So after some camera research and helpful discussion from people on the EvilFB and elsewhere, I decided on the Panasonic UX90 camera. Played with the one at VIVO Media Arts Centre (the UX180 with higher-end outputs and one nicer shooting mode) and shot some dance / music at Chutzpah! Festival & The Norman Rothstein Theatre… what a great camera!
My fave is the touchscreen focus: I can tap things on the screen and have them come into focus, which is help when shooting wide shots of live shows when performers are rarely in the centre of frame where focus assist comes in.
This chart is what helped me decide on the hard facts but I also had to feel the smooth zoom, see the nice colours and feel like it would do the job nicely. The 4k sensor is great, mostly I will use it (for now) as a stabilized 1080p60 but that big chip makes for very not shaky!!!
Ask me about this chart if you want. I compared the Canon XC15, XF400, Xa30, the Sony HDRNX80, Panasonic UX90 and Panasonic G5.
DSLR / DSLM form factors are too annoying – switching lenses and swapping out batteries chiefly the problem. Plus power zoom is a thing I need.
So – as always – I love to make media and my new project Polity is here to help you make video with your organization and their community. Hit me up!
Hope it works really well for you 🙂