Django

@gt3rs Thank you so much for such a detailed response! 🙂 Price wise here are the best deals I've found: 3000€ (R5), 3500€ (R5C), 4500€ (R3). I need IBIS as I shoot indeed mainly 35mm/50mm/85mm. (with occasional 16mm). I also need decent battery life and R5C + battery rig would price it not far from R3. Downsides for R5 is line-skipped FF 4K60p & still some degree of overheat. R3 has best battery life, 6K oversampled 4K60p, lowest RS, better low-light, best AF, best EVF etc.. MPix for stills is not important to me as I mostly do portraits and never crop. So I am mainly leaning towards R3 for my needs as it just sounds like a solid safe bet. I shoot a lot of vertical (both stills and now video) so the grip form factor is really appealing. The long battery life, the stacked-sensor speed. Even the eye-control AF sounds awesome. But you're right I could also start with an R5, it is the cheapest solution, and see if that works for me. If only R5C had IBIS and decent battery life it would be number one but as it is I have to rule it out completely I'm afraid.

Tell me about it, I was there for the whole DSLR video revolution. But then Sony came in with the mirrorless FF revolution with A7S in 2015 and boy did it take long for Canon to join in and catch up. EOS R (2018) had that weird 1.7x crop. Then R5/R6 (2020) were plagued with overheat issues. I mean it basically took until 2022 (R5C/R6ii/R7) to start having non overheating no compromise hybrids from Canon. Like we're just finally there in Canon land, so yeah of course they lost a lot of ground in the mirrorless video sector. They've been trashed in this forum alone for years, still have somewhat of a bad rep. Panny are in their own world I feel. Very loyal customer base. Mostly solo indie shooters. I know a few jumped over to BM. They have been ultra slow to adapt to PDAF needs so I think lost a few others to competition but with S5ii and on-going releases will probably gain them back. Solo operators really like their cameras and I understand why. Great video features, reliable hardware, always at a competitive price.

Yikes. This along side the thread on Vlog transform issues is a total deal-breaker for an eventual Panasonic switch I was entertaining. These types of issues can be maddening although mixing and matching different camera footage is always a nightmare for me personally. Agreed 100%. Also why I invested in a Sony FS7 + lens system couple years ago. I've learned to appreciate the camera as a workhorse but still it feels utilitarian. I don't feel the need to upgrade to an FX6 and will probably just get an FX30 as a B-cam. That being said, for smaller more personal projects and photography I remain faithful to Canon which is my preferred system (aside from a few stints with Nikon/Fuji). I just sold my R6 though and will most likely upgrade to either R5/R5C/R3. But the Sony dominance is scary, it goes beyond just the pro video industry. When I show up with my Canon for a video shoot I get strange looks sometimes by random non pro people and even comments like " You're not using a Sony?". People are just kinda brainwashed to think video = Sony. Which ends up kind of being the case in the end!

Should also be mentioned R6/R6II uses full width 5K/6K oversampled image for their 4K60p. Versus a line-skipped 4K60p on R5. R6/R6II have by far the nicest FF 4K60p mode punching way above its class. Yeah definitely a strong point for FX30!

Well yeah R6 overheats faster in 4K60. That's well documented. I shoot short clips and always turn the camera off between clips when shooting 4K60. On longer shoots I'd have the screen flipped out and even open battery and SD doors to minimise heat. By doing all that I never actually got stuck with the overheat but it was always something on my mind. Its the number one reason I sold the R6. No workaround was worth that stress.

Yeah from all the reports online, it seems like the 3.0 FW makes a substantial difference in video AF. A lot of users are claiming it is now finally on par with Canon/Sony. Interested to hear what owners here have to report. Is it really super sticky and no more pulsating/hunting? When multiple faces are on screen, no more hesitating?

Oh yeah sure it will work on S5ii too but if you mostly shoot 60p then you are essentially paying FF for an APS-C cam. When I switch to 60p I like the framing to remain the same so not a fan of cameras that crop on HFR shooting. It's a serious compromise imo. Interesting thought about 270-degree shutter on 60p. I also often struggle with fast shutter look when shooting 180 degree (1/120) in 60p. I'll have to experiment with that. Thanks for the tip!

Actually Fuji just released a major FW update for XH2S that apparently brings the AF up to standard:

Oh absolutely, I didn't mean to indicate otherwise. Like I said earlier, I genuinely enjoyed the blog post. Clearly a lot of thought and preparation was put into this project. I'm particularly impressed with the 3D previs. What kind of software and skills are necessary for that? Also this is a camera forum so don't be surprised we ask for tech details. 😉 Most people here shoot with mirrorless cameras which have their strength & weaknesses. I'm sure shooting with an Alexa brings its own set of challenges & rewards. Would be interesting to know what drew you to use that particular package rather than a BM pocket or mirrorless. Image quality I assume. Was it shot in ARRIRAW or Prores? 4.5K? Any particular post pipeline/workflow caveats? How big of a crew was required? Btw, as a producer scoring an Alexa Mini LF, lighting and all the accessories like that huge small HD monitor (Cine 24" 4K?) is no small feat and dare I say an almost impossible task for your average Joe. You should be proud of that! Finally full disclosure on how the $3K was spent, and what you didn't need to spend on would help better understand how you reached such a specific budget since the budget is the title of your blog post and hereby thread. Congrats on everything though, nice achievement!

How we shot a 30-minute film for under $3000 with +$100K camera gear. j/k but that does put things a minimum into perspective! 😉 Most film students shoot for free but the gear is all borrowed and none of the crew/talent gets paid, it helps!

Nah I can't wait for R5II. Need a new camera ASAP + R5II will probably retail around 4800€ here.

Sensor size has got nothing to do with it. There is a 1.5x crop on whatever lens you use in 4K60p. Wether or not that bothers you is up to you but its worth a mention when comparing camera specs imo.

Great initiative! I enjoyed reading the blog post about the planning etc. A bit more tech info would be nice. Like what gear was used to shoot your project (camera, lens, rigs, lights & sound) and how that was all managed on set by the crew.

sounds good! curious to hear how EF lenses will work in regards to AF on the S5ii, when is the camera expected to start shipping?

Yeah we all have our requirements and pet peeves. I'm not saying R6 ii is perfect. The micro HDMI is definitely my biggest annoyance but I have a cage with port lock thingies so I deal with it. Never had an issue with the IBIS but I know others do and I definitely recognise that Panasonic is a leader in stabilisation. I still haven't decided by the way what my next camera will be. I actually doubt it will be R6ii because of its high price here in EU (2900€). I can buy a new R5 for €3100 or a R5C for €3500. And gain 45MP, 8K RAW etc. I also might go all the way up to an R3 and be done with body upgrades for years to come. Or switch to Sony (A7S3/FX3) and last but not least Panny S5ii. FF 6K open-gate really excites me.

I don't shoot that much slow-mo either to be honest but when I do I really appreciate not having a crop. Another big advantage of shooting 4K50p is it halves the RS. That means 8ms on R6ii which is awesome. So I mostly shoot in 50p for fast handheld run & gun scenes where I want minimal RS and then conform to 25p no slowdown. 50p is for me mostly a RS workaround trick with added slow mo possibility as a bonus!

The R6 mark1 definitely had various setbacks but I feel the Mark2 fixes everything and even throws in a bunch of unexpected stuff like false colour and pre-record buffer. It now has anti-flicker for video in either auto or manual settings: So yeah lotta these specs are cross platform and like you said hard to pick a bad camera these days!

S5ii has some great features indeed but S35 crop in 4K60p is a pretty big weakness imo. It has a slow sensor readout with very average RS. So perfect it is not. If FF 4K60p is important to you then R6/R6ii remains the better option imo. As for AF, I still think Canon dominates. Sony is very good but a good AF system isn't just about a sticky robotic AI imo but how good you the operator can control it. Canon gives me that perfect control while still being very sticky and the latest-gen AF has all the animal eye-AF and various vehicle recognition etc. So honestly for me, I'd be nervous jumping over to Panasonic. The new PDAF looks promising and is a huge step in the right direction but it's still first-gen and I've seen some tests where its still pretty average. So getting past the new camera hype, and looking at the S5ii fairly, the LUT support and 6K open-gate are to me the only clear advantages.. which is great considering the lower price. Just not important enough to warrant a system switch and losing FF 4K60p, Canon CS and DPAF2 imo. But hey YMMV.

Yes S5ii has a S35 crop in 4K60p and 21ms RS. It's a pretty slow sensor readout like A7IV. R6II is the only camera in its price range that does a no crop FF 4K60p. 16ms RS. That's a pretty big advantage for the Canon and with 6K ProRes RAW external, it is still a very worthy alternative to S5ii.

What I'm seeing so far from S5ii leaves me cold when it comes to SOOC standard look. Typical clinical look. But maybe demos with other profiles will change my mind. And there is always LUT support, a great feature for custom SOOC looks. GH6 has ProRes which is such a great chunky codec and that dual gain sensor so probably the best IQ of a Panny mirrorless. M4/3 also opens up the door to so many interesting lenses. Its a real shame it didn't get PDAF, hopefully a G6 mk2 is in the works.

The S5II is certainly a very disruptive camera at its price point. Panny has solved its Achilles heel and is now a serious contender in the FF hybrid market. It remains to be seen how reliable this first-gen PDAF is but the tests so far seem promising. 6K open-gate is super dope. On the downside 4K60p is in S35 crop mode and 120p FHD. Rolling shutter is also average at 21ms. A7IV has a very similar slow sensor with the same 4K60p crop and even worst RS. No 6K but higher 33MP stills. Has cool things like breathing comp and clear image zoom. R6II should also definitely get a mention, especially in the US since it is priced the same as A7IV. It is still the only camera in its class that can shoot 4K60p no crop. 6K ProRes RAW external. 16ms RS. Best AF imo. Very easy to grade Clog3. In my opinion R6II destroys A7IV due to the above advantages and should be the direct competitor to S5II. Finally OP did mention "image feel" and SOOC color science. This is were things get subjective. My personal preference is by far for Canon. Sony second with their latest gen CS. Panasonic third, its not bad or anything but I just find every single SOOC Panny footage kinda dull and vanilla. Same thing with the Panny lenses. They're very sharp & accurate but lack any type of mojo. Clinical is what I'd call the Panny look. Now this is just my subjective biased opinion, and some people actually like sharp & accurate colours/lenses. In the end I always look at lens options and again this is somewhat subjective but for first-party options it is Canon/Sony for me. Sony for their Zeiss range and Canon because of all the affordable EF legacy lenses but RF is also solid and the non-L series RF are quite affordable. I'd probably go Sigma if I were on Panasonic.

@gt3rs incredible footage, just wow! I've sold my R6 so I'm in the market for a new camera. S5II is on my radar but lens choice and system familiarity will probably keep me locked to Canon. Logical step was R6II but it is selling for 2900€ which is crazy considering I can get a brand new (grey import) R5 for 3200€ or an R5C for 3500€. Very little price difference in between these two currently. I can't make up my mind though. R5 has got IBIS which is quite important to me and good battery life. And since the latest firmware there are no longer major overheat issues. Still some time limits though and I remember @herein2020 saying he had all kinds of quirks with his copy including major EVF lag. Everything else I prefer on R5C, namely LUT support which is a game changer in quick-turnaround workflow for me and the separate stills/cine menus. I'm just concerned with absence of IBIS and the dreadful battery life. I think you have both R5 & R5C but prefer R5C I assume mainly for 8K60p? I have very little use for that but I guess its still an added bonus. Any other reasons why R5C is superior to R5 (aside from the cine OS extras)? PS: R3 has also gone down on grey market (4600€) and really sounds like a good pro option. Stacked sensor. 6K60p RAW is plenty enough. IBIS. Extensive battery life. Vertical grip might even come in handy for vertical video shooting which I'm doing more & more. Plus who knows I could maybe develop sports/action career !

Just catching up with the S5II announcement. This is actually the first Panny mirrorless I'd consider as I'm slaved to DPAF since C100 almost a decade ago. A big kudos to Panasonic for finally getting proper video AF. The specs and price of the S5ii are also very impressive. FF 6K30p with 3:2 open-gate is simply terrific for the asking price. Neither Canon or Sony offer these specs at such an entry price point. This alone is very aggressive and makes switching tempting. I've actually sold my R6 so I'm actively in the market for a new mirrorless right now. And this new entry makes my decision making even tougher. I was hesitating in between simply upgrading to the R6 II or getting FX30. Or investing in higher up R5/A7S3. Or even R3. So yeah Canon vs Sony. But the S5II (and upcoming S5IIx) is definitely on my radar now as well. It would be my number one choice as far as bang for buck but actually the last because of these unknown factors: - Lenses. I'm not at all equipped in them and the offering seems a little stale & pricy. - Color Science & VLOG. I know nothing about them and kinda afraid the results and learning curve won't be to my satisfaction. This is really important. - Size/Weight. I've always found the S series the most heavy/bulky system. Well built though.

Can you magnify while recording?

cool how about some feedback on how the camera operates? is shooting anamorphic a challenge? did you use a monitor to desqueeze? any overall pro/cons?