Everything You Need to Know to Get Started with 4K RAW on the FS700
When Sony announced the FS700 camcorder a year and a half ago, there was a vague promise that the camera would be able to shoot 4K video with a firmware update sometime down the road. At the time, little did we know that the FS700, when paired with a 4K RAW recorder like Sony's R5, would become a legitimate option in the ever-expanding field of 4K RAW acquisition and a direct competitor to some of the other major cameras in that category, including the RED SCARLET and Sony's own F5. However, if you're an FS700 owner, or if you're renting one out for your next production, and you're not quite sure how to set up the camera/recorder for 4K recording, then Magnanimous Media has the perfect tutorial for you, as well as some gorgeous new footage.
First, let's take a look at a nice little montage of 4K RAW footage from an FS700 sporting the Sony R5 recorder and a Metabones Speed Booster. The slow-mo was either shot at 120fps at 4K, or 240fps at 2K resolution.
And here's one more example from Filippo Chiesa that really shows off the slow-motion capabilities of the FS700 in 2K/4K RAW recording.
Despite the fact that these samples are HD h.264 copies, it's clear that the FS700 is capable of creating some extremely pleasing images that rival RED's MX sensor and the F3 in terms of dynamic range, and Sony's higher-end cinema cameras, as well as Canon's, in terms of color science, which is no small feat considering the much higher cost of those other solutions.
So if you're looking to get started with shooting 4K RAW on the FS700, the fine folks at Magnanimous Media have put together this excellent tutorial video that demystifies the entire process from camera setup and shooting all the way through to a few different post pipelines:
What I love about this setup is that it's essentially the same process for RAW and high frame rate recording as it is with Sony's F5 and F55 cameras, which isn't particularly difficult once you've wrapped your mind around the odd little intricacies of using S&Q Motion with an external recorder. However, if you're looking to upgrade your FS700, it will take another significant investment in order to make the package functional.
As we talked about during the summer, there are essentially two external recorder routes for the FS700. One is the Convergent Design Odyssey 7Q, which, with the cost of the $400 firmware/hardware upgrade from Sony, comes in at a total price of around $5,400. The Sony R5 setup, which is the one used in the above video, comes in at a higher price of around $9,700, but it has the option for the 120fps bursts and continuous 60fps in 4k RAW, whereas the Odyssey 7Q only allows 30fps with uncompressed DPX frames.
What do you guys think? Have you shot 4K or 2K RAW on the FS700 yet? If so, what did you think of the setup and workflow compared to other RAW solutions on the market? If not, is the cost of the upgrade (including an external recorder) worth it? Is the FS700 now a direct competitor to the likes of RED, Canon, and the higher-end Sony cameras? Let us know your thoughts down in the comments!
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[via Magnanimous Media & Filippo Chiesa]
