Sony NEX-FS100 with Super 35mm CMOS image sensor

Why didn't someone ever create a locking HDMI, man, that would solve SO many problems. I have broke probably 10+ HDMI cables on shoots before. I usually bring 5 to every shoot just in case. (Mostly the problems were with the miniHDMI on the 7D).

Jim Martin at Filmtools tells me that a NAB there will be company with a patented HDMI locking device as part of an external monitor with HDMI passthrough.
 
Oh my god, why is it so hard to find out if the HDMI is 8 bit or 10 bit? Did Sony say anywhere in their offocial product literature? This is really annoying me, why is it so hard to figure these things out?
 
Calm down and go out and get some fresh air :) We aren't even close to being able to buy the camera yet, so have some patience. :P

Thanks for the links!
 
I heard summer from a bunch of different sources, but with the devastation in Japan, these assertions may not be very accurate.
 
For those complaining about the the camera being E mount. According to Sony's product brochure, you can purchase their A to E mount adaptor, and take full advantage of their line of A mount lenses, including AF.
I'l try fo form my own opinion when I go to NYC and get my hands on one the end of March. Looking forward to it.
 
Calm down and go out and get some fresh air :) We aren't even close to being able to buy the camera yet, so have some patience. :P

Thanks for the links!

I just wish this info was included in the product literature. Some are saying they have heard from Sony engineers that it is 10 bit and one guy who tested it says it is 8 bit. Who is right? If Sony just included that info from the onset, it would save people a lot of trouble. I mean they released most of the other specs so it should not be hard to say if the camera has HDMI 10 bit or not. I mean this is a big deal, I am sure for many, this one spec could cause someone to purchase this cam over the Af100. Im not impatient im just annoyed that there are people saying it is 10 bit and others saying it is 8 bit. Someone is right and I want to know who is.
 
the sensor in the FS100 is exactly the same one as used in the F3

Hi Nigel. Thanks for your review.
I would probably work around consumer build quality, lack of internal ND's and SDI (although I shoot since BVW300's and I really know what you're talking about), but what really disappointed me is the pretty amazing s/n of the F3 dropping from 63db to 54.
Can you comment on this, since you appreciated image produced by the FS100 and have probably tested an F3 as well?
Cheers mate
Alvise
 
I just wish this info was included in the product literature. Some are saying they have heard from Sony engineers that it is 10 bit and one guy who tested it says it is 8 bit. Who is right? If Sony just included that info from the onset, it would save people a lot of trouble. I mean they released most of the other specs so it should not be hard to say if the camera has HDMI 10 bit or not. I mean this is a big deal, I am sure for many, this one spec could cause someonev to purchase this cam over the Af100. Im not impatient im just annoyed that there are people saying it is 10 bit and others saying it is 8 bit. Someone is right and I want to know who is.

Sony left out a lot of info....I'm excited about this camera, but they could take a lesson from Canon and Panasonic on their brochures. 16 pages of ......not a lot. I would like to know how in depth the picture/color + parameters/adjustments will be. Nigel Cooper gave me a bit of info, but it would be nice to have the details like Panny and Canon provide from the get go.
 
Brochure?
What brochure?

Exactly....
The link was posted by somebody here and on the NEX VG10 Vimeo User group. I think Sony UK probably has it as well. I always forget where these things are so I just googled Sony FS100 brochure and one of the items that comes up is the Vimeo group...then on their page it's about 5 posts down.
 
HORROR ! No 24P for PAL models !

http://www.sony.es/biz/product/nxcamcorders/nex-fs100e/technicalspecs

PAL RECORDING FRAME RATES
HD PS (28Mbps) 1920x1080/50p, HD FX (24Mbps) 1920x1080/50i, HD FH (17Mbps) 1920x1080/50i, HD HQ
(9Mbps) 1440x1080/50i, HD LP (5Mbps) 1440x1080/50i, HD FX (24Mbps) 1920x1080/25p, HD FH (17Mbps)
1920x1080/25p, HD FX (24Mbps) 1280x720/50p, HD FH (17Mbps) 1280x720/50p, SD/STD HQ (9Mbps)
720x576/50i

What's happen ?
,
Ya ,this Sony also don't know what is market want,the people for looking exact film spec camera,so they need 24p must,if u wanna transfer to film 24p and 60p is great,this very bad news for us,why Canon 5DM2,and 7D is so hit in market,all have exactly film spec,there have lot of limitation in video Dslr but all people buy and use with this camera,why ?.........................people need film look and film motion...............Sony also another stupid marketing study and business idea,............................wait for Canon,may be they will come out with 5DM3 dslr with 10bit mpeg2 4:2:2,then this high high end video camera people throw away
 
The reason Hassleblads, Mamiya's and Bronica's had waist level viewfinders is simply down to the way proper portraiture should be taken. If you are photographing a wedding for example and taking a full-length shot of the bride, the camera's lens must be at the same level as the the brides waist. If you took a full-length shot with the camera at head-hight it gives a different perspective and makes the bride look like she has a big head and small feet, at waist level she and her body proportions are correct. If you take a head-and-shoulders picture of a person, the camera should be held level with the subjects neck. Group shots require the camera lens to be at waist hight to the subject for correct perspective.
That's really interesting, i'd never thought of that. I'd always thought a level for a natural shot would be eye level, regardless of camera angle, but now that you've said that, it makes perfect sense
cheers for the info! very helpful, i'll have to try experimenting with this.

If you hold an FS100 at waist height during an interview of a person, you will simply get that horrible 'up-the-nose' shot that is unprofessional. Video works different to photography in this instance. During video, we are 'talking' to the interviewee, during photography we are 'looking' at a picture so the perspectives have to be different for both. Waist level footage shot from a camcorder will simply make everybody look very tall and dominant.
i was thinking of a seated interviewee and a standing camera operator, with the camera at eye level.
after your post i think i'll change this hypothetical to neck level!

I agree with your sentiments themagickite and Hidef1080. Even though we won't be using these cameras 20 years from now, that is no excuse for manufacturers to build them in a way that they would probably not last that long anyway.
sony, panasonic, canon, everyone needs to start making products more responsibly, even if they just make a sturdy body you can send back to them (which would end up being emptied and refilled with new parts) and get a small rebate or something would mean a significant decrease in the use of the planets resources.
The consumer market is obviously completely flawed and would have to have a major paradigm shift to clean up its act, but in professional applications, even at this 5k/6k low end should be able clean up its act with relative ease and with huge benifits to the user, and a very significant positive boost in brand image. I'm sure investors love that kinda stuff, or at least they should, investing probably has more of an effect on the world than voting (or can do at least) if people made ethical as well as financial considerations when investing, the world would be a much better place.
 
However, remember for narrative it is VERY much about the emotions of the scene. A feeling of power, shoot from below. A feeling of weakness, shoot from above. General dialog, shoot from the face. The fact is, there is LOTS of angles to shoot from. I put my smallHD on the top of my AF100, so I can see that if I had a FS100, I'd probably keep the display shut most of the time as the smallHD DP6 is SO MUCH better for monitoring your shots.

(or any decent high resolution screen like the TV Logic etc).
 
I don't understand why this or any other camera can't do any framerate between 1 and [maximum framerate]. Very annoying. Why do there have to be different versions for 24fps and 25fps regions? Or if I want to shoot 43fps why does Sony have a problem with that?
 
OK guys. The FS100 is definitely 8-bit out of the HDMI. I've had this 100% confirmed from two Sony people (who know there stuff) in the UK. It makes sense, if it was 10-bit it would take sales from the F3.

For the record, the main difference between HDMI and HD/SDI-BNC-type is simple. HDMI is a consumer connection designed for home use. BNC-type HD/SDI is a professional connecter designed for OB, ENG and other professional video/broadcast applications where robustness is vital. The locking HDMI connectors are something of an improvement, but still nowhere near as robust as BNC connection.

I'll post a downloadable brochure on my review later today as a pdf. Check at 9am USA (New York) time and it will be at the very bottom of the review as a link to download it as a pdf.

In the meantime, Sony UK are very keen to get a full production unit to me with an MTF PL-mount adaptor and some decent lenses, well I have Ziess CP.2 lenses at my disposal anyway, I also have an AJA Ki Pro Mini which I could also use. But as I said to my Sony contacts, image quality is not my issue with the FS100.
 
I've now put the NEX-FS100 Preliminary brochure on my review to download. It is at the foot of the review. Remember though that it is a Preliminary brochure and not the 100% full and final official version, but it will give you a 98% idea of this camcorder.
 
Last edited by a moderator:
Back
Top