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Advise on a combi stills and video DSLR
  • harryharryharryharry

    Today I use a D7000 for stills and a hacked GH2 for videos. I have a small range of lenses. (Panasonic 20mm and 14-140mm, Nikon 35mm F1.8, Nikon 50mm F1.8, Samyang 85mm F1.4(nikon), Nikon 18-70mm, Tokina 12-24 (nikon), Nikon 55-200, Nikon 180mm F2.8).

    I am quite happy with both the D7000 for stills and the GH2 for video but I would like to have one DSLR that can do both stills and video very good. I mainly use the GH2 for run&gun with monopod. (The Manfrotto 500 series video monopod which I like well.)

    I have read a lot about the GH4. My understanding is that it is very good for video and ok for stills. Since stills are just as important as video for me I do not know if I am going to be pleased with the stills quality.

    Another option is to go for a Sony A7 series camera. The A7s looks very interesting but is going to be expensive. I would then also need a new standard zoom for fast autofocus.

    The other option is to wait. I can live with the setup I have. I believe there are many companies that in near future will release a camera that does both stills and videos very well. (Etc rumors says there will be released a Nikon D9300 and maybe a Nikon D7300 end of this year. I do not know if we can expect better video recording.)

    Any advise?

  • 4 Replies sorted by
  • Vitaliy_KiselevVitaliy_Kiselev

    For me it looks like you already invested in two systems, more in Nikon :-).

    What kind of video you are shooting?

    As looking at R&G words it seems like small and sturdy GH4 will be ok.

    Or you can just work on skills and wait for Nikon offerings. Cameras are not frequently real limit today, your skills are.

  • harryharryharryharry

    I agree that the cameras is not a big limitation any more. I have many very nice pictures taken with my old Nikon D40. On a printed A3 picture I do not easily manage to see the difference between pictures taken with this camera and the D7000. It is too easy to start believing that gear upgrades will improve the pictures. In the end skills are more important.

    My best investment lately has in fact been a few nice books about composition. Even though experience will improve the framing of pictures and video it was nice too read about the theory why some compositions work while other compositions fail. Many of these theories are hundereds of years old and go back to the old painters.

    I think I will wait and see how the next release of Nikon cameras look like before I decide to go for a Nikon camera, a GH4 or something else. (It is always a bit borring waiting for a new release since you know in six months time when the new Nikon cameras will be released there are other even better cameras being rumoured.)

  • Vitaliy_KiselevVitaliy_Kiselev

    I think I will wait and see how the next release of Nikon cameras look like before I decide to go for a Nikon camera, a GH4 or something else

    It is wise decision.

  • actact

    I have 3x hacked GH2, BMPCC, G5, Olympus EM5, EPL5, now ordered GH4 and EM1. Camera that makes best photo and best video I enjoy most the time is EM5. My general business is video, but photo is my old love and I enjoy make photos not for business. https://www.facebook.com/media/set/?set=a.473369609382836.1073741826.151172134935920&type=3

    And of cause it real pleasure make video with OMD EM5 - very good dynamic range, lovely colors and skintone (better than Lumix at daytime), amazing stabilization handheld.

    I ordered new EM1 body because I need second spare body for next wedding season. If I go to vacation I will take OMD, if I go to wedding, I'll take OMD and GH2 (Lumix takes better colored LED light at parties)

    GH4 make very good pictures and video, of cause.

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