Just bought the 7Q. A more personal question.

C

ChadN

Well-known member
So the 7Q came today.

I have to be honest. I'm nervous as heck. ****ing my pants. I don't really know why. I guess spending that kind of money on an upgrade to a camera i've had for a couple years is a bit scary. What if they announce something better, smaller, and cheaper 6 months from now? I guess you can't live that way because something better will always come along. But, I now know why people often rent cameras!

At the same time, i feel it was a smart choice. Got the FS700 with the idea of an eventual 4K upgrade, and here it is. For the additional $4k approximately, i feel like i'm getting something close to a RED camera. It's an excellent combo.

I guess it all comes down to what we do with it, huh? I've never shared my work on here, because i'm actually just a You Tuber who creates stuff for fun with my girlfriend. I do some green screen (7Q should make that much easier!) A lot of silly, geeky stuff. Started as a hobby, but with the purchase of the 7Q i'm diving in much deeper now. I hope to learn and improve. Perhaps i'll be proud enough of the actual camera work to share some videos on here before long. But i often find myself behind and in front of the camera, perhaps we'll expand our operation soon. Anyway...

Anyone else ever dealt with this kind of nervousness about new gear and the cost? Any suggestions to really make the most of your money with such nice equipment?
I'd love to hear any stories.
 
I bought a Sony EX1 in 2009, sold it in 2010 (for about the same amount of money I paid for it) and replaced it with a Panasonic GH1. It was astounding that one could get near the same picture quality for so much less. I just didn't have enough work with the EX1 to justify the investment at that time. I did about 20-40 music videos, commercials etc. that I shot with the GH1 and GH2. In 2012 I decided it was time to get a new camera.

I decided on the FS700 and have been extremely happy about it ever since and have had loads of work with it, I've rented it out as well to recoup some of the costs. If not for the O7Q though I'd be looking at alternatives right now. I'm confident it will keep the FS700 up to date at least for another year or two.
 
I'm just about to take a similar plunge.

After weighing up all the options, it seems like the FS700 and Q7 is an amazing combo. Buying something 2 years old is almost madness in this industry, but it just ticks so many boxes... The Q7 and upgrade have really unleashed a beast of a camera.
 
Hey, people have spent more money on worse. Not that others' poor decisions justifies a purchase, but at least you bought a tool. You are using it for fun right now, but it is also a professional tool capable of some amazing things.

I know you don't do professional (paid by clients) video work right now, but perhaps you can alleviate some of your worry by networking with other video professionals in your area and offering up your FS700+7Q for rental occasionally. Depending on your location, you could find people that are looking for high frame rates (without renting a Phantom) or 4K (without renting a RED). Heck, you might even cut a deal where they can rent the camera+you for really cheap (and you could just be a camera assistant). I know a guy who does that with his Scarlet. He has fair rental price, but bundles himself into it as a way to get more experience on sets, of course his role is always an assisting one, so it's not like he is stepping on the DP's toes.

Long story short: It's money well spent as long as you could afford it and it's a money generator if you know how to leverage it.
 
Making films in not about money. I would have picked another profession if getting rich and affording other things was my goal.

Owning excellent gear gives me the freedom i want so that i can do my personal projects without relying on external finances.

That is to me worth a few vacations and garden ornaments. If you take a look around and observe how others are spending their own private money, yours might not be so bad after all.
 
When it comes to good camera equipment over the cheap stuff, I always think of the old barrio gang saying (but reversed in order):

"Cry now, smile later."
 
gene_can_sing said:
When it comes to good camera equipment over the cheap stuff, I always think of the old barrio gang saying (but reversed in order):

"Cry now, smile later."
Click to expand...

That's a good point! I've unfortunately invested in cheaper gear just to go and buy the good stuff later anyway...
 
What made my mind up was that, much like the digital audio age before it, I think we are hitting saturation point with video tech.

The FS700 and Q7 will provide me with beautiful 4K/60p footage with plenty of DR and low light capabilities. Will better stuff come out, sure.... But it will really be small improvements from here on in.

I am confident that the footage I shoot now, with this combo, will stand the test of time more so than any camera I have ever owned.
 
Jay Birch said:
I am confident that the footage I shoot now, with this combo, will stand the test of time more so than any camera I have ever owned.
Click to expand...

I'm guessing a lot of people were thinking that exact same thing right before the 5d mk II splashed onto the market =) Technology is dynamic, beautiful and very hard to predict. You have a good mindset(stick with it), and a huge set of nuts for laying down that kind of money on a hobby item! Although I suppose it's no different then those that purchase motorcycles and such. Cheers and best of luck with the new toy!
 
I was never under the illusion that my ex1, hvx, 5d2, gh2, 5d3 or bmpcc were cameras that would be my "digital negative" for years to come.

Thus combo can be.

PS - I'm not in this for the hobby.. That was the OP. I'm in it for the money ;-)
 
Jay Birch said:
I am confident that the footage I shoot now, with this combo, will stand the test of time more so than any camera I have ever owned.
Click to expand...

I think that 10-bit 422 is the holy grail for cameras this price range. I did some serious pixel peeping tests with 10-bit 422 vs 12-bit 4444 exported from the RAW footage and the quality jump was very small compared to the huge leap from 8 bit to 10 bit. Man... the quality leap with that is just huge. Plus the nice wide dynamic range on the FS700 will make it good for years to come.

Yeah, the Black Magic does 10 bit for way cheaper but after testing out the 4K model, it's not even close to being in the same league as the FS700. Sure the image is good in bright daylight, but the all sensor issues make it a no go on a paid production IMO.

So for under the price of the F5, the best choice is the FS7QQ - my trying to be clever designation :)
 
gene_can_sing said:
I think that 10-bit 422 is the holy grail for cameras this price range. I did some serious pixel peeping tests with 10-bit 422 vs 12-bit 4444 exported from the RAW footage and the quality jump was very small compared to the huge leap from 8 bit to 10 bit. Man... the quality leap with that is just huge. Plus the nice wide dynamic range on the FS700 will make it good for years to come.

Yeah, the Black Magic does 10 bit for way cheaper but after testing out the 4K model, it's not even close to being in the same league as the FS700. Sure the image is good in bright daylight, but the all sensor issues make it a no go on a paid production IMO.

So for under the price of the F5, the best choice is the FS7QQ - my trying to be clever designation :)
Click to expand...
Haha, I think even just "FS7Q" works!
 
I use my FS700 for a variety of paid work and my own narrative projects. I haven't purchased the 7Q yet but did get the 4k upgrade and enjoy the new picture profiles. I'm wondering does anyone know if the Atmos Shogun will work with the FS700?

David Miller
http://www.mimiproductions.com
 
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