Hi,

I'm considering getting a FS5 for my event (wedding) work and slo-mo is very important to me. With the lastest frimware that sony just released for the fs5 (CBKZ-FS5RIF), can it do 1080p at 240fps in continuous shooting? (I don't like the buffering method)...or maybe 120fps continuous?

Thanks!

Slow-mo on the FS5 is in short bursts and then the camera must stop and process the video for a few seconds or for a few minute before you can resume shooting again. Get an FS7, it is a much, much, superior camera to the FS5 in many ways -- including the ability to shoot 180 fps for as long as you want.

Part of the paid firmware upgrade due in May is:

"2K/HD Super Slow-Motion up to 240fps"

To me that would suggest the current 120fps HD slow-mo limit is being increased to 240fps, but I doubt it's continuous.

120fps continuous would be nice.

I don't think the upgrade will make it continuous: the writing to SD is the bottleneck here, so it will only last untill the buffer is full.

Like Doug says: the FS7 doesn't have this limitation.

But if you get the RAW upgrade:

http://www.dvinfo.net/forum/sony-xdcam-pxw-fs7-fs5/531654-sony-fs5-firmware-announcement.html

But if you get the RAW update it will cost you. Then you have to buy an external recorder and media that is capable of recording RAW @ 240 fps. Then you have to mount the recorder to your rig, power it, etc. Then you will have to deal with much larger RAW files in post and grade them. That's all a big hassle and expensive compared to simplicity of 180 fps on the FS7 just as the camera comes out of the box. Get the FS7. It is a superior camera in so many ways that it just makes sense to choose it over the FS5. In my opinion.

Or if you want to look at something smaller try out the new Z150. Smaller sensor (1") and handycam style -- I've been trying one out and am really impressed by it. Built in optical zoom, nice 4K recording at normal speed. And 1080p/120 continuous looks great. Just light and balanced enough that handholding actually feels natural.

Really? 240 continuous? Everything I've read says 120 continuous.

Sorry, you're right. 120p is it. We were dealing with 8 cameras that day (including 3 FS7's) and the numbers got jumbled in my head... Just looking at the SQ settings on the Z150 and it looks like the 120FPS recording is at XAVC 25 megabit speed - which allows for continuous recording on an SD card.