Would you still invest in a DSLR for weddings?

[Malcolm Debono]

I am primarily a weddings & events shooter, and my current setup is built around a Canon 6D & 5D2 along with several Canon & Samyang lenses. I am currently looking at replacing the 5D2 however I'm quite baffled with the amount of options available.
 
These are the replacement cameras I am considering:

- 5D3: the next logical step. Advantages include same media (CF), same batteries, high ISO performance, can shoot both h264 (for weddings & events) and ML raw for commercials etc when required
 
- C100: excellent run & gun camera and log mode would be nice to have, however I find it difficult to spend €4-5k on a camera that still records in 4:2:0 and has been out 2 years
 
- Blackmagic alternatives: both the BMCC and the 4K version are interesting alternatives and prores would be nice, however their design & ergonomics (such as media & battery) make them look not so ideal for this type of work
 
Any feedback? Would love to hear what you think or if you have experience with any of the above cameras especially for weddings! Thanks in advance.

[PressureFM]

What's different from a CompactFlash card to a Solid State Disk? Aren't they both just means of storage, where the latter is magnitudes faster and cheaper per GB.

I know I will be ordering a BMPC next month and jump on the 4K bandwagon. Not for 4K recording as such but greater Full HD video (and Globel Shutter), as supersampling produces really nice looking results. 880Mbit/s ProRes should be quite enough until the update brings full 12-bit CinemaDNG RAW to the table.

Just rig it up and it should have the same form factor and usability as every other camera.

[ItsMeLenny]

If canons picture styles could just be figured out, then a LOG could be made for DSLRs.

[Andy600]

@Malcolm - The 4k GH4 should do the job nicely if you don't mind changing to M43 but its probably worth waiting to see what comes from NAB in April. I suspect the options will multiply significantly.

[Andy600]

If canons picture styles could just be figured out, then a LOG could be made for DSLRs.

That's what Technicolor Cinestyle is. It doesn't do anything for the piss-poor codec though.

[ItsMeLenny]

That's what Technicolor Cinestyle is. It doesn't do anything for the piss-poor codec though.

Nah technicolor is rubbish. It curve isn't very flat and it does clip a lot of highlights.

[Andy600]

Nah technicolor is rubbish. It curve isn't very flat and it does clip a lot of highlights.

LOL A typical view but wrong. it's actually a very accurate, normalized (i.e. fixed black and white points) Log10 curve. We measured it. It's all down to how you use it and with an 8bit codec that means very little adjustment can and should be made beyond using their LUT. You have to exposure accurately too.

I'll say no more here as this is Malcolm's thread about something else.

[ItsMeLenny]

I'll say no more here as this is Malcolm's thread about something else.

Ok but I will Just to sum up.

LOL A typical view but wrong. it's actually a very accurate, normalized (i.e. fixed black and white points) Log10 curve. We measured it. It's all down to how you use it and with an 8bit codec that means very little adjustment can and should be made beyond using their LUT. You have to exposure accurately too.

Maybe I'm just not after a log10 curve then. However it feels like it does clip the range of the sensor, for certain it has less stops. I found Video-X to be closer to what I want. I'll continue in my experiments and see.

[Malcolm Debono]

Interesting discussion  Picture styles seem to be a rather hot topic that no one agrees upon. We did do some tests of our own for weddings and found that Cinestyle did introduce a bit of noise in the shadows even when exposure is next to perfect. We ended up going with PB's Neutral Flat.

For now I've decided to wait till April to see if Canon does indeed replace the C100 (as the rumour mill goes) before making the decision. The GH4 should come out by then as well so I'll have some time to see reviews and samples as well.

[ItsMeLenny]

Really just depends on your working style. I mean all 3 of those cameras could produce the result you want. Just depends on which work flow you want to go through.
If you want Raw, and want a camera that's made for Raw, then the blackmagic is probably the way to go.
Raw isn't necessarily needed for a wedding shoot, it would save having to try to white balance on the day though.
Also depends on how much grading you like to do.