It is we'll know to everyone that NEX-FS700 has a great potential for the acquisition of 4K resolution.
Question: Does the flash memory unit HXR-FMU128 or memory stick have the ability to record 4K ? Or is it necessary to have either AXS-R5 or Odyssey7Q recorders in order to unlock the potential of 4K ?

4k is external recording only. Nothing inside the camera can record 4k.

You will certainly need either one of the recorders.

The Odyssey 7Q or the new Atomos Shogun (in the near future) to film 4K.

You also need to make sure your FS700 has a firmware upgrade to be able to shoot 4K. The earlier models didn't have this upgrade.

Why do I need to use HXR-IFR5 Interface Unit if I want to record 4K on AXS-R5 4K/2K RAW Recorder, whereas for 4K record on Odyssey7Q no any interface has been mentioned ?

You don't need the interface unit if you are using the 7q. You only need to make sure your FS700 is at firmware v3 or higher. The SDI out on the FS700 is all you need to feed the 7q.

Why do I need to use HXR-IFR5 Interface Unit if I want to record 4K on AXS-R5 4K/2K RAW Recorder, whereas for 4K record on Odyssey7Q no any interface has been mentioned ?

Ask Sony why you need it. It's silly really. The Odyssey screen can be used as an external monitor, where as the HXR-IFR5 (got to love the silly names) is just a big block of plastic that makes the camcorder even more awkward to handle.

The 4K output form the camera is compressed and the R5 records the Raw also compressed however the output from the camera is compressed in a different way to the output from the camera, so the interface unit takes the compressed output from the camera, uncompresses it then recompresses it (all in real time) for recording on the R5 in Sony's Raw system.

The Odyssey just takes the compressed output, uncompresses it and records it in a CDNG wrapper.

So the R5 rig gives you much smaller file sizes (about 2.5 times smaller I believe) and the post support is better for it as it uses Sony's raw system. While the Odyssey is smaller, lighter, cheaper and works as a nice monitor - but produces horrendous amounts of data.

At least, that's how I understand it...

Well, It makes sense handling huge files on Odyssey7Q rather than spending $7500 for R5 recorder and its partner HXR-IFR5, baring in mind, also, the advantages of Odyssey7Q over its counterpart in terms of weight, bulkiness and provision of monitoring.

Dear Friends,

Yes, the Odyssey7Q with our FS700 Raw Option currently records the wonderful 4K, 12-Bit Raw, up to 60 fps to CinemaDNG continuously.

And our unit records 4K, 12-Bit at 120 fps, which is cached in the camera for 3.63 seconds, and the wonderful End Trigger can be used.

And we can record 2K, in 12-bit up to 240 fps.

All of the above are in Raw format, full uncompressed Raw, in 12-Bit, which allows one to extract very high quality images.

We have announced another major feature, where one will be able to record 4K Apple ProRes 422 HQ.

This is due out somewhere near the end of this month (September 2014).

This allows one to work in Video, instead of Raw, and these files are compressed, but are still high quality.
Apple ProRes 422 HQ is very popular and in widespread use, and is requested quite frequently by clients.

Our footage will be in the 4K version of this codec and will be easy to use.

Other important, new features for the Odyssey7Q will be announced in the future.

Our Odyssey7Q + FS700 Option will also work with the new Sony FS7 + Expansion Unit.

Respectfully,

Dan this is an FS7 + expansion unit question but I know you're watching this thread so:

Will the the Odyssey record the output of the slog3 to 709LUT on the FS7 ( using that beautiful 12bit Raw to Pro Res (4K2HD) . I don't know if this would be cleanervor any different than the LUT coming directly from the FS7.

I'm curious because I was very impressed by how clean the 4K2HD files looked but personally wasn't as thrilled by the gammas coming from the FS700. As I recall it could record 709 as well as Slog though.

Lenny

How many stops are given for the dynamic range in this camera ?

Dan this is an FS7 + expansion unit question but I know you're watching this thread so:

Will the the Odyssey record the output of the slog3 to 709LUT on the FS7 ( using that beautiful 12bit Raw to Pro Res (4K2HD) . I don't know if this would be cleanervor any different than the LUT coming directly from the FS7.

I'm curious because I was very impressed by how clean the 4K2HD files looked but personally wasn't as thrilled by the gammas coming from the FS700. As I recall it could record 709 as well as Slog though.

Lenny

Dear Lenny,

Our current Odyssey7Q firmware is checking for the Picture Profile setting, gamma = S-Log 2.

In the FS7, one can't set, in at least one early prototype FS7: gamma = S Log 2, but can select S-Log 3.

We will make the necessary changes so that one can record from the FS7 + Expansion Pack.

(The Expansion Pack is needed as it has the HD-SDI port that outputs the Raw data from the camera.)

It is so nice to hear that you like our 4K to HD Apple ProRes 422 HQ mode.

We feel that this mode is very significant, due to the dramatic increase in quality, for HD that it provides for the Sony FS700.

We have had many, very positive comments about this mode, from very experience industry leaders.

We will enable this mode for the FS7 as well. We hope to have a FS7 in our lab as soon as possible.

Please note that in this mode, 4K Raw to HD Apple ProRes 422 HQ, one can also select gamma = Rec. 709 and Rec. 709 800%, so there is a way to test this mode with our current firmware, 2.11.110.

Our next firmware will have a 4K Raw to 4K Apple ProRes 422 HQ mode also,
supporting up to 4K (4096 x 2160) at 30 fps.

Respectfully,

Dear Haitham,

I am sorry, but I do not know the Dynamic Range numbers for the FS7 yet.

Respectfully,

I am sorry, but I do not know the Dynamic Range numbers for the FS7 yet.

For the FS700 in your 4KtoHD mode, what would you estimate the dynamic range of the FS700?

For the FS700 in your 4KtoHD mode, what would you estimate the dynamic range of the FS700?

The FS700 is in the range of 13 stops.

Thanks Dan,

For my purposes (and I'm sure I'm not alone ) the slog3>709 LUT on the F5 seems to be a very popular with clients who want an Alexa-like look without needing to grade from Slog3. If you could marry that to the super clean look that you're getting form the 4K2HD that would be a hilt on the FS7.

Caveat is I'm saying that without having compared how clean the normal output is from the F5/ FS7 with that LUT. I've only compared 4K2HD to my F3 output and it was much cleaner.

Thanks Dan,

For my purposes (and I'm sure I'm not alone ) the slog3>709 LUT on the F5 seems to be a very popular with clients who want an Alexa-like look without needing to grade from Slog3. If you could marry that to the super clean look that you're getting form the 4K2HD that would be a hilt on the FS7.

Caveat is I'm saying that without having compared how clean the normal output is from the F5/ FS7 with that LUT. I've only compared 4K2HD to my F3 output and it was much cleaner.

Dear Lenny,

I am very happy that you like our 4K to HD Apple ProRes 422 HQ mode.

We put a lot of effort in ensuring that the resulting images were very good, including developing state-of-the-art deBayering techniques (for a on-camera, real-time, deBayering process).

And we used very special techniques to properly allocate the 12-Bits from the 4K Raw into the 10-Bit Apple ProRes 422 HQ.

But, I am very surprised to hear that it is cleaner than the F3, which is an exceptionally low-noise camera.

We are looking forward to working with the new Sony FS7. We know that it outputs S-Log 3 instead of S-Log 2 (when specified in a Picture Profile).

At this time, for us to capture Raw from the FS7, one needs the Expansion Pack, which is an extra-cost item, but it adds quite a lot of functionality, such as Timecode In and Out, Genlock, and Reference Out, and professional Power Inputs and Outputs.

We also like that the base FS7 has two HD-SDI outputs, but we do not know all of the necessary details about these outputs yet.

We are very impressed with the FS7 and can't wait to marry our Odyssey7Q + FS700/FS7 option to it.

So far, we know that we need to support S-Log 3 gamma, and we will do so.

Respectfully,

For the FS700 in your 4KtoHD mode, what would you estimate the dynamic range of the FS700?

Dear Dmitri,

As far as I know, our team has not performed proper Dynamic Range tests.

We like to leave this for others, as this requires a proper test chart, proper lighting, etc. and the results are always subject to debate (and criticism for not doing it right.)

While we have a DSC ChromoDuMonde chart in our studio testing area, we do not yet have a proper DSC Dynamic Range chart, sorry.

I hope this helps.

Respectfully,

Dan,
I put the FS700 with the 7Q w/4K2HD up against my F3 at Videofax in San Francisco.

I think the F3 puts out a great picture but was astonished to find that the 7Q 4K2HD image with detail turned OFF was as sharp or probably sharper than my F3 with detail where I typically keep it at -17. -17 may sound like very little but it is significant and with detail OFF the F3 goes soft.

So I'm not referring to the noise level (F3 is very quiet) but just the overall sharpness and clarity of the image with no enhancement. Frankly I wasn't used to seeing such a clean (that's the best word I can come up with) image in video. It just made for a more natural image. I assume that's because we were downrezzing from 4K. I imagine it would would uprez back to 4K beautifully.

The negative for me was that most of my clients want go-home pictures and neither Slog2 nor the 800% LUT provide that. I could get 709 into the 7Q but not the cine gammas which I suspect i might like more.
There were other negatives to the FS700 that made me hold off and I'm excited to see that the FS7 may answer a lot of my desires.

Also i didn't compare it to the typical HD output from the F5 so I don't know if that might have an image more comparable to your 4K2HD.

I expect to be getting an F7 and am excited about SLog3 and the Slog3 to 7090LUT as a take hime pic,
The question then will be - will a 7Q 4K2HD look cleaner than the direct HD output of the FS7, and can I get the LUT to record on it.

Time will tell. No question the 7Q is a beautifully designed product.

Lenny

Dan,
I put the FS700 with the 7Q w/4K2HD up against my F3 at Videofax in San Francisco.

I think the F3 puts out a great picture but was astonished to find that the 7Q 4K2HD image with detail turned OFF was as sharp or probably sharper than my F3 with detail where I typically keep it at -17. -17 may sound like very little but it is significant and with detail OFF the F3 goes soft.

.....

Time will tell. No question the 7Q is a beautifully designed product.

Lenny

Dear Lenny,

If you don't mind, I will deviate from my normal, humorless posts.

I love that last sentence of yours!

Please feel free to shout it from the rooftops!

Respectfully,