Time to Replace Cameras -where to now?

[Chris Harding]

Thanks Dave

I was actually thinking about the static on tripod camera rather than the handheld one .. sorta like a aluminium frame over the top that one could mount 2 receivers and something like a Rode VM so it's mainly for the audio accessories. That camera I usually only use up front for wedding ceremonies and speeches so it's always on tripod and once focussed the only control I need is the stop/start button. The handheld could carry a shotgun on the hotshoe but I might need somewhere for a light as some venues tend to turn the lights almost off so we have to use an LED light as a fill on the couple.

The suggestions are appreciated ..however I'm trying to keep addons to a minimum!!

Chris

[Michael Spanheimer]

hey chris

i didnt suggest to buy 2 FS7s... But it would be really awesome to have them.
but i think there is a big difference in the things I usually film and most commentators here.
I dont do weddings... I only shot one some years ago with a Sony Z1 HDV.
And one Birthday Party and some Bat Mizwas as 3rd camera man for a colleage.
Usually i am doing videos for small companies like eg. Window-/Door Sellers
and documenting industry events. So mainly i dont have to have to use two cams.
So if i have to i still use my EOS550D which matches pretty well with the EA50.

So i dont see an upgrade in equipment if i change from the EA50 to something like a RX10 or so.
Things like a PMW EX1 would be okay to, but no photo cam with 30min duration limit....

PS: And also i dont earn that much money with filming, so that a FS7 with a nice glass would be reasonable....

[Dave Baker]

Then how about something like this COLD SHOE EXTENSION-Easy Hood. The Easy Hood ones are less than half the price of the Rycote ones, I have a 4" one from each manufacturer and, apart from the flashy Rycote badge, would swear they come from the same factory.

I too prefer to keep add-ons to a minimum these days, but where they are necessary, try to leave them in situ when packing up. It's one of the reasons I went back to a camcorder, it's ready for almost instant use and I instinctively grab it every time.

Dave

[Chris Harding]

Hi Michael

I have always used two matching cameras at weddings ..for me it just works better and I don't have to decide which is going to be Cam A and which will be Cam B ... I mainly need to go lighter as I get older and the EA-50 with my Sigma 18-35 gets the weight to over 3kg and then at receptions when they are "dancing in the dark" The added weight of another big battery and the LED light make it quite a weight to struggle with for 8 hours. Yeah with a standard lens the FS7 is $13,000 over here ..way out of my budget .. you guys get them cheaper ..Our EA-50's here are still just under $4000 and you can get them from B&H now for almost half that!!

Dave?? That's perfect ..in fact one could actually leave the add ons on the rail and then slide it onto the hotshoe when required .. I like it!!

[Roger Gunkel]

Hi Chris,

Yes the FZ200 has focus Lock, follow focus etc so I would assume that the FZ1000 would be the same. You can download the full FZ1000 manual from this link
ftp://ftp.panasonic.com/camera/dmcfz...dvanced_om.pdf
I don't like frames, and everything for me is based around a lightweight tripod with a wide plate. That enables me to mount two cameras, and a light, mic or anything else I want, but still able to quickly whip off a camera for handheld. I can mount things on or under the plate as it overhangs the tripod head. I can also clamp a third camera on the tripod centre column if I really need to, and use the tripod as a monopod. The other advantage with the lightweight tripod is that it is easily carried with one hand like a steadycam if you are following moving action.

Roger

[Roger Gunkel]

If I have to I can load up my tripod with a multitude of bits and it is still light enough to carry with one hand and cameras are available for quick release..

Here there is a Lumix FZ200 with flashgun, plate mounted Panny videocam, clamp mounted Panny videocam, microphone, windjammer, video light and remote control on the panhandle. Sometimes I leave the clamp mounted camera on there just so I can quickly unclamp it and instantly clamp it onto a pew for the processional, somewhere for an alternative angle, or the DJs light stand for the dance. I have a small IR remote so that I can stop/start, zoom it from up to 30 ft away. it also has a stills button for instant 14mp stills.

I don't always have ithe tripod fully loaded, but it gives me complete mobility, small size and very fast setup and breakdown.

Roger

[Chris Harding]

Thanks Roger

That's very neat and inventive too!! Everything is within reach! Are you also using a handheld camera for congregation cutaways and such??

Now I need to find someone who wants an EA-50 !! I have put one up on eBay to see if the fish will nibble ..even if I still keep one just ridding myself of one will cover me for a couple of FX1000's and my mandatory replacement of my wireless system which I have to do anyway!!

Small businesses here have a new incentive from last month where you are allowed to writeoff any capital equipment up to $20,000 for tax purposes so it's a good time to replace gear, however it's also Winter here and freezing cold so June/July isn't exactly peak wedding month!!!

Your comments on the 1000 vs the 200 will be interesting ... the sample video I saw show a squeaky clean image at iso 6400 !!!

Chris

[Roger Gunkel]

Hi Chris

It depends on the situation whether I use a handheld during the ceremony I sometimes use the clamp camera on the tripod column to get a reaction view from the congregation while I am using the other two for wide angle and closeup. I may already have the clamp camera elsewhere for a totally different angle, and maybe the Lumix being handheld while the other Panny is on a fixed shot or visa versa. If I am also doing stills, I could have a Canon DSLR round my neck.

I had a wedding yesterday and have lifted a couple of timeline grabs straight from the FZ200 video exactly as they were on the video to show you. The video was at 17mbs 25fps and the grabs are only a few kilobytes taken from Edius Neo. It was a big church and the closest I was to the couple was 20-30ft away. the closeup of their hands was from 30ft. The FZ1000 of course will be vastly superior and very much sharper from a 4k still, so I expect some impressive results.

Roger

[Chris Harding]

Wow any bride would be happy with that and that's only the FZ200 ! I love the form factor of my Sony's but I do get frustrated when I see video from cameras a quarter of the price that are so much sharper ..the EA-50 gives a nice image but I have never found it blows me away!! Sometimes I will look at the ceremony footage straight off my SJ4000 action cam which is a $100 camera and wonder why the EA-50 footage isn't as good considering it costs 40 times more!!

Those are pretty good screen grabs Roger!! Based on the fact that the FZ1000 can do 8 mp frame grabs from 4K video should provide some even better stills.

Chris

[Peter Rush]

Chris there's an ongoing thread about the FZ100 - Noa's making some interesting points.

http://www.dvinfo.net/forum/wedding-...eddings-2.html

[Noa Put]

Originally Posted by Michael Spanheimer

Also I would say that a client expect his cameraman to have a camera that is at least bigger than his own.

A wedding client doesn't care, my gh4 with a olympus 12mm f2.0 looks tiny in comparison with the photogs 5DIII and his zoomlens, I often see weddingguests that carry bigger Canon/Nikon dslr's with them compared to what I use. The only thing I miss from my nex-ea50 is the formfactor, even if it was not a real shoulder camera and a pain to hold for longer periods handheld, because all the weights extends in front of you, I loved using it with the stocklens. I had much more control with it then with my current dslr's, the only thing I missed was not being able to scroll quickly through iso values and having to preset 3 of them only.

If you work with small formfactor dslr's only it's important to have at least one camera with good image stabilization so you can shoot handheld without a complicated and oversized cage, I prefer to have my set up as small and simple as possible, yet very effective for what I need it for. For instance, the onboard sound from my rx10 or gh4 is good enough for recording ambient sound to record just general chatting in the morning during brideprep, if I need good sound on keymoments such as speeches I use external audiorecorders. This saves me space on not using a shotgun, xlr boxes etc on the camera which would mean I would have to get a rig as well.

Also very important is how you are able to change settings on the fly without anyone noticing, most dslr's have a clicky iris ring while the sony rx10 does not, if I need to adjust the f-stop on my gh4 that's a lost moment that I need to cut out, with my rx10 I can keep that. There are a lot of good things to say about dslr's but functionality while shooting video is usually not one of them, something to consider if you are going to get rid of a more video oriented camera and get a small formfactor dslr instead. I would at least get one videocamera, such as a sony ax100 to cover your butt incase it goes wrong with your other camera's and no, I don't consider a gopro alike camera suitable for such an important function.

[Peter Rush]

Noa - off topic the RX10 interests me - I've read it has built in ND yes? also how good is the AF in video mode? Also (so many questions) how is the stabilization vs the 'active stabilisation' you had on the EA50?

I said earlier in this thread that I'll be keeping the EA50 but also like Chris I want to downsize and protect my back lol! Do you have to use something like a Z-Finder for outdoor work? If so does that mean you can't use the flip function of the LCD screen? Filming in sunlight would be tricky without one.

[Chris Harding]

Hi Pete

I'm already contributing to that thread! If you are looking at the RX10 then wait until the new one is out! It has 4K now! the current RX10 does have ND filters and also the lens is F2.8 constant ! Dunno about the Autofocus though??? Yeah my downsize issues are the same as yours ..the EA-50 with a big lens is a killer

I'm still looking at other systems without going over budget!! A lot of research is required I think and if I used a tiny form factor as my A-Cam I would also have to cost in a Beachtek adapter for my audio as I don't like recorders!

Chris

[Noa Put]

Originally Posted by Peter Rush

Noa - off topic the RX10 interests me - I've read it has built in ND yes? also how good is the AF in video mode? Also (so many questions) how is the stabilization vs the 'active stabilisation' you had on the EA50?

It has one ND to choose from which is sufficent for my needs but sometimes does require to increase the shutter if you want to stay at f2.8 in sunny condition, but I never have to go above a shutter of 200.

Autofocus is adequate, but don't expect a sony a6000 or canon 7d focussing, big advantage is that you can magnify the screen while recording video, like the ea50 can, to check on focus. Focus is only fly by wire and a bit tricky to set but it's not impossible to do. If I recall right there is not so much difference to the ea50 stocklens in autofocus performance. When I shoot wide I use autofocus all the time, when I zoom in I switch between autofocus to prefocus and manual focus to lock the focus when I shoot handheld.

I use the standard stabilization which can introduce some micro jitters, you have the active stabilization as well which crops the image and is supposed to be better but you loose a bit of resolution.

[Peter Rush]

The one thing that is key for me is I like to just bring the EA50 up to my eye and block the sunlight out but also very quickly flip the loupe and rotate the screen for low or high shots - I'm just starting my quest now for a replacement as the amount of gear i'm carting around is ridiculous and heavy - to swap out the EA50 for something smaller and lighter would be great - where have you read about the new one - does it use AVCHD or XAVCS?

Pete