I just dropped by to catch the next “Not a Podcast” episode. And now I’m nearly crying to hear that sound blankets are underrated. That brings a tear to my eye! Thanks Gerald and Josh, you are the best!
Curtis, I give you FULL credit for helping me get my studio's audio setup right. I'd still be struggling if it weren't for your keen insights (and me spending dozens of hours learning from your videos). For Toronto, a HUGE thanks!!
If it weren't for Curtis I never would have tested these sweet sound blankets, which really helped on two recent projects. The stand that company sells for these is, for me, 2/3 good, 1/3 not - but that's a conversation for another day. - Dave
Fully agree on St. Curtis of Judd. I have directly asked him wether moving blankets can be good enough vs. Vocal Booth To Go/Producer's Choice real sound blankets. In his astoundingly polite way, he basically said "Yeah, moving blankets don't cut it. You need the real thing," and of course, he was right. The things are unexpectedly heavy and clearly different than Home Depot moving blankets. Also, I hate pressure on my yolk.
Hoods, yes! Every time I pass through a doorway and hear BONK it warms my soul to remember that it's a plastic lens hood bonk and not a glass/aluminium bonk.
It's pretty crazy that I feel comfortable clicking the like button before I even watch more than 5% of your videos (meaning duration, not your library). Your channel is amazing and the quality of the content and the knowledge presented is just miles above the rest. Exceptional work Gerald, always. And much love to MakeArtNow too - just inspired.
I LOVE this series so much. I hope it’s picking up steam. I feel like when “Not A Podcast” is in the title, some folks might not watch thinking it is actually a podcast and doesn’t contain practical info
I had a lens hood save my macro lens when my tripod teetered over onto a cement floor. The hood broken but the lens was relatively unscathed. I always use them now.
Curtis Judd - Wow! I learned sooo much from about audio when I started my channel 5 years ago. Great resource to learn the basic from and grow on your own. Jerrold is awesome too!
Chiming in for @Curtis Judd. Totally underrated, totally essential. Also, same for @Caleb Pike. I've watched both of them within the past six hours. I was never clear whether you guys meant "parabolic soft box" to mean all soft boxes or specifically true parabolic umbrellas with diffusion front surfaces. If the diffusion surface is effective (even across the surface) it makes no difference whether the umbrella behind it has a true parabolic curve. But it sounds like you're using the term "parabolic soft box" simply to mean "soft box."
This channel pays itself just on the info it transmits. I have some managerial roles pertaining show biz and I've become so much informed about the ins and outs of video producing and editing.
I love the gear conversation. Often purchases border on personal ego and we start to get defensive and u guys so good to have the arguments out on the table.
I loooove REAL sound blankets. I also have two legit portable vocal booth panels that fold. I used them in a garage in a recent video and it sounded so good with just a light distant reverb.
theres any other place that can ship a little cheaper than the ones gerald recomended? the shipping to PR its $185 plus taxes, its $400 for a sound blanket, ill stay with my reverb more than happy before paying that hehehe
If im going after wildlife, unless its a very specific "artsy" shot of like the silouette of a bird with the setting sun behind or something like that, I don't want flares, even then... I'm not sure... However, I keep them on mostly for lens protection.
As far as light modifiers, diffusion umbrellas are definitely underrated. Quick and easy to set up, and as long as you don't mind the extra spill, they work great. Softboxes are only necessary if you want darker shadows in your "unlit" areas.
There's tons of these, "top 5 underrated gear" videos but somehow listening to you guys it really feels like I'm getting something much more real, and I really appreciate that. Or maybe it's that you're validating my decision to go full v mount for all my gear....
Commenting as I watch: - DIY Perks has a DIY sound panels made with cheap towels that does a fantastic job (of course then you have to make it, so cost/benefit) - I agree with Gerald about the lens hood and with Josh about uv filter (both for protection) - I don't know much about lighting, but I do think you can get away with less expensive diffusion (compared with a parabolic softbox at least). I've had pretty great results with a Godox light with a simple reflector and an umbrella.
I'm a fan of the Lightdome parabolic softboxes because they're SO FAST to setup and have nice cases and can be stored with a grid and diffusion cloth all at the same time. Less than 2 minutes to fully setup a 5ft softbox.
Curtis just recommended me sound blankets too. I spent a small fortune on foam panels, base traps and acoustic panels. Still need more. Am going to test the blankets tomorrow. Before I fork out for more panels
Sound blankets, yes! Honestly, moving blankets do work well. I love a good pile of all black moving blankets. Shooting a commercial in a really nice house, I wrapped the bottom of my C-stands with a moving blanket and could slide my lights anywhere on the wood floor without scratching or marring the floor or furniture.
Scientifically speaking parabolic soft boxes don’t work. The parabolic shape works when the light source points inwards and reflects outward allowing the shape to align all the light beams so that they are parallel. We’ve used a beauty dish soft box with less depth and they worked great - allowed us to use a grid to shape the light.
Also for shooting at the beach, Clear/UV filters are great because the salt spray builds up seconds after each photo and it’s nice to wipe the filter than the actual lens
I think things are changing with resolve. I just convinced my company to switch completely over to resolve and I don't think we're ever going to look back. Every release it's updated with major features and QOL improvements. Best part of all is that you buy it once and use it for life. Suck it Premier.
I 100% agree with Gerald's point about the parabolic soft boxes. They're the go-to resource, every non-famous RUclipsr is making videos about how to light your RUclips channel and it's a 300D with a Light Dome every time. Aputure's RUclips channel is actually great about showing how ELSE to use their lights and I wish more cinematographers and videographers would take note. Just like you said, use a 4x4 or a 5-in-1 or bounce off the wall, hell you could even use a bedsheet or a shower curtain and get an even softer look that way.
Lens hoods are amazing when shooting into the sun, you loose so much contrast sometimes. Think about looking into the bright sun and putting your hand over your eyes to see better, it’s the same idea
I usually remove the hood on a gimbal, but when going into a wedding crowd...the hood usually comes on, unless I already have an ND filter on the lens :3
THANK YOU Gerald for calling it what it is.........REVERB! I hate it when people say "echo," cuz it ain't echo (usually). Reverb, reverb, reverb. I love this series with you and Josh, keep it up guys!
Parabolic soft boxes are in my closet collecting dust since buying big LED flapjacks from Falconeyes. I can thank Caleb Pike's review for that. Huge space saver if you don't want to constantly be collapsing domes. I can put them flat up against a wall when I'm not using them (I live and shoot in my studio, so I keep them on rolling stands). They of course have their place (especially when you really need big power), but there is usually no need for a light and diffusion to be two separate solutions in my use case.
The flare thing depends. It CAN look good if that's specifically what you're going for, but if I don't want a flare or glare than I want as much contrast as possible. Plus it DOES definitely protect the lens like Gerald said.
Great video! I'm not sure if it's just me or the editing but a lot of times it sounded like Caleb was interrupting you and was being quite rude. Haven't noticed anyone else mentioning this so its probably just me. In any case, its a great video with lots of useful information! Thanks!
I always learn something, here. Just set up a sound blanket in my new studio (eldest daughter's old bedroom), and about to do some testing. Thanks, Gerald.
I use the lens hoods ALL the time if they come with one. Simply because it acts like a lens protector from me bumping and scratching the front element. So many times I've jammed the lens hood and yeah, it protects it.
Let me preface, not only do I use your channel & content for an insightful resource, but I really enjoy your reviews of tech. Now, how on earth did I miss this masterpiece of a video?! Not that you should quit your day job,but I’d subscribe to more of this content in a heartbeat!
I'm with you on the light dome. They are useful for interviews so I see Josh's point. But I've been getting into lighting using other methods such as the 5 in one reflectors with the one diffuser and reflecting light as well. So I can see your point. Also if you do product photography on glass it does not look as good as a long rectangle soft box
Underrated: the random sci-fi noises we add to describe the ease or difficulty at which something is achieved. The variety is endless and the fun factor of how nerdy we become for a millisecond is unlimited. Fun episode. Thanks, gents.
Big time for lens hoods! I do club and event photography as well as motorsports. People bump into you, spill drinks etc. Even when shooting in rain it helps to avoid droplets on the lens which catch light in annoying ways sometimes
Clear / UV filters for protection are a must have if you shoot beaches a lot. Sand gets on the surface of your lens and then you end up grinding off your coatings when you wipe your lens off.
I'd say the most overrated video gear is usually the cameras and lenses. People obsess on the technical side of things and miss the importance of the content/subject of their images or videos.
I can't count the times lens hood and uv filters protected my lenses on all sorts of situations, I film a lot of skateboarding and stuff at the beach! 😂
I tell you what is over-rated: the RUclips algorithm! I'd completely forgotten I'm subscribed to Curtis Judd's channel because I hadn't seen an update from him in ages! Stupid algorithm. Thanks for the reminder, and for another great not-a-podcast.
Great conversations at "not a podcast!" This reminds me of the Marvel franchise theory. RUclipsrs that you like and respect cross paths making a bigger universe! You are nailing it! Great job...
The issue I have with the light dome and other parabolic deep modifiers is that the moment you stick that diffusion sock on (which for video I basically always do), they just become a softbox, so that extra depth is redundant. My studio is small. I need small modifiers or indeed use other means of bouncing and diffusing 😀
I installed DaVinci Resolve a few months ago to try it out. I have not opened Premiere Pro since. I HATED nodes at first but now have no idea why I waited so long to try them out. What a game changer.
I usually leave the hood out like Josh. I do use multi-coated filters (technically UV filters I guess), so I can avoid lens caps and easily wipe off the filter instead of touching the len's front element. Even coated filters can affect the image a bit, but they are significantly better than non-coated ones. It's all about convenience.
Caught this out of curiosity. I feel like there's a massive difference here for how some people are shooting because some of the things you say about these different products feel like you're not using them with the right gear. First, V-Mounts. Gold or V Mount Batteries are for cinema cameras. I use them on the Arri Alexa, Blackmagic URSA Mini, Canon C300iii, Sony FS7ii, and RED Cameras. The mount options are for you to decide between, but for the most part there's no denying that you get great battery life with a 150Wh battery on these cameras. In some instances it would be good to use a 293Wh battery for even more life. But I've been using these batteries on cameras for over a decade depending on the camera. Anton Bauer Gold-Mount (3-Stud) Batteries were used on the JVC GY-HD110u at my school back in the day. Either way, it sounds like you're focusing on DSLR/Mirrorless cameras only when debating the use of V-Mounts here, and on big productions where you're using a Cinema Camera a Brick Style Battery of a V-Mount or Gold-Mount type are just standard. Next, the lens hood is overrated, but I would never say a matte box is overrated. I love matte boxes because beyond blocking out unwanted light they allow you to add filters. And, with a 3 stage matte box you can have 3 4x5.65 filters. So you could do ND, diffusion, and a polarizer. Say you're shooting outside and you want to shoot through a window two people having coffee at the coffee shop, but you need to shoot through the glare, then you throw in the polarizer. Yet, you want to be at a T2.8, so you need to throw in ND 1.5 in order to achieve that aperture. Yet, it needs to be a flashback scene so you want to shoot with a Tiffen Pearlescent ½ filter. You can do that with a matte box with all those filters. And thus the value of a matte box is undervalued by those living in a DSLR/Mirrorless world. Every tool has a purpose. I definitely say Sound Blankets are pivotal for a lot of different purposes. Especially helping cut out unwanted sounds or reverb. An intimate conversation in a large echo filled room doesn't sound quite as good, so using a sound blanket to dampen the echo so you can have clear dialogue is pivotal. In regards to a Parabolic Soft Box, it is simply a tool for creating soft light. It's one of many options. If you don't want to use it you don't have to. You could use a square soft box shape for the reflections. Or use a big 8x8 magic cloth. It's all tools. The key to creating soft light is that you make the source bigger. Diffusion does that and parabolic soft boxes are that. Otherwise you can do a book light by bouncing off a bounce board into a 8x8 magic cloth to create one of the most gorgeous soft light sources. Tools are tools, and knowing the usefulness is a part of the battle. I'll finish after writing a lot that I love DaVinci Resolve. It has come a long way. I used it a decade ago to color grade my projects. First editing in FCP7 and then going to Premiere Pro. But 4-5 years ago I started editing my projects in Resolve primarily so I would cut out the roundtrip and make life easier by simply editing in Resolve and going to the Color page for color grading. It has allowed me to do so much in terms of color grading while also still editing. I can also easily do my VFX in Fusion now as I work on the other editing and color grading parts of a shot or sequence. If I am now color grading a feature film project for someone else it also cuts down on time so they can save money if they edit in DaVinci Resolve. I don't have to deal with as much time conforming the project. Then I just have to deliver a DaVinci Resolve Project file so that they get my grade without having to spend time exporting out graded shots that then have to be brought back into Premiere via an XML. That easily allows for more time to be spent on the color grading and gets better value out of my time being spent. I wish more feature films were edited in Resolve because of this. I have a movie I just color graded that was edited in Premiere and since that was the case time had to be spent exporting and XML importing the graded shots into Premiere to then apply Premiere effects to some shots. So much extra time for no reason.
I bought a parabolic soft box because I saw you using it. I prefer to use a trace frame now, if there's enough space...I accidentally bought an oversized 2.5m x 2.5m trace frame...
Played with Davinci one time two years ago and said I would edit my next project in it...two years later I'm still using premiere because I never did. You're making me want to try it again. Good stuff 👍
I prefer to use the lens hood for projection, but if I'm shooting in the rain or on a beach, I'm putting a UV filter on so I can wipe the lens clean with whatever I have on hand and not worry about damage
I was doing a group photo once and stood on a chair, fell off the chair and smacked the front of the lens on the ground. I broke the lens hood but the lens was fine. Probably would have broken the lens if I didn't have the lens hood on.
Hehehe, I said "exactly" when you were talking about the usefulness/protection factor of lens hoods for photographers. Unless it's super cold out and the hood will cause heat distortion or I can't fit them in a case/bag for transport, I leave my lens hoods on all the time; it's so much more convenient than fidgeting with lens caps or constantly worrying about anything bumping the front element.
Okay, also, it feels self-defeating that the other guy is arguing for parabolic softboxes, and pointing out that he's using three of them, while his lighting in this is... I mean, I was gonna try to say it kindly, but honestly, I think it's awful. Heavily side-lit with odd-angled, creepy shadows on the face is not a setup I'd go for in this scenario, and seems like it could be achieved with, ya know, a $20 floor lamp or an open window. 😅
Totally agreed on the parabolic soft boxes. I now use a lantern soft box to avoid a cutoff line that a regular soft box still has. Especially useful in lighting food or flat lays.
8:05 about a week after I got an RF 70-200 F2.8 I dropped it (first time in seven years of shooting that I've dropped a lens-- it was a zipper on my backpack, it just gave out and the bag fell open) and cracked the front element. Hood would have saved it... $900 repair. This really can happen.
I remember when Parabolic lighting was becoming main stream and it was largely due to the Briese lighting systems. This was about the time that RED was making splashes in the industry for the first time and photographers were looking for lighting that could be both photo and video. And they were used primarily by fashion and beauty photographers who wanted to mimic beauty dish light for video. And they were always more of a "show piece" to impress the clients. I cant tell you how many times ive had to set up a briese for a photogrpaher and we never even turn it on. But it looks awesome on set, and if its set up, the client has to pay for it! Shortly after everyone and the mother was asking for a Briese at studios, Broncolor came out with their first parabolic. Parabolic light modifiers have ALWAYS been more of a trend than a truly utilitarian light source. They are massive and expensive and the quality of light can be duplicated in numerous cheaper ways. It blows my mind that so many youtubers, creators who are generally hailed for their crafty/low budget ingenuity, use such expensive and unnecessary light modifiers.
If I want flare, I’ll add it in post. And if you ever catch me on a hoverboard with a gimbal, you bet I won’t trust the safety of my lens enough to ditch the hood
The difference between parabolic design vs softboxes or octaboxes that could be shorter with similar effect, but the bulkier parabolic design is mostly marketing hype, when you can make a non-parabolic softbox.
I just dropped by to catch the next “Not a Podcast” episode. And now I’m nearly crying to hear that sound blankets are underrated. That brings a tear to my eye! Thanks Gerald and Josh, you are the best!
I’m crying too with this crossover. Great content. Greetings from Perú 🙌
Curtis, I give you FULL credit for helping me get my studio's audio setup right. I'd still be struggling if it weren't for your keen insights (and me spending dozens of hours learning from your videos). For Toronto, a HUGE thanks!!
If it weren't for Curtis I never would have tested these sweet sound blankets, which really helped on two recent projects. The stand that company sells for these is, for me, 2/3 good, 1/3 not - but that's a conversation for another day. - Dave
Nice that they give you the appreciation you deserve Curtis Judd.
I record live music in peoples homes, sound blankets have become a religion for me
Curtis Judd is the most underrated piece of camera equipment.
Fact!
You mean Curtis Judd is the most underrated piece of Sound Equipment
Criminally underrated!
True in my veins
Hi Jersey Dirtfoot!
Curtis Judd is underrated gear 10/10. All jokes aside, he is a legend
Sound blankets baby!
Caleb Pike is seriously the most under rated gear on the tube. The mans camera tutorials are second to none.
Fully agree on St. Curtis of Judd. I have directly asked him wether moving blankets can be good enough vs. Vocal Booth To Go/Producer's Choice real sound blankets. In his astoundingly polite way, he basically said "Yeah, moving blankets don't cut it. You need the real thing," and of course, he was right. The things are unexpectedly heavy and clearly different than Home Depot moving blankets. Also, I hate pressure on my yolk.
Where's the Affiliate Link so I can buy myself some spare Curtis Judd?
Curtis Judd is the best! Extremely underrated!
Hoods, yes! Every time I pass through a doorway and hear BONK it warms my soul to remember that it's a plastic lens hood bonk and not a glass/aluminium bonk.
yes protects your lens.
Gerald: Appreciates all studio gear accordingly.
Me: Goes to studio and hugs all the gear.
Thanks Gerald and Josh. Loving the NotaPodcast format.
I love that you two were basically just fighting each other on this
Concern about errant hockey pucks is the most Canadian thing I’ve heard in a while lol 8:19
It's pretty crazy that I feel comfortable clicking the like button before I even watch more than 5% of your videos (meaning duration, not your library). Your channel is amazing and the quality of the content and the knowledge presented is just miles above the rest. Exceptional work Gerald, always. And much love to MakeArtNow too - just inspired.
I LOVE this series so much. I hope it’s picking up steam. I feel like when “Not A Podcast” is in the title, some folks might not watch thinking it is actually a podcast and doesn’t contain practical info
Spoken like a true Canadian: "Lens hoods are super useful for photographing hockey".
Watch it eh! 🍁
Curtis Judd deserves all the respect!
Love the "not a podcast". I look forward to watching every time.
It’s important that a protective filter, whether UV or clear, have a good anti-reflective coating.
Curtis is also just a super nice guy, so I guess that makes him Curteous Judd.
LOL
Gerald: "Parabolic Softboxes are overrated."
Me using a shower curtain as my light diffusion: "Hmm yes. Agreed."
Bwahaha brilliant
I had a lens hood save my macro lens when my tripod teetered over onto a cement floor. The hood broken but the lens was relatively unscathed. I always use them now.
Curtis Judd - Wow! I learned sooo much from about audio when I started my channel 5 years ago. Great resource to learn the basic from and grow on your own. Jerrold is awesome too!
Chiming in for @Curtis Judd. Totally underrated, totally essential. Also, same for @Caleb Pike. I've watched both of them within the past six hours.
I was never clear whether you guys meant "parabolic soft box" to mean all soft boxes or specifically true parabolic umbrellas with diffusion front surfaces. If the diffusion surface is effective (even across the surface) it makes no difference whether the umbrella behind it has a true parabolic curve. But it sounds like you're using the term "parabolic soft box" simply to mean "soft box."
This channel pays itself just on the info it transmits. I have some managerial roles pertaining show biz and I've become so much informed about the ins and outs of video producing and editing.
I love the gear conversation. Often purchases border on personal ego and we start to get defensive and u guys so good to have the arguments out on the table.
Agree on the parabolic boxes comment, umbrella/soft box + inverse square law, can totally do the trick
Yup, Curtis Judd has transformed my audio quality. I love his voice too.
Absolutely!:)
I loooove REAL sound blankets. I also have two legit portable vocal booth panels that fold. I used them in a garage in a recent video and it sounded so good with just a light distant reverb.
What's the name of those foldable panels?
theres any other place that can ship a little cheaper than the ones gerald recomended? the shipping to PR its $185 plus taxes, its $400 for a sound blanket, ill stay with my reverb more than happy before paying that hehehe
@@JibaroTech Density is an important factor for sound treatment, that's why it costs a lot. They're super heavy.
@@ThisIsTechToday I really want real sound blankets but I need to see if I find a place over here that have them. Thanks for the input!
If im going after wildlife, unless its a very specific "artsy" shot of like the silouette of a bird with the setting sun behind or something like that, I don't want flares, even then... I'm not sure... However, I keep them on mostly for lens protection.
lens hoods have saved me so much glass. ill never go without 'em because of that alone!
Lens hood is a must if you film unscripted stuff because you can end up in a situation where flare can wash out the entire image.
Yes a moment of appreciation to Curtis!
Awesome video! Would be cool to see another one of overrated/underrated about filmmaking skills/techniques.
As far as light modifiers, diffusion umbrellas are definitely underrated. Quick and easy to set up, and as long as you don't mind the extra spill, they work great. Softboxes are only necessary if you want darker shadows in your "unlit" areas.
Yes umbrellas are great for a soft source when spill is not an issue - which is most of the time in the real world.
Davinci Resolve 100%! I made the change almost 2 years ago, and it was the best choice I ever made. So glad you mention it.
There's tons of these, "top 5 underrated gear" videos but somehow listening to you guys it really feels like I'm getting something much more real, and I really appreciate that.
Or maybe it's that you're validating my decision to go full v mount for all my gear....
Commenting as I watch:
- DIY Perks has a DIY sound panels made with cheap towels that does a fantastic job (of course then you have to make it, so cost/benefit)
- I agree with Gerald about the lens hood and with Josh about uv filter (both for protection)
- I don't know much about lighting, but I do think you can get away with less expensive diffusion (compared with a parabolic softbox at least). I've had pretty great results with a Godox light with a simple reflector and an umbrella.
If you scroll through that DIY Perks video you'll see some very thoughtful comments on why his methodology is very flawed.
@@trowaclown I'll take a look at that!
I'm a fan of the Lightdome parabolic softboxes because they're SO FAST to setup and have nice cases and can be stored with a grid and diffusion cloth all at the same time. Less than 2 minutes to fully setup a 5ft softbox.
Curtis just recommended me sound blankets too. I spent a small fortune on foam panels, base traps and acoustic panels. Still need more. Am going to test the blankets tomorrow. Before I fork out for more panels
Sound blankets, yes! Honestly, moving blankets do work well. I love a good pile of all black moving blankets. Shooting a commercial in a really nice house, I wrapped the bottom of my C-stands with a moving blanket and could slide my lights anywhere on the wood floor without scratching or marring the floor or furniture.
Scientifically speaking parabolic soft boxes don’t work. The parabolic shape works when the light source points inwards and reflects outward allowing the shape to align all the light beams so that they are parallel.
We’ve used a beauty dish soft box with less depth and they worked great - allowed us to use a grid to shape the light.
Also for shooting at the beach, Clear/UV filters are great because the salt spray builds up seconds after each photo and it’s nice to wipe the filter than the actual lens
I think things are changing with resolve. I just convinced my company to switch completely over to resolve and I don't think we're ever going to look back. Every release it's updated with major features and QOL improvements. Best part of all is that you buy it once and use it for life. Suck it Premier.
I 100% agree with Gerald's point about the parabolic soft boxes. They're the go-to resource, every non-famous RUclipsr is making videos about how to light your RUclips channel and it's a 300D with a Light Dome every time. Aputure's RUclips channel is actually great about showing how ELSE to use their lights and I wish more cinematographers and videographers would take note. Just like you said, use a 4x4 or a 5-in-1 or bounce off the wall, hell you could even use a bedsheet or a shower curtain and get an even softer look that way.
Lens hoods are amazing when shooting into the sun, you loose so much contrast sometimes. Think about looking into the bright sun and putting your hand over your eyes to see better, it’s the same idea
This is really useful for people to watch, you could easily make over/under rated a series
I usually remove the hood on a gimbal, but when going into a wedding crowd...the hood usually comes on, unless I already have an ND filter on the lens :3
THANK YOU Gerald for calling it what it is.........REVERB! I hate it when people say "echo," cuz it ain't echo (usually). Reverb, reverb, reverb. I love this series with you and Josh, keep it up guys!
I'd really like to get some sound blankets, but here in Germany i haven't been able to find a place to buy them :(
Awesome video as always man. Love the back and forth between you
Parabolic soft boxes are in my closet collecting dust since buying big LED flapjacks from Falconeyes. I can thank Caleb Pike's review for that. Huge space saver if you don't want to constantly be collapsing domes. I can put them flat up against a wall when I'm not using them (I live and shoot in my studio, so I keep them on rolling stands). They of course have their place (especially when you really need big power), but there is usually no need for a light and diffusion to be two separate solutions in my use case.
I only use a UV filter on my RF 50 1.2 because the front element moves when focusing and using a UV filter makes it completely sealed against dust.
The flare thing depends. It CAN look good if that's specifically what you're going for, but if I don't want a flare or glare than I want as much contrast as possible. Plus it DOES definitely protect the lens like Gerald said.
I love when I’m already a customer of the sponsor so I can skip the add with no guilt.
Great video! I'm not sure if it's just me or the editing but a lot of times it sounded like Caleb was interrupting you and was being quite rude. Haven't noticed anyone else mentioning this so its probably just me. In any case, its a great video with lots of useful information! Thanks!
Love the Curtis Judd with golden halo. Love his advice!
You da man Gerald! I love this collab!! The back and forth dialog is golden
Lighting, I completely agree on your comments on lighting. There’s so much to learn and so many techniques that nobody tries.
I always learn something, here. Just set up a sound blanket in my new studio (eldest daughter's old bedroom), and about to do some testing. Thanks, Gerald.
Lens hoods improve contrast significantly on lenses with front element exposed to side-light.
I use the lens hoods ALL the time if they come with one. Simply because it acts like a lens protector from me bumping and scratching the front element.
So many times I've jammed the lens hood and yeah, it protects it.
Let me preface, not only do I use your channel & content for an insightful resource, but I really enjoy your reviews of tech. Now, how on earth did I miss this masterpiece of a video?! Not that you should quit your day job,but I’d subscribe to more of this content in a heartbeat!
I'm with you on the light dome. They are useful for interviews so I see Josh's point. But I've been getting into lighting using other methods such as the 5 in one reflectors with the one diffuser and reflecting light as well. So I can see your point. Also if you do product photography on glass it does not look as good as a long rectangle soft box
Can’t fit a parabolic soft box in my closet AKA studio. Soft led panel + small white reflector disc to shoot through makes it pretty soft!
And now here I am ordering rolling stands and sound blankets. Dammit.
Underrated: the random sci-fi noises we add to describe the ease or difficulty at which something is achieved. The variety is endless and the fun factor of how nerdy we become for a millisecond is unlimited. Fun episode. Thanks, gents.
Big time for lens hoods! I do club and event photography as well as motorsports. People bump into you, spill drinks etc. Even when shooting in rain it helps to avoid droplets on the lens which catch light in annoying ways sometimes
I use lens hoods for protection as well. I carry my camera on a strap/hip. They do some good when i shoot in bright sun, but mostly protection.
Clear / UV filters for protection are a must have if you shoot beaches a lot. Sand gets on the surface of your lens and then you end up grinding off your coatings when you wipe your lens off.
There are V-mount batteries called Bebop? I am getting some of those! 😄🙏
Yeah, they’re a great company based in Munich. 💯 can recommend
@@pascalkempa8005 ok! Good to know 🙂
I'd say the most overrated video gear is usually the cameras and lenses. People obsess on the technical side of things and miss the importance of the content/subject of their images or videos.
Curtis Judd has my favourite "teacher" speaking style. Calm, patient and authoritative.
I can't count the times lens hood and uv filters protected my lenses on all sorts of situations, I film a lot of skateboarding and stuff at the beach! 😂
I’m with Josh on this one ! UV filters are like a screen protector for your lens . MUST HAVE for my workflow as well .
I tell you what is over-rated: the RUclips algorithm! I'd completely forgotten I'm subscribed to Curtis Judd's channel because I hadn't seen an update from him in ages! Stupid algorithm. Thanks for the reminder, and for another great not-a-podcast.
Couldn't agree more with lense hoods, but like Josh, I'm mostly shooting video and looking for flares...and never near a hockey rink!
One of my favorites series on RUclips! Love both of your perspectives! 🙌🏽
Great conversations at "not a podcast!" This reminds me of the Marvel franchise theory. RUclipsrs that you like and respect cross paths making a bigger universe! You are nailing it! Great job...
Honestly Daniel is underrated too! I love his editing
The issue I have with the light dome and other parabolic deep modifiers is that the moment you stick that diffusion sock on (which for video I basically always do), they just become a softbox, so that extra depth is redundant. My studio is small. I need small modifiers or indeed use other means of bouncing and diffusing 😀
I installed DaVinci Resolve a few months ago to try it out. I have not opened Premiere Pro since. I HATED nodes at first but now have no idea why I waited so long to try them out. What a game changer.
I usually leave the hood out like Josh. I do use multi-coated filters (technically UV filters I guess), so I can avoid lens caps and easily wipe off the filter instead of touching the len's front element. Even coated filters can affect the image a bit, but they are significantly better than non-coated ones. It's all about convenience.
Caught this out of curiosity. I feel like there's a massive difference here for how some people are shooting because some of the things you say about these different products feel like you're not using them with the right gear.
First, V-Mounts. Gold or V Mount Batteries are for cinema cameras. I use them on the Arri Alexa, Blackmagic URSA Mini, Canon C300iii, Sony FS7ii, and RED Cameras. The mount options are for you to decide between, but for the most part there's no denying that you get great battery life with a 150Wh battery on these cameras. In some instances it would be good to use a 293Wh battery for even more life. But I've been using these batteries on cameras for over a decade depending on the camera. Anton Bauer Gold-Mount (3-Stud) Batteries were used on the JVC GY-HD110u at my school back in the day. Either way, it sounds like you're focusing on DSLR/Mirrorless cameras only when debating the use of V-Mounts here, and on big productions where you're using a Cinema Camera a Brick Style Battery of a V-Mount or Gold-Mount type are just standard.
Next, the lens hood is overrated, but I would never say a matte box is overrated. I love matte boxes because beyond blocking out unwanted light they allow you to add filters. And, with a 3 stage matte box you can have 3 4x5.65 filters. So you could do ND, diffusion, and a polarizer. Say you're shooting outside and you want to shoot through a window two people having coffee at the coffee shop, but you need to shoot through the glare, then you throw in the polarizer. Yet, you want to be at a T2.8, so you need to throw in ND 1.5 in order to achieve that aperture. Yet, it needs to be a flashback scene so you want to shoot with a Tiffen Pearlescent ½ filter. You can do that with a matte box with all those filters. And thus the value of a matte box is undervalued by those living in a DSLR/Mirrorless world. Every tool has a purpose.
I definitely say Sound Blankets are pivotal for a lot of different purposes. Especially helping cut out unwanted sounds or reverb. An intimate conversation in a large echo filled room doesn't sound quite as good, so using a sound blanket to dampen the echo so you can have clear dialogue is pivotal.
In regards to a Parabolic Soft Box, it is simply a tool for creating soft light. It's one of many options. If you don't want to use it you don't have to. You could use a square soft box shape for the reflections. Or use a big 8x8 magic cloth. It's all tools. The key to creating soft light is that you make the source bigger. Diffusion does that and parabolic soft boxes are that. Otherwise you can do a book light by bouncing off a bounce board into a 8x8 magic cloth to create one of the most gorgeous soft light sources. Tools are tools, and knowing the usefulness is a part of the battle.
I'll finish after writing a lot that I love DaVinci Resolve. It has come a long way. I used it a decade ago to color grade my projects. First editing in FCP7 and then going to Premiere Pro. But 4-5 years ago I started editing my projects in Resolve primarily so I would cut out the roundtrip and make life easier by simply editing in Resolve and going to the Color page for color grading. It has allowed me to do so much in terms of color grading while also still editing. I can also easily do my VFX in Fusion now as I work on the other editing and color grading parts of a shot or sequence.
If I am now color grading a feature film project for someone else it also cuts down on time so they can save money if they edit in DaVinci Resolve. I don't have to deal with as much time conforming the project. Then I just have to deliver a DaVinci Resolve Project file so that they get my grade without having to spend time exporting out graded shots that then have to be brought back into Premiere via an XML. That easily allows for more time to be spent on the color grading and gets better value out of my time being spent. I wish more feature films were edited in Resolve because of this. I have a movie I just color graded that was edited in Premiere and since that was the case time had to be spent exporting and XML importing the graded shots into Premiere to then apply Premiere effects to some shots. So much extra time for no reason.
I bought a parabolic soft box because I saw you using it. I prefer to use a trace frame now, if there's enough space...I accidentally bought an oversized 2.5m x 2.5m trace frame...
Do more of these! I really enjoy content from you both and you make a great team in these videos, really dig this video!
Curtis Judd making the time stamps table of contents within the same topic is the pro move
We love the Geraldo-Josh collabs.
Played with Davinci one time two years ago and said I would edit my next project in it...two years later I'm still using premiere because I never did. You're making me want to try it again. Good stuff 👍
I prefer to use the lens hood for projection, but if I'm shooting in the rain or on a beach, I'm putting a UV filter on so I can wipe the lens clean with whatever I have on hand and not worry about damage
I was doing a group photo once and stood on a chair, fell off the chair and smacked the front of the lens on the ground. I broke the lens hood but the lens was fine. Probably would have broken the lens if I didn't have the lens hood on.
Been using davinci resolve for years, learning curve is rediculously steep, but I F****ng love it!
Hehehe, I said "exactly" when you were talking about the usefulness/protection factor of lens hoods for photographers. Unless it's super cold out and the hood will cause heat distortion or I can't fit them in a case/bag for transport, I leave my lens hoods on all the time; it's so much more convenient than fidgeting with lens caps or constantly worrying about anything bumping the front element.
Okay, also, it feels self-defeating that the other guy is arguing for parabolic softboxes, and pointing out that he's using three of them, while his lighting in this is... I mean, I was gonna try to say it kindly, but honestly, I think it's awful. Heavily side-lit with odd-angled, creepy shadows on the face is not a setup I'd go for in this scenario, and seems like it could be achieved with, ya know, a $20 floor lamp or an open window. 😅
Lens hood has SAVED my bacon, many times
Totally agreed on the parabolic soft boxes. I now use a lantern soft box to avoid a cutoff line that a regular soft box still has. Especially useful in lighting food or flat lays.
8:05 about a week after I got an RF 70-200 F2.8 I dropped it (first time in seven years of shooting that I've dropped a lens-- it was a zipper on my backpack, it just gave out and the bag fell open) and cracked the front element. Hood would have saved it... $900 repair. This really can happen.
Conversations like this is gold.
I remember when Parabolic lighting was becoming main stream and it was largely due to the Briese lighting systems. This was about the time that RED was making splashes in the industry for the first time and photographers were looking for lighting that could be both photo and video. And they were used primarily by fashion and beauty photographers who wanted to mimic beauty dish light for video. And they were always more of a "show piece" to impress the clients. I cant tell you how many times ive had to set up a briese for a photogrpaher and we never even turn it on. But it looks awesome on set, and if its set up, the client has to pay for it! Shortly after everyone and the mother was asking for a Briese at studios, Broncolor came out with their first parabolic. Parabolic light modifiers have ALWAYS been more of a trend than a truly utilitarian light source. They are massive and expensive and the quality of light can be duplicated in numerous cheaper ways. It blows my mind that so many youtubers, creators who are generally hailed for their crafty/low budget ingenuity, use such expensive and unnecessary light modifiers.
What a great topic I really like you guys discussing. This is honestly my most favorite video series on RUclips!!!!
If I want flare, I’ll add it in post. And if you ever catch me on a hoverboard with a gimbal, you bet I won’t trust the safety of my lens enough to ditch the hood
The difference between parabolic design vs softboxes or octaboxes that could be shorter with similar effect, but the bulkier parabolic design is mostly marketing hype, when you can make a non-parabolic softbox.
Learning Lighting First: It makes any camera a great camera. Also, sound blankets ftw.