Documentary/Commercial Filmmaker, Sydney Australia. Working full time as a Freelance Cinematographer and Filmmaker, I'll be building this channel up as my archive for personal projects, behind the scenes from film shoots and short edits from my travels.
Thank you for this video I’m going for a Komodo x setup with a zoom dzo. Sorry I think I missed it, did you talk about how you get insured for your equipment?
Great video man, I found it super helpful. Been shooting with smaller housings like the salty for many years, but considering picking up an old red epic dsmc, just need to find a housing for it. Those empty wave shots you got look epic, thanks for the info.
Ahh cheers Alex stoked you liked it! Yeah keep an eye on FB Marketplace you see SPL or Dave Kelly pop up time to time.. even the odd Aquatech but there weren't many of those made. Its nuts how well the Red DSMC1 cams still standup.. Still got super competitive frame rate/resolution options, Im still using mine for all my higher end water jobs and always super happy with the results
@@calebgrahamfilms thats super encouraging to hear. For the right price, would you still pick up a DSMC1 & your housing today if you came across that setup? Or would you put $ towards something like a Komodo & newer housing? Appreciate the input!
I'm having trouble exposing N-Log on my Z6III. It's always look too bright after applying RED's Rec2020 to Rec709 and I have to lower the exposure in post (I'm using Final Cut Pro - Library color set to SDR) I wonder what I might do wrong. Do you have tutorial on how to expose N-LoG correctly? Thank you
I don't, but I was planning on doing some testing of Reds new LUTS designed for Nikon. I know what you mean - I found a lot of the skies looked a touch bright in my footage also, I was able to bring it back but it did seem a little bit trickier to nail exposure. Will let you know how I go with the LUTS
They're pretty different - but the A7siii definately still holds up against newer cams like this. A7siii has a bit more dynamic range, and maybe a bit more of a 'filmy' look - its a really good sensor due to the lower megapixels, and also the low light performance can be super handy. I think the Z6iii is sharper and maybe has richer colours
Nice video. I appreciate the effort guys. So thank you for that. If I may, the guy on the left says “ummm” as a confirmation to everything the guy on the right is saying and the confirmation comes very often leading to many “uhmm’s” in concession. Which can be quite off putting. It takes away from the content. The guy on the right confirms in various different ways which, even though he is agreeing isn’t off putting at all. Overall, Great work gentlemen and lots of great real world info on the R5II
Cheers for the feedback! Haha yeh we're far from being 'presenters' - but this is good to know. Typically when Im cutting Doco's I'll either cut between camera angles or cover with B-roll to get rid of all those 'umms', but leaving these style of videos a bit more raw. Pretty new to talking to camera and both much prefer being on the other side of the lens but hopefully this improves a bit with time! But good feedback, and appreciate it being in a constructive/polite way - not something RU-vids often known for haha
@@calebgrahamfilmsof course. There’s no point in being negative. But constructive feedback always gives us the opportunity to become better. I actually tell people that work for me to always provide constructive feedback on the way I present too. It just allows us to become that much better. :) Great stuff guys! Keep it up! 👏🏽
@@macchoudhry5868 For sure! Especially in filmmaking.. I don't think you ever get to the point where you're above that, and don't still have room to learn/grow. Cheers again for taking the time, and hope to keep dropping more like this! Hopefully the C400 next🤞
Great review really. How do you think about the 4k 50p and 25p non Raw and Raw in this camera? I know you mention it but can it compete or fit with the C70?
Cheers! Yeh the 4k codec options looked pretty nice - when you compare them with the 8k files those are definitely a bit richer, but on their own - there's nothing wrong with the 4k image, and they definitely would cut in with other cameras like the C70. Case in point the interview in this clip - thats 4k Long GOP Mp4 (422 10 bit), and if you had a C70 shooting singles/tight - it would cut in seamlessly. So yeah - realistically you're not going to want to be shooting 8k all the time, and would find yourself using the 4k modes - and I think you'd be pretty happy with the results
The funny thing is that 5D mark II footage in the middle of it is still looking great. This camera certainly ticks all the boxes and hopefully will get even better with some firmware upgrades. My biggest gripe with it is the lack of 3rd party lenses. Those tamron 17-28, 28-75 and 35-180 are fantastic for travel and when you want to bring your weight down.
Haha I know right.. I went through a lot of other cameras after my 5d Mark ii and still looked back at my older footage for a while and thought the 5d stuff looked nicer. Think they just really got it right with the full frame sensor and nice colours on that camera. Ahh interesting, we only used native RF lenses on this shoot so wasn't aware of that!
I was super impressed with this one. Seems better value, more useable (Better battery life, no overheating I'm aware of), and more straight-forward codec options. I think the Canon image definitely had a bit of an edge - more latitude and richer colours, and the Z6ii was a bit prone to Jello-style issues especially on wide lenses - to do with how its stabilisation works I guess. But all in all - a pretty impressive camera
Loved this chat! It’s nice to see people using it in the real world. You don’t need to wow me with b-roll just talk about what it’s like to use. Really well done. Instant sub.
Cheers! Yeah as far as I know the non-raw formats are fine - I've seen some tests from other people that seem to suggest at least 1 hour is ok, but haven't heard too much beyond that. In this video we ran the interview for 30 minutes and it was fine - and that was using one of the older batteries as well, which only give around 45 min max runtime
Ahhh solid question!! As an A7siii owner.. So same sensor as the FX3 - Its a nice sensor because its not downsampling, and the ISO 12800 is super handy when you need it. So useability, and practicality wise - maybe the FX3 would win. But if your main goal is best image - then the R5ii has an edge. The 8k raw is a pretty high end image comparable to some much more expensive cameras.
For some reason, I prefer Canon images and find their usability better. Do you think the r5 mark ii is capable of producing documentary content? My goal is to shoot a short documentary. I like to take family vacation pictures on occasion
@@MODESTYXO205 Yep definitely a good little doco cam! Only slight caveats - For long takes you may need to use one of the non-raw 4k settings. But for short bursts we didn't have any problems shooting in 8k/50. Interview for tis clip was shot using the r5ii with Rode wireless pro lapels running directly into camera
Of course! Still think those vids where genius and was cool to see what you where doing. Definitely some sub-par acting in that live action one shot in your kitchen but 🤦😂
Most of the DSMC1 cams are dying due to the overheating of components I suppose. I've had 3 brains - Scarlet MX, Epic M, Epic MX. I've got one that died on me, but after disassembly there were signs of water damage - it does seem it was flooded once, or used in a terrible weather conditions (I've used mine in -24C, got into some heavy rains with no issues at all though). One thing to note - the thermopaste used on the RGB board is some kind of plastiline like substance, which dries out over time and is loosing it's state. I've then dug into my Scatlet after the SDI was blown out by the Tilta ring grip - just to see that the thermopaste was in the same state, despite it was 3 years younger than the Epic M physically. Though, this can be swapped at a local electronic repair shop, but I suggest not to dig into the cams without any other reason - the screws and the assembly on the serial ones are kinda easy to snap over time, which I can't say about M models. With the price ranging anywhere from 1000 to 2500 usd - I'd say just buy another brain if the older one fails (just like I did with my Epic M - purchasing another Epic MX brain).
though business-wise I agree that Red was a bad decision business-wise regarding new brains. They've screwed so many people with Monstro going from 80+k to less than 10k in 4 years. But used is another thing, a steal.
Cool insight mate! I opened an old one up one time but didnt know what I was doing haha. I've had a guy over in the US called Josh Wilson (contact@cgpent.com) service and repair some DSMC1 brains for me - he's the only guy around still touching them as far as I know. Cheers for dropping by, interesting hearing about your journey and the heating issues
I have always dreamed of becoming a youtuber, I love vlogs, and when I realized my love for cinema as well, I started learning cinematic vlogs and I was so in love with it. The thing was that I might be an aspiring filmmaker/youtube creator/vlogger but my main focus right now is really youtube, unlike others who really make big films, this is just something I want to utilize for myself, because it allows me to be versatile in the content I am making. That's why I understand why you were turned off but then again, even if I may not be a working full time filmmaker like others, I do still love to incorporate cinematic side in my vlogs ^^ its a banger :))
Good insight man! Fully get it, and your kind of reasoning is why my thoughts have changed a bit a long the way as well. I hope I didnt come across as too negative towards certain types of creators.. Only really referencing professional reviewers with some of those comments, and even then you can take it with a grain of salt. I think these days when you're starting out it makes total sense to put a lot of focus into RU-vid! At the end of the day making work that scratches the creative itch and starts some convos is what its all about - cool chatting with people like yourself on here, cheers for sharing your thoughts - good luck with the journey!
Haha yep, cult classic! Funnily enough for a few years to come after moving onto other cameras after the 5d.. I still found a lot of footage I shot on the 5d seemed to look nicer
@@ArnoldGia Not the 5d Mark OG! but the mark ii was the first SLR I ever owned and I was pretty blown away. Shooting wide open with the 50 1.4 and those colours.. compared to the images I'd been used to getting out of more camcorder style cams, I couldn't believe it
Love the documentation of your journey. Even if it doesn’t bring career growth implications, it’s nice to have an archive of your thoughts in the current moment.
Cheers David! Yep for sure - I enjoy that part of the journey as well. I've more or less hidden behind my work for the last 10 years or so, so its been nice to start to share the journey with people and force myself to get over the 'putting myself out there' part haha. Plus little interactions like this with other filmmakers. Appreciate the support!
We’ve had such a similar journey! I received a Staff Pick in 2013 for Duct Tape Surfing and it was cool, was also the first video Vimeo deleted when I cancelled my account in 2021 😂. Vimeo’s 2010-2015 era is still an amazing time in film making ❤
Haha deadset? Thats super interesting. Yep - 100% - for a long time it was a routine watching videos in the staff pick section for a bit of daily inspiration. A cool period for sure. Its definitely harder on here to get those projects out there - but it just felt like there was no real reason to stay over on Vimeo in this era. Cool hearing your parallel tales mate!
@@LoungearoundTV ahhh its nice to hear that! To this point these kind of videos havent really got anywhere close to the audience of the more gear focussed ones haha so good to hear people are watching. Cheers!
Bro, i loved the insight into your line of work. I would love to have like a story time of how you went from a small town small school to your current career... Like the steps you took and how you got to the idea of doing what you do... I was convinced you where going to be an X games roller blader lol haha
Haha cheers bruz! Yeh I was thinking at some point I'd do more of a run through on that side of things, so will definitely do that one in the future. Ahhh you and me both! Funnily enough one of my filmer mates in Sydney is an avid blader so it was epic to reconnect with a few from that background when I moved here. Let me know if there's ever any cool little stories that would be good for a Doco down around Griffith/Point.. I'd love to come back down sometime
@calebgrahamfilms not much happens around this way that would warrant a task of that nature lol but I just remember the days of the flying fox down the back near the Levi and the room like cubby yous had in the top of the shed. BTW, your old house still looks exactly the same lol haha
@@jangz08 Haha ahhh yeh the flying fox and bmx jumps at the bottom of the levi bank where so good! I was driving from Adelaide to Sydney a few years ago and drove through to check it out, even went down the river to check the beach I used to ride down to swim at. Good times!
Cheers Jon! Yeh would definitely recommend renting one and shooting a test project on it, its definately capable of some good results. Coming from an FX6 you'll love the different dual ISO setting.. a lot of potential for pushing more detail into highlights or shadows by playing around with those settings, and the XOCN is super nice to work with. Let me know if you give it a a spin!
Advice given here : Know your camera, know your craft (lighting, composition), network, be easy to work with, over-deliver every time, love what you do. This is all very sound, and it applies to all sorts of fields.
Yep for sure! I think the tech stuffs probably lower down the ladder than people realise, I think a lot of them time you're getting chosen for productions more so for your people skills, attitude, etc. Cheers for checking out the vid
Cheers man stoked you liked it! Yeh thought itd make a cool little story, plus a good chance to get out there myself. That water was colder than it looks ahah
Ahh cheers Jeremy appreciate that! Unchartered waters for me doing something more serious/personal like this haha so was shitting myself a bit posting it tbh, so good feedback means a lot
Facebook Marketplace(and the Red groups on there), Reduser.net, Newlifecine.com - those are main ones I know of. A lot of good deals around, but of course always do some research
Great video! I’m an owner-operator who owns an Alexa Mini, Amira, Monstro, Ranger Gemini, Komodo, (2) FX6 and (2) FX3 cameras (I know, seems like overkill). But they all have paid themselves back over and over, and get tossed into rotation depending on the project. I too rarely use my Komodo anymore (just doesn’t have the same dynamic range and robust image as my Monstro and Gemini), so I’ll likely sell it at some point, as it’s kind of a specialty camera at this point. I can’t justify moving into DSMC3 due to RED’s notorious depreciation in value, so my DSMC2 cameras will continue to be in rotation until they retire. Also, I much prefer the image that I see from the Monstro and Gemini than most of what I’ve seen coming out of DSMC3 (almost looks too digital / videoy in comparison). The ARRIs are definitely in a league of their own with their look and dynamic range. Again, great video!
Really interesting! I was personally recently thinking about the Monstro and Gemini and how good they are and will continue to be as bang for buck options with an amazing image. How do you think the end results from the Mini and Amira compare to the other cams in your kit? I know there's still people in my area buying both of those cams used and being super happy. Being a doco shooter the Amira was always a camera I would of loved but I felt like I left it to late, would love to hear your thoughts on how they stand up at the moment
I sold my Komodo and picked up a DSMC2 dragon kit. The older sensors are far more ‘film’ like and better for narrative. The Komodo is good for corporate stuff. I like the Raptor… but it’s a bit too pricey for what it is.
Definately agree! It's a shame that Red marketing worked so well to convince people they need all of their new products to be honest, the older ones are great. Yeh I'd love a Raptor too, but just doesn't make financial sense for me at the moment!
Own a Komodo and I absolutely agree with you on this. Want to see how a scarlet Dragon will look with modern glass like DZO Arles or supreme Primes or Signatures
@@blackicestudios For sure! Would love to test those out as well. The DZO's will probably be more within the budget of this channel haha so will see if I can get my hands on some for some tests!
I just finished a 200hr shoot in blackmagic.... just wish they had 16 bits. The rolloff on my burano is much nicer and simply stunning, especially in xocn, but that comes off at a premium. If I had to choose between fx6 or blackmagic 6k, i would pick blackmagic anyday - unless it's pure night.
Yep, loved that rolloff on the Burano as well! No denying they do have a nice image - just a shame its at such a premium. Interesting to hear you put Blackmagic over FX6! You prefer the warmer colour science?
@calebgrahamfilms I'm a grader, the first thing I would do is rescue the highlights on the braw file, every time the fx6 or fs7 mxf files pop up, I'm stuck with it if it hasn't been slightly underexposed when a sky is in the scene.
@@LoungearoundTV Yeh ok that's interesting! I know I had similar good experiences with live music footage captured in braw. Especially FS7 era Slog-3 was super sensitive to being perfectly exposed I used to find when I owned one, its gotten better but still easy to mess up
Cheers Jeremy! Super niche haha but something I've spent a lot of time with over the years so thought a few people might get something out of it, glad you liked it
True in regards to the Abc and Sbs, I would never shoot this in Raw. But independent doco's are usually shot in higher formats. You need to really love your images in order to really appreciate it anf grade images. Many docos do look cheap due to the lack of post production pipelines and budget. There are other raw cams at 6k that come close. But the price tag....for 8k 25p.... too much for just 30fps! It's essentially just a 6k camera, but not in xavc!.
All solid points. I've personally shot Doco work with Red Raw before - and although thats not for everyone (Especially broadcast networks doing the post inhouse) - The end results have been great and I wouldnt say its made the post process any harder other than using a bit more data. So if you where shooting a project happy to pay the rental for the Burano and run with 6k XOCN - I do think you'd get some great results - but just at least in my world thats not a super common scenario
