35mm camcorder lens adapters are a strange breed. Part science, part art, they allow a shooter to utilize SLR still image and high-end 35mm cinema lenses on a video camera. DVXuser has an active DIY community that continually churns out home-built adapters, and a few of the more successful creations have launched companies. One of the reasons the DIY community is so active in this genre is price…commercially available adapter kits tend to be priced just north of $1000, and then you have to go lens shopping. But I personally believe that a major reason for the custom DIY creations is the “art” aspect. Each design offers unique tradeoffs, each has it’s own image signature. But I digress…

So, while PS+Technik was the company that brought the first commercial 35mm lens adapter to market, Redrock Micro is probably the most recognizable name in that genre. They have a very popular and successful product in the M2 adapter. Another company that has been making waves of late is Cinevate. The Cinevate Brevis adapter has been under a lot of active development for quite some time now, and they have recently launched several new improvements and accessories for the unit.

Thankfully, the guys over at Gear-Brain took both adapters for a ride on the Panasonic HVX-200, and you can take a gander at the comparative results for yourself (if you are so inclined). Initially, the tests seem to confirm that the Brevis has edge over the M2 on low-light performance (fairly significant loss of light is one of the tradeoffs of all 35mm adapter designs). But the article has a pretty extensive list of pros and cons for both products, and in the end it’s clear that each design offers unique features and unique tradeoffs. Suprise, suprise. There is no magic bullet. So if you are in the market, take a look at Gear-Brain’s comparison and pick your bullet of choice.

Cinematech’s Scott Kirsner was recently a guest of NPR’s “Talk of the Nation“. The topic was the community video-sharing site Youtube. You can stream the entire audio segment online.

“Web sites like YouTube turned any wanna-be director with a video camera and an internet connection into a full-fledged broadcaster and has left most of main stream media struggling to keep up. But author Scott Kirsner argues in his op-ed in Sunday’s San Jose Mercury News that the online video pendulum is swinging from quirky home videos back to professional grade quality.”

Along the same lines, Kirsner’s new book `The Future of Web Video‘ is now available in paperback. As I previously mentioned, it’s a brilliant read and I highly recommend it.

Former Panasonic executive Tore Nordahl is at it again. His latest edition of coax.tv, entitled “Will Panasonic’s AVC-Intra/P2 and Grass Valley’s JPEG2000/CF push out MPEG-2 in 2007?” suggests that MPEG-2 and more specifically HDV as an acquisition format will very soon be going the way of the buffalo.

“…HDV by definition is a temporary format in my opinion, particularly now that non-linear storage AVCHD consumer camcorders are shipping. And with flashRAM taking over as removable storage, there is little need to limit professional compressed bitrate to 25Mbps. HDV camcorders started shipping in 2004. In my opinion, HDV camcorder sales will drop significantly in the second half of 2007, and drop sharply in 2008. That is only a short 5-year life-span: 2004 -2008.”

We previously covered Nordahl’s AVC-HD soliloquy back in August. He’s now touting that those predictions are right on schedule, and that there will be affordable alternatives to long-GOP compression as early as 2007.

“You’ll have a choice, and there may not be a need to settle for MPEG-2 long GOP. Early in 2007 you’ll have the less than $30,000 fully professional HD camcorders choices from Panasonic (AVC-Intra) and Grass Valley (JPEG2000). Later in 2007, I predict that you’ll see less than $10,000 AVC-Intra HD camcorders from Panasonic as well as AVC/JPEG2000 models from other suppliers.”

He goes on to state that Panasonic will offer two pro intra-frame HD compression modes in their new HD camcorders in 2007 (AVC-Intra-50 and AVC-Intra-100), that Sony will announce a competing intra-frame CODEC capable HD camcorder by NAB 2007.

Steve Mullen begins exploring Smart GOP Splicing, in Part 1 of his HDV@Work series on the topic. Look for Part 2 on December 18th.

Hey everyone if you are like me (and I know I am), its time to check out some new footage from Red One.

Those of you who have been wanting to see exactly what Red One was capable of but either didn’t want to sit through a massive torrent download, or whose system performance just couldn’t push a measly 4K image, you’re in luck. Jarred Land at DVXuser.com has downconverted and hosted a 1080P clip of some Redcode footage, our first chance to look at some Redcode first hand, and it is impressive. So why are you still reading? Go check it out!!! The original torrent download is available at red.com.

Who would have thought that in a market where HD-DVD and BlueRay are struggling to get adapted and work out specs and 1080P televisions are just hitting the market hard, we would be talking of footage DOWN-CONVERTED to 1080P?

UPDATE: In somewhat-related news, Jim Jannard announced that the Red Drive will be a 320GB mini-RAID system, and priced under $1000. -MJ

After Effects gurus Chris Trish Meyer of Cybermotion have shared a fantastic free tutorial (PDF), compliments of Artbeats latest newsletter. They quickly and efficiently cover how to use Adobe After Effects to replaced a data screen, using AE’s built in motion tracker. It’s a quick tutorial at just 3 pages long, but they cover a lot. Here’s a few excerpts:

*Since we’re tracking the difference between the light bezel and
dark screen, set Channel to Luminance.

*You can usually leave Process Before Match off. If the footage is
blurry, enable it and choose Enhance; if it’s noisy or grainy, choose
Blur.

A good read. Hopefully you’ll learn as much as I did.

UPDATE: There is a larger and more extensive comparison matrix (draft version) that the author was kind enough to let us know about. This one digs a little deeper.

Techcrunch has compiled a chart that compares features of all the popular “Flickrs of Video”. Handy, if you’re into that sort of thing.

In related news, Life Goggles shares comparisons that show at a glance the disparities in video encoding quality between services. They show results from YouTube, Google Video, MetaCafe, Soapbox, Revver, Blip.tv, MyHeavy, and Vimeo. Coming soon are additional tests that will include the AOL and Myspace video services.

Motion Smarts is a handy little resource I just ran across, they have a growing collection of tutorials and presets/project file downloads for Apple Motion users.

Following an extensive q&a session with Ted Schilowitz, Mike Curtis has posted yet another detailed interview with a member of the Red Digital Cinema team. This one is with pixel-magician Graeme Nattress, and focuses on compression and codec options as well as post production. Once again, required reading for the Red faithful.

They kick it off with a quick rundown of Redcode, the wavelet compression codec that Graeme has apparently been devoting much of his time to:

“Redcode is a compression scheme designed especially for the RED camera. It’s a wavelet based compression that works in 10bit or 12bit (the camera is 12bit natively) and with RGB or RAW data. When you’re using 10bit mode, you have the choice of either a standard Log curve, or a REC 709 gamma curve, so that you’re immediately compatible with whatever NLE or DI program you’re using.”

They cover more specifics on what framerates and resolutions are available when recording to specific media types, and spend some time discussing REDCINE, the software app that can apply basic corrections to Red One images and export them in any one of a myriad of formats. A quick note on the REDCINE application…it makes full use of CPU + GPU and also offers/will offer a “draft mode” for quick and dirty format conversion tests. Another interesting feature will be “RPL”, or the Red Pull List…a tool to ingest XML/EDL files and assist with automating the online/offline process. More details on the RPL tool from Stuart English @ DVXuser. The app will ship with the cameras and will also be available as a standalone purchase (price not yet determined).

Tons of additional details towards the end of Mike’s article; frame-ramping, more info on recording options and formats, and a word of warning about checking the Red Format Options Chart before assuming you can record the format of your choice…to your media of choice. For example, RAW S35mm (uber-big 2540p) can only be recorded using the “RAW Data Port”, which may require 3rd party hardware when the camera ships. In contrast, 4K RAW can be captured at that data faucet or to some REDCODE option (Flash mag or other onboard media, etc). It’s not terribly confusing, just take a few minutes to understand that chart and what limitations you can expect.

Mike Curtis was kind enough to share a few pictures he took of the Iconix HD-RH1 remote camera head system, and I’ve added them to a recent FresHDV article on the RH1 (with his permission of course).

The hands-on images give a much better idea of the physical size of the system, which isn’t readily apparent even at the company website.

Mike Curtis has posted a lengthy and detailed interview with Red Digital Cinema’s “Leader of the Rebellion” Ted Schilowitz. This interview transcript should be required reading for anyone with even an inkling of interest in the forthcoming Red One camera system.

The interview reveals a few more details about the camera form factor and design. Ted mentions a hardened metal body with mini-XLR audio and mini-HD-SDI “1.0/2.3″ video connections to save exterior real estate. He also states that the Red One will feature a 35mm PL locking ring mount with accessory options for adapting to 35mm still lenses from Nikon and Canon, noting further that older manual iris and focus lenses would be required. The camera would not be able to utilize newer electronic still lenses, as there is no control interface for them (just a mount adapter option).

A few other critical points of interest are noted by Mike…originally it appeared that a working camera would be shipping to some end users by the end of this year. Now it seems that a limited subset of advance testers will have their hands on the camera in late 2006 or early 2007, buyers may have to wait until March or April to get their hands on one. Another emerging limitation are a few caveats on recording options when capturing footage untethered.

“…they were very big and clear on the capability of the camera to record 60fps full aperture (4 or 4.5K), and up to 120fps windowed down (16mm sized aperture). While the SENSOR and the CAMERA are still capable of that, it now appears that those speeds will only be capable of being recorded offboard - the onboard processing can only handle up to 4K RAW @30p or 2K res RGB @ 60fps.”

Thats not particularly shocking to hear. 2K and 4K at higher framerates can’t be easy to implement, particularly when limited by onboard processing and storage media speeds. But it is a concern nonetheless.

“…the only way to shoot the maximum frame rate (120fps) at the maximum quality onboard will limit you to 720p resolution (not 2K), most likely derived from the windowed sensor at 16mm aperture…To get the maximum frame rate, you’d need to use the high speed optical port, which they haven’t settled on a bus topology for as yet…The CAMERA can still shoot 120 fps 2K, but you can’t record it onboard with the accessories they are discussing openly at this time. And since there hasn’t been a clear answer as to timetable on REDRAID & REDRAM, that means it is sounding likely that the camera may ship in a way that there aren’t recording options for 4K+ @ 60fps nor 2K @ 120fps.”

The tethered recording options so far look like HD-SDI and some kind of optical, Infiniband, or 10Gig-E interface. Ted noted that they would like to keep it based on an open standard (like gigabit ethernet), and build it onto the camera in such a way that it could be upgraded at a later date. Red has stated both in the past and in this latest interview that they intend to build the camera modularly, and with the future option of an upgradeable sensor. Keeping the door open for new standards and upgrade options seems very wise, and would go a long ways towards keeping this camera system relevant for years to come.

FresHDV and HDFest are once again offering free tickets to the HDFest World Tour event in LA. The first 15 FresHDV readers to respond will receive free passes to all panel discussions at the festival. The HDFest event will begin on December 1st at Dolby Laboratories Larry Umlang Presentation Theatre II, and continue through December 3rd. Discussion panel descriptions and times are listed below.

The first 15 respondents to email admin@hdfest.com with the following information will receive complimentary passes:
*Full Name
*Email address
*Include “FresHDV.com Ticket Giveaway” in the subject line
*Specify which discussion panel(s) you wish to attend
If you are among the first 15, you’ll receive an e-mail confirmation and can pickup your will-call tickets in person at the HDFest Dolby box office (any day of the event).

HDFest Panels:
Saturday Dec 2nd 2:30pm-3:45pm
Achieving Great Results with HDV: A Look Inside The Mojave Phone Booth
A look behind the scenes of the HDV Feature Film “Mojave Phone Booth” Director John Putch and DP Keith Duggan will take a look at their film shot on the HDV Z1U from conception to completion. Topics include camera choice, experiences on location, and post process including color correction. This panel will also include a 15 minute behind the scenes video, and a look at HDV taken out to film (a look at footage projected on 35mm).

Saturday Dec 2nd 5:30pm-6:30pm
HD Filmmaking in Transition
If you are a filmmaker considering using HD in any form this is really the key opportunity at HDFEST LA to hear industry experts giving their input on working with HD from start to finish. Experienced and Visionary Filmmakers who have completed films shot with High-Definition video compare and contrast experiences. This panel will also cover where HD filmmaking is going in the future, and what new tools and methods of creation and completion lie on the horizon. Filmmakers on this panel include the Director and DP from Postcards from the Future which was shot on the DALSA Origin Camera.

Sunday Dec 3rd 4pm-5:30pm
Surviving the Low End of HD: Issues and Solutions for HDV: Moderated by Larry Jordan
HDV has captured the attention of both the independent film-maker and the video professional looking to make an inexpensive jump into HD. However, a format that was originally designed for the hobbyist has significant problems when used at a professional level. This session will present the limitations of this video format regarding shooting, editing, effects, and distribution; provide clearly defined solutions a professional can use to workaround these issues and provide ample time for answering questions.

Other highlights of this year’s HDFest World tour include screenings of the reknown documentary “The Mars Underground”; HD animations “Vaudeville”, “Arrest Assured”, and “The Toll”; DreamWorks animated short “First Flight”, as well as “Mantis Parable”, and “Elephant’s Dream”. There will also be a special screening of the critically acclaimed experimental film “Sound of Eternity The Mass in B-Minor by Johann Sebastian Bach”. So if you are in or around LA next week, consider taking some time to educate and immerse yourself in the world of High-Definition Filmmaking.

Christoph Vonrhein compares the NVIDIA GeForce 7300 GT, ATI Radeon X1900 XT, and NVIDIA Quadro FX 4500 graphics cards on the Mac Pro, and concludes:

“Most editors will be perfectly suited with the NVIDIA 7300 GT. It is a fast high quality graphics card that suits the needs of the average video editor. The ATI Radeon X1900 XT is faster then the 7300 GT and makes the workflow with advanced 3D much more efficient…this graphics card should be the first choice for the professional video editor.”

(Via DVGuru)

Mike Curtis has rounded up a veritable plethora of links detailing the tapeless workflow used when filming David Fincher’s “Zodiac”.

“They’d shoot and record data, copy the data to a SAN, verify it was good, make two copies to LTO3 tape, use Shake to process the footage to DVCPRO HD for editorial, then later conform back to the original high resolution footage.”

Great stuff and a ton of links in Mike’s HD4NDS article, check it out.

Another great DVMag article, in this one Adam Wilt takes a quick first look at the new Sony HVR-V1U camcorder. Lots of details, pictures and size comparisons, and finally he concludes:

“Sony squeezed out some features in the quest to put HDV into a PD170-sized package: analog-in recording, 50 Hz/60 Hz switchability, low-light capability, and standard video connectors on the camera body. But the result is a compact, lightweight Handycam that shoots sharp, clean HDV while offering the best laid-out controls found on a small Sony, and true progressive capture to boot. Rolling shutter will be an issue for some, but overall, the V1 looks like a worthy addition to the choices available to HDV shooters.”

What remains to be discovered is how the V1 performs in low-light compared to the FX1/Z1U. The only mention I’ve seen about it’s light-gathering capabilities was basically a passing “it does just fine” (paraphrasing) in the short review by Douglas Spotted Eagle. Has anyone seen any real comparisons or examples that show just how the camera performs in less than ideal lighting?