I am sorry if you have already answered this kind of question already.

I am especially interested in questions of compression, codex and artifacts.

Do you think that the 1DS will be more acceptable to channels like the BBC than the 5D? Do you think that Canon will put out a firmware upgrade to allow recording in a different codex, something more akin to HDcam? Do you think that the Canon is comparable to, or better than the EX3 and that the BBC (and, presumably, Discovery) are unfairly dismissing the 5D?

Also, relatedly, can you see the day when you could shoot a commercial feature film that is going to go to 35mm movie film on the 5D? The Terminator promo clips, after all, only went onto the internet. Is the quality of the camera anywhere near enough to get put up onto the big screen?

Thanks for your time and help. I appreciate your work.

Jeff

00:26 It does seem to be similar to the previous. I decided 5D due to aliasing, but I’m changing my mind due to similar look to the previous and lack of frame change artifacts. This clip, however, could have been slomo without a problem to avoid the artifacts. I choose to believe, though, that it’s not. I also just noticed the camera’s reflection may be visible in the clapper of the bell. It’s too small for me to discern anything, though.
1:03 I think I see the aliasing you are referring to. That aliasing reinforces to me that it is not the 5D. If it were, there would be color aliasing there. Instead of color aliasing, though, it’s just aliasing. I stick with Sony. Since I believe it’s Sony, the color in the whitecaps gives hints for other clips. Several clips I’ve identified as Sony have similar CA. This could be a lens-specific thing, and lenses could be swapped for all cameras involved, so this might be a red herring. Still, I’m sticking to it. The Sony uses prisms to separate the color channels, right? Does that technique introduce this sort of artifact?
1:05 I’m switching to Sony on this one. It took me a while to decide on whether the film grain was right. I waffled between film grain being hidden by compression artifacts in the darker colors. On second look, there are some brighter colors in the scene that still don’t show the film grain I expect, so I’m switching to Sony. Definitely not 5D or I’d expect curved rotors.
1:10 Look at the waves through the windshield along the dashboard. They are distorted. The distortion is not from imperfections in the windshield or you’d see them throughout. They’re an artifact from the software changing from 30fps to 24fps, hence the camera was the 5D. I suggest the poor quality of the very dark areas inside the cockpit are from the compression algorithm and not from the camera.
1:23 On closer inspection, I’ll go with Sony due to the aliasing (again not color aliasing that I would expect with the 5D).
1:49 I agree. 5D.
1:50 I missed the distortion caused by changing frame rate before but see it now (look at the nose vs. bar in windshield. So I’m revising to 5D for this shot. Probably done at the same time as other cockpit clip.

00:26 > Sticking with Arri – I see texture from the grain.
01:03 > I still think 5D because of some aliasing on the boat but the Sony could have this too.
01:05 > Still Sony for me. It doesn’t seem like film to me and the highlights in the water look too clipped/sharp.
01:10 > The cockpit is so dark, still expect more from the 5D here but could be either.
01:17-01:18 > Yes should have been 01:14- 01:17. So we agree here.
01:23 – 01:24 > Def not the Arri. The highlights are way to harsh and you can see the compression working over time. Still say Sony but could be the 5D.
01:49-01:50 > There is what looks like lint on the image which would make you think it was film but there are some distortions on the ceiling lines that should be the 5D. So still 5D for me
01:50 > Sticking with my first answer but could go either way.

If you can manage the 5D faults it can look as good or even better that the Sony, this really shows you how much this camera offers. How much more money is the Sony? Amazing stuff. I love my 5D2. Film still holds up well but comes with a cost, production and logistics hit.

I would also love to know what lenses were used on what shots because they bring certain textures and characteristics to the image. Like those shots of the helicopter landing from the boat pov seem to have much more contrast to them.

I racked my brain on this stuff and found it a fun little test. What happens if we tie or get close Shane? :)

Time You Me
00:26 Arri 5D
01:03 5D/Sony Sony maybe
01:05 Sony Arri
I ruled out the 5D based upon the rotors of the helicopter not being curved. I couldn’t decided between Arri and Sony. Interesting that you ruled out Arri but thought 5D could have done it.
01:10 Sony 5D
01:17-01:18 you actually have covered by two cameras. I assume the 01:14-01:18 should have been 01:14-01:17, in which case, I think we agree.
01:23 Sony Arri
01:49-01:50 you didn’t separate this out. I did — I thought Arri.
01:50 5D Sony

Perhaps unfair to the 5D, a dead giveaway is the artifacts that appear from converting from 30fps to 24 fps. Assuming Canon’s firmware update next year contains 24 fps, this issue will go away. These artifacts usually look like smudged lines or distortions of elements in a picture. For example, a straight line will appear curved. Since I’m not familiar with either the Sony or the Arri, I just guessed at those based on the Arri being a film camera. If my guesses are right, the Sony seems to have some CA that is absent in the Arri clips. The Arri clips also reveal dust and emulsion imperfections that are absent on digital. These aren’t very noticeable at full speed, though.