Starting out
- Thread starter Jim_Beam
- Start date
David W. Jones
Veteran
Well the F23 is a 2/3" CCD camera. So unless you are after that, I would avoid it as a starting point.
FWIW the F23 is exactly the same size as the F35, as it is basically the same camera body.
I have no idea what you mean by "serious video work", not shooting comedy skits? :beer:
But my suggestion is if you need to purchase a camera, then get one that will be correct for the jobs you will be doing, rather than based off of footage someone else shot with a camera you have never used. IMHO almost any modern camera is capable of making pretty pictures. So long as the user has the ability. 12 different people can shoot with the same camera, and the footage can look completely different in each case. Base camera footage off of your own testing, rather than someone else's results.
I also haven't a clue as to your actual budget, or the gear you already own. For example.... Do you already have PL mount lenses? If not then you will need to budget for the focal lengths you need to cover on your projects. So figure adding between $5K - $100K to your budget depending on how "serious" you are for glass. Already have a smooth tripod/head which will support at least 30 pounds, say an Oconnor 1030 minimum? If not your budget for an F35 just went up by around $8K. Already have A/B or V-mount batteries and charger? If not add another $1200 to your budget. The list goes on!
Something else to consider. While the F35 can make amazing looking pictures. You are basically stuck in time with a camera that has no firmware upgrade path, and limited to a 2K output. And as inexpensive as the F35 appears to be, if something goes wrong and you need it repaired, you are buying parts for a $248,000 camera. And that **** ain't cheap!
As much as I loved my F35, I can not in good faith recommend it as a starting out camera.
If you are wanting to start small, then look at something like a Panasonic GH5 kit or the like. Way more resolution than the F35, the ability to learn what you need to learn, practice log shooting, and it will make a great little B-cam when you are ready to purchase a A-cam which meets the needs of your work.
All the best!
Dave
FWIW the F23 is exactly the same size as the F35, as it is basically the same camera body.
I have no idea what you mean by "serious video work", not shooting comedy skits? :beer:
But my suggestion is if you need to purchase a camera, then get one that will be correct for the jobs you will be doing, rather than based off of footage someone else shot with a camera you have never used. IMHO almost any modern camera is capable of making pretty pictures. So long as the user has the ability. 12 different people can shoot with the same camera, and the footage can look completely different in each case. Base camera footage off of your own testing, rather than someone else's results.
I also haven't a clue as to your actual budget, or the gear you already own. For example.... Do you already have PL mount lenses? If not then you will need to budget for the focal lengths you need to cover on your projects. So figure adding between $5K - $100K to your budget depending on how "serious" you are for glass. Already have a smooth tripod/head which will support at least 30 pounds, say an Oconnor 1030 minimum? If not your budget for an F35 just went up by around $8K. Already have A/B or V-mount batteries and charger? If not add another $1200 to your budget. The list goes on!
Something else to consider. While the F35 can make amazing looking pictures. You are basically stuck in time with a camera that has no firmware upgrade path, and limited to a 2K output. And as inexpensive as the F35 appears to be, if something goes wrong and you need it repaired, you are buying parts for a $248,000 camera. And that **** ain't cheap!
As much as I loved my F35, I can not in good faith recommend it as a starting out camera.
If you are wanting to start small, then look at something like a Panasonic GH5 kit or the like. Way more resolution than the F35, the ability to learn what you need to learn, practice log shooting, and it will make a great little B-cam when you are ready to purchase a A-cam which meets the needs of your work.
All the best!
Dave
David W. Jones
Veteran
Wow, no offense but it sounds like you have a pile of money burning a hole in your pocket.
Maybe I have an odd way of doing things, different from the norm.
First... I wouldn't want to deal with the amount of time and space needed for a 16-bit raw workflow shooting a documentary. Second.... I wouldn't want to carry a set of prime lenses on a doc, and have to swap lenses every time I needed a different focal length. Third.... I have been down the underwater camera housing road, and in 2017 there is no way I would spend north of $20K on an underwater housing. Fourth..... IMHO 10-bit 4:4:4 is overkill for social media posts.
Like I said, I'm a little different.
Underwater: 4 GoPro cameras
Doc shooting: Smaller form factor camera with Zoom lenses
And where do you find someone willing to move to your location and work for free doing social media campaigns for a year?
Just thinking out loud
Maybe I have an odd way of doing things, different from the norm.
First... I wouldn't want to deal with the amount of time and space needed for a 16-bit raw workflow shooting a documentary. Second.... I wouldn't want to carry a set of prime lenses on a doc, and have to swap lenses every time I needed a different focal length. Third.... I have been down the underwater camera housing road, and in 2017 there is no way I would spend north of $20K on an underwater housing. Fourth..... IMHO 10-bit 4:4:4 is overkill for social media posts.
Like I said, I'm a little different.
Underwater: 4 GoPro cameras
Doc shooting: Smaller form factor camera with Zoom lenses
And where do you find someone willing to move to your location and work for free doing social media campaigns for a year?
Just thinking out loud
Grug
Veteran
For underwater work, I'd have thought something with internal raw recording would be your best bet. Something like the new Canon C200 seems like a good contender on that front, it's super small and light too, which will make for a vastly lighter and more manageable housing than anything you could squeeze and F35 or F3 + external recorder into.
David W. Jones
Veteran
Sorry, didn't mean to bring you down with my line of questioning. Yes I understand you are wanting a standard confirmation about your camera selection. But I felt the question was relevant. Over the years I have spec'd cameras and equipment for thousands of different shoots. "What you are doing, how you are doing it, your workflow, and your budget are always relevant questions. To spec a camera for a job just based off of the technical specs of said camera is just flat out folly. Hey which is better, a Ferrari or a Dodge Van? The majority of folks would obviously answer "the Ferrari of course". Until you tell them it will be used to pick up a family of 5 from the airport. I am also PADI certified and have shot underwater footage for some very well known clientele. Which is why I recommended starting with the GoPro route rather than a camera which uses a cooling fan to regulate temperature. I'm also very well acquainted with the bubble blowers thread on reduser, having owned 2 different Red cameras. Bottom line, yes the cameras you listed are all nice and make pretty pictures. And 16-bit raw will give you a touch more latitude in post. But sometimes it's the incorrect choice for a job. At any rate, you came here asking advice, and I thought I was being helpful having either owned or used every camera you listed. The answers I gave may not have been what you wanted to hear, and they rarely are. As I am not in the habit of tickling ears with my responses. I have received many down votes to posts from folks wearing blinders who have already made up their mind, and in reality are just wanting someone to OK their choice, rather than give them the straight poop. But my response still stands. I would not recommend any of the cameras on your list for the work you have at hand, but I wish you all the best in your efforts, and have hope and faith that all will work out for the best!
Dave
Dave
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David W. Jones
Veteran
I would get a second opinion on your housing before you jump on it, factoring in SRR4 control location, and the needed battery size to power the F65 compared to a housing for an F35 which is claimed to fit another camera without knowing your configuration.
Jim, do realize that many of us have been cutting lesser camera footage seamlessly into productions with these cameras for many years now.
David W. Jones
Veteran
I would also recommend renting your intended purchase before hand to see if it really is what you are going to need for this project.
David W. Jones
Veteran
There are nearly a dozen rental houses close enough which offer shipping to anywhere in Africa. We rented Alexa/Optimo combos for our crew a couple of years back rather than transporting.
I think F65 is a great camera (albeit not without its quirks). Vittorio Storaro made a movie with it. That's as good a seal of approval as any. But I think taking it out of the studio and off the set is far too risky for an independent operator. F3 is a different story because it can be found used online for relatively little.
Having said that, C200 shooting 4K with an internal Raw Light (trade name, may be an iffy "Raw") with a dual pixel auto focus, by far the best in the business at the moment, seems like a great combination of quality and workflow.
Having said that, C200 shooting 4K with an internal Raw Light (trade name, may be an iffy "Raw") with a dual pixel auto focus, by far the best in the business at the moment, seems like a great combination of quality and workflow.