GH3 vs G6 vs BMPC vs 70D vs ???

[Mozim]

Hey, 

 

first of all hello to everyone, I've been a long-time lurker but this is my first post. My first post also happens to be a very long one, so apologies in advance!

 

I've been shooting photos and videos with a Canon 600D for the past two years. Until then I didn't have any experience with proper cameras and treated photography / videography as a hobby at first but this year I've gotten a bit more serious about it. I mainly shoot sports events (Downhill Mountainbiking) so to me it's important to have a camera that creates good pictures in fairly low light situations and has a look that stands out from your typical GoPro Action video, thus I've been very happy with a APS-C DSLR. 

 

Now that I've gotten a bit more serious about it, I'd like to get a second camera and turn the 600D into my backup camera. I'm also starting to see the limitations of the 600D. Wide-angle shots look like crap, there's not a ton of detail especially in these wide-angle shots, sharpness leaves a lot to be desired and I'm having some issues with moiré and aliasing, although it only affects wide-angle shots. Most importantly though, the dynamic range is a major issue. I try to shoot with as little contrast, saturation etc. as possible but still if I want to remain a high level of detail on the ground / in the shadows, the sky is usually blown out making quite a few of my shots useless. Of course there's ways to avoid this but it'd be nice to have a camera with a more usable range. 

 

I've invested quite a bit of money into my Canon system... most of my shooting is done with a Tokina 11-16 f/2.8, a Sigma 17-50mm f/2.8 OS, a Canon 50mm f/1.8 and a Canon 85mm f/1.8. The 50mm is a bit too long in my opinion, the 85mm is a beautiful lens for tele shots, the Sigma produces a ton of moiré and the image looks like crap and the Tokina is very nice actually, also very usable on a Glidecam but it's a very specific lens. I usually shoot between f/1.8 and f/4, not neccessarily to achieve a shallower DOF but to keep the ISO fairly low and also to keep the shutter speed as fast as possible (around 1/200th of a second if possible). 

 

I would love to pick up an APS-C Canon with a proper 60p mode or even a 240fps mode, a dynamic range close to the BMPC, a moiré and alias-free image, tons of detail comparable to a GH3 and a proper AF system and burst mode for shooting pictures. But I'm afraid this camera doesn't exist! In an ideal world I'd pick up a 5D MKIII and a Sony FS-700 but that's unrealistic. 

 

So my options are... 

 

Canon 70D, because it offers quite a few neat features, I could use all my existing lenses, picture would be comparable to the 600D, I very much like the ergonomics of the 60D and it would be a fantastic photo camera

BUT same 8bit image, not very detailed image, no 60p mode or high speed mode and awful dynamic range

 

BMPC because of the dynamic range and the beautiful, detail image it produces

BUT lots of issues, super short battery time, awful sound, huge files, I need new lenses or a Metabones Speedbooster for Canon EF-S (which doesn't exist) etc. 

 

Panasonic GH3 because it has a better dynamic range, it's weather sealed, proper 60p-mode, a lot of detail in the shots, XLR and HDMI out etc. 

BUT weird ergonomics (which I may very well get used to), need new lenses, lenses for the GH3 aren't compatible with the lenses for the 600D (I want to keep it as a backup camera), not that great of a photo camera

 

I spent quite a bit of time checking out the GH3 as well as the G6 and I guess it would take me a while to get used to the entire MFT thing. I don't need a camera that is small and stealthy and I found the Panasonic lenses to feel very cheap, tiny and plasticky which I didn't like at all. I didn't like the size and the ergonomics of the G6, to me it seemed very cluttered as if they were trying to pack as many features into the smallest package possible (which Panasonic certainly succeeded with!). So if I'm going the Panasonic route I think I'll go with the GH3. 

 

What's your take on this? Is there another combination that I haven't thought about yet? In another forum I was basically told to sell all my stuff and get a proper camcorder such as the Canon G30 but I don't see myself going that route unless we're talking about a C100 or a FS700. 

 

Also, is there any way to adopt my existing lenses to the GH3? Or is there a buyers guide / good topic on here with some proper lens suggestions for the MFT system? 

 

Any input is apprecited, so thanks a ton in advance for your help!

-Moritz