IronFilm

If you're starting from scratch, I can't think of any reason why I'd go for the a7mk4 over the S5mk2 (maybe there is some weird hyper niche reason "why", like maybe there has never been a underwater deep diving case made the S5 and exists instead for the a7mk4?? But I doubt that reason exists) The FX3/FX30 have a better UI for video shooting with, it's purpose built around that. And has the edge in image quality too. Plus has TC, that the a7 & a7S series cameras lack.

You can record to two cards at once I believe, would be very cool if you could apply the LUT to one card and leave the other card untouched?

I'm hoping instead for a "BS2H" instead. Maybe a very very modest update to the S1H? Just like the GH5 to the GH5mk2

What about it? It isn't even a close contest. Why are you comparing them? Seems rather unfair to the Sony. Couldn't you be kinder to Sony and say ask for a S5mk2 vs FX30 comparison instead?

Welllllll..... you kinda sort of ish get half of that for less with the Panasonic S5mk2! 😉

Just like you pick the appropriate FoV to tell the story that needs to be told for that shot, you also need to pick the appropriate DoF that matches what the film needs. Once you've got that equal for both, then compared to the FX30 any FF camera is going to be at a one stop disadvantage (all else being equal). The other alternative is ignore the resulting DoF difference between the two cameras, make the 1st AC hate you, make the Art and Location Departments' work go to waste, and let the actors be lost in the bland blurred space they're in. Moral of the story is: you can't only look at a FF cameras' strengths while totally ignoring their handicaps. To make it fair comparison when discussing the noise performance that has to be taken into account. If you don't need to work with other people (i.e. Sony shooters!), and don't need TC (I work with that on basically every shoot! Very very very rare I don't), then it sounds like the S5mk2 is the perfect camera to shoot with for you!

Matt from Newsshooter seems extremely confident the S1Hmk2 won't be coming out this year. (or unlikely to even happen next year)

The other big problem for Panasonic is there no upwards path to progress with the L Mount. Desperately there is an EVA2 with an L Mount that is needed! (so very sad that a EVA1 MFT never happened 😕 ) Seems the cinema camera division at Panasonic has been gutted, so I guess an EVA2 (of any sorts) won't be happening? If a future EVA1 sequel will never happen, and the LUMIX team have to step up to the plate, then perhaps a "Panasonic BS2H" is what is needed?? (an updated BS1H!) Apparently the boss of the cinema division now works in the LUMIX division, and I'd say that is very very very good news indeed! Gives me hope for a future "Panasonic BS2H" This BS2H could have dual SDI outputs (with zero delay, and independent), plus internal NDs, and that would make everyone very very happy. (plus of course keep everything good about the BS1H, and bring over all the goodness of the S5mk2)

Theoretically a person could have a custom V-log to S-log LUT in their S5mk2 camera and be able to smoothly shoot alongside Sony cameras as well? Hmmm Could (kinda... half way) "fix" one of the other big negatives about the Panasonic cameras: "it is not Sony". As Sony is the dominant player in the pro market for anything low to mid budget (i.e. "not ARRI"). So very frequently you'll see a Sony Camera Op being requested, so that they smoothly integrate in with their existing workflow.

Panasonic (or at least their partner: Sigma) need to play this same game. Bring out an absurdly cheap couple of lenses. Don't care what they are, just make them cheap and preferably more than one. Could be a 40mm f4 pancake for $199. Could be a 35mm to 105mm variable f-stop zoom for $250 Could be a 50mm f2 for $199 Could be a 35mm f2.8 for $299 Whatever, just make a couple of them asap! To draw people into their L Mount ecosystem. As they have to play the same game the other companies are playing. Nikon/Canon/Sony/Fujifilm/Pentax all do this. (yes, even Pentax!) Pentax 50mm f1.8 = $97 Pentax 35mm f/2.4 = $117 Canon EF 50mm f/1.8 = $125 Canon EF-S 24mm f/2.8 STM Lens = $129 Nikon 50mm f/1.8D = $132 Nikon DX 35mm f/1.8G = $180 Pentax 40mm f/2.8 (it's an amazing pancake lens!!!) = $230 Nikon DX Macro Lens 40mm f/2.8G = $280 Nikon 28mm f/2.8D = $287 Canon RF 50mm f/1.8 = $149 Canon EF-M 22mm f/2 = $179 Fujifilm 35mm f/2 = $199 Sony FE 50mm f/1.8 = $248 Sony E 16mm f/2.8 (pancake!) = $248 Canon RF 16mm f/2.8 = $249 Nikon Z 40mm f/2 = $277 Nikon Z 28mm f/2.8 = $277 They need to do the same too for camera bodies, how else can they compete with the gateway drugs of: Nikon Z5, Canon EOS RP, Sony a7C / a7mk3 ?? Let alone the other gateway drugs they all have of APS-C cameras for dirt dirt cheap: Nikon Z30, Canon R10, Sony a6x00 Because as fantastically great as Panasonic MFT cameras are, they're unfortunately not a smooth pathway into the L Mount Ecosystem. Am glad to hear that Panasonic will keep around the S5mk1, as that's a smart move. Because as I'll say over and over again, Panasonic (and Sigma & Lecia) **NEED** a gateway drug (camera) into the L Mount system. Sony does this by keeping around their older a7mk3 (and even a7mk2!!) at cheaper prices. If Panasonic had the S5mk1 available for US$1.7K , then dropping down in the second half of this year to US$1.5K, then the S5 would do well at serving that critical niche point. (and just keep on dropping it down by another $100 each year, until five years from now it's being sold for US$1.1K brand new)

I want to see this AF tech from the new S5mk2 in a Panasonic G85mk2 (neither the G95 or G100 was an at all suitable successor to the mighty G85!) or in a GH6S/GH6X or G9mk2 etc Especially with the FX30 (which is arguably a better camera than the FX3, plus is more price competitive vs the S5mk2 than the FX3 is) you can build up a compact / lightweight APS-C / S35 lens kit which has a chance at being kind of comparable to a Panasonic MFT travel kit, something which a FF camera (from Panasonic or anybody else) never has a real chance at being able to do! Ability to work with others! Seeing as Sony dominates the pro market (especially in the low budget to middle budget market niche, i.e. anything less than ARRI!) then being a shooter with a Sony camera is handy (in fact, not being a Sony shooter might be a disadvantage handicap) No TC 😕 😞 WHYYYYYY!!!! The GH5S/GH6/S1/S1H all have it for goodness sake! Also another con is the massive HDMI lag from the S5mk2 😕 😞

Are you normalizing for DoF? No, you're not. Are you considering which has the more practical second ISO? Mainly only if you really want that EVF and/or mechanical shutter? Plus backeting / bursts / etc If so, pick up a second body (the Sony a6000) for your stills for dirt dirt cheap? Depends on what type of photography you're doing, and how seriously. (casual family photographs? The FX30 is "fine". Hard core serious sports photography? Don't even get any Sony! Grab a cheap secondhand Nikon D500 with a Nikon 200-500mm lens, and say the Sigma 50-150mm as your secondary lens for when the action is closer to you. Or just get a Nikon 55-300mm for dirt cheap as your only lens if you don't need more reach than 200mm and shooting outdoors with lots of light) Seems like it!! A pity Panasonic screwed up and forgot Timecode, like the S1/S1H/GH5S/GH6 all have! Honestly (in my very biased opinion), I'd rather that as an even bigger issue with the S5 mk1 than its AF. The FX30 beats the a7Smk3 for TC/audio/features/UI as a better camera for video work, cheaper too.

Yes, he's back! 😃 been aaaagggeeesssss since the last upload oh wait, he had one from just two months ago that I missed (which was removed, then added):

Looks like S5mk2 is the very easy answer for OP's answer! Except they want it secondhand... well, coin flip then in getting either the Panasonic S5mk1 or Nikon Z6

Damn! That's an amazing bargain. Guess the Nikon equivalent would be a D700 or maybe a D600. Kinda want to get one myself. But nah, I'll just wait a few more years until a D750 or D500 hits that price instead! 😉 If they just drop another 50% or 75% then it will be possible.

#1 wish: give us zero delay SDI output!! (they can go with DIN instead of BNC if they need to save space, no big deal, one of my old Atomos monitors already uses DIN instead of BNC) Oh snap! We posted this at exactly the same time.

Does the 2 Minute Challenge include pre and post production as well? Seems like a much more extreme version of the 48Hour Film Festivals.

Equalize for the artistic choice in DoF, and consider which has the more practical 2nd ISO, then you'll realize the FX30 is the better choice in low light. That's correct. The hatred for the FX30's rolling shutter is a red herring just because they can't come up with anything better to criticize the FX30 over! As the FX30 is too perfect. Meanwhile many of the other popular recommendations (such as the a7mk4) which have just as bad or even worse rolling shutter you'll never hear a peep out of them object to their rolling shutter performance, it's just ignored as "acceptable". It's a double standard.

FX30 still does 28 megapixel photos, and does pretty decent photos if you don't mind the biggest drawback of an electronic shutter (and no EVF). Meanwhile for video, the FX30 is massively massively better for filming with than any of the a7/a7C/a7R/a7S series cameras. It's not even close.

@PannySVHS let's make a pact to not talk about that-which-we-shall-not-say-its-name.

Just that by itself if it had been in the FX30 would've been enough to bring it to near enough perfection.

Any affordable 100mm bowl tripod with a smooth head would be a good tripod to start out with for your URSA Mini. And that's exactly why you should use a VCT-14 and not arri dovetails. You won't have the time / budget / manpower. I started with dovetails years and years ago, for my F3. Later on switched to VCT-14, so much better!

Sony PMW-F5, they're crazy dirt cheap now, almost being given away. And if you're lucky enough to get one with an R5 (an R7 would be even nicer... but that's just impossible and living in a dreamland) then you've really got something special. And with storage now being so dirt cheap, why not?

For anybody going a bit heavier than that, then I 1000% recommend (especially if you're OMB) using VCT-14. (well, unless you're going waaaaaay heavier, and working with a crew of ACs, then of course go with ARRI dovetail) VTC-14 is what I use for my main cameras.

ohhhh... that's a new piece of info I didn't know about! That Panasonic had a new PTZ camera already, which uses PDAF. That waaaaay increases the odds there is a new mirrorless camera with PDAF. This new camera though is a 1" sensor, with no interchangeable lenses, and isn't out yet. (going to be in early 2023) https://business.panasonic.com.au/professional-camera/remote-ptz-camera-systems