FS7 in 2019

[odie]

On 7/12/2019 at 5:22 PM, Django said:

After much deliberation over my next big camera purchase, I finally ended up going for a used Sony FS7 mark 1.

This may come as shock to some as I'm known here as being more of a Canon advocate and was torn until recently in between a C200 & C300 II.

That said most of my paid work comes from a production company that uses mainly Sony gear so it kinda made sense to go this route.

Also it was simply a deal I couldn't neglect: under 500 hours with a zacuto loupe and tilta v-mount support for under 4000 euros.

I think the camera is still very relevant today with beefy internal XAVC-I 10-bit 4:2:2 codecs up to 4K60p, 180fps and a slew of advanced settings including LUT import and the elusive Cine EI mode. Add the XDCA module and you get internal ProRes & Raw external. It's also Netflix approved for those interested in that sort of thing.

So far 10-bit 4:2:2 S-Log3 has been a joy to grade. I keep pushing and colouring and it just doesn't break! Where 8-bit XAVC-S files usually start to look cartoonish, the IQ here is solid AF.

SOOC the skin tones don't hold a candle to Canon so I'll be mainly shooting in S-Log.

Overall I'm pretty thrilled with the purchase, I've been staying clear from Sony for the longest time but this bad boy is on a whole different level I feel.

 

I’m filming with a super 16 mm film camera in 2019 so I wouldn’t worry

[Django]

2 hours ago, odie said:

I’m filming with a super 16 mm film camera in 2019 so I wouldn’t worry

I record music with mainly 70's equipment.. analog gear has this timeless appeal vs digital.

That said I'm also an advocate of "old" devalued high-end digital tech such as the Leica M9 I also purchased this year. 2009 Kodak CCD sensor. Shit on sensor charts. Mad mojo IRL.

My C100 mk1 also long in the tooth, with a low bitrate 8-bit codec.. but also has this je ne sais quoi IQ appeal. Canon 5D mk1, my favorite out of the whole series..etc

FS7 is just the latest in my gear purchasing pattern cycle. So yeah, I'm not worried one bit.. like I said I'm actually pretty thrilled ? 

[Skip77]

On 7/13/2019 at 11:04 PM, webrunner5 said:

Yeah as of late it is VERY un Sony like. There must have been a big shake up in the Mirrorless side. They were rolling over everyone for awhile. Now They are getting rolled over,. Very odd. It must have been they were starting to step on the Cine, Broadcast peoples toes at Sony.

I think Sony thought they would control the full frame mirrorless market all the way to 2020 and the Olympics.  I don't think Sony anticipated other companies willingness to unlock 4K sensor readout at 10bit.  The S1 looks really good with the latest firmware update and it goes beyond specs but image quality. 

Sony's in a pickle because how good do you make the A7SIII full frame sensor without Sony's non full frame Sony's cine line up taking a hit? 

And you have the S1H full frame moving even further into the cine world. 

And how future proof is Sony's cine line up if they don't go full frame with a new cine camera. 

[Mako Sports]

2 hours ago, Skip77 said:

And how future proof is Sony's cine line up if they don't go full frame with a new cine camera. 

Well the Venice is fine cause it has swappable components and sensors. F55 and F5 are a different story and both are honestly due for an update. 

[webrunner5]

8 hours ago, Skip77 said:

I think Sony thought they would control the full frame mirrorless market all the way to 2020 and the Olympics.  I don't think Sony anticipated other companies willingness to unlock 4K sensor readout at 10bit.  The S1 looks really good with the latest firmware update and it goes beyond specs but image quality. 

Sony's in a pickle because how good do you make the A7SIII full frame sensor without Sony's non full frame Sony's cine line up taking a hit? 

And you have the S1H full frame moving even further into the cine world. 

And how future proof is Sony's cine line up if they don't go full frame with a new cine camera. 

The Sony Venice Is a FF Cine Camera. And s35 is going to be around longer than you think. Too many lenses for them, and not enough FF Cine lenses, let alone will you be able to afford them.. So I don't think it will hurt Cine sales no matter what they come out with. And I don't think Sony gives to much of a crap about Consumer APSC cameras down the road anymore. Probably one of the announcements next week will be a cheap FF camera to compete with the Canon RS. Nobody is going to buy a APSC camera for 50 dollars less than you can buy a FF one. There will be 800 dollar FF cameras or less down the road.

Even Canon is probably going to have to give up on their cheap APSC cameras. Smartphones are now eating into them. And the M50 is doing well. No reason for them anymore.

https://pro.sony/ue_US/products/digital-cinema-cameras/venice

[thebrothersthre3]

I don't know. When a Full frame camera comes out that does what the Pocket 4k does there won't be much a place for APSC and M43 anymore. One of the reasons I haven't got a full frame camera is none of them are where they need to be yet. 

The Panasonic S1 comes close but auto focus isn't there. Lenses are also way too expensive to make it worth it to switch. 

[webrunner5]

Oh I agree the size of the lenses are a Big difference. But a Company is not going to be able to sell a APSC camera for 500 Dollars when you can buy a FF one for even 700 Dollars. Canon can Easily do it because they have been using the same sensors for years in their APSC ones, why not do the same with the FF ones like they seem to be doing even now.

Supposedly it Only cost 100 dollars more to make a FF sensor over a APSC one given the same MP. Why even bother if that is true.

[Skip77]

5 hours ago, webrunner5 said:

The Sony Venice Is a FF Cine Camera. And s35 is going to be around longer than you think. Too many lenses for them, and not enough FF Cine lenses, let alone will you be able to afford them.. So I don't think it will hurt Cine sales no matter what they come out with. And I don't think Sony gives to much of a crap about Consumer APSC cameras down the road anymore. Probably one of the announcements next week will be a cheap FF camera to compete with the Canon RS. Nobody is going to buy a APSC camera for 50 dollars less than you can buy a FF one. There will be 800 dollar FF cameras or less down the road.

Even Canon is probably going to have to give up on their cheap APSC cameras. Smartphones are now eating into them. And the M50 is doing well. No reason for them anymore.

https://pro.sony/ue_US/products/digital-cinema-cameras/venice

I agree with your post 100%.

Is the Sony Venice relevant and the future? If so how does the glass issue come into play? 

The A7SIII seems to be painted in the corner.

[webrunner5]

Oh the Sony Venice is really taking off IF you can  afford it. The big reason is the Venice CS, but the main kicker is the Sensor Head unscrews and you  can just mount the Sensor Block anywhere you want. So it can get in really tight spaces because of it. Not sure the cord length, like 6 feet or more I think.Have no clue why others haven't done it before? Lenses I have no clue.

I think the Sony A7s mk III is going to be a lot like the Panny S1H. Probably Raw, 6K, heck maybe 8K. It will be ground breaking I bet.

[Skip77]

22 hours ago, webrunner5 said:

Oh the Sony Venice is really taking off IF you can  afford it. The big reason is the Venice CS, but the main kicker is the Sensor Head unscrews and you  can just mount the Sensor Block anywhere you want. So it can get in really tight spaces because of it. Not sure the cord length, like 6 feet or more I think.Have no clue why others haven't done it before? Lenses I have no clue.

I think the Sony A7s mk III is going to be a lot like the Panny S1H. Probably Raw, 6K, heck maybe 8K. It will be ground breaking I bet.

I also think it will be like the S1H.  Based on today's announced A7RIV I think Sony is the new Canon on holding back specs. The A7S IV will be like the S1H and 8K but it will not be 10 bit or RAW. This is what Sony does these days. Not that it couldn't have 10 bit or RAW but Sony wound give us that.

[webrunner5]

Yeah but the R has always been the Photo centrist one, and the S the Video centrist one. I really see no problem with this new R other than maybe the price. But hey it really is getting up into MF territory MP wise in a very small package that also has have decent video. Not too shabby to be honest. The Eye Detection in Video is icing on the cake along with all the focus points in s35 mode.

For the people this camera is intended for I think it is a big advance. This thing has a lot of A9 goodies in it for less money. Sony just stuck a finger in Fuji, Hasselblad's eye on their 60mp bodies.

But good news for say Nikon and others. They have a high MP sensor to put in their top models. So everyone will gain.