Need Buying Advice for FS700

[jamesc]

Well I will start off by saying "You guys have taken the wind out of my sails", but I thank you all for the responses. Before this post, I was dead set on a FS700, an Odyssey 7Q and something like the MovCam shoulder rig. I do not mind spending the money as long as the camera will do what I want it to do.

To give you a better idea of the types of videos I am currently capturing here is a link to my Vimeo Portfolio http://www.pittsburghbride.com

Although the videos consist of primarily reception footage, I also capture the wedding ceremony (if it takes place "on-site") and also like to get some detail shots of the banquet hall & decorations.

I was set on the FS700 because I really like the idea of being able to capture the slow motion footage, along with the super-35mm sensor and the ability to eventually capture a high quality 422 or 444 image using the 7Q. Right now my Panny AG-AC160A just does not seem to have enough dynamic range/image quality.

Now I am more confused about what to do than before :undecided

Thank you,
Robert Pfeifer
Pifemaster Productions

I think everyone has already stated some very valid points, but I'll toss my hat into the ring of buying the FS700. I've used my FS700 on weddings before, and the results can be stunning. It definitely will add a little more complexity to the shoot, but you've already got the right idea to rig the camera up with a movcam. As a bonus, fully rigged, there will be no doubt in anyone's mind that you're shooting with a pro camera. If you can afford it, I think the footage out of the FS700 will pay for itself quickly, and even better, you'll generate happier clients

My tips for you if you go the FS700 route:

• Don't worry too much about autofocus. To be honest, I haven't used autofocus for weddings in several years, and transitioning over didn't cause huge concerns. Adding depth of field will definitely pay big dividends in your highlight reels. And the O7Q has some amazing focus assists as well. So go for some nice fast primes and get great at pulling focus.
• Tips for shooting super slo-motion at a wedding. 240fps is the money slomo. 120fps is great, but 240fps is when it starts becoming magical. Outdoors 240fps is fine, but indoors, especially in low-light, it may start exhibiting some issues. In addition to being extremely light hungry, you may experience some flickering from light sources at 240fps that cannot be fixed in post. It's also very difficult to see this while recording, so will be something you want to test. If you're in an new, uncontrolled environment, to be safe, 120fps will probably be the max you'd want to go. Your absolute minimum shutter becomes 1/120 and you'd probably want 1/240 if possible. With the right prime lens and jacking up the gain quite a bit, you should be able to pull off some great shots.
• If you can light the floor, all the better. So I would consider budgeting some lights into your kit. Would also recommend testing the lights before buying to see if they make your 240fps flicker.
• If you're ever without the O7Q, plan to take about 45 seconds to record 12 seconds of 120fps slomo. If you're just shooting highlight clips, this shouldn't be a problem, but if you're in a mission critical situation, just get ready for the buffer.

Best of luck!

 

[nyvz]

Frankly I can't imagine using any other camera for run and gun work anymore. For run and gun, I'm usually on a 28-300mm f3.5-6.3 IS lens on a speedbooster so it's actually a 20-215mm f2.5-4.5 IS. It's not the best lens but the range and speed is hard to beat for run and gun.

I've really grown to love the ergonomics of the FS700 since without any rig at all I can rest it on either shoulder and fit in small spaces and quickly change directions and positions while still being able to see the LCD. This might be a bit more difficult for older people who have trouble focusing on the LCD when it is close to their face, though.

The C100 is also a good option as it has a bit better color if you use it right and is less expensive, but only if you know you'll never use any slow motion features (hard for me to imagine) and won't have any use for 4K. Frankly the quality of AVCHD is quite impressive generally, so for people delivering in HD, the 7Q may not be that important unless you need continuous 120-240fps recording or will be doing heavy color correction or 4K. I'm not convinced the RAW unlocks much extra DR, though the promised custom LUT options do seem to have a lot of potential for getting prores recordings right on set that already have a great final look baked in, which is pretty powerful.

I've did some run and gun work on a C300 recently and it's pretty similar to the FS700 but without the SB the lenses are all slower which was sad, and while the gamma curves and build quality are nicer than the FS700, I'm convinced it has a bit less DR.

 

[pythonman]

Hi Noah, is that the Tamron 28-300 lens you refer to? What is it like for aperture and focus changes, and compatibility with the speedbooster? Or are you talking about the monster Canon L 28-300?

Thanks!

 

[Marino215]

If I may chime in here, the fs700 with the odyssey 7q is a great combo. The form factor will grow on you and if you keep it light (simple rigging) you can carry the camera all day long. Grab the speedbooster and an f1.4 lens, you'll have a true lowlight monster. High frame rates, 2k/4k/1080p. Think about it, what has those features in that price category? Right now, no one. It's still a deal. I even think you'll feel that way 3 years from now, not too many cameras out there you can say that about. Best to you, happy hunting.

 

[aly324]

Hi Noah, is that the Tamron 28-300 lens you refer to? What is it like for aperture and focus changes, and compatibility with the speedbooster? Or are you talking about the monster Canon L 28-300?

Thanks!

Noah I believe is referring to this one:
http://www.bhphotovideo.com/c/product/506046-REG/Tamron_AF020C_700_28_300mm_f_3_5_6_3_XR_Di.html

I tried this lens with the SB too but it has quite noticeable focus breathing. Other than that it is great for run and gun. Better IQ and one stop faster than the kit SEL18200, but the latter's active OSS is a tiny bit better than Tamron's VC I think.