Balboa Park at Sunset. Shooting the Sony FS5 with New V1.11 Firmware
This Sony FS5 review is the most live one I’ve done. Just hours before I was going to send back my demo camera to Sony the V1.11 firmware update was released. Sony was gracious enough to let me hold on to the FS5 and update the firmware to test it out for a few more days.
If you have a FS5 and are going to do the update back up your Picture Profile settings by writing them down. The update will delete them. I wish I knew that. I went out and noticed the camera was basically like pulling it out if the box.
I downloaded the software. By the way I also have a tutorial ready to go on how to update the FS5. Okay, so after I updated the FS5 I couldn’t get out to shoot until I finished up at work, so 5pm at Balboa Park it is!
I kept it simple. FS5 with Sony 90mm macro (Love this lens), Sigma 30mm 2.8 DN and 19mm 2.8 DN. All packed tight in a Think Tank Photo Citywalker bag.
I decided to go with CINE 2 and PRO color. I wanted to shoot in UHD and I think a less flat profile is better so I don’t have to push to hard in post. That’s just my thing. I tend to push color and 8bit can fall apart much faster than 10bit. This isn’t a FS7 folks. You have to know the limits of a codec.
This isn’t a review of the FS5. That’s coming, but I wanted to shoot with the new firmware to see if the banding in the sky would be reduced with the new v1.11 update. I can say it has and it’s gone. Very cool! I like the noise. It’s more filmic and easy to clean up. Not that ugly RGB stuff. Yuck!
I had about and hour to capture good light. I started with ISO 640. When the sun was going down then I bumped it up to 1600 and 3200. After the sun was long gone I went to 6400. It’s still important to get a good exposure in low light. The FS5 like most digital cameras get ugly when you can’t get a good exposure.
This shot is a nice example of 6400 ISO with a good exposure. The image is clean with great shadow detail. I like the DR in this shot. I did use some Neat Video to clean up the sky but it did a great job because the noise is nice and uniformed.
I edited this in FCPX. Yes I’m getting more comfortable every time I use it, but it’s Color Finale that I like the most. Grading is very easy and powerful. If you use FCPX than you really should check it out.
I’m very happy to see the support Sony has given in addressing the image issues that came to their attention from Paul Antico and Andrew Reed. Sony has been on a roll and it seems in some ways they are competing with themselves.
My review is now in the works and hopefully wont take to long to finish. Thanks for coming by!
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Filed in: 4K • Featured Post • FS5
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Hi Erik – Just wondering if you put together a review of the SONY FS5. I bought one recently, and like it very much. Its a big step up in many ways from my GH4, but also lacks a lot of features that I have taken for granted with the GH4. Compromises are to be expected, but I think SONY trimmed a few too many features for the price of this camera.
Anyway, I’m enjoying the camera and was curious to know your thoughts about where this camera sits in the vast sea of cameras. Would you find it acceptable for commercial and broadcast work, or do you feel this is better suited for documentary work? I realize it is considered by many to be a “budget” pro camera…
cheers,
David