PannySVHS

Because I'm a cheapskate who is recycling his 5D Mk II era EF glass on the latest and greatest Panasonic body thanks to the wonderful Sigma MC21 adapter, I can't take advantage of in-body camera corrections for things like vignetting and lens distortion. And sometimes I would like to do that. It's a lot of fun using the phase detect AF in the S5II to shoot wide open and get in-focus footage with my Canon nifty fifty. But wide open, that lens has something like 2.4 stops of vignetting. That can look really cool sometimes but other times it's not. I first noticed it when editing some interview footage shot against a plain white wall. I wanted to do a little bit of reframing and it looked kind of bad because of the heavy vignetting.
I know there are effects that attempt to add or remove vignetting, but I was interested to see if there's a way to do it perfectly, as you can when shooting RAW and using Lightroom. And there is!
First of all, I put a semi-opaque piece of white plastic over the lens, focused it to infinity, set the aperture to wide open, pointed it at the sky and did a manual white balance. The aim here, in terms of exposure is to get the brightest part of the image (the exact centre) at exactly 50 IRE. Or you can use ACES to make a linear change to the data to get it looking like this:


Then desaturate it, invert it and export as a 16 bit TIFF or similar.
Place this image file on a layer above your footage. Change blending mode to Linear Light and Opacity to 50%. Hey, presto! Bye bye, vignetting!

(Note: doing this in ACES linear gives perfect results, but it works pretty well in log Rec709 too - the center needs to be 50% IRE in both methods)
This is how it looks on real world footage.
Before:

After:

 
Obviously, this isn't as convenient as doing it in camera as you would need a different vignetting profile for each f stop. But it will allow you to finally shoot your Nocticron f0.95 or whatever wide open without that pesky vignetting! I'm not quite as flush as all that, but I'm quite pleased that my old Canon plastic fantastic that I had in a drawer behaves a little more like Panasonic's version which costs 4 times the price. And a simple Lens Distortion filter at -2 knocks back the distortion. Now if only there was a way of making the focus motor perfectly silent...

I dusted off my EOS-M today and loaded the new ML. It's feeling a lot more user-friendly than before. 2.8K with accurate monitor display? Heck yes. This is potentially an acceptable level of 'frustrating' and I might actually shoot something with it.

The GX85 is the next challenge.
For Priority 1 it needs to be kept handy and accessible.  This means either being kept in-the-hand or kept in a pocket - keeping it in a bag adds access time unless the bag is on the front of my chest.  Both of these mean that the rig has to be kept as small as possible, which essentially boils down to lens choice.
The 14mm f2.5 lens is an absolute gem in this regard.  In the 4K mode (which has a 10% crop into the sensor) it's got a 30.8mm equivalent FOV.  I edit and deliver in 1080p, like all sensible people in the real world who haven't confused their ass for their elbow do, and so I can also use the 2x digital crop feature, which gives a 61.6mm equivalent FOV.  These two FOVs are hugely handy for showing people interacting with the environment around them - environmental portraits.
It also has good low-light, good close-focus distance, and has a bit of background defocus if the subject is close.
I have the GX85 configured with back-button focus.  This means that I hold down a button on the back when I want to engage AF and hitting the shutter button doesn't engage it.  This works brilliantly in practice as it means that I can focus once for a scene and then shoot without having to wait for the camera to AF.  I also have the viewfinder set to B&W and have focus peaking enabled in red, making it easily visible.  The histogram is also really handy to know what is going on too.
For Priority 2, this setup works well - the tilt-screen is great, AF is super-fast, IBIS is impressive and very functional, and I find using it in real-world situations to be easy, fast, and very low-friction.  It still gets some attention, but it's not excessive.
I find that for most shots I want to stop down to ensure that everything is in focus.  This is because my work is about the subjects experiencing the location and the interactions that are going on.  A nice portrait with a blurred-beyond-recognition serves very little purpose as it could have been shot anywhere at any time and therefore has no relevance.  This lens can give a satisfying amount of background defocus for mid-shots if required, and especially for macro shots, which are occasionally relevant in an edit.
Here are a few grabs SOOC.  
In grading I would typically lower the shadows to the point where the contrast is consistent (assuming it makes sense for the scene - lots of these have haze which you have to treat differently) and I would even out the levels of saturation etc.  I'd also sharpen or soften images to even out the perceptual sharpness too.
Interestingly enough, most of these images have enough DR, and even have elevated shadows, despite the camera not having a log profile.










These provide a really solid foundation to grade from.

Yes, it's a nice lens (used it as my main video lens back when I had Pana G6 with a 'power zoom' toggle on the body). It doesn't support dual-IS though. The Oly 14-42 EZ pancake is also 'OK' and has zoom and focus rings instead of toggles, so is a bit nicer to operate. I think build quality is better on the Pana lens though.
Oops - yes, quite correct, I was thinking about the mid-range 20MP Pana cameras (GX9, G95, G100 etc.) when I wrote that, which have 1.25x crop in 4k. No excuse really as I own a GX85...
I suspect the processing chips could do 100Mbps All-I 1080p, but having lots of video mode choices in a mid-range camera (aimed at ordinary buyers/users instead of video enthusiasts like us) I think would just be regarded as confusing.

Isn't that an OM-5 😉🙂

It's kind of gimmicky, but I kinda like the different colors. They're fun.

Every time I get the itch to acquire an OG Blackmagic Pocket Cinema Camera I decide that a GM1 or GM5 would be a much more sound purchase. I have never been able to find either of these cameras, used, for what I would consider a decent price. Three weeks ago the sweet little thing below popped up at a more than reasonable price and I snagged it quickly. It's essentially brand new. The kit lens was never even taken off. I bought a 20mm pancake for it and have been using it for stills ever since. At first I didn't like the blue but I've grown to like to look of it. This thing is quite an engineering marvel and it would be amazing to see a 4k version from Panasonic sooner than later.

I had heard it has a 1.5x crop mode but I'm just investigating it right now. As far as ProRes... sure LT would have been nice, but I'd probably end up shooting HQ anyway because why not? You'd still have to use a CF Express card probably, so I may as well get the most data possible at that point. It does C4K and 1080p, up to 60p, in ProRes... what other modes would you want it in?
With the dropping price, I must say I am thinking about pulling the trigger on it.

Does the Gh6 provide a 1.4 crop mode for giving it a S16 sensor width? For what I know it only has a 2x digizoom making suitable for 2/3 c-mount, b3 and b4 lenses. Love what i see regarding color from the Gh6. GH5ii is even more mysterious.
No Prores LT and nor Prores in some 4K modes is akward. This should have been an all in camera of what the hardware is capable of.

Does the Gh6 provide a 1.4 crop mode for giving it a S16 sensor width? For what I know it only has a 2x digizoom making suitable for 2/3 c-mount, b3 and b4 lenses. Love what i see regarding color from the Gh6. GH5ii is even more mysterious.
No Prores LT and nor Prores in some 4K modes is akward. This should have been an all in camera of what the hardware is capable of.

Having been a confirmed (amateur) Panasonic micro4/3 user for years, I dipped a toe in the Olympus world after the OM-1 came out and the used prices for the E-M1 iii dropped dramatically.
My Pana G9 beats it hands-down for basic video quality, but for me the E-M1 iii is such a nice camera hold and use (it fits my hands perfectly) that it's become the camera I take out most often. Battery life is excellent, as is the (adjustable strength) IBIS. You get used to the menus eventually...
The GX85 is another 'feels great in the hand' camera, so my usual travel cam is a GX85 with an Oly 14-150mm lens (overall smaller than some actual 'superzoom' cameras), and the G9 is the 'max video quality' and 4k50p option.
(Also got a cupboard full of other Panasonic cameras - G80, GX800, G6, LX100, LX7, and far too many lenses! )

I forgot to mention my glasses 😅
24-70gm ii
50mm 1.4gm
35mm 1.8  so yah 🤣

The issue was with light streaking when a bright area is adjacent to a dark area. I was able to reproduce it on my cam but never saw it in real world footage. I'm not sure if some cameras are affected more than others, but people were having conniptions about it on FB and YT.
I think it's such a pity that phase AF did not make into the GH6 as it would have reinforced the iconic GH line's standing.
Ha ha! No! Not for the GH6 or any other camera these days. People just make videos about cameras, it seems 😂 Joking aside, there was Olan Collardy's launch video for the GH6.
 
 
I mainly use mine for work and holiday stuff, but I did shoot this with an Isco 36 and gave it a bit of filmic colour treatment, grain etc.
 

I gave you a like for your unusual choice @Rinad Amir of camera. Noooot:) But for the Konica 35-100 F2.8 which you might have combined with it, which a I got because of your recommendation. Best direct lens recommendation I got, besides my 8EUR Tokina 25-50 F4 from @andy lee, one of Eoshds lens connoisseurs.
I put my Fs700 to a bit of use for some additional income, in HD 420 mostly. S1 got a little share of that. GX85 my eternal love, awesome beautiful image taker and camera. Sony PMW F3 waiting to get any use:) BMMCC used for some camera enjoyment. 5D2 and 3 to test which one is cooler for raw video and hopefully not collecting dust with the F3. Second FS700 never used, collecting dust. BMPCC og collecting dust. I am a dust collector like my lenes. Don´t start me on lenses:) Still got a G7, Oly Pen EP2 and E-PL1 🙂 
Looking forward to see some (moving) images from your beauties. 🙂 @Ty Harper @majoraxis
Welcome back to the forum @kye 🙂  

I gave you a like for your unusual choice @Rinad Amir of camera. Noooot:) But for the Konica 35-100 F2.8 which you might have combined with it, which a I got because of your recommendation. Best direct lens recommendation I got, besides my 8EUR Tokina 25-50 F4 from @andy lee, one of Eoshds lens connoisseurs.
I put my Fs700 to a bit of use for some additional income, in HD 420 mostly. S1 got a little share of that. GX85 my eternal love, awesome beautiful image taker and camera. Sony PMW F3 waiting to get any use:) BMMCC used for some camera enjoyment. 5D2 and 3 to test which one is cooler for raw video and hopefully not collecting dust with the F3. Second FS700 never used, collecting dust. BMPCC og collecting dust. I am a dust collector like my lenes. Don´t start me on lenses:) Still got a G7, Oly Pen EP2 and E-PL1 🙂 
Looking forward to see some (moving) images from your beauties. 🙂 @Ty Harper @majoraxis
Welcome back to the forum @kye 🙂  

I gave you a like for your unusual choice @Rinad Amir of camera. Noooot:) But for the Konica 35-100 F2.8 which you might have combined with it, which a I got because of your recommendation. Best direct lens recommendation I got, besides my 8EUR Tokina 25-50 F4 from @andy lee, one of Eoshds lens connoisseurs.
I put my Fs700 to a bit of use for some additional income, in HD 420 mostly. S1 got a little share of that. GX85 my eternal love, awesome beautiful image taker and camera. Sony PMW F3 waiting to get any use:) BMMCC used for some camera enjoyment. 5D2 and 3 to test which one is cooler for raw video and hopefully not collecting dust with the F3. Second FS700 never used, collecting dust. BMPCC og collecting dust. I am a dust collector like my lenes. Don´t start me on lenses:) Still got a G7, Oly Pen EP2 and E-PL1 🙂 
Looking forward to see some (moving) images from your beauties. 🙂 @Ty Harper @majoraxis
Welcome back to the forum @kye 🙂  

I gave you a like for your unusual choice @Rinad Amir of camera. Noooot:) But for the Konica 35-100 F2.8 which you might have combined with it, which a I got because of your recommendation. Best direct lens recommendation I got, besides my 8EUR Tokina 25-50 F4 from @andy lee, one of Eoshds lens connoisseurs.
I put my Fs700 to a bit of use for some additional income, in HD 420 mostly. S1 got a little share of that. GX85 my eternal love, awesome beautiful image taker and camera. Sony PMW F3 waiting to get any use:) BMMCC used for some camera enjoyment. 5D2 and 3 to test which one is cooler for raw video and hopefully not collecting dust with the F3. Second FS700 never used, collecting dust. BMPCC og collecting dust. I am a dust collector like my lenes. Don´t start me on lenses:) Still got a G7, Oly Pen EP2 and E-PL1 🙂 
Looking forward to see some (moving) images from your beauties. 🙂 @Ty Harper @majoraxis
Welcome back to the forum @kye 🙂  

Hey Kye, hope all is well!
This is a great thread and I feel this way a lot. I haven't bought a new camera body in awhile, just been refining the packages for what I have.
I haven't been filming much lately, but don't have any of the latest or greatest.
Currently own/use:
Nikon z5, (2) Samsung nx1's, samsung nx500, Panasonic g9, (2) black magic pocket OG's, Panasonic gx85, Nikon d800, Contax g1.
The z5 and G1 have been my primary stills/fun cameras.
nx1's and the nx500 are still my main video package.
Been building up the pocket camera package for a bit.
G9 has been awesome while I've had it.
gx85 is mainly hooked up to my computer as a way overkill webcam.
D800 has been kept because it still delivers the goods and can take advantage or the older/screwmount Nikon Glass I have.
 
 
 

Very awesome kit!  The GH2's are so killer for the price!  GH1's as well, you can get them for under $100 if you look hard enough!  Such a nice 1080p image from those older Lumix MFT cams, back when I used a Panasonic G7 as my main camera I always liked the mojo I got from the 1080p image, despite it being pixel binned and a low bitrate it had surprisingly good detail and held up well all things considered.  Would often use it instead of 4k to save filespace, and I always was happy with the results!

For work, I use the Sony FS7mk2 and FX30. Before I purchased the FX30, the second camera was the FS700.
For causal photography, I use the Fujifilm X-E4. Such a lovely experience.
Before covid I used the Sony A7mk3, but I sold it after there was no photo jobs at all. I still keep my Nikon D810 though. It's ancient, yet still takes beautiful photos. And I wouldn't sell it because of all the memories we shared. Probably the only camera I refuse to sell.
 

I still use 2 GH2's for live 1080p 25fps stuff... English classes that I get paid for. Super happy with them and they seem good enough when used with an ATEM Mini. For personal stuff, I use the GH6 and a G100 for travel. I'll be selling my E-M1 ii this next week if I can get 400-ish Euros for it. The rest of my cameras are either film or just broken broken.

Thanks!  I’ve been working hard to improve. 

Lovely lighting here!

I am using a Nikon Z6 with either an Atomos Ninja V or an Atomos Ninja Star. Mostly shooting oversampled 1080p out of the HDMI port. By setting the rec setting to 4k and HDMI out to 1080p. I use the ninja v when I am doing interviews or lighting stuff so I can take advantage of LUT monitoring and waveforms, etc. For run-and-fun BROLL though I usually use the Ninja Star. Keeps the setup light and small. 
 
As for lenses, to be honest I currently only have a Tamron 45mm 1.8 F-mount lens using the Nikon FTZ adapter. Looking to explains, however, and am strongly considering the Viltrox 24mm 1.8Z. Or maybe I will go with an f-mount Nikon 16-35 f4 as a nice affordable autofocus-capable ultra wide.