Nick Hughes

I also use the Senn HD-25. Great headphones for in the field.

Logic Pro. If you use Premiere, it's probably pretty useful to use whatever their audio software is.

The PIX-E series by Video Devices (subsidiary of Sound Devices) is an alternative to Atomos. 4k recorder with a a 1080p screen- cheapest version (5" HDMI only) is $1,200. There's still not a simple recorder-only solution that I know of.

​4 batteries lasted me about 5 hours of shooting, with the brightness at 100% for most of that. I'm using off-brand batteries that may not be holding their charges very well. They weren't even displaying a full charge (the 501 has a percentage meter which is very handy). So in my extremely limited experience battery life is neither horrendously bad nor mind-blowing good. It's nice that you can keep an eye on the battery life and hot-swap as needed. When power runs out, there's no warning message or anything, it just goes black.

I just used the 501 at a shoot this past weekend and it's really amazing. Great color/sharpness and great features. Doesn't get nearly as hot as I feared it would. It didn't quite make it through 9 hours, but I don't think my batteries were charged 100% (I had 4 off-brand LP-E6s). Software is still a little incomplete (not even V 1.0 yet)- no waveform yet and I have to reset peaking every time I turn the monitor on- it doesn't show up automatically. I can't wait for the sidefinder to be come out.

​While this movie might not be egregious in its gender roles, it is absolutely playing into a long held standard in filmmaking where the men are powerful and the women are exploited. When you take a step back and see how many movies use this structure, you can also see how this movie fits right into that tradition. One could argue that this movie is a criticism of those roles in society, but I don't think I'd buy it.

​Apparently we're not capable of discussing it. Could've been a good thread, too.

Waiting to see how the Sigma 18-35 performs. Also waiting to see how long it takes Aputure to get a speedbooster version of their DEC wireless adapter. Lots of exciting things right now.

​Definitely agree that a shoulder rig is a better starting piece. A cage is something that you could eventually work into your rig as your list of equipment grows. A good quick release system would allow you to pop the cage off your shoulder rig and onto a tripod/monopod/whatever in a matter of seconds. It's not so useful or desirable for people who prefer a more lightweight/minimal setup. I myself prefer to at least have the option of a built-up rig in case the gig calls for it.

​What's your process for using prisms- do you pretty much just hold it in front of the glass? Do you buy speciality prisms or just tend to find them randomly?

They also have a few cages designed specifically for the A7s that may be of interest. I don't personally use a cage, but may start soon for easy mounting of accessories (mic/audio, monitor, etc.), which can be particularly useful for quick switching from shoulder rig to a tripod.

Wow. Really powerful visuals + editing. I know it's been discussed here before, but what do you estimate it costs to get a kit like this up and running (not including lenses)?

I recommend piecing together your own rig. It is often cheaper and allows you to customize everything exactly as you like it. Of course, it's hard to know exactly what you need until you're able to actually use it, but a modular rig will allow you to add and change everything as you go. I'm a big fan of SmallRig - they do have complete rigs available, but they also have every individual part you'd ever need (mostly). The key to building a good rig is making sure it's balanced well. You'll need a counterweight at the back, otherwise it'll hurt your arms almost as much as handholding the camera. Those big brick batteries are great for this because they can also power your whole system, but a normal weight will work fine. There are many available with 15mm connections. If you have an external monitor/EVF, it's best to position the camera on your shoulder (for good balance) and have the monitor in front of you. If not, you should be able to position the EVF of your A7s right up to your eye. You'll need some sort of offset to do this. Here's a list that could get you a simple, but versatile rig: A few different sections of rods (length is definitely subject to personal liking): http://smallrig.com/2pcs-black-15mm-rod-w-m12-thread-40cm.html http://smallrig.com/2pcs-black-15mm-rod-w-m12-thread-20cm.html http://smallrig.com/2pcs-black-15mm-rod-w-m12-thread-15cm.html Shoulder Pad: http://smallrig.com/shoulder-pad-1485-15mm-railblock.html Mounting Place (best to attach some sort of quick-release to this): http://smallrig.com/smallrig-tripod-mounting-plate-to-balance-long-length-front-heavy-camera-packages.html Handlebar clamp: http://smallrig.com/c90-15mm-handlebar-rail-clamp.html 2x handles: http://smallrig.com/smallrig-15mm-rod-handle-rubber-red-ring.html A counterweight (not sure if they'll ship to DE for cheap, but you can find all kinds on BH and Amazon by searching 15mm counterweight): http://www.amazon.com/Flashpoint-Counter-Weight-15MM-Rods/dp/B00N5FQPN8/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&qid=1433427650&sr=8-1&keywords=15mm+counterweight All this costs under $300 USD and is a great starting point, IMO.

​ Film budgets don't really scale that way. If they shot four separate 30-minute short films, then yes, that might be an accurate guess.

Have any of you 502 owners experienced it running hot?

That's a winning combo right there. I will say that a few of those shots look artificially sharpened (the rocks in particular).

SmallHD just announced the 501 monitor, which is a HDMI-only version of the 502, at $899. It's ability to function as an EVF with the upcoming sidefinder is what really makes it attractive to me. Plus the bluetooth joystick control that will also be coming soon.

I hate the fact that I want this camera because it looks pretty. Still, it looks like it'll be a great option beyond pure aesthetics. Can't wait to see what's in store for the GX8!

These are incredible.

​While I can appreciate both sides of this discussion, this is a false analogy. It'd be much more like fuzzy saying you don't need a new typewriter, or new pens, or a new computer to write a good script. Which I would agree with, but I would also say that a new piece of writing software could potentially make scriptwriting a faster process, allowing for more creative time. Or that a new typewriter might inspire you to write.

My GX7 usually gets a couple hours of continuous shooting on a battery. Not sure if that makes it last longer or shorter than constantly starting, stopping, adjusting settings, etc. The batteries are small so you can carry a bunch. Not sure how it compares to similarly sized cameras, but my GH4 batteries seem to last forever.

Zach, this is for starting a business geared towards client work. While your philosophy is great for an indie filmmaker, it does not hold for a production company. Money for crew, if a crew is necessary, will come from the budget for each project.

LED lighting can often give inaccurate color readings, even to expensive meters since they don't have the same kind of smooth spectrum that other sources do. Just something to keep in mind.

​Damn, the XLR interface is that cheap?! Really tough decision now between the 502 Sidefinder and PIX-E5H+XML combo. The EVF and bluetooth joystick control on the 502 look extremely useful, but so does a nice integrated XLR solution. However, I don't want to shoot ProRes every shoot, especially the long ones, and the XLR adapter is only useful when recording.

No, you don't need to do that. I updated from 1.3.