After watching a bazillion video's on vimeo and reading many threads here on the forum I am comming close to purchasing a GH2 for my recently started video-content creation business (currently working with a HMC150 that I can borrow for free). I come from an education in visual ethnography filmmaking having learned to shoot with various 3CCD camera's (both SD and HD) as their larger bodies with more button controls and audio-inputs are more suited for run-and-gun documentary style in mixed conditions. Having been largely dissappointed however in the quality of the footage comming out of these low bitrate and small sensor camera's, and having looked at the products of the recent HDSLR revolution with large ammounts of envy I can just not handle filming on the HMC150 anymore when something that delivers images as beautifull as the GH2 does is so affordable. I waited a long while for the prosumer market to catch up to the dslr revolution but have not been impressed with the AF100 nor the FS100 (terrible body configuration) in the past. I've considered the HPX250 due to the 10bit AVC-Intra codec but considering the costs of P2 workflow and the fact that it's still only 1/3" camera I figured it's better to wait untill Panasonic can produce an alternative to the FS700 in a better body. Both the HPX250 and Canon's XF305 stretch my budget to the very limit and would not allow for much space for accessories to be purchased aside of the camera itself and are thus not really attractive options.
Though my intend in the long run is to mostly occupy myself with run-and-gun (ethnographic) documentaries I have also found a passion for developing my skills at producing music video's and event-based videos and for this purpose the current crop of regular camera's below the 7500 euro mark just can't seem to compete with the HDSLR's. I figured if I take slightly less than half of my available budget now (around 3500 euro's) and invest this into a GH2 + lenses + accesories I can save the other half of my budget and start creating some income while awaiting the next-generation of camera's to arrive that will suit my documentary needs better at which time the GH2 can become a b-roll camera.
So, hoping the above story still makes sense to everyone here my question, being a total lens n00b (which is also a good reason to buy a GH2 and start learning how to deal with different lenses) is what lenses to get starting out to give me a good range of options. The GH2 is sold here in two configurations, the 14-42mm lens version for 720euro and the 14-140mm lens version for 1100euro and at that point I'm already lost in what choice to make. I have about 2000 (can be stretched to 2500 max) available for the body and lenses and will need the rest of my available budget to cover for batteries, sd-cards, bag, zoomh4n, rig, etc. I've read great story's about the Voigtländer Nokton 25mm f/0.95 but it's price, together with the 14-140mm kit would already put me at the max of my budget. On top of that it seems I need a Vari ND filter of which the best quality products also near the 300euro range. I've seen more lens advices than I can get my head around here in various topics and am sorely lost on what approach to take.
Anyone here can give me some pointers/advice on what would be a good starting point to at least start shooting asap and not overspent on my budget so I have room left to purchase a second non-dslr camera at a later stage?
Though my intend in the long run is to mostly occupy myself with run-and-gun (ethnographic) documentaries I have also found a passion for developing my skills at producing music video's and event-based videos and for this purpose the current crop of regular camera's below the 7500 euro mark just can't seem to compete with the HDSLR's. I figured if I take slightly less than half of my available budget now (around 3500 euro's) and invest this into a GH2 + lenses + accesories I can save the other half of my budget and start creating some income while awaiting the next-generation of camera's to arrive that will suit my documentary needs better at which time the GH2 can become a b-roll camera.
So, hoping the above story still makes sense to everyone here my question, being a total lens n00b (which is also a good reason to buy a GH2 and start learning how to deal with different lenses) is what lenses to get starting out to give me a good range of options. The GH2 is sold here in two configurations, the 14-42mm lens version for 720euro and the 14-140mm lens version for 1100euro and at that point I'm already lost in what choice to make. I have about 2000 (can be stretched to 2500 max) available for the body and lenses and will need the rest of my available budget to cover for batteries, sd-cards, bag, zoomh4n, rig, etc. I've read great story's about the Voigtländer Nokton 25mm f/0.95 but it's price, together with the 14-140mm kit would already put me at the max of my budget. On top of that it seems I need a Vari ND filter of which the best quality products also near the 300euro range. I've seen more lens advices than I can get my head around here in various topics and am sorely lost on what approach to take.
Anyone here can give me some pointers/advice on what would be a good starting point to at least start shooting asap and not overspent on my budget so I have room left to purchase a second non-dslr camera at a later stage?
