DBounce

It clearly states for DSLR and mirrorless, so I would not be surprised to see an update for the GH5S and perhaps the GH5 to support this. That single move would give these cameras a lead that would put them far ahead of any of the competitors for years.

The journey to NAB... in pictures

This is exciting news, but I wonder if Blackmagic can tick all the major boxes with this one?

Well well, guess I’ll be dropping by the Blackmagic Designs booth At the airport now!

I don't think anyone really knows what panasonic will be showing. But they do mention "new products" on their NAB page, so they are showing something new. And yes, I will be heading over to Kinefinity's booth to learn more. I do sort of feel like the GH5S is a bit like the more trusted version of the Terra 4K. Same sensor, but with better warranty and service. Also weather sealed and in a smaller package.

Leaving tomorrow for NAB. Will be sure to check out the Sony booth... Panasonic is also showing something new!

Well there was recently a major motion picture shot on an iPhone... this is only going to become more common. There are definite advantages to small size and low weight. Red is working on their new Hydrogen smartphone, so who knows. I think this work was pretty good, not because of any technical reason, it was just shot and edited with some thought. Granted, if you want to nitpick you will have many technical things to pick at. It was after all shot on an iPhone... but I think it’s pretty good nonetheless. And for the record, the better, smaller and cheaper cameras become, the cheaper and faster we will all be able to produce material. Who’s not for that. I’m packing for NAB, and trying to decide what has to stay behind. Will take the GH5/S for testing with some new lenses. But wouldn’t it be nice if your smartphone could do it all? DOF, Anamorphic, low-light, DR, build in NDs... We can dream.

Yeah, but some people say they saw Bigfoot also.

Agreed, but at least you now know the worst case scenario. And I used to say everything looks cinematic in slowmo. This video has proved me wrong.

No, the cheap way to achieve this look is with a can of haze.

I’m not convinced by the footage from their anamorphic lens. Honestly the Moondog Labs rendition looks much more pleasing to me. Even though I will concide that the attachment method on the Moment is preferable to Moondog’s proprietary design. And yes, I know they make a generic/universal version... but that thing requires a cage to be affixed securely... and I’m not willing to carry a huge cage with me all the time. So... no to that idea.

Yes, I think this is really becoming the case. Framing, Lighting, Lenses and Filters. These are all important for getting the look. The first two have no quick and easy fix... You have to learn them and experiment... or bring in someone that knows them already. Of all of this something unmentioned is the actual on camera talent. It’s them that sell the story. A compelling enough performance and story will soon make viewer forget what lens or camera was used. They will be too busy watching. I think this is preferable. I know I don’t want viewers being absorbed with technical questions about lenses and cameras when I am trying to portray a story.

The BPM sees lots of use in films so it makes sense to add it when emulating that look. I feel the anamorphic adapter also played a hand. Also golden hour sunlight.

There are so many great options available that we are really only limited by our creativity. The thing I notice is some cameras can be twisted harder to different looks before the image falls apart. Of course lenses, filters and lights go a long way to help sell the look.

I think the GH5S can be made to look pretty vintage...

Interesting test in the first video, but I have to say I early on I ranked them from best to worst C, B and A. Was not surprised to learn that the SLR Magic was A. I'm not knocking it, I have SLR Magic products. But it's not that hard to spot the difference at this level.

I'm going to go out on a limb and suggest the reason footage from professional level cameras looks more cinematic than most footage from amateur cameras is more to do with the professionals behind the "professional" cameras. There's a reason lights comes before camera. Capturing what the eye sees is not what cinematography is about. It's about creating art.

Well in the wrong hands an Alexa will look like crap also. I won’t defend these videos... they are pretty poor examples of what is possible with this camera. More like a “what not to do”.

Please tell which “really good” cellphone can perform that well in low-light? I have both the iPhone X and Note 8 and neither can get close to this clean in low-light. Black levels are also much better than cellphone produce. I’m not defending the videos... I think they are pretty weak. I’m just keeping it real. The videos might be sad examples, but no cellphone I have seen to date could capture this good a quality under the lowlight conditions shown. Also, cellphones generally butcher grass, asphalt and the like with their heavily compressed codecs. But if cellphones are good enough for your needs you can save bunches of cash, so you will have the last laugh. Honestly, the camera is nowhere near as important as the story. I’ve watched entertaining movies made with a GH2.

The GH5 uses an abbreviated version of VLog when compared to the Varicam. So that might cause issues. I never really noticed any issues with the GH5 when grading. The codec holds up pretty well. The main difference from my POV when compared to the GH5S is something a bit more subtle but nonetheless substantial when comparing the overall image.

My understanding is that a wider view was the original purpose for anamorphic lenses. They first were used in tanks to give a wider view of the battle field. The Orion Series have a 2x stretch factor. So in the case of the 2x lenses they should see twice as much. From the footage I have seen from the 65mm it will be plenty wide.

That will come down to what I learn at NAB. Honestly, with the GH5S you get the best of both worlds... Without a SpeedBooster your 65mm is 117mm and with the SB XL you are closer to 74.6mm. So you are getting two focal lengths for the price of one (plus SB). It makes sense to get this lens in EF and then adapt to M43.

From what I’ve seen the 65mm should be a good fit. Although, I have not yet seen the 40mm or 100mm. They will be at NAB this week... as will I. If possible I will see if I can get some footage with them on the GH5S. I’m very curious to learn if my suspicions are correct that these lenses will be a perfect match with the ‘S’.

I think this camera has mojo. I don't often feel that way about a camera. I didn't feel that way about my Sonys or my GH5. I feel like its the best of both worlds. Cinematic, but small and when you want it to be, cinematic. I am going to be adding the Atlas Orion 65mm to the mix in the coming months. I think it was truly made for the GH5S. It's gonna be a lot of fun shooting. But in the mean time I will try to up my game. I am pretty happy with the looks this camera is capable of. The color grade is a preset I created called VLogL Prolochrome.

I think DR is only one aspect of IQ. You simply cannot look at DR in isolation and ignore everything else. From what I have seen the GH5S represents the best combination of features combined with IQ of any of the currently available hybrid format cameras. Save for large stills it’s a top choice with robust codec, organic footage and forgiving low-light performance.