MrSMW

The ‘problem’ is there is so little info out there… When it launched, plenty of initial reviews. Since, a couple of long term reviews. But since the 5k firmware update, you have to look really hard and what there is, isn’t great. It’s simply a combo of time + the fact it’s Panny full frame which doesn’t get a whole lot of love, mostly due to the ‘AF issue’. I couldn’t see any mention of the 5k mode being only pixel to pixel and have spent hours trying to get it out of that mode but it turns out it’s a default and can’t be changed. No biggie, I like to shoot a bit longer than most and if I understand it correctly, the crop factor is 1.56 and it looks about that to me. This makes my 35mm f2 just over 50mm and my 65mm f2, just over 100mm. Perfect, 50 mil is bang on for me inside and 100 mil great for outdoors. I have the 20mm f2 also which works out just over 30 mil and is great for tighter stuff like dance floor at weddings. Overall, it’s beginning to edge it for me as ‘ultimate hybrid’… Yes, spend a lot more and you can get a Canon R5 or a Sony A1 or in a couple of years, a Nikon Z9, but right now, for around 1500 $€£ you can pick up a ‘like new’ body and that is insane value. The sensor is exceptional. Arguably the version in the Leica SL2 and Q2 is even more exceptional as they tweak the thing further, but it’s easily the best I have had in any camera for stills. Easily. Then, batch run the raw files through DXO PureRaw2 and it takes the files to another level. OK, they are now whoppingly massive DNG files, but when I import those into Lightroom with my custom import preset, there isn’t a whole lot more I need to do other than some straightening, exposure, sometimes WB and any cropping. And re. cropping, I can crop those 65mm shot files like they were shot on anything up to 150+mm and have an end result better than anything shot on a 24mp sensor. Niggles? I don’t like the position of the on/off switch though I have got used to it. Much better on the S1H. The top screen on the S1H is far classier being square and lights up black or white, ie isn’t an orange rectangle. Err, struggling now… It’s built like a tank yet is NOT as massive and heavy as some make out. I don’t have the biggest hands but I’d say it’s pretty Goldilocks in the size, weight, handling department. The stability I’d say is about 1/2 to 1 stop behind the S1H, but still really great. So for me right now, it’s just a question of whether the pixel to pixel, 5k 30p 10 bit 420, as part of the overall bigger picture, makes the S1R my best option right now. I think so… If I want to shoot hybrid anyway and have hi res stills and great SOOC video in a single unit. As for the AF, I have a new technique which is use the AF to acquire a lock and then flick the lens switch to manual. Muscle memory soon catches up. But, utterly useless for tracking. Anyone walking towards you, forget it, utter trash. Instead, S5 on tripod in 4K 60p at f5.6 or 8 with native zoom lens and I’d say with the right custom tracking settings, 100% WILL track 95% of the time. There’s only a handful of times every job when I need that so the above is my go to. But S1R, I’d give it 9/10 as a total package for my kind of hybrid needs which is hi res stills and great video of people chatting, wedding ceremonies, etc and maybe 9.5 if the 5k works out for me like I expect it to.

Don’t ask me technical questions! 🤪 I will have a full production in a couple of weeks plus happy to chuck up a couple of unedited clips on Vimeo ungraded. But you will need to wait until I have shot and edited this job with 1.5 jobs still to edit!

Another Premiere user also because I don’t embrace change unless I have to. It’s possibly/probably why I have never got along with log because try as I might, I can’t get it anywhere near as nice as I can near enough SOOC using a profile. Whether that was Eterna with Fuji or up to now, Natural with Panny. Though switching to Flat now as after some further play and based on someone else’s editing on The Toob, was convinced to give it a go. Log is just one big PITFA for me. I may give it a go and with Da Vinci Resolve right at the back end of my season, but right now, nah.

Did you know (do you even care…) that the venerable S1R can shoot 10 bit, 5k 30p internally? I didn’t until the other day but discovered it does so just for some amusement, tried it. Holy cow, - it’s better than the 4k 60p I have been getting out of all the S cameras shooting the Natural profile. It’s a 3:2 format, but so what. There’s no log available but the Flat profile is quite gradeable. I kind of knew it existed actually but had simply dismissed it as the 6k doesn’t look as good as the 4k so just ‘assumed’ 5k wouldn’t either. Wrong! I shot a few scenes back to back against my usual setting and it’s much nicer so giving it a run out at this weekends wedding… Had to flip everything to NTSC on all 4 cameras and will be working on a 24p timeline instead of my usual 25, but I can squeeze a little more out of my slo mo as it will be 60p @ 40% instead of 50p @ 50%. All the 30p will be @ 80% and only the static talky bits will be in real time, ie, 24p timeline shot at 24fps. So: 24 @ 100%, 30 @ 80% and 60 @ 40%. Could be a ‘game upping’ weekend… 🤔

Z9 pre-order = 7500 euros body only. Meanwhile, I paid less than that for all 4 of my camera bodies; S5, S1H, pair of S1R’s, all used but ‘as new’ except the S5 I bought new. OK, the Z9 is arguably a more capable bit of kit than the S5, but only marginal over the S1R and S1H…and then only if you need that ‘extra’ stuff. But no one can actually shoot a Z9 if they can’t buy the thing in the first place! It is on my ‘Future Potential Camera’ list, but by the time real people can buy the thing, maybe Panny will have announced the next gen S line. Those will then only be available in 2027 and only if you are invited to buy one depending on how many DikTok followers you have.

Thank fuck I don't need any fertiliser. Cheaper to buy a horse and make your own these days...

Nikon really have dropped a clanger with this haven’t they?! I just went to ‘buy’ one here in France and only one retailer could sell you one in stock…for a +1500 euro premium. 7500 euros if you want one this year 🤑

Panasonic Lumix S1 and S5 plus legendary first Netflix approved mirrorless, the mighty S1H 🤗 Not the right cameras but the cameras Ricardo guessed.

Sony APSC? Purely based on some of the skin tones...

Bridge was the final step then and I thank everyone who posted 👍

Sorted. Literally. Bridge was the answer! I knew it would be simple... 🤪

OK thanks all. Will try Bridge next…

How/where do I do a batch rename? In 'File Explorer' (Windows), I can get them in order, but go to rename and it only allows me to individually rename each even if I have the whole lot selected? I'm missing something here... It's probably really obvious but like so many really obvious things, not actually that obvious until you know how/where!

...or perhaps I'm just being a bit stoopid, but hit something I have never come across previously. Last week, I decided to shoot a couple of jobs back to back on 2 identical cameras. Nothing odd about that and normally, using a piece of software called Photomechanic, I sort pics (stills) into time order as both cameras are in sync in that regard. Then I just rename them whilst they are in that order and go from there. But video clips, from 2 different cameras, never tried that before and the best I seem to be able to get is date order? Well that's useless as it has clips from Set A in time order, but then all the clips from Set B are below in time order, ie, in 2 different blocks...but I want them in the same folder, mixed up into time order. I use Premiere to edit and can't see an option to display all files in the Media Browser in time order? Googled it etc but not come up with the answer... The answer would be appreciated, even if it means sorting the footage in another piece of software prior to Premiere. But no, I am not ditching Premiere and changing editing software mid-season! Thanks in advance.

There's a really 'funny' video ad on YouTube right now where the guy suddenly stops speaking (visually) but continues to talk...because of course it's an AI voice. Claims 98% of people wouldn't notice. Officially then, 98% of the planet are a bit stoopid. This. Is. An. Artificially. Generated. Voice. It. Is. Impossible. To. Tell. Though. As. It. Is. Exactly. The. Same. As. How. I. Speak. In. Real. Life.

How do we know these posts are not AI gen er rated?

The Sigma FP-L has a pinch to crop option I believe or some kind of button crop at various user chooser crops.

Probably one of those YouTubers that Kye likes has so much respect for 😄

I clicked on it to see how much exaggeration was going on and...oh my eyes. It's dreadful isn't it? 🤪

This.

Pretty solid option I’d say. For my needs, I have a requirement for 3 cameras so I’d probably go a pair of R6’s over the single C70…for my needs, but this would be my non-Lumix option right now. Not that I am switching myself. The S5 I could, but the S1H and S1R are too good!

Kye, it’s slightly disingenuous to state that anything and everything on YouTube is wrong and of zero value. A lot of it is indeed crap, but the ability to pick and choose is an option, but “if it’s on YouTube, it’s worthless”, isn’t even close to being valid.

I think you can learn something from lot’s of different sources actually whether that be Hollywood grade colorist or more humble YouToober. I learn stuff I implement into my work all the time from multi million dollar movies and from some guy who shot some shit in his back yard with a crew of himself and a budget of jack all. The main thing is long as you are learning something…

Depends on our needs but for mine (ultimate hybrid), right now, it would be the current benchmark. Pure stills, Fuji GFX100s. Pure video, my needs, probably still S1H. Most compact (hybrid), OM-1. Point being, there’s no one perfect solution…

Roger Sadknockers needs a forum invite.