Find the best video quality for under $200 - fun challenge

[Andrew Reid]

I win!

https://uk.webuy.com/product-detail/?id=sdigpandcgx800bob&categoryName=cameras-compact-system&superCatName=electronics&title=panasonic-lumix-dc-gx800-(body-only)-b

4K for £135

But this got me thinking as well... What if we have a fun "EOSHD Challenge" where we all trawl the bargain bins in our local towns and online, pick something for super cheap, could be $50, $100, no more than $150 or $200...

Make a video with it.

Then the winner is judged in a poll - on artistic merit, and technical image quality (can be 1080p of course)

The winner, wins the camera of the last place guy ?

Plus a special bonus camera from EOSHD.

What do you think? Worth setting up a challenge like this?

[Oliver Daniel]

5 minutes ago, Andrew Reid said:

I win!

https://uk.webuy.com/product-detail/?id=sdigpandcgx800bob&categoryName=cameras-compact-system&superCatName=electronics&title=panasonic-lumix-dc-gx800-(body-only)-b

4K for £135

But this got me thinking as well... What if we have a fun "EOSHD Challenge" where we all trawl the bargain bins in our local towns and online, pick something for super cheap, could be $50, $100, no more than $150...

Make a video with it.

Then the winner is judged in a poll - on artistic merit, and technical image quality (can be 1080p of course)

The winner, wins the camera of the last place guy ?

Plus a special bonus camera from EOSHD.

What do you think? Worth setting up a challenge like this?

Sounds good @Andrew Reid.

If you go ahead with it, I would also provide a "manifesto" of rules... so it evens the playing field. Some of us might of access to helicopters, whereas offers may only have a plastic straw for a tripod. It would be great if we were forced into "bare bones" shooting and using DIY methods. 

[Andrew Reid]

Yes rules... something like:

Erm, no cheating. Have to show some kind of proof of purchase (receipt).

No putting a Cooke PL lens on it.

No fancy rigs. Tripod or gorilla pod handheld.

It's not really a storytelling test or acting challenge, so no elaborate filmmaking here...Just pure cinematography... Streets, normal stuff but try and make the ordinary look as amazing as possible. Dogme 95 style shoot, so no expensive lights either! Natural light.

Maybe we should all use the same $20 lens? A 50mm Helios?  The rules on lenses could be that it has to be one we already own, which cost under $150 as well... Then free choice as far as focal length and aperture goes, can even use a cheap zoom... but only ONE LENS in total. Muhaha.

Thinking out loud... Should Magic Lantern cameras even be allowed? Or do we have to pick an off the shelf digital camera? If Magic Lantern was allowed, we'd all be using a 50D or EOS M and it might be a bit boring.

[kye]

22 minutes ago, Andrew Reid said:

Yes rules... something like:

Erm, no cheating. Have to show some kind of proof of purchase (receipt).

No putting a Cooke PL lens on it.

No fancy rigs. Tripod or gorilla pod handheld.

It's not really a storytelling test or acting challenge, so no elaborate filmmaking here...Just pure cinematography... Streets, normal stuff but try and make the ordinary look as amazing as possible. Dogme 95 style shoot, so no expensive lights either! Natural light.

Maybe we should all use the same $20 lens? A 50mm Helios?  The rules on lenses could be that it has to be one we already own, which cost under $150 as well... Then free choice as far as focal length and aperture goes, can even use a cheap zoom... but only ONE LENS in total. Muhaha.

Thinking out loud... Should Magic Lantern cameras even be allowed? Or do we have to pick an off the shelf digital camera? If Magic Lantern was allowed, we'd all be using a 50D or EOS M and it might be a bit boring.

Lots of cool ideas and ways that this could be done.

Another idea is that it can only be $150 (or whatever the amount is) for everything in production.  That would make people trade off how big their SD card is with how fast their lens is with what mic they could use, etc...    it might need to be more than $150 though.

Also another suggestion that people can enter an unlimited number of times.  This would encourage people to make more films and be less precious about them, which is also a good thing.

Cool idea.  I'm kind of reminded of the Top Gear challenges where they buy old sports cars that are now falling apart  

If we do standardise on a singe lens, the Helios is a good choice - everyone can use a crazy-bokeh 50mm FF lens, after all!

[mkabi]

I'm down for it.... lets raise the stakes... Make it mandatory, else be banned from the forum ?

[BTM_Pix]

Love this idea.

And when we've completed that one.....

I'd thought about something similar when people were getting nostalgic for the GH2 but more in the way of a "chain camera" if you like.

We have a GH2 with one lens (kit zoom would be fine) and a vari ND and a mic.

First person has 24 hours to shoot something with it then posts it to the next person who has 24 hours and then sends it on etc.

Make a common theme such as "where I live" and limit it to 2 mins finished pieces each and we'd end up with a very interesting worldwide glimpse into the EOSHD community.

 

[BTM_Pix]

By the way, one slight drawback here is the price variation in different markets.

Most notably in Sweden where some of the prices I've seen him get gear for means that @Mattias Burling might well end up shooting his $150 entry on an Alexa

 

[Jrsisson]

I have to smile a little with this challenge. My freelance kit consists of two gx80’s (same sensor as the gx800). One with the 12-32 kit lens and the other with a borrowed Olympus 45mm f1.8.

 

With them I’ve recently shot five films for Morrison’s (supermarket chain in the UK) and photographed a wedding (but with rented lenses).

 

So it would be less of a ‘challenge’ and more my usual experience lol

 

Having said that I think it’s a great idea Andrew

 

Jonathan

[Andrew Reid]

39 minutes ago, BTM_Pix said:

By the way, one slight drawback here is the price variation in different markets.

Most notably in Sweden where some of the prices I've seen him get gear for means that @Mattias Burling might well end up shooting his $150 entry on an Alexa

Maybe we could do a similar thing also for stills.

What's the cheapest APS-C or full frame DSLR which still holds up today... I'd say 5D classic or Fuji S5 Pro

Mattias could organise that one?

Challenges at different prices could also be interesting... Who has a camera between $300 - $500 that can take a blind test, where people mistake it for a $3000 one?

58 minutes ago, BTM_Pix said:

Love this idea.

And when we've completed that one.....

I'd thought about something similar when people were getting nostalgic for the GH2 but more in the way of a "chain camera" if you like.

We have a GH2 with one lens (kit zoom would be fine) and a vari ND and a mic.

First person has 24 hours to shoot something with it then posts it to the next person who has 24 hours and then sends it on etc.

Make a common theme such as "where I live" and limit it to 2 mins finished pieces each and we'd end up with a very interesting worldwide glimpse into the EOSHD community.

Seen a GH2 for £120

But a G6 is even more bang for buck now 

[Geoff CB]

9 minutes ago, Andrew Reid said:

Maybe we could do a similar thing also for stills.

What's the cheapest APS-C or full frame DSLR which still holds up today... I'd say 5D classic or Fuji S5 Pro

Nikon D5000 has the D90 sensor in it. Image quality wise that is the best I think you can do for under $75 

[BTM_Pix]

18 minutes ago, Andrew Reid said:

What's the cheapest APS-C or full frame DSLR which still holds up today... I'd say 5D classic or Fuji S5 Pro

WEX have a raft of used Nikon D200 and D3000 bodies for under £70.

As the last hurrah of the CCD in Nikon'd DSLR's I'd say they are an interesting proposition for something cheap but different.

I'm in London next week and I might well pick one up.

https://www.wexphotovideo.com/used/#esp_category_cf=Model&esp_category_filter_Manufacturer=Nikon&esp_category_filter_Model=D3000&esp_category_filter_Model=D200

18 minutes ago, Andrew Reid said:

Challenges at different prices could also be interesting... Who has a camera between $300 - $500 that can take a blind test, where people mistake it for a $3000 one?

I'd absolutely clean up in that category if it was the other way round !

 

[mercer]

Awesome idea!!! If I have a vote for rules to help even the playing field... no 4K, no Raw, no ProRes. So 1080p or less compressed codec. I like the idea of a price limit but $150 may be too low... there may only be 3 or 4 ILC cameras that would fall under that category. Maybe $250 or $300 or less. In the future you could do a P&S challenge, phone challenge, camcorder challenge... etc...

Also I’d say make it manual lens only. 

[Andrew Reid]

Looking at the WEX deals, the D200 in particularly is very capable. Good ergonomics as well. The Fuji S5 Pro I bought from WEX cost more than the D200, but it's got the Fuji CCD. Colour is lovely and it came boxed almost as if it's never been used. Not bad for £120!

It also somewhat blows my mind that you can now get a Fuji X-T1 for £160. Nothing for that price can touch it for mirrorless photography. The EVF, the lovely design, decent AF and very capable sensor.

On the video side, the GX80 is a bargain at £160 as well... 5 axis IBIS and 4K, plus I hear some bloke will give it CineLikeD if asked nicely?!

[newfoundmass]

It's weird, cause rarely do we get these kinds of deals in the US! In fact, I was just looking and I think the price of used GH2's have gone up since I helped a friend buy a set of them for under $200 each off eBay! 

Used GX85's are going for about $250 to $300 on eBay currently! 

[BTM_Pix]

13 minutes ago, Andrew Reid said:

Looking at the WEX deals, the D200 in particularly is very capable. Good ergonomics as well. The Fuji S5 Pro I bought from WEX cost more than the D200, but it's got the Fuji CCD. Colour is lovely and it came boxed almost as if it's never been used. Not bad for £120!

They have an S5 Pro for £131. Got a minor issue with a faint line which only appears at f11 onwards which doesn't particularly scare me.

Mmmm.....

[Video Hummus]

I acquired a EOS Rebel T3 at a yard sale for $25 with kit lens two months ago. It turns and and the shutter works but I haven’t taken any photos. Lol

[thebrothersthre3]

I'd be up for it. I still have my GH2 

[kye]

7 hours ago, Geoff CB said:

Nikon D5000 has the D90 sensor in it. Image quality wise that is the best I think you can do for under $75 

 

6 hours ago, mercer said:

Awesome idea!!! If I have a vote for rules to help even the playing field... no 4K, no Raw, no ProRes. So 1080p or less compressed codec. I like the idea of a price limit but $150 may be too low... there may only be 3 or 4 ILC cameras that would fall under that category. Maybe $250 or $300 or less. In the future you could do a P&S challenge, phone challenge, camcorder challenge... etc...

Also I’d say make it manual lens only. 

Oooh, I like the manual lens only idea!!

[mercer]

I hope this happens. In fact, I’m a little surprised by the lack of replies. The older members would have eaten this up...

But it seems the next generation of video shooters are only interested in resolution and auto focus.

[mkabi]

20 hours ago, newfoundmass said:

It's weird, cause rarely do we get these kinds of deals in the US! In fact, I was just looking and I think the price of used GH2's have gone up since I helped a friend buy a set of them for under $200 each off eBay! 

Used GX85's are going for about $250 to $300 on eBay currently! 

I have to agree here.

Sorry to backpedal here ? -> ?

I can't find anything on my side of the world that fits the $150 (US) budget.... unless you want action camera footage (I can still do something with that)..

May be increase it to US $200 (+shipping)?

Also, can we rent equipment?

15 minutes ago, mercer said:

I hope this happens. In fact, I’m a little surprised by the lack of replies. The older members would have eaten this up...

But it seems the next generation of video shooters are only interested in resolution and auto focus.

Or they are actively looking for deals that fit that $150 budget....

This is what I am working with:

But, I'm in Canada and even if you do the exchange rate $150 (US) = $198 (CAD).... someone said under $75? Where.... I'll take it!