FS7: New Sony F7 XDCAM 4K Super 35mm Camcorder
- Thread starter starcentral
- Start date
Same here. Would really like to hear about the button usability and customizability (i.e., can you add peaking/histogram) to any of the buttons on the side. One of the reasons I didn't buy an FS100 was the fiddly buttons.
Viddovation
Veteran
Many thanks to EC Pro NY...
Unfortunately, I have work booked starting this afternoon through Monday, so despite being one of the very first to get my grubby paws on one, I won't get to really start playing with it unitl next week.
FrameFarmMedia
Veteran
Good to know which batteries work or don't work. I think to be safe I will just grab some BPU-60s and then wait till official work before buying the aftermarket big brick ones.
Viddovation
Veteran
By the way, my SWIT S-8U62 battery is working just fine with the PXW-FS7. I don't know whether Liam had a different SWIT battery, or exactly what his story is.
What I can say is the SWIT has a cable built into it with the Sony EX1/EX3 style power plug on it. Fortunately, this camera uses the same plug for it's 12v power input.
You must use this tail and plug into the 12v external power port. If the tail remains plugged into the battery, then the power is routed through the battery ports, and the camera looks for an electronic data signature that the battery is an official Sony battery. Thus you get the fail message. The camera does no such authentication on the 12v power port.
What I can say is the SWIT has a cable built into it with the Sony EX1/EX3 style power plug on it. Fortunately, this camera uses the same plug for it's 12v power input.
You must use this tail and plug into the 12v external power port. If the tail remains plugged into the battery, then the power is routed through the battery ports, and the camera looks for an electronic data signature that the battery is an official Sony battery. Thus you get the fail message. The camera does no such authentication on the 12v power port.
epicdream
Well-known member
Ben Scott
Veteran
Good to see the pics arriving.
Mine has come in at CVP, gets shipped tomorrow so I won't get it until Monday! That's a whole weekend of going around in circles waiting!
Oh wow... when did you order because the last I heard from them was mid Nov for mine!
epicdream
Well-known member
I ordered it about 10 seconds after the Sony announcement! So when I got in touch they hadn't put up a pre-order page yet.
By all accounts it seemed they only got a few in. I don't know how many but judging by comments on here and seeing ProAV's Twitter picture of 5 boxes, I can only imagine a few turned up to each store.
epicdream
Well-known member
That's good to know! Thankfully I made sure I bought the Lexar one off Amazon a couple of weeks back.
Ben Scott
Veteran
Bugger. Why couldn't you all have ordered a C100 mk2 instead!
epicdream
Well-known member
Haha! You know what, I used my first C100 just last week on a shoot and loved the ergonomics, picture quality and it's general ease of use. There was one microsecond of debate whether I should just go for that!
I didn't. Sorry.
Alpha Beta Omega
Veteran
I'm glad for you who have the camera already or on its way. I just got a notice from my dealer that they got one demo unit so far but know nothing more if more units are coming their way.
So I'm still putting my F3 to good use and I hope the FS7 is every bit as good and then some compared to the F3. This from this the latest shoot:
View attachment 93020
So I'm still putting my F3 to good use and I hope the FS7 is every bit as good and then some compared to the F3. This from this the latest shoot:
View attachment 93020
Viddovation
Veteran
I have to go do an unrelated gig shortly. Some first impressions though:
-I like the body build overall. The placement and design for the majority of the ports is pretty smart. The XLRs are tucked so that the cables won't stick out obtrusively, and the HDMI port is recessed in a way that with careful cable selection you should have good protection against damaging the port or the cable pins.
-The camera comes with a basic wifi module that allows for camera setting control (rec, stop, iris, gain, much more) but won't stream video. Apparently there will be a $2k wifi module that streams video, and the camera package includes a bracket for that unit, should you buy it. The included adapter is a little USB nubbin. I don't particularly like how it sticks out of the camera, or that the usb port cover pops off entirely and would be fairly easy to lose. Then again, being able to control your $8k camera settings via remote wifi is pretty much magic, so I can't complain too much.
- You also get a standard infared remote. It's not the old beige one included with the EX1/EX3/F3... but the buttons are fairly similar none the less. The infared port is only on the back, so not useful if you needed to control the camera from in front. But the wifi via smartphone would do the trick there.
- The 180p slow motion works right out of the box. No waiting on future firmware. 1080p of course. I haven't stress tested it, but as advertised, it's not on a buffer, and runs until you press stop. Just like S&Q on the EX1/F3 it records to your container frame rate, meaning it will automatically play back in slow motion.
- The S&Q button is very convenient.
- The menus can feel a bit slow. If you've used the FS100 and the F3, you likely remember the F3 menus just felt more responsive. The menus here are a bit slower like the FS100.
- You get a little baggie with some spare port covers, including the WLAN one. Guess they realized people might lose them.
- You don't seem to get a microphone! And there's no internal. I've attached my old F3 stock microphone though, and it fits in the holder perfectly.
-The VF cable seems like it could get in the way. On the otherhand, The length of the cable means you could place the VF a lot of places, even on the dumb side of the camera if desired.
CORRECTION: There is an internal mic. No physical switches... Choose between internal/external via menu.
-I like the body build overall. The placement and design for the majority of the ports is pretty smart. The XLRs are tucked so that the cables won't stick out obtrusively, and the HDMI port is recessed in a way that with careful cable selection you should have good protection against damaging the port or the cable pins.
-The camera comes with a basic wifi module that allows for camera setting control (rec, stop, iris, gain, much more) but won't stream video. Apparently there will be a $2k wifi module that streams video, and the camera package includes a bracket for that unit, should you buy it. The included adapter is a little USB nubbin. I don't particularly like how it sticks out of the camera, or that the usb port cover pops off entirely and would be fairly easy to lose. Then again, being able to control your $8k camera settings via remote wifi is pretty much magic, so I can't complain too much.
- You also get a standard infared remote. It's not the old beige one included with the EX1/EX3/F3... but the buttons are fairly similar none the less. The infared port is only on the back, so not useful if you needed to control the camera from in front. But the wifi via smartphone would do the trick there.
- The 180p slow motion works right out of the box. No waiting on future firmware. 1080p of course. I haven't stress tested it, but as advertised, it's not on a buffer, and runs until you press stop. Just like S&Q on the EX1/F3 it records to your container frame rate, meaning it will automatically play back in slow motion.
- The S&Q button is very convenient.
- The menus can feel a bit slow. If you've used the FS100 and the F3, you likely remember the F3 menus just felt more responsive. The menus here are a bit slower like the FS100.
- You get a little baggie with some spare port covers, including the WLAN one. Guess they realized people might lose them.
- You don't seem to get a microphone! And there's no internal. I've attached my old F3 stock microphone though, and it fits in the holder perfectly.
-The VF cable seems like it could get in the way. On the otherhand, The length of the cable means you could place the VF a lot of places, even on the dumb side of the camera if desired.
CORRECTION: There is an internal mic. No physical switches... Choose between internal/external via menu.
Last edited:
Viddovation
Veteran
My apologies!
Just dug through the menu, and apparently there is an internal mic! Don't see a grill for it on the outside of the camera though. Definitely only scratch audio I would think.
But again - does not include an external mic, but the Sony F3 mic fits in the holder just right.
EDIT:
Switching between the internal mic and the external is a menu option only... no physical switches.
