This Short Film Shows What DJI’s Zenmuse X7 is Capable Of
The X7 shots blend seamlessly with cinema camera footage.
Last week, DJI unveiled the revolutionary Zenmuse X7, a first-of-its-kind cinema grade Super 35mm camera designed specifically for aerial cinematography. Today, we go behind the scenes with DJI and the making of the movie Riders. The goal of the project was to challenge the visual quality of the Zenmuse X7 by using it in production alongside a high-end cinema camera.
As the final product below shows, the integration was virtually seamless.
Creative director Ferdinand Wolf describes in the BTS video how the Super 35mm sensor provided beautifully shallow depth of field and high dynamic range even in challenging low-light situations. For smaller sensors, shooting in low light at ISO 1600 can produce noisy images but, as Wolf states in the video, the team at DJI was able to produce clean, sharp images shooting in low light at ISO 1600 at f/2.8.
The Riders production team shot in Cinema DNG RAW and utilized all four of the DL Mount prime lenses (16mm - 50mm) that were developed alongside the X7 camera. By doing so, they were able to get footage that integrated seamlessly in post with the footage shot by the high-end cinema camera they used for ground shots.
“I can’t tell the difference between the X7 and the camera they used for the whole movie in general which is amazing for a drone camera.”
According to Senior Colorist Stephen Nakamura, “The X7 camera is fantastic. I’ve seen that [footage] cut into one of the movies that I’ve worked on. I can’t tell the difference between that and the camera they used for the whole movie in general which is amazing for a drone camera.”
The DL Mount on the Zenmuse X7 made switching focal lengths quick and easy and the internal focus motors in the lenses made it possible to use a remote focus puller for critical close-ups at wide-open apertures.
Wolf remarks that, “The Inspire 2 platform in combination with the X7 camera was the key factor in completing this project fast and efficiently.”
Take a look at the behind-the-scenes video here to see how all the advanced features of the Zenmuse X7 were utilized to create Riders, and to see for yourself just what the camera is capable of.
Your Comment
9 Comments
Time to break the bank
October 20, 2017 at 11:33AM, Edited October 20, 11:33AM
Nope. The footage, the camera and drone are all amazing in itself, but you put a good story together, like this film did, grade it as such, the V.O., the climatic music, an attractive woman riding a dirt bike, the cool vantage points, the cine bars, and your average audience is not going to care, or even notice.
There's no reason this couldn't have been shot even on the Mavic Pro and been just as compelling.
Be kind to your bank account.
October 20, 2017 at 11:56AM, Edited October 20, 11:57AM
That's what the mute button is for haha. I'm generally unphased by glitz and glamor so doesn't matter to me. I think for once I can finally say they made a nice camera, I'd wait to buy a used one though cause you're right - still too pricey.
October 20, 2017 at 1:03PM
I'm not questioning the fundamentals of filmmaking as I'm sure you wouldn't question the fact that having gear that helps you tell the story always helps. Or maybe you would...
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October 21, 2017 at 2:07AM, Edited October 21, 2:07AM
Please wear gloves and better shoes next time you are riding such motorbikes.
The skate boarder don't even wear an helmet...
And we blame drone for safety issue?
(Sarcasm +3,600)
October 21, 2017 at 5:51AM
If there is any DJI executive reading the comments of this sponsored content: please, rather invest the money in some contest! There is a lot of creative people who would wonders with a fraction of the cost of such expensive ads production videos.
October 21, 2017 at 2:06PM
Wonderful..
This is really exciting.. Especially love the color grading ;)
October 22, 2017 at 3:42AM
Really tough to tell the actual camera quality from the YouTube compression so this doesn't give away a lot in terms of what quality of footage this thing can produce. It doesn't really look any better to me than an Inspire 1 with X5R but we'll have to wait and see what the raw footage looks like coming off the sensor.
October 25, 2017 at 1:26PM, Edited October 25, 1:26PM