Sci-Fi shot with Pentax lenses

metaphiston · 07-03-2012, 02:56 PM

I was camera operator for this film for a competition run by the Edinburgh International Film Festival for sci-fi shorts made in 52 hours or less (don't know why the weird time limit!)

I used Pentax-M 50mm 1.4, Pentax-M 75-150 f4 and Pentax-A 100mm macro on a Canon 7D with a $10 adapter from eBay, which works great - the smooth focus rings are really good for nailing manual focus - and the 7D, unlike my own k-5, has manual video!

For the ship effect at the start, the ship was a painted model about 2cm / 3/4 inch long shot on the macro lens and green screened in front of the CG planet (made from a spherised flat map) in front of cg stars and flare- we were quite pleased with ourselves!

Hope you enjoy it!

**chemtech** · 07-03-2012, 03:35 PM

Incredibly well done video! Your cinematography skills with those Pentax manual lenses is astounding. On top of all that I just plain enjoyed the story.

Na Horuk · 07-03-2012, 03:51 PM

Interesting story, well-shot.

I would love to see a longer version of this short

fuent104 · 07-03-2012, 03:57 PM

Very nice job! It is always great to see people using Pentax lenses for shooting short films. Have you done any color grading?

**LaurenOE** · 07-03-2012, 04:37 PM

Cool!

Bonobo · 07-03-2012, 07:13 PM

Very very good job. I have a 48hr film project later this month, but we will not be producing something of this caliber (i tell everyone it's a matter of principles rather than lack of skill.)

sjwaldron · 07-03-2012, 07:36 PM

Nicely done. It's too bad that you were not able to use a Pentax camera. Although with the K-01, K-30, and newer cameras that should change.

metaphiston · 07-04-2012, 01:35 AM

Thanks Chemtech, Na Horuk and LaurenOE! Bonobo, have you done a 48 hour film project before? They’re great fun, I’ve done the competition in Edinburgh for the last few years and will be taking part in the first one in Dundee in a month’s time – might even shoot on my k-5 if my team mates are willing to put up with the time I’ll need to laboriously trick the Av priority into doing what I want it to. I really want to use more camera movement as part of the cinematography, and the k-5’s SR would allow that much more than the 7D (as my lenses aren’t Image stablilised, of course).

Originally posted by fuent104

Very nice job! It is always great to see people using Pentax lenses for shooting short films. Have you done any color grading?

Fuent104, thanks! Yes, we graded the mysterious planet (i.e a beach on a dull Scottish afternoon) to make it redder – we tried other colours first (as red seemed the most obvious and therefore possibly boring colouration), but after we tried yellow, green and blue tints we went with red as it just seems to look most… alien! The interior scenes weren’t graded as such, just corrected a little for consistency with each other.

Quote:

Nicely done. It's too bad that you were not able to use a Pentax camera. Although with the K-01, K-30, and newer cameras that should change.

Sjwaldron, I’d have loved to but in this case we went with my friend's 7D; I actually think for quality of footage, when you don’t need manual, the k-5 footage looks better than the 7D (particularly in shadows, where you get compression artefacts from the 7D) – and k-5 seems to have more latitude for colour correction and grading. Though maybe it’s wishful thinking! One day I’ll shoot with my lovely old lenses on a lovely new - manual enabled - Pentax camera.

fuent104 · 07-04-2012, 10:30 PM

Originally posted by metaphiston

I actually think for quality of footage, when you don’t need manual, the k-5 footage looks better than the 7D (particularly in shadows, where you get compression artefacts from the 7D) –

This probably has something to do with the codecs.

Originally posted by Bonobo

Very very good job. I have a 48hr film project later this month, but we will not be producing something of this caliber (i tell everyone it's a matter of principles rather than lack of skill.)

There's only one way you can guarantee you won't make a great movie: by not trying.

I tried to use my Pentax lenses on this 48-hour film festival project, but we were shooting on the 5D, which was not compatible.

You Tube

metaphiston · 07-06-2012, 12:16 PM

Originally posted by fuent104

I tried to use my Pentax lenses on this 48-hour film festival project, but we were shooting on the 5D, which was not compatible

Nice job - funny film! Good lighting too, and good shot choices.

fuent104 · 07-07-2012, 04:52 PM

Thanks! 48 hours is not a lot of time!

07-03-2012, 02:56 PM	#1
metaphiston Forum Member Join Date: Aug 2010 Location: Edinburgh Posts: 91	Sci-Fi shot with Pentax lenses I was camera operator for this film for a competition run by the Edinburgh International Film Festival for sci-fi shorts made in 52 hours or less (don't know why the weird time limit!) I used Pentax-M 50mm 1.4, Pentax-M 75-150 f4 and Pentax-A 100mm macro on a Canon 7D with a $10 adapter from eBay, which works great - the smooth focus rings are really good for nailing manual focus - and the 7D, unlike my own k-5, has manual video! For the ship effect at the start, the ship was a painted model about 2cm / 3/4 inch long shot on the macro lens and green screened in front of the CG planet (made from a spherised flat map) in front of cg stars and flare- we were quite pleased with ourselves! Hope you enjoy it! Vimeo

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07-03-2012, 03:35 PM	#2
chemtech Site Supporter Join Date: May 2010 Location: Kansas Photos: Gallery \| Albums Posts: 509	Incredibly well done video! Your cinematography skills with those Pentax manual lenses is astounding. On top of all that I just plain enjoyed the story.

07-03-2012, 03:51 PM	#3
Na Horuk Veteran Member Join Date: Feb 2012 Location: Slovenia, probably Photos: Gallery \| Albums Posts: 11,186	Interesting story, well-shot. I would love to see a longer version of this short

07-03-2012, 03:57 PM	#4
fuent104 Veteran Member Join Date: Apr 2011 Location: California Photos: Gallery Posts: 1,356	Very nice job! It is always great to see people using Pentax lenses for shooting short films. Have you done any color grading?

07-03-2012, 04:37 PM	#5
LaurenOE Site Supporter Join Date: Sep 2009 Location: Back in Florida, but worldwide gigs! Photos: Albums Posts: 3,690	Cool!

07-03-2012, 07:13 PM	#6
Bonobo Senior Member Join Date: Feb 2010 Location: Miami Posts: 226	Very very good job. I have a 48hr film project later this month, but we will not be producing something of this caliber (i tell everyone it's a matter of principles rather than lack of skill.)

07-03-2012, 07:36 PM	#7
sjwaldron Veteran Member Join Date: Aug 2009 Photos: Gallery Posts: 1,235	Nicely done. It's too bad that you were not able to use a Pentax camera. Although with the K-01, K-30, and newer cameras that should change.

07-04-2012, 01:35 AM	#8
metaphiston Forum Member Join Date: Aug 2010 Location: Edinburgh Posts: 91 Original Poster	Thanks Chemtech, Na Horuk and LaurenOE! Bonobo, have you done a 48 hour film project before? They’re great fun, I’ve done the competition in Edinburgh for the last few years and will be taking part in the first one in Dundee in a month’s time – might even shoot on my k-5 if my team mates are willing to put up with the time I’ll need to laboriously trick the Av priority into doing what I want it to. I really want to use more camera movement as part of the cinematography, and the k-5’s SR would allow that much more than the 7D (as my lenses aren’t Image stablilised, of course). Originally posted by fuent104 Very nice job! It is always great to see people using Pentax lenses for shooting short films. Have you done any color grading? Fuent104, thanks! Yes, we graded the mysterious planet (i.e a beach on a dull Scottish afternoon) to make it redder – we tried other colours first (as red seemed the most obvious and therefore possibly boring colouration), but after we tried yellow, green and blue tints we went with red as it just seems to look most… alien! The interior scenes weren’t graded as such, just corrected a little for consistency with each other. Quote: Nicely done. It's too bad that you were not able to use a Pentax camera. Although with the K-01, K-30, and newer cameras that should change. Sjwaldron, I’d have loved to but in this case we went with my friend's 7D; I actually think for quality of footage, when you don’t need manual, the k-5 footage looks better than the 7D (particularly in shadows, where you get compression artefacts from the 7D) – and k-5 seems to have more latitude for colour correction and grading. Though maybe it’s wishful thinking! One day I’ll shoot with my lovely old lenses on a lovely new - manual enabled - Pentax camera.

07-06-2012, 12:16 PM	#10
metaphiston Forum Member Join Date: Aug 2010 Location: Edinburgh Posts: 91 Original Poster	Originally posted by fuent104 I tried to use my Pentax lenses on this 48-hour film festival project, but we were shooting on the 5D, which was not compatible Nice job - funny film! Good lighting too, and good shot choices.

07-07-2012, 04:52 PM	#11
fuent104 Veteran Member Join Date: Apr 2011 Location: California Photos: Gallery Posts: 1,356	Thanks! 48 hours is not a lot of time!