GH4 with native lens vs G7 with speed booster +Sigma Lens

[Sanjimaster]

Hello Guys and Girls.I am looking to purchase in a month or a half a nice new camera to replace my panasonic camcorder.I am interested in those two but i dont know what will be  better.At first is it worth buying a gh4 now or not?My budget is 1,800-2000 euro.Was thinking or the Gh4 with the 12-35 f2.8 lumix vario or the g7 with metabones speed booster and a good sigma lens.What would you recommend to do?I am totally lost.

[Cinegain]

Your background is strictly camcorders? What will you be using it for, what have you already got?

But judging just on this limited info... I'd preferably go with a GH4 (14-42mm kit or body only). Possibly 2nd hand. G7 will come a long way too, depending on your needs. If you're on a bit of a budget I wouldn't bother to go with Metabones, just get a much cheaper lens turbo (R.J. or Zhongyi for example) with Nikon mount (cheap Canon EF adapters do not allow aperture control, cheap Nikon ones do). You can always get a Metabones XL 0.64x later. So, more or less this:

​[..] a 100-ish costing lens turbo (Nikon -> M43), with the Sigma ART 18-35mm f/1.8 in Nikon mount. That's a super solid starting point. Then get some cheap Fotga adapters (like 15 USD each) for like M42, Pentax and Minolta (full manual lenses) and start gathering some vintage glass where you feel you're lacking range. Like a Pentax-M SMC Asahi 50mm f/1.4 for example. Maybe save up for a native MFT T0.95,f/0.95 lens from SLR Magic/Voigtländer.

 

[fuzzynormal]

Yeah, you gotta list off the things you're trying to accomplish and the style you're trying to shoot.

Run and gun vs. narrative storytelling.  Broadcast style vs. cinematic.  Lots of in between there.

There's really no one-size-fits-all solution in the budget realm.  (Or in the pro realm either, really.) 

[Nick Hughes]

These guys are right that it all depends on what your needs are. With that said, I'd personally go for the G7 with Speedbooster XL + Sigma 18-35. Rokinon 85 would probably come shortly after that whenever budget allows. Cinegain's advice on getting vintage lenses with cheap adapters is also a very good route to go- it will save you money, but takes a lot of research. In my experience researching old lenses takes way longer than modern lenses (i.e. looking at serial numbers to see which era a certain lens came from because each era has different lens coatings, etc.).

[Sanjimaster]

At first thank you all for the help.Appreciate it.Here are some further information that might help you understand my needs.So at first i am new.Got 1year of shooting under my belt.I had a Panasoc camcorder but i am not that happy with it anymore.I really like SDOF and a nice flat image which i will colour grade in post.I really like the cinematic look.I want to shoot with the camera some small 5min documentaries and some short film.But more advertising videos for Hotels and small buisnesses.(we dont need to talk about sliders/tripods and other stabilaization cause i already have that).Its a big investment for me thats why i want somwthing that fits my needs.1800euro is my budget but if 200euro would make a significant change then i could afford it.Till i do my Hotel advertising spots i have 1year to prepare.What set up would be the best.I really like the look of the Sigma 18-35 but the adaptor from metabones is like 700euro and its really expensive.What can i do?

[Nikkor]

I have seen the sony a7s selling on ebay for 1600€, and I guess it will keep getting cheaper. Add the 28-70 which can be bought very cheap, and then get some manual glass. Just an idea.

[Sanjimaster]

Downscaling the 4k to 1080 will give me better image i guess then the a7s.1600€ used or new?

[Nikkor]

It will be sharper, but the a7s is a totally different beast,

Used, Personally I don't think I will ever buy something new again, years ago you would buy a camera and it wouldn't be outdated for a long time, nowdays it takes 6 months to loose 40% of price.

http://www.ebay.de/itm/Sony-Alpha-ILCE-7S-A7S-Body-Alpha-7s-Alpha-7-S-HDCam-4K-/321755096834?pt=LH_DefaultDomain_77&hash=item4aea192702

[Sanjimaster]

I agree with that.But you know its my first cam that i really bought with my money.Thats why i want it to be new and

It will be sharper, but the a7s is a totally different beast,

Used, Personally I don't think I will ever buy something new again, years ago you would buy a camera and it wouldn't be outdated for a long time, nowdays it takes 6 months to loose 40% of price.

http://www.ebay.de/itm/Sony-Alpha-ILCE-7S-A7S-Body-Alpha-7s-Alpha-7-S-HDCam-4K-/321755096834?pt=LH_DefaultDomain_77&hash=item4aea192702

 

 then when GH5 comes out sell my gh4 for the half price.I think i will stick with the gh4 for now.But i dont know if going native or adapted.My only concern is that the metabones adapter is so expensive.Is there any other sollution that is cheaper and same good as the metabones

[TheRenaissanceMan]

Do you actually want to change lenses, or do you just want better quality and shallower depth of field?

[Cinegain]

My only concern is that the metabones adapter is so expensive.Is there any other sollution that is cheaper and same good as the metabones

Please read back my post where that was the exact thing I adressed...

If you're on a bit of a budget I wouldn't bother to go with Metabones, just get a much cheaper lens turbo (R.J. or Zhongyi for example) with Nikon mount.

​[..] a 100-ish costing lens turbo (Nikon -> M43)

Metabones with their Speedboosters is not the only player in its segment. You'll find some that are called 'focal reducer' or 'lens turbo'. For the Zhongyi take a look at the ZY Optics/Zhongyi website. The R.J. one can be had through Vitaliy from Personal-View. Both can be found on eBay. These lenses retail somewhere in the range of 100-149 USD. So just a fraction of a Metabones. If you need a bit extremer focal reduction and are using Canon electronic glass, that's when it starts to be more interesting to go with a Speedbooster. But I'd say, rather spend a little less on the Speedbooster (and get it Nikon-mounted: no electronics required, full manual control) and have a little more to spend on the glass you throw in front.

​

[Sanjimaster]

Do you actually want to change lenses, or do you just want better quality and shallower depth of field?

The thing is that my clients might want some photos too and i want to do some photography too.Got a Nikon 3100 right now but its old and i want something better.The ax100 camcorder seemed nice but i dont like the profile of the picture.I dont know.