Cameras - Video focus but ability to pull high quality photos

[SRV1981]

If most photos are of athletes and friends and family (some motion but mostly static), could a user prioritize video in a camera and pull screen grabs for social media and a few prints ?

if so, what video centric cameras would be good for this? C70? S5? FX30? XH2S? 
 

Also, is AF accuracy less important if a hybrid shooter goes this route?

[D Verco]

Whatever has the highest resolution, lowest rolling shutter, and best dynamic range. Also open gate will be useful if you don't want everything to be 16:9.

[newfoundmass]

4 hours ago, SRV1981 said:

If most photos are of athletes and friends and family (some motion but mostly static), could a user prioritize video in a camera and pull screen grabs for social media and a few prints ?

I would say, if you're not a pixel peeper, then absolutely. Motion though might be a problem, depending on your shutter speed. Here are some stills I took from a pro-wrestling event I filmed on the 3rd that I used for promotional purposes on social media. These are from 8-bit 4K 30p video files using a 180 degree shutter angle shot on the S5 with zero editing outside of the watermark. We don't have a professional photographer taking photos (a lot of pro-wrestling events of this size don't since it's not in the budget) so we use stills like this instead. Obviously they aren't perfect, but for social media they are more than adequate, and depending on the shot a 4x6 print would be fine. Static subjects will of course work even better!

It should also be noted that 4K & 6K photo modes on Panasonic cameras are essentially just video files that allow you to pick a frame.

 

[MrSMW]

1. 8k

2. 6k

3. 4k 

No ND but crank the shutter speed into the hundreds if not thousands as needed.

I have considered it myself and it works but the question is, could I be bothered for my needs and the answer was and still is, I think I’d lose some of my photography soul personally by doing this…

Right now, my first choice if I was going to do this would be the Z9.

[Emanuel]

R5C

[MrSMW]

5 hours ago, Emanuel said:

R5C

If it’s stabilised or even faster shutter speeds needed!

[Alexis Fontana]

15 hours ago, SRV1981 said:

If most photos are of athletes and friends and family (some motion but mostly static), could a user prioritize video in a camera and pull screen grabs for social media and a few prints ?

if so, what video centric cameras would be good for this? C70? S5? FX30? XH2S? 
 

Also, is AF accuracy less important if a hybrid shooter goes this route?

What shutter speed do you usually use when taking photographs? If beyond 1/50 I would get a black magic for video and a dedicated stills camera for photos. It’s all about trade offs and what you’re willing to accept, also it’s nice to be able to shoot in portrait mode. I like having two systems as I feel it’s two different ways of thinking about image capture. Good luck

[MrSMW]

15 hours ago, SRV1981 said:

Also, is AF accuracy less important if a hybrid shooter goes this route?

AF/MF...either way, if it ain't in focus video-wise, it won't be in focus as a still.

From experience, ie, I have deliberately shot video (4k 50p APSC crop S5 flat profile) with a view to also pulling the stills of the same footage and the results were mostly 'good' on average.

Some instances, they were great.

Tried the 6k 25p mode and the quality was mostly higher still and I think if someone was more 'results focused' than 'craft focused', with something like a Z9, the results would be superb.

And by 'craft focused', I mean that I am not sure whether I would be happy no longer being a photographer...

Can it be done? Yes and I'm surprised more are not doing it.

Should it be done? Personal choice more than anything.

[newfoundmass]

Yeah, at this point in camera development I think resolution is less an issue you'll have and really just shooting at an appropriate shutter speed and hitting focus is what you'll need to worry about.

8 hours ago, MrSMW said:

Can it be done? Yes and I'm surprised more are not doing it.

Especially for social media use. The examples above aren't amazing by any stretch, especially given the lighting, but the performers will often geek out over the shots and use them on their social media accounts too. No one seems to notice, or really care, that they are stills taken from a video file. Most people at our level in pro-wrestling are using pictures taken on phones, and I'd argue our stills from videos look better than most pictures taken on a phone because they still have the characteristics of a larger sensor image.

[Emanuel]

13 hours ago, MrSMW said:

If it’s stabilised or even faster shutter speeds needed!

Yes, EIS & OIS...

[Emanuel]

*DIS (EIS whatever)

While walking, no miracles, gimbal instead.