MrSMW

My thoughts exactly as in who buys or is likely to buy something like the FX3 in the first place?! ’Us’. Folks that would know about or be interested. And some of us may even believe that because we bought ‘Tool X’, we could also create something similar because if they used X and I use X, then…

Yep and BTS filming glasses rather than sticking a Go Pro on your chest or hot shoe is now a thing. Progress.

Cleve a path in that direction you Arragon SOB, I mean, Howard can it be?

Ah, the Anne Boleyn counting system.

Yep, as do a few others here. Considering it's size and weight, it's performance is nuts on FF cameras such as the S5ii and S1H. Having said that, I prefer it's bigger, but still compact brother, the 28-70mm f2.8 OK, it's an equivalent DOF of f4 on a FF camera (but still f2.8 for light gathering) and 27-75mm focal range. I don't think any lens on the G9ii can compete with that and stick this lens on a body such as the XS20 and you have a superb compact set up for photo and video. Compared with those f2.8 4/3rds zooms, they have an equivalent DOF of f5.6 with sensors less good in low light. Take my preferred option of the FF Sigma 28-70 and stick that on the Fuji XS20 and that makes for an exceedingly interesting combo as you now have a focal range of 42-105mm which for me, is 90%+ of where I live. It depends on your use case of course, but I personally would use...and did use, the Olympus 12-40mm f2.8 for certain day light tasks, but really only liked the f1.7 and f1.2 lenses. Because I like me a bit of shallow DOF. Not ridiculous razor thin, but around the f2.8 mark using less than 75mm FF equiv lenses and OK with f4 above. Distance to subject and all that... There's always some kind of trade off somewhere...

This is what happened and they asked for the Nisi ND’s because they’d seen a video on YouTube, but the guy in the store (shoots weddings on Saturday’s) reckoned the Urth’s were just as good and anyway, in Adobe Premiere, you can easily remove the color cast. Pretty sure that’s how they rolled on this. It was also the camera store guys tip re. saving money and spending that on donuts.

Before I looked, I guessed ball park 3k so no surprise for me. The best bit about it for me is other than the constant aperture f2.8, no barrel extension when zooming. Unless it’s really short, I despise barrel extending lenses. For Sony and Nikon, there is stuff like the 24-120 and 35-150 and whilst great focal lengths for me, I’m not a fan of the extended barrels when zoomed out. It’s still for me the weak spot in L Mount. The closest we have is the Lumix F4 24-105, but a bit slow for me and the Leica 24-90 f2.8-4…which I have and though lighter than this new Canon RF, Pound for Pound capability, cost removed from the equation, not in the same league. A 40-120 f2.8 non/extending internal zoom please Sigma or Lumix 🙏 Fat chance methinks…

Nah, he’s more ‘above average’ than I am.

Helped keep the budget down by around $50. More money for donuts.

More interesting to me was the announcement of the 24-105mm f2.8 OK it weighs 1.3kg, but on an R3 that weighs 1kg, a combined total of 2.3kg I could just about live with for events. As someone who has been running a 2.8kg set up all year, I would rather go sub 2kg, but even .5kg is considerable in the hand.

…and with the 61mp A7CR? Ditto the Sigma FP-L which also has 60mp and a prime lens ‘zoom’ option. If I remember correctly, I think it is with the A7RV (so same sensor size) that even in APSC/S35 crop mode, you end up with a more detailed 26mp duke better than the equivalent 24mp sensor file from another camera. I like this concept. Cameras and lenses that are not massive but we can use sensor size and tech instead of size and weight. Pity the FP-L has banding issues. And no IBIS. And no tilt screen. And less than great battery life and…or I’d have been all over it. The size is perfect with the Smallrig cage and wooden grip. The build is exceptional. I loved the concept but could not live the reality of it when I had one for testing.

Came out in late ‘23 or (still) using in late ‘23? Mix of both for me… S1H for pure video, but the best stills camera I have owned to date. On the stills side and an actual late ‘23 release, the Nikon Zf. Early days, but expecting to love it even more as a stills camera than the S1H. An earlier ‘23 release, the S5ii which is probably…almost certainly, OK for stills, but I have just not been able to gel with it in that regard, mainly over what I consider to be a clunky shutter feel and sound. For video however, highly regarded all factors considered. I favour the S1H over it, probably due to it’s sensor and the OLPF…and it’s rear screen, but the S5ii form factor and AF just works slightly better for my needs. Based on the kit I actually own. Money no object, Hassie X2D for stills, Nikon Z9 for hybrid and would struggle to see past the S1H for video. Because I love it so.

I struggle to see these digital medium format cameras as anything but pure stills cameras with occasional video use. Hasselblad didn’t even bother with the video side with the X2D. Or forgot. Money no object, still my dream stills camera.

Ricoh GR3x would be my pick of today’s crop. Not too tiny but still pretty small, 40mm equivalent fast enough lens.

The only other problem I have with these smaller cameras and Sony is a prime example, is low quality rear screens. I think you need to get to A7RV before you get a half decent screen with a Sony?! My eyesight is not what it once was and when I got my S5ii which is 1.84 million dot, I was disappointed, mainly because I had been spoiled by my S1H rear screen which is 2.1 I think. Doesn't sound much, but in reality, it's pretty huge. Another reason why I have switched from S5ii to Zf for stills is the larger and far better clarity of the 3.2 inch, 2.1 that the Nikon has. Pity it's not a tilt and is a flippy, but it is what it is... I can put the two side by side right now (keeping one of my S5ii's for video) and the difference is appreciable. I had the ZV1 and didn't really get on with it, nor the RX100V I had prior to that, - just too small and light. I guess I just prefer a bit of chunk in my hands which is probably why I prefer bodies of around the OM-1/XH2/Zf/X Pro2/S5ii/FX30 size & weight, albeit, not with large zooms which for me, anything above about 900g, ideally needs a battery grip. Pretty much nailed it down going forward now to: S1H with Lumix 70-200mm f4 on sticks but waiting to see what the next Sigma 70-200mm f2.8 is going to be. If they can get it in under 1kg, I'll go for it. If it's over 1kg, I can't see any point in trading. It only has 2 jobs to do; record full length ceremonies and full length speeches and in between/after, goes to sleep in a corner. S5ii with the Sigma 28-70mm f2.8 lens. The 'Art' lenses are supposed to be a little sharper and if this was a photo unit, then maybe I'd be looking elsewhere but for video work, IMO, it is superb. Relatively compact, barely extends much when zoomed out and if shooting in S35 mode, is like having a 40-105mm. I have always liked my S5ii's for video work but just nit got on with them for stills/hybrid work so for now, separated my kit into 2 systems; stills and video. I could easily flip both of the above two around in their roles of static and roaming units and though the S1H has a nicer output, it makes more sense to use the S5ii in the run & gun role, plus the S1H has the bigger battery AND the battery pack, so something like 4 times the duration whereas anything over about 40 mins gets tricky with the S5ii... For stills, we don't care what I am using do we? 😉 A pair of Nikons and 3 prime lenses, enough said other than I will be and already am using them like slightly larger fixed lens compacts which is my preferred method of shooting stills. Glad to be rid of the zoom approach I was using all this year! No more 2.8kg unit! 1.4kg is my heaviest new friend!

1.5x APSC crops and then there is the clear zoom crop? Turns any prime into a zoom.

Not much in it… X100v vs LX100ii vs Sony A7CR with full frame 61mp sensor and massive ability to crop in camera or post. Plus the ability to switch out that pancake walkabout lens for anything that takes your fancy. Pound for Pound performance, I’d take the 61mp full frame sensor every single time.

Yup, I’d love a FF P&S around 40mm f2 please. The thing is you can get a small body Sony A7RCii and stick a small fastish lens on it and have basically the same thing but with options…and I think that is part of the problem. The market probably is not big enough.

I remember it as ‘small sensor cameras full stop’ which was everything sub 4/3rds. But could be wrong!

They announced officially earlier this year they were moving out of the compact market, so unless they reverse what sounded like a very firm decision…

Gratuitous very tenuous link to post, but just for ‘proof’, my daughters little story on IG…

It will depend of course on the individual but for me, for stills, under 1kg is fine but for video, I prefer around 1.5kg as a sweet spot, as I find that is a nice stable platform and not too heavy. Over 2.5kg is for me getting a bit much. A bit much as in it’s not that heavy per se, but over the course of a long shoot, hanging off your hip (best IMO) or sling (going to feel that one very quickly!) not desirable. I am currently debating first of all Lumix vs Nikon for video…but that is another topic entirely and not relevant, but whether I go: A. Hybrid units; 1 static, 1 light (1kg) most of the day, 1 heavy (<2kg) various times but not all day, or, B. Video and photo units; 1 static video, 1 roaming video (1.5kg), 2x stills (1kg + 1.25kg). Pros and cons for each and for me to work out but bottom line is I am ‘happy’ to go up to 2.5kg for a single unit, but only if I will not be using it all the time. On me, either attached or in hand, 2kg max is about the max based on my experience that I would be comfortable with for video and 1.5kg for stills.

It is. Around a decade or so back, I was what is known as skinny fat, ie, very little muscle tone but a surplus of fat around my middle. I never exercised, had developed asthma, smoked and drank (but not heavily) and it was a gradual erosion/accumulation more than anything. I decided to do something about it around the time of my 40th birthday. I’m 53 in a few weeks and never been in better condition and actually have a fitness competition (Hyrox) that I have traveled to Ireland for from France, in a couple of hours. Why mention this? Fatigue, or reduction of from being in shape. And not just the physical, but the mental which is unseen but contributes. But I still have trouble getting to sleep after an intense 15+ hour day because despite downing tools, I’m still buzzing. The next day though…and I can never lie in and catch up no matter how late I went to bed or how tired I am, by lunchtime, wiped out and can easily grab another 1-2 hours early afternoon, but it’s not until the day after the day after I feel recovered, so never take back to back jobs anymore. No way I could be working the way I have been for the last few years one to two decades ago and I guess another factor why when other photographers or videographers ask me how I do what I do, part of that answer is level of fitness. But as with all these things, it is only a part of a greater whole. 2.8kg unsupported in and out of your hands all day though is a bit nuts which is why it has to go!

Speaking of weight, one of the principle reasons I am shifting some of my kit, - my main unit clocks in at just over 2.8kg 🤪 My targets now are 2 units 1-1.5kg each. I don’t mind a bit of chunk and heft, but anything over 2.5kg…as just one of 3 units is a bit much on 12+ hour shoots!

I really like this pairing and whether one body and switching lenses, or a matched pair, if I was shooting 4/3rds video, stills or hybrid, those full frame focal lengths of 20-50 (indoors in my world) and 50-100 (out) are near perfect. The only thing that bothers me is the size and weight that isn’t quite in keeping with the 4/3rds approach, but then compared with equivalent (that don’t exist!) full frame zooms, they are hardly tanks. I prefer primes in principle but fast zooms are just more convenient more of the time.