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Sony A7 Series Vs AJA Cion


Amanda Eckle

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Hey! First post over here on the non lighting side...

 

So I am looking into purchasing a new kit for myself-I do a lot of Independent Music Videos, Travel Docs....etc. Currently I have several GoPro's in my package, with a Canon 7d-the 7d I am pretty sick of at this point. I would like to upgrade to a Sony a7s ..or the a7sii, maybe even the r if I can get a good argument. I do a lot of lowlight with the Travel stuff so I need something pretty versatile. I've heard the rolling shutter is terrible though. I came across the Aja Cion; and I've never really heard of this camera but a few tests seemed alright outside of it's lack of dynamic range.

 

I was just wondering on some opinions for these! If anyones used them in a Travel Scenario; or just any recommendations and facts I may have missed would be helpful. I just want to get the most bang for my buck-but also make some quality video (also any lens rec's would be awesome..i know the E Mount is a pain).

 

Thanks!

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If you're going to get something like a Cion, get a Blackmagic Production Camera (or the Ursa Mini 4K). It's got a non-rolling shutter, and is a vastly better camera overall.

 

The A7 series can be hard to beat in every area other than rolling shutter. The rolling shutter is not great. Otherwise it has a lot going for it.

 

P

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If you're going to get something like a Cion, get a Blackmagic Production Camera (or the Ursa Mini 4K).

You mean URSA mini 4.6K, right? Also did the BM4K have the same lowlight issues as the original URSA mini?

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Well, no, if you're going to get Cion, get a 4K, as it's cheaper and still better than Cion.

 

All the Blackmagic 4K stuff has essentially the same performance. I don't view it as having "low light issues." It's an ISO 400 sensor, and there's nothing wrong with that.

 

The problem comes from people comparing it to the original Cinema Camera, which was superlative (if rather stricken with rolling shutter), which isn't fair. There's nothing wrong with the 4K Blackmagic stuff.

 

But yes, if one could afford, look at the 4.6. I've had one sitting at my right elbow for the last couple of hours and I hope to be able to have a look at it tomorrow.

 

P

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I was looking into cameras on a similar budget and went with the Blackmagic side of things. Only thing I should note is it won't do nearly as well in low light as Canon DSLRs or from what I've heard, the a7s. Other than that, it's a pretty phenomenal camera for lower budgets. Note, I got the Blackmagic Production Camera 4k right before they announced the Ursa/Ursa Mini; so maybe they've adjusted things since then.

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Avoid the Cion for documentary work. It is not small, lightweight, power-efficient, or good in low-light. Also, the lack of dynamic range is a huge issue for non-studio shooting. When properly exposed, the image is sharp and clean. However, you need diffusion filters, ND grads, help from the art department, and at least a 2-Ton grip truck package with overhead diffusion and large bounce frames to avoid clipping highlights in a day exterior environment.

 

Personally, I think the C100 would be the perfect camera for you. Small, relatively cheap, batteries and cards last forever, very good dynamic range, sensitivity, and color, EF mount with excellent autofocus and image stabilization capabilities, very good audio recording capabilities, built-in ND. It's perfect for low-budget doc and travel work.

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For EF mount doc work, the 17-55 f2.8, 24-105 f4, and 70-200 f2.8 is a killer combo. They are all image stabilized.

 

For music videos and narrative style shooting, I'd probably choose primes. Leica R, Contax Zeiss, Nikkor, Pentax are all decent budget options. Then there are the Zeiss ZE/ZF, Milvius, Otus, and Compact Prime lenses. I wouldn't bother with Rokinon/Xeens.

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