Is the EVA1 popular or not?

Zack Birlew

Zack Birlew

Veteran
Hey, everybody, I’ve been checking in back and forth about the EVA1 and I’ve just been noticing a general lack of EVA1 news and info and it made me wonder if maybe the camera just isn’t popular? I know the hot camera of the moment is the Blackmagic Pocket 4K but even in comparison and shootout videos the EVA1 often isn’t even a consideration. Aside from the 5.7K RAW not being truly available with current recorders (unless something’s changed since last I checked), the camera seemed like a good one so what’s the consensus? Any particular issues holding it down? Is it actually really popular but simply an unsung hero of production?
 
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The cameras problem is that is an FS7 three years late to market. Or an overpriced GH5. Depending what hat you are wearing.

As it happens neither of those things make it a bad camera (I think it is probably excellent) probably just not one that will be popular.

My personal beleif is that MFT mount (and mode) would have made it considerably more appealing as canon mount excludes GH4 upgraders who are invested in MFT glass.

Stragtegically it is poorly conceived by panasonic. Is its only metier as a small Bcam to the Vari (a great thing for the four people who own varicams)
 
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Most of the EVA community seems to be on the 2 x Facebook groups dedicated the the camera, the community there is very active.
I have an EVA and apart from the terrible LCD its a fantastic camera, really good colours, range and functionality plus a very robust choice of recording formats and codecs.
Our clients are very happy with the images we're getting from this cam, Its also just had a price drop so well worth investing if your looking for an upgrade.
 
+1 on this ! I bought one myself after looking at the other contenders, BM Ursa Mini Pro, C200, FS5mkii and I'm really happy I went with the EVA-1 and would do so again. It has a super image, great codecs, very expandable and also very light and compact when needed. Only thing I wish it had is the AF of the C200 on the rare times AF would be handy.


TubEfingers said:
Most of the EVA community seems to be on the 2 x Facebook groups dedicated the the camera, the community there is very active.
I have an EVA and apart from the terrible LCD its a fantastic camera, really good colours, range and functionality plus a very robust choice of recording formats and codecs.
Our clients are very happy with the images we're getting from this cam, Its also just had a price drop so well worth investing if your looking for an upgrade.
Click to expand...
 
Seems like a very nice camera, but I have yet to see many people using them in the field. Problem is it added very little to a market already largely occupied by FS7 and FS5. It doesn't have the ND filter or size or price or lensmount of the FS5 and it doesn't have the LUTs or formfactor of the FS7. It does have better codecs for image quality but not for editing. It's a bit of a hard sell despite all the things it has going for it. I don't think you'd really necessarily go wrong buying one but its hard to specifically recommend it over a used FS7 or FS5 given existing market share and used prices. You're more likely to have producers and other owner/operators who are familiar with the Sony or might ask for them. I can't really see the EVA1 taking over the market share despite all the things it does right, especially with competition from the C200, which sits in a similar place as a nice option but a hard to recommend buy given little improvement over Sony's offerings. Of course people who already have their minds made up about color science may have different things to say, but they can all look very good and graded to match.
 
I've owned my EVA1 for almost a year now, so here's my take on it...
If your business model has you sitting around waiting for clients to come out of the woodwork and specifically ask for the EVA1 then you're probably not going to be happy. No-one has ever called and said "I hear you have an EVA1 and I'd therefore like to hire you." If you want a specifically asked-for camera get a C300Mk2 an FS7m2 (or an Amira or Alexa Mini). I do also have clients who specifically ask for my old F3 or EX1 for multicam shoots to match what they own - and I'm happy to bring them and get the rentals whenever needed -- and I'm surprised that those cameras still get calls - and continue to make more than their resale value every year...

But...
If a large portion of your clients just want a camera that makes a beautiful 4K image they will be extremely happy with the EVA1. Every client for whom I've shot with it has asked for it again (even if they don't remember the camera name).
For me, the fact that the camera accepts or sends time code, plus provides multiple simultaneous outputs while recording 4k, has an easy-to-use 1.4x 4k crop option made it an easy decision. Plus the light weight and easy configuration options fit my style of shooting. Yes, I use a Zacuto EVF, but I still keep the LCD on the camera for the producer to glance at.
I bought the EVA1 rather than an FS7 because I liked the color a lot better and because it was small and light (and didn't need a large appendage to do time code - which Itypically need.) I've been happy with my decision. I also shoot for Producers who own FS7's - and when they do multicam shoots they may rent extra FS7's (and not spend much on the rentals). Strangest thing... we try matching the FS7's with their setup cards - and we're never completely happy with the way they match - or particularly happy with the color/look.
Do I expect that the EVA1 will 'take over' the market segment? -- no. But I've honestly used the camera more in the first year than I thought I would have, and have never had a client unhappy with the results!
 
I bought a C300 MkI right when it came out. At the time everyone wanted the F3 and I wondered if I made a good call.

After 3 years of rentals and making my investment back many times over I sold the package and picked up an FS7 in Dec 2014 when it was first released. For about 6 months it was hard to get it on jobs because everyone was attached to the C300.

Producers get used to having a go-to camera in each price point and it's hard to convince them to switch. I think the EVA will continue to make inroads as DP's are able to convince clients to try something new and the clients see the added quality in the footage.

The only drawback to the EVA over the FS7 is the lens mount - the E mount is a winner for versatility. I have the Wooden Camera PL mod for the EVA and I'm switching back and forth between PL and EF way more than I would like. But at the end of the day the EVA is a superior camera to the FS7 in terms of image and color science - my clients have been really happy with it and I've only had a couple jobs in the last year that I wasn't able to convince to make the switch.
 
morgan_moore said:
The cameras problem is that is an FS7 three years late to market. Or an overpriced GH5.
Click to expand...

This pretty much sums it up.

Particularly the price for the features; just way too expensive in 2017/18 for what it offers, IMO. [C200 too.]
 
NorBro said:
This pretty much sums it up.

Particularly the price for the features; just way too expensive in 2017/18 for what it offers, IMO. [C200 too.]
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What should it have as features to be competitive or price wise so it's not seen as "too late"?
 
Just the next generation of features in which cameras are heading; better resolution, better slow-motion, no cropping of any kind, internal RAW, better dynamic range, new LOG profiles (V-Log 2), better AF, etc.

Anything that will justify its price to those like myself who would never pay this amount (in today's world...would have paid double 10 years ago).

The main reason (or in the top 2) the FS7 was and is so popular is because they simply provided what they did first for that price. No one else did or came close besides Blackmagic but no one would give them the time of day in 2014 besides broke "filmmakers".
 
The door is wide open for someone to completely WOW the world.

As mentioned above, the Pocket 4K is doing that now (but many will still never trust the camera), so a Japanese competitor would be perfect to once again change and "FS7" the world.
 
Murph100 said:
... I'm really happy I went with the EVA-1 and would do so again. It has a super image, great codecs, very expandable and also very light and compact when needed. Only thing I wish it had is the AF of the C200 on the rare times AF would be handy.
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No mention about viewfinder & LCD screen? :-)

But on the bigger points, people I know who own or have worked with the EVA-1 really like the images they get out of the camera (I do too), and everything else Murph mentions. Looks like some people think it's not the way to go for verite/handheld docs (and not just of the AF issues)... but boy... getting really pretty pictures without tons of technical hurdles... That's a very good thing.
 
I dont think anyone will knock the image.

Lets say my FS7 was nicked and I had the insurance wedge.. yep Id look at the EVA, but for another£1200 I get the 7.. and well you know its safe, producers have heard of it bla boring bla.
 
Ya...producers... can't live with them, often can't live without them...

So here's a point: I really prefer the EVA-1's image to that of the FS7. But for something I'm producing next month, the camop/DP I'll be working with suggests using a FS7II...and he has plenty of experience with Alexa, RED, Canon, and the rest (he's been doing this for 25 years or so). AND he doesn't own a FS7; we will rent the camera (still working on what glass we'll use). There are plenty of reasons, but you know... horses for courses. I love his work (and that of the gaffer we'll also be working with), and I trust him. So I'll be happy with what we get.

But if your market and clients will accept it, and it fits your workstyle, the EVA-1 is definately worth checking out. Is what (I consider) the superior image worth potential tradeoffs?
 
Having owned an Fs7 and now working with a EVA1 I find the image coming out of the EVA1 superior to the FS7. I also like that I don't need to build a massive camera to get TC out like on the FS7. The EVA1 VF is junk but works as a touch panel with the home screen well and I always used an external even with my FS7 so its not a big deal to me.

The EVA1 is the best camera that no one seems to have heard of.
 
I am from Middle Europe nad I have been on demo of EVA last year. Distributor was so excited about camera and he was 100% sure that they will sell tone of those. For me, it was ok camera but lack of 4k60 10bit and missing evf were dealbraker for me for the price. Couple months after demo there was first price drop - about 15% - and when I was talking to distributor and he said, almost nobody bought the camera yet. Fast forward today. Currently Panasonic+Distributor run special offer - it means another 30% down..

Dont say it is bad camera! Just people are not buying it much, at least in my region.
 
I like my EVA1! A few things that I think would have made it WAY more popular (but also by no means make it anywhere close to "bad")... even if not all of them, may have included:

- Much Better LCD (sort of killed off some of the "lightweight" advantage by needing to accessorize)
- 1 More Stop of ND, or an electronic variable ND (again, can't go super shallow in bright outdoor... bring on the extra filters or mattebox, etc.)
- Internal 4k60p 10-bit 422 to SD Cards (again, need an external recorder for quality 4K slow motion)
- Low Bitrate FHD slow motion options
- A handful of UI tweaks for speed/easy of use (more suited to methodically paced production VS the life of run'n'gun OMB filmmakers - the menu is slow and clunky VS GH5 for quick work, especially when switching shooting formats often or Base ISO often).
- Either 2 SDI ports (to allow external recording + SDI EVF) or quality in built EVF. You can't use a Gractical Eye + an SDI connection to a Shogun for RAW or 4k 60p 10-bit, etc. Choose one!
- Living up to the Dual ISO 2500 promise a bit better, especially on that first launch series of videos (but still today - you can't really push over 2500 as much as you can over 800). The camera, IMO, esentially renders professionally useable footage up to around 3200 ISO, YMMV, some may say 5000 with NR in post. And 2500 isn't as clean as 800, but it's close. I think most hoped for a more perfect match between 800/2500 and perfectly clean up to 5000.
- Better AF. I don't care, everyone else seems to.

The EVA1's main problem in the market seems to be being better enough to warrant a switch or upgrade from established familiars. It's not. As a newcomer marketting services not cameras, to me it makes perfect sense to buy the EVA1 over an FS7. But if you're an FS7 owner, why sell and swap? For every good check box, you incur a few losses, too.

One of the bottom line assessments on the camera is that it was heavily pitched as the ultimate small/light setup, but then made a few CRUCIAL compromises to that promise by omitting a quality LCD and/or EVF, omitting quality slow motion internally (low bitrate FHD slow motion and no 4k60p 10-bit internal), now requiring heavier/clunkie 3rd party accessories which bring the size and weight back up considerably. That and the anemic ND filter options that falls a little short of being fully useful. That and I still find the menus slow to work with VS a GH5, YMMV.

Anyway it seems to be a camera of mixed identity, undercutting its key advantages. By the time you are fully up to speed you lose the size weight / advantage over the FS7 and now you are faced with upgrading your FS7 to gain a few novelty features of the EVA1 but lose the E-Mount/Speedbooster Combo and internal 4k60p 10-bit, amongst name recognition.

The camera had potential to be a 10/10 for me, unfortunately, resides at 7.5-8/10. I am a OMB and my clients don't know my camera until I show up on set, so I am only selling services.

I think the upcoming S1 may actually tick all my boxes in the meantime though - smaller and lighter, IBIS, should have comparable lowlight and DR, and may have even better internal recording options. It will not replace my EVA1 though, just be another option.

I look forward to the EVA2, whenever it may come!
 
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When I first took a look at the Eva1 it was clear Panasonic did a worse clone of the FS5. Image quality is supposed to be fine but that doesn't cut it as a better tool. All of these S35 video cameras have good enough images so image quality comes more as a thing of personal taste. But the FS5 is very easy to use with a solid 1080p codec and easy switching of modes. It's also nicely balanced to hold and a good LCD screen to work with.

I think Sony sold as many FS7 as they could during the first years and I don't see anything better it at that price even today. It really is remarkable. So in order to rock a FS7 out of its number one spot something has to come that betters it in all aspects. Not saying the FS7 is perfect but it does most things good enough.

I've shot a lot on my FS5 this year and less so on the FS7 due to the kind of jobs I got, but every time I return to the FS7 I'm releaved of how easy it is to use and how great the stuff I get out of it is. It's just such an excellent tool for not much cash.

I also find it interesting that price on the FS7 hasn't dropped really and now I see that Eva1 being dropped in price considerable indicationg it doesn't sell to well.

It's a bit like with the AF100. Close but no cigarr.
 
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