FS7: Cheapest B-cam for FS7? A6000 still winner?
- Thread starter alohype
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starcentral
Veteran
I'm also looking at a A7rii as B cam to F55, especially after a few threads on the FS5, and A7rii vs A7sii. The A7rii is a clear winner but definitely a bit on the expensive side.
The A6000 is impressive. So is the RX100M4, but it only records 5 minutes at a time.
Today I just got a Blackmagic Pocket camera to play with that for a while. I needed a small camera that could shoot RAW for an upcoming project and if it's good enough for a McDonalds commercial it's good enough for me. It's not 4K but a smaller 4K cam is on my list, as mentioned it will be the A7Rii without question.
The A6000 is impressive. So is the RX100M4, but it only records 5 minutes at a time.
Today I just got a Blackmagic Pocket camera to play with that for a while. I needed a small camera that could shoot RAW for an upcoming project and if it's good enough for a McDonalds commercial it's good enough for me. It's not 4K but a smaller 4K cam is on my list, as mentioned it will be the A7Rii without question.
alaskacameradude
Veteran
There is a sale on the A6000....it is now $398. That was cheap
enough that I picked one up to use on gimbals and so on.
(Bonus for me it shoots 11fps stills with continuous autofocus
so I can get good stills of my kid's sports, but that's just it's side
job.)
As you probably know, it now shoots the 50Mbps XAVC codec.
It really does shoot nice looking video. No audio in.....its
not going to be your main camera and it's gonna be limited in
recording duration like most still cameras....to 30 minutes or less.
But still, under $400 and you can share lenses and adapters with
the FS7. It's the (very) poor man's version of the FS5. No 4k,
external audio or built in ND. But it's tiny and shoots that same
XAVC codec so for a B cam and flying on gimbals it's pretty good.
enough that I picked one up to use on gimbals and so on.
(Bonus for me it shoots 11fps stills with continuous autofocus
so I can get good stills of my kid's sports, but that's just it's side
job.)
As you probably know, it now shoots the 50Mbps XAVC codec.
It really does shoot nice looking video. No audio in.....its
not going to be your main camera and it's gonna be limited in
recording duration like most still cameras....to 30 minutes or less.
But still, under $400 and you can share lenses and adapters with
the FS7. It's the (very) poor man's version of the FS5. No 4k,
external audio or built in ND. But it's tiny and shoots that same
XAVC codec so for a B cam and flying on gimbals it's pretty good.
If you don't mind the sometimes annoying overheating issue with the A5100, you can buy that instead which is even cheaper and an almost identical camera (better even in someways! With the selfie screen and touch screen).
Or an A7s mk1 which are going very cheap these days, the key reason is it has s-log 2 vs the A6000/A5100 which does not. Suspect this could save you a lot of time matching in post with the FS7
Or an A7s mk1 which are going very cheap these days, the key reason is it has s-log 2 vs the A6000/A5100 which does not. Suspect this could save you a lot of time matching in post with the FS7
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Clermond
Veteran
it's depending on you personal usage but as both of them are great still cameras too I would always prefer the a6000 EVF over the selfie/touch screen.
Clermond
Veteran
A7 mark I goes for peanuts but the problem is aliasing and moireOr maybe there are some possibilities to combat this? Third party manufacturer OLPF?
there is more than one hook: you need expensive full frame lenses, there is no internal 4k -> either HD only or external recorder (cost, ballast) necessary.
If you stick to HD the a6000 is way cheaper, if you go for 4K the A7sII / A7rII might be more reasonable if you consider internal shooting only.
Also the 4K successor a6100 / a7000 is just around the corner. I decided to postpone any "expensive" decision until I've seen this.
my 2 cts.
starcentral
Veteran
I haven't played around much with BMPCC a lot yet, but will look out for moire. (Does the 4k production BMC have moire problems too?)
I figured if the BMPCC was good enough for McDonalds commercial, it would be good enough for me:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=w_Ly0IQW33U
http://www.4kshooters.net/2014/11/2...-shot-on-the-blackmagic-pocket-cinema-camera/
I figured if the BMPCC was good enough for McDonalds commercial, it would be good enough for me:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=w_Ly0IQW33U
http://www.4kshooters.net/2014/11/2...-shot-on-the-blackmagic-pocket-cinema-camera/
You can shoot in S35 mode with the A7s. And for most people having the option of FF shooting, is a good thing, not a bad thing.
From what I've heard, moire is only very rare on the BMPCC (even less common than on the BMCC). Certainly I've never seen it with my BMPCC. Or if you're fanatical about it, use a Black ProMist filter or similar.
Best bcam for fs7 would be... Fs7 or f5, but I'm talking about cheapest acceptable option (x70 is 5 times the price of an a6000, z100 is 12 times).
Nirv
Carbonite Member
For the work I do a small sensor video camera that records the same slog3 format as my fs7 would be an excellent compliment. I'm willing to pay for the right tool as I don't think a large sensor camera with varifocal lenses is right for all jobs. Unfortunately Sony doesn't make what I need.
starcentral
Veteran
I've only scratched the surface on my new BMPCC (that may accompany my F55 as b-cam until I acquire A7rii) but so far I'm struggling to create moire that easily. Not to say it doesn't exist, but just that in two consecutive shots I haven't been able to see it. I know that lens quality, or actually lack thereof can help reduce moire.
Out of curiosity what lenses did you use on those image if you recall?
My quick two tests, 1:1 ratio on first image, slight blow up on 2nd image. Lens is Nikon AF 50mm f1.8:
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Nope, sadly the only affordable camera which does good SLog3 Sgamut3.cine (i.e. 10bit, and not 8bit like the A7s mk2) is the FS5! (and even then, only in HD, not 4K. For 4K 10bit SLog3 Sgamut3.cine you must get the FS7 as your cheapest option)
starcentral
Veteran
Without doing my own tests, and just going off what I've seen I would argue that 4k from the A7x mkii is as good or actually better than FS5.
The R version has so many pixels that aliasing is reported to be minimal plus it's far better at higher ISO's than the FS5 seems to be natively.
The best b-cam will be another FS7
but considering b-cam doesn't make up a majority footage in a lot of two camera projects I shoot the money side of it makes little sense. So A7xmkii or even BMD cameras (as I'm exploring now) seems best for me.
The R version has so many pixels that aliasing is reported to be minimal plus it's far better at higher ISO's than the FS5 seems to be natively.
The best b-cam will be another FS7
but considering b-cam doesn't make up a majority footage in a lot of two camera projects I shoot the money side of it makes little sense. So A7xmkii or even BMD cameras (as I'm exploring now) seems best for me.
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Clermond
Veteran
afair the metal grid and the blinds at the building were shot with the Lumix 12-35,
the portraits with a Voigtlander Nocton 25/0.9
Btw the McD commercial says nothing about camera quality. Imho it could have been shot with an iPhone ;-)
I don't say moire happens always. I had it very often on portrait medium shots and in industrial environments as I showed as a sample.
starcentral
Veteran
Yes I understand it might not always rear its ugly head but I was really expecting it on the brick. I'm looking at Mosaic Eng.'s optical filter for BMPCC but at $350 a pop not sure I want to blow that right now. Anyone ever try one?