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[Test Video] using Cluster X: series 1
  • microfourthirdusermicrofourthirduser

    After a first contact with GH2 + 14-42 kit lens I decided to test the " great Cluster X DREWnet " (Trial 8) in different light situations. Here's the raw video. What do you think about?

  • 9 Replies sorted by
  • matt_gh2matt_gh2

    Looks nice. You've got a good eye - some real nice shots here

  • microfourthirdusermicrofourthirduser

    Thanks. Really appreciate

  • microfourthirdusermicrofourthirduser

    Here's the last video shot in Iceland with the same patch. I really like this hack and its uses. All the scenes are almost ungraded. What do you think about?

  • driftwooddriftwood

    Truly epic work @microfourthirduser. Congrats. Now just you wait for Cluster X DREWnet T9 :-)

  • AashayAashay

    Amazing Work!! Iceland is gorgeous man.. Would you kindly take some time to share your workflow with us? What you achieved with kit lens in the earlier video is outrageous.

  • hinesparkprodhinesparkprod

    Beautiful work. What settings did you use? I will be shooting a short next month in the woods of Pennsylvania and could greatly benefit from your workflow. Thank you in advance. Any issues with spanning? What cards did you use to record? Do you use Final Cut Pro X for importing and editing? Can someone link me to the proper workflow others have used to edit the video captured via hacked GH2 camera? Thanks to all in advance.

  • microfourthirdusermicrofourthirduser

    @Driftwood Thank you so much for that, honored. I'm looking forward to testing DREWnet trial 9! :-)

    @hinesparkprod and @Aashay Glad to answer your questions:

    For the first video "Lights from Friuli" settings are: all -2, ISO 160, 24p. variable shutter speed from 1/50s to 1/1000s, depending on exposure. If can help, the faster shutter speed occurs at 0:31. Timelapses were made from continuous recording. Hacked GH2's video compression is better than taking single pictures in these cases.

    For "Dream The Myth of Life" settings are: all -2 except sharpness 0, ISO 160, 24p and 1/50s shutter speed. Steadicam shots 1/50s too. Using very sharp nikkor AI-S lenses I generally set sharpness to 0

    I wanted to shoot the entire film at 24p to get the highest quality possible and it was not necessary to lower the bitrate to avoid spanning, this patch works excellently in every situation. It's pretty curious that this time were almost used to a large extent Sony 16GB UHS-I 94Mb/s SDHC cards. With a view to the next future I'd suggest Sandisk 95/Mb cards.

    Workflow: For this kind of videos I use to minimize as much as possible the workflow to get into a very linear process. Since you asked it specifically about these videos, I share some guidelines of mine that doesn't necessarily work for others. Of course more complex projects require different steps.
    This is my very personal workflow based on my approach to selecting and analyzing clips.

    dump card into a folder --> higher level folder --> deep analysis --> import .mts files / convert to other formats for grading and other uses

    The most of the work was done at the very beginning in the pre-editing. After dumping memory cards into proper folders, I created a higher level folder containing the best renamed clips I was going to analyze. I built in my mind a quite precise timeline of the short film starting from my selections. - At this point, usually I already know how to combine music and images. What I feel at the beginning is often very close to the final result. For longer projects I create temporal sequences to organize more in deep the clips in accordance with specific criteria.

    Hope this helps

  • microfourthirdusermicrofourthirduser

    Here's my latest Cluster X test/mix. These are the best hacks I've ever used until now for my needs:

    • Cluster X DREWnet " (Trial 8) suitable with Sony 16GB UHS-I 94MB/s SDHC cards.
    • 1 GOP Intra 'moon' (Trial 7) as you know superbe quality and very stable with Sandisk 95/MB cards.

    Settings: all -2 except sharpness 0, 24p, ISO between 160 and 320

    Lenses:

    • Nikkor AI-S primes (original clips cropped to get 3.55:1 aspect ratio)
    • Nikkor 50mm f1.4 / 2x Anamorphic Kowa Prominar 16-S

    Graded in DaVinci, edited in Premiere Pro CC

  • IVIaverick52IVIaverick52

    @microfourthirduser In your experience, at what aperture do you find the Nikkor primes to have the greatest sharpness? I know generically speaking most lenses shine around F/8.0. I mostly shoot with an AiS 50mm f1.4 with Drewnet T9 but am still in the process of experimenting. The shots at 0:06 and 0:40 are gorgeous by the way, love your work.

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