James_From_Raglan

So the XT4 doesn't have an crop mode in the sense of using a smaller portion of the sensor (equivalent to the a7sii's "APS-C mode") in order to punch in and get more range from lenses? And does anyone know if the S1 has this function? I assume it does since it's full frame but I can't seem to find a clear answer anywhere.

Is the Fringer adapter a cheaper version of a metabones? Does it give you an extra stop in the same way?

This is actually what I was meaning by punch-in, sorry for being confusing. I find it really useful, especially when shooting with primes. I've become accustomed to putting APS-C crop mode on for a tighter shot. So the XT4 doesn't have a function like this? I don't anticipate always shooting in 4k so relying on being able to push in in post isn't really an option for me. Plus it's more an in-the-moment framing versatility function that a post versatility function for me. That said, I've been looking a bit more into the XT4 and the XT4 with the Fujinion 16-55 2.8 seems like a good combo. Do you have any experience with that lens?

Interesting that you can't punch in with the Fuji. I've become really accustomed to this feature on the a7sii. Is it a full frame thing? And do you know if the S1 has this feature? I think our applications might be slightly different but I can imagine situations where your setup would work very well for me. Where does the extra 1.18 crop come from in your equation? I'm still leaning a bit towards the S1 but the Fuji does represent a significant price difference...

I think I'm still getting to grips with changes in the way people shoot in the last few years, during which I've been obliviously getting on with shoots paying no attention to any changes in tech - to my detriment. As a result the idea of using auto focus for video work is still quite foreign to me. I wouldn't think to use auto focus if shooting out a train window, I'd just check focus before I record. I have a lot of practice with manual focus and trust myself to get this right. But maybe the difference is that I'm imagining a slightly more slow-paced shoot rather than a fast moving run and gun situation. I actually think that a manual focus cine camera is more what I'm after, in which case maybe the S1 is right for me. Am I also correct in assuming it offers a considerable improvement in low light capabilities? With regards to the auto focus stuff I'm also wary that I may be missing a trick - I've never used good AF and perhaps I just don't realise how helpful it is. The kind of documentary content I produce would probably be best described as festival fare. Do other cinematographers shooting this kind of documentary content use AF?

Thanks for your thoughts. I saw another thread where you were tossing up between the S1 and the XT4. What's pushed you away from the s1? That 18-35 at 1.8 is pretty impressive but I worry that it doesn't offer enough for length for documentary work. I suppose I could punch in using a crop mode - does the XT4 have this feature? I've been assuming so as I'm used to working on the a7sii which has a crop mode.

The autofocus does sound appealing. Is it mostly for quite fast action that it comes in useful? My application is more likely going to be "cinematic" documentary work where the most I'll do is a tracking shot at a steady distance from subject, or a handheld interview setup, perhaps a walk and talk. I won't be filming much sport or fast paced action actuality. And is the S1's autofocus just not up to scratch? No sign of firmware fixes? I've just been looking at the XT4 again too. That 16-80mm lens looks good to me but I wonder will it be effective in low light?

Hi Everyone. I've been scouring every corner of the internet for days now trying to figure out which camera to go for and I'm pulling my hair out. I'm looking for a versatile mirrorless camera for a mix of documentary and narrative work. I'm confident that all the options I'm looking at are suitable for the kind of narrative, commercial and music video work I do. However I also need something that I can use for documentary work - largely handheld. Sometimes filming actuality, following subjects around. Sometimes nice cinematic b-roll. I like to keep DOF relatively shallow. My priorities: - Good IBIS - Good lowlight - Ability to record and monitor audio - Good for photography - A good native zoom lens for general documentary work Secondary considerations: - 10- bit internal would be nice - Autofocus - AF is something I've never used in the past. Being trained in natural history filmmaking a decade ago - the idea of using AF for video was laughable. I'm unsure whether I'm missing a trick here. Is some AF now truly good enough to accurately track and keep focus on subjects at shallow depths of field? ---- Right now it's a real toss up between the Panasonic S1, Nikon Z6 and the Fuji XT4 For a while I was pretty set on getting the Panasonic S1. I like the idea of a bigger camera for handheld work and the IBIS looks great. Internal 10 bit also appealing. But once I add the costs of the firmware upgrade and an expensive L-series zoom, the whole kit will cost around €3200, instead of around €2300 for the XT4 or €2100 for the Z6. I considered the Gh5 and A7iii too but I'm leaning away from them because of the bad low light and m4/3 mount on the gh5 and the lack of 10-bit recording (even externally) on the a7iii. I'm leaning towards full frame options for what they offer in terms of shallow DOF and low light capabilities. I have a set of old Nikon AIS primes which I love using and plan on adapting these to whatever setup I have. Any help here would be much appreciated!