MrSMW

But when you realise you lost your charger and you have a wedding in 2 days and live in a rural location… It’s a convenience.

And don’t get me started on Amazon deliveries… Next or even same day in some UK cities, but min 3 days on anything it seems with Amazon.fr Hey ho, at least the weather is great. Except it hasn’t been. But apart from that… 🤪

Well it’s official now and we (those of us that are interested) have a date with units supposed to be available to purchase within a month. Living in France, that will take a little longer as stockists whether brick & mortar or on-line will have to wake up and say, “Huh? What? A new camera? No one told us”. Well they did, - just because they sent the info by email and not fax, does not mean Nikon HQ didn’t send it. But I digress. I can’t see me not pre-ordering a single unit to replace my current stills combo of Z6ii and Zf. Something like 15 shooting days into the combo, the simple summary is I need a single stills camera and not a pair and the capability of the Zf in the Z6ii body would be perfect as neither individually are ideal for my needs, the Z6ii just being too slow and the Zf being an ergonomic pain in the arse. Alongside my all L Mount set up for video, it will be the first time I will be able to say I am finally happy with the combo of bodies and lenses for my needs. And then, post season, November onwards, depending on what Lumix does with any S1 replacement, there are 3 contenders going forward: A. All Nikon B. All L Mount C. Continue with the combo of Nikon + Tamron for stills plus Panny + Sigma for video, but maybe get an S9 to replace the S1H just to lighten the load which is the only requirement I still have. Spec-wise, we have (for my needs) already reached the point where all boxes have been ticked. My last remaining aim is to streamline and lighten the load wherever I can. With Nikon + Tamron, I have achieved that so just need to do that now with L Mount. Or not. We shall see…

No one knows other than Nikon. Or anyone out there testing a pre-production model, but no indications that that is even happening. It can’t be far off though surely?

I kind of get it, yet hate it at the same time. It’s this mix of proactive and reactive in what is supposed to be a declining market so economic restraints. But as a small business user, I want to plan much longer in advance. Camera and lens announcements, until they actually happen, tend to be mostly speculative and based on rumor. I get it from their point of view, re. competitors etc, but I would rather see timelines for stuff so I can at least do some strategic planning. Take this year for instance. At the end of 2023 I already knew I had too much kit as in the combo I needed to do what I needed it too do, was too big and heavy with too much juggling. Could I make any different choices within L Mount over the Winter of 2023 into 2024? No, so had to come up with a better plan before my season started in 2024. Do I have the right kit this year? Kind of… Better than last year, but still too much juggling to the tune of 1 too many cameras, so I both want and need to go from 4 to 3. Can I do it with L Mount? No, not as well as with someone else. Would I prefer it to be with L Mount? Yes, but with zero indication of a replacement for the S1R or H other than pure speculation, I cannot make the business decision I would prefer to make. And if X is not available yet, then fair enough, but I’d just like a little official idea of when so I can either: A: hold off and wait for X, or, B: make an alternative course of action. It’s not just old Panny Boy, (though the GH6 was the longest ever camera to appear) but all of them. They all probably have very good business reasons, but I don’t have to like that. And don’t.

You only got the free camera…sorry, the loan term loan until they never asked for it back, after you engaged in their sordid practices. This is what’s necessary these days to be part of this scene.

Maybe, but I still reckon they had some folks pegged for a double launch and others just for the S9. Not that I really care and I’d go if asked! Japan is No. 1 on my bucket list and if I had to do a couple of days work but had my flights paid plus a couple of nights covered but had to stump up the rest for my ‘own’ time, I’d be fine with that. Maybe I should up my YouTube game so I stand a chance of the S2whatever launch? By the law of sod, they will probably then go and do it somewhere like Paris which is just 2 hours by train and I have been like a gazillion times…

A bit of ‘everything’ really… Also that intangible can’t quite put into words, but is a thing, ‘look’. I have always just found M4/3 stills to be a bit meh. I noticed the difference when I moved from Fuji APSC to Lumix FF. Nikon FF has another tiny edge over Lumix FF, at least at 24mp with supposedly the same sensor. So I don’t go much for the technical analysis of why something is less or more, but more an instinctive/immediate, “I like this better or this not as much”, without too much concern as to why it may be so.

As in if I 4/3 I would almost certainly go GH7 over G9ii because it’s only €300 more! Because the difference between FF and APSC is noticeable to me and the gap between FF and M4/3 bigger still. And I am a pretentious artiste. There are levels… Video for me = M4/3, APSC, or FF Stills for me = FF or Medium Format Having said that, AI such as Topaz or PureRaw such as I use can do wonders, but as a *cough* craftsman, I’d know and it would make it for me more of a job than a craft. Making craft beer in your own small distillery vs working as one of hundreds at the Carlsberg factory? That’s how it is for me when it comes to the stills side of my business. The video side can remain Carlsberg though 😂

Maybe, but not for long surely so possibly chucked out the S9 crew and the GH7 mob had longer date return tickets? ”Oh you are not coming to the airport with us? What do you mean you are staying all expenses paid courtesy of old Panny Boy for another week?”

Well I guess I’ll just ask them to keep repeating the confetti run until the camera says so, or possibly ask them to immediately go cut the cake, do their first dance, play with some sparklers and then hope the firework show is extra long 👍

You are missing the bit about the camera for stills being full frame. Even with ‘special glue’ those M4/3 lenses won’t work 😜

I went and looked and saw that. Well I went and looked at the G9ii anyway to check it actually had a working AF system and it appears to do so. Interesting then, but potentially costly… There’s only about 300 in it cost-wise per body, new at least and I won’t be making any moves this year and it comes down to a few factors as there are 3 contender options for my 3 unit set up for next year. Stick with the mixed Lumix/Nikon set up I have now, but seriously considering flipping my Z6ii and Zf for a single Z8 and very soon as this is a very low cost option. Or going back to Lumix for everything, ie, video and stills. This will require Lumix to bring out the S1R successor by this Winter latest and then it’s just a question of a pair of GH7’s, or a pair of G9ii’s, or a mixed combo of either S1H or S5ii paired with S9. Or go fully Nikon and trade everything I have which would be 2x Lumix bodies and 3x L Mount lenses plus 2x Nikon bodies, for 3x identical Z6iii bodies. The question I have (to myself) is cost vs return… Flipping to the Z8 will cost me about 1.5k and answers all my needs except not having 3 identical bodies and one unit is pretty large (S1H with grip and 70-200). The all Nikon option I reckon would be around a 2.5k flip as I have quite a bit too trade and have all the lenses I need, except perhaps a 35-150, so 2.5-4k. The Lumix option is actually the most costly, especially to go back to M4/3 for video and I reckon it would cost, even with trade in kit, between 8-10k. All Lumix without going back to M4/3 = approx 3-3.5k I reckon. On paper at least, according to the financials, it’s not looking good for 4/3…

And what keeps tempting me to go back… For instance, of the new releases, I’d rather have an S9 paired with an S5ii, the latter for static and longer stuff, the former for roaming around like the wedding day predator that I am. But for the lenses, GH7. Easily. Now arguably, I could crop in post or use pixel to pixel and have my Sigma 28-70mm f2.8, performing like the actually bigger and heavier, but f1.7 for light gathering purposes, M4/3 25-50, but actually, I’d rather just have the 10-25 and 25-50 and be done with it, all bases covered, no faffing. The 18-35 was a gem. It’s big brother less so when it came to AF and that was the issue for me. I shoot manual focus most of the time but NEED reliable AF at certain points and this is where until recently, the camera side was not working so well for me. Oly great AF but trash video. Panny great video but trash AF. Does the G9ii have PDAF? I’ll have to go check because I don’t think I need the spec of the GH7… I haven’t paid the G9ii much attention, but maybe it’s an option. I’ll go look at it.

No, the 10-25 and 25-50 are perfecto on a pair of 4/3 cameras for video. It’s on the FF stills unit I need something wider than the options of 28-45 and 35-150. The 20mm f2 from Sigma is perfect or sticking with the zoom theme, more like the Sigma 16-28 f2.8 which has a bit more versatility. I only use wider than 28mm for dancing stuff and occasional architecture, mainly indoors. Just make me a LUMIX priced version of the Leica SL3 would you Panasonic! And no, I would not go back to the S1R. It was good and the results were excellent, but I don’t like its ergos as much as the S1H. Not even close…

Well from a couple of reviews, it seems some were posted the camera to their respective home countries and some received it direct in Japan, because I am pretty sure those folks who have done initial reviews in Japan, did not fly back again!

And now having seen what the GH7 is, yes indeed, this combo would tick every box for me other than very occasionally, but enough times to warrant one, throwing in something even wider for the full frame stills. But otherwise nothing I can fault with that set up for my needs.

I don’t like this term ‘influencers’. There isn’t a single person on the planet that can say or do anything that would ‘influence’ me into buying or not buying anything, I’ll make my own mind up thanks. Content Creators because unless they are a working filmmaker, videographer or photographer, that is ‘all’ they are doing, - making content and reporting their findings and opinions. But influencing? Baa, I don’t think so. Not me anyway. I suppose there is an element for whom if X even touches a certain piece of kit, it’s an immediate buy just because X waxed lyrical about it. Anyway, rant mode off 😜

37-120 minute record time is interesting… What if I want to record for only 36 minutes? Expeed 7 is already in 3 Nikon bodies so nothing exactly ‘new’ there and a default option at this time surely?

🙌 Not 100% but a pair of GH7’s with the 10-25 and 25-50 twins is just about the perfect set up for me, especially compared with my current set up. First of all, it’s two matched cameras for ergos, batteries etc. Second, whilst there are comparable zooms in FF at the wider end, there are not at the longer end. Third, lighter and more portable set up for me. I don’t actually need all the bells and whistles and it’s the PDAF that swings it for me and why I skipped the GH6, but dabbled with the OM-1. The ONLY issue I had with the OM-1 was I was not a fan of the video quality, - it’s very purpose for me 😏 A single FF camera with a fast wider ‘indoor’ zoom plus a fast longer zoom for ‘outdoor’ and I’m done. 👾

I think that is about as perfect a set up as there can be for my needs. I could even consider going back to the S1H as my full frame stills unit because it’s excellent in that role. Let’s see what the GH7 is…

I came so close to going back to M4/3 with a pair of gripped Oly OM-1’s just for these 2 lenses. Considered it for GH6 but decided it was not an option. GH7 perks interest once more, but I will need to see that that is but it’s about a perfect combo of focal lengths as there can be for me. For video anyway: 20-50 indoor? 50-100 outdoor? Bingo! Paired with something else full frame for stills with a 35-150… We could have a winner…

I used the in camera LUT feature all last year with the S5ii and would probably have stuck with it this year also except for one issue and that was the footage did not cut seamlessly with that from my S1H. But otherwise, definitely a good thing for those of us who are not especially interested in grading in post etc. One option I am considering for 2025 is trading the S1H (cries silently inside) for an S9 but then switching their roles with the S5ii moving into the static role and the dinky S9 on me at all times doing the 10 second clips. S9 with the Smallrig grip (or even cage as I use with the S5ii) and the Sigma 28-70mm f2.8 could be a winning combo in that role. And use the LUT feature again.

We can but hope…

The lens options for L Mount has been my issue with them not being the all round best option for me that I had hoped for. Yes, there are a ton on lenses and some of them some of my absolute faves, mainly the Sigma Contemporary like such as 20mm f2, 65mm f2, 90mm f2.8 and 28-70mm f2.8 and I really like the latest 70-200mm f2.8…except it’s size and weight. And the latter point is my principal issue. I can give not just a pass, but a very good case for larger and heavier lenses if they offer something I need or want. The new Sigma 28-45mm f1.8 is a case in point. Squeaks in under my self-imposed 1kg limit…just…but then that is it for L Mount which for me lacks stuff such as Canon’s 28-70 f2 and their 24-105 f2.8 plus Tamron’s 35-150 f2/2.8. I really hope that Sigma are working on some other more interesting (to me) stuff and would settle for a 45-90mm f1.8 brother to this latest Sigma lens because I could build a system around those 2 lenses for sure. Or something to rival that Tamron 35-150, but less bulky and ugly like the Samyang version. I love the pairing of the 10-25 and 25-50 f1.8 zooms in M4/3 and in my ideal world, I just want to see an internal zooming full frame version of these, ie 20-50 and 50-100 because that would be just nuts for me. Or maybe the new GH7 will come out of left field for me and allow this… 🤓