Years ago I concluded that thing work best if made as simple as possible. So to try and make a swiss army knife out of any camera will only result in something bad. Just keep it simple and work around limitations or spend a life time complaining. There will never come something perfect anyway so why bother?
Interesting article about evolution of digital cinema cameras
- Thread starter ahalpert
- Start date
morgan_moore
Major Contributor
I have sleepless nights almost about that joystick, Im sure mine is about to go. Three bust by you? THat is almost class action incompetence.. on monitors that are $1000. Disgraceful.
You see I made my own 'volts in' an removed any load from the dummy battery.
morgan_moore
Major Contributor
Perfection would be 5000FPS 8k raw on a $100 media for an hour. Running on a couple of AA batteries with a $500 16-200 t2 lens that weighed 1kg.
That wont exist.
Having a $1000 monitor whose joystick fails after 3 months is a different thing .
That should not exist .
ahalpert
Major Contributor
Sorry, I was trying to follow through on your cameramen-complaining-about-cameras to clients-complaining-about-my-work analogy. The point being that our cameras are cheaper and higher-quality today. But yes, of course one must admit that it's all for naught if it can't functionally execute your shot.
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Yeah, two had some incompatibility with a camera’s hdmi or something. In any case the HDMI shorted and crapped out. After the repair, each one didn’t have the issue after that, so, i assumed it was a ground type issue?
All three were unreliable by the end of two years. My buddy i worked with a lot that year had the third one. He is more rough on gear, and his completely died. I’m very easy on gear other than tape and a scuff here or there. So, i was able to sell mine.
I’d be more upset, especially since two of them were bought at their original price. $1600, but that was still considered affordable a few years ago.
But i’m trying to not buy gear that looks good in a review. Living in LA has helped me have access to products before i buy them, so, i can test them out first. But monitor tech has been changing rapidly lately and tough to feel good about investing in a $4000 7”, so these flavour of the month products can sometimes get me to put money down.
Abe posted this in another thread, it is a quote from Wally Pfister:
“ ... I think, truthfully, it boils down to the economic interest of manufacturers and [a production] industry that makes more money through change rather than through maintaining the status quo.”
If they can keep us upgrading then nothing has to last. Then that $1000 monitor after 2years gets replaced with another. Butnthat $3500 monitor is still working.
Idk, sounds cooler when mr. Pfister says it. More matter of fact.
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ahalpert
Major Contributor
It seems to me like a lot of the operating issues you mention above center on the design of accessories generally or the design of cameras for specific (albeit common) operating styles. I can't disagree with you there.
But to play devil's advocate on the notion of price - have accessories become more affordable/accessible as well? Some camera design elements are definitely bonehead moves (like Canon XLRs not on the main body - they've changed that now). But when you think about Soderbergh shooting movies on an iPhone, it's clear that camera tech and price/performance has come a long way.
Out of curiosity, what is your opinion on head-mounted EVFs?
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How are you comparing a mass produced product to custom work done for one client at a time?
The camera companies lowered the price to sell cameras to more people and make bigger profits. They didn’t lower the price for me specifically.
Cameras that are more specifically made for professional work are actually still kind of expensive. Although they don’t encourage quite the same job security they may have in the early 2000’s. But i can still appreciate that they are made well.
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morgan_moore
Major Contributor
When you hire me Im coming back with picture for you. End of. Anyone (maker of camera bits) who gets in the way of that is best never meeting me in person. Ever. I dont care if I can afford a replacement, a replacement is no good if Im at a demo, the CEO has flown in for her interview, whatever, we are shooting now - not in three days time.
Back to the original point.. the writings of Mr Allard.. well he is a 'news shooter' and should be connected to that ethic with gear reviews. Newsshooter was set up by Mr Chung, who I was at college with.
As for always getting a picture there is Polaris patrolling the seas.. well actually an EX1 in my van on every job.. we hope it never gets used as the nuclear highlights are dangerous.
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My understanding of 'eye cam' is from reports by Garret Brown in the 70s.. it makes one vomit. Times may have moved on.
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puredrifting
Major Contributor
Truth! Younger shooters who have only used DSLRs, mirrorless and the ergonomic abominations that today's
video/digital cinema cameras mostly are don't have a clue about how a camera can be designed around the user and how they actually use it.
It's sad that people think a metal, sharp edged shoebox with bunch of gak hanging off of it is a "good design", when in reality, it's a horrible design that
is simply trying to be all things to all people but in reality is a compromise for almost all people.
When did everyone in our business decide that they 100% were going to hang every camera they ever buy off of a gimbal or a drone too?
This really seems to be the problem with camera design, everyone thinks every camera has to be able to be used in these relatively rare
scenarios, so lame, so misguided. It's sad that this false imperative took over most company's camera design ethos.
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CP you can see my red HDMI, - if this rig is placed in my van or on the floor of a press centre the first thing to be knocked is the red HDMI, I use HDMI because the SDi already got bust
Though, i typically take better care, these things can take a beating.
I’m not opposed to the flexibility of a mirrorless setup though. But when they get built out they become less ergonomic than a dedicated camera, and by themselves, they’re fragile. In particular the HDMI and other ports on the operator side.
Used to practice seeing if i could get three configs in a minute or so.
The last one i had a little 40mm M mount, but i just put the body cap on in this test.
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ahalpert
Major Contributor
Haha well said.
So I guess the consensus is that sensors and imaging have taken a big leap forward but form factor and usability have taken a big step backwards, especially for ENG applications which demand reliability and fast rigging.
The optimist in me thinks that maybe once the specs arms race runs its course, companies will go back to offering more expensive and better designed products with a longer shelf life.
Look at the FX9 - same codecs and framerates as the FS7. There won't be a version with an even larger sensor. The codecs are adequate for its users (though some want internal raw). There will probably be a move to 8k eventually but I don't see the rush and you're really looking at diminishing returns from higher resolutions.
The FS7/FX9 will only get a bit cheaper over time, especially as used bodies circulate. What can they do to get people to buy a new model and at a higher price? Improve the operability.
As for Allard - do you really feel like he pushes bad products? I think he's a pretty critical reviewer and I've never read one of his reviews and thought "I need to buy this right now!" I can't say the same of any other reviewers online.
morgan_moore
Major Contributor
Yep camera on a seat without breaking it.. thats what Im after - its not complex to understand if one has ever been to work!
ahalpert
Major Contributor
Yeah I remember reading some sports photographer saying he loved the 1Dx series because he knows if he's carrying it on a monopod through a doorway and smashes it against the doorframe and it falls to the floor, he has no doubt it will keep trucking
morgan_moore
Major Contributor
Well doing stills I had (and still have) a Nikon D3 - yep you could rely on those top end canons and nikons
D3 (not mine)
https://petapixel.com/2011/04/08/this-muddy-nikon-d3-shows-the-benefits-of-weather-sealing/
https://www.pinterest.co.uk/pin/364862007282077884/
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Yeah, if they had BNC and a couple 1/4-20 holes, and a built in EVF, they'd make a lovely video camera. those flagship Canon and Nikons were so well built.
CharlesPapert
Director of Photography
Here is my animon rebuilt for pro use
https://twitter.com/sammorganmoore/status/1073957109044264960?s=20
Haha Sam, I'm beginning to think I would be able to recognize your mods anywhere!
My rehouse may have been a little more...genteel?
morgan_moore
Major Contributor
CP
Of course yours inspired mine. If I had a 3D printer some of my mods would be neater.
Mine does have some secrets though..
The single hdmi is split to give hdmi out for a local operator and input to the transmitter. The splitter is 5v so my box also needs a 12-5v transformer
Of course yours inspired mine. If I had a 3D printer some of my mods would be neater.
Mine does have some secrets though..
The single hdmi is split to give hdmi out for a local operator and input to the transmitter. The splitter is 5v so my box also needs a 12-5v transformer