I've been using the Sony FS700 for several weeks now (in a variety of different shooting situations) and it has been a period of some ad...
I've been using the Sony FS700 for several weeks now (in a variety of different shooting situations) and it has been a period of some adjustment for me in terms of learning to wield the camera effectively in the situations that I will be requiring it most often, namely motorsports.
Unlike the Panasonic gear that I would normally use for action footage the FS700 is by comparison a cumbersome beast. However the FS700 has a redeeming factor for me, and a big one at that, super slow motion.
This camera brings pro quality slow motion capability to the table at a price that is relatively affordable for indie film makers or small production houses on a budget. Yes it has some limitations straight out of the box in slow mode and the internal AVCHD codec might be considered weak for some production work but these factors can be worked around once you are aware of the weaknesses.
Admittedly the ergonomic situation of the camera is a bugbear with many who use it. A lot of reviewers of the FS700 claim it is not for 'Run & Gun' style shooting as it is far too ungainly to shoot eng style footage, fair enough I say after all it is technically a 'cinema style' camera and they are entitled to opinon based on experience. However as someone who has regular experience shooting high speed dynamic motorsports action with DSLR's I have very little to complain about when it comes to the FS700.
Sure there are improvements that could be made. I'd love a better internal codec to work with, I'd love accessories like a high speed servo zoom lens, I'd love an out-of-the-box EVF solution that doesn't limit my position to being almost directly behind the camera but as long as I have two arms, dexterous fingers and an able body I have some great tools to work with to man-handle it in to position effectively.
Bang for buck with the capability this camera brings to the footage we get I am more than happy to find workarounds for ergonomics when needed and work my shooting to the limitations that I know about.
Unlike the Panasonic gear that I would normally use for action footage the FS700 is by comparison a cumbersome beast. However the FS700 has a redeeming factor for me, and a big one at that, super slow motion.
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| Staging with the FS700 on the start line at Hidden Valley Raceway - Image © Jeremy Horvath +HighRPM |
This camera brings pro quality slow motion capability to the table at a price that is relatively affordable for indie film makers or small production houses on a budget. Yes it has some limitations straight out of the box in slow mode and the internal AVCHD codec might be considered weak for some production work but these factors can be worked around once you are aware of the weaknesses.
Admittedly the ergonomic situation of the camera is a bugbear with many who use it. A lot of reviewers of the FS700 claim it is not for 'Run & Gun' style shooting as it is far too ungainly to shoot eng style footage, fair enough I say after all it is technically a 'cinema style' camera and they are entitled to opinon based on experience. However as someone who has regular experience shooting high speed dynamic motorsports action with DSLR's I have very little to complain about when it comes to the FS700.
Sure there are improvements that could be made. I'd love a better internal codec to work with, I'd love accessories like a high speed servo zoom lens, I'd love an out-of-the-box EVF solution that doesn't limit my position to being almost directly behind the camera but as long as I have two arms, dexterous fingers and an able body I have some great tools to work with to man-handle it in to position effectively.
Bang for buck with the capability this camera brings to the footage we get I am more than happy to find workarounds for ergonomics when needed and work my shooting to the limitations that I know about.
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