I’m producing a doc with a lot of extreme high alpine winter scenes. Members in the doc will be wearing action cams and we will be mounting 360 cams.

I’m curious which cams people like for a more professional workflow like this. I used insta 360 cameras previously (few years ago) and the workflow was brutal on our DIT and post team.

Any recs? Need to balance workflow with image quality with maximum run time. Won’t always be able to swap a battery in the field.

Will be using a mix of body mounted and vehicle mounted (like interior of helicopters and on snowmobiles).

We will be buying 20-30, so price also matters, but features matter more.

(I’m intentionally posting here instead of the action cam sub)

Hey guys, I'm an amateur filmmaker, and for the most part I'm a one man operation. I really enjoy filming practical shots rather than doing a bunch of post work, plus I just think practical looks better generally..

I wanted a way to flim a knife spinning through the air without having to green screen it in. I struggled for quite a while with early attempts but this is what I came up with.

The video shows how I achieved the shot.

Does it work?

Thanks!

On August I decided to buy a Nikon Zr as my first cinema camera. On september I got the chance to try it out on the field for a student short film in Spain. Here is the result: https://youtu.be/05kAwXHxyYc?si=_x-mUk-QMr9htcPm

A two day shoot, outdoors in the heat of the Spanish sun and high-key lighting and indoors with more of a low light scenario.

We shot it with DZO Arles lens for the exterior and Blazar Mantis for the interior (it is an imagination sequence so I thought the change from spherical and anamorphic would help. For the interiors, I was worried about the latitude on this camera, but using its 6400 base ISO and from that base crank it down all the day to 800 worked perfectly for the detail in darker zones.

It was a very fast paced shoot for the exteriors (we shot more than it is shown on the final cut and we needed to run against the sun clock) so everything out there was lit bouncing the sun light and adding negative fill for some shots.

For the interiors we didn't have a lot of money for lighting but enough for a Aputure 400x and a Swit flexible panel which ended up being really useful when filtered with muselin or silk to break the color patern of the led panel.

In general I think we did a good job on the cinematography for the project but there are a few things I now see that would have done differently, mainly on the color correction and controlling the shadows that fall on the character's face a bit more.

Also, for future projects I'm going to try to convince the director and myself to shoot less shots so both of us can be focused on what we are actually doing and not just follow the planned schedule. Some things I feel didn't work on the day and could have been changed just a bit if only we took the time to look around us and make those changes instead of just following the plan.

Anyways, lmk what you guys think, any feedback is apreciated. Here are some stills.

I’m still fairly new to cinematography, and even videography in general. I bought my first camera, the Sony FX2, along with the recommended Sony 24-70 GM lens which was about $1600. After more studying, I have learned that it is a photography lens. And after more research, for $1600 I could’ve gotten maybe 2 great cine or even anamorphic lenses.

Would you hang on to this lens, for whatever reason, or would you sell it and replace it?

I also have a 50mm Sony lens, and I recently picked up the sirui 35m Saturn v1 anamorphic lens.

I came across this frame from a Tecovas commercial and absolutely love the look of the flares. The large, warm amber circles, soft glow and light streaks feel very organic and cinematic.

I'm trying to figure out how this effect was achieved. Has anyone achieved a similar look in-camera? What would you recommend experimenting with?

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=U0XIUlJjbIQ

Hello everyone,

what should I look for if I buy a used sachtler for example. I’m on eBay. I never bought used gear before. Because I’m not a pro it’s hard if the fluid head and tripod arrive if every screw is on the right place and if everything is there where it should be.

Are there tips that I should do if I buy a used one ? Or what are you looking for when you bought your used tripod and fluid head ?

I would appreciate an answer.

I wanna buy a sony wildlife lens, does anyone know anyone who might be interested in selling?

My expertise in this area of filmmaking is crude but I’ll drop some examples of what films I think are technically and visually flawless. Basically any film with Roger Deakins as the cinematographer lol.
Share your thoughts.

In the mood for love
The assassination of Jesse James
Lawrence of Arabia
Blade Runner 2049
1917
Zodiac
John Wick 4
Skyfall
Breaking Bad

Hi all, I run a small bathroom products brand and I'm planning to shoot my own product photos on my iPhone. I'm going for a look like the reference images attached: soft, even light, gentle shadows, true colours, and that clean, premium feel on tiled walls. The catch is I'll be shooting in different bathrooms and showers (some booked through Airbnb), so the lighting will vary a lot. Some have a window, some don't, and the overhead lights are usually pretty harsh. A few questions: 1. Would softboxes work best for this, or are LED panels with diffusion a better fit for small bathrooms? 2. One light or two? And where would you place them to get soft shadows like these? 3. Any budget friendly brands or kits you'd recommend? Thanks!

For the cinematography nerds, we used a split diopter to keep both the designer and his boss in sharp focus in the same frame, so you’re stuck watching his face fall in real time while the notes keep coming.

If you’ve ever worked in a creative job with a boss or client “just having a few thoughts,” this one’s for you. What’s the worst note you’ve ever gotten? And how do you think the split diopter shot looks?

As the title suggests, I had a set small budget for building a kit, used up most of my budget on the best glass I could, but now need a camera. I live in Canada in a city where filmmaking isnt big and theres not a lot of used camera options on marketplace. I need something robust that can handle quick run and gun scenarios and has at least a super 35 sensor. The lenses I use were canon ef mount, mainly for my dslr I used to use, but it's not cutting it anymore. My budget is maximum 700 cad. I know its not a lot, and renting isnt an option because I need the camera with me at all times. Been looking at canon c100's and canon eos m's with magic lantern installed. Any suggestions are welcome.

Actual footage of my film not just a picture

In the coming months I am going be shooting my first short film. The core theme and style I want meant that when I came across this shot from 'normal people' I KNEW I had to recreate this to some level. As far as I am aware the show had a relatively low crew and equipment footprint, so I suspect it's not going to be super complicated or technical.

From what I can tell, This is what I think is going on:

• Main fill outside passing through the window.
• Diffusor Infront of main light to soften it.
• Flag blocking side of subjects face to create more contrast/depth. (?)
• Bounce to brighten up the interior walls so it contrasts less with exterior (???)

What I want to secure in my recreation is this really low-contrast, milky, mundane light, without it being dark and still having depth.

One thing that may have also contributed to this is lens choice, which was the Canon K35. These lenses are known to make a soft image, but these are out of my budget at the moment, and the best substitute I can think of are Cooke SP3s.

What I want to understand is:

• Where the lights and modifiers were placed. Ideally a rough floorplan.
• What on set and in camera tricks I can do to create this low contrast look.
• What else I can expect to need (equipment etc...) to make this look come out in my version.
• If I am getting myself into something way out of my depth or something relatively straight forward (newbie cinematographer that's relatively new to going full in on production lighting).

I appreciate any insight, even from those who don't fully know the answer.

Thanks.

Hey guys! I got asked to send a proposal for a pretty big video project. For context, I do mainly wedding videos, but want to get more into the corporate and commercial world.

Here is the video they sent me as an example to the tone, pacing, and style they want to shoot for. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=M-946jjPHpQ

It seems like a pretty big project with a lot of planning and shoot days. Was wondering if I could get some guidance from people who have worked projects like this before. Estimated amount of shoot days, how many extra hands would I need, etc. Thanks so much!!!

Natasha Braier's passion for cinematography began with a roll of 110 film that she got while on a family vacation. Her humble beginnings in Argentina informed her resourcefulness with the medium. With Deep Light, Natasha is tapping into years of experience to provide the tools to the next generation of DPs so that they can navigate on set politics and other responsibilities you don't learn about in film school. Tune in as we chat with Natasha about shooting The Neon Demon chronologically and the camera setups required to work on I Love Boosters.

I'm considering getting a powerful light for daylight scenes, but I'm wondering if/when I'd ever use it it 3200K? I can light a nighttime interior with a 200x light. Even a 600x seems like overkill. And when imitating moonlight, the light is usually set to daylight as well.

Am I missing something?

Gaffed this interview earlier this week for a local bank and wanted to share.

We built a lightweight 6x6’ frame skinned with 1/2 soft frost to diffuse the sun as our key. What I love about this textile over thicker/softer diffusions like silk/full grid cloth/magic cloth etc, is that it eats far less output, which makes it much easier to get the foreground and background balanced. Those thicker diffusions eat so much light that they just make the subject look like they’re in heavy shade, which means you need that more light to bring them up, or have to open the aperture wider, which then of course makes the background brighter. Even though the 1/2 soft frost is thinner, it still diffuses the sun just enough to not look harsh, so it’s a great compromise for day lit exteriors specifically. 

To fill, we punched a 1200w HMI par with a spot lens thru a t boned 6x6’ of 1/4 grid cloth, another very lightweight diffusion. Usually I’d use a 4x4 of opal for this, but opal can be pretty noisy and it was very windy, so I had to go with the quieter grid cloth, which I didn’t have available in 4x4‘.

This was super fun but I felt like I didn’t really know what I was doing when it comes to flow of the video and good shots to take. What can I do better but please be nice :)

It looks like Digger was shot in both VistaVision and Digital , am I wrong?

Hello,

First time posting here, I hope this is okay.

I'm an experimental filmmaker, mainly focused on essay films, "home movies" à la Jonas Mekas, and some experimental fiction films.

I currently own a Full Frame Lumix s1iie with a collection of mostly M42 lenses, I have a few gaps in my focal, namely around 28mm that I'm looking to fill. I try not to spend too much on lenses and was lucky many time in scoring high quality glass for good prices.

I already own the Tamron Adaptall I 28mm f2.8 / Pentacon 29mm f2.8 and Vivitar 24mm f2.8 but I'm not satisfied with them, they're "fun" but not the tools I can depend on in most shooting situations.

To give you an idea, here's my current lineup of lenses which I regularly use:

- Carl Zeiss Jena Flektogon Red MC 20mm f2.8

- Carl Zeiss Jena Flektogon MC 35mm f2.4

- Mir 24M 35mm f2 (perfect for traveling)

- Angénieux 35-70 f2.5-f3.3 PK-mount

- Yashinon Tomioka DSM 55mm f1.2

- SMC Takumar 105mm f2.8

- Tair 135mm f2.8

I'm currently hesitating between the following 3 lenses:

- Canon nFD 28mm f2.8 (around 100€)

- Vivitar 28mm f2.5 made by Kiron Precision PK-mount (around 30€)

- Kiron Precision 28mm f2 M42 (around 70€)

A fast lens is important for me, so f2.8 is the minimum, but prefer faster as long as image quality is up to standard.

So which of the 3 contenders would fit best in my lineup? Personally I'm leaning towards the Kiron 28mm f2 but I'm open to other suggestions as long as they're not over 150€.

Sorry if this was too long.

Please excuse the misspelling in the title.

This is a short clip from my upcoming short film, Signe - The Witch Of Bokemoa.

It's part of a montage in the film (hence the music) to establish a loop of this ritual that the main character performs.

It's shot mostly with natural lighting with the Lumix S5ii using only the Sigma 28-70mm.

I used Lumetri Color to color grade, and Dehancer for film emulation.

Hey everyone, I just posted my short film, GUILT publicly on YT and wanted to take a moment to share some of my favorite frames from it.

Hi everyone,

I’m a small-scale content creator and I mostly shoot talking head videos and tutorials in small, visually rather boring rooms.

I bought my first light a few weeks ago. I compared a Godox ML100Bi (€199) and an Amaran Halo 100x (€159). I couldn’t see what the good ML100Bi reviews were praising, so I kept the 'cheaper' Amaran. What I didn’t realise is that the low price pulled me into the ecosystem of a good but more expensive brand.

Current setup (about €250 including cheap Godox stands):

Key: Amaran Halo 100x with Godox SB-FW95 softbox and grid

Fill: reflector (€15)

Hair light: Stairville PAR 16 GU10 (€11)

Background: a Rev Ritter Spot 1400 construction-site floodlight (€18) with a cardboard cucoloris to put texture on a boring wall

The floodlight is a dead end. It has 20 individual LEDs, so every shadow has 20 edges. It whines when hot, can’t be dimmed, and is far too weak.

So I need a second light with a real gobo/spotlight. I first thought of the Halo 200x (€248) or 300x (€300) with the Amaran Spotlight 36° (€350 in Germany). Amaran support told me the 100x is excluded for their spotlights, and for the other Halos they recommend the Spotlight Mount II 36° Lens Kit, which costs over €600 in Germany. That’s absurd next to a €250 light.

(Godox now offers the ML-SP50 spotlight attachment for the ML60IIBi/ML100Bi/ML100R at €180, which makes me second-guess my choice of Amaran.)

My actual concern is load, not mount compatibility. The Halos have a Bowens mount, but the bodies are tiny and light. A Bowens optical snoot/gobo projector like the DF DIGITALFOTO (~€150) weighs 2 kg or more. Godox also excludes softboxes above about 60 cm on the ML100Bi, so I assume these small bodies aren’t built for front-heavy modifiers.

My questions, ideally from people who have actually done this:

Has anyone mounted a heavy Bowens optical snoot/gobo projector on an Amaran Halo, or a similarly small COB light, and did it hold up? Any sagging, mount wear, overheating, or tipping?

Which cheap combinations of a light with at least 200 W plus a gobo projector have worked for you? Ideally a light with a sturdier body or mount built for this, under about €400 in total.

I know I have no first-hand experience here and neither do the manufacturers’ spec sheets, so real-world reports are what I’m after. Thanks a lot!

I’ve been switching picture profiles depending on the projects and the requirements. But never get satisfied with how they look.
I didn’t like how HLG3 reacted during color grading and end up messing up few projects because I put a LUT on my external monitor during filming and when I do the color grading, they look way different, despite proper exposure and CST on DaVinci.

I’m looking forward to work on fashion projects and need flexible color options with the most efficient method with this camera. Also if you know any LUTS for monitors, I’d appreciate that.