Should You Buy An AF-100 Now?
The AF-100 has been out now for over a year
and no new version of this large sensor camera will be released this year. So says Panasonic. So if your in the market for a digital cinema camera should you buy the AF-100? I wont tell you to buy one but I do like spending other peoples money. I can tell you that I’ve been using the Panasonic AF-100 since the day it was released in December 2010 and I love this camera.
I struggled with shooting video on a DSLR. I love the look of the 5D but really only used it for B-Roll and not for projects that required sound. Audio capture is a pain in the butt with DSLR’s. When the AF-100 was announced I knew I had to have one. I didn’t know that much about Micro Four Thirds cameras but I most certainly will soon. I watched a few very impressive pre-production demo videos on Vimeo and that sealed the deal. I put my deposit in and waited for the release. This was the camera I was waiting for. Now I’m not the kind of guy that does that. I like to wait and see how things are working out before I buy something. Not this time. When the camera was delivered I had to find some lenses to buy and the Nikon mounts seem to be the best option. I also purchased a Nikon to MFT adapter. I tried a few brands to find the right one. Nikons lenses work best due to having manual iris. EOS lenses are electronic only to control the iris and the camera can’t control the iris without an adapter like the Redrock live lens. The AF-100 has so many options for lenses. I now use PL mount lenses most of the time. They work great and the image quality with Red lenses and Zeiss CP.2 are fantastic. Zeiss ZF have the same image quality but don’t have the same mechanics as a cine lens and I like the way a cine lens works. The focus and Iris are silky smooth on a cine lens and has more throw so you can dial it in more precisely. Cine lenses are expensive but a lens always last longer than a camera so I look at it more like an investment.
Lumix lenses are very good in general. I have several that I like and they are native MFT so no adapter and you get full electronic control of the lens. The pancakes are all very sharp. I have the 14mm and 20mm. Great lenses. I also like the 7-14. This little super wide-angle zoom is a blast to shoot with. At 7mm (14mm equivalent on a 35mm) it’s fantastic, and again very sharp. It’s not fast at F4 but it doesn’t have to be since the AF-100 can ISO up just fine and shallow depth of field isn’t a priority for a wide angle lens. I think the 7-14 is my favorite Lumix lens. Panasonic is coming out with a new line of Lumix X lenses that have a higher quality build and are fast. Mainly in the 2.8 range and the designed for video. This is a big deal for AF-100 users because MFT lenses are smaller than 35mm lenses since they only have to cover a sensor that is half the size of a full frame 35mm. Lighter more compact design is what I like about the Micro Four Third format. The GH2 is a great example. Put it next to a Canon 5D and its incredible how compact the GH2 is with the equivalent focal length lens attached. Hiking and traveling with the MFT cameras are great.
Is the AF-100 perfect? No. There is no perfect camera and the AF-100 has a few faults. Ergonomics is a big one and this isn’t just an AF-100 problem. All these small cameras seem to be built like a handy cam with a viewfinder in the back. This makes it hard to use with a lens that isn’t as small and light as a Lumix pancake. Holding the camera in front of you for any amount of time would be fatiguing and painful. So you will need a rig of some kind for handheld work.
Image quality is impressive. I’m not a pixel peeper. I don’t shoot charts and worry about the technical aspects that much. If it looks good on the screen then I’m sold and the AF-100 looks fantastic. Take a look at some of my work on Vimeo. You do need to be careful not to blow your highlights, they will go yellow if it goes over 100 IRE. The waveform in the LCD is invaluable for checking exposure. I always use it. It’s not a deal breaker and I do think people make to big of a deal about the way the camera handles highlights but most digital cinema cameras have issues with the way they render the highlights. Everyone wants a nice smooth rolloff into them more like film and a Arri Alexa. Just be aware and don’t clip them. You shouldn’t be shooting over 100 IRE anyway.
Having built in neutral density filters is great. Screwing in filters in front of the lens is a pain and just turning the dial to bring down the exposer is so simple an a big timesaver. When I use my cine lenses I don’t have to use a matte box with filters. Again, time saver.
XLR Audio inputs are on the side of the camera. No separate audio capture is needed.
ISO is pretty clean and the camera shoots very well in low light. I’ve shot at night with a LED panel and it looked pretty good without having to crank up the ISO to the max. The Sony F3 is the low light king if you need that but at a high premium of around $13K .
SD Media cards are inexpensive. P2 isn’t. P2 is a much more robust card but you have to pay a high premium for it.
The camera can be tricked out to your hearts content with a base plate and a matte box, follow focus and all the cinema gear you want. Or you can put a lens on it and just shoot. Very versatile. A smallHD monitor is a must and SmallHD makes some nice ones.
So why should you buy the AF-100 now? PRICE. New it’s selling for $3500 with some rebates going on. That’s a great deal considering I paid $5K a little over a year ago and if you want to get even more goodies a used one is an even better deal. As of today you can’t get more camera for the money and I think you get a lot from the AF-100.
Filed in: AF-100 • Equipment Reviews
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Great post. As always, a great insight.
Which three lens set (prime, zoom and a third) do you recommend to get the best image out of the camera?
Here’s some I heard go fantastic with the camera: Olympus Zuiko 35-100mm f/2.0, Olympus Zuiko 14-35mm f/2.0, Voigtlander 25mm f/0.95 Nokton (from you), Tokina 11-16mm f/2.8 and some Zeiss ZF lenses. The Zeiss CP.2 are out of question … for now.
What I want the camera for
I’ve been working as entry-level video producer (aka wedding and general event videography) and working on a few more filmic jobs and now I’m finally launching myself into the professional video production (tv broadcast, commercials, shorts, documentaries and -hopefully – independent feature film) but in this initial phase I’m obviously on a budget.
That being said, which camera would you recommend for the this beginning period? You used the Panasonic AG-AF but are the Sony FS100 worth the money? Because I would have to buy a few essential accessories for it to be usable.
Is it a good bet in my case bearing in mind that I will be doing a lot of tv broadcast gigs? Or is it better to chose another one? I have to buy an external recording device to reach the transmission bitrates for HDTV anyways… so, which camera would you recommend?
I’d appreciate your help.
Hi Mario.
The Zuiko’s are very good stills lenses, however I pre-ordered the new Lumix 12-35 G X lens to use with my AF-100 & GH2. The G X line is a hybrid for video and stills and it looks like Panasonic is stepping up the quality an speed of this line. It’s fast at 2.8, has image stabalization and a high quality build. Only unknown is if it will hold focus when zooming. Soon to follow will be the 35-100. With those two lenses your in a very good position. No adapters needed and all electronic functions will work. Sweat! Remember that with micro four thirds the sensor is about half the size of full frame 35mm so effectively you get a 24-70 and a 70-200. That’s a nice range with two lenses.
The downside to investing in MFT is you can’t use the lens on a different system. I struggled with this when I first bought my AF-100 but I also have a gh2 and I love that camera and will upgrade to the next one when it comes out, so I’m good.
The Sony FS-100 isn’t much different than the AF-100 and I don’t feel you get more for the added expense. A big problem is no built in ND filters. You will need to have a set of filters for all your lenses and changing out filters is a drag. The codec is the same so nothing special. The best thing about the FS100 is the S35 sensor. The fs700 looks like a nice camera.
Getting a used AF-100 could be a great option as well. You probably will get a few extras with it. Don’t worry about buying everything. If you get a gig that requires a specific codec then rent a recorder or buy one when you know you will need it. Just get started and add as you go. Renting is a very good option. I feel the AF-100 is the best value out right now. I’m also interested in the new BlackMagic Cinema Camera but it’s hard to recommend for your first camera and it’s not available yet. I hope they make a MFT adapter for it.
Hope this help.
Thanks for visiting!
Hi Erik.
This will definitely help.
On the camera side I’m really love the AG-AF 100 for all the professional settings and goods that others in the same price range don’t have (ND filters, HDMI and SDI out, DoF and manual controls). The downside is that on the lens topic we have to invest on something just for MFT cameras, use EF and PL with adaptors (it’s not the same thing in terms of final results) or something crazy expensive on the Zeiss CP.2 logic (out of the question for me in this initial phase).
My intention is to buy the AG-AF100 for main camera now and when my business reaches a financial stability that allows me to step up to the next level acquire a good Super 35mm (probably the Canon C300, Scarlet X or along this spectrum… we never know what’s coming in this crazy – and amazing – evolving field). Then I would keep it as a MFT option, using it specially for selected jobs that require it or as a B camera, putting the Super 35mm as the main cam.
So, I will still need good MFT lens because I will keep the AG-AF100 even after buying Super 35mm. So invest in good glass now will be an investment, since I will still use it long after the new acquisition.
Now that you talk about those new Lumix I’m curious to see them in action. What I want is a good set of maybe 3/4 of the best lens for the AG-AF100, which should include a zoom and prime, a good and fast one in low light (to compensate the less capability of the AF100 dealing with blacks and highlights).
I will invest in the best lens for this camera to capture the best image it can get me. Later I will future proof my over-all lens kit with Zeiss CP.2 but for until then I want to take advantage of the best glass for the AF100 (and then the Super 35mm).
As I will mainly focus on broadcast (partly live pieces, a lot journalistic ones) and more creative projects (like short-films and advertising) I will need to have a good range of glass for different tasks that can give me the greatest image we can pull out of the AF100 with the help of the external recorder, of course, because the broadcast (that will be the major part in my work) needs higher bitrates that only something like the Convergent Design nanoFlash can give me, which will also improve a little bit the capture image itself.
The BlackMagic Cinema looks good but we have no image and user feedback and we’ll have to wait to see that. The FS700 is a great camera but the extra money it costs is a big down for me at this point. but like I said I want to build a nice and versatile equipment kit: good light and sound equipment (already have), dynamic software bundle (check!), powerful work computers (done!), good external recorder (bought), good DSLR (I currently have the “one” Canon 5D Mark II), good MFT (the AF100 seems the best), later a good 35mm (like I upper mentioned), and a great glass kit (that will ultimately be the Zeiss CP.2 set).
As we can see I have a nice planned out strategy (that can obviously change with time…) but I need the opinion of a professional that works in the field every day, like you 🙂 I’ve been following your blog a while now, and since you seem to love the AF100 and work in the business I’m getting into, I think you’re the right person to give me advices on the matter.
So, in that case, the questions are:
1. The glass for the AF100, looking it as a future investment, since I will keep this camera around from the moment I buy it.
2. In your experience, does it give us a good image? Can it produce good results after the post-production work? (I will enhance it a bit with the external recorder…).
3. As a camera operator you are, and bearing in mind that I’m on a budget in this beginning period, is the AF100 appropriate for the jobs I will be using it (some event videography, broadcast – partly live pieces, a lot journalistic ones – and more creative projects – like short-films and advertising)?
Note: I always look for the used equipment… that’s how I got most of my gear and for me is the way to go when we have a smaller budget to work with.
Sorry for the Old Testament but I feel the need to ask to one that knows the things I don’t completely understand… since you are a good professional I thought you’d might help me shining some light on the subject.
Once again, really grateful for your advice.
Best regards!
Hi Mario.
Some answers .
1. Glass is a better investment than cameras and will out last any camera you buy. That might not be the case if you don’t stay with MFT cameras. This is why I did invest in some PL lenses. My PL set is Duclos Tokina 11-16, Red Pro Zoom 17-50, Zeiss CP.2 85mm. It’s a great set and the lenses cut well together. I will have these for a long time. I also like the Lumix lenses and Nikon manual lenses with adapter. So you see I didn’t stick to one format lens because sometimes the shoot calls for a different style of shooting. If your on a budget manual Nikon lenses are great and not that expensive. If you buy used you could resell them at pretty close to what you paid for them. Cine moded Zeiss ZF are very nice but that is more for commercial style shooting.
2. I don’t think you need the recorder for all shoots. The AVCHD codec is really very good. Stress test it yourself. Even green screens are pretty easy to pull if you light it right.
3. I wouldn’t want to shoot news or breaking news with any large sensor camera without a long lens. You will miss the action and in news you don’t a second chance. Maybe a more controlled story or profile piece but other than that it would be hard.
It’s hard to have one tool for every job. I use a Panasonic HPX-370 for a lot of shoots that I need a long focal length lens for. I prefer the look of a large sensor camera but I need to know what will work best and plan for it with the right gear.
Hope this helps.
Thanks for the compliments on my work. We are lucky to have a creative job. Sure beats digging ditches!
(…)
Oh, of course… I also have the transport and mount gear. Shoulder and various rigs, dolly, tripods and crane are already part of my equipment. 🙂
And forgot to tell you, great job on those vimeo shorts made with the AF100, specially the nature related ones, as well as the TV promos. Great creativity… I guess that’s way you won three Emmy awards. I didn’t see the competition but your work looks amazing, so, just for that you deserve the recognition.
Congrats!
Hi!
Thank you, again, for your help, really.
I was research the lens and sets more appropriate to the type of work I want and saw your thread on Dvxuser and went from there to similar ones. It looks like the glass kit you recommend it the best in my price range. It has the greatest bang for the buck.
As I said, even after buying a Super 35mm I will certainly keep the AF100 ‘cause of all its goods (I’m really loving this amazing camera), so all the MFT glass I buy will be useful long in the future, but as you suggest, it’s better not to stick to one format lens because to reach different styles of shooting.
I will probably buy some manual Nikon and/or Zeiss ZF (with Nikon adaptor, of course, and not the ZE… for sure) and later, when the business grows and the money starts to “pile up”, I will go for a robust lens kit like you propose, more future proof and capable of capture the finest image from the AF100. For now I will have to get the best I can within a relative small budget to avoid cleaning out my bank account… LOL
About the external recorder you make a good point. I was studying the specs and found out that the 24MB AVCHD (that will be improved to 28 in PS mode by the AG-SFU100 firmware upgrade), equivalent to H.264 and MPEG4, it’s roughly the double bitrate of MPEG2, in other words, 48 (later on 56). However, in Europe, where I mainly work, broadcast providers only accept the AF100 with an external recorder to capture footage at least at 40/50MB, like BBC technical guidelines require. In this constraint, the Convergent Design nanoFlash is the best for me but it won’t be able to record up to 1080p/60fps after the firmware upgrade, maybe so if they also upgrade the device… the most likely scenario.
Once I don’t have that much of a budget, what combination of camera equipment would you recommend me to get the job done (regarding to broadcast)? Apparently you use a Panasonic HPX-370 for those but I don’t have the money to buy it and rent house in the side of the world are a pain in the back end. Is an investment on a long focal length lens the smartest move? Just curious… did you ever use the AF100 for broadcast and are the networks there in US less demanding regarding the bitrates?
In this side of the Atlantic they pay more attention to the specs than the actual final image result… I think that the AF100 gives us great quality with the right set of lens and will be even better at 1080p/60fps after the upgrade, and it’s definitely the best option in this price range, no doubt about that.
Yet again, thank for your patience.
You’ve been incredible.
Mario.
Here in my market we don’t have a standard for capture. Only delivery. This changes from station to station in every different market around the country. I do mainly news promotion and commercial production for the station so I could use an iPhone just as long as I delivery it with the proper resolution and codec requirements. I obviously don’t use an iPhone but you get my point. 🙂
Cable broadcast is another story. If you’re producing a show you will need to capture to the specifications of that network.
The Panasonic AG-HPX250 P2 HD Handheld Camcorder looks like a winner for news and production. It’s capable of 10-Bit AVC-Intra Recording at 100 Mb/s so that should get you in spec for almost any broadcast situations. A 22x (28-616mm Equiv) Lens. Thats pretty dang long for a built in lens.
I havent shot with the camera yet but the reviews are high. It retails for $5500. Not a bad price considering. If I was shooting a lot of event stuff I would be looking at this camera. P2 is expensive but its also proven and a durable/safe way to go.
PDF link. http://pro-av.panasonic.net/en/sales_o/broch_pdf/ag-hpx250.pdf
Good luck!
For sure. I can see that.
Right now there is no such thing as an affordable long lens under $10k match the AF101 or even other pros and more high-end cameras. The closest we can get are the Duclos 11-16 and the Red Pro Zoom 17-50 in terms of smart investment: great glass and build quality, future proof, and above all (for video production), parfocal, besides all critical shoot features ready to be controlled manually.
I’m definitely looking up for the Panasonic Lumix G X series, especially the 35-100mm. They are not ideal, a M4T cannot be used “universally” like the Duclos or the RZP, but they will unquestionably be more than an essential lens for those who intend to stick with a M4T camera, like me.
I think if Panasonic was really (interest and) invested in making the AF101 a dynamic indispensable camera with unbeatable price they should really consider develop a good long lens on that Lumix G X series line. If they went for that there would be no way to beat the features, quality of the image and work the AF101 could do in that price range. It would be the (most) perfect camera for all type of professionals of all fields with the most closest filmic look there are on the digital era equipments, in a nice camera under 5k that all accessorized with the upper mentioned goods and the new Convergent RAW recorder would be the dream of every serious camera professional not born in gold, considering that all the “ultimate AF101 package” would cost around $30k, but would not have any serious direct competitor.
Could we ask for a more perfect camera than something like that? I don’t think so. Let’s just wait and see if Panasonic is really ready to kick the competition to the curve.
Hi.
Thank you for all the great advices.
I will probably wait a few more months to see what’s the word on the new G X line, including from you, I hope :-), but after all I read online and your suggestion I will most likely buy the Voigtlander 25mm f/0.95 Nokton, it’s an amazing lens for low light situations and deals pretty well with some of the issues the AF100 has with highlights (from what I saw in test videos and read throughout the internet).
To complete the best kit I will buying two manual Nikon lenses and make as much money as I can with that set of lens to accumulate a few thousand euros to buy a good combination of PL Zeiss CP.2 and Red (maybe a Duclos also). Then I will keep the Voigtlander (it’s a wonderful lens I bought new for only €750) and work with the new set of high-end glass, probably already with the new S35mm in my hands, adding it to the AF100 (and the Convergent nanoflash I bought used for €980), which means I will probably not have to buy much more lens.
I realize that it’s smarter to invest in good lens, light and support system than change the cameras every couple of years. As you said, and I thought a lot about that, I will work with what I have planned and study both cameras (the AF100 and the future S35mm) “inside and out” to achieve the best possible image, and rent more top cameras if the work and client budget allows.
I’ll keep following work here.
Thank you for all the help.
Hello.
Have you used the MTF adapter?
I found some great broadcast lens at a nice price and from what I’ve heard the MTF EFFECT box combined with the B4 2/3 to Micro 4/3 Adaptor that will enable us to take full advantage of these broadcast lens on the AF100 with complete electronic control over the mechanics via the MTF EFFECT, including continuous focus, IS and fixed or variable aperture (on appropriately equipped lenses).
If I combine that with a nice long lens can the AF100 be also used to shoot news/breaking news pieces? It won’t be like an actual 2/3 ENG camera ENG but will it still give me total lens operationality with the expected performance of a broadcast lens in action? Including the much needed IS and holding focus while zooming…
Do you know if it works?
Thanks.
I haven’t tried the MTF adapter. Since I have an ENG solution this wouldn’t help me much. I have seen others who have on DVXuser.com with success. The lens will need a doubler to avoid vignetting due to the smaller field of view from a 2/3 lens. I’m not sure if zooming in a little will help.
3-Chip camera zoom lenses are designed with the intent to capture from three separate chips as apposed to one large sensor so image quality could be affected but everybody’s tolerance is different.
Right, right… I didn’t think about that issue of the smaller field of view.
They said the adaptor has a mechanism to compensate for that and basically will duplicate the capture field of view to cover the whole AF100 sensor. We’ll have to wait and see.
If that does not happen the adaptor is completely useless for any camera because it won’t take full advantage of the broadcast lenses. Having this glass on a larger sensor camera and not being able to use that sensor and lenses at their full potential is just something I’ll not pay to have. It’s a waste of money.
However I found out that Abel Cine makes a wonderful HDx2 B4/PL Optical Adapter that will solve that problem entirely. It allows B4 mount lenses to fully cover the AF100 sensor, which is perfect. So, if the MTF combo doesn’t work the solution might just be join it with the HDx2 B4/PL Optical Adapter.
The downside is that it sums up to a total of about $6.500 ($5,500 for the optical adaptor and $995 for the MFT combo: around the same amount an integrated lens broadcast camera goes for, although the case of the AF100 there’s virtual no lens incapability, but the AF100 and this combo will cost as much as midle-range interchangeable broadcast camera). Is not that affordable but being able to use high-end professional glass that gives us superb image quality with all the advantages of a MFT camera and can be used as a full-functional broadcast lens on a nice inexpensive dynamic camera like the AF100 is gold.
I’m curious to see what happens to decide the route I might take.
It doesn’t work with all lens….
I saw on the MFT combo website that the B4 2/3″ to Micro 4/3 Adaptor is “only compatible with HD lenses with built in 2X extender engaged”, which means we have to buy (or possess) one of these or the adaptor would just be a useless piece of gear.
The other option is to combine it with the HDx2 B4/PL Optical Adapter from Abel Cine but in that case we really have to be sure that we stick with a M4T camera (in this case the AF100) or it will be money down the drain. In this scenario is possibly smarter to invest in a good broadcast interchangeable lens camera (around that cost, $10k, which will be the cost of the B4 lens + HDx2 + MFT combo) or a higher-end camera capable of +50MB internal recording and a top kit of PL glass with a nice range of zooms and better primes… I think the last one is the right investment. At least the lens kit will be as future poof as they can be at the moment.
There is really no perfect camera, unfortunately. It all comes down to the money we can spend and the better way to apply it towards gear that will pay for itself.
“Panasonic is coming out with a new line of Lumix X lenses that have a higher quality build and are fast. Mainly in the 2,8 range and the designed for video. This is a big deal for AF-100 users…………….”
Hi Erik,
Enjoying reading your blogs; nice stuff. You mentioned above about the upcoming Lumix X lenses; heard any ETA on them. I’ve got several of my old clunky Nikon lenses but these sound pretty good.
Thanks,
Joe
Thanks Joe! I’m glad you like the blog.
The new LUMIX G X VARIO 12-35mm F2.8 ASPH is shipping now and I have a pre-order in but have’nt received it yet. I’m very excited about this lens. It’s the most advanced lens the Lumix line has had and it should be a nice lens to use with all MFT cameras including the AF-100. I’m a big fan of MFT for stills. The GH2 is a sweet little camera and this lens is going to be perfect for it. I like to shoot time lapse as well. I also can’t wait to get the 35-100 that is supposed to be announced hopefully soon then my Lumix collection will be complete. 7-14,12-35 and 35-100. All in a light weight compact kit. When I get the 12-35 I’m going to shoot a lens test that will hopefully show how good this is with my AF-100.
If anyone has shot a VIP in a standup interview run and gun style, screw on filters are a virtual impossibility.
“Mr. President, can you please hold what your saying while I take 30 secs changing filters?” It just won’t fly in the real world. I don’t know how DSLR guys get away with it.
We barely have enough time to frame before people just start talking. And YOU’D BETTER be ready when that happens.
Just got the AF-100, was just wondering how I could mount my Bronica SQ-Ai lenses what kind of Adapter do i need?
That’s a good question. Not sure if anyone makes an adapter for that lens. When you find one please let me know.