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DevonChris

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Posts posted by DevonChris

  1. Does anyone know if the new MBP’s have a re-designed keyboard?

    Quote

    Finally, the butterfly switch keyboard has been upgraded to a new 3rd generation. While Apple wasn’t keen to shed light on how the revision addresses concerns regarding the previous keyboard in terms of reliability (i.e. sticking keys), we’re told the core focus of the upgrade was to reduce noise, and this was certainly evident in the short time we tested the keyboard; however, we were also told that it should feel differently, but we’re not getting that yet.

    https://www.techradar.com/news/first-look-macbook-pro-2018-these-macs-are-all-about-more-more-more

    Answering my own question, however, of course it’s far too early to say if this cures the sticking key problem.

  2. 11 hours ago, Robert Collins said:

    I agree. In addition both these laptops are charging 8th generation intel CPU prices for 7th generation processors. And the 8th generation processors are about 30% faster.

    This is a good video.

    If you are committed to the 2 in 1 concept - the Dell XPS 15 2 in 1 has probably the best performance.

    Thanks for this video, which was really helpful. It's interesting that he thinks the MPB is not competitive now.

    I agree with you that the Dell XPS 15 2in 1 looks awesome, and with those specs, better value than the Surface Book.

  3. 1 hour ago, newfoundmass said:

    With that said, I might hold off on getting a MacBook Pro until the next update, given the issues people have had with the keyboard and stuff. 

    Is there a reason you're specifically looking at a Surface? 

    What issues are people having with the keyboard with the latest Mac Books? Could it be problems with the Touch Bar?

    I'm thinking of the surface because I like the touch screen and 2 in 1 features ie detach the keyboard and you've got a more powerful tablet than the iPad Pro.

    1 hour ago, kye said:

    Perhaps you can elaborate on what you need?  If you turn on proxies and all the caching then Resolve can work on almost any computer.  However if you need to colour grade ARRIRAW footage in 4K live in front of a customer then obviously you're going to need much more processing power. 

    I'm shooting 4K DCI with an EM1 Mk2 so there won't be much grading unless I go back to using an external recorder

  4. Another editing thread here...sorry

    I’m looking for a high end laptop primarily for photography and 4k video editing.

    I currently use Resolve on a Windows desktop, and have previously used, and own, Final Cut Pro. I edit photos on an iPad Pro using Affinity Photo.

    I like the touch interface and form factor of the Microsoft Surface Book 2, but I don’t know if Resolve would edit 4k on it unless it had 4Gb VRAM.

    So which to go for, and what specs would you recommend?

    Are other any other laptops or 2 in 1’s that I should consider?

     

  5. I agree with Geoff Boyle, and this discussion is so timely for me as I am looking to buy a new camera, primarily for stills.

    I've been looking at many of the portfolios from the Magnum Photographers and what strikes me is the poor technical quality of many of their images. Many are slightly out of focus, have blown highlights, low resolution or been shot on low quality cameras.

    I haven't found a single mention of a camera on the Magnum Photographers web site. To them, the camera is just a tool. What counts is getting the image, capturing the moment. Creating awesome content.

    I've spent hours comparing tech specs, reading reviews and comments, watching YouTube videos, trying to find the best camera and the best deal. Sure, that is important, but my time would be better spent studying great photographers and their images, and learning from them. Then grabbing almost any camera and shoot as many photos as possible to improve my technique and learn to see better.

  6. I am missing IBIS with my X-T2 for hand held filming. The X-H1 is not that appealing as I think it is too big, to expensive and doesn’t offer much beyond the XT-2 specs to make the upgrade worthwhile.

    So I am thinking of buying the 18-55mm F/2.8-4.0 zoom to add to my Fuji primes, mainly because of it’s OIS.

    In general, is the OIS in this zoom, when used with the X-T2, good enough for hand held shooting? I would appreciate your thoughts.

    Thanks.

     

     

  7. It may seem an odd suggestion at first, but have you thought about a Nikon D500?

    1) Excellent dynamic range and image quality for your photos

    2) Proven ruggedness, build quality and durability

    3) Full compatibility with most of your lenses with no adaptor required

    4) Great Nikon colours for video, but only 8 bit 4:2:0 internal with 8 bit 4:2:2 via external recorder

    5) Cheapest solution for body only pricing

    Only downsides:

    1) No IBIS

    2) 4K video crop factor

  8. Quote

    Do you have to get a license if you are just starting out?  Does anyone police this?

    Probably not, but if something goes wrong, for example crashing your drone on a car roof, then questions will be asked. As I am a content creator and do write off equipment against taxes, then I am a pro.

    It would be legitimate to buy a drone as a hobby and start out without a licence though, but idk about insurance, or even if you need insurance at that level.

  9. 12 hours ago, kye said:

    At the risk of getting flamed (yet again) for posting logic instead of camera specifications, here is my take on it.

    • You are talking about starting a business - therefore this is a business question not just a technical question
    • You should be choosing your equipment based upon two factors: what type of files will sell, and what it will cost you to get those files to market
    • I have spoken to a few people who make money from stock footage (I'm not an expert by any means) but what I was told is that a few clips will sell like hot-cakes and the majority will hardly sell at all, and you can never predict which is which, so you basically try and output as many clips as possible to maximise your chances.  They also said that things can sit and sell solidly for years, decades sometimes (I got told about real examples of stills imagery doing this).  It's a long game that takes ages to build income but can have a return that also lasts a long time, your historical content also supports longevity of sales.
    • So my recommendation about what will sell is to future proof yourself with formats.  4K was a dream only recently and now my phone does 4K60 - these things change quickly.  More resolution might be useful for things other than broadcast standards (3d trackers for example love resolution).  The cost of your camera is only a small part of the total time to identify locations, research best shooting times of day and seasons, arrange permission and releases, travel there, setup, shoot, as well as all the post-production, media management, and management of a sales pipeline.
    • In terms of what it costs to get files to market you should consider what formats might be easier to handle in post.  If you're shipping the files straight-out-of-camera then it's a question of what the sites you're selling on or end-customers will require, otherwise you should consider what transcoding or other conversions are required.  Not all media standards are created equal.

    I hope this proves useful - and best of luck finding those winning clips that sell regularly and turning this into a profitable venture!

    It may sound like I’m a newbie to stock footage/photos, but actually I still have a portfolio of footage which I put up onto a few agencies about ten years ago. I just want to get back into it again now as I have a bit more spare time.

    You are absolutely correct in not being able to predict what sells. My best selling footage is a of a hand (mine) putting coins into a piggy bank, I shot that on a Canon 550D (T2i) 8 years ago with the lighting setup, shoot and editing taking not much more than 20 minutes in total.

    It’s an appealing business model whereby you can have a long earnings tail from your portfolio, but I am the first to admit that it is really competitive and very hit and miss. You also need a huge number of clips to get over its randomness,

    I’m not considering this as a main earnings stream, but more of an add on to my client work and other earnings streams.  

  10. 1 hour ago, Mark Romero 2 said:

    Phantom 4 Professional.

    Ha ha - good suggestion, however in the UK we need to get a commercial drone pilots licence if we use a drone for anything where you are earning money such as acquiring stock photos/footage.

    We have Dartmoor National Park on our doorstep and some great coastline about 1 hours drive away so it is possible to get some amazing drone footage, although there is quite a lot of that available already.

  11. Quote

    What camera do you own now?  You could do time lapse photography and make 4k movies from that.

    XT-2’s so yes they can be used for time lapse and 8 bit 4k.

    Quote

    I don't know where you live but just because the place looks nice doesn't mean clips will sell.  If you are shooting on spec get ready for a less than minimum wage payout. 

    South West of the Uk where there is not just nice scenery (with low commercial value) but a strong tourism industry, diverse sports and leisure activities, a strong industrial heritage, historic sites, a wide range of artisan producers and crafts, which would require model releases.

    Number one priority must be to concentrate on content creation with commercial value and find niches where there is minimal competition where I can exploit my geographical advantages and contacts.

    It sounds like the camera/gear doesn’t matter. Where have I heard that before :-)

  12. Quote

    Glenn in 2 or 3 more versions of Smartphones it won't make a crap. 4K is 4K. It just depends mostly on the lens in this day and age. And that gap is closing fast on cell phones

    it’s a bit off topic, but I could not believe how good the photos are from the Pixel 2. In good light I was getting photos that were really close to the XT-2. Computational photography is amazing. Video quality is excellent from the Pixel 2 also.

  13. Quote

    I'm just offering my experience, maybe elsewhere things are different. For stock footage I totally agree you want 4k bare minimum, fwiw.

    Some good discussion, here. Thanks everybody!

    For future proofing, if nothing else, I would definitely want to deliver 4K stock footage.

    Quote

    If you are trying to break into this industry, or make a living doing it, you sure as hell better have a camera that is broadcast 4k ready. Good 1080p is a thing of the past, not down the road

    This will be supplemental income (hopefully!) and I like the idea of building up a portfolio that brings in passive income.

    I also want to document some of the amazing places around here, so although a niche market, there is not much competition for footage which is why I want to create broadcast ready video, as long as the gear cost is reasonable.

    I haven’t got a problem with buying a GH5 and delving back into the Panny world. A used GH4 and 4K Atomos would cost about the same as a refurbed GH5. I like the internal 10 bit recording of the GH5 and the IBIS would be really useful.

  14. Quote

    Interesting... I think I just have a different mentality than a lot of people around here. Content is content in my mind. 4K, 2K, 1080p...

    Actually, I totally agree with you. From everything I am learning about stock footage, it is important to create content that is difficult for others to produce.  The world does not need yet another shot of a sunset, so the trick is to create footage that is more unique.

    I live in an area of great historical interest and natural beauty so it is a short drive for me to get some unique footage, that others can’t. The problem is that this is a bit niche, so I will be looking for wider content opportunities.

    So content is definitely king!

    However, like any commercial venture I am shooting footage to sell, so whereas I personally would love to shoot 1080 RAW, it would have more saleability if it was 4K. As @HockeyFan12 wisely says, I may be aiming too high to start with, which is great as I can just use my XT’s and get started.

    <edit>Though my thinking is that if I am investing time and effort (and money!) in acquiring the footage, then it makes sense, to me, to create as high quality footage as possible, hence my thoughts about 10 bit 4:2:2 which can be used in broadcast as well as less demanding productions</edit>

  15. 13 minutes ago, Don Kotlos said:

    The BMMicroStudio unfortunately needs an external recorder. Of course if you can wait the new pocket would be your best choice. 

    Yep - long waiting list. I want to crack on with this before Christmas, but that is a great suggestion :)

  16. Quote

    If you go through the trouble of shooting stock footage then 10bit 4K 4:2:2 is a good start. GH4 is fine, but GH5 or even GH5s should give much better colors. Another possibility is the BM micro studio with an external recorder. 

    Thanks. I would rather not use an external recorder for portability, which is why the GH5 is so attractive for this. Though that Ninja V looks killer :)

    I hadn't thought about the BM Micro studio so I'll look into that too. Thanks for the suggestion.

  17. Thanks for your comment. I'm doing a lot of research into this and it seems that new footage really needs to be 4K now.

    I think a competitive advantage can be gained by supplying 10 bit 4:2:2 content which is broadcast safe so that it does meet broadcast standards (BBC) as well as being used for the web.

    There is also the thought about whether to supply just log files, slightly graded or finished graded clips, but that is another matter!

     

  18. Hi

    I am thinking about shooting stock video footage. Most of it will be outdoors, but I might extend into interior shots such as food, where I can control the lighting.

    My thoughts are to aim for 4K 10 bit 4:2:2 delivery so the GH5 looks ideal.

    I am considering either a GH4/Atomos Inferno or GH5 internal 10 bit to get started. Should I be considering something else?

    I currently use Fujifilm XT2's for photography but there are no 10 bit recording capabilities with these.

    Thanks, for your thoughts.

  19. 1 hour ago, Charlie said:

    Thanks Mercer for the detailed response!!

    Just had a look at the Zeiss Planar and its very inexpensive so I could get that and the 28mm Distagon 2.8 for less than £500.00. Those two focal lengths will be enough for my needs. 

    Yes I have the Canon Lens Turbo but it is unopened so I can send it back if the Nikon mount is more flexible???

    Cheers!

    I'm selling a Contax Planar 50mm f/1.7 at the moment. I'm based in the UK.

     

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