Simon Shasha

Andrew, my favourite part of this article was the part about the GH4 at the end...

Well, this happened: http://photorumors.com/2015/03/25/is-this-the-new-4k-canon-video-camera/ Still don't have high-hopes for this, supposed, "GH4 competitor" - unless it's 10-bit, decent ISO performance and DR, and comes with some fast (F1.2) glass (given that it's said to be a 1" sensor with a fixed-lens design). Hoping Panasonic really does comes through with that rumoured GH4 firmware-update and rain on Canon's parade...

Honestly, I'd be happy with nothing more than a re-release of the current Blackmagic Pocket, but with the ability to record 48/50/60P, at $999. Maybe chuck in a better rear LCD too. I'd jump on that immediately.

If this Canon thing is a 1" sensor, fast (F1.2 - F1.8) quality glass (with minimal distortion, or does distortion-correction in camera like Sony's G series lenses), 4K @ 60FPS in 10bit C-Log, for under $1500, I'll consider it for shits and giggles. It will kind of be what the fixed-lens RED Scarlet was gonna be...

​Yeah, that's the vibe I've been getting with the lack of talk/rumour leaks regarding the firmware update - that the whole thing was just experimental. I also started thinking that perhaps Panasonic won't release it due to the rumoured AF101 successor - perhaps Panasonic is worried that a really good firmware boost to the GH4 would result in less people purchasing the AF101 successor...

I'm starting to worry that this firmware update is vapourware ...unless they are saving it to rain on Canon's supposed GH4 "competitor"... Been quite a while since any site/blog/forum have mentioned anything regarding the rumorued GH4 firmware update...

​+1000

If V-Log is coming to the GH4, among other new features (supposedly), I have a feeling now that we wont be seeing anything until NAB...

Haha! Awww, man! We're dying 'ere!! I must ask this at least; is it something that, in your opinion, will put a smile on many faces, or cause a lot of shoulders to shrug?

I saw that C700X post on PR. 4K + 10bit 4:4:4 + Global Shutter + on-sensor stabilisation - sounds way too good to be true. However, if it is true, and given that it's Canon, it will most likely cost more than any indie filmmaker could likely afford...

A handful of rumour sites stated that there was some sort of GH4 firmware update due in February. The update was said to contain things such as V-Log. February is two days away from ending (down here in Australia, anyway), and it seems that there is no GH4 firmware update in site...I have a bad feeling the entire thing was too good to be true

Is 10-bit video possible on the NX1, I wonder? I'd be very curious to know if the hardware can output true 10-bit... That's pretty much all I want. And a true log profile.

UPDATE: Metabones has kindly offered to exchange my adapters for new ones.

I've been closely observing and scrutinising my Metabones products. My regular Metabones Nikon-G to MFT adapter does not have this problem. It is about a year older than the Metabones Speed Booster and Metabones Nikon-G to Sony-E adapter. Its aperture-ring also turns much "quicker", where as the aperture-ring on the Speed Booster and Nikon-G to Sony-E adapter and very slow to turn. Also, the new Metabones Speed Booster they sent me, and the Metabones Nikon-G to Sony-E adapter, were ordered and sent together. I wonder if there is a chance that, assuming they were manufactured at the same time, that perhaps the oil/grease used in that batch of Metabones products was somehow faulty, or something...?

​I also concluded that it is grease coming from the aperture-ring. I have been trying your method, but to no avail. I smoothly turn the ring left and right, on both adapters, wipe the grease away, but it just keeps on coming... I'm worried that all the lubricating grease will eventually drip out, and I will be left with a stiff and grinding aperture-ring that will not turn at all - or will, but very poorly...

Hey Andrew! Thanks for your support! Much appreciated!!!

Well, I just checked my Metabones Nikon-G to Sony-E adapter, and it's just as bad, if not worse! What is going on here!? This is terrible...

Hey guys, I purchased a Metabones Nikon-G to BMPCC Speed Booster last year, but this original purchase of the Metabones Nikon-G to BMPCC Speed Booster did not mount to my BMPCC. I then sent my faulty Metabones Nikon-G to BMPCC Speed Booster back to Metabones in September 2014 for it to be replaced with an all-new Metabones Nikon-G to BMPCC Speed Booster. Metabones sent me back an all-new Metabones Nikon-G to BMPCC Speed Booster which mounted correctly. However, today I noticed a very serious problem. My Metabones Nikon-G to BMPCC Speed Booster is leaking an oily green/black liquid/grease (please see photos at bottom of post). Not only has this oily liquid/grease dripped and smeared around my Metabones Nikon-G to BMPCC Speed Booster, it has dripped and smeared onto the rear of two prized lenses of mine that I use in conjunction with the Metabones Nikon-G to BMPCC Speed Booster - my Sigma 18-35mm F1.8 and Nikon 28mm F2.8 AIS. I find this is really unacceptable from a product that is marketed as a professional tool, and is as expensive as the Metabones Nikon-G to BMPCC Speed Booster ($600 Australian Dollars). It really is unacceptable. Especially when it is effecting and damaging even more expensive lenses in the process. Further more, as a testament to build quality in general, I have lenses that are over 40-years-old whose aperture-rings have never excreted or discharged oily liquid/grease... It took me two e-mails to even get the attention of Metabones, with the second e-mail requiring me to plead with anyone at Metabones to simply acknowledge my problem and contact me. Thus far, I have found their response to be very trivial; they simply wrote back "It just need to clean up only, have not any effect on use." I'm sorry, but first of all; how many "clean ups" will this require? Am I meant to send it back to Metabones every single time it leaks? And yes, it does have an "effect of use" - it is leaking oily crap all over the back of my lenses. Even if they performed a "clean up", there is no way in hell that I'm going to let this thing touch any of my lenses again. I posted this here because Metabones seems to think this isn't a big deal. And perhaps for a company, or for those whom money is plentiful, it isn't a big deal. For me, however, it is. Hence, I posted this in the hope of gaining a bit of support, and also for warning anyone that is thinking of purchasing a Metabones product (that uses a manual aperture-ring) of the potential hazards and build-quality associated with certain Metabones products. Here are some photos of my Speed Booster and the oily liquid/grease it is discharging (P.S. The attached photos of the tissues is what I wiped off the Metabones Nikon-G to BMPCC Speed Booster - I eventually gave up because no matter how much I wiped, the oily liquid/grease just kept leaking. What I wiped off the rear-elements of my Sigma and Nikon lenses was just as bad, if not worse (most likely due to the long periods of time they were mounted to the Metabones Nikon-G to BMPCC Speed Booster, slowly collecting and building up this oily-liquid on their rear-elements over time):

Hey guys I own the Blackmagic Pocket Cinema Camera, a Sigma 18-35mm F1.8 lens (which transforms into 10.5-20.5mm F1.0 via x0.58 SpeedBooster), a Nikon 28mm F2.8AIS (which transforms into a 16mm F1.6 via x0.58 SpeedBooster). Could you guys please tell me if the SLR Magic Anamorphot is compatible with these lenses, Metabones x0.58 SpeedBooster and the BMPCC? Given the Blackmagic Pocket Cinema Camera's crop-factor of x2.88 , the Sigma becomes a 30-60mm (full-frame equivalent) and the Nikon becomes a 46mm (full-frame equivalent) - I'm a novice when it comes to anamorphic, really hope they work with the SLR Magic Anamorphot! Please let me know your thoughts

Just a request to any A7s owners out there - if possibly, and time permits, could you please do a comparison of dynamic-range and noise of A7s in Full-Frame mode vs APS-C mode. Would be forever grateful! :)

Blackmagic Pocket looks better.

I don't think its physically modified, rather, electronic shutter is switched on in order to stop the shutter from coliding with the Speed Booster. However, people have reported increased rolling-shutter when electronic shutter is activated, not sure how true that is though...

Thanks for posting that shot, Andrew! Is that with the lens wide-open all the way?

Hey guys, I was watching Dave Dugdale's GH4 review, and I noticed some strange "onion-like" bokeh - if you fast-forward to 14:15 you can see it: Is this common among Speed Boosters? Does the x0.58 BMPCC specific Speed Booster suffer from this too when the lens is wide-open? Would love to know what experiences you guys have had with Speed Boosters and bokeh rendition :)

Hey guys, I've decided to drop the GH4 (body only) to $1650AUD (Australian Dollars). It still has 11-months left of a 12-month genuine Panasonic Australia warranty. Used only once for approximately 2-hours (an ISO/dynamic-range test that I performed in my backyard). Must sell as soon as possible to cover a current financial burden. Please send me a private-message or e-mail (simonshasha@hotmail.com) if you are interested :)