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Live from the exhibition floor… Well, it’s here but as expected it’s in a Perspex case making touching it impossible and the reflections and dim environment not exactly easy to get a decent picture of it especially on my ageing iPhone. What I can confirm though which Is what everyone wants to know is that it does have internal ND.

25% off men’s colognes, Boots, UK 👍

Bit of an update.. Fujifilm have another stand with an equally perspex cased unit that doesn’t lend itself to being photographed but this one has the new lens attached.

I mentioned here some time ago that I was planning to make a mini-doc at this year's Cambridge Folk Festival - the UK's leading such event that this year celebrated its 60th anniversary. Well it didn't work out quite how I wanted. I took my 15yr old with me and had expected that he would go off independently in search of the things 15 year old boys hope they will find, but no. He wanted to stick to me like glue, as long as he could also stick to his camping chair and his phone all day every day, so I didn't get to do the vox pops and the storytelling I had planned (I still have 200 cards I had printed with the details of how to see the film once finished, to hand to interviewees). Ah well. I've booked to go again next year. Alone! Here is what I did manage to get. Shot 4k on the A6600 - an underrated camera in my opinion and I don't think it scrubs up badly at all. This was exclusively with my now-doughty 18-105 f4 and subjected to pretty much the same grading process as the last clip I posted here ( ) Anyway. Hope you all like it. Edited to add: Select 4K and turn the volume right up!

Of the S1HII or S2H or whatever we want to call it, nothing more is known. Perhaps at one time (I repeat: perhaps!) rumor sites actually managed to get information obtained through anonymous users. Now these sites are simply outlets of the manufacturers who decide what and when to release rumors that have simply become official teasers.

Microsoft has the argument, that the open web is fair use and can be fed page by page into the machine. In same way Google indexes the WWW. If they decide against AI and the derivative works are not allowed to be neural network influenced by other works, it might have some unintended consequences - such as preventing human artists from using their influences. After all, ai and us are working in pretty similar ways. Maybe the difference here is that the data of the literal original is crunched. It is dissolved up into numbers and understood in terms of patterns and styles by the machine. So those original 1s and 0s are stored on OpenAI's server, in totality and their entirety. Whereas a human artist, never has a precise copy of the exact original digital work in our head... only the abstract version in working memory.

20-60 is great. Pana have always been an innovator with the small zooms, going back to 14-42mm in GH1 days. Also underrated, on the Sony side is that 28-70 slow kit lens that has been around for ages. The rendering is actually really nice and it weighs literally nothing compared to the latest big buck F2.8 equivalents.

If you are interested, I have a free 3D LUT Analyzer tool on my website. Here is how it looks with the N-Log_BT2020_to_REC709_BT1886_size_33.cube applied to a LUT Stress Test image: When you click and hold either the picture, or the RGB parade, or the vectorscope, you can view the "before" state. You can also drag and rotate the 3D Visualization.

The S5 is a really great value, especially used. The AF isn't nearly as bad as people say, and manual focusing is a dream. There are better cameras out there but none of them are a better value. There has never been a better option for budget filmmaking IMO and I'd be hard pressed to say that any other camera out right now is worth the price difference on what you'd pay for this camera used. Think about what we paid for our first "real" camera and then think about how you can get a used full frame camera with pretty much every pro feature you could ask for for like $1000 USD used. 10 years ago my mind would have been unable to comprehend the value that is the S5 in 2024. I very much like my S5II X and will likely switch out my two S5 bodies for two S5II bodies in the next couple of years, but I do like the image out of the original S5 more. It's just really pleasing. No longer needing to color match them and enjoying the quality of life upgrades on the S5II outweighs the better image, but the S5II image is more than "good enough." I think I'll also end up probably getting an S9 as a personal/super low profile camera. It's actually nearly the perfect BTS/social media camera for my event shoots. Being able to hand it off to someone to film content for our IG, Facebook, and YouTube reels would be really great since it can shoot in open gate and be cropped for each platform.

Went here today where they had hands on units. It feels *maybe* a little narrow but a small grip will sort that. My advice is if you don’t want to buy it then for God’s sake don’t have a play with it because you will very likely walk out with one. Unfortunately, they aren’t released here for another week by which time I’ll be back on Monkey Island so without a pre-order I expect I won’t see one available for a while. Incidentally, the orders for the X100vi are still suspended even here in FujiFilm’s own flagship place so you have to wonder at how fluid the supply of the new camera will be too.

Not a Black Friday deal but a deal none the less: i needed a wireless mic system but refuse to buy one of those ones with non-replaceable batteries, so decided to see how much the old Rodelink Filmmaker Kits were going for on ebay... I bought one from a reputable seller that is listed as in "excellent" condition for $25 with free shipping. I bid, thinking it would probably get higher than that but nope, I won it for $25 and it'll arrive Friday. I'm quite happy!

Maybe a lot of the reviewers are just thankful to do an easy review so close to the holidays. No need to do much work reviewing the camera when it's basically just like the last one. "The last one was just fine and this one, being basically the same... is also just fine."

But when Nikon keeps an old sensor in a sub $1000 APSC body and upgrade everything else, the internet says "what a bummer". When Sony does the same, in a $6500 body, YouTubers call it "mind blowing", "perfect flagship". If Canon does the same its called "corporate greed", but when it comes to Sony its called "strategy". It also debunks the old stupid notion, again, that Sony Semi keeps the best and state of the art sensor for Sony Imaging! Sony Semi can't send the best when Sony Imaging says "We don't want the best, cause its high development price lower our profit margin, thanks". So Sony users are stuck with 8k30p, and non downsampled 4k, for the next two years, while users of the other Sony Semi customer have 8k60p and downsampled 4k60.

Correct. Although when you look at who Trump has appointed in the cabinet, you have to say that the majority of those Americans aren't a very astute judge of character, or perhaps they're simply unawares. Lesser of the two evils? Trump's tariffs will destroy the US economy and triple inflation, and it doesn't need a 'mainstream media outlet' to tell you that. It's simply logic. If he does what he says he will, and nobody stops him, then he could also crash the global economic outlook as well. The stock market has already fallen following his batshit crazy cabinet picks. I can't in any way deny that the Democrats completely messed up this election... Too cozy with corporate culture and lobbyists, ignored men, ignored Bernie Sanders, can't claim a good record on the economy when normal people aren't feeling it and only big businesses are... And involved in two depressing wars. But the fact that people think Trump is the lesser evil just seems completely wrongheaded to me. It's as if you folk have been brainwashed by a cult leader. I agree... Too much divide and rule in today's pre-war world. Absolutely... Shelter is unaffordable, food is a rip off, and society is becoming clinical, sexless, dull. In fact property prices, rent prices, food prices, are a big reason Biden lost the election. And he ain't responsible for any of it. Global population is growing, resources are not keeping up, and the US public will find out soon enough that whether they elect a politician or a celebrity, it won't make a damn difference in the long term. You have a celebrity apprentice government with unserious, inexperienced demigods and narcissist in it, and somehow they have been able to resonate with the public. That shows how vast the failure of the liberals are... That a convicted felon was able to resonate with the everyday American family better than the morally posturing vacant Harris. They didn't lie at all the polls were very accurate, it was a close outcome in the few key states where the voting mattered, 51-49% is a similar margin to Brexit referendum in the UK which was always on a knife edge, and in these situations even a Joe Rogen podcast can sway the result last minute. Why do you think Trump is the lesser of the two evils then, he is the ultimate divide and profit by media candidate. He is not out for you. He is not out for anybody but himself and his racist rich friends. I am all for it. No hardened personal feelings towards you at all.

Just because the majority of voting Americas voted for Trump, does not make them conservatives or right wingers. Many of them simply voted against Harris, just as people voted against Trump in 2020. Picking the lesser of two evils is what it comes down to in American politics today and not some type of ideological victory as the media would have you believe. So when I encounter liberals - I happen to rent a room from one. When we actually talk about the issues, it turns out we have more in common as Americans than the media would have us believe. All these labels do is divide people... I'm pretty sure the hierarchy of needs is something like shelter, food, and sex rather than "believe what I believe or we can't work together to help each other get our common needs meet"... Ironically every day has now become "be kind to a liberal day" because the media completely lied to their base about the election forecast - no wonder people for Harris are upset about the election results - same thing happened on 2016. The situation is not people vs people - it is divide and profit by the media - it makes sick the brain washing the has taken over society. People are people and may the best film maker win regards of how they voted in an election, or what race or gender or creed they are. The facts is, it is the people against the media rather liberals against conservatives - what a deception - I happen to like pulp fiction and tropic thunder... great cinema is great cinema and great comedy is great comedy no matter who makes it and who is offends... The price of freedom is me allowing other's to express ideas that I don't agree with and other's allowing me to express ideas they don't agree with... hopefully the first amendment is practiced on this forum. ; )

The X-H2s is a beast. Going to finally build mine up this X-Mas into a mini Cine camera with a Cineback and some other goodies. X-H2s is $1,400 US now on the used market and it’s a lot of camera for that price.

Rolling shutter and bit depth will be the big question for this. As far at the 17K, I’m sure it will be similar to the new 12k which CineD just tested and seems pretty impressive. https://www.cined.com/blackmagic-ursa-cine-12k-lf-lab-test-rolling-shutter-dynamic-range-and-exposure-latitude/

Once upon a time, Vimeo. For reasons officially unknown (I'll come back to this later) Vimeo stopped being, for us Europeans, a community of video storytellers. (As it still likes to call itself). Basically, in certain regions of the world you can no longer use the video search function and at the same time you can no longer browse other users' videos. I can only see and search my own videos and eventually see a video of another user only if I have its link. Even if I know his name I cannot search for him. I can only see his profile if I know his exact url. This post sums up what happened: https://shortverse.beehiiv.com/p/vime-nooo I am so angry. I noticed it by accident and I also looked like an idiot because I as well as thousands of other users thought it was a bug. No communication at all. Out of the blue. The entire UE community lost. Membership fee is the same for everyone but I have most of the features disabled. Those who read this thread and, for example, have an account in the U.S. or other countries not affected by this ban might think that this does not affect them. But it absolutely does not! I have several friends in the U.S. who use their Vimeo account for showreels, basically a videocentric Linked-in. In their profile they have written "available for hire." Here, you must know that their profile is no longer searchable from banned countries. And we don't even know which ones they are. I can only access a video of theirs via direct link but I can't go to their profile or search them by name via the search function. This is my following people page: I can see their names but I cannot click on their profile icons. Sounds like a joke. What is the point of these lists now? Just imagine my frustration, I've been a member for 13 years and I've developed a whole network of relationships over all these years and now I can't even see the profiles of people I've collaborated with, anymore. Think about it before you renew your subscription!

some outdoor test

Everybody's different and is going to cite their own camera choices. I'm brand agonistic even though I have my own subjective preferences. I love Canon for the simplicity, reliability, skin tones & lenses. R5ii, R3, R1, C70/C80 form a good eco system. The Vari-ND adapter paired with the extensive EF lens market is also a unique edge. What I don't like is the third-party RF blockade. Sony, although dominating the video market has ironically fallen behind imo. The Alpha and even FX line still don't have proper +4K resolution, open-gate or built-in RAW, ProRes etc. I also find the alpha bodies very consumerish and uninspiring. That being said the FX30 is definitely a great deal and now that it has shutter angle it makes for good compact solution. For S35 though I prefer Fuji. XH2S is very slept on with 6.2K, Open-gate, ProRes plus its a true hybrid. I don't use Panasonic and they seem to be asleep this year so I won't comment. This brings me to my favourite cam manufacturer this year: Nikon. Z8, Z9, Z6iii. Fantastic cameras at aggressive pricing. Z-mount is also the most adaptable mount. Z9 is still my number one camera with pro build, long battery life, grip, stacked sensor, 8K60p, ProRes etc. Z8 is right behind it. And now with the RED acquisition it's only going to get better for cine users. In fact the first collaboration was done a couple weeks ago with the free release of RED technical and creative LUTs for the system. I've seen a test where they match very closely to RED cameras. Exciting stuff!

I don't think there's a better value out there than the S5ii (and the X) except maybe the original S5, which is an absolute steal on the used market. Having used the FX3 and the FX30, I just don't think either is a better camera than the S5II X. The only real benefit I can think of is Sony's larger user base and lenses.

I’ve limited experience of shooting Sony for video, but based on the specs alone, without real pro level grading as in folks that do that and only that for a living…and considering the value aspect, the S5ii is crazy good. It’s got open gate 6k, anamorphic de-squeeze, the best IBIS in full frame and while many say the image is not quite as good as that of the OG S5 or the S1H, I’d say there is so little in it, it’s not a consideration and something only noticeable if shot side by side with everything identical. And then pixel-peeped etc. Will there be that S2H? Maybe, if so, bonus but if someone can’t make an S5ii work for them, it probably isn’t the tool’s fault.

It's weird u feel no mojo for Panasonic colour, I was dropping my mouth when I edit footage from GH6 to my Canon and I was like I actually prefer Panasonic colour more. I was rocking with FX3, FX30 and E1 earlier this year, but all sold and only just got E10II recently cause it was cheap, back to mostly Canon now but still thinking of getting Panasonic in the future I guess if u stick with one brand all these u might try other stuff to see if glass was greener on other side, I was on R5 all those years but last year decide to give Sony a try again being A7iii was my last Sony.

No desqueeze and no ibis specific support for anamorphic for s3 and e1, Fx3 got anamorphic desqueeze (2.0x and 1.3x) since ver 2.0, Sony's ibis is weak anyway so that one doesn't matter. And no opengate for all those Sony.

Mmmmmno it didn't. I'm 44 and only have vague memories of smog in Detroit from my childhood in the 80's. And that is not a few years ago. Sure, to a white, male, boomer, in America.

Agreed that it seems this will be the last round of IMX410-sensored cameras, in a year or two the rolling shutter and framerate performance will just be so far behind the competition that it seems it wouldn't be worth it. Maybe on some super-budget model. BMCC6K and Pyxis have an OLPF don't they? That was the only tempting aspect of those cams for me. When the S5ii/X was teased I hoped that they would have figured out a way to get a FF 60fps, >1080p mode out of the IMX410. We know it can't do 4K/UHD at 60p but I think a 2.5K or 2.8K or 3K mode would have made the camera much more competitive, even if it had to use some binning and wasn't absolutely pristine quality. I wouldn't expect any of the other Japanese companies to consider this as it would be a "weird" resolution, but Panasonic already does open gate, 5.8K, 6K, etc so I don't think they'd have any of those reservations. Hopefully they did try and it's just a hardware restriction.

Hey, I agree with your statements. The right and fair way to go. But this world now is not right and fair. Money has Totally taken over everyone's little brain, rich or poor and we are well, just screwed, plain and simple. Yeah, I am a Boomer, but I have seen a total shift in my lifetime to this world being a total shitshow now. It is not just in this country alone. 50 years ago the world seemed pretty fair, well not if you were in sub-Sharahna Africa, but now we All seem to be in sub-Sharahna Africa mode if you are not in the top 10%. And the trend even has a worse outlook forward. It isn't looking good boys and girls. Right now a heck of a lot people that are young wished they had been a Boomer. It was a great ride.

That looks literally nothing like Gary, IN... ever. And yes, it is a real concern if human artists can take months to build something, only for a bunch of untalented fakers to shit out hundreds of AI imitations overnight afterward. If you think it's a concern that melodies in pop music are similar to progressions in music that's hundreds of years old, I would urge you to familiarize yourself with the concept of public domain. Anyway, as with other things, the main thing that will or won't kill AI for this sort of thing will be whether what it produces can be copyrighted. If Musk's stupid ego-stroking horseshit videos can't be copyrighted due to being generated by AI, there's nothing to stop internet users from drawing dicks all over them and reposting the next day or competitors using them, etc.

It really is. It's the first kit lens that I'll often use professionally and not even bat an eye at the thought of it. It's not just "good for a kit lens" it's a good lens period.

The 20-60 is a awesome lens. It's one that really "makes the system". Wide angle at 20mm was VERY difficult to find; now, it's commonplace. This lens basically means you don't have to get a wide angle because the kit lens will do it! I already have one. Sorry.

Went to Manchester for the firs time (at 60!) and it's very photogenic - I will definitely be returning (with a tripod).

Peta Pixel did a follow up review on the S9 recently I just watched yesterday. Now that the little zoom lens is out and they let go of the record limits they gave the camera another look. Surprisingly they ran the camera for 50 minutes or so with 0 overheating issues and until the battery went dead. I was surprised to hear that… Huge shift from 10 minutes of open gate shooting upon release. Even 4k 60 went for 50 minutes and finally gave an overheat warning but still functioned fine so that’s some great news.

Just picked up an S5 for 764 Euros to replace my GH2 for live streaming. I'm not sure anyone will notice anything meaningful on the other end, but damn, the image is great even at 1080p. I’ve decided to dedicate it to all my vintage glass. To celebrate, I found an absolute gem—the Pentax 28mm f/3.5 (K version, not the M version). I had that lens before but regrettably sold it (note to self: 'Don’t sell vintage glass for peanuts!'). I used it on the A7RII for about a year—it was great, but I can already tell Panasonic is definitely going to elevate my footage for video.

Hi Guys, I might jump brands again. Last years I have been shooting panasonic and blackmagic, but I might transfer to sony once again (I love the IBIS on the panasonic camera's, but I feel they are lacking some mojo vs sony/canon images, and while I do love that the L mount lenses have the same weight/filter thread, they do have a clinical/boring image). ho here has experience shooting anamorphic on the latest sony camera's A7SIII, FX3 and Sony ZV-E1? What is your experience with 1.5X, 2X anamorphics. Do you need an additional monitor (as I hate charging and carrying extra weight, so would always prefer the camera monitor itself). Do these camera's have desqueeze built in? I know panasonic camera's have this, but not sure of Sony. Thanks,

Oh no, why are you selling it? On the other hand it's so cool that you sold your other set to kye. @mercer Btw, I find the results from my Bmpcc even nicer than what I got out of my Micro with the rawlite oplf-ircut filter. @bjohn Thank you for sharing. The pink led is really putting the micro to the test. No mercy.:)

Agree on all points. You really can't beat it currently for features and price. I've even found a company that will put in OLPF filters in the S5ii and other cameras and am wondering if that might bring back some of the mojo some people are saying they really miss from the S1h vs newer S models...

As a G9 owner, note 4k50p/60p recording time is limited to 10 minutes. It's 30 minutes for everything else. G9 is a later design camera than the GH5 with better IBIS and AF (it's also bit larger than the GH5). It can't be powered over USB, but 3rd party dummy battery power adaptors are cheap. IMHO the (oversampled) 1080 50p quality isn't that far behind 4k50p in real world usage (and it can record it in 150Mbps 10-bit 4:2:2), if you need more than 10 minutes continuous recording. The more recent GH5 ii basically combines the best bits of the GH5 and G9. As for the 'long compact zoom', the Pana 14-140mm F3.5-F5.6 is an excellent small and light 'superzoom' if you don't mind the variable aperture. Probably my all round favourite M43 lens. The 'much brighter at the long end' 35-100mm F2.8 is also fairly compact, but has more focus breathing.

If every Ai work is stolen then every human experience is a stolen one as well, because that's how we learn about the world. This technology can't be trained on the arts or reality by putting it out there with a pair of eyes, ears and arms, it has to be spoon fed, but essentially the result is the same and very human. Info goes in. Processing happens. Self expression comes out the other end in the form of observation, both personal and subjective, and arising from that - art in various audio-visual formats. So good luck to the lawyers on that one, lol. When it comes to Musk, certainly a very complex character who has gone from being on the cutting edge of two very good businesses (SpaceX and Tesla) to being on the sidelines of both with no real decision making power, having a midlife crisis mental breakdown where he spends 44 billion on a website (still can't believe I typed BILLION not million) and proceeds to wreak the business model of it. That to me is the act of either a very sick person or a stupid person and as we know he's not your typical stupid, it must be the former! Musk is behind in Ai and desperate to catch OpenAi which of course he had early involvement in before throwing his toys out the pram with Sam. Musk in terms of his recent politics has further taken him down a destructive path / rabbit hole, and yes he clearly has fallen out with his elite corporate Dem supporting buddies and venture capitalists somewhere along the way. But then drugs will do that.

Heh, I haven't updated my YT channel in ages and ages, am posting about once per year it seems, anywhere, here is another quick update from last night's shoot about my setup with how I had it ready to go for a quick change over for how I'm doing this weekend's shoot:

After running a 4 camera system this year, 3 for video and 1 for stills, I am going back to a 2 for video and 1 for stills in 2025. My pair of static S5ii’s each had a 20-60 with a single 70-200 f4 option. I’m changing that to a single S5ii with the 28-70 from my run & gun unit which I have found too short this year shooting 6k 30p OG compared with 4k 60p cropped last year. That single S5ii unit will have the option of a 20-60 and the 70-200 as required. For my run & gun S5ii, I’m going to pick up the new Sigma 28-105 f2.8 because as above, 70 is often too short plus I don’t really want to ever be swapping lenses on this unit. It’s a slightly bigger lens than I’d ideally like, but still just within my self-imposed 1kg max weight limit and I wish it was internal zooming, but there is no better existing alternative for my needs. I say ‘existing’ because I am still hoping Sigma will pop out a longer version of their recent 28-45mm f1.8 such as a 45-90mm f1.8. If they do that, that is an end game pairing for me and I will immediately switch to that pairing for my run & gun video needs and also another pair in e Mount for my stills needs. Perfect…and I mean PERFECT focal lengths for my needs, internal zooming, size & weight OK. But as things stand, I cannot justify the 28-45 without that other lens 😏

For sure. It's unique for its focal range and the fact it's got weather sealing. I'm not sure there's another "kit" lens in any system with those 2 features. I don't care that it's a little big for the S9 because it's perfect for the other bodies. I also think it's a better lens than the new 18-40mm, although I've never tried it for myself. Both are great travel options, especially for outside work.

If anyone wishes to buy one for a very reasonable price, I have a spare 20-60. A battery grip also. About to offload some kit to MPB. EU only!

Another thought, I really think it's down to the IBIS implementation. The GH5 has two IBIS modes, one that smoothes motion, and the other eliminates it creating a stationary frame. The normal smoothing one is how you describe, but it's the other one that's of interest. If you put it in that tripod mode, but then pan the camera, it keeps a stationary frame until you've moved it too far and it realises it has to 'follow' you, and if you keep panning you get the smoothest pans I've ever seen without sticks. The level of stabilisation is incredible. When you're doing it the feeling is a cross between pulling the frame through treacle and one of those time-warp things where reality is delayed (because it moves a second or two after you start, and then it keeps moving a bit after you stop again). I really miss that mode on the GX85, as it only has a normal smoothing mode, and if you hold it steady the frame sort of floats around randomly because it didn't completely eliminate all the motion. Interestingly, the OIS from the 12-35mm F2.8 on the OG BMPCC and BMMCC (which don't have IBIS) tries to keep a much more stable frame - if you hold it steady then it will have a much more 'locked off' shot with far less drift than the 'normal' modes from the Panny cameras. I haven't compared it between cameras, so it might be the lens, or might be the camera doing this. I think there could be a lot of benefit if they included several levels of smoothing on the IBIS mechanisms. Light, Medium, Heavy, and Tripod modes would be very useful I think.

Not really the car shots and so on that I'm thinking about - I quite like them to be a bit jumpy. It's the huge number of really impressive buildings I saw in the city that just cry out for long, considered, pans/tilts/combinations that you can really only achieve with a tripod and a good head.

It doesn’t surprise me at all. I could easily get 30+ minutes out of a Sony ZV1 as long as it was not in direct sunlight. Made for a reasonably decent little static B cam. Ultimately not long enough on a few occasions, partly overheating and partly battery life. So the S9 running longer does not surprise me, but I would not rely on that for pro work beyond a point. IMO it’s better role is as a B or C cam for shorter clips.

That is probably why my experience hasn't been too bad with the S5 AF, as I use the Lumix lenses. The S5II X is leagues better, for sure, but I've always found the S5's auto focus to be pretty decent once you realize the limitations. The only time I'd consider it unusable is in low light and when you shoot wide open with a faster lens and are trying to track a subject that is moving around a bit. With my event shooting though I'm not shooting wide open very often unless I really need the light, because I don't really need/want shallow depth of field.

Looks great! Making the fx30 shine

But S5 and S1 have they same processing and image, right? @Beritar Doesn't the og S5 also sport open gate? Have you encountered pinkish blotches/posterization on evenly lit skin in Vlog 10bit 422 150mbit? It occured to me when filming skin with heavy makeup. HLG in that mode seemed without it. I always loved the GH5 in HLG in 10bit HD All-Intra btw. Beautiful image.

Being lazy, my Sony 18-105 f4 (love the power zoom!).

You have some very good points, so I've edited the OP's post to better reflect his true love.