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Stunning.

They already have a compact body around a full frame 6k sensor and an L mount. Also, if I'm not mistaken, that very camera was on sale last year for a crazy low price like $1500 or 1600. So... they already basically did what you're saying, especially in the context of 6k being plenty for 4k delivery with enough room for non-aggressive digital reframing. The pricing strategy on this one was originally V-Raptor [x] performance for about half the price of a brand new V-Raptor [x], but it's 12k and supports 3:2 open gate and 16:9 on a taller sensor than the Red - and also, within about a stop of Arri at... well, a whole lot less than half the price of Arri. The new pricing strategy is the same as a Komodo-X, just a bit more than a C80, and less than a C400, but the performance of V-Raptor [x] and 12k. Will it catch the first time camera buyer? Nope. Does it make their system a compelling option for the mid-range owner-operator? Yup. Theoretical, sure, but I don't think it's even remotely unreasonable to think that they'd support 8kp60 with a v-mount and CFE. Komodo-X does 80fps at 6k and at their chosen price point, that's sort of the competition. Still waiting for some to get in the hands of real users to hear their experiences, but once I'm back in the US, it's likely that I'll be exploring my options to trade in some of my stuff now (and probably some cash, sadly) toward one of these. It's kind of crazy, fwiw, to think that I could soon have a video camera that almost as much resolution in video as my GFX 100 II has for photos... though with maybe a little bit less dynamic range still... at least for single shot mode. When shooting in continuous mode (which never reaches more than 8fps), the GFX reduces DR.

I'd have to go back and look at old footage, but I don't think I ever encountered vignetting when using Lumix lenses on my old LS300. I wish JVC had released a successor, that was such an underrated camera.

It wouldn't bother me either. Using their calculator, this is what that max 45fps at 12:K 3:2 BRAW 8:1 looks like. Using that as the guide, bumping up to the maximum 60 fps before the B-Mount 24.8v battery is needed would enable this in 8K with some headroom even with the lower compression of 5:1 That would be absolutely fine for me, particularly when the rolling shutter in 8K is down to global shutter territory at 5.5ms. Upgrading the battery to 24.8v B-Mount would open up the rates above 60fps so keeping the data rate within spec would get this at 100fps at 8K And dropping to 4K would get the full 144fps as well as a better compression ratio of 3:1. All of that is theoretical based on the max data rate BM quote for CF Express and there may be as yet undocumented restrictions so it remains to be seen. So its perfectly viable with the stock media option of using CF Express and the far more affordable 14.4v V-Mount battery solution and there is even an argument to say that if over 60fps is not a fundamental necessity and only a very rare requirement then hiring a B-Mount battery is a viable (and client chargeable) option. The compromise play would be to buy a bi-voltage B-Mount battery such as the SWIT BIVO which is switchable between 14.4v and 24.8v to give you the boost when needed for the higher frame rates. Looking at comparable SWIT 98wh batteries, the BIVO is around £350 more expensive than their regular 14.4v V-mount so the best way to think about it is you would basically be paying £350 for a high speed license. Not bad really.

There is no support (currently at least) for USB-C recording on the Ursa Cine 12K. The situation for CF Express Type B has been clarified by BM on their latest support bulletin here for approved cards : https://www.blackmagicdesign.com/uk/support/faq/59051 Long story short is that they have nothing on there that goes above 45fps at 12:K 3:2 BRAW 8:1. There is a data calculator on the product page for the different permutations. https://www.blackmagicdesign.com/uk/products/blackmagicursacine However, there is also the caveat that for any frame rate above 60fps (at any resolution) the camera requires powering from a 24.8v B-Mount battery. So for anyone looking at shooting at the highest frame rates and resolutions, both the Media Module and a B-Mount are non-negotiable so an additional £2K should be budgeted. That is still an almighty good deal for a camera with this performance though and I think the value proposition of the Media Module is good enough to mean it might well be considered an essential purchase by a lot of people anyway. One thing that I find intriguing is that BM list a mount adapter for Hasselblad HC lenses but offer no more information about it at the moment. I still have a set of HC lenses that are orphans after the demise of my H3D-39ii and I'm very curious about how they have managed to get electronic control of them. Currently, only Hasselblad themselves in their H to X adapter and FujiFilm (the original manufacturer of the HC lenses) in their H to GFX adapter have products that do this and whether it is limited to aperture control but also encompasses focus control is undocumented. I'm not saying that this compatibility would make me buy one but, bearing in mind it has a dedicated Stills button, then being able to bring back a collection of fantastic set of lenses (albeit with a smaller FOV) that work more or less natively with a 100mp body that also happens to shoot RAW video would be worth considering. I'm not being serious of course as that would be an insanely flimsy justification to buy one * * Note from wife - Yes he is being serious.

I never said that MFT could be used on L Mount, I was saying quite the opposite. I was acknowledging that it isn't possible, but I was saying other mirrorless lens mounts do exist that can accept MFT. (such as E Mount: https://www.ebay.com/itm/144720549405 ) So Panasonic could have created a new mount that allowed MFT lenses to also be used on it. However... at the cost of thus then going it alone, and not with the wider L Mount Alliance that it is part of. But what if you're filming with a Panasonic S1R? Then you can! Also, as the JVC LS300 showed (and the various people who adapted MFT lenses to Sony E Mount cameras etc) you often can use MFT lenses on a slightly bigger APS-C sensor. And S35 of 24megapixels is plenty for UHD. Plus there are a lot of "MFT lenses" that are actually originally designed for APS-C (such for X Mount, or APS-C E Mount or Z Mount), which then got slapped on a MFT mount so as to capture extra sales. But it is still inherently an APS-C lens! Also what if if in this hypothetical timeline, this Panasonic FF didn't just have S35 mode but even 1.6x or even 1.7x modes? For those MFT lenses that don't quite cover APS-C, then even at those greater crop levels that's still enough for UHD! You'd then have a situation where many MFT shooters could easily move across with all / most of their MFT lenses still "working" on their new Panasonic FF bodies.

You can get the GH5S cheaper, the S1 costs over 50% more. And as they are shooting on sticks, then IBIS doesn't matter. Get the GH5S over the GH5. And because they already have MFT lenses, and are shooting stuff that needs reach (such as concerts) then MFT system makes sense. I did make the point that if on a budget, then one S5II (for the angle where Autofocus does matter) and two OG S5 makes sense. If I needed high resolution I'd personally go for a D800/D810 or an OG a7R (or maybe mk2), as each of them goes for mere pennies these days on eBay. If I was to splurge then I'd get a Pentax 645Z, which is going for surprisingly cheap prices these days.

The $7k version comes with a dual CF Express Type B module. That'd make its media costs no higher than most of my other current cameras. And sort of "free" since I have like 4-5T of decent CF Express B cards around. If recording to SSD is supported, even better. I have some of them too. 😉

That would have been best. You can already mount manual MFT lenses onto another non-MFT mirrorless mount, Panasonic could have done that instead of L Mount. But I guess on the downside that would have meant not partnering with Sigma and Lecia. Surely that is an even worse move to miss out on that collaboration? It just got released for X Mount! I'll probably get it soon for my Fujifilm X-A3

Just finished a 5 day indian wedding shoot, so far the only time it overheated was when I forgot to turn the external fan on. (Shooting 4k25p all day, and it's summer here atm) I also did 1 and half hour interview in 3.8k opengate, that was without the fan but indoor, but towards the end I do see the overheating icon popping up.

I love the IQ of my FS7. Nice chunky 4K 10-bit XAVC-S. You can bake in LUTs. I really don't see much difference in specs to the current Sony cams (FX30, FX3, FX6 etc) aside for extreme low-light. Ergonomics are great for shoulder mount, its a workhorse. I keep mine because Sony is used everywhere in pro use and it gives me work. Don't really feel a need to upgrade. That being said for personal hybrid projects I prefer Canon/Nikon. I'd recommend R5C or Z8 if you're a hybrid shooter. Personally I'm thinking of going for R5 mk2 mainly because of Clog2 and tiny bitrate SRAW, total game changer. Guess a C70 would be a good cop, great form factor with NDs and long battery life with that DGO sensor, only caveat is the image is a little too soft for my taste.

There’s been a few instances of Blackmagic doing a large price drop seemingly completely out of the blue. Their official reason has always been that they lower the sticker price when their cost of manufacturing drops, whether by economies of scale or something else. No idea if it’s true, but they’ve done this type of thing before and I love it. P.S. They also have marginally raised prices on things recently due to supply chain shortages where many other manufacturers haven’t. To me, that points to some truth that they have strict profit margins to maintain without much wiggle room.

I've shot quite a bit with the FS7 and extensively with the C70 (I currently own two). I'd say that the C70 is definitely worth the extra money. It's smaller, more intuitive, has great autofocus, better color, impressive dynamic range, and is remarkably clean in low light. I like mine so much that I really haven't been tempted by the C80 or C400. Plus, using the Arri LogC to Rec709 on CLOG2 footage is a nice starting point for a grade. But I suppose it really comes down to the lenses that you already own.

It looks like we may finally get a compact camera with wide angle to normal zoom, 8 years after the Nikon DL cameras were cancelled. Except it is Canon doing it with the V1. This is exciting news for me and it could be an automatic buy depending on the implementation. https://www.canonrumors.com/the-powershot-v-series-will-become-canons-new-line-of-compact-cameras/ 24MP CMOS Sensor (approx) Approximently 16-50mm (35mm Equivalent) 3″ Screen (Approx 1 million pixels) Screen has a 170° viewing angle 4K Video (Very slight crop, but likely for aspect ratio) 1.4X Crop Mode for Stills RAW, C-RAW, Dual Pixel RAW H.265 / HEVC C-Log3 / HDR PQ Launch: Late Q1/Early Q2 2025

Who wants to tell her that if she had just turned around and faced the setting sun, she could have continued using her iPhone? Not it.

Its funny smartphone brands trying so hard to fake the "DSLR bokeh" but Gen Z do the subject separation by flash light. They don't care about the brand's solutions, they find their own. I think physical controls is part of the appeal. Here is what my smartphone live view looks like when I want to change the most basic settings. Almost 80% of the screen is occupied by the UI elements: Now imagine I want to change the ISO. Not only a considerable area of the 17:9 screen is wasted due to 4:3 size of the LV, but almost the third of LV area is crowded with numbers: Compare that to G7x. Its a small LCD, but at least most of the area is junk free. And it was Canon that was the most aggressive brand in icon inventions: And then look at here, you can zoom in/out with your left hand when you're taking selfie or filming yourself. This control looks amateurish for us but its huge ergonomics advantage for TikTok generation: But no just TikTokers. Look how this cyclist holds the G7x. Some PoVs here are impossible to take with a huge 6.7 inch smartphone: https://www.instagram.com/reel/C-AOlHAscs8/ BTW, Canon marketing never managed to make an advertisement with 1.7m views that this guy did while not even trying.

Yep. While I'm glad I have a phone on me when a picture is needed to be taken but it's not a good experience. The advantages of a phone camera are: -You usually have it on you. (Best camera is the one you have with you. That old saying.) -You can email them to someone right from the camera (or post to social media or whatever.) without having to copy to your computer first. -The screen is big compared to a compact camera. -Stablization can be very good. That's about it though. There are many problems with taking photos with a phone. (Except for some recent high end models) zooms aren't good. It's hard to see the controls in bright sun. The iOS camera app's text size for the settings (like time and flash) are super tiny (and hidden away) so hard to see when out in the sun. A real camera would have a larger button or dial for this that you can feel and see easily. Part of the reason the stability appears to be so good is that the phone takes a bunch of images then combines them, helped by the gyroscopic data, to create a picture. It looks pretty good for an easy snap shot and is good enough for most things but it's not "real" in the sense that the shutter opened on a sensor/piece of film for a moment of time and captured that. The desire for authenticity isn't new but tends to come from demographics that are surrounded by fakeness.

Different strokes for different folks as they say… Despite being a full-time pro photographer (not so much at this time of year though) or perhaps despite being, I prefer my phone. I like the idea of a compact but the simple reality is that old adage of the best camera you have is the one you carry with you. And 2 devices at all times is 1 too many for me. If I was going on a serious trip, I’d take some serious kit. Not the entire kit, but enough to do the job without taking over from the purpose of the trip. Unless it was specifically a photography thing. So send me out today with 1k burning a hole in my pocket for an every day compact and I’d come back with a phone. But I will take your Sony A7RV sensor based compact for work purposes please Andrew!

^ Agree ^ The only reason I switched (2 reasons actually) to S5II's was: A. I needed more reliable forward motion AF tracking. The AF of the first gen FF S line cameras was and is perfectly fine, except in this regard when it can be a bit hit and miss and just one miss with a critical unrepeatable scene and it's gone. I shoot weddings so I am thinking bride entrance, confetti walk etc. It happened. Several times. B. I shoot outdoors mainly and some days, over 35c / 100f, direct sunlight and without a fan is not good. I never had an overheating issue, but it could just have been a matter of time and was constantly on my mind. With the S5II's, they still get hot, but I am not concerned. _ I have personally never noticed any file quality difference between the S5 and S5II, but then never shot them side by side and 6 months apart. There may be a difference, but nothing I have noticed or concerns me especially. IMO, the S5 is the budget filmmakers bargain of this current decade.

f me. I'm over here shooting a doc with an EM10iii I bought used for $300 and thinking, "Dang, this looks pretty good!" And yet now I want an SL2. Damn you all.

The overall quality of life improvements (plus auto focus) are just worth it to me. Currently my three camera set up is the S5II X and two S5 bodies. I just prefer the image out of the S5, it has better colors and just looks more natural (less sharpening.) That's not to say that the S5II doesn't have a good image, though. It really boils down to preference. I've only used the S1 a few times, but it's a great camera too! I do think the S5 though is overall a better value on the used market. It's crazy how affordable they are. Some will tell you they are awful and completely unusable, but they are fine once you figure out how to work with their limitations. But there are limitations and it's important that you know that going in. It is nice not having to worry about it as much with my S5II X BUT there are times when that auto focus fails, as there are times when Canan and Sony auto focus fails.

1) With the caveat that I don't use AF, the Panasonic S5 is a wildly good value at $800 used (what I paid for mine). Imo, the improvement in noise and dynamic range over the GH5 is worth it, but if you're always in well-lit areas maybe you won't notice much benefit. If you aren't tied to existing lenses, camcorders can be more convenient than hybrids. I'm not familiar with available models since I don't shoot events, but I'd research camcorders for event videography with no photos. 2) C400 or FX6. The C300 Mk III is also fine--I choose full frame because of the lenses I own. It also depends on how much weight matters, as the FX6 is extremely light. If I need photos as well, then add a photo body in addition, and honestly everything is so good these days that I'd take anything modern. 3) Assuming 1-3 person camera crew, it depends on the script. My general pick right now for myself is a C500 Mk II (cheaper than a C400). I used to have Z Cam, which has unbeatable wireless monitoring and control, but I don't like the lack of color management support in Resolve. I would pick a Z Cam F6 if I need to fit the camera into tight spaces. If it's a lot of fast action like a car chase, a Komodo's global shutter would be great. The Ronin 4D is also very interesting for extensive handheld--never used one myself, though. If I can step up in budget, I'd love to try the Blackmagic 12k LF.

With the recent price drop, the Pocket 4K is now under £1K new and that has pushed used prices below £700 so they are now far more affordable. It shoots ProRes as well as BRAW so theres no need to get involved with Resolve and even if you did want to shoot BRAW there are now direct importers into FCPX. As you are shooting multi-camera for live events etc then the BM range are absolutely hands down better options than any other range for work like that. With the ATEM Mini Pro series starting at under £300 you can do the live camera switching (or even just very efficient multi camera monitoring to a single monitor) and have full remote control of the cameras as well. If you get three used P4K cameras and the ATEM Mini Pro, then its £2.5K for the whole integrated multi camera system and the cameras are obviously more than capable in the cinema role too. Particularly as it is roughly the price of a single X-H2S. Without the live aspect then options such as the X-H2S etc are a good choice of course but as an all round system for fulfilling the different roles that you've listed then the P4K x3 /ATEM Mini Pro is far more suitable in my opinion.

I guess there are more Lumix updates: Actually, I'm quite happy about having some of those features. In particular, I'm very interest in trying out the mp4 Lite and hybrid zoom; the later is a feature is a unique selling point. Cool. Quick question: would Sony, Canon, or Nikon have released this firmware or would they have released a new camera?

Lumix s5ii/S5iiX got new firmware, basically all the features on S9 is on S5ii/X now except pdaf at 1080p60

If budget is no option, FX6s all around. You're talking a sturdy body to handle the shake of long lens, good autofocus, good low light, good audio and timecode options, good dynamic range and color. If you are majorly constrained by budget, GH5s would be fine, FX30s would be better if you can afford them. As some have mentioned though, lens constraints are a major factor here.

I would get their 28mm f4.5 body cap lens for sure, perfect match to S9!

Looks like its happening soon... https://petapixel.com/2025/01/21/viltrox-negotiating-to-join-growing-l-mount-alliance/

I guess Viltrox is follwing this thread... (just kidding) https://www.l-rumors.com/viltrox-is-officially-negotiating-with-leica-for-the-l-mount-licensing/

My take has always been that Panasonic should have prioritized a smooth m43 to full frame transition for customers. Having a blended ecosystem would help both thrive. As it is now, customers have to choose FF or m43, often with FF perceived as having most of the benefits. I think the first round of FF cameras should have had a m43 crop mode with faster readouts and frame rates. And, the mount Panasonic developed should have somehow been compatible with m43 lenses via an adapter. This might have meant messing with the flange distance which maybe reduced compatibility with other lens mounts, but ensured more people within the Panasonic system would have less switching costs.

Plus if you wanted to, you could return the lens FOC back to them and they gave you a voucher to spend on something useful 😈

Panasonic should have included the 28 f8 pancake for free with the S9. That would have been good marketing. A camera which comes ready to shoot.

I have the 13mm. Sharp as hell.

My 2 cents about Panasonic (which still is the more familiar brand to me - left m43 some years ago for Fuji, but when I got a FZ1000 used and saw the interface, just feels like HOME): It's imaging division is on the guillotine for some time now - probably the bean counters are pushing it to divest, and only their history is holding it. It is not exclusive to Panasonic - every company that not have a camera division as its principal one could pull a Samsung anytime. Panasonic, Fujifilm, even Sony someday. I only see Canon and Nikon staying in cameras until the last breath. In M43, it happens exactly what I tought when left the system - Panasonic and OM would turn it to a niche. Video for Panasonic (the G9 II was released because they had the body already developed for the S5II and the electronics developed for the GH7), wildlife for OM. My bets are that 2025 it the testing year - if they don't get traction, will just dump a lot of people and mantain the minimum ones to keep releasing models for Leica. In the X100 craze, re-releasing the LX100 II as a Leica, for me, is a strong alert. Leica margins could keep the division alive as a OEM for Leica. And L mount needs cheap and SMALL lenses. In a word - bring Viltrox to L-Mount. Panasonic releasing a 26mm f/8 manual lens with the S9 for $199 and Viltrox releasing a 28mm f/4.5 SMALLER and WITH AF for $99 was one of the most shameless moments of the year. One last mystery: who makes the GH7 / G9 II 25mp sensor? OM needs it badly.

This guy should be banned from doing business

Scans. My 15yr old just bought a twenty quid Sony 10MP CCD compact. He specifically wanted CCD and he uses the flash on nearly every pic - loves the look.

Well it looks like you can’t keep a good man (and his Lamborghini) down. It is currently going about as well as expected.