You know the current market is saturated with too many good cameras when I'm drinking my morning coffee while watching a 10 minute video about a 10 year old camera and loving every second of it.
As a drone pilot I have no dilema what drone to choose for my work, but when choosing cinema grade camera it is time when almost all cameras in last 10 years are very usable and this video is great example of this. Btw great channel, your content is awesome!
This camera changed my life... It was the most consistent unit I used from 2015 throught to 2022. I won't sell it, it's just in a box retired. Watching this though makes me wanna take it out of the box. In terms of daylight shooting I think it's still solid. My love is eternal for it haha
another big plus for the FS7 ii is the revised swing arm. Not only is it 'tool-less' with thumb screws but a little known fact is that this arm is designed so that the zoom rocker hand grip can be mounted up against the camera body in exactly the same position as we have seen on the FS5 and FX6.
I work in a corporate media team with a few FX6 cameras but for my personal (low stakes) work the FS7 is just as nice plus I can use all the same E-mount lenses. In fact I like the weight of the FS7 more than the FX6.
I think the only big disadvantage is the FS7 has terrible autofocus. But if you pull manually and don't need AF, I can't see justifying the price difference.
@@andyk939 yes only in terms of some ergonomics factors (such as SDI / BNC TC / NDs / etc ) would it win. But I'd imagine on every point for image quality then the FS7 would lose?
DUDE! I so wholly agree with your take - and thank you for showing all the mirrorless gangsters that there's a reason why this camera was a standard for 7 years together with the mk2. I shoot on fx9 and fx6's now and on multicam assignments the fs7 gets mixed in and no one says anything about the color, after the grade ofc.
I used an FS700 for years and occasionally shot on an FS7 too during that time, as well as an FS5. I found (and some others on DVXUser in the Sony FS700 subforums) that the FS700, despite being older and having the same sensor, actually had a nicer image out of it when outputting FSRAW to an external recorder like the Odyssey 7Q or Atomos Shogun. Sony gave the FS700 a slightly different gamma curve for SLOG2, so it comes off a bit more filmic than shooting SLOG2 with an FS5 or FS7 despite sharing the same sensor. You can also do higher frame rates on the FS700 and the FS5 in-camera than the FS7's 180fps, BUT the big tradeoff with the FS700 is the wonky ergonomics and that internally it can only do 8-bit 4:2:0. So you really needed an external recorder to get the most out of it.
its like in photography - we have very good and affordable cameras since the last 5-7 years, so for like 80% of the professionals (= u earn money through your camera) don't really need a new cam because feature XY is 20% better than the 6 year old camera, which is only worth 20-50% now. the manufacturer still needs to sell stuff, so they try hard....
Also, something cool, the FS7 and FS5 can be done with RAW via Atomos, meaning that you can get the 12-bit color out of the FS5 and FS7. Even the FS700 has RAW capabilities, which I remember being so impressed by when that launched nearly forever ago. All these older cameras still impress me with what they can do. Don't get me wrong, the FX3 is cool, but everyone has seemed to forget the cameras that came before it, which means that we have a bunch of really expensive cameras floating around for cheap (I can get a good quality F55 for $4k with the external recorder, is something I'd pick up if I had the money for it)
Some(all?) Fs700's need to be upgraded for proper RAW as far as I understand it, I was told mine was updated for that. Unclear if all of them were or if all needed to be, I have seen a couple floating around where the version was unclear and they might not have been updated. External recorder is a must then but it pretty much would be anyway for other reasons too.
Great video. I picked up an FS7m2 (2017) for a series I'm working on which included the E4/PZ 18-110 G lens and Shape top and bottom... I love the camera- definitely still relevant and a very reliable workhorse! And it works very well alongside my FX3.
On Sony Color Science, it's a very interesting story. When the dropped the F35 and F3 the color science for those cameras were arguably some of the best I've ever seen from a digital camera. But when don't moved from S-Log1 to S-Log2 they seem to have decided that bluish/magenta was the future, that color gamut only ever worked for the F65/55 when it was ported to all their other cameras it sucked. It's too bad they didn't put the OG color science into their lower end cameras while they were putting S-Log2 into the newer ones. Anyways, they fixed it with Venice and all their newer cameras
I shot on the FS7 for years, before picking up an FX6/ FS7 was great but after shooting hundreds of hours of doc, it wasn't a nice camera to grade. There were certain situations where the image just fell down, like strong backlight, where skin would turn to a kinda flat blob, or people with very red skin, or under mixed lighting etc. All of these things are handled way better by the FX line. But... it was a great little workhorse!
I recommend the FS7 II, if the ND is broken on the FS7, the whole sensor block needs to be swapped by sony, which is really costly. You also get a locking E mount and variable electronic ND.
Great review of a solid workhorse, I’ve been using this camera in massive wildlife film productions for a decade. I still own mine which is 8 years old and It still produces amazing results. It’s always been slightly noisy but there are ways to help expose correctly and avoid some noise.
I managed to scoop up a FS7 (with monitor and top handle) for 600usd from a partner who has a media production company. He upgraded to a fx6 so he just had it laying around. The FS7 is unbelievably good especially transitioning from a point and shoot. I cant recommend this camera enough!!!
Sweet deal! I bagged an Fs700E with a Shogun Inferno for 850eur, which had the usual downside of being ejected from a working environment, the only cables I got were 2 SDI, but no batteries, chargers or any useful "extras". It did come with a top plate/handle which is a bit less ugly than the stock one. So after throwing about as much as I paid for the thing into accessories etc I have it spitting out 4K Raw running off SmallRig USB-C batteries with a SmallRig wood handle on carbon rods and a Sirui Nightwalker 35mm lens that seems to be a happy combination. I think older cameras still have a lot of life in them and are a better deal than the new stuff if you can deal with rigging it and having a heavier lump to drag around. The image out of them is often better than many of the newer small cameras, but the one clear thing is you're not going to guerrilla run&gun it off some micro gimbal thing you whip out of your pocket.
When I was looking for my first cinema camera, the Canon C100 came up and I fell in love with it. It was also the right price for me. But I regret it today, the FS7 would have been much better. I knew so little back then... well, even today :D
I've seen people get great results from the FS7 but I found the color science frustrating when I used it in the 2010s. Arri always had amazing colors. Red started out with sub-par colors but then looked great when they upgraded to IPP2 and the Dragon sensor. Even for the price point, I found the BMD Ursa Mini 4.6k produced much better images than the FS7. I'm glad Sony eventually updated their color science because it really held back a lot of their Super 35 cameras (the F3 being another example that was technically great but required far too much work in post to get looking natural).
I got this very camera from Car Throttle. the weight is a huge bonus in todays world where mirrorless rely on ibis and the odd distortions involved. The size is amazing as it grabs attention and impresses people. The image is on par to the modern sensors, the dynamic range is better than the fx30/fx3/fx6 the only downside is the auto focus but its completely fine for interviews. Also the rolling shutter is alright. better than most mirrorless but not as good as the fx6.
Still love the FS5/FS7 lineup. It was rock solid back then, and imo is even more rock solid because you can buy a fleet of them now for full coverage events.
Great camera. Moving up from my FS5, I just bought two FS7 IIs, each with XDCA backs for less than $1500 each and they make the FS5 seem like a consumer camera. I have my FS5's 18-110mm servo zoom on one and the other runs with a matched set of very fast 7Artisans Cinema primes. IMO, the Mk II is the FS7 to get, mainly because of the 'floating' built in electronic ND and the PL style locking E-Mount which allows the fitting of big, heavy zooms or telephoto lenses without rods or rails.
This used to be such a workhorse camera - used to rent these and the FS5 a lot (I preferred the form factor of that cam) - I remember going from the GH4 / A7s to an FS7 and having to really deal with the jump in size / bulk, BUT then falling in love with 10 bit colour and stuff not falling apart in post. Then the FX line came out and overnight it seemed like people just forgot about these cameras. I think with some work and careful exposure you can still shoot great stuff with these cameras (as you show!) - although the next gen of cameras (from most brands) definitely improved stuff like highlight roll off and skin tone reproduction - just made life easier.
I don't think that we've forgotten about the FS7. It's still an incredibly common working camera on sets. It shoots 4k in S35, which the FX3 and FX6 can't. A lot of people don't want to shoot docs, reality / unscripted on FF, so you still see tons of FS7s and FX9s working frequently.
I managed to get it for 300usd even with RAW v-mount backs. I switched from BMPCC4K and I can't praise it enough. I've been shooting on it for a year now and it's a great camera. Beautiful images, internal NDs and simplicity of body and controls. The only thing I have a problem with is the size. It's too big and heavy for some projects.I'm considering the FX6 as my next camera because I love the simplicity and reliability of Sony cameras. I also managed to put the FS7 on the Ronin RS4 pro :D It's a back killer but the picture is nice!
@@JeremiahKuwashey! It was luck. I have a friend who owns camera rental. I asked him if i can test his fs7 because i was looking for one. He told me that the fs7 is just laying around and no one renting this camera anymore. So he sold me it for that low.
Love the Fs7, shot a short Doc on it in 2021 that did quite well, it's too bad recently clients have requested to no longer use it, basically forcing FX6 or FxX9 adoption.😏
Who forgot about this camera though? It is the number one camera used in reality tv for the past decade and the fx9 has taken its place when company's have actual budgets, which is just an upgraded version essentially.
I have been trying to resist picking up an FS7II or FS5II to play with. I have an FX6 and FX3, but something about the FS lineup is drawing me in. Only thing stopping me is not wanting to take away from new camera stuff I actually need like lenses and lights.
Hi Jake! Thank you for the video! I'm looking for a secondhand camera for an ethnography project where I'll need to follow subjects closely, so keeping human figures and faces in focus, along with some stabilization, is essential. I also can't see myself spending a lot of time in DaVinci fixing colors like you do here. Could you recommend a camera? My budget is around $2.5k, but the cheaper, the better, of course. Cheers!
The FS7 will still work for most of the jobs that an FX6 or FX9 will get you booked for. I'd say for narrative stuff an FX9 or FX6 could be considered but not really the FS7. That said narrative jobs don't usually pay well and when they do it's usually something where production will rent an ARRI or they'll want something better than a mid tier Sony.
no narrative production would choose a sony FX9 / FX6 / Burrano - maybe just for hybrid format. if shooting docs / Tv / social media ... nobody will see a difference between FS7 and FX9. autofocus is missung, yea.
I bought an FS7 3 months after launch. Its an oddball. I was - like the F3 and F55 - never the camera it quite should have been. Basically it is a great box with ND and 422-4k. Wonderful. But it was riddled with things that made one want to upgrade. The codec.. just on the poor side of good enough using the mystical no science approach. The onboard EVF just too soft to check focus. Punch in? Get to see your soft image blown up into a pixel heavy mush. Engage preroll -> go to slo mo ->exit slo mo.. and you lost pre roll. Luts?. I cant remember they like work 50% of the time. Playback? super crappy to scroll through (and no luts obviously) Autofocus! There is a good reason no one mentions it! Audio in slomo? Of course not. Slomo?.. if you shoot in PAL and wanted 120 or 180 you had to completely reprogram and reboot the camera. Mine still works, the SDI died. It is a chip in a box with ND and XLR.. and that can still be just the thing you need and often 900% more usefull than a mirrorles.
Oof, I'm so happy the FS7 days are over and I don't need to work with that anymore. IMO there are so much better cameras for that price that you could pick up. Sony's color science was still pretty terrible back then, there's a huge leap to the newer generation like the FX6 and FX3. Also, there's a debayering issue with hard contrast edges at blown-out highlights that result in a pixelated mess which is not fixable in post (other Sony cameras have that same issue but not as bad as the FS7) and the rolling shutter isn't exactly great either for a Super35 camera...
Does the Sigma MC-11 adapter work with EF lenses on the FS7??? And is the XQD card just a "regular" XQD card? In the viseo, it looks bigger than the XQD cards I am familiar with. (What I really want is a Panasonic EVA1, byt they stll go for around $3,000 used).
Yes Sigma MC-11 works, the XQD are Regular XQD. I also looked at the EVA1, as I already own GH Lumix cameras and really like them, but in the end I bought a second hand FS7 II, because I got a good deal. EVA1 has a EF mount, which might limit you in your choice of lenses as you can only adapt nikon glass, as far as I am aware. What are your must have specs in a camera?
I got 10 year old black magic cinema 2.5k with apture screen, sigma 18-35 with speed booster now I have super 35 camera that shoots 14 stope of dynamic range at 2.5k + cage 1200 Canadian dollars at end of the day its not what camera you have but what you can do with it. I was thinking4k or 6k but I asked my self why?
I have both the fx30 and fs7m2. I miss the NDs and external settings on the fx30, but it easier to get better colors right out of the smaller camera. I tandem, they are a great A-B combo.
Hi Jake, I hope this message finds you well! My name is Rhys, and I’m really excited about starting my own RUclips channel. I’m currently on a tight budget and can’t afford a camera right now, so I was wondering if you might have any used or unused cameras that I could borrow or use-any help would mean a lot to me. If you have any tips or advice for a beginner, I’d be incredibly grateful for that as well! Thank you so much for considering my request. Warm regards, Rhys
How is the FS7 forgotten exactly? if you are older than 25 and you work in video productions you must have you used it a million times. But if you used it you also know it is not exactly "cinematic" in comparison with all the competitors (Art Adams made an amazing work in creating a reasonable LUT patch for a horrible colour science but some pieces were still missing). If you want a forgotten cinema camera go to the Panasonic EVA1, incomparably better colour science and DR and cheap as hell. And lost in oblivion for most users.
Patch range is absolutely useless, it's mostly about what the gamma is capable of handling. Even if it could resolve 16 stops, three of those stops would be purely noise. The only real number to ever be concerned with is the signal to noise ratio of 1. That means with the noise drowning the entire image from the darkest tones to the brightest highlights, the camera is capable of resolving this much DR aka the entire dynamic range. The FS7 can resolve 13 stops in TOTAL while the fx6 can only resolve 12.5 leading to a reduction in total DR over the years. But where the fx6 kicks fs7s butt is in the read noise which is monumentally better than the fs7. If you actually believe any sony camera apart from their venice line can resolve anywhere close to 14-16 stops in high resolution video mode, you're being fooled by their marketing
Hey! I’m looking to start my own RUclips channel, but it’s hard to afford a camera since I’m young. If you have any used or unused cameras you’d be willing to give away, I’d take any! It would really help me get started. Thanks so much!
I hate this camera. Thes old Sony cameras Like a7s1, fs7... the image, the colors. I absolutely hate them. I will make an argument that "corrected" footage is uninspireing and bland. Happy i dont have any of those any more.
sure, they might but that's not the point. A7S3 is compromised for video because it has 'stills' form factor so needs to be rigged out. It has no XLRs for recording any interview needing Phantom & balanced, differential preamps. The FX6 makes no sense in this scenario given the much higher price point comparison. Capturing pro video is not all about perceived image quality. Four out of the last top 10 Sundance winning docos employed 'old' FS7s.
@@CraigMarshall_HDvideo4K Yes sure, the price is lower, and that was the point of your video. But for 5K you get an FX6 that will take 2 weeks to pay for, if you have enough work. And i know the FS7, we've owned and used it for 6-8 years with my partners. My associates still have it by the way, but they very rarely use it now. And yes you are right, even in 10 years the FS7 could produce compelling movies, because image quality is, at the end, not the most important factor, the art direction, storytelling, cinematography, etc is way more imortant. I'm just saying that i would not choose an FS7 just because it is 5 times less expensive. This camera is very heavy (for me at least), and a FX6 feels so much easier to work with. But to each their own ! and that is nice that it is becoming so afordable, very nice for those begining to get such a great camera at this price point.
You know the current market is saturated with too many good cameras when I'm drinking my morning coffee while watching a 10 minute video about a 10 year old camera and loving every second of it.
My camera is 10yrs old???? Nooo.... how did I get to be so old??
As a drone pilot I have no dilema what drone to choose for my work, but when choosing cinema grade camera it is time when almost all cameras in last 10 years are very usable and this video is great example of this. Btw great channel, your content is awesome!
This camera changed my life... It was the most consistent unit I used from 2015 throught to 2022. I won't sell it, it's just in a box retired. Watching this though makes me wanna take it out of the box. In terms of daylight shooting I think it's still solid. My love is eternal for it haha
another big plus for the FS7 ii is the revised swing arm. Not only is it 'tool-less' with thumb screws but a little known fact is that this arm is designed so that the zoom rocker hand grip can be mounted up against the camera body in exactly the same position as we have seen on the FS5 and FX6.
I work in a corporate media team with a few FX6 cameras but for my personal (low stakes) work the FS7 is just as nice plus I can use all the same E-mount lenses.
In fact I like the weight of the FS7 more than the FX6.
I think the only big disadvantage is the FS7 has terrible autofocus. But if you pull manually and don't need AF, I can't see justifying the price difference.
@@CringePanda Gotta choose the right cam for the job Panda
This and the c300 ii are awesome used buys for do-it-all doc style cameras!
I'd love to see how the FX30 fairs against the FS7 also seeing how they could work together on set during shoots.
fx30 would probably outpace it, but fs7 being bulky would be better for microjitters and have better accessories for handheld scenarios.
I'd love to see a FX30 vs FS7 shoot out as well, I'd expect the FX30 to win, but by how much and in what ways?
@ better, newer codecs but for something like Sdi output it would lose.
@@andyk939 yes only in terms of some ergonomics factors (such as SDI / BNC TC / NDs / etc ) would it win. But I'd imagine on every point for image quality then the FS7 would lose?
DUDE! I so wholly agree with your take - and thank you for showing all the mirrorless gangsters that there's a reason why this camera was a standard for 7 years together with the mk2. I shoot on fx9 and fx6's now and on multicam assignments the fs7 gets mixed in and no one says anything about the color, after the grade ofc.
im a simple man. i see a new jake hayden video, i click on it, no questions asked. 11/10 enjoyed the video
was about to comment the exact same thing, thank you Jake !
Completely agree, soothing, informative, aesthetically pleasing, fills that camera tech dopamine 👍🏽
I used an FS700 for years and occasionally shot on an FS7 too during that time, as well as an FS5. I found (and some others on DVXUser in the Sony FS700 subforums) that the FS700, despite being older and having the same sensor, actually had a nicer image out of it when outputting FSRAW to an external recorder like the Odyssey 7Q or Atomos Shogun.
Sony gave the FS700 a slightly different gamma curve for SLOG2, so it comes off a bit more filmic than shooting SLOG2 with an FS5 or FS7 despite sharing the same sensor. You can also do higher frame rates on the FS700 and the FS5 in-camera than the FS7's 180fps, BUT the big tradeoff with the FS700 is the wonky ergonomics and that internally it can only do 8-bit 4:2:0. So you really needed an external recorder to get the most out of it.
Hey Jake! The FS7 can do 4K 60fps and was $8,000+ at the time of release (2014) in the US.
I picked up a BM Ursa g1 4.6k for $950 in excellent shape. You really can get some great used gear these days.
Great video!
Absolutely! With everything videography going toward the FX line of Sony cameras there are so many bargains to be had!
its like in photography - we have very good and affordable cameras since the last 5-7 years, so for like 80% of the professionals (= u earn money through your camera) don't really need a new cam because feature XY is 20% better than the 6 year old camera, which is only worth 20-50% now. the manufacturer still needs to sell stuff, so they try hard....
Also, something cool, the FS7 and FS5 can be done with RAW via Atomos, meaning that you can get the 12-bit color out of the FS5 and FS7. Even the FS700 has RAW capabilities, which I remember being so impressed by when that launched nearly forever ago. All these older cameras still impress me with what they can do. Don't get me wrong, the FX3 is cool, but everyone has seemed to forget the cameras that came before it, which means that we have a bunch of really expensive cameras floating around for cheap (I can get a good quality F55 for $4k with the external recorder, is something I'd pick up if I had the money for it)
Some(all?) Fs700's need to be upgraded for proper RAW as far as I understand it, I was told mine was updated for that. Unclear if all of them were or if all needed to be, I have seen a couple floating around where the version was unclear and they might not have been updated. External recorder is a must then but it pretty much would be anyway for other reasons too.
Great video. I picked up an FS7m2 (2017) for a series I'm working on which included the E4/PZ 18-110 G lens and Shape top and bottom... I love the camera- definitely still relevant and a very reliable workhorse! And it works very well alongside my FX3.
On Sony Color Science, it's a very interesting story. When the dropped the F35 and F3 the color science for those cameras were arguably some of the best I've ever seen from a digital camera. But when don't moved from S-Log1 to S-Log2 they seem to have decided that bluish/magenta was the future, that color gamut only ever worked for the F65/55 when it was ported to all their other cameras it sucked. It's too bad they didn't put the OG color science into their lower end cameras while they were putting S-Log2 into the newer ones.
Anyways, they fixed it with Venice and all their newer cameras
not that I need FS7, but happy that finally there are some real world use case camera videos, many thanks!
I shot on the FS7 for years, before picking up an FX6/ FS7 was great but after shooting hundreds of hours of doc, it wasn't a nice camera to grade. There were certain situations where the image just fell down, like strong backlight, where skin would turn to a kinda flat blob, or people with very red skin, or under mixed lighting etc. All of these things are handled way better by the FX line. But... it was a great little workhorse!
Would have to agree with completely 100%
Keep the great work up reviewing old cameras Jake, it's really appreciated
;)
I recommend the FS7 II, if the ND is broken on the FS7, the whole sensor block needs to be swapped by sony, which is really costly. You also get a locking E mount and variable electronic ND.
Great to know! The only thing I could say for the FS7 is that you can use a polariser with the internal ND's which is nice.
My FS7 ND filter dial became loose and wouldn't rotate the ND. I had to buy a tiny little allen key to tighten the dial. Working fine ever since
Great review of a solid workhorse, I’ve been using this camera in massive wildlife film productions for a decade. I still own mine which is 8 years old and It still produces amazing results. It’s always been slightly noisy but there are ways to help expose correctly and avoid some noise.
lol. I still use one as my A cam.
I have always liked working with s35 better than full frame. So many benefits and I almost never need "that full frame look" some others rave about.
My bread and butter in the mid 2010s ! Love that format. Now you must review the infamous OSIRIS M31 LUT from that era 😅
I managed to scoop up a FS7 (with monitor and top handle) for 600usd from a partner who has a media production company. He upgraded to a fx6 so he just had it laying around. The FS7 is unbelievably good especially transitioning from a point and shoot. I cant recommend this camera enough!!!
Sweet deal! I bagged an Fs700E with a Shogun Inferno for 850eur, which had the usual downside of being ejected from a working environment, the only cables I got were 2 SDI, but no batteries, chargers or any useful "extras". It did come with a top plate/handle which is a bit less ugly than the stock one. So after throwing about as much as I paid for the thing into accessories etc I have it spitting out 4K Raw running off SmallRig USB-C batteries with a SmallRig wood handle on carbon rods and a Sirui Nightwalker 35mm lens that seems to be a happy combination.
I think older cameras still have a lot of life in them and are a better deal than the new stuff if you can deal with rigging it and having a heavier lump to drag around. The image out of them is often better than many of the newer small cameras, but the one clear thing is you're not going to guerrilla run&gun it off some micro gimbal thing you whip out of your pocket.
Fs7 mark 2 is super super brilliant still. Love it.
Nice man! I absolutely agree with you that old cameras still hold their value. I just picked up an old RED One Mx for $700. It's an absolute beast!
When I was looking for my first cinema camera, the Canon C100 came up and I fell in love with it. It was also the right price for me. But I regret it today, the FS7 would have been much better. I knew so little back then... well, even today :D
I've seen people get great results from the FS7 but I found the color science frustrating when I used it in the 2010s. Arri always had amazing colors. Red started out with sub-par colors but then looked great when they upgraded to IPP2 and the Dragon sensor. Even for the price point, I found the BMD Ursa Mini 4.6k produced much better images than the FS7. I'm glad Sony eventually updated their color science because it really held back a lot of their Super 35 cameras (the F3 being another example that was technically great but required far too much work in post to get looking natural).
I got this very camera from Car Throttle. the weight is a huge bonus in todays world where mirrorless rely on ibis and the odd distortions involved. The size is amazing as it grabs attention and impresses people. The image is on par to the modern sensors, the dynamic range is better than the fx30/fx3/fx6 the only downside is the auto focus but its completely fine for interviews. Also the rolling shutter is alright. better than most mirrorless but not as good as the fx6.
Just worked on a doc with one, and just shot an NBA expo game on one. Still has it's uses, especially on smaller budgets.
I still use mine regularly and love just so much ! Fantastic camera really !
Still love the FS5/FS7 lineup. It was rock solid back then, and imo is even more rock solid because you can buy a fleet of them now for full coverage events.
Great camera. Moving up from my FS5, I just bought two FS7 IIs, each with XDCA backs for less than $1500 each and they make the FS5 seem like a consumer camera. I have my FS5's 18-110mm servo zoom on one and the other runs with a matched set of very fast 7Artisans Cinema primes. IMO, the Mk II is the FS7 to get, mainly because of the 'floating' built in electronic ND and the PL style locking E-Mount which allows the fitting of big, heavy zooms or telephoto lenses without rods or rails.
Still using them and running strong, especially with the speedbooster. When I'm not using them, I'm using Blackmagic.
This used to be such a workhorse camera - used to rent these and the FS5 a lot (I preferred the form factor of that cam) - I remember going from the GH4 / A7s to an FS7 and having to really deal with the jump in size / bulk, BUT then falling in love with 10 bit colour and stuff not falling apart in post.
Then the FX line came out and overnight it seemed like people just forgot about these cameras. I think with some work and careful exposure you can still shoot great stuff with these cameras (as you show!) - although the next gen of cameras (from most brands) definitely improved stuff like highlight roll off and skin tone reproduction - just made life easier.
If the FS5 had 10bit 4k I don't think I ever even would have upgraded to FX.
I don't think that we've forgotten about the FS7. It's still an incredibly common working camera on sets. It shoots 4k in S35, which the FX3 and FX6 can't. A lot of people don't want to shoot docs, reality / unscripted on FF, so you still see tons of FS7s and FX9s working frequently.
I was not ready for the spinning gorilla to the doom soundtrack.
This is fantastic. I’ve used one of these before and it easily contests my new Sony A7 series camera. 👏 amazing video
I'd be so tempted to push the sensor 2 stops under just to fix the color, hah.
It looks so much better underexposed.
I still use my FS5 and I love it :)
Awesome! Super succinct and informative.
Love this type of research and experimentation 🧪
Great camera, still use it for my A cam after all these years 😊🤙
This thing was the go to camera when I did a lot of corporate work in LA
I'm the right hands it can produce a solid image
Sometimes even in the wrong hands it can produce a good image! 😊
I recently got a Sony Fs5 for an awesome Price! I hope to use it for a few more years!
fs7 low key goes crazy
I managed to get it for 300usd even with RAW v-mount backs. I switched from BMPCC4K and I can't praise it enough. I've been shooting on it for a year now and it's a great camera. Beautiful images, internal NDs and simplicity of body and controls. The only thing I have a problem with is the size. It's too big and heavy for some projects.I'm considering the FX6 as my next camera because I love the simplicity and reliability of Sony cameras. I also managed to put the FS7 on the Ronin RS4 pro :D It's a back killer but the picture is nice!
Hi where did you get it for that low, I'm searching for one to ?
@@JeremiahKuwashey! It was luck. I have a friend who owns camera rental. I asked him if i can test his fs7 because i was looking for one. He told me that the fs7 is just laying around and no one renting this camera anymore. So he sold me it for that low.
Love the Fs7, shot a short Doc on it in 2021 that did quite well, it's too bad recently clients have requested to no longer use it, basically forcing FX6 or FxX9 adoption.😏
Nobody forgot the FS7. It is being used all over the place.
Try the FS6,great price performance in my opinion.
Who forgot about this camera though? It is the number one camera used in reality tv for the past decade and the fx9 has taken its place when company's have actual budgets, which is just an upgraded version essentially.
I have been trying to resist picking up an FS7II or
FS5II to play with. I have an FX6 and FX3, but something about the FS lineup is drawing me in. Only thing stopping me is not wanting to take away from new camera stuff I actually need like lenses and lights.
Hi Jake! Thank you for the video! I'm looking for a secondhand camera for an ethnography project where I'll need to follow subjects closely, so keeping human figures and faces in focus, along with some stabilization, is essential. I also can't see myself spending a lot of time in DaVinci fixing colors like you do here. Could you recommend a camera? My budget is around $2.5k, but the cheaper, the better, of course. Cheers!
The FS7 will still work for most of the jobs that an FX6 or FX9 will get you booked for.
I'd say for narrative stuff an FX9 or FX6 could be considered but not really the FS7. That said narrative jobs don't usually pay well and when they do it's usually something where production will rent an ARRI or they'll want something better than a mid tier Sony.
no narrative production would choose a sony FX9 / FX6 / Burrano - maybe just for hybrid format. if shooting docs / Tv / social media ... nobody will see a difference between FS7 and FX9. autofocus is missung, yea.
Do the the FS700R with Pro Res Raw next! :)
Jake does the Sony FS7 a full frame or crop sensor cinematic camera
any thoughts on the bmpcc og??
still love my FS7 🥰
It's a great, reliable camera.
Hey Jake - I am wondering, what are your render settings, to avoid banding and shitty youtube compression?
Own a RED Scarlet . 5k s35 not global shut but lovely image. PL mount and easy to use
Camera Jesus is back with a banger
The color science of fs7 mark 2 is better?
I bought an FS7 3 months after launch. Its an oddball. I was - like the F3 and F55 - never the camera it quite should have been. Basically it is a great box with ND and 422-4k. Wonderful. But it was riddled with things that made one want to upgrade. The codec.. just on the poor side of good enough using the mystical no science approach. The onboard EVF just too soft to check focus. Punch in? Get to see your soft image blown up into a pixel heavy mush. Engage preroll -> go to slo mo ->exit slo mo.. and you lost pre roll. Luts?. I cant remember they like work 50% of the time. Playback? super crappy to scroll through (and no luts obviously) Autofocus! There is a good reason no one mentions it! Audio in slomo? Of course not. Slomo?.. if you shoot in PAL and wanted 120 or 180 you had to completely reprogram and reboot the camera.
Mine still works, the SDI died.
It is a chip in a box with ND and XLR.. and that can still be just the thing you need and often 900% more usefull than a mirrorles.
FS7 continues to surprise
Is somebody playing a trumpet nearby something? I can hear something faint in the background of this video
Oof, I'm so happy the FS7 days are over and I don't need to work with that anymore. IMO there are so much better cameras for that price that you could pick up. Sony's color science was still pretty terrible back then, there's a huge leap to the newer generation like the FX6 and FX3. Also, there's a debayering issue with hard contrast edges at blown-out highlights that result in a pixelated mess which is not fixable in post (other Sony cameras have that same issue but not as bad as the FS7) and the rolling shutter isn't exactly great either for a Super35 camera...
what are your thoughts on high end camcorder like the sony x70 and x90
clean video
May as well just get an fx3 . Better at basically everything
i shoot a lot of CDNG on the FS5 + Odyssey - It's going to be hard to upgrade, tbh
i think Vat19 primarily uses FS5 and FS7
whats for lunch?
FS7 rocks
Does the Sigma MC-11 adapter work with EF lenses on the FS7???
And is the XQD card just a "regular" XQD card? In the viseo, it looks bigger than the XQD cards I am familiar with.
(What I really want is a Panasonic EVA1, byt they stll go for around $3,000 used).
Yes Sigma MC-11 works, the XQD are Regular XQD. I also looked at the EVA1, as I already own GH Lumix cameras and really like them, but in the end I bought a second hand FS7 II, because I got a good deal. EVA1 has a EF mount, which might limit you in your choice of lenses as you can only adapt nikon glass, as far as I am aware. What are your must have specs in a camera?
I got 10 year old black magic cinema 2.5k with apture screen, sigma 18-35 with speed booster now I have super 35 camera that shoots 14 stope of dynamic range at 2.5k + cage 1200 Canadian dollars at end of the day its not what camera you have but what you can do with it. I was thinking4k or 6k but I asked my self why?
XDCA for Timecoooooooodddddeeeeeeee
Picture quality wise, which one would you prefer, this or the fx30?
I have both the fx30 and fs7m2. I miss the NDs and external settings on the fx30, but it easier to get better colors right out of the smaller camera. I tandem, they are a great A-B combo.
@@christopherschwartz982 interesting.
I disagree with you suggesting that new cameras are getting pricier every year. In fact, I'd argue they're getting cheaper every year.
Hi Jake,
I hope this message finds you well! My name is Rhys, and I’m really excited about starting my own RUclips channel. I’m currently on a tight budget and can’t afford a camera right now, so I was wondering if you might have any used or unused cameras that I could borrow or use-any help would mean a lot to me.
If you have any tips or advice for a beginner, I’d be incredibly grateful for that as well! Thank you so much for considering my request.
Warm regards,
Rhys
How is the FS7 forgotten exactly? if you are older than 25 and you work in video productions you must have you used it a million times. But if you used it you also know it is not exactly "cinematic" in comparison with all the competitors (Art Adams made an amazing work in creating a reasonable LUT patch for a horrible colour science but some pieces were still missing). If you want a forgotten cinema camera go to the Panasonic EVA1, incomparably better colour science and DR and cheap as hell. And lost in oblivion for most users.
0:05 Not if You count RED cammers ;)
great now the price is gonna increase right before im able to afford it
Doubt it. There are so many of them for sale. Pretty sure their prices won't go up that much if anything.
Patch range is absolutely useless, it's mostly about what the gamma is capable of handling. Even if it could resolve 16 stops, three of those stops would be purely noise. The only real number to ever be concerned with is the signal to noise ratio of 1. That means with the noise drowning the entire image from the darkest tones to the brightest highlights, the camera is capable of resolving this much DR aka the entire dynamic range. The FS7 can resolve 13 stops in TOTAL while the fx6 can only resolve 12.5 leading to a reduction in total DR over the years. But where the fx6 kicks fs7s butt is in the read noise which is monumentally better than the fs7.
If you actually believe any sony camera apart from their venice line can resolve anywhere close to 14-16 stops in high resolution video mode, you're being fooled by their marketing
Fuck it's really been that long? I'm old?
Is that Mac and Cheese?
Williams Maria Taylor David Moore Christopher
Hey! I’m looking to start my own RUclips channel, but it’s hard to afford a camera since I’m young. If you have any used or unused cameras you’d be willing to give away, I’d take any! It would really help me get started. Thanks so much!
Hint: Just use your mobile as a camera. Content is the king. Buying a camera just because it is cool not a good direction. ;)
I hate this camera. Thes old Sony cameras Like a7s1, fs7... the image, the colors. I absolutely hate them. I will make an argument that "corrected" footage is uninspireing and bland. Happy i dont have any of those any more.
An A7S3, or FX6 will get you a far better image than the FS7...
sure, they might but that's not the point. A7S3 is compromised for video because it has 'stills' form factor so needs to be rigged out. It has no XLRs for recording any interview needing Phantom & balanced, differential preamps. The FX6 makes no sense in this scenario given the much higher price point comparison. Capturing pro video is not all about perceived image quality. Four out of the last top 10 Sundance winning docos employed 'old' FS7s.
@@CraigMarshall_HDvideo4K Yes sure, the price is lower, and that was the point of your video. But for 5K you get an FX6 that will take 2 weeks to pay for, if you have enough work. And i know the FS7, we've owned and used it for 6-8 years with my partners. My associates still have it by the way, but they very rarely use it now. And yes you are right, even in 10 years the FS7 could produce compelling movies, because image quality is, at the end, not the most important factor, the art direction, storytelling, cinematography, etc is way more imortant. I'm just saying that i would not choose an FS7 just because it is 5 times less expensive. This camera is very heavy (for me at least), and a FX6 feels so much easier to work with. But to each their own ! and that is nice that it is becoming so afordable, very nice for those begining to get such a great camera at this price point.