Fairkid

On 8/10/2023 at 12:00 AM, Andrew Reid said:

I had a tip off by a man who should know, that a certain Leica SL3 is coming in March next year, which will be a huge updated based on Panasonic's latest tech, which means we should see an S2H or S1H II whatever it will be called before then, perhaps even this year. The S1 and S1R will get an update too, so not long to wait for some excitement in Panasonic land.

By the way I just noticed that WEX in the UK have an S1H for £1399, which is simply ridiculous.

This was a 4 grand camera when it came out and is Netflix standard!!

It is amazing how the market punishes Panasonic for such a high quality piece of kit.

In fact I felt sorry for it and bought it. Autofocus be damned.

The S2H is sure to have PDAF but will it be an 8K overkill monster and lose some of the low light creaminess that the S1H is well known for? That is the question.

I wanted that one, was patiently waiting for Wex to offer one of those 10% off clearance codes they sometimes do. 

1 minute ago, Fairkid said:

 

https://www.facebook.com/groups/nikonz9/permalink/641169057847137/

On 7/11/2023 at 7:03 PM, Evgeniy85 said:

H265 looks worse than ProRes HQ or N-RAW but only in terms of texture, the dynamic range should be the same.
I haven't done any side by side tests but it looks like the DR in N-log is the same as on Z9 or Z6II.

Are you shooting in N-log? What are you using to transform the footage to REC709?

The official LUTs are pretty harsh, even the updated ones for Z8. That might be your problem. 

The most recent official LUT is plain awful. Someone on a Z9 facebook group posted one which is much better, smoother and with more dynamic range. In general terms the camera has average dynamic range, it's OK and gets the job done, shadow recovery is pretty good. The camera ergos, screen and evf are really nice though, I like shooting with it and the Nikon Z 24-70 f2.8 is a really nice lens. 

10 hours ago, markr041 said:

That's perfectly reasonable. But, 4K DCI  and 24.0p do affect the image, as do focus breathing compensation and allegedly the EI options. LUT use for baking in camera also. But if those are not important, then there is no need to whine about lack of the fx firmware updates.

Not whining, just responding to your blanket statement about the A7S III being wrong for people who take their video seriously which is a load of nonsense. 

2 hours ago, markr041 said:

 The fx3 and fx30 are cameras for people who take video seriously. And cameras like the a7s iii are not for them or other hybrids, with or without breathing compensation. Of course this does not mean an owner of an a7siii is not professional. Just she ended up with the wrong camera. 

I would still buy the A7SIII over the FX3 for dedicated video use as you get the EVF and it's better value. The firmware does not affect the image or improve the ease much in my opinion. 

The 40mm is a good lens as it can be found reasonably cheaply on the used market (compared to new price and compared to the equivalent 35mm f1.2), it handles nicely for video as there is no focus tab plus it focuses closer than most rangefinder lenses. Not mention the lovely look to the images it produces, even at f1.2

I tried the Z9 on a few jobs but didn't keep it in the end. The colours are beautiful and I loved the ergonomics and battery life but as you mentioned the workflow wasn't ideal. I just couldn't get decent dynamic range out of it using the supplied Nikon conversion LUTs. As it's a bit of a niche camera there wasn't much info out there on how to get the best out of it. 

I love my S1 with the Voigtlander 40mm f1.2 LM, I feel like I can cover anything with that combo.

44 minutes ago, hyalinejim said:

Exactly! And sometimes you wouldn't even need to open the link. The answer is in the search result summary. If it's a video, even a short one, you have to click past so much irrelevance from someone who's in love with the smell of their own farts before finally finding the answer (if it's even correct in the first place).

Honestly, it's getting harder and harder. I was reading something a while back on Reddit where someone said they usually skip to the second page of search results as the first is just trash!

I wholeheartedly agree. Google used to have a specific button to just show forum results and I was gutted when they removed it.

9 hours ago, Django said:

Can you magnify while recording?

Yes you can

Thanks for the info. I have just bought an FX30 so it’s really helpful. Is that the Portkeys monitor that allows touch tracking?

I've owned both over the last two years and the Sony wins for me due to the consistency across frame rates (Canon image line skips when in higher frame rates), the full sized HDMI and its better battery life. I don't particularly love Sony colours in general but the A7SIII image is really flexible and has loads of dynamic range. I wouldn't necessarily choose to shoot the Sony for narrative work but for the corporate work I generally do it is really capable and has been rock solid so far. 

I choose the A7SIII over the FX3 mainly due to the EVF, I recently bought an FX3 handle for cheap on Ebay and use it on the A7SIII when needed. You can buy an adapter from small rig and it works well.

Mini hdmi on the S5 kills it for me. The S1 on the other would be my preference or pick up an S1H for under £2k

2 hours ago, Django said:

C70 is making waves and is pretty popular, and with the RAW light update it's only getting better.

I'm split in between getting one and the R5C. 

Also a long-term FS7 user, this camera still does it for me in 2022. Absolute workhorse.

Love the IQ in Cine EI mode.

The shoulder mount ENG config is what sets it apart from the rest of the "budget" cine cams out there.

Would love an FX9 but I can't really justify the $11K price tag upgrade.

Yes, I really wish that the C70 and FX6 offered an evf add on for shoulder, handheld use. 

I would love to find a way to incorporate a small EVF into my C70 rig. It's the one major thing that is missing for me from the camera. I have thought about the Portkeys Leye but apparently the loop is poor quality and the diopter slips.

On 8/12/2021 at 9:11 AM, pvlvsk said:

Exactly the same with my C70. So I think its normal. The rear wheel is a mess as also the joystick. Can't understand the decision to make it this loose. HDMI port placement is also terrible. 

But in overall its a great camera and I enjoy it more and more with every job. The last time I worked with an another camera operator with an a7sIII and saw how he was suffering with his rig, nd filters, batteries, cables and so on. with this camera it is so much more comfortable to work.

Yes I hate the HDMI placement! It's exactly where my hand naturally wants to rest when hand holding the camera. 

Filmed again with the C70 today and it is very liberating (coming recently from BMPCC and Mirrorless) having it all in one box with great battery life, NDs and superb audio preamps. Colours are easy to work with and the dynamic range is very good.

4 hours ago, jonstatt said:

Thanks for the reply. I don't know what Canon were thinking with that rear dial. You said your 10 clicks but do you find you have to press harder than other buttons to get it to respond? 

Overall the camera is great. Straight forward to use and the form factor works for me and adds versatility. Just wish it had raw.

Yes mine is different to the other buttons in terms of its travel. The recess within which the button sits is smaller. Perhaps they designed it so you rock your lower finger over it whilst the top of the finger sits on the record button.

I really like the camera so far too, the dynamic range seems excellent.

20 hours ago, jonstatt said:

Hi. Just got my C70 and have a couple of what feel like silly questions on whether my unit is assembled correctly. 

All the buttons with numbers have a nice positive click except number 10, the one shot AF button. It's stiffer and not much in the way of a click at all. Is this normal?

The top wheel that adjusts the iris has a very positive action. But the small rear wheel near the top right is much looser and although it clicks,  it's very subtle. Is that normal?

 

I've had mine for a couple of weeks. My number 10 clicks but there is not much travel, my rear dial above the 'func' button is very loose. It is set to iso by default and I found myself changing values accidentally. I think I will disable it completely. 

I have used it on one shoot so far and I enjoyed using it. 

2 minutes ago, Fairkid said:

I have the grip but it makes the camera unwieldy due to how tall it becomes. Also the connection is not rock solid so there is wobble when on a tripod. Lastly the battery indicator is not accurate so you can go from a fresh battery to a red battery in no time - the red battery might last a while but the anxiety kicks in. 

This is why ultimately the V-Lock battery comes into play again.

11 minutes ago, Django said:

Actually this is probably the most relevant opinion to my user case. I also do a lot of corporate and indeed found the 6KP to be overkill and cumbersome in file size / workflow. That said yes the camera and IQ is fantastic for the price. 

Battery life is of course essential in this line of work, do you have the grip on the BM? I'd think 3 Sony batteries would be sufficient for at least 3 hours recording no?

I didn't mention the C200 which I've owned. If only it had 10-bit internal it would be perfect. The 8-bit 4K is really soft though and the 1Gbps CRL makes BRAW feel ultra light! I sold it and bought an R6 which has excellent 10-bit oversampled FF/S35 4K. Of course the overheating and record time limit means its only good for B-cam or short interviews. Hence my search for an A-cam.

C70 ticks all the boxes but the price is a setback imo and I suspect a price drop will come sooner later.

I have the grip but it makes the camera unwieldy due to how tall it becomes. Also the connection is not rock solid so there is wobble when on a tripod. Lastly the battery indicator is not accurate so you can go from a fresh battery to a red battery in no time - the red battery might last a while but the anxiety kicks in. 

15 minutes ago, Fairkid said:

I have the 6kPro and think it's a great camera, easy to use and a great image, but realistically for the work I do, which is mainly corporate, it's overkill. I am not sure the file sizes are worth it when I know the client is happy whatever camera I shoot with. The battery situation is still not perfect either so I tend to power it via  V mount which means rigging the camera. 

I also have a Panasonic S1 which I use on a gimbal and find it is more than enough as far as image quality is concerned. It does lack built in NDs though and the batteries only last an hour each. 

I am getting to the point where ease of use trumps ultimate image quality, so I am think about selling the 6k Pro and replacing it with a C200 or C70. 

I know this doesn't directly apply to you but I thought my experiences with the 6K Pro might be relevant to the conversation. 

Also, the IR pollution with the internal NDs is annoying. Black becomes purple so IR filtration is something that needs to be factored in, which again adds to the rigging/accessory considerations. 

I have the 6kPro and think it's a great camera, easy to use and a great image, but realistically for the work I do, which is mainly corporate, it's overkill. I am not sure the file sizes are worth it when I know the client is happy whatever camera I shoot with. The battery situation is still not perfect either so I tend to power it via  V mount which means rigging the camera. 

I also have a Panasonic S1 which I use on a gimbal and find it is more than enough as far as image quality is concerned. It does lack built in NDs though and the batteries only last an hour each. 

I am getting to the point where ease of use trumps ultimate image quality, so I am think about selling the 6k Pro and replacing it with a C200 or C70. 

I know this doesn't directly apply to you but I thought my experiences with the 6K Pro might be relevant to the conversation. 

I have been messing around with mine today too and have been really enjoying it. The feel in the hand is superb, very ergonomic and access to NDs in body is bloody revelatory. The weight is really nice, it feels more solid than my 4k. 
 

The screen is really useable even in bright light, colour tint on screen seems ok too. No major colour shift noticed in the footage with ND up to the full 6 stops though no scientific testing done. 
 

All in all I am really happy with it. I put on the Canon 24mm f2.8 is lens, stuck in a Cfast and was able to fit it into a small shoulder bag and head out for the day with one spare battery. Everything I needed was in the camera, very liberating. 

My screen looks really nice, no obvious blue tint. Got mine from CVP yesterday.

32 minutes ago, Paul Jonathan said:

Not sure if I am allowed to post Ebay links here, but there is a German reseller on Ebay that sells them. I am sure they are available in UK as well. They are called PATONA PROTECT Sony NP-F550 F330 F530 F750 F930 F920 F550. As far as my research went is that F550 and F570 are identical in sizing and only differentiated by capacity. They cost me 15 Euros a piece which is significantly less than the BMD branded ones, so even if they hold a little less charge I think they'll still be worthwhile.

Just wanted to share my research on NP-F chargers as well, if you're considering exclusively power the camera this way like I do. I did a deep search on fast charging NP-F chargers, and all I could find were 2A chargers, that frequently distributed their charge as multiple batteries were attached, dropping down to 1A or 0.5A. So I found this charger from Kinefinity that charges two NP-Fs at 2A and if only one is attached it even charges at 3A. It is kinda pricy (79 EUR plus VAT) without the USB-C cable, but I decided it to be worthwhile, as it in theory keeps the camera running in definitely with only four batteries, as charge time for on NP-F is 60 mins and 90 for 2. According to John Brawley the camera gets around 70 minutes of recording time on a single battery when recording to CFast.

Thank you Paul, I found them and ordered 6 which should do for a good days filming.