What camera should I use?

[connor denning]

I have a Pentax k-01, I'm thinking about upgrading it. It was nice to mess around on. but I'm Disappointed in the 28 Mbit/s ( fairly sure it's not all intra), as well as the low light performance of it, at iso 800 it's not horrible but not all that great for the price. I find that likely because of compression, The sharpness color reproduction, is way off. For those who Oh he just doesn't know how to set the picture profile, I do And I have experimented with flat and standard profiles at sharpening off, medium, and high, And Yes I focused properly, I've taken plenty of photos that came out just fine.

 

 

I've been thinking about getting either an eos m, t2i-t5i, gh1-gh3, maybe a sony I haven't looked into sony's low-end stuff, or any better ideas if anyone has I know that for what I want an a7s mark 2 would be best, but it's a bit out of my price range a lot actually. I like the idea of magic lantern higher bit rates, 14 bit raw (at less than 1080p, but wouldn't it still beat 1080 compressed?). I like to know in practice how useable magic lantern is, does it corrupt files on a regular basis, did cannon disable it with firmware updates that can't be undone? Can it do something like 16fps video at longer exposure times than it would at 24p with magic lantern?

 

What I'm looking for in a camera with has the best for the price of under 500-600 US preferably with lens. It should work well in low light, be able to shoot at low frame rates (Not talking about time-lapse) like 14-18ish fps assuming it allows longer exposure times, like some if not most cameras only go up to 1/30sec both for 30 and 24. I want clarity, sharpness, and the ability to grade/recompress without the video quality falling apart. Also being able to cheaply or at all, being able to buy a focal reducer that gets most of the coverage of full frame lenses or if there's a camera with good video in my price range that has a full frame that would be great, I don't want to buy more than one or two lenes meant for a crop sensor case if I end up doing this long enough I'm going to get a full frame. Also I have a helios 44m-4 on my Pentax, every time I focus it during video change the aperture or hold the side of the lens it stops recording because it inruptes the contact with the lens and theres no way to have the camera ignore all incoming connections with a lens, only partial fix is to put a piece of tinfoil in between the lens and body. Have in mind I did many hours of research on most of these cameras, I'm asking the stuff I either couldn't find or found inconsistent results on, like some say magic lantern crashes and corrupts all my footage, and some say it works great used it for 2 years haven't had issues.

 

thanks for the help.

Edited June 6, 2016 by connor denning

[Jan Tore Soerensen]

For that price, it doesn't really get much better than the 5dmk2 or 7d. They both produce good images. Slightly soft, but still good images. You can shoot any framerate up to 25p with Magic Lantern, and I never had any problems with that as long as I shot on DSLRs. Also, lens availability is great, and they can handle a lot of abuse.

 

An alternative can be BMPCC or GH3, as you mentioned. These are all 1080p cameras with decent image quality for the price. With a good story, these cameras are not going to be the deciding factor if the movie is good or not.

[Max Field]

Yeah I'd say BMPCC is your best bet. The 5D mark 2 is still like a grand on eBay I think.

Edited June 6, 2016 by Macks Fiiod

[connor denning]

Yeah I'd say BMPCC is your best bet. The 5D mark 2 is still like a grand on eBay I think.

So is the black magic pocket cinema camera.

[Max Field]

So is the black magic pocket cinema camera.

Yeah. Great beginner camera.

[connor denning]

Yeah. Great beginner camera.

I meant it 1000 US too.

 

Plus I don't know if it has been fixed, but it used to have issues with reliability. Right now I'm willing to spend that much on full setup, including tripod, lenses follow focus, Mic.I already have some lenses, a Mic, video tripod, though I need at least two wider angle lenses 24mm at least pulse one lens with auto focus for steady cam shots, or if I need some one else to operate the camera who is not trained, Like If I'm in the shot. And I'd like a cage and I'll likely make a mattebox.

[connor denning]

I should have made this clear but I want answers primary from people who have shot on the cameras I'm talking about or if you're recommending a camera I'd like to know what little issues, quirks, and what kind of stuff you shot with it.

[Max Field]

I meant it 1000 US too.

Check eBay more, you can pull a nice used deal for around $600.

[Shawn Sagady]

With your price range you need to look for used cameras to get into the BMPCC or 5D market. But as long as they were taken care of they should be fine.

 

BMPCCs have a couple faults that can happen, mainly with the crappy hdmi port dying or being damaged no matter how careful you are, but its rare and Black Magic can fix with an RMA pretty cheaply if it does happen. Right now is probably a great time to buy a used BMPCC with the BMMCC's coming out (which are good cameras in their own right at the exact same price point, but require more rig to run right).

 

The thing BMPCC does not do that you want is shoot sub 24fps except in timelapse mode. (unless something changed in firmware I dont know about).

 

5DMKII is a work horse of a camera, and magic lantern still works and will continue to work on them. These days Magic Lantern is much more stable and reliable. I would never ever bring it to a professional shoot due to some quirkiness but if you are just shooting for yourself then you can get away with it as long as you don't mind an occasional restart etc. Havnt heard of it corrupting files in a very long time as long as you are using the stable version and not a beta.

 

Your question of 720 raw vs 1080 compressed, 1080 would still win out even not being shot raw, thats a lot of resolution to throw away to have more data per pixel.

[connor denning]

I'm thinking more t5i, or eos m. as I said I'm wiling to spend 1000 no more and that's including rig plus lenses. so black magic and 5d mark 2, are out of the question unless I can get it for 500. is there a full frame for that much that holds up today, I don't want a 5d mark 1.

[Brett Allbritton]

I really recommend looking into the 60D, as I'm sure that by now you could get a good deal on one if you look on Ebay. I've had mine for 5 years, and I still get really good use out of it.

[Shawn Sagady]

As said you can find 5Ds and BMPCC around that price used, you have to look for them though they arnt always there. Also no, you are not going to find a full frame sensor camera for that price outside of the 5D.

[David Mullen ASC]

If you're not happy with the quality of the new $1800 full-frame Pentax K1, I'm not sure you're going to be happy with the other still cameras in the $500-600 price range.

[connor denning]

If you're not happy with the quality of the new $1800 full-frame Pentax K1, I'm not sure you're going to be happy with the other still cameras in the $500-600 price range.

k-01 is not the same camera as that I would likely be happy with k1 though. this is what i have.

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Pentax_K-01

[David Mullen ASC]

Oh, OK...

 

Well here is a year-old article, maybe some of these have fallen into your price range:

http://www.premiumbeat.com/blog/8-killer-filmmaking-cameras-under-1000/

 

In terms of specs, you can find out online what the data rate is for the video recording for each model.

[connor denning]

what is the bitrate for the t5i, 60d? all intra? I can't find an answer to that.

[Tyler Purcell]

ALL of the DSLR's are Long GOP MPEG 8 bit 4:2:0, generally varying from 35 - 50Mbps depending on software and age. Nobody has bothered making an intraframe codec based DSLR yet.

 

If you're OK with a 1080p camera, the Blackmagic Pocket is 10 bit 4:2:2 220Mbps Pro Res or 12 bit 444 Cinema DNG for around $800 used. So basically two of the best codec's in a camera that's smaller, lighter and more cinematic then the Pentax.

[connor denning]

On another note witch camera handles raw best? 60d, t4i, t5i?

[connor denning]

I'd love to have a black majic, red, arri expesshilly arri. But I'm only willing to spend a 1000 US price including tripod -75, mic -60, lenes -200, audio recorder - 100 that makes 435 so 565 left. so I don't have 800 to spend.

Edited June 7, 2016 by connor denning

[Tyler Purcell]

On another note witch camera handles raw best? 60d, t4i, t5i?

It doesn't really matter since it's 720p, all the cameras can handle it. I messed around with magic lantern on the 5DMKII and wasn't very satisfied.

 

I'd love to have a black majic, red, arri expesshilly arri. But I'm only willing to spend a 1000 US price including tripod -75, mic -60, lenes -200, audio recorder - 100 that makes 435 so 565 left. so I don't have 800 to spend.

Well, a $75 tripod and $60 lens, aren't going to be any good. So you're clearly not looking for quality.

 

Why do you care if the camera records RAW or any higher bit rate, if the glass making your image is substandard? I mean, what's the point?

[connor denning]

It doesn't really matter since it's 720p, all the cameras can handle it. I messed around with magic lantern on the 5DMKII and wasn't very satisfied.

 

 

Well, a $75 tripod and $60 lens, aren't going to be any good. So you're clearly not looking for quality.

 

Why do you care if the camera records RAW or any higher bit rate, if the glass making your image is substandard? I mean, what's the point?

Some cameras don't handle raw video well some can go up to almost 1080 some barly 720. I've herd conflicting stories about witch ones do what even using the same cf or sd cards.

 

The mic is 60. the tri pod is 75. to mic I only plan on using to sync, Cause I don't have a sound man and will be doing things that should have a sound man, But I do have assess to nice recording equipment, and like countless movies I will be redubing in post. And I think the tripod works well enough for me, It's not perfect, but unless I'm getting a more expensive camera, it's not going to be the weak link. I might spend 200 on 2 or 3 lenses but I'm not getting lenses made after the mid 90s at the most. I forgot to mention I'll most likely get a metabones witch will make the image sharper boost a stop, and get most of the field of view back. Even with out one I've taken plenty shaper picture on 18 dollar sears lens from the 70s witch is buy no means a nice lens, though i'd never use it for a film.

Edited June 7, 2016 by connor denning

[Max Field]

Don't most cameras in that price range just have a built-in microphone for reference audio? Why would you drop 60 for another bad mic when you already have one built in?

 

$60 saved.

[Tyler Purcell]

Whoops, yea sorry I see my error on decoding your response.

 

The Metabones speed booster is like $500 alone. Heck, only reason I don't own one is because they're expensive! I'd otherwise have one in a heartbeat. The cheap Chinese alternatives aren't nearly as good, I don't quite understand why. I've tested them and wasn't so satisfied for $200 bux.

 

Coming from experience with spending no money, I think you're going to struggle with spending a grand. You won't be satisfied with anything and in the end, it won't be any better then what you currently have. I also don't understand why you can't save more money to buy something better?

 

To Macks comment about the built in audio, you'd be shocked how bad it is on most DSLR's. The 5DMKII and 7D I've worked with quite a bit, the fan noise was so loud, I couldn't use pluraleye's to sync the audio in post. The pocket actually has lousy built in mic's, they're really atrocious.

[connor denning]

Don't most cameras in that price range just have a built-in microphone for reference audio? Why would you drop 60 for another bad mic when you already have one built in?

 

$60 saved.

Already have it plus I was going to use on the one I have now to sync audio witch you need in order to sync using audio, the preamp really is bad it even on the lowest level the hiss incredibly high in the mix.

[connor denning]

Mine has adc at 3KHz.

 

Whoops, yea sorry I see my error on decoding your response.

The Metabones speed booster is like $500 alone. Heck, only reason I don't own one is because they're expensive! I'd otherwise have one in a heartbeat. The cheap Chinese alternatives aren't nearly as good, I don't quite understand why. I've tested them and wasn't so satisfied for $200 bux.

Coming from experience with spending no money, I think you're going to struggle with spending a grand. You won't be satisfied with anything and in the end, it won't be any better then what you currently have. I also don't understand why you can't save more money to buy something better?

To Macks comment about the built in audio, you'd be shocked how bad it is on most DSLR's. The 5DMKII and 7D I've worked with quite a bit, the fan noise was so loud, I couldn't use pluraleye's to sync the audio in post. The pocket actually has lousy built in mic's, they're really atrocious.

I know I won't be happy with it in the end but until I actually get some money to spend I'm going to try to stick with it. I Need to buy A nicer computer first or there's no point, I can't edit much of anything on this without it crashing, thats on a clean OS install, plus It just doesn't even work well for web browsing. That's what happens when you buy a 500 dollar laptop at best buy sense they introduced touch screens even if mine doesn't have one. they cut the Mic jack blue tooth and the hard drive wants to pop out of the body cause they made the cavity slightly too small.

Edited June 7, 2016 by connor denning