Video Hummus

I'm not sure what they could do that would be game changing? They are stuck with using off the shelf sensors made by Sony and sold to their competition. Their fabled organic sensor technology will take a while before it is even viable in a LUMIX product. They sure as hell won't put it in a LUMIX product first if their aging and declining Cinema VariCam business needs a serious boost. Maybe their cine business is fine, I don't know for sure, but based on how many films and TV shows are filmed on ARRI and RED I would say Panasonics VariCam is kinda an afterthought in that professional industry. The camera industry is like sports teams or car brands where people become identified with the brand in some deep way. But I do think there is this underlining tone of Japanese camera culture that manifests itself in weird product decisions and strategies and cripple hammers and other things. I mean the power that is available in a cellphone compared to what is in a typical 2020 camera...it just doesn't add up.

It’s not surprising is it? Everybody wants full frame look, full frame low light, full frame image quality. Influencers scream it at the top of their lungs. “Great camera...but its not full frame.” So I’m not surprised at all. Sony asks a lot of money for their ASPC cameras. I’m not surprised they are moving their FF into smaller and smaller bodies. I recently picked up a used Pentax K1000 for cheap and bought some film and have really been loving it as an escape from the optimum capture settings mini-game we all play with these digital cameras.

Finally they said it. Can’t be creative with MFT? Shucks...

The DR advantages of some of the latest FF cameras like S1/H/S5 and A7SIII to be exact are quite impressive for the prices.

Every year you own the R5 the recording time reduces by 5 mins until 0 minutes is displayed when you turn it on. This is to protect canon profit margins...er I mean the toshiba power converter thingys wear out because of battery quantum fluxes. Or so I’m told. It protects the camera blowing up in your face and causing blindness.

Is this a Schrödinger’s cat type of puzzle? When does C-Roll cease to be C-roll? Is it when you make the first cut of the footage in a NLE. Or just arranging the clips in a non-chronological order? Those are edits and they are technically changing the reality you captured. I think most of Trout’s work is authentic. It’s home movies with a voiceover and a loose theme and some music. It’s certainly way different than PM’s videos or all the other people out there big money on lights and gear to get a “look”. YouTube is like the stale crackers of content. The airline food for the masses. It’s all heavily seasoned the same but with no real flavor or soul to speak of. I give a pass to the more nerdy tech channels as those are basically a tech blog in video form where they can more easily convey their message with video than picture and words. Gerald Undone for example. Just give us the juicy information without all the fluff B-roll bullshit and talking about your studio space for the 30th time.

If this isn’t proof enough that we don’t want our cameras to get “cloud” anything then I don’t know what is. Imagine your camera phoning home over cellular network everytime you turn it on.

If he scripted talking about flying fishing with his dad its perhaps the best scripted acting sequence in any movie. C-Roll is documentation without an intent. Perhaps his intent was to create something with footage he filmed in the above video. That’s fine. My point is it isn’t taken seriously, it isn’t overproduced and trying to be all Hollywood like so many are trying to do on YouTube these days. But I’m not here to defend my choices of entertainment just sharing. If you don’t like that’s fine.

I think your overthinking it honestly. But each their own. He likes to tell stories about his life and where he grew up with the people he grew up with. I don’t see a lot of sculpting besides the narration and the editing...you have to edit btw unless you are just releasing 5 hours of GoPro footage from it being strapped to you head.

A YouTuber that does this basically full time is Trout & Coffee. He shoots really authentic stuff with his phone, GoPro, and I suspect an old 5DM3 or something (the video quality isn’t great) but his stories are, and that’s the meat of it right there. He doesn’t care about AF loosing focus. Doesn’t care about lack of DR or getting the perfect shot or the most cinematic angles. Doesn’t talk about gear at all. He captures things raw and its honestly my favorite channel because its a total breathe of fresh air from all the overly serious, overly produced, overly shot and edited stuff out there. It has changed my perspective. He shoots what Christian calls “C-Roll” as his style and his choice and makes money doing it with ads on instagram for lots of different brands. Creators allow YouTube to bend their will to its needs. It should be the other way around. If you enjoy vintage things, cabins, nature, good stories, campfires and canoe trips and a bit of Buddhism sprinkling here and there then I would recommend his channel.

Very true. they could do a limited edition run, with a hefty value markup added, and a line of accessories for each mount (vND adapter etc...) To take advantage of the flange distances on the mirrorless mounts. Sounds like a lot of work and hassle.

One could argue glass is sort of an “investment” if it can be carried on down the line from one model to the next. Certainly better to spend $2000 on a lens that could last 10+ years then a camera body that is obsolete or no longer becomes competitive for your needs after 3 years or even less. Lenses (and the money I spent on them) is the primary reason I’m sticking with MFT for awhile, assuming new MFT cameras are built, because its 1) cheaper 2) still above what I use my camera for. It’s really hard to make a decision to switch because its not just the $2000 or ($4000 in the case of the R5) its the many thousands more to be spent on focal lengths for that mount. Easily as much as a nice used car in the case of RF! That’s why I agree with @Andrew Reid’s suggestion for Sigma to release a universally adaptable lens mount. The main problem I see sigma having is push back and lockout from manufactures mount protocols because they feel threatened by it. I feel like this is the main reason they haven’t done it. They have also probably signed licensing agreements with each mount as well that bars them from doing so. They would have to wait until the agreement was up and a whole new mount to be released where both parties know the protocol implementation hasn’t been shared with Sigma for them to be free and clear from probably being sued. Big risk. Easier to sell more lenses for all the different mounts.

Is the club I’m talking about.

Eh, the more I learn the more I think it could be argued that that is not the case. Strict licensing agreements for cellphones and cameras and perhaps even other companies. Are you telling me that Sony Semiconductor wouldn’t come to an agreement with Sony Corporation’s camera division on wether to sell the latest sensor to them? Are you telling me Sony Corporation would not somehow pay any price to Sony Semiconductor to acquire the latest advances in PDAF or whatever the latest technology is? No, something fishy going on behind the scenes. Panasonic committing slow seppuku With their cameras over AF because they don’t believe in PDAF? Smells like bullshit. I’m sure they are willing to pay a hefty price to acquire the licensing agreement like othe companies seem to have done. Their camera business’ survival depends on it.

I got ya. Yeah, I’m guilty of using the “investment” terminology too. But I agree, they are rarely investments except in rare circumstances of be coming a collectible.

True, but I’d rather have a worthless GH6 to shoot 6K or 8K and HFR 4K with my paperweight MFT lenses before they float to the top of the water belly up.

Necessary, no. Inevitable, yes. The lack of product vision at the Japanese camera companies is causing them to lean into bigger and bigger sensors to try and stay ahead of the cellphone market that is currently feasting on their limbs. Sony seems to get it. But I’m not very inspired (currently) by their phones or their cameras. They will bully everyone else out of the market with Sony Semiconductor as the club.

I can wait with the way things are in the world. I do think if there is nothing announced officially by Jan 2021 then MFT is dead at Panasonic. Who knows the camera industry might contract even more by then. We’ve heard very little from Nikon. Delays in important lens releases. They are probably struggling. The Z 70-200 looks humongous. Bigger than the F mount version.

Some other company really needs to step into the image sensor market. Samsung? A new player? Because I see So y Semiconductors Solutions strict licensing terms do nothing but hurt the camera industry. Maybe that’s just how things are run in Japan? Seems like all the other manufactures are at the complete mercy of Sony Semicon. Except Sony cameras of course.

Yeah. Kinda sounds like that certain other company that can’t seem to license PDAF at any price...

You are not alone. If Panasonic cannot implement more reliable AF with proven technology that works PDAF or DPAF their cameras need to offer something more than the competition. I love their cameras. It was easy in the past to look at the GH5 for example and say that considering the features I get I’m OK with the terrible autofocus. You can’t do that anymore when there are cameras like the A7SIII, R5, and Fuji XT-4 out there. They have all of what panasonic delivers plus AF.

Who says they might not be doing a 4K60/120p HDR mode that is averaging frames at different exposures? Very possible.

It could also be the GH5 still sells well enough for them to hold off...who knows.

When will they launch their mirrorless camera?

I’m in the same boat. I have quality MFT glass. I would like to know 1) will there be a GH6 or not (and will they pull out of MFT) 2) Will Panasonic pull out of cameras altogether in 2021 anyway...there are rumors of restructuring, vague promises and weird language about future MFT cameras, and the current market make me think its very likely. A GH6 release will be great. I can use that camera for 3-4 years and be very happy with it. If they decide to drop MFT after that...so be it. I hope they have their FF cameras competitive by then. The safest bet is Sony E-mount. But I’ve never been a real fan of their camera bodies. Maybe that will change. Second best is Canon...the question there how much frustration due to asinine crippling am I willing to put up with for their bullet proof autofocus and quality image... Then there is the wildcard, Fuji. If they release a X-H2 or any other video focused mirrorless hybrid they shoot to #2 spot instantly. I just don’t think their lens lineup is all that interesting over MFT.