Equipment Suggestions to go with a GH3

[Dr. John R. Brinkley]

I'm about to get a GH3. Other than a few old SMC Pentax lenses I plan to use via an adapter, I'm really starting from scratch. Hence, I'll need to buy several different things to get started and would like people's informed input if possible. Of course opinions will vary, but I'm curious to hear some thoughts if anyone would like to share.  :)

 

A few different things I'll need to purchase:

 

1) Editing software: Final Cut Pro vs. Adobe Premiere?

 

2) Color correction software: ?

 

3) Tripod set up: ideally something that balances compactability with a decent amount of quality

 

4) ND filter

 

Thanks, compadres. Like I said I'm starting from scratch. Lots of decisions to be made to get up to speed. Any input is much appreciated.  :)

[Axel]

1) Editing software: Final Cut Pro vs. Adobe Premiere?

 

You are talking about the latest FCP X vs. Premiere CS 6?

 

Knowing FCP X and Premiere until CS 5.5, it is quite clear that FCP X is the better editor. But in version 10.7 it still has bugs, and there are some things you just can't do. You can't, for example, change the project settings to cinemascope. Not yet at least. For 300 bucks, it is more than useful, and many find it sufficient. It's strenghts are the organisation of your footage, the speed with which you can edit and how well it responds (granted you have a fast machine and enough RAM).

 

Adobe has the integration of After Effects, Audition and the new Speedgrade on it's side. High price, and the editor is outmoded with it's track-bound timeline, which many experienced cutters prefer nonetheless.

 

2) Color correction software: ?

 

For Adobe, you can rely on the said Speedgrade, for FCP X you would export XML for the free DaVinci Resolve Lite or buy the Magic Bullet Looks Plugin (there is a high quality color corrector integrated, but it's tools are limited, i.e, you can't keyframe grades, which is a no-go for serious colorists). In any way, buy tutorial DVDs (not books) for the application of your choice!

 

3) Tripod set up: ideally something that balances compactability with a decent amount of quality

 

Not the cheapest, but the best in this price range is the Sachtler ACE.

 

4) ND filter

 

New is the Eclipse as an ND-Fader. You heard, that you need a bigger diameter than your lenses filter mount? Or a set of NDs like 2,4,8. 

[richg101]

an external monitor is a nice thing to have.  messing around with a piddly little 3" screen is no fun when tracking focus on a moving subject.  An EVF or Loupe is also nice.  assists with focusing, but most importantly gives you a 3rd point of contact meaning you get more of a shoulder mounted, smooth look to your footage.  

[Dr. John R. Brinkley]

Thanks for the feedback.

 

I also need to buy a computer, but I thought I'd spare everyone the PC vs. Apple debate. Ha. For the record I'll probably be buying a new Imac, mainly because I can get a 20% discount via a friend who works for them.

[nahua]

I second the Satchler ACE.  I love this tripod, light and easy to carry, stable and solid for the price.  I've used Manfrotto and it's crap - broke mine on my 3rd shoot.  If you go into the $1K range, Vinten, Satchler, and Miller are all very solid choices.  Read the reviews, watch reviews on youtube, but for the money the ACE is very good.

[Dr. John R. Brinkley]

Does anyone have thoughts on Apple Color?

[Axel]

'Does anyone have thoughts on Apple Color?'

 

Yes, very good programme, I still use it. You need FCP 7 to feed it (which is 32-bit and old-fashioned like Premiere). But: You can use FCP X to make simple cuts (this is the important part!), export an XML-File, and open your project with X27 (that means, your projects opens as FCP 7 timeline). There you don't need to toch the timeline, just right-click on your sequence in the browser and <em>'send: to Color. Good solution.

[Supernova]

Hi Dr John,

 

First question I would ask is what are you going to be shooting with it? Paid work or hobby?

 

The Sachtler Ace range is excellent but pricey if you're not professional. Still, a good quality tripod is essential and a good investment. Miller, Manfrotto, Libec are all fine, too (I have one of each). Because the camera is so light you don't need to spend a fortune, as long as you have a decent fluid head and legs that don't twist when you pan.

A monopod is very handy, particularly with a nice lightweight camera like the GH3. Mine's a Manfrotto with a video tilt head on it and I have Manfrotto quick release plates on all my other support gear so they're all standard across all my cameras/tripods etc.   

 

If you get an iMac at least all your bases are covered for all the NLEs out there. A PC will exclude either flavour of FCP.

I disagree with Axel's "old-fashioned" comment. Premiere Pro 6 is anything but old fashioned and will do whatever you want it to.

 

I can't speak for FCP X as I haven't used it. Don't like it. But that's just my opinion because I regularly cut on Avid, Adobe & FCP7, which all have a similar feel. FCP X is completely different. Having said that, if you have little knowledge of modern NLE's and you get an iMac, I would try FCP X first. Get the trial version off the app store. If you don't like it, try the trial of Premiere from Adobe.

 

Unless you're planning on becoming a colourist, the built in colour correction tools in Premiere, Avid, and Final Cut are more than adequate.You can also buy plugins to get pre-built "looks". Working with 4.2.0 colour doesn't lend itself to too much post manipulation anyway.

 

Save the rest of your money for lenses :)

 

Cheers,

 

MW

[andy lee]

Cokin P series ND Filter set ND 2, 4 AND 8

[andy lee]

Or these Jacobs ND4 filters are actually made by Cokin

(and exactly the same quality and tested both side by side)

if you prefer individual screw on filters rather than Cokins system

 

discount stock here very cheap and very good!  looks through their listings they have all sizes on their ebay page

http://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/Jacobs-ND4-Super-slim-Neutral-Density-filter-72mm-for-nikon-canon-sony-NEW-PRO-/110954838820?pt=UK_CamerasPhoto_CameraAccessories_CameraLensesFilters_JN&hash=item19d56c7b24

 

http://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/Jacobs-ND4-Super-slim-Neutral-Density-filter-67mm-for-nikon-canon-sony-NEW-PRO-/110954837360?pt=UK_CamerasPhoto_CameraAccessories_CameraLensesFilters_JN&hash=item19d56c7570

[Axel]

I disagree with Axel's "old-fashioned" comment. Premiere Pro 6 is anything but old fashioned and will do whatever you want it to.

 

Yes. I know Premiere and FCP since eleven years, and you are right of course - with the second part of the sentence! The old Avid-like NLEs took film and tape editing as models for their GUIs. The design of an applications surface is just a simplified visualization for the user to reach his desired results. But there are no more 'tracks', let alone independent tracks, with file-based video. And also, the complicated paths between files are not necessary to browse trough them, they must have been invented by some clerk. On the harddrive, video never was 'in' folders, bins, like film-reels were in cans and the cans on shelves, and film-strips on the lightboard. So the model started to be unnecessarily complicated, but cutters were used to it, and they never questioned it. 

 

I was at first disappointed by FCP X and didn't like it at all. I thought the magnetic timeline prevented me from having full control over my edit. It's the other way around. There is absolutely no reason to stick to unintelligent tracks, whose only connection is the rule, that the highest track covers the ones below. This rule makes sense for compositing, but not for editing. If I assemble images, I don't want to have to play Tetris, right?

 

Think about why you use more than one video track, think about why you shove certain clips around (and need free space to move them), think about how you keep things in synch. You may know answers to these questions, but a newbie, who just spent a few days with FCP X and then was confronted with Premiere ... - 'er, what the heck is this supposed to be good for?'

 

FCP X is good for multicam, it automatically synchs external audio (which Premiere promised long ago, you still need plural eyes with CS6), and - since 10.6 - it allows as many compound clips, nested in newer (or older, try this with older applications!) compound clips as you like, it has two playheads, which makes it veeery fast.

 

Premiere, on the other hand, needs paths to navigate to the footage folders, it forces you to scroll down lists, it puts clips into unintelligent subfolders, and they can't logically be in two (or more) different folders at the same time. Needless to say, you have to double-click a folder, you have again to scroll the list of clips, and to play one, you have to double-click again. Now if all this doesn't sound like a 20th century GUI!

 

That said, you can do (almost) everything in respectable ol' Premiere, and you can't yet in FCP X ...

[Dr. John R. Brinkley]

Supernova: I'm a hobbyist. I agree about not breaking the bank on a tripod...portability is my first goal. I like the monopod idea. And lenses are my first priority. I don't plan on being a colorist but I can get OCD, in a good way I hope, when in post production. A few plugins is probably what I need: something to make the digital aspects feel less digital. If there are any favorite film type plugins that would be a good start.

 

I've been out of the loop for ten years. I cut a few times on a Steenbeck back in the day and then went to Avid and then to the early FCP. But like I said I'm starting from scratch with editing at this point. It looks like I could do well with Premiere or FCP at this point. 

 

andy lee: thanks again, as always.

 

Axel: thanks for indepth comparison, much appreciated.

[Dr. John R. Brinkley]

One thing I neglected to ask about in the first post was: sliders. They seem quite useful but can get quite pricey. Curious which ones people used, if at all.