed information like you would find on all the other video cameras out there (except for the Viper, and that is 4:4:4 RGB RAW rather than bayer RAW). We are also capturing to a special version of CineForm called "CineForm RAW", not the normal YUV or RGB CineForm codec (which is more commonly referred to as CFHD). The advantages of course of recording RAW data from the camera are numerous . . . you get much higher quality images because of the lack of in-camera pre-processing, you get the maximum dynamic range the sensor can deliver (over 11 f-stops total from black clip to white-clip), you can change all the color information such as white-balance and the "look" of the footage in post at-will because all color-decisions are metadata, and finally RAW data also enables really high-quality compression at nominal bit-rates since the data-stream is 1/3 the size of a RGB stream. So for instance, we record a 10-bit LOG 4:1-5:1 compressed stream, a feature that you can only find in super-high-quality tape-based formats like HDCAM-SR and D-5 . . . and it's clearly superior to what you'll find in on-camera 8-bit long-GOP-based compression from the likes of the XDCAM-EX.

October 25th, 2007, 05:37 PM	#9
David Braund Regular Crew Join Date: Jun 2007 Location: London, UK Posts: 75	alot of great info i didnt know there thanks, i may wait and get the SI2K mini in about 18 months while i use a HV20 just for now thanks

October 25th, 2007, 09:53 PM	#10
John DeLuca Major Player Join Date: May 2003 Location: Akron, Ohio Posts: 496	Go with the camera that suits your needs. We didn’t step up to the SI-2K until our clients started asking for- “something better than hd video, but cheaper than film”. You could also rent the SI-2K on an "as needed" basis. -John