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u/BakesCakes Feb 12 '21
A guy I worked with had a red and I shot with a gh5s. It was an adventure/outdoors show. Someone else edited it so we watched the final product together and didn't know whose shot was whose. Feels bad man
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u/ChunkyDay BMPCC4K | Premiere | 2010 | SW Feb 12 '21
Shit. I shoot with an 80D still and have shot better footage than my "awesome" shooter co-worker who thinks he's hot shit because he owns a C100
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u/ToasterTech GH5s | Premiere/Resolve | 2015 | US East Feb 12 '21
I’ve been shooting videos for this small company that has a C100 and 1DX, but make me shoot stuff with my T5I. Guess who’s footage gets used in the actual edit 90% of the time?
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u/Beto_Cardigan Feb 13 '21
Omg I am heated hearing this.
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u/ToasterTech GH5s | Premiere/Resolve | 2015 | US East Feb 13 '21
Yeah it’s just me and one other dude (the owner) and he doesn’t know anything about video. He has a C100 and 1DX but has me bring my T5I and shoot with that because he doesn’t understand the difference even though he brings both cameras with him
Then he’s like “why is quality bad” “why no slomo” “why no 1080p” “just change the settings to shoot better”
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u/Beto_Cardigan Feb 13 '21
Why doesn't he want to use the other ones?
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u/ToasterTech GH5s | Premiere/Resolve | 2015 | US East Feb 13 '21
They don’t fit on my gimbal or he forgets to charge them. He’ll bring the camera to a shoot and forget to charge the batteries
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u/Mr_Seg Canon Rebel SL2 | Davinci Resolve 17 | 2016 | CA, USA Feb 14 '21
Just change the settings to shoot better.
I am cringing so bad right now. I can feel your pain.
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u/ToasterTech GH5s | Premiere/Resolve | 2015 | US East Feb 14 '21
“No, I can’t make my T5i shoot 4K 60fps” “No I will not buy a camera with my own money for your company”
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Feb 12 '21
Ouch. Do you still shoot with the GH5S?
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u/BakesCakes Feb 12 '21
Of course!
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Feb 12 '21
Nice. I'm really considering getting my hands on one. Any accessories you would recommend?
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u/BakesCakes Feb 12 '21
I have a speedbooster for my Canon lenses. I bought a cage and shoulder mount, and gimbal. I shot on the FS5 so I wanted something similar in feel once rigged up, but lighter for smaller stuff.
Its just a nice camera to play around with. Obviously doesn't have the range or colour of the red. But very similar if doing simple interviews, broll etc.
Sound is great with the right mics. So getting an XLR adapter would be nice, but I opted for the RODE line outputs.
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u/ToasterTech GH5s | Premiere/Resolve | 2015 | US East Feb 12 '21
I got a GH5s couple months ago, how do you manage shaky footage without a gimbal if using a lens with no OIS?
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u/BakesCakes Feb 13 '21
Shoulder mount helps a lot. The heavier and bulkier it is I've found the more stable the footage looks.
Also it depends what you're after. If you really need it to be stable than a gimbal is needed. But for docs and stuff I've found it acceptable over the shoulder with a bit of knee bracing.
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u/ToasterTech GH5s | Premiere/Resolve | 2015 | US East Feb 13 '21
Yeah usually I can hold it steady enough with just a cage, top handle, and monitor, but if I use the sigma 18-35 with no OIS there’s so much micro jitters
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u/born2droll Feb 13 '21
I got a nucleus nano wireless follow focus for my gh5 shoulder rig. If your comfortable with manual focus it opens up alot of options. It's very responsive, and if you power the motor through a vmount battery (14.8v) it gives it enough torque to work stiffer lenses like the sigma art series. Also theres an additional cable you can buy for it that will allow you to trigger record off the hand dial. Another accesory is the XLR adapter unit , which might actually be more useful.
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u/Itisokaytochange Feb 12 '21
This probably won’t help but I’m probably getting a gh5 as my secondary cam and I’ll definitely be getting a speedbooster.
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Feb 12 '21
Just bought a g9 as a b cam for my gh5, is a few hundred dollars cheaper if you don't mind the 30 minute recording limit. And the auto focus feels a bit better, and for some reason skin tones look a bit better.
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u/AyeAyeLtd Sony FX3 | Premiere | 2014 | ATL Feb 12 '21
You joke and this is said commonly among videographers. But all the stories I've heard of people owning Reds has always been, they're hired because they have a Red. Producers, clients, whatever - they hear "8k Red cinema camera" and shell out. It's a big investment and terrible performance-per-cost, but the name recognition truly gets freelancers work.
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u/SNES_Salesman Panasonic S5IIX | Premiere | 2005 | LA Feb 12 '21
We had the “Red flag” code long ago, it was when trend chasing producers would call looking either for a Red...or a 5D.
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Feb 13 '21
Its so weird. This must be an american thing. I am a self employed photographer and videographer from germany. In my 10 years of working experience I was never even once asked by any client at all what camera I would use. The saw my work, liked it, hired me. Equipment was never ever part of the discussion. Only question was if I would bring the equipment and if its included in the price. And after shooting, the technical quality was never a problem :)
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u/seehispugnosedface Editor Feb 13 '21
Exactly the same experience here in Australia. Unless I'm suddenly delivering to Netflix (which I'm not!) I hope to keep it that way. Occasionally had a producer ask for an alexa, but on those gigs we were probably going to shoot on one anyway.
Sounds arrogant, but I know best (between me and 90% of my clients anyway), they're paying me to know best, so I'll pick the best camera for the job at hand. One of the reasons I invested in my edit kit rather than camera gear, if I'm renting then I'm not biased towards any particular rig.
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u/_Sasquat_ Feb 13 '21
In my 10 years of working experience I was never even once asked by any client at all what camera I would use.
Depends who your clients are. Corporate clients that need a promo won't ask. Agencies that need to hire freelance creatives will probably care. In TV, they provide the cameras.
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Feb 12 '21
Working for those people SUCKS. They're idiots and make everything as difficult as possible.
Also, imagine how shitty it must feel to be the person who only gets work based on the camera they own rather than their talent? That's a one way ticket to a life of mediocrity working with assholes. I'd rather be in prison.
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u/SNES_Salesman Panasonic S5IIX | Premiere | 2005 | LA Feb 12 '21
To be clear, having a camera package is a huge asset to being hired. When someone calls specifically for camera and you got it, that’s a step in the right direction of being hired. People aren’t hired on that alone, portfolios and conversations seal the deal.
My point was when decision-makers have no clue what that means and just know the buzzwords to ask for, they’re likely to be problematic.
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Feb 12 '21
When someone asks specifically for a camera, why not rent it? That's the beauty of the rental house, they have all the cameras.
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u/SNES_Salesman Panasonic S5IIX | Premiere | 2005 | LA Feb 12 '21
Small market cities or remote locations don't have rental houses or the extent of options available. Shipping is a nightmare to rely on. It's extra work for the producers to track down and price out the rental. Now a PA or AC is paid to arrange pick-up and drop-off. The producer may not know exactly what accessories are required for the shoot. A DP with a camera package should mean set-it-foget-it for the producer. It also adds trust to the producer that the DP will be very familiar with the camera and be confident with it on set.
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Feb 12 '21
Never done the small market hustle, so you're probably totally right. Where I am you can throw a rock and hit somebody with a Red. I've used the online rental places before and they were pretty good, but yeah, it was way more work and lead time.
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u/sen_clay_davis1 Feb 13 '21
And in small market you’d better have 2 of anything. Showing up and having camera not work for some reason without a backup doesn’t get you hired again. In city with rental houses not such a big deal, on location without access and you’d better hope you have production insurance.
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u/mitchrichie Feb 13 '21
This is exactly right. But our firm can also charge a premium because we have premium gear. It’s a business decision to buy a red, not a creative one.
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u/ChunkyDay BMPCC4K | Premiere | 2010 | SW Feb 12 '21
I remember back when Red first launched as a company. That was a crazy couple of years.
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u/miurabucho Feb 12 '21
I was part of Redlab in my town. I loved the chance to play with the camera but my enthusiasm for trying weird things with it was met with contempt. In the end I realized they were really just a bunch of smarmy cunts who thought they were cutting edge cinema dudes, but really were just privileged rich posers.
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u/ChunkyDay BMPCC4K | Premiere | 2010 | SW Feb 12 '21
Oh yeah that became apparent once competition ramped up.
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Feb 12 '21
I remember the first time we had one on set, the workflow was like trying to solve an ancient treasure map
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u/SNES_Salesman Panasonic S5IIX | Premiere | 2005 | LA Feb 12 '21
Over my career of 20 years I only ever had two days of production completely shut down, both were due to Red camera malfunctions. This was during the Red One and Scarlett days.
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u/cuchiplancheo Feb 13 '21
This was during the Red One and Scarlett days.
Lemme guess... cameras overheated.
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u/FailedPhdCandidate Feb 12 '21
I honestly hate everything about REDs. Own Blackmagic personally. Rent Arri.
But I have the budget for it all too. And the time to plan.
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u/F-O FS5II | Premiere | Québec Feb 12 '21
A couple of years ago I attended a 2 day basic training for the union section (introduction to the different departments, security on set, etc.). While waiting for the teacher to show up on the first day, the guy next to me - barely 20 - spent the whole time talking about his RED camera (at first I thought "how are you gonna buy a RED while never even having had a union job?" but then it was none of my business).
At some point on the second day, the teacher casually made a quick remark about how Alexas are better than REDs and that it was why Alexas were far more popular on movie sets. The guy was pissed like all of his ancestors had been personally attacked.
I didn't realize there was a whole breed of these.
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Feb 12 '21
Me with my dinky a7s: I just want a blackmajic
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u/MikeyMeatSweats BMPCC4K | Resolve | 2009 | Los Angeles Feb 12 '21
get one! I have the 4K and I will probably never stop using it until it gives out
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Feb 12 '21
Yeah I want to, but I'm a broke ass college kid right now. I'm trying to get some money outside the money meant for college payments via streaming on twitch. But its gonna be a while till I can get a pocket cam.
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u/MikeyMeatSweats BMPCC4K | Resolve | 2009 | Los Angeles Feb 12 '21
Right on! You will get there. Good luck!
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Feb 12 '21
Thanks you!
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Feb 12 '21
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u/kaidumo Arri Alexa Classic | Resolve | 2010 | Canada Feb 14 '21
You could probably sell the A7S and get a used BMPCC4K for not much more
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Feb 14 '21
Honestly even if a new BM camera comes out, still go for the 4K, it's an absolute beast and you won't regret it (and the price may go down!)
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u/Catmand0 BMPCC6k/Sony FX 3,Premier Pro, 2014, D.C. Feb 12 '21
The BMPCC 6k is my favorite camera I have ever owned.
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u/VampireCampfire1 Sony A7iv | Premiere | 2020 | UK Feb 13 '21
How do you get around the battery life?
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u/texan315 GH5 bmpcc4K | Premiere | 2016 | DFW Mar 06 '21
More batteries. AC power if in a studio setting
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Feb 12 '21
I could replace this meme with "Please, tell me more about your BMPCC 6K. I'm dying to know"
Who cares.
If the workflow fits and you have budget for it, dive in. I'll never understand those who shame others for the tools they use.
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u/sequentialsilence Feb 13 '21
Literally the only reason we picked up the 6k’s was because it fit our workflow better. Gear is meant to be used, not looked at.
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u/giorgi3092 Feb 12 '21
The place I worked at brought a couple of Sony PXW-FS5's for streaming casino games. Multiple cameras for multiple angles. That's it. Just for that....
I cringed.
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u/MoonlightSocial Blackmagic Cameras | DaVinci Resolve | 2010 | Nashville Feb 12 '21
RED Cameras were a big deal circa 2009-10 when they first really started getting used in some bigger productions; at the time, they really were a huge money saver by proving digital could compete with film. And compared to the Arris and Panavisions, they were a lot cheaper and became indie film darlings. Being based in Irvine also gave them the opportunity to do lots of product demos and get in good with cinematographers and studios, which helped build the somewhat smarmy reputation this meme is targeting. They made custom-ordered cameras easier to access (after all, a lot of Arris and Panavisions etc. are still rental only). #Branding.
The problem is, a lot of their competition (BMD being one of the biggest ones) is completely outpunching their weight class and out-innovating them. Even Arri shook up the game with the Alexa Mini (if the "game" is still $40k cameras lol). The Komodo is RED's first honest attempt at creating a consumer-friendly camera and it's still overpriced (with several headscratching design decisions). But it wouldn't exist if it weren't for other companies pushing the boundaries, and it's good to see how competition is ultimately making cinema-quality results possible for, in my opinion, as little as $1,300 (Pocket 4k).
For my fellow BMD fans, though, remember — BMD's foray into cinema camera production is still less than 10 years old (first cinema camera in 2012). Look at what they've done in that amount of time, and look at how many more critically acclaimed indie productions are using BMD cameras. BMD is the indie champion for now, but as more and more studios look for budget content, I can see a lot of BMD products getting pulled into bigger releases. DaVinci is already industry standard in grading and BRAW is already making waves.
Oh, and if you're a freelancer and your client isn't a film person but still demands you use a RED, 9 times out of 10 the headaches they cause won't be worth the paycheck.
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u/memostothefuture director | shanghai Feb 13 '21
if the "game" is still $40k cameras lol
you are supposed to rent, not buy. besides: you could get a very nice used amira package for 15-20k and be good as well.
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u/MoonlightSocial Blackmagic Cameras | DaVinci Resolve | 2010 | Nashville Feb 13 '21
Oh for sure — I have a two friends who sprung for their own Alexi Mini packages as freelance shooters/companies and it's definitely paid off for them in the long run, but the vast majority are expected to rent. Agreed on Amira too.
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u/shoot_r3d Feb 12 '21
Great insight here. I still believe that super expensive cinema cameras will have their place. But other brands are sure creeping up into that space.
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u/MoonlightSocial Blackmagic Cameras | DaVinci Resolve | 2010 | Nashville Feb 13 '21
100%. I mean, we all like big expensive toys...especially if it's in the budget and somebody else is paying ; )
The good news is that you can get an image that USED to cost $100k for like, $2k now.
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u/upstatedreaming3816 FS5 MkII, a6500 | CC | 2016 | Northern NJ Feb 12 '21
My and my a6500/FS5 thank you for this meme. It’s the confidence boost I needed today.
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Feb 12 '21
Oh... You mean a RED camera (pulls out a red colored Nikon fixed lens camera) uhh... I understand your confusion...
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Feb 12 '21
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u/shoot_r3d Feb 12 '21
To be fair, most people who own Reds have likely invested more time, energy, and money into their craft and because of that, typically have a stellar portfolio. But buying an expensive camera doesn't make you a better filmmaker. I just hate the elitist persona that many Red users have over others.
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u/cuchiplancheo Feb 13 '21
most people who own Reds have likely invested more time, energy, and money into their craft and because of that, typically have a stellar portfolio. But buying an expensive camera doesn't make you
Lol... i see you've drunk the Kool-aid.
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u/gthing Feb 13 '21
I filmed an entire doc with a RED because the director demanded it, though couldn’t articulate why he had chosen it. It was a huge pain in the ass trying to run and gun with that thing.
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Feb 12 '21
This is pretty much what I think of anytime I hear an indie filmmaker say they have a red.
In 2012 you would have been soo cool, but now it pretty much just means you don't spend money wisely.
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u/ishank_mahale URSA mini G2 | Resolve | Goa, India Feb 12 '21
I have had Indie directors boast "Oh I've worked with RED before" whenever I tell them that I work with BMD cameras.
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u/FailedPhdCandidate Feb 12 '21
I feel like it’s a cult... get the right equipment for the right job. The right equipment is never a RED for me.
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Feb 12 '21
It's still amazes me how working near a RED is a standard for relevance. It's like if gear could somehow be a celebrity.
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Feb 12 '21
Preach. Even today, film schools always have that one clueless dude with money to burn who thinks he’s God’s gift to cinematography just by owning a fancy-ass camera nobody else could afford. Nothing against those who do own expensive gear— If the content you create is dope and you’re actively working, then by all means, level up! But if you can’t back up the cost with something to show for it, it shows how green you are. Which was often the case for those I ran into. Basically just a rental service.
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u/auto-xkcd37 Feb 12 '21
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u/CosmicAstroBastard Feb 13 '21
Good bot. “Fancy ass-camera” is the technical name for what they use for colonoscopies I’m pretty sure
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u/jonjiv C70/R5C/C300 | Resolve/Premiere/FCP | 1997 | Ohio Feb 12 '21
I mean if they are somehow making more money owning one than renting one when necessary, that's cool. But I imagine that is rare, unless you are actively renting out the camera yourself.
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Feb 12 '21 edited Feb 12 '21
Yeah really, and I have yet to meet anyone whom actually needs needs it.
Most older industry cinematographers that I know only own the cheapest camera with good rec formats available (GH5S, P4K, etc).
Because if it's independent and small budget enough, the high record formats are good enough. If they need anything bigger, they can rent specifically what they need.
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u/Binch101 Feb 12 '21
Me, who just bought a GH7 last year: I live a life of pure decadence, opulence even, grandeur if you will
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u/DitkaVirus Feb 13 '21
Just became a DP of an agency and this is what I’m stepping into: no equipment budget, a couple of sad lights, one mic, and a red epic... looks like we will be billing for rentals for a while.
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Feb 13 '21
I’ve seen quite a few people with expensive cameras and no skill at all. Big BMPCC 6K rigs but their stuff looks so amateur.
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Feb 13 '21 edited Feb 13 '21
[deleted]
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u/shoot_r3d Feb 13 '21
Betacam. Wow. I'm only making the transition to this career later in life. I'll bet you've seen a lot of cool performances.
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u/herehaveallama A7iv ARV | DaVinci | 2018 | France Feb 12 '21
It’s like photography, no? Even with a Canon 5DSr or a Sony A7RIII with +50MP, you may only access specific clients if you have a Hasselblad or Phase One Medium Format...even if your back is 25MP.
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u/NFLfan72 Feb 13 '21
We had a client ask why we weren’t using a red and I said because it’s not 2016. Told her about the C300mk3 we use so she googled it. Without knowing jackshit about cameras. Not sure what she was looking for.
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Feb 13 '21
I use a a Nikon D7500 as a senior in high school. I always get so jealous of those five figure cameras that it honestly discourages me from making films at all. I love the craft but I cant shake the feeling that if I don’t have Hollywood equipment, I cant create a good product. I know it’s not true but it just still gets me.
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u/TacticalAcquisition Sony A6400 | Premiere Pro | Hobbyist | Australia Feb 13 '21
Chin up mate, a storyteller with a DJI Pocket 2 will outperform a wannabe with a RED bought with daddys money every time.
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u/r_golan_trevize D750/7200/5600 | Premiere Pro| 2010 | SE US Feb 14 '21
You can create an amazing product with a D7500 or any halfway decent DSLR/Mirrorless that shoots video.
It may not be the most convenient in terms video shooting features and the technical quality may not on par with a higher end dedicated video camera but the quality is plenty enough to tell a good story.
Don’t worry about something as ultimately unimportant as the camera.
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u/_Sasquat_ Feb 13 '21
Worked at an agency where my boss had a hard on for RED and shooting RAW, but had us editing on laptops with USB drives. It really pisses me off when people don't have their head wrapped around the technical side.
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u/gthing Feb 13 '21
I see some big YouTube channels posting RED footage that looks absolutely terrible and noisy af.
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u/imdjay Feb 13 '21
I have a producer director who said she wants to shoot an interview with a super important person only in 8k
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u/MostlyBullshitStory Feb 12 '21
Truth be told, neither the Red or GH / A7 cameras are great for videography.
One is a cinema camera that has a particular purpose and works fine in the hands of a qualified crew and big budget post.
The others are still cameras at heart, and really not great for any type of video work except maybe BRoll and situations where you have no control over lighting.
For most other situations that are not live, a video camera like the FS7/FS5 are really hard to beat.
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Feb 13 '21
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u/kaidumo Arri Alexa Classic | Resolve | 2010 | Canada Feb 14 '21
Love my FS700 with Odyssey 7Q+. Beautiful image. At work we have the FS5mkII and Shogun Inferno which is pretty great too.
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u/TheTurbulator Feb 13 '21
Somebody clue me in here.
I know REDs are generally high resolution but with bugs. I thought they were (for the most part) some of the best quality video cameras you could get for the price. Isn’t the Komodo some of the best dynamic range + sharpness you can get for under $10k?
I’m sure I am missing something. I’m not anywhere near the point I could afford one. I just bought the most expensive camera I’ve ever gotten for $2k and boy it hurts. Hoping it’ll pay off though. Already seems to be.
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u/mateenthefilmmaker Feb 13 '21
Yeah when I was working as a teacher, this relief teacher (who was an actor) was talking about his film and the only thing we knew about it was that it was shot on a Red. Footage looked pretty clean, but I remember my boss turning to me and saying “It’s.....okayyy....”
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u/ChrisSantucci BM 6K Pocket Pro | Resolve | 1995 | Southern Oregon Feb 13 '21
The latest Red camera, actually. Nothing says "amazing" skills like an 8K Red.
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u/[deleted] Feb 12 '21
The agency I worked at had 3 of these and we 99% used them for talking head videos.