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

Lots of overexposed shots on that test but the colors looked decent.

I'm hoping I'll receive my camera within the next two weeks so I'll shoot a narrative film, some tests with skintones, and do a comparison test with other 4k cameras.
 
IMO it lacked 'mojo'

Partly cos the guy cant light a roast chicken, but I think in the main mojo may possibly defined as smooth highlight roll off.

S
 
Osslund said:
Another useless video sorry to say. It told me nothing and I don't get the overexposed, missed focus and to shallow DOF thing.
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Man... you guys are harsh critics. The crazy Japanese fashion video nobody liked because it because it looked Log, deep focus, weird art direction and un-graded; so this guy does something graded, not log, shallow DOF and his sucks as well? LOL? Then you have Den Lenny's which looked un-graded as well and that one got ripped apart by everyone. The French video... well.. that one got away...

Yes, there were a number of blown highlights (but this probably his first time filming with the FS7), but I like the colors / general aesthetic / vibe of the image that I get from this test and that of Filippos.

As an FS700 + 7Q owner, the FS7 image seems a bit richer and a bit weightier. Could be I'm just not pushing my grades enough. But yeah, I'm psyched on this camera.
 
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skimmel said:
Thanks. So, if you are recording to S-log but monitoring with LUT (let's say REC709), do you expose on the monitor as though it's REC709?
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Yes. You set grey card at 45% and watch that 90% white does not exceed 90% white.

Lenilenapi said:
I'm still unclear on this - is the noise still removed on the LUT when you record to it? Sorry to be dense, I guess I don't know the menus so I don't know if its in Cine EI mode that one would record the LUT. Is Matrix etc also disabled when using the LUT?

Also I'm a bit confused by how bad this noise issue is. I'm coming from the F3 where in non Slog modes I feel free to shoot anywhere between +12 and -3 and never see noise. Is this different in the F5/55 (presumably FS7) or is it in only an issue when shooting Slog3?

I don't get how people can rave about SLog3 and then in the next breath say the noise levels are unacceptable. When does the noise become a problem and can't you just expose a touch more to push it down? ( I don't have mush experience working Slog).

It would be nice if they do add it back in the subsequent software maybe as a choice.


Lenny
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Forget the LUT, in CineEI mode everything is disabled like matrix, noise reduction, details setting. You record with your gamma set to one curve, maybe even slog2, but you monitor with another curve, let's say Rec709, or even just use slog2 as your LUT and monitor in pure slog like we have been since the F3... (I agree having menu access help understand all this)

The noise with slog3 comes from two things, one noise reduction is disabled, two the shadows are slightly lifted with slog3 compared to slog2. The noise is technically the same on both curves because in reality it comes from the sensor itself, but if you boost the curve or any specific portion of it then of course you would see more noise.
 
starcentral said:
EI mode locks to whatever the native ISO of the camera is, so if it's 2000 ISO then you are always shooting 2000ISO no matter what ISO you set the camera too... and when you do change the ISO it only affects your exposure tools and monitoring - not what you are recording. This is for the purpose of adjusting back to normal in post later.

All this in my Ultimate exposure guide.

Yes with 3D LUT capability you can load up a nice custom Kodak print emulation LUT and impress yourself, and others on set. :beer:
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It might be more accurate to say the ISO adjusts but the gain amplifier stays at base. After all, ISO is always gamma and gain and specified grey point dependent.

Yes as cameras support 3D luts the points about how this camera has great color and that camera has bad skintones will be mostly moot.
 
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starcentral said:
EI mode locks to whatever the native ISO of the camera is, so if it's 2000 ISO then you are always shooting 2000ISO no matter what ISO you set the camera too... and when you do change the ISO it only affects your exposure tools and monitoring - not what you are recording. This is for the purpose of adjusting back to normal in post later.

All this in my Ultimate exposure guide.

Yes with 3D LUT capability you can load up a nice custom Kodak print emulation LUT and impress yourself, and others on set. :beer:
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Thanks Dennis. Can't wait to get some hands on with the FS7 and put it through its paces. I'm sure I'll be owing you a beer or a case soon enough. lol I should get mine among the first batch if you want to check it out or do a side by side with the F55. We are in the same city after all.
 
Dennis,
I understand what you're saying, but you can record the LUT. Most of my clients want a baked in look so I'm trying to figure that part out. I'm wondering if that also has the noise reduction disabled. It sounds like it does because it is still a function within Cine EI? (that's a question).
I'm a little confused about the difference between 709 800% and 709 type A . If you're recording the LUT directly which would you typically choose?.

BTW = I have your exposure guide and its great so I do understand that Type A maps 90% lower than the 800% LUT does. Just not sure if you might use that for a baked in Look sometimes.
 
gene_can_sing said:
Man... you guys are harsh critics. The crazy Japanese fashion video nobody liked because it because it looked Log, deep focus, weird art direction and un-graded; so this guy does something graded, not log, shallow DOF and his sucks as well? LOL? Then you have Den Lenny's which looked un-graded as well and that one got ripped apart by everyone. The French video... well.. that one got away...

Yes, there were a number of blown highlights (but this probably his first time filming with the FS7), but I like the colors / general aesthetic / vibe of the image that I get from this test and that of Filippos.

As an FS700 + 7Q owner, the FS7 image seems a bit richer and a bit weightier. Could be I'm just not pushing my grades enough. But yeah, I'm psyched on this camera.
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I would have to fall in this camp. I appreciate every bit of footage posted, and thought this one really showed the color pallet it's capable of. No, it's not flawless, but let he who has never blown a highlight cast the first stone. Especially when shooting a huge pumpkin patch with a thousand different reflecting light levels. Also presents a similar difficulty determining just where to focus.

I just sold the 700 and held off on doing the 7Q thing because I thought something like this was coming down the pike. Now it's here and I look forward to every comparison test I can see. Especially one that compares down sampled 1080P to footage shot at 4K and converted to 1080P.
 
Lenilenapi said:
Dennis,
I understand what you're saying, but you can record the LUT. Most of my clients want a baked in look so I'm trying to figure that part out. I'm wondering if that also has the noise reduction disabled. It sounds like it does because it is still a function within Cine EI? (that's a question).
I'm a little confused about the difference between 709 800% and 709 type A . If you're recording the LUT directly which would you typically choose?.

BTW = I have your exposure guide and its great so I do understand that Type A maps 90% lower than the 800% LUT does. Just not sure if you might use that for a baked in Look sometimes.
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To bake in a LUT is just a flip in the menu, but you're still in CineEI mode so hence NR is still disabled. Correct.

Just remember I am only speaking to the F5/55 and have not used the F7S so its no telling if Sony has already included the option to enable NR in CineEI mode.

If I bake in LUT it is only modified version of LC709A - blacks pulled down slightly, and small contrast added to skin tone region because I've found even LC709A a little flat on skin... but it's best to start with stock LC709A LUT then modify as required.

Regarding exposure guide, yes, Type A maps 90% white at 73%, and grey also has different value. So my advice is to know both remapped values for grey and white because they will range from LUT to LUT.
 
Just a quick question. Will the new Sony stock lens with the F7 work on the F5? Might be a handy piece of glass to use at outdoor events. Thanks.
 
Nope, it's e-mount, so can't be adapter to FZ-mount unfortunately. Hopefully they release an FZ-mount version for us.
 
alohype said:
Another new one:


It seems that there is no aliasing and moire at 120fps (at least at first glance).
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This comment on Vimeo from the DoP helps explain why the colours are all over the shop. This better be fixed on release.


With the beta firmware I was having problems controling iris on the lenses with the Metabones adapter. Pretty sure it stayed wide open even though it showed differently in the VF. I had to control exposure with the built in ND's and a Variable ND on the camera. So that would also affect colour, some sharpness...The internal ND's were not enough, and I didn't have options with changing Cine EI values..
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nsoltz said:
Extension unit and camera with kit lens scheduled to ship in Dec.
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Arg.

Why can't the full cam/lens kit ship in Oct/Nov....? I've no glass that will work on the FS7 and was hoping to start with that lovely new zoom. Arg.

First world problems, I suppose. ;)
 
Does anyone know if it will have the firmware to deal with the distortion that dogs the Sony 18-105 F4 lens when used with the FS700? I hope so because that 18-105 seems like a useful RNG lens for the FS7 a sort of poor man's cabrio.
 
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