MrSMW

I quite like the FX2 myself and but for a couple of things, came close to buildings system around it, but when it came down to it, for my needs, L Mount just had more for me at this time. I’m pretty sure that by the end of the year they (Sony) will have redeemed themselves plus if Nikon make some of the rumored moves with RED as some expect, the momentum will shift once again, as it always does. Canon seem to be the quiet one right now…

Speaking of Q3's, there are 5x 28mm and 11x 43mm for sale on MPB.eu, so obviously a lot of folks have bought and off-loaded them. I *might* be tempted myself with a used 43 next season... I will have been in the industry 26 years and only owned one Leica, a crop TL and it stopped working so I sent it back for a refund, but the 43 ticks pretty much every box for me other than what it costs. I might just treat myself if I can make the business case for it stick...

Without being too flippant, tariffs etc aside, I wouldn't buy this new Sony at above 2.5k and even then, I'd rather have the older 'middle' one. Is anybody actually seriously interested in this camera? I know there are people out there, (about 3 of them), stating, "I don't want no stinking floppy screen or IBIS, just give me a photo camera", but surely even they, and dentists, will baulk at 5k for one of these? It's a tiny bit bigger and a little heavier, but a used Leica Q3 can be had for the same money. 8k, flip screen, IBIS, wider and faster lens, is a Leica not a Sony...

I’m not sure what Sony are thinking lately after the FX2 and now this, but neither have been very well received. We still seem to be in an era where camera companies are only partially listening…and then sticking two fingers up at their customers. They will probably turn it all around in a few months with their next couple of launches and all those who hopped over to Nikon or Lumix recently, will lurch back to Sony. Or maybe in our community we only see things from our relatively small bubble and the greater consumer mass couldn’t care less?

Have you considered the Sigma 18-50 f2.8 even though it is a crop lens, or do you need the full frame? it’s an exceptional tiny zoom with a 27-75 FF equivalent range and I’m still considering whether when I pick up my second S1Rii if I don’t sell the S9, would this work for me in any viable way, or would I just be trying to keep hold of it?!

I used it for approx 90% of everything I shot in these last 3 jobs with just the 50mm f1.8 and my own baked in LUT. The latter still needs a few tweaks, but that is a work in progress... https://firehorsephotographyfrance.com/journal

Yes. The imaging capability of the S5ii in a tiny lightweight package. By far and away, the best run & gun set up I have used to date with the Rode Micro. However, I will be trading mine as soon as I can afford to do so, along with one more lens (bringing me down from 5 bodies + 9 lenses to 4 bodies and 5 lenses) despite absolutely loving it and for a single reason, - that electronic shutter. Having down-sized my kit, I need this unit to work as a hybrid and shoot stills also, but low-light + LED’s = banding. It’s not excessive or super-heavy, but it’s noticeable and what put me off the Sigma FP and FPL when I tested them a few years back. I think the Nikon Z8/9 is the only current camera that doesn’t really suffer from this but it is a photo issue only. Well it can be a video issue also as I rediscovered a few weeks back when shooting 30fps subjects with an LED tree behind them and had not noticed I had knocked the shutter speed from 1/100 to 1/125 😏 Need to fix that now in post, if I can… But S9, whether you keep or sell it, I think it’s fantastic for video. Tempted to keep it as a backup, but it’s overkill with 4 main units and it would just gather dust, plus as a business, I love it for what it can do, but not simply as an object to own.

I couldn’t say for sure as it was 6-7 years ago, but it was mentioned that I believed it had some kind of sensor issue.

I've sold them probably 15k+ over the years and just sold them 2 bodies and 4 lenses and they upped the quote on the 2 bodies even though I selected 'Excellent' for my OG quote, raising what they were going to pay me by nearly €150. I was 'happy' with the OG quote and wasn't expecting another cent...but I'll take it with thanks! No going back now, I'm now officially 100% L Mount. Didn't think that was going to happen and just 3-4 months ago, I would have said I would probably be 0% L Mount in 2026. And before some wit says, "you still might", even if you're paying, I don't think so, - never had a better set up and can't fault it other than one more tweak too the exact combo of bodies and lenses to make. There is nothing else comparable for me that exists at this time and if it did, it would only be a sideways move at a lot of expense, ie, pointless.

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 🤷‍♂️