newfoundmass

The used prices for the G85 aren't bad at all. I've seen them go for as low as $425 which is an absolute bargain. I got mine a year and a half ago used for $600 which came with two lenses. Sold the lenses and ended up only paying about $400ish for mine. Such a great camera! I still recommend it today, my only wish was that the 1080p was better. In the US the G85 always had unlimited recording so that wasn't a problem here. V-Log L though was nice, but with the GH5 only about $200 more new the G95 was DOA. Less crop in 4K, 10 Bit, and 4K 60p made the extra $200, even without V-Log L, worth it. I think Panasonic intended for it to become the updated B-cam for the GH5 but circumstances made them lower the G9 and GH5 prices to the point where the G95 really had no market. I hear hardly anyone talking about/using it, which is telling given how many people I knew/know using the G85. It's gonna rank up there for me with the LX100 mark II when it comes to a blunder by Panasonic.

Yeah, once you're getting in that price territory the difference in price becomes a bit less of an issue, though there are exceptions. I do think though that the versatility of the S1H is a difference maker more than price. Being able to just throw a lens on and start shooting will always be a nice benefit for a camera like the S1H. I'm very glad that I was wrong about Z-Cam though. They're going to be market disrupters and that's a good thing.

I really do appreciate the update but the auto focus update is underwhelming. I probably shouldn't have expected too much from the near/far shift AF but it was very, very dodgy in my tests. I found I got better results without it, in part because I have gotten used to knowing how to get the most out of AF as it was before and partly because it's just not implemented very well. It needs larger objects to work. When using it on a chain link fence and then tree branches it didn't work very well at all, it still wanted to focus on the background. It's not very useful if you can only really do it with any level of confidence with large objects. You can do essentially the same thing using single point auto focus. Really appreciate the focus peaking in AF though!

The poor G95. What a blunder.

Unless you absolutely need to transcode a file to a different codec it is always best to edit the original. Image quality wise there is no added benefit for transcoding, if anything there is a penalty. You can't add what isn't already there.

You're very welcome! You'll want to test your audio levels but the Zoom should be able to do the heavy lifting, allowing you to lower the Z6's levels all the way down. I'm not completely sure about lag, but I'd GUESS that the Atomos accommodates for the lag. I personally would input the audio into the camera, since that's what I've always done in similar situations. Hey @IronFilm & @BTM_Pix, do you guys have any thoughts?

Yes. In Resolve you can then use it to help better match your colors. YouTube "x-rite Davinci resolve" and you'll get a bunch of tutorials. It's pretty easy and works really well. You might need to tweak it a little bit but you'll definitely be in the ballpark. You just wanna use it at the beginning or end of each change in scene/lighting, that way you can match them. The Z6 should output the Zoom audio over HDMI, just as if you were using a mic, though I've never done it with the Z6. But it's worked like that for every camera I've ever used. The Atomos should record whatever the camera outputs.

Getting a color checker card is also a pretty good idea. https://www.bhphotovideo.com/c/product/465286-REG Here is a lower budget option too: https://s.click.aliexpress.com/e/mhCyrS92

It's a sign that we're flooded with options, but it's really hard for me to say this is a good deal for video shooters. There are better options out there in that price range. If you want to go with Canon you might as well go with the 90D, at least you'll get DPAF in 4K. The better battery life alone is worth the extra $200, not to mention 120p in FHD.

This might be something.

The Ninja V is a great option since you'll be upgrade proof. If you're not worried about jumping up to 4K any time soon then the Ninja 2 is a very good option and is really, really cheap used. I literally never got rid of mine because of how little I'd get for it, so I still use it as a monitor.

You probably don't want the 1560 then ha ha. I've found I much prefer it over a bag since I can roll it around. I do suggest you switch out the wheels though! I'm so much happier after switching mine. The default ones aren't great, at least not on the generic one I got.

I just switched from a bag to a knockoff Pelican 1560 case, mostly because I haven't been happy with any of the camera bags I've had. Even with a M43 set up it just feels like I'm putting too much in there with my usual kit. I don't mean to sound lazy or like a wimp, but at 35 years old I don't feel as young as I used to, and honestly lugging around a heavy bag(s) before I even start an entire day of filming sucks. I can fit three Panasonic G/GH cameras, three battery grips, three 12-35 lenses, a 14-140 lens, three Tascam TM-2X mics, a Movo VXR10 mic, my Azden XD wireless mic, my Sennheiser XSW wireless mic, a couple audio recorders, a couple extra lavs, my Azden SGM-250x shotgun, my Saramonic SmartRig+ XLR adapter, two Aputure AL-M9 lights, my headphones, and cables and batteries. I could realistically fit more in it if necessary because it's so deep (it comes with 2 layers of pluck and pull foam.) It has a pull out handle so I can roll it and I can also travel with it when needed! For shoots where I don't need my lights and stuff I just have that, my tripods, and a regular backpack to carry my laptop and other random stuff. I can bring it all in one trip from the car. My back thanks me! The one I got on eBay is listed as 22" Weatherproof Marine Rolling Case Drone Camera Gun w/ Pelican 1560 Style Foam. I promise this isn't me selling them lol.

I believe the SD cards are capable of recording RAW. And I think they went with two SD cards for uniformity and popularity.

This does not sound appealing at all.

I don't know why people always talk out of their ass on here.

IronFilm I think knows better than me but... omni lavs generally have more natural sounds. Cardioid can also have issues if not properly placed on the subject since they're more directional.

I'm intrigued by what Panasonic has up their sleeves for the GH5 but honestly it'd take quite a bit to get me to upgrade any time soon. At almost 3 years old the GH5 still does everything I NEED (not want, but need) in a camera. When it's all said and done it will have easily paid for itself at least 10x over, at a minimum. Disagree on the mediocre part, agree on everything else! Ha ha! If you don't need the cinema specific features and unlimited record time, absolutely. The GH5 is a decent stills camera but the G9 is superior in stills in every way. It's their flagship M43 stills camera for a reason!

I don't know who to trust anymore!

Those Purple Panda lavs are really great for the price! I'd definitely reach out to Rode. That's unacceptable.

Yeah, low light on most of these drones isn't great. You can only get so much out of these tiny sensors.

These updates definitely make the G9 a more capable video camera, especially for the price. If they'd been able to get rid of the recording limit I'd have heavily considered getting one to replace my G85 for event shooting. The GH5/GH5s still has the advantage with their professional video/cine features, but the G9 has definitely been turned into a little beast of a camera. I'm guessing the recording limit is still necessary to prevent overheating? These updates though remind me how much Panasonic fumbled the G95. Outside of the recording limit this pretty much makes the G9 a superior video camera than the G95 for essentially the same price, no? Plus you get the impressive stills capabilities to boot.

I'd prefer higher bit rate over more custom controls, if I had to choose one or the other. For $399 you can't ask for too much when it comes to DJI. If you're looking for more advanced features in that price range maybe look into the Power Vision PowerEgg or the HUBSAN H117S Zino?

You also need to be careful, as cheaper gels also melt.

Correct. They also don't vary much at all light to light, so you can mix and match pretty easily. I've gone the daylight LED route for heat reasons, but Tungsten lights are great.