FS5 "Sensor" vs. A6300 "Sensor" at DVinfo.net

Cliff Totten · September 15th, 2016, 07:40 PM

So, I decided to do the unthinkable..... I have been very curious about the image sensor difference between the FS5 and the A6300. As many of you know, the FS5 uses the image sensor originally developed for the FS700 about 5 years ago. It's a great sensor. However, the A6300 uses Sony's very latest 2016 cutting-edge sensor architecture with 6k readout and scaling engine. This is obviously a highly advanced sensor with spectacular performance!

Yes, it DOES have a rolling shutter problem. This is NOT the image sensor's fault. Instead, it is the fault of the read out circuit and it's column read speed. Sony was forced to clock it was down to control heat in a small passive body. It was the only way they could keep it somewhat cool in the A6300's tiny body. However, this same sensor can be clocked higher in an active cooled body like the FS5 and rolling shutter skew would could be greatly reduced.

Anyway. Here is a preview video of some of my tests. I will not say which sensor is which. I will let you guys debate which is the $5,500 FS5 and which is the $1000 A6300 image sensor.

PLEASE. BEFORE ANYBODY STARTS TO COMPLAIN ABOUT THE IDEA OF COMPARING THESE TWO RADICALLY DIFFERENT PRODUCTS. THIS IS ONLY AN "IMAGE SENSOR SCIENCE" TEST AND NOT A "CAMERA COMPARISON". IMAGE QUALITY IS ONLY ONE FACTOR IN DETERMINING WHAT CAMERA IS RIGHT FOR YOUR JOB. YES,....WE ALL ALREADY KNOW IT IS RIDICULES TO DO A FULL FEATURE SHOOTOUT BETWEEN THESE TWO MODELS.

YES,....THERE IS NO REAL CAPARISON IN THIS REGARD!!! AGREED!!!

Try to watch in 4k if you can.....Behold! (I have to admit, I almost fell out of my chair when I threw this together...I was NOT expecting such a drastic difference)

Samer Aslan · September 16th, 2016, 02:05 AM

Hi,first clip: A6300 on the right. second clip: A6300 on the lift side! correct!?

Cliff Totten · September 16th, 2016, 07:06 PM

I mention this in the YouTube posts but I'll also ask this here:

Could the A6300's 6k readout and scale-down to 4K be the "next generation" processing engine that Sony is developing? How does this sound?

6K Image sensor readout
6K DeBayer and RGGB assembly.
6K Color processing.
6K Noise Reduction.
Very careful 6K to 4K scale down engine presents image to CODEC and HDMI.

Think about it..."IF" (big "IF") they can capture a 6k image that is in the 6000x3000 ballpark. (18 megapixels) You then would have 9 million green and 4.5 million red and blue pixels. That will deliver a SIGNIFICANTLY more detailed 4k image after DeBayer is complete. And doing all of the dirty work of image processing in that 6k world BEFORE you downsize it to 4K? Even your noise gets finer and less blocky. Think of the chroma resolution? Hell, even in a lowly 4:2:0 subsamble vs. a standard 1:1 readout! The difference is huge. (1:1 readout only delivers 4 million green and 2 million red and blue)

"IF" Sony is testing this out on the A6300 first...I can only imagine what they have planned in the next year when it goes into larger fan cooled bodies with increased processor power and higher sensor column read out speeds.

"IF" all this is true?....this A6300 represents a WICKED Sony crystal ball........

If its not true? Than maybe I'm just dreaming. ;-)

September 15th, 2016, 07:40 PM	#1
Cliff Totten Trustee Join Date: Aug 2010 Location: Florida Posts: 1,197	FS5 "Sensor" vs. A6300 "Sensor" So, I decided to do the unthinkable..... I have been very curious about the image sensor difference between the FS5 and the A6300. As many of you know, the FS5 uses the image sensor originally developed for the FS700 about 5 years ago. It's a great sensor. However, the A6300 uses Sony's very latest 2016 cutting-edge sensor architecture with 6k readout and scaling engine. This is obviously a highly advanced sensor with spectacular performance! Yes, it DOES have a rolling shutter problem. This is NOT the image sensor's fault. Instead, it is the fault of the read out circuit and it's column read speed. Sony was forced to clock it was down to control heat in a small passive body. It was the only way they could keep it somewhat cool in the A6300's tiny body. However, this same sensor can be clocked higher in an active cooled body like the FS5 and rolling shutter skew would could be greatly reduced. Anyway. Here is a preview video of some of my tests. I will not say which sensor is which. I will let you guys debate which is the $5,500 FS5 and which is the $1000 A6300 image sensor. PLEASE. BEFORE ANYBODY STARTS TO COMPLAIN ABOUT THE IDEA OF COMPARING THESE TWO RADICALLY DIFFERENT PRODUCTS. THIS IS ONLY AN "IMAGE SENSOR SCIENCE" TEST AND NOT A "CAMERA COMPARISON". IMAGE QUALITY IS ONLY ONE FACTOR IN DETERMINING WHAT CAMERA IS RIGHT FOR YOUR JOB. YES,....WE ALL ALREADY KNOW IT IS RIDICULES TO DO A FULL FEATURE SHOOTOUT BETWEEN THESE TWO MODELS. YES,....THERE IS NO REAL CAPARISON IN THIS REGARD!!! AGREED!!! Try to watch in 4k if you can.....Behold! (I have to admit, I almost fell out of my chair when I threw this together...I was NOT expecting such a drastic difference) SONY FS5 vs. A6300 - "IMAGE SENSOR" Test. - YouTube

September 16th, 2016, 02:05 AM	#2
Samer Aslan Regular Crew Join Date: Apr 2010 Location: Padua/Venice - Italy Posts: 131	Re: FS5 "Sensor" vs. A6300 "Sensor" Hi,first clip: A6300 on the right. second clip: A6300 on the lift side! correct!? __________________ PDW-F800.PXW-X200.Odyssey7Q+.A7S.www.videoshot.it-Videoshot

September 16th, 2016, 07:06 PM	#3
Cliff Totten Trustee Join Date: Aug 2010 Location: Florida Posts: 1,197	Re: FS5 "Sensor" vs. A6300 "Sensor" I mention this in the YouTube posts but I'll also ask this here: Could the A6300's 6k readout and scale-down to 4K be the "next generation" processing engine that Sony is developing? How does this sound? 6K Image sensor readout 6K DeBayer and RGGB assembly. 6K Color processing. 6K Noise Reduction. Very careful 6K to 4K scale down engine presents image to CODEC and HDMI. Think about it..."IF" (big "IF") they can capture a 6k image that is in the 6000x3000 ballpark. (18 megapixels) You then would have 9 million green and 4.5 million red and blue pixels. That will deliver a SIGNIFICANTLY more detailed 4k image after DeBayer is complete. And doing all of the dirty work of image processing in that 6k world BEFORE you downsize it to 4K? Even your noise gets finer and less blocky. Think of the chroma resolution? Hell, even in a lowly 4:2:0 subsamble vs. a standard 1:1 readout! The difference is huge. (1:1 readout only delivers 4 million green and 2 million red and blue) "IF" Sony is testing this out on the A6300 first...I can only imagine what they have planned in the next year when it goes into larger fan cooled bodies with increased processor power and higher sensor column read out speeds. "IF" all this is true?....this A6300 represents a WICKED Sony crystal ball........ If its not true? Than maybe I'm just dreaming. ;-) Last edited by Cliff Totten; September 16th, 2016 at 07:55 PM.