Sony A7s problem - Aperture not changing in movie mode

[cmykparty16]

Hi. Long time lurker on the forum, posting for the first time.

 

I've been using the A7s for the quite some time ,mainly renting it for shoots. Never bought one. The camera mostly came set up for shoots, so i never explored the menu settings much, except the file format,  framerate change, monitor brightness change and picture profiles settings.

 

Last week i made the leap and used some saved up money to buy it. The retailer i got it from did not have the metabones on hand and he would've had to order it. Plus he was selling it for 600 USD (Rs. 40,000 INR). I figured i'd wait for someone who is coming from the United States - a friend or relative - and get it for half the price there. I had a shoot the next day so i got a cheap 'Voking' convertor for 120$. 

 

I had no problems for the first shoots. I did multiple interviews and shot a lot of B-roll using the camera. Yesterday, the camera started acting weird. In movie mode, although the aperture value are changing, there is no change in terms of light in the frame (ISO isn't set on AUTO). When i go to Manual Mode, change in aperture value reflects on the screen and the aperture is actually closing down. But for some reason, when i press record,exposure jumps up by two stops. I tried it 2 lenses and same results. I cannot understand why this is happening. 

 

One more issue, whenever i rented the camera, a change in framerate - shooting in 100 fps - meant cropping. This, for some reason is not happening on this body.

 

I'd like to believe it is my inexperience with menu settings and the camera which is the cause of all these problems and not the camera/convertor itself.
 

Please help if you have any solutions. 

 

Edit: OK. So Dof isn't getting affected at all. So basically, any time i press movie record aperture is going back to 2.8/lowest f number on the lens. Whereas when i take two photos on different aperture values, there is a change in DoF whereas when i take 2 clips with the same values, there is no change. Leads me to believe aperture is not functional with video. Why and How i cannot understand.need your help there.

 

Thank you in advance.

[RRRoger]

Only two things made me keep my A7s.

7Q+ 4k recorder and 28-135 Cine lens

I change the aperture on this lens by moving the ring.

 

I hate this camera so much that I have tried others including the A7sII (worst), Nikon D750, JVC LS300, Panasonic HC-x1000 and GH4.

The GH4 is better in every way but does not cut it in the poor/low light I have to shoot in (extra light is not allowed).

[Snowfun]

The GH4 is better in every way but does not cut it in the poor/low light I have to shoot in (extra light is not allowed).

So the GH4 isn't quite better in every way then is it...

 

That said, I'd be inclined to agree that unless low light & high iso performance is critical to you (as at times it is to me) then there are other cameras that might be preferred. Except in low light I much prefer my BMCC or Pocket with their 10 bit image (far more fun when fiddling in post), ease and simplicity of use for example. However, I think we should also respect the fact that the OP has had satisfactory results with his A7S prior to the current issue and suggesting that there are better cameras isn't really contributing to the discussion.

 

I cannot, unfortunately, add directly to the analysis of the OP's problem with aperture as I too change aperture the "old fashioned" way by turning the ring on the lens (Samyang). My only comment would to avoid cheap adapters...

 

Tim

[RRRoger]

You are right. Adding to his frustration with the A7s does not help the OP.

Because there is nothing near the price range that is better in really low light, I need to "learn to love the A7s"

Menu diving is such a problem with the Sony cameras that I don't know where he should start.

I suggest he go back to whoever set up his previous A7s for shoots.

 

By the way Tim, I've actually had better luck with the "cheap" commlite than the expensive metabones adapters.

[Snowfun]

I just adopt a "it does a very good job" attitude in those low light situations which sort of balances the fact that it feels horrid! That and using an external monitor, recorder and power so you sort of forget about it. Is there anything at ANY price which exceeds it's low light ability?

[RRRoger]

The $8,000 I have invested for A7s, 28-138 Cine lens, 7Q+ recorder and external batteries is relatively cheap.

 I would rather pay that + the cost of lens for a more capable CamCorder, but even the FS7 is not as good in the poor lighting I have to shoot in.

My understanding is that there is an over $100,000 Camcorder + extremely expensive lens used for movies that can shoot in very low light.

 

My last Bowling Alley shoot was 4k DownRes to 1080P30. I used 120s to slow the motion and f/7.1 at ISO 6400.

The results were still a tad blurry as the ball rolled down the lane so next time it will be f/8 or 9 to increase the DOF and ISO 8,000 to regain the brightness.

The Camera and Recorder are mounted on a TriPod and run "Stand Alone" for up to 3 hours while I compete.

 

My other venue is a dark church with no additional light allowed where I shoot the Service each week.

I actually got a very good Video at Christmas in only Candle light. There was only one scene during a performance when I zoomed in and brightened the face that there was any bad moire. I probably could have lessened that with better Post Processing but have not much time nor aptitude for that. The effort I did make removed some artifacts with the trade off of blurring the face.

[RGLmotion]

So nobody is actually answering this guys question

 

Apature control....I've found that when you use lenses with an aperture ring the a7sii detects the aperture availability of the lens and locks out the camera aperture ability, its like it only wants you to have one source of aperture control. Ive used a few HUGE metal Canon lenses that have no aperture ring and the a7sii allowed me to control the camera apature but with all my aperture ring Samyang lenses i have no camera control of aperture.

 

as for the rest I have no idea   

[Ceads45]

What Movie Mode are you in? I mean in the Picture Profiles try turning it off.

[Emptymind]

It is the 'Voking' convertor that is the problem.

 

Go rent a correct e-mount lens - maybe a Zeiss Batis. 

 

I have shot hundreds of hours of video on the A7s2 - not one problem.