Medina Jose Medina 1312 Bryan Pkwy Dallas, TX 60132 Allios Inc. Guy Smith 5001 N MacArthur Blvd Irving TX, 75038 +1 972-465-0516 1312 Bryan Pkwy Dallas, TX 60132 jose13q@gmail.com October 29th, 2022 VIA EMAIL & FIRST-CLASS MAIL Inquiry about New Video Equipment Greetings Mr. Smith, I wanted you to hear me out about finding new video equipment for our training and promo videos since our last one just broke. I had to pick between five different cameras and landed on one that you and I may like. The price point is of course $3,000 or below as addressed before, so I decided to not only to get the cameras here, but also get a rig and an XLR adapter, which are compatible with all our five cameras. Before I start listing out these cameras, I’d like to address our first piece of equipment we most certainly will use and is compatible with all the cameras I lined up: “The Deity Microphones VLink 3.5mm TRS Male to XLR 3-Pin Male Microphone Adapter” with a foot long cable. It costs $34 and will be necessary to plug in any of the XLR microphones we have in stock. The V-Link XLR adapter will be added up in our secondary (final) price in the table shown. Let’s start with the first one that caught my eye, the Canon EOS R7. It’s priced at $1500 at stock, but $2630 when we add all the equipment we need, like the fast lens, the XLR adapter, and the mount. The Canon R7 has a 33MP ASPC-C sensor, video capture size of 4K30fps (you may have heard about this when looking around for TVs), a horizontal flip screen, the port selection of USB-C 3.2, two 3.5mm jacks, and two SD card slots, as well as the unique feature of having an autofocus/manual focus switch built in to the camera. There will be a lot of explanations for this camera since it’s our first one. Once we hit all the key features, explaining further cameras will be much simpler. Having a 33MP (MP meaning megapixel) sensor means a lot when shopping for a camera, as it usually means the more megapixels, the better for shooting. It means more sharp and detailed +1 972-465-0516 1312 Bryan Pkwy Dallas, TX 60132 jose13q@gmail.com shots. Meanwhile the APS-C means it’s a good sensor. Ideally you would want full-frame since it is industry standard, but you should go by just fine with an APS-C sensor. Video capture size is something you can associate with resolution. Being on YouTube or browsing for TVs to buy, you have probably seen the “4K” somewhere there. The bigger the picture, the more detail, and the detail is probably a good thing if we are planning to do a shot such as if we want in training to show how a machine or a device works in our facility. The FPS, also known as frames per second, is also something that shows up like resolution. The higher the FPS, the smoother. 30fps is a nice FPS to be in, for the sake of file size when we send it to our editors. Anything more would be nice but would probably hinder our file sizes. All of these cameras have a flipping screen of all sizes, but most importantly, of which axis do they flip. Horizontal flip screens are ideal, since they do not get in the way of our rig that we will end up installing. The ports for the Canon R7 are probably things you may be familiar with, the USB-C, for instance, which we use to charge our phones, and can probably charge this camera as well. The 3.5mm jacks, which we use to either listen or speak in to--so in this case, we will use our microphone adapter for this--, and dual SD card slots, one that is very important for the storage of the cameras. Two SD card slots is important for storage if we plan to do numerous takes on our training and promo videos. One of unique features that you will find in the Canon R7 is the Autofocus/Manual Focus switch. It’s best used for close-ups on objects, but apart from that, it’s just a useful feature to have. Features said, the Canon EOS R7 has its own rig, dubbed the “SmallRig R7 Cage” (https://a.co/d/hcxG7qI). The company SmallRig will be a recurring company for this venture. This will be used for our microphone setup and for excellent handling for low shots if needed be. The Canon EOS R7 can be found here: https://www.amazon.com/Canon-Mirrorless-Vlogging-ProcessorDetection/dp/B0B2KSD7WW?th=1, along with the fast lens: https://www.bhphotovideo.com/c/product/1634483REG/canon_4514c002_rf_100mm_f_2_8l_macro.html It should get simpler from here, so let’s move on to the Sony A6600. The A6600 has a 24MP APS-C sensor, 4K with 30fps, a vertical flip screen, a port selection of Micro-USB 2.0, mini-HDMI, one 3.5mm jack, and a single SD, with the unique feature of having Wi-Fi connectivity via iOS and Android. It’s priced at $1400 stock, but with the required equipment (lens, rig, XLR adapter) it comes to $2570. It is the lowest priced camera of the five, but not by a long shot. Sony has always been spectacular company since they dominate the camera space, but their +1 972-465-0516 1312 Bryan Pkwy Dallas, TX 60132 jose13q@gmail.com sensor is the weakest of the bunch. Not to say that’s a bad thing actually, it’s actually still pretty good for detail. Anything below 10MP though, and you would be causing a hinderance on quality. Still though, this 24MP could be a dealbreaker for some. The Sony A6600’s video capture size is 4K with 30 FPS. It should be mentioned that 4K is the standard for these cameras at this price range ($1500 - $2000 in this case), as anything lower would be ill-advised. The A6600 screen does flip vertically. This may be a problem when it comes to setting up our rig, as the mic may get in the way of the shot if you were to flip it up. It is a dealbreaker for some if at an angle. The port choice is a little different from the Canon R7, as instead of a USB-C port, it comes with a Micro-USB port. You may or not have used this for charging your old Android phone, as the concept is pretty much the same. You may get slower charging as a result of this, however. One 3.5mm jack shouldn’t be a problem if you are not monitoring the audio--and you then have the single SD card slot. Although I would’ve preferred another SD card slot, one should do the trick just fine if we are fine with wiping our outtakes if it does ever overflow. The special feature that the Sony A6600 has is Wi-Fi connectivity with both of the major phone platforms, iOS, and Android. It’s helpful when you’re on the go and you want to see your photos and/or videos at an instant on your phone. The same goes for being on your laptop for fluid transfers. The rig being used for this camera is the “SMALLRIG Cage for Sony Alpha A6600/ILCE 6600 Mirrorless Camera with Cold Shoe Mounts” (https://www.amazon.com/SMALLRIG-AlphaMirrorless-Camera-Mounts/dp/B083QHKJJL) found in B&H. It’s SmallRig’s product once again. The Sony A6600 can be found here: https://www.amazon.com/Sony-Full-Frame-Mirrorless-Interchangeable-LensILCE7M3/dp/B07B45D8WV?th=1 along with the fast lens: https://www.amazon.com/Sony-Zeiss-Sonnar-mountPrime/dp/B005IHAI8O/?tag=lesnesfora6600-20 Moving on, the third camera I stumbled upon was the Fujifilm X-T4. It has a 26MP APS-C sensor, 4K with 60 fps, but can be downscaled, a horizontal flip screen, port selection of USB-C 3.2, mini-HDMI, 2.5mm and 3.5mm jacks, and dual SD card slots, as well as its unique feature being in-body image stabilization. It is priced at $1700 at stock, $2650 with the required equipment installed. Having a 26MP APS-C should be no surprise here. It is a perfectly good sensor to have. Its defining factors are, however, having a horizontal flip screen, the port choice, in-body +1 972-465-0516 1312 Bryan Pkwy Dallas, TX 60132 jose13q@gmail.com stabilization, which is honestly all that I would really from a camera at this caliber. 4K with 60fps is a plus, but it isn’t what I want. That said, you can always downscale the FPS to save on storage space, so no issues there. However, I haven’t talked in depth about image stabilization, and that’s because it’s very easy to explain. “In-body” means it is built in with the camera’s hardware. “Image stabilization” is a feature which tries (and likely well) to keep the camera as steady as possible if following a sport or on the road, even. It is a lifesaver for video and is a feature that I am glad is on here. Other cameras may or may not have this feature, but the reason this feature is so special is due to the advanced technology that the other cameras may not have. It could be put to use in our promo videos. The rig itself may as well be a feature of its own, the “SmallRig Camera Cage with Top and Side Handle Kit for FUJIFILM X-T4” (https://www.bhphotovideo.com/c/product/1617320REG/smallrig_3131_camara_cage_kit_for.html), once again by the titan that is SmallRig. It has a pistol grip and a hanging grip to get the most complex of shots, which will be useful for our training video close-ups for sure. It is the most robust of the five rigs. The Fujifilm X-T4 can be found here: https://www.amazon.com/Fujifilm-X-T4-Mirrorless-Camera-Body/dp/B084ZTMFCH?th=1 as well as the fast lens: https://www.bhphotovideo.com/c/product/970840REG/zeiss_2030_679_touit_1_8_32_x_lens.html Back with another Sony camera, it is the Sony Alpha 7 III (also known as the A7 Mark 3/III). It has 6K, but 4K with 30fps is best (even though it supports 60fps), port choice of Micro-USB 2.0, USB-C 3.0, mini-HDMI, 3.5mm jacks and dual SD card slots. It costs $1700 at stock but is $2960 when the required equipment is installed. It is the highest end camera of the five. The most interesting thing about the sensor is the full-frame sensor. Full frame is the industry standard when it comes to the sizes of the sensors. 24.2MP, by the way, still isn’t such a bad thing to have. Full frame should be tipping the scale when it comes to megapixels, in fact. For simplicity’s sake, port choice seems to be on par with the Fujifilm X-T4. Micro-USB isn’t a huge deal when it comes to charging or file viewing, but there is USB-C so that shouldn’t be an issue. It rivals the Fujifilm X-T4 with its resolution and FPS. However, I consider the rivalry a draw since FPS isn’t important unless it goes under 24fps. Sony’s second camera here once again rocks the vertical flip screen. It isn’t ideal for a rig with a mic setup, but it isn’t a total dealbreaker in this case. +1 972-465-0516 1312 Bryan Pkwy Dallas, TX 60132 jose13q@gmail.com One of the unique features however is its amazing low-light capabilities. It could be put to use if we were ever to do a promo in night conditions. Backside illuminating cameras tend to have the best low-light capabilities, and the feature is self-explanatory: it’s good in low-light conditions, like the nighttime. The rig once again does rival the Fujifilm X-T4’s rig, dubbed the “SmallRig Cage Kit for Sony Alpha 7 III / Alpha 7R III 2103C” (https://www.amazon.com/SmallRig-A7RIII-A7III-CameraHandle/dp/B07BN1BSFT), with SmallRig’s name in it once again. It’s safe to assume that SmallRig is going to be in every one of these cameras. A good hanging grip but no pistol grip but is anyways better than the five. The Sony Alpha 7 III can be found here: https://www.amazon.com/Sony-Full-Frame-Mirrorless-Interchangeable-LensILCE7M3/dp/B07B45D8WV?th=1 as well as the fast lens: https://a.co/d/13NlOLF Now, the final camera on our list, the Nikon Z6 II (also known as the Nikon Z6 Mark 2/II). It has a 24.5MP Full Frame sensor, a vertical flip screen, 4K with 30fps port choice of HDMI-C, USB-C, two 3.5mm jacks, and dual SD card slots, and the unique feature of the bag/lens kit that Nikon offers. It is $1900 at stock, but $2900 when the required equipment is installed. It is a welcome surprise to see a full frame sensor once again, with slightly better megapixels compared to the Sony cameras. 4K with 30 fps being the norm, and the ever-so-slightly not ideal vertical flip screen. The one port I forgot to mention is some of these camera ports have mini-HDMI (or HDMI-C). It is the plug that you use to plug your TV in to cable, pretty much, but it is shrunk to a size for better portability. It is most commonly used in external screens if you wish to buy one, Smith, but I see no use for this in recording. The unique feature is, well, the kit! It is a deal for both portability and how I could even get this camera in the table in the first place, and while it may not seem like such fun for a camera of this caliber, the camera itself is here due to the full frame capabilities. The rig being used is once again in the name of SmallRig: “SmallRig Aluminum Alloy Cage for Nikon Z5 / Z6” (https://www.amazon.com/SmallRig-Cage-Nikon-Z6IICamera/dp/B08QRKZ6MK). It defining feature is being used for both light and microphone, but this applies to all of the other rigs as well. The Nikon Z6 II can be found here (with fast lens and bag included): https://www.bhphotovideo.com/c/product/1699198-REG/nikon_z6_ii_mirrorless_camera.html +1 972-465-0516 1312 Bryan Pkwy Dallas, TX 60132 jose13q@gmail.com Now that we’ve gone over all the cameras, I wanted you to hear my thoughts on the best camera of the five and that is the Fujifilm X-T4. The Fujifilm X-T4 has amazing video capabilities, even though the sensor isn’t on par with Nikon and Sony, it is the best value out of the five for its several uses: In-body image stabilization, amazing handling thanks to the rig, an excellent viewfinder, and its non-intrusive horizontal flip screen. This I believe will the driver for our many training videos and our promos for years to come thanks to the robustness. You’ve heard what I’ve said about the camera before here, and it was obvious its robustness and its value is too noticeable not to look at. Mr. Smith, it is your call, however. If you decide to want another camera, I will most certainly be fine with either of the five listed in the tables below. Let me know your thoughts on the cameras and if you agree with my choice. Regards, Jose Medina P.S. The table and sources are shown in the next page. +1 972-465-0516 1312 Bryan Pkwy Dallas, TX 60132 jose13q@gmail.com MAKE/MODEL CANON EOS R7 PRICE $1500 (~$2630) SONY A6600 $1400 (~$2570) FUJIFILM X-T4 $1700 (~$2650) SONY A7 III $1700 (~$2960) NIKON Z6 II $1900 (~$2900) FEAT. 1 USB-C 3.2, two 3.5mm jacks, dual SD Micro-USB 2.0, miniHDMI, one 3.5mm jack, single SD USB-C 3.2, mini-HDMI 2.5mm and 3.5mm jacks, dual SD, Micro-USB 2.0, USB-C 3.0, miniHDMI, two 3.5mm jacks, dual SD HDMI-C, USB-C, two 3.5mm jacks, dual SD FEAT. 2 4K30fps FEAT. 3 33MP APS-C sensor FEAT. 4 Horizontal flip screen FEAT. 5 Autofocus/ Manual Focus Switch 4K30fps 24MP APS-C sensor Vertical flip screen Wi-Fi connectivity via iOS and Android 4K60fps 26MP (4K30fps APS-C preferd.) sensor Horizontal flip screen In-body image stabilization 6K and 24.2MP 4K60fps Full-frame (4K30fps sensor preferd.) Vertical flip screen Backsideilluminated (low-light camera) 24.5MP Vertical Full-Frame flip screen sensor Kit included 4K30fps SOURCES: https://www.engadget.com/canon-eos-r7-review-130024472.html https://www.dpreview.com/reviews/fujifilm-x-t4-review https://www.dpreview.com/reviews/sony-a6600-review https://www.dpreview.com/reviews/sony-a7-iii-review/2 +1 972-465-0516 1312 Bryan Pkwy Dallas, TX 60132 jose13q@gmail.com https://www.dpreview.com/reviews/nikon-z6 +1 972-465-0516 1312 Bryan Pkwy Dallas, TX 60132 jose13q@gmail.com