MrSMW

Decision made, I am sticking with LUMIX regardless of what Nikon or Sony do next.
S1Rii inbound...
Here's my reasoning and intentions for those that are interested in such things!
Currently I am using:
S9 + 2x S5ii for my video work, plus a Sony A7RV and a Nikon Zf for stills.
That's 5 camera bodies plus 9 lenses spread over 3 systems with 3 different menus, batteries, handling/haptics etc.
In summary, it works, but not without issues.
I am switching to 4 camera bodies plus 7 lenses over 1 system.
I have 3 principal aims:
A: Reduce the amount of kit I have to work with and
B: Have it all within one single cross-compatible system.
C. Ability to pull 6k stills from video footage on a consistent basis.
Nikon is or was an option with Z8 + 2x Z6iii + Zf and all my Tamron e:Mount lenses would work just fine, but the negatives for me are mainly; no write to second card back up, Vlog is easier/better to grade and looks better to my eye (marginal but looks that way to me) and costs a few thousand more than an all LUMIX line up.
Sony has the best lens lineup options for me and I prefer the FX style bodies by a large margin, but no 6k camera (at least for now) kills it for me. 
Nikon may come out with this rumoured ZR for 2026 and it may answer some of my current Nikon criticisms...but it may not and if it does, c'est la vie, 'sideways' rather than anything I actually need.
Ditto Sony. It's the lens lineup mainly that is the draw and if there was a 6k camera available now, I would probably have gone in that direction and in FX style bodies, it would have sealed the deal, but again, even if that comes into being by the end of this year, too late for me and I'm not a brand hopper for the sake of the latest new thing just because it's the latest new thing, ie, this current crop of ex-Sony Shillsters to now LUMIX Shillsters are all going to be hopping back in the direction of Sony within the next 6 months for sure.
Nope, I can't and won't do that. If I have a Porsche, I might look at Ferrari or Aston and think, "yep, they're nice, but I already have a Porsche and it's fantastic". (I don't, - I have a used 150,000 miler Skoda Octavia Scout 😜 )
I'm 2 weddings in to a 17 wedding season and the new boy won't arrive in time for the next 2 which I leave for on Monday, but at least the 13 jobs after that will all be with the new system which will now comprise the following:
S1Rii with Sigma 28-70mm f2.8 until I have sold all the stuff I need to sell and then will be picking up the Sigma 28-45mm f1.8 for indoor use and use my existing LUMIX 70-200mm f4 for outdoor use. I hate lenses that extend with zooming and neither of these do! Hybrid use, - mainly stills but I will also shoot video with this.
S9 with 18/50/85mm f1.8 on freestanding monopod which is my current and going forward will now share duties with the S1Rii as my 'run & gun' units.
Pair of S5ii's remain as my 2x statics with any 2 of the above 6 lenses that are not in use on the S1Rii or S9 at any given time, but at some point, I am going to add the Sigma 28-105mm f2.8 into the mix, ie, still 1 less body and 2 less lenses than I have currently been using this year and last, but the 28-105 will give me a bit more flexibility that my current L Mount lens lineup lacks.
The only thing that put me off doing this sooner really was the body design...
It's not that exciting and I was hoping for something more S1H or even Sony FX style but upon reflection, it's a better body than the S5ii being slightly chunkier, a MUCH better rear LCD and a few knobs and whistles that improve the overall use.
Dream camera? Probably not, but a very very solid move (for me) I think.
The bottom line is once you have pushed that button, how do you feel about it and will I miss the A7RV and Zf?
I feel good about it actually because the positives outweigh any negatives and the Sony + Nikon pairing has been stellar, but there is simply a better (for me) option now.
7.2k 30p Open Gate Vlog here we come...
 
 

I usually just use quicktime and use command c. Never looked into software that could do it automatically!

OK, I have taken a look at the Arri option and not interested.
In side by side comparisons with Vlog, sometimes I preferred one and sometimes the other, but Vlog more times than the Arri.
And because I don’t need to match an actual Arri camera, zero need. And definitely not paying for it!
More interested in the firmware update…
So the S1Rii can now shoot open gate 8k, but it’s limited to 24p, ie, no PAL region 25p? That’s fucking weird!
But that aside, I am considering my next move…
I am looking for:
6k 50/60p, full frame, for screen grabs.
S1Rii offers 5.9k 16:9
S1ii offers 5.1k 3:2
For vertical cropping purposes, there’s nothing in that really because although the S1Rii 16:9 is ‘less tall’, it’s got a bit of extra resolution/detail that makes up for supposedly more latitude 3:2 open gate?
Anyway, I think that is a real world draw.
General consensus seems to be that the S1Rii has a slightly better image and slightly better low light, so all factors considered for my needs, that’s an S1Rii win.
Sony do not appear to have anything sub FX6 that can compete here? But correct me if I am wrong…
Nikon has entered the chat…
The Z8 then, it seems to be all or nothing to me from the specs as in yep, you can have 8k 60p, but it’s raw only, ie, mahoosive file sizes. Is there not an Nlog option for this?
From the spec sheet, it appears 4k is the limit for 50/60p if I didn’t want to shoot raw? Or have I got that wrong also?
Only interested in Lumix, Sony or Nikon for all kinds of reasons so if you even mention Canon or Black Magic, I will ghost you.

Ah, the old 'Irish Screwdriver' technique.
Always works.
Except when it doesn't.
I liked the concept of this camera, but never dared...

MPB 😂

Truth.
I had a client from just over 10 years ago come back to me the other day having lost what I provided for them.
I went to see if I still had it and expecting it to be a bit trash compared with today, but was actually quite surprised.
It stood up very well and the video was shot on GH3 and the photo on X Pro 2.
I notice more things like technique and editing & grading choices, but as for the raw result, - the client wouldn't notice any 'upgrades' in a decade.

Truth.
I had a client from just over 10 years ago come back to me the other day having lost what I provided for them.
I went to see if I still had it and expecting it to be a bit trash compared with today, but was actually quite surprised.
It stood up very well and the video was shot on GH3 and the photo on X Pro 2.
I notice more things like technique and editing & grading choices, but as for the raw result, - the client wouldn't notice any 'upgrades' in a decade.

I think so yes.
I have for a long time critiqued LUMIX regarding their marketing, or lack thereof and suspect they have indeed taken a leaf from the Sony playbook, of, "lets get our product out there into the hands of all influencers", rather than the seemingly limited way they used to do it.
And many of those who were previous diehard Sony Shillboys, seem to have jumped ship and are now preaching The Gospel According To Lumix.
I was an early adopter of Fuji when the X series came out and a large portion of the so-called 'professionals' scoffed.
When they became too popular (in my eyes anyway), I jumped ship to the newly hatched lame duck that was LUMIX full frame.
LUMIX seem to becoming 'the new Fuji'...which edges me closer back into being a Nikon boi which is where I started out back in the olden times.
But where do LUMIX stand in 2025 without all the hype?
Almost certainly top dog for 'consumer' video needs, as in hybrid style cameras rather than dedicated cine stuff.
Lenses is where I think they still lack, - the entire L Mount collection. There's a lot in it, but also a lot of holes.
And those holes are the one's that most suit my needs.
So between the hype (which puts me off any brand) and the 'lens hole scenario', two compelling reasons for me to dismount from this particular train ride at the end of this season.
But we shall see. The 'hype' alone is merely a 'negative distraction' really and. not a deal-breaker. Subject to finances, the lens situation will be the decider. 

Truth.
I had a client from just over 10 years ago come back to me the other day having lost what I provided for them.
I went to see if I still had it and expecting it to be a bit trash compared with today, but was actually quite surprised.
It stood up very well and the video was shot on GH3 and the photo on X Pro 2.
I notice more things like technique and editing & grading choices, but as for the raw result, - the client wouldn't notice any 'upgrades' in a decade.

Truth.
I had a client from just over 10 years ago come back to me the other day having lost what I provided for them.
I went to see if I still had it and expecting it to be a bit trash compared with today, but was actually quite surprised.
It stood up very well and the video was shot on GH3 and the photo on X Pro 2.
I notice more things like technique and editing & grading choices, but as for the raw result, - the client wouldn't notice any 'upgrades' in a decade.

I think it’s just the American spelling of the word crater.
And speaking of American education, how come some people are still at school in the US in their 20’s?
They make us leave in the UK by age 18.
They told me to go at 16.
But I can still spell crater proply.

Yes…it destroys our contentment with the gear we already have haha

Isn’t a crater an impact site of destruction?

My S9 sits smugly looking on.
At sub 1k prices, its video spec is in another league.

Funnily enough, a former client from 2014 contacted me today to say that she had 'lost' her wedding video and did I still have it?
After I stopped laughing, I thought hang on, it is probably still on Vimeo. And it was.
I thought it would look so dated and be an utter cringe-fest, but actually it wasn't and I was a bit surprised.
It was shot on the GH3.

and would suit me very well…if it just had a better rear LCD, but they cheaped out on it and lost a potential sale because of that.
And I am not the only one.
It defies all logic and sense to me and is the equivalent of a company putting their middle finger up at the potential purchased and saying, “don’t buy it then”.
OK I won’t and that’s a bigger loss to you than it is to me.
There are sub €1000 cameras with a better rear LCD.
I don’t pick holes in shit for the sake of it either and this in every other regard was a very strong contender for me and they blew it 😏

Well I think so 😉
I checked out the new Sigma as soon as it was announced but as soon as I saw the size & weight, it was game over vs the full frame 28-70.
As I said above though, for the APSC shooter, great and would be superb on a Fuji X or or Sony FX30!

Or, instead of forcing my 6k open gate camera into shooting 4k cropped, I can stick with my smaller and lighter Sigma 28-70 f2.8 🤔
Arguably, the new zoom is the equivalent of 1mm wider and 10mm longer in terms of focal range and arguably f1.8 is still f1.8 for light gathering purposes, but for DOF equivalencies, f2.7 = f2.8, but nah, zero real world gains for my needs and a HUGE downgrade from 6k open gate. 
Now if the lens was significantly smaller and lighter, maybe a small argument could be made, but nah…
For APSC users, it’s a different matter and the lens makes sense. Just not for me.

My S9 sits smugly looking on.
At sub 1k prices, its video spec is in another league.

My S9 sits smugly looking on.
At sub 1k prices, its video spec is in another league.

FX30 = 2.36
FX2 = 1.04
I think it’s one of the coolest looking cameras ever, the FX line and that tilt EVF ‘looks’ great and for folks that like and use that kind of thing, it probably is, but I don’t have the time and have been an LCD shooter for years now.
It’s just a speed thing for me constantly hopping between stills on one body and video on another and the less differences the better.
I don’t think the camera is as good as my Panny’s for video and I already have a better Sony stills unit…but I really had hoped it would be good as a true hybrid for my needs, but that LCD just killed it for me 😏

But then we would not benefit from his/her/their annual single (on average) contribution.
I feel enlightened already.

After 850+, I’m still thinking about it… 😂

I have the same policy in that a job isn't just a job as in all jobs are the same, but some do not fit into a standard box or coverage.
In my genre of weddings, having everything take place in one single location is a completely different beast to; bride getting ready at X, groom at Y, ceremony at A, reception at B, which can make for HUGE logistical issues.

2 years ago, I bought a cheap cart off Amazon and use that to lighten the load.
1 year ago, I revised some of my kit to get the weight down.
This year, I revised it even further.
And guess what is happening next year? Yep, reducing it again.
Providing you can still do what you need to do without compromise, or at least compromise that you can live with, less is more.
That tripod that is ‘the best’, well maybe it is, but can that lighter alternative do the same job? 
Ditto that body, that lens, that light…
In less than 2 years, I reduced both my stills and video cameras, in hand weight by about half with changes of body, lenses and accessories.
But Canon, no idea, but I would suspect none of the recent one’s do. At least not under normal circumstances.