DV Info Net - Sony PXW-FS5 - Initial User Impressions

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- - Sony PXW-FS5 - Initial User Impressions (https://www.dvinfo.net/forum/sony-xdcam-pxw-fs7-fs5/530420-sony-pxw-fs5-initial-user-impressions.html)

Sony PXW-FS5 - Initial User Impressions

As some of you know my FS5 arrived Friday afternoon. After the concerns that emerged late last week about limited recording/monitoring capabilities in QFHD (with the initial release firmware - and still some restrictions down the road) I had deliberately stalled my purchase for 24hrs whilst I learnt more/thought it through.

I decided to go ahead and purchase the cam and the first thing I did was a quick test. I posted a comment on another thread - here: http://www.dvinfo.net/forum/sony-xdc...t-cripple.html (and on twitter) confirming that it will indeed pass out Full HD to an external recorder (in my case Atomos Ninja Blade) whilst allowing 1080p50 internal recording to SDXC cards - and importantly whilst doing this the LCD remains active. For someone who will primarily use the cam, at least initially, in 422 10-bit 50Mbps Full HD this was a relief!

You can study the FS5 specs elsewhere - and no doubt a plethora of reviews and initial FS5 test videos will hit the web in the next few days...So, below, I'll just concentrate on a few of MY personal first impressions, focussing on some of the things others may not major on. I hope to add info as and when I can - and I'm sure other FS5 owners will be willing share their thoughts on how they find the cam here on DVinfo too!

Build quality is really, really good. It's small and light - as we all know by now. It is a joy to hold - most things are where I'd want them. I really like the side hand grip and (at least for my medium sized hands) the various button placements seem perfect. I love the way you can adjust it's angle of rotation in a couple of seconds - from full horizontal (grip effectively facing down - say if you wanted to shoot something overhead) to 3/4 facing up (if you want to video your toe nails...). It's a definite improvement on the grip on my beloved Canon C100 in terms of flexibility/functionality. The angle you can set it at is in steps - nine in all including either extreme. On my FS5 there is very slight rotational play when locked in any of these positions - about a mm or so. I would have liked it to be rock solid but nothing I feel I should worry about - anyone else on the new owners list have this?

EVF is so-so quality - better than the one on my C100 (for sure!) but I guess I've been spoilt with the PMW-300 arrangement! It's adequate and certainly usable.

LCD seems reasonably good - robust and well designed in terms of it's almost infinite position options. It's as clear and bright as you'd expect for a screen of it's size and spec. Still half-wish it was a touch screen with a few options (spot focus etc.) but that's more of a consumer cam feature anyway. Plugging it's lead into the body is a bit tricky/not something I'd want to do often or in a hurry! I suspect I'll rarely need to detach it anyway.

Tripod mounting area under the cam is nice and flat (no rounded bottom like my EX3 had!) and looks very rugged with it's two different standard sized mounting screw holes, and a smaller unthreaded hole between them.

The two XLR positions are brilliant and each has their feed controls (Line/Mic/Mic +48v) switches next to them. However, on the camera body XLR, this switch could be difficult to reach/check depending on side grip position - but no matter as it takes seconds to move that if needed.

The audio control area (on the side of the cam) has a drop-down flap - to make it easier to adjust the dials and Auto/Man options. It's possible to use a finger/thumb to adjust the dials through the round cut-outs in this flap with it up (it's normal position) but the Auto/Man AGC switches require the flap to be opened to change. This is good - as that'll stop me accidentally knocking one into Auto! The flap is more robust/better designed than the one on my PMW-300. However, at least on my FS5, it seems quite a loose fit - the flap might easily drop down, especially after some use/wear (it does not drop open at the moment) as there is no 'click/latching' mechanism to hold it up. If this becomes a problem I've already though of a very simple way to make it a tighter, friction fit and so ensure it stays up and closed when needed - no not just with tape! No worries.

The top handle is robust and easy/quick to detach. One thing I think Sony could have done better was to design a recess into the camera's top, adjacent to the socket for the handle's interface plug. This would have allowed a captive flap to be provided, it simply being hinged out of the way but still remain attached to the main body of the camera when attaching the handle (albeit underneath and hidden when the handle is in position). The cam has captive covers on all it's other main ports - but for this one they just give you a pull out piece of black plastic. I can see lots of those getting lost on location if people frequently mount and dismount the handle!

I've bought a Metabones MkIV (Sony E-mount to Canon EF) but have yet to find time to try it with any of my Canon glass on the FS5. I also bought the Sony G 18-105 F4 lens. I will put that through it's paces first to learn it's strengths and weaknesses. Image stabilisation seems pretty good and autofocus seems to work pretty well most of the time. Manual focus is tricky as it's such a short throw.

The Clear Image Zoom feature works very well (but I've yet to pixel peep footage on my monitors).

I'll try and add more info as and when I get time to test the camera fully - which won't be much this coming week as I have a lot of client filming work going on which I'll only do with the cams I know inside out. I don't like to be learning a new cam and risk a "screw up" in front of any paying clients!

For now I'll just post a snap of the FS5, C100 and PMW-300 side by side to give you an impression of the (lack of) bulk of the FS5. For sure, the ergonomics are better than the C100 so assuming everything else lives up to expectations this one's going to be a winner.

Feeling tempted to sort out how to balance the FS5 on my new Letus Helix Jr. next...If I get time I'll post a snap/impressions of how that goes soon - not sure that'll be today though.