Oliver Daniel

There’s definitely an advantage. The bodies are usually more compact. Lenses are smaller and more affordable. Also more choice. (Sigma 18-35!) Get closer to the subject for less money (crop factor). Easier to manual focus, not always crazy shallow. Probably more useable shots. Not everyone likes the “gigantic” frame / shallow depth look. Easier to achieve deep focus look. More traditional shooting format. Still the standard.

This. A lot of stills glass looks ace, however most have awful MF. Build in a rock solid follow focus dial onto the camera, with options to adjust sensitivity, speed, tension, program A/B points etc. Stills lenses reborn! (wait, doesn't the Ronin 4D have this?) I quite like follow focuses with proper cine gears, but they are a bit annoying for handheld work. Can be a bit heavy when all combined. Great on the shoulder though, but i barely work from the shoulder these days. +1 for internal ND's. So fed up of screw on VND's that tint the image! I remember the RX100 having a digital ND. It worked well but there was only like 2 settings or something. Needs to be stepless like the FX6 but digital instead.

I use mine with the Ninja V so I don't really notice this. I understand some people don't use additional monitors. The shooting experience is a lot of fun with the Sony's, but it would be better with a much larger rear screen instead of having a Ninja stuck on top. All these cameras need to make a baby together!

I really like APS-C / S35 and I do miss it having been 100% full frame now for about 2 years. The lenses are more compact, more affordable and it's generally an easier format to work worth e.g you can keep focus quite easily while wide open. Fuji XH2S looks awesome to be honest, but as @Andrew Reid has let on - all cameras in this price range are now great. Still, nothing quite beats an A7S3 which excels at it's advertised specs with barely any shortcomings. Pretty much all Sony shooters will wait for the next one instead of jumping ship. I feel the major differentiator now should be in body design features. Something like a slimmed down C70 with a big screen (like a Pocket 6k) that is actually an external monitor / recorder that is cleverly designed to put anywhere on the camera with a customisable mount. Might get round RED's patent. More room on the body for heat dissipation. Removable EVF etc. Additionally, there's certainly more work to do on the "image feel". Maybe 2 modes where the setting / parameters or more digital video motion / sharpness, and the other for "cine motion" - more Digital Bolex cadence like. Not even sure if that's possible!

Totally. We had a RED available for the shoot. Director wanted it and I said the Sony’s would be better. Why? Well, our crew was small and we needed to move fast as we had a day and a half to shoot. Also, we didn’t have a very good lighting budget, although I intentionally didn’t want to use lots of lighting in this video because I wanted the bulk of the shots to look natural. A lot of it was done using bounced light from natural sources. The native 12,800 ISO allowed me to use only fire light and reflectors without having to bring in and constantly move around lights per shot. The fire was burning out fast, so we had to blitz it. It worked out. Had we shot on the RED, the shoot would have been a disaster. If we shot on the GH5/6 - it would have been “ok” but very murky and noisy. The picture would have suffered. So yes you are right. The camera is crucial. In this case, the merits of the Sony system allows you to work in a way that you would greatly struggle with using something else. After various experiences, I’d confidently say the Sony trilogy of “FX6 / FX3 / A7S3” is likely the best all-rounded system on the market. You can work in a unique way. The only challenge is yourself.

Any time a “newbie” student type asks me what camera to buy, I just say get a GH5 and a set of cheap vintage primes. Then learn to frame and light 💡

Thank you!

Funny this. One person did say “why are we shooting this video on just these small cameras, why not a RED?” My response was “although you’re underestimating their image, this project is not about the camera….” It was great to have the crew but it was still stretched. However, you can still achieve a lot with few resources.

Budget was around £20k, and it’s in Dutch.

Thank you. I feel the same way about other peoples work 😂

Hello all. In the appraisal of small mirrorless cameras, here’s a music video I shot, DP’d, edited, graded for Dit h artist Charlotte Wessels, ex-singer of Delain. Shot in SLOG3 and a bit of 2. Lenses used were Tamron 17-28, Tamron 28-75, Sony 24-105mm, Lensbaby Sol45, 7artisans 35mm and ProMist 1/4. Most of the video was lit with an Aputure 600d through 8x8 white diffusion and bounce / reflectors. Fire scenes lit by fire light only and a 2x2 silver bounce. Stick around for the credits. 😊

I had a 12mm Hyperprime on MFT. I used to call it the “micro penis” 😂. It as an interesting lens and I used it a lot.

Yep, they go for little money for E-mount these days. Meine’s are good but I’m not in the market for a lens of that weight currently. New Sirui Jupiter’s look interesting with close focus abilities. Always appreciated that function. My Sony 20mm 1.8 does it nicely.

Hello lovely EOSHD. I’m circulating the idea of grabbing some compact “cine lenses” for my Sony’s, and the SLR Magic microprimes caught my eye. I’m after character, with the benefit of a uniform set - easy / fast to change with a follow focus and filters. Also lightweight (unlike other cine housed lenses), as I shoot handheld 90% and my back needs looking after. I already have cine modded Helios 44-2 and others, and they are cool but not uniform as a set. Anyone used the SLR’s? Recommended? All my other lenses are Sony. Clinical as fuck with amazing AF but (mostly) crap at MF. Cheers.

I love the BM image and I’ve been so close to pulling the trigger many a time. There’s always been a caveat that’s got in the way, like poor battery life or the bodies (Ursa) being a bit too bulky and heavy for my shooting style. Maybe this one will be it. I’m playfully predicting a “Blackmagic Cinema Camera 10”….. a more box style C70 form factor as though a pocket and Ursa made a baby…. Can be configured to fit your shooting style, so you can remove the grip and screen to easily use on a gimbal. Maybe a ToF module. Super35, 8k res (Ursa 12k sensor). Crazy price point. 😁