Which camera to buy for interviews?

To each their own but I would always want a proper zoom servo for anything from a tripod that will have movement. Speakers often want to move around and the camera work would be much better with a rear zoom controller. Yes, the DSLRs can make nice images but they are limited from a camera operator's perspective.
 
That's a great feature. Right now I am leaning towards the UX90 and a GH5 for Long format shoots and interviews, I will be using 1080p which gives me 24mm, the 35mm in 4k will be mostly utilized for interviews. Currently with my HMC80 I get 40mm width so the UX90 is definitely an upgrade for me. Initially I was leaning towards two UX90's but since the GH5 has the 96gb file size limit and the 10bit 4:2:2 for chromakey, it's going to be a great combo. I just need to buy an EF to m43 adapter to utalzie my canon lenses.
 
One of the reasons I brought up GH4 is because it's priced to move. B&H has it (with the "rewards") for about $1,100. If $4,000 is one's budget, there's room for two cameras (two GH4's or one GH4 and one GH5, when it comes out) plus a bunch of accessories.
 
Bassman2003 said:
To each their own but I would always want a proper zoom servo for anything from a tripod that will have movement. Speakers often want to move around and the camera work would be much better with a rear zoom controller. Yes, the DSLRs can make nice images but they are limited from a camera operator's perspective.
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I totally agree, the AG-HMC80 is a low budget with tons of features and worked great for my needs, even with it's downfalls such as low light issues and lens specs. Larger events that take place at say a convention center are always lit, on the other hand smaller seminar events I always bring a lighting kit to make the HMC80 shine. I will continue to use it for long format recordings such as speeches and seminars (specially ones I end up doing the editing for). I love the C100's low light abilities and lens options and it would be king for interviews but the lack of 4k turns me off I just can not seem to find anything that would beat the value of the AG-XU90, it has so much to offer and where it lacks compared to the XU180 the HMC80 fills in the gab with features such as waveform and synchro scan. Right now I am favoring the UX90 with a GH5 unless someone convinces me otherwise. I do own canon and Nikon dslrs to fill in other gabs with the canon 70D being one of my favorites for run and gun for it's dual pixal focusing (it is a nightmare when it comes to moire though, something to watch for).
 
DLD said:
One of the reasons I brought up GH4 is because it's priced to move. B&H has it (with the "rewards") for about $1,100. If $4,000 is one's budget, there's room for two cameras (two GH4's or one GH4 and one GH5, when it comes out) plus a bunch of accessories.
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It's a great suggestion, I really like the specs on the UX90 though, it will be nice for conferences with the servo zoom. But maybe I can get the GH4 with it now and later in the summer add the GH5. However, I just bumped into the FZ2500 as I was researching Panasonic and it seems a very capable camera with some very nice features including unlimited recording time, smooth servo zoom with constant iris. Would that be a better choice than the GH4 for now?
 
One combo nobody has mentioned yet: C100mk II plus XC15.

4K for when you need it, 10x zoom when you need it, shallow DOF when you need it, great lowlight when you need it, dual-pixel AF when you need it, 2 pairs of XLR inputs, and similar colours from both cameras. I'm a Sony shooter personally and hate the C-series for the type of work I do but I have to admit that when it comes to talking heads Canon just looks so much better out of the box than Sony or Panny.

If your budget is $4000 per camera you'll have some change leftover too.
 
deltoidjohn said:
One combo nobody has mentioned yet: C100mk II plus XC15.

4K for when you need it, 10x zoom when you need it, shallow DOF when you need it, great lowlight when you need it, dual-pixel AF when you need it, 2 pairs of XLR inputs, and similar colours from both cameras. I'm a Sony shooter personally and hate the C-series for the type of work I do but I have to admit that when it comes to talking heads Canon just looks so much better out of the box than Sony or Panny.

If your budget is $4000 per camera you'll have some change leftover too.
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The C100 is really the camera I wanted to buy but I already have several 1080p cameras and felt a need for the 4k to justify a purchase and be future proof. Concerning the XC15 I saw it a week ago at the Canon booth at Imaging USA Expo and didn't like the form factor for a master 4k camera and the costly Cfast cards which will soon be replace by CFexpress which is not compatible with CFast.. For the same price the AG-UX90 is a much better deal. I already put an order on the Panasonic AG-UX90 and the DMC-FZ2500. both cameras for $3300. I also have my eyes set on the GH5 when it comes out. I have been using Canon for 3 years but lost hope for them, it's time to move on, Panasonic and Sony are leading the 4k small budget revolution.
 
Ken1212 said:
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I have been using Canon for 3 years but lost hope for them, it's time to move on, Panasonic and Sony are leading the 4k small budget revolution.
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How about Panasonic and Sony color science, compared to Canon's? It may serve you well to watch closely a lot of footage from those cameras before making a major investment.

As for 4K: do you actually need it right now? If yes, go for it. If no, not right now - there is no such thing as 'future proof' - because of the camera industry is moving very fast and none can tell what cameras, with what features and abilities, will turn up on the next few months and years. It may be better to purchase a 4K camera only when you'll need it. You can put the money in some saving account until the time you'll need to make the best purchase for that point in time.
 
Joshua_G said:
How about Panasonic and Sony color science, compared to Canon's? It may serve you well to watch closely a lot of footage from those cameras before making a major investment.
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GH4 V-log with an external recorder produces gorgeous skin-tones. The GH5 with internal 10-bit 4:2:2 400 Mbps V-log should be just as good or better.

I've always found Canon color a bit like Kodachrome 64, which is very pleasing but not always accurate.
 
Joshua_G said:
How about Panasonic and Sony color science, compared to Canon's? It may serve you well to watch closely a lot of footage from those cameras before making a major investment.

As for 4K: do you actually need it right now? If yes, go for it. If no, not right now - there is no such thing as 'future proof' - because of the camera industry is moving very fast and none can tell what cameras, with what features and abilities, will turn up on the next few months and years. It may be better to purchase a 4K camera only when you'll need it. You can put the money in some saving account until the time you'll need to make the best purchase for that point in time.
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I shoot lots of interviews and 4k will allow me to crop my shot and get two comps in post from one camera. In addition some of my clients require raw footage and no editing for long format recordings and needed to move on to SDXC with the 96gb file limits that Panasonic provides rather than the 4gb. Yes Canon has nice colors but it's not like Panasonic has bad colors. If Canon thinks they can continue to sell us old technology just because they get a slightly better score on color they are mistaken. Panasonic has lovely colors and the FZ2500 which is only $1200 can output 10 bit 4:2:2 and provides you with log along with the 4k. The Gh5 is going to provide internal 10bit 4:2:2 with interchangeable lenses. Many are leaving the canon camp after they failed to shine on the 5D IV for video. when the canon 70D was the first camera to come out with the dual pixel focusing I was elated and moved from Nikon to Canon. That started a love hate relationship with Canon, the 70D was excellent with auto focusing for a DSLR but sucked at moire miserably. Canon is no longer the leader of budget film making period. The only thing that they have working for them now is lenses. A GH5 at $2000 will be competing with Canon's C300 II at $12,000 which uses a dying technology the CFast cards which soon will be replaced with CFexpress. If Panasonic can put out a full frame mirrorless camera with EF mount Canon will cease to exist in the small budget arena.
 
Joshua_G said:
How about Panasonic and Sony color science, compared to Canon's? It may serve you well to watch closely a lot of footage from those cameras before making a major investment.

I spend $2100 on the AG-UX90 which gives me 96gb file limits, very nice lens, 4k video and much more, I also bought it's little brother the FZ2500 which has very similar specs but in addition can deliver 10bit 4:2:2 DCI 4k with Vlog to an external recorder and only paid $1200 to get those features. With canon you need to look at the C300 II which is $12k. Now if your business model and budget works with that then all power to you. Again we are business owners and need to make our decision based on what can get the job done with the least expense. If more people walk away from Canon they will be forced to compete and not nickle and dime us.
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Joshua_G said:
'Gorgeous skin-tones' and 'lovely colors' is a matter of personal taste. Some like the Panasonic colors, while some others dislike them.
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Of course, everything is personal taste and perspective.

Most of the posts I've read where people weren't keen on V-log color weren't using the GH4 with an external recorder. ( I feel the same way when it comes to GH4 internal V-log recordings )

One of the early GH4 V-log L tests shot with an external recorder compared the results by shooting the same scene with Varicam 35 V-Log, and other than the big DR difference between the cameras the color was very similar, especially for skin-tones. ( both graded with the same Varicam LUT )

There is a big difference between shooting GH4 8-bit 4:2:0 internal V-log L and GH4 10-bit 4:2:2 externally recorded V-log L.
 
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