Just received a Sony NEX-FS700RH, very disappointed. Positive input welcome.

N

Nick Navaro

Well-known member
I got delivery this morning. After using my EX3 for a number of years, I thought I would add a bigger sensor to the fleet. My first impressions are... I hate it! Who the hell designed this thing?? You can't even hold it by the grip in one hand, it's impossible. Without a rig it's the most horrible video camera I've ever held in my hand.


I got the zoom version 18-200 as I do a lot of event work. The lens doesn't hold the stop through the zoom, so that a pretty lame lens. After spending almost £7k, need to get more lenses and rig etc. It's a very poor out of the box cam in my opinion.


I'm on a 5-day concert tour from tomorrow to test in the real world. Any tips experienced FS 100/700 users can offer?


Thanks
 
Well Ive been doing battle with the FS100 since the day it was launched. (and shot 700 too)

I dont really know where to start.

I suppose it is this, I have found two ways to shoot.. each has different methodology.

First '8mm' I built a natty little rig that has an under handle (which sits just in front of my sticks head) which sort of means you can use it at gut height looking into the chopped up loupe

Light, fast and **** for interviews and eyeline, no space for a monitor or lavs.

8mm
8mm.jpg

Ive had it configured as '8mm' since I got an F3 for my A camera.

My previous configuration was 'bazooka'

This was the real deal, works on the shoulder for interviews, long power, high res monitor, sound.

39.jpg

Overall you might want to spend a month playing before using it in anger!

S
 
It is a beast worth taming...Agreed on most points. The quaility its capable of producing is worth the effort and you WILL put in extra effort with this camera. With the cam stripped down and the hand grip rotated 45* it's not bad for wide angle broll, run around stuff. I'm at peace with multiple lens changes etc...I do wish they would hang a proper EVF off the handle like other models. Event shooting is tough. Perfect for sit-downs or narrative set-ups.

Canon 24-105 w/ Meatabones Speedbooster adapter is a MUST!
Rokinon Cine Primes are hard to beat 24,35, 85
Tok 11-16
Kit 18-200

Welcome to the Jungle! LOL
 
Plug up the camera to a pro monitor + scopes and a scene with lots of dynamic range. Play with the black gamma and see what it does. Roll on it and pull it into the editor and see how much it can help your image.

underexposed stuff on the camera is noisey and looks bad if you need to pull it up. Nail the exposure since this is a 8-bit camera (without the raw stuff)
 
The fs cameras definitely feel like they loaded a bunch of buttons in a shotgun, fired them at a clay block and called that their prototype. Then someone reminded them it needed an LCD, so the designers laid it on top until they could figure out later where it should go.

Their design kind of makes sense if you redefine your definition of sense. Beautiful results when used well, but... Ugh.

Search for "year with FS700," it's a fairly informative video on ergonomic adaptation of the FS
 
Wiredly after two years or three with the Fs cams I now find them great ergonomically or at least no more bad than other s35 options.

the two rigs above we're both the result of long journeys.

in my big build the onboard monitor is great for a director looking over ones shoulder..
 
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i don't why you are so shocked about the lens not holding focus through the zoom. That information has been well documentated.. Try using the auto focus when you zoom. It works well in some situations.
 
I can see the problem doing events.

Events you can do off a tripod are one thing, an event where you have to walk around in a crowd is different, trying to cover a soccer game is different again.

I settled for a camera I could grab and run, nothing even close to what you have (AG-AC160A) but I give it high marks for stage events. I often wish for a shoulder mount for crowds and I wish it had auto-focus for field events like soccer.

I guess the lesson is different cameras are needed for different assignments.

The rig I use to simulate shoulder mount is dangerous. I came close to breaking at 17th century vase moving around with this contraption while doing a historical documentary and have more than once come close to putting someone in the hospital.

All of this is minor compared to the underwater setup I saw elsewhere at dvxuser today or yesterday. Unbelievable !

At proper commercial rates it seems to me a one-day shoot of that kind should merit a fee of $10,000, maybe double this.
 
Actually I've realky grown to love the fs700's design. I can operate it stablely in so many different positions including either shoulder and lower against my chest. I've been using the c300 a bit lately and I missed all the buttons and switches that my fs700 has that give me direct access to every function. Then again I always preferred the ex1 to ex3...

The lens situation is better than most similar cameras. Kit lens isn't amazing but stop down a little and the stop will hold through the zoom, or get a constant fstop zoom. Personally I recommend the speedbooster...

Frankly I think there are a number of categories in which the fs700 can't be beat, but if you're expecting any s35 camera to work like a 1/3 or 1/2" camcorder you will be disappointed, but I'm so glad it's nothing like those. If you learn how to use all its strengths you will be very happy.
 
Hate to be harsh, but a modicum of research and your expectations would have been adjusted. That it has the ergonomics of a shopping trolley is no secret, I've nit read a single good review of the SEL18200 lens...

We've spent a fair bit on ours:

- movcam shoulder rig, forward and rear rails
- Metabones ef adapter
- canon l glass (24-105 fir ENG work)
- Alphatron EVF-035
- zacuto grip relocator
- movcam rail mounted v lock battery plate (to extend battery life and provide counter balance for shoulder rig work)
- follow focus

What we've now got is two very versatile cameras that have kept us busy for the past year or so and have provided some stunning results.

Not sure that list will help too much for the tour though, as a minimum try and rig an external monitor and use the camera on tripod, tease yourself with what it's capable of
 
The only sub-10k camera that has a large sensor and has the ergonomics of the EX3 is the Sony EA50 I think. Too bad Sony didn't design the FS series this way, the EA50 could benefit from that sensor and better low light capability.
 
+1 Why oh why did Sony give the sony EA50 good ergonomics and the FS series such poor ones?? Sony, if you're listening, put the FS100 sensor in the EA50, give it 10 bit internal HD XAVC recording, and I'll pay $6K for it!
 
Thanks for all your valuable input. For the record I did a lot of research and a friend who had used it had mentioned about the bad ergonomics, but you never know until you do it yourself. Didn't research the lens enough tho, admittedly. 3 days into the tour and it's not going too bad, apart from losing a memory card with footage on (ouch! 'first time it ever happened' I'm used to using x2 mem cards in a cam not a single slot, another dig). I saw another thread with people not knowing how to use the face detection, that it was 'greyed out' in the menu. It was in mine too, but I met a film-maker in Dublin airport and he explained you need auto-focus enabled to use face detection and said it was pretty good too. I used it as at 30k person event in a massive arena and it works well from the stage. I like this feature. It does have trouble with strobes and fast light changes, so you have to knock the auto switch on and off frequently.

I definitely need a speed booster and better lens. The kit lens is simply rubbish in low-light conditions. I've not used the slow-motion yet. Any tips for that?
 
The FS700 is an amazing camera, but for a EX3 user, it will be quite a shock. It was designed to be extremely modular. You can actually shoot with the base camera, and sometimes that's really handy. (Not much bigger than a DSLR). It's good to shorten the eye-tube. (search for instructions). Lenses are a challenge, but that's a function of the super-35 as much as anything. Once you have gotten used to the peculiarities, you may find you like it very much.

Standard advice on slow motion: Start out at 240 frames per second. Start with situations where there is lots of light. Be careful of light sources that can strobe, especially fluorescents.
 
Used slow-motion for the first time last night (100 and 200 FPS), and overall, thinks it pretty amazing. However, firstly I didn't realise it was on 'end trigger' and when recording I could see the last 30 seconds of footage from the beginning, which was me pointing at the floor, then pointing the cam at people I could still see the floor and it was really freaking me out! haha... Finally figured it out and you press AT THE END of the 30 seconds you want to capture. Some great images in slow motion. Really is horrible WAITING so long for it to record and going in and out of modes. Think I'll invest in an Odyssey and record 2k continuously. Seems much easier.

Anyone using an Odyssey with 2K ? Input welcome. Thanks.
 
Nick Navaro said:
Used slow-motion for the first time last night (100 and 200 FPS), and overall, thinks it pretty amazing. However, firstly I didn't realise it was on 'end trigger' and when recording I could see the last 30 seconds of footage from the beginning, which was me pointing at the floor, then pointing the cam at people I could still see the floor and it was really freaking me out! haha... Finally figured it out and you press AT THE END of the 30 seconds you want to capture. Some great images in slow motion. Really is horrible WAITING so long for it to record and going in and out of modes. Think I'll invest in an Odyssey and record 2k continuously. Seems much easier.

Anyone using an Odyssey with 2K ? Input welcome. Thanks.
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you can set the trigger to be start, middle or end of scene... All explained in the manual, well worth a read ;-)

Although yes, the buffer time can be a real pain... Using the Odyssey is a dream in comparison, HFR on demand with a decent monitor to boot.

Nick Navaro said:
Does the Metabones Speedbooster work with the Canon EF 24-105 IS lens?
Click to expand...
yes, it does
 
Versatile, Plan Ahead!

Versatile, Plan Ahead!

Nick Navaro said:
Does the Metabones Speedbooster work with the Canon EF 24-105 IS lens?
Click to expand...
Yes, that's a great combo for fast moving situations. For those situations I leave the Berkey System baseplate on and switch to short rails supporting both a zacuto lens support to make the speed booster rock solid and a set of Berkey System handles.
One Pic is me after summiting and descending the hills (mountains?) near Qumran in Israel (about 115degF hence the ice cream and 3 liters of water hanging off of me) I also used a Cotton Carrier to have use of both hands and have the camera immediately accessible. Worked great. Shot mostly with the camera tucked at my chest.
Second Pic is same camera underslung on a Fischer for a commercial shoot decked out with matte box/follow focus/TV Logic for the AC, Samurai Blade, wireless vid tap etc

Point is, this camera is very versatile. You have to do your research to find the accessories that make sense for your shoot, and practice practice practice. It's actually a fairly good layout of switches and buttons once you have your muscle memory trained.
ALSO buy good quality or you'll buy twice (or thrice) After messing around with knock off and low priced stuff during the dark DSLR days it's clear one can't afford to NOT buy high quality gear.

IMG_3527.jpgIMG_4630.jpg
 
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