FS7: New Sony F7 XDCAM 4K Super 35mm Camcorder

Very nice footage.

But these lenses "hide" what the sensor is capable of. They reduce the dynamic range and soften the image a lot.

I don't think there's really a difference in the footage from the F5 and the FS7 if they share same sensor, same colour filter, similar or same A/D processing, same or similar picture profile and same codec . We won't see any big surprises from the FS7 footage...

I'm a little surprised by the jagged aliased edges on highlights visible at around 3.27 of the footage. Of course, it is clearly stated that it's a pre-prod model.

Or does the F5 exhibit this too?
 
This guy stresses that the 28-135 is intended for making movies. If it has been made with a forthcoming camera in mind, then I'd imagine it's most like to be a movie camera, and won't be designed in a way that competes with the R&G style of the FS7.
 
This guy stresses that the 28-135 is intended for making movies. If it has been made with a forthcoming camera in mind, then I'd imagine it's most like to be a movie camera, and won't be designed in a way that competes with the R&G style of the FS7.

The focal range is fantastic for narrative work - covers the range I spend 95% of my time on. I only really jump out to a 21mm when I need to get really wide, or to a 16mm for specialty shots/effects.

I just hope they offer up an FZ mount version eventually - I'd snap one up in a heartbeat!
 
Not to mention all the hardware that is used to process the information from the sensor or any other part(s) in the chain between the light hitting the sensor and the final recorded data.... imho

For all the comments on wanting the perfect, future proof, run and gun setup. I think this is sometimes a conflict in technology. S35 giving shallow DOF and someone wanting to be able to capture anything and everything says to me that the best solution would be a standard HD ENG camera. If the thought is wanting a run and gun zoom lens so that swapping lenses out during a documentary shoot / nature shoot is the end means, then any of the S35 cameras would be the answer and the question would be to start your purchase from the glass point of view. What lens do I want to shoot with. Price point. Positive/negative factors. Future proof. Then from there pick a camera that will support the lens, be it Sony, Canon, Hitachi, Red, Samsung, etc. This way you have the perfect glass for run and gun, and what you record on doesn't really matter. The purchase decision was for R&G capabilities, not manufacturer or FPS or recording media etc. At least that is my take on it. As Mitch said, cameras are a consumable. The stuff in your kit; lenses, lights, audio will out live any camera if you give your device a good 5 year plan....

You make too much sense for camera geek forum. Debate forever is more fun than making sense.
 
A 'Different' camera may have the A7s chip in an XLR shoulder form box.. and that could come in November - such a camera would entirely use todays technology

Why many people want this? a7s sensor has ridiculous rolling shutter problem and didn't deliver with promised dynamic range. Just because is full frame?
 
Mitch - there is a different between 'better' and 'different' cameras.

A 'Better' camera may do 1000FPS and come in 2019 - such a camera would rely on the inevitable increases in computer power per dollar over time

A 'Different' camera may have the A7s chip in an XLR shoulder form box.. and that could come in November - such a camera would entirely use todays technology

The latter may be more appropriate to non cabrio owning run-n-gunners - that is the 'worry'

S
I understand that, but the question one should ask is "What camera do I want?" There's a thread on DVXUSER lamenting that various equipmwnt conventions roll by and the person's ideal camera is never announced. However I feel about the choice of ideal camera, I totally respect that the guy has a target in mind.

A camera is a tool. One should buy the appropriate tool for the task at hand. Figure out what your task is to determine the appropriate tool's requirements. Then buy that tool or wait for such a tool to become available.

Anyone who thinks that Sony is going to come out with a handheld form factor camera similar to the FS7 but with a Full Frame 35 sensor is crazy. Those two design elements are counter operational to one another. The lenses necessary to take advantage of one aspect are limiting to the other. You will never get a full free zoom of any decent range with any kind of decent aperture that isn't physically huge and heavy. Can't have handheld/large sensor/long zoom range/decent aperture all as one. It defies the laws of physics. So since such a camera would likely be of rather limited use I sincerely doubt Sony would ever make it. But hey, what do I know?

But if you step back from the gear and ask yourself what kind of shooting do I wish to do, if you want handheld with a decent range zoom (particularly one that gets wide) and can shoot at a decent light level, then you're most likely describing a 2/3" shoulder mounted camera. If you want that in 4K then Hitachi get debuted one at IBC. BTW, notice how little attention it has received?

The task determines the tool, which determines your purchase. If you have the camera you want for addressing that task, then who cares what Sony releases next? If you do not yet have the tool you want and Sony announces another tool that does not fit the task, ignore it and soldier on. Otherwise who cares?
 
The task determines the tool, which determines your purchase. If you have the camera you want for addressing that task, then who cares what Sony releases next? If you do not yet have the tool you want and Sony announces another tool that does not fit the task, ignore it and soldier on. Otherwise who cares?

Ahhh...the logic of it all boggles the mind. Right on, Mitch.
 
Who's saying here that we should care for future releases of Sony camera?

Of course nobody. It's in my eyes not necessary to repeat again and again that the camera is only one of the many tools that we use
to achieve our vision. Everybody knows that.
But there are numerous threads, that take care for cameras - like his one here. I read and write because I'm not sure if the FS7 is "the"
camera for my needs. I won't find it out by just going into forums, but to feel it in my hands for some hours. It's just not possible until
today. I'll first touch the camera with a Sony representative in mid october. That's okay.
Until then I will go on reading about what others know and think about the FS7 because I have time for this and I'm interested in other
peoples thougths.

If this seems crazy - so it be. No problem at all.

There's another thing, why I wnat to know as much as possible now. I need to sell my current stuff before it goes down in value...
... and it does.
 
I've been quite surprised that more people focussed on Run & Gun/handholdability haven't gravitated towards using the F5(5) in it's 2K crop mode with S16mm zoom lenses. It gives you the high dynamic range, filmic images that people seem to want, combined with the broad focal range and light weight portability that they also seem to want... things you simply can't get with S35mm photography due to physics of lens sizes.

Plus you can easily switch back to S35mm mode for more composed scenarios where you actually want the shallower depth of field.

I just don't get it.
 
If I already had a FS700 or F5 the road to the FS7 would have been difficult to choose. But I for one am coming from the F3 (and for a brief while the FS100) so it's kind of an open road towards the FS7.

My concerns are few but as always I don't want to purchase a camera that are missing most of the features we take for granted today. I would be concerned if another camera came short after my purchase that did all of the things inside the FS7 but added features such as global shutter, higher fps, cheaper, better sensor etc. In time such a camera will come sure but looking back most other cameras that are announced either misses out on features or price. As Mitch put it these are tools and to me I see noting missing to please my clients. I also see something that will make shooting easier.

What If find so intriguing is that with the excellent form and feature set of the FS7 what comes to better it in the future?
 
I've been quite surprised that more people focussed on Run & Gun/handholdability haven't gravitated towards using the F5(5) in it's 2K crop mode with S16mm zoom lenses. It gives you the high dynamic range, filmic images that people seem to want, combined with the broad focal range and light weight portability that they also seem to want... things you simply can't get with S35mm photography due to physics of lens sizes.

Plus you can easily switch back to S35mm mode for more composed scenarios where you actually want the shallower depth of field.

I just don't get it.

Just compare price and size:

F5 + EVF/display + battery system + memory cards + PL S16 zoom + shoulder base plate + handles
vs.
FS7 + 2x BP-U60 + 2x 64 QXD + Metabones Speedbooster + Canon 24-105/4L

There's your answer...
Some of us just can't spend the money and don't want the size of the "typical ENG camera". I always found it way to big for my doco style work, which is in a way R&G
but much more careful observation. I liked a Arri SR16, I liked the EX3. I don't want a 2/3" broadcast camera. Just because people use it a lot, doesn't necessarily mean
it's meant for everyone.

I like to have cinematic footage with a camera I can handle by my own the whole day/week. I don't need the "whole" focal range. The Canon 24-105 on Speedbooster
is a very nice range for me. I can always go closer by foot. But I need the wide part of the focal range.
But the lens is a little outdated: The t-stop changes even if the f-stop is constant f4, it flares (too) easily, the distortion is a little to much...

Give me a new generation 24-105 and I'll be happy (maybe I just take the Sigma 24-105, which has CAs...).
 
I understand that, but the question one should ask is "What camera do I want?" There's a thread on DVXUSER lamenting that various equipmwnt conventions roll by and the person's ideal camera is never announced. However I feel about the choice of ideal camera, I totally respect that the guy has a target in mind.

A camera is a tool. One should buy the appropriate tool for the task at hand. Figure out what your task is to determine the appropriate tool's requirements. Then buy that tool or wait for such a tool to become available.

Anyone who thinks that Sony is going to come out with a handheld form factor camera similar to the FS7 but with a Full Frame 35 sensor is crazy. Those two design elements are counter operational to one another. The lenses necessary to take advantage of one aspect are limiting to the other. You will never get a full free zoom of any decent range with any kind of decent aperture that isn't physically huge and heavy. Can't have handheld/large sensor/long zoom range/decent aperture all as one. It defies the laws of physics. So since such a camera would likely be of rather limited use I sincerely doubt Sony would ever make it. But hey, what do I know?

But if you step back from the gear and ask yourself what kind of shooting do I wish to do, if you want handheld with a decent range zoom (particularly one that gets wide) and can shoot at a decent light level, then you're most likely describing a 2/3" shoulder mounted camera. If you want that in 4K then Hitachi get debuted one at IBC. BTW, notice how little attention it has received?

The task determines the tool, which determines your purchase. If you have the camera you want for addressing that task, then who cares what Sony releases next? If you do not yet have the tool you want and Sony announces another tool that does not fit the task, ignore it and soldier on. Otherwise who cares?

Mitch, you also make too much sense for camera geek forum.:)
 
I've been quite surprised that more people focussed on Run & Gun/handholdability haven't gravitated towards using the F5(5) in it's 2K crop mode with S16mm zoom lenses. It gives you the high dynamic range, filmic images that people seem to want, combined with the broad focal range and light weight portability that they also seem to want... things you simply can't get with S35mm photography due to physics of lens sizes.

Plus you can easily switch back to S35mm mode for more composed scenarios where you actually want the shallower depth of field.

I just don't get it.

People want cheap. Everybody want best camera nobody want to pay for best camera.
 
The lenses necessary to take advantage of one aspect are limiting to the other. You will never get a full free zoom of any decent range with any kind of decent aperture that isn't physically huge and heavy. Can't have handheld/large sensor/long zoom range/decent aperture all as one. It defies the laws of physics. So since such a camera would likely be of rather limited use I sincerely doubt Sony would ever make it. But hey, what do I know?
Technically, all that is true - but it's neglecting one aspect, and one which is crucial to the subject.

Assuming all else equal, the bigger the sensor, the more sensitive it will be - and hence if a smaller f stop you're back to square one.

I agree you can't have "handheld/large sensor/long zoom range/decent aperture all as one" - but what you CAN have is "handheld/large sensor/long zoom range/smaller aperture/higher sensitivity" all as one. You may (rightly) then ask just what's the point - the smaller f stop will bring the dof back up equivalent to a smaller sensor, so why bother?

The answer to that is you get the OPTION of using fast primes or short focal range zooms when appropriate. And in a way that's similar to what has already happened with the growth of s35 cameras, and the rationale. They can be used via adaptors to use B4 zooms and "pretend" they are 2/3" cameras - though with no gain or loss over actually using a 2/3" camera - but additionally use fast primes designed for s35 when appropriate.

And I strongly suspect that's why the Hitachi camera has got so little attention. It cuts off options, doesn't add any. If B4-s35 optical adaptors weren't available, it may be a different story. (Though there's nothing to stop a long zoom range/smallish aperture for large sensor being built from square one, and being relatively small.)
 
That's it exactly.

I use the zoom for situations that will quickly change and fast primes at night and
in controlled environment. I'm almost shure that I'm not the only one doing so...
 
Anyone who thinks that Sony is going to come out with a handheld form factor camera similar to the FS7 but with a Full Frame 35 sensor is crazy. Those two design elements are counter operational to one another. The lenses necessary to take advantage of one aspect are limiting to the other. You will never get a full free zoom of any decent range with any kind of decent aperture that isn't physically huge and heavy. Can't have handheld/large sensor/long zoom range/decent aperture all as one. It defies the laws of physics. So since such a camera would likely be of rather limited use I sincerely doubt Sony would ever make it. But hey, what do I know?

I think maybe you missed the part where some of us said the new Sony 28-135 F4
would be pretty nice on a FF camera. There is the lens.....and not too heavy, huge or expensive.
But it only approximates the Cabrio 19-90 2.8 if it is on a FF camera. Given that this 28-135 is
A FF lens, with a power zoom, and it is made for video.....I personally think it kind of makes sense
to expect a FF video camera from Sony. But what do I know? Maybe they expect stills photographers
to use the lens on Sony FF stills cameras.
 
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