DaveyJ said:
I do keep checking the D3s and availability at B&H though.

Not an encouraging sign for your wallet, Davey...

I am one of the photographers who does NOT own the D3s but I do feel 12 MP is enough for my uses. The only reason I don't own a D3s is the video quality. I have found subjects that just require movement to mean much at all. I do keep checking the D3s and availability at B&H though.

Oh, sorry for this being my first post; my video links http://www.youtube.com/jkoncepz

@merlewine - Here's a video forum for dslr users, fstoppers.com. Also, in DX mode you have 20min of shooting, at 24x16. I wouldn't shoot more than 5min of footage in a single shot anyways, otherwise I'd switch to DX. The zooming issue you're having is with big lenses, try using something smaller like a 50mm f/1.8, and simply move the camera forward and back form your subject.

"The truth for me seems to be that this new equipment will never live up to pro equipment" - The D3s shoots 1080x720 at 24 fps, and 640x480 (DX) at 24 fps, with ISO, Shutter Speed, Aperture control, not to mention ISO over 100,000 for low light shooting all at now $5000 for the body. It rivals pro equipment, we just need more people shooting with it than the Canon's for tv series etc. This is like a new car, aftermarket parts aren't going to be readily available for it until a year or two later.

I'm with studio on this. I don't think a simple firmware update would fix it, and I have my doubts about the AVCHD on the rumored D3100 anyway since it might increase the cost to license the AVCHD codec from panasonic and sony (I don't actually know if it would). Have you looked into either the NEX-5 or the NEX-VG10 (or whatever it's called)? I have the NEX-5 and an F-mount adapter for it so I can put Nikon lenses on it and it's really a thing of beauty for video. I got the adapter last week, and I need to review it once I've had some more time to play around with it.

ptortora said:
With rumors for the upcoming models leaning towards 1080p 24 fps and the AVCHD video codec , I was curious if anyone had any thoughts on whether or not Nikon could or will update the video on the D3s to those standards via a firmware update. I'm not even sure if that is possible but I'd be interested to read any thoughts on the subject.

Not that I know anything about the D3s, but I would venture to say, probably not. I'm guessing that they use a hard-coded chip to process the M-JPEGs used in the D3s, and that the AVCHD CODEC would require an altogether different hardware encoder. Just a guess.

By the way . . . interesting thread!

With rumors for the upcoming models leaning towards 1080p 24 fps and the AVCHD video codec , I was curious if anyone had any thoughts on whether or not Nikon could or will update the video on the D3s to those standards via a firmware update. I'm not even sure if that is possible but I'd be interested to read any thoughts on the subject.

3space, I think what you're seeing is the frame duplication from a pulldown to bring your video to 30(ish) fps from 24. That would explain every sixth frame being duplicated. Read this for more info: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/3:2_pulldown#2:3_pulldown
On the A/V out feed, there's no way around it because it's converted to a format at 60fps with interlaced frames (NTSC), so the camera is doing the pulldown before output. HDMI should handle 24 fps, but your monitor might not support that frame rate. I know a lot of the plasma displays these days will support native 24 fps if you have a player that will output it.
What software are you using to edit the video? That might be doing the frame pulldown, too.

Hi All, I'm having a problem with my d3s... possibly a design flaw or bug. I really need to hook an external monitor via the A/V port or HDMI port; I'm wanting to fly it on a steadiCam and I need the output to drive a second monitor at the end of the post.

The problem is when I hook up anything to either port the camera then records a duplicate frame almost every 6 frames. The stutter totally ruins the shot. I've tried everything but I'm now at a loss. The 5D mk2, 7D both have a proper output and anybody that's seen a rigged up DSLR knows how important a second monitor is...

anyway here is a link to the problems, you can download the source file and step through frame by frame...plus check out my other D3s test.
http://www.vimeo.com/8069919

http://www.vimeo.com/8069750

From your account click "all sizes" then "medium" and copy paste the html code or the URL that shows up under your photo. If you copy the html code just paste it exactly as it is directly into your post. If you copy the URL then you have to type the following code

you paste your URL between the " ".

Since you are on flickr the easiest and fastest way is to just copy paste the html code into your post.

Z-Finder? Well, I grouse about the fact that you can’t protect the LCD screen if you go Z-Finder, but when you need to see then it does the job. It is well made and like all Zacuto stuff is expensive, but I find I like it anyway. Now if I can just fight off the thought that I need rails for this rig!

How did you make those Flickr image pop up like that?

I posted the pics for ya merlewine.

How do you like using that Zaguto "loupe"? A friend really likes his even though he sold his left n** to get it.

Here is a peek at the set we are putting together. This is a large 40’x20’x15’ high room that triples as a library, live room for recording audio, and now a video studio. Here I have built a set using an actual theater curtain that is 11’ wide and 7’ high. Don’t take the lighting seriously. I just turned on a couple lamps to get some light. The lighting will begin carefully in the next day or so.

This is one set of two being built for doing videos for musicians in a music collective I am working with. Not ‘”music videos,” but videos of music that include the simulation of actual stage lighting (note the Par cans up above). The dress dummy was kind enough to volunteer her help. In the foreground is a Nikon D3s camera ready to rock.

Here is one of two Nikon D3s cameras we are working with. Right now it has the new Nikkor 70-200 f/2.8 VR II lens on the front and the Zacuto Z-Finder LCD eyepiece on the back. It sits on a Sachtler tripod.

Cost and effort can be a good thing though. The problem is when it becomes so cheap and easy that every soccer mom can produce an academy award wining indie film with an iphone that the filmmakers are in trouble ;^)

Merlewine and others keep the video samples coming!

I'm also interested to know how it goes, Michael. I don't know why people complain about video on their SLRs. It's as if they think that because the feature is there, they must use it and it will make them somehow less of a still photographer. I'd like to see photos of your setup once you get it figured out. I'll never be able to afford anything so elaborate, but I'd like some ideas.

Thanks for the note. I had rails and rigs, but had a bad experience probably because the 35mm lens adaptor system I was using did not produce great results and was impossible to be sure when it was optimized. I felt the lenses were degraded by the adaptor system. I am REALLY into sharp lenses, and they seem to work fine on the D3s as far as I can see.

You are right. I may have to get a Follow Focus again, which means rails, and all the rest. The road to video seems strewn with equipment that did not quite measure up, always expensive, and time consuming. I am trying to scale down a bit. The truth for me seems to be that this new equipment will never live up to pro equipment, but what will happen I believe is that, using the old razor and the shave analogy, the shave will soon be good enough that we don’t have to spend a fortune on the razor. To me the Nikon D3s may be a razor that gives me a good enough shave (aside from my money!) to do what I am trying to do, at which time I don’t care what the pros say. So far, they are right, but if I can keep my goals modest, it just might work.

I'm on your side of the DSLR video "war" merlewine. Your best bet would be a indie filmmaker's forum rather than a photography forum, though I'd hate to miss out on hearing your discussions here.

Try indietalk.com and there are many others I unfortunately can't think of right now. Since you have already invested so much money on this project why not invest in proper accessories like rails and rigs?

This forum is still pretty small but that's not to say your video work isn't appreciated here. Although I didn't comment on your D3S video sample I watched the clip with great interest.

I see some D3s video activity here at this forum, but I wonder if there are other places on the web that those of us interested in using the D3s for video work could exchange ideas and techniques. If you know other places where discussion is taking place on D3s video, please let me know.

I know that for many readers here, video on Nikons is just a toy or, worse, a joke, and I have heard that comment often. However, I believe otherwise and am selling some extra photography equipment, and just received a second D3s today, so am now working up scenarios for using two cameras, which solves some issues.

For one, it solves the 5-minute (2 GB) limit on the D3s by staggering the timing so that one camera starts and stops video, while the other is filming, and then the second camera does the same. The cameras leap frog through time and you always have two-camera video except for brief moments.

Since it is difficult to zoom smoothly with the D3s unless you have expensive and bulky equipment like rails, a follow focus, etc., I am looking at just switching back and forth between the two camera shots to provide variety. The switching could be done post-shoot or (using two operators) live, giving each operator the chance to reframe their shot.

Aside from some concert work, most of my interest is in studio work, such as producing music-related videos, short interviews on timely issues, and various tutorials on one topic or another. I am working to make the minimal equipment I have produce acceptable results.

I just built an 11 foot wide by 7 foot high set for an actual stage curtain (deep red) and erected it in our studio. It will be used to shoot music videos of musicians that we am working with and look like a theater, complete with a bank of colored-gel stage lights. Now I just have to light the rest of it!

Anyone else looking at this type of use?