Honestly, this is the route I'd suggest. Keep the XA20 and add the 6500. It'll allow you to make the transition much more smoothly and work out the kinks of running a DSLR or mirrorless as your A camera. Things like power supply and overheating. The Sony batteries are trash. I run mine of an external battery, sometimes using a dummy battery and other time through the USB port. And, although I agree that the Sony AF is good for a DSLR/Mirrorless, it's still not that great when compared to most camcorders. Like I said, the flip out screen and the AF are the main reason I stick with the Canon over the Sony, despite the Sony being superior in most every other category. I've been looking into this as well. So far I've only found 2 solutions. 1 is the TeraDeck Cube, but starting at $1600 for the WiFi versions, I'll pass thanks. I can get a good monitor and build out a rig for that. The other is Manfrotto's Digital Director, which is still spendy, but under $400. It only seems to work with Canon & Nikon DSLRs from what I understand. It'd be great to add focus peaking to the Canon with out having to install Magic Lantern. https://www.bhphotovideo.com/c/buy/Wireless+AV+Transmitters+Receivers/Ntt/teradek+cube/N/0 https://www.bhphotovideo.com/c/product/1135069-REG/manfrotto_mvdda13_digital_director_for_ipad.html
Also, I run Canon lenses off my Sony which is nice. However, not all lenses work with the MC-11 Sigma adapter I have. My Sigma 18-35mm 1.8 works great (and is what I leave on 90% of the time), and my nifty fifty works, but my 18-135mm STM does not work. I'm not sure if the Metabones adapters are more universal or not, but it's something to consider.
I'm most likely going to add a small field monitor to my kit so I can spend more time filming with the 6300. I've heard good things about these little ikan monitors. https://www.bhphotovideo.com/c/product/1265749-REG/ikan_vl35_3_5_4k_support.html
Yeah, and just about all the field monitors have peaking and zebras built in to help even if you use it with your 70D. I have a cheap one I bought on Amazon and it does a fine job. It's not perfect, but does everything I need, including support for 4K video. https://www.amazon.com/BESTVIEW-S7-...qid=1497469746&sr=1-1&keywords=bestview+s7+4k
I have a SmallHD AC7 monitor that does peaking and zebras. An amazing monitor but too big for a compact self video setup. I have often said 4" is the ideal size. That 3.5" that Justin posted has my attention.
Yeah, my 7" is pretty big, but I bought a mount that lets me mount it off the side of my fluid head. I like the ability to actually see the screen to make sure I'm in focus. I've struggle with that on the small on-camera screens, so I would suspect the 3 1/3 monitor wouldn't be much better for my eyes. I wish someone would come out with on that would be the size and shape of a smartphone. About a 5" screen on a body that's only about 1/2" bigger around and only about a 1/2 to 3/4 thick. I don't honestly understand why the cases are so big and bulky on the field monitors that are on the market these days.
Yea you would think with smartphone technology, someone would at the very minimum say ... "hey lets just make a monitor out of a smart phone screen and body." But I really think you could make one a full interactive touch screen monitor if they really wanted too. I'd pay smart phone prices for one if someone would make it. Man ... I am a simple "click" away from ordering a complete Sony setup. I keep telling myself to just sleep on it at least through the weekend to be 110% sure. But the temptation is soooo great and I am so weak ... LOL.
An interesting new monitor from SmallHD. It will even power the Sony camera. https://www.smallhd.com/community
I'd be curious how it compares to the Blackmagic Video Assist. Same price point and the Video assist doubles as an HD external recorder. I like the looks of the Focus and if you can see it better in daylight that's a pretty big deal.
Congrats! A very flexible system. Audio is still an issue on the A6500, like it is on the A6300. I think I'm going to order this https://www.saramonicusa.com/products/camixer It will give me some real flexibility with this setup. It has directional mics that can be removed, has a screen for monitoring audio levels, a headphone port, and a mini XLR input for using my shotgun mic. Pretty nifty little accessory.
I'd like to hear how that device works for you. I agree audio levels is an issue, but no more really than any other DSLR. I've shot a lot of nice video with audio on my old 7D using both a Rode shotgun mic and also my Sennheiser wireless mic (not at the same time of course). No way to control the levels, but (knock on wood) I've never had a problem that I could not fix in post.
Biggest problem with the A6000 series is the lack of a headphone jack for monitoring your audio. This device gives you that plus the other features which is pretty cool. Sent from my LG-H820 using Tapatalk
I use a Zoom H1 as an audio recorder and a splitter to add headphone when I need it. You can pick them up for around $80.
It is hard to believe that this little thing will do everything and more that these two big cameras can do combined. It is smaller than it looks even in this photo. I put the Rode Video Mic on top of it and it is like a mic with a camera instead of a camera with a mic ... LOL. The battery is currently charging as I type this, but I did plug it into the wall and go through the menu and basic setup. The menu wasn't the "nightmare" that I keep reading about. I know they made changes when they went to this 6500 and it seems pretty intuitive to me. So tonight the testing period ... ie play time ... begins.
Yea it is pretty bad a_s. I have been shooting photos and little handheld video clips with it this evening and I am really impressed. The 5 axis senor stabilizer makes handheld video ultra smooth. The AF system and touch screen is pretty incredible compared to anything that I am used to (I've not used the Dual Pixel from Canon yet). I still have to shoot a bunch of stuff in different Picture Profiles to see what all of those look like on the computer. But this thing is pretty cool. The remote and the PZ lens are as close to LanC and video camera as I have ever seen. In a few days I plan on climbing in a tree stand and trying to film one of my daughters walking through the woods just to see how this would work tracking a moving object in and out of trees. I will likely start an A6500 thread and post some sample stuff after I play with this thing for a couple of weeks.
