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I've now decided to reinstate the modified SJ4000 action camera with 20-80mm FOV zoom lens into active duty, and managed to put together a rig for it and everything. I found an old video where I compared it to the GF3 and it seems the SJ4000 potentially has a slightly more detailed image, although I suspect that the DR is a lot less and that the colours aren't as nice. Here's the modified rig mounted on the handlebars of my electric scooter. It's very easy to remove them and the clamp becomes a surprisingly ergonomic handle. I had a similar pattern of handling strange issues in Resolve. I'd encounter some strange issue, spend an hour playing with it and reading the manual etc, then find a workable solution / workaround, then go to the forums to see if anyone else was having that problem, find the thread, and then find the post I'd made previously sharing the solution that I'd just found.

I suspect sailboat man and plane man likely have much the same "its all relative" outlook about their purchases when they consider that you've paid nearly $100K for a telly. More power to your elbow for being in the position to do so and buying whatever you want though, as you can't take it with you. George Best had the right idea.

For most people most of the time at this price point. IMO. An easier pick than the Zf as it’s more conventional but I am now of the opinion that Z Mount has the best lens options as it has all of it’s own Z line, all of it’s back catalogue F and all of Sony E, these latter two adapted with full AF capability. The most interesting and least compromised kit at this price point today, is L Mount and Nikon. The Zf is quite a big jump over the Z6ii when it comes to AF and IBIS and has the processor from the Z8/9. I hope so because I am currently on that proverbial fence flip-flopping between Z9, Z8, another Zf or a Z6iii. Ideally for its role, I would like a gripped body…but also a compact as possible body. Pros and cons for each of the above, but that’s just my own personal dilemma, but pertaining to Daniel, yes, might be worth holding on a while and seeing what the Z6iii might be. If it turns out to be a re-bodied Zf, then a lot of folks are going to be disappointed. Not because it won’t be a great camera…because that would be, but because folks always want more. If it has a version of the Sony A7iv 33mp sensor, an updated Z6ii style body and the tech from the Zf, straight to the top of the class, especially if it has an optional battery grip that is better designed than the clunky Z8 option.

Do you have a cat? They walk on the keyboard and can accidentally buy things. My wife tells me that is quite common.

In their comment, they blamed the videos being deleted on being part of a MCN that they had to leave so as to reenable them. "MCN": Multi-Channel Networks Excellent, it's not some "random technical glitch" that they're 100% innocent of.

I've tried film-maker math, but I discovered my bank wasn't film-maker compatible and the translation was corrupted, with none of the savings arriving in my bank account.

@Marcio Kabke Pinheiro, yeah you're just chucking a variable resistor inside a cable. You could get a similar thing for a dollar on Aliexpress: https://www.aliexpress.com/item/1005004085294844.html Yup, some of us living in these very remote pacific islands like me are already living in the future by the time you read this 😉 2024 is great! Girl Math. (also "filmmaker math")

Thanks for giving all the extra details in your post! As so often when people ask for a "mid range" option, it's hopelessly vague! As "mid" depends entirely on where your end points are you measuring from? If you're starting at webcam level and ending at handycam level, then you're looking for a very different answer than someone who starts at FX3 and ends at VENICE! With your context & background I'd say probably a Sony FX6 or Canon C70 or similar is what you're looking for, as they're the cheapest entry level "pro cameras". But you also list your budget, so it clearly shows they're well outside your range. What to do? Step back to a previous generation and get a secondhand pro camera? That would be my immediate first thoughts, as the likes of a Sony FS7 / Sony PMW-F5 / Canon C200 / RED Scarlet / etc are all very very cheap on ebay. However, it seems that AF is a very high priority for yourself, and unfortunately only the latest generation of pro cameras (such as the FX6) have had decent AF. So that kills that entire train of thought. My immediate next thoughts are to go for one of these: FX30, FX3, or S5mk2. (Fujfilm XH2S is worth considering too, but in my opinion not as good as those first three I listed. Canon is out of the question, because they've decided to go for a closed system with their lens. Nikon Z9 is very nice, but outside your budget. The Nikon Z6mk2 / Zf is nice too & within your budget, but again it lags behind those three I just listed above. However.... the rumor mill is spinning saying the Z6mk3 is only days away from being announced? Panasonic GH6 & G9mk2 are excellent too, but again I'd say be lagging a bit behind the FX30/FX3/S5mk2, however I guess the GH7 is surely coming out this year? Well, "2024") Sony FX30 is my personal top pick out these three, because from my perspective it has phenomenal low light (just compare it against what we had to work with the ARRIs or a RED Dragon or a Sony PMW-F5 etc, the FX30 does very well!), and would make the perfect B Cam for my Sony FS7 in a way that the FX3 is not. Plus the FX30 is the cheapest out of those three! I half suspect however you'd be wanting even "more" out of your low light. Which thus then cuts down the discussion now to just two: Sony FX3, basically identical to the FX30 but with the drawbacks of higher cost, lack of compatibility with S35 lens, & shallower depth of field (wellll... some might see the forced shallow DoF as a benefit! But if you're wanting the best low light performance and great autofocus, it's a negative). However, you gain better low light performance overall if you really want to push it there. Worth the drawbacks? Not in my personal opinion, but depends on your perspective / priorities, and I think for you the FX3 likely edges out the FX30. Panasonic S5mk2, with the release of the mk2 (not just the S5mk2, but the G9mk2 too) then Panasonic finally leaps to the top tier for autofocus performance, on par generally speaking with the best from Sony & Canon. Panasonic also always gives you that polished implementation and reliability that some other brands have struggled with. I'd very much see the Panasonic S5mk2 as comparable to the Sony FX3 but at a much lower price. However.... the S5mk2 is missing a few little details that only pros would likely care about (such as no timecode support in the S5mk2?? wtf Panasonic!! Guess we need to wait for the S1H mk2, ugh), and much more importantly for some: won't smoothly and effortlessly slot into a bigger production also shooting on Sony. As Sony FX6/FX9 (and even still the FS5/FS7) are very popular at the low/mid budget level. If you were still working professionally, then I'd say it is a slam dunk decision to go for a FX3 (or FX30) because of this, & needing to work with others. But because you're just doing it for yourself, then likely the only downside is the somewhat smaller lens selection for L Mount vs E Mount (but L Mount has been getting better and better with more and more options, so I'd no longer see this as the negative it was a few years ago). And the fact you can get the S5mk2 at wholesale pricing then surely makes the S5mk2 the slam dunk decision to go with for you? (very quick edit: I forgot to mention the a7Smk3, as basically once the FX3 I feel that killed any point for the a7S. But anyway, the a7Smk3 is very similar but with the pro features of the FX3 stripped out. You might not care, and happy to just have "a lower priced FX3")

If I knew how my arm would feel after that I wouldn't have done it! It wasn't some big monster cine zoom--just a 35mm T2.1 prime. Fortunately, we had a very good driver (or whatever you call them) and the ride was very smooth. If I had to do it again, I'd ride on the other side so I could hold the camera in my right hand (I'm right handed) and hold onto the car with my left. My wife thought it was hilarious--you can hear her giggling in the scratch audio track.

Oh sweet haha! 1. AF is much bigger deal to me than I had ever initially thought it would. I do enjoy the "feel" focusing manually but frankly Im not proficient enough at it to rely on. Continuous, Face, Eye and Subject would all be really nice. Moving closer and farther from frame (like in a doc-style follow shot outdoors) or for face tracking indoors. Usually f2.8 2. I use a 17-70 f2.8 for most work, along with the Fuji 35mm f2, 23mm f1.4 (Viltrox) Fuji 18-55, and I have access to the 16-55 but dont use it anymore. Speed is key, as I often am shooting at the observatory or in the city. At f2.8 I am usually running ISO3000 or so on the Fuji which is the absolute max I can push it. 3. Low Light improvement over the XT4 is paramount 4. Not very, I will usually only be shooting 3-8min long. takes at the most. however in the humid summers I can imagine that getting hot. So thanks for the follow up! Definitely priorities are 1. AF Performance 2. Low Light Performance

I must admit that I have been very tempted to try out the ZV-1. I guess if you want to go real cheap, the F version is a possibility as well. I've had a couple RX10ii and I really like Sony's 1" sensor cameras.

This also happened to me on here by the way. Someone was asking about the Contax Zeiss 35-70mm f3.4 and I was lamenting the fact that I'd gone for the wrong option short zoom and should have bought that one and saying that I didn't think anyone on here had one. . Meanwhile over in the lens thread a good 15 months earlier, there I am posting samples from my, erm, Contax Zeiss 35-70mm f3.4. Its a disease.

I will be using the Sony VPL-GTZ380 in the presentation when pleading my case to the wife regarding the €2100 LG Cinebeam that I've got my eye on. "Listen, it could be a lot worse love".

My bank account would vouch that my second Sigma DP3m is testament to the latter.

As I'm quite interested in getting a 4K laser projector, that Sony VPL-GTZ380 mentioned earlier piqued my interest so I might have a look into that as it could.....hang on...let me google it.....christ on a fucking bike. I mean, seriously, genuinely well played for being able to afford to buy that but christ on a fucking bike.

Finally just saw it myself today. Had to watch on my 16” MacBook because…well that is a long and boring story, so I won’t bother with that, but really enjoyed it. Big fan of Bladerunner (both), Dune, Rogue One, ie, well done sci fi and this can be added to that list. It could have been a bit longer actually, but the opposite of Rebel Moon which we saw the other day and didn’t think was complete trash, but fairly poor. I’m tempted to trade in my S1H and S5ii for a pair of FX3’s but somehow, I don’t think it will be enough, so sticking with them.

Saw the movie on pay per view the other day, much better film than I was expecting. Think Blade Runner meets Terminator 2 meets Rogue One (also by Edwards/Fraser). Loved the visuals. Mostly filmed on location in remote parts of South Asia and it shows. Very different approach than most sci-fi blockbusters like Rebel Moon and such that make extensive use of green screen , virtual production, the volume etc. I still think shooting on the FX3 was a buzz/challenge/marketing decision but hey they pulled it off. Goes to show how mirrorless sensors are so good these days its really everything else in the pipeline (lenses, grading, post etc) that determines "cinematic" image quality.

I’d like to call a halt to buying gear but I’m seriously thinking about selling my Lumix S5 and getting an S5X to go with my S5Mk2. The user experience with the Mk2 is so much better than the Mk1. It would only mean spending 1000€. That and a Sigma 16-28 f2.8 and the Rode Wireless Pro. Oh, and sell my Macbook Pro 16” M1 Pro with 16gb ram as I made a big mistake there. 16gb ram is totally inadequate. I need 32gb at least. Expensive mistake. So…fuck. That’s a lot of money😵‍💫

Many in France believe that too.

It seems that all the original files for the videos magically appeared on Lok's hard drive...