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165-foot Throw w/DVX100

Published : 10th June 2005

Greetings all,

I'm wondering how tight I will end up being able to shoot a subject that will be 165 feet away with the 45mm maxed out on my DVX100. its a speech and I don't have access to the site ahead of time and I’m guessing the subject will be pretty darn tiny - right?

Is there a formula for figuring this sort of thing out? (I’m sure there is and I’m sure you guys will point me to it!)

Thanks,

Brian Young
Flaca Productions
Miami Beach, FL

>is there a formula for figuring this sort of thing out? (I’m sure there is >and I'm sure you guys will point me to it!)

There are some programs to solve this problem at

http://www.cinematography.net/CINEFILE.HTM

If you have a PC or Palm Pilot you're in luck. The Palm programs are the best bet.

Or pick up a copy of Samuelson's "Hands-On Manual for Cinematographers." Page 15-45 would help you out nicely as it contains the following formula :

                                     Object size Distance
                                     ------------- = -------------
                               Image size Lens focal length

Art Adams, DP [film|hdtv|sdtv]
San Francisco Bay Area - "Silicon Valley"
http://www.artadams.net/
Local resources : http://www.artadams.net/localcrew

Brian Young wrote:

>I'm wondering how tight I will end up being able to shoot a subject that >will be 165 feet away with the 45mm mixed out on my DVX100.

Just a guess, but experience tells me you'll need something on the order of 120mm or better.

Wade K. Ramsey, DP
Dept. of Cinema & Video Production
Bob Jones University
Greenville, SC 29614

Brain,

I can't find the exact dimensions of the 1/3" CCD or I could give you an exact answer to your question. But with approximate CCD dimensions of 6.5mm x 4.9mm your image size at 165' with a 45mm lens will be somewhere around 24' x 18'.

Bear in mind this is an approximate figure. If I can find or someone has the exact dimensions for 1/3" CCD’s then I'll refigure and give you an exact answer.

Randy "math is our friend" Miller, DP in LA

>But with approximate CCD dimensions of 6.5mm x 4.9mm your image >size at 165' with a 45mm lens will be somewhere around 24' x 18'.

Randy,

Wow - thanks so much for confirming things.

165 ft. is a pretty good throw for an ENG event - especially with the DVX. but...I bought this camera FOR its short lens and knowing the shortcomings (no pun intended) can't be all things to all people!

Thanks again…

>The Palm programs are the best bet.

According to pCam 17'7" x 13'2" would be the FOV with the 45mm with 1/3" chip maxed out. not ideal to say the least (thanks for the suggestion Art - I actually had this on my palm a while back and ditched it. good to have it back)

Brian Young
Flaca Productions
Miami Beach, FL

So much for approximations.

Glad you got a firm answer.

Randy Miller

>So much for approximations.

That was a darn good guess! They didn't hire me for my math skills!!!

Brian Young
Flaca Productions
Miami Beach, FL