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Django

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Posts posted by Django

  1. Nikon already attempted this a decade ago with the Df:

    image.thumb.jpeg.90dd0b463e8c357e310d36a74399e352.jpeg

    .. was a FF D610 in retro body. Then again not long ago with the APS-C Zfc:

    image.thumb.png.2593c20abab6957f0a192292ad3a6fde.png

    This latest Zf is basically a Z6ii with the new Z8/Z9 processor. It’s a cool concept, right out of the Fuji playbook but ultimately as a hybrid nothing groundbreaking imo. Nikon is playing catch up with cropped 4K60p and average read-out. The card slots on the bottom battery door and micro SD are annoying. I also fear overheating may be severe (heard reports it overheats in stills mode).

    other than the cool retro look and dials I’m not sure I’d pick this over a R6ii that does full sensor 4K60p, less RS, 6K external RAW, superior video AF etc in the same price range.

    All that said I do salute Nikon for pursuing the retro camera design for stills shooters and including decent video specs. 

  2. Oh I hear you and if the camera allowed Braw & 10-bit h265 4K/6K that would be great for fast turnaround projects and efficient storage .. but its Braw & 8-bit h264 1080p. So no middle codec. Reminds me of my C200 that had Canon RAW & 8-bit 4K. Not very flexible and this isn't even 4K proxy. Little weird in 2023.

  3. I can't imagine them getting many video assist sales from their 1080p capped HDMI cams. Besides the main selling point of the 6K cams is having that large 5" display built-in. I think this is more about segmenting current products and opening a path for a future Pro model.

    As for the comparison with the S5iix I'd go further since it seems they are using the same (if not very similar) sensor. The read out times seem identical. Just different bodies & specs. Different customer base too obviously.

  4. On 9/18/2023 at 8:19 AM, MrSMW said:

    Yes.

    Kind of torn about it though as 50% of what I do is photography and is pulling stills from video still photography?

    Rhetorical, personal question really and one for another thread as it’s a complex topic, but yes, in 2024, whether it’s with L Mount or someone else, I want to at least explore the possibility beyond the 4K I have tried it at.

    I've been enjoying extracting stills from recent 8K shoots with the R5. But no I don't see it as photography even if the end viewer may not notice the difference. The shooting process just isn't the same and things like slow/fast exposure or flash photography just aren't really doable. And for people like me that mostly shoot vertical portrait pics, extracting stills from a  horizontal 16:9 / DCI clip isn't going to give me that. But that's where open-gate comes in clutch. Sadly no Sony/CaNikon offers it yet. Actually virtually no open-gate 8K cams out there aside from a few pricey cine cams.

    More and more 6K open-gate options though. Especially in L-mount!

  5. 12 hours ago, kye said:

    I wasn't sure if there was room for an ND mechanism in the L-mount, but a bit of googling revealed that lots of Sony E-mount cameras have it, and the E-mount has a smaller flange distance than the E-mount, so no excuses there.

    Maybe they will release a Pro model with upgraded features.  I think the lack of Prores might be an ecosystem thing, to 'encourage' you to use Resolve.  BM don't support Prores RAW in Resolve, so there's an ecosystem war going on.

    I understand why no ProRes RAW but no ProRes doesn't make sense to me. They include ProRes in all their other cameras. 

    Sounds to me like good old cripple hammer not to cannibalise Pocket 6K Pro sales. 

    Its a pretty big miss for this new camera as you don't always wanna shoot in RAW. For both storage space and workflow reasons. They added h264 proxies for the first time but HD only I think. 

     

  6. I can't seem to download the app, says not available in my region which is weird as I'm in the EU, anyone else?

    As for the new camera, some mixed feelings. While I embrace the jump to FF and L-mount, I don't get why they removed the ND's and ProRes. Are they going to come up with a "Pro" model next year with those specs like on the Pocket 6K? 

    Also the sensor seems a little dated, slow read outs, no bumps in resolution, no DGO. You'd almost think this is a Lumix Sx in a BMD body. Not that its a bad thing, just a bit underwhelming imo. I guess the price is pretty decent for a FF cine cam.

  7. Love the pocket-size form factor. Best camera is the one you have on you and I could see this tagging along all day. ND's & external mic jack for the win versus smartphone. No log though. Might be tempted if they add that in firmware.  

    @markr041 Is that SOOC footage and if so what picture profile did you use?

  8. 2 hours ago, A_Urquhart said:

    Of you watch the behind the scenes video I linked to above, you can see that most of the shots are actually done with a fairly minimal rig. P&S technik lenses and most surprisingly for me, a Tilta Nucleus M follow focus system! I have that system as a backup to my Teradek RT kit and really don’t know why anyone would choose it unless there were very strict budget constraints which this film wouldn’t have had. 

    Those P+S Technik lenses are $25K a pop and I see some crane shots using GFM gear (also $25K a pop):

    https://www.pstechnik.de/lenses/technovision-lenses

    https://www.gripfactory.com/gf-mod-jib

    Not exactly minimal or budget equipment. The handheld shots may be but that's not exceptional aside from Tilta which is obviously low-end lol.

    I also imagine everything was shot using 4.2K RAW external recording. And there is clearly tons of VFX going on.

    At that point there is little to no doubt you can shoot a feature on a mirrorless. Still impressive it was actually done.

    Mirrorless has certainly gone a long ways!

    The FX30 is definitely almost a bargain at its price point. Other advantages over the FX3 is it uses an oversampled from 6K image and S35 means you can speedboost FF lenses. FX3 can't do S35 unless you use clear image zoom hack but you're then getting sub 4K image. The FX3 still wins in low-light which is probably why it was mainly chosen for The Creator which has a lot of night scenes it seems.

  9. @Attila Bakos Isn't the chroma smoothing only inherent to Fuji X-Trans APS-C line? GFX uses Bayer CMOS. 

    Not really surprised at pricing considering that:

    1. This is supposed to compete with the $8K X2D 100C  

    2. You can already get a 102MP GFX100S for $5K/6K.

    I'm not in the market but hopefully some of the video specs will trickle down to X series (touch-to-track AF & WFM).

  10. ..and don't forget AF. It is SO good these days. I still think Canon is on top with things like Face Only but Sony is right up there too with neat tricks up its sleeve. Anything Panny pre-S5ii isn't bringing it which is why I'm saying their next-gen flagships should hopefully finally be competing on all levels.

  11. The A7SIII/FX3 should really be considered for two things: low-light and rolling shutter. It pretty much sits on top of the pyramid for those two categories. For hybrids I'm more into high resolution sensors so R5/R5C/A7RV/Z8 would be my picks but stacked sensors are even more clutch so Z8/R3/XH2S are also ace choices. I think the next gen of Sony's and Panny's equipped with stacked sensors will be lit. But yeah all current cameras are still pretty great!

  12. Well if you're also on Canon, do check out the R5C. It's imo bit more cine cam oriented with the actual full C-line menu that includes things like shutter angle, gain ISO, WFM, false color etc. It can also do 8K60p FF, 6K S35, 2K S16. And internal RAW. All things the Sony can't do. And it has an EVF! The higher resolution may come in useful if you do macro/crop work. And the various crop modes open up a lot of lens options. It's not perfect, its downsides are poor battery life and no IBIS but there are workarounds. 

    In the end I think your lens preference should dictate what system you choose but that's the alternative I'd consider (I'm also on both Sony & Canon systems).

  13. Personally I'd still take the A7S3 over the FX3 just because I favour an EVF on mirrorless and that the FX3 doesn't bring enough imo to warrant its higher price tag. If it had shutter angle, WFM, open gate etc  it would be way more compelling. I'd also consider the FX30 & ZV-E1 which are both half the price of an FX3. 

    FX30 also means cheaper S35 lenses and you can always fit a speed booster for FF. However FX3 can't really do S35 a part from using clear image zoom which technically gives you sub 4K image. Don't get me wrong its a great cam, but the "best" is really subjective. Plenty of super options from Canon, Nikon & Panasonic.

  14. What camera are you referring to? A7iii or A7s? They are very different generation cameras with different specs. Are your lenses manual or autofocus? Hard to give info without specifics. 
     

    You should be able to set the camera to NTSC in the menus. There is no specific UK/EU/USA camera models AFAIK. 
     

    Double frame rate for shutter speed is correct for 180 degree.

    SLOG3 has most DR but not always great depending on scene on a 8-bit codec cam such as a those you have.

  15. ..a GH5+ f0.95 lens combo is not going to get you near the same results as a 10-year old BMD pocket cam with f2 lenses.

    I say go use that A7S, you have one of the best low-light cams still to date.. might as well put it to good use!

    Coming from a BMD background shouldn't be too difficult. The main thing is there is no shutter angle so you'll have to calculate it using shutter speed. Also yeah the 8-bit codec isn't going to go very far with grade so you may wanna avoid it for low contrast night scenes, not to mention no view assist either. The biggest issue with the OG A7S is it has a very poor AWB, especially in mixed lighting scenes. There is this nasty colour cast that is kinda hard to get out in post with baked-in profiles so yeah testing would be ideal. 

  16. Yeah Tenet was confusing to the point where it became annoying. Other non-linear films of his like Memento or Inception weren't that dense. Oppenheimer being a historical biopic doesn't get near such complexity imo, yet of course Nolan tries to put his spin on the narrative. I wasn't familiar with the Lewis Strauss affair but knew a twist was coming and put it together rather quickly so that was a fail for me personally. Structure wise it reaches a good balance with the flashback (or rather flash-forward) scenes being shot in B&W to guide the viewer. I also noticed the out of focus shots and also quite a few blown highlights in those B&W scenes. Surely the result of using never shot before film stock. I found such technical errors a little distracting in such a hyper stylised film but in the end I kinda like that they left them in. While we're here in these forums critising X camera for its poor dynamic range, here is a 100 million summer blockbuster by a revered cinematographer that shoots in 70mm IMAX.. that includes blown highlights lol! Gotta laugh at the irony.

  17. Yeah I don’t think Z8/Z9 are DR monsters but DR isn’t everything. Highlight roll off, Color science, noise etc are equally if not more important.

    That said, I have noticed highlight clipping in a lot of footage and there are reports of this in RAW stills as well.  Not sure to what extent this is an issue but it seems to be a valid concern in some scenarios.

    As far as grading though, N-RAW and even ProRes 422 HQ really has a nice thick quality imo.

  18. 1 hour ago, gt3rs said:

    There was a thread a few months ago claiming that RF lenses were not a step forwards compared to their EF equivalents, happy now to see that I'm not the only one seeing the improvements and value. Having said this adapted EF lenses works so well that people can skip RF altogether either by using their collection or by buying quite discounted used EF lenses. 

     

     

    I think the general consensus has always been that RF-L lenses while optically superior have a bit of a cheaper feel, are often times bigger than their EF equivalents and are expensive af. It's a valid assessment, Canon went for lightweight hence the cheaper feel but the improved optics do warrant an extra cost and size. In the end you gotta judge it for yourself if they're worth it. I also think different body/lens pairings will yield different results. R5/R5C's 45MP/8K sensor is certainly the best body to resolve RF-L lenses but also expose EF glass shortcomings. And then its also an acquired taste, some vintage (EF-L) lens aberrations bring character/mojo while some optically perfect modern (RF) lenses can be considered clinical / over-sharp. 

    I'll admit I had my initial doubts on RF-L glass but seeing is believing and I'm now fully on that bandwagon saving up for that RF-L 24-70mm f2.8 (by the way the RF-L 28-70mm f2 is surely even better but massive in size/weight) and will be on the look out for other RF gems. Still waiting for the RF-L 35mm f1.2 which has been rumoured since the mirrorless launch.. 

  19. 2 hours ago, Ty Harper said:

    100% true but I cannot stress enough to you just how many R5C users in the forums I'm on are going the EF-L + adapter route and are really loving it (myself included!). If you really need the penultimate IQ, etc, by all means invest in RF-L lenses (and with no judgement either!) but the EF-RF drop-in filter adapter and the .71x speedbooster - coupled with the tumbling price of used EF-L lenses makes that much less of an issue if you already have EF and EF-L glass. There's also a lot of people revisiting lenses like the OG Canon EF 24-105mm f/4 and the EF-S 17-55mm. And while the RF-L lenses definitely give you better AF performance and features - the performance of EF-L glass on the R5C is no slouch at all. It's more a case of EF lenses being really good and the RF lenses being better. Anyways, if you're on FB there are some great R5C/C70 groups worth joining.   

    You're preaching to the choir: I've been using EF-L glass for over a decade (been on Canon since the 5D mk1) and have been adapting EF to RF since first EOS-R which I bought on day one with the adapter.

    So far my only RF investment has been the 35mm f1.8 IS which is cheap, versatile and compact but not optically on par with L glass and super noisy when it comes to AF motors for video use. Actually most RF lenses I've tried including RF-L are noisy.

    That being said, the RF 24-70mm f2.8 L paired with the R5 was a total game changer for me. Optically it is next level, especially for a zoom lens (I'm mainly a prime shooter). In fact it flat out beat my trusty EF-L 35mm f1.4 in many departments. Besides the RF lens IS + IBIS gave an awesome 8-stops of stabilisation resulting in tack sharp 45MP pics at low shutter speeds and super stable handheld video footage. That combo is something else.

    And that's the beauty of mirrorless, you can use optically perfect modern lenses or go the vintage route depending on budget but also personal preference. If I ended up going the Nikon route, I'd for sure use my vintage Nikkor AI-S glass but would also invest in some native Z-mount lenses for that great silent modern performance and optical quality when needed. 

     

     

  20. 4 hours ago, gt3rs said:

    As I said multiple times the Z9 seems a really good camera, so it make sense to learn and test both cameras before investing.

    Will do that for sure, what I'm doing now is my research so I know exactly what to look for and how to set up the cams when I do get them in-hand. Its also not just about the bodies but of course the lens systems. Nikon Z has great glass but not a lot of them have OIS compared to Canon. Not the same specs/price points either. The Nikon S 35mm f1.8 for example has no IS and costs 1000€ whereas the Canon 35mm f1.8 has IS, macro and costs 500€. That said the Nikon has better optics, and the AF motors are totally silent compared to the noisy Canon. The RF24-70mm f2.8 has IS whereas the Nikon S24-70mm f2.8 doesn't have VR (neither does Sony equivalent). All these things are to be considered when choosing a system so yeah its kind of a long research process..

    4 hours ago, kye said:

    Do you shoot 180 shutter, or go for a shorter exposure?  If it's the latter then gyro data might also be of some help if either of them record it and if it's important enough to you.  I suspect that even if you do shoot a 180 shutter, if you were able to stabilise in post at a low strength then you might not notice that the motion blur doesn't exactly match up with the image movement.  I haven't tried it, but I suspect that reducing image movement by a decent amount, maybe half, might not be visible.  I'd be curious to see a test of that, but I don't have a camera that records gyro data.

    I shoot mostly 180 degree, except when I don't lol. Canon gyro data is directly processed inside IS lenses and in tandem with IBIS equipped bodies. You can't apply it in post like on Sony's catalyser or latest BMD cams. 

    1 hour ago, MrSMW said:

    I suspect your ‘niggles’ with the Z8 might have been more because of your Canon background and stuff…well it works differently despite being ‘essentially the same thing’.

    Actually I started out photography on Nikon film DSLRs and had a D750 for a while. I've shot with a Z6. So I'm familiar with Nikon. That being said I never was a fan of their menus, UI, AF system and ergonomics. 

    I much much prefer Canon for the above, namely the thumbwheel for aperture control and I love the AF customisation (especially the way you can toggle AF servo on/off in stills and completely pause the video AF via custom button). 

    Also the R5C has the ever so great cinema menu with all the video assist, LUT support, video AF modes with Face Only, button customisation etc.

    I totally recognise this may be complete personal bias but it has nothing to do with brand affiliation. I've shot on Nikon, Fuji and am currently on Canon, Sony & Leica systems. I'm pretty flexible and each system has its pros&cons. 

    What I can tell you is that out of all the bodies I've tried across multiple systems, the R3 is by far my favourite one. The specs are almost perfect too. I was all set on getting it but the R5 shoot I did the other day spoiled me and now I absolutely want a +45MP cam for stills. The R5C gives you that plus an 8K RAW mini C70 in one body, if not for the lack of IBIS it kinda ticks all the boxes. 

    Then you got Z8/Z9 with 45MP/8K stacked sensors, IBIS, RAW plus that also records in ProRes 422 HQ which is a blessing in post.

    I know I'd be happy and set for years to come with any of these cams but it's a big investment with the lenses so one has to choose very wisely!

  21. On 8/7/2023 at 10:22 AM, Ilkka Nissila said:

    I have had the Z8 since late May and have not experienced any heat-related warnings or other signs of overheating. I live in Finland so our weather is not like Florida but we've had 28 C days. When shooting video, I have used mostly Prores 422 HQ in 4K/25, 4K/50 or 1080p/50 but also tested 4K/120 h.265 and they all worked fine in and out of doors. The most I shot on a day was about 200 GB of video onto CFexpress type B (325 GB ProGrade Digital Cobalt). I've also used Sony 128 GB CFexpress and those didn't overheat in the time required to fill up the card in 4K/25 Prores 422 HQ but the card was very warm to the touch afterwards. 

     

    Tests published on youtube by Ricci Chera (who works for Nikon School UK, so keep that in mind), Gerald Undone and others generally found that the Z8 can overheat in the most data-intensive video modes in about 30 min if using memory cards that tend to run hot, but using the right cards (Delkin Black is reported to run the coolest, Prograde Digital Cobalt is also good), the camera typically runs out of battery (2 hours on one charge of the EN-EL15c) before overheating, according to those reports. Both Delkin Black and Prograde Cobalt cards are sometimes significantly discounted at B&H, so if getting a Z8, one may want to look out for those deals. My own experience confirms that the Prograde Cobalt seems to run less hot than the Sony and I'm happy with the purchase although these cards aren't exactly cheap. For longer recording times I would likely go with Delkin Power as those are available in larger capacities.

    Yeah I noticed the Z8/Z9 have two overheat warnings: card hot & camera body hot. Interesting to hear some CFexpress cards run cooler than others, good to know! Of course overheating is mostly a concern in 4K60p/4K120p/8K.

    The fact that the camera shoots ProRes HQ should in theory mean less heat when shooting in that codec since it is much less CPU hungry than h26x. 

    On 8/7/2023 at 10:22 AM, Ilkka Nissila said:

    I love the Prores 422 HQ; such amazing detail and color. I have no experience shooting 8K.

    This is definitely one of the main selling points to me. Not only does Prores 422 HQ deliver ace IQ & motion but it also edits like butter on just about any computer system. That alongside the stacked sensor could make me switch back to Nikon despite my few gripes with the camera.

  22. 4 hours ago, kye said:

    +1 for actually trying one in real life.

    In terms of stabilisation, there aren't any specifications that tell you anything worth knowing, you have to actually try the individual implementations to see how well they work.  If you are going to try one in real life and stabilisation is of particular interest, make sure to take the relevant lenses so you can include how good or not their OIS is, and take into account their relative focal lengths, etc.

    Of course testing a camera for yourself is always the ideal thing but it ain't that easy when it comes to the R5C. It's just not the most available camera. Kind of a niche product like the 1DC, but I will certainly try to hunt one down when I get back to Paris..

    Not a lot of comp tests either on YT but I did find this R5C vs Z9: Canon R5C vs Nikon Z9 Hands On Camera Comparison

    The stab tests are interesting since they're using longer 100mm lenses. Clear advantage to Z9.

    In other areas such as DR I was surprised to see the R5C had the edge, and the Z9 had it for AF.

    Although not the most scientific tests that video has got me curious about the Z8/Z9 again so I will definitely spend more time on the Nikon before I commit to either R5/R5C!

     

  23. 54 minutes ago, gt3rs said:

    I think best for you is to rent a R5c for a day and try the hell out it.

    For me when I do video 9 out of 10 times I pick the R5c as A cam and eventually the R5 as B cam. 

    If you plan to use quite a bit 4k 100/120 the R5c is noticeable sharper than the R5, can also record audio (separately on the SD) but does not have Face AF in 100/120 fps. I try not to use the R5 in 100/120 as the quality is not too great and the editing is a pain due to h265 10bit 4:2:2, R5c XAVC so much faster.

    One recent R5c 4k 120 fps segment. Don't look at the motion cadence as it was shoot at 1/2000, F2.8. It was a test for a lens and I did not have an ND filter for that lens diameter.
    https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=7AjNP0MdwXs


    Fro anything slow motion R5c wins hands down with 8k and 4k 60p and better quality 4k 120...

    Ah good point about the higher quality 4K120p. Looks excellent in that clip you provided, thanks. Another point for R5C!

    R5C also has that Face Only AF which is really really nice for certain situations.

    Renting an R5C isn't easy atm but I will try and hunt down a store that has one and try it to see if I can live without IBIS.

    You mentioned earlier in the thread that not having custom modes was a PITA. I assume there is at least a "My Menu" type page or maybe even custom button where you can quickly access FPS/S&Q settings? Would love to know what is your fastest method to switch resolution and frame rates.

     

  24. 4 minutes ago, gt3rs said:

    @Django I feel that by the time you decide the R5 II and maybe even the R5c II will be available 😃

    Maybe a used R5 when the new model will be announced is not a bad idea.

    Lol I know I’ve been going back & forth a lot with purchase decisions but this will probably be a fall purchase (maybe even early as next month). R5 mk2 is expected in 2024 and R5Cii 2025 so those aren’t really a concern to me.

    Besides R5 & R5C are already at an attractive retail & used price so I will not be waiting for replacement models to purchase. 

    What really put me back in the Canon camp was trying out R5 with latest FW on a shoot. I also played around with a Z8 and got mixed feelings although I really like the specs and the files.
     

    So in the end I’m still not at all sure what way to go, hence all my questions and research about R5 vs R5C. I really want the R5C for all the cine features, codecs, no record limit, 8K60p and the fan.. but I’m afraid I’ll miss IBIS and that the battery life may still be on the short side. R5 has IBIS and decent battery life plus I loved having C1 8K, C2 4K, C3 4K120 custom modes. But lack of exposure or magnification during recording, no shutter angle and the pain of editing 8K h265 files may push me towards R5C in the end..

    Besides a good compromise might be R5C + R3 for handheld/run&gun/action shots. That’s my dream combo!

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