Just finalized my first RAW shooting - Ups and downs.

[MortenSJ]

Hi guys

I spent the entire weekend filming a custom bike builder out in Brooklyn and used this opportunity to test the RAW functionality on the 5D Mark III . It was a great experience and i learned a lot, but i also realized quite a few downsides while shooting. I hope you guys might have some tips/tricks to the following issues.

1. It's really annoying that its not possible to playback the recorded video in full color and FPS - Is this something that will be possible in the future or is the camera just nu strong enough?

2. I'm still trying to find a good way to set exposure. I was using an ND filter, but it takes time to adjust ND, ISO and f/stop. I try to expose -1 and it works fine. How do you guys expose and do you have any tips/tricks here? I heard some only adjusting the ISO and f/stop. My friend shoot on the Black Magic Camera and kept the ISO to 800 and only adjusted f/stop and the ND filter. I guess there is a lot of ways, but how are you doing it?

3. CF Cards - I bought 3 cards which was not enough at all! I had to bring a computer and constantly unload the footage to a harddrive while shooting. This was a big hazzle that i hope will be improved. How do you guys handle the media?

I really want to keep using the 5D Mark III cause i think the overall image quality is better, and i really like the weight of the camera, but with the issues above i'm starting to look at the Black Magic 4K.

[Midphase]

I am not a developer, so take this with a good bit of skepticism, however to answer your questions:

1. I doubt it will be improved much, perhaps the devs will optimize the code further to make it playback a bit more smoothly with easier access to the recorded files; but I don't think we'll ever see the type of playback we have been enjoying with H.264 video in the past. The best thing that has been suggested is  to pair your camera with an ATOMOS Ninja and use it to playback the video that you recorded (or as a backup device, although with overlays on the image).

2. Yeap, that's pretty much it. Same way everyone else does it. That, and of course lighting your scene!

3. You could buy bigger cards, maybe those 1050X Komputerbay 128gig cards are all they're cracked up to be (initial reports don't seem particularly favorable). My main suggestion is to have a DIT on set, this is critical IMHO to pro shooting with the 5D ML raw hack. If I was considering using this camera on a "real" shoot, I would have at least 4 cards and 1 very sharp DIT person. I would swap out the cards to the DIT with each setup, and would want to wait to see some playback from Resolve before moving on to the next setup. It will slow you down no doubt, which is why the 5D doesn't lend itself to all situations.

There has been some interest in trying to use external drives hooked to the CF slot as storage, people have been talking about that for months but nobody has yet to do it successfully which makes me wonder if it's possible at all. Because of #1 and #3, I find myself looking at the recently discounted BMCC despite the fact that IMHO the 5D has a superior image quality.

I think the 5D ML raw is a good solution for casual shooting, or very indie low budget type of productions where everyone understands the limitations and is willing to work with them. For higher budget commercial shooting, I can't imagine that most DP's and directors would want to put up with the restrictions as opposed to renting a RED or Alexa (unless their name is Shane Hurlbut).

[John Kesl]

Hi guys

I spent the entire weekend filming a custom bike builder out in Brooklyn and used this opportunity to test the RAW functionality on the 5D Mark III . It was a great experience and i learned a lot, but i also realized quite a few downsides while shooting. I hope you guys might have some tips/tricks to the following issues.

1. It's really annoying that its not possible to playback the recorded video in full color and FPS - Is this something that will be possible in the future or is the camera just nu strong enough?

2. I'm still trying to find a good way to set exposure. I was using an ND filter, but it takes time to adjust ND, ISO and f/stop. I try to expose -1 and it works fine. How do you guys expose and do you have any tips/tricks here? I heard some only adjusting the ISO and f/stop. My friend shoot on the Black Magic Camera and kept the ISO to 800 and only adjusted f/stop and the ND filter. I guess there is a lot of ways, but how are you doing it?

3. CF Cards - I bought 3 cards which was not enough at all! I had to bring a computer and constantly unload the footage to a harddrive while shooting. This was a big hazzle that i hope will be improved. How do you guys handle the media?

I really want to keep using the 5D Mark III cause i think the overall image quality is better, and i really like the weight of the camera, but with the issues above i'm starting to look at the Black Magic 4K.

So.
1. I don't know about the playback, but using a monitor to shoot with helps to eliminate to a large degree the uncertainty of an awkwardly placed 3 inch screen. I'd recommend at least 5 inches with peaking and a blue only function.
2. A light meter is indispensable, when you can see the light numerically you can better understand your light in ratio. usually one would fill to bring exposure up to a reasonable aperture pull, or conversely scrim to lower light values for the same reason. Also, graduated neutral density filters are indispensable, You can make your own ND with clear plexi or lucite and RiT dye (check it out) great for making sun spotters and such. And lastly, is your grade, you can shoot for the grade as well to some extent.
3. The 5D mkIII is a differrent animal than the BMCC4K, and quite frankly I believe such a comparison is unrealistic. In digital camera years it's 50 years older. Think about it. Also, why would you use the 5dmk3 to shoot some beta experimental footage, when you could just as easily record your HDMI signal into an AJA ki pro mini which you can rent for 125 dollars and which, at the end of the day, is shooting the res you need? i haven't met anyone with a display that could handle more then 1920x1080. what do you need 4k for? You must want to buy new computers too. cause i don't have the pipe to handle 4 frikin k. Do you? Do you think you do? You don't. Believe me.

Lastly, get an camera assistant, one who knows how to pull focus and aperture. His/her knowledge and experience will, not only, add to your production value. But, they are an extra set of hands to do the complex aperture pulls and focus moves, while you can focus on your story and framing.

BTW. The AJA Ki pro records prores422HQ @ 10 bits. from your 4:2:0 8 bit hdmi out.