MrSMW

No spoilers. Following on from Dune, taking a line from the original TV series, HOLY COW.

I’ve tried more tests than animals that ended up on the ark… Handheld, tripod, Panny lenses, Sigma lenses, 1080, 4K, 25p, 50p, log, profiles, every combo of AF tweaking possible and the result is always ‘the same’ and that is it’s not reliable. BUT it can work more often than not with the right combo which for me has been as I listed a few posts above and for 90 or even 95% of my needs, works just fine, but never tried walking towards so will try that (but isn’t that just closing the gap faster?!). I’m doing some final grading testing this week so will try some further AF tests also. I think the GH6 has some kind of focal limiter that sounds like it could be interesting if that ever comes to the S5 with software…

Hey, no problem Geoffrey, - it's OK to have a different opinion and express it. I've explored every single setting and then some and in my experience, in regard to tracking people walking towards you at anything above even a moderate pace, it's not reliable. Arguably, no camera is 100% reliable, but in my experience, the XT3 was better than the S5 is and neither are as good as the Nikon Z6 I tried and that isn't as good as anything Sony or Canon. But the S5 still remains my main video tool for professional work.

I still use Vimeo, but purely to host client wedding videos for them (and prospective punters) to view on my own site and for clients to download 4k productions from. I guess that means I am simply using them for hosting only and may look at other options...but as the old saying goes, if it ain't broke... I may also start uploading to YouTube and maybe try and grow that a bit beyond my 3 subscribers, but at the same time, I hate doing things for the sake of doing things and get enough work (at the moment anyway) from other sources that mean I don't really need to develop anything new. I've had one or two older productions deleted for using copyright tracks (pretty obscure, but still copyright stuff) but for years have only used stuff from the likes of Artlist, Musicbed, Epidemic Sound etc.

Check yer pm’s 😈

Shooting video at f22 is gonna be a thing. Yup, that shallow DOF is sooooooo 2021.

Well I’m probably going back to the Natural profile this year, mainly for the AF, but also because it’s a really nice SOOC image that requires very little work. I have a really nice LUT I have made for myself from using Nitrate, but I’ll have to do another one for the Natural profile now as it’s completely different to log. 4k 50/60 helps with AF because of the crop. Wider rather than longer lenses help. Native Panny over say Sigma work better. One area + face detection is the best AF setting for tracking people. I use speed -1 and sensitivity -2 for the AF settings. Another top tip is keeping the camera as still as possible as it’s one less thing for it to fight with. At least that makes sense to me, but no one ever seems to mention that, ie, monopod or tripod or at least IBIS… The rest is down to lighting, background and that thing called luck. It MOSTLY works…

I think an OM-1 based system is probably the still the best option for me right now, but for that operative word, ‘probably’. Sticking with L Mount means sticking with a known quantity and putting +1500 euros back into my account. Switching just adds a little uncertainty into the bigger picture plus costs me minus 3500 euros. Sometimes it’s simply a case of playing safe and that was what I set out to do this year and so I’m sticking to/going back to that plan. For my own sanity more than anything!

Well I have done a total back flip and cancelled my pre-orders. Why? I blame Putin. He's responsible for everything else including the GH6 not having PDAF so why not?! But seriously, I looked again at all my options and came to the conclusion that what I needed most in 2022, was stability. I'm less than 6 weeks out from a stupidly busy season and it's not the time to make sweeping changes. So I have somewhat reluctantly cancelled any/all plans to go M4/3 for my video needs. The S1H has already gone. Love(d) that camera, but it's just overkill (and overweight mainly) for my needs. Kept my S5 just in case the OM-1's arrived too late or any other such problem and the good news for me financially is actually I will come out of this next/current move financially ahead as I'm selling 3x lenses + the S1H and ordering a second S5 body. I'm putting my new gimbal on ice for the season and will look at that again some other time after this next season is over. It's really only the tracking AF I have any issue with in regard to the whole system and if the GH6 is anything to go by, I think there's a good chance that a further tweak for the S line in regard to AF may be coming. And if any S2/H/R etc is in development and has CAF, they will halt all further work until a PDAF solution has been sourced. Or they go out of business. Also, this gives me time to see how the OM-1 shapes up in reality for others over this coming year. You/they can be the beta testers! 😬

Well that also... For real filmmakers, I guess so, but for us that do say wedding video etc, we don't 'need' any of it. But yes, different use case etc...

I’m thinking that for 99% of users, for 99% of the time, the S5 is a better option. Unless anyone really really really needs the ‘extra’ video capability of the GH6, S5 for me all day long. Except for the rear screen. The GH6 spanks the S5 there. S5ii with phase and the GH6/S1H rear screen and happy days.

Yup. These days I go on instinct and my own real world actual needs. The rest is just waffle and opinion.

If reliable (or any) AF is a non-issue, but otherwise video is, then easily the GH6. That one is a no-brainer. Per the specs, reviews & info so far anyway, but I think will be the case regardless. For stills, the jury hasn’t turned up yet. As a compact, all weather, hybrid, the OM-1. Not quite rivals IMO. Some crossover, but otherwise…

So now the GH6 is officially unveiled, how do they ‘compare’? It will be interesting to see some direct head to heads down the line… For me, the OM-1 is my preference… Positives = more compact, lighter, better AF, probably a better hybrid. Negatives = prefer the rear screen on the GH6 (by about 1 billion miles) and I think the launch price is around 250 dollars/euros more than it should be. I think if the GH6 had comparable AF however, it would be game over and a win for Panasonic…but it ain’t, so… Both great bits of kit I reckon with some crossover, but I think slightly different use case.

Looks like a great bit of kit and the AF doesn’t look too terrible (for those of us interested in that kind of thing).

I think Dave means 6 months before the price drops below the initial launch price rather than actual availability of the camera?

It's France. Nuff said. The banks don't allow you to spend your own money and at lunchtime on the day you have set aside for a confirmed courier collection, you get an email saying you have to TELEPHONE to arrange a collection...but it just rings out. Last week I had the joy of driving 30 minutes to a collection point for a parcel that they claimed not to be able to deliver because I wasn't in...and the collection place turned out to be a local bakery...and they had not been a collection point for at least 4 weeks. Then they just send you in more circles as the system can't cope with anything that doesn't work. Oh the joys of rural France...

Were they accepting any in the first place?! I checked their website as soon as the camera was officially announced and pre-order for body only was available, but the kit simply read, "add your name to our contact list and we'll get back to you some time".

It's difficult to get this kind of info from France, but as things stand, the body alone is available for pre-order with deliveries starting from the 7th March. The kits are still not available and all you can do is register a wish to be informed when they become so. I went with just the bodies despite the offer on the kit zoom. If the option comes up any time soon, I may switch my order to have one body with the kit zoom because I could see a use case outside of work. It's cutting it fine with work though as my first gig of the year is 8th April... Worst case scenario, I still have my ZV1 for ceremony & speeches and keeping it as my back up option anyway, plus I'd just have to buy a used EM1-iii or G9 to tide me over for a few weeks if there's any delay. This has been a concern in even putting the order in at this time, but in the end, the last 2 years and the potential of this coming one, made the decision for me which was minimise the compromise, maximise the opportunity.

For me, it’s the entire package including lenses. I have a list of requirements. Against that, I matched every available option. The OM-1 (including lens choices) ticked more boxes than anything else on the market now or coming any time soon. The only box it didn’t tick was it has a flip out side screen rather than a tilt screen. And it’s not a Sony…

Ha, just read Andrew's tweet: "OM-1 is a nice camera but will sell exactly 0 units at £2000" Well one muppet has pre-ordered a pair so we're 2 up on your 0 already 😉

I didn't mind it too much as in it wasn't a deal-breaker but instead, a 'known compromise'. In some ways, it was quite good, ie, ergos and stability etc...but actually, it was a bit of a beast to handhold for very long and so I had already decided to go back to using it on a monopod most of the time. Anyway, no longer an issue as the courier collects tomorrow and then it's just a case of wait and see when the replacements turn up.

Decision made: S1H + S5 (plus some lenses) outbound, pair of OM-1's inbound. Sticking with Panasonic S1R/L Mount for at least the time being until I can test the stills capability of the OM-1's. Of course they are not going to match, never mind beat, the 47mp FF S1R, but how close can they get and is that 'close', good enough... For my video needs however, I just need that 'well above average' and reliable AF. The fact that it will come in a lighter and more compact package, is a bonus. I've had 2 absolutely shitty years financially and perhaps more importantly, creatively. The work I have booked in this year is an absolute opportunity to make a massive dent in the latter and I really don;t wish to be going into it with compromise. Not 100% decided on lenses yet, but pretty sure it will be the Panasonic f1.7 pairing of the 10-25 and 25-50, plus the Olympus 17mm f1.8 for gimbal work. Just need to find some used versions of all the glass in good nick. EXTREMELY sad to see the S1H and S5 go. The S5 less so because despite it's excellent photo and video output (plus nice size and weight), I wasn't 100% happy with various other aspects. Great bit of kit, but not quite good enough for my needs. The S1H has been the best camera I have ever owned. For video at least. Could have been a bit smaller and lighter and the only real 'deal-breaking' issue for me has been the less than decent AF and the wrestling & fudging I have had to do to get around it. Obviously, the new boys have not arrived yet and won't until March, but they tick all the boxes for my needs and the only criticism I could level at this time is that they are maybe a little over-priced and something more like 1950 euros might have been more appropriate. I believe it's the right decision for me and my needs. The S1R is going to be a tougher one to replace, NOT THAT I AM LOOKING TO! By divorcing my video needs from my stills needs totally going forward, it does give me a few other options and my preferred one would be to keep it all 'in house' with 3 matching bodies and cross platform lenses. Absolutely zero rush though as anything that isn't the S1R would need to be a bloody good option!

Ask Fuji's X100. He/she/they will respond, "well I have one and I may be APSC, but I'm pretty dinky" 😬

Yup. We can chase that next bit of kit if what we have is preventing us in some way on a technical level, but the rest is 'the art'.