Q: Is the pistol grip removable?
A: Yes! The handle is screwed into the tripod mount at the base of the camera.
Q: Can you record using the pistol grip?
A: Yes! There is a function trigger on the pistol grip. There is an additional record button on the top of the camera itself.
Q: Okay, cool. Now where can I buy a Digital Bolex?
A: The first run of cameras is currently sold out. A pre-order for the second run of cameras can be purchased from our website early in 2013.
Q: When will the Digital Bolex be available for non-Kickstarter backers?
A: Our estimated retail date will be early 2013 for North America, mid 2013 for International buyers.
Q: Why can’t you sell to International buyers right now?
A: Our current contract with Bolex says we may only ship cameras to addresses in North America. If you are able to set up a US mailing address, you can purchase a camera.
Q: Wait, so you’re actually working with Bolex?
A: Yes.
Q: What is the estimated price of a Digital Bolex?
A: The camera will retail for $3299.
Q: What comes in the box?
A: Check out the Products page for a list of all the items included.
Q: Hey, I, Ron Howard, just met you, and this is crazy, but I am shooting a biopic of Lyndon Johnson next month and would like to use the D16. IT WOULD BE GREAT EXPOSURE FOR YOUR CAMERA. Here’s my number, so can you give one to me, like, tomorrow, maybe?
A: I’m sorry, Ron, but we won’t have any cameras available until early 2013, and those cameras will be exclusively for our Kickstarter backers. You and the general public can pick one up as soon as they are available for retail.
Q: Why is RAW better than regular video?
A: Most digital video is compressed to increase the storage capacities of memory cards. Compression reduces the recording of redundant information in a video file, saving only as much data as is necessary to display the image as it is recorded. This can make post-processing footage difficult and degrade the image by creating digital “artifacts” (blocky, pixelated areas) when colors are changed in any way.
RAW footage is entirely uncompressed, which means each frame has the same amount of information recorded. RAW footage has no digital artifacts, and can be highly altered in post with little image degradation.
Q: What is a codec?
A: A codec is a format of compression used by a camera to create video files that maximize image quality while reducing the amount of memory that the video file takes up on a storage drive or memory card. There are many different codecs, some of which produce high quality video images, some of which do not. While there are some codecs that approach a RAW (uncompressed) look, no image created with a codec is truly RAW.
Q: Why a 16mm size sensor?
A: This camera will be able to take advantage of all of the amazing lenses meant for 16mm cameras, while still creating images of such high resolution that they can be projected in a movie theater, much in the way that 16mm and super 16mm film were.
Q: Why a CCD instead of a CMOS sensor?
A: The CCD sensor has a global shutter and better color separation than CMOS sensors. In this way, it eliminates the “rolling shutter” effect and has a more film-like look than CMOS sensors.
Q: Does it matter which CF cards I buy?
A: It does matter. The write speed of the CF card you purchase will determine the amount of time the camera requires after a shot to transfer the data from the internal buffer to your CF cards. We recommend 400x and up cards.
Q-Which lenses can the D16 use?
A: The D16 comes with a C-mount lens bracket, but other brackets like PL-Mount, and Canon Mount can be purchased separately.
Q: Can I really shoot at movie theater quality?
A: Yes! The D16 shoots at FULL 2K resolution which is the same resolution at which most digital movie theaters project films.
Q: How much data storage will I need?
A: The D-16 images are around 3.5 MB per frame. At 24 frames per second, that works out to about 5 GB per minute. This means that on two 32 GB cards, you can record about 13 minutes worth of footage.
We recommend at least four 32 GB CF cards or two 64 GB cards.
Q: Will there be a warranty on the camera?
A: Yes, the camera will come with a standard 1 year manufacturer warranty.
Q: What does the crank do?
A: The crank records meta data of the handle movements so that film-like effects can be added in post. The crank will also serve as a way to control frame rate while shooting.
Q: What’s the highest frame rate?
A: Our sensor is limited to a maximum of 32 FPS at full resolution. Higher FPS are possible at lower resolutions.
Q: Can you record sound on this camera?
A: Yes, there are 2 balanced XLR ports with phantom power, that can record 24bit/96khz audio.