Kisaha

What you say, doesn't make any sense. There are amazing S35 cinema and/or documentary lenses. They didn't start making movies and documentaries a couple weeks ago, you know. You are reffering mostly to photo lenses, which is the wrong way thinking about it, really, but if you want to use photo lenses to shoot video, stop complaining and choose among hundrends of options like the rest of the world. If you want to go dead cheap and still shopping for cine zooms, there are the 2 Fujinon lenses 18-55 and 50-15- T2.9 and the 18-80/70-200 CNE Canon lenses, as well the Sony 18-110mm

I do not know why, but I need this!! European release? The whole presentation was just that?

I believe the Zooms loose a lot of power when left inside. Also they need to be pluged occasionally, so not to loose internal clock and the such. I don't remember exactly, but after some time, both my huge NPF batteries AND the Eneloops inside, I find them dead.

I am using it with the Audio Technica 4025 and has been really good so far, better solution than a softie, as it creates the "blimp" effect, the size and shape can be problematic for camera placement. You need to hold the mic somehow too, it doesn't solve that problem, I am using it with the Rycote Lyre 7HGmkII, excellent product as well, but on a stick or a tripod. There is a similar Lyre for on-camera placement.

@IronFilm I love mine too, that and the Sanken 1M (they go together anyway) are my most used piece of equipment for the TV season 2019-2020, that doesn't change the fact that is the best softie around, but not a zeppelin design.

The cameras in question here are the NX1 vs the X-T2, admittedly the Fuji is better in low light, but in everything else is subpar. I do not consider the a6300 anything else than a hobbyist camera and I wouldn't dare to compare it with an X-T2 or an NX1. How good are those Viltrox's?

The system is dead and cameras are evolving every year, so I wouldn't buy it now. With that said, The great advantage of the system are its lenses. Great pancakes 30mm fish, 16mm, 20mm, 30mm, great all arounder 16-50PZ lens, small and cheap 12-24mm, pro 16-50mm 2-2.8f, the 50-150mm, creamy 85mm 1.4f, 60 macro and many others. Personally, NX3000 with the 16-50PZ on a leather case for throw anywhere stuff/NX500 for every day or even as 2-3-4-5 camera in multicams and usually have the 10mm fish eye, 30mm or the 12-24mm on that, great and light landscape combo with the NX 28mgpxls and tonality. 2 NX1 for pro stuff usually with the 16-50S and the 45mm - amazing portraits lens. Still use on occasion any of the others or a 50-200 and a 18-200 (this is the worst lens of the system, but convinient for video with silent and very good touch/AF and great OIS and is my do-it-all-do-not-care lens when I shoot in the beach, or in boats, e.t.c). I bought the P4K as a stop gap tool, and waiting the new mirrorless systems to mature. I am very interested on Nikon Z, but the system is so incomplete, I wouldn't dare to start buying anything yet. Canon seems to be waking up, maybe it isn't too late, Sony seems to struggle to understand how to make a good video and photo tool, so older Canonikon, if they really decide to pull out their heads out of their arses, can seriously produce excellent parts of their new systems. First full frame mirrorless Canon's were a joke, they will be immediately forgotten with every new release. Eos M system is very interesting for most amateurs/prosumers, one can buy a nice middling photo camera and 2-3 lenses for a little bit more that 1000€ these days, (a 15-45 kit with one of the older bodies, the 22mm and maybe the 11-22mm/55-250/32mm macro, or whatever that is) = sufficient for anyone that do not want to spend a lot, do not care to upgrade the next 5-6 year and take a few thousand pictures per year. Easily adapt dead cheap EF-S lenses too. I personally do not like the X system, I get why people like it and I love Fuji since my film days (stock) and I owned some bridge and compact ones, but I bought into NX early and every of their oldee Fuji cameras were seriously lacking for pro work, especially the first ones were totally unusable for pro video. Mostly Nikon friends were carrying them as carry around cameras or 2nd for photographu. Their lenses are very expensive for what they are and their older fast primes need some re-engineering for video, or fast AF. What we were getting from NX ergonomics, touch screen interface, technology and menu wise, Fuji started with the X-T3, and still NX was better on so many aspects, X-T4 is a whole new beast of course, but I haven't used it, so I can't really comment. Suggested price is 1900€ here body only, not very cheap. The 16-80 is getting very bad reviews, the 16-55 is slower, heavier, bigger and more expensive than the Z, still no fish eye which I use a lot - even for dance performances dead in the center and low, can offer some stunning and interesting views like a secondary wide shot, or a wider shot. The ergonomics are getting better, not there for me yet, Z50 seems a lot nicer, but Z6/Z7 needs another generation to mature and become THE TOOLS for our job. The opinion above to buy an X-T2 and a GH4 is just a joke, as those are ridiculously worst cameras than the NX1, if anyone wants to invest on X, starts X-T3 and m43 starts from a more recent model. No way X-T2 and GH4 are good video tools in 2020! They weren't even two years ago, X-T2 is ok for photos of course, GH4, not even that. GH5 and the similar, are like 3 generations ahead!

I work on the capital, where the TV studios are, and my wife works on a smaller city, so after I quarantined myself in the capital first (just in case), I finally spend time with my little ones. It was a difficult year away from my family (actually, the family was away from me), and a lot of hard - and meaningless TV comedy - work. Unfortunately, I was about to earn the 50% of my income these months (March - April - May) but everything is canceled, or I canceled everything anyway. Health is more important than anything else. You are very good at what you do @mojo43, your style isn't exactly my cup of tea, but I am trying to get inspiration by your work and maybe speed up a little, but maybe you need to slow down a bit yourself, like 1-2% or 3! I feel that some images have to breath a little bit more and give some frames, you say so in the middle of your video as well! I do not use voice overs, never, but it was a necesity in this one, I guess, I want to see more like the Georgian stuff, really liked that one, had more depth and substance. Little details of course, but I get that you want to be super awesome at that!

It is a softie! If it was doing everything, they wouldn't be selling any Pianissimos for double the price. It is perfect for inside, because it is still very light and the boom op can swing it hard. ALL the boomen I had this year loved it, and we had many entrances from outside-inside that I would be affraid to use anything less, and you can use it outside too. With some low cut it works great, but it is not a normal blimp. The trick is the air around the mic in blimps.

Thank you very much @BTM_Pix !! This is a nice little device, as I am old school, I prefer dedicated hardware for specific jobs. The cost is fine. I was considering streaming services for some time now, even though I am not sure how this thing can fit my business profile, but we have to adapt anyway.. At the moment I have lost all my income, while rent and bills running wild..

2 cameras are enough for most things, I just rather have 2 "real" ones - with interchangeable lenses - than a USB cam. I do not have to be alone in this. Even if I was, I would prefer to have a wide and a different frame, probably more tele, or a lot more tele!

I was thinking multi cam, USB cam sounds too low fi for us pros (or we say so!) but the friend with the van solution, too specialized. Probably self operated, not dying to be in front of one after 25+ years behind so many of them. Better portable, or fully mobile - but not extreme, like with a mobile phone, even though, if it is easy, that would be interesting as well. I've got a gaming laptop and a Surface Go, a BMP4K and 4 Samsung NX cameras at the moment that I can use. Unfortunately I do not do business with my old company because I was working straight 2 years on TV daily comedy series and I have lost some of my older connections, so no GH5 and no JVC LS300 anymore.

+1 to @kye But in general, what one needs to make something professional these days? Anyone have some equipment example?

There are a lot of videos that policemen literally beat people with long sticks in India. Of what I see, the less serious about the pandemic are U.S, U.K and the government of Brazil, but not the citizens. We know from history, and learned by science, that such pandemics are very common and occur every 80 or so years. The Coronavirus epidemic (or pandemic) has been described in many epidemiology books and it could have been easily started from Vietnam or Thailand or even anywhere in Africa. I was reading one chapter from a Minnesotian doctor and the chapter is exactly the same as what really happened. He gave real life examples on an interview of how specific animals can create such diseases. You don't have to look much further to spot something similar and probably more cinematic. Have yo heard about this? https://www.google.com/amp/s/www.ajc.com/news/national/scientists-worry-brain-wasting-zombie-deer-disease-could-spread-humans/rjpiryXSOn92IxD9qVx1ZL/amp.html

100$ (85€) are just not enough, and you have to count the holding base also. Most cost effective solution that works is probably the Rycote Supershield. Check them out, still not as good as the more expensive ones, but at least 10X better than other softies (4Χ better than the Cosy, and half price almost!). My Cinela Cosy cost 600€, and it is still a glorified softie. Sennheiser 900€, the Rycotes I have around 500€. There are the Rycote Cyclone that are even more expensive (one expensive piece of kit I wouldn't recommend) and the Cinela Piano and Pianissimo are 4 digits price. Physics are difficult to be beaten by cheap.

Especially now with the pandemic, everyone turns to the state again, like the good-ol' socialistic days of the 80s, when the dream of the United States of Europe was driven by socialistic governments and leaders for a whole decade and a half. It is obvious that health has to be provided by the state, to all citizens. No private hospital or health institution can accept anyone with Corona right now. At least in Europe, except if it is ordered by the state/country. Already there are rumours of some Air companies to become national again. Air Italia is a certainty. So, the two poster services of this new capitalism - private health care and air ways, already shown signs of weaknesses to a real crisis, and not stupid man made recessions of an already screwed economic system, like in 2008. The system just re-arranged itself in 2008, now it will be re-arranged by the circumstances that can not truly control. This is da shit, U.S and U.K want to "open for business" in 3 weeks from now, but the only business that will thrive in 3 weeks, will be funeral services, unfortunately - and I hope not. This will be a real blow to the policies of those nations there. You can not ignore real world issues like that. This is not a 3rd country, 3rd tier epidemic, this is an all world pandemic (unfortunately for us humans, it is a 3rd tier disease. Imagine an Embola pandemic or the 21st century version of the Spanish flu. We are that little). A few good things. Some companies in Europe "illegally" reverse-engineered some parts that couldn't be brought from overseas fast enough and 3D printed them. 3D printing for health care is going to another level. A company based in Prague provided the health system for free 1000 masks (big ones that protect the whole head, it is like a mini shield) with things they resourced in Prague "in one afternoon". Most doctors and national health systems are providing data on an unprecedented level for the very first time in history. Cheap and easily made tests are very near in manufacturing already and we hope for a drug at the minimum (which unfortunately is 18-20 months from now, the testing process can not be hastened much, imagine if you inject 2-3.000.000.000 the wrong thing!). People will respect more our basic needs and resources. Our way of life is not sustainable.

You always have to budget for wind and handling noise. Sound Professionals do that. From best to least: Cinela - Sennheiser (It has saved me unlimited times, I bought the set for 900€ back in the day but is my best set up) - Rycote - Rode Rode works, but better save some and go Rycote. Smaller, lighter, simpler and better construction, better performance. I have Cinela Cosy also, and is great as a super-expensive-well build-better performing softie. This is a kit with my Sanken CS-1M.

Not missing them that much! Thanks!

Depending my work schedule, I am missing some things on the web, his disappearance was one of those! Just can't remember what exactly he was doing last. Hope everyone is well though.

KidzRevil was banned? I missed that somehow, what he did?

I do not even participate in the forum much, there is so much toxicity that I censor myself and stay out of sight, and older users sure remember me as a fierce debater! My speciality is documentaries and politics. One a did years ago was Democracy (or the lack of it) in modern political systems, my thesis in University was "The clash of Capitalism, Communism, Fascism and the Italian Neo-Realistic movement", and even recently I participated on a European team and did a documentary for the recent euro elections in Greece after 10 years of recession, while I do not support a specific political party, so I can be free and analyze the situations free of bonds or ties. This is not a discussion or a civil exchange of views, some people just DO NOT READ, they just spread hate and confusion, and the carnivores thrive on those. Why do we need them among us?

Me and my wife are self emoloyed too, that means there is no relief for us! My wife stoped working for a week now, and I cancelled a few jobs I had booked, while I am expecting, or I will do anyway, the TV series I am working right now to be canceled together with my contract (written by the "producers" so they can do as they please with me. Modern capitalism has nothing to do with Adams and Webber anymore). All these will result at least 50-60% loss of our income for the 2020 (I mainly live from TV season, September to April-May). Glad I didn't buy anything expensive recen..whoops, we bought a new car a month or so, ago! Well.. Here in Greece we were starting to build the economy again after the tragic decade that just passed, and now everything stops, while some of our neighbors are trying to push us to a full time war(!) with cultural and religion pretexts.. I just hope that we can fast forward to June/July and do small trips with my family while the outbreak is behind us and noone wants to do any fighting in the world. 2020 is such a weird year so far.

We wife stopped working and I will probably next week. We are not going to have any income for the next few months though..

@IronFilm I was about to make the NBA example! There are so many variables on a good boom op, and usually the best ones are not on features, because there you have 2 or 3 boom ops on a very specific and well planned scene. Best boom ops are in jobs like every day episodic TV, soap operas with a lot of exteriors and the such, on low budgeted 2nd and 3rd world countries. Every day we shoot 22-25minutes of PLAY time, time that will be aired on a few days. That is madness for all the departments, but mostly sound. You really have to be on top of your game every minute or everything goes downhill, fast; they can literally see a problem on the monitor, but most of the times do not realize what is going on with sound.

Some of the greatest boom ops I have worked with, are short to shortish. I am kind of average (1.75m) and I was kind of great (or better!) with the boom pole! My assistant is booming for 30 years now, and is around 1 68-1.70m I had 2 even shorter boomen recently. A 37 year old one and a 55 year old both under 1.70. The tallest one, around 1.95m-2m was the worst booman I had, ever. I tried to teach him everything I knew and he was such a bad character and owful in learning. not worthy for the industry, just a random person. Canon C100 is one of the best selling cinema camera. Just wished for an XC type of camera with EF mount and 10bit recording. 10bit should be mandatory on a cine/pro video camera in 2020. We have raw for a 1000€ for Pete's shake.