John D

I'd take 1080 raw over 8K any day of the week

Don't be afraid to crush your blacks, but don't clip your highlights. Film, especially black and white, has real 100% black, but an incredible highlight tail. This will produce the most a natural image with striking contrast. Depending on the project, try and use shadows as graphic elements in your frame. And don't be afraid of subtlety. Not every shot has to be a melodramatic Sin City still frame--low contrast B&W can be as immersive and powerful as high-contrast. Just remember, even in a low-contrast scene, to include one very bright element and one very dark element to give the viewer a sense of relative contrast within the other tones. If you do a straight desaturation, you're working with luminance information only, which makes your lighting absolutely critical. You'll probably want to use harder light than you're used to, or the image will feel a little "undefined." 

Let me know if I can offer any other pointers. B&W is something of a passion for me. As usual, the best research is to go watch some great B&W movies and steal like an artist.

Just walked away from a garage with a pelicase. Dont know if I got treasure yet but one of the lense sinside was a Zeiss so I grabbed it.
Will post pics when Im back home

I love this type of post, and the Internet / camera forums in general.  We go from arguing over how great a camera is going to be, to unboxing videos and camera lust / jealousy, to the inevitable honeymoon is over phase so quickly.
So in lieu of shooting something reliable and proven, we put loupes on our Sony bodies, worry about overheating, worry if the Metabones adapter is going to not work, drag around ND filters and step up rings, external mics, remember to overexpose 2 stops in log mode so we can squeeze 1/5 of a stop of extra dynamic range just to spend hours later grading footage of our....cats.  All while trying to avoid banding skies, black hole suns (Soundgarden anyone?) and instead of actually ENJOYING shooting a nice crisp 1080p signal (like my FS700) and worrying more about content - before we hit record we're trying to remember what our "knee" setting was for test shot #1047.
Hey, I'm one of you too.  Having gotten a proper ND filter / good built-in audio / slow motion FS700 the past few days I've just been shooting everything.  Mostly not even slowmo stuff - and (oh the horror) not $5000 adapted Cooke glass - I even tried the 18-55 Sony kit lens - which smoothly autofocuses and face tracks my subjects.  I locked the iris, set the ISO gain limit and just hit record.  Looking now for cool low angled shots, framing, keeping my subjects (my family) the focus and not the settings.  More "keeper" footage in 3 days non stop shooting than 4 months with the 1dc.
But, I am one of you - always on the quest for the best.  But at some point we are going to have to remember there is *no* perfect camera, nor will there ever be.
DSLR's will probably never have true built-in ND, XLR inputs (save the GH4 and the clunky poorly-powered YAGH), smooth AF in video mode and colors right out of the camera (and dynamic range) that we all like.
Camcorders will never be small, take exception stills, nor have the stealth factor.  I walked around Halloween with the FS and at least 3 people asked me if I was with the news.  At the baseball games with the 1d + 300 2.8 they asked if I was with Sports Illustrated.
 
Sigh.  /ramble off.
 

Anyway I am interested. Because I just ordered the A7R II. 
And my need is 50% video and 50% still...  
I have the feeling 12mpx is not very enough. 
Also 42mpx is amazing for exemple : use a voigtlander 15mm as a 15-24 for landscape just by croping... 
AF is good also. 

I wasn't even being a jerk this time! They found out I was banned before for life.  
 This is my only forum now besides nofilmschool and cinematography.com.  Until I get banned here.

It's quite a 90s style edit with flinchy jump cuts, but these cuts are often facilitated her by modern things, such as stabilised timelapse and so on. So modern retro.
a very up to date post-modern classical soundtrack (like Einaudi, Max Richter, Clint Mansell etc, the music is almost interchangeable with them)
As a matter of personal taste this kind of thing gives me a bit of a headache as most of the images don't get time to breathe, but that's just me.
Like most such films the music does most of the work, if you put a different track on it wouldn't work so well, so to make your own start with a similar arpeggio or ostinato based track by Einaudi, Clint Mansell or Max Richter and cut away!
EDIT: Yes it is Einaudi i checked on Vimeo.
PS not a criticism of their music, more an observation of a genre style. I've seen Richter in concert twice!

Fixed

Maybe I should get back into selling diffusion filters . . . 'cause I don't know one actor/actress who wants to see their pores reproduced in 8K detail.

8 bit jpeg off the highest dynamic range dslr sensor available, thus why they look good.
And I did say give us "better dynamic range" not only higher color sampling and more bit depth.
I'd take a high dynamic range 1080p image over a poor DR 4k one anyday. but to each his own.

Well, here's a very simple shoot as an example.  I did this for a friend over the weekend on a moments notice. It was basically a 1 hour shoot. I grabbed shots as fast as possible. 
Sure, I could have placed a tripod in a lot of spots and had the subject wait for me to compose... Or I could have let her do her thing and I would just follow, and still get cool shots along the way. 
With the EM5II, I just did the latter  
Slider shots without a rig, static shots without a tripod...it's a very nice capability to have. 
Granted, this isn't groundbreaking stuff, but this particular camera does give me some worthwhile footage. 
I don't know what else to say.  It's fun for me.  That's all  
 

I've seen Olympus' IBIS to beat Sony (but no 4K, no 8K), Samsung's AF to beat Sony (but again, something to not offer: 8K for large prints in this case). The whole point IMO is the fact no camera is better than the other but, that camera is better than the other for your needs. My whole beef, actually.

But all of the things you are describing are inherently organic to film. I don't think anyone is saying video is bad, it's just not yet as good as film. 
But one thing it does have, which I am grateful for... It's a helluva a lot cheaper and affords me the possibility to make movies... For that, and that alone... Video trumps film. 

Well that took a bloody long time! But I've just this minute completed my new reel and site. It's not "announced" until Monday.... social media campaigns etc blah blah. But it's live! Check them here: 
View my new showreel and website!
Some info
Each and every image -  I shot, lit, edited, graded. A little directing. Very involved in creative ideas.  Core crew was mostly 4-5 regular people in these productions (Director, DOP, Production Manager, Spark, Make Up Artist).  For the geeks - cameras used are Sony F55, FS7, FS700, RED Epic, GH3, BM Pocket.  All images are music videos, but going for commercial/corporate work aggressively into the next year. (and still many music videos).  The aim is to have 100% new material for Showreel 2016. Max creativity required.  Anyway, if you like it or don't like it, whatever. Just thought I'd share.
 

Sony A7s + Atomos Shogun + Zeiss Contax (50mm f1.7 & 18mm F4) + Laing M30p Steadicam + MotionDogs Lenzhound. Still new at steadicam - just some practice shoots. All shot at ProRes 422 4k, downscaled to 1080p for Vimeo. 

This is my favorite thread.

Here's the response from Werner, 
"I put a look on the skintone because we are trying to make the thing naturalized - and we can't if its flat - if I show you the raw image - then you have to do the work. So we are trying to save your time.  Which is very, very valuable.  I am sorry that me and my team did a bad job on the skin tones and that they look too Hollywood - we will try better next time if we don't all die very quickly by accident by a comet or something just as random as that, like getting hit by a stray bullet."

1. Innovative Lighting Tools
Lighting is the most important technical aspect of filmmaking, yet so, so many people don't bother! INSANE!!! I'd like to see a growth of innovation in affordable, LED based lights with high light output. Smartphone controlled lights. Clamped lights. LIGHTS!!!
2. Modified Lenses
Lenses are more interesting when modified, certainly when they can do some extra effects and have cine gears. Give us some character!
3. Ninja Star 4k 
I don't want a massive screen on my tiny camera thanks! The Shogun really needs a baby brother. 
4. Panasonic Video Camera
They have a GH4, and then...a Varicam. Surely they have a partner to the GH4 on the horizon? 4k 60p, better DR and 120fps HD are my only requests. 
and... that's it. 

Yes the A7s is hard to judge exposure with. I found using zebras is the best way to protect the highlights. If you set them at 100 IRE and you see them adjust your exposure a little until they are gone. 
 
The histogram works from left to right as opposed to a waveform.
You will know if you're clipping when a straight line on the right starts creeping up. same goes with crushing the blacks but on the left.I cant upload an image so >here is a link 

I don't think this is fair in the slightest. He gave very fair reasons as to what he didn't like about the A7s. Imagine if we have to start every post with a disclaimer like:
 
"Please note: This is just my opinion, I prefer not to generalize, everything is relative"
 
Obviously its just his opinion. But it's the opinion of a video professional that may or may not balance the enthusiasm shown by other video professionals. I see no lack of logic or "narrow sighted gadget nerd" tone in the post Eric did. I don't think thats called for. It was just some valid points for those who may be in his boat.
 
I'm a huge fan of the new A7s. will most likely buy it, and although not all of the "problems" mentioned are as important to me, Eric's review still made a load of sense to me.

Why are you pixel peeping 720p at 120fps, ISO 12,800?
 
You know full well that the ultimate quality from this camera is 4K out of the HDMI, or even 1080p full frame mode at 24p.
 
This was only to demonstrate the creative potential / effect of slow-mo at very high ISOs.

Well, Ebrahim, Thank you for your general life advice, although it felt patronising in parts. but that's fine!
 
A Community is exactly what Andrew has created. I have followed him and enjoyed his reviews since the beginning of his blog. I have also enjoyed some of his shorts and purchased two of his books.
 
I will not denied that Andrew has done a great job. But what I will not accept, is for people to be banned for emitting their opinion on his short film. I don't think they were insulting at all, clumsy at best. I even sensed, taking into account Andrew extensive knowledge, that they were probably expecting something more meaty from him, and that I believe is their right. 
 
Some directors, that I hold in high regards, have produced some poor films. I glad they didn't ban me from watching the rest of their body of work.
 
Andrew's action were extreme. We should all learn one pure truth. you cannot please everyone and that's that. Now let's accept it and move on, because the subject of acceptance is wild and wide, and unfortunately only too few really care or respect it.
 
Sorry If offended anyone, but that did make me upset

Hmmm, i'd prefer to see green leaves and red buttons in one shot

the only moment I use higher shutter speeds is when shooting slowmotion.
a higher shutter speed helps in getting nice slowmotion footage.  and if you're using twixtor or any other kind of interpolation, shooting higher shutter speeds will help the calculations and deliver a cleaner end result

I didn't ask for your advice regarding whether or not to buy it. Look at the first sentence of my first post. I wanted advice about the GH4 itself.
 
Also who the hell do you think you are to tell me what I am or am not? You don't know anything about me. Please stop trolling my thread. I'm not wasting your time - you didn't have to answer (let alone with unrelated advice).
 
Can we leave this please, you are the one wasting my time.