Sony FS7 V3.0 Firmware Released

Olof Ekbergh · February 17th, 2016, 07:19 AM

Call Sony and ask.

The reason I don't know is because I did the updates as they came out. I thought the manual or FW release docs would tell you if it is necessary to do FW updates in sequence.

Most FW for the electronics I own, can just load the latest skipping earlier versions. But I would not give advice that risks a bricking event of some ones camera.

And you should always be careful taking advice from a non manufacturer opinion on something that important. What if someone here says it is OK and then you brick the cam?

If you can't find the info officially from Sony. Then contact a Sony Service Center, or find out from the dealer.

Piotr Wozniacki · February 17th, 2016, 07:24 AM

OK, thanks guys for the sound advise. Since I don't particularly trust the technical knowledge of the particular local dealer, I'll probably just call he Sony service, as Olof implies.

Piotr

Piotr Wozniacki · February 18th, 2016, 09:50 AM

OK - so as I supposed, the FS7K camera I can get here is made in 2015, so I will have to do a couple of fw levels update. And - like I thought - the dealer is unable to answer my questions about whether the latest one - v.3.00 - is a cumulative upgrade or not.

But could anyone here at least assure no hardware changes have been made between the early models, and the ones sold currently?

Piotr

PS. Also, has there been any upgrade to the kit 28-135 lens in the meantime - and if so, where can I get it?

Piotr Wozniacki · February 24th, 2016, 04:10 AM

I'm bumping this, because I really urgently need an answer to my question whether it's wise to buy an FS7 camera whose dealer cannot tell me when it was produced. All he seems to know is that he's getting it from the Sony warehouse, where it's been since 2015...

Please understand the turn-around of this class of cameras is still relatively poor in Poland, and even though his price is quite good, I wouldn't like to end up with an old unit..

TIA,

Piotr

Gary Huff · February 24th, 2016, 07:16 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Piotr Wozniacki

All he seems to know is that he's getting it from the Sony warehouse, where it's been since 2015...

Why, exactly, do you think the Sony FS7 is less than a year old?

Piotr Wozniacki · February 24th, 2016, 07:41 AM

Well, my impression has been it debuted over a year ago (please correct me if I'm wrong) - so if the dealer only knows mine would be "made in 2015", it might be quite an old item. This is what I'm worrying about - if unnecessarily, please encourage me :)

Piotr

Dave Sperling · February 24th, 2016, 08:35 AM

I personally wouldn't worry about the 'manufacturing date' of the camera. The two FS7's that I primarily use were bought early, and other than the added features that the firmware updates have brought I haven't noticed any real design changes to newer units.
Other than that (and the fact that any batteries sitting in the box are a bit older) I'd just recommend taking a good look to make sure that there hasn't been a humidity issue with the lens (if you get one) -- make sure it's clean and clear. But you knew that... It's not as though you're buying a 2006 auto that's been sitting in an outdoor lot for 10 years.
Also -- realistically speaking -- the FS7 has been pretty popular -- so my guess is that whatever has been sitting in the warehouse hasn't been doing so for that long!

Marcus Durham · February 24th, 2016, 01:05 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Piotr Wozniacki

Well, my impression has been it debuted over a year ago (please correct me if I'm wrong) - so if the dealer only knows mine would be "made in 2015", it might be quite an old item. This is what I'm worrying about - if unnecessarily, please encourage me :)

Piotr

Reality is that electronics are produced in batches that are then warehoused. There is no constant production line of these items. One week they make FS7's, the next another camera. More get made when they are required.

Anyone who watches EEV blog or enjoys tearing down old electronics knows when you delve inside you unearth all the real dates. When the chips were made etc. I have a Western Digital hard disk controller on my desk with chips on it with date codes between week 30 and 40 of 1989, but one chip on the top corner is dated week 34 1987! Yet the board itself was made week 49, 1989. The machine it was in probably didn't hit the UK shores until March 1990. Go figure.

The most important thing is your Sony warranty.

February 17th, 2016, 07:19 AM	#16
Olof Ekbergh Sponsor: Westside AV Join Date: Dec 2008 Location: Mount Washington Valley, NH, USA Posts: 1,365	Re: Sony FS7 V3.0 Firmware Released Call Sony and ask. The reason I don't know is because I did the updates as they came out. I thought the manual or FW release docs would tell you if it is necessary to do FW updates in sequence. Most FW for the electronics I own, can just load the latest skipping earlier versions. But I would not give advice that risks a bricking event of some ones camera. And you should always be careful taking advice from a non manufacturer opinion on something that important. What if someone here says it is OK and then you brick the cam? If you can't find the info officially from Sony. Then contact a Sony Service Center, or find out from the dealer. __________________ Olof Ekbergh • olof@WestsideAV.com Westside A V Studios • http://www.WestsideAVstore.com/

February 17th, 2016, 07:24 AM	#17
Piotr Wozniacki Inner Circle Join Date: Aug 2006 Location: Poland Posts: 4,086	Re: Sony FS7 V3.0 Firmware Released OK, thanks guys for the sound advise. Since I don't particularly trust the technical knowledge of the particular local dealer, I'll probably just call he Sony service, as Olof implies. 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

February 18th, 2016, 09:50 AM	#18
Piotr Wozniacki Inner Circle Join Date: Aug 2006 Location: Poland Posts: 4,086	Re: Sony FS7 V3.0 Firmware Released OK - so as I supposed, the FS7K camera I can get here is made in 2015, so I will have to do a couple of fw levels update. And - like I thought - the dealer is unable to answer my questions about whether the latest one - v.3.00 - is a cumulative upgrade or not. But could anyone here at least assure no hardware changes have been made between the early models, and the ones sold currently? Piotr PS. Also, has there been any upgrade to the kit 28-135 lens in the meantime - and if so, where can I get it? __________________ 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

February 24th, 2016, 04:10 AM	#19
Piotr Wozniacki Inner Circle Join Date: Aug 2006 Location: Poland Posts: 4,086	Re: Sony FS7 V3.0 Firmware Released I'm bumping this, because I really urgently need an answer to my question whether it's wise to buy an FS7 camera whose dealer cannot tell me when it was produced. All he seems to know is that he's getting it from the Sony warehouse, where it's been since 2015... Please understand the turn-around of this class of cameras is still relatively poor in Poland, and even though his price is quite good, I wouldn't like to end up with an old unit.. TIA, 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

February 24th, 2016, 07:41 AM	#21
Piotr Wozniacki Inner Circle Join Date: Aug 2006 Location: Poland Posts: 4,086	Re: Sony FS7 V3.0 Firmware Released Well, my impression has been it debuted over a year ago (please correct me if I'm wrong) - so if the dealer only knows mine would be "made in 2015", it might be quite an old item. This is what I'm worrying about - if unnecessarily, please encourage me :) 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

February 24th, 2016, 08:35 AM	#22
Dave Sperling Major Player Join Date: Jan 2010 Location: Tinton Falls, NJ Posts: 780	Re: Sony FS7 V3.0 Firmware Released I personally wouldn't worry about the 'manufacturing date' of the camera. The two FS7's that I primarily use were bought early, and other than the added features that the firmware updates have brought I haven't noticed any real design changes to newer units. Other than that (and the fact that any batteries sitting in the box are a bit older) I'd just recommend taking a good look to make sure that there hasn't been a humidity issue with the lens (if you get one) -- make sure it's clean and clear. But you knew that... It's not as though you're buying a 2006 auto that's been sitting in an outdoor lot for 10 years. Also -- realistically speaking -- the FS7 has been pretty popular -- so my guess is that whatever has been sitting in the warehouse hasn't been doing so for that long!