ML or external video recorder ?

Started by Alex Azman, April 25, 2016, 04:02:51 PM

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Alex Azman

Hello,

First, english is not my natural language so, I'll try my best and excuse my mistakes !

I do a lot of videos with my 5D Mark II and III (casual h264 videos) but I want to get to the next level, for a better color grading and a better quality of images, so I want to shoot RAW videos (in DNxHD i guess because my workflow is on Windows).

I know there is ML for that, which can give me RAW images with ProRes or DNxHD, to install on a card, but there is also externals video recorders which can give native format such as DNG or RAW, also with ProRes or DNxHD.

What I wonder is, is it better to get ML or an external video recorder ? When I see the Atomos Ninja Blade, for 500-600$ you can record RAW images, with a nice storage space (you choose the SSD you want) and a monitor (better than the LCD of the camera). To get the same setup with ML you have to buy an external monitor and 2 or 3 cards.

Does people prefer ML because you have more freedom on your setup because menus have more adjustement than the external recorder, or just because it is chiper to only buy a card and install ML without the monitor etc. ?
Does the external recorder can really record RAW/DNG etc. alone or do we need to install ML anyway ?

It is a lot of questions I know, but I really want to know what I'm doing if I decide to invest money in these accessories !

Thanks a lot

axelcine

Raw video is not possible without ML. When you get used to ML, you'll ask yourself how you were ever able to live without it. ML adds so much functionality to both video and stills, that it's like having a totally new camera. The work flow is more difficult than plain H264, but the results are simply amazing.
EOS RP, 5dIII.113/Batt.grip, 5dIII.123, 700d/Batt.Grip/VF4 viewfinder + a truckload of new and older Canon L, Sigma and Tamron glass

Toon

I do like this question: is it possible to use an external  SSD or something like that together with the SML (super magic lantern  ;) )?
because 4K is coming up too.

sub question: can 4K go in RAW too?

budafilms


markodarko

Quote from: Alex Azman on April 25, 2016, 04:02:51 PM
but there is also externals video recorders which can give native format such as DNG or RAW.

This cannot be true as I'm pretty sure that the (current) HDMI spec only supports up to 4:4:4 video so whoever out there is selling RAW capable recorders over HDMI are selling nothing but desires.

As @axelcine said, if you want to record RAW on your 5D ii/iii then ML is the only option and then recording internally. You can of course record 4:2:2 8-bit uncompressed video out of the HDMI port to your recorder, but this is just an uncompressed version of the h.264 video you're already recording internally, not RAW, and from what I've heard with regards to tests between the interval video in a 5D iii and uncompressed 4:2:2 to a recorder, they are almost indistinguishable in quality. The 5D ii may be worth it though.

Cheers,

Mark.

Alex Azman

Oh so I cannot record the RAWs from ML to an external disk such as Atomos etc. :/

Whould have been nice 'cause SSDs are so cheap now !

markodarko

Quote from: Alex Azman on May 06, 2016, 03:23:21 PM
Oh so I cannot record the RAWs from ML to an external disk such as Atomos etc. :/

You can't record RAW on ANY device over HDMI unless I'm mistaken as the protocol doesn't support it.

djgreg971

HI,
I understand the HDMI port can't  record the signal of raw ML lantern but, Can we reconsider the issue with a quadlink sdi output?

https://www.atomos.com/shogun-inferno

sorry for my english.