Are you in crop mode or FF in this video Paul.

That is all in full frame.........thinking about experimenting with crop mode at high ISO and digital zoom, just to see how much of an increase in noise and grain structure there is. I am finding that the footage looks better the HIGHER I gain up.......so much dynamic range in this puppy.

Paul

Crop mode really gives me the reach when I need it and this was a big factor in going the A7s and 135mm lens for me.

I just did some crop mode testing a few ago. The crop mode has a better "digital zoom" than the full frame mode digital zoom zoomed to the same framing focal length. It seems like all Sony cameras, it digital zooms in on the record resolution setting, and NOT the actual sensor pixels. My PXW-X70 performs digital zoom MUCH MUCH better in 4K mode than in 720 or 1080. Your no better off using digital (not ClearImage) zoom than simply cropping in post with a Sony. Wish I could quick toggle APC-C mode.......but really, in ENG, do you really need to be at 28mm instantly when you were just reaching for maximum zoom? Maybe if you were attacked by a Cheetah. :)

I am going to maybe pick up a SELP18200 in the $500-600 range to play with when I find one on eBay.

Paul

The 18-200 is really quite good, I have this and the image is great although the 135mm is sharper but would anyone really notice, I doubt it.
I just want to add that the 28-135mm covers the same length as the 18-200mm.

Just did my first A7s broadcast live shot with a reporter last night. Hooked up my little Sennheiser AVX, so convenient, and dimmed down my large LED to just about nothingness.......I was at something like 20000 ISO? The reporter said that she needed more light, she was used to being hit with illumination necessary for a crappy JVC ProHD camera. One issue I ran into was trying to white balance my reporter.......have to go into still photo mode, really?

Anyway, when I figure out how to edit a Windows .wtc (media center) file in FCPX, I will post the live shot, but for now, what it looked like below.

Thank you Handbrake! Here it is.

https://youtu.be/_LrpbRO5jVQ

Nice job. So it can be used as a ENG camera with no problem.

I like my Sony (A5100) because for a small, entry-level E-mount camera, it can record great video like a professional camera that costs thousands of dollars. I used to be a Panasonic/Canon guy but now, I prefer Sony cameras.

Looks great Paul. Is that REC709?

Cheers, Simon

PP5 Cine 1, with a little in camera saturation bump and -2 on the master black. The REC709 PP4 looks a bit too cartoonish to me, too colorful.

Paul

Out of interest, how and what did you connect the camera up to for the live shot?

ENG cameras have SDI out to connect up to a satellite truck or a portable device such as a Live U, etc.
As the A7s only has a HDMI connection, did you use this to stream the shot?

The TVU I have is a newer version that has both SDI and HDMI, so I was able to connect directly to it using a $1.75 cable which I got on eBay with free shipping from China. :)

I don't like the whole interlaced thing, but it looks fine to me.

Paul

J One issue I ran into was trying to white balance my reporter.......have to go into still photo mode, really?


Custom WB's are one of the most annoying things about the A7's, that (and the inability to assign crop mode to a custom button) drives me nuts.

Assigning crop mode to a button would be a godsend!

Yep, those two features would be fantastic as a short cut.

With the A7s, has rolling shutter proven to be an issue in uses such as this?
Handheld or following action...that sort of thing. I can't tell if the issues overblown, or something that needs to be worked around when shooting.
Thanks.

With the A7s, has rolling shutter proven to be an issue in uses such as this?
Handheld or following action...that sort of thing.

I don't notice any rolling shutter on my a7S. I shoot at all ranges of shutter speeds, but mostly down at 1/60. Fast action, walking around, quick pans, shaking camera around, and I still don't get anything noticeable (to my eyes).

I can see rolling shutter if I get stupid with the camera, or shoot normally anything that is brightly lit with across the frame vertical lines. For night ENG, it is nearly impossible to notice at all, with just blobs of brightly lit things surrounded by dim blobs. :-)

I am finding the 28-135 to be not as amazing as hoped. The focus throw is much too long for ENG, the servo zoom is utterly useless, the iris, although declicked, still pops visually. The extremely long throw is turning out to be the thing I hate most about the lens........I am so used to ENG lenses where you can get to know infinity and close in, and do a quick twist to be where you should. On the 28-135, you kind of just spin and spin......and spin and spin to find a hard stop. Add to that it's only 5x..........but there are no other FF options.

Paul

My A7sII arrived today. The digital zoom function now has the ability to crop in on the sensor (when in 4K record mode), instead of the 1080p record stream, which means USABLE 4x digital zoom for HD output. My A7s when using 2-4x digital zoom was useless.......it cropped in on the 1080 picture, which looked horrible. This adds very much to the ability to use these cameras for ENG. My 5x 28-135 is now a realistic 20x HD zoom lens. :)

Paul

Really, that's very cool. have you done tests?

Yeah, shot some footage last night, have a pretty shot of a plane landing with the 50mm at 4x, looks sweet.

Paul

Here is a little A7sII ENG footage shot in 4K and downrezzed to 1080p. Threw in some 4x digital zoom with the 28-135, since ENG requires use of telephoto. To use digital zoom, it is mandatory you turn off any in camera detail! I added some in post.

https://youtu.be/3xb_XCBdn7g

So after a few weeks of having my A7sII/28-135 out in the field, I am finding it to be my "don't go to" camera. It is simply too cumbersome to use handheld (requires two hands and eye pressed against the EVF), or even on a tripod. I cannot pan tilt zoom anything, without it looking very ugly. The 28-135 when used in servo, has an absolute stop, then resume when you enter digital zoom, and if you attempt to adjust ISO or touch a button while zooming i servo, the camera gets brain freeze and controls lock up for several seconds. This also happens on the A7s.

To get usable telephoto for ENG, I have to go into the 4x digital zoom, but in order for that to not be turned into less than SD mud, you have to be in 4K shooting mode. In 4K mode, with HDMI connected, the EVF and LCD go BLACK when you hit record. All these factors are making it very difficult for me to find a scene that I would benefit from deploying the A7sII. I have a JVC HM890 with 100watt spot light, 18x lens with extender,a nd it looks horrible gained up to even 9db, but I can't say the A7sII with 28-135 looks any better if lit with the same light source once you get past 135mm optical zoom.

There is a new TV show called Nightwatch on A&E here in the US. It looks absolutely like it is shot on A7s's. They have some what looks like BM mini cameras attached on dashes, but the general EFP work looks A7s. It;s a cops/medics/firefighters show, and I would say 25% of the stuff looks pretty bad, shaky, can't find focus etc. This show has very high production values, so you know that they wouldn't use those very bad looking shots unless that was the best they could get out of the gear. So it's a trade off between how much effect (shoot in the dark) you need, versus how much crap you are willing to get away with as a side effect. I like to think of it as how big of a wart would a supermodel have to have before I decided to not date her anymore. :)

Full Nightwatch episodes available from the link below, let me know if they look A7s or am I imagining things?

Nightwatch - Episodes, Video & Schedule - A&E (http://www.aetv.com/shows/nightwatch)

Found some time to put some more hours (minutes?) on the A7sII. Here is 5 minutes worth from various scenes, all nat light shot in 4K. Select 4K playback for maximum bitrate HD playback.

https://youtu.be/rHKgUvBgZUw

Well, I haven't used my A7sII is 3 weeks, it comes out with my every night, but it is just too cumbersome to use in an ENG environment, and it's dedicated INTERLACED only broadcast output is in direct violation of my stations 720p60 system. I will have to place the A7sII firmly in the EFP/cine world, as it cannot hack it against even a little handheld ENG camera.

Sony, give us some real servo zoom speed and a servo that doesn't lock the camera controls and maybe I can do something with this wonderful sensor. :)

Paul

Hi.
Following this thread I have to say I am quite happy with my Sony A7s for ENG shooting. It is what it is. A stills camera but with video/ film in mind. I am using a picture profile from AbelCine, and never had any issues with it. The 18-200 servo zoom lens SELP18-200 works a treat as it is powered by the camera and gives me the range I need. I did try the 28-135 lens but did not like it much. Heavy and sluggish.

With the ISO on this camera, I am getting shots I never thought imagineable. I used to own a JVC GY-HM750 with a Fujinon 18X lens, and while that was a great camera it was very heavy to lug around.

I am a documentary filmmaker and with my Canon C300 next to the A7s I have a fantastic package to work with. And at 50 mbps, what more could I ask for? I sold my Sony F3 and Sony FS700 and went with this instead. I just finished a major documentary for the largest broadcaster in Norway, the NRK with the F3, EX1 and A7s. And the A7s was just fantastic.

Below is a test I did for the leading magazine in Scandinavia showcasing the A7s, Selp18200 lens and XLR- module. A total ENG- kit. Pardon my norwegian in the film, but it gives you an overview of what the camera can do. The battery life could be a lot better though, but spare batteries are quiet cheap compared to other video/ film cameras.

SRS Media : Test av Sony A7s (http://www.srsmedia.no/2015/12/test-av-sony-a7s.html)

Looks great Svein,

I also use the same lens along with the 28-135mm Sony. Hey what picture profile did you use in the video link you provided.

Cheers

Hi Simon and thank you.

Glad you liked it.

I am using a picture profile from Abel Cine and I have never looked back:

JR45Cine is a match to our original custom look for the VariCam and is designed to give you pleasing colors and good dynamic range. We used Cine 1 gamma for a nice amount of range, but this profile is not so flat that you need a lot of post correction. In a bright, high contrast scene, you may choose to go with S-Log2 for more range in the highlights. Here are the settings:

Gamma: Cine 1
Color Mode: Still
Saturation: -2
Color Depth: R: +2 , C: -4

Sony a7S Scene Files from AbelCine | CineTechnica (http://blog.abelcine.com/2015/03/12/a7s-scene-files-from-abelcine/)

Hi.
Following this thread I have to say I am quite happy with my Sony A7s for ENG shooting. It is what it is. A stills camera but with video/ film in mind. I am using a picture profile from AbelCine, and never had any issues with it. The 18-200 servo zoom lens SELP18-200 works a treat as it is powered by the camera and gives me the range I need. I did try the 28-135 lens but did not like it much. Heavy and sluggish.


The 28-135 Cine is the only Sony Lens I even like with my A7s.

Why would anyone shoot with the DX 18-200?
It does not even have a fixed aperture.
It is lighter but certainly not faster.
And it powered by the Camera, that wimpy battery may last 15 minutes.

I do shoot from a TriPod in poor/low light only so maybe that make the difference for me.

Thanks Svein.

Yes the 28-135mm is heavy and when I have a cage, audio on this rig the whole setup is heavy.

The 28-135 Cine is the only Sony Lens I even like with my A7s.

Why would anyone shoot with the DX 18-200?
It does not even have a fixed aperture.
It is lighter but certainly not faster.
And it powered by the Camera, that wimpy battery may last 15 minutes.

I do shoot from a TriPod in poor/low light only so maybe that make the difference for me.

I am quite happy with the 18-200 lens. Shot an interview with it today and the battery lasted 45 mins or so. Not a fantastic battery life, but sufficient enough. And that was using the screen and optional XLR- module as well. Very static though with a few manual zooms to change focal lengths as cut aways. For the size and ease of travelling the A7s is very nice.

Yes, the lens doesn`t have a fast and constant aperture and ramps down a bit, but find me any lens in that range that doesn`t cost an arm and a leg, doesn`t ramp down and not adding weight as well and I`d be happy to buy it. I am a documentarian and travelling light is important to me. My clients don`t complain, even the NRK ( the largest broadcaster in Norway ) accepts it. And it enables me to work fast, getting the shots I need. To me the 28-135 seemed fantastic until I tried it, but everyone has a different style and working method. The A7s is so light sensitive I have no problems with it. What I can say though is that the 18-200 lens used to sit on a Sony FS700 and that camera being not as sensitive caused me problems once because of the ramping down. Nothing we couldn`t work round though.

A far as I know the 28-135 draws power from the camera as well. I have an older manual Angenieux 35-140 T4.4 cine lens but still prefer the 18-200 when travelling. Maybe I have been working so long with it it just feels right.

Thanks Svein.

Yes the 28-135mm is heavy and when I have a cage, audio on this rig the whole setup is heavy.

You`re welcome.

I worked with a Sony FS3 today with a 25 mm Zeiss from Duclos lenses, mounted with a Zacuto baseplate and an Atomos Samurai handheld. 5 minutes in we decided to go with the tripod. I love my A7s. The images from the F3 are still very lovely though. We will be travelling abroad soon, leaving the F3 and taking the A7s instead.