BTM_Pix

Hang on, if we have that coffee next week I’m not obliged to buy a camera off you am I?
You’re not turning Costa into some sort of camera Herbalife recruitment centre are you?

Complete with 30% discounts like today’s announcements.

 

Why not Leica as a good fit for Arri ?
They can keep it in Germany, use it as a platform to sell more of their cine glass and God knows they can be trusted to keep out the riff-raff from buying them!
Interestingly, though, both companies have a relationship with Panasonic so could be good news for the riff raff with a trickle down.
 

I had a go with an FX2 yesterday.
The tilting EVF is great.
As are all tilting EVFs.

Had a chance to have a look at one in the flesh.

It feels good in the hand and the screen is everything that everyone has already said it is.
The overall size of the camera is even more compact than I thought it would be, particularly when they are displaying it alongside the next one up in the Nikon RED range !

I was sorely tempted at the price here which works out at £1650 including the 24-70mm f4 lens for visitors.

I’m here for a few more weeks so maybe I might buckle but the issue for me is that they had a Z8 at the next display and for an old fart like me that just appeals more, especially in light of the is it/isn’t it stuff about the RAW and the file extensions etc.
I might just sit this out (again) for another year to see how the dust settles with firmware updates for the ZR and actually the Z6III as that might be the compromise play for me, although the Z8 will likely still win out.
So, ultimately, I was able to put the ZR down and walk away fairly easily.
Unexpectedly, the one I had far more difficulty walking away from the was the much maligned Fujifilm X-Half.
Kinky.
 

Had a chance to have a look at one in the flesh.

It feels good in the hand and the screen is everything that everyone has already said it is.
The overall size of the camera is even more compact than I thought it would be, particularly when they are displaying it alongside the next one up in the Nikon RED range !

I was sorely tempted at the price here which works out at £1650 including the 24-70mm f4 lens for visitors.

I’m here for a few more weeks so maybe I might buckle but the issue for me is that they had a Z8 at the next display and for an old fart like me that just appeals more, especially in light of the is it/isn’t it stuff about the RAW and the file extensions etc.
I might just sit this out (again) for another year to see how the dust settles with firmware updates for the ZR and actually the Z6III as that might be the compromise play for me, although the Z8 will likely still win out.
So, ultimately, I was able to put the ZR down and walk away fairly easily.
Unexpectedly, the one I had far more difficulty walking away from the was the much maligned Fujifilm X-Half.
Kinky.
 

Had a chance to have a look at one in the flesh.

It feels good in the hand and the screen is everything that everyone has already said it is.
The overall size of the camera is even more compact than I thought it would be, particularly when they are displaying it alongside the next one up in the Nikon RED range !

I was sorely tempted at the price here which works out at £1650 including the 24-70mm f4 lens for visitors.

I’m here for a few more weeks so maybe I might buckle but the issue for me is that they had a Z8 at the next display and for an old fart like me that just appeals more, especially in light of the is it/isn’t it stuff about the RAW and the file extensions etc.
I might just sit this out (again) for another year to see how the dust settles with firmware updates for the ZR and actually the Z6III as that might be the compromise play for me, although the Z8 will likely still win out.
So, ultimately, I was able to put the ZR down and walk away fairly easily.
Unexpectedly, the one I had far more difficulty walking away from the was the much maligned Fujifilm X-Half.
Kinky.
 

I will always remember what a Leica manager in Germany said to me, which went like this: “I have read your publication today, and I have to admit that the tone is from my point of view unreasonable. However, we respect that journalists can make up their mind independently. But I think even for your reputation within the worldwide video community this article might not be helpful.”
Continues on front page:
https://www.eoshd.com/news/same-career-psychopaths-who-sold-out-filmmaking-are-destroying-our-political-parties-and-the-bbc/

It's time
https://www.eoshd.com/news/why-its-time-for-fujifilm-to-go-full-frame/
And a full frame X100 without the RX1 III or Leica Q price tags would be fabulous thank you.

Playing devil’s advocate, I’d see it as a fairly cheap way for them to stimulate new interest in the S9 in general.
”Maybe you can’t get this particular S9 but hey if you haven’t seen this camera before, you have now seen how good it is and you’ll be amazed at how cheap and available the non bling version is”
The rest of them they’ll flog to Leica users who have been denied something compact since the CL/TL days and can hold their nose and buy a Panasonic because it’s a limited edition one in a box that they can take out and polish every Sunday.

Shot on A74 an Helios 44
First spotify data shows that the song is somehow listened to in Japan - so if you know anyone in that area... 
 

First time in ages i got away for a few days and did a road trip out to a little country town i like to visit.
Full discloser, never really considered myself, much of a cleanliness or sterility freak 🙃. However i am liking the sirui 1.33 24mm. Probably mostly for the convenience it brings. Its not 1.5, 1.6 or 2x, and i think the anamorphic effects are kinda tame compared to those other stretches i mention.  

I liken it to stepping stones i think,  little bit different to what you'd normally see but not as jarring as 2x ( although jarring might be too strong an adjective). It will flare and do the blue streaks as well but i find the blue streaks to be less intrusive compared to what you see on youtube. I suspect the first prototypes steaked quite a lot in youtube videos, no idea if they toned them down. My experiences has been their abit more subdued.   

The anamorphics guy  Tito Ferradans has a vid on using oval cutouts in sirui lenses. I'd probably try something like that next. If i wanted a look that was closer to 2x  Its taken a while to figure this lens out and i expect i still need to do more with it to realize its potential. 

The whole sterility / cleanliness thing, is of course subjective. What you may like, i may not and vice versa. I personally don't find cleanliness and or sharpness objectional in a lens and i recently bought a lens with a whole lot of yellowing going on that most wouldn't buy. 
I think the sirui and the other modern anamorphic lenses bring convenience to anamorphics. Buying a vintage anamorphic is much like travelling down a rabbit hole. Theres lots of things to add on and sometimes that can take a while to sort out.
 Its my understanding that  1.33 are geared towards crop sensors and the bigger stretches for full frame ? of course you can mix and match,  if you so desire.
i'm on mft format and i think 1.33 stretch adds enough of a difference for me. i also suspect a 1.33 stretch is a good start, if your looking to dip your toes in anamorphics and have a crop sensor camera, but dont want to travel down a rabbit hole.  

Just watching this video here, which is about the Sirui Ironstar 35mm T1.9 1.5x lens and am amazed at how different the looks are: 
This has loads of vertical bokeh:

and yet, this has triangular horizontal bokeh (I think it's called Coma?):

I mean, seriously:

Then he compares them to the Blazar Remus which seems to have vertical bokeh that even gets more prominent towards the edges rather than less-so:



and then compare that to a swirly bokeh image cropped to a broadly similar aspect ratio and the bokeh on the very edges looks similar:


It's definitely not the same, but if it wasn't sharpened to within an inch of its life it might be a broadly similar aesthetic when put into a more normal scene.
Or this crazy combo of Helios 44-2 and Blazar 1.5x adapter, which seems to have horizontal streaking on the edges rather than vertical:


I'm beginning to think the bokeh is a lie, or potentially randomly generated!

Tianluokeng Tulou clusters, Fujian Province, China.
These buildings have a very thick outer wall of earth and a 3-5 storey inner wooden structure that houses dozens of families.  The structure is designed to be stable during earthquakes and secure against bandits.  The oldest if the ones we visited was built in 1796.
These are just with a quick grade, mostly Resolve Film Look Creator. The DR in the scene is extreme, and while all the required info is in the files, I'm going to have to go heavy on the power-windows when I grade these properly.
Grabs from GH7 + 14-140mm zoom.








Grabs from iPhone 17 Pro shooting Prores Log with default app.
The Prores HQ Apple Log files grade really nicely, have heaps of DR, and are great to work with. The DR isn't quite as much as the GH7, but it's more than enough for these scenes.  These were graded at a different time to the above GH7 shots so probably don't match.





All-in-all, the iPhone well and truly punches above its weight when you take into account it's pocketability, the size of the sensor, and the incredible range in focal lengths.  Imagine how much you'd have to pay to get a lens that can do 13-200mm FF equivalent FOV and has exposure levels between F1.78 and F2.8 across the whole range.

I went into an actual camera shop (remember those?) yesterday and had a chat about the ZR.
It is a branch of a reasonably sized chain of stores and I was asking them about if I ordered one would I have a chance of being in the first batch of their deliveries.
They had a check on their system and told me how many they had on order and was a bit surprised how few it was (less than double figures) and even more surprised to find out that that figure wasn’t just for their branch but the whole group.
Considering that they had pretty much the whole Nikon range on display, it wasn’t even like they aren’t a limited stockist of the brand.
So I said, “Oh right, with that few coming I suppose I’d have no chance of getting one for a few batches?”
Tap, tap, tap…
”No you’ll be fine as we haven’t got anyone who has pre-ordered one”
”In this branch?”
”No, the whole group”.
I was quite taken aback and asked why that was.
They said that the general consensus with customers and staff was that it was just a bit of a niche product and of the customers that were interested were all talking about the data rate putting them off.
What they also said is that they had had a resurgence of interest in the Z6iii since the ZR was announced.
It all likely means little in the overall scheme of things as this is just one retail group but it’s interesting to me how there can be such a gulf in the interest in a product and the reality of people actually buying it.
I think that data rate thing is going to be a thing though.

During my “Shall I get a Z8” research project - which has been going on so long it is featured in the Bayeux tapestry - I found the MC-N10 grip really appealing if a little pricy.
However, what is a setback is that it is a right handed grip (good for me) that connects by cable to cameras, including the ZR, with left sided USB ports.

I initially thought “well that’s awkward having to have that USB cable trailing across the camera but will use it over Bluetooth anyway”.
Except that was a flawed assumption as it doesn’t have Bluetooth.
Nikon makes a virtue of it being wired only in their product page.
___________
Reliable connection
This grip connects to your Nikon camera via USB-C, ensuring a stable connection no matter where you shoot. You won’t have to rely on a wireless signal if you’re shooting in a crowded location where radio interference is a problem.
_____________

And I completely get that of course. 
There are always cable routing solutions to make it less janky than Nikon’s own promotional materials of it show so I’m sure some mitigation can be had.
The £69 Smallrig ZR cage has locking clamps for USB C as well as HDMI ports so it’s only a couple of zip ties away from not being a massive issue.

At £400+ though, I’m sure they could’ve incorporated the small addition of a Bluetooth capability with a small internal rechargeable battery to provide the option and still made money.
With the ZR having fewer hardware buttons it’s a product that could have a lot of appeal if you can swallow the price and the lack of wireless.
 

And that mount.
Megadap will be rubbing their hands at the amount of E mount lenses that may well be finding a home on this camera.
Not just from Sony defectors either but from new owners of the ZR who look at the plethora of appropriately sized E mount lenses on the new and used market and will consider the ZR as a de facto E mount camera.
 

Nikon’s Japan site showing official release date there of 24th of October.

That tax inclusive price of ¥299,200 is taking the value for money to another level really isn’t it 😂

 
 
 

Nikon’s Japan site showing official release date there of 24th of October.

That tax inclusive price of ¥299,200 is taking the value for money to another level really isn’t it 😂

 
 
 

Nikon’s Japan site showing official release date there of 24th of October.

That tax inclusive price of ¥299,200 is taking the value for money to another level really isn’t it 😂

 
 
 

If you put a card from a Z8 NRaw recording in a Z6iii does it play back?
And vice versa.

During my “Shall I get a Z8” research project - which has been going on so long it is featured in the Bayeux tapestry - I found the MC-N10 grip really appealing if a little pricy.
However, what is a setback is that it is a right handed grip (good for me) that connects by cable to cameras, including the ZR, with left sided USB ports.

I initially thought “well that’s awkward having to have that USB cable trailing across the camera but will use it over Bluetooth anyway”.
Except that was a flawed assumption as it doesn’t have Bluetooth.
Nikon makes a virtue of it being wired only in their product page.
___________
Reliable connection
This grip connects to your Nikon camera via USB-C, ensuring a stable connection no matter where you shoot. You won’t have to rely on a wireless signal if you’re shooting in a crowded location where radio interference is a problem.
_____________

And I completely get that of course. 
There are always cable routing solutions to make it less janky than Nikon’s own promotional materials of it show so I’m sure some mitigation can be had.
The £69 Smallrig ZR cage has locking clamps for USB C as well as HDMI ports so it’s only a couple of zip ties away from not being a massive issue.

At £400+ though, I’m sure they could’ve incorporated the small addition of a Bluetooth capability with a small internal rechargeable battery to provide the option and still made money.
With the ZR having fewer hardware buttons it’s a product that could have a lot of appeal if you can swallow the price and the lack of wireless.
 

During my “Shall I get a Z8” research project - which has been going on so long it is featured in the Bayeux tapestry - I found the MC-N10 grip really appealing if a little pricy.
However, what is a setback is that it is a right handed grip (good for me) that connects by cable to cameras, including the ZR, with left sided USB ports.

I initially thought “well that’s awkward having to have that USB cable trailing across the camera but will use it over Bluetooth anyway”.
Except that was a flawed assumption as it doesn’t have Bluetooth.
Nikon makes a virtue of it being wired only in their product page.
___________
Reliable connection
This grip connects to your Nikon camera via USB-C, ensuring a stable connection no matter where you shoot. You won’t have to rely on a wireless signal if you’re shooting in a crowded location where radio interference is a problem.
_____________

And I completely get that of course. 
There are always cable routing solutions to make it less janky than Nikon’s own promotional materials of it show so I’m sure some mitigation can be had.
The £69 Smallrig ZR cage has locking clamps for USB C as well as HDMI ports so it’s only a couple of zip ties away from not being a massive issue.

At £400+ though, I’m sure they could’ve incorporated the small addition of a Bluetooth capability with a small internal rechargeable battery to provide the option and still made money.
With the ZR having fewer hardware buttons it’s a product that could have a lot of appeal if you can swallow the price and the lack of wireless.
 

It’s the international break.
The world turns to shit when there is no club football.
There is only so much England vs Andorra that people can take.
Everything will be OK again on Saturday.

This was at the top of my YouTube feed today.
Genuinely thought at first glance it was going to be Mackey’s review of the ZR.
Maybe the world has got so twisted around that Depp is now cosplaying Mackey.