I Bought a New Camera

I have 2 shoots coming up that need gimbal shots, and 1 of them wants me to do a 2 camera interview, so I decided to buy this camera, and tune it to meet these needs! Do you think I made the right choice?
Here's my portfolio: www.tommybeal.com
And here's my IG: / tommy_beal_deal
This is Erika's Instagram: / shydrummer Definitely give her a follow or send her a message if you thought that documentary sounded cool, or if you want to connect with a talented documentary DP.
And BIG shoutout to my buddy Brenton for helping me dial these colors in. I don't know what I would have done without him. Super talented guy! If you want to connect with a badass DP from the Sacramento area, reach out to Brenton: / cinematographer_brenton
If you're curious what settings we used to get these camera to match... here you go:
Sony FX30
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Black Level -15
Gamma HLG2
Color Mode 709
Detail, Level -7
I didn't touch anything else on the FX30 settings. White balance is usually around 300 - 500 higher on the FX30 than the FS7, and adding a slight magenta tent to the white balance of the FX30, will usually help your look get even closer.
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Sony FS7
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Black, Master Black - 10
Gamma Category HG
Gamma Select HG8
White Clip, On, Level 109%
Skin Detail, On
Skin Detail, Level 0
Skin Detail, Saturation -50
Skin Detail, Hue 0
Skin Detail, Width 40
Matrix, Setting, On
Matrix, Adaptive Matrix, On
Matrix, Preset Matrix, On
Matrix, Preset Select, F55 709 Like
Matrix, User Matrix, On
Matrix, Level -35
Matrix, Phase -25
Matrix, User Matrix R-G +37
Matrix, User Matrix R-B +78
Matrix, User Matrix G-R +52
Matrix, User Matrix G-B +28
Matrix, User Matrix B-R +10
Matrix, User Matrix B-G +44
Multi Matrix, Off
And that is all I adjusted on the FS7. I consistently like the FS7 image you get from this. Skin tones are really pleasing, and the image is bright and vibrant, which is a look I like. Usually the FX30 needs a little saturation + contrast to match the FS7, it's minor. These two match nicely and you get a lovely image from both!
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[@Azulicine.Cinemato]

great video! i always thought the fx30 would be a decent match with the fs7 mark ii! where did you find that charger though? it looks interesting

[@Tommy_Beal]

thx man! yeahhh i like how they work together! I found it on B&H actually, here’s a link for ya: www.bhphotovideo.com/c/product/1802170-REG/jupio_jtc_fz100_tri_charge_for_sony_np_fz100.html

[@questioneverything680]

What all are you using for your fs7 rig? It looks like it’ll solve a lot of my current issues with my fs7

[@Tommy_Beal]

I'm using this top plate: www.bhphotovideo.com/c/product/1105834-REG/wooden_camera_wc_193900_top_plate_for_sony.html this 15mm rod to nato rail clamp: www.bhphotovideo.com/c/product/1249081-REG/vocas_0710_1200_single_nato_rail_with.html this nato rail attachment: www.bhphotovideo.com/c/product/1758630-REG/kondor_blue_kb_smount_nn_bk_nato_to_nato_swivel.html with this nato rail: www.bhphotovideo.com/c/product/1678132-REG/kondor_blue_kb_nr_2_bk_monitor_cage_2_nato.html attached to this monitor: www.bhphotovideo.com/c/product/1721190-REG/smallhd_16_0526_cine_5_touchscreen_on_camera.html For the side handle, I use this one from Shape: www.bhphotovideo.com/c/product/1626179-REG/shape_hand2s_double_quick_handle_arri.html I use the sony extension unit on the back of the camera, so I can run time code, attach a v-mount, and power my monitor. For the shoulder mount I use an older Zacuto VCT baseplate. And that is super comfortable. But I hear Vocas makes a really nice one for the FS7 too. To power the monitor, I have a custom right angle 4 pin hirose to 2 pin lemo, that this company made for me: alvinscable.com so all my power comes from the back unit and I only need 1 v-mount battery to power my entire setup! (Alvin's cables will make you custom cables at a really good price - definitely recommend them) And then I use a normal SDI cable for the monitor, and I've done some custom things to keep the wires clean. So yeah, that's pretty much the setup! I love it!

[@questioneverything680]

@@Tommy_BealI really appreciate the links too! This is a huge help

[@Tommy_Beal]

@@questioneverything680 my pleasure man! if you make any cool changes to your rig, you should dm me a picture on Instagram! @Tommy_Beal_Deal I love this kinda stuff!

[@thenothing_podcast]

great choice, cant wait to see it on productions

[@Tommy_Beal]

thx man! me too!!

[@baxslatton]

Ayeee I love my FX30. Nifty little camera. I can’t wait for the shutter angle update

[@Tommy_Beal]

yessssss me too!!!!!

[@nordfilmcompany]

Getting a decent setup there mate. Great video, thanks for sharing. The Sony charger might be slower on one camera battery as it is more difficult to charge batteries the closer they are to being fully charged. I think Elon musk said it was like parking cars into an empty parking lot compared to an almost full one. Finding a free spot when sending new cars into the empty lot would take no time compared to finding a free spot in almost full parking lot.

[@Tommy_Beal]

Thanks man! Oh dang, I didn't know that. What a cool analogy! Good to know!

[@luker1ng]

Hey Tommy! Awesome video. What Small Hd monitor do you use?

[@Tommy_Beal]

hey luke! i use the smallhd cine 5 - and i LOVE it!!

[@MichaelPerez83]

I have the same two color sciences in my cameras and they are hard to match. You did a great job on getting those to match! My solution is, fix it in post 😅. But that’s not an option for you when you have to send it off to an editor. I like the fact that you did the hard work on the front end and got the cameras to match.

[@Tommy_Beal]

haha yeahhh they definitely take in color differently. That solution definitely works too 😜 Thx man! I knew my client wanted a matching rec709 look, and I knew I would feel a lot better if I gave them footage that matched really nicely, so I was determined!!

[@davidmorefield]

That’s how you use your down time as a freelancer!! I just picked up a bcam as well and will have to go through this process. The color checker seems like a smart route. Why are they so expensive? 😄

[@Tommy_Beal]

that are so many productive things to do with down time!!! I saw that. Interested to see how that 2nd camera will fit into your work flow. And I have no idea why they cost so much 😂😂 but definitely nice to have once you own one 😜

[@billmakesmovies]

Love my FX3 for what it is. Have been running SanDisk V90 256, with a 120Gb tough card for 120p, don’t shoot as much if that as I thought I would. When I buy more cards I’ll probably get 512GB V60 cards. I think that covers XAVC S 4K 30 just fine. It’s 2024 and I still shoot mostly 1080 30, and for two years doing that, the camera has been great! Today I had my first fluke with the camera. Had what I am pretty certain was a fully charged Sony battery in it this morning. USBC PD cable to a new CameTV Mini 99c. The camera died sometime during a second take, after what was definitely the hour or so that the internal battery would cover the camera. No idea why it died. It shouldn’t have. Heck, the yellow body charge light was on when it died. I’m thinking it was a cable problem, but honestly, I have no idea.

[@Tommy_Beal]

Seems like a solid setup there... and I feel ya with 1080p 30 LOL... if I use slo-mo I use 60fps, 120 is usually just wayyyy to slow for a video on the internet, and I am usually delivering final videos in 1080p too. Oh dang, that's a weird issue. I gotta assume it's the cable too. V-mount batteries are usually super solid. Thx for the comment bill!

[@BryceDearden]

Welcome to the FX30 club, powerful lil guy. I am saving for those Fujinon zooms right now. Gorgeous lenses. But if you're still within the return window, you *do not* need Sony branded cards or reader. Save yourself the money. Lexar and ProGrade are both excellent, and Sony has even shown in their own marketing materials them using a ProGrade reader. Two ProGrade 480GB CFexpress A go for $609 compared to one Sony 320GB for $648

[@Tommy_Beal]

Thx man! They really are gorgeous lenses! I love them! And you can save A LOT buying them used on Ebay right now! (that's what I did) haha I hear ya. that would save a lot :P appreciate your comment Bryce!

[@natepotter6911]

Congrats on the FX30, great little camera from what I've seen!

[@Tommy_Beal]

thx man! it really is quite good!!

[@zackarydeancreative]

What do you mean when you say people want the s cine tone look? Like people are requesting you for raw footage?

[@Tommy_Beal]

yeah. clients who do the editing them self, often times prefer s-cinetone, cuz then they don’t really need to grade it and they’re editing process can go a little faster

[@zackarydeancreative]

@@Tommy_Beal oh I see! Cool! How do you find these type of clients?

[@Tommy_Beal]

@@zackarydeancreative You practice a lot and get good, build a strong portfolio, get the right equipment, market yourself really well, and network with lots of people!

[@tiemji]

Thanks for sharing !

[@Tommy_Beal]

My pleasure! :)

[@kamikaze1213]

I did the same thing. F55 is my main camera. Needed something smaller to B-Cam/crash cam with it. FX30 was the answer.

[@Tommy_Beal]

oh sweet! how was it matching those 2? The F55 seems like it gives you a beautiful image 🙌🏻

[@kamikaze1213]

@@Tommy_Beal it matches really easily. The internal image seems better than the 12 bit. The F55 has 16bit and does X-OCN as well so maybe that’s why the 12 bit RAW doesn’t seem as good. Overall it’s a fantastic B Cam for gimbal and tight spaces like cars and small rooms.

[@Tommy_Beal]

@@kamikaze1213 love that! ahhh okay, interesting! definitely a cool camera!

[@filmandframeca]

Bruh the SD Card pain is real! I feel my stomach swirl every time I make an SD Card purchase LOL especially high quality ones. At least I know that my footage won't get screwed or corrupted but damn man... SD Storage is expensive as hell

[@Tommy_Beal]

hahaa for real! That's exactly my thought process. It definitely is expensive tho

[@rafalcwiok]

Damn.. I really need to step up my game and make sure my cameras are calibrated like yours are, haha

[@Tommy_Beal]

haha I had a Client who was expecting me to provide a matching rec709 look in a shoot soon after this, so that definitely helped motivate me!

[@danielpalma6895]

i match my two fx6s on the same gray card but still get different tint and red/blue gain values so I need to go into one of the fx6s and change the white settings to match the other. (we shoot our shows in S-Cinetone btw) Anyone know an easy workaround for this to get them to match all the time?

[@Tommy_Beal]

wow! no way! i had heard that every sensor is different, even between the same models of camera, but i hadn’t met anyone who experience that. That is so fascinating!! Have you thought about just customizing your own Rec709 look, and adjusting the red/blue gain values different on one of them, so that they always match in that look?

[@luker1ng]

3:45 I JUST MADE THIS Purchace!! got the 960gb version ad the sony reader. PAINFUL was an under statement.

[@Tommy_Beal]

😂😂😂 you feel me! 🙌🏻 its crazy they make such a small 960gb. How you liking that thing?

[@fylmkid]

Hey Tommy great video. I'm in the Bay as well. Always looking for someone to collaborate with .I'm a 2nd AC with lenses.

[@Tommy_Beal]

oh sweet! can you send me a DM on Instagram? @tommy_beal_deal

[@fylmkid]

@@Tommy_Beal marshall_ street_ productions. gotta follow back in order to DM you.

[@fylmkid]

@@Tommy_Beal @Marshall_Street_Productions

[@shueibdahir]

@@Tommy_Bealdamn! KZbin does work for networking wow

[@davidmorefield]

@@shueibdahirjoin the party

[@tonygarcia1986]

Ugh, look up the price for a Codex 2TB SSD for the Alexa LF! It's all perspective. You could buy a used car with $1,200.

[@Tommy_Beal]

oh geeeeze… $5k for a card 🤯… okay my cards aren’t so bad 😜

[@garrettgoerlvisuals]

Sony cards can also fail, you would’ve been better off saving money and running Pro Grade cards with one of their readers. It’s what I run in all my Sony Cams. Fx30, Fx3, A7S3.

[@Tommy_Beal]

have those prograde’s been pretty reliable for you?

[@garrettgoerlvisuals]

@@Tommy_Beal Nothing but reliable for me. You don't really need CF Express, SD's are perfectly fine. I run v60s. 2 1/2 years going strong. That doesn't mean they can't and won't fail over time though. Any card can fail given the circumstance, but I use and trust those and it's saved me a lot of money on media.

[@Tommy_Beal]

@@garrettgoerlvisuals That's awesome! Good to hear about those cards!

[@natepotter6911]

The speed of the charging is likely more due to the output of the power brick you're using than the charger itself.

[@Tommy_Beal]

I had it plugged into the wall for these tests, really haven’t tested it on a power brick for a long period of time yet, but that makes sense

[@natepotter6911]

@@Tommy_Beal I'm not talking about a battery bank. I'm talking about the "wall wart", the box that supplies the charge, just like with your cell phone charger. They come in different output levels. It's generally okay to use a pretty powerful one (even more than what the device is rated for), because the devices themselves regulate the power draw they need. Try a 45 watt charger, you might get better charge times.

[@cleverlyslick1]

​@@Tommy_Bealthis supports USB power delivery/quick charging at 9V/2A (or 18 watts) so would recommend looking for a wall charger and/or power bank that supports PD/QC and can deliver at least 18 watts of power. This will give you faster charging speeds.

[@cleverlyslick1]

You'd need at least an 18 watt charger, but as mentioned above you may be better off with a higher wattage charger (i.e., 45 or 60 watts) for future proofing.

[@Tommy_Beal]

@@natepotter6911 ohhhhh okay, i see, that makes more sense. good idea!!

[@chrisw443]

nice

[@Tommy_Beal]

thx chris! good to hear from ya!

[@aryanedits77]

Hey Tommy, was looking for an email to contact you but couldn't find it so I'll rely on this comment to reach you. Your videos are really well made but are missing a lil editing to enhance the quality and also help you upload faster, let me know if you wanna discuss this further!

[@Tommy_Beal]

hey aryan, i appreciate it. but the quality of these videos is supposed to be casual and i like editing them myself, cuz these are pretty personal to me. thx for reaching out tho!