NeuroJitsu

The power of the media has long been the deciding factor in who wins elections, and the attack on the BBC from the far right of the Conservative party is just a continuation of this story. My cynical mind thinks they are preparing the ground for Fox News to sweep up as much of the BBC audience as possible by creating a faux scandal around this story. They've been really gunning for the BBC at least since the Brexit vote campaign, where BJ was putting fake numbers on buses and whipping up fear about immigration on billboard posters. The Guardian published an article last week about education being the next front of the war on liberal values (which started with BJ's defence of Britain's whitewashed heritage during the Black Lives Matter protests a few months back). Gavin Williamson (how is he still in his job after the exams mess?!) is making massive cuts to education budgets in the arts. The article's assertion is that BJ (Williamson doesn't have any original thoughts, so we know who's behind this) wants to divert government funds from university education in liberal arts to his "leveling up" agenda - which is really an electioneering agenda, to pump education funds into the 'Red Wall' constituencies that voted Conservative in the last election. It's a back door re-juggling of the government finances to re-mould the Conservative voter base towards the working class. It's no coincidence in my view that the government failed to suport the arts sector during the Covid pandemic. A huge swathe of people in the arts are freelance, as we all know here. And a huge chunk of these people receivec no financial support during the pandemic. Of course, this sort of political game can only work if the media allow the government to manipulate opinion. Thankfully we still have the Guardian, FT, and Channel 4 alongside the BBC... Don't get me wrong, whilst my politics are left of centre my brain is not delusional. The Blair Labour government financed university education (including mine!) for a much larger proportion of the population, and it is known by our current government that the vast majority of university-educated people are on the left of politics. Blair knew this too, and it was part of his project to create more Labour supporters like me! It worked, and so BJ wants to undo it. Back to Princess Diana, there's no doubt the BBC messed up and covered it up. And so they have no choice but to fess-up and make changes. The BBC and other reputable media companies can't fight corruption and injustice if they're not upholding their own principles and values. Liberal-minded types would never live with it. BJ knows this, and will take full advantage of the chaos that ensues. That's just the dirty game of politics. Princess Diana's death was both a tragedy for her sons, and a mystery that stirred a lot of conjecture about what "really happened" surrounding that tunnel crash. But that same cynical part of my brain is less convinced about Prince William's motives for his strong statement against the BBC. "The Firm" is a business, before it is a family. The nature of that business is evident from the ease with which Prince Harry moved to LA and started his new celebrity career. In reality, the royal family is a state-backed media institution. As much as I feel for the tragedy of these sons' loss, I'm no royalist.

The fact Sigma is a smaller, family business goes a long way towards explaining why I like this company. Their integrity and openness (eg about the Foveon sensor development challenges) count for a lot. I trust this company to do the right thing by their customers. How many camera companies can we say that about?!! Few publicly quoted companies are run in a principled, values-driven way. MOST large family businesses are run this way (those that were purely profit-driven sold out early, in order to cash in). As a consultant, I've worked for several large family businesses in the past, and their long term perspective leads to different (read "better") decision-making that looks far beyond the next quarter's share price (ie bonus payout). They make decisions and take risks (ie innovate) in ways public companies don't dare - it's not their company or money after all, and so playing it safe is much easier and doesn't risk the annual bonus. So whilst I'd never buy a camera purely based on the values and integrity of the business, I'll go out of my way to buy from such a company when I can.

What video-centric buyer in their right minds would 'upgrade' to a GH5 MkII, or buy into M43 with Panasonic, when a Pocket 4k with Gen5 colour science can be had so cheaply? If anyone from BlackMagic Design is reading this thread, please raid your parts bin and make a Pocket 4K Pro, or a 6K with M43 mount... with your Gen 5 colour science and an EVF, I'd imagine you'd convince a fair few video-oriented GH5 owners and prospective GH6 owners to switch brands... I agree this doesn't bode well for M43, and it's not looking like a GH6 is coming. I imagine a lot of GH owners like me bought into the Metabones style speedboosters, and own S35 and full frame lenses, so if Panasonic think GH owners will wait even longer for a GH6 to arrive, they're bonkers... more likely, this is a face-saving way to let the GH series fade out. There are plenty of other paths for upgrade to S35 or full frame sensors... and maybe that's the problem... lots of potential GH6 owners have probably already moved on. Personally I've been waiting for the GH6, but I think I'll move on now. At this price point, for GH owners like me who don't have any M43 lenses, there are much better options than a GH5 Mk2. For a bit more cash than a GH5 Mk2 you can have a Sigma FP L for a small form factor, or one of BlackMagic Design's cameras if weather-sealing and hybrid use don't matter, or a Z-cam S6. We're spoilt for choice right now Panasonic, you seem to have forgotten that. Such a shame.

Adding to my above post, this article is interesting: https://blog.sigmaphoto.com/2021/sigma-fp-l-camera-quick-guide-features-photos-faqs/ It doesn't major on the sensor being full frame, but rather on the 61 megapixles... In CineD's review of the camera, they quote from a conversation with Sigma's product manager for the fp cameras, Wakamatsu-san as follows: "For now, please see below the recommended crop factors for EACH scenario: For the best Resolution, x1.3 – 2.48 For phase detection AF, x1.0 and x1.53 For best dynamic range, x1.24" This reinforces that the sensor's FF size is not so much the point of this camera as its colour science and the way it uses those 61 MPs... but I'm no expert, just an interested customer and fan of Sigma products! I'll be waiting to see more footage from the camera before I upgrade my now ancient GH4 LOL!

I think the tendency of youtuber reviews is to focus on specs and camera comparisons, rather than use cases and who/what the camera is intended for. I guess it's easier, and controversy always gets the 'click'... I like Gerald's channel but this video missed the mark for me. I'm really liking this camera for its compact travel friendly size, modularity, those colours and its focus on great images straight from the camera (rather than leaning on fix it in post). It seems to me this suits the photography-schooled shooter who likes the minimalist gear approach, for both stills and video. But s/he neednt forego the possibility to rig it out... the best of both worlds it seems to me. For some people or uses, this modularity and form factor is unique. For me, it beats the cinema box cameras hands down. That it's not a mainstream film maker's tool is not the point. As any craftsman knows, it's all about "right tool for the right job". Granted, rolling shutter and low light are not its strength. But that's a decision by design. All good design is founded on clear choices... and based on knowledge of the intended user... Gerald Undone wasn't wrong about the camera, but he was wrong IMO to rubbish the camera because it doesn't fit his personal needs and preferences. What's the point knocking a screwdriver for being a bad hammer? Finally, there is just plain commercial logic. Sigma is not trying to be Sony. That would not work: their brand, loyal customers and engineering and marketing heritage and strengths are different. We should celebrate the choice we have...

a supplementary question to this one, thinking about mounting options on my rigs: what is AFX's possible mounting radius (assuming the unit is mounted sometimes beside or below the camera, as well as above on a hotshoe) from the lens?

Many thanks for the comprehensive answer. My order is now placed!

If you use the AFX on different cameras, I'm assuming you need to calibrate for each camera assuming the AFX mounting point (in relation to the lens) varies across cameras. Can you simply store different camera presets for each lens? Is there any limit to the number of stored lens calibration presets? I'm close to ordering, this looks fantastic. Just want to make sure I understand the practicalities of using it across different cameras.

The other factor I think is under-played in your analysis is the impact of Chinese manufacturers. The know-how and capability of Chinese manufacturers has piggy-backed on the big Japanese camera companies and American big tech firms that have production plants in China. And so the economics of the industry has changed, and I would imagine this is a challenge for incumbent brands: how do you get a return on your R&D spend, and sustain that spend, when the Chinese manufacturers are racing ahead now and pricing aggressively? Blackmagic and Atomos have found their ways of doing it. Interesting times.

I'm a fan of the micro four thirds format, and the access it provides to lots of glass. Personally, I'm waiting to see what the GH6 looks like before deciding where I go next from my GH4. Frankly, the GH4 has all the capability I need aside from a bit more dynamic range at times, and better low light capability. A GH5S might be my next step, rather than the GH6 - but I probably won't be able to resist all the new bells and whistles... I'd be more inclined to look at the Sigma FP than this new Sony camera, and be forced to change all my glass. Lately, I've been finding I'm even enjoying my old BMCC 2.5k and Micro cameras, shooting in lower resolution raw that looks lovely and is a pleasure to work with in post. My work is not seen on big screens, but on a computer, so as you say the MP race is just irrelevant to me. I used to work in the telecoms industry in the early 2000s before the iPhone spoiled the party for the incumbent phone manufacturers. Remember how big Nokia used to be then? I think the camera market is crying out for a step forward in usability, which is what the iPhone did for the phone market. What Apple have done for creatives is what I think Blackmagic have set out to do for film-makers, and I think they illustrate very well the importance of improving (through innovation) the end to end workflow, and especially software. I'm now more interested in post production software innovation, like Cameralabs AI product for colour grading, than chasing more resolution. That's something that will make a real impact, day-to-day, on my creative output, productivity and frankly enjoyment - and if the manufarurers improve these things, the industry will find ways to expand. I've no doubt you're right that some more camera manufacturers will fall by the wayside. I hope Panasonic is not one of them, as I think they've done a fantastic job of bringing innovation to market in packages that are designed in a way that puts function first and respects customer choice. I'm encouraged by Sigma's direction and quality of their products. And of course Blackmagic. And then you have Z-cam, DJI and other Chinese brands that have both pushed prices down and produced excellent products. And even though I'm as astonished at Canon's arrogance as you are (ie throttling the performance of their expensive R5), they do still make fantastic cinema cameras. So the industry direction overally is not looking so bad IMHO.