Hire Sony PXW-FS7 II

FS7 II dramatically improves the experience of shooting with Sony’s ultimate documentary camcorder and is simply one of the world’s most versatile Super 35mm camcorders. A host of enhancements, from an all-new lens mount to world-leading electronic auto variable ND system and enhanced ergonomics, transform the possibilities of what you can do.

Shoot and move. Handheld, shoulder-mount or suspended from a gimbal. FS7 II delivers the spectacular imagery you expect from Sony.

Freedom to shoot and move with electronic auto variable ND

Shooting with FS7 II is a truly liberating experience – shoot and move with no need to worry about changing light conditions, no time wasted fiddling with exposure settings or changing filters. Sony’s technology continuously adjusts the density of the electronic ND filter without losing resolution, while maintaining colour balance. See FS7 II in action for yourself to discover how Sony has transformed shooting on the move.

E-mount flexibility extended

E-mount offers unsurpassed compatibility with both Sony and third-party lenses, and for FS7 II there’s an all-new lever lock design. Simply put the lens in place and rotate the collar until it locks. A lens release lever provides added security. The process of switching lenses can be simplified to save time. And of course, the E-mount can take cinema lenses and SLR lenses with a third-party adaptor, as well as Sony’s E-mount lenses. Whatever your lens requirements, FS7 II has you covered.

Shoulder mount comfort and control

FS7 delivered a revolution in ergonomics, but sony listened to cinematographers to make FS7 II even more comfortable to use, especially when operating for hours in the field. The number of assign buttons has been increased from six to ten, all extra large, while the LCD monitor arm and mic holder can be swapped for left-eye shooting. The telescopic arm offers even more settings, allowing the camcorder to be mounted closer to your body and you no longer need a tool for adjustments.

You can be sure the remarkable Sony smart grip is always at hand with all the key controls at your fingertips.

180fps high frame rates

High frame rate shots can turn everyday actions into a slow-motion ballet – a visual feast of elegant movement. The FS7 II delivers a maximum of 180 frames per second (fps) continuous shooting in Full HD. If your project plays at the cinematic 24fps, you get beautiful 7.5x Super Slow Motion. There’s no sacrifice in bit depth and no ‘windowing’ of the sensor, so there’s no cropping and no loss in angle of view. The camera also performs slow and quick (S&Q) motion from 1 to 180fps in 1fps increments. So, you can alter the narrative by selectively speeding up or slowing down the action.

Luxurious colour at money-saving bitrates

Long-form projects shine with Sony’s XAVC™ L (Long GOP) recording system. Record luxurious QFHD at 59.94p/50p at a maximum bit rate of 150Mbps. Or take advantage of the superior grayscale rendition of 10-bit High Definition, plus the uncompromised detail of 4:2:2 colour – all at budget-friendly data rates of 50, 35 or even 25Mbps in HD mode. You can also record on-board cinema 4K (4096×2160) at cinema standard 24p, 59.94p, 50p, 29.97p, 23.98p or 25p. The camera captures different colour spaces, including the wide ITU-R BT.2020 for Ultra-High Definition (UHD).

Other formats include XAVC I (Intra) 4K at 600Mbps, QFHD (3840×2160) and Full HD (1920×1080), plus the well-accepted MPEG HD 422, Apple ProRes 422 (with optional XDCA-FS7 extension unit), and even outboard RAW recording (with optional XDCA-FS7 and outboard recorder).

Next-generation memory

Long-form programmes need media that is both reliable and affordable. As specified by the CompactFlash Association, XQDTM memory cards score big on both accounts. Reliability comes from in-camera recovery. You get very low cost-per-minute compared to CFast cards.

Sony’s G-Series XQD cards extend these benefits with ‘EB Stream’ technology for a blistering 400Mbps write-speed and 440Mbps read-speed. Using it's 256GB G-Series card, you can record approximately 45 minutes of 4K footage at 60P or 3.5 hours at 30P in 2K. And when it’s finally time to swap out cards, it’s now even easier – on FS7 II the card protrudes by a more easily pinchable 8mm.

Built-in electronic variable ND Filters

Sony’s ground-breaking integration of electronic variable ND filters into the body of a Super 35mm camcorder enables fast, agile shooting. Moving from shadowy interiors to bright sun-lit exteriors is no problem with the FS7 II. Unlike conventional optical ND Filters, the electronic ND filter on the FS7 II can be controlled from 1/4ND to 1/128ND linearly while ND filters can be set to fully auto. You can even manually adjust depth of field using the iris lens ring, while relying on the FS7 II to maintain constant exposure without changing gain nor shutter speed.

FS7 II is your perfect partner for fast-moving shoots in changeable environments.

Handheld, long form, perfection redefined

You asked and Sony delivered: an all-new E-mount lever lock design. Sony’s ground breaking variable ND filter technology has been integrated for smooth fine-tuning of depth-of-field. A host of ergonomic refinements make FS7 II even more comfortable to shoot with. The uncompromising image quality of Sony’s high performance Super 35mm sensor for 4K and HD capture, including superior 4K/QFHD 60p/50p with support for the BT.2020 colour space, plus fantastic slow-motion pictures up to 180fps. Just think of the possibilities…

4K Super 35 Exmor® sensor

When it comes to image sensors, size definitely matters. Sony’s Super 35 sensor delivers beautiful bokeh – the defocused backgrounds made possible by shallow depth of field. A common technique for directing audience attention within the frame, shallow depth of field is far easier to achieve with a large sensor. Other things being equal, a bigger sensor also equates to better low-light sensitivity and lower image noise. And with bigger sensors, the field of view is wider for any given focal length lens.

14 stops of exposure latitude deliver powerful grayscale rendition without crushing shadow detail or blowing out highlight detail.

ISO 2000 sensitivity enables you to shoot well after sunset, without tons of lighting and grip.

4K resolution: The sensor incorporates 11.6 million total pixels and 8.8 million effective pixels to deliver full 4K resolution. Even if you’re delivering in HD, your recordings will capture detail and image texture that HD sensors cannot see.

Sony's Exmor® CMOS design makes for extremely fast readout, contributing to frame rates of up to 180 fps and minimised image skew.

High Frame Rates up to 180fps

Slow down time with HFR shooting to reveal the beauty and drama of everyday motion. The FS7 II provides continuous recording at Full HD at frame rates of up to 180fps. When you play back at 23.98p, you’ll enjoy extraordinary Super Slow Motion of up to 7.5x. Compared to burst mode, the continuous recording of the FS7 II reduces miss-timed shots and extra takes. The camera also provides Slow and Quick motion from 1fps to 180fps, in 1fps increments. This enables time lapse effects to make the clouds race by or flowers bloom before your eyes. And for even higher frame rates, you can attach the optional XDCA-FS7 extension unit and outboard recorder, for 2K RAW recording at up to 240fps. This creates 10x Super Slow Motion when played at 23.98p.

RAW recording, Apple ProRes 422 and multi-cam with Sony's extension unit

To keep the PXW-FS7 II small, light and easily hand-holdable, Sony engineers reserved some functions for an outboard module, the XDCA-FS7 extension unit, available separately, please see accessories. The unit adds significant capabilities:

External RAW recording: To preserve the maximum in colour, contrast and resolution, the XDCA-FS7 enables RAW recording when connected to outboard recorders. The XDCA-FS7 supports the vivid colour of 12-bit linear RAW at either 4K or 2K resolution. A single BNC cable connects the XDCA-FS7 to compatible RAW recorders including Sony’s HXR-IFR5/AXS-R5 combination and the Convergent Design® Odyssey 7Q+ equipped with the Sony FS RAW option (not included).

The optional Atomos® Shogun Inferno and Shogun Flame support Apple ProRes and CDNG recording from the XDCA-FS7 output. Even when you record outboard RAW, you can still record time code-synchronised Full HD on-board, a convenient proxy for offline editing.

Apple ProRes 422 recording: Sony understands that some workflows are committed to the Apple ProRes 422 codec. That’s why the XDCA-FS7 supports Apple ProRes 422 and Apple ProRes 422 HQ – 1920 x 1080 recording to an XQD™ card in the camera.

Multi-camera operation: The XDCA-FS7 also provides genlock and timecode In/Out for multi-camera shoots.

Handheld comfort takes another leap forward

The FS7 is renowned for taking handheld shooting to another level. Placed against your chest or shoulder, comfortably steadied by your right hand. The built-in shoulder pad makes for stable shoulder-style shooting, while the curved back sits comfortably against your chest. Now with FS7 II, Sony has refined these elements to be even more flexible to you.

Sony's remarkable smart grip

The result of thousands of hours of user research, Sony’s Smart Grip is a highly adjustable control centre located on a pivoting, telescopic arm. The smart grip includes zoom, start/stop and a range of assign controls, including a dial you can use to adjust Iris. So you can operate the camera without taking your hand off the grip. The shape is comfortable hour after hour, and the angle of the grip can be adjusted at the press of a button.

Easy to adjust, telescopic arm

Everyone loved the flexibility of the FS7’s ergonomic arm mount, but we’ve gone further with FS7 II’s new mounting positions – so you can hold it even closer to your body – and made it easily adjustable without tools. So it’s even easier to find the perfect set-up to suit your physique and your shooting position.

Ergonomically improved viewfinder

The mounting arm for the FS7 II’s viewfinder is now even more flexible with independent clamps easily adjusted by hand even while still on your shoulder. The viewfinder itself can be perfectly offset for right-eye or left-eye viewing with a huge range of fore-aft adjustment. Just turn a single knob to set the finder’s position. The viewfinder takes the form of an LCD monitor and a viewfinder extension box that easily tilts up and out of the way when you want direct viewing. The viewfinder extension box is now even easier to attach, while the LCD hood is can be bundled while not in use. Peaking, zebra and contrast controls enable easy adjustment of focus, contrast and exposure.

Superbly rugged

Sony designed the FS7 II to the same exacting standards as the FS7 for real-world shooting. The frame is magnesium, for high rigidity and light weight. Buttons, dials and other parts are sealed to prevent dust and water spray from entering. Cooling is an urgent requirement in a high-speed 4K camera. That’s why Sony engineers developed special heat pipes that whisk heat away from the electronics and into a remote heat sink. An air duct cools the heat sink while isolating the electrical components from exposure to dust and water spray.

The FS7 II takes advantage of Sony’s flexible Multi-Interface (MI) Shoe, which provides power, signal connections and coordinated on/off switching to compatible Sony accessories. For example, you can connect and control Sony wireless microphone systems such as the optional UWP-D11 or UWP-D12.

Support for four-channel audio input and recording

The FS7 II supports four-channel audio input and, in applications such as interview, this function enables the simultaneous use of an external microphone for recording ambient sounds, the built-in microphone for voice memos by the operator, and two optional UWP Series wireless microphones for the voice of interviewer and interviewee.