FHDcrew

I love this approach. My mentality has really been shifting. To one of maximizing and being content with what I have. Some gear upgrades are awesome. A good lens. C-stands. Diffusion fabrics and floppies. Quality audio gear. I’m tired of looking towards the latest and greatest camera. Because the pursuit of that is endless. Where does it stop? It doesn’t. You get a perfectly great camera, and then a “better” one comes out and you just have to upgrade. And that mentality gets pushed so hard on YouTube. Even on this forum sometimes. I’d prefer to just get to know my current camera better and become better in skill. I’ve been seeing this happen. What I get out of my Nikon Z6 8-bit flat footage is better than what I used to get out of 10 bit NLOG Prores. I’m not going to upgrade my camera for a while.

And in Davinci Resolve you can use the chromatic adaptation mode to get color-space-aware WB changes.

You could stick a ninja v on top of the FX3 to record Prores raw, then convert either to Prores 4444 or CDNG RAW. Then you get rid of all noise reduction. But setup is bigger, and I understand how that could be annoying.

In my opinion, camera companies should be giving their $2,000+ uncompressed internal RAW recording in a simple manner. The Canon 5D II can do this but the $2000 Panasonic S5 II cannot.

Yes, and the beautiful thing about how Sigma handled it is it’s uncompressed CDNG, so it’s literally reading the sensor and dumping the raw feed to the card, wrapping it up in the DNG format. Couldn’t get easier. Whole reason why old canon cameras can do 14-bit RAW continuously without overheating (ok not in a .DNG format straight of the bat but still)

Dude I'm literally sick of Sony shills. Ruins Youtube for me.

I shot the AROLL of this video on my Nikon Z6 using the Nikon 17-35 2.8 adapter via FTZ. Such a great lens! (All the photos in this video were shot by someone else, not using my setup)

I’ll have to make a text video soon, but I got a working copy of the Nikon 17-35 2.8 lens. Adapted via the FTZ, AF performance is really good. Fast, snappy and stable on my Z6 when shooting 4k.

Well I already own the Tamron 45mm 1.8. Which is an awesome lens for how cheap it is on the used market. But even with the firmware update on the lens itself the autofocus performance is disappointing. It works but will frequently lock up, and the focus motors are not the fastest either.

Me I’m fully investing into the F-mount system. Because I need cheaper options than the Z mount and I already own the FTZ so why not?

Sucks cause the image produed by the lens is really solid! I may try to snag one in better condition.

Just bought an older Nikon 17-35 2.8 IF-ED lens, adapted to the Nikon Z6 via the FTZ adapter. Only got to use it for a very brief time, as the focus motor gets stuck at infinity! If it were not for this problem the lens would have been awesome; be weary of Adorama's "good" rating. Have to return it now; such a bummer as the lens itself is excellent.

Yep because just investing in the system I already have gives me the least obstacles standing in the way of investments (lenses) that will give me more creative possibilities. Also interesting about people preferring the image from the Z6 and Z7. I assume the Z6 external 10 bit is competitive with the Z8/Z9 internal 10 bit, because both have an identical log curve which is quite good with DR from my own experience, though I’ve heard there is potential for a better curve that squeezed in more DR.

Well the goal is technically videography as I plan to work in the corporate space. But I'm trying to approach it with a cinematographer's mindset when it comes to how I handle the overall style, lighting and color grading, etc. And yes I still have a long way to go but am seeing steady progress in my abilities. So I'd say in technicality: Videographer In terms of style/technique: Cinematographer

Took your advice and decided to hang on to my Z6 for a while longer. I bought a Nikon 17-35 2.8 for $350. It's the older screw-type but it does have an AF motor and saw an autofocus test with the Nikon Z7, performance was solid.

Well dang. I just ordered a 17-35 2.8 F-mount lens...but maybe I should cancel and go with this and a cheap samyang ultrawide...this adapter is very affordable.

I’ll have to give it a try! So you CST into DWG, then CST back to 709 and grade in the middle? Do you CST back to Rec709 or Gamma 2.4?

Apparently the ghost of DPREVIEW is lurking...

Yep except I have barley invested in glass. I literally just own a 45mm F-mount prime. It’s moreso the question of do I invest in more F-mount glass or no cause maybe I will switch systems…

Shot on Nikon Z6, Tamron 45mm 1.8, 8-bit neutral PP with contrast reduced in-camera. Graded in Resolve. BTS posted below.

100% agree with you here. And it’s like my mind has been split. A good chunk has consistently been in the mindset of stop worrying about gear. Just keep progressing and learning as you go. And I see the results; what I make now in all aspects is better than what I made 2 years ago. When I was shooting with the exact same gear. I really see the impact learning various skills such as lighting and color grading have really amped up my visuals. But yes I still struggle with the very tendency I know is awful and tell people never to get into. The tendency to obsess over gear, having those “if only” moments. I spoke to a friend who shoots on a Nikon D850. Told him about how I wanted to upgrade from my Z6. He asked why, I said because I don’t like how long it takes to use the Atomos Ninja V / Ninja Star each time I setup.He asked how long it takes to setup, I said maybe a minute at the longest His reply: “Isn’t it funny how just 60 seconds can seem so long?” Anyways, thanks for the therapy session @kye. I need to not worry about upgrading my camera because I genuinely don’t need to do so.

Understood. I think I need to stop nitpicking over my external recorders TBH 😂

I get quite bored talking about cameras, as the current lot of mirrorless cameras are all phenominal, with great dynamic range, autofocus, color, etc. Pretty much every major problem we have complained about in the past has been solved. For me personally I find it more beneficial to focus on technique, improving on lighting, color grading, storytelling, etc. I also find other gear investments to benefit me more, such as lens upgrades or grip gear. As many of you know, I have been using the Nikon Z6 as my primary camera, and this has been the case since the end of 2020 when I bought it. At the time of purchase, I already owned a Ninja V, so buying a used Z6 for under $1300 was a no-brainer. This gave me an affordable way to achieve 10-bit LOG while shooting with a full-frame sensor, all the while having perfectly usable phase-detect autofocus. For the most part I was and still am very happy with this camera although I did become annoyed at the size, form-factor and setup-time implications that come into play when using the Ninja V. To solve some of these issues, I bought an Atomos Ninja Star, and I figured out a way to output oversampled 10-bit 1080p to the Ninja Star, using NLOG of course. For my work, this 1080p image is all of the IQ I need. Detail is sufficient, DR is great, and grading flexibility is superb. I did grow slightly tired of using the Ninja Star even; it's great but sometimes I still want to just record internally to the memory card. The Ninja Star still involves setup time and adds a small bit of clunkiness to the setup. The Ninja Star also uses Micro HDMI so I don't always want to depend on it. I have recently been using the internal 8-bit 4k on my Nikon Z6, and have been experimenting with internal picture profiles and grading techniques. I am beginning to get results I am pleased with out of the internal image, and I feel it is going to be completely usable for my work going forward. Can I push it as much as 10-bit LOG? Of course not. Will it look as good in high-contrast scenes? No. But it can totally work, especially when I am in control of lighting, which is often the case. The plan is to shoot internally often, and when I need more, I have two great external recorders I can use. My dilema is not so much "I need a new camera because what I currently have is not working for me." Indeed, the Z6 does everything I need. When I want a small setup, the 8-bit is totally workable. If I need more, the Ninja Star can be used. For maximum IQ and solid monitoring options, my Ninja V has me covered. What my actual dilema is this: how long should I hang on to this camera, and should I continue to invest in the Nikon Z system? I plan to eventually move on from the Z6, as cameras have improved since then, and we have affordable large-sensored cameras that offer 10-bit LOG internally. The Panasonic S5 II, Sony FX30, Canon R8, R6 II, all are options i have thought of down the line. Where I am at right now: upgrading my camera is not the smartest investment right now. It is doable down the line, but right now I need to invest in more glass, and if I have the budget possibly some more grip gear to improve my lighting skills. I could easily purchase some affordable, used F-mount glass that will work with my Z6. This will be an easy route, as I already own the FTZ adapter. With that being said, it seems pointless to invest in F-mount glass if I will eventually switch systems. This is very long-winded, so let me get down to my question. Which of these two options would you say is the best route? Option 1 -- Keep my Nikon Z6 and grow my lens collection. My next Nikon body will then most likely be either the Z8, or if it ever releases, the Z6 III. This upgrade would not take place until at least a year from now. Option 2 -- Sell my FTZ adapter and adapt EF or E mount. I will take a small loss by selling my FTZ adapter and Tamron 45mm 1.8 lens, but this allows me to invest in glass that I can use with other systems down the line. Option 3 -- Sell my Z6 sooner, sell the FTZ adapter, and switch systems entirely, either to Sony, Canon or Panasonic, with the most likely candidates being either the Panasonic S5 II, a used R6 OG, or the Sony FX30.

This was shot in SLOG3 BTW. Almost makes me start to think a used A7III is a good deal in 2023...