AF100 $10K List - Suggestions?

I

IraNathanCole

New member
Hello all, this is my first post here. I've learned much from these forums and am very grateful for the community.

I'm a fairly new, aspiring DP looking to spend around $10K for a setup and I'm leaning towards the AF100 as my starting point (The AF100 itself will eat half of my budget).

I have a Canon t2i I can use as a b-cam and have done lots of work with the 7D, but I don't yet have any quality lenses of my own as I've been renting for most important projects. I've done short narrative, docs, and commercial stuff, but mostly with rented/borrowed gear. I really am starting from scratch. Currently I'm considering getting a couple of lenses (Maybe the 14-140mm and a prime? Or should I go straight to Zeiss lenses?), some LED lights, Audio gear (Perhaps the Sennheiser G3 wireless and a boom mic), follow focus, sticks, etc.

What would you suggest I include as top priorities in this spending range?

I'm extremely grateful for any input you may have in what tragic missteps I could avoid.
 
If your starting from absolute scratch, you'll need a good set of sticks. I highly suggest Sactler or Vinten. They're the best tripod manufacturers. And a good set of sticks will last you for a long time. So don't cheepen out! You will absolutely regret it!
 
In my opinion, DO NOT BUY AN AF100!

This is coming from a guy who owns an AF100.

Your T2I represents 90% of what an AF100 is. Instead invest in quality glass. IMO Canon EF primes are the way to go. Also it's hard to go wrong with older MF Nikon primes. Invest in lights, audio gear, sticks, etc. Seriously, the silliest thing you could do is buy an AF100 even though it is an awesome camera.

Just my 2 cents.

:)
 
- AF100 : 5000$
- Manfrotto Tripod 535 + Manfrotto 504HD : 1000$
- Olympus 14-35mm : 2000$
- Panasonic Adapter 4/3 : 150$
- Canon FD Primes:
50mm 1.2 : 200$ or 55mm 1.2 : 300$ / 24mm 1.4 : 600$/ 85mm 1.2 : 400$ - choose what you need or like
- FD To M 4/3 Adapter : 30$
- Comer LED Light 1200 : 400$
- Kata or Lowepro Bag(DV 6000) : 250$
- Voigtländer 25mm 0,95 : 1000$ Looks funny on the AF100 but produces stunning images!
- Follow Focus Rig / Indian FF V2 is very good for the price : 650$ with rails

Just look, what your priorities are - this is the set I actually have and I am really happy with it.

And believe me, the T2i is really nice BUT the AF100 is a MUCH nicer - I say that As a Canon 5D owner!

Best regards.
 
I believe the AF100 would be a good purchase for you. Why? Because you will probably be enthusiastic about your new purchase. You will probably feel more assured if doing paid work that you have a pro camera. If your attitude is that you are a pro, have pro equipment then I believe you are more likely to succeed than using equipment that can still get great images, but will you feel like a professional camera operator?
I believe in buying good second hand, except in some new technology that is obviously going to give you a competitive advantage. I would suggest;
AF100
SD card
Voigtlander f0.95 25mm lens
Second hand tripod (I brought a Satchler 18 for $1700 on ebay, they can cost $7000 new)
Any money left over I would put towards marketing so you can hopefully earn from your investment! Cheers
 
Libec tripod with 100mm bowl and fluid head (cheaper and as good as the manfrotto for your purposes), suggesting Sachtler of Vinten is frankly ridiculous on your budget. under $1000
Check out lens reviews for old Canon , Nikon, Zeiss Contax primes and zooms essential for your doc work, depending on your aesthetic or work you can invest in m4/3 lenses as you go.
A decent follow focus for $500-$600
decent hand held rig with rails like the Red Rock
decent mic, once again read reviews do the homework and test some out.
A selection of adaptors for lenses so you can rent and buy on ebay, PL mount , Nikon G, etc as job requires you might want to be versatile and experiment.

With AF100 and some smart buying on the lenses you can come in for $5k, shoot and buy more 6 months time.
 
I humbly admit that as far as pro video is concerned I am in a similar position to the OP.

My own research into how to initially set myself up led to the following (and, incidentally, to this forum):

For 2D high def work:

GH2
AF101
14-140
20/1.7 pancake
Libec tripod and fluid head

Still on the list, in rough priority order:

Sliders, dollies etc for tracking shots
Lighting (beyond what I already have)
FF, rails, mattebox - here I'm very interested in what Shoot35 are doing
7-14 or the rumoured super-duper one if it comes out before I make a buying decision

For later:

Second GH2 body (for my wife and as a 2nd B-cam for video)
100-300 (since I photo wildlife and sailing for fun and Uwe's Monarch movies show what can be done with it)
Voightlander 25/0.95 (although I think I'll go a long way with the 20/1.7 for a while)

Cine lenses are way beyond me at the moment. If I find I need them I'll hire.

The compelling thing to me about the Panasonic offering as a one-man band is that my investment is shared between DSLR and pro digital video camera, between stills and video, and between 2D and 3D. I am also investing in 3D, for which I have a couple of ongoing projects, and the Lumix 3D lens seems capable of taking pretty competent 3D stills on the GH2 from my dabbling so far.

I agree with CineStills that while good gear doesn't make you great, it can certainly encourage and inspire you to improve your craft. I learnt this lesson the hard way in music, where I was held back in my playing for years by having a less than ideal instrument. I eventually bought a "pro" level bass and never looked back. It was a joy to play it, so I did, a lot, and became a much better musician as a result. I'm no famous rock star but I know any limitations are due to me and not the equipment I'm using. Same with cameras and other equipment, imho, get the best tools you can afford for the job you want to do.

Then all you have to do is somehow turn all this investment into income... :)

Cheers

Neil
 
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CineStill said:
I believe the AF100 would be a good purchase for you. Why? Because you will probably be enthusiastic about your new purchase. You will probably feel more assured if doing paid work that you have a pro camera. If your attitude is that you are a pro, have pro equipment then I believe you are more likely to succeed than using equipment that can still get great images, but will you feel like a professional camera operator?
I believe in buying good second hand, except in some new technology that is obviously going to give you a competitive advantage. I would suggest;
AF100
SD card
Voigtlander f0.95 25mm lens
Second hand tripod (I brought a Satchler 18 for $1700 on ebay, they can cost $7000 new)
Any money left over I would put towards marketing so you can hopefully earn from your investment! Cheers
Click to expand...

+ 1. CineStill is absolutely right.

Cheap legs and head = you produce easily what we once called a "Reval-pan" (Reval having been the most cough-efficient, throat-unfriendly non-filter cigarettes in my country) and the people who see your video will care rodents behind what lenses it was shot on but will see a wobbly tilt or a stuttering pan immediately.

With glasses - have a wonderful Zeiss Jena 180 mm f 2.0 for instance. An old Leica Emarit 19mm f 2.8. And years ago we even used a set of Zeiss primes from 1942 or so, lightweight and extremely fast, produced for the "Wehrmacht Propaganda Kompanie", in an award winning movie for theatrical release. Nobody objected to those objectives.

Have a good rig and follow focus. Have good ideas. Have a good time realizing them.
 
I'm a fairly new, aspiring DP looking to spend around $10K for a setup and I'm leaning towards the AF100 as my starting point (The AF100 itself will eat half of my budget).
Click to expand...


I agree with cinestyle.

You are an aspiring D.P. ...and not a sound guy or lighting gaffer... so...

Get a camera, get some lenses, get a sturdy head and legs. Start there and learn your craft as a D.P

Later you may want to be a "jack of all trades film maker " and get your self all the other stuff. ( stuff that is easily hired for a production)

Depends on how much you want to be a "D.P"
 
I'm like Ira - been gratefully reading over the past few weeks and soaking up knowledge before buying an AF100.

Do you have any additions to your lists, especially lenses, for the purposes of verite-style documentary work, especially handheld?

Thanks so much for any advice.
 
Thanks to all who took the time to contribute to this discussion. Each post has been enlightening and I'm very grateful.

The strongest consensus I'm hearing is for the AF100 + the Voigtlander f0.95 25mm lens + ~$1000 sticks. This leaves me around $3K.

Should I consider a multi-purpose lens (like the 14-140) or a set of primes perhaps from an older, adapted series? (If older, which have had the best success with the AF100: FD/Nikon/Zeiss?)

Isn't it true I'll need another expensive add-on if I go with Canon EF L primes to control aperture?

Also, does anyone have a specific suggestion on a solid rig that works well with the AF100? (Since it's only 2.9 pounds, would many of the current DSLR rigs out there suffice?)
 
Go with the AF100.

If you're interested in shooting cinematic stuff, I would go with a set of inexpensive Nikon lenses. Forget the all purpose zoom. And don't go with Canon lenses because, as you said, you'll need an expensive adapter just to operate the aperture.

Manfrotto tripods are fine for starting out. Also, start with only a shotgun mic and a boom stick. Wireless is a pain to deal with unless you have lots of experience.

Don't bother with rods, a follow focus unit or a mattebox at first. The AF100's built in ND filters eliminate the main reason for a mattebox. Instead, spend the extra dough on lights. Ultimately, a DP is an artist that paints with light.

Also, don't forget about extra batteries and SD cards. :-)
 
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