Used AF100 or new Blackmagic?

Inveresk said:
Thanks. That was the way I was leaning. I was confused by the description by BMD about the sensor being 4/3. According to their spec., the active sensor size of the BMD is 61% that of a 4/3 sensor. I'm a novice, but nearly 40% smaller seems a pretty big chunk to me.

I do have reservations about the GH2, but I need a fairly inexpensive camera for the microkopter that is light but gives good HD quality. I haven't ruled out the GoPro yet.

I don't like the thought of a $250 firmware upgrade for the AF. Panasonic need to reconsider.
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It sounds like most of your work is without sound?
I would go with a GH2 and then hack it.
 
Yup, that's exactly what I did. Got a GH2 w/kit 14-42 from Amazon for $749. We already have 2 GH1's with 14-140's, 20mm Pancake, and a full set of older Nkon glass and a Sony EX1. Come this summer we'll either pick up a Blackmagic or maybe even a used AF100 as I suspect we'll see more showing up for sale as owners make the move to the Blackmagic.

xntrggr said:
There's no reason a hacked GH2 won't do the job. It produces better images at a higher quality and bit-rate and it's much cheaper. Get a good monitor like the DP6 to go with it and you're pretty set. The advantages the AF100 has over this are built in ND filters and pro audio inputs, but if you don't mind buying step-up rings and a vari-ND to go with your GH2 and if you use an external recorder for sound, that'll work too. Also, the AF100 does slowmo of up to 50/60fps.

If you work in broadcast, for example, and need a low-cost quick turnaround, or use the AF100

The new blackmagic is in a pretty different class of its own. It can record RAW and it has an unbelievable dynamic range for a camera its price. Its biggest shortcoming is that you'll have to use it with a power solution as it runs on internal batteries that last only 45 min, and charging takes 2 hours. Also you'll want to do more things to the footage like serious color-correction, but that will add to the hardware requirements.

EDIT: my bad, the internal batteries last for 90 min as stated on their website

My recommendation for what you're doing -- get a hacked GH2, play around with it for a few months, save the money and think about the blackmagic when more details come out.
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Well I've owned the AF100 and GH2 and having sold both a few months ago I'm thinking about picking up a GH2 again. The AF100 however I don't really have much interest in. I loved the form factor, the internal ND's, the connections, etc. Basically I loved everything dustylense spoke of up top, but the image never satisfied me personally. I've seen some great stuff from the camera so it's hardly handicapped or incapable of making great images, it just didn't gel with me as well as I had hoped. However, I've seen lots of hacked GH2 footage lately and that has wow'd me enough to consider getting a GH2 again. I never had one long enough to hack it and really test but the detail in the image and the sharpness is really attractive. My AF100 always felt more 5D-ish in terms of the resolution. It's better but it's not even close to what a hacked GH2 can give. If Panasonic could put GH2 performance into an AF100 body I would be all over that action at a moments notice. The GH2 has little quirks and workarounds you need to know about it to really make it sing so it's just like any other DSLR. With it I know I'll get an image I'm much happier with just in terms of IQ (my personal opinion), but it's not like I can just pick it up and go shoot like I could with my AF100.

If you pick the AF100 you won't be making an awful choice, because for an all in one kit you really can't beat it. If you like what you've seen from it and it meets your needs, the price of it right now is fantastic.
 
I would get the BMC if they put a m4/3 mount on it. I can't see why they wouldn't eventually. We've all found wide solutions for this sensor and have a year of experience. I think they're onto something with that camera. The 12 bit raw in those formats is really attractive. I'd need to see much more footage, indoor night stuff. Not too crazy about the TRS audio ins, and other things, power, the thunderbolt/scopes, but if I can use my m4/3 glass, pop on the TVLogic for exposure and critical focus. I'd be good to go. The m4/3 mount would be a no brainer I think they're gunning for the 5D crowd with that active mount though and they all love that big sensor so I think there is a bit of a disconnect there. I'd think this camera would be much more suitable to the GH2 guys.

I wouldn't sell the AF100. The more I work with it, the better I'm getting with it and I'm loving the images I'm getting now. It's taken a while but for me it's about stopping down a little and working the light for good exposure. I'm getting a good balance with this camera now.
 
Going back to the GoPro on the micro-copter, be sure to get the NEW GoPro Hero 2 because there is some new firmware coming out that greatly improves the quality of the image it will produce. One of the guys at the GoPro booth at NAB told me that it will have much better dynamic range and they showed off some footage to show how it handled the lights and darks very well within the same image.
 
I still make money off my hvx200 & hmc150. I'll make money off the af100 before the bmc comes out. None of these camera are really outdated, so they can all serve a purpose, & i can offer clients choices. So i think i'll hang on to the af100. I'll wait til the autumn before getting a bmc - after all the reviews are in and they are readily available, maybe even available used.

But i am really curious about what the bmc can crank out. 13 stops, raw...could be a great tool!
 
Perhaps it's because I'm a novice, but I see things like this http://vimeo.com/40438222, shot with the AF100, and it looks superbly good to me, I can't see how technologically it could be improved. Maybe its like training an ear by listening to a really good stero, and in a few months some defects I'm currently blind to will be obvious. But if that happens it won't be without some regret.
 
dcloud said:
tell me, should i sell my af100 or keep it along with the BMC?
I love the af100 when it comes to its flexibility (everything you said) but i wouldnt mind turning it to cash either :\
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Seems kind of premature to be making such a trade-off ..
 
A much easier decision for me as I'm more of a post guy.
I was about to order the Davinci Resolve and Ultra Scope, and now I can also have the BMC at a lower price. Sweet!
 
FYI: I'm a little late to the party here (just got back in town) but I played with the Blackmagic cam for a bit and in it's current state, it's more of a DSLR than a true video camera. It's like ocmparing a GH2 to an AF100. For example, the Blackmagic currently does not offer any XLR audio inputs or live audio monitoring while filming. It looks a great little camera and I'm exciting to get one in my hands but I still don't believe it will be replacing the aF100 anytime soon.
 
At the moment the BM is the new kid on the Block. Looks much better than the AF100, but time will tell. The weakness of the AF100 is the picture sharpness, the relative low bit rate and the way the clipping of the highlights is corrected. For the rest it is a very good camera, but one buys a camera for the picture quality or not? The GH2 is my new buy to be used in an Octo MicroKopter for aerial shots. it is the camera to use for that purpose - high bit rate and very sharp picture; of course with the hack in place.
 
I'm late here too (been busy working, shooting my AF100 and editing, and attending funerals).
But it's kinda funny how the OP made his decision to buy the AF100 early on page 4 and here on page 8 the debate continues...

Even though he already made the plunge, my thoughts were/are (and partly applicable to the GH2):

If you're coming out from still photography, then you know RAW. The BM is RAW- do you want to spend time dialing in your look in post, or get it close in camera, then tweak in post?
Do you have the computer power to work with RAW?
Are you prepared for RAW storage?
You're a one man band? Getting sound (natural and interview) is easier on the AF100.
Architectural photography? Perhaps safest on the AF100 as far as moire/aliasing?
Lenses- almost anything.
Batteries- as pointed out previously, all day on a couple.
SD cards- cheap. Again, like someone else stated before, I use Panasonic Gold, Class 10. Never a problem.

I use my AF100 for paid gigs several days a week, and will use it for several years more.
Might I get a second, better camera in a couple of years? (wait, a third camera, I still have and use my HPX170) Maybe, but I'd still keep the AF100 as long as it makes me money.
It works for me, it works for my projects, it works for my clients.

Is it the perfect camera? No, but then there is no perfect camera.
And even the camera that is close to perfect, is only close briefly, then the next/best comes out.
Such is the pace of technology these days.
Something about chasing the law of diminishing returns applies here...

Just my 2$ (I'm working on writing shorter)...
 
KyleProhaska said:
If Panasonic could put GH2 performance into an AF100 body I would be all over that action at a moments notice.
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Heh, I have 2 GH2's - I had the AF100 on order but cancelled it when I saw the image quality coming out of the GH2.....
Sure if you need to record audio then it can be a pain but the image quality is worth it.....

Pana really needs to blend these cameras together and make the GH-200.....

And if they went the way of Black Magic......
 
The BMCC is an intriquing little package, but, as others (and I) have pointed out, this is the very first camera BMD has ever made. It would almost be a miracle if they got everything right the first time. The price of admission is low enough that most of us can throw caution to the wind, but frankly, as someone who makes a living with a camera, I don't think I am going to sell the AF100 until after I've had the BMC a month or two.

The AF100 is a rock solid reliable location camera. I have used it in rain, snow and all day long sub zero temperatures (sub zero fahrenheit) without a hiccup. I often have a hard time understanding what kind of filmmakers inhabit this forum, but about 90% of the time I am working OMB, and thats ok with the AF100. I have a pretty slick 2 camera interview setup using an AF100 and a GH2 that I'm completely comfortable doing OMB, something that was pretty much impossible back when I was using Sony HDcams. I would not recommend the GH2 for anything where the camera is moving with any speed (although I've seen some pretty nice RPV footage from GH2s), but AF100 out of a fixed wing or helicopter at 48 or 60p is sweet.

Although I am on a "preorder list" it stretches my sense of reality to participate in the new BMCuser forum; it should really be called the BMCpreuser forum or perhaps the BMCpreorder forum, evidently a place to argue about the speculative specs of a future camera. Almost a relativistic time-travel sort of thing, where folks can post preorder video samples from their preodered cameras.
 
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From what I understand the BMD camera is software upgradable. This makes adding features and improving the camera easy for the user. We shall see.
 
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It's called the miracle of FPGA's .. but, be advised that new features can be added as long as the
FPGA's can handle it. Once you've saturated the chip(s) .. you're pretty much SOL.

jeff
 
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