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Bought an FX3, what i like so far, what i don´t. (comercial video samples)
  • Well, many years since making a change for my personal camera.

    After a well though process, i make the choice of getting the FX3. Same as FX6 for me, since i know i can do with that sensor. What i like over other cameras of its range are mainly 2 things. The ability to record high frame rate at real 10 bit 4:2:2 at 600mbps and the S&Q mode for even higher frames at 1080p 240p. The other was the high dynamic range of the sensor at any frame-rates and at many iso. Very consistent 14 stops overall on different ISO levels. Overall size performance i think is very good.

    It has a more organic character than other sony 4k sensors, less resolution for what i see. I like the look since depends very much on lenses in this sensor, you can really tell.

    Downers for me, is the iso noise performance, and the complexity of video formats for different results. You cant use XAVC HS for the same shot as XAVC 4k and XAVC HD I all react differently at S&Q mode, there is more noise and lower quality but you get diferente cadence and behavior.

    its like the camera had almost 4avc modes x2, movie mode, and S&Q mode, that is like 8 type of personalities. Each setting behave VERY differently from each other. ITS never getting consistent results switching from different modes affects grain structure and compression too much, specially noise behaviour.

    Also Batery life is very poor, and it does heat a lot even though you have the fan active all the time, specially at S&Q mode.

    I can be sure, that this affects very much noise structure on the sensor level and does affect low quality S&Q modes cos bad cache and real time compression of high frame rates.

    Overall the performance is for me best sensor for the price since final color can be tweaked for better performance all around. It doesn't match the black magic color Depth and quality but online there si no such a difference when using RAW output.

    memory IS EXPENSIVE, but needed if you want maximum quality since it works as cache for processing high output.

    Some work ive done this weeks past two weeks. Its difficult to nail low light low noise and good DR, you looses alot of resolution at 1080p 240p

    s-cineton IS AMAZING color grading make easy.

    ALL SETING FOR THIS WORK WHERE : Sony FX3: XAVC HD-I 1080p, 240p, ISO 12,800, S-Cinetone 89mbps. XAVC 4k-I 4kp, 120p, ISO 12,800 S-Cinetone 600mbps Colorista IV on Premiere pro

    CONCLUSIONS:

    The image finally looks compressed. Not like Panasonic S-series, which its clolors is close to Blackmagic cameras in final image. Its not bad AT ALL, but since arri fuck as all long time ago, and Black magic is the nearest in looks, sony is the one that looks the least "cinematic" even though technically is a grate camera.

    Not a bad choice for exactly what my reasons where behind its acquisition. Big flexibility, very compact body, high Dynamic range, full frame, high frame rate, real 10 bit. Im planing on entering more the table top and visual engineering side of business, and this is a grate choice for a good start for what will become eventually a phantom flex, with a bolt arm attached and 2 engineers problem solving different shootings.

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  • Also, A7SIII poor thermal performance. S&Q 1080p 240 FPS or 4K 120fps very bad thermals with no more than 5 minutes before heat shutdown even at high speed fan ventilation. This sensor is a bitch at high temps also noise varies a lot with temperature changes.

  • For your videos, did you use cine-iso or custom mode iso ?

    Try to use UHD 120fps with high shutter (for to avoid motion blur) and do the 240fps slow-mo in post with optical warping.

  • @flash

    I did all your advice on shooting.

    Also the profile used on camera was all manual, except S-CINETONE which is exceptional for color.

    Camera behaves very differently depending on the codec used, and the flavor you choose from it. VERY DIFRENTLY, to that add S&Q and Manual Movie mode, you add 2 extra behaviours to the variations i already said.

    On time i will find the best possible modes for my needs.

    Reminds me of GH2 hacks and how different image quality was from one patch to another. very like that.

  • Ok. Use only LOW and HIGH base iso in cine-EI mode (800 and 12800). And use lights for adding light. Never use custom mode, never !

  • More 1080p 240p FX3 footageNO POST PRODUCTION YET FOR CABLE!!!! im lazy

  • Im still studying the camera. It seem to behave better now that i know more about how its bitarte affects the modes.

    For a Monster drink study i think is good the results we have achieved. For the record, no post production on the cable and further coloring has been done. Its hard from a DP point of view work with 2 lights only for all of our black background footage. A Godox sl150 and sl200. For that reason, iso as high as 12800 and 10,000 are still very common in my shoots and are very noisy and prone to make macrobloking at 240p if a log profile is used. SOOOOOOOOOO S-CINETONE IS MY GODFATHER

    As i said before, this camera has a lot of personalities

  • lazy post production

  • I happily share the work done this last six months by my crew and this camera:

  • ADIDAS NMD V3 WHITE

  • ADIDAS NMD V3 ORANGE

  • ADIDAS ADILETTE