Brian Nguyen

RED Komodo Full Dynamic Range Test – Is it really 16 stops???

The RED Komodo is RED’s latest camera, boasting a small form factor and global shutter, something not seen in other RED cameras. I conducted a full dynamic range camera test with the new RED Komodo Stormtrooper model, from +8/-8 stops in half-stop increments with proper control variables. It’s worth mentioning that the camera is technically still in beta and unreleased as well as not officially announced by RED. This is only part 1 of the series, part 2 will go into a commentary and analysis in how I view the dynamic range. Please use Part 1 as an objective guide in the dynamic range and draw your conclusions! Would love to see what you think. Huge thanks to Derrick Fortin for lending his Komodo and time to conduct the test – he reached out after I posted in the group looking for a Komodo to test with. We also tested an Arri Alexa, RED Epic-W Helium, RED Weapon 6K, and Blackmagic Pocket 4K to compare with the Komodo’s dynamic range which I’m still working on. Let me know what you think where the dynamic range sits and how you would use it!

Dec 04

by Brian in Blog 0 comments

FOLLOW ME ON INSTAGRAM: @briannguyen.dp

If you want to keep up with me (much more often than I update my blog and site) feel free to give me a follow on Instagram: @briannguyen.dp I’ll try to make it interesting and I’ll be occasionally posting some BTS and set photos. Thanks, Brian

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Jun 17

by Brian in Blog 0 comments

“DAD MOMENTS” – Short Film Shot on RED Scarlet-W and Leica R

Here’s a short film that I co-produced and shot. I’m proud of what we came out; it was one of those projects that everything just seemed to come together and felt “right.” We had a pretty compressed schedule and wanted to release it in time for Father’s Day. From our first pre-production meeting to the final cut was a total of 1 month, 3 days of shooting, and 2 weeks of post. Check out our final product: Shot on the RED Scarlet-W with Leica R lenses. We really couldn’t have done it with our awesome cast and crew. Starring Darrell Philip, Ellen Humphreys, and Jamie Timmons Written & Directed by Nick Wilson Produced by Colin Rieser, Nick Wilson, and Brian Nguyen Director of Photography: Brian Nguyen Camera Assistants: Grant Bell & Tony Marquez Gaffers: Brian Hayashi & Shaun Vivaris Production Designer: Deja Gordon Hair, makeup, and wardrobe: Dyana Aives Feel free to leave comments or questions regarding anything to the film! I would be more than happy to elaborate on it. BTS BTS Photos by Amanda Pennino

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Apr 27

by Brian in Blog 12 comments

CHOOSING YOUR RED CAMERA: RAVEN, SCARLET-W, OR WEAPON

NOTE: This article was written on 4/27/16 and has not been updated since then. Please note that some of the information is out of date and hasn’t been updated with the new RED cameras/sensors that have been released since then. One of my most commonly asked questions is: “which RED should I buy?” RED has opened up the doors to all levels of filmmakers with the introduction of their latest and cheapest Raven body. As good as the Raven is though, the question of upgrading is always there: should I upgrade to the Scarlet-W? Should I just get a Weapon? Is the Raven good enough for me? Is the Raven even an upgrade for me? I always answer all these questions with a preface: it depends. It depends on what you can afford, what you’re shooting, and what you need in your production. I don’t think that one-body-fits-all works for everyone because each person has their own unique set of circumstances. In this comparison, I’ll try to break down the main differences between the 3 bodies in a simple, clear, and concise way. BODY AND BRAINS First off, I want to start off by clearing RED’s nomenclature which […]

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Apr 06

by Brian in Blog 1 comments tags: olpf, red, red weapon, scarlet-w, skin tone-highlight, standard

RED Standard OLPF vs. RED Skin Tone-Highlight OLPF – Dynamic Range and Color

VIDEO One of the great features that I find in RED cameras is the ability to swap OLPFs on-the-fly. It really gives you another level of flexibility in choosing the right tool for your shooting condition. In Red’s new DSMC2 bodies, swapping OLPFs is even easier than before, and I find it to be another step in their commitment to keeping the Red as modular as possible. I would have no problem swapping OLPFs on set in the middle of shooting; it’s quick and very easy to do — even you’re 2nd AC could do it! Currently, Red offers 4 OLPFs, which have pretty descriptive names. You shouldn’t have a hard time figuring out what each one is good for. Standard – Red’s newest OLPF that combines the characteristics of Skin Tone-Highlight and Low-Light Skin Tone-Highlight – Helps preserve skin tones and highlights in bright conditions Low Light Optimized – Helps reduce noise and retain detail in low light situtations H2O – For underwater In this particular test, I wanted to see how the Standard OLPF compared to the popular Skin Tone-Highlight. I’ve been told it has “Alexa-like” highlights, but can it make that much of a difference? Testing Methodology and Parameters […]

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Apr 01

by Brian in Blog 0 comments

RED Scarlet-W Dragon // Extreme Low-Light Test – 2000 ISO

YouTube Link: Just a very quick and simple test by the fireside. This is basically straight out of camera, with the same in-camera settings. No post-production, coloring, or noise reduction done. Shot 5K downscaled to 4K UHD for YouTube. The DSMC2 system is something very special, it’s by far the cleanest image I’ve been able to get from Reds. This is also with the Standard OLPF, so it can get even better and cleaner with their Low-Light OLPF. Shot with a variety of Leica R lenses wide open at a F/2.0 or F2.8. UPDATE: 5K RAW R3D Files I’ve been asked for the RAW R3D files and provided a few shots for you. Opening wide shot, Leica R 19mm shot at f/2.8: http://www.mediafire.com/download/a6sxa6m1a7rhab1/A002_C027_0330PU_001.R3D ECU, Leica R 19mm at f/2.8: http://www.mediafire.com/download/vnrs12rzqinv7z9/A002_C024_0330NV_001.R3D Bonus, the shot right after the ECU: http://www.mediafire.com/download/l2c94zkukczfq97/A002_C025_03300E_001.R3D Enjoy! Higher quality Vimeo link for those who are interested:

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Mar 27

by Brian in Blog 7 comments

RED Scarlet-W Dragon vs. Panasonic VariCam LT – FULL Dynamic Range Comparison

Here’s a big one for you guys. This will be a series of posts regarding this over-under exposure test with the RED Scarlet-W and Panasonic Varicam LT. I not only compared the Varicam LT to the Scarlet-W, but also compared individual settings within both cameras, such as the RED’s Standard OLPF vs. Skin Tone-Highlight OLPF and the Varicam’s Native 800 ISO mode vs. Native 5000 ISO mode. Many more posts spawning from this test to come, so stick around 🙂 RED Scarlet-W (Standard OLPF) vs. Panasonic Varicam LT Dynamic Range I was recently invited to the Panasonic Headquarters to take part in a complete over-under exposure test with their new, not-yet-released Panasonic Varicam LT. The tests were conducted and produced by the incredible cinematographer and AFI alumni Toshi Kizu with Panasonic’s camera engineer Takahiro Mitsui present to take us through the camera and running the tests. The Varicam LT uses the same exact sensor as the full-sized Varicam 35; it’s just a new, smaller and compact body — the Varicam “Light” (hence LT). As far as I know, the Varicam LT has not been officially released and this is still considered to be pre-release footage and more tweaks to the […]

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Blog

RED Komodo Full Dynamic Range Test – Is it really 16 stops???

FOLLOW ME ON INSTAGRAM: @briannguyen.dp

“DAD MOMENTS” – Short Film Shot on RED Scarlet-W and Leica R

CHOOSING YOUR RED CAMERA: RAVEN, SCARLET-W, OR WEAPON

RED Standard OLPF vs. RED Skin Tone-Highlight OLPF – Dynamic Range and Color

RED Scarlet-W Dragon // Extreme Low-Light Test – 2000 ISO

RED Scarlet-W Dragon vs. Panasonic VariCam LT – FULL Dynamic Range Comparison

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