Snowfun

It’s a heritage railway I am involved with on a volunteer basis. No aspirations to become a professional or do this for income. But I want to produce something decent (primarily for my satisfaction as I suspect they will be grateful for anything…) FX30 is certainly #1 currently (the R5C did also appear in the running this morning but the benefits are limited). Had actually thought about an FX6 but it would be too much of a vanity project… Realistically, my BMs will cover the external shots - the stunning landscapes and scenery - and an insta360 will do a lot of the “clamp to the loco” work.

That’s the view I’m coming round to. I thought there might be some singing the praises of the C200 AF/tracking but the FX30 simply ticks the boxes.

What’s the advantage here? (Ignore the price). Presumably in the real world (as opposed to YT “reviews”) the AF systems are very similar.

I’ve been asked to produce a short promotional film which will benefit from having autofocus. Primarily because I’d be useless at trying to pull focus. My current stable revolves around Blackmagic. So no AF (at least not continuous for the pedants). Tracking would certainly be useful. Options I’ve been thinking about… FX30 (£1900) C200 (£2800) Anything else? Doesn’t need to be full frame (hence the FX30 rather than FX3). Internal recording only (and the raw of the C200 isn’t really a significant advantage). IQ is possibly secondary to the quality and reliability of AF. I will also use my iPhone surreptitiously. I hope to get away with the cheap Sony/Canon “kit” lenses available in E and EF. The more carefully thought out and planned shots will be the BM6k. I’m not remotely interested in stills so a thoroughbred hybrid isn’t necessary. It will be collated from sequences shot over several months on an ad hoc basis so renting isn’t an option. Audio will be recorded separately (ambient only - no voices). Thoughts? (And please no fps 60 vs 24 or DR 10 vs 15 debates!) Between those 2 (or similar) which has the better tracking and AF? Cheers, Tim

All good stuff as always. Thank you.

Yes. And by which time no one will be watching films made by someone else anyway… “AI, make me a Western/Romance/Horror… “ No camera needed. (Goodness, I hope not!)

Well, he did… but I’m sure I saw him pop a Werther’s Original half way round…

I’ll be seriously impressed if it learns anything from the rubbish I post!

Interesting! Thank you. My question would be how you dismissed the Komodo? I’m not suggesting that it is better nor that you should have gone that way but, assuming it crossed your mind, what are the reasons to dismiss it?

For Sale Blackmagic 4k. Blackmagic 6k. Blackmagic Studio. Sony A7S3, AX53. Wanted GoPro 12

Heavens above! I am enjoying this camera (AX53) so much! The zoom is fabulous. The size and convenience coupled with the internal stabilisation and - I might be repeating myself - that zoom is a winning combination. Yes, the image isn’t up there with the best but one wouldn’t expect it to be. But as a tool to take out, have some fun and create some images to enjoy it’s fabulous. I’m glad I stumbled into this thread!

I’d definitely get something capable of 60fps because, as we all know, 24fps is so outdated… (But probably either a Blackmagic offering or an Insta360 - and whichever I got I’d have times of regret.)

PS... order placed with cvp so we'll see how it works out!

These threads do tend to descend into either-or types debates. I have a recent iPhone and, yes, I do use this for video. I also have a range of Blackmagics for a number of different purposes. But I still feel that the AX53 possibly has a place. The zoom. The internal gimbal. The compact size and ease of use. And possibly even the "retro" vibe and "invisible amateur tool" aspects. Coupled with the fact that if I drop it or it falls off a mount... it really doesn't matter. I am thinking of it as a GoPro/Insta alternative... yes, a niche, perhaps, but there will be a lot of people out there for whom a decent camcorder would definitely fill their niche. As @kye said - get a lot of different shots with an easy to use camera and focus on the edit.

Having read this topic I now find myself looking at a Sony AX53... The internal gimbal is intriguing. The ability to zoom that far (x20) in such a small package is definitely appealing. No one would claim it has perfect image quality but at the price and for what it claims to do... definitely attractive.

Or, indeed, the sport vs a certain brand of sunglasses debacle?

The wider implications… if Nikon do incorporate RED technology in their consumer offerings, where does that leave Blackmagic? Braw vs R3D (with the added “advantage” of Nikon’s AF, lens mount and lenses etc.) It’s going to be interesting to see how other players respond. Panasonic to buy Blackmagic? @ac6000cw is possibly correct - it won’t be long before the RED label appears on a Nikon camera (or a skull) just like the Zeiss badge on Sony. Surprisingly muted at reduser. Perhaps they are now discovering the real meaning of telling their friends that they make Cool Pics…

A perfect fit then. Although hipsters have already moved onto Jim’s new venture… https://m-experiment.com/pages/brand Will Nikon keep RED separate or will RED technology creep into the consumer offerings?

Astonishing. Interesting times ahead… Have Nikon ever made sunglasses?

Good question! A bit of both. It’s more to capture the essence and atmosphere of the resort (in Lapland) rather than super gnarly tricks (by myself or others!) Some boot mount shots, some rails, some lift shots and some scenery. Nothing too preplanned or set up - if it’s looking good, whip the camera out and shoot. I’ve already damaged fingers with frostbite so my hands get very cold very quickly hence the need to emphasise ease of use. Beginning to think more along GoPro lines (agree with @kyethat Osmo might be too fragile).

I do have 2 RX0s - one mk1 (in the Sony “dive” case) and one mk2. They are super little cameras. But - the single AF can be tricky and the lack of stabilisation is an issue. I agree, they would certainly be the better option if I could resolve those problems.

I need an action camera - to shoot skiing and snowboarding. Short sequences in cold weather wearing gloves. So ease of operation is an absolute priority. Simple on/off. Simple start/stop. Simple to pop into a jacket pocket. A wrist loop is essential - I don't want to drop it from a chair lift. 4k @ 60fps would be useful (especially for some re-framing) albeit 1080 @ 60fps is realistically adequate. Currently thinking about: Osmo Pocket 3 (mechanical stabilisation and what seems to be a very simple start/stop button). Possibly the preferred option but open to ideas. Insta360 (the 1" version - no need to frame, slightly more creative options (?)) GoPro 12 (I really don't know too much about ease of use never having used one) I accept the footage from all three will be relatively poor (cf braw etc.) but it is what it is. Image quality isn't the driver here - ease of use is. I used to have the original Insta360 but ease of use was pathetic. Most of the time I didn't know if it was on or off - I have hours of "inside-of-pocket" footage if anyone is interested. Thoughts and informed opinion?

This is a ridiculous post. What is the context? There are some situations with some camera/lens combinations in which AF is undoubtably superior. Indeed, AF can make shots which would be hard if not impossible with MF straightforward. There are, equally, some situations when MF is perfect. I prefer MF lenses but I regret that preference time after time - there are things I’d like to do but don’t have the talent or skills or resources to do with MF. To make a blanket statement about your experience with no context is nonsense. Your scoop is possibly better used to serve mashed potato.

I think we've got it now. You make a point which has a certain, albeit limited, legitimacy: high speed sport or YouTube viewers. Others - and possibly a more discerning audience - disagree. I'm not sure I understand why you keep repeating yourself. A weak argument gains no strength by simply recycling it ad nauseam (and I accept that an argument gains no strength by including latin phrases...) Time to move on perhaps?

This thread illustrates just how quickly life moves on. Anyone remember Jim’s attempt at fusing the camera and the phone? He is now back producing sunglasses (no rose tinted ones for those of us who naively bought into the Hydrogen hyperbole however).