Messages

16

Chronos User Discussion / High-quality C-mount lenses?

« on: May 09, 2021, 04:48:28 PM »

Per my last thread, I'm struggling with the C-to-EF mount adapter stability.   I'm not seeing any better C-to-EF adapters available than the one I already have, and I'm at the point of buying a rail system to support and secure the lens.   Rather than deal with all of that, I'm now curious about just going for a native C-mount lens.  When I look at those, however, it appears they are tailored mainly for CCTV camera applications and not photography/cinematography.   I'm willing to spend the bucks on a high quality (sharp and fast) wide-angle C mount if one exists.   Is anyone using such a lens?  Thanks again!

17

Chronos User Discussion / Re: Dealing with constantly-loosening E-mount adapter

« on: May 06, 2021, 09:22:55 PM »

Thank you for the suggestions, yes you are correct - I wasn't using the right terminology. I am using Canon EF lenses with this adapter:

https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B00AUKDUDE/ref=ppx_yo_dt_b_asin_title_o04_s00?ie=UTF8&psc=1

18

Chronos User Discussion / Dealing with constantly-loosening EF-mount adapter

« on: May 04, 2021, 11:02:19 PM »

The E-mount adapter I'm using with my Chronos 1.4 has an issue with the three compression screws on its base constantly loosening with the slightest provocation.   This makes the lens "wobbly" and is often enough to affect the focus, leading to many ruined shots.   I have to carry a jeweler's screwdriver everywhere I go to keep them tightened, but it doesn't take much to re-loosen the screws.

This isn't really a problem with the Chronos per se, but is an issue created by the very small-diameter C-mount having to support the weight of DSLR lenses.  I'm using either a Canon 10-22mm or Tokina 11-16mm lens with my Chronos - not huge lenses, but big enough that the stresses on the small C-mount connection are enough to work things loose easily. 

Is there a good C-to-E mount adapter that would be more secure, or maybe some type of cinema-like rig that can support both the camera and the lens on a common frame?  Thanks for any suggestions!

19

Chronos User Discussion / Re: Chronos 1.4 Footage Thread

« on: September 01, 2020, 06:12:42 AM »

Those are some awesome lightning clips. Did you film this with some sort of waterproof case or inside through a window?

Thanks! I shoot from either inside my car or under some sort of cover, sometimes the rear tailgate if the rain isn't too heavy.

20

Chronos User Discussion / Re: Chronos 1.4 Footage Thread

« on: September 01, 2020, 05:39:39 AM »

A productive summer with lightning and the 1.4 so far, here are a couple of highlights from St. Louis and Chicago:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=5XJzIAXEvQw

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=gF8850S7mAo

21

Chronos User Discussion / Re: Chronos 1.4 Footage Thread

« on: October 15, 2019, 08:31:59 AM »

Hello all, today I released my main project of this year of lightning strikes shot with the Chronos 1.4:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Ex0xRner48E

22

Chronos User Discussion / Re: Maze artifact with 1.4

« on: September 18, 2019, 11:55:05 AM »

Unfortunately I don't remember whether it was 12 or 16.   It was set to whatever the default save setting was when I got the camera in March of this year.  For the first 2 months of shooting, I didn't change any of the default settings other than the recording framerate and black calibration.

23

Chronos User Discussion / Re: Maze artifact with 1.4

« on: September 16, 2019, 05:47:21 PM »

It wouldn't be the end of the world if I can't recover the shots, but they're good enough that I'd be willing to spend a few days to try whatever recovery methods are available.

24

Chronos User Discussion / Re: Maze artifact with 1.4

« on: September 09, 2019, 08:58:06 AM »

I've downloaded a few applications including GIMP and Raw Therapee to try and repair two usable shots captured earlier this year that were corrupted in this way.   I'm not having any luck.  Does the repair need to be performed on the raw file or each of the DNGs separately?   Is there any kind of workflow description or tutorial on how to do this? 

In Raw Therapee, I managed to get rid of the maze artifact using the VNG4 demosaicing selection, but it makes the image monochrome (color information is lost).

25

Chronos User Discussion / Re: Problem with DNG files when using new version of Camera Raw

« on: September 02, 2019, 07:50:17 PM »

Here is an example of a DNG file that has the problem.  "Clear settings" and "camera raw defaults" actions have been performed on this file already, so it *should* be free of any raw adjustments.   In Photoshop CC Camera Raw, try adding a spot healing instance to see the problem.  The rectangular box artifact will show up when you then open the image in Photoshop or preview it in Bridge.

Note - this was a test shot, I realize it is out of focus.

https://www.dropbox.com/s/5yahaok7mtlq23w/frame_000007.dng?dl=0

26

Chronos User Discussion / Re: Problem with older 1.4 dng files in Camera Raw 11.3

« on: August 15, 2019, 03:31:48 PM »

UPDATE 8/15:   I believe I have isolated this problem as being inherent to the dng files created by the Chronos.   I performed the exact same operations on dng files from my DSLR (converted with Adobe DNG converter) that I had previously edited with the same older version of Camera Raw, and these problems did not occur in the new version of Camera Raw.

Both the DNG files from the Chronos and from my Canon DSLR that were edited with the old version of Camera Raw initially retain the old version's interface even when opened in the new version of Camera Raw (first attachment below).    Performing a "Clear Settings" on this image in Bridge (second attachment below) causes the full set of sliders and functions from the new version of Camera Raw to appear and be available for use (third attachment below), this is normal behavior and workflow for using a new version of Camera Raw.

On my Canon dng files, the images can then be edited with no problems with the new version of Camera Raw.  The dng files from the Chronos, however, cannot.  Something is changed in those files by using the old versions of Camera Raw that is messing up the editing in the new version of Camera Raw.   The white balance slider is the only part that causes a flicker of the correct image to show up, but it seems like any edits done are applied in an additive fashion to the old Camera Raw edits instead of the original unedited file.  Spot healing is totally broken on the new version of Camera Raw with these files from the Chronos.

I know this is confusing to describe, but I hope that description along with the other posts encapsulates what is happening.

27

Chronos User Discussion / Re: Problem with older 1.4 dng files in Camera Raw 11.3

« on: August 14, 2019, 01:31:48 PM »

UPDATE: I discovered this problem also affects DNG files from the more recent Chronos firmware.  I am not sure if this is something inherent to the dng files from the Chronos, or if it is an Adobe software bug.

Basically, any dng files that were edited with older versions of Adobe Camera Raw are corrupted and cannot be edited in the newest version of Camera Raw.   The old camera raw properties are irrevocably applied to the dng files, and cause the behavior outlined in the first post of this thread.  For some reason, performing a "Clear Settings" or "Camera Raw Defaults" operation on the edited dng files - either in the old or new versions of Camera Raw - does not actually revert the files back to their original state.  They retain the old camera raw version's properties, which conflict with the new camera raw edits.

The only workaround is if you have a backup of the original pre-edit dng files to restore from, or if you saved in raw format and use the dng converter script to create a fresh dng sequence.

I also ran Adobe DNG converter to see if that would produce pristine copies of the files, but it didn't work - the converted files have the same problem.

28

Chronos User Discussion / Re: Problem with older 1.4 dng files in Camera Raw 11.3

« on: August 11, 2019, 03:21:08 AM »

I figured out a solution.  Apparently this is being caused by an inability to completely clear the old camera raw edits from the DNG files.   In Bridge, I did both "clear settings" and reset the image to "camera raw defaults" but there was still some part of the old raw edits being retained.   

I went back and simply re-created the DNG sequence anew from the original raw file with the pyraw2dng script.  With fresh dng files, Camera Raw 11.3 worked normally.

29

Chronos User Discussion / Problem with DNG files when using new version of Camera Raw

« on: August 10, 2019, 12:45:03 PM »

I upgraded my software setup to Photoshop CC to have better control over the CinemaDNG files from the Chronos.    Everything I've shot after upgrading the camera's firmware to v0.3.1 works just fine.  However, some - but not all - of my older files shot before the firmware update (back when the raw to dng conversion script was used) are exhibiting a strange problem in the RAW editor.

Here's the file unedited straight from the camera after DNG conversion (see attachments below for full size):



When first opening the file in Camera Raw 11.3, the image has a "gray haze" with nearly 90% opacity, as if brightness has been cranked way up and contrast turned way down (see attachments below for full size).



Moving any of the raw setting sliders only applies those changes to the "grayed out" image - with one exception.  When you make the tiniest adjustment to the white balance slider, viola, the image suddenly shows correctly, and you can then make normal RAW adjustments to the other setting sliders.   The edits display correctly in Bridge and in previews.

However, if you go and add a spot healing to the image, the spot heal shows a black box in the final image, in Bridge, and in previews.    Re-opening the edited image in Camera Raw with a spot heal results in this (see attachments below for full size) - totally whited-out image with a green box where the spot heal is:



In all of those images, you can see the correct image in the "filmstrip" in the upper left, but this is not what is getting saved to the final image.

Does anyone know what is going on?   Again, some of my old files do this, some don't.

EDIT: can't figure out how to insert full size images inline, so to view these in full size, the corresponding attachments are below.   I tried using the bbcode img tag, but these are showing the thumbnail - grr

30

Software Dev / Re: Problems after reverting from v0.3.2 back to v0.3.1

« on: June 23, 2019, 04:01:58 AM »

I was shooting at 1280x720 with default gain settings.   After the revert to v0.3.1, the 1-pixel banding issue was completely gone, and in fact, the overall banding was much better than before I started the initial upgrade process.   My original pre-upgrade issues with banding my have just needed the "warm state" factory black cal to fix.

I did a full production shoot yesterday and had no other issues aside from the no batt and power button.   The camera seems to be charging normally when plugged in.