mercer

I’m not going to even pretend to know what it’s like to shoot or even choose to shoot with a Cine camera but your choices only leave you with two options, IMO. I know what I would choose of these two, but everyone has different needs... It’s quite simple really... it’s the Panasonic route with the EVA1 and GH5/s. Or The C200 and 1DX Mark II. Other than media costs, the C200 gives you the juiciest files in camera with Raw video and DPAF. And then for gimbal work you have the 1DXii. I know you have stated it’s a no go due to HFR desires from your client but you are left in a sticky situation here and it seems like the type of scenario where one needs to educate the client of what is possible and available. The time (money) saved with the Canon with AF and color science should negate their desire for a little slower motion... which can be achieved in post. With that being said, I don’t want to beat a dead horse so if you aren’t interested in that at all then I apologize for furthering the discussion... So it seems the EVA1 makes the most sense for you. The FS5 could work but then you’d need the external monitor/recorder solution to get the beefier codecs. And the B-Cam wouldn’t meet broadcast standards if your work requires it. And if it does, it seems an Ursa Pro and P4K is your best option, but you’ll lose any real AF possibilities. Honestly, there are no options to meet your needs, so maybe you should just rent based on the job. Maybe in some circumstances you can get by with the EVA1 and others a C200 would work better. It seems like you are getting to a higher production level and renting may be the most cost effective and profitable solution. To add, look what MTS Films are doing. I follow them on IG, so obviously I don’t know the ins and outs of their business but it seems like they have a GH5 package and an Ursa package and perhaps rent if they need a Red or an Alexa or other camera.

Sorry missed this the other day. I think the inappropriate c-mount lenses shoe horned on is what appeals me the most about c-mounts. Until recently I’ve only used adapted, vintage lenses... so I have quite the... collection. Back when I had the G7, I had my first opportunity to test them on a modern digital camera and in the first few days I captured my favorite images I ever captured with the G7 and Micro 4/3. Once I started testing and using FF lenses, my results were lackluster. So, in some ways that added character of the jerry-rig kind of helped... for me anyway. Interesting about the E-Mount. I’ve been watching a ton of a6000 videos lately and I’m still blown away by the video quality nearly 4 years after its release.

A few test shots from a recent location scout. I've been using my Canon 28mm f/1.8 lens a lot lately. It is just so versatile. I originally thought it would be too wide for my tastes as I usually prefer the 35mm-60mm focal lengths, but the ability to get a shallow depth, close up or a fairly, wide establishing shot has been great.

Isn’t the 240p in the Eva1 cropped?

Gotcha, does the focus peaking work while using AF? Just curious if you could see the change in AF with the focus peaking dots.

If the AF is that good, why do you even need an external monitor?

Well played... well played. Lol. Seriously, though... we briefly discussed this before... and there is just something about that FF image. Other than going to the complete other end of the spectrum to shoot S16 with the Pocket or Micro, I barely like the idea of shooting Super 35 anymore. And with my distaste for adapters growing by the day, M4/3 seems like a strange crop factor to my eye now. @BTM_Pix ironically c-mounts are the only things I miss about M4/3 or S16.

Do you prefer the Sony over the GH5?

A nice image is a nice image... I don’t care when the camera came out. I really don’t need or want 4K right now... ESPECIALLY FOR SMALL PAID GIGS. The point of these jobs are to get in and out, bring it into the computer with a light correction and an edit. The point would be to make money with the least effort and that’s one of the biggest pluses with the C100. It’s a money maker. Throw a portrait lens on the end, and let the soft Canon color do its job and make me money. The end. Here are a few short films I found shot with the C100 that look pretty nice to my eyes... is it an Alexa... no. But for the money, what more do you need? If you cannot make a good image with a C100, you sure as hell won’t be able to with a GH5/s, or with an a7iii or insert whatever camera you want. There’s also one called “Commute” that I like a lot but for some reason I cannot post it here but it comes up on a google search called “C100 Cinematic Short Film Vimeo” But honestly, there are dozens and these are but a few I quickly picked. As a narrative filmmaker, I’d be more than happy with that IQ. Filmmaking is an artistic craft and this camera gets the craft out of the way and lets you concentrate on the artistic element. You can spend all the time you want chasing the newest best camera. And when you think you find it, don’t worry, a better camera will be out in a few months...been there, done that. For me, it’s simple... what camera will make me money so I can fund some short films... if I could also shoot a short film or two on that camera... even better. Here’s another great looking short...

Well, that is an interesting argument and very well said... But... I could and would argue, that my interest in the C100 is completely different now that I saw how small it is stripped down. Originally, I would have agreed with you and would have planned on using it on a tripod as you explained. But now, I would strip the top handle off and use a lens with IS and go handheld... Or put it on a shoulder rig with the side handle stripped off and a follow focus. I’ve been following a production company on IG and the main shooter still uses his trusty BMPCC with a small handheld shoulder rig and counterweight. He uses the built in screen and has it rigged right at his eye... so I am sure something similar could be rigged for a C100?

Another comment full of white noise and unrelated information. I hope people will eventually realize that there is information pertaining to the original post within the so-called “white noise.” Conversations evolve and unless the OP is stupid he will get plenty of information from this evolved discussion, but to make you happy I will end every comment I make in this thread with C100... so... C100 I mean seriously, if comments didn’t evolve, this thread could have been completed with one simple reply that stated, “Yes, it is still relevant.” End of discussion. C100

Well, don’t take video at playgrounds with your pants down and you shouldn’t have a problem...? But seriously, this is why you should buy a camera that has IBIS, a good selection of native lenses and a good color science. Probably the E-M1 Mark II is your best bet. I’ve seen some going for $1500 or less on eBay. Get yourself a good strap and you can practically walk around with the damn thing while glancing down at your camera... nobody will even realize you’re shooting anything. Or obviously for the straight out of camera look you like, the Fuji XH-1 would be a good choice.

Who am I to tell anybody how to spend their money, but seriously... the P4K is like the last camera you should buy. To shoot in 4K, you are going to need expensive CFast2 cards. You are going to need about a dozen batteries or an external power supply to last you the day. You'll need a cage. You may need an external monitor. If you're getting a speedbooster, you may need rails and a follow focus. You'll need an IR filter and a good Variable ND or ND filters. If you go native, you'll need a couple fast M43 primes. You're looking at a price point that is closer to 2500 bucks when all is said and done... maybe more. At that price point, you may as well go with the GH5s, you can find them now for around $2000. For the type of casual shooting you do, go for the bells and whistles... even if it costs you about the same... you'll be plenty happier at the end of the day. That is exactly what happened to me... I just never got much better. LOL. But at my level, I can't afford, nor really want someone else to shoot my stuff. There is something organic about being behind the lens... even as a director, that you just don't get sitting on the sidelines while someone else shoots your material. If an actor misses their mark, or ignores it, I can adjust how I would want it adjusted. The devil is in the details with me.

Not really. Not a lot of reasons to shoot slow motion in narratives... other than a couple hundred frames here or there. The 720p 48p and 60p really is good enough for that. And if I really need it, I’ll just slow down the 24p in FCPX... 99% of the audience wouldn’t even notice, especially on close ups. Don’t get me wrong it would be nice, but it’s not a deal breaker. I don’t want to be cinematographer, I just want another outlet for my writing. If anything, I am interested in directing more than cinematography, I just would consider myself a visual director. I went from being a horrible operator to an acceptable one literally overnight by getting a 5D3... and some of my images, I’m actually proud of. So for me, the 5D3 is as good as it gets with my budget and skill set.

No real dilemma for me. I am happy as can be with my 5D3. And I’ll be happy shooting ML Raw for the next 5 years on it and by then maybe they’ll figure out the Mark IV and I can go another 5 years with a Canon DSLR. The only reason I am contemplating a C100 is to make some cash to fund my short films... these are getting awfully expensive. I could see myself buying or renting a C200 in the future for a very specific project that could benefit from the bump in resolution, but do I need one... not at all... I have plenty of stuff to shoot with what I already own.

Well, the P4K makes sense for you since you shoot with UMP as an A-cam. I saw people use the Pocket for events too, so I guess it will work... just not first option for ease of use IMO. But yeah, I am lazy and as a solo shooter, I’d love to use DPAF. As far as the screen, I’ll make do. I did with the original Pocket, so the C100 couldn’t be worse than that. I may not even get a C100 but for less than $2000, I’d be getting a lot of camera. In all honesty, I’d probably be better off with an 80D for the level of “event” work I am thinking of doing... the quicker the thing is paid off, the quicker I can find short films and put away money toward a C200B... which would be my ultimate camera purchase in the next couple of years. Idk, Don... I think a G85 is probably the most sensible choice for you. IBIS, the newer Panasonic color science, mic input, CineLikeD and V. For your type of shooting, what more do you need?

@webrunner5 you’re all over the place lately. You hate the GH5, you love it. The C100 is amazing, it’s an old turd. Which is it? That’s the problem with forums... there are too many choices and new ones are released every day. If you’re the type of shooter that wants the newest gadget, then you should probably sell your a7s and buy a GH5s. Although I like the image out of the GH5s better than the GH5, its lack of IBIS is a deal breaker for me... even if I was interested in one of those cameras. The P4K should be an amazing camera but not one I would choose for event work. I’d definitely go GH5 over a P4K for those types of jobs. So back to the topic at hand... I would never use the C100 on a gimbal, so that’s irrelevant as well. I know this is a dirty word around here, but the C100 just has some mojo to it. And since we learned from JB that a lot of network television is still broadcasted at 720p, 4K downscaled in camera to 1080p on the C100 makes it a viable production camera for lots of scenarios. And for the price they are going for now, you’re getting a lot of camera.

Even internal zooms would have a weight shift inside the lens which I think would still require a rebalancing? Good to know, thanks.

Regardless, the OP doesn’t want a GH5/s, so why are we still talking about it? And I thought you loved the C100 @webrunner5 ? The fact is this, the C100 series are workhorses that will pay for itself with a few jobs. This site is full of Canon naysayers, but when you go to weddings, trade shows, events, etc... the bulk of videographers use Canon cameras. And they use them for a reason. But you go to a forum full of “professionals” and Canon cameras are the worst...

How effective are gimbals with zoom lenses? I have never used one, but I would assume you would need to rebalance it after every focal length change?

Well the OP has already said he doesn’t like the GH5/s so... And I’d rather have a C100 any day of the week over a GH5/s. Nothing against the camera... I just prefer the C100 image over the GH5/s and timecode isn’t changing that.

On the C100 I, does the Ninja Star do a 60i to 60p conversion?

Do you have the C100 I or II?

As I’ve said dozens of times, I’m really just a hobbyist that enjoys shooting narratives. In the back of my mind, I hope one of my short films will get some attention or can be used one day for a crowdfunding campaign to raise some money for a micro budget feature film... but I don’t base my decisions on that long shot. So for now, discretion is key. I shoot in public places with no crew... just me and actors. I shoot handheld or with a monopod. I am thinking about looking for a couple low rent paid jobs... birthday parties, family reunions, etc... to help fund some of my upcoming projects and it seems like the original C100 could be a great camera for that. I could attach all of the gizmos to make it look more “pro” but then strip it down to shoot a short film where the small file sizes and cheaper media is more appropriate than my 5D3 and ML Raw. Have you used an external recorder with it? I’ve heard so many conflicting statements on whether it’s worth it or not, even in this thread. And to be honest, I’ve watched a ton of videos, some with an external recorder, some without, and I’ve yet to see any real difference... maybe a little, but I don’t know if it’s enough to warrant the extra hassle and expense. It’s been so long since I owned a second camera, so it has to be an earner, good enough to shoot some narratives on it as well, and cheap enough where the investment can be recouped with a few paid jobs so it can start funding my short films fairly quickly... otherwise it’s not even worth the trouble. I’m more than happy with my 5D3 and will be for the foreseeable future.

I recently saw a Mark II on the trade show floor and I was surprised by how small it actually was without the top handle. I don’t think it looks much bigger than my 5D3... although I’m sure it is if they were side by side.