The Cooke /i dataLink records focus, zoom and iris settings for each frame onto an SD card using Cooke's /i "Intelligent" Technology. It will save you time, effort and money from production through post production.
How?
Until now, production teams have had to manually record focus, zoom and iris settings for each and every shot for use in post production. There are obvious drawbacks to the archaic handwritten system, and especially when working with a zoom lens. Having accurate lens parameters for each frame of action makes some aspects of post production considerably easier and would give operators the ability to work on many more shots of greater complexity without the guess work. Accuracy and ease of use translate into saving time and money in post, which can be a considerable percentage of the total production budget.
The Cooke /i dataLink is a small box that mounts effortlessly to any camera that records the focus, zoom and iris settings of each take. The data is recorded on a Secure Digital (SD) card, storing recorded settings as metadata. The /i dataLink box features connections for inputs from the Cooke S4/i lens as well as the camera that allow both electronic platforms to communicate with the /i dataLink. The metadata is simply passed on to post production by means of the SD card, which guarantees that the relevant lens parameters will be available, ensuring even more accuracy in post.
Saving Money and Time in Post Production
In post, the stored data is uploaded to PFTrack software and is immediately ready to use without any manual manipulation -- a huge cost savings of time and guess work. PixelFarm, a developer of products for the post production market, set out to develop its PFTrack software to work specifically with Cooke /i lens communication protocols. PixelFarm is one of the UK's leading software manufacturers of systems commonly used in DI and VFX.
Some of the companies incorporating Cooke's /i "Intelligent" Technology into their products: RED, Aaton, Avid, Dalsa, ARRI, Cinematography Electronics, Mark Roberts Motion Control, Preston Cinema Systems, CMotion, Service Vision, The Pixel Farm.
Enhance your /i production system with the Cinematography Electronics /i Lens Display Unit. Extremely useful while filming.