Cinegain

​You sound a lot like those many old school photographers I encounter at weddings that have their origin in analog photography, back in a time where photography was considered a specialty only to be executed by those few that had the knowledge to handle a camera having to carefully select which and how many photo's to take, not knowing what to expect until the photo's where developed which again was a specialty of it's own, at least over here you needed a license to even be allowed to develop photos if you where planning on selling them. It was also a profession mainly executed by men, maybe because they where living in a time when woman where expected to work in the kitchen.
But then came digital photography and along a new young generation of male and female photogs with equal rights and suddenly where one village usually had one wedding photog now in every house there could be a potential photographer selling their services.
The problem I see with the old school photog's is that they don't adapt, they stick with what they know, their photography is often dated, looks the same as 20 years ago, they use the same poses, the same techniques, never try something new and still expect people to continue to pay big money for it, they often have a small store where they sell photogear or take some studio portraits but they forget there is a big store out there called the internet. They constantly complain on a wedding day how the new generation of young photogs are ruining their profession and how in the old days it all was better, basically they are just dinosaurs not realizing the comet already has hit .
The new and young generation of photogs are mixed male and female, they experiment, think outside the box and they are technically very skilled, they live on the internet, have facebook pages, share knowledge with other photogs and are able to reach a very wide audience. Ofcourse you have those cheap ones as well that undercut you by selling real cheap but you do have that in videography as well, they are no threat, they serve an audience as well, one that would never spend much on video or photo anyway. 
Photography is very much alive, at least where I live where it's easy to charge much more then what a equally skilled videographer is getting.

A static shot should not flicker like that, period. This has nothing to do if he used a nd or high shutter or just closed down the iris  to compensate, that flicker is not normal IF all settings in the camera are manual and if they are not changed during the shot, none of my camera's I ever had display this issue and I have shot at the beach right into the sun as well.
 

I've got mine from Vid-Atlantic as well. Alternatively you could opt for Redstan.

Ah. Another philosophical thread.
Actually, photography is very much alive, making it accessible to more and more people. The digital age does make it easier to get nice pictures without even knowing what you're doing, in that regard it's a pity that everything is so high tech and easy to get into... but then again. We used to have phonenumbers stored in our brains, now we have 'em in our phones... does that makes us dumber? Well, perhaps, lol, but now we can relocate our resources and be able to focus on other stuff (like the creative side of things). So a photographer can in fact embrace it and use it for the good of taking greater pictures.
Not each single individual is as talented as the next though, but overall there's much more quality stuff out there, which makes it harder to get noticed. So unless you fear that others are worlds better than you, I'd say you have nothing to worry about in terms of being a relevant photographer.

Seriously? Not being able to move a camera is the shooters problem? Does that mean you would have to buy a second camera if you want to introduce movement?  If you want to tell a story you don't need a 2K+ nx1 either then, just grab the cheapest camera you can get, preferably one that doesn't change exposure all by itself. 
The NX1 looks like a great camera but a shifting exposure in manual mode, based on the examples I have seen, is something that cannot be accepted if you are serious about shooting any type of film, hopefully Samsung will be able to fix it though but it is not something anyone should accept as being normal or even try to find ways to work around it.

Kind of reminds me of this:
 
 
Great stuff!

Rodney Charters, highly regarded director and cinematographer, talks about using the Blackmagic Pocket Cinema Camera side-by-side with an Alexa, what 4K acquisition means in "his" world as a high-end cinematographer, and his love for the Alexa, and what it makes this camera special.

Hi everybody.  I was at CES today and at the Samsung CES booth where they had some NX1 cameras mounted around a photo booth with a couple of models in a living room setting.  I happened to notice that the Samsung people did not have the NX1 SD card slot glued shut so I slipped in my own SD card and made some video using the Gamma Normal, Gamma C, and Gamma DR profiles that is in the 1.2 pre-release firmware.  I thought that I would share them with all of you.  Before I made the video, I performed a RESET ALL on the camera so I would be shooting with pristine default settings.  Attached are the screen grabs of the video playing in KODI/XBMC of my MacBook Pro.
Take note of how the black colors in the picture frame that is on the bookshelf to the left of the model's head perform under Gamma DR and Gamma C, and Gamma Normal.
 
You can get the raw H.265 files from my MediaFire file share:
https://www.mediafire.com/folder/63s4q7yuwp7nk/CES2015_NX1

Well I guess its what appeals to you at a certain point.
I only own a GH4 and a couple of other cams, not the A7s...but as the A7s in full frame although smooth at ISO 3200, it is certainly not smooth when you move it, everyone knows that it has really bad rolling shutter at full frame, you really need to use it at APS-C if you want to move the camera at all.
So it depends where your smooth priorities lie...smooth movement or smooth ISO.
All the talk of cinematic full frame on the A7s really means it has to be on a tripod and still to get that happening.
Plus there are lots of posters on DVX-user that own both cams as well as the EOS-C line of Canons that really like the GH4 and appear to use it more than the A7s because its more convenient and they get good results, many of them cutting with Reds and EOS-C cams...so it doesn't really matter, maybe to Andrew, but not so much to others.
I agree with most of rygenovas post...at the end of the day no average watcher is going to go WOW!! at an A7s piece of footage and not so WOW at a GH4 piece of footage.
Doesnt mean I dont want to see V-Log on the GH4...I do, but for me, its more than I need right now and if I cant produce good results with it, then I probably need to give up.
 
 
 
 

The great thing about the d5500 is that the price of the d5300 will go down even further.

​If you would've check their website... it says 'This is the new updated version which has been strengthened to assist operation when using with the Anamophot, anamorphic adapter'. Optics are probably unchanged, but the housing might allow for better mounting of a clamp adapter. I'd 2nd the mention of getting a 35mm as 2nd lens to shoot with.

On my first shoot with the Sony FS7 - I was very impressed with the image out the camera and the ergonomics, but I was very disappointed with the performance of the firmware. It was slow, glitchy and hard to use. (The video is out Jan 29th - edit this week). 
I chose the FS7 again for another shoot as the client was adamant on 4k and slow motion. I agreed and received a brand new unit from my rental provider. Things were a bit different this time, as the body had the extension unit and battery bolted onto the back, plus a Vocas railing system underneath. I chose ProMist filters to diffuse the skin of our lady pop star with a matte box, locked off on a Satchler tripod. 
I shot the video in XAVC-I 4k 25fps and slow motion in 1080 150fps, SLog3. I had plenty of lighting such as Kino Flo, Arri and Dedolights so I could light the vast location which was a decadent seaside theatre room. 
I have to say, the dynamic range wowed me even more. Lighting the large interior was a smooth process. Detail is very impressive. The zebras and peaking are very good. Noise looks minimal. Motion cadence however does look a little 'video', although I can't judge this fully until the grade. 
Handling the camera was fine on the tripod, as expected. An annoying issue with the extension unit is that it gets in the way of the HDMI port. You have to really force it. We didn't get it to work in the end. May have been an issue elsewhere, so we used the very good LCD throughout. 
Firmware wise - the camera performed better than before. I'm not sure if the unit before was a bit faulty, as it was slow and crashed a lot. Still - it wasn't as responsive as I'd expect. The menus are dreadful and over complicated, it takes so much time just to change the most simple settings. As a user experience - the firmware performance and user experience is very poor. I've got used to it, but it really does need a complete overhaul. 
The button layout on the side of the camera is also slow and fiddly. They really need to come up with a modernised way of button layouts on these types of cameras. Finding where to play a clip was a nightmare, until I found a little button called 'Thumbnail.' Not the best name! 
Another issue was the Speedbooster. Changing aperture on an EF lens was terrible, as the aperture setting would go crazy and go from f2 to f16 with a slight dial. Metabones and Sony need to chat. 
With these issues aside, the camera is great to shoot with and delivers a lovely image. It makes the FS700 look like a toy. For the money, it is fantastic. I much prefer using this camera compared to a RED Epic and Blackmagic CC. I do miss the quicker setup times with a DSLR/DSLM camera, but you gain quality features for a better picture. 
I will definitely use it again and can't wait to edit the 2 music videos I've shot. When they are released, I will share! 
Here is me and the camera: 
 

KineMINI just keeps on giving...

http://www.robbannister.com/modified-speedbooster-for-the-kinemini-4k/
 

​If you would've check their website... it says 'This is the new updated version which has been strengthened to assist operation when using with the Anamophot, anamorphic adapter'. Optics are probably unchanged, but the housing might allow for better mounting of a clamp adapter. I'd 2nd the mention of getting a 35mm as 2nd lens to shoot with.

Deja Vu all over again.  If you've ever been an indy musician all this kinda stuff gets wearily familiar.  Expect it for "filmmakers" too.  Lots of young people on the market struggling for a PR advantage and there will always be places like this attempting to monetize on it.  Digital democracy: double edged sword.
This Vimeo channel might be directed by a bunch of young earnest types, and could evolve into something useful, but I've earned enough wisdom to start with skepticism on this sort of offer. 
And here's a tip:  If your PR video features a VO by a guy that can't enunciate and sounds like it's recorded on an iPhone, I'll take that as a clue that it's not exactly a professional service.  I could be wrong.  If so, good luck.

ZF are not cinema primes, just normal lenses.

*(forgot you said it didn't need to be on camera)
http://www.amazon.com/TAKSTAR-SGC-598-Photography-Interview-Microphone/dp/B00E58AA0I/ref=sr_1_sc_2?ie=UTF8&qid=1420751673&sr=8-2-spell&keywords=takstar+shot+gun+mic
$35. its got a +10Db switch
I bought one of these just to check it out and to have better backup sound when recording to separate devices. Ive seen some pretty good comparisons on youtube between this and the Rode Video Mic (not the pro one i think). Its really not too bad, considering the price. Pretty good indoors. I dont really have that great of an ear for picking up small differences in audio equipment though, so I am not the best person to ask.
I think I read some where that this mic is manufactured by the same company that manufactures Rode's stuff too. not sure though

What is the question exactly?

I've seen the thread you started, be careful with eBay lenses. 'NO EFFECT ON THE SHOOT SO SLIGHT' sounds nice and all, but personally I would never accept a lens with known fungus inside of it. This can spread through the lens, might even transfer to other glass. Stay away is what I would say. I only accept some very light cosmetic damages, such as a scratch on a housing and fainting paint or something and you'll have trouble finding anything vintage that hasn't got a few specs of dust inside. But other than that, take care that it looks good, has no dents (especially not on the lens thread) or is otherwise impaired. The glass should be crystal clear, without scratches, funges, haze or cleaning marks (again, there's bound to be a few specs of dust, that's okay). Focus (and zoom) should turn smoothly. Mind with rubber rings, that these are still neat. Usually a light color shift from black and some whobbling indicates it might needs to be exhanged. Make sure the seller claims everything is working fine. No stuck apertures or anything. Also the aperture shouldn't be swimming in oil. These are the main things I care about when buying a 2nd hand/vintage/legacy lens. Feel free to ask a seller about something if you're unsure and always read the description very carefully. Maybe you're bidding on a lens with known defects, that's being sold for parts or repair. Carefully read what state a lens is in to avoid surprises. If you do this and pay attention to the upload pictures of the lens your bidding on, you should be fine. I've done my fair share of buying 2nd hand lenses and so far I've really been blessed. Most of the time the lenses look as good as new. I also check what's included. If it's being sold with original packaging, accessories & lens caps and is being shown used with an UV filter, this usually means that the owner really took great care of it. Only once I had one with a stuck aperture (partial refund) and one time there was some hazing going on, which wasn't advertised or noticeable from the pictures. But overall, I made some really really good calls.
Carl Zeiss CP2 primes sure are nice, but I'm not sure if with cinema lenses you will be reaching the limits of the GH2 (in the sense that there's more potential to the lenses than is being captured). I think cinema primes make more sense on a little bit higher end cameras. It's kinda like putting a turbo charged V12 inside of a Volkswagen Golf. I mean, you can do it, but I'm not sure if it's worth it. Just my two cents. I guess the vintage Planar's should be pretty awesome though, but I know too little about them. Guess Contax CY mount types would be the adapters/focal reducers to look for if you're taking that route. But I would encourage you take a closer look at the recommendations as posted earlier as well.

​Not really, that's more a thing for NAB and Photokina I guess. But just in general Canon kind of seems behind if you're looking at the competition in the same categories, so it couldn't hurt them to break radio silence, perhaps giving Canon users a little glimp of what's in store for them with a little teaser of some sorts.

I guess everybody was spot on, except for that one guy that was foreseeing a 'messiah' of some sort. But I guess us mere mortals just 'got to have faith' a little longer.
Or not and just go with Panasonic, Sony, Nikon or perhaps even Samsung already.

Had to pick up the Nikon ED AF 80-200mm f/2.8D from the post office today... Wasn't at home last week (still 2014), celebrating new years in London and all, so I was quite excited to get my first piece of 2015 filmmaking gear when I saw the post office notification this weekend telling me to come pick it up next work day.
Wasn't expecting to pick up another little piece of Nikon gear as well...

For some reason, last night I was just surfing around on the web... and then some wave carried me to a site I would browse for a bit when suddenly I stumbled upon a very very good deal (MediaMarkt is celebrating 25 years anniversary over here). The Nikon D5300 with 18-55mm II for 499 EUR with additional 50 cashback at checkout, coming in at 449 EUR total! That's a very sweet deal, considering I checked Geizhals.eu and getting this combo would normally set me back at least 628 EUR excluding shipment. I saw they still had it 'in stock' at my local store, couldn't resist and ordered (paid) one! Logged in there this morning to see if it wasn't in fact a dream and really a this good of a deal. Yup. There it was sitting in my purchase history for 449. However, I did notice they were advertising it a bit differently all of a sudden. Now it advertised the kit being 499 AFTER applying the 50 cashback, listing the camera for 549 (still a good price though). So, before they would cancel all the already placed orders (not sure if they can just do that, but I imagined they could), I just went ahead and picked it up. So a little more than 24hrs ago, I still had no idea, that the Nikon lens wasn't the only bit of Nikon gear I was going to pick up today. I've been recommending the D5300 to people looking to buy an entry-level stills camera for quite some time (can't really recommend them the 700D, now can I?) and had a secret little crush on it myself, but was never really tempted to get me one. But now that I have the 28-70mm f/2.8D & 80-200mm f/2.8D, already have the Nikon mounted Tokina 11-16mm f/2.8 and Sigma ART 18-55mm f/1.8 lying around, actually because of the aperture controle possibilities when combined with a regular adapter or focal reducer/speedbooster/lens turbo and mainly the GH4 and BMPCC; it actually kinda made sense. It will be my first steps into something bigger sensor sized than micro four thirds. Since I'm a hybrid shooter, I'm sure the D5300 will be great for me and can't wait to try it out as stills & motion camera.

Ah...  http://www.nikonusa.com/en/About-Nikon/Press-Room/Press-Release/i49ohklf/Inspired-Photos-with-Flair%2C-Ready-to-Share%3A-New-Nikon-D5500-DSLR-Helps-Creatively-Capture-the-Moments-that-Matter.html
So let's see... monocoque structure... touchscreen... flat picture control... $999.95. Sensor... processor, AF system etc seems still the same though.

S-LOG on A7s XAVC-S , this codec is so good you can basically grade it how you want....... As soon as you learn and understand how to grade using RGB curves you will see exactly what it is you need to do. Two frame grabs from a project I am editing which I also shot in S-LOG A7s Iso 3200.
 
 

If I work on a set where the camera is on sticks the majority of the time I usually measure the distance with a tape, plus all of the other distance related info. I'd say its a good habit to keep. Depends on the shoot though. Usually one of the AC's  will do that anyway. Sometimes lenses can say your focus point is 7' away when its really 8', especially on older lenses. If you're buying $$$$ vintage cinema lenses I would make sure they are properly calibrated

the days of non reflex off set view finders on film cameras is long gone (my first 16mm film camera had an offet finder !!) and not many people on this forum are getting out tape measures to aquire the exact distance to a subject - which you need to do with a non reflex finder - if you want to do that these day there is Cinetape that everyone sticks on the front of their Alexa or Red , Cinetape is an industry standard .
http://www.cinemaelec.com/products/cinetapemeasure.php
So I personally dont ever look at focus scale markings as the EVF gets me spot on focus everytime.
I have some rehoused Schneider Cinema lens that have no focus scales on them at all - they work just fine
So dont worry about imperial or metric - just buy the lens if you like it !