After receiving over a thousand replies in the last 8 weeks in the previous thread we continue the series here from the following link:-

http://www.personal-view.com/talks/discussion/5806/cluster-x-series-1

Whats it all about? Achieving the best looking overall pictures around - throughtout the popular GOPs. The great thing about Cluster X developments is you can mix and match some of the settings to combine into your favourite setting (e.g. GOP1 for 24p and 25p/FSH, GOP 6 For 1080i60/30p and 12/15 for 720p etc...). Slipstream settings do this for you (mixed and matched and with spanning capabilities where we can plus 80% modes on H & iA mode support).

This has been a tough (and still ongoing) challenge, each setting (and ptools patch change) takes an age to check & measure. Its exhausting work - even with 4 cameras on the go. The measuring to check Quantisation, frame sizes and stability adapting one change at a time is pretty debilitating on mental energy. I hope people appreciate waiting for each setting to appear.

All the new Cluster X series settings for each GOP attached below have been tested on the notorious 14-140 Pany sharp lens. Give me feedback.

Its as simple as A, B, C, D, E, F ! Each .ini setting in ptools for Cluster X Series will equate to setA ('DREWnet' 12/15 GOP), setB ('Nebula' 6 GOP), setC ('Spizz' 3 GOP), setD ('Moon' 1 GOP/3 GOP), setE (Slipstream 1) & setF (Slipstream 2). Any updates will stay on these sets.

"Bitrate is King. Who needs hi powered scaling matrices when enough Bitrate (if you have it) can drive the quantisation..." Quote from my conversation with Dark Shikari - X264 dev 2012

If you enjoy these settings please don't forget to donate to personal-view by clicking on the link above. Gratitude and thanks to Vitaliy Kiselev.

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Does anyone happen to have a dead GH1 they could donate to fix my old GH1's SD card door? This particular GH1 has quite a history, as it's the camera I used to develop all five of my original GH1 patches. In addition, it was retrofitted with Panasonic's unhackable version of the GH1 firmware after I was forced to send it back to the factory for warranty service. As a result, it became one of the first unhackable GH1's to be hacked by Vitaliy's breakthough version of PTool that liberated all GH1's. After such a momentous career, it'd be an indignity to have to tape the stupid door down with duct tape. So if you can, please help!

Specifications:

• 16.3 MP CMOS Sensor *•An all-new 11 Point SAFOX X Autofocus System
• 3.0" Air-Gap-Free LCD w/ 921k Dots
• 1080p HD Video w/ External Mic Jack
• High Sensitivity 80-51200 ISO Range
• Body-based Shake Reduction (SR) System
• Steel Chassis with Magnesium Alloy Cover
• Fully Weather Sealed and Coldproof
• 7 FPS and 1/8000 Maximum Shutter Speed
• HDMI Output for Stills, Video and Sound

Video: 1920 x 1080 (25 fps), 1280 x 720 (25, 30 fps), 640 x 480 (25, 30 fps) MJPEG only.

The K-5 IIs is just like the K-5 II, but it does not have the anti-aliasing filter that's normally in front of the sensor. This allows for a higher effective image resultion at the cost of risking seeing more distortion.

Price: $1,199.95 for body only, $1,349.95 for the K-5 II kit including the DA 18-55mm WR zoom lens and $1,549.95 for the K-5 II kit including the DA 18-135mm WR zoom lens. The K-5 IIs suggested retail price - $1,299.95 for body only.

Available at:

• US Body - http://www.amazon.com/Pentax-K-5-II-body-kit/dp/B0099J8A2S/
• US 18-55mm Kit - http://www.amazon.com/Pentax-K-5-lens-kit-18-55WR/dp/B0099J8AT6/
• US 18-135mm - http://www.amazon.com/Pentax-K-5-lens-kit-18-135WR/dp/B0099J8BZE/

If some of them do not work, leave a note, so we could correct this.

• 16.2 megapixel APS-C CMOS sensor
• No optical low-pass filter
• 4FPS continuous shooting
• 3-inch LCD with 1.23 million dots
• Fast AF response time (0.2s during normal shooting)
• High-performance GR Engine V image processor
• 18.3mm F2.8 GR lens
• 9 aperture blades
• Small body: 117 x 61 x 34.7mm (WxHxD)

Previews:

• http://www.dpreview.com/previews/ricoh-gr/
• http://www.ephotozine.com/article/ricoh-gr-first-impressions-preview-21728
• http://www.photographyblog.com/news/ricoh_gr_hands-on_preview/

Available at:

• http://www.adorama.com/IRCGRN.html

Consider this unit as a protection "Layer" between your DSLR and any power unit.

I know there are many ready power solutions already out on the market, but many still struggle and burn/brick their expensive equipment trying different alternative powering sources.

I decided to take my time and make this DIY product as a test but if there is an interest might get as batch production.

The unit will cost a $75 USD from this $10 USD would go to P-V support-donation. from $65 USD more than 50% to buying needed components the rest a small compensation for research, drill and soldering :-)

Product components :

• ABS plastic project box

• Electronics component (The converter)

• DC IN/OUT 5.5x2.5 mm jacks

• Digital Voltmeter (RED) with external switch to check IN voltage, OUT voltage and OFF

Let me know your interest ?

This is not a final "product presentation" video ...

Specifications:

• High resolution 1080HD Super 16mm sized sensor with superior handing of image detail.
• Super wide 13 stops of dynamic range allows capture of increased details for feature film look.
• Compatible with extremely high quality Micro Four Thirds lenses. Compatible with other mounts via common third party adapters such as PL mount and Super 16 cine lenses.
• Built in SD card allows long duration recording with easy to use media.
• Open file formats compatible with popular NLE software such as ProRes 422 (HQ) and lossless compressed CinemaDNG 12 bit RAW. No custom file formats.
• Features all standard connections, including mini jack mic/line audio in, micro HDMI output for monitoring with camera status graphic overlay, headphone mini jack, LANC remote control and standard DC 12 power connection.
• Built in LCD for camera settings via easy to use menus.
• Supports 1080HD resolution capture in 23.98, 24, 25, 29.97 and 30 fps.
• Compatible with DaVinci Resolve Lite color grading software.

Available for preorder at:

• http://www.bhphotovideo.com/c/product/964117-REG/Blackmagic_Design_POCKET_CINEMA_CAMERA_BLACKMAGIC_POCKET_CINEMA_CAMERA.html/
• http://www.adorama.com/VDBMCCP.html

http://www.blackmagicdesign.com/products/blackmagicpocketcinemacamera

A) In other words, how can you share a secure downloadable video file for someone that will not be pirated and spread across the web? (I know it's near impossible to prevent a video from being pirated on the web, but isn't there a way to share it via a secure downloadable file?)

Also, if A) is possible... than can you create a file that will expire on a certain day as well? For instance, for people to use at screenings...

Thanks ahead for any response to this!

http://www.sigmaphoto.com/news/sigma-announces-new-lenses-cpplus-2013

All three DN lenses incorporate telecentric optical designs and a linear, auto focusing motor that ensures accurate and quiet focusing for video recording. They also boast metal exteriors and a simply shaped focus ring, with varying textures to distinguish each part of the lens. In addition, DN users can choose between a black or silver finish to match their favorite equipment.

60mm F2.8 DN

Featuring the natural perspective of mid-range telephoto lenses, together with a shallow depth of field, this lens allows the photographer to capture a single part of a subject with great bokeh effects. It has an angle of view equivalent to 120mm on the Micro Four Thirds system and 90mm on the E-mount system (35mm equivalent focal length). The minimum focusing distance is 19.7 inches; the maximum magnification is 1:7.2. This lens also contains Special Low Dispersion (SLD) glass, which helps minimize axial and transverse chromatic aberration.

Sigma 19mm F2.8 DN

This high-performance, wide-angle telephoto lens has an angle of view equivalent to 38mm on the Micro Four Thirds system and 28.5mm on the E-mount system (35mm equivalent focal length). As a wide-angle lens with excellent mobility, it is ideal for studio photography, architecture and starry skies. Its minimum focusing distance is 7.9 inches and its maximum magnification is 1:7.4.

Sigma 30mm F2.8 DN

This high-performance, standard telephoto lens has an angle of view equivalent to 60mm on the Micro Four Thirds system and 45mm on the E-mount system (35mm equivalent focal length). This lens, which is perfect for casual and formal portraiture, documentary photography, travelogues and everyday shooting, includes a double-sided aspherical lens that enhances its optical performance. Its minimum focusing distance of 11.8 inches and its maximum magnification is 1:8.1.

Available at:

• http://www.bhphotovideo.com/c/buy/Sigma/ci/17912/N/4196380428+4261208116+4291220258/SID/CPD050213Sigma60dn

So far I have looked at the 35-105 3:5 Canon FD, which is pretty close.

Is there anything better than this in any other mount?

Price: $1299, 1100 Euro, 999 pounds

Avilable at:

• http://www.amazon.com/Panasonic-H-HS12035-LUMIX-12-35mm-Series/dp/B00843ERMW/
• http://www.amazon.co.uk/Panasonic-H-HS12035E-Lumix-VARIO-12-35mm/dp/B0086ODC3O/
• http://www.adorama.com/IPC1235.html

Press release:

http://www.photographyblog.com/news/panasonic_lumix_g_x_vario_12-35mm/

Previews and reviews:

• http://www.dslrmagazine.com/
• http://www.photographyblog.com/reviews/panasonic_lumix_g_x_vario_12_35mm_f2_8_asph_review/
• http://www.slrgear.com/reviews/showproduct.php/product/1518/cat/69
• http://www.dpreview.com/previews/panasonic_12-35_2p8
• http://www.ephotozine.com/article/panasonic-lumix-g-x-vario-12-35mm-f-2-8-lens-review-19240
• http://www.cscmagazine.com/index.php?option=com_content&view=article&id=24:panasonic-lumix-g-vario-12-35mm-f28
• http://www.camerastuffreview.com/panasonic-lenstest/review-panasonic-12-35-mm
• http://www.digitalkamera.de/Meldung/Panasonic_Lumix_G_X_Vario_2_8_12-35_mm_im_Bildqualitaets-Labortest/7754.aspx
• http://www.popco.net/zboard/view.php?id=dica_review&no=807
• http://admiringlight.com/blog/panasonic-lumix-12-35mm-f2-8-x-review/
• http://soundimageplus.blogspot.fr/2012/07/panasonic-12-35mm-f28-x-zoom-review.html

Samples:

• http://www.flickr.com/photos/lumix-deutschland/sets/72157629828259104/with/7240668460/
• http://www.mobile01.com/newsdetail.php?id=12001

Could be interesting if nothing else, just the fact that they can make it write DNGs is a pretty crazy start.

http://www.magiclantern.fm/forum/index.php?topic=5240.0

Recommended 1000x cards

• http://www.amazon.com/KOMPUTERBAY-Professional-COMPACT-FLASH-Extreme/dp/B009JCL55Y/
• http://www.amazon.com/Hoodman-Steel-Class-CompactFlash-1000x/dp/B009AT8VGW/

Other cards

• http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B004ISL3GA/
• http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B009S61AFQ/

Has there been a hack to get the high speed burst mode (40fps) of the GH2 at a lower res to get faster fps? Is there no way this can be done? Is it hardwired or something?

I read only positive reviews by users all around the world, but still no any test or video sample with GH2.

Prices: Looking for 20mm f4 flektogon, jupiter 85mm (in m42 mount) or something exciting.

300 / 600 usd, 230 / 460 euros + shipping / pm for offers

Pics will be up shortly!

Available at our deals - http://www.personal-view.com/talks/discussion/1029/catchit-deals-varavon-day-including-gh3-loupe

• MTK6589 based smart phone
• Cortex A7 quad core, 1.2GHz
• 1G RAM
• 8G ROM,
• Android 4.1 OS
• 5.8 inch IPS screen, 1280 x 720 pixels
• 2.0MP front camera
• 10MP back camera
• external TF card extended to max 64G
• 3G, GPS, WiFi, Bluetooth, FM radio, Play Store

http://www.pandawill.com/cubot-a6589-smart-phone-mtk6589-quad-core-57-inch-hd-ips-screen-1g-ram-android-41-3g-gps-10mp-camera-p71139.html

I'd love to invite you all to my Senior Thesis art exhibition at the Thorp Building in NE Minneapolis during the Art-A-Whirl event this weekend.

I've been working on this non-narrative landscape video piece for the past four months and I will be projecting it through my Kowa, which I also used to film it. Stop by if you have time, there is lots to see besides my work, my colleagues have some incredible art as well.

http://nemaa.org/art-a-whirl/dates

I shot it all on GH2 with @Driftwood Moon Trial 5. I used a Kowa 16-H with Redstan clamps and a Lightcraft Workshop Fader ND Mark II, mounted on a Konica Hexanon 40mm f1.8, usually stopped down to f2.8 or even f4.

This is the first, and has certain things that make it very successful in terms of capturing my concept for the project. But technically, I think I prefer the second film even though it is simpler in some ways.

I hope you enjoy it, and I hope it is of some use. Feedback and questions are of course welcome! (Note: I'm going to go ahead and post this, but Vimeo might initially be still in the process of converting the clip.)

To be produced by accomplished Noktor lens-maker SLR Magic, the lens has so far been almost exclusively refferred to via comparison to a similar, fast lens by another prestige manufacturer.

This to[ic is to discuss the upcoming SLR Magic 25mm .95 lens on its own merits.

Those wanting to know which fast, 25mm lens to invest in might like to look at news item, Is the SLR magic 25mm f/0.95 better than the Nokton? - Personal View.

Discussion of fast 25mm MFT lenses at http://www.personal-view.com/talks/discussion/5910/which-fast-25mm-mft-lens#Item_4

After speaking to an Adobe representative I was told this was because I don't have the entire AVCHD folder structure and metadata available, just the .MTS files, and that my only option to get the audio back into Premiere is to transcode the clips into another format and relink against the transcoded version.

Personally I don't think this sounds like a completely plausible explanation. There are MTS clips in the same folder that import just fine.

To access the old thread - go here: http://www.personal-view.com/talks/discussion/1817/colorghear-toolkit-color-grading-system-for-ae/p1

So as not to be misleading, ColorGHear is a system, and not so much a plug-in... a school of thought supported through the ColorGHear Toolkit -which is a set of MODULAR PRESETS for After Effects and ColorGHear Pro - which is a set of MODULAR LUTs for Davinci Resolve, FCP7, Premiere Pro, and Adobe Speedgrade, and is not what you'd consider a classical style plug-in.

The toolkit isn't a collection of drag and drop "looks" like Magic Bullet. It is a series of nodes which contain a set of grading instructions or "macros" (a set of operations), specially designed to work with each other to speed up your workflow. Along with these nodes, comes a system of grading which replaces having to perform the minutia of individual corrections by hand. Learned through the online tutorials, this system will give you speedy and precise grades. It is this precision that prevents you from "bending" your images like with standard methods which is what allows me to get such drastic and dramatic grades from normally flimsy DSLR codecs.

As a professional colorist, I noticed that because of the way the color channels in RGB video are tied together; that typical methods like the Color Balance tool, and the 3-way Color Corrector will actually bend an RGB image out of shape. So in order to maximize the full potential of any given image, I had to learn a method of grading that would avoid damaging the footage. I called this method "precision grading."

I also noticed that in executing these precision grades, I was performing the same operations over and over. I began taking notes on what these operations were, and trying to determine if it were possible to create a set of interacting preset nodes that would save me time in having to repeatedly perform these operations.

I soon discovered 37 distinct sets of operations that would serve to correctly grade any, and all footage. 6 of these macros cancel each other out, and only 1 of those 6 could be effectively used at any given time leaving me with 32 nodes - giving me 1,024 possible combinations. Over a thousand distinct grades. Over time, I added some other tools to the set which now sits at 74 nodes all of which are designed to be used in conjunction with the other nodes. (69, if you subtract the 5 canceling nodes) which brings the total to 4,761 distinct grades.

The precision method I mention above is demonstrated here. Along with how the 3-way Color Corrector damages your footage.

The power of ColorGHear is presented in the video demonstrations below.

ColorGHear is available at http://www.ColorGHear.com

(ColorGHear Pro not yet available to the public)

• Reliable 100Mbps peak performance in AVCHD 24H, HBR, FSH, SH, and MJPEG HD.

• Exclusive 140Mbps turbo mode boosts peak bitrate to handle 80% Slow-Motion 24H mode.

• Records reliably with Class 10 30MB/s cards, with 60Mbps file-spanning in 24L, FH, and H modes.

• 95MB/sec SD cards support file-spanning in all video modes (except NTSC HBR 30p and FSH 60i).

• Full support for all NTSC and PAL video modes and options, including ETC zoom mode.

• In-camera playback of all AVCHD video files. (MJPEG HD videos not playable in-camera.)

• Failsafe operation with any lens, in any video mode, under any type of shooting conditions.

• Consumer-friendly auto-exposure features fully supported in 60Mbps 24L, FH, and H modes.

• Fast Action 3-Frame GOP performance with B-frames visibly indistinguishable from I-frames.

• Optimal motion picture quality consistently maintained in underexposed low-light conditions.

Flow Motion v2 is the culmination of over three months of investigation into the core encoding parameters of the Panasonic GH2 AVCHD encoder. The goal of this project has been to produce a unified patch that combines failsafe reliability with consistent, high quality performance across the entire range of video modes and options provided by the GH2. These criteria include not only still-frame image quality, but frame-to-frame motion picture continuity as well, evaluated perceptually at 24, 25, 30, 50, and 60 frames per second. Rather than simply maximizing the encoder's peak bitrate, Flow Motion v2 is fine-tuned to produce optimal motion picture quality with minimal degradation from undesirable aliasing and digitizing artifacts. The result is an unmistakable improvement in video quality with no significant drawbacks, using Class 10 30MB/sec SD cards and virtually any lens compatible with the GH2.

Functional Limitations of Stock GH2 Video Firmware

Although it offers a wide variety of video modes and options, the GH2's stock firmware is restricted in both functionality and video bitrate. Thanks to the dedication of Vitaliy Kiselev, many of these limitations can be overcome through the custom firmware settings provided by PTool v3.65d. Flow Motion v2 is an integrated set of patches that enable the following extended features:

• Selection among all supported interface languages.

• Access to both PAL 25/50p and NTSC 30/60p frame rates.

• Extended low-light exposure settings up to ISO 12800.

• Removal of 30-minute recording restrictions in EU locales.

• Enlargement of MJPEG videos to 1080p FHD frame size.

• Pasadena Pulse Audio Patch V2 B2, thanks to Per Lichtman.

Image Quality Shortcomings of Stock GH2 Video Firmware

The GH2's stock firmware limits its AVCHD encoder to a peak bitrate of 24Mbps in 24H and HBR modes, and to 17Mbps in FSH and SH modes. In addition, it uses long-GOP recording sequences of 12-30 frames that produce only about two keyframes (I-frames) per second. Flow Motion v2 boosts the AVCHD encoder's peak bitrate to 100Mbps in all video modes and uses a short 3-frame GOP in all 1080p video modes (and a 6-frame GOP in 720p modes), that produce 8-10 keyframes per second. These improvements enable Flow Motion v2 to capture highly detailed, fast moving images with far more fidelity than the stock firmware's restricted bandwidth can accommodate.

At a deeper level of operation, the GH2's AVCHD encoder uses built-in Quantization Tables designed to compress the video data as efficiently and compactly as possible. When shooting highly detailed subjects, quantization often produces undesirable rectangular artifacts ("macroblocking") which are then filtered by built-in Deblocking Tables. Unfortunately, the tables used by the stock GH2 firmware sacrifice image quality in favor of compression efficiency, producing consumer-grade results. In a further reduction of image quality, highly compressed P and B-frames are encoded with coarser quantization tables than I-frames, degrading frame-to-frame consistency within each GOP.

Flow Motion v2 replaces the GH2's Quantization and Deblocking Tables with custom matrices, hand-tuned for each video mode, that are crafted to minimize macroblocking and digitization artifacts. This enables the encoder to make full use of its available bitrate to encode genuine image details rather than wasting bits attempting to correct macroblock encoding flaws. In addition, Flow Motion v2 applies equal levels of quantization to all types of frames, producing P and B-frames that are visually indistinguishable from I-frames.

Below is an example of the digitization artifacts produced by the GH2's stock firmware, compared to results produced by Flow Motion v2. On the top is a 200% crop of a 24H mode frame grab from the unhacked GH2 AVCHD encoder. You can clearly see jagged macroblock encoding artifacts due to the stock firmware's inadequate bitrate. Below it is the same stream of water shot with Flow Motion v2 in 24H mode:

Support for GH2 Auto-Exposure Features

Flow Motion v2 works reliably with the GH2's consumer-friendly auto-exposure features in both 24p and HBR video modes. However, in 720p SH video mode, auto-exposure operation may cause recordings to fail sporatically and the camera may need to be restarted. To avoid this pitfall, I recommend using Flow Motion's 60Mbps 1080i FH and 720p H video modes when using any combination of the following features:

• P, A, or S exposure modes or when shooting in iA mode.
• Auto-ISO mode.
• iDynamic auto-contrast mode.
• i.Resolution mode.
• Motorized zoom lens operation.

I've tested and confirmed these features to work reliably at 60Mbps in 1080i FH and 720p H video modes. The 60Mbps FH and H video modes also support 4GB file-spanning on 30MB/sec Class 10 SD cards, and produce excellent motion picture quality that is just a notch more compressed than Flow Motion's 100Mbps FSH and SH video modes.

Flow Motion v2.02 Patch Settings File

This zipped INI file can be used to apply complete patch settings to firmware loaded into PTool 3.65d. To use, unzip the INI file into the same folder as the PTool application. Launch PTool and load the firmware v1.1 binary file for GH2. The settings contained in the Flow Motion v2.0 INI file will automatically be installed in the "F" button at the bottom of the PTool main window.

Note that with the following PTool Settings File, you may at any time re-install the original Panasonic GH2 v1.1 firmware into the camera. You may also copy each patched or original firmware file to separate SD cards, and use them to quickly switch between patches as often as you like.

THE FIRST K-MOUNT MIRRORLESS

• 16.28 Megapixel CMOS sensor form the K-5
• New Prime M imaging engine
• New quieter mechanical shutter
• Optional H.264 video format
• New advanced HDR mode
• Full-HD video recording (24/25/30fps) and 720p video recording at up to 60fps (a first for Pentax)
• Native KAF2/KAF3 mount works with thousands of lenses, manual and modern alike
• 81-point selectable contrast detect autofocus
• 6FPS shutter delivering a 1/4000s maximum shutter speed
• ISO 100-25,600
• Sensor-shift shake reduction (SR)
• Ultrasonic dust removal (DR)
• 3 inch VGA LCD monitor with 170-degree angle of view ("921,000 dots")
• Design by Marc Newson (but not weather-sealed)
• 3 colors: silver & black, black, black & yellow
• Weighs just 480 grams without the battery - lighter & smaller than the K-r
• 12.1cm wide x 7.9cm tall x 5.9cm deep

Available for about $640-700

Reviews:

• http://www.reghardware.com/2012/07/20/review_pentax_k_01_compact_system_camera/
• http://translate.google.com/translate?sl=pl&tl=en&js=n&prev=_t&hl=en&ie=UTF-8&layout=2&eotf=1&u=http%3A%2F%2Fwww.optyczne.pl%2Findex.php%3Ftest%3Daparat%26test_ap%3D181
• http://www.imaging-resource.com/PRODS/pentax-k01/pentax-k01A.HTM
• http://www.digitalcamerareview.com/default.asp?newsID=5010&review=pentax+k01
• http://www.steves-digicams.com/camera-reviews/pentax/k-01/pentax-k-01-review.html
• http://www.dpreview.com/reviews/pentax-k-01/

Available at:

• Body: http://www.amazon.com/Pentax-K-01-Compact-Body-Black/dp/B0076396OA/
• Kit: http://www.amazon.com/Pentax-K-01-40mm-Lens-White/dp/B00740MRAK/01
• UK: http://www.amazon.co.uk/Pentax-Compact-System-Camera-Pancake/dp/B0073TGLAO/

More Pentax news at: http://www.pentaxforums.com/#ixzz1lF5SbvcX

http://www.mirrorlessrumors.com/pentax-k-01-announced-news-reviews-and-preorder-roundup/ http://www.pentax.co.uk/en/digital-mirrorless/K01.html