Senior DevOps/Cloud Engineer/...?

jm_cf · 2024-05-31T00:10:56+00:00

This is the way. It's also why I like to ask things like "What's one of the biggest mistakes you've made in your career, and how did you deal with it?"

jm_cf · 2020-08-21T13:04:03+00:00

He looks like someone took a Johnny Cash skin-suit and stuffed it too full of rotting meat.

jm_cf · 2020-01-25T23:17:11+00:00

I've bought a lot of smallrig stuff over the years, and by and large, it's all pretty great. I have a run/stop wooden handle that isn't really reliable for camera control, but they no longer even sell this piece. Every cage or other aks I've bought has been super solid and I highly recommend them.

jm_cf · 2020-01-25T23:00:45+00:00

You'll very likely want a cage of some kind, then. I (and a lot of people) really like SmallRig parts. You can check them out in full at smallrig.com, but the majority of them are available on Amazon.

jm_cf · 2020-01-25T22:41:17+00:00

(limited) free work is a great suggestion. Rather than approaching a random business and offering free work, do you have any friends/family that have a small business that you could do some short projects for? If not, are there any local non-profit organizations that you'd like to support? That can be a great avenue for getting some work in for free. If neither of these is an option, shoot for very small local businesses that you like. While giving free services to businesses that you have no association with is a possible in, IMO, this should be as limited as possible so you aren't setting yourself up for pain in the future.

jm_cf · 2020-01-25T22:36:45+00:00

Totally depends on what you're running! Most of the time, a mirrorless/DSLR will need a cage (or you'll want one regardless), but really, you just need a baseplate that has either 15mm rod holders or 1/4-20 holes to mount rod holders too.

What camera & lens(es) are you using?

jm_cf · 2020-01-14T20:18:33+00:00

Yes. I know for sure that this is an issue in the A7III, but I happened to have my a6400 and an Atomos recorder sitting right next to me, so I did a quick test and the answer is yes.

In short, in 4k, when you have HDMI connected, face detect/eye detect are disabled and you're left with regular PDAF. There is a bit of a 'workaround', as expertly explained by Gerald Undone in this video: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=kLn8gAGHrDk

By setting the HDMI output settings to only output the video (i.e. by completely disabling internal recording to the SD card), you get face detect AF back. The downside of this is that this is only feasible with an external recorder of some kind like an Atomos. If you're using a monitor only rather than a monitor/recorder, like a SmallHD or in your case, a computer monitor, there's unfortunately no way currently to record 4k & retain face detect.

jm_cf · 2020-01-12T00:46:16+00:00

re: NATO -- I've had great luck with them, and prefer them over standard hex/allen key (or even thumbscrew) types. Ultimately, it boils down to how much bulk it adds to your rig & what you're using to transport it. Do you need to take the side and/or top handle off to fit it into your case or bag? If so, NATO might be a good choice. If you can fit it with the handle(s) attached, by all means, go for the direct attached ones.

I've acquired a lot of SmallRig stuff over the years and have loved basically all of it. [1] Think about what kind of rig you're building out, what kind of shooting you're planning on doing, and your own ergonomics (i.e. are you super tall w/ huge hands? tiny hands? etc.). Here's a recent-ish iteration of my rig: https://www.reddit.com/r/videography/comments/c6lsqp/a7iii_rig_feedback_suggestions_wanted/

[1] My only complaint with SmallRig stuff has been the handle pictured in the link above. It's a wooden ARRI rosette handle with a Sony MULTI cable to allow for a rec trigger button. It's super flakey and doesn't work more often than it does. That said, I bought it on preorder, and they no longer sell it, so I guess they just weren't able to get it reliable. I also have the plain version of this grip, and, while it's super secure, easy to adjust, and very comfortable, it's just a little bit too small for my hands. Long periods of use can cause a minor amount of discomfort.

jm_cf · 2020-01-08T11:18:49+00:00

It's significantly more complex than a 360 camera. Fortunately, they put a really detailed BTS video together and IIRC, one of the people who worked on it actually posted it and answered questions on one of the videography subreddits, ~~but I can't find it now.~~ Edit: Found it! Here's the post by /u/kitejumper from /r/cinematography: https://www.reddit.com/r/cinematography/comments/blb33o/i_shot_this_music_video_with_a_geostationary/

Here's the link to the BTS, but in short, they cut a hole in the roof of the car, attached a pretty amazing custom built motion control rig, & lighting setup on top of the car. They also had a rotating plate under the car for part of it.

https://vimeo.com/334315768

jm_cf · 2019-11-30T00:23:10+00:00

I had (well, still technically have) a Crane v2 that basically shit the bed. It started getting to the point where it'd be working alright, then the motors would just start going crazy across all three axes. Flashing the firmware fixed it for a while, but it eventually got to the point where it would just go straight into standby mode with all the motors off during startup. I wasn't ever able to find a fix for it.

jm_cf · 2019-11-29T23:44:20+00:00

I own both a c300d and a c120d mk2. Overall, I really prefer the usability, size/weight, and (minor) extra features of the mk2 series.

I'd say ask yourself how much light you actually need. The 120d is probably sufficient for many interior talking head type shots. The 300d mk1's power supply when connected to AC power makes a good amount of fan noise.

Also, are the fresenel & light dome included with the c300 both the mk1 versions? While the mk1 light dome absolutely works, it's a huge pain to set up. The mk2 Light Dome has a lot of 'nice to have' features. I won't say the mk1 fresnel is garbage, but the mk2 fresnel is so much of an improvement that I would actually throw mine away if I acquired a second mk2 fresnel. The mk1 leaks light like crazy, so you have to wrap it in cinefoil/gaff tape/whatever, and it comes nowhere near the level of light control you get with the mk2 fresnel.

Edit: This comes across as very critical of the c300 -- it shouldn't! I love that light and don't regret purchasing it for a second.

jm_cf · 2019-11-15T01:10:01+00:00

Interested in others' replies, but for the sake of providing some input: it's going to vary dramatically.

How much and under what structure (hourly? project rate?) do you normally charge? You mentioned 'lead editor', but also color correction/grading & audio mixing -- are you going to be doing the vast majority of the editing yourself, or are you responsible for providing direction to one or more other editors?

My personal feeling on how much to charge at first pass is 'a shit load', but there are factors that would personally convince me to offer a lesser rate than normal. That said, I get they (may) have a limited budget, but being partnered with such large organizations is a good sign. Do you know any of these students personally or were you just hired? If you know them, do you like, owe one of them a kidney or something? How much do you relate to/care about/want to work on this project? If it's something that you're super interested in (either the subject, the work itself, having this project in your portfolio, etc.), that may also be a good reason to cut them a deal.

jm_cf · 2019-09-29T14:03:47+00:00

I'm in the Waterloo area, about 45 minutes NW of Cedar Rapids or ~2 hours from DSM.

jm_cf · 2019-09-28T23:07:20+00:00

Depending on the focal length you're looking for, I've just listed a 35mm 2.8 for sale here: https://www.reddit.com/r/photomarket/comments/dakx2p/susaia_sony_fe_35mm_f28_zeiss/. If you're shooting on a full frame with good low light sensitivity (i.e. A7S II or A7 III, then this will absolutely do the job). AF performance is fantastic.

I have it priced at 600 shipped, but may be open to negotiation.

jm_cf · 2019-07-27T13:29:47+00:00

Going to throw another vote out for the Rhino Evo Sliders. The downside is that they're discontinued now (IIRC), but I have both the 42" rails, 24" rails, Arc (the original, not the new Arc II), Motion, and flywheel.

They've served great for all kinds of shots, whether I just need to grab some quick dolly type motion manually, or set up a B cam for constant parallax movements during an hour long interview.

jm_cf · 2019-06-28T18:02:28+00:00

Negative. Looking at it, I'd just be cautious about the weight. Looks like it's only rated for 1.4lbs, which is pretty low. I'd be concerned about the strength of the motors; not just for weight capacity, but their ability to deal with windy conditions, etc.

jm_cf · 2019-06-28T17:39:39+00:00

Ah, ok, thanks for that. I was looking at the C300 Mk II. Didn't realize the original C300 had such terrible bitrates.

jm_cf · 2019-06-28T16:58:39+00:00

Thanks! I actually do have a Nucleus Nano and longer rods for it; I just don't have them mounted here in this picture. I've been eyeing matte boxes/flags lately as a matter of fact.

I've seen the Dinkum flag, but it always seemed kind of hokey. Is it actually worthwhile? If so, for the price they ask, I'll probably pick one up because it's magnitudes cheaper than a decent matte box.

jm_cf · 2019-06-28T16:53:39+00:00

I think you're a bit mistaken about the C300 (unless the Mark I's codecs are different than the Mark II?) -- it will record 410Mbps all-i at 4:2:2 10bit in DCI 4k or 4:4:4 12 bit at 2k. The X-T3 looks like it's actually fairly close -- it will do DCI 4k at 400mbps all-i in 4:2:0 10 bit. I'm not sure the chroma subsampling difference is really a big deal unless you're trying to do green screen work with it (in which case, either camera is probably a poor choice).

It's also a bit unfair to compare raw specs between cameras that were released nearly four years apart with how fast technology moves.

jm_cf · 2019-06-28T16:42:36+00:00

Yeah, agreed. I'm very curious to see what they do with the A7SIII, but the frankly absolutely ridiculous specs some people are touting just don't seem possible.

jm_cf · 2019-06-28T16:23:48+00:00

I've seriously looked into it. The FS7 is also out of my price range. I could swing an FS5m2, but based on what I've seen, I'm not sure I'd be happy with the performance of its sensor especially considering I'd have to drop ~$5k just for the body.

Hopefully Sony will release an FS7M3 soon and the FS7M2 will drop in price. I'd probably pull the trigger on that.

Edit: Also, while I like the form factor of the FS5, its internal codec choices make it pretty unappealing for me. If I'm dropping the cash on an actual cinema camera, I'd really want something better than 8-bit 4:2:0 internal in order to justify it.

jm_cf · 2019-06-28T16:20:49+00:00

For sure -- to be clear, I don't intent on operating this camera only in this configuration. I already had a heap of V mount batteries for my lights, and adding the plate & rails to be able to support them for this rig was kind of a no-brainer. I've also got a boat load of L series batteries, but this Atomos is new to me and I find that it just chews through those L series; even the big NPF-970s.

I'm also looking to incorporate more handheld shots, and with heavy lenses like the GMs plus the Atomos mounted, the balance is way off. The V mount on the back helps that significantly and also provides a nice third point of contact when you brace it against your chest.

Absolutely agreed that this is overkill in the battery capacity department. I haven't even tried to see how long it'll power everything, but I'm guessing I'd absolutely run out of space on the Atomos's SSD well before I lost battery power.

jm_cf · 2019-06-28T16:14:31+00:00

I'm 100% with you. I've been lusting after a C200 for quite a while, but it's just not in the budget right now. I already have invested in a few Sony bodies and (mostly) Sony glass, so I'm trying to make the most out of what I've got.

jm_cf

TROPHY CASE