Which DSLR?

Hi Joshua,

It really depends on your Budget. Sony A7s are pretty good and depending on your budget you can get the 1st, 2nd or 3rd version. They also cut well with the Bigger Sony cameras like the Fs7 and Fx9 so if you want to use it as a 2nd unit cam then it's a good fit. It's also worth bearing in mind what other gear you have, as there may steer you in one direction or the other -do you have canon lenses that you want to be able to use etc. (you can get adapters but it will mean your Auto focus (should you want to use it) won't be as reliable. ). I hope this helps. If you want to chat in more detail about it feel free to get in contact - more than happy to help out with more specific advice. All the best, Jon

Thank you Jonathan. I think I am leaning to A7S at the moment. For me, it's about being able to shoot both video and stills, that is the dream combination.

What's your thoughts on the Lumix S1H?

Joshua, I had looked at Lumix last year but because Sony mirrorless cameras work with FS7 and FX9s, I went with Sony. For the money, I think you'll get better value with a secondhand A7Sii than a new S1H and you can use the savings to buy some nice new lenses to go with. The S1H is £3,600 body only (£4K+ with lenses) - you could actually even buy a secondhand FS7!

Thanks Leslie, much appreciated

Hi joshua, The lumix S1H is a gorgeous camera and you’d have a camera that you could make some gorgeous looking stills and video with. It is very similar to the a7s iii but a lot heavier and It uses the lumix L mount which i think limits you a little in what lenses that you might use with it. From an industry point of you I’d recommend going with the a7s iii as it sounds like you are after a more recent camera (and you have the budget for it) but the a7s is a more industry standard camera and you’d be able to hire in any accessories you need from more hire companies / hand off the footage to an editor / give it to an assistant to use all much easier than a more unknown camera system like the lumix.

Is the A7Siii Netflix approved? I know the Lumix is...

If it’s for concept, taster films and broadcast then it’ll be fine. If it’s for a Netflix show then speak to the commissioner - I’m pretty sure it’ll be fine even though it’s not currently on the approved cameras list. But you are right though - the lumix is on the list and therefore a good bet if you are shooting lots of footage for Netflix.

Thank you. My understanding is that the AS7iii has the same guts as the FS6 which is Netflix approved so in theory (or by default) it is approved...

A7Siii is not currently approved

you could always get this camera and then if u did go to other brand u can use the lenses still with convertor plus your get more options on used glass

https://amzn.to/3oB8FZV

This is an annual list and nearly all of these films ended up doing SVOD deals. So I'm not that concerned with 'approved' cameras (unless you're working on a commissioned series) but more with what they always say at the big pitch forums: it's not what you shoot on, but what you're shooting:

https://www.indiewire.com/2020/01/sundance-2020-documentary-cinematography-camera-lens-used-1202206375/

Thank you Leslie, that's really interesting - much appreciated!

Personally, I think you'd be better spending a bit extra and getting a 2nd hand FS7 which for most self-shooting has become pretty much the industry standard.

Thanks Graham.

A7s III all the way. It's a brilliant little camera.

Thanks folks. Really helpful advice. Much for me to think about!

I’m with Graham, FS7 is industry standard and you’ll get a lot of work off the back of it. This would be more my recommendation to operators at least. If you are only working on your own projects and want something more lightweight, then the A7S series