Holding off purchasing nex FS100

[Gabe Strong]

I'm a 'small market guy'. I live in a town with no road system in or out, in
Alaska. So I'm not a LA based shooter. For me the FS100 was a no brainer.
Of course, I'm not a 'film maker'. I make motion pictures for clients
who pay me, in other words, it's my livelihood. The FS 100 fit into the
'sweet spot' of the 'price/performance' continuum. I'd rather have an F3, but
in my small town, I can't get the budgets to make it worthwhile.
I've always said, figure out your budget, THEN buy the best camera you
can afford for that budget. I mean you can take your logic to any
market segment. 'Why buy a F3 when you can get a FS100 so much cheaper?'
'Why buy a Alexa when you can get an F3 so much cheaper?' It seems like
with many market segments, you can get 80-90% of the way to the next
step 'up' for MUCH less money. To get that last 10-20%, you have to
pay a lot. I for one am glad they came out with the FS100. HDSLR's
can eat my shorts, too many workarounds, I literally cannot stand them.

[Glen Vandermolen]

Well said, Gabe.

Plus, in Alaska, you need to budget for a S&W 500 revolver. That'll handle the bear issues on your shoots. ;-)

[Jeff Troiano]

I'll throw my 2 cents into this ring.

I am not a video professional. I'm not really not even an "Indie" guy (yet). I'm pretty much a "wanna be" at this point. I spent last year putting together a nice editing system, while researching cameras. I had settled on a 5D, but since that camera (while still very good) was nearing the time for an update, I decided to wait for that. In the mean time, the FS100 came out, and I've loved everything I've seen from it. I have to say, I've also loved much of everything I've seen from the canon cameras also. But it was the other features that sold me on the fs100. The clean out, my indie aspirations have much After Effects work involved. Eventually I will pick up a hyperdeck shuttle or something of the like. I wanted over and under cranking in camera. While the fs100 isn't perfect in this, its leaps and bounds ahead of other cameras. I like the zebra, peaking, and histogram, in camera. I will still pick up external monitors, but now I don't need to worry whether they have that option, because the camera does. I own a zoom h4n, but I like the idea of having sound in camera. That just names some of the reasons.

Needless to say I'm sold on the Fs100, BUT, I've waited this long, and I had been waiting to see what the new 5D mkIII might bring. I am waiting for Nov 3rd to see what canon has in mind. 5k is my price point, and I am hoping canon comes out with something to compete head to head with the AF100 and FS100. Not because I'm a canon fan boy, but simply because the AF100 came out, and it had/has features that are important to me. Then the FS100 came out and it was a little better over the Af100. Now I'm hoping canon is stepping up with something similar, but better.

I would love an F3, hell saying that, I would love an Epic M, but neither is going to happen at this time. I'm not really concerned with a the Scarlet, simply because what I've read is still putting it at 2/3 chip. No way I'd buy anything less then S35.

is 5k a lot, sure, so is 2k or 3k for that matter. I'm investing in glass, so that as I move forward, that will serve me well. I can understand the argument, but to me, the extra 3k is worth it. Will they make me a better story teller, who knows, like I said, I've seen things from 60D's all the way up to F3 that were incredible. Was it the camera that did all the work, nope. But I'm 39, and I have a job that pays the bills, and allows me to dive into this hobby all that I can (just have to save a little while to get there). If I were a student, sure, a less expensive DSLR is where I would be at.

[Dylan Couper]

Originally Posted by John Vincent

I'm not buying one. IMHO, both the FS100 and AF100 are over-priced at this time.

Heh, got a laugh out of that.... .
$5000 for a Super35 digital cinema camera is the bargain of a lifetime. 3 years ago you would have laughed in my face if I told you that you'd be able to get that much camera for that much money.

And $,5000 is an awful lot of money in today's world, regardless of how manny clients you have. For all of the above reasons, I've gritted my teeth and told myself, "Wait."

$5k is chump change in video production. If you can't pay for that in a month of gigs, your business model is fail.

If you have no interest in the FS100, perhaps you should leave the FS100 forum... no?

[Jean-Philippe Archibald]

For me the FS100 is actually cheaper than any DSLR, even a T2i. The time I save in post not having to resynchronise sound, scrap, reshoot or try to correct shots because of excess moire. Since I bought the FS100 in july, I already saved more than the cost difference in post hours.

[Rob Katz]

jean-phillippe-

after watching your lovely pieces for the alcan string quartet, both shot w/canon's dslrs, i'm surprised you hopped onto the fs100 parade.

can you please post some links to your fs100 efforts?

thank you in advance.

be well

rob
smalltalk productions

[John Vincent]

Originally Posted by Dylan Couper

If you have no interest in the FS100, perhaps you should leave the FS100 forum... no?

Wow.

The very title of the thread "Holding off on buying the FS100;" I was clearly - and with solid facts - agreeing why that might be true for some.

Nothing remotely usable in my comments? Not one thing? I never said anywhere that some people would totally think the price is worth it?

So, saying I think a product is overpriced - and giving many examples of why I might possibly think that
way - means I shouldn't come to the forum huh?

Good grief.

[John McCully]

I for one have found this conversation most helpful and that includes your comments John Vincent. The NEX FS 100 is at the top end of my budget but it's there so the thread has been totally of interest and, let me repeat, most helpful.

[Chris Medico]

Just got a note from Sony about a rebate on the FS100. $500 back for the camera and memory unit.

A Super offer for a Super 35mm camera.

[Jean-Philippe Archibald]

Originally Posted by Rob Katz

jean-phillippe-

after watching your lovely pieces for the alcan string quartet, both shot w/canon's dslrs, i'm surprised you hopped onto the fs100 parade.

can you please post some links to your fs100 efforts?

thank you in advance.

be well

rob
smalltalk productions

Hi Rob, Thank you for your kind words about my work. You are right, the Canon DSLR allowed me to do nice work and my clients were always perfectly happy with the results. But I always disliked the camera and it's workflow. The reason I got the 7D was to be able to offer the 35mm look to my client without the hassles associated with using a 35mm adapter. Compared to that, the 7D was a great tool, but far from a true video camera. I always hated doing dual system sound, always hated the ergonimics and limitations (recording limit, low res, moire, alliassing, no zebra or other exporure tools, no proper time code, etc).

I was pretty interested by the AF100, but the 4/3 sensor keeped me from buying it for various reasons. So when Sony announced it's camera, I pre ordered it instantly. It is not perfect, far from it, but it solved about every grips I had on DSLR, while being close to the ergonomics and workflow of a true camera.

And the price was right. I started doing freelance video in 2002 and I am used to buy a new camera in the 5K-8k bracket every 2-3 years, reselling the older one for about half it's price. So for me it was the perfect tool.

For now, I only have this piece online,

Auberge de la rivière Saguenay - EN on Vimeo

a small corporate video with some aerial footage in it. I have shooted a lot with the FS100 but a lot of stuff I don,t have the right to post it online, or the editing is not done yet.

[Rob Katz]

jean-philippe-

thank you for sharing your fs100 footage.

obviously the aerial footage looks good (glad there was no moire of thinly spaced water ripples).

but i also very much appreciated how a little dolly/slider push really adds to a given shot.

and you do that move very well.

you have a good eye for composition.

i look forward to additional fs100 postings.

as to camera purchasing, i am in a similar camp every 2-3yrs for the past decade:
jvc dv500 -> dvx100a -> hpx200 -> ex1 -> xf305 (month long loan) -> ?

as we all are waiting for the november canon announcement, i am most interested in the pannie hpx250 or the sony fs100.

each has their virtues and ease but i am often most drawn to the "possibilities" that the fs100 seems to offer.

ymmv

(your mileage may very = you might have your own opinion)

be well

rob
smalltalk productions

[Dylan Couper]

Originally Posted by John Vincent

Wow.
So, saying I think a product is overpriced - and giving many examples of why I might possibly think that
way - means I shouldn't come to the forum huh?

Good grief.

Exactly! I'm glad you agree.

If you think the FS100 is overpriced, simply don't buy it and move on. DVinfo isn't built on people with negative opinions dragging down products that aren't right for them.

[John Vincent]

Saying a product is over-priced isn't saying a product isn't good.

Comparing what products can do in the same basic price range isn't being negative.

[Jean-Philippe Archibald]

But anyway your arguments about image quality dosen't hold. Sure, with carefull handling in specific situation, a dslr can shine. But the FS100 image quality is in another league. a lot (I mean a lot!) more resolution, less noise, hard to see any trace of aliassing or moire, all of that, in any situation. And that, without taking into account that the image is a lot more customizable.

So even without considering the better ergonomics, better audio tools, better exposure tools and better workflow, the FS100 is worth the difference.

When you have shooted on dslr for two years and you start shooting on the FS100, the difference in every aspect is like days and nights.

[David Heath]

Originally Posted by Dylan Couper

If you think the FS100 is overpriced, simply don't buy it and move on. DVinfo isn't built on people with negative opinions dragging down products that aren't right for them.

I find negative opinions can sometimes be highly useful - otherwise you just end up with "fanboy" sites, any criticism just getting censored, no matter how sensible or true. Negative opinions can spark debate - if anyone doesn't think they are valid, then shoot them down!

It depends on the criticisms, of course. I'm not advocating remarks along the "camera A just sucks!" line, or anything that falls into the personal abuse category, but a reasoned argument is a different matter again. And whilst I don't fully agree with them, I think Johns comments do fall into the "reasoned argument" category.