herein2020

16 hours ago, MrSMW said:

Handheld at all times as the S1H IBIS is just superb, unless I need to shoot stills at the same time such as first kiss, confetti etc in which case it quickly slips onto my freestanding monopod.

It’s my workhorse that produces 90% of the material.

Then one S5 gets the 24-105mm f4 and gets welded onto a tripod and does full rolling ceremony, speeches and any entrances, exits, first dance etc.

The second S5 with 28-70mm f2.8 is dedicated to stills and is a relatively lightweight compact and versatile combo and I do tend to switch to crop mode outdoors effectively turning it into a 42-105mm, at least in camera, with the ability to crop back out in post.

I would rather another S1H in this role however as I prefer it’s; build, ergos, dials, buttons, screens and…well everything really. Not to do the S5 an injustice, but the S1H is just better everywhere.

Tweaked natural profile for me also. I’ve tried log and can’t get on with it. Yes, in certain circumstances it can produce a marginally better result but is far too finicky for consistency and even with a decent workflow, a lot more time consuming. 

I am surprised that you like the S1H so much, I've looked at the specs on paper many times and on paper the S1H just doesn't seem like that big of a leap. Same sensor, same LOG curve, mostly the same recording options with many more thrown in that I don't really need  (i.e. All-I), and it does not do 4K120FPS. 

I am sure it has better ergonomics than the S5, but after adding the cage and a side and top handle the S5 fits like a glove for me. Without it, the S5 felt too small and light.

I know VLOG is one additional step but it really is incredible in difficult lighting situations and it literally takes me seconds to grade in post. In DR I just create 3 nodes (primaries, curves, false color), add 100% saturation, 1.17 contrast, then I pull down the lows to just touch off the bottom of the WFM, pull up the highs to just touch off of the top of the WFM then enable false color to tweak for skin exposure if any people are in the clip...done.  I then copy the results to all of the clips in the project and the only thing I tweak is the lows and highs as I go to each clip. I would estimate my grading process is about 5s per clip. On some rare occasions something looks off to me so I use the curves node to fine tune my grade or adjust the WB but that's it.

I know any time spent color grading is wasting precious time without adding to the incoming revenue but I couldn't imagine using anything else after seeing the results from VLOG. I've shot directly into setting sun and managed to retain the highlights while still retaining acceptable exposure on the model's skin. 

15 hours ago, MrSMW said:

Kit is now just that good that familiarity I think is more important.

Those X Pro1's felt like toys back in 2012 coming from D3S's so yes, your S5 will feel 'less' than that Canon, but I got around that by NOT taking my Nikon's to the first wedding of 2012, not even as back up in the car, because I knew I might be tempted to revert to them and then I'd never fully embrace the new system.

I know without question, if I had taken those Nikon's, the Fuji system wouldn't have got past the bride prep stage before being booted out of the equation.

Sometimes you just need to go for it, trust in your kit and trust in your skills.

Of course you are right, I think I have maximized the interoperability and usability of my current kit. As much as I'd like to further simplify, I will probably stick with this setup for quite sometime. Technically it is meeting all of my needs except for those times when I would like to have a second camera angle, but I really don't want to buy another S5 with so much uncertainty around Panasonic's future and the lack of CAF with EF lenses.

11 minutes ago, independent said:

Not excited. Once you start adding more channels it become unwieldy, requiring a cage, then a handle, etc., then what are we doing here? Might as well go for a Sound Devices mixpre which offers more flexibility. 

I'd rather see Rode integrate the NTG w/ Wireless Go's

I think its great, I use the XLR module with the S5 all the time for quick sound bites such as a real estate agent doing the intro voice over, modelling interviews, product reviews from YouTube content creators, etc. I almost never need more than one channel, two at the most and all of my higher quality mics are XLR.  I can also shoot long form such as speeches, conferences, etc and the whole setup is still more compact than my C200.

I have the MixPre6 and its a PITA, it needs another power source, just remembering how to set it up properly is a PITA since I rarely use it, and now you've got cables everywhere, etc.  I only use the MixPre when I need 32bit float, more than 2 channels, or multiple backup copies of the audio.

6 hours ago, Marcio Kabke Pinheiro said:

https://www.fujirumors.com/teac-announces-development-of-tascam-xlr-audio-adapter-for-fujifilm-mirrorless-cameras/

Anyone was aware that some Fujifilm models had a hotshoe with a digital interface?

I read TEAC's announcement as well. So far it looks like only two Canon models will support this interface. This has been one of my long running Canon pet peeves; they provided no way to get XLR audio into their non cinema bodies and is one of my favorite features of the S5.

https://www.teac.co.jp/int/support/news/6615

1 hour ago, KnightsFan said:

That's amazing! We'll have to see if Fuji and/or Canon are willing to open their digital interface to other audio manufacturers in addition to Tascam. The prospect of using something like the Deity BP-TRX set with direct digital input from the receiver into the camera could eliminate the need for an external recorder for me--particularly now that Deity has licensed backup recording on the transmitter.

What would be great is if 32bit float audio was included in the TEAC accessory but I guess I can't have everything. This accessory though is an important first step to me ever considering getting a Canon mirrorless for video and was one of the main reasons I chose the S5 over the R5.  The fact that only the as yet released R3 will even support this accessory further proves to me that I made the right decision in not getting or considering the R5. If the R3 offers dual slot video recording I may actually be truly interested in it.

1 hour ago, Thpriest said:

The 3 weddings I have done with the S5 have been in a tweaked natural profile. I'm going to try Cine D this weekend to see how it looks.

I'm surprised you have not tried LOG yet, its fantastic. The WFM makes exposing it so easy and Davinci Resolve makes color grading it just as easy.

5 hours ago, MrSMW said:

I just took my own advice.

I didn't want to buy another S5 but after running some final tests today ahead of what will be this season's weddings which stands at 4 remaining from what should have been30 (if they all happen and they all say they are going ahead so...) I came to the conclusion that the ZV1 is not up to it's role.

I won't bore you with why, but I'm beginning to go off this camera for anything really, - photo, video and especially audio.

OK, it's not meant to be a pro bit of kit but cash-strapped times and all that.

The main problem is that when you have an S5 and an S1H in the stable, anything the ZV1 produces is not going to compare, but the fact is, it's a gulf not a gap.

Decided to just push the button on that second S1H as prices are so good right now...except the last one for sale in all of the EU it seems, has gone. That's anything 'like new/excellent' under 2500 euros, all sold 😞

Bugger.

So another (used) S5 it is, purely for the static role of ceremony, speeches, entrances and exits and with the 24-105mm f4 because on a tripod, is the only place I feel this combo is a good match ergonomically.

Nope, didn't want an S1, - that would mean 3 different bodies. S1R ditto.

Sigma don't have anything camera-wise that fits my needs and Leica at this time in my life, are beyond my budget even though would be a nice itch to scratch one day...

The ultimate deciding factor for me was I could cobble something together and transplant audio from the pocket recorders and lav mics etc, but I'd rather...after closing on 2 years of next to fuck all, at least get the 4 highest quality sets of results ahead of next years full on season.

 

 That's pretty cool that you are using the S5 in so many different roles, when you have completed a wedding with the S5 I'd love to see the results.  I tried the S5 for a few photos because I'd love to stop hauling around my 5DIV for shoots that are 90% video, but the S5 feels so awkward and foreign to me in photo mode that I am still hauling the 5DIV to every shoot that has a chance of needing images.

 I need to do an actual fashion or modeling or event shoot complete with different flashes, remote triggers, and lens setups to see if I can get used to the S5 for photos but my 5DIV literally feels like an extension of my own arm so its hard to even try anything else especially with the client standing there waiting for the next shot.

3 hours ago, TomTheDP said:

Why would you need v90 cards? V30 works fine for me in all the recording modes including 4k 60p and 6k.

In the GH5 with V30 cards I could not shoot ALL-I, it would fail to record after about 30s or so; all other modes I didn't have that issue.

On 8/10/2021 at 4:55 PM, Thpriest said:

 I've mainly being using the 24-105 f4 and the 50 1.8.

Now I'm looking either for a second S5 or a S1. I think the S1 would be good as it can shoot over 30mins in most settings and has the great EVF and better IBIS but the v90 SD cards and the CFexpress card prices are holding me back. I alway shot dual cards and I'd need to spend 400-500 on 2 128gb cards. That's a lot. The S5 would mean have 2 indentical cameras and batteries which is a plus but filming 10bit for long events is a miss.

Not sure which to go for!

I find myself using those exact same two lenses the most as well. I use the Sigma EF 50mm 1.4 for lowlight, detail shots, and shallow DOF shots, I use the 24mm EF 2.8 Prime lens for all gimbal work, and I use the EF 24-105mm for everything else. All of that gets cropped by a factor of 1.5 when filming 60FPS which I frequently do.

I'm with you on the media as well, it is so annoying to have mismatched cards or bitrates at 400mb/s requiring 2x+ more expensive media. The footage from the S5 more than meets the needs of my type of client.

As far as shooting over 30min, the S5 still has the 8bit modes to shoot longer, and they really are good enough for most situations. I shot with the GH5 and only 8bit for years; as long as you nail the WB and exposure 8bit is plenty for most situations. I do also love the VLOG, if you haven't tried it yet you really are missing out; its incredible how much you can push and pull the LOG footage in post even though it is compressed.

With my Davinci Resolve workflow, I can grade VLOG footage in seconds.

18 hours ago, Thpriest said:

I have found that to be a wee bug too. I always have extra cards so it's not really a problem but it does mean I don't really know how much i have shot and how much i have space i have left.

But in general I'm really enjoying the camera and the image.

It's definitely a very minor issue, and the good thing is you can drop to an 8bit mode to get a rough estimate. That's another thing that is great about this camera as well; SD cards are so cheap and the video data rates are so low that it's almost a non issue, I have never filled up a 256GB card in one day with the S5.

Personally I hate swapping cards during a shoot so although I have spares I try to get large enough cards so that I never have to actually use them. All of my cameras right now have 256GB cards in them except the C200 which has 1TB CFE cards and 256GB SD cards for the 8bit footage.

The 512GB SD cards are now only $130 which is insanely cheap especially considering the prices of the types of cards required by cameras like the 1DX or the R5.

I found a new quirk that I don't like with the S5, it doesn't seem like it is possible to see how much time is remaining on your memory cards if you are in one of the time limited modes.  This past weekend I had shot all morning and had a shoot that evening so I had no idea how much time I had remaining to record video on the SD cards. I couldn't find anywhere in the main menu, display screen, or the playback screen to show the time remaining.

I finally figured out that if I dropped down to one of the 8 bit modes it would show the amount of time remaining on the video cards. When the 10bit modes are selected the time remaining will only show the time limiter which is 30min.  Unfortunately the time remaining indicator in the 8 bit modes will only show the time remaining for that mode so if you are cutting it close you won't know your cards are getting low until the 30min limiter in the higher quality modes starts dropping for a reason other than the timer.

At the end of the day I discovered I had nothing to worry about, with a 256GB cards in the slots I still had 4hrs of recording time remaining after the morning shoot.

On 7/31/2021 at 8:20 PM, tonyk23 said:

Hello pal,

You have a nice set up there.

Do you power your Panasonic s5 with the V mount and the USB A to C cable?

Just struggling to power simultaneously my Panasonic S5 and my Video assist 12 g 5'' from a V mount..

Thanks in advance

Yes that is how I do it, I power the S5 with a USB A to C cable. Funny thing is, when I got the S5 I looked all over for a USB-C V Mount base plate that was as good as the Bebob Factory GmbH COCO-15V III V Mount Battery Plate and none of the ones that has USB C ports looked like they would work for my needs. So I almost gave up before I decided to just try a USB A to C cable and what do you know....it powers the S5 with no problems.

I also tested powering an external monitor using a Hirose to Sony battery adapter plugged into an external monitor and it all worked fine. I estimate I could run for about 4hrs off of one V-Mount powering both the camera and an external monitor. Personally I don't like using external monitors and so I've never actually used that setup but its good to know it's a possibility if I need it. I think I can run about 6-8hrs off of the V-Mount if only the camera is connected.

4 hours ago, Caleb Genheimer said:

@Andrew Reid

If you keep a list of things to poke camera manufacturers about, add 32bit float audio to the lineup. IMO it would be a paradigm shift in “scratch” and on-camera audio to include even a decent float system. Heck, a simplicity-first company like Blackmagic Design could do away with audio controls in float mode entirely, opting only for a headphone volume control (or even auto level monitoring).

I use a 32bit float recorder at work all the time, and I literally don’t have to think about its operation beyond power-up, verification of the mic signal, and hitting the record button.

I have a MixPre6 II that has this and its pretty incredible. I doubt it will make it to any cameras anytime soon especially hybrids. Audio is an afterthought for most of them and their approach is if you want something better use a separate recorder. Panasonic's XLR module is excellent though for what it is and I use it all the time with the S5.

59 minutes ago, barefoot_dp said:

Hi all,

Just wanting to get a bit of perspective before upgrading my workstation. It seems the price of GPU's has skyrocketed lately and from the reading I've done it seems like it's a combination of a) new import laws in the USA which have ripple effects around the globe, and b) scalpers hoarding them to drive the prices up, and c) covid lockdown meaning people are staying home to play videogames.

Does anyone know if this price pressure is something that's likely to ease in the next 6 months or so? Perhaps as supply/demand starts to level out? Or is this simply the new normal where a GPU is going to cost more than what an entire editing setup used to?

I'm getting close to updating my current workstation (built in 2016 to last me until the end of the HD era - but now happily cutting up to 6K prores), but I'm really not keen to spend $1500 on a video card if prices are going to drop sharply in a few months.

For reference, I'm looking probably leaning towards a build with i7-11700K, 64GB ram, and RTX3070.

I'm currently on a i7-6700K with 32GB and GTX1060.

NVIDIA still lists the RTX3070 for $499.00 so if that is the video card you want in your next build, then I would base everything else on obtaining that card for that price. Set up some watch lists and get notified the minute someone gets one in stock for that price. 

Once you have the GPU on hand the rest of the build should be easier (and less costly). That's just what I personally would do. Also, I have to believe that Intel will have an answer to the Apple M1 soon, so if you can wait, I would try to wait and see what their answer is. The M1 seems pretty future proof for now, nothing Intel is producing can compete with it but I am sure they are working on it.

21 hours ago, Thpriest said:

What settings are you now using? I find the peaking only seems to be visible when recording and not when focussing before recording. A bit weird.

I have focus peaking sensitivity set to +2 Display Color Blue and Display While AFS ON.  For some reason the focus peaking works better when the shutter button is half pressed and when the lens switch is switched to MF or the back selector switch is set to MF. While the lens switch is set to AF or the back selector switch is set to C or S the focus peaking barely works or should I say it never works.

Since I don't have CAF with EF lenses my favorite focus peaking setup is to keep the lens switch to AF, the back selector switch to MF and hybrid AF to ON. This lets me get the most out of the focus peaking while still being able to focus by tapping the back of the screen; the only thing I lose with this setup is I can't half press the shutter to achieve AF.

@Mark Romero 2 @MrSMW Ok, so I finally got around to turning focus peaking sensitivity to high and now the focus peaking is almost as good as the GH5 but IMO still not quite as good. At least it shows up now more often than it did before., I think part of the focus peaking issues are due to using EF lenses and the adapter.

13 hours ago, Andy Zou said:

I got a GH4 when it came out and was pretty enamored with it; thought when it came time to upgrade I'd go with the EVA1.  Never got around to it, and it seems like not many others did either.  Did it just not compete well with the FS5s of the time?  So many cameras are out right now, it's been years since I've had to think about buying one.  In-between C200s and FS52s and FX6s... does Panasonic have something in that price range that's new?

I will admit that I am one of the ones that cross shopped the EVA1 with the C200. I ended up with the C200 mainly because of the lenses, AF, and build quality.  On paper the EVA1 seemed to beat the C200 in nearly every way (10bit, higher resolution options, etc.) but the C200 build quality, CLOG3, and even the cost made me end up with the C200. At the time the EVA1 was $6500 and the C200 was $5500.

I disagree that the EVA1 would have done better as a MFT mount. Sure they would tap into a huge selection of existing lenses, but they would also have limited their cinema camera to the same problems MFT always has...crop factor, low light capabilities, DOF, etc. MFT is great, I loved my GH5, but there would have been no reason to me to buy a cinema camera with the same size sensor as my GH5.

Now what would have been really cool is if they could have made the EVA1 have an adaptable mount and an in camera crop that allowed it to accept APS-C, EF, and MFT lenses. That would have let them tap into both Canon EF lenses and MFT lenses; that one feature may have made me get the EVA1 instead. Just like the fact that the one feature that was the deciding factor when I got the S5 was the availability of an EF mount adapter.

4 hours ago, DoorsFreak said:

I was using multiple profiles. I was able to fix it by resetting to factory settings. I then proceeded to restore the settings from the lumix sync app and still had the same problem. So I had to manually change back all my settings including custom modes. Very strange. I wanted to fix this before the big 2.3 firmware. 

You may have a conflict of settings; there's a setting that states do not show focus peaking during AF. If you have the AF switch turned on then try to set focus peaking but you also have the setting configured to not show focus peaking during AF then I think the focus peaking settings will be unavailable. The way to fix it is to either switch the lens or the focus selector to MF or turn off the setting that disables focus peaking when AF is enabled.

It is definitely not the picture profile because I only shoot in VLOG and use focus peaking religiously.

On 7/4/2021 at 2:41 AM, MrSMW said:

Well there is your problem right there. This does not exist with native Panasonic lenses or Sigma glass.

Sigma is not quite as fast or accurate but it’s very little difference.

And the thing about CDAF is it is a little slower by it’s nature than phase, but more accurate.

For stills, there just does not need to be any issues.

For général video use, not really either as long as you use the system properly and just take that little bit of extra time.

It’s the fast paced stuff where it can fall down.

Stills I don’t know (I wouldn’t use anything adapted personally) but for anything video, I’d only trust manual focus for adapted lenses.

in short, you are asking it to fight a battle it cannot win.

Yes I'm just stuck in this odd middle ground where nothing is perfect or terrible. I would love CAF but having my entire collection of EF glass available to all of my cameras (5DIV, C200, S5) is worth more to me than CAF.  The EF adapter is such a pain to remove due to my S5 cage setup that it has never come off after putting it on. Hybrid AF works pretty good most of the time with the adapter (half press to achieve focus then flip the MF button on the lens to lock focus).

I will probably hang on like this until I see what disappointments the R5c manages to bring next year. If they somehow get it right, I'll finally move to a more native EF system (even though the R5c is RF mount).  If Canon manages to colosally disappoint yet again then I'll just stick with what I have for a couple more years. If the R5c is even 80% what the S1H is, then Canon will have a winner but I don't see that happening since they already have the C70.

In my perfect world I would have two identical bodies that can use all of my existing EF glass; both as good at photography as the R5 and as good at video as the S5 but with the R5's AF and the S5's XLR module, dual slot video recording, and dual ISO. One rigged for video (cage, XLR module), and one rigged for photography (no cage, dual battery grip, hotshoe free for flash triggers).  Then on a shoot I can mix and match where the areas overlap when I need a quick video clip during a photo shoot, or a few images throughout a video shoot and where in a pinch I can use both bodies for the same purpose such as multi-angle interviews or both cameras rigged for photography for a wedding.

So far its an unachievable dream but who knows what the future holds. My bank account thanks Canon every day for not making this dream possible.

On 7/1/2021 at 4:41 AM, MrSMW said:

Well if they can somehow improve DFD to something close to PDAF, then in one sense, that will be good.

But...and it's a big BUT, the problem Panny have is the whole lack of PDAF thing is just one massive negative for them.

It doesn't matter that in the real world, the CDAF works just as well as any PDAF for stills and is actually more than pretty decent for video use in anything but consistent tracking.

The reputation for 'crappy AF' already exists and probably the only way they can truly squash that is by going PDAF if only for marketing purposes.

But as has been discussed before, whether they can actually implement PDAF is another matter, but the fact that L Mount partner Sigma has just done that with the FP-L, suggest to me it's not an insurmountable obstacle.

We shall find out at some point fairly soon I imagine...

I have problems with DFD even without CAF.....it simply will not focus in certain situations that I am certain would be effortless for other focusing systems. In those situations I have to manually focus or just keep trying until it locks on; sitting there watching it struggle and the whole scene pulsing is just painful. I am using a EF adapter and EF lenses so I still give Panny the benefit of the doubt.

9 hours ago, IronFilm said:

The problem is, this point off in the future might be too far away to save Panasonic's market share camera division

There..fixed that for you 🙂

Am I selfish to wish they had just dropped MFT and released an S5II instead?

On 4/29/2021 at 3:53 AM, IronFilm said:

Watch all of this interview with my sound god hero Simon Hayes, he goes into what it takes to record excellent top notch sound even under raining conditions on screen:
 

 

Great video, and yes I do try to pick ideal locations when I am able to, but with events you have no control over things like that. It also makes sense that they are able to get that level of audio with dedicated sound guys big budget, etc. I have resigned myself to always having to struggle with audio.

In other news I did get the XLR adapter to be more reliable on the S5. I now set the XLR module to line or mic level first and turn on the camera with nothing attached. Once the XLR module turns on and is detected properly, I then turn off the camera and connect the XLR cables. I then turn on the camera one more time and switch the switch from line or mic to phantom power +48v after the cable and mic are connected. 

With this process in this order it has worked flawlessly so far.

@Mark Romero 2 @MrSMW For me it literally almost never appears and when it does its hard to see. The GH5 was far better in this regard and of course Canon with their triangles is second to none. It is probably made worse by the EF adapter and EF lenses.

I can definitely say its the worse of any camera I have used; but I have never used the Olympus; even my Canon Rebel's focus peaking is better.

On 5/28/2021 at 2:28 AM, thehebrewhammer said:

I made a decision to return my camera. Hopefully the seller (amazon, third party) takes it back without issue. I found the focus peaking to be totally inadequate for manual glass, coming from the GH5 or S1 or even an old Canon with magic lantern.

I have been saying this for a long time, the focus peaking on the S5 is horrible to the point of unusable; I have to punch in to focus and it seems that then sometimes focus peaking is decent but its still better to just look at the screen and try to gauge sharpness that way. The focus peaking is definitely nowhere near as good as the GH5.

19 hours ago, Anaconda_ said:

Has anyone here tried the official DaVinci Resolve training that Blackmagic offer? From looking briefly, it seems pretty comprehensive, and completely free. Then you can take the tests and get certifications at the end of each 'chapter'. I've downloaded the files and I'm looking forward to starting, but figured I'd ask if anyone else has tried it, and can offer pros and cons over some other options out there.

https://www.blackmagicdesign.com/nl/products/davinciresolve/training

I watched a few of the videos on color grading and a few on the new features in DR 17. Very comprehensive for things like color grading and general use. I do wish they provided more in depth training for Fusion. Most of the really good Fusion tutorials you have to get from YouTube and the SFX artists who work in Hollywood.

I'll admit, I was really into learning Fusion when I first switched to DR from PP, but the constant performance issues and crashing was a big turnoff and I haven't really touched Fusion since. The rest of DR though is rock solid.

30 minutes ago, Fox said:

… And a cooling fan 😅

That depends on if you are as big of a conspiracy theorist as I am 🙂 .  I still think the overheating timer is either complete BS or Canon deliberately designed the camera in a way that would not prevent it from overheating with extended use. My S5 can shoot 4K60FPS 10bit 4:2:0 H.265 footage for 30min on a 90 degree day while recording to both card slots with no problem and unlimited 8 bit footage.

With a body the size of the R3 and so far they are only advertising 4K (not 6 or 8K) I would definitely think no fan is needed.

3 hours ago, Avenger 2.0 said:

So which graphics card from amd/nvidea would one recommand that has the best support for Canon/Panasonic 10-bit h.265?

A few members have reported that the RTX3080 can edit the files from Canon. Your 10bit question was a bit vague though, there's a big difference in editing 10bit 4:2:0 footage which is what everyone but Canon offers vs. Canon who only outputs 10bit 4:2:2. 

For 4:2:0 footage nearly any modern card will do, I'm using an RTX2080Ti to edit my S5 10 bit 4:2:0 footage. This same setup couldn't even playback 4:2:2 10 bit footage from the Canon R6.

On 6/18/2021 at 8:51 AM, Andrew Reid said:

Can't edit Canon LOG 10bit

Can't display Fuji H.265 right!

New blog post:

https://www.eoshd.com/news/when-will-adobe-fix-premiere-it-kills-fuji-footage-and-cant-edit-canon-10bit-c-log/

 

IMO PP has been hot garbage for many years....the day they started charging a monthly subscription fee was the day they went into the dumpster for me. I switched to Davinci Resolve and it was the best thing I have done in a long time. DR 17 is definitely the best version yet and it just keeps getting better. Once they improve the performance of Fusion it will truly have no equal in my book.