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Digital Bolex raw camera, no longer made
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  • China. We're definitely more on top of things now than when we started though, and I think the specialization of these parts requires more precision than the companies we were working for anticipated, so we sent people over to China to show them what we needed, and it's running smoothly now.

    You define precision you need and specs usually at the start, as well as inspect and test equipment that manufacturer has. You also normally have people in place from day one. Of course it does not mean that issues never happen, they do. But such way you do not have huge delays and repeats.

    So, do not blame delays and issues on manufacturers. Blame is on your side here.

  • I think blame is on all sides :) But I would call it naivitee rather than blame. This is our first major project as a company, and a much bigger undertaking than anyone involved has ever worked on before. If we make more products like this one, we will be more seasoned veterans of this process. And probably a little better at estimating schedules!

  • @elle the XLR inputs is a plus to be sure, but it's easy enough to record sound with a cheap external recorder or line in on most cameras so I don't view that as a significant addition over the BMCC especially given the price difference and the free version of Resolve you get from Blackmagic. And I just saw when I looked at the DB forum that Joe used the Vimeo "Voice enhancer" plugin when uploading your most recent video that was supposed to show off the audio quality of the camera, which is a strange thing to do.

    The low quality of the viewfinder on the D16 alone will require anyone in any condition to accessorize the camera with an EVF or monitor which instantly dampers the ergonomics you speak of.

    If you really think the DB forum is full of people who have already used the camera, then I would suggest allowing them to release the footage they have shot. I assure you that everyone loves the idea of the Digital Bolex in theory, but there has been a paucity of reassuring footage to back this up.

  • The sound we record is really high quality. Even with an EVF, the camera is really easy to hold for long periods of time. As I've said about 3 times now, there is footage shot by other people up on our blog. The last 2 posts show footage posted by other people, as do the previous 2 guest posts.

    I have no idea why Joe would put the voice enhancer on, the only thing I would read into that is his pressing fancy buttons on vimeo :). The previous sound related post we did has a raw audio track you can download, I think.

  • there you go @digger
    http://player.vimeo.com/video/81732073 - much better quality
    embed

    dunno if mic is plugged directly to camera, but sounds good

  • @babypanda I don't agree with you. Whether or not people have spent years of their lives working on something should not preclude others from speculating on it. This DB thread has been going for almost 2 years, and the only time people seem to talk about it is when there is some new update (however sporadic). Now that "the camera has shipped" as we are being constantly reminded, they are offering people a chance to order from the next batch. Since there is nothing else to go on besides heavily graded web videos or flatly lit interiors, I think speculating on whether or not pre-ordering from the next batch is a wise decision is absolutely called for. I don't know about you, but one of the main reasons I frequent this site is for the usually honest assessments from people of all different opinions from which I can make up my own mind.

  • @digger, ok. fair enough. I see what you mean.

  • @baypanda and @digger in publicity world, good or bad, important thing is they talk

  • yep, good point maxr. this camera has been compared to samsung note 3 4K phone and BMCC in this thread. 1 - how can you possibly compare it to a phone? form factor is completely different. i don't think filming with a phone is enjoyable. 2 - BMCC needs a lot of accessories so that adds a lot to the cost to make it functional. How about this cam? Does it require less rigging? I'd like to see the cost comparison with rigging taken into account before concluding that it's "overpriced".

  • @elle I'm sure that with an EVF it is easy to hold, but it's also just as easy to hold other cameras with an EVF. I only mentioned this in response to your claim that the ergonomics are a differential, but I don't see it that way. Same with the audio: it's easy enough to get good audio without XLR's built into camera. It's certainly a plus all things considered, but is it worth the extra money? I still think that the global shutter is the number one variable difference between your camera and the competition though certainly priced more. Whether or not it is worth it remains to be seen.

    I know about the guest videos from this website as I think they are all in this thread. I'm sorry to say that they are underwhelming and usually followed by an explanation from one of the posters here excusing it: for example "Oh their post production process was very quick so they didn't have time to really play with the image, but once a really talented DP gets ahold of the camera you'll really see it shine!" So it's really hard to pass judgement until we see more stuff, but if the cameras will be in people's hands in the next few weeks, we will know soon enough.

    @maxr that was the video I was talking about. audio sounds fine though it says the voice was recorded with a TLM 102 into a MixPre line into camera, the guitar was recorded with the camera's XLR's. But why not shoot this video on a sunny day outside with extreme shadows to show off the camera's DR?

  • @elle could you please indulge my curiosity? why was nofilmschool.com selected as partner in your $100 off pre-order campaign?

  • We like their ethos and we think it matches ours. That's about it :)

  • Digger you claim to have watched the released footage then ask to see the cam used in full sunlight. Maybe really go check the footage this time as there is a full shoot done at Venice beach

  • @elle if the Bolex can outresolve the Samsung Note 3 Smartphone, which costs $500-$600, I will make a 4K video of myself eating (well, nibbling) my hat and post it online. If you will do the same if it goes the other way.

  • but since when is resolution the only criteria to measure a camera's worth? the BMPCC is a perfect example of this. how many people have put it up for sale or are disappointed with it or frustrated with it given all the shortcomings it has despite the raw capabilities?

  • @elle phantom power on DB16 is 12V?

  • @babypanda it is not the only criterion, just a crucial one.

  • @elle

    You don't have any idea what you are making by typing in this site. The more you write the more prone to fail you are. This site is surrounded by monsters, lol, i see how much data have you give without even notice. Good luck.

  • The Galaxy comparisons are a huge red herring. The Galaxy Note creates higher resolution footage. So? It has much worse dynamic range, which is the primary selling point of a raw camera.

  • "Y'all are behind on the times! I'm surprised you don't subscribe to our forum or blog for easier trolling! 5sf and Max Well have released footage shot on the production camera and posted it online. Joe Dante used the camera for the opening titles of his new film BURYING THE EX. We've shot A and B unit on 2 episodes of Netflix's HEMLOCK GROVE. Another feature film is using the camera in New York as we speak! The tides, they are a changin'." Elle

    @Elle, I really wish you the best, and think that the audio stage may be a key differentiator, and but you constantly shoot yourselves in the foot by posting samples that are so compromised that careful outside evaluation is difficult to impossible.

    Take these samples you cite, one is five seconds of quick cuts and the other is B&W. Come on, no way that says anything about the camera. Then the sound sample, run through a online enhancer and the voice is run through a Mix Pre mixer. The "vintage film" look video was highly graded.

    Why is EVERY sample from "production" cameras compromised? No ungraded takes under less tha optimal conditions.

    I really want to be able to order a camera for a nonprofit who I shoot for, but I cannot as long as it is not only unknown but surrounded by compromised samples that COULD be covering up flaws, but certainly are nearly impossible to evaluate. Never before have I seen a high level camera released with such poorly executed samples. Not that I did not enjoy Kattail, I actually really like her music, but a black and white video as the ONLY extended sample sample of a newly shipping camera?

    I prefer good color to higher resolution, but how can we tell what this camera does? Some of your early samples had bad magenta cast, just as the Ikonoskop did from the same sensor family. We have to make sure that that is gone. And you give us a B&W sample? The Venice Beach work with the preproduction camera was promising, and it is why you are still on our potential buy list, but I cannot tell this nonprofit to commit scarce resources on a hope, wish and prayer.

  • @Endotoxic I don't think I've said anything here that hasn't been said on our own website or on our Ustream. We're trying to be as open with the whole process as we can be.

    @DrDave I can nibble a hat, sure. Sounds gross though. Why not buy the winner a drink?

    @spacwig the phantom power is 48v, the power for the camera is 12v.

    @philiplipetz I wouldn't say that every sample has been "compromised". The portraits footage is good, the Venice Beach footage is good, the "Misery" shot that @maxr posted is good. Those are our most recently shot tests that we've uploaded. We have a bottleneck of stuff that hasn't been released because we haven't had time to edit it. As for sound, the 5 second film has audio recorded directly into the camera, though it is only 5 seconds long, and I think the Misery clip was also shot directly through the camera.

    Michael Plescia wanted to recreate grain on our footage. The director of the music video chose for it to be in B&W. At the end of the day, we can't control what other people shoot on the camera.

    The beauty is that in the next week or so you should start seeing plenty of footage that isn't from us, and that can help you make up your mind.

  • Have any of the original backers actually received a camera yet? I'm suspicious as all hell, but I'd love to see some real world, real set footage that blows me away.

    Or I'd love to see a video where someone takes a chisel to hack off the hand crank if the former is not available.

  • @Vitaliy_Kiselev btw, I noticed you updated your comment about "the boss" a few pages back which I'm only now seeing. I think the only interview someone has posted with me on this thread is the one with Wide Open Camera where I talk about the head of BOLEX, not our company; I say something like "the head of the company has been a friend of the project for a long time" and that Joe keeps in touch with him to update him about the project. Is that what you were asking about?

  • @elle Phantom power is not voltage; it is voltage plus draw. Power up two mics on Y cables, then measure the current using a DC voltmeter. I can test it if you like.

    For those who are concerned about P48 (as your mic may not give full performance without it) this is one reason who videographers often use the MK41+CMC6. Even if the power fluctuates, say when plugging another mic in, you have DC to DC conversion within the mic.

    Most gear that "upsamples" P48, in this case, we are presumably (I don't have the camera to test) looking at at 12 volt upconversion. That is, you convert alternating to DC 12v, then up to P48. The better way is to have a fully isolated P48 downconverted from the 120 or 220 AC or whatever, that's what better mic preamps do.

    However, you can always use the Schoeps CMC 6 or buy P48 external if needed. Upconverting gear typically, according to my own measurements, puts out about 36 volts under load. A mic like the MKH800 will not operate at 36 volts, but many mics will. DEpends on the mic. Most of my preamps are in the 50 to 52 volt range which is ideal.

    Bolex may have a better design, and it may indeed put out the full 48 volts loaded with two Neumann mics. If they do, and I hope they do, that will be a nice feature.

  • what @DrDave said. I'm afraid I don't know very much about audio. I'm a director DP :)

    I will ask Mike and see what he can tell me, technically speaking.