FS7: XDCA-FS7 owners: Are you happy?

starcentral said:
I had some discussion with Alister and it appears that RAW on Sony (even F5/F55) is not truly linear, and I guess that makes sense.

It has to be that if Sony wanted to they could squeeze 14 stops into 12-bit Log RAW. Even BMD refers to their RAW as "Log RAW" on their website. On it they say; DaVinci Resolve can easily handle the 12‑bit log RAW images from URSA.

If anyone actually did pure linear you'd have 1 bit of data representing your lowest stop. Hard to believe anyone would actually do that.

So what did Sony's last firmware that was suppose to address this do? Anyone?
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On the FS7 there is absolutely not 14 stops of information in the raw files. As I have mentioned before as soon as you go more than 2 stops under middle grey the image starts to fall apart. Any less and you have lost it. From your uploaded pic...

Screen Shot 2015-11-12 at 9.05.48 AM_zpskauljbdc.png


My real world experience bears this out and so obviously you try to shift exposure to the right as much as possible to compensate, severely limiting your DR
 
So is the XDCA-FS7 a power hog? just saw this on the operating manual:

Power consumption Approx. 24 W (body connected to the PXW-FS7,RAW output mode, approx. 10.5 W XDCA-FS7consumption)Approx. 64 W (body connected to the PXW-FS7,RAW output mode, 1.8 A output from the DC OUT.
 
telecam said:
So is the XDCA-FS7 a power hog? just saw this on the operating manual:

Power consumption Approx. 24 W (body connected to the PXW-FS7,RAW output mode, approx. 10.5 W XDCA-FS7consumption)Approx. 64 W (body connected to the PXW-FS7,RAW output mode, 1.8 A output from the DC OUT.
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XDCA + Odyssey is around 30Watt/hour.
 
Gentlemen (and any ladies if there are ever any here),

I comment carefully as I cannot make certain statements. I can tell you that we have worked extensively with Sony for a long time as we have done with other manufacturers. Sony made changes that provided improvements. We adjusted to those improvements, but there is always the theoretical and then the actual. So no matter what is said in calculations and charts and provided technical specs, there is always more to it when we get the functioning product in our hands. This is true of every manufacturer, and it is due to a variety of reasons. There are just so many moving parts in these developments. So anyway, we see the thing that is actually delivered and we work to adjust for it.

The RAW signal originally output by the XDCA was a bit different then what Sony had stated. And when we discussed it with them some aspects were not as they believed it to be, others were simply not communicated. Then Sony made some changes and those changes resulted in some things that we expected and some OTHER things as well. And so we adapt. Please let me remind you that we go through this to different degrees with all the manufacturers. Big or small, you wouldn't believe some of the things that pop up. Like sending BGR instead of RGB. I kid you not.

In our next firmware release there will be an improvement to the image for FS RAW from the FS7/XDCA, and particularly from the Apple ProRes files derived from it. Some of the issues noted in a thread on this forum are addressed. The addressing of these issues come as a combination of Sony's work and ours.

We are always listening and looking for ways to improve. We hope to have our next firmware release made available soon, but I cannot provide a date at this time.
 
I am still curious if anybody compared the result of 7Q vs AXS-R5 Recorder.
Probably no one as the price is horrendous

I appreciated Mitch to chime in but the story reminds of the implementing ProRes and what C-D reported about their discussion with Apple. In the end it was a huuuge delay and needed several FW updates until they supplied what they first announced. It's easy to blame Sony as the are a big company with confusing wide product range. Nobody appears on forums to answer questions.. But. But it's C-D who announced FS-7 RAW support for their recorders. As I said before C-D's engineering capacities are way behind their marketing power.
 
When Sony released fw 3.0 for the FS7, I specifically asked them about the "image improvement" they stated from the Raw output from camera - and specifically asked if this improvement was to be found via their recorder only or also with 7Q(+). I got no response. Not even an acknowledgment.
I haven't had the time to post any test results - but I recently tested the 3.0 fw with ext back and 7Q+ and I can absolutely state that I am happy I rented for the testing rather than purchased. Totally agree with Ben Scott's assessment in post #21 above... 2 stops under middle grey looks like bunk. ETTR may help slightly, but then you are now capturing 11 or 12 stops instead of the 14 you get recording internally or via hdmi without the nasty extension unit.

Looking forward to what CD's latest FW might bring...but certainly happy I did not purchase the extension unit.
 
I didn't buy the XDCA for RAW recording, so, yes I am very pleased with it. It completes the camera by giving me Timecode, V-lock batteries, and better balance and mass for stability. The ability to shoot ProRes is also nice as an option, but I don't use it. I would go so far as to say that the XDCA should have been standard equipment, and the stripped down FS7 should have been offered as a "budget" version of the camera. In my oppinion, the FS7 in either configuration is still by far the most bang for the buck of any camera in history.
 
+1 guys

Like I said somewhere else on the forums, we'd be lucky if Canon offers the same features 4 years from now, and at the same price.

Will never happen.
 
starcentral said:
+1 guys

Like I said somewhere else on the forums, we'd be lucky if Canon offers the same features 4 years from now, and at the same price.

Will never happen.
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Right, but hey, I gotta give Canon credit for releasing cameras that actually do what they are advertised to do and not pulling this over-promise/under-deliver BS we keep seeing and experiencing. I bought the extension unit for 240fps RAW and it's just absolute garbage. I would rent an FS700 and Odyssey if I needed 240fps, no question. And that brings to mind a mini-rant about expectations and how firmware updates blur the lines of false advertising...

I have a lot of love for Convergent Design (love the 7Q+ and shot some amazing stuff with it on my FS700) but some people bought the 7Q back in 2013 (I received mine Dec 2013) on the fact that it was advertised to capture DNxHD, which it still doesn't do. I understand that companies can be excited to talk about all the things their device could do (or that they would really love to implement) but there's gotta be a line somewhere between possible-future-features and just falsely advertising features. I know Mitch and the gang at CD have dialed back on talking about future features/dates/etc because of the community backlash, but hey, that's the reality of promising future features. I literally owned the Odyssey7Q, then the 7Q+, and sold both of them, before all of the features they advertised at the original NAB announcement were implemented. They still haven't been implemented. And I really don't mean to throw CD under the bus on this one, I know a lot of other companies have done similar, they are just one example that I've experienced personally. They are a great company and have given me incredible service, and I think they've learned a lesson about unreleased features (I know Mitch has dealt with a lot of people less understanding than me).

I guess I just want things to actually do what they are advertised to do. I truly feel like Sony is failing to deliver on this XDCA. I don't care if "it's a limitation of 12 bit and thats the problem" because it somehow worked on the FS700. Or, if it truly couldn't be done in 12-bit then DON'T MAKE THE EXTENSION UNIT!
 
I am still looking for a confirmation that's a Sony issue and that RAW looks also crappy with the Sony RAW recorder.
 
Clermond said:
I am still looking for a confirmation that's a Sony issue and that RAW looks also crappy with the Sony RAW recorder.
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Well unfortunately that will never happen, since I don't believe that Sony would have made a single sale of that ludicrous raw interface unit to anyone anywhere in the world.
 
jshbckr said:
I have a lot of love for Convergent Design (love the 7Q+ and shot some amazing stuff with it on my FS700) but some people bought the 7Q back in 2013 (I received mine Dec 2013) on the fact that it was advertised to capture DNxHD, which it still doesn't do.
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Same. CD is the very reason i will never buy anything based on "coming" features anymore. Only tried and tested features will check off my checklist in the future.
 
So, I just need the XDCA to have TC sync capability not using ProRes or RAW processing. Does the adaptor still pulls an additional 10W of power?
 
FS7 owners, I have a big investment with canon glass, has this created big issues in the heat of the shooting for some? I've read about the issues with using adapters and this is I think the biggest thing that keeps me from pulling the trigger on a fs7, the specs you cannot beat for the money period, but lens issues with paying clients is a no no for me, can anyone chime in on this please thank you guys
 
aalleexx said:
FS7 owners, I have a big investment with canon glass, has this created big issues in the heat of the shooting for some? I've read about the issues with using adapters and this is I think the biggest thing that keeps me from pulling the trigger on a fs7, the specs you cannot beat for the money period, but lens issues with paying clients is a no no for me, can anyone chime in on this please thank you guys
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I mostly shoot on Contax primes but I have a 24-105, 24-70, 70-200, and 50 1.2 Never had any issues with any of these lenses.
 
aalleexx said:
FS7 owners, I have a big investment with canon glass, has this created big issues in the heat of the shooting for some? I've read about the issues with using adapters and this is I think the biggest thing that keeps me from pulling the trigger on a fs7, the specs you cannot beat for the money period, but lens issues with paying clients is a no no for me, can anyone chime in on this please thank you guys
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I have never had serious issues with Metabones Speedbooster Ultra and my Canon L and Sigma Art glass.

Only a few times have there been bugs in the adapter system that has ruined takes. This is not something that happens all the time.

If you need to shoot a super critical shot that simply cannot fail what so ever, get a Sony FE 24-70 to go with your A7s and throw it on the FS7 on the critical shot.

That said, i almost only use the Sigma 24-105 f4 Art on my FS7 and i have never, ever, no time, had issues with that. I trust that setup completely.
 
I want to say that my most used lens is the sigma 18-35 1.8 ef mount
I am not asking for autofocus, I just need to change the aperture quickly, any issues with the fs7 and that sigma lens?
 
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