FS5: NewsShooter's review of Sony's FS5

For some reason I thought just the 4k was limited to long gop, didn't realize all the HD modes were also @ 50mbs in long gop as well. Yikes
 
For some reason I thought just the 4k was limited to long gop, didn't realize all the HD modes were also @ 50mbs in long gop as well. Yikes
When I first got my FS7 I only shot I. Then doing long interviews I started testing L.

My findings are there is absolutely no difference in the quality, in a way I like L better, much smaller files, cheaper to archive. And my editing suites even my MBP handles Long Gop just fine.

I will be doing some more testing on action shots. But so far even some slightly jerky footage I shot on the shoulder with fast moves, did not look different.

And the big benefit with Long Gop is you use cheaper media. I like the dual card recording too, so you can hand one card off and keep one yourself at the end of a shoot.

The only advantage I see in I is easier on low power NLEs.

Someone here may prove me wrong. But this is my conclusions and I have been using XAVC-L on my FS7 now for a while both in UHD and HD. And I see no difference to when I was using XAVC-I, I have several projects with both codecs being edited right now.
 
I do not own an F series camera but in my experience, long GOP codecs are just as good or better than I-frame codecs. The only drawback being ease of editing. The more efficient encoding puts a strain on your processor to decode while editing.
 
When I first got my FS7 I only shot I. Then doing long interviews I started testing L.

My findings are there is absolutely no difference in the quality, in a way I like L better, much smaller files, cheaper to archive. And my editing suites even my MBP handles Long Gop just fine.

Your right, it's a great codec for news/events/talking heads & the cost conscious folks in regards to media and storage. For my particular needs though(commercial, green screen, effects, promotional material) long gop just doesn't cut it. The RAW update might make it interesting, but I'll need to see how its implemented and if its as handicapped as the fs7's.

"Sony FS5 tested at anti-war protests: real world, low light, broadcast quality results"
by Dan Chung

Broadcast quality is a bit of an oxymoron.. While I think most tv stations have a preferred codec / quality, in the end we all know they will take what ever they can get(cell phone, go pro, dslr, etc). I also realize this is spur of the moment news coverage, but I see the mirrorless cameras being much more versatile tools in situations like these.
 
I am very curious about the RAW update. Provided it will come and it will be reasonable: once you started RAW or 7Q RAW2ProRes will you ever go back to XAVC-L?
 
I am very curious about the RAW update. Provided it will come and it will be reasonable: once you started RAW or 7Q RAW2ProRes will you ever go back to XAVC-L?

The catch 22 is that the strongest points of this camera are its ease of use / size. The second you strap an external recorder to it, you take a significant to those aspects. Also if the RAW signal is similar to that of the fs7 the O7Q will not be anywhere near as beneficial as it was to the fs700.
 
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