Thomas Smet
Veteran
And I in turn never claimed that shooting with no lights is the one and only spec needed in a camera. What I said is that a more sensitive camera gives me more options - I can use smaller lights to the same effect, which is not just or even primarily a budget issue (which is where the "low class production" silliness comes in) - smaller lights allow one to access spaces and environments which would otherwise be impossible or impractical, allow for more battery-powered mobility and less dependence on lighting infrastructure, such as generators and AC; you gain much greater capability to operate in more extreme circumstances and artistic choices (up to and including sometimes relying on no lights). It's the same evolution as ever in any technology including cameras - they've grown progressively more sensitive, so you need lesser and lesser light infrastructure - we've been doing that since the beginning of cinema cameras... at any stage we people could stop and say "that's it, lighting requirements are low enough, anything lower and you got low class production" - 50 years ago, 30 years ago, 20 years, 10 years, today. But we keep evolving camera capabilities, including low-light capability. OK, if you don't need it, that's fine, but others may have different needs. There's one poster on here who just made a silent film feature - hey, if you're making silent films, you don't need to worry about the whole sound department! But others want sound capability - I sure hope he doesn't think that having sound capability makes your camera a low-class production. You don't need or care about low-light, I do - choices are good, and options are good. From my point of view, as I compare the GH4 and a7Sii, the feature mix on the Sony is better suited to my needs - clearly not yours, but I would not criticize your choice of camera or label your productions as low class because of it. I will look to see what GH5 delivers - if it were to deliver what I need, I'd be ecstatic, as I have a lot of m4/3 gear, but I highly doubt it, as neither low-light capability nor IBIS is likely to be what I need in the GH5.
Did I ever say low class? I said low production value. There is a difference. How can you argue against production value? I even said production value isn't the same thing as creativity and talent. Its just a standard dude. I didn't make this stuff up. You seem to be taking the concept of low production value as some sort of insult when in fact it is not. I do low production value as well at times because the situation calls for it. Still a creative project I am proud of but I can say for a fact it isn't high production value. I'm sorry but no matter how its said using no lights on a production no matter how sensitive the camera is means its a lower production value. This is due to the depth and separation lights can add to the scene and make the focal points pop. Thats high production value. I'm not saying at all that you are bad or that you are creating crappy videos. I'm saying using a camera without using lighting is low production value. period. I'm not sure how that can be spun any other way.
Shoot the way you want to. I really don't care and have more important things in life to worry about. I'm just saying that lights add production value. If you are offended by that thats your issue. I stand by the opinion that having a camera that can perform better under low light is not an excuse to use it with no lights. If you really have no choice thats a different story but can you say 100% for certain you have no lighting options? The wedding people have a point and sometimes documentary people have a point. A scripted production however under no circumstance can ever make the claim there was no way lights could be used. If you mainly shoot events then I feel your pain and yes by all means use a larger sensor camera. If you create movies however once you add lights which every single Hollywood film in history has done the larger sensor no longer matters as much. I'm also not saying that you shouldn't use a larger sensor camera for movies. go ahead. My point is it doesn't matter as much anymore and the GH4 can hold its own so in a high production environment what camera is used or what sensor is used doesn't matter as much anymore.