The promised firmware to fix the image tearing and macro blocking issues that some people are seeing from the PXW-FS5 has been released and can be downloaded from here:
http://www.sony.co.uk/pro/support/software/SW_122115_PSG/10
This firmware addresses the edge tearing at high gain levels caused by the temporal noise reduction and also includes some small tweaks to the XAVC encoder to minimise macro blocking.
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I really think that Sony solved this problem in THE most optimal way!
1.) They listened to the user complaints.
2.) They publicly acknowledged that the recognized the complaints.
3.) They tested the problem and found it.
4.) They publicly acknowledged that they saw the problem.
5.) They declared they were going to solve it in February
6.) They worked lightning fast and solved it on time.
7.) They met with complainers to display the fix.
8.) They did everything in a PUBLIC and OPEN way!…wow!
I’m amazed at how fast they solved this thing. Two big issues resolved in a little over a month. This was an extremely impressive action from the FS5 team!
Sony please remember how this was done and copy this technique for any future problems. Bravo, excellent job.
At times, it was suggested by some that this was a “user error” issue or even something was attributed to being a “lack of understanding” or “unrealistic expectations” from an 8 bit color depth. As far as noise reduction goes, it was sometimes suggested that the artifacts were “par for the course” and something that was considered “normal” or “minor”. I’m glad that Sony did not agree with these ideas.
Judging from the Cinema 5D before and after video, this new image processing on the FS5 is MUCH closer to what we were all expecting from this camera from day one. I think it finally meets the Sony Super 35, 8 bit standard image quality that we are accustomed too and expect.
Thank you Sony. Keep up this great work and PLEASE pass on this successful tactic to other departments and teams!
CT
Yes, it’s great that this has been done so quickly.
But It does not change the noise levels and it was this that I pointed out as being largely down to operator error with users mistakenly using 3200 ISO as the native ISO for all gammas, when it is only the native ISO for S-Log2 and S-log3. Cinegamma 1’s native ISO is 640 for example.
Thanks for the update! Cool little camera! Can’t wait to use one, I’m sure it’ll be a hit in the reality/doc world I live in.
Once they get the update with Auto-ND out, this is going to be an absolute beast for reality/doc/run-n-gun work.
I’m interested to see what their raw solution looks like.
Alister, is there any way to rate the FS5 at a lower ISO for Slog while being able to see the actual results in its included monitor? I know it does not have Cine EI. I just do not know if adding 1/4 of ND or anything like that will help with noise issues. I have the camera and like it a lot, but even with the latest firmware I see too much noise! I guess 3200 ISO is too much for it. And simply trying to overexpose in run and gun situations by guess – without seeing the actual results in the monitor or having appropriate exposure cards – does not help at all.
I am not talking about shooting in low light with Slog. Just about situations where lighting is not optimal but you need the extra dynamic range (rooms with windows, for example).
No way to do it without an external monitor or viewfinder that can have LUT’s loaded into it.
Hi Mr. Alister!
I’m following you daily since I purchased myself an FS5 and your blog and videos are really really helpful! Thank you!
Do you have future plans to make a guide for the Fs5?
They will be on the Sony web site very soon.
I was on a job few days ago shooting with fs5 and the new firmware 1.11. It was a overcast sky. I was using auto mode and 18-105mm F4 lens. I noticed at the top left and right corner there are two dark pixelated edges wrap around the center sky. I dont know what it is… anyone has idea? iso setting? I can’t remember but I am pretty sure that I was around 800 or 1000 iso.
The footage was shot in 1080P at 29.97fps 50mpbs, cine1.
I have darken the image in Photoshop a little bit to enhance the issue.
https://www.flickr.com/photos/emsart/26275292016/in/dateposted-public/