A mirrorless is fine but eventually when you get into narrative work or commercial work your gonna have to rig it, so it's all the same in the end. Most use manual focus and focus pullers for rack focusing to get a certain narrative focus transition to help direct the viewer also it looks very organic unlike the snap or flicker of a camera trying to figure out the face from the busy background. The advantage of a mirrorless system is transport when de rigged hence smaller bags, but more downtime when rigging for a small production. The bigger cine cams offer more robust mounts and more pro ports like SDI or easy time code plus some support are work flow for VFX, also less stuff to carry hence most of the ports and audio tools also mostly NDS are built in, it's built for team operation. My advice is to figure out what makes you money or at least what do you wanna do for the rest of your life in the business / now you have the suitable needs to make a sound purchasing decision / But first be sure to try everything, test out the waters and see if what you lack, ask pros ,offer help on projects for free, or even just stand around and observe, network and be social. You might be really surprised how much you could learn about yourself through exploring and about the line of work you want in. Marry the lenses , adopt the lights , partner up with mics and eventually just date the body. Lenses offer different looks. Lights influence the image and mood also help push the best quality out of the sensor. A Movie is garbage without proper sound captured or odd sound placement. The camera body you buy now is probably outdated the next month so most camera bodies nowadays will do more than fine. Good luck
The biggest advantage of cinema cameras over mirrorless is tactile use. All my homies love buttons, levers, knobs and gears. No diving through menus and fumbling with touch screens. Once muscle memory kicks in the advantage in comfort is huge.
Aside from the helpful information about mirrorless vs cinema cameras, I just have to say that the ad break was the best I've ever seen on YT. I really liked the backstory about how your grandfather taught and inspired you. Even the PPA endorsement seemed very genuine. I'm kind of feeling like I'm one of very few who makes a positive comment about a YT sponsor break.
All I need is a box shape camera with built in ND, full frame 6 or 8k sensor, face detect autofocus that is adjustable (speed, depth), IBIS and an adaptable mount that can accept all lenses, pro audio with Dual input for lav and shotgun support that writes RAW files to a SSD, touch screens on back and left side that allows focus control by touch and removable side and top handles for $2000. 😢 Is that too much to ask for? Oh yeah, 16 stops of Dynamic Range 😂😂😂
I got the lidar autofocus. I also have the a7siii and sometimes shoot prores raw. Taking everything backwards but I prefer the more real and pre-resolved texture sometimes. There is a downside with that though and thats where cinema cams are good. Lighting. When there are going to be small changes in lighting, that I have to fake are not there at all, it's better to leave the last bit of resolve for post. Internal AF saves time but I lose that time fussing with lighting that will be less forgiving in post. This is when it comes to small changes in it, not dealing with low light. When the sun moves or when suddenly you want to get a shot pointing straight down and your key is in the sky, making the shot flat and overexposed compared to everything else. I feel like cinema cams are more forgiving here.
Great question! I blurred it for another sponsored video where the brand didn’t want other logos showing, and I just ripped the b roll directly from that other vid to save time 😂
For me it's an easy choice as cinema cameras don't offer what Fuji does. XH2s and lenses like the Viltrox 75 f/1.2 make for very cinematic videos. Maybe eventually a GFX is in my bag.
I have the BM with Meike lenses, and I literally love the organic image quality. I have a project to shoot a short film for a month in 2025 in the mountains, in full autonomy, but I can’t bring this camera since it's not weather-sealed... So I’m looking at the Nikon Z8, which I really like because I’ve always been a Nikon photographer. BUT, the image quality on mirrorless cameras will never look as organic as cinema cameras. And because of the weight, I can’t bring two bodies and loads of batteries (like Nikon + BMPCC4K for example), so I feel like I’m forced to go with this beautiful Z8. But I’m afraid I’ll be disappointed with the image quality for filming. It works great for commercial shoots and ads, but I feel like the image is still too clinical, too digital, etc. I’m planning to use Blackmist filters for example and might look into other lenses beyond the Z line. It’s not an easy choice for someone who's both a photographer and a videographer! 😅
The funny part is I been filming with Cinema Cameras for so long, I had a gig that they put me on a mirrorless and I felt overwhelmed a fish out of water lol Cinema Cameras are so simple to use, trying. to figure out the menu of mirrorless is too much. Arri, Red and specially blackmagic has the easiest menu systems.
Great video! I like to think of it as more of a continuum than a dichotomy, with the FX30 we both love being about 65% Cinema, 35% SLR-style mirrorless.
Yeah that’s a good way of looking at it. It’s getting harder to recommend specific cameras because they’re all starting to blur the lines, but at least they’re pretty much all good now
Full hdmi, z8 has. Internal raw, z8 has. Open gate, lumix has. Internal NDs are next. Maybe not for Sony or Canon as they will paywall that to their cinema line, until they will be forced to keep up with lumix, Nikon, Fuji etc. Point is cinema cameras will be no more soon enough. Outside of Hollywood. Besides those features all a cinema camera is is a mirrorless camera that can’t take photos. There’s my hot take.
Hi Zach! I just wanted to say thank you for such a wonderful video and my condolences to you and your family about your grandpa. Your grandpa's legacy sounds amazing and that les paul looks beautiful. Hope you have a good rest of your day. :)
I really appreciate your comment! Man my gramps was a legend. For as long as I can remember he would go play songs at nursing homes every weekend to cheer up the old folks. He was the best. Thanks for watching!
I think that the 6k Full frame offers gyro stabilization which is a pretty nice way to offset the lack of IBIS btw 👏 Like you mentioned, if the 6k FF could get internal NDs, plus at least the gyro stabilization, thats something that would be 👨🏻🍳🤌 The Burano at like $25k has internal NDs+IBIS lol but yea once that combo can come down toward consumer level devices, game changer 👏 edit: maybe some content on anamorphic lenses 👏 those are my favorite. lol
I would suggest something else: use what inspires you instead! I used to shoot with mirrorless cameras for years, then moved to proper cinema cameras. Personally, I prefer the weight (I hate IBIS), the ergonomics, and the image quality of a proper cinema camera. It inspires me to shoot compared to a mirrorless camera. I also prefer to manually focus 99% of the time and choose exactly what's in focus instead of letting a computer decide for me. When I do photography, I just use my analog cameras because they inspire me as well. I believe everyone has different needs and expectations, so there is no perfect choice for everyone. And by the way, you can get a second-hand cinema camera for the same price or less than a new mirrorless. But I understand why new shooters would choose a mirrorless camera because, like you said, it's easier to use when you start out.
Zach, love your stuff! I hear so much about ND filters but have zero idea how to master them. Maybe you've done a video about this, but if not you should! I want to be an ND master!
Yo! Time Code is basically like a time stamp used when multiple cameras and mics are rolling at once. To sync em up in post and prevent any a/v mismatches time code helps!
'Cinema camera', is a weird term. I think cameras meant for bigger productions and larger crews are true cinema cameras, really... Cameras that are designed to produce the highest quality motion picture image without compromise. The rest are video cameras.
Yooo boii, HAIL THE FUJI JUICE! Zachie heading to 100k plaque soon!! All the best for being a father and goddamn this vid cleared the air for me! Thanks a ton!
Buy them all, YOLO
Frick my credit score!!!
This is the way!!!!
😂😂😂
😂😂😂
A mirrorless is fine but eventually when you get into narrative work or commercial work your gonna have to rig it, so it's all the same in the end.
Most use manual focus and focus pullers for rack focusing to get a certain narrative focus transition to help direct the viewer also it looks very organic unlike the snap or flicker of a camera trying to figure out the face from the busy background.
The advantage of a mirrorless system is transport when de rigged hence smaller bags, but more downtime when rigging for a small production.
The bigger cine cams offer more robust mounts and more pro ports like SDI or easy time code plus some support are work flow for VFX, also less stuff to carry hence most of the ports and audio tools also mostly NDS are built in, it's built for team operation.
My advice is to figure out what makes you money or at least what do you wanna do for the rest of your life in the business / now you have the suitable needs to make a sound purchasing decision /
But first be sure to try everything, test out the waters and see if what you lack, ask pros ,offer help on projects for free, or even just stand around and observe, network and be social.
You might be really surprised how much you could learn about yourself through exploring and about the line of work you want in.
Marry the lenses , adopt the lights , partner up with mics and eventually just date the body.
Lenses offer different looks.
Lights influence the image and mood also help push the best quality out of the sensor.
A Movie is garbage without proper sound captured or odd sound placement.
The camera body you buy now is probably outdated the next month so most camera bodies nowadays will do more than fine.
Good luck
Thanks this is good advice and reminder too !👌
appreciate the lumix users shoutout, love your vids
The biggest advantage of cinema cameras over mirrorless is tactile use. All my homies love buttons, levers, knobs and gears. No diving through menus and fumbling with touch screens. Once muscle memory kicks in the advantage in comfort is huge.
The Nikon Z8 and Z9 is baller in that you can do NLOG at ProRes 10-bit 4:2:2 internally starting at ISO 200. That’s pretty amazing!
Aside from the helpful information about mirrorless vs cinema cameras, I just have to say that the ad break was the best I've ever seen on YT. I really liked the backstory about how your grandfather taught and inspired you. Even the PPA endorsement seemed very genuine. I'm kind of feeling like I'm one of very few who makes a positive comment about a YT sponsor break.
All I need is a box shape camera with built in ND, full frame 6 or 8k sensor, face detect autofocus that is adjustable (speed, depth), IBIS and an adaptable mount that can accept all lenses, pro audio with Dual input for lav and shotgun support that writes RAW files to a SSD, touch screens on back and left side that allows focus control by touch and removable side and top handles for $2000. 😢 Is that too much to ask for? Oh yeah, 16 stops of Dynamic Range 😂😂😂
Dude I just got the Nikon ZF and it’s definitely peaked my interest into Nikon and their newest lines are really good!
If next bmpcc is 8K with auto focus. I'll pick it up quick. Loved the 6K Pro. Just didn't have the extra bits I needed.
I got the lidar autofocus. I also have the a7siii and sometimes shoot prores raw. Taking everything backwards but I prefer the more real and pre-resolved texture sometimes. There is a downside with that though and thats where cinema cams are good. Lighting. When there are going to be small changes in lighting, that I have to fake are not there at all, it's better to leave the last bit of resolve for post. Internal AF saves time but I lose that time fussing with lighting that will be less forgiving in post. This is when it comes to small changes in it, not dealing with low light. When the sun moves or when suddenly you want to get a shot pointing straight down and your key is in the sky, making the shot flat and overexposed compared to everything else. I feel like cinema cams are more forgiving here.
Great video as always. But just out of curiosity: why did you blur "ronin" on the Gimbal?
I was wondering the same thing, and why it's only blurred some of the time!
Great question! I blurred it for another sponsored video where the brand didn’t want other logos showing, and I just ripped the b roll directly from that other vid to save time 😂
Thanks for the reply. Ok, that makes a lot of sense. I repurpose some shots of my older videos in my new videos.@@ZachMayfield
For me it's an easy choice as cinema cameras don't offer what Fuji does. XH2s and lenses like the Viltrox 75 f/1.2 make for very cinematic videos. Maybe eventually a GFX is in my bag.
Dude, almost to 100k, nice
I have the BM with Meike lenses, and I literally love the organic image quality. I have a project to shoot a short film for a month in 2025 in the mountains, in full autonomy, but I can’t bring this camera since it's not weather-sealed... So I’m looking at the Nikon Z8, which I really like because I’ve always been a Nikon photographer. BUT, the image quality on mirrorless cameras will never look as organic as cinema cameras. And because of the weight, I can’t bring two bodies and loads of batteries (like Nikon + BMPCC4K for example), so I feel like I’m forced to go with this beautiful Z8. But I’m afraid I’ll be disappointed with the image quality for filming. It works great for commercial shoots and ads, but I feel like the image is still too clinical, too digital, etc. I’m planning to use Blackmist filters for example and might look into other lenses beyond the Z line. It’s not an easy choice for someone who's both a photographer and a videographer! 😅
I think the BMPCC 4k is a great option for beginners. It's cheap and absolutely easy to learn.
Love your work mate, and as someone that is just getting into video, i appreciate your videos a lot. Cheers from Mexico! :)
I freakin love Mexico! Thanks for hangin
The funny part is I been filming with Cinema Cameras for so long, I had a gig that they put me on a mirrorless and I felt overwhelmed a fish out of water lol Cinema Cameras are so simple to use, trying. to figure out the menu of mirrorless is too much. Arri, Red and specially blackmagic has the easiest menu systems.
As a BMPCC6k pro owner, what shocked me the most is that the Z8 is not that much smaller😂
But it’s weather-sealed. That’s the one thing cinema cameras like BM really lack.
Great video! I like to think of it as more of a continuum than a dichotomy, with the FX30 we both love being about 65% Cinema, 35% SLR-style mirrorless.
Yeah that’s a good way of looking at it. It’s getting harder to recommend specific cameras because they’re all starting to blur the lines, but at least they’re pretty much all good now
Already a Mach Zayfield classic! One of the few content creators with a clear vision in mind.
Always nice to see you here!
Im currently using a 5Dmkii and a c300mki and honestly I would love something sized like an Eos m but with a 35/full frame sensor.
Full hdmi, z8 has. Internal raw, z8 has. Open gate, lumix has. Internal NDs are next. Maybe not for Sony or Canon as they will paywall that to their cinema line, until they will be forced to keep up with lumix, Nikon, Fuji etc. Point is cinema cameras will be no more soon enough. Outside of Hollywood. Besides those features all a cinema camera is is a mirrorless camera that can’t take photos. There’s my hot take.
That Les Paul sounds SO good
I felt like I was watching your video at Guitar Center 😊. Great video!!
Thanks a lot for the clarification
Hi Zach! I just wanted to say thank you for such a wonderful video and my condolences to you and your family about your grandpa. Your grandpa's legacy sounds amazing and that les paul looks beautiful. Hope you have a good rest of your day. :)
I really appreciate your comment! Man my gramps was a legend. For as long as I can remember he would go play songs at nursing homes every weekend to cheer up the old folks. He was the best. Thanks for watching!
@@ZachMayfield That is so cool!! Ah man this made my day :D No prob! Happy Tuesday!
Thanks!
I think that the 6k Full frame offers gyro stabilization which is a pretty nice way to offset the lack of IBIS btw 👏 Like you mentioned, if the 6k FF could get internal NDs, plus at least the gyro stabilization, thats something that would be 👨🏻🍳🤌 The Burano at like $25k has internal NDs+IBIS lol but yea once that combo can come down toward consumer level devices, game changer 👏
edit: maybe some content on anamorphic lenses 👏 those are my favorite. lol
The Burano is soooo rad, would love to get my grimy hands on one
I'm going to need a deep dive into "timechode". Really explore that area; get into the thick of it.
I would suggest something else: use what inspires you instead! I used to shoot with mirrorless cameras for years, then moved to proper cinema cameras. Personally, I prefer the weight (I hate IBIS), the ergonomics, and the image quality of a proper cinema camera. It inspires me to shoot compared to a mirrorless camera. I also prefer to manually focus 99% of the time and choose exactly what's in focus instead of letting a computer decide for me. When I do photography, I just use my analog cameras because they inspire me as well. I believe everyone has different needs and expectations, so there is no perfect choice for everyone. And by the way, you can get a second-hand cinema camera for the same price or less than a new mirrorless. But I understand why new shooters would choose a mirrorless camera because, like you said, it's easier to use when you start out.
I want Time Chode too zach.
Zach, love your stuff! I hear so much about ND filters but have zero idea how to master them. Maybe you've done a video about this, but if not you should! I want to be an ND master!
Yo thanks for the video idea! I’ll see if i can pull it off
Thank you Zach, very cool!
Thanks for hangin friend!
Good video, but would've liked more info on the time chode feature. Also, howeeduin.
Yo! Time Code is basically like a time stamp used when multiple cameras and mics are rolling at once. To sync em up in post and prevent any a/v mismatches time code helps!
'Cinema camera', is a weird term. I think cameras meant for bigger productions and larger crews are true cinema cameras, really... Cameras that are designed to produce the highest quality motion picture image without compromise. The rest are video cameras.
the best ad read ever made
Does the Z8 output Raw via HDMI?
I’m sure it does, but it also shoots NRAW and ProRes Raw 12 bit internally.
Burano has NDs and Stab. Gonna pick one up for my ig reels. 🏃➡️
Look, I'm just going to ask the question on everyone's mind: what year is that Les Paul?
Hey Fuji XH2s has Open Gate too 😢
Love your reviews gonna buy a a7s3 when I have the money
You won’t regret it!
Love grandaddy's guitar. classic!
Please say: "My life is... complex" and mouth "I'm Batman" every now and then in the background ;)
More guitar always. I have spoken.
Thank you Papa Zach for another banger (and your flatulence)
HOW WE DOIN, BB
Truly a handsome OG in the chat!!!!!!
Fuji Juice Drinker here
Yooo boii, HAIL THE FUJI JUICE! Zachie heading to 100k plaque soon!! All the best for being a father and goddamn this vid cleared the air for me! Thanks a ton!
HOWIE DUNE !?
SO CLOSE
@@ZachMayfield Howie Dune 2
taco bell
Nikon rising 🫡