Help with choosing the right camera?

[Mulvey]

Hi,
I am currently studying Cinematography and have an interesting assignment due, which is to produce a 3 minute short film.
Ok here is my problem. I have spent hours upon hours,days, weeks and I am struggling to find the right camera to film this.

I have experience with DSLRs and I know my way around a camera. But being a student I have a reasonably low budget €1000 - €1500 max! I am looking for a camera which I can invest in and use for years to come, one with a high dynamic range and one that gives a great cinematic look. I found myself being torn between;
the BlackMagic Pocket Cinema Camera and the Panasonic Lumix GH4. I do get quiet confused with these micro 4/3 cameras and the different censors used, in relation to film.

Every camera has its flaws, I love the image produced by the super 16mm BMPCC but the crop factor and accessories needed for it to make a decent film camera ( i.e microphone, rig, tripod, lenses, speedbooster, nd etc. ) shoots it upto the €($)2000+.
The GH4 does look decent but I dont think it does a great job with highlights and blacks? I am also looking at the Canon 60d and Olympus OMD EM5 ii.

Would love some opinions on this.

 

[moonshieldmedia]

I would still go with the BMPCC. The basic camera itself and a decent lens is enough to get a beautiful 3 minute film for your assignment and since you want something that you'll be using for years to come, you can add on the accessories and gadgets to make the camera even better over time whenever you get some extra money.

Buy it on Craigslist for about 7 or 8 hundred and use that extra couple hundred for a nice lens and you'll be good to go for awhile. Many used packages I've seen for sale online include memory cards, batteries, and even cages or speedboosters for a bit extra.

Build your own DIY handheld stabilizer for $20, that would be my only other recommendation for an immediate purchase.

 

[SixOhThree]

I haven't used the GH4 but I will address one point in your post as it relates to the BMPCC-

"acessories needed for it to make a decent film camera ( i.e microphone, rig, tripod, lenses, speedbooster, nd etc. )" will be a similar and necessary expense regardless of which camera you decide on. The Speedbooster is nice, by the way, but by no means critically important - there are plenty of reasonably priced fast wide lenses in m4/3 that perform well in low light. The other accessories will cost the same no matter what and definitely shouldn't count as a strike against the BMPCC.

 

[Mulvey]

I would still go with the BMPCC. The basic camera itself and a decent lens is enough to get a beautiful 3 minute film for your assignment and since you want something that you'll be using for years to come, you can add on the accessories and gadgets to make the camera even better over time whenever you get some extra money.

Buy it on Craigslist for about 7 or 8 hundred and use that extra couple hundred for a nice lens and you'll be good to go for awhile. Many used packages I've seen for sale online include memory cards, batteries, and even cages or speedboosters for a bit extra.

Build your own DIY handheld stabilizer for $20, that would be my only other recommendation for an immediate purchase.

That is also an interesting factor. The whole DIY aspect and making a good setup over time.Never thought of buying second hand set ups, good idea! But then I see more "complete" packages with better sensors/specs on paper and more upto date firmware and ergonomics etc the BMPCC is 2+ years old now which is a factor. It makes it difficult... buy an all in one or slowly build over time. Which do you think is better? These more complete cameras would be the Canon 6d, 70d, Sony ą7 ( which on paper has some amazing specs but I don't like Sony as a brand. Paying more for aesthetics than a final product)

 

[Mulvey]

I haven't used the GH4 but I will address one point in your post as it relates to the BMPCC-

"acessories needed for it to make a decent film camera ( i.e microphone, rig, tripod, lenses, speedbooster, nd etc. )" will be a similar and necessary expense regardless of which camera you decide on. The Speedbooster is nice, by the way, but by no means critically important - there are plenty of reasonably priced fast wide lenses in m4/3 that perform well in low light. The other accessories will cost the same no matter what and definitely shouldn't count as a strike against the BMPCC.

Sorry I did word that wrong, I see that these are necessary in all set ups for film such as tripods and those stated no matter which camera you buy. I meant more add ons just needed for the BMPCC which from what I've seen online It needs a very specific memory card to record at the very high bitrate raw and prores codec, lots of external batteries with a 20 min recording battery life. A speedbooster may be necessary to get that wide view or to get a lense to act how you want it to act. That crop factor of 2.6x is pretty high. And will I be paying a lot for a rig or a IS lense to cancel camera shake? Alot of these problems are non existent in a full frame dslr or a more recent micro4/3 camera. But you can't argue that the image produced from the bmpcc is beautiful. Which do you think would be best ?

 

[brunerww]

Mulvey - I have both the BMPCC and the GH4, so I may be able to help. Here are the two cameras, side-by-side and mounted on pistol grips:

If you choose the BMPCC, you can put together a very nice 13+ stop handheld BMPCC RAW cinema camera rig that looks something like this for less than 1500€:

Here is what you will need to turn the BMPCC into a very capable little handheld camera:


- Blackmagic Pocket Cinema Camera - £735/1002,15€

- Kinotehnik LCD Viewfinder for the BMPCC - £99.90/136,21€

- Black Magic Design Pocket Cinema Camera External Battery Mount for EN-EL20 - 85,19€

- Sandisk 64GB 95MB/s SD card - £64.35/87,74€

- Pistol grip with trigger for BMPCC - 29,77€

- Smallrig Cold Shoe - £8.90/12,13€

- Spare EN-EL20 battery - £32/43.63€

Total price: 1396,82€.

That leaves you a little over 100€ for your first lens - I suggest either a 19mm f2.8 Sigma - or a 28mm f2.8 Canon FD with an inexpensive adapter.

Here is what this little powerhouse cinema camera can do:

Narrative

http://vimeo.com/89563847

http://vimeo.com/94798326

http://vimeo.com/101576471

[I}Documentary[/I]

http://vimeo.com/83284391

Music Video

http://vimeo.com/88103618

Travel/Low Light

http://vimeo.com/79531723

There are lots more examples in the Pocket Cinema Camera group I moderate over on Vimeo.

Although it has a steeper learning curve than a consumer camera, and color grading in post is pretty much mandatory - this is absolutely the best filmmakers' camera in this price range.

With a 1500€ budget, your next best option is probably a 1366,64€ Panasonic GH4R with V-LOG and essentially unlimited continuous recording (no 30 minute limit).

With V-LOG, you get extended dynamic range that comes close to what you can get from the BMPCC. GH4 shooters are already getting great results with it:

- spin, drift.

- Sunrise / Sunset

- Panasonic GH4 V-log L Tokyo Yokohama

You can see many more examples in the GH4K group I moderate over on Vimeo.

I own the GH4 as well, and with in-camera 4K, 1080/96p slow motion and V-LOG - it is a very capable cinema camera.

Either of these cameras would be a good investment - personally, I shoot more with the GH4 than with the BMPCC because it is easier to use.

Hope this is helpful and good luck with your decision!

Bill