New Sony FS7 4K XDCAM at IBC 2014

[Brent Kaplan]

So do you guys think I could replace my pmw-300 with this camera and still run and gun?

[Glen Vandermolen]

Originally Posted by Brent Kaplan

So do you guys think I could replace my pmw-300 with this camera and still run and gun?

As a fellow PMW-300 owner, absolutely I do!
I've held both. The FS7 is far more comfortable on the shoulder. It balances way better and is lighter. You can buy power zooms for the FS7, perfect for run-n-gun shooting. It will be better in low light situations.
AS much as I like my 300, the FS7 is just that much better of a camera. It's simply more versatile.
I am going to switch to the FS7 as soon as I can.

[Christopher Young]

Being an FS700 owner I am pretty interested in looking at the S7. Something a few of us will be able to do this coming Tues as Sony Aust are putting on an invite night to for a look, see and feel out of this new cam.

With this in mind I was looking over the camera's specs and functionality. Someone who has seen the camera please confirm this observation for me. I'm under the impression that if you have a fully auto e-mount lens on the camera and DO NOT have the original Sony S7 hand grip on the camera then you have NO WAY of adjusting the lens iris when in manual mode. Is this correct?? Seems like a major oversight to me as it virtually compels a camera op to use the S7 hand grip whether you like it or not.

Another observation is that the control cable from the grip to the body is a pretty small lightweight cable that appears to hang out in the breeze somewhat and that appears to plug into the body on the body end but does not appear to plug in on the grip end. On the grip end it looks like the cable is hard wired into the handle. Is this correct? Because if it's hard wired into the handle it's not going to be a quick plug and play replacement situation in the field if you have damaged or broken this control cable.

Observation and a question. If this cable becomes damaged, broken or whatever how does one control an e-mount lens iris when in manual mode? Or any other brand lens iris for that matter that does not have a manual iris ring. I can see nothing but problems trying to run full auto iris EF lenses with a Metabones adapter if the grip or cable goes down. Bad enough trying to control EF stepped auto irises at the best of times.

Currently when running e-mount auto lenses on an FS700 in manual mode you have full control of the e-mount iris from the camera body. The camera hand grip is not required for manual iris control. This does not appear to be the case with the S7.

Obviously all of the above is totally immaterial if all you are going to use on an S7 is legacy or contemporary manual glass. Can anyone throw any light on this auto lens observation because as of yet I see no iris control on the S7 body?

Chris Young
CYV Productions
Sydney

[Erik Wittbusch]

Of course there is a dial on the body itself for the Iris...

But for R+G there is still a lack of th eright lens.

The Sony 18-200 (which I own) is wobbly, slow and has the very
cumbersome focus by wire which is rarely repeatable.
The Iris dial has an issue until today. You'll need many throws of the dial to
change from open to a smaller opening. This needs to be adressed quickly
by Sony. There's even no 100% function with the Speedbooster and Canon lenses.

The FS7 is already waiting at my local dealer's office. I'll take it out to some tests soon,
but for R+G the above mentioned issues must be solved first.

I am still searching for the right R+G lens as I don't like the Sony 18-200 that much.
It's okay, but there's heavy CAs on the edges, the by-wire-focus and the slow end of the lens.

I'm thinking to try the new Tamron 18-300 on a speedbooster. We'll see...

[Mat Thompson]

I have to agree. The 18-200 is very poor. Extreme barrel distortion, CA, lacking constant aperture and the zoom speed on the rocker is simply pointless for anything other than creeping zooms.

Such a shame they didn't make the new F4 slightly less long and wider. It seems to sit in a frustrating middle ground. 18-90 at f4 would have worked much better as a staple.

[Christopher Young]

Erik ~

So what you are saying is that the #2 button selects iris man or auto and then you dial iris up or down on the roller wheel that sits behind button #2. If so okay I follow that. I've only just found a picture good enough and close enough to see those controls properly. As you say though all very fly by wire. Lenses are the main issue with nearly all the S35 cameras. On Tuesday I will be curious to look at Sony's f4 28-135mm to see how that shapes up. I am sure I read somewhere, maybe a posting by Alistair Chapman that this lens was a touch soft. We will find out soon enough I guess.

Chris Young
CYV Productions
Sydney

[Christopher Young]

Originally Posted by Mat Thompson

I have to agree. The 18-200 is very poor. Extreme barrel distortion, CA, lacking constant aperture and the zoom speed on the rocker is simply pointless for anything other than creeping zooms.

Such a shame they didn't make the new F4 slightly less long and wider

Yes because the new f4 28-135 being a full frame lens on an S35 sensor with a crop factor of 1.6 is going to become a 45-216mm lens. Pretty narrow on the back end for run and gun. Especially if you have been used to a 4.5mm wide on a 2/3" cam. With the crop factor between 2/3" and S35 being 2.46 that means you would need an 11mm lens on the S7 to give you an equivalent run and gun wide lens.

Chris Young
CYV Productions
Sydney

[Geoff Addis]

I wonder if anyone can answer a few questions that I have regarding this camera:

1) the interface connection between the hand grip and the camera appears to be via LANC. If this is so, can one use existing LANC controllers such as the Manfrotto pan and tilt handle, all be it with reduced capabiliies?

2) Can the hand grip be removed from the extension bar that attaches it to the camera? I am thinking about making a bespoke attachment that would allow it to be mounted on a pan/tilt handle.

3) Nothing to do with lenses, but is it possible to download clips using the USB3 connector on the camera or do I need to get Sony's card reader?

I've done something that I always recommend against and that is to order one of the first off the line, this camera appears to tick all the correct boxes and I have an eight week overseas shoot coming up so I hope that I won't have to swallow my pride!!

Geoff

[Brian Rhodes]

Sony FS7 E-mount and A-mount with LA-EA4 and Speedbooster lens tests


https://vimeo.com/groups/fs7/videos/...ce=twitterfeed

[Neill Phillips]

Originally Posted by Geoff Addis

I wonder if anyone can answer a few questions that I have regarding this camera:

1) the interface connection between the hand grip and the camera appears to be via LANC. If this is so, can one use existing LANC controllers such as the Manfrotto pan and tilt handle, all be it with reduced capabiliies?

2) Can the hand grip be removed from the extension bar that attaches it to the camera? I am thinking about making a bespoke attachment that would allow it to be mounted on a pan/tilt handle.

3) Nothing to do with lenses, but is it possible to download clips using the USB3 connector on the camera or do I need to get Sony's card reader?

I've done something that I always recommend against and that is to order one of the first off the line, this camera appears to tick all the correct boxes and I have an eight week overseas shoot coming up so I hope that I won't have to swallow my pride!!

Geoff

Hi Geoff,

Just had a play with my FS7 to answer your questions.

1) I have just tried my stoneage Manfrotto 521 LANC controller in the FS7 handgrip port and it seems to work! Well, it records and you can even turn off the camera too. I don't have a lens to try out the zoom or focus controls but I wouldn't bet against it.

2) I don't think the handgrip is designed to be moved as it is held on by four tiny cross-head screws.

3) As far as I know you can download clips via USB but all of the recent G series XQD cards come with a compact USB reader. Also you can buy the Lexar XQD reader from Amazon for £30 which works fine, I have two of them.

Hope this helps.

[Mike Watson]

Does momentary auto-iris work faster than the very slow manual iris shown in the video above? Could you hit the momentary auto-iris and then spin the dial from there? That would also indicate whether or not it was possible to speed that up (or make it a variable in the menu) at a later firmware date.

[Geoff Addis]

Thank you for that information, Neil. Using a Manfrotto LANC pan handle may be all that I really need for when the camera is on sticks.

Geoff

[David Heath]

Originally Posted by Christopher Young

Another observation is that the control cable from the grip to the body is a pretty small lightweight cable that appears to hang out in the breeze somewhat and that appears to plug into the body on the body end but does not appear to plug in on the grip end. On the grip end it looks like the cable is hard wired into the handle. Is this correct?

Correct - and something I mentioned when I saw a demo of the camera.

Originally Posted by Christopher Young

Because if it's hard wired into the handle it's not going to be a quick plug and play replacement situation in the field if you have damaged or broken this control cable.

Exactly my thought.

Overall, I was impressed by the camera. I think it represents easily the best value for money in it's class today. But it's not perfect, and this was a little matter that could so easily have been much better very easily. (Plug on both ends of cable.)

[Gabe Strong]

Originally Posted by Mat Thompson

I have to agree. The 18-200 is very poor. Extreme barrel distortion, CA, lacking constant aperture and the zoom speed on the rocker is simply pointless for anything other than creeping zooms.

Such a shame they didn't make the new F4 slightly less long and wider. It seems to sit in a frustrating middle ground. 18-90 at f4 would have worked much better as a staple.

There is a 18-105 F4 Emount powered zoom available. Doesn't extend, nice OS,
good autofocus, only cost $600. I think it would be a good R&G lens on the F7.
It had 'pillow distortion' on the FS700 but the F7 is supposed to offer lens
correction,

[Mat Thompson]

Hi Gabe
Thanks for that heads up...missed that one!

I will do some reading. Servo focus is always a pain :/

I wonder how the zoom speed is !?

Mat