BMPCC vs GH3 vs RX10

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esyohtii

Hello!

I'm a film student and wanted to pick up a camera to start shooting some shorts (and possibly some documentaries). Was just trying to get an opinion of some people who know way more than I do :)

The choices I've narrowed it down to were:
Blackmagic Pocket Cinema Camera w/ 20mm 1.7
Panasonic Lumix GH3 w/ 20mm 1.7
Sony RX10

All 3 of these are in my price range and the lenses on the BMPCC and GH3 would just be starting points. I would eventually add whatever else was needed but it seems like a good place to start for low-light and nice bokeh.

I'd most likely pick up a cheap starting tripod and stabilizer (probably shoulder support rig) as well.

Any input would be greatly appreciated!

Thank you!
 
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Hi esyohtii and welcome to the forum!

These are all great entry-level cameras and you can use any of the three of them to tell your stories, but the amount of work you'll have to do and the quality of the results will be different, depending on which camera you choose.

I either own or have rented all three of these cameras, and here's my view.

Best image quality: $995 Blackmagic Pocket Cinema Camera - without a doubt, this camera will produce the best (dynamic range, most gradeable) images of the three cameras. 10-bit ProRes is a terrific codec that requires no transcoding and is very gradeable. If you have the time to deal with 12-bit RAW, you can produce images that look like they were shot on a much more expensive camera. Three caveats: 1) this camera is susceptible to moire - not as bad as a DSLR, but it is still a risk 2) the images from this camera are a little soft - a little sharpening in post fixes it 3) the lack of a viewfinder is a problem - the LCD screen is close to unusable - again, this can be fixed with a Z-finder, but that costs money.

Most flexible: $1098 (as of this post) Panasonic GH3 - interchangeable lenses, unlimited continuous video (hours instead of 30 minutes), less moire than the BMPCC or the RX10, tough all-metal splashproof body, higher bit rates than the RX10. But the images are 8-bit, and not as gradeable as ProRes or RAW. When I leave the house every day, I carry this camera, and the BMPCC sits home on the tripod.

Easiest to use: $1298 Sony RX10 - no fooling around with lenses, power zoom makes life a lot easier - but the fixed lens also limits your choices. I rented this camera for a weekend, but decided not to buy it.

In my view, the Panasonic GH3 is the best balance between image quality and ease of use. It is the best all-around camera in this price range.

Hope this is helpful!

Bill
 
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Thanks for the reply Bill! Awesome info!

Would you say the 20mm 1.7 is a good starting lens for the gh3? Or should I spend a little extra on the 25mm 1.4?

Or would you recommend something completely different?

And what kind of gear do you use with your gh3? I'm thinking a decent tripod for sure, then saw the Varizoom Stealthy yesterday and thought that might be a nice all around tool for stabilized shots.
 
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Glad I could help!

To answer your lens question, I would avoid the 20mm f1.7 due to its noisy autofocus motor:

http://youtu.be/Iu-E4vs_8h0

And the $599.99 Leica 25mm f1.4 is a great lens, but I would save myself some money and get a $399 Oly 25mm f1.8. The Zuikos have very quiet AF motors and are very high quality lenses.

At longer focal lengths, their lack of image stabilization can be an issue - but at 25mm it's not.

For support, I use a Ravelli AVTP Professional (pictured on the left with the BMPCC below) with a Ravelli dolly. I love this tripod, but it is out of stock.


P1060868.JPG

​

The $125 Fancier FT9901 looks to be similar.

For shoulder mounting, I built my own rig for a little over $150 (pictured below):


P1120703.JPG




P1080600.JPG


Here's the parts list for the GH3 version:

- Two 40cm rods w caps - $21

- Cheese plate - $30

- Giottos MH621 Quick Release plate - $30

- Dual Use Shoulder Pad & Shotgun Rest - $35

- Rainbowimaging pistol grip w remote - $30

- Pixel remote cable - $7.50

That $200+ Varizoom Stealthy looks interesting - but I am not a big fan of stabilizers. I have a Flycam 5000 and Bodypod in my closet that I never use because it takes too much time to balance.

Again, hope this is helpful!

Bill
 
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