FS7: Upgrade for FS7...When already?

A

allenfacemire

Well-known member
I was led to believe Sony was releasing a new firmware upgrade in October for the FS7. An upgrade that among other things, will allow for a 2k from 4k and 1k from 2k center punch so we can start using our legacy HD zoom glass (via a very expensive adapter of course).

It is now November and unless I just flat out missed the update release or misread the release date...where is it?
 
+1

(besides mirrorless maybe and as you said: "from Sony". I might buy second hand Sony cam but not a brand new one, I'm very sure about that)
 
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They must be too busy making mini-me versions of the F5/F55 to worry about FS7 or something.

The CineAlta badged camera's on the other hand have pretty decent firmware release dates.. quite consistent.
 
Ben Scott said:
There's dates slipping and there is outright dishonesty. This is the last camera I buy from Sony.
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Hah if we never bought another camera from companies that missed deadlines we would have to shoot only on cameras from brand new companies with no track record.

Even if they came out with a $1 8k 1000fps vistavision camera with 25 stops of DR and 50x lossless raw QuickTime compression with perfect shoulder ergonomics that fit in your pocket and generated it's own power that'd also run your accessories? You wouldn't buy it?
 
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I'm not going to boycott any camera brand for not delivering firmware updates on a particular schedule...

but what I have already done is I don't buy cameras counting on features that aren't already functional. If we all only bought cameras based on the features the present firmware allows - that would change the market for the better.
 
Viddovation said:
If we all only bought cameras based on the features the present firmware allows - that would change the market for the better.
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I agree and even if they never added additional features to the camera since day 1 I would still be very happy with it.

What people are furious about is Sony not fixing the things that were supposed to function from jump and are clearly bugs. Shutter Angle is a big one, Luts not coming back on when you switch out of S&Q despite saying they are on in menu etc. Its nice to have new features but please fix the bugs first. Then the rest is gravy that no one should complain about.
 
I started shooting on a Panasonic prosumer camera...then fell in love with Canon DSLRs...dumped Canon and was super loyal to Blackmagic...and now I've found myself lost in the world of Sony F65s and 55s....is the next natural step an ALEXA?
 
NorBro said:
I started shooting on a Panasonic prosumer camera...then fell in love with Canon DSLRs...dumped Canon and was super loyal to Blackmagic...and now I've found myself lost in the world of Sony F65s and 55s....is the next natural step an ALEXA?
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Just saw a couple of clips from the new BMD URSA Mini 4K and they look really nice. And all for roughly the price of an Alexa mounting plate. And not far from Alexa quality.
 
I owned a URSA...same sensor. The image is beautiful and I must have said that 100x on this forum and the others, but the camera had issues. DR was not 12 stops. FPN showed up with the slightest bit of under-exposure. Other random issues.

For the price, I would never complain (even though I paid a few thousands more than what it costs now), but jumping ship for the time being...and will be following 4.6K closely.
 
NorBro said:
I started shooting on a Panasonic prosumer camera...then fell in love with Canon DSLRs...dumped Canon and was super loyal to Blackmagic...and now I've found myself lost in the world of Sony F65s and 55s....is the next natural step an ALEXA?
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Yes. Solid consistent behavior and good color science. Standardized connections and simple controls. The way to go.
 
I would be very cautious going Alexa route (if we're talking about owning one). It's not "true" 4K camera and some distributors already recognise this, ie.Netflix). You can be safe for years to come or there could be situation where in few months most of the distributrs will suddenly demand true 4k and Alexa will be ruled out. What will mean substantial depreciation in value. It's a lottery at this moment what will happen. If you know you can milk money out of it for the next 6-12months they go for it. But if you want to make and investment for the next 2-3 years I would look elsewhere.


Edit:
I wish varicam 35 to succeed and to start be recognised in the industry. Dual base iso is a killer feature and image coming out of it is gorgeous. I wonder if anyone of you had a chance to work with it? What is it's operability like?
 
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alohype said:
I would be very cautious going Alexa route (if we're talking about owning one). It's not "true" 4K camera and some distributors already recognise this, ie.Netflix). You can be safe for years to come or there could be situation where in few months most of the distributrs will suddenly demand true 4k and Alexa will be ruled out.
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This is one of the more depressing posts I've read in a long time.

So a camera that produces one of the most aesthetically pleasing images could be ruled out of use because it doesn't capture the resolution that no human can actually see from a comfortable viewing position. 4K has been so successful that our airwaves and fibre are filled with 4K content, oh, hang on.

The world has gone fu*king mad!

BTW, what constitutes a 'true' 4K camera? What would happen if a 'true' 4K camera was used but some arty farty type decided to shoot with a vintage lens would that be 'true' 4K for netflix? Would a production destined for Netflix be prohibited from using lens filters?
 
alohype said:
I would be very cautious going Alexa route (if we're talking about owning one). It's not "true" 4K camera and some distributors already recognise this, ie.Netflix). You can be safe for years to come or there could be situation where in few months most of the distributrs will suddenly demand true 4k and Alexa will be ruled out. What will mean substantial depreciation in value. It's a lottery at this moment what will happen. If you know you can milk money out of it for the next 6-12months they go for it. But if you want to make and investment for the next 2-3 years I would look elsewhere.

Edit:
I wish varicam 35 to succeed and to start be recognised in the industry. Dual base iso is a killer feature and image coming out of it is gorgeous. I wonder if anyone of you had a chance to work with it? What is it's operability like?
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To be fair, anyone shooting a Netflix show, is going to have the budget to rent the cameras they need anyway - so I don't think 4k compatibility is quite the issue many make it out to be. For me, the added simplicity to our workflow, both on set and in post, offers some significant advantages to shooting Alexa.

The new Varicam is very nice, has some very cool features, particularly it's proxy recording options and dual native ISO. The menu systems aren't great though, and require a fair bit of familiarisation before you can use them quickly and smoothly. The old Arricam comes up trumps on that front still.
 
nyvz said:
Hah if we never bought another camera from companies that missed deadlines we would have to shoot only on cameras from brand new companies with no track record.

Even if they came out with a $1 8k 1000fps vistavision camera with 25 stops of DR and 50x lossless raw QuickTime compression with perfect shoulder ergonomics that fit in your pocket and generated it's own power that'd also run your accessories? You wouldn't buy it?
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I have no issue with people missing deadlines. I have a problem with no announcements or apologies being made and webpages being edited to make it look like it said something different all along. I had about 5-6months of the Extension unit basically being a paperweight....

nyvz... I will cross that bridge when it arrives. Which will probably be the day after the shutter bug is finally fixed.
 
DLD said:
Just saw a couple of clips from the new BMD URSA Mini 4K and they look really nice. And all for roughly the price of an Alexa mounting plate. And not far from Alexa quality.
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The more you do this job, the more you see things in the image and the more you look out for things, and the more you realise that very little looks like an Alexa/Amira.

Whilst I often use it for what it is, I always laugh at the idea of Sony supposedly providing an Alexa-like LUT in the LC709a. Less saturated and less contrasty does not make an Alexa image.

Likewise BM would have to have utterly reinvented their colour science and sensor division to be anywhere near that.
 
Nirv said:
This is one of the more depressing posts I've read in a long time.

So a camera that produces one of the most aesthetically pleasing images could be ruled out of use because it doesn't capture the resolution that no human can actually see from a comfortable viewing position. 4K has been so successful that our airwaves and fibre are filled with 4K content, oh, hang on.

The world has gone fu*king mad!


BTW, what constitutes a 'true' 4K camera? What would happen if a 'true' 4K camera was used but some arty farty type decided to shoot with a vintage lens would that be 'true' 4K for netflix? Would a production destined for Netflix be prohibited from using lens filters?
Click to expand...


Well, you know what probably happened. Some high paid dushbag 'consultant' or 'technology expert' convinced the top brass at Netflix that it's all a numbers game and next thing you know the gold standard of digital cinema cameras is disqualified from shooting for Netflix. It is scary to think that more beancounters will follow Netflix's lead and within no time at all the Alexa will be locked out of more productions. All I can do is shake my head when I think of the sheer stupidity of it all.

I vaguely remember of some comparison being done a year or two ago between the big iron cameras in regards to 4k coming in. It may have been at the Academy or somewhere similar, but the irony is that apparently the Alexa blown up to 4k was widely voted as producing the best looking image.
 
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