I have been doing a lot of reading and watching lately, had some concrete ideas that have disintegrated into sand and reform, only to do it again, but within all that, I have noticed some things that, when I chose to listen, have managed to enlighten me.
Basically, I would find myself so often looking to a selected Vlogger to enlighten me as to the minor differences between camera “A” and “B”, then feel gutted that they were getting great results using techniques or gear I had previously rejected.
I started to feel like maybe my priorities were out of whack.
1)
The images I see that I like have little to do with codec, camera, or lens. They are generally contrasty, sharp and realistic, something that was the norm prior to the current regime. What I am saying here is the treatment of the footage seems to be more important than the scaffolding.
2)
Cameras and lenses can look different to each other, which makes us question what we have, try more and buy more, but they can also, more often than not, look the same. Most reviews “normalise” to the point where we are only looking at the most basic level of their output. Yes brand or camera “X” is slightly sharper looking than “Y”, but in the hands of a decent colourist, “Y” may end up looking better or at least the same with a different character. There are too many variables to know from a simple test, the core of the question is way deeper than that.
3)
You need to chase what you want and when you do, when you know what you are actually trying to achieve obsessively and with focus, gear and processing concerns fall away. You the user and maker can mould your tool to work how you need, we always have, it is where innovation comes from, but the habit of letting our tools define us is becoming dominant.
4)
Listing to that little voice that says “I am seeing a lot of this, maybe time to shift direction” or “I am sick of that flat, washed out, overly soft look, so maybe everyone else is?” or “this shallow depth of field thing may have run its race” and change your processes until you like what you do.
5)
The end product will be as good as all the elements involved, dependant on how they are used. Shoot an in camera Rec.709 profile if your skills are up to it, it’s all the same in the end. Many of the greats cut their teeth on low res codecs, which is how they learned to do everything so well.
This is a super sharp image taken with a video lens on a video hybrid camera. Why can’t modern video look snappy and life like?
6)
Read and research less, look and learn more. The grass is not always greener nor the sky bluer elsewhere and even if it is, is more always better?
Basically, fight back, change perceptions evolve and drag the rest of us with you, don’t let analysis paralysis stop you, don’t be a follower, be that person out front catching the un-breathed air.
*
On a practical level, where this post started but quickly got de-railed, I am noticing that often V-Log footage looks as good as RAW, sometimes even a rec.709 codec can, each has it’s place. My desire to expand my B-Raw capabilities has been reduced after some close calls, now looking at V-Log as my norm, B-Raw as my “safety net” and personal indulgence. Two cams RAW capable is plenty.
My recent lens purchase has helped me put some things into perspective. Yes the Vespid 40mm is the best video lens I own, no doubt, but my cheaper or less specialised glass is also pretty close.
The S-Primes, Hope series and others can produce, I just need to get better at it myself. More RAW capable cameras for 3-4 cam interviews would be overkill, because in those controlled situations, even Standard mode could be enough.
Time to reduce, not expand and produce, not prepare.
Time to practice what I just preached.