bonesandskin

Hey all, Wondering if folks have experiences with LaCie vs G-Technology? I'm a bit tired of the piles of SSDs for editing and looking for a big thunderbolt 3 raid drive for archived projects that I may still need to access, e.g. 20TB + I've always had a bias against LaCie for some reason, but they are cheaper and more available (3rd party enclosures are also pretty limited) in the country where I've moved, so wondering if it is something I should just get over w/ respect to the T3 2Big Dock drives vs G-Technology G-Raids? Or stick with the more commonly recommended G-Tech and pay an extra 15%. Thanks!

Thanks for the responses so far everyone! Excuse the brevity for now... A more proper reply after a very busy pre-holiday week Indeed as some have pointed out, "cinematic" is an overdetermined word -- asked to mean many different things. However, I do not believe that also renders it meaningless. And I understand very well that the camera is one tool in the kit that produces the image that ultimately lands on a screen. And that there is much that I still have to learn about each and every tool in that kit. It's exciting to see these tips for addressing the Sony a7S III's video-y character -- thanks and keep 'em coming! To clarify a few things: I personally do a wide variety of things, but all on the art side, i.e. nothing commercial. The last few years I've owned (simultaneously) and used GH5, Sony a7S II, and Fuji XT-3. I have only native lenses for each of those cameras, about 3 for each. It should be apparent then that I never find a single camera that really meets every occasion. ...despite the fact that working w/ multiple systems is a pain and obviously more expensive that sticking with one. I am usually a one-human band often traveling for projects, but I anticipate working more with others in the next year (as I did on my most recently directed project where there was a dedicated DP, and we were shooting with a Venice, for ex). Since no camera can really check all the boxes... It makes me think, this is still the place where I land -- unable to live a single camera life. So I ponder, for example the fact that for the cost of just the Canon C70 it is possible to get a Sony a7S III and a BMPCC 6k, which seems more interesting and versatile than just the Canon C70 or just the FX6 or just the RED Komodo. I'm going to also ponder the Panasonic S1H further, but since I don't have any lenses it would probably have to be a one camera solution. So I have to think if I can accept the compromises. Yes, I do like the smaller cameras... Ursa mini is not really mini enough for me. Will return to the consumer calculous in the weekend... and thanks again for the thoughts!

I was all set to get the Sony a7S III... But then I was recently involved in a project shot on the Sony Venice and another with a RED Dragon. And I'm all confused. Now of course I know it is impossible to compare these two cameras to the a7S III and that isn't the point of the post. But what I gained from having access directly to these cameras for the first time was a full appreciation of the difference between the look and feel of the image coming from a cine camera versus the mirrorless cameras I've owned and worked with before. I find myself considering cameras I've never seriously looked at before but all seem to have major short comings for a perhaps slightly more cinematic feel of the image or slightly better colors. (The RED Komodo is perhaps the most intriguing, even though its a bit out of budget by the time its kitted out) I feel like in the end I land back at the Sony a7S III, given its value + how many things it does well + its small package... and feeling like I should then improve my color correction abilities, hunt for tips to make it feel less like video, and get a new lens or two. (Tips on all those things very much welcome!) I'm curious if anyone went through something similar and ended up with a different destination than the a7S III? Obviously still 10bit 4:2:2, though I might consider less than 60fps. Canon R5 is out of the running for its overheating issue. My main shoots all start up in May of next year so I could wait a little while. Is there anything else on the horizon? Thanks for thoughts!

Has anyone tried matching GX80/85 footage and a7Sii footage?

I have noticed this same issue with the a7Sii... a bit annoying (I honestly refuse to remove a battery every time or put it back in every time I want to use a camera; wouldn't call that a solution) But what I have just noticed today is that after being stored for maybe a month without use and the batteries NOT in the camera, the Sony batteries were at about 80% charge while the "off brand" Watson batteries (B-4228) were at 100%. They were all fully charged when put away. I have not done a test to see if the Watson batteries a.) discharge more slowly while in the camera and camera is off or b.) last the same amount of time or less time with continuous usage (although Watson are said to be 1100mAh and Sony 1020 mAh... slightly different voltages) Will try to see if the Watson batteries drain less in camera than the Sonys...

Thanks Davey and gsenroc, that is pretty much what I figured Have folks compared Sandisk Extreme to the Extreme Pro? Any difference in real world? I am getting half a dozen 256 cards for a big project coming up, so the $15/each adds up a bit.

Hey all, Just wondering what memory cards everyone uses for 4k For a7Sii, NX1, LX100 -- maybe soon the GX85 -- I've been using SanDisk Extreme PRO SD UHS-I SDXC U3 (64 at first now 128gb), but B & H is pretty much sold out for a least a week. These have been flawless. (I moved over to them after I started getting lots of write speed errors on NX1 and LX100 with Transcend R95 W60 MB/s UHS-I -- even though they worked fine at first) Of course I can order from somewhere else, but I thought to ask if anyone has had any less expensive cards work flawlessly over the long haul. Thanks!

Are there any macro lenses you've tried with this? If so are any working well with the IS? I love the LX100 for its macro function, but it is quite jittery -- ...imagining how amazing being able to handhold macro shots could now be +1 thanks for the initial review!

Has anyone tried GX80/85 with an optically stabilized macro lens? I use the LX100 for handheld macro video, but I am looking to get rid of the jitters

Sorry, I wasn't clear about the first part. I benchmarked a few enclosures and the Inateck performed the best which is why I was using them. The issue is I am over 1tb for the project so I can't keep 2 separate drives for media and preview -- I need 2 x 1tb drives plugged into the 2 USB ports. And buying 2 x 2tb drives makes my heart stop. But in any case the preview files are on the Macbook's SSD along with the Premiere project file. Docking station doesn't seem so portable to me... maybe if there is a thunderbolt docking station with only 2.5 inch drive slots. Also carrying around enclosure-less SSDs seems a bit dangerous to me. I know they are more stable than HDDs, but still... There's no such thing as a "home system" in my case; I am edit much more on the go and am "home" only 2-6 months of the year. Hmm...

No problem. One other thing to think about if you are not working on a specific project right now is to get the Panasonic GX85 to tide you over. It seems to handle rolling shutter very well. It could buy you time until September or so to see if the field will change -- before you make the "big" investment which is also going to include lenses. Then you've got a great portable camera/B camera, or if the field hasn't changed prices may drop and you still use the GX85 in situations where there's a lot of movement.

I have been using Samsung 850 Pro 1TB SSDs in Inateck USB 3.0 enclosures (the enclosures seem to affect performance of the drives) for editing on a MacBook Pro w/ 16gb RAM. It is the only thing I have found that can keep up with 4k/hold up in real time editing (though I do often use 1/4 or 1/2 resolution in Premiere to keep things snappy). The EVO series drives seemed not able to hold up in my experience. Has anyone else found something that works well which is also portable? Has anyone tried the Samsung 950 PRO Series?

The only way to solve all your questions is to get the a7Sii, a7Rii, and NX1 in your hands and see how you like working with them and also review the footage for the character that you are after. I shoot run-and gun style primarily (though not documentary output in the end) -- sometimes tripod sometimes handheld. My experience is as follows... More than a year ago I was trying to decide between the NX1 and GH4; I got both in my hands and the NX1 was the clear winner in all fronts. So I got the NX1. But it was big and I didn't always want to carry it so I also got the carry-anywhere Panasonic LX100 which was the best 4k compact at the time. I was also excited about coming to 4k from HD for those post editing possibilities you mention. But the real deal is to forget about punching in, etc and just to shoot better footage and/or film a close up and a wider shot in 4k and output 4k. If you really want to punch in then save up and get a cheaper second 4k camera later than fills different needs. The a7Sii and a7Rii came out and I was already frustrated by the NX1 transcoding process and how heavy, as well as front heavy it is with the 16-50mm pro lens. (Yes obviously I could put a different lens but changing between primes often isn't an option for me; Samsung didn't have a small stabilized lens anyway. And Yes I know Adobe CC now supports h.265 but I am sticking with CS6 for now instead of paying them every month). Then I was a bit frustrated by the low light. 1600 is very usable but I started to find this a real limitation in certain situations. So, I bought an a7Sii. I am really happy with the character of the full frame image, which seems better than the NX1. I find the image more cinematic and the rendering of motion more natural. The lowlight performance completely changes how I am able to shoot. Want to shoot f11 inside? No problem. Want to shoot after the sun goes down? No problem. Entirely new creative possibilities will open up. I mainly use the Sony 24-70 f/4 lens. It is fine for video and covers a lot of focal lengths. Downsides of a7Sii are obviously bad rolling shutter and poor autofocus. And yes ergonomics are a bit cumbersome, but I actually find that because the a7Sii and 24-70 lens package is noticeably smaller, lighter, and better balanced than the NX1 that I actually like using the a7Sii more. If you want to use a gimbal the better autofocus on the a7Rii is something to consider. And yes you can take care of rolling shutter a bit when shooting in full frame. But I found the overall quality and character of image to lag behind the a7Sii if light wasn't really ideal. And I often don't film in ideal settings. So I have actually been carrying around the a7Sii, Sony 24-70 lens, the Sony 1.8/55mm lens, the NX1, and the Panasonic LX100. (I carry the NX1 because I actually need a crop sensor camera for shooting through a microscope and not getting vignetting...) I always reach for the a7Sii or the LX100. I am tired of carrying around the NX1 and since I already have a second Sony Lens, I am considering selling the NX1 for an a7Rii body for times when I need to shoot motion (to avoid RS), to try to start using a gimbal w/ its AF, and for really incredible stills (the stills on the a7Rii with the 1.8/55mm lens are incredible -- really something to behold!) That's been my experience...

IronFilm, You obviously didn't read the thread or you would see for example that I am looking for a camera, not other gear; I don't carry or shoot with lights. I think everyone here understands that the camera doesn't make the filmmaker. Beyond that, I can't speak for "people" or make claims about what they search for or why. But I can speak for myself. I won't claim to be wise. I don't think it matters if what I or anyone else is doing counts as "professional" work if they are serious about it. Maybe some people outgrow cameras faster than others. Maybe the kind of work someone is doing changes. Sometimes you can wait, others you can't -- as in my case now when I am about to begin a couple of large projects and no other options are on the horizon. ... So I pulled some triggers... There was no way out of the mental cul-de-sac of whether to get a7Sii or a7Rii. At least not while staying on the internet, so I just bought them both -- as open box buys which makes me feel less guilty about returning one. I found some great deals on open box 35mm and 55mm Sony Primes and the 24-70 Sony. I know there are better options than the 24-70, but it is just practical and I am out of time to devote to the proces. I was testing at ISO 8000 on f/4 with 55mm on a7Sii and 35mm on a7Rii in crop mode. a7Sii definitely looks better than the a7Rii for video when we're talking about indoors without much light, which is my main concern. What people say is true; a7Sii is just a more capable video camera when the pressure is on. I feel a little more character from the camera image. Noticeably less noise, and the low light is truly astounding. There might not be much difference with adequate light, which I may try tomorrow when it is day. a7Rii is a good camera, but it won't fundamentally change what is possible for me the way the a7Sii will -- and that is what I'm looking for. On an upcoming project I have to shoot in the desert at night and in a basement laboratory in a former bunker that has terrible lighting... a7Sii should hold up. I guess my only reservation is a7Sii autofocus capability if I wanted to use a gimbal. But you can't have it all and I guess that's something I'll have to sacrifice for now. Until I am totally comfortable with the a7Sii, I'm keeping the NX1 -- for high res stills and video for now, as it does have a great image and solid autofocus. I will suffer through carrying both for a couple months. Then I will probably sell it to lighten my load and recover some dollars waiting to see if a year or two from now can bring a camera that pulls together the best of the a7Rii and a7Sii. In the mean time I might pick up an a5100 (or a6000) as The Chris suggested. Cheers, and thanks all

Chris -- thanks for this response directly to the question I travel a lot so I think about every ounce/pound. Ultimately I'd also like to have 1 system for the reasons you mention. And sadly also looking towards the future which doesn't seem to include Samsung as a viable long term solution (as great as it still is in the present) The idea of Sony 35mm + 55mm small, light, excellent primes and 1 zoom even if not as small, light, and excellent (24-70? 16-35 if I go with a7Rii since I will often shoot in crop mode?) + 1 body is very appealing. And yea that a5100 is very interesting thing to add to the equation at 9 ounces and not a lot of coin. ESPECIALLY if I go w/ the a7Sii since the a5100 would double the megapixels for when I need stills w/ a fraction of the weight as NX1 body + lens. Great idea.