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UnknownSouljer
[H]F Junkie
- Joined
- Sep 24, 2001
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- 9,041
My very short commentary is: if you haven't sworn allegiance to another camera system, this is a very compelling option from Panasonic. Although their AF isn't as good as Sony, they're offering 5.8 (6k) internal recording in 10-bit, V-Log, best in class image stabilization, in a very compact package. If you're content with being a hybrid shooter (as in you don't want or need a full sized camera body as a main camera), I think this is probably the best bang for the buck option currently in existence.
The other contenders in this price bracket are the Canon R6 II and Sony A7iv. The Canon has far less resolution, not great AF, poor low-light. The Sony has the resolution (though down-sampled), suffers from very poor rolling shutter with not enough processing power.
If you have already sworn allegiance to Canon or Sony or whatever, then this isn't a big enough reason to switch. Frankly no new announcement is. The A7S3/FX3 is still the darling of the video/YouTube world and people obsessed with 8k will still stick to Canon (or the 'newly' released A7rV). Though to me Canon has the least compelling mirrorless options (Canon C70 is a beast though). Panasonic and Fuji are doing interesting things that the top two are not. They're both definitely being smart and filling in niches where the big 2 refuse to.***
Specs aside (because that stuff matters less and less), V-Log is just an incredible LOG format to work with. Panasonic's actual killer feature is their color. In all of the first "hands on", you know they didn't have a huge amount of time to shoot and then launch. These colors for the most part are likely all just from a technical LUT or a CST: and they look phenomenal without further tweaking. Very natural and pleasing without a lot of effort. As someone who is currently using a difficult log format, having nice images out of the box cannot be understated. While any log format can get you to the place you want with post work, that isn't a fun way to work, and starting closer to your final is always better. Panasonic does this, and I would argue V-Log does it the best by miles (short of ARRI LogC3/C4 anyway). The photo color all looks phenomenal too. Pleasing with nice contrast.
Also, if you have a bunch of EF glass lying around, switching to Panasonic is relatively painless using a converter (Sigma MC-21) while you slowly build up first party glass.
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***More commentary down below that you can skip. I think my statements above are concise, this is just additional commentary.
My issue generally with Canon is that C-Log 2/3 sucks and generally they have the worst in class DR. DR isn't end all be all, but when spending $3500 on a camera, there are certain expectations that need to be there. Canon in general has struggled with this issue since the DSLR days vs Nikon, where Nikon has always had 1-3 more stops of DR than any given Canon camera. This has carried into Canon's video cameras. The C70 and C300 III are different specifically because of their DGO sensors, which finally have Canon in a place where they compete. The R5 is a solid camera, but I would simply rather use competing cameras that do things better that it simply does not. Its main feature is 8k. 8k is hyper niche. Most of YouTube is still 1080p and thriving.
The R5c makes even less sense. The Sony A1 that has better AF, can shoot sports (30 fps in stills mode!), has better battery life, better DR, better low light is frankly just a better camera.
If you're on Canon, you're either compromising heavily for 8k and because you like their glass. The one aspect that they do have that is a reasonable distinction is internal 12-bit LOG RAW. However, most won't want to use that format. Or you're using a C70, C300 III, or C500 II, all of which are phenominal video cameras and you want/need a hybrid camera as a more compact setup that matches your cinema camera (perhaps for gimbal use). And that is an excellent reason to go that route, it's just that most people do not fit in that category.
Even if you do, the Sony A7rV exists as does the Sony A1.
And if you're not in the 8k market, Sony with the FX3, FX6, FX9 are absolutely dominating the video world at both the consumer level and also in professional markets. The FX9 is the defacto live coverage camera (it's all of Vice News, BBC, NHK, etc, just to name a few). As well as being used in owner/operator film production, documentaries, etc. These do less well at specifically "hybrid", but now that the A7iv exists and the A7rV, there are tons of options for both the hybrid obsessed if a single camera is necessary for both stills and video, with some compromises on the A7iv and virtually no compromises at all on the A7rV.
Fuji has been launching new cameras left and right, and ever since the silicon shortage the X100V has been out of stock. They're killing it finally in the S35 game after they have also made excellent gains in AF. They also have really nice film emulation, and smaller/lighter glass due to having a smaller sensor. Fuji by far makes the best walk-around stills cameras. A niche to be sure, but one that most people feel is worth investing into.
Panasonic finally has an excellent full frame mirrorless hybrid option. Now they just need to update their box cams to have similar performance to this, and they will have a winner for people wanting professional cameras to fill this space. The BS1H simply has too many compromises. An S5 II in a box camera body with professional connections and external RAW recording (or internal RAW recording if possible) would be a smash hit. The EVA1 is also VERY long in the tooth. If they're serious about the video market then this camera desperately needs an update. Get a locking L-Mount in there with this much nicer AF, professional connections, and FF, and a competitive price point and it will absolutely sell. The EVA1 currently makes sense for absolutely no one to buy.
The other contenders in this price bracket are the Canon R6 II and Sony A7iv. The Canon has far less resolution, not great AF, poor low-light. The Sony has the resolution (though down-sampled), suffers from very poor rolling shutter with not enough processing power.
If you have already sworn allegiance to Canon or Sony or whatever, then this isn't a big enough reason to switch. Frankly no new announcement is. The A7S3/FX3 is still the darling of the video/YouTube world and people obsessed with 8k will still stick to Canon (or the 'newly' released A7rV). Though to me Canon has the least compelling mirrorless options (Canon C70 is a beast though). Panasonic and Fuji are doing interesting things that the top two are not. They're both definitely being smart and filling in niches where the big 2 refuse to.***
Specs aside (because that stuff matters less and less), V-Log is just an incredible LOG format to work with. Panasonic's actual killer feature is their color. In all of the first "hands on", you know they didn't have a huge amount of time to shoot and then launch. These colors for the most part are likely all just from a technical LUT or a CST: and they look phenomenal without further tweaking. Very natural and pleasing without a lot of effort. As someone who is currently using a difficult log format, having nice images out of the box cannot be understated. While any log format can get you to the place you want with post work, that isn't a fun way to work, and starting closer to your final is always better. Panasonic does this, and I would argue V-Log does it the best by miles (short of ARRI LogC3/C4 anyway). The photo color all looks phenomenal too. Pleasing with nice contrast.
Also, if you have a bunch of EF glass lying around, switching to Panasonic is relatively painless using a converter (Sigma MC-21) while you slowly build up first party glass.
----------
***More commentary down below that you can skip. I think my statements above are concise, this is just additional commentary.
My issue generally with Canon is that C-Log 2/3 sucks and generally they have the worst in class DR. DR isn't end all be all, but when spending $3500 on a camera, there are certain expectations that need to be there. Canon in general has struggled with this issue since the DSLR days vs Nikon, where Nikon has always had 1-3 more stops of DR than any given Canon camera. This has carried into Canon's video cameras. The C70 and C300 III are different specifically because of their DGO sensors, which finally have Canon in a place where they compete. The R5 is a solid camera, but I would simply rather use competing cameras that do things better that it simply does not. Its main feature is 8k. 8k is hyper niche. Most of YouTube is still 1080p and thriving.
The R5c makes even less sense. The Sony A1 that has better AF, can shoot sports (30 fps in stills mode!), has better battery life, better DR, better low light is frankly just a better camera.
If you're on Canon, you're either compromising heavily for 8k and because you like their glass. The one aspect that they do have that is a reasonable distinction is internal 12-bit LOG RAW. However, most won't want to use that format. Or you're using a C70, C300 III, or C500 II, all of which are phenominal video cameras and you want/need a hybrid camera as a more compact setup that matches your cinema camera (perhaps for gimbal use). And that is an excellent reason to go that route, it's just that most people do not fit in that category.
Even if you do, the Sony A7rV exists as does the Sony A1.
And if you're not in the 8k market, Sony with the FX3, FX6, FX9 are absolutely dominating the video world at both the consumer level and also in professional markets. The FX9 is the defacto live coverage camera (it's all of Vice News, BBC, NHK, etc, just to name a few). As well as being used in owner/operator film production, documentaries, etc. These do less well at specifically "hybrid", but now that the A7iv exists and the A7rV, there are tons of options for both the hybrid obsessed if a single camera is necessary for both stills and video, with some compromises on the A7iv and virtually no compromises at all on the A7rV.
Fuji has been launching new cameras left and right, and ever since the silicon shortage the X100V has been out of stock. They're killing it finally in the S35 game after they have also made excellent gains in AF. They also have really nice film emulation, and smaller/lighter glass due to having a smaller sensor. Fuji by far makes the best walk-around stills cameras. A niche to be sure, but one that most people feel is worth investing into.
Panasonic finally has an excellent full frame mirrorless hybrid option. Now they just need to update their box cams to have similar performance to this, and they will have a winner for people wanting professional cameras to fill this space. The BS1H simply has too many compromises. An S5 II in a box camera body with professional connections and external RAW recording (or internal RAW recording if possible) would be a smash hit. The EVA1 is also VERY long in the tooth. If they're serious about the video market then this camera desperately needs an update. Get a locking L-Mount in there with this much nicer AF, professional connections, and FF, and a competitive price point and it will absolutely sell. The EVA1 currently makes sense for absolutely no one to buy.
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