Is the FS100 an upgrade from the EX1?

Brian Drysdale · June 30th, 2011, 10:58 AM

I notice you seem to be keeping any connecting HDMI cables from the camera to the on board recorder short. That would seem to make sense because it reduces the likelihood of it being accidentally knocked or tugged out.

Piotr Wozniacki · June 30th, 2011, 11:25 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Matt Daviss

I have a Striker (well, the version before it was called a striker but I digress), and the benefit came from placing the supporting right hand UNDER the camera rather than having a grip either side. Your left hand is so busy with buttons and lens twiddles, let alone needing to find a spare digit to actually press one of the start buttons (I like the one under the side grip near the FMU). I'll cajole my wife into taking a snap of me with it, but suffice to say I think it would favour the south-pawed amongst us..

By all means, Matt - do post some pictures!

Quote:

Originally Posted by Matt Daviss

Can you skooch the right hand grip closer to the CoG so you're supporting most of the weight there? Even under the lens?

Not quite under the lens - but as you can see at the picture below, the right hand grip is as close to the rig's CoG horizontal position as it gets (considering the RedRock parts' design). This helps a lot, because - as you said - the left hand can hardly ever support the rig, as it is used for all controls (mainly focusing). Hence the importance of an EVF, as the only place for the Marshall monitor I have is on the left handle, with its weight making the entire thing roll left whenever I use the FF knob...

Quote:

Originally Posted by Matt Daviss

Also, somebody (Olof?) needs to make a nice looking yet cost effective upper handle, as the mic mount is handy and well balanced but feels like picking a puppy up by the scruff of its neck

Absolutely - as you can see, I'm using Olof's solution for reinforcing the base and mounting my nanoFlash. I'm looking forward to some great rig for the FS100 from Olof!

Piotr Wozniacki · June 30th, 2011, 11:34 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Brian Drysdale

I notice you seem to be keeping any connecting HDMI cables from the camera to the on board recorder short. That would seem to make sense because it reduces the likelihood of it being accidentally knocked or tugged out.

Actually Brian, I'm using my EX1's HD-SDI - and yes, the SDI cable to the nanoFlash is very short.

When on the tripod, I'm using a longer HDMI cable from the nanoFlash to the Marshall monitor - but any excessively long cables are less of a problem with the tripod than with hand-held or shoulder-mount rigs.

Piotr Wozniacki · June 30th, 2011, 11:55 AM

I think I should apologize for sort of stealing the OP's (Paul's) thread - but still I hope we're quite on the topic :)

Piotr

Cliff Totten · June 30th, 2011, 05:25 PM

Like others have said, the answer depends on what you are shooting and how you need to get it.

FS100 with a fast prime lens greatly outperform the EX1r in low light conditions. The photosites on that big sensor are huge compared to the EX1r's little half inchers. However, on the flip side, the EX1r is not hampered by a bayer pattern the way the FS100 is. (and the FS100's sensor has more than 1920x1080 pixels so there is "some" mathematical interpolation going on)

The EX1r has got 3 full raster sensors that are tough to beat in the resolution category. (that's a nice advantage) If you don't need much gain, than you will get a very razor sharp image out of the EX1r.

Additionally, as a "run and gun" performer, the FS100 would be a pain in the butt to shoot with. If you were shooting an episode of "Cops", running into houses doing drug raids or fast action reality type shooting, the EX1 is about as good as it gets for that.

So,...I dunno. I guess there is no clear answer. It depends on many different factors. They both have some advantages over each other in different areas. (And that is exactly the way Sony wants it to be!)

CT

Matt Davis · July 1st, 2011, 05:24 AM

Hopefully still on-topic... this is my stripped down rig, bare basics. It's just the middle bit of a Zacuto Striker, and the removal of the wobbly handgrip. Ideally, the chimney gets removed and I get a Zacuto EVF on a Noga arm, as I found out to my cost, interviewing people 6 foot and above is just too hairy with the chimney. I was on tippie-toe quite a few times doing voxpops, and of course the interviewer was a petite young girl - usually I'd resort to rakish Dutch angles to fool the dominating eyelines (or something to stand her on), but client's brief: No tilty shots.So at least an EVF on a Noga will sort of match the EX1's pull-out-and-twist viewfinder panel when I need to have the camera above my eyeline. See, it IS on topic!

PS: The somewhat quizzical expression (apart from giving photo direction to wife) was 'I wonder where the lens shades are?'

PPS: note also the very useful on-off button under the mount for the wobbly hand grip (removed).

PPS: also note the tripod hole now left by the wobbly hand grip. I actually had my first 90 degree 'portrait' shoot as my first ever FS100 shoot. That was very cool. The video was to be projected onto a theatrical set.

Piotr Wozniacki · July 1st, 2011, 11:03 PM

Thanks Matt for the promised pictures :)

So basically, you are using separate rigs for each of your cameras, right? I'm asking because - myself being a one-man crew - I'd like my shoulder-support rig (as depicted in the previously posted photos) to be interchangeable between my EX1 and the FS100 that I'm about to buy...I realize the RR mattebox is unnecessarily big and heavy (even for the EX1; for the lenses I'm going to use with the FS100 it's just an overkill), but will have to live with it for a while... Hence the importance of a solid counterbalance over my shoulder (of course, the heavy battery I'm using for that purpose doubles as the source of power for my nanoFlash and LED light). But still, the rig is rather heavy - adding the monitor to it is out of question, so I'll need to buy some good EVF... All this means even more money to spend, which makes it very important to optimize my other essential expenditures that the FS100 requires: ND filters...

Anyway, I'm shutting up now and apologize again for thread hijacking :)

Piotr

Dominik Krol · August 9th, 2011, 05:29 AM

For me the best rig for both cameras is a Redrock shoulder mount, with a monopod attached as a brace. That combo is incredibly stable and very very comfortable. On the Ex1 it sits stable on my shoulder without even holding it. So as an extra bonus it does not require you to reorganize your holding position, and you have full access to the lens controls at all times. Deserves a try.

June 30th, 2011, 10:58 AM	#16
Brian Drysdale Inner Circle Join Date: Feb 2006 Location: Belfast, UK Posts: 6,152	Re: Is the FS100 an upgrade from the EX1? I notice you seem to be keeping any connecting HDMI cables from the camera to the on board recorder short. That would seem to make sense because it reduces the likelihood of it being accidentally knocked or tugged out.

June 30th, 2011, 11:55 AM	#19
Piotr Wozniacki Inner Circle Join Date: Aug 2006 Location: Poland Posts: 4,086	Re: Is the FS100 an upgrade from the EX1? I think I should apologize for sort of stealing the OP's (Paul's) thread - but still I hope we're quite on the topic :) Piotr __________________ Sony PXW-FS7 \| DaVinci Resolve Studio; Magix Vegas Pro; i7-5960X CPU; 64 GB RAM; 2x GTX 1080 8GB GPU; Decklink 4K Extreme 12G; 4x 3TB WD Black in RAID 0; 1TB M.2 NVMe cache drive

June 30th, 2011, 05:25 PM	#20
Cliff Totten Trustee Join Date: Aug 2010 Location: Florida Posts: 1,197	Re: Is the FS100 an upgrade from the EX1? Like others have said, the answer depends on what you are shooting and how you need to get it. FS100 with a fast prime lens greatly outperform the EX1r in low light conditions. The photosites on that big sensor are huge compared to the EX1r's little half inchers. However, on the flip side, the EX1r is not hampered by a bayer pattern the way the FS100 is. (and the FS100's sensor has more than 1920x1080 pixels so there is "some" mathematical interpolation going on) The EX1r has got 3 full raster sensors that are tough to beat in the resolution category. (that's a nice advantage) If you don't need much gain, than you will get a very razor sharp image out of the EX1r. Additionally, as a "run and gun" performer, the FS100 would be a pain in the butt to shoot with. If you were shooting an episode of "Cops", running into houses doing drug raids or fast action reality type shooting, the EX1 is about as good as it gets for that. So,...I dunno. I guess there is no clear answer. It depends on many different factors. They both have some advantages over each other in different areas. (And that is exactly the way Sony wants it to be!) CT

July 1st, 2011, 05:24 AM	#21
Matt Davis Trustee Join Date: Aug 2005 Location: Berkshire, UK Posts: 1,562	Re: Is the FS100 an upgrade from the EX1? Hopefully still on-topic... this is my stripped down rig, bare basics. It's just the middle bit of a Zacuto Striker, and the removal of the wobbly handgrip. Ideally, the chimney gets removed and I get a Zacuto EVF on a Noga arm, as I found out to my cost, interviewing people 6 foot and above is just too hairy with the chimney. I was on tippie-toe quite a few times doing voxpops, and of course the interviewer was a petite young girl - usually I'd resort to rakish Dutch angles to fool the dominating eyelines (or something to stand her on), but client's brief: No tilty shots.So at least an EVF on a Noga will sort of match the EX1's pull-out-and-twist viewfinder panel when I need to have the camera above my eyeline. See, it IS on topic! PS: The somewhat quizzical expression (apart from giving photo direction to wife) was 'I wonder where the lens shades are?' PPS: note also the very useful on-off button under the mount for the wobbly hand grip (removed). PPS: also note the tripod hole now left by the wobbly hand grip. I actually had my first 90 degree 'portrait' shoot as my first ever FS100 shoot. That was very cool. The video was to be projected onto a theatrical set. Attached Thumbnails __________________ Director/Editor - MDMA Ltd: Write, Shoot, Edit, Publish - mattdavis.pro EX1 x2, C100 --> FCPX & PPro6

July 1st, 2011, 11:03 PM	#22
Piotr Wozniacki Inner Circle Join Date: Aug 2006 Location: Poland Posts: 4,086	Re: Is the FS100 an upgrade from the EX1? Thanks Matt for the promised pictures :) So basically, you are using separate rigs for each of your cameras, right? I'm asking because - myself being a one-man crew - I'd like my shoulder-support rig (as depicted in the previously posted photos) to be interchangeable between my EX1 and the FS100 that I'm about to buy...I realize the RR mattebox is unnecessarily big and heavy (even for the EX1; for the lenses I'm going to use with the FS100 it's just an overkill), but will have to live with it for a while... Hence the importance of a solid counterbalance over my shoulder (of course, the heavy battery I'm using for that purpose doubles as the source of power for my nanoFlash and LED light). But still, the rig is rather heavy - adding the monitor to it is out of question, so I'll need to buy some good EVF... All this means even more money to spend, which makes it very important to optimize my other essential expenditures that the FS100 requires: ND filters... Anyway, I'm shutting up now and apologize again for thread hijacking :) Piotr __________________ Sony PXW-FS7 \| DaVinci Resolve Studio; Magix Vegas Pro; i7-5960X CPU; 64 GB RAM; 2x GTX 1080 8GB GPU; Decklink 4K Extreme 12G; 4x 3TB WD Black in RAID 0; 1TB M.2 NVMe cache drive

August 9th, 2011, 05:29 AM	#23
Dominik Krol Regular Crew Join Date: Oct 2010 Location: Copenhagen Denmark Posts: 70	Re: Is the FS100 an upgrade from the EX1? For me the best rig for both cameras is a Redrock shoulder mount, with a monopod attached as a brace. That combo is incredibly stable and very very comfortable. On the Ex1 it sits stable on my shoulder without even holding it. So as an extra bonus it does not require you to reorganize your holding position, and you have full access to the lens controls at all times. Deserves a try.