MrSMW

Torn now... After 2 full jobs fully Lumix, I'm thinking I might just flip the S9 for another S1Rii, - 2x same bodies, weather sealing, twin card writing, option of mechanical shutter, same colour, 7.2k 30p open gate, potentially Arri log... The Sigma 28-45mm f1.8 is on it's way and would be bolted on to one unit and the other, flip between the Lumix 18mm and 85mm f1.8's making the 50mm f1.8 redundant. I think I'd do it today but for the cost so will have to think about it some more, but it's very likely. Still to use the video side of the S1Rii but based on my experience with the S9 and S5ii's, I already pretty much know what the benchmark is and that the S1Rii will exceed that. Makes the loss of the A7RV and Zf slightly more palatable!

Not yet, just getting used to it in its stills role first, but next job in a few weeks, going to shoot some 7.2k with it. Not the full job, but at least some, for this specific task. For now but as above. General walkabout, venue pics etc but nah, it’s not for me. It is at least with the 28-70.

Official review, mentioned in another thread, it’s fucking awesome. I didn’t expect to like it as much as I do, but actually… So the OG S5 I really liked and I switched from Fuji for video and stills because I wanted a full frame system over a cropped one. For a while, I actually carried on shooting a ‘cropped system’ for video because the 4k 50p in the S5/S1H/S5ii is of course cropped, so it was more for the stills I wanted full frame. My overall feeling at the time was it was a marginal step up, but nothing anyone else would really notice. Bought a pair of S1R’s and whilst the image quality could not be questioned, did not care for the body too much and it was just a bit old school DSLR and too different from the S5 and S1H. Bought an S1H for video. Stellar camera. Would still be using it today if it just had a couple of features the S5ii has. But it doesn’t so had to eventually go. S5ii’s became my video workhorses and can’t really fault them but hated them for stills, especially coming from S1R and S1H which were MUCH better IMO as photo cameras. S9. Bought it. Sold it. Bought it back again. Love it, - my favourite run & gun video camera ever. Yes I have a few niggles with it such as it’s too easy to knock the dials etc and when I thought I was shooting 1/100th notice I am shooting 1/80th or 1/160th from time to time and aaaargh. I need to look at maybe even just a small bit of tape or something to prevent that. S1Rii vs Sony A7RV and Nikon Zf, because it has replaced both of those cameras. Vs the A7RV I’d say it’s about equal. Near identical sized and handling bodies, build, rear LCD’s etc with zero real world image quality difference. The Sony is a touch better in the AF department but not by much. Vs the Zf, the Zf is more ‘fun’ and my favourites point & shoot camera ever and again, very little real world image quality or AF difference, but the Lumix is a better lens platform and as a single body over a pair, it’s very very good. Pros: Size, weight, handling, build, image quality, hybrid crop zoom. Cons: I honestly haven’t really got any. I was hoping originally for the sensor from the Leica SL3 and a mini S1H body and whilst we did not get the former, I’m over that and re. the latter, it actually has that vibe. I had a few minor niggles first job I shot it, but then realised I had missed a few things on the set up so tweaked those areas for the job I am currently working on. What’s missing and any other comments? Well as above, hated the 28-200 zoom and it’s going back. I prefer primes but recognise they are not always practical for what I do or shorter zooms, preferably with internal zooming (or at least very short extension) are my preference. And do not care for slow, variable aperture lenses. So it’s going back and getting the lens that I know will work for me and that is the Sigma 28-45mm f1.8. What is missing for me now is just one more lens, a same size but longer focal length to the above lens, ie, something like a 45-90 f1.8 internal zoom. Please Sigma, make this lens 🙏 But for now, I will have to make do with hybrid zoom which is a bit of a revelation to me. It’s a massive thumbs up from me and now having 1 less camera, 3 less lenses and everything in one system, just a much better way of working.

Except he hasn’t. As above, in 25 years, I’ve only been in 3 systems, albeit a few side dalliances from time to time trying out a few things, but have never flip flopped between systems. I have had many many cameras over that time, but 90% of them have been upgrades to new models within a system as most full-time pros tend to do. The only exception to that has been the last 1.5 years when I bought a Sony and a Nikon because L Mount was frustrating me in that regard, both in the body and in the lens department, but more in the lens. There are still 2 holes within L Mount regarding lens IMO, but within the last 1.5 years, they have also popped out a couple that addressed some of my needs. I was also a little guilty of buying into the ‘L Mount is dead, Lumix won’t be making any more cameras’ line that many were spinning a year or two back and so 🤷‍♂️ But switched back and forth between camera systems… Mentally, many times and talked about hypothetical options, yep, guilty as charged, but flip-flopped like a YouTube shillster, nope. And no offense taken. I’m just having a moment on my soap box in denial of the accusation 😘

I’m not @mercer (obviously) and not answering that beyond what I said above, but after 3 days shooting with the S1Rii my official review is now available for public consumption below. It’s fucking superb. That’s my review. Indistinguishable image Q to the A7RV and almost indentical handling, ie, excellent, but the Sony does have marginally better AF. Not quite as ‘fun’ to use as the Zf which for me was the ultimate point & shoot, but as a ‘one stop solution combining the talents of both and within the L Mount family’, fucking superb. I would be interested in a ‘rangefinderesque’ body a la RX1 line, but no idea if Lumix ever plan on making one 🤷‍♂️ But don’t need one.

Would you like to make a gentleman’s wager on that? If I was going to…and I won’t, it would be more likely Nikon, but I have only made 2 fundamental brand changes in my 25 year career to date: 2000-2011 Nikon 2012-2020 Fuji 2021-… Lumix other than the last 1.5 years when I brought in a single Sony and a single Nikon for stills, now replaced with an additional Lumix, the S1Rii. Trialled a few Sony’s and Olympus cameras over the last decade or so, but nothing serious. So nah, unless you know my mind, history and business better than me, I don’t think so!

OK, next gen to what I had then! I probably will resist the BF as I have just downsized my kit and I really don’t want to increase it ever again!

I didn’t actually but did same sensor cameras which would have been D3/D700 or something of that era because I was all Nikon back then. I am getting curious about the Sigma BF now…but must resist, must resist, must resist…

Well the 28-200 is going back. Hate it. Suspected I might… I just cannot stand slow, variable aperture zooms, even in good light. Going to find me a used Sigma 28-45mm f1.8 ASAP and just skip the second whole long zoom thing as after all, I already have the f4 70-200. Oh well, I tried. Switched it for the Sigma 28-70mm f2.8 and phew, crisis over 😉 The S1Rii is working out OK so far for stills. Not as snappy as my A7RV which itself is not as snappy as my Zf, but neither of those fit in with The Greater Plan. S9 still my fave for video.

Can you please do ratings for Herbie Goes Bananas (1980) 🙏

Right, is it the hood or the bag that is made in Japan, because if it’s not both, I’m not interested as I prefer cloth and plastic from Japan and find similar items from countries such as China, Vietnam, Thailand etc, to be far inferior with their shitty cloth and plastics. I’d pay no more than $195-197.

as @newfoundmass said above, you can do your own thing and it’s easier than ever these days. Too much weight given to SOOC colour science…

There are an almost infinite number of combos affecting these things but yes, 'white' caucasian skin for sure shows up the most magenta and more so in men and more so in men over a certain age and if they are drinkers, well... And then the DJ has his pink light on everything and we're all magenta! I'm about to do my next phase/gen of colour, or at least within the next couple of weeks after the next few jobs now I am 100% L Mount. I wasn't too bothered previously about having my stills match my video though you couldn't tell the difference between my Sony and Nikon files, but that is because they have been edited together. I've been very happy for the last 1.5 years with the SOOC look of my video files from my S5ii's and S9, but that is probably more because of the use of a 1/8th mist that reduces a bit of contrast and that 'digital' look, plus I am baking in an Arri inspired LUT. The combination of those 2 things gets me to about 80% of the finished image with another approx 10% being some very minor tweaks in post to some, but far from all bits of footage, mostly just some; cropping, straightening, exposure and minor WB and then another approx 10% with the creative LUT slapped on over the top. OK, it's not slapped, but gently laid over the entire timeline and the individual clips have a final tweak if needs be. It's not high end grading by any means, but I'm more than happy with the result. Could it be better? Sure and I've got a direction I'd like to take it and all be doing so over the coming weeks with the stills perfectly aligned with the video for future jobs.

And just to show that there are as many arguments for Lumix over Black Magic, probably because I clicked on that YouTube link above, I'm getting such comparisons in my feed now (!!), I clicked on one and grabbed a frame: What are those greens...I'm sorry, yellows supposed to be on the left (BM) image and are those skin tones better? Not to my eyes and taste they are not, albeit this dude had slapped his LUT on these, but still... Click on the pic for a better view but there pic on the right looks far more pleasing and natural to me.

Far right cameras 😂

Define ‘bad’? -5 magenta and boom. One camera is a Golf GTi and the other is a Porsche Boxster. One is a better all-rounder and the other is better at one specific thing. Mid-range mirrorless vs low end cinema camera 🤷‍♂️

So this has changed from you comparing S1Rii colour compared with S5ii compared with OG S5 to S1ii vs Black Magic, I can't keep up 😜 I could change the topic now to your Black Magic colour science vs my Lumix IBIS. But in all seriousness, there is no one single one stop solution to anything but rather a case of whatever suits your needs best!

There loss is our gain. As soon as I get the chance, I am going to put up this Arri log against Andy log and Joel log in a direct head to head. Regardless of result, I can really only choose Andy or Joel log because I can put that on all 4 cameras but the official Arri only on 1. Andy log = @Andrew Reid version of what the Arri lut might be for Lumix cameras. Joel log = Phantom Luts which are designed to replicate various Arri based movie looks.

Buy used and let some other mug take the hit! I do sometimes buy new myself, but I’d estimate that 75-80% of all my purchases (cameras and lenses) in the last 5 years have been used. This new release does seem VERY overpriced that and possibly a bit speculative of them as the old model is trading quite high?

I disagree and you can call me a Lumix fangirl or shill, but having or having had all 3, nah. The OG S5 did/does have a marginally better image quality than the S5ii as did the S1H and S1R and I think the magic is back with the S1Rii. Based on both my limited so far testing and the results of others who have not just jumped to Lumix or have limited skills in the first place. There is some outright shit out there as there is for any and every camera because it’s not just the camera, but the lens, the use of the kit, the environment, the editing/processing, the output and presentation and yada yada yada. The bottom line is if you don’t feel it’s for you and you have a system that works better for you, cool, but this system other than a couple of lens shaped holes is now extremely mature. IMO, the mojo is back. S5ii still rocks for longer form content and whilst SOOC it might have an image a fraction behind the older stuff and the newer kit, it takes hardly any effort to tweak it. As above, credit where credit is due and I was heading towards Nikon or Sony, but Lumix have done enough to have my loyalty and I am now 100% within L Mount. *Caveat; subject to the next 5 days real world test, ie, paid work that no amount of testing can replicate, but expect no issues as 3 of 4 cameras I have been working with for 1.5 years already and it’s only the S1Rii that is new*

Could well be and no idea either. I wouldn't knowingly buy stolen good myself, but I guess we'd never know, especially if the legit company selling them to you is the source.

100% I'd easily pick the II model over the III...and was considering it but scratched that itch with the Zf...and despite that being my favourite ever camera to shoot with, selling it, for the second time, but needs must. Anyone EU also want to buy a minty Zf?! 🤪

Nah, A7RV KILLS the A7CR. Unless you absolutely must have that body type, it has; better stab, MUCH better EVF and rear fully articulating LCD, twin type B CF Express with write back up (stills anyway, not sure about video) and is just a much better platform. I have one for sale if anyone wants one? EU only!! But that's not why I'm rating it well over the A7CR, - it's simply a much better camera in every regard except as above, unless you must have a rangefinderesque body.

I don’t know but it came from MPB UK with their standard 6 month used warranty and I doubt they’d deal in stolen goods. Most likely someone’s favourite YouTuber said, “actually, I know I just hopped over from Sony to LUMIX, but I’ve decided to now go to Nikon”. One of those talkers/collectors who never actually shoots, just talks and collects and maybe one day, when they have finally assembled all the right kit, will actually use it 🤷‍♂️

Well that is interesting… My ‘new’ S1Rii came with firmware v1.2 and Arri log C3 installed so some mug just bought and sold this camera pronto to MPB and I snaffled it for £2700. Unless I am the mug and they sold it to MPB because of some fault…but then surely they would have sent it back for a full refund to wherever they bought it on the first place? Someone probably lost over £750 in depreciation + Arri license… Not that I can use it because my other 3 Lumix cameras will never get option. Instead, looking forward to giving @Andrew Reid option a whirl, but it’s finding the time, - heavily bogged down with work at the moment…