New 4K Panasonic FZ1000 - Sony RX10 Killer?

Last night, Panasonic announced the first UHD ("4K") camera below $1000 - the $897.99 Panasonic DMC-FZ1000 (available for pre-order at Amazon and Adorama). This camera has a list of great video features in addition to UHD - such as a 1" sensor, focus peaking and zebras, 5-axis stabilization and cine gammas. Here's a nicely shot UHD video from Panasonic (please watch at your monitor's highest resolution):





Aimed squarely at Sony's $1298 DSC-RX10, this camera has a very similar 1" 20MP sensor - but it tries to 'improve' on the RX10's terrific 8.3X constant aperture f2.8 lens by doubling the zoom range.  It's not much of an improvement, however, because the longer zoom range is offset by the loss of constant aperture (the new lens' aperture is a not very impressive f2.8-4.0).

It also fails to match the RX10 in other ways that matter to video shooters - it has no metal weather-sealed body, no ND filter, and no headphone jack.

In addition, when recording UHD, the US model is limited to 30fps and 30 minutes of recording time (25fps for the PAL model).  No 24fps.

Given the lack of serious video features, the addition of focus peaking, 5-axis stabilization, cine gammas, UHD "4K" and the 1" sensor may not be sufficient to compensate for this camera's shortcomings.

Bottom line - Reports of the RX10's demise are greatly exaggerated. At $897.99, the FZ1000 may sell well, but I don't recommend it for serious video shooters. If you want a compact superzoom with serious video chops, I recommend saving up an extra $400 for the RX10 - it's a great 1080p video camera with a headphone jack and a metal body that can stand up to a little weather.

If you want the flexibility and creativity of interchangeable lenses, you can get an all-metal GH3 body with a headphone jack for about $100 more than the FZ.

And for shooters who really want to upgrade to 4K - I recommend saving up for a camera that records to real 4K and 24fps - and without a 30 minute limit - the GH4.

Open Box Sony RX10 - $937 from Adorama!

You can save about $360 off the street price of a new RX10 at Amazon if you buy an open box camera for $937 from Adorama.

This is a great deal for one of the hottest still/video cameras on the market this Christmas season.

These are brand new cameras with a 1 year Sony warranty  - I don't think they'll last long at this price!

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 RX10 with Atomos ProRes Recorder - Pocket Cinema Camera Killer?

The biggest challenge with the new Sony DSC-RX10 still/video hybrid camera for serious video projects has been its relatively low bitrate AVCHD codec. Despite this limitation, with a good grade, this camera can produce decent results (see Andrew Reid's RX10 test video, Run and Gun).

But what if you could combine the RX10's downscaling algorithms with a decent codec?  Last night, Atomos posted this tutorial on how to use their Ninja 2 external monitor/recorder with the RX10:



The Atomos Ninja 2 gives the RX10 the ability to record 233mbps ProRes 422, the same codec available on the Blackmagic Pocket Cinema Camera when it was first released.

This codec takes up less space on cards and drives than RAW, and some shooters prefer it as a good compromise between the limitations of 8 bit and the complexity of dealing with RAW.

If you're planning to buy the Blackmagic Pocket Cinema Camera for ProRes only, don't need a lens faster than f2.8 or longer than 200mm, and don't want to deal with RAW, you might want to look at the $1298 RX10 plus a $675 Ninja 2 instead (and don't forget the $6.99 micro-HDMI to HDMI Cable).

Add the fact that the RX10 is a 20.2MP still camera; has a bright OLED viewfinder; a great de-clicked Zeiss constant f2.8, an 8x power zoom; a built-in ND filter; 1080/60p; usable onboard sound plus audio level meters (not to mention little niceties such as a recording time remaining indicator, the ability to delete files in camera and a battery that lasts more than a few minutes) - all features the Blackmagic lacks - and buying a finicky $995 BMPCC plus some kind of viewfinder or LCD shade, an expensive constant f2.8 lens, a superfast SanDisk Extreme Pro card, extra batteries and a screw on ND filter just to shoot gradeable ProRes 422 doesn't make a lot of sense.

If you're a low budget RAW shooter (or want to be), the BMPCC continues to be the absolute best straight out-of-the-box solution.

ProRes shooters, however, now have another, very usable, option.  I'll say it again, it's a great time to be a hybrid photographer/filmmaker!

As usual, if anything here has helped you reach a buying decision, please click on one of the links above or the display ads below to order your RX10, Ninja 2 or BMPCC.

If you don't need a camera or external recorder 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!