Z Camera E1 for $200

[Trek of Joy]

On 12/26/2017 at 8:53 AM, markr041 said:

Or refund my $199! ☺

+1

Your footage looks really good, this would make a great B-cam on the cheap. All my lenses are FF and either Sony or Fuji, this thing would look pretty goofy with a speed booster and a Nikon 28-70/2.8 hanging off the front. That said, I'm still seriously considering ordering one at $199.

[mercer]

21 minutes ago, Trek of Joy said:

+1

Your footage looks really good, this would make a great B-cam on the cheap. All my lenses are FF and either Sony or Fuji, this thing would look pretty goofy with a speed booster and a Nikon 28-70/2.8 hanging off the front. That said, I'm still seriously considering ordering one at $199.

Yeah, that may look a little goofy. I actually love the color and with zLog it seems to have a respectable amount of DR. With the slight crop in DCI, it may be the perfect little cam for my c-mount lenses. As of now, I have no camera to use them with and as I sell off old lenses, the c-mounts should be the first to go, but every time I pick them up to list on eBay... I do the opposite.

[webrunner5]

Hell you can buy a Panasonic GM1, not much bigger size wise, and have a Real camera for less money. Crazy people on here LoL.

https://www.ebay.com/itm/Panasonic-LUMIX-DMC-GM1-16-0-MP-Digital-Camera-Body-Only-NICE/152843026602?hash=item23962780aa:g:JFUAAOSwa0VaQzn2

[mercer]

8 minutes ago, webrunner5 said:

Hell you can buy a Panasonic GM1, not much bigger size wise, and have a Real camera for less money. Crazy people on here LoL.

https://www.ebay.com/itm/Panasonic-LUMIX-DMC-GM1-16-0-MP-Digital-Camera-Body-Only-NICE/152843026602?hash=item23962780aa:g:JFUAAOSwa0VaQzn2

True, but you aren’t getting a DCI 4K Camera with a Log profile and mic input with the GM1. Plus, the tiny, box form factor is appealing. Plus-plus, I think I like the Z Camera’s color science better than I like the Panasonic color science. JMO.

[webrunner5]

14 minutes ago, mercer said:

True, but you aren’t getting a DCI 4K Camera with a Log profile and mic input with the GM1. Plus, the tiny, box form factor is appealing. Plus-plus, I think I like the Z Camera’s color science better than I like the Panasonic color science. JMO.

Well those are good points for sure.  But it seems like markr041 is the only person in the world that has one, and has shot videos with one LoL.

[mercer]

14 minutes ago, webrunner5 said:

Well those are good points for sure.  But it seems like markr041 is the only person in the world that has one, and has shot videos with one LoL.

True and his results are pretty good considering the low bitrate of the camera. I really don’t need a third camera, but at $199, it is kinda tempting. Lol. 

[markr041]

1 hour ago, webrunner5 said:

Hell you can buy a Panasonic GM1, not much bigger size wise, and have a Real camera for less money. Crazy people on here LoL.

https://www.ebay.com/itm/Panasonic-LUMIX-DMC-GM1-16-0-MP-Digital-Camera-Body-Only-NICE/152843026602?hash=item23962780aa:g:JFUAAOSwa0VaQzn2

I do not like, at all, being called "crazy," LoL or not (I am not really offended, of course). But this seems to reflect lack of knowledge. 

I do not understand what "Real" camera means. What features exactly are missing from the Z E1 that disqualify it as a "Real" camera? Is it not having a dial with "Intelligent Auto (iA) mode" and "Scene Detection" as choices? Have you tried either camera? Got some videos to show from either?

And, the GM1 does not shoot 4K (let alone DCI 4K), nor does it have a mic input. The E1 also has the better GH4 sensor (but better color than the GH4) compared to the GM1. And the E1 is smaller. It lacks no manual control features; it even has auto ISO with aperture and shutter set manually, a most useful mode.

On the BHPhoto site it says that the E1 is a "#1 Seller." I guess there are a lot of crazies out there. Or, informed videographers.

[Mattias Burling]

1 hour ago, webrunner5 said:

Hell you can buy a Panasonic GM1, not much bigger size wise, and have a Real camera for less money. Crazy people on here LoL.

https://www.ebay.com/itm/Panasonic-LUMIX-DMC-GM1-16-0-MP-Digital-Camera-Body-Only-NICE/152843026602?hash=item23962780aa:g:JFUAAOSwa0VaQzn2

This got me curious since the GM1 quickly have become the camera I've used the most for my YouTube.

But looking around the Z camera is priced to close to a used bmpcc. There is only one store selling them so I haven't seen it used either. But if one pops up I might give it a go.

[webrunner5]

"On the BHPhoto site it says that the E1 is a "#1 Seller." I guess there are a lot of crazies out there. Or, informed videographers."

I bet it is more Crazy, "cheap ass people", could be construed as poorer people, than the latter. But because of crazy people like you I might get one and join you being Crazy. I can almost bet Mercer will join us!

[markr041]

11 minutes ago, Mattias Burling said:

This got me curious since the GM1 quickly have become the camera I've used the most for my YouTube.

But looking around the Z camera is priced to close to a used bmpcc. There is only one store selling them so I haven't seen it used either. But if one pops up I might give it a go.

Here, a used (FullHD) BMPCC is $700 at the usual stores and on most ebay sites. Not close to $199.

I have shot with the BMPCC. I loved shooting RAW, but it was real difficult to use, especially in bright light, and battery life was terrible.

[webrunner5]

I already have a GoPro Session 5 and I bet they will inter mix quite well.

That brings up a topic that I bet if Blackmagic ever makes a 4k BMPCC it will probably look close to this Z1 camera even in Raw. Very few cameras look Cinelike, Filmic shooting 4k. 4k in a sense is too good for a film look.

Not that a 1DC or like cameras are not beautiful in 4k they are, but they don't have the look a BMPCC has good or bad. I can not begin to imagine how clean a 8k camera output looks like. I will probably be dead before I could afford even a 8k Monitor, let alone a 8k camera LoL.

[Mattias Burling]

26 minutes ago, markr041 said:

Here, a used (FullHD) BMPCC is $700 at the usual stores and on most ebay sites. Not close to $199.

I have shot with the BMPCC. I loved shooting RAW, but it was real difficult to use, especially in bright light, and battery life was terrible.

Wow.. $700. I should start selling them over there.

Ive never experienced those issues with the bmpcc. Batteries last all day if one uses a big one and I have no idea why there where issues in bright light. But like I said. If I ever see one for $199 I might try it. Or maybe they would give me one if I asked nicely

[markr041]

13 minutes ago, Mattias Burling said:

Wow.. $700. I should start selling them over there.

Ive never experienced those issues with the bmpcc. Batteries last all day if one uses a big one and I have no idea why there where issues in bright light. But like I said. If I ever see one for $199 I might try it. Or maybe they would give me one if I asked nicely

Just seeing what was on the screen in bright light outside was difficult with the BMPCC, when shooting RAW (no screen contrast). A big battery? It uses tiny Canon batteries. As I said, I liked the IQ (and I can replace batteries fast, as I do with the A6500...)

[Mattias Burling]

54 minutes ago, markr041 said:

Just seeing what was on the screen in bright light outside was difficult with the BMPCC, when shooting RAW (no screen contrast). A big battery? It uses tiny Canon batteries. As I said, I liked the IQ (and I can replace batteries fast, as I do with the A6500...)

What I meant is that the BMPCC is of course primarily meant for an external battery. The one inside is merely an emergency hot swap that one also can use for a quick run-n-gun. But its not "the" battery to use for serious work.
Either way, its of topic so we can let the matter rest.

[IronFilm]

6 hours ago, markr041 said:

And, the GM1 does not shoot 4K (let alone DCI 4K), nor does it have a mic input. The E1 also has the better GH4 sensor (but better color than the GH4) compared to the GM1. And the E1 is smaller. It lacks no manual control features; it even has auto ISO with aperture and shutter set manually, a most useful mode.

 

Am so tempted to get it just so I can say I "have a GH4"! :-P

 

5 hours ago, markr041 said:

Here, a used (FullHD) BMPCC is $700 at the usual stores and on most ebay sites. Not close to $199.

 

Quite sad really how high the used prices are for a BMPCC, when I purchased mine brand new for $500

If new prices had stayed being available at that price point, then I'm sure now today around two and a half years ish later, we'd see used BMPCC for sub $300 or yes even as low as $199 secondhand!

If so, then in a heartbeat I'd buy an extra BMPCC, or two!

Also wish the BMD Micro Cinema Camera would go on a half price sale :-( So keen for that Pocket Cinema look with 60fps slow motion! Plus of course full size HDMI would be great too.

[IronFilm]

https://www.bhphotovideo.com/c/product/1203955-REG/z_camera_e1cam3a701_e1_mini_4k_video.html

Having a chuckle how over under the specs tab at B&H for *all* of the spec listings it says:

"Not Specified by Manufacturer"

So have had to go over to their website to see the specs properly:

http://www.z-cam.com/e1/

This one fascinates me the most:
 1280x720 @50fps/60fps/240fps 

Hmmm...... 240fps HD? (ok not FHD though!)
Very nice! (for the price)

Can't find any info about bitrates for the E1, is it still limited to 60Mps at 4K??? Or has that been fixed with a firmware update? How about at FHD/HD, what bitrate is it?
 

[IronFilm]

How terribly bad is the audio input with the E1?

Good enough for casual vlogging? I have *extremely low* standards when it comes to my vlog (although perhaps still higher than some! :-P ): 

https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCniNTuAtkFiSCQNfIaw9SJw

But not absolute sh*t for audio is important for me if I'm to use the E1 for my vlogs (at the moment when filming myself I either use my BMPCC or my Samsung J2, which doesn't even have FHD!).

[markr041]

4 minutes ago, IronFilm said:

How terribly bad is the audio input with the E1?

Good enough for casual vlogging? I have *extremely low* standards when it comes to my vlog (although perhaps still higher than some! :-P ): 

https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCniNTuAtkFiSCQNfIaw9SJw

But not absolute sh*t for audio is important for me if I'm to use the E1 for my vlogs (at the moment when filming myself I either use my BMPCC or my Samsung J2, which doesn't even have FHD!).

The Apple Store in Grand Central video posted above has ambient sound from the internal mics - including the store piped music and some background conversation. On my Sennheiser HD650 headphones, the audio is very realistic.

[IronFilm]

Ah I'm not meaning the internal mics, never would use them! I mean the audio input.

[Trek of Joy]

The GM1 is an odd comparison, its a dead model, it doesn't shoot 4k and you're not buying it new from a retailer with a great return policy. At least with the Zcam they're improving it and judging by the videos posted, it's capable of shooting pretty nice footage. It looks like some the best IQ you can find for under $200. I would much rather use it for BTS type stuff than my current setup - usually a GoPro. I'm intrigued.