u/Zook25

(X1)

My main base just got attacked. I accidentally clicked OK and savescummed. Twice, actually. Anyway, I need to get this right.

- In the little defense fire window my two defense batteries showed 100%/5%. On the second try it was 100/100. What does that mean?

- It seems I can get only 16 troops although I have 26 at the base, many wounded. I think the game selected the defenders at random. Should I manually transfer the ones I don't want to take part, knowing I'm about to get attacked?

- According to the manual they can come from anywhere, so my old-school base layout was useless?

For a recent stroll through Copenhagen I brought some extra mags and rockets which I dropped in the ship in turn 1. But unlike weapons and shields I didn't see them on the ground.

They were there, just invisible, and yes, I looked in the right direction. Is that normal?

Hi,

I'm going to film a few 2-person interviews over the next months for a non-profit. Nothing too demanding, but I want to learn how to do it better (I've shot only 2-3 interviews before and I hope I learned a little from every mistake).

We'll shoot in a large room with motorized blinds so ambient light can be easily controlled. I want to keep the background far away and soft because it's distracting.

4K30 and one camera (R6ii) only, because my older DSLR isn't very useful for that. I have 50mm 1.8 and 1.4 primes (FD is back!), or 100mm 2.8. Probably just one person in the frame.

Audio will be two Zoom F-1 recorders with lavs, plus a small Rode shotgun as backup, either on-camera or on a boom stand (requiring one more recorder...).

I mostly want to get better lighting. Currently I have:

- A Neewer 70W Bicolor COB with 80cm softbox or translucent umbrella.
- A simple stand for 2x12W LED bulbs with translucent umbrella
- Godox C30Bi (30W), Smallrig-something 40W RGB and Smallrig-something very-little-W RGB. I love those pocketable LED lights, but I understand they're not made for Hollywood.
- The good ole 5-in-1 reflector.
- A bunch of stands

Ideally I'd have a key, fill, perhaps a little something for the background and a rim light. Key and fill I can handle, rim and background I've never experimented with.

What I know is that people want to feel comfortable and don't like having a glowing softbox pushed in their face. So I always had to back off and turn the light level down. Is a bigger softbox the solution here, or a stern voice?

Do you think I can rig something with what I have? My budget for more lights and audio is limited. 100 or 200€ is possible, but I don't want to buy much more stuff that is cheap but not useful for more demanding work. That probably means one more COB in the 100W range, or a 120W panel, or a bigger softbox.

Perhaps just a big umbrella if I don't care about the spill? Is reflective better than translucent?

Any other tips how to set it all up and get the most out of this?

Thanks!

https://preview.redd.it/v3kvg94lav4h1.jpg?width=806&format=pjpg&auto=webp&s=59c13bbfa55c90599378936f2331f52bd0660c16

Crop from an image I shot yesterday with Canon R6 Mk II and FD 200mm lens. The lens is not in the database but who cares. Lens correction is off. The [not] deprecated CA module at least mitigates the CA, but the default new RAW CA module does exactly nothing to the image, or any other I shot. Why?

Yesterday afternoon I took my Va out for the first time. When I tried to shoot a few birds on the ground and pointed the camera more or less in the direction of the low-hanging sun, the EVF went black. At first I thought it was a loose contact, but it was really the bright sun. By turning towards or away from it I switched the EVF off and on, or at least turned the screen black.

I can't find anything about it in the manual. Is that normal?

Hi, I'm coming from the DSLR world and I've never had a compact before. But my Va should be here in a few days, so I have a lot of questions:

- Display protector: I've never used one, since I almost always use the EVF on my other camera. I think I want real glass, not plastic. Are there differences and can you recommend something?

- Remote shooting from a smartphone: is that still possible? There was something about downloadable camera apps that were discontinued. I mean controlling the camera, not just tranferring pictures.

- There are two batteries and an external charger in the deal. It seems that all chargers for this type have USB connectors, but can I use any powerbank? I have a 20000mAh from Anker that is far too big, and a small 5000mAh with low output that fits into a pocket. If it works, how long does it take to charge a battery on the go?

- I'm about to order a Lowepro Adventura Cs 20 III Camera Pouch, but I want more protection for when it's in the backpack or suitcase. Any recommendations for a hardcase that is as small as possible but also fits a battery or two?

- The former owner is the seller's brother, but the seller says he took some test shots which were fine. I asked him to test flash and ND filters and they're also fine. Is there anything else, apart from the obvious, that I should test when I get it? Any obscure functions that are known to be problematic or signs of damage?

- I've read that the EVF and the lens are prone to damage and I'll take care of them. Apart from that, how would you rate the camera?

- Dust can be a problem with compacts and it's almost impossible to DIY-clean the lens or sensor. How's your experience?

Any advice is much appreciated!