Phil A

The Pix-e5h has only HDMI, you'd need to Pix-e5 for SDI connection. But the Pix-e5 only does 4k via HDMI, not SDI, according to the B&H Q&A for the product.

Personally I think it's kinda annoying how much "web research" is necessary to find a fitting combo of camera + recorder/monitor. I'd never have expected so many incompatibilities and hickups. Obviously there's less standardization regarding HDMI / SDI data protocolls than I thought.

Not sure if VideoDevices firmware-updated that in the time between but as far as I know the Pix-e5 doesn't do RAW recording from the FS700. You clearly might want to research that before buying.

I'd eat grass if it was 10bit and Sony not telling it to everyone and his mom whenever they can. They don't seem like the company to pass that oportunity up.

Good High ISO vs. 10bit vs. 4k vs. sensor size vs. high framerates still is a total tradeoff. Pick your poison, there's no camera to do it all.

Correct as far as I know.

Not really surprised, if I understand right we're looking at the results of stills. Obviously the A7sII won't have the same advantage regarding noise as the A7rII who can enormously downscale the picture to increase quality. I think the A7s II is better when it comes to dynamic range in high ISO though (but then quality of light is also often so-so when shooting in low light).

In video recording that will obviously be a different result.

The Sigma ART lenses are top notch from the quality, I wouldn't be concerned about any plastics vs metal discussions. I clearly wouldn't want them to be any heavier for sure, which brings me to the point: did you consider how big the Sigmas are? They're surely quite a bit bigger than your Nikkors or FDs so consider that. When you compare the Sigma 50 1.4 vs the Canon EF 50 1.4 USM you get way better quality at the price of a way bigger & heavier lens. For some applications I'm not sure which is the better compromise.

I'd love if they could do a clean 1080p picture now. But to be honest if it would be on a competitive level I think they would have marketed it in a more aggressive way. Still will have an eye on possible tests.

Perhaps really better wait a bit and get a 32" TV instead of a 27" monitor. Seeing how all that new stuff with 10Bit color comes out just now, prices will probably adjust downwards rapidly in 2016-2017.

I've considered getting another screen via Decklink card for Davinci Resolve (because their multi screen functionality is bad for "home users") but seeing how all the new Samsung SUHD and what the new TVs with 10bit panels, HDR functions, etc. are called are just only coming out I've decided to probably postpone by a year. I'm using a 27" Dell U2711 Ultrasharp as my GUI monitor (2560x1440 pixel IPS-panel, wide gamut, calibrated) and have to agree, if the resolution would be 4k I'd want probably more than 27".

I'm curious, are any of you using external monitors and if yes, what?

As you've probably seen me ranting, the SmallHD 501/502 is not compatible with the Samsung NX1 (and probably will never be). But when you look at 5" Full HD monitors there's somehow not a lot around. Of course there's options when willing to use a external recorder in form of the BMD Video Assist (which lacks a lot of the tools SmallHD has and apparently also has a weaker screen) or the Pix-e5 (which costs 1600 €).

I'm stuck between using my D750 + the SmallHD 501 or using the NX1 with no external monitor... so I can eaither have ok usability and image wiht great easy monitoring (peaking, zebra, waveform, frame guides, ...) or a way better handling camera with a subjectively nicer image but be limited to the little flippy screen.
It seems there's a lot of sidegrade to the NX1 in form of A7rII, A7s, A7s II, GH4, BMPCC/BMMCC,... but I didn't find a equivalent alternative to the SmallHD 501 (the Pix-e5h is the closest but heavier due to recorder functions).

Could that be achieved by holding a prism in front of the lens? I've seen pictures of a photographer who extensively used that technique but can't remember the name right now.

I can't speak for this specific offer/seller but often on eBay you will find vendors with imported grey market products. Here in Europe you often find sellers from the UK which sell cameras way below MSRP - like a Sony A7r II for 2650 instead of 3400 € as an example - but which come with no local system language (obviously not a problem if you want English) and more important no local guarantee. I read from Canon related pages that some of the greymarket dealers actually shipped the stuff with counterfeit accessories like charges, batteries, etc. so make sure that you check all details when finding a good deal on eBay. In the end it's valid: if it sounds too good to be true, it probably isn't.

It sounds like the D750 is a huge step up in usability to the camera you use. It can change the aperture during live view without leaving it as in the older models. Punch in magnification is on the ok button; you click it once to zoom in and once again to zoom out. Plus I have record on the shutter button when putting the live view mode to movie. The zebra is also really usefull but obviously also no focus peaking for whatever reason (it seems also still none in D5/D500).
It seems that like with most systems, going with the prosumer/pro bodies doesn't really change the image but more the usability. It gets easier to get to your result without hating the tool.

The Micro Cinema is not yet available so the "sold out" isn't correct. Blackmagic didn't ship any so far.

The Micro Studio is available indeed but it has no internal recording and "only" does Rec.709 and no LOG recording. That's not really for the same application field as the cinema cameras.

Of course you can use flash in the hotshoe. It would be silly if not, there is no picture camera with a cold shoe in forever. I'm no expert but the only thing I could imagine is that low end models don't do optical master with the build in flash to a slave, but then anyway everyone I know uses remote triggers for reliability.

I mentioned it in the Ursa Mini thread but as someone there remarked, they might say "Shipping in January" but even if they do it will probably take months to fulfill pre-orders and be probably nearly autumn if not winter when it's easily available at retailers.
There's still no information about anyone having a prototype or any test footage so it's also still to be seen what impact the global shutter mode has on DR, etc.

I love the idea of the camera. I'd really like to get one, it fixes what I dislike about the Pocket, but so far it's vaporware and I'm not sure if I should get my hopes up.

I have the Aputure Amaran HR672 which is somewhere between the 528 and the Light Storm. I only used it a bunch of times but it is quite nice to use, it comes with a diffusor, a color filter, a wall plug cable and 2 batteries which was a huge surprise to me. Usability is great but I'm not sure they're really robust so try to avoid dropping them.

One little annoyance is that you have to take the batteries out when you don't use it or they'll slowly discharge. But the handy little transport case anyway doesn't allow storage with the batteries installed.

You're of course right. Even if they really start shipping it by end of January, that means nothing about availability. If it'll ship like products in the past it seems it'll take months to fulfill pre-orders and then will start getting available in stores slowly.

The Video Assist "started shipping" in November and yet it is still not available in Switzerland or Germany, stores list it as "on request", "not available" or "3 to 4 weeks delivery".
The BMPCC on the other hand is available everywhere but is still ~1000€. Even used it sells for 700€ which is crazy when you consider that there was the summer sale for 500$.

I'm not really sure what to make of BMD. They don't seem exactly trustworthy with their business behaviour.

I use Davinci Resolve so it's more about being able to grade them at all. I guess Resolve user will be stuck without H.265 support for at least some more months (except for Resolve Studio on Mac).

It's super easy, just make sure you download the right installer for your system.

Drag the footage into the window, choose your desired codec, resolution, etc. and let it run. I use it to transcode the NX1 4k H.265 to ProRes HQ 422 and it works really nice.

Small update but the Blackmagic Design website now says "shipping in January" for the Ursa Mini 4.6k and the BMMCC. Will we really see it or will they update to February in 4 weeks?

The 1080p output of the NX1 is not a clean HDMI out but has the GUI overlayed so it wouldn't make sense to output 1080p and record that. Does the VA downscale 4k or UHD when receiving via HDMI?

Regarding 1), you can go by feeling which is probably not really accurate. What I do is set it to wide open and look at shutter speed & ISO, then I close down and count the stops by watching how the shutter speed and/or ISO changes. Is obviously takes a few seconds to set, depending on how quick you're with maths in your head. Another pragmatical possibility would be to just set the ISO fixed or set the AutoISO to the maximal acceptable value and then disregard f/stop and just open and close as much as possible without going into the underexposure warning.

I've seen the Samsung 18-200mm used in like new condition for 400 € yesterday on a German photography forum. I guess seeing how you're so sure you need a lens like that I'd rather bite the bullet and get a good priced used one than use an adapted superzoom with manual focus.

Canon straps even say which model it is if it's a "better one" like 7D, 5D etc. I guess that automatically gives you the admiration factor from the Rebel using peasants and the right to tell them to get out of your way ;-)
I should use the "Minolta Dynax" strap that I currently have on the Nikon for the Samsung. Morituri te salutant!

But I agree with your post... my heart would rather part with the D750 than the NX1 at the moment just out of usability reasons, which is obviously a completely different motivation than what makes most people buy cameras. Just wondering now what to exchange my SmallHD field monitor for, I kinda don't want to let that go either but I have only 1% hope that they'll actually fix the problem.

Tell it to the Leica fans, there were enough of them asking for a M rangefinder camera without a LCD to chimp. I bet they're willing to pay a premium.

I'd agree if you want a hybrid system like discussed in the other thread but if you want to use the body for video with adapted glass (or are cool with shooting stills with manual focus), I think the NX1 is a great thing. After all the BMPCC is really popular and that is even less "system" for 990€.