MrSMW

A couple of years back I would have said image, but Sony have upped their game and in recent years and I’d say it is now pretty much a non-issue now. Image as a brand? Lumix have much less of one with the great unwashed so that is a positive in my book. People is thick and so easily led… Used to be that Sony ergos were trash but they have upped their game there also. I prefer to back the underdog in principal … but prepared to chuck my principles out of the window if the other option is quantifiable better and worth the cost.

Side-hinged screen was pretty much the only thing I did not like about the XH2…but ultimately it was not just about the camera, but the system including lenses and L Mount just serves my needs better. Never done a direct comparison and the only reason(s) I ever considered a move to Sony was the more compact form factor (compared with S1 sized bodies) and Tamron lenses. Tamron IMO have the best focal length zooms currently with the 20-40 and 35–150 for my needs. No other system have enough for me to switch. If you were asking me whether I would come to the same conclusion if starting from scratch, as of today, it would be a toss up between Fuji or Sony and L Mount would be third, $£€ come into it… The bottom line is they are ALL fucking good!

I see what you did there 😉

Loved the build and form factor, it just felt ‘right’ in the hands. Stills OK but I thought the video was meh. Maybe because I tried mixing it with that from the S1H and it was not even in the ballpark. On that basis alone, no choice but to send it back for a full refund (ie, it cost me one way postage to test it for a couple of weeks). APSC is my minimum really, but that is speaking personally.

Ditto. I used to always upgrade to the most recent latest & greatest whether it really was or not and sometimes it was and other times it wasn’t. Ideally, unless I absolutely need it, I hold off. Since 2018, I have bought precisely 2 new cameras. That I have kept anyway (returned the OM-1 and XH2). These have been the S5 after I sold off all my Fuji gear knowing I was not going to stick with what I had and then recently the S5ii as I do have need for reliable AF for a % of my work. But my S1R's, both now gone, purchased used for 1500 and 1600 euros and my current pair of S1H's, 2150 and 1850. For me it is the equation: need + cost + timing and I like to start any season with all the kit I am going to use and if I can, not make changes until after any season has finished. Too many lens changes last year as I wrestled L Mount into submission but think I have it nailed down now…

Oh, A7C body? I thought ZV1… Well that is the FX30’s lunch eaten then 😉

No idea, but would that matter? ”In a recent poll, 89% said they preferred Brand A”. Doesn’t make the 11% who chose Brand B ‘wrong’. Personally, I’d be more than happy using FX30’s for all my video needs. And almost certainly would be right now if Panasonic had not gone PDAF. And that is the part that makes them ‘sub-pro’ in one sense as not having DCI 4K or waveform or shutter angle does not = dealbreaker, at least not in my book, but might a serious filmmaker.

From a purely business perspective, exactly. Their sole function and existence is to make enough profit in order that the owner can one day go to Mars. Some would say, that couldn’t happen soon enough… On the other hand, this kind of business practice is not new. It has existed for thousands of years. There are of course many more ethical businesses but they tend to be the ‘corner shop’ kind that care about their customers and their customers care about them. No one loves Amazon, only the ability to obtain stuff at a click of a button next day or even in some places, same day. Something like DPR has next to zero chance of long term survival if it is not owned and operated by enthusiasts. Poor leadership is the death of any and all institutions whether it be a government or a business because if the guy at the top does not give a shit, no one else has a chance. Whether it’s simple mismanagement or plain incompetence, it’s the management who ultimately make or break any business, large or small.

As above, several threads about the FX30 but also though it can take stills, it’s a bit more video-orientated compared with those others which are arguably a bit more ‘hybrid’.

Yes, the most recent Voigts are reckoned to be amongst the best wide open for edge to edge sharpness and with pretty good (as in minimal) flare which is something that also interests me as I like a very shallow DOF plus shoot into the light a lot.

Sounds bonkers good. Of course being a Sony, it won’t have any ‘pro’ video features, but that spec in a ZV1 size body?! It will also have the inevitable side hinge screen but if it had a tilt… Mechanical or electronic only?

Yes, my go to also, ie, start with with the cleanest and sharp image and then ‘degrade’ it as required. My preferred method is: A. S1H which has an optical low pass filter whereas most cameras do not. Any potential for moiré is basically eliminated and the image is a fraction softer than it is from say it’s sister S1 body. B. Use a lens that produces both a clean and sharp result. My preferred glass in this regard is the Sigma Contemporary range of primes and zooms. C. Use a quality 1/8th mist all the time for a subtle consistent look that combined with A + B, makes for a great SOOC starting point for grading. D. The final touch in grading is adding a subtle film grain as a layer. Most of which is then immediately lost when you bang it up on YouTube 😫😉

I have been toying with it… Not necessarily that specific lens, but Voigtlander. Around 12+ years ago when still shooting Nikon DSLR, I had this crazy idea to adapt a pair of M Mount Voigtlander primes to a pair of Panasonic GX1’s and shoot a wedding (stills only) with just that combo. Went OK. Ish. The results I did get were good but it was getting the results, especially any kind of tracking as I don’t think the cameras had focus peaking? There were flaws in the capture process to say the least! Anyway, Fuji announced the X100 and I bought the hype (which was real) and the camera and then went over to them exclusively for the next 9 years. Roll forward to the present day. I have a Leica itch. I can probably afford a Leica itch but the reality is I can’t justify it. I watch and read a lot of M Mount glass reviews and the general consensus seems to be that Voigtlander lenses these days are as good as Leica, but at a fraction of the cost. I have just bought (re-bought actually) another Leica TL2 to use as my personal camera and as soon as possible, I am going to make it manual focus only. Yes, I can use any of my Sigma Contemporary glass with it and initially will be using the tiny and compact 18-50mm f2.8, but would like to make it a fixed lens, manual focus compact ASAP. To that end, I have decided on the Voigtlander 28mm f2 Ultron as this will give me an approx 40mm FOV in FF terms which is my ideal all round focal length. It’s also going to be a test bed for both photo AND video work on my full frame S bodies. I have the EF-L adapter from Fotodiox with built in variable ND. My plan is to adapt M Mount glass to that with an M-EF adapter so I have ‘internal’ VND. My only real concern is getting the IBIS of the S1H to play nicely but it should if I set the focal length in camera and save the set up? My ‘ideal’ would then be a 28, a 50 and a 75 (or 90), over 3 identical bodies such as any future S2H…but this is not a definite plan. The only negative though is Sigma as in the Contemporary range of primes and compact zooms are perfect for my needs. So why even bother considering adapting MF only M Mount glass? Because any real artist strives to be different, not for the sake of being different (ie, a contrived and artificial difference) but because they are driven to achieve a level of artistry or craftsmanship that drives them to further creativity. That ethos is what led me to try those Voigts 12+ years ago followed by the move to Fuji (before they became a TikTok star) and now with L Mount. L Mount, at least from the camera side of things is for me, the best and most interesting platform to create and be creative with.

I suspect they are simply going where there is another regular presenting income without having to really do any marketing themselves. Nothing wrong with that and we all have bills to pay and being a self-employed creator has as many risks as it does potential rewards. I get the impression they have gone from one regular paid position to another as one door closes and another opens.

Ditto all of that but especially this. Traded a pair of S1R’s last week for another S1H. It’s not that I disliked the S1R’s and obviously their ultimate image quality is higher res, but in every other department, the S1H trumps it. Looking forward to a S2H, but not in any rush and even if available later this year, isn’t a viable option for me in ‘23.

In many businesses, it is so often the case to operate in one of the extreme ends as it’s too easy to get lost in the middle.

One good thing has come out of this… Andrew’s mention that Sigma has a blog and magazine. I’m off to check that out 👍

As I said, I thought they seemed too smug! I don’t know much about PetaPixel…

Yes, just saw that trawling YouTube. Obviously they already have a Plan B in place because that entire video was hardly a “goodbye, we’re up shit creek” piece was it. I don’t really care either way… On one hand DPR is a bit of an institution and quite useful, but at the same time, as long as you did not go into the comments section which is a pretty toxic pit to step into. It does all seem like there is something ‘happening’ that is not simply a closure.

Having said that, I am looking to get a dedicated manual M Mount (adapted) prime for my TL2 and have decided on the Voigtlander 28mm f2 (because 40mm or thereabouts) is my favourite focal length for a walkabout lens and the question is now down to; all black, all silver or black with a silver band and nose…and you know what, I am favouring the latter. ‘Minimalist bling’ 😬

Well actually…. Personalising both tools and everyday objects has been going on since forever. I am in Paris right now and yesterday was at one of the museums and the level of work that went into some of the suits of armour and intricate detailing on some of the guns was/is incredible. The armour just needed to take repeated blows of blunt or sharp instruments. The shooting sticks just needed to fire a ball of lead into another man. Ain’t nothing wrong with jazzing up your camera for shooting your fellow man (woman, child, animal, inanimate object or scene) in 2023! Personally, I’m more about the understated which is why I tend to prefer an all black camera (gunmetal would be my personal preference but rarely available) over silver and blacked out logos a la SL2s and S5iiix, but that’s just my preference.

I caved. Not to the X100V hype train…though I think it’s a superb bit of kit, but regarding the EDC. I have gone backwards and forwards on the whole ‘compact vs phone’ argument and as part of that process, discovered my iPhone 12 is in fact a 13 Pro (shows how much attention I pay to these things) but in the end decided I would like something more than my phone, but is relatively compact. Contenders were: X100V, X100 OG, XE4, FP, GRIIIX, Q2, CL and TL2. Went TL2 for the following reasons… Had one briefly last year but the screen began to fail so I sent it back to MPB for a refund. It takes all my L Mount lenses so I will pair it with the tiny apsc Sigma 18-50mm f2.8 zoom. It takes really nice pictures that do have a certain magic about them. It cost less than 1000 euros delivered, is mint and this time I went stealth black over the more bling silver I had previously. I did come very close on a mint OG X100 and the Ricoh was very tempting but in the end, had to make a choice and it’s the right one for me.

Taught against a neck strap or any form of strap. In fact a better option than the next strap is the twin shoulder harness such as the Holdfast Moneymaker (other brands available). Simply attach both straps to the camera and push the camera away from you and keep your arms locked and then make any movements with your entire body, not hands. Or there is the tripod ‘trick’ where you mount the camera on a tripod and then place a leg over each shoulder with the 3rd leg shortened and into your chest. Both work very well with non-stabilised bodies or lenses.

Same conclusion I came to already being a paid up member of the L Mount Private Members Club and having had both an OM-1 plus an XH2 in the house for testing. I loved the micro chunkiness of the OM-1 but didn’t like the quality of the video. The Fuji system I could easily have flipped back to having come from that ecosystem 2012-2020 and right now, I think there are only whiskers between XH2 and S5ii and could make a case for either. The XH2/s really is like a mini S1H/Z9 and I think I prefer it over the S5ii… …but not by enough to change system.

Depends on; the camera, the lens, the photographer, the location, light, familiarity/skill with the specific camera, processing/grading, yada yada yada. Leica can look great or it can look shit. Ditto; Canon, Sony, Nikon, Fuji and even old Pannyboy 😉 SOOC, Panasonic can be a little bit towards the magenta, but it’s such a simple fix, it just isn’t remotely an issue. Sony used to be green 🤢 and I still see some awful output, but also some great stuff so…