Rigging your FS100

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olindacat

Well-known member
I was looking at P. Bloom's camera comparison (and just about everything else with footage for this camera) and I starting wondering how I'm going to rig it. Has anyone spec'ed out theirs yet? How about a recorder? How many of you will use and which one? Will anyone be rolling with a Gemini 4:4:4 or a Atomos Samurai?
 
The FS100 doesn't have SDI (HDMI only) and is only 4:2:2 - so the Atomos Ninja (4:2:2 & HDMI) would be the recorder to get. But, the F3 has SDI and can go S-log, so the Samurai would be good there.
 
I wouldn't rig it much different than a dslr. It's a small body, and will still need a shoulder rig to get good shots, as far as audio,straight in to cam, xlr baby. I wouldnt bother with a seperate recorder with this cam. I think it will need a seperate viewfinder thats off set. At least that way you can use it like an eng cam.
 
maranfilms said:
I wouldn't rig it much different than a dslr. It's a small body, and will still need a shoulder rig to get good shots, as far as audio,straight in to cam, xlr baby. I wouldnt bother with a seperate recorder with this cam. I think it will need a seperate viewfinder thats off set. At least that way you can use it like an eng cam.
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I had heard some comments about metering audio being tough on this as well as the 16-bit audio not being ideal as opposed to 24, so was thinking about a recorder/monitor as above like Ninja that could double as monitor as well. (Although Ninja monitor isn't much over what comes stock.
 
If your ears can tell the difference between 16 bit and 24 bit, I envy you. Im unable to tell the difference, so for me 16 bit is fine. What is the reason it's hard to monitor? Does it not have audio levels?
 
From what I read 16 bit is good enough for everyone. Nothing to be gained by 24 bit audio. 16 bit is the way.
 
Keep in mind the NEX-FS100 records in 1080p/24/30/60. However the ATOMOS does not do 60p. And it is not fully equipped to do a pulldown to convert the 60i wrapper to 24p (since the 24p signal is sent out as 60i with pulldown markers), thus a software conversion would have to be done after ingestion. Therefore the Atomos only natively does 30p.

The ATOMOS also does not playback your recorded footage at full speed at the moment (but a firmware upgrade is in the works).

However the Gemini will do all the framerates, but the Gemini is unproven as they only showed the "demo mode" at NAB and not the full version.

That leaves other candidates Hyperdeck Shuttle, AJA Ki Pro Mini, CineMartin and Cinedeck Extreme. Any suggestions?
 
Don't forget about the NanoFlash. For the FS-100, it seems like a great choice. You don't get a monitor, of course, but it's proven technology.
 
It looks like my best option would be the nanoflash because of the uncompressed HDMI-HD/SDI loop through function and I can monitor on my TVLogic VFM-056WP
My TVlogic actually only outputs 720p res from the HDMI to HD/SDI loop and that's no good for external recorders like the Blackmagic Hyperdeck Shuttle
damn I was looking forward to using the Blackmagic..

actually now that I look at it, the Nanoflash can not record 1080 60p, kinda gimped if it can't record overcranked shots
 
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Kraut69 said:
From what I read 16 bit is good enough for everyone. Nothing to be gained by 24 bit audio. 16 bit is the way.
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I had some audio experts telling me 16-bit might not be good enough. I read in the audio section here that in-camcorder audio is sub-par. As I have 28 years in print and only three very short and limited years in video, I am (gulp) a bit over my head with this. I was freaked out worried that the Ki Pro Mini might be a mistake and that the Samurai was loooking pretty good (but can't connect) so I was thinking Ninja because of the monitor, but I was worried about just what I'm reading, more clearly explained, and relevant to this camera. I assume you have all seen this:

http://www.zacutoimages.com/p264364814/h10DD5E5B#h7a8ed99

Obviously a Zacuto-centric image, but looks like ti would fill the bill for both tripod and shoulder-mount situations.....
 
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speedracerlo said:
damn I was looking forward to using the Blackmagic..

actually now that I look at it, the Nanoflash can not record 1080 60p, kinda gimped if it can't record overcranked shots
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You can always go in the Blackmagic Shuttle first (SDI or HDMI) and than use one of the Shuttles outputs (HDMI or SDI) to go to your monitor.

olindacat said:
http://www.zacutoimages.com/p264364814/h10DD5E5B#h7a8ed99

Obviously a Zacuto-centric image, but looks like ti would fill the bill for both tripod and shoulder-mount situations.....
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Zacuto never got the balance right - their shoulder pads are always to far behind.

I wish someone would make a base plate with integrated shoulder pad that works like the tripod plate on the old Betacams, so the camera is really on your shoulder instead of a foot in front of you.
GENI has at least something similar but without the pad.

Frank
 
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oh so the blackmagic hyperdeck shuttle can Loop-through HD/SDI output while recording?
I didn't think this was possible with the small blackmagic
it probably only works on the studio version
 
Kraut69 said:
From what I read 16 bit is good enough for everyone. Nothing to be gained by 24 bit audio. 16 bit is the way.
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not so much. this statement is the same as an audio guy saying that a camera with 9.6 stops of latitude is just as good as a camera with 14.4 stops of latitude.

while 16 bit audio is completely workable, 24 bit audio gives you a decent increase in dynamic range (96db vs. 144db) and could mean the difference between good audio and bad when your levels get too high or too low. just like having those extra stops of latitude on the 14.4 stop camera, you could avoid blowout as well as lost detail in the shadows under tricky situations. with that said, as long as you keep good tabs on your levels and use some sort of compression before the signal hits the pre-amps, 16bit can be fine, but will never be as good as 24bit.
 
speedracerlo said:
oh so the blackmagic hyperdeck shuttle can Loop-through HD/SDI output while recording?
I didn't think this was possible with the small blackmagic
it probably only works on the studio version
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Blackmagic isn´t very precise on that, but it has SDI and HDMI outputs, so it would say, there is a chance that it will loop-through. Everything else would be a pretty much deal breaker. I don't think they are that short sighted.


Frank
 
considering that you can't play back through the HDMI out until you "switch" to the HDMI output mode to use the play button, I'm highly doubting that this one offers loop through, but if I am wrong that would only be good news
 
cheezweezl said:
not so much. this statement is the same as an audio guy saying that a camera with 9.6 stops of latitude is just as good as a camera with 14.4 stops of latitude.

while 16 bit audio is completely workable, 24 bit audio gives you a decent increase in dynamic range (96db vs. 144db) and could mean the difference between good audio and bad when your levels get too high or too low. just like having those extra stops of latitude on the 14.4 stop camera, you could avoid blowout as well as lost detail in the shadows under tricky situations. with that said, as long as you keep good tabs on your levels and use some sort of compression before the signal hits the pre-amps, 16bit can be fine, but will never be as good as 24bit.
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Isn't it more like an audio guy saying that a camera with 16 stops of latitude is just as good as a camera with 24 stops of latitude? :)
 
As detection devices, people's eyes are usuallly in better shape than people's ears. Do the research on 16 bit audio use in the professional industry and you may see that is what people are using.
 
I'm not an audio guy, but I think its similar to the 8 Bit vs 10 Bit issue with video. 8 Bit is the standard distribution medium because it looks great, but can fall apart quickly in post so people prefer to capture it at 10 bit (when able to) even though the final product will be 8 bit. Most audio is recorded at 24 bit (or more) and distributed at 16 bit, because 24 bit audio holds up better to things like noise filters, equalizers, ect.
 
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