GH4 Practical Advice on 4K recorder/monitors please - Flame, PIX-E, VA4K

M

mcbob

Veteran
I have a few shoots coming up, and will probably be getting one... PIX-E5, Ninja Flame, or Video Assist 4K are the price point contenders. I haven't kept up on this market segment judiciously, so anyone who could provide advice, recommendations, warnings, gotchas, etc would be most helpful.

Knowledge:
- Currently own GH4 and AF100 with Samurai Blade recorder, so I'm generally familiar with the Atomos line and have an SSD and NP-F batteries

Needs:
- Budget conscious
- Dependable
- Record 4k @ up to 30fps
- Good external focus confidence monitor

Wants/maybes:
- might upgrade to FS5 within a year or so

Initial thoughts:
- Video Assist 4K reviews seem not ready for prime time? Dependability? Also would require expensive media and new batteries
- PIX-E5 has SDI, so may enable me to sell Samurai Blade to reduce cost; more expensive media; does not support FS raw modes(?)
- Ninja Flame looks familiar and already have media and batteries; larger. Other?

Eager to hear anything folks may be willing to share. Thanks
 
There is currently only one monitor/recorder out on the market that will record the RAW output of the FS5 should you upgrade in the future as indicated. That's the Odyssey7Q+. With it you can record 4K60p, 2K240p and 4K120 Bursts. You can record in either RAW or ProRes.

On the GH4, most recorders will only allow you to record in UHD, but the Odyssey7Q+ will also record in true DCI 4K.

For the budget conscious, just today we announced a summer sale for the RAW option on the Odyssey7Q+. Until August 15th, the Odyssey RAW Bundle is only $595.
 
Mitch Gross said:
There is currently only one monitor/recorder out on the market that will record the RAW output of the FS5 should you upgrade in the future as indicated. That's the Odyssey7Q+. With it you can record 4K60p, 2K240p and 4K120 Bursts. You can record in either RAW or ProRes.

On the GH4, most recorders will only allow you to record in UHD, but the Odyssey7Q+ will also record in true DCI 4K.

For the budget conscious, just today we announced a summer sale for the RAW option on the Odyssey7Q+. Until August 15th, the Odyssey RAW Bundle is only $595.
Click to expand...

Damn, Mitch. Any chance those of us who signed on a couple of weeks ago could get in on that deal retroactively?
 
Mitch Gross said:
There is currently only one monitor/recorder out on the market that will record the RAW output of the FS5 should you upgrade in the future as indicated. That's the Odyssey7Q+. With it you can record 4K60p, 2K240p and 4K120 Bursts. You can record in either RAW or ProRes.

On the GH4, most recorders will only allow you to record in UHD, but the Odyssey7Q+ will also record in true DCI 4K.

For the budget conscious, just today we announced a summer sale for the RAW option on the Odyssey7Q+. Until August 15th, the Odyssey RAW Bundle is only $595.
Click to expand...

The PIX-E5 definitely records 10bit 4:2:2 DCI 4K :)

IMG_20150917_124844.jpg
 
To the OP - I would just chime in that the PIX E5 & 7 are great recorders as well as have solid monitoring tools. I've no experience with the Ninja and I think the Ody is a wonderful product as well.
For me, having tested raw from the FS7 - until that possibly gets sorted - I knew for 95% of all my work - the ProRes HQ option would be all I ever needed (if even needing that beyond the excellent XAVC-I.) And now having the ability to record proxy h.264 files along side the HQ files is a nice bonus (with the latest FW).
This review / comparison of the Ody and Pix E5 by Barry Green on this forum - is pretty thorough and I remember pretty much agreeing with everything he said.
 
David W. Jones said:
Paul, what are your thoughts on the Varavon cage?
Click to expand...
FWIW I have the same cage (<---link... V2?)

have been extremely happy with it... doesn't make the camera overlarge (still fits in a small shoulder bag), the leather hand strap (not pictured) and removable handle with A BUILT IN HEX KEY HOLDER (single greatest thing any cage maker has ever done, IMO). Also includes a single short 15mm rod which can mount to either the handle or to the small rod holder on the side, to use either a small left side handle and/or follow focus. Many 1/4-20 threaded holes for accessories, mounted two extra cold shoes to the body cage. Small point, but I really like that anti-twist is handled by physical protrusions on the cage vs. attaching into the possibly fragile cold shoe mount.
 
Mitch Gross said:
There is currently only one monitor/recorder out on the market that will record the RAW output of the FS5 should you upgrade in the future as indicated. That's the Odyssey7Q+. With it you can record 4K60p, 2K240p and 4K120 Bursts. You can record in either RAW or ProRes.

On the GH4, most recorders will only allow you to record in UHD, but the Odyssey7Q+ will also record in true DCI 4K.

For the budget conscious, just today we announced a summer sale for the RAW option on the Odyssey7Q+. Until August 15th, the Odyssey RAW Bundle is only $595.
Click to expand...
Woah that is impressive. They aren't that pricey either.
 
David W. Jones said:
Paul, what are your thoughts on the Varavon cage?
Click to expand...

Mine is v1 of the cage and I really love it. I had both the Motionnine and Varavon cages at one point (two cameras) and when I sold one of them, it was the Varavon which remained.

The main reasons were easy break down to put into my camera bag, tight, wraparound, one piece main cage, excellent rod riser assembly and light weight.

Small negatives are that both the top handle screw lock and the rod riser lock are not kip levers, so finger tight can sometimes be a little too loose later in the day, but it's one second to re-tighten and with the rod riser, there's a safety button anyway so no chance of slipping off. v2 may have solved these issues - I don't know.

I personally wouldn't use the v2 single side rod as I prefer two in the regular position for rigidity and no rotational slipping of accessories on rods.

HTH!

Cheers,

Paul :)
 
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