Losing my mind about what to choose....

[mostman]

Hi everyone,

I'm in the market to buy a new camera to replace my now 1.5 year old 60d. My mind was at ease and almost set on the 5D3 having seen and followed a lot of 5D2 footage /reviews/tests, i thought the next iteration has to be owned by me. but through watching Philip blooms video review of the 5D3 i was introduced to this mysterious hidden gem the gh2. At first hearing it being compared to a 5d3 and all this talk about better quality higher bit-rate (hacks) etc... i found myself really confused and thinking that i was an idiot to pick up the 60d in the first place. I honestly was almost there before i knew about the gh2, it made me feel that the 5D3 is not worth the money or that maybe i should just get a mark 2. in the midst of all this confusion i realized that i'm only going to find what i want if i link it to what i'm going to use it for, so here is the main criteria:

-shallow DOF
-fast paced shooting/run and gun action (60d struggles due to rolling shutter)
-good in low light
-less noise at high iso

I have a budget that can reach to $6000,and also i was wondering if i would be better off leaving the dslr scene and getting more of a camera that is built just for video (sony fs100).

Thanks in advance
sorry to seem overwhelmed and unorganized, but i need a few pointers to guide my decision.
(PS:I read most of the articles on EOSHD comparing these cameras)

[Axel]

I don't know about the 60D, but if I take the 7D as model, then with the GH2 you have about the same rolling shutter issues.

I love the GH2 for video, like others, I recommend it. Try two weeks or so without hack, then go on with a more conservative patch. You got $6000 to spend? That's a lot. Buy the kit lens then and Voigtlander 25mm - also a 130mm/KB if you use EX-Tele -  (or 17,5mm - ~ 90mm in EX-Tele-mode - too? A lot of money, but probably worth every cent). With one of those, the GH2 is even better for lowlight than the 60D with a f1.4. Enough money left for more lenses and rig accessoires.

If I had $6000 to spend, I would perhaps wait until the NEX 700 makes the prices for the FS 100 go down.

Or then, I don't know. What I love most about the GH2 is that I carry it with me almost always. It is so small and light! I didn't experience any occasion when people became timid when they saw me raise the camera (as I have with 7D [u]plus rig[/u], because the 7D needs some support to be held steady). So I have much more fun than ever.

[MOONGOAT]

Holding on to your money and watching the market is always a smart choice. If you want to get something soon however, I don't think the suggestions here will be very shocking.

I agree with what Axel says about keeping an eye on the FS100. If you want to go cheaper I'd pick the GH2 in a heartbeat. I have several friends that are so impressed (and a little annoyed) at how my GH2 thrashes their higher end DSLR's that they are or have already purchased one for themselves.

Honestly with the FS100 and GH2, I don't see the need for any videographer to buy something like a 5D3 or D800. Just my preference though.

[Sara]

If you live in the US, both lensrentals and borrowlenses will rent GH2s, FS100's for very cheap.  Try them out and like others have said, after NAB (Canon and Sony releasing new models) we will have a better picture of what prices will be like for this summer.

IMO the best way to go is to start with a GH2 (or 2), hack it, sell it when your ready to upgrade.  A hacked GH2 on ebay will sell for only a $100 less than what you pay for it - so you are essentially renting a camera for pennies a day.

Cheers!

[jguk]

I love my GH2, and for the money it's a great buy - especially with the hack applied.
The things I'd say to watch out for:

- for run and gun situations, as someone who's come from video cameras, I find the form factor a pain - especially the lack of built in ND filters etc. The camera is light too. Unless you're using a stabilised lens, it's hard to get good hand held results without a rig.

- when i'm using it professionally, it's small size surprises people. I'm not saying size is everything (!) but it just doesn't look like a professional camera. Not necessarily a problem, but something to bear in mind.

- Also, it's not particularly robust, the way a MKII/III feels.

But image is all I suppose - and the image is great - with good glass attached, particularly so.

I love the GH2 but I'm very tempted by the FS100 for it's video camera form factor. The new FS700 seems to fix all the things I don't like about it (built in ND etc), but that comes at a cost...