Right time to purchase 5d MK iii ?

[Brian David Melnyk]

I am also preparing for the next step up from 5dmkii and 70d, but I feel like the infrastructure needed to support 4k is far too expensive to put into place along with the costs of a new camera.
1080p still looks pretty great for my needs, and I am hoping for a FF camera with a better codec (and/or clean HDMI out), functional audio, dual pixel autofocus, and a bigger dynamic range that allows me to use my L lenses.
The C100 is very interesting, but seems a little too expensive for what it offers. I hope we are on the cusp of a FF beast that ticks all the boxes, the technology seems to make it very likely, but I am not sure the 'business' side will allow it...
I am willing to wait and watch a little longer and make the best of the tools I have at hand, which are pretty great, if not a bit frustrating at times.

[Jon Fairhurst]

If the price of storage and the overhead of post production is a concern, I'd skip both UHD and RAW for now. These are both very hungry technologies at this time. This is especially true if the project is for posterity rather than profit and the budget is tight.

Overall, it seems that low light is the most important requirement. The 5D3 (or a C100) might be the best solutions. On a budget, you can add an Atomos Star to improve coding performance and picture quality. The key point is to adjust your exposure and colors very accurately in the field. If you're not pulling chroma keys and you're not doing aggressive color correction, and you can accurately set the camera, 10-bit 4:2:2 isn't necessarily needed.

[Michael Thames]

Originally Posted by Les Wilson

Beware the Panny enthusiasts faking you out. I went from a 5DM2 to a GH3. If ergonomics matter to you, take a look at what Panasonic did not fix and decide if it matters to you. Image wise, you will notice the difference in DOF that the smaller MFT chip size affects. YMMV

That made me laugh! I just got slammed on the OESHD forum by the "British film maker" Andrew Reid for saying the GH4 looks too sharp=video than my nice smooth, creamy, spacious (larger sensor) 5d3.

After "the British film maker" wrote a paragraph of excuses explaining why it appears the GH4 looks too sharp, he insulted me for bring up the issue. The esteemed film maker, even suggest the GH4 was as good as the 5D3 in a low light test and posted a comparison video, and his pycho-visual narrative.

He has written another tutorial on how to use the GH4, so I understand where he is coming from...... just follow the money!

I suggested to "the British film maker" to change the name of his forum to GH4HD! It is very misleading that he is still riding on the popularity and name brand of the Vernerable Master, while at the same time bashing Canon...... it gets old fast.

Tiffen will make a fortune selling softening filters to all the Panny-lovers!

That forum is only about the GH$ and the amount of Canon bashing there is out of control. I just need to put in a good word for the venerable 5D3.

I'm glad you mentioned something about the smaller sensor, because while I can't quite put my finger on it, GH4 footage looks a bit compressed compared the the Venerable Master.

The Panny-lovers always tell you but for $1700 you get 4K....... they neglect to contemplate the storage issues, new computers, not to mention lens, adopters, and that crazy interface unit that cost more than the damn camera! It's almost taken on the appearance of mass hysteria!

[Noa Put]

The Panny-lovers always tell you but for $1700 you get 4K....... they neglect to contemplate the storage issues, new computers, not to mention lens, adopters, and that crazy interface unit that cost more than the damn camera! It's almost taken on the appearance of mass hysteria!

Now you are starting to sound like "that" other place, what issues does the camera have with lenses? Every lens you would have for the gh3 will fit on the gh4. You can use a 100mb codec which is not a dealbreaker, storage is cheap if you stay on HDD route. New computers? I don't know about you but I buy a new pc every 2-3 years, never a high end one but the technology advances so fast that everytime I buy one it handles formats my earlier pc's struggled with with ease. People had the same comments when we went from SD to HD and look where we are now, my current pc eats avchd for breakfast while it once choked on it.

The gh4 can do 4K internally for those who need it, a few things that come to mind is the cropping ability and a more detailed 4k to 1080p conversion, plenty of samples available online that show that current 4k camera's such as the gh4 and ax100 have more detail then any other 1080p only camera currently available. Again to some that might matter.

Also how about future proofing, 4k will be the norm anyway so why not shoot 4K now, downsample to 720p, 1080p or whatever size you need for current delivery and keep a 4K master for when you want to use the footage again in a few months/years, for instance people selling stockfootage will benefit from selling the same thing again in 4K when that is being used by everyone.

That interface unit or also called "the brick" is something you wouldn't easily shoot out in the field with but I can imagine for some people shooting higher end work, maybe commercials, would have the need for that kind of connectivity and/or better output quality. I think Panasonic is aiming at different markets with this camera and just the fact that they make it affordable for just about everybody is a accomplishment of it's own.

I"m not a fanboy and won't be buying the gh4 anytime soon eventhough most my current gear is m4/3 related but knowing I can get the gh4 in one or 2 years time when prizes go down and when I need it and fit all my existing accessories, lenses, adapters, batteries etc onto that camera (I have the gh3) is a big deal for me as I know every investment I make today is a good one.

[Anthony Lelli]

GH4 , absolutely

you get better clips , plus you could adapt the lenses that you have now, also you get a real lanc-like remote (with 2 pana servo zoom). But mainly for the quality (and that's the only reason for a non-camcorder, isn't it?)
I wouldn't worry too much about the less bokeh, since I firmly believe that this bokeh-mania is about to end. (it was a good ride for a year but now it's time to put the bokeh where it belongs, for full zoom only: if done for everything can be distracting and annoying: real life doesn't have bokeh... fiction does, but fiction after a while gets boring).

[Michael Thames]

Originally Posted by Noa Put

Now you are starting to sound like "that" other place, what issues does the camera have with lenses? Every lens you would have for the gh3 will fit on the gh4.

Perhaps you misunderstood me I have a 5D3. Personally I'm not going to invest in new glass at this point in my life. The GH4 has more of an issue fitting Canon glass than other glass.

You are the first person I've heard that tells me there is no issue or added expense with 4K! You are now sounding like that other place too!

[Michael Thames]

Concerning new computers: My graphics card is failing on my old Macbook pro 2010 dual core machine. I still used FCP6, and Snow leopard. I stayed on FCP6 because I felt like I had some issues going to Mountain Lion, mainly with my audio software "Reaper", so went back to Snow Leopard.

My failing Graphics card forced my hand, so I bit the bullet, and bought a new dream machine a Macbook Pro Retina quad core 2.8 ghz ,16 gigs of Ram and a 764 gig SSD drive........ all so I could get FC-X!

There are a lot of slaves out there who still run FCP6 or 7 on unsupported obsolete software on antiythera devices. Going up to 4K is quite the leap for many...... perhaps not for you.

[Michael Thames]

Ramji, since you sold your 5Dii, you probably need something fast, but, for those of us heavily invested in Canon glass, I would just hang in there until Canon releases the 5D mark IV. I'm sure it will kick the GH4's butt! ...... patience is a virtue well worth waiting for!

[Noa Put]

I'm not going to invest in new glass at this point in my life

Why should we use canon glass on a panasonic camera? Plenty of excellent m4/3 glass out there from Panasonic and Olympus. I could get myself a 1500 euro 4K camera right now if I would need it without any extra investment and just start using it, but then again I am a m4/3 camera system user. I don't see any reason of complaining that canon lenses wont fit just because you happen to own one, I wouldn't complain that my m4/3 lenses won't fit a sony camera because I choose a system and stick with it.

[Michael Thames]

Are you serious?

[Noa Put]

Sure, you say you won't buy a gh4 because your canon glass won't fit and you don't want to invest in lenses that do, that's like me not wanting to buy a sony a7s because my m4/3 lenses won't fit either but that doesn't make it a camera with "issues". You complain about "that" other site bashing on the canon but you do the same here with the Panasonic, there is always something bad if you really look hard, it works better if you work with the positive. :)

[Michael Thames]

Originally Posted by Noa Put

Why should we use canon glass on a panasonic camera? Plenty of excellent m4/3 glass out there from Panasonic and Olympus. I could get myself a 1500 euro 4K camera right now if I would need it without any extra investment and just start using it, but then again I am a m4/3 camera system user. I don't see any reason of complaining that canon lenses wont fit just because you happen to own one, I wouldn't complain that my m4/3 lenses won't fit a sony camera because I choose a system and stick with it.

Again, I don't think you understood me. I wasn't suggesting YOU buy Canon glass for your Panasonic camera! I said, that added expense involved moving from a 5D3 to the GH4 involves clumsy adaptors and new glass...... it's actually faaar more expensive with the interface included than the 5D3.

BTW, aren't XLR adaptors in camera's kind a obsolete?

I'm quite happy with the lens I have, and I'm very happy with the 5D3.

When it comes to impressing clients, if you mention you have a Canon 5D3 you are more likely to get the job, especially if it has one of those long white lens on it.

Tell them you got a GH4........ they say, Huh?

Even "That" other place is riding on the coat tails of Canon's name brand reputation. Yet if you mention image is everything..... and I mean figuratively as well as literally, being seen with a name brand big nice camera with a long white lens might verge on vanity, but most people involved in the film business are rather vain anyway so you'll fit right in and get the job!

[Noa Put]

if you mention you have a Canon 5D3 you are more likely to get the job

Talent will get you a job, not equipment :) It's not the camera but the person behind it that makes the difference.

[Michael Thames]

Originally Posted by Noa Put

Sure, you say you won't buy a gh4 because your canon glass won't fit and you don't want to invest in lenses that do, that's like me not wanting to buy a sony a7s because my m4/3 lenses won't fit either but that doesn't make it a camera with "issues". You complain about "that" other site bashing on the canon but you do the same here with the Panasonic, there is always something bad if you really look hard, it works better if you work with the positive. :)

I don't need a lecture from you about "positive" after you misconstrue everything I've said so far. Let me make this as clear as I can!

I said the GH4 to my eye is rather sharp, I like the 5D3 image better, that's not an "issue" that personal taste! I also, like the better low light capabilities of the 5D3, and for me...... notice I said for me, low light trumps sharpness for MY needs.

The "issue" perhaps you are talking about is the fact that the Panny-Lovers love telling people you can get a 4K camera for 1,699.00. If you buy nothing else for it than the interface they sell, it puts the cost way over the 5D3. That's not including the cost of archival, storage, fast cards, lens etc. if you are moving from a 5D3 to GH4, which BTW, is the subject of this thread!

So I would respectfully request you to cease with your condescending remarks, and keep it clean thanks!

[Michael Thames]

Originally Posted by Noa Put

Talent will get you a job, not equipment :) It's not the camera but the person behind it that makes the difference.

Tell that to all the panny-lovers....... yes, I'm quite confident that my 5D3 is far more talented than I am, I have a lot to learn before I can exceed the 5D3.

I would much rather watch a guy save a whale caught up in fishing nets filmed on a cheap video camera, than half of this mindless stuff on Vimeo with all the depth of field shoots of flowers, and such.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=tcXU7G6zhjU#t=43