MrSMW

I shoot Raw for stills @LloydPDX ...to date anyway, but looking at all options now I have moved to Panasonic.

I think I’ll just stick with the original for now which I only use as the baseline for my work, almost always replacing with dedicated lav mic material. I’d like to see a ‘pro’ version which is quicker to switch on (and off), is more obvious it is actually recording and has 32 bit float.

Sure there is more crap than ever being produced these days, but I think there is relatively more good stuff also. It’s choice really and I choose to block out the dross whenever and wherever I can whether it be Netflix, Prime or ‘big screen’ releases. But then that is not always so easy when you have a teen who has different interests and tastes so I also get exposed to some right old shit 😶

Ditto except; Classic Chrome profile on the XH1, then Eterna profile on the XT3 and now Natural profile on the S5. Has there ever been a time I wish I’d shot log? Nope. OK, it’s the video equivalent of shooting Jpeg vs Raw, but for me and my needs, I’m comfortable with it and all about getting kit and process (ing time) out of the way as much as possible.

Only 8 times an hour? I reckon I’m more like 9 or 10 😉 Nah, not really... Yes, slight concerns in 2 regards and these are: A: Not had the opportunity to shoot a wedding yet (for obvious reasons) with the system. However, 4 commercial shoots bodes well...but ain’t nothing like a wedding shoot to test your skillz + any kit! B: I’m still toying with getting an S1H instead of the second S5, but whichever way I look at it, it’s relatively low priced kit (that I have or am looking at other than the S1H) compared with the comparable Sony or Canon kit and if I get ‘only’ 3 seasons out of it, the investment vs the return negates even zero resale value. I’ve done the maths and it’s a lifetime cost of between 4-5% vs turnover. There has been a lot of talk about Panasonic and Nikon shutting shop but I can’t see it being any time soon. Unless Panny do not pop out a GH6 and don’t sort their video AF out!

It’s a slightly strange one...as if they don’t all trust each other completely. It seems to be the case that each companies glass works on any L Mount body because the mount is the same. They don’t seem to share...or at least fully share all the software however. I don’t know about 4/3rds, but with FF it definitely seems to be the case. I have tried a couple of Sigma lenses on my S5 and neither work that great. DFD is not a complete dog. For stills it’s pretty decent and I have no issues with it, it is VERY accurate. For most video use it’s fine, but native glass to native body and the AF needs fine-tuning in regard to: speed/sensitivity/use/need. For forwards/backwards tracking I’ll concede it’s not reliable at best, pretty shit at worst! The best way I can describe the entire L Mount system is it is for ‘considered work’.

Take a swig every time Hugh says "compelling". Joking, I like the fella and his channel and I watched this last night and didn't notice if he used the word at all. I know some have mentioned the relatively 'low res' viewfinder, but if this thing just had decent AF, it would be 10x more popular and kill everything else at it's price point. It's compelling enough for me anyway and I'd be intrigued how good (or bad) this lens is with the S5 because for the best result so far (with any Panny), it needs native. I think I'd at least give it a chance over the 24-105 on it's way to me other than for the fact it's a bit short for my needs and I'd need another lens to go with it...and swapping...and needing at the same time and...there's always a compromise somewhere.

Another vote for the XT3. As long as you don’t need IBIS (or if you do use an OIS lens), it’s a whole lot of kit for very little money. Last year for me it came down to moving from XT3’s to either XT4’s or S5’s. I traded the arguably better AF if the Fuji system for the ‘better’ everywhere else Panasonic one. It was close...very close and could easily go back to Fuji as they are the only other company that really has my spec and in my budget. I choose to work in 4K and anything more doesn’t interest me. Certainly not 8k and 1080 is good enough for most projects really. I started filming weddings alongside my stills work on a Nikon D7000 so your D850 is better still. My conclusion is that unless you absolutely need another system, I would stay with Nikon for lens sharing etc. Either what you have or maybe Z50 with adapter?

The 20-60 is a gem. OK, it doesn’t have the uber shallow DOF that say an f2 or faster does, but compared with an f2.8...at the wider end at least, there is not that much difference. In lower light at the longer end, 60mm f5.6 vs 70mm f2.8 it’s a lot more noticeable. But in decent light and/or at the wider end, it’s a great bit of kit for the price. I’d have both!

Probably not but I did some math(s) and worked out if I got one, I could work with 2 bodies instead of 3 as I normally/now used to. Most of the day (weddings), I only need 2 at most but there are a couple of critical times when as a prime user, I need multiple focal lengths and that is where this 24-105 is going to be used, - shooting either '36mm' or '157.5mm' in 4k 50p. I'm looking at it as reasonably fast twin prime lens but needing only one body. I might end up using it for more, maybe even all day but I'll have to test it. I've only got a couple of lenses right now but comparing the 20-60mm @ f3.5 to the 85mm @ f1.8 in low light, there's a huge difference. Obviously. Just over 2 stops between f1.8 and f4 and that's the difference between shooting 1600 or 6400. Again, obviously. But this little Sigma was on my radar and still might be an option paired with the 105mm f2.8 Depends on how the rest of this year goes as right now, I'm only spending based on minimal need and funds left over from previous kit sale.

I like it. A lot. But just purchased a used L Mount Panasonic 24-105mm so it's covered! Looks perfect for a Sigma FP though or one of the new Sony's.

With me it's the waiting, - I have a moderate amount of patience but absolutely zero tolerance and the world seems full of idiots. When I say 'full of', I mean enough to fuck it up for those who are not idiots. Yes it will recover. Think The Black Death, Spanish Flu, WW1, WW2...stuff comes back. Usually, it's so gradual we don't really notice it until we lose it again. And we will lose it again, ie, be living in some future shitstorm at some point in the future whether it be financial, war or pestilence. I'm quite fortunate in regard to the social side of things being something of a social retard anyway. I'm one of those that could actually live on that deserted desert island, but I do appreciate that for many...most even, the lack of social contact etc sucks. Hang in there. I don't know if 'the good times' are coming back and there are bound to be some changes, but I think that once most of the cloud has lifted, we will be able to see clearly a lot more of the positives than we can now.

This is the one positive I can take away from the last 12 months and that is you get a certain clarity in regard to both what you do not have, but also do have. There are elements that I can't get back such as the loss of income etc but this period of time has given me more focus on what I wish to do once this shit is over. I just need to: A: Work out how to juggle the finances to achieve it and B: Wait this fucker out. Other than some evolution of this disease into something else, I really do think we can see light at the end of the tunnel now and we are maybe 6 months from seeing hospitalisation and death rates below that of flu. At least in 'The West'. The World needs to ensure the poorer countries also get vaccinated ASAP or risk mutations and new strains etc. So I think we're still in for some bumpy and restrictive times until the middle of the year but should then see some serious easing and a return to something resembling normal life, albeit with a few minor changes.

Not really... My use case is low-key hybrid photographer/filmmaker and cameras the size of the S1/H + Ninja on top etc are OTT. Having said that, I am looking at getting a used S1H as my main workhorse for hybrid work with a bias towards the video capture and using my S5 also as a hybrid, but with more of a bias towards the stills side. Why? Anti-aliasing filter and potentially the 6k etc, but only ever internal. External recording just is not an option for me. Or a requirement. In an ideal world, ie, one without Covid, I think right now, I'd go with a pair of S1H's actually as I'm over the size of it (as a unit without grip, cage or anything but a lens) especially now that the AF has been updated. Compared with an FX3... I think if I had the money, in this 'ideal world of mine that does not exist', I'd go with a pair of FX3's over S1H for the size and AF. I think they are really neat looking and though not really a 'cinema camera', I'd class it as a hybrid like the A7Siii but slightly more video-centric (and less photo-centric). IBIS or internal ND...? Tough one as I'd prefer both. I think I'd have to go in favour of IBIS 51 to 49% for my specific case use. I think any of the current Sony's could pair up well actually such as FX6 on tripod for pure video capture whilst using either an A7Siii or FX3 handheld for stills and video. But I don't have the cash and won't for at least a year or two and even then, I'm going to be happy for a while with either a pair of S5's or an S5 paired with an S1H.

My business is weddings. Destinations weddings as in I live in France and they come to France for their wedding. Last year, actual work, I did 4%. That figure is based on me doing 5% of what was booked and losses that make up another 1% from what I did not book for last year, during last year, because there was no last year. Other than the 1 job I did, ie, 1/20 when it should have been 25/25. After some state assistance, my income ended up being around 30% of what it would normally be. I also took out the maximum allowed state backed loan which for me was 9k. I cannot borrow any more and technically, my business is now 9k in the red. 2021 should have been a 'claw some of it back year' but now is at least a "50% at best" year re. bookings & turnover. Worst case, 2021 is going to be a zero work year and realistically, it's going to be somewhere between 0-50% work. I think it will end up somewhere between the 2 figures and be a workload of between 20-25% of what it should have been. It depends on 3 factors: 1: The UK gov being correct and not backtracking on their 'everyone is free' from the 21st June. 2: France agreeing with them. Ha, miles...kilometres behind...if the UK really is that far ahead. 3: Travel. By July, folks in the UK may be able to do as they wish and us in France also, but we may (probably will) still have a travel issue that prevents couples from either going through with their weddings here, or deciding within the next month or so, it's too big a hassle for them and their guests and pulling the plug. I have already lost approx 1/3rd of all this year's booked work through postponement to 2022 or outright cancellation. I lost 2 more just today and expect all with dates prior to the end of June to go with a certainty (had 10, 4 remain) and at least 50% of the rest of the season which is July-early Oct. Bookings for 2022 are quite strong but by my calculations, to claw back the losses of 2020 will take 4 years running at 120% turnover, ie, 5 years total to be back where I was at the end of 2019 financially. Based on the fact that 2021 is pretty fucked already and is going to end up I'm projecting at 20-25%, at least another 3 years at 120% turnover...if that is even possible, making a grand total of: 2 'lost' years + 7 'trying to make it up' years...if it's even possible, for a total of 9 years to be back where I was at the end of 2019. Or after our daughter finished school and hopefully goes to uni 1 year this September, we sell our house and downsize to something smaller and cheaper and bypass having to even attempt 7 years of recovery, which realistically would be very hard to achieve anyway. Longer term, has it damaged the industry? Not really. A least not as far as I can tell. I'm not seeing any great rush to elopements even though social media is constantly chittering about it. Folks seem to be booking exactly what they would in any given year, but just asking hard questions about Covid policy for the future. Mentally, it's not great. I'm not depressed. Just frustrated for want of a better term. Massively frustrated. Having very little money to do anything...not that there is anything to really do anyway, but going into debt when after a lifetime of trying, we had just cleared it at the end of 2019. Seriously, - no mortgage, no car finance, no credit cards, no nothing. For the first time in 25+ years of adult life. I had some funds banked from previous gear sales so have spent some of that on some kit as I'm still doing some very low rate commercial work and freebies plus a few personal projects to stop myself from getting too rusty, but otherwise, we are spending very little. Perhaps the hardest part of it is having zero control or even ability to do anything that constitutes 'having a life' according to how I wish to live mine. Pretty much just existing and waiting...

I'm getting Darth Maul vibes from it.

Intel i7 6700 K 4GHz, 16 GB RAM Shooting S5 4k 50p 420 LGOP 200 Mbps Was shooting XT3 4k 50p 420 LGOP 200 Mbps Both h.265 I think...?

When I was using my XT3 which my PC and Premiere hated, I 'simply' auto batch converted all the footage to Pro Res overnight, ie, didn't take me any time other than perhaps 1 minute to set it up. That way, as soon as I was ready, the next day or whenever, I could just get on with the job. No problems with the equivalent footage from my S5 however, ie, no conversion needed. I do need to get myself a laptop for next year as I will be working on the road quite a bit so looking at something M1 as it seems just the ticket.

Neither would I but it limits the mass market sales appeal and possibly even kills it? This is a video-centric forum so naturally, we’d like to see more video-orientated kit, but with global sales of cameras that are not phones falling year on year, where is the market? I’m still not sure why Panasonic has not gone PDAF in principle and my concern as a FF user is that the S5 might be their last camera. If the GH6 doesn’t come, I do think 4/3 is dead. Existing kit will still work the same as it ever did, but nothing new will be coming, less and less will buy into it and ultimately it will die. If the next FF Panasonic camera...if there even is one...doesn’t have PDAF, they are doomed. And this is a real concern as someone who at some point needs to spend on a full system as I currently only have one body and a couple of lenses which is not enough for 90% of what I do. I wonder if the Rebel L Mount Alliance is going to drop a curve ball very shortly and announce an APSC system...? Leica already had it’s CL and TL cameras. Sigma is about to drop a mystery FP-L camera according to rumours. Panasonic has been very quiet re. GH6. So maybe...just maybe...they have secretly been working on a PDAF APSC system that would work for both videographers and photographers?

You had a lot more valuable kit to sell than me moving from Panasonic to Sony! I currently only have; S5, 20-60, 85, complimentary Sigma 45 and a spare battery...which if sold wouldn’t even buy an FX3 body! My use case scenario was: pair of FX3’s plus Tamron 28-75 and 70-180 which I reckon would be circa 10k? What I have is enough for my commercial stuff but not enough for weddings and at min, need another S5 and the 24-105. If I can stretch to it, I’ll go S1H for that other body though as it has a number of attributes that would work for me over another S5.

No, I pre-ordered and purchased an S5 at the beginning of Sep because it seemed like Covid was done & dusted last Summer, even if it was too late to save the end of last year’s wedding season. I traded my XT3’s and various lenses and some other gear and was around 2k up even after my more recent purchases. I sold off most of my Fuji kit end of 2019 and had 6 commercial jobs booked in for October and needed some play time before in order to get familiar with the new kit and it all made perfect sense late Summer last year. Plus it was also shaping up to be a bumper year for 2021. Then Covid returned with a vengeance and 6 jobs became 3 and we went back into Lockdown 2. I decided to take the loan whilst it was on offer to businesses in France as it’s 0%. I haven’t spent a penny of the loan and don’t intend to unless it’s strictly necessary and have spent less on kit in 2020/21 than I have sold. We never went into Lockdown 3 here in France and I’m actually doing the 4th of those 6 booked commercial jobs on Friday with the other 2 whenever I feel like it. One third of this year’s weddings have cancelled or postponed, but there is still around 15 officially still to do this year with closing on that booked in for next. So hardly been on a spending spree Steve! Quite the opposite and I’m treading a very fine line between having enough kit to do the job and spending as little as I can get away with.

Yes, actually, I’d also go XT3 with 18-55. I always forget that lens is both OIS and dirt cheap, but really very good. Used, should come in on budget and the body was my workhorse for 2 years.

More like; paid myself 24k less last year and my business went 9k into debt with a loan. 1/3rd of this year’s bookings have already either postponed or cancelled so as things stand, it’s either going to be a case of 50% as bad as last year, or worst case, 100% as bad. The ONLY reason I am even looking beyond my S5 (plural once business does get going again) is the reliability of the tracking AF and actually, it’s not enough to get in a pickle about. It does everything else I both want and need it to. Ah well, c’est la vie. I’m still interested to see exactly what the FX3 turns out to be though it seems pretty much most of it is now known, but financially, not only does it not make sense, it’s not even doable. Also curious about Sigma’s FP-L announcement, next week I think...

I'm going off the idea... I've sat myself down and had a word, mostly from a financial viewpoint. Saw a really good YouTube yesterday by Roman Fox, a Fuji user from London and it rang some bells, the summary of which was; stop, write a list of your needs, what you have, what you are looking at, pros/cons/costs etc. I did just that today and realised that to move to this as the core of a Sony system over a Panny S5 one, I'd be looking at spending at least 5k more. In these times... nah. If I do anything beyond 2x S5 bodies, it will be a single S5 body (have) and a used S1H.

Pan G9 Oly 12-40mm Rode Micro ...might go over budget a little, but would be a decent little but capable kit.