My review of the EX3 seems to have done very well and my bluffing seems to have fooled everyone into thinking I knew what I was talking about, so much so that someone has actually hired me to do more, and unlike the EX3 review will pay me!!
CVP Mitcorp are a newly merged company that used to be Creative Video and Mitcorp. Their website is Mitcorp.co.uk.
I know them as I bought my F350, DSR 450, HVX200 and EX1 from them. So they like me and my money! Also they are a really nice bunch of guys who offer amazing customer service. When they hired my friend Dennis Lennie, a former LNN cameraman whom I also knew from Procam, my relationship stepped up a notch. He wanted to improve their website and have lots of video content. So they asked me if I would make how to videos and also review new products. Not just cameras, everything! So I will soon be reviewing a Z7, and HVX200, a Grass Valley Infinity and hopefully an F35, I think the last one is wishful thinking.
My first three reviews are the new XDCAM PDW-F700, the Reflecmedia Chromakey Litering and something called the Letus Extreme. The latter is more of an overview about what it does than a review, same with the Litering. I am getting better, the Letus one is the third one I made and probably the best, the litering was second and the 700 first. I just make up the words on the spot, as you can see with the 700 review! I think I used the words LCD screen at least 70 times! So be kind!
You can see all my reviews at the CVP Mitcorp review page on Vimeo and the CVP Mitcorp website, www.mitcorp.co.uk
I promise you that my true love is still behind the camera! I tell you something, filming that Letus one on my own with three cameras was insanely hard. Getting focus with no stand-in was tough!
I don’t want anyone to think I have sold out because I haven’t! I am just trying to make a living and as a lot people ask me for purchase advice I think putting my name to a product is my way of saying that I recommend this product. I will only be making videos for products that I recommend, kind of seal of quality having me do a film of it.
Here is a direct link to the Letus Extreme film. It is not an advanced course. More of a demonstration of the gear, how it fits together and just how much of a difference it makes to a standard camera. I hope you like it and more importantly you find it useful.
Here is the link for the channel CVP MITCORP REVIEWS
12 comments
Am somewhat confused by the talk of less lighting and small room. The user manual that comes with ReflecMedia talks about needing distance between talent and the screen (recommending something like 12 feet from memory) and also shows a lighting setup that as well as the ring requires two lights for the background screen as well as the usual talent lighting. Is the manual wrong?
Reflecmedia have seen the video and are very happy. I can’t see any benefit from lighting the background, makes zero sense. The whole point is you don’t need to. Maybe 12 foot is a guideline, I had it much closer and it worked very well as you can see
Philip,
Good for you. Take the work that is there when it’s there. There is no “sell out” to making a living in the industry, not to mention you are helping a lot of people become better camera operators. Thanks for the info!
Hi Phil,
First time I’ve commented on your blog. Loving your work, tips, advice.
What software/plugin did you use to key out the background?
Hi Again,
Once I’ve started I can’t stop. Can you clear something up for me.
When I attach my LEX the GG is never quite centred left to right and so I have to zoom in a bit further. Do you know If there is a way of correcting the left/right centering? I did post this query on the Letus forum but never got a satisfactory response.
Best,
Hi Phil
Just final cut pro for keying.
What camera do you use with the Letus?
EX1.
Phil,
What Zoom number are you zooming into?
Morning, I’ll get back to you on that as I’ve been using the EX1 clean recently.
By the way when you use your Nikon zoom lens does it hold focus from wide through to telephoto. I hired one (AF-s 17-35mm f2.8) from Calumet and lost focus slightly when I changed focal length.
Cheers,
Phil
Yeah it loses focus. Make sure you zoom into minimum z77. You will be fine with that. They are always slightly off centre…
Question? Have you found a way to shoot at 60FPS on the EX1 with the Letus Extreme with out seeing the GG? Does the Ultimate have this issue?
Hello! I film 60fps all the time with the ex1 and extreme!!
All I know is that when shooting 60fps and using the extreme the oscillating ground glass was slowed down enough to where I could see it. Maybe my unit is faulty or something.