Dedicated Steadicam Camera at DVinfo.net

Peter Rush · July 16th, 2015, 12:25 AM

Hi All - Currently I'm using my NEX VG20 mounted on my Merlin for any steadicam work with 14mm pancake lens setup - the downside of this is the flipout screen acts a bit like a sail if there's any breeze plus it's very poor in low light so not much use for indoor work - so my question is - can you recommend a good but not too expensive alternative - I'm looking at spending less than £1K (including lens) but it does need to perform well enough in low light for the first dance

Pete

Noa Put · July 16th, 2015, 12:50 AM

A sony a6000?

Chris Harding · July 16th, 2015, 12:50 AM

How about the RX10 Peter? since you are a Sony Man? The F2.8 lens should be plenty as you will be at full wide anyway ... I'm using my FZ1000 but because my rig has a dual arm I had to take some bottom sled weight plates and add them on the top sled to get it heavy enough. The bridge camera should be just the right weight for a Merlin and it would match your A7S footage quite well too

Chris

Peter Rush · July 16th, 2015, 01:18 AM

Ideally I'd like to use my A7s but it would mean quite a bit of lens swapping and I'd like to not have to do that as the sensor is exposed in the same was as the EA50 and I've had tons of trouble with dust flecks so whatever I choose will sit on the merlin all day.

That A6000 looks interesting - I could still use my Sony E-mount pancake lens setup - I'll check out some review - it looks a little light however.

Steve Bleasdale · July 16th, 2015, 01:26 AM

panasonic lumix g6

Peter Rush · July 16th, 2015, 01:39 AM

What lens would you pair with that Steve - I'm not too familiar with the four-thirds range

Steve Bleasdale · July 16th, 2015, 02:03 AM

I would go with a 14-45 mm, bit better than the 14-42 but both good, the g6 can work up to 6400 iso and maybe a bit of neat video if to grainy. Very light little camera and touch screen and auto focuses lovely. 70d of course but lens 18-135 stm a bit big. There are a couple at the £250 mark Amazon and around. The g7 has come out but around £700. Steve

Noa Put · July 16th, 2015, 04:04 AM

Quote:

the g6 can work up to 6400 iso

for video the iso is limited to 3200 iso but it's a pretty clean looking 3200 iso, I wouldn't use any of these cheap zoom lenses though as they are too slow, a bit pricey but an awesome lens is the 12mm f2.0 from olympus, you will need that when it gets dark, especially if the iso limit is 3200 iso.

I still think Peter will be much better of with a a6000 since he already has lenses for sony camera's.

Peter Rush · July 16th, 2015, 04:39 AM

I already have the Sony E-Mount Pancake 16mm f2.8 and the wide converter and the optical quality is OK, so I need to check the low light performance of the A6000 as I will be using this setup for dance floor filming.

Noa Put · July 16th, 2015, 04:45 AM

I have edited some a6000 footage taken in good light conditions and was surprised how nice it looked, very detailed and nice color, didn't get to see any low light shots. From what I have seen the a6000 has impressive autofocus so you might use that in combination with a 50mm f1.4 lens while shooting on a steadicam. There has to be some a6000 users in here that could chime in?

July 16th, 2015, 12:25 AM	#1
Peter Rush Inner Circle Join Date: Nov 2008 Location: UK/Yorkshire Posts: 2,069	Dedicated Steadicam Camera Hi All - Currently I'm using my NEX VG20 mounted on my Merlin for any steadicam work with 14mm pancake lens setup - the downside of this is the flipout screen acts a bit like a sail if there's any breeze plus it's very poor in low light so not much use for indoor work - so my question is - can you recommend a good but not too expensive alternative - I'm looking at spending less than £1K (including lens) but it does need to perform well enough in low light for the first dance Pete

July 16th, 2015, 12:50 AM	#2
Noa Put Inner Circle Join Date: Jun 2007 Location: Belgium Posts: 9,509	Re: Dedicated Steadicam Camera A sony a6000?

July 16th, 2015, 12:50 AM	#3
Chris Harding Inner Circle Join Date: Jul 2009 Location: Perth, Western Australia Posts: 8,441	Re: Dedicated Steadicam Camera How about the RX10 Peter? since you are a Sony Man? The F2.8 lens should be plenty as you will be at full wide anyway ... I'm using my FZ1000 but because my rig has a dual arm I had to take some bottom sled weight plates and add them on the top sled to get it heavy enough. The bridge camera should be just the right weight for a Merlin and it would match your A7S footage quite well too Chris

July 16th, 2015, 01:18 AM	#4
Peter Rush Inner Circle Join Date: Nov 2008 Location: UK/Yorkshire Posts: 2,069	Re: Dedicated Steadicam Camera Ideally I'd like to use my A7s but it would mean quite a bit of lens swapping and I'd like to not have to do that as the sensor is exposed in the same was as the EA50 and I've had tons of trouble with dust flecks so whatever I choose will sit on the merlin all day. That A6000 looks interesting - I could still use my Sony E-mount pancake lens setup - I'll check out some review - it looks a little light however.

July 16th, 2015, 01:26 AM	#5
Steve Bleasdale Trustee Join Date: May 2010 Location: England liverpool Posts: 1,343	Re: Dedicated Steadicam Camera panasonic lumix g6

July 16th, 2015, 01:39 AM	#6
Peter Rush Inner Circle Join Date: Nov 2008 Location: UK/Yorkshire Posts: 2,069	Re: Dedicated Steadicam Camera What lens would you pair with that Steve - I'm not too familiar with the four-thirds range

July 16th, 2015, 02:03 AM	#7
Steve Bleasdale Trustee Join Date: May 2010 Location: England liverpool Posts: 1,343	Re: Dedicated Steadicam Camera I would go with a 14-45 mm, bit better than the 14-42 but both good, the g6 can work up to 6400 iso and maybe a bit of neat video if to grainy. Very light little camera and touch screen and auto focuses lovely. 70d of course but lens 18-135 stm a bit big. There are a couple at the £250 mark Amazon and around. The g7 has come out but around £700. Steve

July 16th, 2015, 04:39 AM	#9
Peter Rush Inner Circle Join Date: Nov 2008 Location: UK/Yorkshire Posts: 2,069	Re: Dedicated Steadicam Camera I already have the Sony E-Mount Pancake 16mm f2.8 and the wide converter and the optical quality is OK, so I need to check the low light performance of the A6000 as I will be using this setup for dance floor filming.

July 16th, 2015, 04:45 AM	#10
Noa Put Inner Circle Join Date: Jun 2007 Location: Belgium Posts: 9,509	Re: Dedicated Steadicam Camera I have edited some a6000 footage taken in good light conditions and was surprised how nice it looked, very detailed and nice color, didn't get to see any low light shots. From what I have seen the a6000 has impressive autofocus so you might use that in combination with a 50mm f1.4 lens while shooting on a steadicam. There has to be some a6000 users in here that could chime in?