What You Like And What The Customer Asks For...

[Davide DB]

To go back to the old argument about “what I like and what the customer asks for....”
This post by Filippo Chiesa on FB says it all. I'll translate it for you on the fly even though it's easy to do with Google. Also interesting are the comments to people who insist on their preferences and the responses from who pay the bills every month with his work.

https://www.facebook.com/1370200475/posts/10232791406232061/

 

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Well yes, the Sony A9III will also become part of my current camera fleet.
As I have written in other posts, there is a world tied to standard market demands, and another more free-form.
Standard is not always better, but it is useful to have it should you work with productions that require it.
Venice and Burano aside, the most popular cameras, especially from TV productions, are the FX6, FX3 and FX9.
But are they really the best from a yield point of view?
Staying with Sony, in summary, I would say no.
Don't get me wrong, they are all very good cameras, which I use routinely, but I think there are far smarter products, among the mirrorless cameras from the same company.
We all know the A7SIII, in fact, an MDP in a camera body.
Although Sony does not push these products so much in our industry, apart from the camera mentioned earlier, mirrorless cameras like the A1 I think are the top, not only from a technological point of view, but also from a video point of view, in my opinion, better even than the whole current FX line. . 
And the A9III, where does it rank? 
The latter I think is a concentration of technology to the nth degree and a really amazing MDP FF, global shutter.

I've never been particularly attracted to this feature, but having it on a camera at a price that I don't find absolutely crazy, I think it's still a great advantage (think of the 'current market for cameras with global shutter sensors).
Even those working on big budget sets, especially in action scenes, should seriously consider it, maybe as a “crash cam” 😁
As you already know, I am an ardent supporter of these cameras.
Pachyderms are beautiful, but limiting and sometimes even limited.
I write all this, because I live the user experience daily on my skin. 
With these cameras, today, one could do anything from run 'n' gun, to the most curated work. 
If only Sony would put its hand on its heart, to give us a great gift, by enabling on these little jewels the open gate function, giving also the possibility to record externally in Raw, not only on Atomos recorders, but also on BM ones, I think there would be no more for anyone, for overall quality, transversality, modularity, simplicity and speed of use.
But there would still remain the stumbling block of getting into the standard, a way of working that has its own rules, right or wrong.
But if the FX3 got into it, effectively an A7SIII with a fan and without the very useful EVF, I don't see why it couldn't happen.

Always leaving aside Venice and Burano, this is my current ranking in the Sony house: 1) A1, 2) A9III and FX6 (different, but I feel like giving a tie), 3) FX3 and A7SIII (almost identical), 4) FX9.

 

From comments section:

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I also use and own other brands, but if I were to insist on proposing certain non-Sony cameras, I would not work with the networks that give me my bread. Then, I am fortunate that I like these cameras as well, and to give you another example, still staying with Sony, if I were to propose to TVs the A1, the camera I prefer, or the A9III, despite its undoubted quality, they would look at me as if I had fallen from another planet. Perhaps, they would make you use them as B cameras. Ergo, you can't always change brands, but if the market demands it, you either rent (but if you have a lot of demands, for certain figures it pays to buy), or you just do your own work (weddings, corporate videos, etc.).

 

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 In the past, I used Canon for a long time. Then, I switched to Sony, although, at the time, there were some shortcomings, especially on color science (this is no longer the case today, fortunately). I had shifted their policy pointing to the mirrorless system (and I think they saw right through it). I loved and still love Panasonic for certain unique features on the mirrorles compartment (open gate, in-camera tools, synchro scan, in-camera Pro Res, etc.), but Sony, today, despite the policy often aimed at protecting other products of the same company and which sometimes makes me a little angry, I think has a leg up on everyone else.

 

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Arri, as I see it, until not so many years ago, made all the difference, as did some Reds. Today, the level of many mirrorless cameras has risen so high, that I really don't feel the need to use certain sacred monsters anymore, except for specific requests from various productions. I know some might sound like blasphemy, but as far as I'm concerned, it's just not worth it anymore, really. I remember the first A7S well. Compared to today's mirrorless cameras, it seems like a geological era ago. Amazing, how in just a few years, the quality has risen exponentially. But it was to be expected.

 

[IronFilm]

13 hours ago, Davide DB said:

I also use and own other brands, but if I were to insist on proposing certain non-Sony cameras, I would not work with the networks that give me my bread.

This. 

If you are starting out then just get yourself the Sony FX6. It's a no brainer decision. (unless it's too expensive, then go for the FX3, or if super broke, then the Sony FX30. Or if buying secondhand then maybe a Sony FS7 / F5 / F55). 

Anything else (S5mk2 / Blackmagic / RED Komodo / X-H2S / Z8 / etc ) is just going to massively limit yourself to only working in the indie filmmaking space or in house productions or music videos or weddings and such. (with the possible exception of maybe the C70 / C300mk3 / C400, depending on your local market conditions. In some part of the world they're not even on the radar, but in other parts they're playing a very strong 2nd place to Sony)

[zerocool22]

By networks, you mean TV networks? (Have not worked for them). Or you mean every contact you have. Have not shot with sony in a while, so not sure how much I am shooting myself in the foot. Allthough I would like to work straight for the customer in the future, more margin, customer doesnt care about gear, more control over income.

[IronFilm]

1 hour ago, zerocool22 said:

By networks, you mean TV networks? (Have not worked for them). Or you mean every contact you have. Have not shot with sony in a while, so not sure how much I am shooting myself in the foot. Allthough I would like to work straight for the customer in the future, more margin, customer doesnt care about gear, more control over income.

I replied to @Davide DB assuming they mean their social network of connections. 

[BTM_Pix]

My laser scanned 3D printed FX6 body shell that you can hide an a7iv in has a chance then.

Inspired by this genius that hid a GoPro in a broadcast camera.

[Davide DB]

2 hours ago, IronFilm said:

I replied to @Davide DB assuming they mean their social network of connections. 

Nope. I'm just copy pasting a FB post of Filippo Chiesa (https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCeDcSWVeLZnSj6N9JjNexyw)

He meant "TV Network," and in the comments he specifies that they have made up 90 percent of his customers for many, many years. He rarely gets asked for a Canon camera, but he specifies that everyone's experience may be different. He has a pragmatic approach: if you film on your own, use the camera you like best. If you work on commission, use the camera the client asks for.

[Ninpo33]

11 hours ago, BTM_Pix said:

My laser scanned 3D printed FX6 body shell that you can hide an a7iv in has a chance then.

Inspired by this genius that hid a GoPro in a broadcast camera.

 

Hahaha, I literally have been thinking about finding an old broken FX6 or a demo unit and hollowing it out to slide in a smaller mirrorless. The new trend of "Cineback" style mods seems to show the desire for more modular compact builds and actually look quite nice IMO. Still, would be even better to have a stealth Sony A1 hiding out in a ENG camera LOL

 

[Marcio Kabke Pinheiro]

On 8/1/2024 at 5:31 PM, Ninpo33 said:

Hahaha, I literally have been thinking about finding an old broken FX6 or a demo unit and hollowing it out to slide in a smaller mirrorless. The new trend of "Cineback" style mods seems to show the desire for more modular compact builds and actually look quite nice IMO. Still, would be even better to have a stealth Sony A1 hiding out in a ENG camera LOL

 

Caleb Pike (aka DSLR VIdeo Shooter) started a new business (in fact, it is his main business now) of making these "cube like" attacment for mirroless cameras. The Sony ones are cool, even have space for small fans to prevent overheating.

[JulioD]

Then there are those that are those that don't even engage in that conversation by defining themselves by what equipment they have but by how they tell stories, what they might do differently or better as a professional image maker, how they might understand the needs of the client better or more deeply, making those leaps of insight or empathy that the client might not have even thought about, something that isn't about being defined by technicalities.

Of course those things do matter, but I think if thats how you define yourself then that's all you deserve...

I'd rather be hired because I'm a great communicator, or because clients think I can tell a story in a unique or better way not because I have a certain piece of camera equipment.

If it's only about owning a certain camera, then what's to stop them going to anyone else with the same camera? And there will always be someone that has that camera that will do it for less than you.