Sony FS7 Team Beverly Boy Review
Sony’s Sony FS7 II is an optical powerhouse. Built on the same platform as its predecessor, the FS7, it has a lot to live up to. Its ancestor is one of the most successful cameras to hit the contemporary market. It is important to note that this entry is not meant to be a replacement. The FS7 II camera is meant to be an upgrade to the original FS7 platform. This way, consumers are able to receive more from their trusted and beloved most current hardware. Let’s dig in to the specs and find out just what this powerhouse can do!
Notable Additions
Starting off, that extra bit of dough is going to get you the electronic variable density neutral filter (ND filter). Sony’s ND filter is above average at keeping too much light away from the sensors. Seeing as a market ND filter of this quality is going to be a hundred or so bucks, the addition is welcome. Another addition comes from the Sony FS5 video camera, the Lever Lock E-Mount. There has been a heft upgrade in the personalization options as well. We are up to a grand amount of ten custom setting buttons from the original six of the FS7. This is going to give the user more options when quickly needing to change camera settings when needed for lower exposure, new hardware, etc. The most excitable upgrade comes in the offer to record internal Rec. 2020.
Specs
The brand Sony FS7 II video recorder is comes equipped with a Super 35 sensor and can shoot up to 5994p in 4k. It also boasts the ability to unlock and shoot true HD in 180 fps. The ND filter we discussed earlier offers two to seven stops of ND with three assignable positions. This means there is going to be a host of recording opportunities covered by the camera’s native hardware. This will also make capturing those glorious 4th of July fireworks a breeze. There are differing codec options including XAVCI(L) up to 600mbps, to MPEG-2. There is also support for REC. 709 with BT 2020 color space as well while recording two quad high definition (QHD) memory cards. Dual 3G SDI, and HDMI output. There has also been a redesign in the grip style and monitor articulation.
Performance
For a great all around image setting it is advisable to tune to DCI 4k at 24P (XAVCI) and that is including the standard gamma curve. The resulting video is crisp, and usable in almost any setting necessary. This is a good all-around setting. Of course you may need to make adjustments for extra special conditions with this setting the colors tend to be a little dull. If you want a crisper image, you can switch to SLOG3 with quick grade. Of course the only drawback you are making for these colors is the increased grading time. SLOG3 will take a bit longer to grade.
Now, the kit lense for the camera is going to be one of the best for the value. The Sony E PZ 18-110mm f/4 G OSS is most likely the best fit. Swapping out lenses in the field isn’t going to be a swift task either. It is cumbersome to switch between heavier lenses at times. It almost always requires two hands to do. At least the extra inclusion of personalization buttons will deplete the necessity to switch between lenses more. There are three different battery options that Sony provides for the FS7 II camera, and they all met our expectations. Each was able to almost double the time that Sony predicted they would last.
Summary
While there are certainly cheaper options that come close to the Sony video camera FS7 II functionality, most don’t offer the same personalization or have the same feel as this powerhouse. Does it truly meet the expectations of a camera more expensive than the already popular Sony FS7? Well, maybe. It really matters if you are wanting to make use of the slew of upgrades Sony added in. The great thing about the camera is that it’s a great pick up and go tool. A bunch of other cheaper, popular choices need more accessories to actually work. Competitors like the Red Raven can be found at a lower price point. However, you will quickly find yourself spending much more in order to achieve the functionality and personalization offered with the no accessories needed Sony FS7 II for sale now.