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Questions regarding lens in Only Lovers Left Alive
  • maxrmaxr

    image

    Hey guys =)

    If you've seen last Jarmush's film, I've got a couple questions?
    In the scenes where vamps are in the car, i.e. in Tanger, when framing lampposts, the light seems to make a halo-flare:

    • What lens you reckon produced this?
    • Secondly, do you find this "effect" pleasing?

    Thank you

    PS
    Okay, seems camera used was an Arri Alexa Plus with Cooke S4 Lenses.
    Still very interested in knowing your take on the flare rendition .-)

    At 0'42'' is perfect example of what I was referring

    Source: Claudio Miranda

     

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  • 8 Replies sorted by
  • matt_gh2matt_gh2

    @maxr I would say it all depends on context. I haven't seen movie, but from what you describe, if it's a type of scene where the viewer is anticipating something about to possibly happen, I would say the image works. I always say trust your instincts and flow. If you can feel how it might work, might as well try using it.

  • maxrmaxr

    @matt_gh2 Do you personally like that way of flaring, aesthetically? Not a tricky question in any way :-)

    If you can feel how it might work, might as well try using it

    Ja ja ja yes yes as soon as I get sheik's son ransom, I'm buying an arrimatic and a cooking set - just messing around bro :P

     
    At 0'52'' same flare

  • matt_gh2matt_gh2

    @maxr Lol - didn't read closely about Arri and Cooke, so pricing is a bitch there. The halo flare at :52 o. Clockwork Orange is good because the way it comes together and closes matches the feeling of story as it's coming to a head..or coming to a fine point...action moment.

    For me it's emotion first...and all follows from that (story, acting, visuals, sound). So any particular image or sound could be either perfect or horrible...all about context.

    So to answer question - I like halo flare in Clockwork Orange, but the test shots didn't really make me say yes or no because there was no context...and I happened not to see a use for it in any story I am currently working on. But if you saw it and felt the possibility for it's use somewhere, then I say most definitely use it...assuming there's a reasonably priced way to get that image!

    (Heard someone raving about Cooke lenses a few months back. Was a bit shocked when I checked pricing. Lol. I'm still praying Santa Claus will stop by with a late delivery of a Sigma 18-35!)

  • maxrmaxr

    @matt_gh2 it's funny how one can loose feet 'cause of narrow mind focus... I speak a lot about context of things and here you are giving me a lesson, ja ja ja. Those cooke babies in context surely look nhamy to me.

    Thank you for the clarification, keep sharp, I'll put in a word for ya, with Santa I mean ,-) actually you know in Spain santa is the name given to wifes, "saints", couldn't be more catholic, saints and whores :P 10-4 out

  • matt_gh2matt_gh2

    @maxr Trust me - I'm guilty too often. Focusing on technology/gear too much I have wasted some time, but luckily I always snap out of it and get productive again. Lol re Spain santa definition. As they say on CB radio here in US...10-4 good buddy!

  • maxrmaxr
    Focusing on technology/gear too much I have wasted some time

    @matt_gh2 I hear you brother, let it out, expel the demon. I hear you and I understand whatchu saying and I could agree even more but then we would doing porn, wait, what?!!! That doesn't take I need to focus on something... {cartoon} give me somethin to focus, man!!! • So I focused on the snake flare and this is best I managed.

     
                                                                           WARNING
                                       very boring lamposts, trains and automobiles images!!!

     

     
    SOUNDTRACK
    Mogwai - Christmas Steps
    from 1999 Album - Come On Die Young

    Youtube 1080p version

    Techcrunching
    GH3 / profile monochrom c5 shrp-5 sat-2 noise0 / WB daylight - I always forget the bloody WB, so may years doing raw and UniWbs - anyway in my tests, WB shade gave better results for monochrom / 24p intra / shutter 50 - 30 /
    ISO 6400 (a few shots at 800) / modified projector lens Isco Rollei Projar 85mm f2.8 fitted to nikon mount (cost = 1.5eur from the epoxy - slide projector found in garbage) / last shots include the Kobori Shugga (aka vivitar 28-200mm f3.5-5.3) and Naichi Di Stéfano (aka minolta md 50mm f2)

    Edited and exported direct from premiere / 0 post NR applied, just Oleg's Rec709toLog LUT,
    a blow of curves and desaturation and a golden shower of scanned free grain.

    Last but not least, exported to a x264 720p mp4 in Handbrake with A2 settings with 5500 Mb/s - BTW everytime you change the average bitrate, maxrate and vbv-bufsize (advanced options) should be also modified accordingly.
    Was fun, now I need a context :P

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  • matt_gh2matt_gh2

    Was only able to watch in 144P, out at public wifi, but liked the train and rain images. Lol re name of Kobori Shugga

  • BurnetRhoadesBurnetRhoades

    I particularly like this sort of flare, especially when you get "anticipatory" effects at the edge of frame, when the light source isn't even in frame yet. The running lights and light rack on the spinners in Blade Runner do this as well.

    I think the Helios 44 and DSO variants give very similar flare, halo and diffraction effects. I'm particularly fond of some of the spectral or rainbow halos you can get with those lenses.

    edit: oh, as a minor tangent, Shane Hurlbut just posted a comparison of the Cooke S4 versus Leica Summilux C that's rather eye opening (

    )...though, it's not particularly damning except to show how the Canon sees with these lenses. I was able to find a counter-point, to the assessment of the Leicas, shot by the late, great Harris Savides on the better Alexa camera. Regardless, the Cookes are very popular with digital for "the Cooke Look".

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