Liner notes from Nikon D800 into BMD Hyperdeck 2

So far,

Surprise number one, video direct is getting sent at 29.97 fps, even while set to 23.97 fps in camera? That's a nuance which may be related to the capture device as I'm bridging with Mac Drive software.

I don't want to spend $4,800 on the CineForm based deck, at least not yet.

29.97 should also should make video folks migrating over happy, as some dislike the 24fps "filmic" look.

I'll have to sleuth this with Nikon, perhaps drive down and talk to the horses mouth about the why's, and if an upgrade firmware can fix that, or see what BMD says about AVID codec and the HDMI specs from Nikon.

Surprise number two, "zoom" in real time live view buttons work, in direct out but not in SD/CF capture, something others might be aware of but a pleasant surprise to me.

That means the image in video is being cropped during capture, very convenient for planning to cut a CU shot, or pull shot,refocus if need be or just let it ride, juxtaposed to sweet spot of the lens, framing etc, without resetting the fn button for crop which requires a start stop of live view. The fn only activates FX or DX in video mode as we know.

How cool is that for macro video? Dunno', many DSLR folks do not shoot video, but it sounds cool, I may try it on the Bird of Paradise in the portico.

From Premier Pro's time line after drag and drop from the SSD dock, using DNxHD codec AFAICT, recording to Black Magic Hyper Deck 2, this is the read out:

File Path: C:Yadda, and more yadda
Type: QuickTime Movie
File Size: 19.2 GB
Image Size: 1920 x 1080
Pixel Depth: 24
Frame Rate: 29.97
Source Audio Format: 48000 Hz - 24 bit - Mono
Project Audio Format: 48000 Hz - 32 bit floating point - Mono
Total Duration: 00:02:02:18
Average Data Rate: 160.2 MB / second
Pixel Aspect Ratio: 1.0

QuickTime Details:
Movie contains 1 video track(s), 1 audio track(s) and 0 timecode track(s).

Video:
There are 3678 frames with a duration of 1/29.97th.

Video track 1:
Duration is 0:02:02:22
Average frame rate is 29.98 fps

Video track 1 contains 1 type(s) of video data:

Video data block #1:
Frame Size = 1920 x 1080
Compressor = Uncompressed 10-bit 4:2:2
Quality = Most (5.00)

Audio:
Audio track 1 contains 1 type(s) of audio data:

Audio data block #1:
Format = 24 bit - Stereo
Rate = 48000 Hz
Compressor = lpcm


So it's 10 BIT 4.2.2 captured on the Hyper Deck 2 according to Adobe.

Looks like a pleasant challenge regardless, very insignificant color noise and PC screen moire as a light show. (The watch is propped against the LCD)

By no means is it daylight as the sun rises onto Zaberiskie Point in Death Valley, just high ISO 3200 f/8, 24-70 cranked all the way out at minimum distance (12" or so) with one clear 25w music stand oblong bulb overhead, hand held at close range, as my old film scoring stop watch spins the hands.

Uncompressed and impressed!

Have fun,

Rob

Hi Ken,

E-mailed BMD's SM overnight, answer came early from TS, there is no frame rate default in the HD2. BMD's had a few reports with the D800: "3:2 pulldown on output or the fact that the frames are actually PsF (progressive segmented frame)"

The issue then, ingesting, changed the setting to 23.97 and went to modify menu, changed field order and things are fine. Artifact lines have disappeared during full quality playback.

I recall an early interview with a US Nikon manager which suggested some context of the "B" frames as being part of the secret sauce, perhaps this anomaly is sensor driven in the capture process and Premiere Pro sees the raw files (10 bit 4.2.2) automatically as TV broadcast settings, unless told otherwise?

Regardless, problem is pilot error as I see it.

Thanks,

Rob

Hi Ken,

I had the second one ordered at Samy's on the West side. (February) but...was wrangling with Chase over a LOC and also had the D4 on order, using the interim to try and evaluate Non-brand funded production edits which were slow in coming.

The D800 came in April, the D4 a week or so later. I sat on both and eventually released the D4 because the video in the D800 was apparently sharper.

The low light capabilities of the D4 although an improvement over the D3S, were not so great at 18mp over 12mp for me to spend an additional $6k and so I will continue to shoot the D3s for venue non-flash. If a D4S arrives, then I'll jump.

I kept paying down the D800 while the bank finally authorized a self funded new business account, but one of the managers sold it out from under me.

When I went in the following week, the sales guy had grabbed the first one from that day's delivery reinstating my ticket, it was new release with updated EN-EL 15 and firmware.

By then Joe Marine had done his graded/NR posting versus the MK2/3, and I grabbed it the following Friday.

Shot the San Marcos high jazz band at Soho Club in SB, on cards, just getting to edits now, on camera audio tweaks were fine for fund raising DVD uses.

Much better than the D7000 in harsh or uncontrollable lighting.

The evals set for comparatives A/B?, I will get to sometime this week, setting up at night with one 25w music stand type of bulb, I'll let you know.

There are a folks shooting content/product on the D800.

Neil is in GB and to quote:

"I don't know where all of this negativity about the D800 comes from. According to all of the online comparisons I've seen, the only feature that the 5D MKIII seems to hold better than the D800 is the low light performance. Everything else, the Nikon is equal to or better than the Canon.

As for "real world" use, I have been exhaustively filming with mine over the past couple of weeks. I have shot 16 short films for an acting school and have also used my D800 on three corporate shoots. I really love it and prefer the quality over the D7000 (I used to own), a Canon 5D MKII and 7D, all of which I have used on short films.

As I'm posting this on a Nikon forum, you might think that I am saying all of this just to justify my purchase and who knows, that might be true, but for me, the D800 has exceeded all of my filming (and photographic) expectations.

I have also shot it as a B-camera on a shoot with a RED ONE MX and a RED Scarlet-X and I can definitely say the D800 (using a flat picture profile) holds up pretty well to the both of them."


Here is a link, although we frequent the Nikonian's DSLR forum, this is his business site.

http://web.mac.com/epicdream/Epicdream_Productions_Website/Home.html

HTH's

Rob