MrSMW

If just one of these ^ happens, it would be ossum 🫡

It's like a wedding where the fella wears a dark suit and the bride, a white frock. In bright sunlight. And insist on doing everything outdoors, early to mid-afternoon. Welcome to my world 😏 😉

I am going to predict not. I reckon it will be S5ii spec in a Sony FX3 style body and that's about it. Possibly a better built and beefier S9... Interested? 'Mildly curious'. I have literally just finished packing up my van after updating software, resetting all the settings and clocks etc on all my kit ahead of this seasons opening event. I have ZERO interest in changing anything until this season is done and in the bag. Mid-season changes just cause problems!

Nah, they will pass, but then these are night shots rather than day so would expect them to be darker 😝 I re-watched The Batman yesterday. Last time was big screen with French subtitles 🥸 but at home on this occasion and that movie I think is a great example of ‘dark’ for reference.

Pretty stable and even with the post stab, not a huge amount of cropping going on 👍 I'd say FF Lumix is about the same level with S5ii.

I'm finding this last set a little too dark Kye...but that might just be my personal taste. I often do the old 'Squint Test' when it comes to images and these are just a tad too dark for me. Hope you don't mind me saying...

+ Currently = 5 bodies: 2 stills + 4 lenses (within the Sony e Mount/Nikon ecosystem) & 3 video + 5 lenses (within L Mount), so considering a switch to: 4 bodies (1x Sony + 3x Nikon) & 5 lenses, ie, 5 bodies + 9 lenses currently across 2 incompatible systems for 4 bodies + 5 lenses within 1 compatible system, ie, with the Megadap adapter, Nikon Z has access to anything E Mount with near native autofocus. Ie, 1 less body and 4 less lenses and within ONE single compatible (lens) system. And yes, it is my full-time business so everything I buy (or sell) is a business decision and expense. Well maybe, but anything I say I always qualify with 'for my specific needs' any time I talk about gear. Sorry, all FF Lumix or Sigma glass...and as above, if it happens, won't be until October soonest with any kit for sale UK or EU only! It's more likely I will do it than not because as I am always saying to my missus, no more 'sideways' steps when it comes to business expenses, - any major changes have to be because the thing is quantifiably better. Or I broke something. But hardly like I could break an entire system so, the former.

1. First I need to work out how to make the financials work and then… 2. Whether to get a can of black spray paint or spend a little more and get an Alphagvrd wrap. The longer I have the better because I still have the option next year to flip from Lumix for my video needs to Nikon… Sony e Mount has all the lenses and L Mount only some of them. My preference for bodies for video is Lumix, but e Mount has better glass for my needs. This lens actually would allow me to lose an entire unit from my line up and move from 5 current units to 4, so a strong business case does exist. It would also make ALL lenses cross-compatible between Sony stills body/ies and Nikon video. It also stacks up financially because all 3 of my Tamron zoom lenses that I currently use for stills, will adapt perfectly for video use on Nikon bodies. Actually, I should go and do some actual maths because it’s not that great an expense… Not this year, - too late for that at this point in time, but this 50-150 really is a game changer for my specific needs. A7RV + 50-150 stills 1x Zf + 20-40 hybrid 2x Z6iii + 28-75, 70-180 video Sell 3x Lumix cameras + 5x lenses in order to buy 2x Nikon cameras and 1x lens. Probably a good financial equation…

That is some stability Kye! Various Netflix and other productions should take note; I hate all this super handheld jittery stuff.

Yes, the conspiracy theorist in me says they increased the prices for the rest of the world in order to sell cheap to the US market taking into account any tariffs. Based on current pricing including tariffs, stuff still seems to be cheaper in the US? That has been the other option I was considering, but decided it was neither long enough nor fast enough (the Sigma f2.8) and whilst I could live with one or the other, both didn't make sense compared with what I have which is the Tamron 28-75 and 70-180 f2.8's. I don't think I have any option but to wait until these are sub 4k euros either new or used from somewhere like MPB. Paired with the Sigma 28-45mm f1.8 for indoor/low-light scenarios and paired with my Nikon Zf with 40mm f2, I think I will have my perfect set up for stills. Perfect as in I can't realistically expect that 50-150 to be any smaller or lighter because...well, physics.

Well I am one of those, but not the other...

Exactly. I have a second smaller/lighter camera for wider stuff but it's always a choice I have to make otherwise, ie, do I go short (up to 75mm) or go longer but accept I can't go wider than 70mm, which is almost always far too tight. The Tamron 35-150 exists but extends too long when zoomed out and is just a bit too 'geeky' as is it's Samyang sister, so a pretty hard no for me. There's a compromise, there always is and if it's to be a bit of size and weight, so be it. I mean I was looking at the Sigma 105mm f1.4 fairly recently and the Nikon 135mm f1.8 Plena and whilst the latter is a little smaller and lighter but barely faster and FAR less flexible, the former is 300g heavier. And has zero flexibility. OK, it's faster, but that (beyond a point) is not the primary factor for me. A relatively fast: 50/70/85/105/135/150 all in one single lens? I just need to find the funds! I'd have been happy with a 50-150/2.8 had it maxed out at no more than 1kg, but if it was over, I'd suck up that extra weight and have that extra stop.

I think I ‘need’ it… More (exclusively actually for me) for stills than video. 2 years ago, I was running around with an S1R + battery grip + Leica 24-90 as my ‘one & done’ stills unit. It had 3 principal faults. 1. Weight; it was 2.8kg in the hands. 2. Using an APSC crop on the 47mp sensor, I could extend the focal length to 135mm with something like an 18mp file but that was not quite long enough for my needs ideally needing something within the 150-200mm range. 3. F4 at the longer ends which is a bit slow for a 90mm lens. Roll forward to 2024 and swapped that rig out for a trio of f2.8 zooms on the Sony A7R5 with the heaviest combo being approx 1.75kg with the 70-180mm, but that lens being a tad long for more general use. Sigma offer their 28-45mm f1.8 which primarily for indoor use would be PERFECT for my needs, but lacks a longer companion such as a 45-90mm f1.8, but even this would not give me the reach I need. Step forward Sony with this constant aperture f2 50-150mm. Does it cover all my focal range needs? No because it starts at 50mm, but covers everything beyond and then some because with the 61mp sensor on my A7R5 and APSC cropping, I can reach 225mm with a 26mp file. Is it big? Yes, but not ridiculously so and it is internal zoom and unless it’s a short extension, I can’t abide long zooming lenses. Is it heavy? Yes, kinda…and more than the 1kg self-imposed limit I would prefer but it covers 50-‘225’mm. At f2. Without extending. Or lens swaps. It would be approx 2.5kg in the hand as a combo with the baseplate I have on the A7R5. Three criticisms: 1. Why white only? Some of us would prefer to be more discrete and maybe they will follow up with a black one or someone like Alphgvard will have a skin soon? 2. No Arca Swiss built into the detachable tripod foot. That’s a bit of an oversight IMO. 3. Price. Despite US trade tarrifs, it’s still more in the UK and EU than the US… At least according to launch prices. So will I be getting one? I think yes, though it may have to wait until next year when they are beginning to appear on the used market, for financial reasons but I don’t think I am going to see a better option than this in my working lifetime. One & Done? Nope, but I have my Nikon Zf with 20-40mm f2.8 for the wider stuff and 40mm f2 for candid when I don’t want to be poking a white canon in peoples faces, plus if I ever decided to hop over fully to Nikon bodies, this new lens will work adapted on say a Z8 no problem.

Fortunately, I am a big Wes fan!

Same here. 16:9 is very device friendly for full screen use but isn’t as *cough* cinematic as 2.35:1, but I find that sometimes too extreme to be standard ‘style’ for all my work. I’m still debating whether to use 2:1 this year or stick with good old 16:9… The advantage of shooting open gate is we have options and with Lumix, multiple frame markers and conscious of my socials, one of those markers is 9:16. Being able to produce 2.35:1 and 9:16 from the same footage is a bit tricky, even with open gate and I will probably just stick with 16:9 + 9:16 as it’s the least extreme option. Well 1:1 is the least extreme, but no thanks as that’s for squares.

Yes but I mean rather than selling to buy, you have already bought so just sell, same as with shares etc, ie, buy when low and sell when high. The only thing in this situation is only a few knew and in the future, will know exactly when that time is.

Or the opposite which is if there was something you needed to buy, if the possibility existed, to have done that a couple of weeks back, but selling anything in the near future might actually be to your benefit because if used prices do increase?

Industry and customers alike just love this kind of 💩 It’s worse than waiting each time for the next Lumix camera announcement and whether they even will or not… It’s called ‘instability’ and when times are not stable, no one spends any 💰

The 24-70, 28-70 or the new secret 27-70mm f1 lens? I have the not so secret 28-70 and think it’s a great lens; light, compact, minimal zoom extension.

Funnily enough, (not for the new owner, but it is/was MPB’s job to check any kit I sold them), I sent them a Fuji XH1 with the same damage. I was doing a shoot for a band in Spain and they had a laser set up and when I came back, the footage got increasingly bad with this weird blue and pink ‘bubblegum’ like blobs on every single piece of footage. It was a disaster 😱

I’m somewhat surprised about that as other than a faulty fan on a used S5ii (still didn’t overheat on a job!), I have not had a single issue in this regard with a Lumix camera in 3 years of pro use and often have units running in direct Summer sun with temps over 35 degrees C in the shade, so ‘god’ knows how hot in direct. I have melted long before any Lumix 🥵

There are better mirrorless video cameras for sure. I’d pick my S5ii’s without thinking about it. There are better hybrids; S1Rii, Z6iii, Z8, R5ii come to mind. But for stills, other than the Leica SL3 which beats it for design, build and badge, this side of medium format, I don’t think there is a better camera available today and at used prices… It’s hardly lacking in the video department and can shoot 8k but video is not its real strength. With a single prime or a small set (such as the Sigma contemporary line) in a small bag or a single or set of compact zoom lenses such as the Tamron’s, or even a lens such as Sony’s own 24-50 f2.8, it’s a bonkers good piece of kit. Compact but chunky, well built and with the best rear LCD in the business, for me and my needs, it’s that no-brainer they talk about. For most of this forum, maybe not. For the same money, I’d take the SL3 over it and maybe still if I could find one (doesn’t exist) at £3000, but beyond that, nope. I’ve flirted with the notion of medium format but Fuji does not have the lenses and Hasselblad is so far beyond my means, it might as well be one of those cameras on the moon. I’ve had quite a few Sony cameras over the years and admired a few, but none of them quite hit the spot. The A7RV is the first to do so and it’s only real fault for me is it doesn’t have a Lumix badge on it. (I like stuff to match).

Buy anything that @Andrew Reid hoped to buy, just so he can’t.

Can’t afford to do otherwise!