A7s or GH4 - which for you?

[Clive McLaughlin]

Good to know!

[Dave Partington]

Looks like I'm going against the flow here and just picked up a GH4.

[Craig McKenna]

Originally Posted by Dave Partington

Looks like I'm going against the flow here and just picked up a GH4.

Congrats on your new camera Dave! I really love the GH4.. I've had one problem with audio thus far, which was related to one particular codec (24p @100mbps), but internal 4K, peaking and zebras are amazing additions to an already great camera (GH3). Just shot my second wedding with it yesterday and it was a dream.

[James Palanza]

Well I really want to go with the A7s just for my receptions.. but jeeze the camera and then a lens.. thats 3,000 bucks. Damn.

[Ade Towell]

Ok just to report back on Commlite adapter for using Canon lenses.....

Everything but continuous autofocus works, yet the camera will autofocus (slowly) if you press the shutter down half way.
Fit to camera is snug, a bit loose on the lens side but is very minor

Canon 70-200mm 2.8 mk2, Canon 17-55 2.8 (apsc), Canon 50mm 1.4 all work as above
lenses with quirks -
Canon 18-135mm STM will work auto focus but not manually - presume because it is focus by wire
Sigma 105mm 2.8 macro - will only go down to 3.2 on aperture - EDIT - can get 2.8 after all, just need to take off and put on again

[Adrian Tan]

Going to go on a slight tangent and say that if anyone sees a 1DC for $8000, do send me a message :). I've occasionally seen them, very rarely, around the $9000 mark on eBay. I'd take it over the A7S for its better capability as a stills camera (because I'm starting to do more "hybrid" jobs), and over the GH4 for sensor size.

In terms of pure video functionality, I'd say the A7S is the much smarter buy over the 1DC -- superior in every department except "color science". Subjectively, I do prefer 1DC colours; objectively, it's much of a muchness.

[Markus Klatt]

Originally Posted by Peter Rush

In manual mode with a fixed ISO (not auto) cycle up and down through the apertures - all is ok. Now press record and do the same - do you experience white flashes as the aperture opens up? Don't know if this is a fault or just the way it is with this camera - It happens with Metabones smart adapter and EF lenses but not with NEX lenses and camera in APS-C mode - Clive what adapter are you using and do you experience this?

Is this going to happen with this combination too?

• A7s
• Novoflex Nex-Nikon Adpater
• http://www.bhphotovideo.com/c/product/918852-REG/nikon_2207_af_s_nikkor_18_35mm_f_3_5_4_5g.html

Sorry for highjacking this thread but my questions are somehow related and starting from message #191 its getting very important to me.

I film fireworks displays only and use the EX1R since 2009/2010 just for this. But I finally want to get rid of the fixed lense with wide angle adpaters, since its always to little angle. The PMW-300 with WA lense is not an option because of size and price and the lack of 4K. The A7s with shogun seems to be more suitable.

For my purposes, although I need always WA, I need a slight zoom lense, since its often not possible to change distance to the display - but I always want to fill the whole frame with the largest extent of the display's front. I never use autofocus.

For me its essential to change iris/aperture smoothly during the display. So open it up for pure golden and brocade images and step it down for bright colored and especially white/silver images. ISO would be fixed to 3200 as I remember this would be the native ISO for the A7s? Or am I wrong?

So the Novoflex adapter allows to change the aperture for the Nikon lense - but do I have to expect the white blinking while recording too?

And can someone who has the PAL version please confirm, if one can switch between PAL and NTSC or is it PAL only (as the NTSC version is NTSC only)? One could understand the manual, this would be possible (see page 42 and 44).

Thanks in advance for any hint! Maybe there is an E-mount ~14-24mm lense out there? http://www.bhphotovideo.com/c/product/1012879-REG/samyang_sycv14m_nex_14mm_t_3_1_cine_w_a.html has too much WA at fixed length.

[Malcolm Debono]

Re. flashes when changing aperture on Metabones adapter:
All you need to do is switch from green mode (default) to advanced mode :) Metabones site lists how to do this step-by-step

[Peter Rush]

Agreed - solved it for me too

[Markus Klatt]

Originally Posted by Markus Klatt

So the Novoflex adapter allows to change the aperture for the Nikon lense - but do I have to expect the white blinking while recording too?

And can someone who has the PAL version please confirm, if one can switch between PAL and NTSC or is it PAL only (as the NTSC version is NTSC only)? One could understand the manual, this would be possible (see page 42 and 44).

I did not get the point, that its only happening with the metabones adapter. I own the A7s know with Novoflex-Nikon adapter and all works fine.

And for my other question: the PAL version sold here in Germany is a "world" version, which allows switch between 24p/25p/30p in 4K and additional 50p/60p in the other video modes. But SD cards have to be formatted differently, so PAL and NTSC together on one SD card ist not possible.

[Roger Martin]

I can pick up a new GH4 + 12-35 lens and 128GB class 3 card for under $2500.
That is all I need to shoot 4k in poor indoor light unattended for two hours.

To do the same with an A7s with battery pack + 24-70 lens and external recorder cost $6300

For less money you could get a Panasonic HC-X1000 4K DCI/Ultra HD/Full HD Camcorder
or save up for the 4k Varicam 35.

But the A7s does have a huge advantage in extreme low light and does shoot extra wide FullFrame,
so I will probably be picking up the new OLY 7-14 f/2.8 lens when available.

[Richard D. George]

Lots to like with a GH4, but I went with the A7s. I shoot a bit more stills than video, and I come from the Canon ecosystem.

Because size and weight were important in my ecosystem switch, I am going with all native E and FE lenses. The availability of the FE 16-35 f/4 OSS ZA was critical before I could commit to the switch. This lens is getting rave reviews. I like it very much as well.

[Roger Martin]

I have had the A7s and GH4 for awhile now and just got an Odyssey 7Q+

The GH4 + two lens fit in my smallest bag and wins hands down for portability and affordability.
All the Auto Functions work better than with the A7s.
At this point (I have only used the A7s a few times for stills) the GH4 also wins for Stills, especially in bright light. The single battery will last over 3 hours while recording 4k internally.
I found that with a SpeedBooster and other adapter, I can utilize my Nikkor collection well, but image quality does not improve.

The A7s when used for Video easily surpasses the GH4 for image quality above ISO 1600.
I had to get a two battery grip just to shoot longer than 2 hours and only while recording externally.
I bought a Sony FE 24-70 lens but found the image quality improved when using my Nikkors with adapter.

I have not used the Convergent Design 7Q+ with the GH4 yet because nearly all my Video is shot indoors in poor/low light, so I would have to use a SpeedBooster + FullFrame Nikkor. This I will try soon.
It has made a very noticeable difference on the A7s. Even the ProRes LT appears superior to the in camera codec, especially when shooting 4k DownRes to 1080P 30 or 60 for my use.
If you want to shoot 4k or longer than 29 minutes a 4k recorder is a necessity for the A7s.

If you have not done it, I would suggest watching all the clip at the beginning of this Thread.
It explained to me why my 4k footage would not display properly from the Hard Drive of my computer, even though I can process it with my editing program.

[Gary Huff]

This is the GH4 in some rather challenging lighting (for the dance party elements). Went a few times to 3200 ISO (especially for slow-motion). Used a Speedbooster and the 24-105 primarily.

Daybreaker

[Roger Martin]

edited

Originally Posted by Roger Martin

I can pick up a new GH4 + 12-35 lens and 128GB class 3 card for under $2500.
That is all I need to shoot 4k in poor indoor light unattended for three hours.

To do the same with an A7s with battery pack + 24-70 lens and external 7Q+ recorder cost me $6800

For less money you could get a Panasonic HC-X1000 4K Camcorder,
the 4k Varicam 35 or the 4k JVC LS300 .

But the A7s does have a huge advantage in extreme low light and does shoot extra wide FullFrame,
so I will probably be picking up the new OLY 7-14 f/2.8 lens when available.

I have decided to pass on the Olympus lens and now use my Nikkors with the A7s.
After over a month, I finally got my A7s dialed in, it takes much better indoor Video in poor/low light.
I am DownRes 4k to 1080P30 to ProRes LT at 100 Mbps with the 7Q+