This is the absolute best review I have seen on this camera. Ultimately, it is what sealed the deal for me anyway after having found a great deal on a mark ii package paired with an Atomos Shogun which solves several of its shortfalls. Fantastic review!
I came for the review, but was blown away by the exceptional birdlife/wildlife footage! As someone thinking of taking the step from hybrid to dedicated cine camera shooter, this was really helpful. Thanks Ryan. PS - I’d never thought about the view screen/angle of shot issue before, but it’s true! I haven’t heard any other reviewer talk about that.
Thank you! Maybe it’s me that’s overly sensitive about it, who knows. I think as the subject gets larger, the less important that probably becomes. So larger wildlife rather than birds there would be less disconnect since you just need to point in a more general direction.
Indeed, at the moment, the sony fs5m2 with the Sony 200-600mm lens seems to be most lightweight, ergonomic and value for money rig for wildlife filming. Have you checked if it is possible to control the zoom on the 200-600 lens using the zoom rocker on the side grip or top handle of the fsm2? Or using something like www.bhphotovideo.com/c/product/1007576-REG/varizoom_vzrl100_zoom_record_rocker_control_for.html to control zoom and record via lanc? And do you think the e mount on the fs4m2 is strong enough to lift it using the top handle, with the 200-600 lens attached?
You can’t control the zoom with the rockers as the lens is not a “PZ” Power Zoom. They can be used for Clear Image Zoom though which is like an enhanced digital zoom that looks pretty good a lot of the time. I actually have the exact controller you linked and that allows me to start recording without taking my hands off the pan bar or focus ring. Like the on-body zoom rockers, the VariZoom zoom controls the Clear Image Zoom for me with the 200-600. I wouldn’t want to lift the camera by only the handle to test it, so I’m not sure. Seems like a bad idea. The center of gravity is far on the lens side with just those two.
Thanks for your video. Months waiting for someone with fs5 and zoom lenses. Do you have 100-400 GM? I have 24-70 and I’m thinking in my next. 100-400 or 200-600? Thanks!
Thanks man. Great looking b-roll! Never thought I'd tell guy "Hey, nice beaver!" But there you go! I've been using my FS5 for several years now. And that is the exact lens I wanted reviewed for wildlife cinematography. The way around weather proofing on this camera is buying the Porta Brace weather cover for the FS5. Which, by the way, does not come with instructions on how to put it on the camera. So, I will upload a "how to" install the Porta Brace "bag" on the FS5. The only point I think you're missing on the FS5 is you say it feels cheap. But the body is made from magnesium, which gives its super lite super tough in-the-field longevity, (the guys at Fort Knox who move gold bars around wear magnesium-toe shoes for instance). At my last job we got 3 new FX6s. And I'm not sure what happened, but Sony made them a lot heavier. And they don't do 240 FPS in HD. If I remember correctly they only go up to 120 FPS. Also not sure why a full frame chip is better than a super 35 since we all pretty much shoot in 16x9 aspect ratio these day. And it is a 6K chip. And we were doing 6K to 1080 conversion. And well, it seemed to eat batter faster than my FS5. Honestly think Sony nailed it on the FS5 & 7. They are true digital cinema cameras and are head and shoulders above any DSLR or mirrorless for cinema use.
I’m disappointed with the move to full frame sensors too as far as filming more distant wildlife. The FX3 and FX6 (and a7S III) can’t shoot 4K in crop mode, and a $10k FX9 is a bit out of the question at the moment for an upgrade path. I’m hoping to get a couple more years out of the FS5 and see what happens.
I use the bmpcc 6k with the Sigma 150-600mm Sports + Canon 1.4x teleconverter, on a Sachtler fsb8 with Speedlock legs to film wildlife. Just holding the pan bar, I get plenty of shake when the focal length is above 300mm (full frame equivalent), particularly at 600mm. But i do get very smooth pan movements with the fsb8. Usually, I stabilize the video in post using Davinci Resolve to remove all that shake/jitter. Is it the same for you, or do you get no shake with the Manfrotto 502AH? And is the 502AH really able to counter balance such a long camera setup?
Yes that’s true for me too with the 502, but my Gitzo tripod legs are skinny chopsticks and not meant for what I put them through. They aren’t doing any favors to minimize vibration. The load is over capacity on probably both of them.
I long for the day where you can shoot super crisp 4k video and the shutter speed is enough to pull high quality still images from it, nature photography will be a 1000 times easier!
During this review I was just using a rental camera, so I made do with a smaller Atlas Packs Athlete bag that I would use for photography. It's a nice backpack but not made to fit this kind of gear. Now that I bought the FS5, I also have a bigger backpack dedicated to it which is the Shimoda Action X70 with the XL DV Core Unit: ua-cam.com/video/_-uRfYWmuls/v-deo.html
@@RyanMenseWildlife Thanks, Request a video on autofocus capabilities of the camcorder with Sony 200-600 lens. Request you to please cover below items.. 1. Stationary Birds 2. Flight Birds 3. Autofocus against sky 4 Autofocus against cluttered backgrounds. This will help me to decide if this is worth investing the hard earned money. Thanks in advance.. and not to mention I Love your videos and learn a lot from them.. keep them coming..
@@kaustubhr If it's autofocus you're interested in, I can tell you right away this isn't the camera you want. Especially for birds there's no way it's keeping up as they move about or going to be able to even find them in the frame in the first place. I use manual focus full time, and having to do a whole video using autofocus and constantly missing good shots that take all day to get would be torture for me 🙂
This is the absolute best review I have seen on this camera. Ultimately, it is what sealed the deal for me anyway after having found a great deal on a mark ii package paired with an Atomos Shogun which solves several of its shortfalls. Fantastic review!
Cool man, I purchased a FS5M2 in June and really like using it, images look great and most of the features are good. Nice footage mate👍
Great overview, Ryan! And great footage. Having those built-in ND filters must have been so key.
I came for the review, but was blown away by the exceptional birdlife/wildlife footage! As someone thinking of taking the step from hybrid to dedicated cine camera shooter, this was really helpful. Thanks Ryan. PS - I’d never thought about the view screen/angle of shot issue before, but it’s true! I haven’t heard any other reviewer talk about that.
Thank you! Maybe it’s me that’s overly sensitive about it, who knows. I think as the subject gets larger, the less important that probably becomes. So larger wildlife rather than birds there would be less disconnect since you just need to point in a more general direction.
Really liked this review and great footage
Thank you
Merci. Thanks for sharing. I'm planning to get a fs 5 mark 2 to start my own documentary production business.
Now i am not sure if it youtube compresion or i can really notice that you shoot in 1080
Indeed, at the moment, the sony fs5m2 with the Sony 200-600mm lens seems to be most lightweight, ergonomic and value for money rig for wildlife filming.
Have you checked if it is possible to control the zoom on the 200-600 lens using the zoom rocker on the side grip or top handle of the fsm2? Or using something like www.bhphotovideo.com/c/product/1007576-REG/varizoom_vzrl100_zoom_record_rocker_control_for.html to control zoom and record via lanc?
And do you think the e mount on the fs4m2 is strong enough to lift it using the top handle, with the 200-600 lens attached?
You can’t control the zoom with the rockers as the lens is not a “PZ” Power Zoom. They can be used for Clear Image Zoom though which is like an enhanced digital zoom that looks pretty good a lot of the time. I actually have the exact controller you linked and that allows me to start recording without taking my hands off the pan bar or focus ring. Like the on-body zoom rockers, the VariZoom zoom controls the Clear Image Zoom for me with the 200-600.
I wouldn’t want to lift the camera by only the handle to test it, so I’m not sure. Seems like a bad idea. The center of gravity is far on the lens side with just those two.
Thanks for your video. Months waiting for someone with fs5 and zoom lenses. Do you have 100-400 GM? I have 24-70 and I’m thinking in my next. 100-400 or 200-600? Thanks!
Thanks man. Great looking b-roll! Never thought I'd tell guy "Hey, nice beaver!" But there you go! I've been using my FS5 for several years now. And that is the exact lens I wanted reviewed for wildlife cinematography. The way around weather proofing on this camera is buying the Porta Brace weather cover for the FS5. Which, by the way, does not come with instructions on how to put it on the camera. So, I will upload a "how to" install the Porta Brace "bag" on the FS5.
The only point I think you're missing on the FS5 is you say it feels cheap. But the body is made from magnesium, which gives its super lite super tough in-the-field longevity, (the guys at Fort Knox who move gold bars around wear magnesium-toe shoes for instance). At my last job we got 3 new FX6s. And I'm not sure what happened, but Sony made them a lot heavier. And they don't do 240 FPS in HD. If I remember correctly they only go up to 120 FPS. Also not sure why a full frame chip is better than a super 35 since we all pretty much shoot in 16x9 aspect ratio these day. And it is a 6K chip. And we were doing 6K to 1080 conversion. And well, it seemed to eat batter faster than my FS5. Honestly think Sony nailed it on the FS5 & 7. They are true digital cinema cameras and are head and shoulders above any DSLR or mirrorless for cinema use.
I’m disappointed with the move to full frame sensors too as far as filming more distant wildlife. The FX3 and FX6 (and a7S III) can’t shoot 4K in crop mode, and a $10k FX9 is a bit out of the question at the moment for an upgrade path. I’m hoping to get a couple more years out of the FS5 and see what happens.
Impressive panning on those clips, Ryan... what tripod head were you using? Thx
Hi Gordon, thank you. The tripod head is the Manfrotto 502AH.
Thanks - I assume it must have been a fluid head... you happy with it for combined stills/video of birds?
I use the bmpcc 6k with the Sigma 150-600mm Sports + Canon 1.4x teleconverter, on a Sachtler fsb8 with Speedlock legs to film wildlife. Just holding the pan bar, I get plenty of shake when the focal length is above 300mm (full frame equivalent), particularly at 600mm. But i do get very smooth pan movements with the fsb8. Usually, I stabilize the video in post using Davinci Resolve to remove all that shake/jitter.
Is it the same for you, or do you get no shake with the Manfrotto 502AH? And is the 502AH really able to counter balance such a long camera setup?
Yes that’s true for me too with the 502, but my Gitzo tripod legs are skinny chopsticks and not meant for what I put them through. They aren’t doing any favors to minimize vibration. The load is over capacity on probably both of them.
I long for the day where you can shoot super crisp 4k video and the shutter speed is enough to pull high quality still images from it, nature photography will be a 1000 times easier!
Nice video! I bough the FS5, and with the lens, handle and joystick weights around 3.1 kilograms. How much weight the mark II?
Quick question, which bag did you use for that set up?
During this review I was just using a rental camera, so I made do with a smaller Atlas Packs Athlete bag that I would use for photography. It's a nice backpack but not made to fit this kind of gear. Now that I bought the FS5, I also have a bigger backpack dedicated to it which is the Shimoda Action X70 with the XL DV Core Unit: ua-cam.com/video/_-uRfYWmuls/v-deo.html
Such a good video thank you
Thanks!
Does it autofocus ?
It can in a pinch, but it’s not very good.
@@RyanMenseWildlife Thanks, Request a video on autofocus capabilities of the camcorder with Sony 200-600 lens.
Request you to please cover below items..
1. Stationary Birds
2. Flight Birds
3. Autofocus against sky
4 Autofocus against cluttered backgrounds.
This will help me to decide if this is worth investing the hard earned money.
Thanks in advance.. and not to mention I Love your videos and learn a lot from them.. keep them coming..
@@kaustubhr If it's autofocus you're interested in, I can tell you right away this isn't the camera you want. Especially for birds there's no way it's keeping up as they move about or going to be able to even find them in the frame in the first place.
I use manual focus full time, and having to do a whole video using autofocus and constantly missing good shots that take all day to get would be torture for me 🙂
Thanks for the information Ryan, I had high hopes with this camcorder in terms of AF in videos.
cool....