is there anything the AF100 does that the FS700 can't do?

N

Nicholas Natteau

Veteran
Leaving aside the advantage that you can always rent out your AF100 or use it as a second camera on a shoot.

Is there anything the AF100 does or has that the FS700 can't do or is missing, that would justify keeping the AF100 in your arsenal of film making tools?

Not trying to favor one camera over the other here, and bearing in mind, that there is no ideal camera, and that each has it's pros and cons. I would very much like to know from anyone who now owns both cameras, whether there is any "must have" aspect about the AF100 that the FS700 lacks that would necessitate holding on to the AF100.

Thanks very much in advance.
 
Nicholas Natteau said:
Is there anything the AF100 does or has that the FS700 can't do or is missing, that would justify keeping the AF100 in your arsenal of film making tools?
Click to expand...

I still have my AF100 but am so pleased with the FS700 that I can't think of a technical reason to keep shooting the '100. Having said that, I generally keep my last camera for at least a year to have as a backup (no local rentals available). I just recently sold my HVX200 upon taking delivery of the '700. To my eye, the Sony, with it's 4k sensor, 240fps and CineGamma's, out-performs the Pany but it's really comparing avacados to mangos. Both are equally fine cameras.

Regards,
Scott
 
HI Scott and thanks for replying! Same here. I come from an HVX200 background as well. Sold it when I moved up to the AF100. I think that's very wise of you to keep it as a backup though. You never know what can happen. Thanks again.
 
Not "must haves" for most, but the following AF100 features spring to mind:

- Genlock
- Near-infinitely-variable Synchro Scan shutter
- Waveform monitor
- Internal mic

I'd like to see something like synchro scan and a WFM on the FS700 (its successor, or through firmware update, if possible). Genlock would be nice for 3D. The mic I can live without, personally.

But the dramatically better picture quality of the FS700 is a much better "feature" to have. ;) (...not to mention the other obvious upgrades, like super slo-mo and 4K out).
 
I still have my HPX170 which is a great run and gun camera. I can literally grab that thing and start shooting within a minute. Can't do that with the 700 OR the AF100. But I did a test at home between the 170 and the 700 and OMG!!! The 700 was just amazing. Better resolution by a long shot and much better handling of highlights.
 
Thank you everyone for your input. FS700 doesn't have a built in waveform monitor? Wouldn't that be problematic for accurately judging whether or not you're correctly exposed? Please tell me it has zebras! Or else, what small portable external monitor would give me a waveform display?
 
Nicholas Natteau said:
Thank you everyone for your input. FS700 doesn't have a built in waveform monitor? Wouldn't that be problematic for accurately judging whether or not you're correctly exposed? Please tell me it has zebras! Or else, what small portable external monitor would give me a waveform display?
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700 has very effective histogram and when used with 100% zebras provides a very effective way of monitoring exposure and keeping highlights controlled in all picture profiles. The histogram can be constantly monitored in the EVF or external monitor, something the AF100 did not offer.

Edit: Regarding an external monitor Small HD is one of the best. I feel Philip Bloom is wrong about the FS700 monitor - I find it extremely useful for focusing with the help of the (shortened) eyepiece, 4x zoom and red-peaking, plus it's especially versatile ability to swivel left or right. Suddenly, left side interviews with interviewee (me) on the right are not shot blind.

I use an Ikan VL5 monitor for hand-held work and/or a 7"SDI monitor for client or director reference.
 
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Regarding portable external monitors for the FS700, has anyone heard anything about this one?

http://www.smallhd.com/site/dp7-pro/index.html

In his review of the FS700 on vimeo: http://philipbloom.net/2012/05/25/240brighton/
Philip Bloom said that one of the very few things he didn't like was the LCD screen in terms of its placement and being able to judge focus. I'll miss not having a built in waveform display.

If any of you feel an external monitor would be preferable to relying on the FS700 LCD screen, what external monitor would you recommend using with the FS700???
 
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The DP7 looks brilliant, and I already placed a pre-order for one. But understand it's going to be pricey as compared to what people are used to paying for small on-camera monitors nowadays; the DP6 is about $1000 but the DP7 is more like $2600 or so.
 
Wow never saw the DP7 until now. Looks like something that not only finally competes with the TV Logic 5.6" but surpasses it. The only thing that would kill it is how the image looks of course.

What would elevate it even further is if they come calibrated. Maybe it's just my 5.6" but it's useless for anything but composing and focusing. Definitely would be willing to grab a DP7 if that part checks out.

xD They should do a TVLogic trade-in Program. That would be too sick.
 
I'm looking at this one:

http://www.ikancorp.com/productdetail.php?id=498

$1200, 5.6", with waveform and vectorscope. 7" version with IPS display coming "soon" (which is why I'm still on the fence).

I'm with Scott that the LCD, and the zebras and histogram, on the FS100/700 are very effective. (On the FS700 in particular, using the cine gammas, it seems to be easier to judge where the highlights are on the histogram.) But there's still a certain degree of "oh, THAT's where that ended up" when I get the clip into PP and look at the waveform; hence my interest in the Ikan monitors.
 
The AF has many more frame rates, & more importantly, shutter speed/angles.

One major issue for me is the ability to shoot 24p in 50 Hz countries without articial lights flickering (high speed ballasts excluded).
 
Thanks everybody. Regarding small external monitors are there none that are 1080p? I have a Small HD DP6 that's 720p, but even the upcoming DP7 remains 720p.

Is that a problem when you're shooting 1080p...that you're using a 720p resolution screen? The reason I ask, is that I also happen to have a Flanders Scientific 1770w (720p) monitor. But when I hooked it up to my AF100 via SDI, the image appeared noticeably soft on the external monitor. Not sure if that's because the AF100 connection is SDI as opposed to 3G-SDI or because a 1080p image is being displayed on a lower resolution (720p) screen???

Barry thanks very much for chiming in. Which DP7 will you be getting? The high-bright or OLED? Did you get a chance to see both up close? And if so which one did you prefer and why?
 
Bern Caughey said:
The AF has many more frame rates, & more importantly, shutter speed/angles.

One major issue for me is the ability to shoot 24p in 50 Hz countries without articial lights flickering (high speed ballasts excluded).
Click to expand...

Wouldn't this be alleviated by the fact that the FS700 can be switched between 60Hz US and 50Hz UK modes? I've never shot outside the US, so I'm not familiar with adapting to 50Hz.
 
Bern Caughey said:
The AF has many more frame rates, & more importantly, shutter speed/angles.

One major issue for me is the ability to shoot 24p in 50 Hz countries without articial lights flickering (high speed ballasts excluded).
Click to expand...

I agree with Bern regarding the frame rates and shutter speed/angles. I'm having withdrawal with the FS700 regarding those two issues plus another asset of the AF100 that's missing is the immediate access color temperature dial toggle. On the FS700, it's a complicated menu function to change the color temp. While I'm at it, I also miss having two card slots - a great feature on the AF.

I just had a pretty good offer for my AF and I'm not sure I'm ready to sell it. Sold my HVX200 last week after not using it for 18 months and just Friday, turned down a job with of all people, Publisher's Clearing House, who wanted to shoot some front door give-aways with a HVX or HPX p2 cam. Go figure! The minute I sell the AF, I'm sure I'll get a call.
 
ScottNelson said:
... another asset of the AF100 that's missing is the immediate access color temperature dial toggle. On the FS700, it's a complicated menu function to change the color temp.
Click to expand...

The FS700 could certainly have better-designed controls, even without changing the existing hardware -- particularly as regards gain.

For WB, though, you can get a color temp dial as follows:

* in the "camera set" menu, set "wb preset" to "manu wb temp"
* set the 3-way switch on the side to "preset"

Then to dial in a color temp, just press the "balance" button (the round one with the icon above it), rotate the dial, and click to set.
 
jshbckr said:
Wouldn't this be alleviated by the fact that the FS700 can be switched between 60Hz US and 50Hz UK modes? I've never shot outside the US, so I'm not familiar with adapting to 50Hz.
Click to expand...

Both cameras shoot 25p in 50 Hz mode.

With the AF100 you only need to change the shutter angle to 172.8* when filming 24p in 50 Hz countries.
 
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