newfoundmass

There are good and bad things about it, I definitely get why people dread it, but it's the future. Social media is how they get their feet wet and THEN that's when their world opens up to filmmaking and videography. I mean, we're already seeing it happen. People who think my friend is a rare example aren't paying attention. You're still missing the point. No one is saying you buy one camera and that's it. Someone starting their video journey though probably shouldn't have to purchase a whole new camera in a year or two because the camera they spent $2200 on can't record for extended periods or in hot conditions without overheating. At least not in 2023, anyway. People need to stop making excuses for these companies. He's a nice enough dude, but unfortunately he's a Sony shill. I probably wouldn't take what he has to say, re: whether you should buy a camera, very seriously.

Right now I'm shooting with two Lumix S5 bodies and a GH5. I don't intend to "upgrade" anytime soon. Before getting a second S5 I was still using a G85 and GX85! I do miss the GX85 though, it was so nice to have such a tiny camera with good video quality. I might end up getting another one, we'll see. Welcome back! To be honest I wish there were more threads about things that weren't about the latest cameras! Any reason why you use the P4K over the P6K for work?

Times change, as does how people get into video production and videography. You're unable to see things from a perspective that isn't yours @Kisaha. If you're a 21 year old kid (that's how old he was when he got his first paid gig) that is offered $75 to film a theater performance because you happen to own a camera for a YouTube channel you're trying to get off the ground, you're not going to have the experience and knowledge of someone that has been doing it for years and years. You're also probably not going to turn that opportunity down, either, because that's a credit card payment for the camera you put on credit. I was only relaying how his path into videography began, and how he first purchased a camera that was limited and how that impacted his unexpected, but ultimately successful, transition into doing paid work. He now shoots with three A7siii bodies and is doing well for himself. His criticism of the ZV-E1 is pretty valid, because 5 years ago he would've been the target demo for this camera, probably purchased it, and found he'd spent $2200 on a camera that he couldn't use for the work he'd eventually end up doing. As he put it, there's dozens of better options that won't limit a person from following whatever path they end up taking, whether it's being a YouTuber or becoming interested in filmmaking or videography as a job. His perspective was different from mine, and obviously yours, so I figured it was worth sharing.

I'm loving the videos @Andrew Reidhas been posting on YouTube lately. They're cracking me up, because he's saying a lot of the things I'm thinking, but doing it with the British humor and wit that I lack. The Matt Granger one did me in this morning! If you haven't watched them you should! Keep it up, Andrew!

As I said it might not be typical, but I don't think it's one rare case at all. I think quite a few YouTubers end up producing video work for others, whether it's a friend asking to film their kid's recital or a family member asking if they'd film their wedding. Once the ball gets rolling it can lead into something else. Many of us "blue collar videographers" started out as hobbyist and got our first paid gigs because we were known as "the video person" or "the person with the video camera." My first paid work was because as a 13 year old I'd bring my video camera to pro-wrestling shows to film for my own enjoyment and one time I was offered money in exchange for the footage. In many ways the aspiring YouTuber is the modern equivalent of that. To say that it's rare I just don't think is correct.

I was talking to a friend this morning who started out planning to be a YouTuber but ended up doing actual paid work and losing interest in YouTube. He's a Sony user and he gave me a different perspective for why this camera sucks and it is a pretty simple one: given it's limitations it can't grow with you. His first paid jobs were because people knew he did "that YouTube stuff" and they wondered if he could film something for them. He was of course stoked about it, but ended up having a problem: his A7iii was good for his YouTube channel but the 30 minute record limit didn't cut it for the theater productions he was asked to film. Suddenly the camera that he bought because all the YouTubers he wanted to emulate were using it, and that he bought on credit (he was 20 at the time and didn't know better), wasn't the right tool for the job. He was able to get around it when he found out the trick to remove the limit, but he still found it'd overheat sometimes. His parents eventually helped him buy an A7siii once they saw the potential in what he was doing, but it was a costly lesson. Obviously his experience might not be typical, but his point was that if he was just getting started now he'd probably buy this camera but end up regretting it because of it's limitations. People's intentions/priorities change over time. People buying this camera might only intend to use it for YouTube and short takes, but what happens when your co-worker offers to pay you to film their kid's play? Or you're asked to film your cousin's wedding? Anyway, it was an interesting perspective from someone that started out as a YouTuber that I thought I'd share.

No offense to the other posters, but the original poster mentioned taking stills with the camera so Blackmagic isn't a good option.

The S5II with the Sigma 24-70mm f/2.8 if you're looking for a zoom lens Or The S5II with Panasonic Lumix S 24mm f/1.8 and the Lumix S 85mm f/1.8 I went with 24 and 85mm because it'll give you a wide shot and a great portrait lens. The Sigma primes are also excellent, and are faster (f/1.4) but the 24 and 85mm would put you over budget.

It's one thing if the hardware can't support it, or if the camera is ancient, but the only reason these new features aren't being added to recent cameras via firmware is because Sony doesn't want to. As you said, they are features you can live without, but that's not really the point. These companies want brand loyalty without giving it back in return.

Unless you're shooting in a log profile or doing lots of color grading 8-bit is fine. I film the majority of my event work in 8-bit because 10-bit just isn't necessary when I don't need to do a ton of corrections. I film in the natural color profile on my Lumix cameras, set my custom white balance, and I'm good to go. 10-bit is great to have for narrative, commercial, and even corporate/interviews where you're going for a certain "look." It is also very good for green screen work. Since getting the Lumix S5 and full v-log I've filmed more in 10 bit. I really like it, but it's just not necessary for a lot of stuff.

I've seen some really good stuff from the S5II, so I think overall it's a very good release. But they do need to fix the issues that are there and let people know that they're working on them. Given their track record I am confident that they will, but I hate how poor their communication can be.

I'd also argue that they've already got people's money, so they don't care. They want you to buy the next camera, not increase the value of the camera you've already bought. And it works, because more than a couple notable YouTubers ended up getting the A1 and the A7RV after selling the A7SIII, which I'm sure then influenced others to do the same since that's how it works. I just wish more people cared about this shitty behavior.

If you're dropping $2200 on a camera you probably should be able to in 2023. These tests also don't take into consideration things like humidity during summer, which can make it feel a lot hotter than it is.

Some of the AI features ARE decent, but overall it's just a re-release of a 3 year old camera that is meant to appeal to those on a budget. It'll do great, I'm sure, but it's not much more than an attempt to squeeze a little more juice out of an old sensor and processor. I couldn't possibly rely on this camera in the summer even at the temps Gerald tested it at because that doesn't account for how warm it really feels with humidity, in direct sunlight, or in a venue filled with hundreds of people with no AC, etc. And I live/work in Vermont! But it's not meant for users like me. I will say, I'm not a fan of companies releasing cameras that have these kind of reliability flaws, even if they are honest about them. To me it feels like a step backwards, especially for Sony. I thought they'd moved on from releasing cameras that overheated. That you need to pay a premium to get a camera that won't overheat will never sit right with me. If you pay $2200 for a camera it should be usable in all but the most extreme conditions.

I think there are better cameras out there for what this camera is marketed for, but for those who've spent the last several years watching YouTubers gush about the A7Siii or the FX3 but couldn't afford one, I think this will be popular with them. I think we forget that the "famous" YouTubers are but a small fraction of those trying to create successful YouTube channels. There are millions of people on there trying to become the next big YouTuber but with limited resources. This is a camera that will probably appeal to them. They were probably ready to whip their credit cards out the second every reviewer said "it's like a A7Siii but for half the price."

Canon users really have a victim complex. Of course it is a flaw. As is the plasticky body, the single card slot, the insane crop needed to get usable stabilization, the overheating, etc. The difference is that Sony has more credibility with people because they haven't spent the last decade dicking people around while Canon has, so people are a lot less fervid in their criticism. If you want to criticize Sony then their firmware upgrades are a great place to start. It's ridiculous that they don't push some of these upgrades that are available on cheaper cameras to their more expensive ones, given the hardware is capable of it. Not everything on the ZV-E1 can be carried over to older cameras, but a lot of it can be and SHOULD BE if Sony values their customers. Finally, can't understand the complaint of the sensor. 12 megapixels isn't a flaw because it has a purpose: better low light. If you don't need those low light capabilities or just want more megapixels then you should get the A7IV.

This will probably do well for people producing social media content for businesses, but it'd do much better if they'd included an open gate mode so people could output video to the aspect ratios each service uses. Maybe it's a limit to the sensor size?

It will sell bunches based on being a lower priced A7Siii alone. There are also a lot of people still using the A7c and this is an easy upgrade path for them. I have no interest in it, but I absolutely see the market it is going for. My YouTube feed has been trash today, between the Freewell filters, Insta360 gimbal, and now this.

It'll be a great vlog camera with terrible/no stabilization, as is tradition with all cameras marketed as vlogging cameras whether it's Panasonic, Nikon, Canon or Sony.

I mean it quite literally, how does the boot of Jeff Bezos and Amazon taste? This kind of corporation apologia is ruining the world. And this is me being polite.

Forgive me, but how does that boot taste?

Shit I just pissed in my mouth made me LOL

Decide what you NEED and then go from there. What sensor size would be you satisfied with? Do you need stabilization? Do you want a bunch of codec options? Is autofocus important? Low light? All those cameras have their strengths and weaknesses. It's all about finding the one that checks the most boxes for your budget.

double post!

COVID really opened my eyes about being extra thoughtful about how I spend my money and what I have my money tied up in. There were several times, even early in the pandemic when I tried to convince myself that things would be better by the summer, where I almost pulled the trigger on completely overhauling my kit. I had the money to do it, and my gear would've fetched more than it did last year when I finally did start the transition to the S5. But I'd have been in a really BAD situation if I had spent that money in 2019 or early 2020. I'd probably have had to start selling my gear, which I would need when things got back to "normal", to survive. By waiting though I scored two S5 bodies in the last 12 months for a little over $2000 total and didn't put myself in a poor financial situation doing so. These cameras will serve me for at least the next two years, I'm sure longer if I really want them to, and will have paid for themselves over and over again by the time I decide to upgrade. By then they'll be 4 or 5 years old, but they'll still do the job just as the GH5 continues to do for me 6 years after buying it. I'll let others take the financial hit that comes with buying a new camera, because short of some MUST HAVE release, my days of buying the latest gear new are over. I'd rather keep that money in my pocket because if COVID showed me anything it's that I just don't know what the future holds and when we leave it to people to make the best decisions for the collective they often times don't.