FS5 or FS7: please advise

[Dave Sperling]

I'm happy enough with the FS7 viewfinder - I prefer it to the Zacuto EVF when expanding to focus.
Also maybe it's just me, but I think there's a little more delay using the Zacuto EVF than on the FS7 viewfinder. (Haven't done a scientific test... but that was always one of my issues with the FS700). I'm happier staying with the FS7 viewfinder and repurposing the Z-EVF to the producer/client.

[Steve Rosen]

I don't have a Sony, but watch this forum to keep informed...

However, I do own a Gratical X and two Z-Finder Pros. True, the Z-Finders have less resolution, but sometimes, after using the Gratical for several days, when I return too the Z on my Pocket, it seems EASIER to focus, because the image is so much larger. And with 1:1 (which doesn't cost more on the Z) focusing is very easy and accurate. Since it's possible to get a Z for around $600 now I wouldn't discount it. (I should mention that the Pocket passes it's color peaking through the HDMI, and in log it works better than an EVF's.)

The biggest advantage - for me - of the Gratical is having the exposure assist scopes in the black letterbox below the image... that's very cool.

[Arlen Sahakian]

Hi i was also wondering between those 2 cameras ..... and my work is mostly events and i care to have a servo lens , i care about the slow motion not interested a lot shooting 4K, 2k will do

first i was thinking about FS5 with the 28-135mm cause its lighter and in my kind of work we shoot non stop all the time, not to mention that it works on SD cards which i already have. the only thing made me doubt is the slow motion, FS7 can shoot 180fps continues while the FS5 its can do more than 180fps but only a few seconds.

so im kind of lost here if anyone can advise i will be grateful. here's what i care about
2K, good quality slow motion, and non stop hand held shooting, im mentioning hand held cause i dont care using it on Ronin or slider or anything else maybe very few times tripod.

i think i will go with 28-135mm but still didnt decide which body.
any help ? thank you

[Ken Hull]

Arlen,
Since you plan to use the camera hand-held, a wide angle zoom would be a better choice than the Sony 28-135. I have that 28-135 lens, and I like it, but I usually have the camera on a tripod or jib. When I do put the camera on my shoulder, I use my Nikon 24mm lens (with Nikon-mount adapter). And that's almost wide enough, but I'm thinking of getting the G.L. Optics 18-35mm zoom (it's the Sigma zoom, modified for cinema use). Of course, that means no automatic focus or exposure ... I don't know if you're OK with that.

[Chad Johnson]

You can use the Canon 24-105 lens with a Metabones Speedboster Ultra, which will make the lesn close to the MM marked on the lens. I personally use the Sigma 24-105mm f/4 with the Speedboster Ultra, which makes it an f/2.8.
As for slow motion. I shoot slow motion at 240fps in either 4 or 8 second bursts. 8 seconds of 240fps played back at 30p is 1 minute of slow motion footage. I find I don't need more than that. And with the trigger after function, I just hit record right after something happens and it captures the previous 8 seconds. I like the slower slow-mo of the FS5. And with the variable ND filter built in, I can dial in that exposure perfectly.

Here's some slow-mo I recently shot with the FS5.

YouTube (Short URL)

[Doug Jensen]

In the first 5 minutes of this video I point out most of the major differences between the two cameras.

Doug Jensen’s Sony PXW-FS5 Master Class - CHAPTER ONE FREE! on Vimeo

[Arlen Sahakian]

Originally Posted by Ken Hull

Of course, that means no automatic focus or exposure ... I don't know if you're OK with that.

Hi Ken thank for your help but i need a servo lens cause i need automatic zoom i can do without auto focus and exposure but i care a lot about the zoom.

wide angle wont be a problem cause we have multiple cameras at the same time any wide angle can jump in when its needed

[Arlen Sahakian]

Originally Posted by Doug Jensen

In the first 5 minutes of this video I point out most of the major differences between the two cameras.

Doug Jensen’s Sony PXW-FS5 Master Class - CHAPTER ONE FREE! on Vimeo

Thx Doug for you video, i just have one more question i hope ))) does the slow motion quality differ between them since the FS5 shoot in burst mode ?

[Doug Jensen]

That's a tricky question to answer because the FS7 has overall better picture quality than the FS5 in all shooting modes. Although I've never specifically compared the slow motion head to head, but I would say the quality is similar between the two cameras as long as you don't exceed 240 fps on the FS5. The 480 and 960 speeds on the FS5 are unusable for professional work, and you always have to wait for the slow motion to process before you can shoot the next shot. And of course, only the FS7 allows you to shoot slow motion @ 60 fps in 4K.

[Arlen Sahakian]

As I mentioned I don't care about the 4K and I will be shooting mostly Full HD which means I can't do more than 240fps. But do you know how much time it needs to process the 8sec on 240fps mode ?

[Andy Wilkinson]

Arlen, an agonisingly long time! Can be several minutes depending on 50i or 60i set-up and HFR frame rate choosen.

Look at pages 58-60 in the FS5 handbook. Link posted in post #4 in this thread about HFR on FS5 for more details - quick PDF download:

http://www.dvinfo.net/forum/sony-xdc...ml#post1911335

[Doug Jensen]

A graphic from my training video . . .

[Arlen Sahakian]

Guys i decided to go with FS7 with 28-135mm lens but I never worked with XQD cards before
Any idea what to buy if I want to shoot FULL HD multi frames, there are many series out there so I got little bit Confused. Thanks for everything

[Jack Zhang]

Definitely the new Sony G-series XQD cards. Lexar may have their 2933x series, but last I heard that was purposely made incompatible with the FS7 because firmware engineers were "lazy" or saw it as a threat to their own high speed XQD cards.

[Jeroen Wolf]

Originally Posted by Arlen Sahakian

Guys i decided to go with FS7 with 28-135mm lens but I never worked with XQD cards before
Any idea what to buy if I want to shoot FULL HD multi frames, there are many series out there so I got little bit Confused. Thanks for everything

I saved myself a lot of money buying the -discontinued- Lexar 64 GB 1333x times cards. They work perfectly in all resolutions and framerates. Maybe you can still find them somewehere.

The Lexar 64GB 1400x are the new versions and work flawlessly as well. My only gripe is they're not as affordable as their predecessor and that they're not 128GB...

Just checked to see online and saw there's a 128GB XQD card from Lexar for only $159,- that far outspecs my Lexars but apparently do not work with the FS7. Strange?! (Sony protectionism or Lexar's bad..?) Anyway, I refuse to pay 400,- for a monopoly card.

For the price of 4 Sony 128GB cards you have an Atomos Shogun Flame... (insert a 500GB or 1TB SSD and you can shoot all day in 4K)