Has anyone got a preferred brand of card, I generally use sandisk extreme pro, the thought of card failure worries me.

Phil

Even Sandisk Extreme Pro cards and get corrupt Phil, I think some sort of external backup is best but what one.

Panasonic has 2 powerzoom lenses that I know of that can be controlled with the zoomrocker from the jvc gy ls300 but they are quite slow lenses, it is however possible to zoom with any prime lens on that same camera which gives you about double the focal length.

Otherwise I also zoom manually on the lens, I only use the zoom to reframe, 99% of the time I will cut the zoommotion out in post.

Sony also has E-Mount lenses with powerzoom

Serious wildlife videographers who need the best telephoto possible have been left out in the cold in the past 5 years. Interchangeable lenses are a must. A small sensor (1/2 inch or less) is important, because your telephoto comes from the crop factor more than the lens. Frame rates of at least 120 fps have been shown to be the threshold for really good-looking slow motion. And, or course, 4K is essential.

All of these features (except the interchangeable lenses) are available in little consumer type cameras. You may be able to find them in super expensive models. Why a manufacturer doesn't put them in a $3,000-7,000 range instrument is beyond my understanding. The old Sony PMW-300 (which I use) is the closest thing available, but it's really outdated. Digiscoping is not a solution.

I think it's an example of "the squeaky wheel gets the grease" and all the squeaking is coming from users who want huge sensors. So that's what the manufacturers give us. Great for humans. Not great for warblers.

Serious wildlife videographers who need the best telephoto possible have been left out in the cold in the past 5 years. Interchangeable lenses are a must. A small sensor (1/2 inch or less) is important, because your telephoto comes from the crop factor more than the lens. Frame rates of at least 120 fps have been shown to be the threshold for really good-looking slow motion. And, or course, 4K is essential.

All of these features (except the interchangeable lenses) are available in little consumer type cameras. You may be able to find them in super expensive models. Why a manufacturer doesn't put them in a $3,000-7,000 range instrument is beyond my understanding. The old Sony PMW-300 (which I use) is the closest thing available, but it's really outdated. Digiscoping is not a solution.

I think it's an example of "the squeaky wheel gets the grease" and all the squeaking is coming from users who want huge sensors. So that's what the manufacturers give us. Great for humans. Not great for warblers.
Doesn't the Sony RX10III do all that you want? It's a 1" sensor & doesn't have an interchangeable lens but does have the equivalent of 24-600mm at F/2.8-4.0 It has 4K & 240fps at 1080p. Lots of other neat features like excellent stabilisation.

Hi Nigel,

Thanks for the reply. No interchangeable lens and 1' sensors are deal-killers on that one. Equivalent
focal length of at least 2000mm is what bird-guys need.

Serious wildlife videographers who need the best telephoto possible have been left out in the cold in the past 5 years. Interchangeable lenses are a must. A small sensor (1/2 inch or less) is important, because your telephoto comes from the crop factor more than the lens. Frame rates of at least 120 fps have been shown to be the threshold for really good-looking slow motion. And, or course, 4K is essential.

All of these features (except the interchangeable lenses) are available in little consumer type cameras. You may be able to find them in super expensive models. Why a manufacturer doesn't put them in a $3,000-7,000 range instrument is beyond my understanding. The old Sony PMW-300 (which I use) is the closest thing available, but it's really outdated. Digiscoping is not a solution.

I think it's an example of "the squeaky wheel gets the grease" and all the squeaking is coming from users who want huge sensors. So that's what the manufacturers give us. Great for humans. Not great for warblers.

Not a bird watcher, but I've got the XL-H1A (yep, HDV). There's a 7.2x magnification factor when using EF lenses with the adapter. I think it can make good quality video still today but I only pull it out a couple times a year now, mostly because I have the 6X lens besides the 20X stock lens, and the 6X is nice. If you get the XL-H1S with the full HD output BNC ("jack pack"), then just hook up an external recorder and you're in business. I still see them on e-bay now and then. If you get an external recorder, you not only get the higher quality output but no tape to capture, and if it has a screen, that would be great because the viewfinder is really, really, really not up to snuff.


Mark

P.S. Also has 3 CCD sensors.... so practically a "global shutter".

Hey Mark,

You're absolutely right about the XL-H1. Great camera (lousy viewfinder). I went through two of them in the mid 2000s.

Steve,

I guess if I were to take up wildlife filming now, I'd take a look at the Panasonic GH4 micro four-thirds camera. I see some on here are using that camera with the Sigma 150-600mm and tele-converter.
So, if my math is right, with a 2.3x crop at 4K on the camera, with a 1.4X TC and using a Metabones Canon EF FF to MFT Adapter with that 150-600mm EF lens, you get 1,932mm in 35mm equivalent.

Camera $1,298 + Sigma 150-300mm Contemporary with TC-1401 $1289 + Metabones Canon EF FF to MFT Adapter (MB EF-M43-BT2) $390.82 = $2,977.82.

The Metabones T SpeedBooster Ultra 0.71X Adapter for Canon FF EF-Mount Lens to MFT Mount Camera (MB SPEF M43-BT4) is $642.58, and you will lose some zoom reach, but gain some light.

If you buy the GH4 with the Video Interface Unit, it costs $1,700.

I read that the HDMI port outputs 4:2:2 10-bit, so not sure I'd need the video interface unit. Also, if shooting in 4K for a FHD project, you get to crop in during editing and that gives even more virtual zoom.

I don't know what happens to the 2.3x crop factor when you go to full HD mode for high speed mode shooting though. Maxes out at 96FPS & 100Mbps bit rate. Sounds like a manageable set-up.

Compared to a regular video camera that can shoot 4K and do the high frame rates, this is a pretty inexpensive route to go. I don't think I could find a 1/2" sensor video camera set-up that will let me reach out to 2,000mm for less than $25,000.

I'm about to get my bonus and looking at what I can do with about $4,000, so I thought I'd dig into this wildlife thing a bit, as I haven't tried any of that yet.


Mark

Edit: I found where HD is 2x crop factor and also high frame rate in FHD is really 60p. Higher than 60p suffers image degradation, like it's SD uprezed to HD.

Mark,

Some interesting ideas. I'll look into this. Thanks.