Run away from nikon?

[ahalpert]

did anyone say that the e-mount version works equally well? doesn't seem like a foregone conclusion to me just because the ef version works... there are so many gotchas with AF compatibility...

aren't RF lenses focus by wire as well?

FWIW G masters may not always have the best AF. they may never have it, for all I know. The Sony 85mm f/1.8 has the best autofocus on an 85. I heard that the Samyang 85mm f/1.4 has better AF than the G Master (according to Dustin Abbott's tests). The Tamron 70-180mm has faster/better AF than the Sony G Master. the G Masters definitely have pretty optics, though, basically better than those other options

But supposedly the manual focus is improved on the cine 16-35 which is like $5k but should be pretty badass and has a servo. And they're going to come out with more AF cine-type lenses.

[morgan_moore]

Those cine lenses did float in my mind.. but they are probably beyond me.

One thing I like with canon is 70-200F4 for £2.50 and 24-105 for £3.25

A bit to sleep on

[ahalpert]

Two and a half quid?

[morgan_moore]

Im being silly but the non IS canon 70-200/4 is very cheap used. I used to have one on my 5d2 and loved it.

[markfpv]

I just pulled the trigger on a Sony 70 - 200 f2.8 as well as the 2x extender for it - which now gives me 70 - 400 range, or really up to 600mm (albeit at f5.6) when using the C I Zoom on the A7siii. And then roughly 105 - 300 fov range on the FS7. It's still early days but the AF tracking on the A7siii is really something to see & try for yourself. (assume it's nearly the same with new Canon's) The jump from the a6300 days of AF to now is rather impressive. Dropping the coin hurt... but I will certainly retire this lens only when I retire myself in 15 years or so.

One thought about going Canon route... it seems they are still straddling the EF & RF mounts in their products - which may be a non-issue really (if you don't lose any AF using adapters). Sony has obviously gone all in on E mount when they put it on the Venice as well as lower end consumer.

[DLD]

... FWIW G masters may not always have the best AF. .

That's probably due to their weight. It's lot of glass to move. Which is why cinema bazookas have external motors/gears.

... One thought about going Canon route... it seems they are still straddling the EF & RF mounts in their products - which may be a non-issue really (if you don't lose any AF using adapters).

Something like 140 million EF lenses are out in the wild. That will take forever to unwind. Sony sort of had the same problem with the A-mount but, after saying that they wouldn't abandon it, abandoned it.

And, to borrow from Columbo, one more thing - new external LiDAR AF modules are pretty inexpensive and could be a solution for those stuck with a lot of manual glass or are ecosystem agnostic. The modules should only continue to get better too.

[Grug]

As a former Nikon (now Fuji) guy (for stills). I've always found Canon and Sony both pretty awful ergonomically. The Sonys have the advantage of being incredibly customisable - so you can generally configure them into an arrangement that's pretty similar to how you'd use your Nikons. But they just have so many options, that it can be overwhelming at times, and for the brief time that I owned one, the complexity of switching all the buttons over to different things (if I was switching from stills to video work on a gimbal) was pretty traumatising.

I think it's worth looking into whether the new Cinematch software for Resolve will allow you to get a good enough match with your Nikon (to either the FX6 or C70). Because that would be a MUCH simpler and cheaper prospect overall (and I've been hugely impressed by how well it's matched my Fuji X-T3s to the Sony F55 - which was a bitch to do manually).

If you're inclined to stick in the Sony world for video, it might be worth having a play with the A7Siii at a camera shop. I hear they've made some pretty big leaps in operational ease/menus (so maaaaaybe it won't be as painful as Alpha cameras have been in the past).

[markfpv]

... the complexity of switching all the buttons over to different things (if I was switching from stills to video work on a gimbal) was pretty traumatising.

This was the case on many of the mirrorless (I know my a6300 was a pain to switch back & forth). But that has changed with the A7Siii. You can set custom buttons differently for stills than video. And maybe more importantly, whatever settings you last used when shooting stills, remains when you switch back over to it. Leaps & bounds better now.

[/QUOTE]If you're inclined to stick in the Sony world for video, it might be worth having a play with the A7Siii at a camera shop. I hear they've made some pretty big leaps in operational ease/menus (so maaaaaybe it won't be as painful as Alpha cameras have been in the past).[/QUOTE]

I'm not one to complain much about menu systems... the best feature of the A7Siii is that you can make your own custom menu. It's similar to FS7 - but with much more options / places to put things - so much so I can't imagine running out of space.
In the weeks since I've had it, I've come to think of my A7Siii as what the FS7 should have been from the start. It's got one of the best / easiest white balance methods of any cinema camera I've ever used (small box - can be moved around in frame & does very accurate WB without having to fill any of the frame). If only it had built in eND - and took higher res stills... etc etc.

[ahalpert]

Yeah the A7SIII is an instant classic. The a7iv will probably be an even better deal (bad surprises notwithstanding) and may come out in 2021. It may be an even better better deal too because it will be a more capable stills camera.

Personally, I may skip it and get the next flagship APS-C sony camera for extra reach and macro capabilities, assuming they give it 10-bit. A7iv will probably be 2500. Aps-c will probably be 1500ish

Although come to think of it, there's supposedly an R7 coming soon (mirrorless 7D) which could be sweet because probably no overheating problem + speedboosterable with FF or use with 18-80 and stuff. Probably $2k or less. And unlike any speedbooster scenario on Sony, you end up with good autofocus

[morgan_moore]

Its funny - while I hate sony menues Im now totally dialled with the FS7.

I actually dont really change anything ever so dont use the menu.

I shoot 180 shutter and slog - meaning I only use.. SQ button (canon do noise with SQ) ND wheel and the WB flip switch (very rare) adjusting the iris on the lens.

Stills wise I guess I peddle shutter speed, iris and ISO, but dont change anything else (raw - do the WB later)

The nikon Z6 stills/motion flip switch is brilliant.

The one menu dive i do is going from 1FPS to high FPS in S+Q (canon dont have 1fps and dont have af at less than 25?)

I would like easy punch in if Im doing 24-105 - getting that to S35-135 is useful or makes a 24-70 more worth considering. (interesting one button can make a huge difference on a major lens choice. I love non tromboning lenses)

Changing the focus attribues is something I know little of but guess one has to do. Nikon have the wheel AFs AFs M.

Any other stuff like P or flower mode or such like is just white noise for me because Ive always shoot 100% manual. NR, lens vignette and the like in camera is also white noise because I do that in post. I guess sometimes auto guff could work or at least save huge hassle.. say a gimbal shot from ext to int some of the youtubers are clearly on auto and look OK - not cinema but OK.