Trek of Joy

26 minutes ago, Django said:

C70 is a real cine cam though with built-in ND's, TC, DCI 4K, shutter angle, waveform etc. Basically all the things people were expecting from FX3 and that are missing.

That said yeah it's not a bad cam per se, pretty awesome even for a mirrorless, just not really worthy of the FX line imo.

Well that's the FX6, I don't think anyone expects a shrunken FX6 that undercuts its price by that much. Though I think they could have pushed the price point a higher and included all that. IMO that's the problem with the rumor mill, it creates crazy expectations with all the bullshit, and then things come crashing down with actual specs or prices. 

Cheers

Chris

More choices are better. Kinda makes the C70 look a little overpriced.

Man how quickly everyone throws shade. If this was released before the a7s3 it would be hailed as the greatest thing ever. Personally I like it, even though I love the EVF on the a7s3. The only thing I don't like is the lack of a convenient way to mount a monitor to the handle. If you're going that route, the a7s3 and a cage makes more sense. If you're all internal recording without a monitor, I'd probably go this route for something smaller.

I do wish it had the internal ND's. If I get another video-centric Sony it will be the FX6, mostly for that and the ability to ditch NR. If the a1 and the FX6 were around before the a7s3, I may have gone that route for my hybrid shooting solution, my niece can get me the EDU discount LOL! I may still make that move if a few freelance opportunities come through, but I'll wait for the a74 before doing anything.

Chris

On 2/20/2021 at 11:39 PM, Mark Romero 2 said:

Thanks for sharing your experience with this, @Trek of Joy @gt3rs @scotchtape @UncleBobsPhotography

I think with my weebill S the main problem would be if I accidentally press the function button three times in a row (instead of two times) which puts the gimbal in to selfie mode. So maybe spinning around the camera would cause the LCD to crash in to the extension handle .

My weebill s is a bit temperamental in that it when I want to click the function button twice (to bring the camera back to straight and level), it ends up acting like I clicked it three times.

Makes sense, I try not to speak in absolutes because everyone has such different shooting scenarios where issues may arise that I'll never see. I guess the best solution is one of the standard single handle gimbals instead of the Weebill's design, time for a RS2 LOL!

Chris

2 hours ago, TomTheDP said:

Using a Micro HDMI port sucks though, they'll end up breaking sooner than later. 

I just read some stuff about the latency being really bad when using a Ninja V. Kind of kills it for manual focus use. Guess that's a big plus on the A7S3 actual useable auto focus. 

I've had them micro HDMI fail on a camera and the one on my Mavic Pro 2 controller just broke. Fortunately Its a relatively inexpensive board swap. I love having the full size HDMI on the a7s3, such an underrated feature. I was so paranoid plugging my Ninja into the a73 because that one is so fragile. I'd like to see USB-c replace the smaller HDMI variants, seems more robust.

Chris

Same as others, I use the flip out screen on the Weebill S all the time. Its tougher to see against the back of the camera IMO. I find shooting with the tilt LCD on the a73 more of a pain and with larger lenses like a 24-70 its really tight against the rear motor since you have to slide the camera back a bit. I don't have any counterweights to help in that regard. I shoot a lot of underslung and waist height stuff too, got a cheap/light CF handle from B&H that lives on the upper mount so I can leave the tripod handle on the bottom. Between the EOS R and now the a7s3, can't say I remember the flip out LCD ever banging into anything.

Chris

LOL! ISO 1.6 million and 9-stop IBIS, and Global shutter and so on.

Plus a 1280 nit rear screen, that would need its own Sony NPF battery for power. 😂

Fake news.

Chris

8 hours ago, scotchtape said:

S-cinetone being added to a7siii via firmware!!!

Its nice to see that, I'd prefer a few other fixes over cinetone. But its a step in the right direction. 

Chris

On 2/15/2021 at 11:26 PM, pixelpreaching said:

Easily my Laowa 24mm f/14 Probe Cine lens. Macro, built in LED lights, and the end is waterproof. So many amazing things you can do with it.

(not my footage, but shows some of the awesome stuff you can do with it)

 

Love this lens, wish I could justify owning one LOL! You get so many unique angles since you can move through things.

I've gotten a lot of mileage out of a phone gimbal, and I had the Osmo pocket for awhile and really liked it - both are fun additions to my kit.

I think I want to experiment with a cheap underwater housing next. 

Chris

33 minutes ago, TomTheDP said:

Just being that its a high MP sensor sets it apart. Photographers were steering clear of the A7S3 due to the 4k 12mp sensor. People will flock to this. Looks to be the first camera that will really appeal to videographers and photographers with very little compromise between the two. 

What makes you think this is a higher MP sensor? 4k120p sounds a lot like the a7s3/FX6 sensor. 

Assuming this rumor is accurate LOL!

Chris

If its really a 4k/120p camera, the 8k talk was just a SAR wishlist spec. Its looking more like the FX6 in a compact body. That price is lower than the Euro price of the a7s3, maybe $3000-ish here in the US?

Internal ND's, add on EVF, Sony's XLR mic modules and such could make this a cool small video option. If there's no IBIS that makes for an interesting choice, stabilization and a EVF vs. possible internal ND's, more mounting points, and better cooling. I think I'd add one of these to my a7sIII for the ND's alone.

And I like the strap mounts on the shoulders, I really liked that with the EOS R instead of the eyelet nubs that stick out of the side of the body, makes gripping these small cameras more comfortable without something stabbing you in the hand.

Chris

2 hours ago, IronFilm said:

I'd LOVE that! But then it would be called a "FS3" and not a "FX3".

Exactly. Unless they're going to blur the lines, FF seems a given. As the owner of a lot of upper end Sony glass, I personally hope it is FF.

Also note the usual power switch around the shutter has "W" and "T" - a zoom rocker for PZ lenses like the 28-135. I like the front record button too, I carry my rigged camera by the top handle with my right hand and hold the lens with my left, not having to switch hands or do an awkward reach around to hit the record button is welcome. 

Cheers

Chris

Rumors say 8k. The a1 readout and e-shutter make for a fine hybrid. The shutter button makes sense. With the AF joystick on top, I wonder if the LCD is much wider than the standard Sony screen. That would be welcome. This is interesting. Give it the E-ND’s and my a7sIII starts sweating it’s existence. 
 

Chris

This is a pretty cool small solution - a clamp with the platform adapter and a ball head. https://digital-photography-school.com/manfrotto-super-clamp/

I feel your pain, I travel a lot and wind up carrying more support gear than needed, and something like a gorillapod just isn't very solid. I recently sold my 1kg Siuri CF travel tripod for larger, more sturdy setup that I can add a flat base video head to - and at times I really wish I would have kept the smaller one as well. So now I'm looking for another LOL!

Chris

5 hours ago, Neumann Films said:

As someone that was into crypto fairly early, there's a few things you need to look at with any of these projects.

Important numbers to investigate:

#1 - Bitcoin total coins: 18.6 million

#2 - Bitcoin current price: $33,500

#2 - Bitcoin Market Cap (current price x total coins): $706 billion

#3- Dogecoin total coins:  128 billion

#4 - Dogecoin current price: $0.04

#5 - Dogecoin Market Cap (current price x total coins): $5 billion

So let's say, in a perfect world, Dogecoin replaces Bitcoin as the top cryptocurrency and sucks up ALL of their market cap. No one trades Bitcoin anymore (it will never happen but let's just use it as an example). To calculate this you match their market caps. Dogecoin is currently 5 billion and Bitcoin is 706 billion. So Dogecoin would have to increase by 141x to be as popular as Bitcoin.

Even in that unrealistic scenario, Dogecoin price per coin would top out at $5.64. So that is the best case, pie in the sky, never going to happen scenario for Dogecoin.

Best case scenario for Dogecoin will be ten to twenty cents and then a correction back down here to five cents or so. I love what WSB is doing with $GME but I wouldn't get into that right now. Not with the power of Wall Street against it. Just not a place you want to put your money right now. 

Obligatory "I'm not a financial advisor" warning.

That time I thought "Bitcoin looks like its still going to drop, no thanks" when it sunk to about $250 6 or 7 years ago. Oops.

Chris

23 hours ago, zerocool22 said:

Not for me, but all tech trickles down eventually so good for us all. Dont care about 8k though.

I'm thinking the same thing. The a7III got a dumbed down version of the original a9's tech, makes me think the a7IV will be 50mp, 10 fps, 4k60p, same AF array - with another shitty EVF and LCD. They could bump the price a couple hundred dollars and still continue crush everything in the $2000-2500 range.

Chris

4 hours ago, Nerv said:

More than a C70 or Komodo...which of the 3 would you chose for video work...

As a run and gun shooter that's 50/50 stills/video I'd get the a1 over the others without hesitation. Maybe the c70 and a R5 for photos, definitely not the Komodo. But I'm sticking with the a7sIII for video work and a7III for photos and a video backup, its a beast and I prefer the sIII flippy screen over the a1's. If I want more mp with photos I can just get a used a7rIV at about $2k and still have 2 bodies to cover everything. My a7sIII is my second photo body for now.

Cheers

Chris

How about a curve ball, 10-bit internal vs. Ninja/prores? With the a7sIII, the image just looks a bit better recorded externally using the same settings. Everything just looks better. And I’m not talking raw. I had the Eos R for a few months and I thought the Ninja stuff looked better as well. It’s cool to have options. 

chris

Most rumors point toward flagship mirrorless cameras from Canon, Nikon and Sony coming this year - and before the Olympics - so we should see a flurry of announcements come spring. Canon expanding RF offerings in every direction is coming too, from crop bodies to high res models to more Cx0 video bodies. Fuji will release 18 more bodies with the same internals but different body, EVF and LCD tilting mechanisms further confusing their already disjointed lineup - there are a few letters of the alphabet they haven't used in X models yet. Olympus is fading into Pentax territory. Blackmagic is the wild card, what will they drop this year to up their game? And the a7IV will re-assert its dominance at the $2000 price point - eventually.

Personally I love what the a7sIII is doing as my main video body and my current photo workhorse/video backup the a7III is doing, so for me the a7IV is the only thing that's interesting. Though if they get the photo DR in the next a9 up to the a7III levels, that might interest me as well since I shoot a lot of action. But likely its a7IV or bust.

Cheers

Chris

A pretty close match to the FX9 Cinetone using the Cine4 PP.

On 12/11/2020 at 4:21 PM, EduPortas said:

People who actually enjoy going out of their houses? 😛

Not everyone is rocking a 75-inch screen in their tailored-made domestic movie theater.

If some of you guys are lucky enough to own a monster TV set and speakers then great, but going out for dinner and a movie is still a popular and accesible way to have fun. Has been like that for the last 100 years.

Streaming services tend to rack-up. Their prices, as many have said, will only go up, even if we don't care for 99% of the crap Netflix and others push on their platforms.

I WILL happily pay once or twice a month for cine ticket I know my family or friends will watch with me in a movie theather. Nice way to spend time and actually enjoy the outside world (facemask included).

 

SMH, I leave my house every day, but not to just go and sit inside another building. A nice day out for me is a kayaking trip or exploring a park or shooting landscapes. I'm not saying there aren't any people willing to go to theaters, its just never going to get back to 2019 levels. Ever. Just as studios are pivoting, so are audiences. 

I have a TV and nothing else, a $500 65" set I bought a few months ago. Its not a monster home theater setup. But still a great covid-free experience without enduring endless previews and jackasses on their phones or talking during the movie. Get some takeout, mix up a few cocktails and its a great date night.

Enjoy

Chris

22 hours ago, KnightsFan said:

It's worth pointing out that Netflix had a net free cash flow of -$3.3 billion last year. Which isn't to say it's losing money, almost no successful startups have positive balance sheets for their first few years or even decades, but it's not like Netflix is making gobs of net money.

Netflix is only one, and their revenues are going up pretty fast. Amazon lost money for the better part of two decades as they built out their infrastructure, something that's still soaking up tons of cash. Disney already has almost 87million subs at $7/mo and are forecasting 250 million in the next few years. They're about to jack prices and are creating a ton of originals exclusive to streaming. Its a long game.

To the topic in general - Time Warner's subscriber numbers suck in comparison, this is an effort to drive up their subscriber base since there will be almost no box office over the next year and who knows how much longer this will last. Seriously, how long before people are willing sit shoulder to shoulder with 300 strangers for three hours to watch a movie? Two years? Five years? I don't know anyone that wants to go to a theater anytime soon, if ever. Just like live sports, I'd rather watch at home. Box office revenues will never reach pre-covid levels again.

Chris

On 12/9/2020 at 2:11 PM, ntblowz said:

 

That exactly mimic my experience, 8K runs smooth on high end Ryzen (if you got 12 or more cores), at least i can do jobs now without pulling my hair out or wait 2 years later.

LOL! That 3950x processor costs as much as a Mac Mini. FCP speeds crush Premiere. IMO, the M1 macs are a complete bargain for the performance. As someone that doesn't care about games or 8k its a dream machine - its small, fast, quiet and uses a fraction of the power compared to that hideous tower in the thumbnail. 

Cheers

Chris

Personally I was down to 4-5 movies a year before COVID and have no desire to sit in a theater anytime soon - like not for years. And because of the ridiculous cost of food/beverages in theaters for mediocre offerings - even in the one with sorta decent restaurants - I only went to see something new because I didn't feel like waiting a year to stream something. Having to endure 20 minutes of previews after the ticketed showtime makes me hate theaters a little more every time I go. I wish they'd start the damn movie on the time the ticket lists and show previews in between screenings. Anyway, because of that and more I'm happy to see the WB deal, every few months I can subscribe to HBO max for a month and get caught up on new films. I can do the same with Disney, Hulu or whatever.

I recently bought a big 4k HDR TV because the large multiplex model is now dead, like many others I'm going to just watch everything from home. With tentpole film budgets, actor/director salaries and the fact animation and comic book movies make up a good chunk of the largest grossing movies, it was a house of cards that was going to collapse at some point, COVID just accelerated that process.

Comparing box office grosses to streaming returns is a false equivalency, its a different business model. Netflix is spending billions on content for a reason, and lots of it is one-off films. 

Chris

Certain things the M1 is faster, certain things its slower. Still mighty impressive.

12 hours ago, scotchtape said:

$100 bh vs $130 from prograde.

Now sold out but I think BH still accepting orders.

Are you making proxies from the h.265? Or are you using apple M1? 😄

With h265 I use 10-bit 4:2:0 and it edits really smooth. 4:2:2 chokes things up, but 4:2:0 has no issues. Eventually I’m going to test the all-I vs gop vs prores on the ninja. Just haven’t had the time and I’m really happy with how everything looks right now. For quick turnaround stuff the 4:2:0 is the perfect balance of IQ and file size.

Prograde has a discount code BFCM20 for Black Friday.

chris