Suggested SIGMA fp L Settings

SIGMA fp L and fp are amazing DP/Director’s Finders.

Paired with the HENRI finder system from Leitz, you get a beautiful birchbark handle, L to LPL mount (optional LPL to PL adapter), carbon fiber rods, a lens support, Arca Swiss baseplate, and start/stop switch.

Here are some suggested SIGMA fp L Settings:

 

Above and below: I like to assign fp L buttons as follows: • AEL button to LV Magnification to enlarge viewfinder image for manual focus checking. • Assign 4-way rear dial’s direction buttons to auto-focus spot position (called Quick Focus Frame Shift). • Assign TONE button to Screenshot and COLOR button to False Color, which we have already set to EL Zone. • MODE stays in default setting for Manual, Shutter or Aperture Priority, or Program Exposure.

Quick Focus Frame Shift (auto focus “joystick” control) is set.

This is what Quick Focus Frame Shift (spot focus) looks like in viewfinder.

 

fp L: Unlimited Framelines

 

SIGMA fp L has user-defined framelines and aspect ratios. The menu screen is intuitive, elegant and simple. Enter any aspect ratio and image size you want. Multiple frame lines, colors, styles and shading abound. 

Direct numerical entry of any aspect ratio. It works in familiar film-style ratios of xx.yy : 1 You can also enter the aspect ratio as a whole number head-scratcher style such as 22:8 (2.75:1 — almost 2.76:1 Ultra Panavision 70, as in Ben-Hur and The Hateful Eight.)

…Or, enter aspect ratio defined by actual sensor area in mm.
In this example, we want to use the fp L finder to scout a scene to be shot with an ALEXA SXT with an aspect ratio of 2:1. We know the ALEXA’s sensor is 28.25 mm wide. So the height will be 14.13 mm.
Navigate to STYLE for frameline color and width. OFFSET repositions the framelines.

The Custom Frame STYLE menu offers choices of: – Frameline appearance (Full Box, Corners, Top-Bottom, Left-Right) – Frameline thickness – Frameline color – Shading (masks outside picture area)

5. Turn the framelines on and off here. For example, you may want to compose for 2.39:1 for theatrical release and 2:1 for Netflix.

 

 

 

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