Hey guys so I've recently ordered a Cinestar 8 kit with 3 axis gimbal and am still unsure of which camera to go with. I am looking to take video and photos so I am looking for a camera with the best of both worlds. I have looked into a few cameras so far and still looking for suggestions of other cameras out there that might fit the bill. Budget is ball park < $1200. Have looked at some used Nikon D300/200 with lenses from a photographer friend. I also want something that has decent frame rate as I would also use for shooting sporting events such as Track and Field. Would love to hear your guys suggestions and feedback! (pros/cons/ect) Cheers, Nick
Thanks Steve, ill take a look at those! Looking to either go used or find something under budget to squeeze in 2 more sets of 8000mah 6s batteries. I also have gotten suggestions of CX760 and Canon T3i not sure what I think about those yet though. I have heard great things about GH2 and GH3 from Panasonic and seen some good stuff people like Jeff Scholl have put together with them. I need more of a entry level camera so I can get some flight time on the Cinestar to home my flying skills... also looking for light so I can squeeze a bit more flight time out of it.
I just bought a Nikon D5200 mostly for the video. It will shoot 60i. It is also a 24MP still camera with a 1.5 crop factor. I have a stable of Nikon lenses so venturing into another brand just isn't an option right now. The D5200 is about $700 from Amazon for the body only. If you want something a little more durable, the D7100 also shoots 60i, is a heavier camera and is around $1200.
BTW, note that 60i is not the same as 60P. You'll find that the newer cameras (like the GH3) do 1080P at 60P, and give you a tremendous amount of flexibility in terms of slow-mo, etc.
Thanks for the feedback guys! My friend has D5200 i really like it but didnt like that it was a bit heavier since im used to using NEX5N. Ive really enjoying using testing out the lumix video since thats what ill primarily be using it for. It was a hard comparison as my friend is a photographer that has a love for nikon cameras for photos. The video is what really caught my attention and seeing what some people have done with it on the site.
Nikon D7100 is a great camera for photography and video. I believe the D7100 is one of the latest DSLR cameras form Nikon today. Panasonic GH2 is also a very good choice in my opinion. Good luck with your camera choice, I know it is not easy
Dave, the Nikon D7100 shoots 60p at 720 and 1080 at 60i ...great looking camera. I like the duel SD card slots as well.
An nice concise comparison table between the D7000 and the GH3 http://snapsort.com/compare/Nikon_D7000-vs-Panasonic-Lumix-DMC-GH3
Sebastian this review seems to be about still photos and for that the Nikon probably is better. They seem to barely mention video.
So is the consensus that the GH3 is the best DSLR for our aerial platforms because of the 60P and stabilization or is the MKIII better with the raw hack and then stabilization in post? Has anyone tried both yet? I know that most people I can think of use some sort of stabilization in post but I gotta say that I have the Sony 760 down to a science where there is absolutely no roll twitch. I know that neither the MKIII or GH3 is going to do that but there seems to be no doubt that the DSLR is going to offer clients a better product for the stills over the 760 and I would image that the GH3 is going to be better for video over the 760. I wish someone that's tried all the cameras would post some feedback. I'm ready to make a purchase and get a 2nd 3 axis gimbal I just don't know which camera to get. The more reviews I read on the internet the more I'm finding the difference between the two becomes very blurry. I know its a matter of what you want. Does anyone think that the GH3 can print quality 16X20?
Dave also depends on the clients you are shooting for doesn't it? Most DP's would take Canon 5d footage. I would think fewer would ant GH3 since they probably don't have a workflow for that type.
Gary, the GH3 can be set to record .MOV files so the workflow is the same as a 5D. I have been very happy with the GH3 over the hacked GH2 because it gets 90% of the picture quality and detail with NO hassles, freezing, quirks..etc. 60P at 1080 is a big plus and it's a lightweight camera. Only downside for aerials is the crop factor, so to get the same field of view it will have more distortion due to the wider lenses it necessitates. If you're talking about still picture quality then I don't think the GH3 can hold a candle to the 5D, but it still takes great pics for the price, as long as you have a good lens.
Tim, have you used the 12-35/2.8 lens from Panasonic? If so, what's your opinion, especially compared to the better wide M4/3 primes?
I haven't. But I would like to. I think when the black magic pocket camera arrives it will be much more needed. Since I do 95% video now I don't think that lens will make a huge difference for the GH3. I may have to rent it to try it out one o these days.