Nikon D90 vs Pan HD1 vs 35mm adapter..?

Nikon D90 vs Pan HD1 vs 35mm adapter..?

  • Buy the D90.

    Votes: 15 40.5%

  • Buy the HD1.

    Votes: 8 21.6%

  • Get a 35mm adapter.

    Votes: 2 5.4%

  • Wait till you could afford the Red.

    Votes: 12 32.4%
  • Total voters
    37
MyFilmPro

MyFilmPro

Active member
Okay,

So I've been very impressed with the results of lossfest and I'm looking at investion in some new equipment.

Here is what I'm looking at: Money IS a factor, and as much as the Scarlet would be awesome, it would mean an entirely new computer and an upgrade to CS4... both of which are out of the budget... which is about $2000 at this point.

I've got a DVX100b and I'd like to either add a 35mm adapter to it, or buy an SLR like the d90 or the new GH1 from panasonic.

So what do you think?

I'm looking to be making shorts and perhaps even feature length, and I'm editing with premiere cs2 and AE.

*Sorry, I put HD1 in the poll, but I meant the GH1.

I can make do with the DVX for now... its a great camera, so the 4th option would be to wait a bit and see if the Scarlet comes down in price over the next year and upgrade my other hardware then...

Any input would be great.
 
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I think 35mm adapters suck arse. They steal too much light, have a muddy depth of field that doesn't look 'natural' like 35mm, they're expensive, and clunky.

The only way I could afford a red would be if I made and sold a film to pay for it. So that leaves the D90 and GH1 to shoot it on. I have a D90 and I'm disappointed with the lack of manual shutter control and the heavy mjpeg compression. The GH1 looks better on paper but until we can see some real footage nobody knows how good it will look. The non HD G1 can't match the D90's low light capabilities, hopefully the GH1 can.
 
I fully agree re 35mm adapters. I admire the results which are possible and the skill and innovation deployed by their designers and users, but every time I am around one I can't help feeling how much could have been achieved if the same money had gone towards renting a second camera.
 
Hey,

Thanks for the info so far...

I'll throw one more item into the mix. If I do go with the d90 or GH1, should I sell my DVX or hold on to it?
 
I sold my DVX for d90, but my situation was a tad different cuz i wanted to venture into SLR's and photography, and D90 happened to have that movie feature, so the timing was priceless.

Might even want to scratch D90 off the list if Nikon has anything up their sleeves for this summer or whenever.
 
I sold my dvx for the d90. The longer you wait, the less your dvx will be worth. If you're willing to iron out some kinks in order to get the d90 to work in your favor, then yeah, why not. The gh1 seems promising, but time will only tell. I'll have some footage by next weekend, which to me, looks really nice.
 
One more thing... am I going to be able to film an entire film with one lens? I'm obviously looking to add lenses over time but money being a factor that might be down the road.

thanks,
B
 
the panasonic looks good, but the biggest issue for me is lack of 35mm full frame. this 3/4 stuff is bogus for anyone who owns nikon 35mm lenses. Which is why the D90 looks so promising.

But i don't believe you can set shutter to 1/48th shooting 24p mode on the D90 right? If that weren't the case, or if you could manually set shutter, i would be all over that like fly on poop.
 
I own nikon lens, and that 4/3rd and isn't bogus for me. The d90 is 1/4 bigger than the gh1. 1/4. That's small change. You realize the d90 isn't full frame, neither is the red. The red is only 1/4 bigger than the gh1. It won't affect the way I shoot any.

You can set the shutter to 1/48th, or say 1/50 on the d90. Just takes practice.
 
the point is that your wide lenses are no longer wide. Your 24mm becomes close to a 50, so the only way to get a wide lens is at 14mm, which if you want fast, is going to cost you a fortune. That's the main concern.

How would u set your shutter to 1/48th on the D90?
 
A 24 on the d90 is a 36 and on the gh1 it's a 48. You can get a 20mm 1.8 for around $300.00. You don't necessarily have to get fast lens because you're not going through 4 pieces of glass like you do with a 35mm adapter. I like how so many people are pining over fast glass like they're still shooting with a Hvx letus combo with a 1/3 size sensor. It's not necessary anymore. Sure it's great to have fast glass, but a 2.8 on the gh1/d90 is 2.8 whereas a 2.8 in front hvx letus/achromat/flip unit 2.8 Leica HVX lens isn't a 2.8 anymore. and that's even with their supposed ".5 stops" of light loss.

the thread you posted on earlier in the day "official iso/shutter tests" shows how to get a shutter from 1/20 to 1/100
 
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even the D90 has a crop factor? Seriously?

I saw the shutter page, but I didn't read any setting that included 1/48th, just 1/50th.
 
Ohh yeah, oddly enough, I just happen to have a magazine that shows exactly all 3 formats and their crop factor. #2 is the d90. I scanned the pic to show you just how big ff35 is. 1/48 to 1/50th, can you really tell the two apart?

1236984881.jpg
 
Car3o said:
A 24 on the d90 is a 36 and on the gh1 it's a 48. You can get a 20mm 1.8 for around $300.00. You don't necessarily have to get fast lens because you're not going through 4 pieces of glass like you do with a 35mm adapter. I like how so many people are pining over fast glass like they're still shooting with a Hvx letus combo with a 1/3 size sensor. It's not necessary anymore. Sure it's great to have fast glass, but a 2.8 on the gh1/d90 is 2.8 whereas a 2.8 in front hvx letus/achromat/flip unit 2.8 Leica HVX lens isn't a 2.8 anymore. and that's even with their supposed ".5 stops" of light loss.

the thread you posted on earlier in the day "official iso/shutter tests" shows how to get a shutter from 1/20 to 1/100
Click to expand...

We don't just want faster glass for low light, it also has a shallower depth of field. I won't be really satisfied until I'm shooting on a full frame HDSLR. Until then I'll use whatever I can get my hands on. There's a rumor about a Canon camera with HD coming out with similar specs to the D90. Nikon might have to up their game with a firmware update.
 
people weren't happy unless they had 24p, people weren't happy unless they had dof, peop;le weren't happy unless they had HD...etc..etc...
 
squig said:
There's a rumor about a Canon camera with HD coming out with similar specs to the D90. Nikon might have to up their game with a firmware update.
Click to expand...

Since the 5D mkII came out, I've been pretty obvious that Canon should come out with something in an HV20 to GL2 body style/size & price range with 24p, full manual control, AVC-HD, and a full frame sensor/interchangeable lens system. It would sell like hot cakes and would move more Canon lenses as well. It would also let them iron out any minor kinks and test the boundaries of the HD DSLR market, clearing the way for an XL-H2 and an XH-A2 with the same types of features. It may not be a Scarlet killer, but it would sell more because of the crossover between consumers, pros, and indy filmmakers due to the low price and Canon name.

As for the D90, I think that Nikon will just keep it the way it is and will add improved video modes to their inevitable D400. If Nikon does neither then they will loose some business to Panasonic and their 4/3 cam. Then again, they are already well established in the photo world, that they might not really care as much as we think about the potential of video. Tons of photographers will still buy a D400 whether it has HD video or not.

Car3o said:
people weren't happy unless they had 24p, people weren't happy unless they had dof, peop;le weren't happy unless they had HD...etc..etc...
Click to expand...

The next thing we need is a camera that does all of the above, as well as writing our script, casting the actors, lining up a distribution deal, and finally editing and scoring the film for us.
 
Car3o said:
people weren't happy unless they had 24p, people weren't happy unless they had dof, peop;le weren't happy unless they had HD...etc..etc...
Click to expand...

Yeah I was one of them. I didn't buy a 'movie making' camera until the D90 came along because I didn't think any of the previous technolgies came close enough to 35mm. So far the D90 has been good to practice the art of filmmaking with. I look at it like it's a red brain. I've been buying all the modules and when the right brain comes out I can update it and make my film.
 
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