AF-100 - best indie film maker can get for $6000? Not always.

[Bucknfl]

barry, do you think they will cut together well not that you have seen the footage from the af100?

+1

 

[Justyn]

Vitally... I get a lot of your arguments, but rushing to uphold and or support ONLy the lower end technology is myopic. As a guy who does sound professionally... I"m NOT going to show up to a gig and use a zoom, even though I have access to one. A zoom is a one man band operation, and also good for wild sound gathering. I will thankfully use my sound device unit and get redundant recording at Pro levels, and then not look like a hillbilly with something rigged to a zoom... Now, the zoom is a good setup for a one person thing, and that's my point in reference to the AF100... which is clearly seen with that mockup photo... If there would be NO difference, then all sound guys would be using a zoom, cause inherently we are all cheap... There is a difference, but maybe one that doesn't jive with a kitchen sink mentality....

If i'm shooting a feature or a project by myself, or with a limited crew, then the AF affords me a more refined and simplified workflow... Just as you would admit that a DSLR is more refined than say using a redrock adapter. It's all in how and what you are doing...

 

[Vitaliy Kiselev]

Vitally... I get a lot of your arguments, but rushing to uphold and or support ONLy the lower end technology is myopic. As a guy who does sound professionally...

Here we go again.
I never said that or even thinked about always using low end technology.

Whole point is simple.
In many situations modular approach is better. And cheaper.
Plus you can always stay on edge of technology.
Someone made better body, like GH2 today. It is not a problem.
You sell body and buy newer one. With very little loss.
And retaining all main crucial parts.

You never know the future.
Small change in GH2 firmware and you have less limited variable framerates.
OLPF change by small skilled company - and you got rid of aliasing.
AF100 already is kicked by GH2. Because of OLPF it can't use 1:1 sensor mode and old B4 or C mount lenses for 2/3".
And we'll see much more in less than a year.

 

[Justyn]

I understand your points and appreciate what you are bringing... ALSO...

What's the word on you hacking these new cameras... ? I am pretty stoked on both of them. I'm planning on having two GH2s and at least one AF100... Along with what I've already got for covert cameras....


Cheers....

 

[Vitaliy Kiselev]

What's the word on you hacking these new cameras... ?

Forecast for today is pretty positive.
As we want to use new method of obtaining firmware.

Panasonic managment still struggling.
Some guys started thinking about it.
But most are afraid for their future. As they think that any problem with this development can be used to make them responsible by their enemies inside company. And they can lost their good and warm place.
If reality it is exactly the opposite.
But they'll realise this too late.
Good for us.

 

[Noel Evans]

You sell body and buy newer one. With very little loss.
And retaining all main crucial parts.

Isnt that relative anyway??

I mean just for argument sake I buy an AF100 and make $200,000 this financial year, do I care?

And in addition, for any camera, I dont have to buy a new mattebox, I dont have to buy new follow focus, I dont have to buy new audio gear, I dont have to buy new rods (I have like ten pairs).... etc etc etc etc

SO next year pana brings out a new AF100 called the AF200 and I want to change over - sale on AF100 about $3500 - buy new model, lets say its $6000 this time with some upgrades - total out of pocket is $2500 for my annual equipment investment. On $200,000 per annum, thats just over 1%, pretty cheap in my book.

In fact my camera change over this year should turn into extra dollars, minus around $5k.

EDIT: N.B. All the information above is hypothetical and does not relate to my personal situation - its all made up to make a point.

 

[Vitaliy Kiselev]

Noel, you are right in all your calculations.
Pros are usually good canculating all variants.
I see only one problem. About 50-60% of AF-100 will be purchased by people who ever do not get any money by shooting on it or they'll be tiny.

 

[dcloud]

i only hope that when i buy an af100, i get the money back by the time a new model comes in

 

[Alpha Beta Omega]

I think that within four-five months I'll earn my AF101 investment. Considering other gear I already have it's not a heavy investment really. But I'm on hold until we see some real footage of the final version.

 

[Noel Evans]

NAbout 50-60% of AF-100 will be purchased by people who ever do not get any money by shooting on it or they'll be tiny.

I agree with you. But that was the point of what I put in that hypothetical. You cant say XYZ in a manner that pertains to everyone.

 

[Vitaliy Kiselev]

I agree with you. But that was the point of what I put in that hypothetical. You cant say XYZ in a manner that pertains to everyone.

I definitely do not think that some solution is best or even good for everyone.
All I wanted to say is that people willing to buy AF100 must look at alternatives. Examine all of them. Look at available funds and financial side of the things. And only then make some decision.
Emotions, marketing fluff are not your best friends.

 

[szimmer]

Without emotion and marketing fluff, life is boring.

I am buying my AF100 as soon as it comes out!

I can't wait!

This camera looks amazing and is the perfect upgrade for the HMC-150.

:thumbsup:

Simon

 

[Vitaliy Kiselev]

Without emotion and marketing fluff, life is boring.

Exactly. You can use both for real fun in your life.
But do not let them make decisions for you.

This camera looks amazing and is the perfect upgrade for the HMC-150.

I also think that camera is amazing.
But not sure about HMC150 as it is totally different beast.

 

[CraigM]

I don't see it as much a upgrade but as a different beast altogether from the HMC150. We use and love our HMC150 and HMC40, yet we reserve our 5D for our artsier, high-end work - exactly where the AF100 fits in nicely, but with all the pro features we desire.

It is lovely that the AF100 uses the same media, batteries and codec as the HMC series. And it appears the menu switches and some of the menu items are similar as well. And if you have or plan on getting a GH1/2 the the lens interchangeability between the AF100 and GH series allows you to pack a GH as a "B" camera.

All these features will make it so easy for HMC/GH users to get up and running right away when they get their AF100.

 

[Bandido]

Exactly. You can use both for real fun in your life.
But do not let them make decisions for you.




I also think that camera is amazing.
But not sure about HMC150 as it is totally different beast.

When I want to have real fun I just come to these forums. It is fun to read your posts, especially this thread.

The only ones that make a decision is the end users. We vote with our wallets. We are influenced by a lot of factors but nobody is being forced to buy into a particular solution. This is how things work, a least in this part of the globe.

Vitaliy, we like you. Right now you're probably as popular as Philip Bloom and Trammell Hudson. A lot of people is counting on you. They hope that Tester13 is going to come to the rescue and give us a patch to hack our AF100, GH2 and GH1 (1.34 firmware). People are proud of their GH13. The hack was the best thing that happened to the GH1; if only Panasonic could realize that!... GH1 sales started to pickup back again when the hack came out. It is heart breaking to see all the hassles people go through these days just to find a hackable GH1.

It is nice to have Mr. Tester13 himself here, participating in our daily discussions, but we rather have him in his secret lab, working on the hacks.

 

[TheDingo]

I plan on buying an AF100 in late Spring 2011, once I am sure that all of the bugs have been shaken out.

I will still use my HMC-150 for "run and gun" shoots, with the AF100 reserved for larger projects where I have the time and budget to do proper set-ups.

 

[Darren Levine]

I gotta say i'm just bewildered that there are shooters in this thread who have SHOT on the af100 prototype, and nearly no one is asking about that!

Reading through the thread it's like i'm taking crazy pills, here are people saying: hey, we shot with the prototype. and the response is basically: huh? what did you say? na, we'd rather just speculate till our brains burst.

Comon guys, make use of the resource that's here.

so yea, barry, and the other gentlemen who got their hands on the prototypes, tell us about it, details, did you see the rushes? tested out any grading? compared to any/all of the major dslr players?

i for one am very pleased with Panasonic's efforts. they are even going to have an electronic pass through adapter for EOS lenses to give them aperture control, how great is that?

And those full frame fanboys who want nothing smaller.... a large portion of hollywood level cameras use 2/3", less than half the size of four thirds. you're project isn't going to have greater success because of full frame over aps-c or four thirds.

 

[Barry_Green]

so yea, barry, and the other gentlemen who got their hands on the prototypes, tell us about it, details, did you see the rushes? tested out any grading?

It wasn't to that level yet. It's an early prototype and the footage wasn't to the degree that they were ready to have it released or pushed around.

a large portion of hollywood level cameras use 2/3", less than half the size of four thirds.

2/3 is about one quarter the size of a 4/3 chip.