FS7: Can the FS7 look "cinematic"

Aw man! My post originally had Philip Blooms new fs7 video, now it's gone! (Or at least it's not showing up on my phone)
 
It's the subject and the man's ability that make it 'cinematic'. Yes, the camera plays an important part - particularly in regards the slow motion, but subject matter and composition trump technicals every time. As a fashion photographer mate of mine always says, "the secret to shooting beautiful photos is to shoot beautiful things." Same with cinematic.
 
Is a Super 35mm sensor camera capable of taking PL Mount lenses and outputting 12-bit raw or 600mbs 4k/UHD capable of being cinematic?

Yes of course it is, providing your set design, lights and grip gear plus your crew and cast, DOP and Director, Editor and Colourist are equally capable

EDIT: Just to add, the Bloom video above looks amazing and is a great advert for the camera, but not 'cinematic' to my mind. It just looks like really great larger sensor documentary stuff, which is what it should be. Not everything should be trying to look cinematic.
 
1027Films said:
Aw man! My post originally had Philip Blooms new fs7 video, now it's gone! (Or at least it's not showing up on my phone)
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Embedded videos on this forum doesn't show up on iOS devices for some reason. Very annoying as I do almost all my forum reading/posting on my iPad.
If you hit the "quote" button you get the URL and can copy it and then go watch the video though. Pain in the ass but at least it's a way to watch something you really want to see.
 
Beautiful - great color - nice long lenses wide open - great hfr moments, especially with the children. I particularly liked how well it did in one of the direct sunlight shots. There's a richness to the grade that really shows off the camera.

Oh yeah, and dmitrizigany's suggestion about providing a link as well as the embed is a good one. It's nice to be able to enjoy these on an iPad when I'm on it.
 
Ben Scott said:
Yes of course it is, providing your set design, lights and grip gear plus your crew and cast, DOP and Director, Editor and Colourist are equally capable
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Gotta love these broad accolades, without any technical specifics. I totally agree with you Ben. Nothing does more to mitigate that "video look" than adequate lighting, losing that blown hilite look. Proper lighting, proper exposure, and proper post. Yup.
 
I also think it has to do with production design. You could shoot an Arri Alexa with all the fanciest lenses in the world but if your set, makeup, costumes, and props look way under budget (you blew it all in the camera department) nothing will save you. I learned that on my last film I directed. I was so wrapped up into the camera department since I am primarily a DP and needed to shoot on a fancy RED EPIC Dragon that other parts of what makes a great production fell to the wayside. There is so much more to a great piece than the camera and lenses.

I think what I really like about the FS7 and the reason why I got it is because it is a really solid all-around performer. It is cheap enough where I can focus my attention on other parts of the production to improve upon in the future.

I think a lot of why that piece Philip Bloom put together looks so good is he had great light that day, the scenery is exotic and something we usually don't see everyday, and the use of slow-motion at the right moments was a nice touch. I also really like the grade.
 
Yep...like a person that thinks they can be a master chef because they have access to a fancy stove. There are so many other elements to making a perfect meal.
 
I'm going to be the odd man out here, but I think it's nicely shot and well composed, but I don't like the grade. It makes the footage look very flat and almost monochromatic. Usually, I really like PB's stuff, but personally I've seen nicer footage from the FS7, which is a great camera IMO.

Doesn't PB shoot in Custom (not that, that has necessarily anything to do with the footage)? I thought I read that somewhere.

Edit: I know I've mentioned this before, but I feel like Sony has made it real easy with the FS7 (their first affordable camera) to get a cinematic / filmic (or whatever you want to call it... maybe... "aesthetically" nice image). Just put it on CineEI if you know how to grade and if you don't, just put it on LC709a and push record. Presto! Instant nice image for the most part unless you are completely clueless.
 
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You're not alone there Gene. I don't like the grade either. It has the plugged-up look of custom preset from filmconvert or other similar program.
 
With the FS700 and A7s, you definitely had to grade to get to Cinematic / Filmic / Aesthetically pleasing or whatever it's called, but with the FS7 it's as easy to get a cinematic image as Canon, BMC and probably even... gasp... Arri and Red. It's really good that's for sure as I've just been so impressed by even baked in LC709a shots, something I almost never did before as I'm a grading fiend.

Sorry to sound like a broken record, LOL, I just love this camera.

Edit, Ok.. maybe not Arri and Red, but ball park for certain.
 
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slog3 looks pretty amazing, with the right glass and with careful exposure (still figuring things out in regard to that, the right LUT in the finder might be the best solution, but still working on that)...i actually see better (more cinematic) highlights then from my epic....so far underexposing seems to create more issues...but same goes for my epic, except that the highlights blow faster and a little less smooth (in transition).....
i am pretty much blown away by the internal codec and slog3...
 
Liam Hall said:
You're not alone there Gene. I don't like the grade either. It has the plugged-up look of custom preset from filmconvert or other similar program.
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Was going to say the same thing.

The FS7 just isn't an Amira/Alexa. Get over it. Live with what it is. Few to no DP's or Directors are going to accept it as a real movie camera. It's $8000 for god's sake. If you want that film look, shoot Kodak or an F35 (or Arri). Then everyone can light and set-design and feel good about what will capture that work.
 
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