The best new camera to purchase in 2018!

[kye]

Are you in the market for a new camera and confused or overwhelmed by the choices available and can't decide which features you need and which you can live without?

Or, are you looking for a camera that gives 4k60 10-bit with IBIS, flippy screen, and internal NDs that fits into your budget and into your pocket?

Are you thinking about 8K?

If this is you then look no further!

The best new camera purchase in 2018 is... Don't!

With Don't you get to keep your existing camera, but that's not all, it comes with features no other new camera can offer!

It is completely free!

It has already shipped!

It comes with no learning curve, no menus from another planet, and no colour science that looks like it's from another planet! 

But wait! There's more!

It even comes with more than three lenses!

....

*ahem*

But seriously folks...

If you aren't sure which one to buy then I'd say to wait until you understand what your requirements are (especially which features you can live without) and have seen the reviews of the cameras on offer so that you don't get any nasty surprises.

We're all familiar with the manufacturers vague and deliberately misleading claims, like when Canon said the M50 had 4K and DPAF which is technically correct but they didn't mention they're not both available at the same time. This is just an example and all the manufacturers do this.

This is the reason for full and impartial reviews.

Personally, I'm waiting, and if nothing absolutely hits the bullseye for me then I'll wait a generation or two until something does.

<END OF PSA> ???

[anonim]

I'd recommend simple test.

Take one big mirror and stay in front of it at golden hour, asking loudly: "Do I need new camera for my next masterpiece?"

If you hear quiet insider voice saying that you are at the level of possession when making masterpiece  depends exclusively of you - you are artist candidate.

But if - looking with suspicion to a mirror - you hear suggestive insider voice that ask you "Are this mirror autofocused you enough quickly for deep contemplation? Is your skintone correct? Are you mirrored with enough dynamic range to be able to answer sensible? Does this mirror has the best Out-of-Mirror image to provide natural i.e. "ungraded" answering? ... than you are candidate for very high-ranking between popular contributors in EOSHD asylum.

[Aussie Ash]

5 hours ago, kye said:

Are you in the market for a new camera and confused or overwhelmed by the choices available and can't decide which features you need and which you can live without?

Or, are you looking for a camera that gives 4k60 10-bit with IBIS, flippy screen, and internal NDs that fits into your budget and into your pocket?

Are you thinking about 8K?

If this is you then look no further!

The best new camera purchase in 2018 is... Don't!

 

Thanks for your advise,we will still leave a bottle of beer out for father XMas

[wolf33d]

Except my current camera does not have 4K60p 10 bit slowmo. 

My need is simple, for years I have asked for a FF camera that is as good in stills as in video. 
With 4K60P because I need to deliver 4K only, and because I want the flexibility to do a little slowmo when I want. 
With IBIS, because that's better to have it on every single lens. 
With a good AF for gimbal work
Flippy screen and good ergonomics. 
In a small mirrorless package. 

The GH5 FF will probably have all that except AF and IBIS
The Sony A7SIII will have all that except ergonomics and maybe still quality (if stuck with 12mpx) 
Any camera today does not meet that. 
I have been waiting for more than 3 years, but it seems this year will be close (thanks to A7SIII and GH FF) but still not quite there. 

If only we had GH5 video specs - 4K60p, 10 bit,... + Canon DPAF + D850 equivalent sensor in a Canon EOS R body, wow that would be something. I would pay 4K for that no pbm. 

So what I do since 3 years is buying a camera, uses it anywhere from 2 weeks - 1 year then sell it and try something different. I have got 5D2, 5D3, GH5, A7R II, A7III, Nikon D5300, D5500, D5600 and more. Last one was A7III, sent it back. As close as it can be from a good hybrid, but with A7S III and Canikon announcement around the corner I preferred to send it back. 

 

There is only one manufacturer which fully satisfied my need of having a 1" sensor in a Mavic body (wanted that since Mavic 1 came out) and they are called DJI. The Mavic 2 is exeptionnal. 
If DJI were doing video and photography cameras, they would easily do what I described above and more. The reason this camera does not exist today is because Old Japanese people are managing those cameras product. Put DJI in the market, they are all done. 

 

[fuzzynormal]

26 minutes ago, wolf33d said:

I have been waiting for more than 3 years

What will you want to have once you have what you wanted to have?

[wolf33d]

24 minutes ago, fuzzynormal said:

What will you want to have once you have what you wanted to have?

Nothing. 

When 8K is a thing, I will want that. Specs I said below I will be good to go for 2 years, which is a lot in todays fast pacing tech industry. 

For example: perfectly happy with my Mavic 2 Pro. I do not need anything else right now. Meets my need. 
My phone meets my need. 
My Mac fits my need since the last 3 years. Same with my car. 

Same with my camera bag, same with my bike, and more.

In fact the product that I am most frustrated with is camera. Because they do not keep up with tech, they are far behind everything else. Because the camera industry is owned by Japanese manufacturers that are too deep rooted in the past. 

 

[mercer]

1 hour ago, wolf33d said:

In fact the product that I am most frustrated with is camera. Because they do not keep up with tech, they are far behind everything else. Because the camera industry is owned by Japanese manufacturers that are too deep rooted in the past. 

I would argue the issue is with the electronic/camera companies pushing tech that align with their television sales. Unless you are an SFX firm, I see absolutely no reason why any camera company would be pushing for 8K. I honestly don’t see why a television manufacturer would either.

[webrunner5]

1 hour ago, mercer said:

I would argue the issue is with the electronic/camera companies pushing tech that align with their television sales. Unless you are an SFX firm, I see absolutely no reason why any camera company would be pushing for 8K. I honestly don’t see why a television manufacturer would either.

Well I think some of this push for higher resolution is due to all these new action movies that require massive amounts of VFX. Hell it won't be long they will have digital actors. If you want a great looking 4K output you sure aren't going to get that with heavy processing in post shooting in 4K. Not counting you can digitally zoom, on and on. It is going forward like it or not.

I think that is why there is such a push as of late for FF Cine cameras. I doubt you can cram 8K on a s35 sensor with any good looking output..

[fuzzynormal]

3 hours ago, wolf33d said:

[I want] Nothing... 8K...I...want that.

Spoken like a true camera enthusiast.

[wolf33d]

58 minutes ago, fuzzynormal said:

Spoken like a true camera enthusiast.

Get the hell out with your trolling. You have nothing better to do? Seriously...

[Turboguard]

Get the iPhone Xs MAX, it has everything a client could ask for today, IBIS, AF, 4K 60p. Seems to be the best thing out there, and it's just a little more expensive than say the pocket 4K (BUT YOU GET TWO *FREE* LENSES WITH IPHONE OMG OMG)

[Dan Sherman]

2 hours ago, wolf33d said:

Get the hell out with your trolling. You have nothing better to do? Seriously...

I agree with him!

[thebrothersthre3]

Its the Fuji XT3 for me. It gives me decent low light (usable 6400), APSC sensor, fast auto focus, good color without grading, 10 bit, and 4k 60p.

Its only missing IBIS, but I have my gimbal which is more useful anyways. People always say to focus on craft not camera, and I do. The Fuji simply is the first camera that really fills my needs. GH5 had 10 bit, Fuji and Canon had great color, Sony had amazing auto focus. Fuji just gives me all my needs in one. I am sure new cameras coming out will be tempting, but I just don't really need anything else.

[DBounce]

45 minutes ago, thebrothersthre3 said:

Its the Fuji XT3 for me. It gives me decent low light (usable 6400), APSC sensor, fast auto focus, good color without grading, 10 bit, and 4k 60p.

Its only missing IBIS, but I have my gimbal which is more useful anyways. People always say to focus on craft not camera, and I do. The Fuji simply is the first camera that really fills my needs. GH5 had 10 bit, Fuji and Canon had great color, Sony had amazing auto focus. Fuji just gives me all my needs in one. I am sure new cameras coming out will be tempting, but I just don't really need anything else.

Well never say never... but I get where you are coming from. Just ordered the XT3 today along with a set of primes. Will do a head to head vs the GH5S if anyone is interested in seeing it?

[Trek of Joy]

42 minutes ago, DBounce said:

Well never say never... but I get where you are coming from. Just ordered the XT3 today along with a set of primes. Will do a head to head vs the GH5S if anyone is interested in seeing it?

I'd be interested in seeing that one. If you have the time, please put something together.

Chris

[DBounce]

9 minutes ago, Trek of Joy said:

I'd be interested in seeing that one. If you have the time, please put something together.

Chris

Sure, it's as much for myself. I want to understand the differences and where the strengths and weaknesses lie. I'm waiting on a Ninja V, so I will forgo an FLog vs. VLogL shootout as far as pushing the color grade goes.  What really I am interested in is how filmic,  both in imagery and motion cadence the XT3 can look out of camera with minimal post processing. 

[kye]

@wolf33d I understand your frustration.

I also shoot in situations that are more demanding than most people here and I have also been told repeatedly what features I do and do not need to have.  The problem lies in other people assuming that we make films like they do, and they cannot understand that we operate in different situations.  Its like someone recommending a GH5 and a gimbal to someone who shoots skydiving videos and wants higher bitrates and better stabilisation than their GoPro!

I think the problem we both have is that we want a combination of features that come from different manufacturers, and one brand can't supply it all.  Our time will come, but it's probably not for a few more generations yet, which is kind of the purpose of this thread.  Having a camera that does 12 of the 15 things you need and spending $5K on a brand new setup that only gets you to 13/15 may not be the best investment.

I'm also with you about the camera industry not moving as quickly as it could.  I think that the camera industry is moving about the same pace as many other industries (or faster even) but because of smartphones and computers we're now a bit spoiled and have might higher expectations than otherwise.  Still, it's frustrating that the ~$30 camera module in a sub$1000 iPhone has 4K60 and brand-new cameras don't.

We are the film-makers that don't fit the mould, and the industry hasn't worked out what to do with us yet.

@fuzzynormal @Dan Sherman I'm not sure what kind of film-making you guys do (apologies if you've mentioned it and I can't recall) but it seems like there's a side of film-making you may not experience which is behind the drive for better specifications.

It goes kind of like this..  You work out what you're going to shoot, choose your gear and go out and shoot it.  For @wolf33d and I it's shooting in difficult conditions.  You come back from the shoot and review the footage, and the shots fall into three categories:

1. Shots that aren't usable: they failed due to poor content, poor technique, or technical issues
2. Shots that are usable but the quality is disappointing
3. Shots that tick all the boxes

For me at least, up to 80% of my shots are in the first category, and almost none in the third.  We all know that editing (and film-making in general) is an exercise in frustration, so we make the best edit we can and try to improve for next time.  If we do well then no-one will ever see the struggle and failed shots.  The lessons are very often about camera technique, movement, composition, anticipating the action, and all kind of excellent artistic aspects that the operator is responsible for.  I work at these almost constantly.

But a lot of the disappointment is about technical matters.  Beautiful shots that aren't in focus are traumatic to watch.  Manual focus isn't practical when you're holding the camera above your head to get the angle - you can't even see the screen well enough to get a good composition let alone reach the lens!  The current wisdom is to get a follow-focus and a bigger screen, but now your rig is too heavy to hand-hold.  Good AF and 8K would be practical and useful artistic tools in this example because you could get it in focus and crop / stabilise in post.  AF is the easy example, but the same could be said for exposure and DR/Log, stabilisation, or other things.

The drive for better specifications is often the drive to improve your films.  I know that many people reach for the tech because they're lazy, but some people reach for the tech because they're already doing everything else they can and sometimes technique isn't enough.

[anonim]

For me truly personal frustration would be if I feel myself so frustratedly dependent of yet (IX 2018.) non existing device and trying to find reasons to justify that dependency - even presuming  that others who are not frustrated must not be in demanding position equal to mine - instead of finding a different way to resolve or recompose given task.

But, we all are different philosophers 

[IronFilm]

9 hours ago, DBounce said:

Well never say never... but I get where you are coming from. Just ordered the XT3 today along with a set of primes. Will do a head to head vs the GH5S if anyone is interested in seeing it?

Please do! Even comparing both with a rec709 profile burned in to each would still be an interesting A vs B comparison to hear your thoughts about. 

[kye]

43 minutes ago, anonim said:

For me truly personal frustration would be if I feel myself so frustratedly dependent of yet (IX 2018.) non existing device and trying to find reasons to justify that dependency - even presuming  that others who are not frustrated must not be in demanding position equal to mine - instead of finding a different way to resolve or recompose given task.

But, we all are different philosophers 

If the equipment is not up to the standard of our vision then should we lower our vision to meet the equipment, or should we keep the vision and be frustrated until the equipment catches up?