Help me choose a camera.

C

camarade

Active member
Or rather, help me consider my options:

Just sold 5dmk2. Was gonna pick up a 5dmk3. Not so sure anymore. How good/bad is 720p on it? Because... 1080p looks like that out of 5dmk2.

Had NEX-5n but sold it. Too low bitrate for an AVCHD camera and I frankly didn't like the image that much out of it. Sure, very "flat" image, but bitrate limitation reeeeally cripples this camera (imo). It needs a hack.

GH2 = no thanks. Been there, done that.

High-ISO is a big deal for me and as much as I'm tired of filming with DSLR's... it's nice to have a really good stills camera "included in the price". Is 5dmk3 what I want? D800? No? Confused about that camera, what little I've seen looks like 5dmk2 pretty much...

Help a poor man decide on one, single investment. 3k is pretty much roof, and if more expensive, that has to be a DSLR (because I won't have budget for a stills camera seperatly) and well, then there's 1DC wich is the "next step" up... kind of out of budget. A lot of options but still not, if you know what I mean. The current Canon asp-c cameras I won't touch anymore, too noisy & lowres (been using 7D, 600D etc in the past).
 
pre owned fs-100's will start to appear soon... might be in your price range. the only thing near your budget and with better performance than dslr stuff you are not happy with. maybe a sony nex VG-20 (this outputs a clean 4:2:2 HDMI signal apparently)
 
hey camarade, can you tell me what's wrong with gh2? I guess if you want to use both video and photography then the Mark 3 is your best bet. Even though the image is the same as mark 2, you get less moire and rolling shutter and the low light is much better. The photography side have improve a lot too.
 
camarade - Even if you could find a used FS100 (or AF100) for less than $3000 - or if you waited for the BlackMagic Cinema Cam - none of these cameras shoot stills, which you say is a requirement.

I have shot with the VG20, and the lack of physical controls and Sony's omission of manual control of color were frustrating to me. In addition the moire was as bad as a DSLR. The GH2 is clearly superior in that department.

It sounds like the D800 and 5dMkIII are the only choices in your price range that meet your still and video requirements. As a GH2 guy, I really like the D800's/5DMkIII's full frame still image quality, headphone jacks and true manual audio level control, but I am not willing to take a step backwards in maximum video clip length, moire (D800) or sharpness (5DMkIII) - especially for a camera that costs $3000+. But that's just me :-)

You're right - it would really be nice to leave the limitations of the DSLR behind while retaining the ability to shoot decent stills without paying ~$10K to $15K plus for a Sony FS700 (8MP stills), RED Scarlet X (14MP stills), or Canon EOS-1D C (18.1MP stills)!

Your requirements seem to fall in a "no man's land" between the highest end hybrid cameras -- and expensive digital cinema cameras with residual still camera capability. Maybe someday someone will fill that gap with a $2000- $4000 camera that makes sense (and I don't mean the 1D X and the D4 :-))

I can't afford the FS700, so I'm presently on the list for the BlackMagic Cam. If I get it, I'll keep the GH2 for stills. If I don't get it, I'll hold out until Photokina to see what the GH3 has to offer.

Cheers,

Bill
 
We have used the 5dmk2 on several film clips, and the DP usually brings his 7D along for the 60fps 720 footage. We can't fault it. Clips have been broadcast on TV and everything and they look great. The rolling shutter will always be a bit of an archilles heel with the camera, but for around 3k...you can't really go wrong. Plus, 5D + 50mm f1.8...just insane footage. We use that 140 dollar lens more than anything.
 
sounds to me like your expectations may be a bit beyond your budget...
questions:
1. what kind of things do you shoot?
2. what was wrong with your 5D?
 
I'm curious about your comment on the GH2... To me it's one of the best (if not the very best) low cost, big sensor, hybrid cameras out there. Hacked, of course. And you seem to speak of it like it's not worth at all...
 
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