Quick Alexa 35 build

[@hirotom2679]

KZbin has once again graced me with another rabbit hole.

[@CameraPrepChannel]

Haha! Yeah man, I think we're working in a niche within a niche with this content. If there's some specific camera equipment you're interested in seeing, let me know and I'll try and make a video about it!

[@dielichtfaenger_academy]

Prepping cameras is so soothing.

[@CameraPrepChannel]

😘

[@ultra_ek]

IDK WHY THiS IS SO SATISFYING BUT IT JUST IS.

[@CameraPrepChannel]

Yeeees the plan is working 👹

[@danielwylie-eggert2041]

Keep them coming and you will have a successful channel in no time

[@CameraPrepChannel]

Thanks for the support, Daniel! 🐻🤙🏾

[@JakobInFocus]

Great build! Just a heads-up about using the angled LBUS cable with the cforce motors: due to the angle, the cable exerts more leverage on the connector, which can lead to the LBUS connector breaking off the circuit board inside the motor. This happened to me with two cforce mini motors. Fortunately, I live in Austria, where cmotion (the manufacturer of these motors) is located. I was able to take the motors directly to them, and they quickly re-soldered the connectors. They also suggested not to use the angled cables on the motors. Had no issues since.

[@CameraPrepChannel]

Dude, I literally had to service my motor last month because of connector issues. My thinking has been that when the angled connector is turned sideways, it would put less pressure on the connectors than a straight cable sticking out of the motor, but it makes sense that the angle would have more leverage in any orientation. The motor has been working for almost every week for 6 years though, so maybe it was time for it to get some attention.. :)

[@CineDailies]

instant sub

[@CameraPrepChannel]

🐻🤙🏾

[@AltCine]

Why do you only have 3 videos 😭 this is so good.

[@CameraPrepChannel]

Haha, super happy to hear you like the videos! It's a loooot of work to shoot and edit a video, I just haven't had the time to make more. But I'm hoping to get the channel monetized within a couple of months, that would lead to a more regular posting schedule :))

[@marinjo123]

Love the vids, keep it going!

[@CameraPrepChannel]

Thanks Marinjo, will try!

[@pedroborba2933]

nice video! watching from Brazil

[@CameraPrepChannel]

Thanks Pedro 🐻🤙🏾

[@LucaLazzari]

Awsome! Are you planning to maybe show your focus station and how you setup the fiz unit with the focusbug?

[@CameraPrepChannel]

Sure, that sounds like a good idea for a video! I was thinking about making a video of different ways of using the rangefinder too, I think people don't know how much information you can gather with it!

[@kylehaggard7348]

great video! very quiet

[@CameraPrepChannel]

Thanks, Kyle! Sorry about the audio, will make sure to pay more attention to levels in the future :)

[@YoungAimes]

Nice video! Can you provide a link to the rangefinder? Thanks 🙏🏼

[@CameraPrepChannel]

Thanks Aimes! It's the CineRT Focusbug, pretty much the gold standard of rangefinders! www.focusbug.com/order/

[@BenHopperVisuals]

noga arm QR pin loc thing is cool, bit chunky tho. Nice video.

[@CameraPrepChannel]

Thanks! It's a bit chunky, but especially when it's mounted on the top handle, it's actually super nice that it offsets the noga arm a bit, it leaves more room for your hand to grab the camera!

[@OllieTheFirst]

How long does it take for you to become sure of every bit of kit you pick up?

[@CameraPrepChannel]

Took me about 12 years! I worked at a couple of rental houses back in 2014, and that's a great experience as you need to learn the name and function of every single item at the rental. But I'd say an even bigger part is developing an ability to learn what you don't know, when you need to! When you see a new piece of equipment, try to understand every aspect of it's function - like make sure you know what every single connector is for on the camera body, or what every single icon on the status screen mean. Although, for me, it's not every piece of kit - I'm totally comfortable with an Arriflex 235 or an Alexa 35, but wouldn't even know how to turn on a GoPro or an A7s.. :)

[@OllieTheFirst]

@ thank god then. I’m a camera trainee and look at you camera assistants rigging and I’m like wtf hahaha

[@CameraPrepChannel]

Haha, yeah, it takes a while! Would highly recommend spending a year working at a rental! As long as you enjoy doing it, you'll get there :)

[@OllieTheFirst]

@ would love to but especially rn there aren’t many jobs going because of the state of the industry 🥲

[@CameraPrepChannel]

Yeah, it's not a great time right now :/ At least in my country there was a huge influx of people after covid, when there were a lot of jobs. Now things have quieted down and the remaining jobs are being shared by more people than before.

[@JacobVossFilms]

Wouldnt the RIA-1 be better for latency with the FocusBug horns?

[@JacobVossFilms]

Also I typically use 3/8 inch Split Sleeve Wire Loom (nylon I believe) instead of spiral wrap since its quicker to put on.

[@CameraPrepChannel]

Hi Jacob! What a great point, had to do a bit of a deep dive on it... There's not a lot of info available on the hi-speed protocol, but the Alexa35 seems to support it. My only source for this is a reply from Arri's rep on a youtube video: kzbin.info/www/bejne/aIWZqZR5ithneMU ("Hey Shane, yes, ARRI Hi-Speed protocol is already supported when using the serial port on the ALEXA 35. The Focusbug license is not yet supported through this port.") I don't know if the 35 supported it from the start or if it was added in one of the more recent SUPs, I couldn't find any mention about it in the manuals or SUP release notes. Lack of information about this might be intentional so they can market the RIA-1 as a way to boost the speed, and tactically not mention that new bodies support the feature without the RIA. I vaguely remember there being a similar case with some other features, maybe the Venice and Red control licences and the CForce Mini RF - all of the marketing material left you with the impression that you had to buy the RIA to get access to the features, when they actually worked if you already had the RF motor.

[@CameraPrepChannel]

I've wondered about the wire loom, don't you have to pick a larger diameter for the sleeve so the connectors can pass through, and then the sleeve ends up being a bit loose on the cables? Would love a simpler way to wrap the cables, to be honest 8)

[@MountUpMedia]

Please do a red dsmc2 video!?

[@CameraPrepChannel]

Yo! I can definitely do that! I have an Epic-W myself, might be a fun idea to first build it for run & gun and then do a full cinema build!

[@MountUpMedia]

@ that sounds incredible. Everyone forgot about us DSMC2 users. I’d take my Gemini over the Komodo any day haha

[@CameraPrepChannel]

Yeah that's for sure! I just had a small gig doing a couple of shots between stills, and the production wanted a Komodo. I told them just to take my Helium instead for the same price because rigging the Komodo for wireless stuff is such a damn pain - and with the Bolt DSMC2 Module, the Epic-W literally needs ONE cable to have an on-board monitor, wireless video and wireless focus... 😅

[@MountUpMedia]

@ this is what people need to see! True value ! Send pictures haha

[@phamwoaw]

hey man - i am glad youtube suggested your channel - going to sub and see where this goes - i will never (never say never) be able to have the chance to rig up a 35 - so it is nice to see a channel do so with much details - the macro shots are cool - but a bit distracting as i would rather prefer to see a wide or wider tight shot of your arms and hands and how you are routing cables and connecting them to see how someone with experience is doing it - if i was learning from shadowing you on the spot i would not have my face that close to a connector to see how you are rigging this up - just a suggestion - the marcos are cool but it just doesnt give me much learning value - also when you were talking about the matte box and how you were connecting them together to be more versatile with different lenses - there was quite a bit of lingo and terminology i didnt understand or know there made me have to second guess what pieces you were talking about - i picked it back up again when you talked about the swing mount (i know what that is) - all and all i really enjoyed the video - and i cannot wait to see more - oh another thing... compared to the other 3-4 videos i saw before yours the volume of your voice is quite low - seems like you come from a broadcasting background and i know those volume are mixed a bit lower than what people normally use on youtube - i am going to sub now and take a look at some other video to see what else you got - i am hoping to see you do some stuff with some other makes and models - hopefully how you would do some prosumer/consumer grade equipment (if you have cheaper "inexpensive" equipment) - not quite at the alexa level yet - but maybe one day

[@CameraPrepChannel]

Thanks for such a detailed message and feedback - especially with the audio stuff, as that's something I don't have much experience with. Great to hear your thoughts on the content, I will definitely consider everything you mentioned! 🐻🤙🏾

[@MrBeje]

den er virkelig god til bryllups video ;)

[@CameraPrepChannel]

Jo, den är grym för bröllop, hemmavideor, OnlyFans... Och den funkar som en riktigt bra webbkamera också.

[@LightW]

Not a fan of Highspeeds, but adding insult to injury is when the dop tells you this was a look choice and not based on Budget 🤦🏻‍♂️🤦🏻‍♂️🤦🏻‍♂️

[@CameraPrepChannel]

My favourite is when they shoot at T1.3 to get the "cinematic look" and you just go dude, what part of having half of one eye ball in focus is cinematic 😂

[@LightW]

@@CameraPrepChanneljust a quick question. I mostly work as 2nd, but would like to take on smaller projects as 1st. Would you consider making a video on shooting a camera test? The one with the bracketing, where you hold the cards in front of the cam and the stuff the post needs ahead of shooting? Cause I never get what to do and in what order and what is required! 🫣🙈

[@CameraPrepChannel]

I definitely will at some point, but I think it's going to be a while since I'd like to do a really comprehensive video with both digital and 16mm and 35mm film cameras. I'm considering setting up a Patreon or something to be able to spend a bit more time on making new videos 🤔 The bracketing you mention, are you thinking about exposure or focus bracketing? If you're testing focus in this manner, it sounds like you're talking about the french method, which is is used on film cameras to make sure the focus scales are calibrated correctly in relation to the mount and/or the pressure plate. The way I've been taught to do it involves taping a strip of graph paper on the focus gears, then exposing a couple of frames with the witness line on the correct distance for a test chart, then bracketing the focus using the graph paper to move in increments of 1mm. Here's a sample of what that looks like after the results have been composed into one image: i.postimg.cc/fy12TK3C/ultraprime65-french.png This was 35mm 2perf and I think the tests were scanned in 1080p, so the differences aren't super clear. My notes tell me that I asked the rental to shim the lens a bit, as I considered the +1 or +2 to be sharper than the 0 position. The sharpness itself is a bit hard to read with such small differences, but we do know that lenses often exhibit magenta fringing on one side of the focus plane, and green fringing on the other side of the focus plane. So if you look at the tint of the focus chart, you can see that the minus side is significantly on the green side, and the plus side is on the magenta side. It would make sense that correct focus is where the center of the transition from magenta to green is. Something I didn't notice back when I was shooting this test, was that the first 0 is significantly greener than the last 0. The images are in the order they were shot in, so the first 0 has been approached from a random direction, the center 0 has been approached from the minus direction and the last 0 has been approached from the plus direction. The fact that the first and last 0 points are exhibiting a different color of fringing (thus, a different focus distance) tells me that something is loose inside the focus mechanism, and the backlash causes the lens to focus to a different distance depending on the direction the focus ring is turned. This kind of a small difference doesn't matter at all in the real world, though. If you're testing exposure in this manner, you would expose the film or sensor over and under, and show a card telling how many stops the shot has been over or under exposed. This would tell the DP the dynamic range of the film, and let them see for example how incorrectly exposed areas retain saturation, or how noisy underexposed shots are. Both of these tests are a lot more useful on film, as you don't need to do the french method on digital sensor (you can just see the focus on the monitor), and I would honestly expect every working cinematographer to already know how the different Alexa sensors behave in different exposures. To end this goddamn essay of an answer, I would firstly suggest you pick up a copy of Elkins' Camera Assistant's Manual, most of the important tests and prep procedures are described in great detail in the book. Secondly, if you are working towards working as a focus puller, I would suggest you think about the information YOU need to do your job in the way that you want to do it - and how to test the equipment to get that information. On some jobs you want to make sure every lens is collimated to absolute perfection, but some production companies might prefer that you prep the kit in one hour instead of five hours to save money, and knowing what steps not to do might bring you more work from that company :)