mercer

Although I think it's unlikely, Panasonic might want to purchase Blackmagic's camera division just for BRaw. Just as Red has patents on internal, compressed raw, I'm sure Canon and Blackmagic have patented their versions as well. I assume there are only so many ways you can compress an internal, raw image, and there may not be too much room left for Panasonic to develop their version. And since Panasonic's cinema division is in a dire need of an upgrade, purchasing Blackmagic's "pocket" ecosystem could make sense... But again, I think it's unlikely. I'm gonna bet this is just a rumor. The link to the L-Mount Rumor website even looks suspect... or should I say the lack of info in the linked article. I mean, why would Blackmagic want to share internal BRaw, their biggest, and only, feature with Panasonic, Sigma and Leica just for a lens mount? This isn't 2013-2018 when Blackmagic had zero competition in the low end cinema camera market. A full frame camera will put them in direct competition with the R5, FX3, Z8, R3, Z9, FX6, and still have to worry about Red Komodo, Canon C70 and C300. With that said, I assume BM wouldn't release a FF Pocket, more than likely it would be an updated Ursa, so that puts them in a different price bracket than any of Panasonic's current products.

But there isn't a lot of glass from original and third parties. That's the problem. And since it's a mirrorless mount with a shorter flange distance than EF, the ability to implement internal NDs will be a bit more difficult. I suppose BM can get into the lens adapter business and produce adapters that have some kind of internal ND system.

Yeah, this makes no sense whatsoever. In a lot of ways, Blackmagic and Panasonic are each other's biggest competitor, so why would they want to share a lens mount? It's not like there are a plethora of lenses in the L-Mount catalog to benefit BM and why would Panasonic want to give their L-Mount customers a reason to easily buy into BM cameras? Unless Panasonic is purchasing BM's camera department.

As someone who loves shooting raw video, on FF, I don't think I could give up anything I currently have, but my dream camera would be an uncompressed raw 2K/4K camera with IBIS.

If your hobby is travel videos, or walking around cities and taking test shots of people, and you want to add some movement to those videos, then it works for the random shot for a couple of feet. There's definitely some correction occurring here, but it's almost smoothed out by the 60p. It probably looks better slowed down on a 24p timeline, though.

@Geoffrey there's also the idea that you upgrade to keep your investment at a certain level. When a new camera comes out, the old model's value goes down quick. If you don't need the upgrades and don't plan on needing anything more for a few years, then yes... you might as well keep it. Who cares if the used value drops in half over the next year. But in some instances small upgrades can eventually allow you to afford a higher price bracket of cameras. So if you sell the S5 now, you may get $1000 for it and you'd only need to shell out $800 for the new camera. If you wait a year, you may have to shell out more. If you skip a generation entirely, you may have to shell out a fortune more. With that said, I've been shooting with the same camera for almost 6 years, so every case is different. Good luck.

That was an interesting comparison. It's amazing that with more technical advances in lens making, how boring the image has become. To briefly change the subject and keep me from doing a deep dive... do you know anything about the 28-70mm 3.5-4.5 lens? It used to get so-so reviews compared to the "older" Zeiss C/Y zooms with some people speculating that it isn't even a true Zeiss lens. I read that it was released in '98, do you know if that was still a Yashica manufactured lens, or did Cosina take over production by then? If so, it could be a stand in at f/5.6 when I NEED a 28mm or 70mm FOV to go with my ZF lens.

I really think it is... one day I'll take it out and I'll be damned if I can get something I like from it, the next day, I'm floored by the images. So that leads me to believe it's user error... or the lens and camera's fault... I prefer the latter. I'm reminded of a line from a sitcom episode I saw a while ago... "I have 2 or 3 moves in the bedroom and if they don't work, she must've had a lot on her mind." That explains my skills with cinematography and color grading... if one of my moves don't work... the camera was in a mood.

In my previous post, I mentioned that I was going through my lenses and thinning the herd. Well today I have a few samples from the Zeiss ZF Classic 50mm 1.4. I bought this lens a couple years ago for VERY little money. The body had a little wear, but the price was so good, I decided it was worth it and if I didn't like it, I could EASILY recoup my costs. When the lens arrived, it had a couple issues... the Nikon F to EF adapter that was included (a "bonus!" according to the seller) was stuck on the lens... the lever that is used to release the adapter from the mount was broken off. At the time it wasn't a huge deal because I was using it on an EF camera. Here's a frame from it on my 5D3 with ML Raw... So it seemed to be a good sample but when I tried to attach a VND, I quickly realized that the threads were messed up... I could screw the filter in but it definitely wasn't right. By the feel and sound of it, it seems like the lens was dropped in the dirt. Luckily, nothing was affected mechanically, or optically, so it's no huge issue. Eventually, I'll buy a step up ring but for testing purposes, a filter will screw on with enough patience. Anyway, I bought a Sigma FP last fall and since then I have been testing different lenses with it looking for a simple little set up. So far I like the camera. It has a pretty nice image, but I'm not wowed by the IQ like I was when I first bought my 5D3... but that's a story for another time. As I mentioned in my previous post, I built a basic set of fast Nikkor ai-s lenses and I plan on selling off everything else. I'll keep a few random lenses that I really like. Back to the Zeiss... to test it with the FP, I needed to remove that damn bent adapter. Well it was no match for a pair of dykes and some needle nose pliers. In mere minutes I turned the "bonus!" adapter into a pile of metal shards. So, after enlisting my actor friend, I decided to take the lens out for a test run with the FP. Here are the results... As I mentioned earlier, I have a hot and cold feeling toward the FP, but on that day, maybe it was the light, or the beat up, pseudo-modern Zeiss optics, I think I have one of those random keeper lens... Now I just need to refrain from building a set of Zeiss lenses... Easier said than done. Thanks for reading my long, unscientific, anecdotal review.

At least it doesn't have vertical audio.

As far as being a fanboy... I don't really care about brands. But I must say that I have always gotten along better with Canon cameras than any other brand. In fact, I am tired of using other brands and being disappointed. I'm probably going to go all in with Canon from this point forward. If that makes me a fanboy... of Gawd... I'm too old to care.

Canon only exists to make a profit. That is their, and every other company's, sole purpose. They make a profit by providing products that the market wants/needs. It's really quite simple. As far as 'going against nature' or science, I can only assume you're referring to vertical video... based on your previous statement. I agree with you... I despise it. Luckily, in its natural form, this PowerShot camera shoots 16:9 video but you can turn it if you want vertical video. That seems fairly acceptable to me. As much as I hate it, I understand that, due to smartphones' inability to make 16:9 shooting simpler and peoples' inherent laziness, there is a desire for vertical video and since Canon isn't in the smartphone business, they need to offer that possibility. But out of box, this vlogging camera shoots 16:9 in its natural form factor.

We're not talking about communism here. We're talking about a product that was designed and manufactured for a specific usage. Most of Canon's products are designed that way. They always were. I'd imagine in the 70s when most manufacturers/consumers were heavily invested in SLRs, the Canonet line of cameras probably seemed pretty pedestrian, but that didn't stop Canon from putting a pretty spectacular lens on it and marketing it to a specific consumer at a reasonable price point. Even the Canonet line had different entry levels. As far as this camera goes, the biggest omission is a tripod thread. Otherwise, for sit down, YouTube Vlogs... what more do you need? Only a thoughtful eye can tell the difference between a $500 camera, a $3000 camera or even a phone in YouTube videos. I mean, they're not marketing it for indie filmmakers. But... since it shoots 24p, an interesting film could be made with it if someone could see past the limitations and see the possibilities.

Good points except I think it is good... if I am to assume that the frame of the woman is a sample from the camera? I don't mean this next statement for anyone in particular and especially not you, but the shooters that think in terms of gear first, never understood Canon, so it's easy for them to criticize Canon and this is the perfect example. Canon makes products for specific groups of people based on their needs.

Or an Arri 65 https://m.imdb.com/title/tt11858890/technical/

I just picked up a newer ai-s 50mm 1.2, for a steal, and it's one of the best 50s I've ever used. Even wide open it's fairly sharp and dreamy at the same time. The ai/ai-s 1.4 were okay, but I love the non-ai S.C. 1.4... probably the best $40 I ever spent.

The problem I have always had with zooms is that I was either compromising the shot for the luxury of not moving my setup, or I kept moving to get the sweet spot (pop) of the specific focal length I was zoomed in/out to... so the old saying about primes... Zoom with your feet... was still necessary to hit the sweet spot. Of course, time was still saved because I didn't have to change lenses, but I also found that I was mostly using a small portion of the zoom range... usually between 40-65mm. At that point it's easier to split the difference and swap out the heavier zoom for a 50mm, and use my feet to zoom. But then I was losing IS, so I needed a monopod or I wasn't able to hit that lens' sweet spot, so I started going a little wider, but then I'm compromising my specific style for the mechanics of the shot... Point being... there are always compromises with run and gun.

I know you're in school, but is it your end goal to be a videographer or a filmmaker? Camera choice aside, if your end goal is to make films... either as a cinematographer or a director, or both, you may want to consider building a collection of manual focus/aperture lenses. The Nikon F mount is a great option with a long history of amazing lenses. I recommend trying to get the fastest lenses you can. They're a bit more money, but in the end, when you've decided you need them, you'll be happy you didn't waste any time with the slower lenses. To start out, the 28mm f/2 and 50mm f/2 are great lenses that can be found pretty cheap if you go with the non-ai or ai versions. If you decide not to stick with Nikon cameras, Nikkor lenses will adapt to any camera you may upgrade to. With that said, if you are considering filmmaking (narrative or other) you may want to look for an inexpensive camera that you can experiment with for short films, music videos, docs, etc... perhaps an OG BMPCC or even a P4K as it seems the prices for them are coming down on the used market. Good luck with your choice.

Just get an R7, if you're in the US, they're on sale now.

I've been running some tests over the past 6 months or so with different cameras and lenses trying to simplify my entire workflow and gear. Over the years, in search of the perfect camera/lens(es) combo(s) I've become a slave to the gear that collects dust in my closet. Anyway, I feel like I know which direction best suits me, but I figured I'd share some of my results. Here are a couple frames from the Sigma FP and Nikkor 24mm f/2 ai-s lens. I've never really been a huge fan of wide angle lenses but there is a good reason to have one in my kit. On other cameras, I have found the Nikon lens to be lacking and it's flaws show, but I could always recognize that there is something funky and great about the lens, especially wide open. It wasn't until I shot it with the FP that I saw its true potential... My color work probably needs some tweaks, as they look a little too contrasty for my normal tastes.

I just picked up an old Pentax DSLR for stills, film is just too expensive to keep shooting regularly. Hopefully, the magic of CCD will give me a little of that filmic image quality I fell in love with while shooting negatives. @Andrew Reidare you still planning on starting a photography sister site to eosHD?

Nice, those look good. Subtle. For some reason I was imagining more negative fill like some kind of film noir interview.

Hey sorry I just noticed this. I still have a few Minolta lenses. I can't use many with my 5D3, but there are a couple that can be easily modified. I believe the one you're referring to from the harbour is the 58mm 1.4. It's a great lens, especially what I paid for it. It's an older model so the coatings aren't as good as some of their MD lenses, but it has a specific look, like most Minolta lenses. I started shooting some film stills and got a great deal on an old XD11 that had a 35mm 1.8 attached to it. I recently used the lens with the Sigma FP and got some pretty good results. I think the older MC version may be a bit better but the MD versions are so tiny and light that they're hard to not like if you can find one for a good price. Another one I always liked, but don't own anymore was the 28mm f/2. I had the new MD version and it was excellent. I like a lot of the new MD version for their smaller size and more modern coatings. With that said, I have been building a set of Nikkors so my Minolta obsession has been put on hold. I also don't know how much longer I'll have a camera that can use my MDs. Here's a shot from the 35mm 1.8 MD on the FP...

Idk, as much as I like the idea of putting the camera facing portion in shadow, for a corporate interview, it may be a harder sell to clients?

I had heard it has a 1.5x crop mode but I'm just investigating it right now. As far as ProRes... sure LT would have been nice, but I'd probably end up shooting HQ anyway because why not? You'd still have to use a CF Express card probably, so I may as well get the most data possible at that point. It does C4K and 1080p, up to 60p, in ProRes... what other modes would you want it in? With the dropping price, I must say I am thinking about pulling the trigger on it.