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Video - who's dabbling?

sjg284

Member
The initial excuse for buying the A7s (when I already have a full Leica M240 kit) was video.. low light was the bonus.

As a stills guy I've found video even more challenging than expected.. from shooting to post processing, etc.

So curious - any other stills people drawn into video with the A7 series?

This is as far as I've gotten in my 5 months of ownership - https://vimeo.com/126053507

I fear a handheld 3 axis gimbal is in my future...
 

f6cvalkyrie

Well-known member
drawn into video, not by a Sony A7 but by a Panasonic GH2
Finds rare use on family oriented occasions, no artistic aspirations whatsoever !

Have fun,
Rafael
 
V

Vivek

Guest
The initial excuse for buying the A7s (when I already have a full Leica M240 kit) was video.. low light was the bonus.

As a stills guy I've found video even more challenging than expected.. from shooting to post processing, etc.

So curious - any other stills people drawn into video with the A7 series?

This is as far as I've gotten in my 5 months of ownership - https://vimeo.com/126053507

I fear a handheld 3 axis gimbal is in my future...
The main reason I bought the A7s was for video.

[Check this out: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=iZuxo2ZFz_g ]

However, it is now exclusively being used for stills.

That Atomos and assorted paraphernalia (including a new system for processing and storage) are the future purchases that I am grappling with. The costs of those alone make the price of the A7s negligible and the A7s is not a cheap camera at all. :loco:
 

iiiNelson

Well-known member
The main reason I bought the A7s was for video.

[Check this out: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=iZuxo2ZFz_g ]

However, it is now exclusively being used for stills.

That Atomos and assorted paraphernalia (including a new system for processing and storage) are the future purchases that I am grappling with. The costs of those alone make the price of the A7s negligible and the A7s is not a cheap camera at all. :loco:
By assorted paraphernalia do you mean Amsterdam's finest or that Sony 28-135 G!?! :ROTFL:
 
V

Vivek

Guest
None of that! Including any lenses! :D

Everything to do with video/audio related gear, processing and storage. Paraphrasing Guy, particularly, "Screw Zeiss". :LOL:

Seriously, the A7s is the Noctilux of cameras. Lenses (any brand) take a back seat and an absolute waste of time.
 

iiiNelson

Well-known member
None of that! Including any lenses! :D

Everything to do with video/audio related gear, processing and storage. Paraphrasing Guy, particularly, "Screw Zeiss". :LOL:

Seriously, the A7s is the Noctilux of cameras. Lenses (any brand) take a back seat and an absolute waste of time.
I know... I kid... I sort of love great lenses more than bodies though. I have to say the $200 price drop on the A7II has me contemplating trading my A7 in but I will wait for the "announcement" to happen first.
 

Guy Mancuso

Administrator, Instructor
I find it very strange to see the discount on the A7II. Actually very strange . This latest round of reductions is purely to dump and purge before new models announced. The A7II makes no sense. Is it remotely possible we will see maybe a A7r II and a A7s II 24mpx and eliminate the A7II. It's pure speculation but this discount does not makes logical sense.

Making me really wonder why cut a current models price when your going to announce a far more expensive model that some will not buy but drop down to this model. People will pay full price for the lower model .

Maybe I'm just thinking crazy
 

Jorgen Udvang

Subscriber Member
I did do a lot of video before priorities forced me to concentrate on stills, but with the GH1/2/3 rather than a Sony. Video was what brought me into m4/3 to start with, and that system was my choice for several reasons:

- Small size, but big batteries, particularly on the GH3/4
- Fantastic ergonomics with the GH3/4
- Very good build quality with the GH3/4
- Many lenses to choose from and even more that can be adapted with or without a speed booster
- More depth of field (too little DOF is more of a challenge with video than with stills)

The A7s is a nice video camera, particularly in low light, but it's no secret that there are things about it that I don't like (so take what I write here with a pinch of salt). Panasonic has shown that they are very serious about video, and the system is very flexible. Add to that all the excellent lenses, including the Voigtlander f/0.95 primes, and this is the system that I would go back to if I was to get more serious about video again.

The alternatives would be the new Blackmagic Micro cameras, which are cheap, totally modular and extremely flexible. However, when all bits and pieces are added, they won't be cheap anymore. The GH4 is the do-it-all solution.

However, the biggest challenge shooting video is not the camera, but the different way of thinking, the complicated post processing, sound, movement etc. Video is not stills that move, and anybody thinking so will struggle to get it right. So my recommendation would be: Keep your A7s, use it with as few lenses as possible, make storyboards before you shoot and spend time in front of the computer, experimenting with post processing. There isn't really a video equivalent of a snapshot. Even the simplest sequence requires a plan; a start, some content and a finish.
 

docmoore

Subscriber and Workshop Member
The main reason I bought the A7s was for video.


That Atomos and assorted paraphernalia (including a new system for processing and storage) are the future purchases that I am grappling with. The costs of those alone make the price of the A7s negligible and the A7s is not a cheap camera at all. :loco:
A7s yields a wonderful 4K and downresd HD file ... but a bit of work is needed

A7s Cage PL Mount lens






A7s Cage with Nikor 85 F 1.8 Lens

Sachtler Head Gitzo Sticks Quick Release with 15mm Rods for Followfocus

CD Odyssey 7Q+ Monitor and 4K/Raw Recorder - Waveforms Peaking and
Touch Zoom at any point of frame




Bob
 

iiiNelson

Well-known member
I find it very strange to see the discount on the A7II. Actually very strange . This latest round of reductions is purely to dump and purge before new models announced. The A7II makes no sense. Is it remotely possible we will see maybe a A7r II and a A7s II 24mpx and eliminate the A7II. It's pure speculation but this discount does not makes logical sense.

Making me really wonder why cut a current models price when your going to announce a far more expensive model that some will not buy but drop down to this model. People will pay full price for the lower model .

Maybe I'm just thinking crazy
Yeah I'm thinking that there may be some form of A9 business about to happen. Zeiss highlighted the fact that the Batis was for Pros... not enthusiats, not hobbyists, but a pro AF lens line. I think the A7R may get cut from the lineup and the A7II will be he "lower end" enthusiast camera and an A9 (formerly known as A7R) will be the "high end" camera with a few more "pro features (read: improved build quality and a pro body mirrorless) added to further separate the two lines.

I could be WAY OFF though cuz it is Sony still and they like to keep everyone on their toes.
 

darrellc

New member
I do video with both A7s/A7II and a GH4/GM5. Mostly run and gun video of my kids.

Panasonic is infinitely better in terms of ergonomics and speed of workflow around video than the A7s, and internal 4K is great, but you cannot deny the A7s high ISO advantage - which is greater in video than stills.

I eagerly await an A7sII with IBIS and internal 4K recording - if it materializes, I'll probably get rid of m4/3 gear and maybe pick up an LX100 or equivalent for a pocket hybrid camera.

I try to organize my video shooting around a narrative project (usually a vacation/holiday trip). I often don't, leading to thousands of video clips in storage destined to remain orphaned.
 

sjg284

Member
Interesting discussion!

I went A7s after renting the GH4 and just not bonding with it at all.
Didn't expect to get too deep into video.. and the superior low light stills of the A7s made it a good second system to the M240.

Also get clear out EVF/zoom/macro stuff that I tried with the M240 with limited success and use a proper system for such things.

The whole aesthetics and art of shooting are very different than stills, and like someone mentioned above by darrellc, I go for sort of the simple narrative.
I don't think I'm going to be telling stories in the traditional film sense. Just simple 1-2 minute clips to capture a bit more documentary/narrative atmosphere than I can get with stills alone.
Whatever term you'd come up with for a video street photographer :).

On the technical end, the hardest part I think is post processing.
I've not gotten into LUTs or real fine color correction yet.
Vimeo link in first post was my first video composed of multiple clips, with a soundtrack, etc.

I'm going to need something like the Nebula 4000 for the A7s just to shoot steady enough.
I've not found the OSS lenses to do much for video, and mostly I just need to shoot as wide as possible to minimize hand shake.
Sold the kit zoom after a month when I saw how little OSS helped and remember how much I HATE ZOOMS haha.
 

Jorgen Udvang

Subscriber Member
Jorgen, Good post (and on topic)! :)
Too busy to stray... I'll be back :ROTFL:

A couple of more thoughts regarding the A7s vs. the GH4:

It all depends of course. Being on the road more or less on a continuous basis, I need gear where everything is in the box to simplify logistics. Due to the nature of my travel, I also need my gear to be physically strong to take the abuse that comes with travelling on all kinds of vehicles, running, jumping, climbing etc. Add to that my preference for SLR ergonomics with a big grip etc., and the GH3/4 was a natural choice.

If I had been a bit more stationary, or my travels always took me to places where I had access to electricity on a regular basis, the superior low light capability and better general image quality of the A7s would probably have won me over. I'm not a big fan of the ergonomics of that camera, but things like that are usually forgotten when beautiful things start appearing on the monitor.

Still, I think that both of those cameras are intermediate solutions only. Modular systems, like what we see with the new, tiny Blackmagic bodies, will hopefully be the future. That will make it much easier to make workable solution for each assignment, and it will become much cheaper to upgrade the sensor module as technology progresses. It will be particularly interesting if Sony develops a concept like that, since it would mean access to different sensor sizes withing the same modular system. It will complicate logistics though.

Samsung? It's an impressive camera, but it's a bit like a Honda NSX; a great sports car that lacks heritage and with a future that remains hidden in the haze somewhere.
 

ErikKaffehr

Well-known member
Hi,

I shoot some video, it's great to enhance slide show kind of presentations.

https://vimeo.com/84522713

https://vimeo.com/52012348

These are from Sony Alpha 77, actually.

Best regards
Erik


The initial excuse for buying the A7s (when I already have a full Leica M240 kit) was video.. low light was the bonus.

As a stills guy I've found video even more challenging than expected.. from shooting to post processing, etc.

So curious - any other stills people drawn into video with the A7 series?

This is as far as I've gotten in my 5 months of ownership - https://vimeo.com/126053507

I fear a handheld 3 axis gimbal is in my future...
 

RiversPhoto

New member
I hope to do more than dabble. I have been a still shooter for 40 years on the side of my medical business. I have started a company for medical education video to merge the two interests. I switched from Leica M8 and ME which was fine for travel and event photography to a Sony A7, A7s, (and A7II that arrived today after the $200 off). I have never found that still photography paid terribly well, but am amazed that video production is more lucrative.

I went with the Sony A7 series for two reasons. I have lots of Leica and C/V glass which works well on the A7s for stills and video. I also shoot in very dark operating rooms, and the A7s can handle that easily. The new Loxia's are also a great surprise as they are wonderful for both stills and video. In fact, I understand that on the A7II they are stabilized with all 5 axis as the camera can receive distance information from the lens, unlike the legacy manual focus glass. I can't wait for an IBIS A7s...

I have no need for 4K currently, and the A7s does a great job of HD capture internally.

tealwayfilms.com is home to some of the content. These are great cameras.

Michael
 
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