if you cant afford Red...

[TheBadger]

On the small chance you haven't got a spare 40-120 thousand dollars sitting around for a movie rig, you may want to try on this little number.
http://www.blackmagicdesign.com/products/blackmagiccinemacamera/techspecs/

She's pretty and smart, and she knows what to do.

[Oshyan]

4k or go home!

- Oshyan

[TheBadger]

First get one of these, then we can talk  http://store.sony.com/p/Sony-4K-TV-Ultra-HD/en/p/XBR55X900A
They don't even post the price from what I can see.

[PabloMack]

4k or go home! - Oshyan

I posted this on the Newtek forum last month:

I have two JVC camcorders and have noticed a new model that has caught my eye. The GY-HMQ10 records 3840 X 2160 video. Although it is not quite 4K, it is almost there and has twice the single dimension resolution of full HD, recording four times the image data. This camera does it by dividing the image into four 1920 X 1080 quadrants. Each quadrant uses a dedicated SDHC memory card. Using software provided by JVC, you can stitch the four video streams into one. Although the image is pretty highly compressed, it makes a relatively inexpensive alternative to Red Scarlet. A primary drawback for me is that the JVC has a CMOS sensor and is likely to suffer from the same "jello effect" found in other cameras with CMOS sensors. Another obvious argument against this camcorder is, of course, SpeedEDIT can't edit 4K video (yet).

http://www.fstopacademy.com/blog/jvc-gy-hmq10-review/

[TheBadger]

GY-HMQ10 = $5,000.00
Most certainly more easily acquired than a RED. But still about 3,000 more than makes me feel very good.

There is also the DLSR with HD video option. By no means a RED, but they can do broadcast quality. But they often have limitations you have to know about before hand, also they require expensive rigging to be useful.

If the next iteration of the BlackMagic camera in my OP gets close to what your GY-HMQ10 resolution is, without the problems you mention, than I will seriously think about trading in a bunch of old gear towards getting one.

Of courses we cant forget about lenses and memory/drives and everything else. That adds a ton to the cost. And a good reason to go with a DSLR if you already have compatible gear. unlucky for me I have been shooting Nikon, but the last time I looked into it the Cannon DSLRs with HD video looked a lot better. I would have to buy all new lenses.

B&H has a ton of used photo equipment. Can get Hasselblad for 300 bucks, I think I have seen listings for new Hasselblads at 15,000 and more. (If you like shooting film anyway).
Always take a look there when I want to buy something, never know if what you want is available slightly used for a good price, the lenses will still kill you though.
http://www.bhphotovideo.com/c/buy/Cameras/ci/3087/N/4294247160

[TheBadger]

HA! Then there is this http://money.cnn.com/video/technology/2013/02/19/t-iphone-app-oscar-film.cnnmoney

[Oshyan]

Actually, Nikon's high-end gear is way better at video than Canon now. Look at the D800, it's the bee's knees. If you have full-frame compatible Nikon lenses, that's what you want to be looking at for video. Of course it's "only" 1080p, 30fps, but A: it'll be a long time before very many people can view anything better, and unless you're producing for theater viewing there's not much point working at higher resolution, B: even with a beefy computer, you'll struggle to conveniently and quickly edit video over 1080p resolution.

- Oshyan

[TheBadger]

Hot Dam! Thats very fine!
Haven't looked into DSLRs in more than a year, but it looks like Nikon is kicking ass again, and at a price people can afford (ignoring rigging and cinema lenses for a moment), the D800 is something I could feel good about.
The comparisons I saw make it look like a very smart buy.

Most of my lenses should work with it too, at least for still shooting. And man! have you seen some of the full resolution still examples on the net? They are CRISP!

Going to need to think about waiting for a used/refurbished, but D800 has got to go to the top of the list.

Thanks Oshyan.

[Oshyan]

No problem, I'm with you, it looks awesome. I'm a Sony dSLR owner myself, with a small collection of lenses, but I'm not a big fan of the direction Sony is going anymore with that line. Mirrorless is great, I hope the whole industry gets there some day, but Sony is doing it in a way that reduces incoming light by 25%, which is huge! As a low-light enthusiast, and a hater of flash, I absolutely need class-leading low light performance. Sony just doesn't offer that anymore, unfortunately. Nikon is looking quite good...

- Oshyan

[TheBadger]

just found this
"Atomos ninja"
http://www.bhphotovideo.com/bnh/controller/home?O=&sku=759460&Q=&is=REG&A=details

Interesting how things can come along to expand the use of more affordable gear. Records in 10bit, among other benefits.

[Tangled-Universe]

If you want to shoot video, rather than photography, then I would never buy a top dSLR to do so.
Not that I have the feeling people here are contemplating about doing so, but despite that dSLR's give great results there are also drawbacks like not being able to zoom electronically/stably.

[Kadri]

I had no time to read all of this thread but did you saw this ?

http://www.blackmagicdesign.com/products/blackmagicproductioncamera4k

[TheBadger]

Agree mostly Martin. But it is a little about doing what you can with the cash that you have. A "red" can make video at such high quality that every frame can be a photo.
But 50-100 thousand dollars is not available to most. And even those who can buy it have to go on a waiting list.

The release of 4K TVs at prices that many can afford changes everything now. And the cost will surly come down!

@kadri,
Thanks, I should have looked again at the Black when I started hearing all the news about 4K TVs.
At $3,995, (not including lenses and gear) the camera is a good solution for the little guy. The rig in the image in your link looks pretty bulky though.

Things are going to start moving really fast now. I don't have any idea which company is going to come out with the best gear at the best price. I am super glad I did not buy into a system yet though. When I fist posted this thread I had no real idea how soon 4K was going to hit the shelves at the prosumer/consumer level; TVs and such.

And with Netflix and others promising content for 4K tvs very soon... Its going to be fun to see what happens.