Small video camera with M lenses

[pyracine]

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Hello,

I have been looking for a small and affordable video camera which could complement my M10+lenses for video (and maybe as a backup camera as well).

Do you have an experience using M lenses with an adapter on a video camera, focusing manually ? I have been looking at sony Nex but I had a hard time finding info on using those small cameras with manual focus lenses for movies, although they seem to perform well with many M lenses for stills. I don't need high-res but something smaller and cheaper than an SLR.

Thank you for your answers.

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[Neko]

Hi Pyridine,

I´m shooting video with M lenses (90 APO, 50 APO and 35 FLE ) with my SL2. The image quality is very nice. I showed some 4k videos to a friend who happen to be a professional videographer ( publicity ) and he was amazed by the image quality. Manual focus is a question of practice. The M lenses have a short focus throw which is a minus, but the focus ring is very smooth and precise which is a plus. Wide angle lenses are easier to focus...

 The Sigma fp is an incredible camera for video and is L mount. 

[pyracine]

Thank you Neko, but I am looking for something smaller and more affordable than the Sigma or the SL2. A used Sony A7 could be it, or maybe even a good APS-C..The short focus throw is indeed a minus for me, even for still photography.

 

 

[mmradman]

Second hand M240 😂

[pyracine]

2 hours ago, mmradman said:

Second hand M240 😂

not exactly more affordable than the Sigma I'm afraid..

[LocalHero1953]

I have used the Sigma fp with M lenses (Summilux 35 FLE, Apo-Summicron 50 Asph). I know you said it's too expensive, but for the benefit of others reading this thread I confirm it's a great video camera (I don't use it for stills). I use it mostly now with one of the Leica L zooms or the Summicron-SL 90. It is small, and convenient to kit out with external microphone and external recording storage. Unusually among video cameras its USB-C port delivers in UWC format, which means it can be connected direct to a laptop or other device for recording or streaming.

[rramesh]

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Try a Sony A7 or Nikon Z. They both have great video features and you can buy a used one for much less than new. You can also consider a Fuji. 

Edited November 7, 2020 by rramesh

[pyracine]

Thank you all, the Sony A7 is indeed affordable bought used and seems to have good video capabilities. 

[astrostl]

What kind of videos?

[Stuart Richardson]

A first gen Sony A7S is very cheap these days, and it is smaller than the later generation. It still has extremely good video and ISO performance up to ISO 80.000 or more. The three main downsides compared to the more recent models: 1. No stabilization. If you do a lot of handheld work, it might be worth getting that sorted. 2. No 4k without an external recorder. 3. Battery life can be an issue.

[pyracine]

20 hours ago, astrostl said:

What kind of videos?

Documentary sequences with little stabilization of the camera. Some sequences could be shot in low light but I am not looking for the very best image quality, more for ease of use with M lenses (manual focus).

19 hours ago, Stuart Richardson said:

A first gen Sony A7S is very cheap these days, and it is smaller than the later generation. It still has extremely good video and ISO performance up to ISO 80.000 or more. The three main downsides compared to the more recent models: 1. No stabilization. If you do a lot of handheld work, it might be worth getting that sorted. 2. No 4k without an external recorder. 3. Battery life can be an issue.

I have heard that wide-angle lenses were not that good for stills on Sony sensors. Is it also true for video ? I am thinking of colour fringing mainly. I would use the camera with a 28mm elmarit asph, 40mm summicron-C or 50mm summarit and maybe 90mm macro-elmar. Do you think they would perform well ?

Also, is there a big difference between A7 and A7S conceding video quality ? A7 are more common and cheaper.

Concerning adapters, do I need metabones or would any cheap adapter do the trick ?

 

Thank you all

[astrostl]

Micro Four Thirds (esp. Panasonic) and APS-C (esp. Fuji) both have some excellent video options. I own Leica M and MFT systems, and have an M-to-MFT adapter, but find the exercise mostly pointless for non-portrait lengths because of the 2x crop factor making every lens narrow. I do have lenses like the VM 15/4.5 III and M 21/3.4 SEM, but the apertures on most lenses that wide are awfully dark.

If you get an A7 series body you won't have a crop factor to contend with, but you'll be adding filter stack tricks to contend with ray angle issues on normal-to-wide lenses - see https://phillipreeve.net/blog/35mm-comparison-voigtlander-zeiss-leica/ for specific product recommendations to mitigate. As you mention, this is on stills and not video. I know that some cameras crop in for video, and also note that ISO grain is less annoying on moving pictures so maybe it's slightly better there. I'd still expect it to be present.

If I were in your shoes, I'd still probably be leaning toward a Sony ZV-1 (compact all-in-one vlogging and stills camera) or tricking out my phone recording setup. But an A7 series (leaning toward a later R) would be next up. I imagine any of the A7 bodies will work fine at 1080p60 though, which is the standard for internet-published stuff.

[bdjackson]

Panasonic S5 is a small and very capable video camera. 

[Neko]

On 11/8/2020 at 8:06 PM, Steven said:

Can we see some of that footage too?! share the love ! 

 Sorry Steven, the footage is part of an art project that we will show in an art gallery. I think after the opening a version of the footage will be available in our web site. But not 4k, of course....Thanks a lot for your interest.

Edited November 10, 2020 by Neko