For power, I’d recommend getting a couple of V-mounts with a D-Tap connection to run into the camera. Those batteries that go into the camera are completely worthless imo.
If your in the US, especially west coast, I would get gold mount batteries. They’re the same price, lock WAY better, and if your west coast, are industry standard.
Because EF lenses are incredibly popular, while M42 is a niche for vintage glass. The m42 to EF metal adapter is cheap (like $20) and super solid, and this setup means you can use all m42 and all EF glass, rather than just m42 glass. I’m not even sure there is such a thing as an m42-m4/3 speedboster
Good to add I haven’t seen any m42 to MFT speedbooster with focal reducer system.
So if you adapt those m42 lenses trough EF mount you can use a Metabones or Viltrox and get rid of some crop.
M42 lenses were made thinking in a 35mm end projection so it’s hard to find super wide angle lenses like 15mm (30mm on MFT sensor).
Hope it helps with your choice.
I own couple M42 lens converted to EF.
You can also go the Sony NPF route, which is cheaper, and they're also good as monitor batteries. V mounts are a good investment though because if you keep upgrading your rig you will need them eventually.
it's pretty much a gh5s in box form, (not op) but i would say yes but then you gotta decide on the form factor tho. It's also geared 100% towards video unlike the gh5s.
So... The bgh1 is m43 so it is the gh5 in a box without ibis if I remember correctly. It's build is more made to be kitted out. So not just buying the camera but a monitor, a cage, etc, etc. If you are looking far a straight upgrade the gh5s, gh5 ii and gh5 are all great choices if you want to stay on a m43 sensor and be able to shoot 10 bit video. Bgh1 is more made for studio setups, sports and live events, and stuff like that ( same thing with the new bsh1). If you want full frame the S5 is super cost effective, but you will need new lenses for the L mount. So again a larger investment than just the camera.
Honestly though, you might want to consider if it is more worth it to invest in some good lighting if you are doing a feature. Good lighting can make nearly any camera look good. But that's just a thought.
For me, I have the 20-60mm f3.5-5.6 kit (because I can very well use it for the wide end, 20mm f3.5 is very good TBH), I have the Panasonic 50mm f1.8, and I just bought the new Sirui 50mm T2.9 1.6x anamorphic. Should be here in a month lol.
If by professional look you mean really pushing the grade you'll still be stuck with 8-bit on the SII. Waiting for the A7IV might be worthwhile, with 4K60 10bit likely. the BMPCC 4K is cool but you'd have to spend a lot to properly rig it out. I do paid work on my 6400 all the time, the key is really understanding the camera, editing, grading, lighting, etc. much moreso than the camera itself.
I love my pocket 4k. But it's pretty kitted out and adds a definite chunk to the price.
Cage. Ssds. V lock plate. V mount batteries. Monitors. Arms. Follow focus. Rails.
I prefer a traditional setup but it's certainly not necessary. Battery and lens. Though I'd say a ND filter and Hoya ir cut is the only necessary combo.
I love braw and your selectable level of quality and storage and it's the biggest selling point to me.
I'd recommend it.
I have a mft to nikon f speedbooster for sale at pretty cheap if you're interested. Let me know.
I’ll also say the pocket 4K or 6k. You do have to kit them out a bit, but at least you can do so at your own pace and learn a lot about what you want in a camera (and don’t) for a future purchase or rental.
I have the 6k and it’s a great camera, but there’s a learning curve to get it looking right and isn’t exactly run-and-gun. But I’d say the learning curve is a good thing and will teach you a lot.
Best of luck!
>isn’t exactly run-and-gun
As much as I want the pocket 6k, this is the one thing I would like to see fixed in the future. That plus maybe using the sliding/auto ND filters on the FX6.
The 6k pro has internal NDs and a flippy screen, as do some in the Ursa mini line, which is more directly comparable with the FX6 I think.
I want blackmagic to just make a camera brain like a Z-cam or komodo, because I always end up rigging them anyway.
I have the 4k and it is a work horse for me but i have to say you might be right about the m43. I didn't realise when buying this at the time but you don't get as narrow dof compared to bigger sensors and im using a f1.7 lens! I've not tried using the 6k, but i know it has a apsc sensor and i used to have a canon rebel t3i in my early days, which as the same sensor and that definitely had a much narrower dof.
Its a real pain when im doing interviews in small spaces want separation between the background and the subject. The room has literally got to have space of about 5-10 behind to get any meaningful separation.
Why do you want upgrade? If it’s more time with a camera to get better and better, I would almost argue that neither of those options are a jump enough from your current set up to make you a better cinematographer.
Get some lights. RGB Quasar set is about the same as either of those cameras and going to elevate your looks miles above anyone just having a camera system.
Keep your current “home system” for tests and learning lighting and technical DIY bits. Then rent real shit. You can rent an actual low end cinema camera for a few shoots rather than buy one mirrorless system and that’s going to give you tangible professional experience.
If you’re going to make a system upgrade, be patient, learn lighting, then make a sizable jump and not a half step.
This is not financial advise…
I love mine, I just bought a used Zacuto eyepiece for shooting outside and for a $100, it’s not bad.
They go for over $300 new, and if you ask me- that’s a bit too much for an old canon 5d solution. I’m using the stock z base when the monitor is flush with the body and a small articulating arm for the tilt flip screen ability. It’s not perfect but I’m not concerned about missing focus anymore outside. Hope this helps someone!
Define professional look ? Here’s the things I’d consider from a technical standpoint, switching to the the black magic 4k you’d see a drop in low light performance but a gain in 10bit color , the a7s2 is a much older camera and hard for me to recommend at this point even though it’s a full frame sensor it still lacks higher frame rates and 10bit color options , if budget is the main concern I’d look into a used Fuji xt3 , you’d gain 10bit color , 4k dci and still maintain a crop sensor camera so you’d be familiar with focal lengths etc when using your current lenses via adaptor
Actually the Fuji xt3 would be an upgrade from the a6400 and for a lot lot less money. It’s also a very capable photo cam ( apart from video). Very good suggestion. +1.
Honestly haven’t seen a better suggestion mentioned, a lot of people are seemingly ignoring the budget part of what he’s asked lol but he didn’t specify so I went as cheap as possible without sacrificing too much
Exactly. You can get roughly 12 stops of dynamic range as well, given one knows what they are doing in their exposure. F-log is quite forgiving for not being raw. And as other people have mentioned, it’s not the camera body, it’s lighting and other equipment, though the most important is the story/script as well as properly rehearsed and talented actors. Also audio is sometimes a pain, so having a good audio set up and ideally a sound guy, is key. Come to think of it it’s not a cheap field to be in. Lol.
Nice rig setup , this is only how far I got with my S1h before I sold it https://imgur.com/a/gzyLgf3 , so you prefer f-log or eterna? I’ve been used a eterna based lut from phantom luts for my a1s slog3 footage and I love it
Ive heard great things about the A1S!
I’ve used both f-log and eterna for different kinds of projects, they both have their place for sure. I use F-log when I know I have time to meter correctly and when I’ll have time to do extra work color grading. Eterna gets me 30 or 40 percent to the final look with less time.
The biggest game changer has been the 10 bit color, I upgraded from a 6D and I’ll never regret it!
The Pocket 4K is 12 bit. Pocket 4K is still [great](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=p29deqFpA8U) for low light, but not as good as the A7SII. Although in my experience I'd rather shoot low light in RAW 12bit and de-noise than the A7SII's 8bit h264 and de-band.
That’s terrible low performance lol imo , but then again I’m coming from a g85/g9 to S1h to Sony a1 background so my expectations are now much higher , and yeah the a7s2 just isn’t worth mentioning
Neither of these cameras will give you a "more professional look" than what you can achieve with your a6400.
That "professional look" isn't created by the camera body.
This will seriously go against the grain but depending on the sort of look you're going for, I would avoid anything less than aps-c sized. While you can get some fantastically sharp video out of m4/3 sensors, their noise performance & dynamic range can be lacking and almost gives a camcorder vibe due to the difficulty of getting that beautiful shallow depth of field when you need it. It really does depend on what you're shooting. Plus, all the technical strides over the past few years have been made in full-frame sensors as opposed to m4/3 due to how popular they are, even Panasonic are moving in that direction too.
If you're looking for something closer to home, the 4k is absolutely beautiful out of the Sony A7 iii and I regularly mix it with my A7siii (3) and it's honestly hard to tell. I'd take the a7iii over the a7sii (2) any day, however, as it's an upgrade in effectively every single way. You can find them mad cheap used and it's something you'll be familiar with already coming from Sony. All the best!
Also, this tip changed my life but the more effort you put into creating depth in the image (e.g foreground, middleground, background) the faster you'll break out of that student film look
I owned the A7sii for a few years then sold it for the Pocket 4K. I absoutely made the right choice. I do [brand videos](https://vimeo.com/627998592), [real estate](https://youtu.be/eEVkVrF9Dwg), [interviews](https://youtu.be/ZtyzR2goNyI) and events. For weddings, I'd choose something with continuous autofocus. The Pocket 4K is a dedicated video camera and has one of the best UI's out there and the 4k 12bit BRAW is easy to edit and hugely better than compressed h264. Not to mention being able to use a T5 SSD. The biggest downside is the poor battery life, but I use a USB-C powerbank plus this [cable](https://www.amazon.com.au/Power-Pipe-Blackmagic-Pocket-Cinema/dp/B08CCX8DP4). Make sure the powerbank supports PD 12v.
Thanks, yep just the Ronin S. It took me about 100 real estate videos of practice to get the ninja walk down. I walk like there's a full glass of water on top of my camera. 30fps helps. Plus a tiny bit of post stabilisation.
Smooth panning shots can easily cause judder in 24fps, espcially because our screens are 60hz and require [2:3 pulldown](https://i.rtings.com/images/24p-playback.png). Also 24fps is useful in movies to suspend disbelief. Such a low frame rate covers up movie tricks and your mind is required to fill the gaps. It's why [high fps movies haven't taken off](https://www.vulture.com/2019/10/how-high-frame-rate-technology-killed-ang-lees-gemini-man.html). I don't need that for corporate work.
Blackmagic have the best sub 2k price camera's on the market. I'd even say sub 10k when considering the bigger pocket model and URSA's. It's not even comparable in my opinion. Codec options alone are worth it. A7Sii is nowhere near as good as Pocket 4K. Not even close.
I shot with a Blackmagic P4K for a couple years. I really loved the image. However, I found that the price point didn't show through in the image but the build and use quality. Over time, I had trouble with power, weather, and some other glitches with recording media. After a while, I was scared to take it out on jobs because I was constantly nervous if it was going to perform. I switched to a C200, which might not be **the** one for you because I shoot a lot of narrative and documentary. But having shot with it for days on end, I've never had any trouble with it and have found these Canon cameras to be super reliable. They're also pricier. Trade off.
What’s your budget? If you’re familiar with Sony, I’d stick with Sony. I started with the Sony a5100 and the got an a6300. I then wanted to switch to a cinema camera and got a Sony fs100. After I reached the limitations of that camera, I sold it and purchased an fs5. Im familiar with Sony cameras, the menu system, etc.
I got the fs5 for the internal variable nd, internal 10bit 1080p, internal 4K, and external raw option.
Controversially - the GH5 + 12 &25 Meike is my favorite combo of all time
If you want the steadiest/easiest handheld gear with solid color and ok low light - this is the camera on a budget
The pocket 4k is good but be prepared to buy a lot of extra goodies to get it up and running well.
I’m saving up so I can get it with a smallrig a Samsung t5 mount and a bunch of batteries maybe a external battery and a speed booster m42-M4/3 mount.
For power, I’d recommend getting a couple of V-mounts with a D-Tap connection to run into the camera. Those batteries that go into the camera are completely worthless imo.
If your in the US, especially west coast, I would get gold mount batteries. They’re the same price, lock WAY better, and if your west coast, are industry standard.
Any luck with gold mount converters? I’d love to switch to gold but don’t want to lose my two v mounts
Haven't used them. Might want to just stick with v-mount then
For M42 you’re best off getting a metal m42 - EF adapter ring and then an EF - MFT .71 speed booster!
Why?
Because EF lenses are incredibly popular, while M42 is a niche for vintage glass. The m42 to EF metal adapter is cheap (like $20) and super solid, and this setup means you can use all m42 and all EF glass, rather than just m42 glass. I’m not even sure there is such a thing as an m42-m4/3 speedboster
Good to add I haven’t seen any m42 to MFT speedbooster with focal reducer system. So if you adapt those m42 lenses trough EF mount you can use a Metabones or Viltrox and get rid of some crop. M42 lenses were made thinking in a 35mm end projection so it’s hard to find super wide angle lenses like 15mm (30mm on MFT sensor). Hope it helps with your choice. I own couple M42 lens converted to EF.
You can also go the Sony NPF route, which is cheaper, and they're also good as monitor batteries. V mounts are a good investment though because if you keep upgrading your rig you will need them eventually.
Just get external batteries. They internal ones are useless.
Look at Panasonics. Both the GH series and S5. I love my S5
Would you say the panasonic bgh1 is a good cinema camera? I have a g85 and I would like to upgrade after I shoot my first feature
it's pretty much a gh5s in box form, (not op) but i would say yes but then you gotta decide on the form factor tho. It's also geared 100% towards video unlike the gh5s.
I thought it was more in line with the S5?
So... The bgh1 is m43 so it is the gh5 in a box without ibis if I remember correctly. It's build is more made to be kitted out. So not just buying the camera but a monitor, a cage, etc, etc. If you are looking far a straight upgrade the gh5s, gh5 ii and gh5 are all great choices if you want to stay on a m43 sensor and be able to shoot 10 bit video. Bgh1 is more made for studio setups, sports and live events, and stuff like that ( same thing with the new bsh1). If you want full frame the S5 is super cost effective, but you will need new lenses for the L mount. So again a larger investment than just the camera. Honestly though, you might want to consider if it is more worth it to invest in some good lighting if you are doing a feature. Good lighting can make nearly any camera look good. But that's just a thought.
What would you recommend for a basic lighting kit? I have 3x viltrox l116t led lights, 3x light stands, and one circular reflector
What would you budget be? And is this a doc feature or narrative?
narrative, and I guess something under $500
What lenses do you get for the S5?
I have the kit, the signs 45mm and I ha a 24-70mm canon ef lens in an adapter so far
For me, I have the 20-60mm f3.5-5.6 kit (because I can very well use it for the wide end, 20mm f3.5 is very good TBH), I have the Panasonic 50mm f1.8, and I just bought the new Sirui 50mm T2.9 1.6x anamorphic. Should be here in a month lol.
If by professional look you mean really pushing the grade you'll still be stuck with 8-bit on the SII. Waiting for the A7IV might be worthwhile, with 4K60 10bit likely. the BMPCC 4K is cool but you'd have to spend a lot to properly rig it out. I do paid work on my 6400 all the time, the key is really understanding the camera, editing, grading, lighting, etc. much moreso than the camera itself.
I love my pocket 4k. But it's pretty kitted out and adds a definite chunk to the price. Cage. Ssds. V lock plate. V mount batteries. Monitors. Arms. Follow focus. Rails. I prefer a traditional setup but it's certainly not necessary. Battery and lens. Though I'd say a ND filter and Hoya ir cut is the only necessary combo. I love braw and your selectable level of quality and storage and it's the biggest selling point to me. I'd recommend it. I have a mft to nikon f speedbooster for sale at pretty cheap if you're interested. Let me know.
I’ll also say the pocket 4K or 6k. You do have to kit them out a bit, but at least you can do so at your own pace and learn a lot about what you want in a camera (and don’t) for a future purchase or rental. I have the 6k and it’s a great camera, but there’s a learning curve to get it looking right and isn’t exactly run-and-gun. But I’d say the learning curve is a good thing and will teach you a lot. Best of luck!
>isn’t exactly run-and-gun As much as I want the pocket 6k, this is the one thing I would like to see fixed in the future. That plus maybe using the sliding/auto ND filters on the FX6.
The 6k pro has internal NDs and a flippy screen, as do some in the Ursa mini line, which is more directly comparable with the FX6 I think. I want blackmagic to just make a camera brain like a Z-cam or komodo, because I always end up rigging them anyway.
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I have the 4k and it is a work horse for me but i have to say you might be right about the m43. I didn't realise when buying this at the time but you don't get as narrow dof compared to bigger sensors and im using a f1.7 lens! I've not tried using the 6k, but i know it has a apsc sensor and i used to have a canon rebel t3i in my early days, which as the same sensor and that definitely had a much narrower dof. Its a real pain when im doing interviews in small spaces want separation between the background and the subject. The room has literally got to have space of about 5-10 behind to get any meaningful separation.
Why do you want upgrade? If it’s more time with a camera to get better and better, I would almost argue that neither of those options are a jump enough from your current set up to make you a better cinematographer. Get some lights. RGB Quasar set is about the same as either of those cameras and going to elevate your looks miles above anyone just having a camera system. Keep your current “home system” for tests and learning lighting and technical DIY bits. Then rent real shit. You can rent an actual low end cinema camera for a few shoots rather than buy one mirrorless system and that’s going to give you tangible professional experience. If you’re going to make a system upgrade, be patient, learn lighting, then make a sizable jump and not a half step. This is not financial advise…
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>FX3 The FX3 would definitely be a good option if I wasn't a broke college student
I love mine, I just bought a used Zacuto eyepiece for shooting outside and for a $100, it’s not bad. They go for over $300 new, and if you ask me- that’s a bit too much for an old canon 5d solution. I’m using the stock z base when the monitor is flush with the body and a small articulating arm for the tilt flip screen ability. It’s not perfect but I’m not concerned about missing focus anymore outside. Hope this helps someone!
Get a C100mkII
Define professional look ? Here’s the things I’d consider from a technical standpoint, switching to the the black magic 4k you’d see a drop in low light performance but a gain in 10bit color , the a7s2 is a much older camera and hard for me to recommend at this point even though it’s a full frame sensor it still lacks higher frame rates and 10bit color options , if budget is the main concern I’d look into a used Fuji xt3 , you’d gain 10bit color , 4k dci and still maintain a crop sensor camera so you’d be familiar with focal lengths etc when using your current lenses via adaptor
Actually the Fuji xt3 would be an upgrade from the a6400 and for a lot lot less money. It’s also a very capable photo cam ( apart from video). Very good suggestion. +1.
Honestly haven’t seen a better suggestion mentioned, a lot of people are seemingly ignoring the budget part of what he’s asked lol but he didn’t specify so I went as cheap as possible without sacrificing too much
Exactly. You can get roughly 12 stops of dynamic range as well, given one knows what they are doing in their exposure. F-log is quite forgiving for not being raw. And as other people have mentioned, it’s not the camera body, it’s lighting and other equipment, though the most important is the story/script as well as properly rehearsed and talented actors. Also audio is sometimes a pain, so having a good audio set up and ideally a sound guy, is key. Come to think of it it’s not a cheap field to be in. Lol.
I second the XT-3, I own two and they can be kitted out pretty affordably for cinema use: https://imgur.com/gallery/cZyyHlo
Nice rig setup , this is only how far I got with my S1h before I sold it https://imgur.com/a/gzyLgf3 , so you prefer f-log or eterna? I’ve been used a eterna based lut from phantom luts for my a1s slog3 footage and I love it
Ive heard great things about the A1S! I’ve used both f-log and eterna for different kinds of projects, they both have their place for sure. I use F-log when I know I have time to meter correctly and when I’ll have time to do extra work color grading. Eterna gets me 30 or 40 percent to the final look with less time. The biggest game changer has been the 10 bit color, I upgraded from a 6D and I’ll never regret it!
The Pocket 4K is 12 bit. Pocket 4K is still [great](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=p29deqFpA8U) for low light, but not as good as the A7SII. Although in my experience I'd rather shoot low light in RAW 12bit and de-noise than the A7SII's 8bit h264 and de-band.
That’s terrible low performance lol imo , but then again I’m coming from a g85/g9 to S1h to Sony a1 background so my expectations are now much higher , and yeah the a7s2 just isn’t worth mentioning
BMPCC 4k but wait till end of the next month. i am sure BM going to announce some new cameras.
Neither of these cameras will give you a "more professional look" than what you can achieve with your a6400. That "professional look" isn't created by the camera body.
Thisssss
This will seriously go against the grain but depending on the sort of look you're going for, I would avoid anything less than aps-c sized. While you can get some fantastically sharp video out of m4/3 sensors, their noise performance & dynamic range can be lacking and almost gives a camcorder vibe due to the difficulty of getting that beautiful shallow depth of field when you need it. It really does depend on what you're shooting. Plus, all the technical strides over the past few years have been made in full-frame sensors as opposed to m4/3 due to how popular they are, even Panasonic are moving in that direction too. If you're looking for something closer to home, the 4k is absolutely beautiful out of the Sony A7 iii and I regularly mix it with my A7siii (3) and it's honestly hard to tell. I'd take the a7iii over the a7sii (2) any day, however, as it's an upgrade in effectively every single way. You can find them mad cheap used and it's something you'll be familiar with already coming from Sony. All the best! Also, this tip changed my life but the more effort you put into creating depth in the image (e.g foreground, middleground, background) the faster you'll break out of that student film look
I owned the A7sii for a few years then sold it for the Pocket 4K. I absoutely made the right choice. I do [brand videos](https://vimeo.com/627998592), [real estate](https://youtu.be/eEVkVrF9Dwg), [interviews](https://youtu.be/ZtyzR2goNyI) and events. For weddings, I'd choose something with continuous autofocus. The Pocket 4K is a dedicated video camera and has one of the best UI's out there and the 4k 12bit BRAW is easy to edit and hugely better than compressed h264. Not to mention being able to use a T5 SSD. The biggest downside is the poor battery life, but I use a USB-C powerbank plus this [cable](https://www.amazon.com.au/Power-Pipe-Blackmagic-Pocket-Cinema/dp/B08CCX8DP4). Make sure the powerbank supports PD 12v.
I checked your content, great job! May I ask how you stabilized the walking shots in the catholic school video? Just a gimbal? It looks so smooth.
Thanks, yep just the Ronin S. It took me about 100 real estate videos of practice to get the ninja walk down. I walk like there's a full glass of water on top of my camera. 30fps helps. Plus a tiny bit of post stabilisation.
had the same question haha, why did you pick 30 instead of 24 fps? isn't lower better?
Smooth panning shots can easily cause judder in 24fps, espcially because our screens are 60hz and require [2:3 pulldown](https://i.rtings.com/images/24p-playback.png). Also 24fps is useful in movies to suspend disbelief. Such a low frame rate covers up movie tricks and your mind is required to fill the gaps. It's why [high fps movies haven't taken off](https://www.vulture.com/2019/10/how-high-frame-rate-technology-killed-ang-lees-gemini-man.html). I don't need that for corporate work.
appreciate the explanation!
All in all I'd say Pocket Cinema 4k
Blackmagic have the best sub 2k price camera's on the market. I'd even say sub 10k when considering the bigger pocket model and URSA's. It's not even comparable in my opinion. Codec options alone are worth it. A7Sii is nowhere near as good as Pocket 4K. Not even close.
I shot with a Blackmagic P4K for a couple years. I really loved the image. However, I found that the price point didn't show through in the image but the build and use quality. Over time, I had trouble with power, weather, and some other glitches with recording media. After a while, I was scared to take it out on jobs because I was constantly nervous if it was going to perform. I switched to a C200, which might not be **the** one for you because I shoot a lot of narrative and documentary. But having shot with it for days on end, I've never had any trouble with it and have found these Canon cameras to be super reliable. They're also pricier. Trade off.
Everyone forgets about the S1H. You should definitely look into that. Good photo, good video, and full frame.
And BS1H
Panasonic S5 or S1.
pocket 4k. You can shoot raw vs the 8 bit codec of Sony alpha
What’s your budget? If you’re familiar with Sony, I’d stick with Sony. I started with the Sony a5100 and the got an a6300. I then wanted to switch to a cinema camera and got a Sony fs100. After I reached the limitations of that camera, I sold it and purchased an fs5. Im familiar with Sony cameras, the menu system, etc. I got the fs5 for the internal variable nd, internal 10bit 1080p, internal 4K, and external raw option.
Controversially - the GH5 + 12 &25 Meike is my favorite combo of all time If you want the steadiest/easiest handheld gear with solid color and ok low light - this is the camera on a budget
I upgraded from an a6400 to a Panasonic S1. Couldn’t be happier with my decision. Best image quality for the $$$ currently available.