This was all shot on the Canon 5D Mark II with the Neutral picture style, and all of the footage is raw with no color correction.

The Lenses:

Canon L 35mm F/1.4, 50mm F/1.2, 85mm II F/1.2, 24-70mm F/2.8, 24-105mm F/4, and 70-200 IS II F/2.8

Leica R 35mm F/2, 50mm F/1.4, 90mm F/2, 21-35mm F/3.5, 35-70mm F/3.5, and 80-200mm F/4

Zeiss ZE 35mm F/2, 50mm F/1.4, and 85mm F/1.4

Zeiss CP2 35mm T/2.1, 50mm T/2.1, and 85mm T/2.1

Setup 1

Interior with a mix of Tungsten and Daylight
ISO 640
4200K White Balance
F/4

Setup 2

Daylight car scene
ISO 160
5600K White Balance
F4
Tiffen Water White ND.3
Tiffen Water White Circular Polarizer

Setup 3

Tungsten bulb
ISO 320
3200K White Balance

Setup 4

Tungsten lighting
ISO 160
4200 K White Balance
F4

Conclusions:

Canon

Overall the Canon glass produced great skin tones and colors. The reds seemed to be slightly more saturated then the other lenses with slight bleed between red and magenta on our color charts. Very sharp images as well from the primes and the zooms were a bit softer. The images were almost too sharp in some cases which caused small amounts of moire in hair especially. Also the Canon lenses tended to breath more than the others.

Micro Moire in her hair
Slightly softer image from the zoom

Leica

The Leica glass produced creamy looking images with wonderful contrast and colors. Though the lenses were contrasty we found that they had a great fall off and gradation between colors and luminance which held detail very well. Overall they were slightly warmer in color temperature and very prone to flaring. We did not use a Matte box for this test, which would have cut out a lot of the flaring. Also out of focus highlights have more of an octagon shape due to the lenses having fewer iris blades.

Flaring Example

Octagon shaped highlights

Zeiss

The Zeiss glass produced Sharp, snappy, and contrasty images. Slightly cooler in color temperature as well. The contrast was problematic with shots with strong highlights as it  seemed to lose some detail in the highlights. The ZE 35mm F/2 produced a str
ange halo blooming type flare which could be problematic depending on your shooting situation, personally I liked the aesthetic. The CP2s were less prone to flaring due to their build, and had very smooth out of focus highlights and bokeh.

Flaring of the Zeiss ZE 35mm F/2

Smooth out of focus hightlights on Zeiss CP2 35 T/2.1

Lenses are another tool at your disposal to shape your visual story telling. These are a few of our findings, and should provide a better understanding of their strengths and weaknesses. What are some of your experiences and preferences with lenses?

Hurlbut Visuals recently had the opportunity to sit down with Dr. Winfred Scherle, Vice President and General Manager at Carl Zeiss AG Camera Lens Division. Dr. Scherle shares the fascinating history of the company and discusses the future direction of Zeiss lenses.

Enjoy.

Lydia

I started giving a Leica list out to individual colleagues and the request kept coming, so we decided to share it with everyone on the blog.  These lenses are only R-Mount, they are the cream of the crop and through variest test we have found them to be excellent.

PROS:

• Slightly warm in color, I alter my color temp. 200 degrees colder to counteract
• Wonderful Contrast and color reproduction
• Creamy
• Lenses do not breathe while racking focus
• Better cinema style  focus rack then other still lenses

CONS:

• Flare easily,  will need to have lens hoods, matte boxes and french flags to help combat losing contrast
• After we de-clicked the lenses the blades on the f-stop ring close while shooting.  Be sure to tape your f-stop every time you shoot so  your exposure doesn’t drift
• Older lens technology, not up to date coating
• Out of focus highlights will give you a stop sign effect because of not having as many iris blades

This lens set was put together with love and commitment to excellence by my good friend David Marconi and Eva Jay http://www.imdb.com/name/nm0545861/.  He is a writer/director and has fallen in love with this technology.   David is directing a movie in the fall of 2010, where we will be taking the Leica’s and our Canon 5D’s to the Moroccan desert to shoot a thriller.

In early June David asked me to take this group of lenses and put them to the test. We used them on a Medal of Honor commercial with Bandito Brothers and a Nike commercial that Robert Elswit, ASC photograghed http://www.imdb.com/name/nm0005696/

Fotodiox lens adapters are the tightest fitting and will focus at infinity.

Here are the best websites according to David and Eva for factual info. about the Leica’s.

http://elrectanguloenlamano.blogspot.com/2008/07/leica-magical-word-with-great-future.html

http://www.pebbleplace.com/Personal/Leica_db_Comments.html

11-1 primo

Ultra Primes are rising to the top by giving the widest field of view compared to the other PL mount lenses; they vignette at a 40mm which translates to a 26.8mm. Not bad.

It is a shame that the Panavision Primo primes that I used to shoot “Act of Valor” are not available anymore. They vignette up to a 35mm, which translates to a 24mm lens. Now that is nice. Their flange depth is so shallow that the Canon 5D, 7D, 1D don’t need to be changed in any way. Now let’s just think about that for a minute. We are taking all of these Canon cameras and chopping them up, moving the sensor, charging the public a fortune to be able to make a PL mount work when the Panavision lenses all work perfectly. They do not void warranties, cut up the lens port area, lose the reflex viewing system, or make the camera unusable with any other mount.

So I have gone on a quest to find the best company to modify these cameras so that you can slap PL mount cinema lens on them.

HOT ROD Cameras

One dedicated, incredibly intelligent, intimate and personal service fabricator is HOT ROD Cameras, http://www.hotrodcameras.com/. Illya Friedman has been a leader in this technology by first building his PL mount on the GH-1. His mount has the signature Green ring and handles, and are built entirely in the USA.

Canon 7D

With so many requests to PL mount the 7D, it started entrepreneurial ingenuity all over the world. Illya had already modified one and had it at Sundance for people to see.

Hot Rod Camera

Denz, Schmidle/FGV www.bandpro.com/309/ and others have started making incredible designs but at a price tag that chokes me, and if a new model comes out, you throw your 7D in the trash or sell it on the Recycler.

7D_PL

HOT ROD Camera’s mount is interchangeable. Illya is forward thinking by trying to look into the future and know that the technology will change. Since the 5D Mark II came out we have seen 2 other cameras come out in quick succession; the 7D and 1D both with different sensor sizes. This is what attracted me to HOT ROD. A mount that could embrace the future, at a price point that is a little more attractive. If you already own a 7D and want HOT ROD Cameras to modify it with a PL mount, it costs $3,250. If you would like a new 7D camera pre-modified to PL mount with all the accessories, it is $4,800. The 7D-PL cameras will be available in our Hurlbut Visuals Moviemaker Kits at Alternative Rentals. Additionally, there are many shops in the LA area renting the 7D-PL. The HOT ROD 7D-PL are the most popular. Here is the short list: Abel Cine Tech, Birns & Sawyer, Camtec, Indie Rentals, Moviola and VER.

Illya is not moving the sensor or altering the electronics of the camera. The only alteration is precision machining the lens mount area to accept the flange depth of all 35mm PL mount lenses. He has partenered with an extended warranty company, so for an extra $200 you have the option of adding a 2-year warranty. The original factory warranty is only 1-year. A new 7D Hot Rodded with a PL mount, the HOT ROD CS (an Arri-standard 15mm lightweight rod support), hand grips and a 2-year warranty all-in is $5,000.  The Denz is $7,700.00 w/camera included. The Schmidle/FGV is $7,500.00 w/camera included. Denz and Schmidle charge extra for rod support, and don’t offer hand grips.  But FGV’s mod has been done with Canon’s cooperation and keeps the cameras one year warranty active.

I talked with Schumacher Camera in Chicago while I was there for Zacuto’s Great Camera Shootout in the middle of May and they said they have 4 of HOT ROD’s 7D mod’s and they cannot keep them in the rental department. They said that the Zeiss super speeds are now flying off the shelves. This is what this revolution will fuel. A recycling of old lens technology that has been collecting dust for years, but when you put it on to these Canon cameras, it takes the camera from a Yugo to a Porsche.

thumbs_top-view-prime2

thumbs_underslung

Once again this platform being Eco-friendly in a way that we never saw coming. Now all the Cooke zooms that were in the Recycler, are now a entity, just like the Nikon still lenses became hot when the 5D was only automatic.

HOT ROD’s 5D PL mod runs about $3,650.00 and then you supply the camera at $2,400.00. All in $6,050.00. Not many of the other manufacturer’s are jumping on the 5D wagon because of the vignette issue. But, I see it as essential tool for making movies.

There are so many different lenses that have been lost and need a re-birth. Go on a creative and visual pilgrimage. That is what I am doing. All of you have been so generous to share lenses that inspire you and I have not kept up with all of your brilliant suggestions. I am only one person with a very full plate, so  I have hired a researcher at Hurlbut Visuals, to acquire these lenses. Meet Julien. He can be reached at Julien@hurlbutvisuals.com. Please send him all of your amazing creative lens ideas that you have used that make you jump up and say, ” I want to see that on the big screen.” Flood him with information please, educate him and we will do our best to deliver. He is a very smart film student that wants to be a cinematographer and a director. I love filmmakers with a passion for learning. The kid in a candy shop energy; when I see that fire, I throw gasoline on it.

So I ask all of you who have shared their lenses of choice to blast Julien with a barrage of information. He is there for you.

BRING IT ON!!!!

I have had many discussions about the different lens options other than Zeiss ZE’s and Canon’s that mount to the Canon cameras.  Zeiss took it to the next level with their Canon mount CP2’s and their new Zooms that come out this summer.  I support your creative vision; not what someone tells you is right for the camera or the fact that it has a Canon mount. Test for yourself, push the envelope, think out of the lens box.

Kowa 200mm Prim Lens 2.8

        

Kowa 100mm Prime Lens

One of Herb Ritts favorite Medium Format Lenses Mamiya z180mm

Using Lomo anamorphics, I think is very interesting. http://members.optusnet.com.au/~smort1/lomos/lomos.

Putting the Kowa’s on the camera will blow your mind with their contrast and flaring abilities. http://www.camerapedia.org/wiki/Kowa_lenses_for_other_cameras.  Leica’s deliver everything that the price tag dictates.  Using the medium format lenses.  I remember when I was working side by side with Herb Ritts, he loved the way Mamiya lenses delivered contrast and a creamy quality which was one of the unique qualities of Herb’s photographs.

1980 Lomo Anamorphic Round Front Lenses

Mid 70's-80's Lomo Square Front Anamorphic Lenses

Lenses are a very personal choice for both a photographer and cinematographer.  They can create a mood and give a certain style to a film that another lens would not.  So I ask all of you to experiment with your creativity, to fly and use what makes you shine.

This path requires some altering to your lens of choice which will assist you in delivering images that will work visually and also technically.  Duclos Lenses in Canoga Park, CA is doing just that. http://www.ducloslenses.com They have a very intimate, customer service oriented lens altering, cleaning and calibrating. You name it they will do it to your lens company.  Most importantly, from a  DSLR shooter’s perspective they do three very essential things.  They de-click all of your f-stop rings, which is absolutely essential with the HD platform.  Most of the still lenses that are set on 1/2 stop click increments.  By de-clicking the lenses, you can be more exact with your exposures.  A 1/3 of a stop increment could be the difference of whether you can hold that beautiful big puffy cloud in the sky and their backlit faces in the frame.

Duclos Lenses Cine-Mod//applies 32 pitch Delrin gear rings

Duclos Lenses Cine-Mod de-clicks your aperture ring

Delrin black 32 pitch gear rings

The other essential thing that they do is put black Delrin, perfectly machined standard 32 pitch gauge gear rings on your lenses that are stable and secure, yet you will have the ability to remove if needed.  Almost any lens can be outfitted with gears for the zoom, focus or iris.  Duclos rings increase the diameter of the lens to give you more of a cinematic throw of focus.

Panavision Primo Cinema Style Lens w/ footage markings on the side of the barrel, notice that the markings go around the whole barrel, this is what gives you that cinema style focus throw, not just 2 -3 inches like most still lenses

Cinema lenses have markings that are inscribed on the lens barrel from minimum focus to infinity and they are spaced out in a way that a focus puller can see them and when you rack focus from 5 feet to infinity it is not an 1/8 of an inch away on your focus wheel or remote follow focus handset.

This is great for a still photographer because the auto focus does not have to travel a long distance which makes it fast to grab focus on what you are lensing.  But when making movies you need more distance between footage marks.  This is so important when it comes to understanding motion.  Your focus is an extension of your creative vision.  It can misdirect the audience and assist in showing the viewer where the director wants them to look or  bring attention to an emotion, etc. So when you mount a larger diameter ring on a still lens you expand the distance between 5 feet and infinity, which then gives the lens more of a cinematic feel. When you rack focus from someone in the background to a object or person in the foreground it has a smooth focus throw, done with the speed that you prefer.  If it is a horror film and you want to build suspense maybe the rack to the F.G. is slow and builds tension, or if you want to use it for a scare tactic the rack can be incredibly fast to reveal.

Duclos 80mm Rings that they affix to the front of your lens which will except 77mm screw-in filters

The third thing that Duclos does is to install a 80mm front ring, which will accept an inside 77mm thread.  Now all lenses have the same front size ring. This is a must for speed when you are shooting.  With still lenses, you have all diameters and sizes, this keeps it all one size.  Which means you only have to buy one ND filtration size.  This saves money, and time.

Paul at Duclos has put these 3 essential modifications to your lens in a pkg., called the Cine Mod for a discounted price.

Dream, create and think out of the box.  Take lenses that no one would think of using and experiment.  What about plastic lenses? I want to see that!

Here are details from our EPK crew on “The Last 3 Minutes.” With this first person perspective, it is not like a scene where you do a wide shot and then go in for coverage. It plays out like a play where everything has to work. If you did a normal scene, there would be 5 takes on a master, 6 takes on over the shoulder, another 6 takes on over the shoulder, 4 takes on a close-up and 4 takes on another close-up. We did 10-20 takes so it all worked as one shot which was very challenging. One of the most difficult things in film making is to have it all happen in one shot and not breaking it up into individual set-ups. Here is how we did it.

EPK Director/Camera Operator: Tim Holtermann

“When Shane told me he wanted to shoot behind the scenes footage of “The Last 3 Minutes” I was very excited as I had only used the 5D MKII for narrative work. I knew that using the 5D for run and gun style documentary work might be a challenge and loved the idea of diving in head first.

Shane and The Hurlbut Visuals Elite Team

Prep: There was no real prep for this because of time constraints and schedules so I pretty much showed up on set day one and just started shooting. However, we had discussed some things ahead of time like shooting freehand (no rigs) vs mounting the camera on a RedRock shoulder mount rig with follow focus and a Zoom H4n for sound. What we found out after a few hours on day one was that free style was the way to go. It was light, nimble and easy to move around a sometimes crowded set. The less intrusive the better – especially for low key documentary style stuff.

Director Po Chan, Rudy Harbon, Shane and Marc Marguiles check out a shot

Crew: Shane’s Elite Team Members Marc Marguiles and Rudy Harbon helped me with delivering two different perspectives with their camera work. Not only was it a blast to work with Marc and Rudy but a privilege too. Nothing like a good group around you when you are pulling long days and nights.

Shane, Tim Holtermann and Derek Edwards With the Helmet Cam

Gear: Aside from the 5D MKII my lens of choice was the Canon EF 24-70mm f/2.8 L lens. This lens proved to be a great help in low light situations and is perfect for run and gun style shootings. I tend to stay around 24 for most hand held work because it just helps keep the image steady but there were occasions where I did zoom in, you just have to watch the motion. Marc used the Canon EF 24-105 f/4 with IS. The image stabilization seemed to work well when he zoomed in which was helpful for those times where we couldn’t get close enough. When we were shooting in low light he would be up in the 1600 ISO range where I was happy at ISO 640. So there are some trade offs.

For the most part it was just the 5D MKII and a lens griped with our hands. No tripods, no camera supports, no lighting, nothing at all.

Derek Edwards, Tim Holtermann, Antonio Soriano and Shane

Audio: I guess I could have included this in the gear section but I think audio is important so it gets its own special section. We did have a Zoom H4n and a Rhode microphone with us and if I had an extra sound guy to follow us around I might have had it rolling sound. The problem with recording sound like this is that you have to deal with it sooner or later in post. You either need to slate your shots or use some type of plug-in to help sync up the sound with the visuals not to mention the extra time you’ll need to catalog all of the sound files. Sometimes in run and gun style documentary shooting there is just no time or ability to shoot a slate so the question became, do we just roll the audio and attach the Zoom to one of us and hope for the best or should we just concentrate on the visuals and hope the camera mics hold up. We decided to let the cameras record with their own mics. We just didn’t have the time or crew to fuss with the Zoom in such a fast paced schedule. For the most part the sound from the cameras holds up pretty well except during any amount of wind or camera/hand shake.

If we had had the time before hand I would have tested a few more options – for example, mounting one of the smaller mics such as the Rhode VideoMic or Sennheiser MKE 400 directly to the camera which would have probably been a lot better than the on board mic and since they would feed directly to the camera we would not have to worry about syncing the audio up later. The other nice option would have been to try out the new audio control of the 24P firmware but there was no time.

Shane and Kyra Hurlbut

We wanted to get some dialogue from Shane to lay down as voice over as well as an introduction so when there were a few minutes to spare during lunch on one of the days we put Shane under a tree with a Sennheiser G3 wireless lavalier which fed into the Zoom H4n and recorded away. This was the only time we ended up using the second system sound.

So the bottom line – I was surprised the camera mics did as well as they did but would have loved to have improved upon this and will make sure to get some testing done before the next run and gun shoot.

Lighting: Well there wasn’t any – not by the behind the scenes crew anyway. We relied on available light. Outdoors we used the sun to our advantage but had to ND the lens most of the time. There were a few times where I just stopped the camera down past 11. Usually lenses show their weaknesses when you go into the 11+ range but since we were not shooting things for beauty I wasn’t too concerned. In fact the images look pretty good and it allowed me to keep focus more easily. The choice was – worry about a less pristine image due to the aperture or an out of focus image. I would rather have the focus, at least in this situation.

During the lower light scenes and night shots we tried to use the set lighting as much as possible. There were times where I was wide open at 2.8 and 640 ISO or higher but the camera held up fine. It’s just that pulling focus can be a problem at this point so I highly suggest getting use to using the cameras 10x magnification feature, finding a focus point and then hitting record quickly or using something like the Zacuto ZFinder.

Rudy Harbon, Shane and Derek Edwards discuss a shot

Marc Marguiles, Shane and Derek Edwards

Shooting the behind the scenes for “The Last 3 Minutes” was a labor of love. It was challenging, fun and exhausting all at the same time but that is what makes film making so rewarding. It was great documenting Shane and the rest of the crew at work as they are all so passionate about what they do. A true pleasure. If you have specific questions or want more details, my email is Tim@hurlbutvisuals.com.”

Marc Marguiles, Po Chan, Darin Necessary, Bodie Orman and Shane

EPK Camera Operator: Marc Marguiles

“When you tell a story it is important to have a beginning, middle and end. I thought of opening the case and ending it with putting the camera back in the case and the in between would be sequenced by a scene by scene telling a story within the story.

I preferred using the 5D over 7D and 1D because it was more familiar and we had done extensive testing with picture quality and noise reduction. The lens choice needed to be able to do a wide shot while also capturing closeups without being right in the middle of the action or in everyone’s face and getting in the way of production. I chose a Canon 24:105 zoom with a Tiffen ND .9 or ND 1.2 to decrease the depth of field while shooting at 160 ISO during the daytime to make it look more like film. The night shots were at 1600 and 3200 ISO because the t-stop was a 4.0 on that lens.

It was great to collaborate with Tim to compliment certain shots; we alternated with wide or tight angles. The overall vision was to have an educational how “The Last 3 Minutes” was made so the audience felt like they were actually present on the set. If you would like to discuss everything in more detail, my email is Marc@hurlbutvisuals.com.”

Shane, Darin Necessary and Bodie Orman

So Lydia Hurlbut negotiated with Canon to sponsor a visual short produced by Hurlbut Visuals and Bandito Brothers Productions that showcased the 24p firmware update in the 5D to remind everyone of the power of this amazing tool.  A tool that can inspire out of the box thinking.  I wanted to feature the Canon glass to show what I had learned over the last 13 months shooting one feature, 12 commercials, and 20 short films with this platform.

Director: Po Chan

“The day when Shane asked me to come up with “The Last 3 Minutes” treatment I was so excited. I knew that I did not have to limit my vision and could go wild because of what this camera can do.  I wanted to write a story which would enable us to showcase different kinds of lighting scenarios and extreme camera angles that will touch audiences hearts. Visuals without a story have no meaning. My own little philosophy about life is that life is like a BIG CIRCLE. We are all born INNOCENT. No matter how many wrong doings or right things we have done, at the last minutes before death we will again become innocent. This is the big circle of life and it is the inspiration behind “The Last 3 Minutes.” The main element in this film is the CRYSTAL that William carries with him, which represents the theme of INNOCENCE and William’s own conscience. A crystal refracts light, so when William looks inside it each refraction becomes a different memory in the course of his life. It is analogous to peeling back layers of an onion with the center layer being just at the moments before death. All of the elements in this film: casting, music, wardrobe style and color, make up (the lipstick color on the actress), hairstyle and color, set dress pieces and the texture of those pieces to the look of the crystal. Everything was carefully planned and considered to make sure every element worked in concert with the story, together in harmony.” For further questions about the concept please email Po at pchan731@yahoo.com.

Canon 5D First Person Perspective

Cinematographer and Executive Producer: Shane Hurlbut, ASC

“I asked Po to write this short and she delivered a phenomenally creative concept within a day. Po not only wrote a heartfelt story but a piece that took advantage of every unique possibility with the Canon 5D technology, especially because of her ideas with using a first person experience. A huge thank-you to Po for her tireless vision and leadership.

When Po and I discussed her creative concept, I believed that the Canon L series glass would be the perfect lens choice because of the close-focus ability and creamy quality.  The Canon glass shined on this project and I was so impressed with the 35, 50, 85, 100mm Macro L Series lenses.  Their contrast range and color knocked me out.

The main character in the short is William Turner, a janitor who’s life seems mundane and uninteresting on the surface but as it unfolds there are many layers. We shot his boring existence in the present day at 24p utilizing the new firmware.  The story then goes on a journey of William’s life over a time period of 67 years which we shot 30p and pulled it in at 24fps so that it would have a slightly dreamy feel. The creamy Canon glass delivered the period look that we were going for as we went back in time beginning in the 1980′s and moving backward to end in the 1940′s.

On the tech front, Doggicam came forth with an amazing new 5D helmet cam that put the 5D very close to the right eye and moved gracefully down the 3rd base line as well as crawling through the high grass in the Vietnam sequence. It uses Doggicam’s patented 5/8″ rod technology to put the camera wherever you would like.  It is extremely lightweight and stable.

HV Elite Team member Bodie Orman wearing the Doggiecam Helmet

Our shoot encompassed 17 different location over 4 1/2 days.  The project was a labor of love from the Hurlbut Visuals Elite Team Members and all the production staff from Bandito Brothers.  This would never have been possible without their time, expertise, willingness to donate gear and take on whatever roles the project demanded. Jacob Rosenberg and his post production Elite Team from Bandito Brothers knocked it out of the park!!  For specific post questions, please email Jacob at jacob@banditobrothers.com. A big thank you to Andrew Huebscher (andrew.huebscher@gmail.com) for his amazing color correction and Brett Novak for his beautiful crystal transitions. The biggest thank you goes to my wife and collaborator. She was the glue that held this little short together with countless hours on the phone connecting people, arranging the deal, coordinating the finances, working with the parents to schedule all of the children and watching over the kids on the set which was a daunting task.”

Director Po Chan and Shane with HV Elite Team Members in action

Carmela McCoy (Costume designer and Makeup) on right and Hether Breckrest (Makeup) on left

HV Elite Team Member Rudy Harbon and Shane viewing a shot

Producer: Greg Haggart

“My team and I knew that we had the task of making this project go off without a hitch. Our job is to anticipate potential problems so we can avoid them to stay on time and within the budget. I location scouted with Po and asked many favors from equipment vendors and the special effects team members from “Act of Valor.”  I believe that the Canon 5D encourages the essence of what film making is all about. Everyone giving it their all; whatever needs to be done for the love of the project with the end result of putting the highest quality image possible up on the screen.”  For further questions about production, please email Greg at greghaggart@mac.com

Vietnam scene with HV Elite Team Members Darin Necessary and Bodie Orman

Editor: Vashi Nedomansky

“Po asked me cut “The Last 3 Minutes” and then brought me super-detailed storyboards and the script that proceeded to act out every shot, angle and transition.  What I realized right away was this was to be no ordinary short film.  Once I received the footage, I had confirmation.  As an editor, I have seen the best and worst shot footage from every camera.  What Shane can do with the 5D mkii will make your jaw drop.  The images are so organic and pleasing that we spent most of the time looking at the reference monitors in disbelief.  The edit was a smooth one and with so many choices for each scene, I let the visuals do all the work.  I did hide a couple zero-cuts in the edit to blend two takes together but otherwise I tried to stay out of the story’s way.  It’s amazing how a cinematic image can instill more emotion into a scene.  That, along with the shallow depth of field, really gives you more tools to tell your stories in the most visually interesting way.” For further questions about editing, please email Vashi at vashikoo@yahoo.com.

Behind the Scenes of “The Last 3 Minutes”

Stay tuned for a sizzle reel of the Behind The Scenes video of “The Last 3 Minutes” directed and edited by Elite Team Member Tim Holtermann.  In the Behind The Scenes footage, we break down how different scenes were done and discuss how a particular scene was blocked, different camera angle choices and unique lighting set ups.  It will be released on the Canon’s Digital Learning Center usa.canon.com/dlc/controller?act=GetArticleAct&articleID=3409 as well as the Hurlbut Visuals website and the HurlBlog.

Reaper

Making HD look like film has a cocktail and one of the essential ingredients to this flavorful recipe is Neutral Density.  You have to keep your exposure on a 5D around a 5.6 to get that beautiful shallow depth of field.  The 7D should be around a 2.8, and the 1D around a 4.0.  This gives the focus puller a chance and still keep a beautiful fall off of focus.

The Canon cameras allow what has never been achieved before with most of the HD platform cameras.  They never had a vista-vision sensor in them.  It was always a 2/3 chip sensor or a 35mm sensor size with more depth of field than anyone would want or know what to do with.

I recently did a slew of tests for the Bandito Brothers Production Company and we discovered how cheap ND (Neutral Density) limited our color correction options.  Green is one of my favorite colors but not what bad green filtration does to a beautiful image with depth and color.

Hoya ND

We had a test where I was shooting five 5D’s side by side with different ND filtration from a variety of manufacturers.  The color difference was astounding.  Muddy, green and flat was the feeling I was getting from an $11.00 HOYA filter. www.hoyafilter.com/products/hoya/oef-05.html

Schneider ND

When I moved to the next camera it had a Schneider that seemed somewhat clean, but not perfect. www.schneideroptics.com/industrial/filters/Neutral_Density.htm?gclid=CM_NhqTH258CFRJinAodS1XdGQ

B + W 77mm

B + W Filter

Then onto the B+W, which has a color that was very close to the Schneider.www.schneideroptics.com/filters/bw.htm

Cameras 4 and 5 had Tiffen Water White  1.2 ND’s which looked the cleanest of all of them.  This filter was specifically designed for the HD world.  When you ND so much to get the exposure that you love it increases the IR levels that your sensor is taking in.  This filter counteracts that. BUT what I have found is that the Canon DSLR’s have very powerful IR filters on their sensors so the standard IR filtration in the HD world is not needed.  Testing has shown that when you go into the 1.5 to 2.1 range you do need a little IR compensation but no where near what the filter manufacturer’s have laid in there.  So my go to is the HV Tiffen Water White 77mm ND’s Indie: 3,6,9,1.2, Indie Plus:1.5,1.8,2.1 pola, or the HV Tiffen Water White 4 x 5 Pro: 3,6,9,1.2 and Pro Plus: 1.5, 1.8, 2.1 with 138mm Pola Kits.  For detailed information, please contact Jill Conrad at NYC Tiffen at 1-631-609-3215 or email jconrad@tiffen.com or Robert Oralndo in LA at rorlando@tiffen.com, they both will be able to direct you to a dealer to get you all set-up. The kits come with belt pouches that hold the 77mm or the 4×5 filters.  They are sweet and very user friendly.    Tiffen has also up their ND levels to 5, 6, and 7 stops.  These are now available in WW IR ND and WW Straight ND  1.5, 1.8, and a 2.1.  This is essential for getting that amazing shallow depth of field out of your Canon 5D, 7D, and 1D cameras.

HV Indie and Indie Plus Kits are 77mm Water White Straight ND's

HV Pro and Pro Plus Kits are 4 x 5 Water White Straight ND's

When we compared all the cameras in the color correction bay, the Tiffen Water White  ND quickly moved to the top. The Water White filtration is expensive, but you get what you pay for. What a difference!  So, my recipe for filming is to use the Tiffen Water Whites ND’s across the board.

What types of ND filtration do you use?  What gives you the best results?  What problems have you dealt with?

]]> http://www.hurlbutvisuals.com/blog/2010/02/10/filtration-beware-of-the-reaper-of-cheap-glass/feed/ 163 http://www.hurlbutvisuals.com/blog/2010/02/06/still-lenses/ http://www.hurlbutvisuals.com/blog/2010/02/06/still-lenses/#comments Sat, 06 Feb 2010 22:43:02 +0000 Shane http://hurlbutvisuals.com/blog/?p=805 On the still lens front, you have a variety of options.  I am addressing this topic from a 40 foot screen digital projection perspective, not a still photography one.

ZEISS ZE PRIMES

21mm-Zeiss-ZE

Zeiss ZE primes rock.  Their resolution is spectacular and they are lightweight.  Their focus is a little more cinematic then a Canon or a Nikon, so it gives your focus puller a chance.

28mm-Zeiss-ZE

The lenses do breathe, which means they zoom in or zoom out when you rack focus.  This asthetetic bothers some people so you should see if you like it and or can deal with it.

CANON L SERIES PRIMES

Canon L Series 35mm

Canon L Series 85mm

Canon L series primes deliver very beautiful, sharp images.  They do not resolve as well as the Zeiss primes.  So you will loose a little detail and color gradation choices in post.  If you are fine with that, then the Canon primes are a great choice. Their zooms are not as sharp as the primes and they don’t hold contrast as well.

Canon L Series Lenses

The Canon EF lenses cannot hold up on the big screen. I used them on the first 2 shooting days of the Navy SEAL movie and they were just plain soft. When I went into color correction, I was not able to have the full range of detail of the 8 BIT compressed color space, that I had with the L series or the Nikons. Canon lenses also have one tricky issue: the endless focus wheel.  It is amazing for a still photographer but not a trained focus puller. Companies like Zacuto have put lens stops on their zip gears to try and correct the problem but it is still something to contend with.

NIKON AI SERIES PRIMES

Nikon AI Series 28 mm

Nikon AI Series 50 mm

Nikon glass delivers well with the AI series. They were the cream of the crop back in the late 1970’s and early 1980′s and still are in my book.  They deliver images just like the Zeiss in contrast but the glass has a warmer tone. However, their focus range is short like the Canon’s.

LEICA R SERIES PRIMES

Leica 35 mm R Series

I tested Leica and found that they delivered beautiful contrast and color throughout.  They felt the closest to the Panavision Primo primes and had more of a cinema focus throw, even more than the Zeiss ZE primes. These lenses resolve so well on the big screen.

HASSELBLAD MEDIUM FORMAT ZEISS PRIMES

50 mm Hasselblad Medium Format

150 mm Hasselblad Medium Format

Hasselblad medium format lenses were very interesting on the 5D.  It had the same contrast and color of the Zeiss ZE Primes. You need to check it out. They have an amazing cinema focus throw, but  breathe like the Zeiss. I like the large focus markings and the weight, they felt really nice on my Red Rock Micro shoulder rig.  As long as you feel comfortable shooting above a 4.0 these lenses are a great choice.

With all of the lens options out there, these are still just tools.  The story and the characters are KING!  These players all have a back story that never makes it to the screen, but it is the thread, the tapestry that binds the film.  Find that thread, follow it to dream and create your next work of art!!!!

I have been getting many comments from people on what is the value of cinema style lenses compared to still lenses.  So, this is part one of a two part blog. First we delve into cinema style lenses and what makes them useful. Part II focuses on still lenses and the variety of options. The choice ultimately comes down to the look that you want to achieve as an artist and your budget.  When you read a script you have to let the story speak to you and have your lighting and lens choice be character driven.

For example, on “Terminator: Salvation,” what would a world dominated by machines look like?  Well, I thought about what machines are made of: steel, iron, titanium; these materials all have the color silver in them.  What would a world filled with silver look and feel like?  It would be pretty black and white.  McG and I did not want to make a black and white movie. With a movie that had silver threaded through its visual language, we then added color in their faces and threw in a little warmth in the Resistance to make it visually interesting.  My Elite Team and I set out on a mission to deliver a new look for a post-apocalyptic world that no one had seen before. We used the story and the Terminators characters to drive the look and feel of Skynet proper.  It was cold, filled with contrast, uninviting, dark, edgy, and depressing. The only warm color in Skynet was fire for the fear factor and the color red because that was a franchise established color.

T4 Skynet - Click for larger image

In contrast, the Resistance bunker and personnel had color with warm skin tones to give it life.  I wanted to use greens and gold’s and warm sunlight to show that our characters were trying to survive in this world of machines where they were not a machine.

The exterior landscapes had little life or hope, so we let our silver color bleed into this world.

These are the colors we chose to use in painting our canvas, and they were driven by the story. I turned to the Panavision Primo Primes for their resolution, contrast range and crisp feel.

T4 Resistance - Click for larger image

T4 Resistance - Click for larger image

T4 Post Apocalyptic Landscape - Click for larger image

T4 Post Apocalyptic Landscape - Click for larger image

T4 Post Apocalyptic Landscape - Click for larger image

When I was asked to lens “ We are Marshall” McG and I had gone through a variety of different looks for a movie in the early seventies.  They had been done before and we wanted something unique.  There were a slew of period 1970’s movies that had hit the theaters and we were feeling inspired to make it different.  The story was such an amazing rise from the ashes story.  The characters in the film had lost so much and their town had suffered emotionally and financially for decades.  I walked around the town scouting locations and this event literally touched every single person in some way.  It was truly profound.  I would be in an elevator in Kansas City and some one would notice my Marshall University hat that I was wearing and they would stop me and say.  “You know I was one of the first firefighters on the scene.  The plane crash was so intense and hot that we could not get near it for hours. “ It was a monumental event that effected generations.  How do you translate that into a lens choice or a photographic style?  Well, I went back to still photography and to the Kodachrome images of the late 1960’s for my inspiration. The 70′s looks in cinema that had been done recently had been de-staurated and flat. I felt that this would be incredibly depressing and this story was not about the tragedy; it was about the community’s rebirth.  So what better format than the most beautiful film stock that has ever graced our printers.  KODACHROME!!

We Are Marshall - Click for larger image

We Are Marshall - Click for larger image

We Are Marshall - Click for larger image

Once McG and I strategized, I went out to search for period glass for the image capture.  I settled on 1968 Zeiss Panavision Ultra Primes.  There were plenty of beautiful still lenses that had been converted by many manufacturers to work on our Panavision cameras but none of them were ready to be tested in a movie making environment or one that required specific focus capabilities.  The Ultra primes had been making movies since the 1960’s.  The glass had less contrast which was a big advantage. Kodachrome has a very colorful and stark look but it also has this very beautiful chalky effect in the blacks.  So in the coloring process, I coined the phrase “chalk and drop,” where we took the lower contrast 1960’s glass and pushed the mid tones to the extreme, then brought the blacks way down   This created a halo in the transition area from light to dark. Then with a little added saturation, period art direction and a colorful costume palette, it breathed eternal life into this tragic but uplifting story.  So, it is really up to you as an artist to let the story and the characters speak to you.

We Are Marshall - Click for larger image

We Are Marshall - Click for larger image

Transitioning from film to HD has required a whole new level of creativity. One big weakness in the 5D platform is the 8 BIT compressed color space.  How do you deal with that?  Well, I use it to my advantage by shooting with the sharpest lenses possible.  It gives you more range in the color grading process.  The minute something was a little soft, the details in different shades of color went away first.  The Elite Team and I have done multiple tests and found the Primo Prime resolution is far superior to every still lens out there.  They are all hand made Leica glass with state of the art coating.  Each lens varies from $18,000.00 to $40,000.00 in the prime lens department.  Not $200.00 up $3,500.00.  The Primos deliver about 3 more stops of latitude.  Because of the lens size it captures more light, so seeing into the shadows was increased by about 1.5 stops.  Then with the coating and design of the lens, it holds more detail in the highlights, about 1.5 stops.

Unfortunately, Panavision is currently in a lawsuit against Canon pertaining to Canon copyright infringement of their CMOS Sensor http://image-sensors-world.blogspot.com/2009/10/panavision-sues-omnivision-aptina.html. Until this gets resolved, the Panavision lenses will not be available for rental. Everyone is now on the bandwagon to give you PL mount lenses. So the market is wide open for engineers to take apart the Canon 5D and 7D cameras and carve it out so that the PL mounted rear element does not hit the Canon mirror.  This will then enable you to use the Cooke S4 Primes, Arri Ultra Primes, and or the Zeiss Master Primes.  Clairmont Camera has started to tear them apart and retool the mount. Illya Freidman at http://www.hotrodcameras.com/ has done a 7D that I saw at Sundance for around $4,000.00 and it looked sweet.  He will convert your 5D if you provide it.

Just be aware that if you interfere with the Canon body in any way, it voids all warranties. I know in my heart that at least one lens manufacturer will see the light and build a cinema style lens with a Canon mount in the near future.