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DP1 Video Petition

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Spotts

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I wrote a letter to Sigma tonight. If you feel similarly, feel free to cut/paste/personalize what is below and send it to [email protected].

Even if you could care less, please help those of us to whom this matters!!

----

To: [email protected]
Re: DP1 movie mode.

Hello, and thank you for taking time to read and respond to this email. I am seriously considering the purchase of the DP1 as a "carry everywhere" camera. I presently use various Canon DSLR's which are inconvenient to lug at all times. As well, I would prefer not to carry my video camera as well. My question: is it likely that through a firmware upgrade, the DP1 may eventually receive a larger video mode, preferably 640x480 or even a 720x480 format? This is a fairly large concern for me, as then I could leave behind two pieces of gear in favor of one. So far the small videos from the DP1 look superior to my video camera in color, sharpness, and bokeh, except that they are so small!

Please pass my vote to the people who make decisions: video is very important to many of us who carry one camera. It may be the difference in handing Sigma our $1000.

Love what you're doing.
Thanks so much,
Michael Spotts:.

http://www.theopenlife.com

--
http://www.theopenlife.com [my enormous personal site]
http://www.focusfirst.blogspot.com [my photo blog]
http://www.michaelspotts.com [My Pro site]



 
Well done Michael, I did it almost one week ago, hinting to add a 848 x 480 (HQ Wide), considering that the present Dp1 movie 320x240 looks like being shot with an Arriflex 16 film camera.
 
I'm sure if it was possible then the DP1 would have larger sized video capabilities.

If it was able to shoot at least NTSC resolution video, I would gladly pay $1500 for a DP1..
 
It's always good to tell them what we want - and need! Even if the DP1 can' do it now, maybe it's possible to gain some by firmware or at least tell them what to concentrate on to the DP2. :) I for one think that the DP1's movie mode gives a very very nice feeling and looks very much like film - and I want MORE!!

Maybe add a MIC input? Maybe have a optional grip with mic input etc and the extra power needed for great movie resolution. I would pay extra for that. :)

Why not have a movie RAW mode! :D

--
Carl @ Rytterfalk .com (Göteborg, Sweden)
http://www.rytterfalk.com
Proud SD14 User.
 
Carl,

While shooting in the movie mode, is the length of the movie only limited to the remaining free space on the SD card?

Also, can you make manual adjustments to focus and exposure while a movie is being recorded?
 
booggerg said:
I'm sure if it was possible then the DP1 would have larger sized
video capabilities.

If it was able to shoot at least NTSC resolution video, I would
gladly pay $1500 for a DP1..
Click to expand...
Not me. I have no interest in the video feature and wouldn't pay more for it. That's just me, of course, and obviously others feel differently. But Sigma made a marketing call, apparently, that more people are like me. (And I agree with a prior post that if it were just a matter of firmware, the higher quality video would already be an option.)
 
booggerg said:
Carl,

While shooting in the movie mode, is the length of the movie only
limited to the remaining free space on the SD card?

Also, can you make manual adjustments to focus and exposure while a
movie is being recorded?
Click to expand...
You can compensate with - + - and you can chose far or close focusing (two options) the close focusing is the one I use 100% of the time. That way you get the film like OOF. You can also select white balance.

--
Carl @ Rytterfalk .com (Göteborg, Sweden)
http://www.rytterfalk.com
Proud SD14 User.
 
Format 0 / Mode 3 (YUV 4:2:2 16bit) VGA 30fps
Format 0 / Mode 4 (RGB 24bit) VGA 30fps
Format 7 / Mode 2 (YUV 4:2:2 16bit) 700×525 20fps
Format 7 / Mode 2 (RGB 4:2:2 24bit) VGA 700×525 20fps
Format 7 / Mode 0 (YUV 4:2:2 16bit) 1400×1050 6.5fps
Format 7 / Mode 0 (RGB 24bit) 1400×1050 6.5fps

Possible with another foveon based camera - with more processing power it should be possible - or maybe better code?. :) A little bit of VPS-ing and smart people everything is possible. or maybe not. Still I hope.

--
Carl @ Rytterfalk .com (Göteborg, Sweden)
http://www.rytterfalk.com
Proud SD14 User.
 
Someone from Sigma replied to me today:

---

Thank you for your interest in Sigma products.

I am going to pass your comments along to the Japanese office in hopes of passing it along to the engineers.

Best regards,
Customer service

---

MAN!! Someone look at the videos I've made with my Canon 5D and cheapo S1 IS, and imagine making cool video/photo presentations to put online with the DP1. I think of the Magnum showcases with video and photos, the experience is so immersive and involved.

Canon 5D video... (way too big to bring everywhere, and no "real" video possible)

http://www.vimeo.com/162278/

S1 IS... (clunky, poor quality photos but decent video.)

http://www.vimeo.com/246674/

Canon GL1 (WAAAY too big to travel discreetly with.)
http://www.vimeo.com/104540/

Thanks to those sending letters. I'll be sending them this thread, too.
--
http://www.theopenlife.com [my enormous personal site]
http://www.focusfirst.blogspot.com [my photo blog]
http://www.michaelspotts.com [My Pro site]



 
So, I've got news that up to 320/240fps the camera movie mode is considered by EEC customs as something belonging to a "camera", going up the device will be considered a movie camera and import taxes will encrease a 10%. That's why Sigma is, supposedly, keeping the low movie profile.

As for a review on this piece of japanese technology jewel which happened to appear from somewhere in my hands, like an Harry Houdini performance, this very day, see :
http://www.testiweb.com/dp1.htm
 
Sigma get into the video market; a camcorder with the ability to change lenses would be great! (For users as well as the company)

And, the ability of the Foveon chip to record HD video has been established.

tjh
--
'To me, photography is an art of observation. It's about finding
something interesting in an ordinary place... I've found it has little to
do with the things you see and everything to do with the way you
see them.' - Elliot Erwitt

pbase gallery: http://www.pbase.com/tjhanlon/
Sigma Users Group: http://www.pbase.com/sigmasd9/tj_hanlon
 
Kendall Helmstetter Gelner said:
I've done video with low frame counts before. Anything below 24, is
really too slow and choppy to be worth much.

---> Kendall
Click to expand...
It really depends on what you're doing.

I use the 15fps mode quite a bit on my Canon. It's great for long events without a lot of movement (graduation speeches, wildlife observing, etc), and is perfect for things you plan to speed up later. I have quite a bit of 15fps video shot with the camera clamped to vehicles, trains, etc, then converted to 2x speed (30fps) for watching.

It certainly isn't great for everything - but there are definitely times when it is useful (and even beneficial) to have a high-resolution low-framerate video mode.
  • David
 
848x640, or even 640x480, looks as good as broadcast television on a standard definition 32" TV. This is the majority market of the world, and of my poor college-aged friends!

We often pass our videos around on discs and watch them on our computers. This avoids the painful compression of youtube.

As well, better video sites such as vimeo.com allow users to freely download full-res versions of the video.

Finally, as internet speeds climb higher and higher, we can expect the smallish and compressed content of today to be replaced by 848x480 or larger tomorrow.

If anyone thinks that hauling a full-size HD cam around is what we're talking about, they have missed the concept: a great compact camera with video that looks decent on a regular size TV.

--
http://www.theopenlife.com [my enormous personal site]
http://www.focusfirst.blogspot.com [my photo blog]
http://www.michaelspotts.com [My Pro site]



 
My primary use for the video is personal movies (family etc...)
While the 320x240 is okay, it's when shown on a tv from a burned DVD.
--Britton
My photos page (New):
http://brittonx.smugmug.com/
 
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