Events: AX100, AX33, or RX10II with A6000, RX100IV?

[unadog]

Hi folks,


Background:

I do still photography for a non-profit musical group with 25+ performers. Last night they asked me if I would also do video for the coming year. So this is a bit preliminary, I haven't even had 24 hours to think about this yet.

I have a few questions about setting up a Sony event kit for the group.

I am a former professional stills photographer who is "retired"/ disabled due to chronic pain. I have a couple of years experience in video, but I haven't been doing video for the past 1-1.5 years while I focused on stills work, so I haven't kept up with the marketplace. One complicating factor is that I was just switching to a new kit for stills, I'm just getting up to speed on that equipment.

I have a professional Nikon lens kit, including the 70-200 2.8 VR II, 70-200 4.0 VR, 24-120 VR, Sigma 17-50 2.8 OS, etc. I also have a similar kit for Canon. I have a minimal Sony kit for my casual use, after I found that my Sony A7II didn't have the auto focus that I needed for lower light event work (for this same group.)


The current stills camera kit that I plan (?) to keep includes:

* Nikon D750 - purchased 1 week ago

* Nikon D5300

* Sony A6000

* Sony RX100IV - arrives Monday.




Options:

I am thinking of buying a "dedicated" event camera, like the Sony AX100, which I can buy used for approximately $1,350. I would have preferred to buy the Sony AX33 used for about $750, but it looks like the smaller sensor doesn't handle low light as well. For stills, I am usually shooting at 1/100 sec, f/ 2.8, at ISO 3200 to ISO 6400. I'd have to look that up, I believe it is approximately 4 to 5 EV.

I would probably leave a static video camera recording 4K to capture the overall scene, then supplement with other hand held cameras for additional 4K and/ or HD. I want to keep the Sony RX100IV for stills work. That si capable of shooting up to 5 minutes of 4K video at a time with the 24-70 lens. I'm not sure yet how bad it is with overheating, etc. (I saw the posts on the 7RII overheating.)

I would need another camera - maybe my A6000, now that it has the better codec - to supplement the RX100IV with a longer lens, like my Canon 70-200 2.8 II or Nikon 70-200 4.0 VR.


So one potential kit would be:


1.) KIT #1:

* Sony AX100 - 4K - $1,350 incremental

* Sony RX100IV - 4K

* Sony A6000 - HD


If I am spending that much, I could also look at the RX10 II. It has a 29 minute limit. I don't think that it will auto restart? So I would have to have someone restart it. It also has poorer battery life, but it would be more useful to me overall for stills. Although a bit redundant with the RX100IV:


2.) KIT #2:

* Sony RX10 II - 4K - $1,250 incremental

* Sony RX100IV - 4K

* Sony A6000 - HD


Or, I could try to make a go of it with the Sony AX33. That would be a bit cheaper. It might even allow me to sell the Sony A6000 and get a Sony A7S to supplement my stills kit:


3.) Kit #3:

* Sony AX33 - 4K - $750 incremental

* Sony RX100IV - 4K

* Sony A7S - HD - $750 incremental, net of selling my A6000 & Sony FE 28 2


Both the AX100 and AX33 would have much better battery life than the RX10II, A7S, or similar. They would also be able to capture the whole 2+ hour event uninterrupted.

Thoughts? Other alternatives?

I would really rather buy the Panasonic FZ1000 than the Sony RX10 II for stills, because of the longer 400 mm zoom, but I don't want to mix codecs. This group doesn't "really" need 4K, but I may as well have the capability for other purposes as long as I am setting up the kit.

Thanks!
Michael

 

[AlexLeith]

If you're filming events, then the A6000 can sometimes overheat. I only used the A6000 on one job before being labeled as strictly a stills camera. It was a real shame as it is an awesome little camera, that.

 

[ntsan]

RX100IV and A6000 is totally not for event work..

 

[unadog]

Ok, thanks to both of you. It is a shame about the A6000- it is a great little stills camera.

I already have both the A6000 and RX100IV that I will probably keep for stills work. I was hoping to be able to use them for pattial fill/ B camera. I shot 3 still cameras on Thursday night: a Nikon D750 with the 70-200 2.8 II, a D5300, and a little Nikon 1 V2 with the Nikon 35 1.8. That was a 100 mm equivalent on the 1" V2 sensor, similar to the RX100 IV. I may try a few quick shots. I know it has a 5 minute limit on 4k because overheating.

I am coming from Canon. I have really looked at video equipment since the 5DIII RAW tests were being compared to the GH4. I am starting to catch up a bit.

Sony rates the AX33 at 9 Lux for regular UHD. That should work. I think I'll try one of those, or at least look at more footage online. That is about 1/2 the cost of the 1" AX100

It looks like the AX100II is due for release soonish, so it may be better to a bit before buying version I or II.

I think it is too early to know about the RX10 II and overheating at 4k. The A7RII seems to overheat, so I probably shouldn't hold out a lot of hope for the RX10 II.

As we get people upgrading to the A7RII I'll see what happens with the A7S pricing. That thing had stayed so expensive compared to the A7 , A7R, and A7II. It looks like it is around $1,600 used right now.

I know this is the wrong forum, but what about the Panasonic FZ1000? Probably as a B camera. I'll look at the Panasonic 870 as the camcorder. But I would really prefer to stay with Sony. Too Many Systems! Plus I trust Sony more going forward, and I would like to get S-Log2.

Thanks again!
Cheers.