mkabi

That was relatively thorough, but oddly I was liking many of the images coming from the a7sii. 

There is a lot of those types... And, I get it... I know Engineers (Civil, Mechanical, Electrical, etc.) who take up photography as a 'hobby', but instead of practicing photography they practice comparing spec sheets. Zooming in to pixel peep and complaining about DR... isn't really an art form (but thats just my opinion).

Yes, this a x1000 over.
It is an affliction and lots of ppl on every level of proficiency and skill get caught up in it one way or another.
It never fails on any set I've been on. Someone in the crew is going to start talking shop and I'm guilty of getting caught up in those conversations, even though I consciously try to aviod it, because the "mojo" is not there.
I honestly care only to the degree of whether or not I'm happy with the shot and the massaging is on point. Obviously, most ppl are not okay with a crap image unless that is the narrative. 
My highschool photography teacher was a huge technical shooter. I spent so much time making sure I was exploring my creativity in every assignment and all he could do was comment and grade me on nitpicking my "exposure". (Celluloid) He was awful to me and would shame me quite often. I would hate having to bring up my contact sheet or review. The bastard would call out my last name and then freaking let out a loud sigh. ?
My second year I took 1st place in a statewide competition, for the category of "creativity". (Not that my exposure had issues) My teacher had to eat his lunch. I was happier about that than winning the prize. ?
Not to put ppl in a box, but I learned a long time ago that there are technical shooters, let's call them craftsmen, and then there are creative/narrative shooters we deem as artists.
Both could learn a lot from eachother. That being said, creativity is hard to teach. I actually think to tap into creativity you have to be a little clinically insane, which is a mental state a technical person would find very uncomfortable, because it involves intuition and a bit of chaos, rather than hard-concrete controlled facts.
This very thread got really unhealthy really quick. People were attacking one another's preferences, which arent really debatable. You like what you like. And what you might like today, you might hate tomorrow. It just doesn't matter, and everyone here is worth more than the sum of their preferences.

Also, just know that its all Manual Focus & Manual Aperture Ring. I don't know if your d5300 has focus peaking, but you may have to punch in with the magifier (if you have that ability on the d5300).
Good luck.

Yeah thats a good price.
Couple of things, figure out what the Zeiss's native mount is.... I know most cinema lenses are PL, some EF.... but now you have to look into getting an adaptor (thats if you don't have one already). 
Given that you "had a blast" with the 85mm 1.8, thats a 135mm equivalent on a APS-C... and I can understand why you would like that lens, typical 85mm and/or 135mm are portrait lenses. As for 35mm... its really about taste here... we rarely find people that like the medium length, because it becomes a 50mm equivalent on a APS-C, and yeah everyone talks about the 50mm (because it becomes 85mm equivalent). There are a lot of people that love the wides, if you want true 35mm on APS-C, try the Zeiss 20mm if they have it. 
If this is about you trying to discover yourself and what you like.... then go for the 35mm.

Most folk who shoot 30 minute+ takes are doing it in quite specialised circumstances. If you are leaving a camera on a tripod pointing at a speaker on a platform and pressing record there are 100 other video cameras that can do a decent job. Who shoots more than half and hour shallow DOF video? I am trying to think of the last time I shot more than a minute of anything.

They're not getting away with it. Several videos and discussions about it. Fuji definitely F'ed up. H1 is sold as having superior AF. A firmware fix is bound to come quickly (or sales are going to hurt). I know I'm not be buying one until this is fixed.

At the end of the day, its about how you sell yourself (and that has every bit to do with how much you value yourself too).
If I was in either the Real Estate biz or even the wedding biz, I would create a tiered pricing approach - along with a demo reel to help the client see what the difference is between what you offer in terms of service (for each price point). 
For example for real estate:
Bronze package: 2 hour shoot - 1 day editing - $500 - Demo reel showing what is included in this price range.
Silver package: 4 hour shoot - 1-3 day - $1200 - Demo reel showing what is included in this price range (if the customer is not able to see that much of a difference here, then explain).
Gold/Platinum package: 8+ hour shoot - Multi-day editing - $3000 - Demo reel showing what is included in this price range.
This is not newbie (I know it all) pricing.... this is.... I've been here for a while, you obviously heard of me and/or seen my work pricing.
Obviously, you try to do your best on every single package - don't skimp, because you want to retain a customer, you want repeat customers. At the same time, figure out what you are capable of doing within the set parameters, don't apply nd filters on the window if you only have 2 hours. Nonetheless, you go the extra mile for the Gold/Platinum package - use your own creative facilities for this.... I can't teach you vision and/or creativeness... that's all you. But here is a tip, people have a hard time envisioning themselves in a space and how to fill a space, this is why they have staging (they put rental furniture) to fill a space. Go the extra mile by... I don't know... hire actors (they are a dime a dozen willing to work for cheap - try mandy.com... audition first, Rolodex the good ones for repeat performances, just don't do the same crap in every video), here is an example: get a couple that are engaged in a conversation with a mug of coffee - laughing it up. You don't have to have a real dialogue going on, mute them out and have your choice of music overlayed. Have children running around, or a teen browsing on the ipad nestled on the couch... This is how you sell yourself... BTW, for the gold/platinum package only (actually the best videos in this category), stamp your name and/or company logo on it. Because, if its a good video, people will associate the video with the person creating it not the real estate agent selling the home, thereafter - depending on the demand - you adjust the price.
Editted to add: If you are new to this.... I would throw in some stuff for free the first few times.... its like how drug dealers throw it in till you are hooked on it approach  
 

At the end of the day, its about how you sell yourself (and that has every bit to do with how much you value yourself too).
If I was in either the Real Estate biz or even the wedding biz, I would create a tiered pricing approach - along with a demo reel to help the client see what the difference is between what you offer in terms of service (for each price point). 
For example for real estate:
Bronze package: 2 hour shoot - 1 day editing - $500 - Demo reel showing what is included in this price range.
Silver package: 4 hour shoot - 1-3 day - $1200 - Demo reel showing what is included in this price range (if the customer is not able to see that much of a difference here, then explain).
Gold/Platinum package: 8+ hour shoot - Multi-day editing - $3000 - Demo reel showing what is included in this price range.
This is not newbie (I know it all) pricing.... this is.... I've been here for a while, you obviously heard of me and/or seen my work pricing.
Obviously, you try to do your best on every single package - don't skimp, because you want to retain a customer, you want repeat customers. At the same time, figure out what you are capable of doing within the set parameters, don't apply nd filters on the window if you only have 2 hours. Nonetheless, you go the extra mile for the Gold/Platinum package - use your own creative facilities for this.... I can't teach you vision and/or creativeness... that's all you. But here is a tip, people have a hard time envisioning themselves in a space and how to fill a space, this is why they have staging (they put rental furniture) to fill a space. Go the extra mile by... I don't know... hire actors (they are a dime a dozen willing to work for cheap - try mandy.com... audition first, Rolodex the good ones for repeat performances, just don't do the same crap in every video), here is an example: get a couple that are engaged in a conversation with a mug of coffee - laughing it up. You don't have to have a real dialogue going on, mute them out and have your choice of music overlayed. Have children running around, or a teen browsing on the ipad nestled on the couch... This is how you sell yourself... BTW, for the gold/platinum package only (actually the best videos in this category), stamp your name and/or company logo on it. Because, if its a good video, people will associate the video with the person creating it not the real estate agent selling the home, thereafter - depending on the demand - you adjust the price.
Editted to add: If you are new to this.... I would throw in some stuff for free the first few times.... its like how drug dealers throw it in till you are hooked on it approach  
 

At the end of the day, its about how you sell yourself (and that has every bit to do with how much you value yourself too).
If I was in either the Real Estate biz or even the wedding biz, I would create a tiered pricing approach - along with a demo reel to help the client see what the difference is between what you offer in terms of service (for each price point). 
For example for real estate:
Bronze package: 2 hour shoot - 1 day editing - $500 - Demo reel showing what is included in this price range.
Silver package: 4 hour shoot - 1-3 day - $1200 - Demo reel showing what is included in this price range (if the customer is not able to see that much of a difference here, then explain).
Gold/Platinum package: 8+ hour shoot - Multi-day editing - $3000 - Demo reel showing what is included in this price range.
This is not newbie (I know it all) pricing.... this is.... I've been here for a while, you obviously heard of me and/or seen my work pricing.
Obviously, you try to do your best on every single package - don't skimp, because you want to retain a customer, you want repeat customers. At the same time, figure out what you are capable of doing within the set parameters, don't apply nd filters on the window if you only have 2 hours. Nonetheless, you go the extra mile for the Gold/Platinum package - use your own creative facilities for this.... I can't teach you vision and/or creativeness... that's all you. But here is a tip, people have a hard time envisioning themselves in a space and how to fill a space, this is why they have staging (they put rental furniture) to fill a space. Go the extra mile by... I don't know... hire actors (they are a dime a dozen willing to work for cheap - try mandy.com... audition first, Rolodex the good ones for repeat performances, just don't do the same crap in every video), here is an example: get a couple that are engaged in a conversation with a mug of coffee - laughing it up. You don't have to have a real dialogue going on, mute them out and have your choice of music overlayed. Have children running around, or a teen browsing on the ipad nestled on the couch... This is how you sell yourself... BTW, for the gold/platinum package only (actually the best videos in this category), stamp your name and/or company logo on it. Because, if its a good video, people will associate the video with the person creating it not the real estate agent selling the home, thereafter - depending on the demand - you adjust the price.
Editted to add: If you are new to this.... I would throw in some stuff for free the first few times.... its like how drug dealers throw it in till you are hooked on it approach  
 

I can't speculate on real estate, but I will always air on the side of properly setting up a shot in narrative work, even as a one man band. Take the time and effort. When you're sitting in the editor's chair you won't be kicking yourself constantly and this is where coverage and proper set up matters greatly.
Of course a lot of clients are laymen and they have the misconception that filming is a pointed camera and some lights, they don't have any spacial awareness of what makes up a good shot/scene, and why would they? All they ever see is the finished product.
I'm constantly pushing back on those misconceptions. It comes down to approach. You have to be willing to educate people about the craft and justify your position in a respectful/tactful way. It's not an easy thing, almost everyone is going to come at it skeptically, because time is money, but you have to have a good pitch and explain value, or what they're getting for their buck. You have to read the language of each client.
There will always be some adversarial clients that are not worth that battle. If they insist on shit, just give them the shit they asked for. Yeah, your standards are challenged, but money is one shade of green at the end of the day.

Yep. It's a well known trick. 
https://www.bhphotovideo.com/c/product/90629-REG/Rosco_102302104825_E_Colour_210_6_Neutral.html
 
There's no old days about it. It's called real filmmaking. ?

Watched them all. Mesmerized. ? subb'd. 
I also figured out where mojo comes from. From your all's Moms. ?

Haha... I will take that bet...
Wait... wait... whats the burst rate again? Oh yeah.... okay... I will raise you 4K 10fps... haha.

Not looking good:
The videos you can find about X-H1 AF in video show the same results. Either everyone is doing it wrong or something is wrong with the AF of this body.

Don't buy a C300ii... It's too expensive... And the demand for it will lessen faster, because it's been on the market for a while now. You have a safer bet with the C200.
I see a real potential in Kinfinity cams, especially 6K... It's also an exotic import that people will try in the rental realm.
Even the blackmagic 4.6K is potentially something people would rent.
How about this... You go talk to one of the rental houses near you. Ask them advice about which camera you should invest in.. and see if you can strike a deal with them too.
I had the C500, and I sold that too. But that guy was telling me to sell it and invest in an $8K follow focus cause that would be rented out more often than my Raven.
In any case, I walked out of this with amazing connections. Most of my jobs are through this Rental house, and from time to time I rent my equipment on a discount.

Agreed! And there is a reason for the high shutter speeds, because you usually double the shutter (180 degree) to match whatever current fps you are shooting at... so 24 is 48, 30 is 60, 60 is 120 & 120 is 240 and so on.... but the trick with Twixtor is that you're doing a hypothetical 240fps, 500fps or 1000fps or more.... but you are only really shooting say 4K @ 60fps so you set the shutter speed to say 1000, 2000 so it works with Twixtor to get that 500fps or 1000fps. Sometimes its better to even set shutter speed at 4000, but think about how much light you are losing.
Also, thanks for the heads up on the new plugin to treat motion blur...
I also agree on this as well... 
Just to be clear, I wasn't promoting Twixtor or other slo-mo softwares, was just responding to @Geoff CB when he said that the creator of the 'Dark Side of the Lens' - "Completely ignores the shutter speed rule, contrasty as hell, warp stabilizer everywhere".
And, as @Matthew Hartman pointed out, that you need to plan for it to be really effective for its intended purposes. I think that the creator of 'Dark Side of the Lens' was intending to use Twixtor to some effect, but its hard to really plan it out on a run and gun - nature type video. So he set it @ 720/60p - recorded as much as possible and as fast as possible with high shutter speeds (or not) and did the rest in post.
Also, "it seems shooting super-slomo at super shallow DOF + a LUT gets instant mojo approval" - I don't know so much to say that... what I can say from the video that I posted with the BMX bikes - yes... there is this cool/awesome factor, but notice that there in lies the problem with Twixtor too. The image quality becomes some blurry soft mess, hence you thought this super shallow DOF, when in fact those rain drops are SFX/CGI add-on courtesy of After Effects and Red Giant's Trapcode Suite, placed there to mask the problem or to get the viewers to set their sights away from the problem  
For those interested in Twixtor, Phillip Bloom has some really good advice on it:
http://philipbloom.net/blog/twixtor/

Actually, well exposed you can do wonderful things with 8 bit, if you choose the right software.
But if you shoot log/HLG or plan to do a lot of grading/keying/vfx insert, and don't want any banding or artefact, 10bit is nessecary for perfect results.
That being said, "perfect" depends a lot of your sensitivity, your eyes, and of course, the broadcast media.
Since I have a GH5 with its 10 bit, my videos are not fundamentally better, but I'm more satisfied about what I can do in postprod

Don't buy a C300ii... It's too expensive... And the demand for it will lessen faster, because it's been on the market for a while now. You have a safer bet with the C200.
I see a real potential in Kinfinity cams, especially 6K... It's also an exotic import that people will try in the rental realm.
Even the blackmagic 4.6K is potentially something people would rent.
How about this... You go talk to one of the rental houses near you. Ask them advice about which camera you should invest in.. and see if you can strike a deal with them too.
I had the C500, and I sold that too. But that guy was telling me to sell it and invest in an $8K follow focus cause that would be rented out more often than my Raven.
In any case, I walked out of this with amazing connections. Most of my jobs are through this Rental house, and from time to time I rent my equipment on a discount.

I rent out my aputure kit and quasar science kit often. It's all about knowing what's popular. Leave the cameras to rental houses as people want Arris and Reds to rent. Glass too. Who the **** can justify spending 40k on a lens or body?

The follow focus would also keep a much much much longer lifespan as a relevant piece of gear, unlike the Raven which will get outdated fast. 
 

This!
lol.... I was thinking it, but you said it and articulated so perfectly.
Thanks.

This is the statement everyone of us should print out and paste on our bedroom ceiling to go to sleep to and wake up to every day. 
If you're run-and-gun listen to the following tentatively, or not at all. 
The best looking films curate the living joy out of every scene. Nothing is left to chance or served up the "we'll fix it in post" line. That's lazy.
Great, critically acclaimed images take considerable work, even with a full crew. The mentality of getting the shot as quickly as possible, as in checking off a shot list only serves business objectives, not creativity. 
If you care about your storytelling, care about and get passionate and intelligent with the tools you use to tell it. Get your hands dirty. Don't rely on your camera or editor. Scrutinize what every element in your scene is speaking to your audience. It all matters. 
You get out what you put in. 

I wonder myself, never owned a Panny so someone can probably answer this with more confidence.... I feel Continuous AF may be the culprit as opposed to pure MF. People want amazing IQ but don't want to work for it.... Tsk... Tsk... Tsk.