Five 4K cameras you should buy instead of the $2499 Canon XC10

New Canon XC10

A few days ago, in a post entitled "4K Canon EOS One - the Panasonic FZ1000 killer?", HCR previewed this week's announcement of the $2499 Canon XC10.  We got the name wrong, but we did get one thing right:

"If Canon includes a decent codec, a headphone jack and more than 30 minutes of recording time, the EOS One becomes a very interesting video camera and serious competition for the FZ1000 (depending on price, of course). [emphasis added]"

Well, now we know the price.  Yes, Canon has come up with an interesting 1" sensor, fixed lens camcorder with a solid codec, 4:2:2 color sub-sampling and a headphone jack - but both the price and the still/video feature set are a real disappointment.

As a serious video camera, the XC10 fails on two fronts - if you're going to buy a fixed lens camcorder, you expect a viewfinder and a power zoom.  This camera has neither. And with this lens, Canon has delivered the worst of both worlds.  No DSLR-style interchangeability - and no camcorder-style servo zoom.  Fail.

In still camera mode, its challenges are more serious.  Its maximum still photo frame rate is a snail-like 2.8 fps, it has no built-in flash and it is a JPEG only camera (no RAW).  Many point and shoots can do better.

Worst of all, Canon has taken its usual path of overpricing a new camera and making it non-competitive in the broad marketplace - where there are better options at significantly lower prices.  This is similar to the mistake they made with the EOS M, which was initially overpriced - and now sells for bargain basement prices.

Eventually, we will see the XC10 marked down severely, but in the meantime, it is another pricing disappointment from Canon.

But instead of lamenting the lost opportunity represented by the XC10, HCR would like to offer alternatives to Canon shooters with budgets below $3000 who have been waiting for Canon to give them a worthwhile upgrade from their entry level Canon DSLRs - but who are not willing to pay $2500 for a fixed lens "camcorder" that has neither a viewfinder nor a power zoom.

So, without any further ado, here are the five 4K cameras below $3000 that Canon DSLR shooters might want to consider instead of shelling out $2500 for the Canon XC10:


1. $1498 Panasonic DMC-GH4 with a $599 Metabones EF Speed Booster.  If you need compatibility with your EF/EF-S glass, true 4096x2160 4K, 10 bit HDMI out, time code, color bars, hours of continuous recording, affordable Panasonic power zooms, a fully articulated LCD - plus the option to add the YAGH interface with its XLR inputs and SDI outputs - this may be the camera for you.  Here is a terrific piece from Elif Kalkan shot with the Metabones and Canon glass:


2. $1299.99 (on sale, as of this post) Samsung NX-1 with an $80 Canon EF to NX adapter with manual aperture control.  This camera would be #1 on the list if there was a Metabones-type Canon to NX lens adapter for it.  Its APS-C sized sensor, advanced h.265 compression and LOG-like color profile give it the edge over the GH4.  But, for Canon shooters, its limited compatibility with Canon lenses is a challenge.  That said, Andrew Reid is nevertheless creating beautiful images with the NX1 and adapted EOS glass:


3. $750 Panasonic DMC-FZ1000.  This camera is one third of the XC10's price, shares its 1" sensor size and UHD resolution - but also features the power zoom, electronic viewfinder, serious still photo chops and fully articulated LCD that the XC10 is missing.  No, it doesn't have a headphone jack, but you can buy a pretty nice recorder with the $1700 you'll save.  Here is the video image quality shooters are getting from the FZ1000:


4. $750 Panasonic DMC-LX100.  No mic or headphone jacks and no built-in flash, but this camera has a larger sensor than the XC10 and many of the still and video features the Canon lacks - e.g., a power zoom lens, an electronic viewfinder, 11 fps and the ability to shoot RAW stills.  It's a pretty darned good UHD video camera too:



5. $2695 JVC GY-HM200. If you don't need a large sensor or the ability to shoot stills, but want a 4K camcorder with pro mic inputs, SDI out and built-in web streaming - this camera is the best value for your money in this price range. The HM200 was just released, so there are only a few examples of what it can do - but here is one (please watch at 2160p):


And as a bonus for those who aren't ready to upgrade to 4K, there are still a couple of solid Canon 1080p alternatives:

1. $2499 Canon 5D Mark III. After recent mark downs, the full frame 5D Mark III is at the same price as the 1" sensor XC10.  If you like the "full-frame look", want native compatibility with your Canon lenses plus the option to shoot Magic Lantern RAW - you might want to consider upgrading from an entry level Canon DSLR to the Mark III.

2. $2999 Canon C100. For $500 more than the XC10, you can buy a real professional Super 35 camcorder with XLR inputs, a viewfinder and 100% compatibility with your Canon lenses.  This camera's 4K sensor, downscaled in-camera, still creates some of the best 1080p video in the marketplace.

The bottom line is that you can do a lot better than the XC10  - either near or well below its $2499 price point.

As always, if anything here has helped you to make a purchase decision, please shop using the links above or the displays below and in the margins. And even if you're not in the market for a new camera, please comment and make suggestions below. It won't cost you anything extra, and it will help to keep these posts coming.

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Terrific GH4 vs A7s Shootout from Learning Cameras - and a Wakeup Call for Canon

This is the best comparison of the Panasonic GH4 and the Sony A7s I have seen to date, with insightful observations on features, ergonomics, lens selection and the importance of 4K in a 1080p world.

Here's the review:



As readers of this blog know, we are partial to the GH4 - but to be fair to the A7s, Dan doesn't mention the advantages of using the Metabones  EF to NEX Smart Adapter with the Sony. The Smart Adapter mitigates the A7s' lens selection challenge somewhat by opening up the possibility of using fast, wide Canon glass with image stabilization and auto-aperture.

He also leaves out any mention of the Sony's APS-C crop mode as a partial solution to the A7s' jello problem.

But these are minor nits.  Overall, I agree completely with his bottom line - at $1700 for a compact handheld 4K solution, the GH4 is the clear winner.

But beyond the competition between the two new kings of the mirrorless world, there is a deeper message from this shootout.

Two of Dan's quotes stand out as particularly bad news for a company whose cameras aren't seen in the video - Canon.  Dan says:

"Honestly, [4K] is making it tough to go back to 1080p", and

"Both of these cameras have redefined my view of what video should look like from cameras in this price range - they have just both stomped on [emphasis added] my Canon 5D3 and 70D so hard that it will be nearly impossible for me to pick them up and begin video shooting after seeing the quality these cameras were able to generate."

That's pretty tough language from someone who has thousands of dollars invested in Canon bodies and glass.

In my view, as more and more shooters get their hands on these cameras, quotes like these will start to become the conventional wisdom - and it will become more and more difficult to sell 8-bit 1080p mirror-box DSLRs for serious professional or enthusiast film-making.

For a limited time, #1 Bestselling Pro Camcorder, Blackmagic Pocket Cinema Camera is just $495!

Today, Blackmagic Design announced a $500 off summer sale on the groundbreaking 12-bit RAW Blackmagic Pocket Cinema Camera. Until August 31st, 2014, the BMPCC is $495 at Amazon, Adorama, eBay, B&H and other authorized retailers.

At this price, the Pocket Cinema Camera becomes price competitive with entry level DSLRs and DSLMs - with a camera whose image quality is on par with cameras costing thousands of dollars more. Here's the Blackmagic press release:

Fremont, CA - July 16, 2014 - Blackmagic Design today announced an exciting Summer Special discount for the Blackmagic Pocket Cinema Camera for the low price of US$495. With a normal recommended retail price of US$995, this Summer Special represents incredible value and is available for a limited time and will end on the 31st of August 2014. This Summer Special price is subject to limited availability, after which the price will return to the usual recommended retail price of US$995.

Since its introduction, the Blackmagic Pocket Cinema Camera has been used in thousands of independent films, television commercials, music videos and anywhere cinematographers need a high quality digital film camera in a stealthy super small size.

The Blackmagic Pocket Cinema Camera includes powerful features such as Super 16mm sized 1080HD sensor, super wide 13 stops of dynamic range, built in SD card recorder for Apple ProRes, lossless CinemaDNG RAW capture and active Micro Four Thirds lens mount, all in an attractive compact design.

This compact design allows the Blackmagic Pocket Cinema Camera to be used in more situations where a larger camera would not be practical. It’s so small that it can be used in situations in the field where a larger camera could be dangerous. The camera’s film look even allows personal video to be shot with the style and creativity of a motion picture film.

Unlike regular video cameras Blackmagic Pocket Cinema Camera is a true digital cinema camera as it includes a super wide dynamic range image sensor with 13 stops of latitude, allowing feature film quality images.

A common mistake in the television industry is the assumption that more resolution means higher quality. Most cameras produce"video" looking images that suffer from highlight and black clipping that limits details. Blackmagic Pocket Cinema Camera's wide dynamic range eliminates this problem and provides film quality with dramatically more detail retained in black and whites in the image. Once the shoot is complete, DaVinci Resolve Lite 11 color correction and online editing software can be used to adjust images and take advantage of this extra range in the images.

To eliminate the damage that low bit depth and high compression video storage creates, the Blackmagic Pocket Cinema Camera includes a easy to use SD card recorder that allows the full sensor dynamic range to be recorded in professional ProRes 422 (HQ) format, as well as 12 bit Log RAW lossless compressed CinemaDNG format. These files can be read by high end video software as they are all open standard.

“We have worked hard to set up this exciting special price to allow more people to afford a super compact digital cinema camera that they can personally own. However stock is limited at this lower price so customers who want to buy at this price will need to move fast,” said Grant Petty, CEO, Blackmagic Design. “We are extremely proud of the Blackmagic Pocket Cinema Camera and we want to thank all the cinematographers who have send us examples of the work they have completed with this camera. We want to thank everyone for the wise and intelligent feedback they have given us and we hope this special offer is a great way to show our appreciation to the wonderful customers we have. For us, this is a dream come true!”

Now, at the $1700 price point, we have the GH4 competing with cameras such as the ~$3000+ 5D Mark III and ~$11,999 1 D C - while, at the low end, DSLR video shooters can buy a straight-out-of-the-box RAW camera for the price of a T3i.  This is bad news for the old-line DSLR manufacturers.

It seems to me that Canon and Nikon either have to step up to the plate and offer more high end features for the money - or, cede the video market to the newcomers and watch sales of mirror-box DSLRs slip even further.  If I owned stock in these companies, I would sell it.

If you've been eyeing the BMPCC, but didn't have quite enough money to buy one - now may be the time to pull the trigger. Please click on one of the links, pictures or display ads from our sponsors on this page to order. It won't cost you anything extra, but it will help to keep these blog posts coming. Thanks so much for supporting the Hybrid Camera Revolution!

Another Canon blog says, "It's time to move on and say goodbye to the Mark III"

In the course of his terrific short review of the new $2498 Sony A7s, Johnnie Behiri of cinema5d joins the chorus of Canon bloggers who are either leaving Canon themselves - or explicitly recommending that shooters "move on" from the 5D Mark III.

I happen to agree with Johnnie (and Dave Dugdale and Caleb Pike) on this. The $3000+ 5D Mark III is not a very good value for money for video shooters at this point - especially now that it has lost its competitive advantage as the only moire-resistant full frame video-capable camera in the marketplace.

Like the GH4, the full-frame A7s meets or beats the 5D Mark III's image quality without forcing shooters to deal with a on old-fashioned fixed LCD, lack of video viewfinder, poor codec selection and soft 1080p.

Johnnie also prefers the A7s' full-frame look to the GH4's at 1080p - even though the Sony is a 30 minute, region-locked camera with no internal 4K recording (and its external 4K ouput is 8-bit).

As you can tell from this list, I differ a little from Johnnie here. I need a video camera with hours of continuous recording, a battery that will last me all day and internal 4K for future-proofing.  The full-frame look doesn't make up for the A7s' lack of these basics, in my view.

But for Canon shooters who are hesitant to move to a micro 4/3 sensor - especially those who want a smart adapter for their EF lenses- the best full-frame video-capable camera on the market right now is the Sony A7s (and I haven't even mentioned its amazing low light capabilities).

To underline how good this camera is (and how good Johnnie is), here's the video that accompanied his review:



Pretty much the only way for Canon to beat the A7s among full-frame afficionados would be to introduce a "1D C lite" 5D Mark IV with internal 4K recording to a decent codec. Or, as Dave Dugdale suggested the other day, they could just lower the price on the 1D C.

It will be very interesting to see what Canon does here.

If anything here has helped you to make a purchase decision - please shop by clicking on the links above or the display ads below. And please support our sponsors by clicking on their banners in the headers and in the margins.  It won't cost you anything extra, and it helps to keep the blog up and running. Thanks for your support!

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GH4 Leads Major Bloggers to Leave Canon DSLRs - A Trickle or Beginning of a Flood?

Image courtesy wikimedia.org

A few years ago, when one of the most outspoken Canon EOS bloggers on the web, Andrew Reid of eoshd.com, switched to the Panasonic GH2 and starting writing about the lack of innovation in Canon video DSLRs, he was a bit of a voice in the wilderness.

In the early part of this decade, most of the bloggers I followed, emm at cheesycam.com; Dave Dugdale at learningdslrvideo.com; Caleb Pike at dslrvideoshooter.com; DJ at dslrfilmnoob.com and others were all shooting video pretty much exclusively with Canon DSLRs (I really respect all of these guys, so please visit their blogs and support them).

As long time readers of this blog and my forum postings will know, I tried a Canon video DSLR for a few months in early 2010, but quickly became frustrated with its limitations - no viewfinder in video mode, no autofocus in video mode, limited recording time and lack of a swiveling LCD. My GH2 fixed all of those problems for me back then (plus problems I didn't know I had, such as moire and aliasing) and I have been a mirrorless shooter ever since, upgrading to the GH3 in 2012 and to the GH4 this year.

That is why what is happening now is so interesting to me personally (and I admit it, a little satisfying). In the wake of the GH4's release, several of the bloggers on the list above, all of whom have been identified very closely with Canon DSLRs, are now very publicly expressing their displeasure with Canon's lack of innovation over the past 5 years and failure to add even the most basic video features, such as 1080/60p and focus peaking, to their DSLRs below the $10,000 Canon 1D C. Heck, they won't even give shooters a headphone jack below the price of the $3000+ Canon 5D Mark III.

Here is why Dave Dugdale and Caleb Pike are leaving Canon, in their own words:





At the high end, DSLR shooters who can afford it have already moved away from DSLRs entirely, and up to large sensor, interchangeable lens large sensor camcorders from Canon Cinema EOS, Blackmagic and Sony. So many, in fact, that many mainstream professional shooters and blogs have declared the DSLR revolution to be "over".

But there are still many serious shooters who have resisted the move away from Canon DSLRs because of the size & cost of high end camcorders - or because, like me, they want to carry a single hybrid camera for stills and video. Among these shooters were Dave Dugdale and Caleb Pike - but now, because of Canon's failure to innovate, these serious Canon DSLR shooters are moving on.

This is very bad news for Canon, in my view.  Many mature industries over the past few decades have taken their market position for granted, failed to innovate, kept prices higher than the market was wiling to pay - and been overtaken by smaller, more nimble competitors (see the US auto and micro-computer industries circa 1974).

The mass market often follows key thought-leaders who drive what the media and then consumers start to believe about products.  If the "Canon" brand and the words "lack of innovation" start to become linked in the minds of a critical number of consumers, this great company could very well suffer the fate of many leading companies that have gone before it.

If anything on this page has helped you to make a buying decision, please click on the links and images above and below, and please support our sponsors by clicking on the banners in the margins.  It won't cost you anything extra, and it will help keep these posts coming.  Thanks so much!

GH4 Footage Starting to Arrive Before NAB

Panasonic DMC-GH4 with DMW-YAGH Pro A/V Interface Unit - $3298

We're starting to see more GH4 footage in advance of the big show. Here is a nice little fashion film from Mytherapy in London:




Here is the Behind-The-Scenes:




And for the pixel peepers in the audience (you know who you are), here is Andrew Reid's side-by-side between the GH4, GH3 , 5D Mark III (RAW and h.264) and D7100 . Please read Andrew's blog post after you watch the video:




In my view, the frame grabs at the bottom of Andrew's blog post tell the story. The reigning champ of micro-budget cinema, the Panasonic GH3, seems to have been decisively dethroned (especially now that prices have gone back up to list).

The Blackmagic Pocket Cinema Camera - and even the Sony RX10 - were mere pretenders to the throne. But now, the king is dead - long live the new king!

Full Frame Prices Headed Down? Nikon D800 Marked Down to $2570!

The USA model Nikon D800 (with the full manufacturer's warranty) is on sale at Ryther Camera via eBay for just $2569.99 - $226.96 less than today's sale price at Amazon and Adorama!

If the D800 is on your Christmas list this year, this is a great deal for a capable still/video camera.  To refresh your memory, here's Sandro's promo film for this camera from last year:




The 5D Mark III is on sale too - as low as $2749 at Amazon.

This could simply be pre-Christmas camera discounting - or perhaps the $2298 street price of the new 36.3MP Sony A7r mirrorless is putting pressure on flagship full frame DSLR prices?

Shootout: Panasonic GH3 Quicktime vs Blackmagic Pocket Cinema Camera ProRes

Here's a short side-by-side handheld comparison of the two cameras shot on Waikiki beach a couple of months ago. This was my first attempt at color grading, but I did my best to match Blackmagic Pocket Cinema Camera ProRes Film Log to the Panasonic GH3's Quicktime "Vivid" color setting using Sony Vegas Platinum 12 for color correction (since my computer won't download Resolve - grrr).

The first shot in each sequence is with the GH3.  Lenses are the Olympus 11-22mm f/2.8-3.5 for 4/3 (with the Panasonic MA1 adapter) and the Panasonic 14-140mm f/4.0-5.8 OIS (for the shot of the boat only).

I matched the focal lengths of the two cameras by zooming in a little more with the GH3. I used an Opteka 77mm Variable ND to control my aperture (sadly, this filter is discontinued - I now recommend the $14 BestDealUSA Fader ND).

Both cameras were set to record at 1080/30p. No sharpening in this version.





Bottom line - both cameras are keepers for different reasons. As an all-in-one still/video camera, I would take the GH3 over any of its current hybrid competitors.

The Canon 5D Mark III is heavy, expensive, has a fixed LCD and, as with all DSLRs, has no video viewfinder - while the fixed lens, limited codec options and 30 minute clip length limit on the Sony RX10 are too confining (at least for me).

As for the Pocket Cam - it is a cinema camera, not a hybrid camera, so still/video shooters are back to carrying two cameras.  Not optimum. And its other limitations are well known (see the Bloom and Dugdale reviews, among others) - but I'm willing to put up with these challenges because there isn't anything else in this price range with the amount of flexibility this camera provides in post.

I could have colored these images however I liked, and not lost any discernible detail. The camera records an amazing amount of information on a little SD card. If I hadn't seen it with my own eyes, I would not have believed it. Pushing the 50mbps GH3 image around the way I manipulated the 233mbps from the BMPCC would have washed out the highlights and brought visible noise out in the shadows.  There is also a lot of room for sharpening the image in post.

That said, all the dynamic range in the world won't help if the images are unwatchable. You see a lot of horribly shaky video from this camera, and Panasonic OIS doesn't seem to help. Personally, I would never try to handhold the Pocket Cinema Camera without strapping some kind of grip or handle on it. But that doesn't mean you have to spend a fortune on a rig or a stabilizer. With an inexpensive pistol grip and a poor man's loupe, the BMPCC can be handheld pretty steadily.

If you are a narrative, experimental, music video, enthusiast or doc shooter who wants more control over the "look" of your images in post and are wiling to put some time in to get it, the Pocket Cinema Camera is for you.

If all of this post-processing stuff bores you and you don't need RAW - but you do want multiple high bit rate codecs and the flexibility of changing lenses to get your favorite "bokeh" - you should get a GH3.

If all you want to do is pull the camera out of the bag, shoot, and get great camera-processed images - buy the RX10.

Note: I have an RX10 reserved for rental from borrowlenses on December 28th.  Over that weekend, I will compare it to GH3 AVCHD and Quicktime and BMPCC ProRes (with the rush of the holidays, I haven't had the time to deal with RAW yet - looks like it's going to mean buying a new computer - doh!).

It will probably take me a few weeks, but I will post the results as soon as I can.  Please follow me here, on G+, on YouTube and on Vimeo so you don't miss it.

As always, even if you don't need a camera right now, please shop with our other sponsors, Adorama, Amazon, BorrowLenses, CoolLCD, DigitalRev, uBid, Vimeo, the the Warner Brothers Shop and others whose display ads you see in the margins.  It won't cost you anything extra, and it will help to keep these blog posts coming.  Thanks so much!

Sony RX100 Marked Down to $552

This is the camera that David Pogue at the New York Times called "the best pocket camera ever made".  Now that the RX100 II has been released, we're starting to see sale prices on the original model .  Right now, you can get an RX100 bundle - with a 16GB SDHC card, two batteries, an external charger and a carrying case for $552 with free shipping at 6th Ave via eBay.

This is a good deal for this camera, which still lists for $648 at Amazon and Adorama.

The RX100 is a great little 20MP still camera - and a very capable video camera too.  Here are a couple of examples from one of our sponsors, Vimeo:



This one was shot 80% with the RX100 and 20% with a Canon 5D and features Ellie Goulding's new track, Burn:



As of this post, 58 had been sold and "more than 10" were available.  If you want one at this price, you should jump on this eBay listing now.

Filmmaker Frenzy - Local 24 Hour Short Film Contest

My wife gets tired of all of the cameras around the house "not being used" - so when she saw an ad for a local 24 hour short film contest, she encouraged me to enter.  It turned out to be a great experience.  Every team was given a theme (this year's was "Don't Make Me Laugh") - and had to turn in a finished cut of a 5 minute (or less) film within 24 hours.

So I raced around trying to get B-roll before sunset, recruited my 7 year old as my co-star for the studio shots (he cost me 5 bucks), fought my editing software all night and turned something in the next day.

No, my so-called "film" didn't win - but it was terrific for an old guy like me to be around the energy, talent and creativity of young filmmakers again - 35 years after film school.  And it was great for my little guy to see himself on the big screen.

For all the folks in the San Francisco Bay Area, this is a cool little festival out in the town of Livermore at the Vine Cinema & Alehouse - a great little art house with dining tables inside the theater - where you can have food delivered from the Zephyr Grill & Bar next door.  Wonderful setup.

Whether you are an aspiring filmmaker, or simply have cameras around the house that are "not being used", you should sign up for next year's contest.  The organizers are great people, the venue is great, and it's a chance to see your work on the big screen.

A big thank you to the sponsors (especially Adam Reeves of ITB Designs) and congratulations to the winners of this year's Filmmaker Frenzy $500 award for Best Picture - local amateurs from a team called Red Canopy for a hilarious "mockumentary" called The Paul Baxter Story.  I hope to be able to link to it when and if it becomes available online.  Here they are, accepting their award:

For all you cameraphiles out there (which describes most of the readers of this blog), their film was shot on a Canon 5D Mark III in h.264. The movie looked very film-like on the big screen and the camera did a great job.

Interestingly, the best cinematography award went to a film shot on the venerable Canon 7D - a camera that doesn't get a lot of love here, but it really looked good on the big screen.

As for my film, Best Medicine - here is a picture from the screening.  My son got a real kick out of seeing himself on the big screen.  OK, I admit it, so did I.