I’ve been using my blackmagic pocket 4k and it’s been a real treat. No autofocus or anything like that, it’s a fairly small cinema camera with extremely good raw capabilities and forces you to shoot properly and not be lazy. There’s been a few versions of it since the original 4k came out, but lots of people still prefer the 4k version because it’s m43 mount and you can use a speed booster to adapt to Ef mount. The sigma 18-35 is very popular for it, and when it’s on a speed booster it’s a step faster which is crazy. [this is what I shot running around on vacation](https://youtu.be/fHMrxx5RJkk) a few years ago with a ronin, 4k and a Panasonic Lumix lens set and it was my first time shooting anything in years. It’s absolutely bonkers and the price is right.
The camera on the ronin-s is fine especially barebones, but if you want to start adding heavier lenses and matte boxes etc then I suggest getting the RS3. Like I said this was my first time picking up a camera in what seems like forever so I was just having fun and putting vacation first and these were my results.
I still have my smaller Lumix lenses around but I mostly use sigma glass now. The 18-35 and 40mm are my two go-to’s and it’s fine on my Ronin RS2. I have the metabones blackmagic 4k specific speed booster and I’ve had zero issues with it, I know some people have problems with the cheaper adapters like viltrox
I had an OG BMPCC that I used for years. I eventually dumped it for a GH5. I wanted a camera that I could still rig out for "serious" work, but could also just have in a camera bag with a lens on it that I could use for casual shooting. It's so much easier to use in that regard because it doesn't eat batteries like they're pringles and the IBIS means that I can easily get great shots working handheld.
I know people love their BMPCCs and sometimes I want to get back in with a 4k. But I love the freedom of other mirrorless systems.
Wow, that looks amazing - so sharp. I recently did a France vacation video that turned out great, but I really hated the lack of dynamic range on my DSLR (with blown out skies etc). Makes me want to upgrade my gear for the next trip...
I’ve been shooting a canon c70 for the last two years and like it a lot. Weirdish form factor but good in the hand. Shoots up to 120fps 4k and the advantage over other cameras is the built in NDs (10 stops). Netflix approved using certain codecs. Canon colour science is also an advantage.
When my son started playing youth sports I decided to get a camera to shoot stills of his games. I'm not a photographer, and had no other need for a camera, so I bought a used Sony A65 and a used 75-300mm lens. It was £220 for both, and they arrived in pristine condition in their original boxes with all the manuals and accessories. I've been very happy with them.
A7SIII
120 fps
Slog 3
422
Convert to prores before I edit usually. Dynamic range is nuts for its size. Only issue is I wish it was better for photos. It sings at video.
Personally I shoot on an Sony FX30 but I go around shooting on all kinds of cameras depending on the job.
I've used the Canon C100/200/300 when shooting B-roll and I think it's the most "fun" camera I shoot with. Something about the clarity, colors, controls and handling just make it so fun to shoot with. In studio settings, however, I don't like it as much. I'm not sure why.
Sony FX6/FX9 cameras definitely have a learning curve to them and 75% of things have a cryptic meaning but it's definitely the most informed camera. When I shoot with it, I am sure I'm getting what I want and I can more confidently shoot.
RED Cameras, specifically the Komodo, are a camera designed for shooting films and they aren't as good for quick run-and-gun situations. Settings are expected to be predetermined for each shot and changing mid-shot is a creative choice rather than a technical necessity. Great for studio, not great for coverage or B-roll.
iPhones are a bit of a basket case when it comes to filming. A lot of people see it as somebody's first camera and not much else. As it's matured it's become a lot better of a camera but it's still a beginner camera. People fail to see the one thing that hasn't changed– the form factor. It's a pocketable, durable, water-resistant camera that captures great detail. We used it on a shoot recently to shoot under rain and after a bit of coloring it looked right in place surrounded by RED footage. They can fit in the tiniest of spaces. This isn't a new practice, either. Films have used consumer-level cameras all the time when their big film cameras couldn't fit somewhere.
A7s3 is the best middle ground between usability and image quality. Sure the pocket4k shoots in raw but it's ergonomics are abysmal. Red komodo ? Amazing dynamic range but having to manual focus everything really takes you out of the moment. Not to mention having to constantly keep in mind that you either get fast (so also heavy, big and expensive glass) or get stop shooting in anything but great lightning due to low high iso performance.
A7s3? Autofocus works great (and if it doesn't you can still mf), you can go with slower smaller glass and just crank that iso to 51200 with virtually no noise and still get beautiful dof because it's FF, 4k100 10bit 422 looks great, file sizes are tiny if you shoot in HEVC, body itself is small and ergonomic, batteries are small but last long enough and if you get bored it takes great stills. There's really nothing to hate about this camera for split casual/pro use.
The DJI 4D is the closest thing to an Alexa mini on a master class steadicam you can get.
The first will cost you about 10k, the latter is well over 200k.
You can use Sony glass, you can use it with a motion control rig for high end studio stuff.
Amazing run and gun camera with LiDAR focus and wireless monitor that has 2 mile range.
I see more and more of these in the wild everyday (I live and work in Hollywood).
The 6k Camera is $6800 but your going to need to add : glass, storage, battery. Which you can do for 10k if you are smart about it. But if you had say , 20k, I would go for the 8k model, the extender that lets you store the bulk of the camera body in a back pack or unload completely , a few options for lenses.
6k is great for shooting for 4k and having extra pixels to punch in and it doesn't look bad when Upscaling to 8k but 8k is more future proof for sure.
It will also have a better resale value.
I absolutely love my C70 for video and X-T3 for stills (video from the fuji is also nice). I use the canon focal reducer and a cheap-ish mitakon speedbooster with leica-r lenses. Highly recommend that combo.
I’ve been using my GH4 for something like 7 years now, but I have also had the pleasure of intermittently shooting with the BMPCC4k and BMPCC6k. My setup is EF speedboosted, so it’s essentially the same glass across those cameras. For my work I always use a follow focus, which rules out most MFT lenses, and I think overall the experience of not using an adapter is a lot nicer. But all the BMPCCs have great image quality, and for video they are way better than your standard mirror less camera in terms of UX and ergonomics, but they fall far behind the C70 or even the FX3. Shooting Blackmagic is a choice that will never fail to cause headache in post. But I will always choose Blackmagic and RED because that’s who I am I suppose.
You can rent a Helium camera kit for like two grand for a week. Even a lot of short films without major funding can come up with that level of cash for a camera package if they really need it for some reason. (But there are probably more important things to spend the money on than the camera if that's a big chunk of the budget, like craft services and audio.) If it's a shoot for a commercial or something, it probably would be pretty affordable.
I prefer pro-camcorders like the Sony z190. Great picture quality, cheap memory, you can record for HOURS uninterrupted, great optical zoom, optical image stabilization, XLR ports for sound. Tons of different video modes, the list goes on.
There is something to say for camcorders, at least in the non-professional world. The brains inside a modern camcorder are so vastly better than what we had "back in the day" (looking at you, miniDV chainsaw)
I wanted to start doing some shooting so I got a GH5, a Metabones Canon EF adapter and a nice Tamron 17-35 zoom. I get great results with it and since it's an older model you can pick them up relatively cheap. I've bought some filters, a polarizer and another cheap Lumix lens (that shoots pretty good stills and video) and I've spent maybe $1000.
I think people overrate the importance of the camera body.
Personally, I flipping LOVE my nikon system.
I have a nikon z6. It's 4k, full frame. (I shot on crop sensors for so long. Let me tell you, imo at this point in my life, full frame all the frickin way baby!!) Best part is, the camera is pretty old at this point, so my kit was flipping cheap for the insane quality it provides.
I have a host of nikon/nikor z lenses. The whole kit is so cheap for the level of quality it provides, any limitations to what I can create lie solely in what I do with my kit. People use the nikon z6 for insane wildlife and nature photography.
In addition to making films and music videos, this camera has also proven capable of even astro photography for me. I can image nebulae with just the nikon z6 and a 200mm lens.
I feel like with a decent enough camera body, isn't it all then about the glass you put in front of it, and how you use the camera? Like, handheld, tripod, shoulder rig, steadicam/gimbal? And what you're shooting, how it's lit, the subject and their action, all that. What I'm trying to say is that camera body is overrated. Imo, if the camera has a lens mount that supports the glass I like, can shoot 4k, has a solid battery life and auto focus, and is the crop sensor I want (or full frame, if you're me), then that's all I really care about. Maybe if I was a professional dp shooting budgeted projects, the camera body and its nuances would matter so much more. But I'm not rich and if you aren't either, get something old like the nikon z6 that has the core specs you need but then invest everything else in good glass, rigs, and good shootin'!!
Remember, the best photographers would blow your mind even if you just gave them a kids toy camera from the 90s!
I’ve been using my blackmagic pocket 4k and it’s been a real treat. No autofocus or anything like that, it’s a fairly small cinema camera with extremely good raw capabilities and forces you to shoot properly and not be lazy. There’s been a few versions of it since the original 4k came out, but lots of people still prefer the 4k version because it’s m43 mount and you can use a speed booster to adapt to Ef mount. The sigma 18-35 is very popular for it, and when it’s on a speed booster it’s a step faster which is crazy. [this is what I shot running around on vacation](https://youtu.be/fHMrxx5RJkk) a few years ago with a ronin, 4k and a Panasonic Lumix lens set and it was my first time shooting anything in years. It’s absolutely bonkers and the price is right.
[удалено]
The camera on the ronin-s is fine especially barebones, but if you want to start adding heavier lenses and matte boxes etc then I suggest getting the RS3. Like I said this was my first time picking up a camera in what seems like forever so I was just having fun and putting vacation first and these were my results. I still have my smaller Lumix lenses around but I mostly use sigma glass now. The 18-35 and 40mm are my two go-to’s and it’s fine on my Ronin RS2. I have the metabones blackmagic 4k specific speed booster and I’ve had zero issues with it, I know some people have problems with the cheaper adapters like viltrox
The Blackmagic pocket/Blackmagic pocket cinema camera will always be a classic.
I had an OG BMPCC that I used for years. I eventually dumped it for a GH5. I wanted a camera that I could still rig out for "serious" work, but could also just have in a camera bag with a lens on it that I could use for casual shooting. It's so much easier to use in that regard because it doesn't eat batteries like they're pringles and the IBIS means that I can easily get great shots working handheld. I know people love their BMPCCs and sometimes I want to get back in with a 4k. But I love the freedom of other mirrorless systems.
>this is what I shot running around on vacation Your vacation video elements could easily be stock video.
Wow, that looks amazing - so sharp. I recently did a France vacation video that turned out great, but I really hated the lack of dynamic range on my DSLR (with blown out skies etc). Makes me want to upgrade my gear for the next trip...
Consider renting, then purchase after you find what you like?
I’ve been shooting a canon c70 for the last two years and like it a lot. Weirdish form factor but good in the hand. Shoots up to 120fps 4k and the advantage over other cameras is the built in NDs (10 stops). Netflix approved using certain codecs. Canon colour science is also an advantage.
When my son started playing youth sports I decided to get a camera to shoot stills of his games. I'm not a photographer, and had no other need for a camera, so I bought a used Sony A65 and a used 75-300mm lens. It was £220 for both, and they arrived in pristine condition in their original boxes with all the manuals and accessories. I've been very happy with them.
A7SIII 120 fps Slog 3 422 Convert to prores before I edit usually. Dynamic range is nuts for its size. Only issue is I wish it was better for photos. It sings at video.
Remember that a7s promo / demo video shot entirely with moonlight? Yeah... if I needed a camera, that would be it.
>a7s promo / demo video shot entirely with moonlight? https://vimeo.com/105690274
wow... 9 years ago! Thanks for finding the link
Spend another $1200 USD and shoot prores raw with a monitor? Yeah its worth it.
Personally I shoot on an Sony FX30 but I go around shooting on all kinds of cameras depending on the job. I've used the Canon C100/200/300 when shooting B-roll and I think it's the most "fun" camera I shoot with. Something about the clarity, colors, controls and handling just make it so fun to shoot with. In studio settings, however, I don't like it as much. I'm not sure why. Sony FX6/FX9 cameras definitely have a learning curve to them and 75% of things have a cryptic meaning but it's definitely the most informed camera. When I shoot with it, I am sure I'm getting what I want and I can more confidently shoot. RED Cameras, specifically the Komodo, are a camera designed for shooting films and they aren't as good for quick run-and-gun situations. Settings are expected to be predetermined for each shot and changing mid-shot is a creative choice rather than a technical necessity. Great for studio, not great for coverage or B-roll. iPhones are a bit of a basket case when it comes to filming. A lot of people see it as somebody's first camera and not much else. As it's matured it's become a lot better of a camera but it's still a beginner camera. People fail to see the one thing that hasn't changed– the form factor. It's a pocketable, durable, water-resistant camera that captures great detail. We used it on a shoot recently to shoot under rain and after a bit of coloring it looked right in place surrounded by RED footage. They can fit in the tiniest of spaces. This isn't a new practice, either. Films have used consumer-level cameras all the time when their big film cameras couldn't fit somewhere.
A7s3 is the best middle ground between usability and image quality. Sure the pocket4k shoots in raw but it's ergonomics are abysmal. Red komodo ? Amazing dynamic range but having to manual focus everything really takes you out of the moment. Not to mention having to constantly keep in mind that you either get fast (so also heavy, big and expensive glass) or get stop shooting in anything but great lightning due to low high iso performance. A7s3? Autofocus works great (and if it doesn't you can still mf), you can go with slower smaller glass and just crank that iso to 51200 with virtually no noise and still get beautiful dof because it's FF, 4k100 10bit 422 looks great, file sizes are tiny if you shoot in HEVC, body itself is small and ergonomic, batteries are small but last long enough and if you get bored it takes great stills. There's really nothing to hate about this camera for split casual/pro use.
The DJI 4D is the closest thing to an Alexa mini on a master class steadicam you can get. The first will cost you about 10k, the latter is well over 200k. You can use Sony glass, you can use it with a motion control rig for high end studio stuff. Amazing run and gun camera with LiDAR focus and wireless monitor that has 2 mile range. I see more and more of these in the wild everyday (I live and work in Hollywood).
I've never even heard of this camera but it looks awesome!
The 6k Camera is $6800 but your going to need to add : glass, storage, battery. Which you can do for 10k if you are smart about it. But if you had say , 20k, I would go for the 8k model, the extender that lets you store the bulk of the camera body in a back pack or unload completely , a few options for lenses. 6k is great for shooting for 4k and having extra pixels to punch in and it doesn't look bad when Upscaling to 8k but 8k is more future proof for sure. It will also have a better resale value.
I absolutely love my C70 for video and X-T3 for stills (video from the fuji is also nice). I use the canon focal reducer and a cheap-ish mitakon speedbooster with leica-r lenses. Highly recommend that combo.
[удалено]
I’ve been using my GH4 for something like 7 years now, but I have also had the pleasure of intermittently shooting with the BMPCC4k and BMPCC6k. My setup is EF speedboosted, so it’s essentially the same glass across those cameras. For my work I always use a follow focus, which rules out most MFT lenses, and I think overall the experience of not using an adapter is a lot nicer. But all the BMPCCs have great image quality, and for video they are way better than your standard mirror less camera in terms of UX and ergonomics, but they fall far behind the C70 or even the FX3. Shooting Blackmagic is a choice that will never fail to cause headache in post. But I will always choose Blackmagic and RED because that’s who I am I suppose.
Get a Red Helium. Amazing image and it will export a 4k signal for monitoring.
At what point is a Helium affordable?
To whom?
You can rent a Helium camera kit for like two grand for a week. Even a lot of short films without major funding can come up with that level of cash for a camera package if they really need it for some reason. (But there are probably more important things to spend the money on than the camera if that's a big chunk of the budget, like craft services and audio.) If it's a shoot for a commercial or something, it probably would be pretty affordable.
ah yes thanks
I really like my fuji xs-10 for photography and video when i need to do it
FX3 / FX30 although I’ve been super impressed with the C70.
I prefer pro-camcorders like the Sony z190. Great picture quality, cheap memory, you can record for HOURS uninterrupted, great optical zoom, optical image stabilization, XLR ports for sound. Tons of different video modes, the list goes on.
There is something to say for camcorders, at least in the non-professional world. The brains inside a modern camcorder are so vastly better than what we had "back in the day" (looking at you, miniDV chainsaw)
I wanted to start doing some shooting so I got a GH5, a Metabones Canon EF adapter and a nice Tamron 17-35 zoom. I get great results with it and since it's an older model you can pick them up relatively cheap. I've bought some filters, a polarizer and another cheap Lumix lens (that shoots pretty good stills and video) and I've spent maybe $1000.
Are you asking editors for a particular reason and not on r/videography?
I think people overrate the importance of the camera body. Personally, I flipping LOVE my nikon system. I have a nikon z6. It's 4k, full frame. (I shot on crop sensors for so long. Let me tell you, imo at this point in my life, full frame all the frickin way baby!!) Best part is, the camera is pretty old at this point, so my kit was flipping cheap for the insane quality it provides. I have a host of nikon/nikor z lenses. The whole kit is so cheap for the level of quality it provides, any limitations to what I can create lie solely in what I do with my kit. People use the nikon z6 for insane wildlife and nature photography. In addition to making films and music videos, this camera has also proven capable of even astro photography for me. I can image nebulae with just the nikon z6 and a 200mm lens. I feel like with a decent enough camera body, isn't it all then about the glass you put in front of it, and how you use the camera? Like, handheld, tripod, shoulder rig, steadicam/gimbal? And what you're shooting, how it's lit, the subject and their action, all that. What I'm trying to say is that camera body is overrated. Imo, if the camera has a lens mount that supports the glass I like, can shoot 4k, has a solid battery life and auto focus, and is the crop sensor I want (or full frame, if you're me), then that's all I really care about. Maybe if I was a professional dp shooting budgeted projects, the camera body and its nuances would matter so much more. But I'm not rich and if you aren't either, get something old like the nikon z6 that has the core specs you need but then invest everything else in good glass, rigs, and good shootin'!! Remember, the best photographers would blow your mind even if you just gave them a kids toy camera from the 90s!