mercer

Yeah monitoring rec709 helps a little, the screen is still faded but between that and focus peaking, which works great with the a6500, it is doable. And yes, the metal from the cage works as a heat sink. I didn't have any issues with Wasabi Brand batteries, but I only used the camera a few times, so I concede to Oliver's suggestion. With the IBIS, I found using a neck strap, keeping my elbows at my sides and pulling the strap taut helped. As Oliver said earlier, subtle slow movements are your friend... any quick pans or jerks and RS jello will invade the shot. Also, experiment with the sLog2 settings but don't obsess over them. A minor tweak here or there won't make much of a difference. In the end, with my RX10ii, I ended up using a combination of GeoffCB's GFilm and Flaat for the a7s... http://www.similaar.com/foto/flaat-a7s/download.html sLog3 is awesome but I almost recommend not even bother trying it because once you do you'll be chasing those 14 stops of DR and just end up in banding hell on half of your shots... but the ones that don't have any banding will look amazing. Also cine2 profile is your friend if you don't want to correct and grade sLog2... in fact a lot of people suggest using it over sLog due to the potential artifacts using sLog with an 8 bit codec. With a light hand in post, you shouldn't have too many issues with sLog... but overexpose by 1.3 or 1.7 stops, depending upon your light for best results. The a6500 has the ability to use auto ISO with manual lenses. You can set a minimum and maximum ISO... I used 800 and 1600, or sometimes 800 and 800. The cool part is now, even with manual lenses, in manual mode, you can use exposure compensation to set your +1.7 stops. If you don't have enough light, or too much, the meter will blink. It makes the camera's meter act as if you were shooting in Shutter Priority mode. Then if you're using a variable ND filter, you can adjust accordingly until the blinking stops.

Yeah, that would be my pick too. Then I would save up for the Raw add on and an Odyssey for 4K raw. But even the FS5's internal 10 bit 1080p looks pretty darn nice.

I don't want to rain on the GH5 parade, but I would assume that the camera will not be as good as hyped... it will be good... great even... just not the end all be all a lot of folks are making it out to be... or hoping it will be.

Unfortunately I just returned my a6500, not because it isn't an amazing camera... it really is... the resolution is mind blowing, the IQ is crazy good. I have been evaluating what I really need and I don't need both the RX10ii and the a6500 and since I found a "new other, open box" RX10ii for less than $900, I decided to keep that one instead. Now I just need to decide between buying a Nikon D500 or a BMPCC, but that's for another discussion... Onto the a6500... The screen isn't as hard to see when you set it for rec709 output while shooting 4K in sLog2. It's still faint but it's easier. Supposedly a cage will help dissipate the heat. Smallrig is releasing their a6500 cage and it looks like a great option. There probably is some type of dummy battery adapter that would help to get a major source of heat out of the camera... but I'm not sure With manual lenses, you have full 5-axis IBIS and it works really, really well, so if you plan on shooting handheld... which you will once you try it, you will not want to make your rig any heavier with an added monitor... imo.

The a6500 does have 5-axis IBIS. But yes, there is a risk of overheating, and yes the IQ is incredible. But I think it's over your budget.

That footage I didn't grade much at all. I shot the footage with my Nikkor 28mm f2 lens in the Flat Profile, corrected exposure, added some saturation and a little tint. Very little done to it. I was going for a slight "vintage" look. In this screengrab, I used the Sigma 17-50mm lens with a similar post technique but went for a little more "modern" look... Again, I went a touch overboard with film grain. I really have been enjoying this little camera, so much so, I am contemplating getting a D500 for 4K and the EIS in 1080p.

Other than the D750 being full frame and the D5500 being aps-c, the codecs and bitrates are the same. The D750 does have some extra features though... like zebras, a better movie menu, ability to meter with ai-s lenses, etc... If you decide to go with the D5500, you may want to pick up a 5600 instead, it has a couple minor video features that are missing from the 5500... like smooth movie time lapse.

What are you going to replace it with... FS5?

By owning and running a very popular blog for professional, enthusiast and hobbyist videographers, you should reach out to Nikon and suggest they include Raw video on their upcoming D750 successor. Based upon the semi-recent news from Nikon hacker, we know that Raw video is at least possible with their hardware/software. I believe the D500 shoots 12 & 14 bit Raw, so these new cards should be more than fast enough for at least 12bit Raw. Since Nikon has zero high end video products to protect, they may be the perfect fit for the first prosumer camera to include Raw video... Unlikely they would take a chance on it, but I bet you could get an ear to listen and argue your case.

Beautiful work.

Pixelvision

Yeah, slight lateral movement shifting your weight back and forth and Canon's software based IS fine. The point of the test was just to see what it could do while walking. Will it or can it replace a steadicam, gimbal or dolly... no... obviously. Could hardware based 5-axis IBIS replace a steadicam, gimbal or dolly... another no... obviously.

Yeah obviously no in camera stabilization, software or hardware based is made for drastic movements... or any movement really.

I'm so spoiled by IBIS, I'm unsure I can go back to a tripod or monopod. I shot that D5500 video last September and I don't think I've used a monopod or tripod since. Do you know how well OIS lenses work with the Pocket cam? I'm half tempted to buy a Metabones EF to BMPCC speedbooster and that Sigma 17-50mm... just so I can shoot handheld.

Yeah, you're right. I already have a cage, a Metabones Nikon BMPCC Speedbooster, an extra Pocket Battery, so I need to just get a Pocket cam and be done with it, but I just really like the IBIS on the a6500... and the clean 1080p on my D5500... and the point and shoot aspect of my RX10ii... I need to just go back to screenwriting... I don't think so... I think Gorilla Grain comes as an MOV file that you add as an overlay.

Yeah it may be more subtle by buying some gorilla grain and doing an overlay or a blend. Thanks.

Honestly, I would love to see what you could do with a t2i or a D5500.

Yeah if the ML team has the inclination, and it's possible, the 77D could be a great option for low cost, handheld ML Raw. The software based IS in the XC10 is the best IS I have ever used. It's better than the IBIS in the a6500 and the GX85... no question. Other than a strap I was pulling taut, there was no other physical stabilization. During this shot(s) I walked forward backward and shuffled sideways... try and do that with a Panny...

Some of these vintage lenses look so great wide open and take away some of the harshness of ooc 4K, that a lot of the times, the variable ND can act as a clickless aperture.

So, I have been simplifying my post workflow and to practice I've been messing with some old D5500 footage. I decided to stop using Color Finale, Film Convert and Colorista and only use the basic tools in FCPX. The D5500 has proven to be a great camera for this simplified process... just enough DR to handle a little post processing but not enough to let me get out of hand. With my latest tests I have been using some Film Grain from Red Giant Renoiser. I have been using it at default but I think it may be too much... even for Vimeo's compression. Any film grain tips would be greatly appreciated.

Yeah, a C100 minus the top handle with the Sigma 17-50mm could be a cool combo. I briefly had that lens for my Nikon and it was almost as steady as a tripod for static shots... or light movements.

Camcorder? C100, XC10? Or something like the XA10?

Yeah, way out of my price range, but maybe in a couple years it can meet me halfway.

How is the FS5 with Raw upgrade? Hell, how is 10 bit 1080p internal with sLog3?

There are so many good cameras with great images on all sides of the price spectrum... but if I had to choose based upon your criteria at 3000 bucks... I would say either a BlackMagic camera or a C100ii. Now if you were to say $1500, I would say the a6500. At 1000, BMPCC. At 800, the G80/85. 500... D5500.