Sony FX30 vs Canon R7 For Video Which Is Actually Better

this review is going to be about whether should you pick up the Canon R7 or maybe the Sony FX30. So, the FX30 is a really smart move by Sony coming in under two thousand dollars a very competitive camera that meets the needs of a lot of content creators.

This comparison is between Sony FX30 vs Canon R7 something you should know about what the kind of value you get for the money with the R7.

I’m gonna put both of these cameras head to head and we’re going to see which camera is better for which types of use and give you a few reasons why I would buy the Canon R7 over the FX30 not only for photography but actually for video.

the Sony FX30 is the first 10-bit crop sensor camera that’s under $2,000 and one of the cameras that’s very similar to the FX30 is Canon R7.

EOS R7 is also a crop-sensor camera from Canon that shoots really good quality video in really good quality Stills.

the FX30 is really primarily a videographer’s camera or someone who shoots primarily video whereas the Canon R7 is truly a hybrid camera.

What Are Similarities Between Sony FX30 vs Canon R7?

So, both cameras share plenty of similarities like they can both shoot 10 bit 4:2:2 Canon R7 does it in HDR and C-log 3 but that is really all you would ever go into for the 10-bit modes you generally don’t shoot 10-bit modes in standard profiles.

There are no recording time limits and if you need an audio solution you can get one for both of these cameras they slide into the hot shoe on the top you can get the XLR top handle, and you can also get the Tascam unit that slides into this hot shoe on the R7, so onto the back, they both have flippy screens.

they have very similar image quality, similar dynamic range, low light performance, and the autofocus is great in 4k 24.

they both have two card slots, they both have great LCD screens 360 degrees fully articulating screen, they both have mic Jacks and headphone Jacks, and they both have aps-c size sensors.

they are both weather sealed, and they both have an unlimited recording in all of the video modes and there is also no overheating in moderate temperatures.

when it comes to 24p the FX30 and the R7 are pretty close neck to neck, both have crop sensors that shoot 10-bit video, and both of these cameras are downscaling 7 and 6K respectively in their 24p mode, in terms of audio they’re pretty similar, they look similar in 4k 24 fps.

What Are Differences Between FX30 and R7?

When it comes to differences in build quality and physical characteristics the biggest glaring thing is the fact that the FX30 does not have an electronic viewfinder whereas the R7 does and this makes a huge difference in photo and video.

Key Similarities

• 10bit 4:2;2
• 2 Card Slots
• Flip Screens
• Mic Jack
• Headphone Jack
• APS-C Sensor
• Weader Sealed
• Unlimited Recording

Screen

In terms of the screen they’re the same size they’re both three inches the R7 has a 1.62 million dot screen whereas the FX30 is a 2.36 million screen so the resolution is a little bit better on the FX30, this is an improvement over the previous screens from Sony and also higher cameras.

Image Quality

When it comes to image quality and which one is better I think in their own right both cameras look really great so I think it’s going to be more of a preference thing.

they both have an oversampled image so the R7 is a 7K oversail to 4K and the FX30 is a 6K oversample of 4K so you’re going to get that extra detail and sharpness that you get with an overstable image.

So, you can see the differences in terms of the image quality and the colors the image quality is pretty comparable they are very similar.

When you shot at the base ISO of 800 on 4K 24 frames per second the image quality and the sharpness and noise look very similar, except the Highlight roll-off is better on the FX30.

Sensor

When it comes to Sensor capabilities they’re super 35 sensors that have way more dynamic range than full-frame cameras but in fact, the Fujifilm X-H2s which just came out have more dynamic range than both cameras.

In terms of sensor performance they both have aps-c size sensors but slightly different crops the R7 has a 1.6 times crop the FX30 is a 1.5 times crop but when you’re shooting video there’s an additional four percent crop which turns it into a 1.56 times crop.

the R7 has a 32.5 megapixel sensor whereas the FX30 has a 26.1 megapixel sensor, the R7 can only shoot an ipb whereas the FX30 can shoot in ipb all eye and a highly compressed HS codec, the R7 can shoot up to 4K 60 whereas the FX30 can shoot up to 4K 120.

Video Capabilities

the FX30 has some advantages in its video features over the R7 it can shoot the 10-bit 4:2:2 to 4K but it can shoot it up to 4K 60 keeping the same field of view.

FX 30 has a 1.04 times crop if you are switching from 24p to 60p in 4k then your field of view is going to stay the same bit on the Canon R7 it does a massive 1.6 times crop in 4k 60 whereas the FX30 does have a 1.6 times crop mode.

Lenses

the FX30 has a huge advantage over the R7 in terms of lenses if you’re using this for vlogging or content creation you can have a lot more options with the FX30 you’re not just trying to pick out lenses but you’re really buying into an eco system.

Shutter

So, maybe you don’t really care about rolling shutter but if you shoot a lot of fast moving subjects rolling shutter is definitely a concern for many photographers.

So, the advantage goes to the FX30 because it’s pretty bad in the R7 but as I move the camera back and for the R7 the pole gets kind of Bendy and warped.

So, if you are worried about rolling shutter and that’s something that’s really important to you the FX30 is definitely better than the R7.

In terms of the rolling shutter, the FX30 is not going to be as good as the FX3 but it’s significantly better than the R7.

the R7 rolling shutter is pretty bad in terms of overheating for reliability in terms of video the FX30 will not overheat with AF.

Dynamic Range

When it comes to the dynamic range I would definitely say that the slight edge goes to the FX30, the FX30 has a much softer or nicer highlight roll-off the highlights or the bright spots in the image are more pleasing and they’re just nicer to look at they’re not as harsh looking.

Log Curve

So, the R7 can shoot in C-log-3 and if you don’t know C-log-2 is actually the log profile that has the most dynamic range for Canon whereas the FX30 can shoot in S-log-3 which is the most dynamic range log curve that Sony offers.

Stabilization

When it comes to IBIS or in-body image stabilization both cameras have an Ibis system but they perform very differently.

So, in my test the R7 looked way better than the FX30 for the walking shot, it didn’t even look like the FX30 had any stabilization but for the static shot, I think they looked pretty similar.

they both have pretty good ibis with e-stabilization so if you’re walking around doing handheld video work then it works out pretty well.

Overheating

the FX30 is going to be better at overheating because it has a fan but it is very difficult to get the R7 to overheat so when running in moderate temperatures for over two hours it just running the warning light didn’t even get half way up.

ISO Performance

• FX30 – 100-32000 Extended 50-102400
• R7 – 100-3200 Extended 100-51200

When you look at ISO 2500 the ISO 2500 is relatively close to 2500 in the Canon R7 so when you’re using a camera that has a dual base ISO the second base ISO which is 2500 in the FX30 would be a lot cleaner than a camera that does not have a dual base ISO like the R7.

So what you should know in the lower range of ISO they are very similar I’d say the FX3 is a little bit cleaner but once you get up into the higher range they are very similar until about 10 000 at 12 800 and 16 000 the R7 is cleaner than the FX30 and at 20 000 and above neither of them are really good.

in terms of low light up to about 10 000 they’re pretty similar but above that I would give the slight Edge to the R7.

Frame Rates

When it comes to frame rates the FX3 destroys the R7 in terms of its specifications the R7 can shoot up to 4K / 60 but in 4k cxd it’s either line skipped or you have an additional 1.81 times crop whereas the fx30 can shoot up to 4K 60 with no additional crop and 4K / 120 with a crop this doesn’t shoot for 120K.

So, if you’re interested in shooting High frame rates and you’re more video focused the FX30 is going to be a better bet. The codecs are way better on the FX30 it’s a more video-focused camera it only shoots an ipb but on the FX30 you can shoot in ipb which is the xavcs xavcs i which is the all eye and you can also shoot in the HS mode so a lot better codec options in the FX30.

the R7 does not shoot in 4k 120 but it does shoot in 1080p 120 so the FX30 4K 120 has an additional crop on it and anytime you crop it on the sensor you’re going to pick up more noise.

the 4K 120 is just a little bit sharper and a little less noisy so the FX30 has a better 4K 60 than either of the 4k 60 modes in the R7 and the 4K 120 is definitely better than the 1080p 120

Crop Factor

In terms of the crop factor, they’re actually really close each other, the Canon R7 has a 1.6 times crop factor whereas the FX30 has a 1.56 crop factor because that’s going to be the 1.5 aps-c crop and it also has 1.04 times crop in 4K.

Ports

the FX30 has a full-size HDMI and the R7 it has a micro HDMI they both have all the normal Jacks you’d have on the side of the camera including a microphone and a headphone jack.

Storage

the FX30 has dual slot you can shoot with CF Expres type A or SD you need this the CF Express a for shooting in the highest 4K 120 modes but you can also use SD cards for most other modes whereas the R7 has dual SD card slots which is easy to work.

Batteries

In terms of their batteries they’re very similar they’re both full size they both work great and hold in your hand perfectly.

Price

So, mainly in terms of price Canon R7 brings the price of $1.500 which is a very affordable value whereas the Sony FX30 is priced at $1800 it’s the 300 difference not that much but you could be putting towards a better lens and microphone lighting.

Why You Should Buy R7 over FX30 10 reasons?

1. So, number one is that the R7 has a better workflow, and is easier to use its ergonomics is just another when you hold it in your hand, the button placement, the grip the way it feels everything is an extension of your body.

2. So because the ease of use is so much simpler on the R7 also the touch screen is better on R7, Sony has a touch screen as well but all you can do is just tap to focus you really can’t change the camera settings from the Sony touch screen.

3. R7 comes with an EVF whereas the FX30 only has the LCD screen and they can’t touch the R7 in terms of Burst Mode frame rates.

4. the quality of the LCD display on R7 is brighter and generally it’s a bit larger than what you get with Sony fx30 when you’re shooting in bright sunlight where it’s difficult to see the display

5. So, even Sony drastically improved their menus it’s still not as easy to use and simple to understand as Canon’s menu it’s something like comparing the Mac operating system versus Windows

6. Canon R7 brought in the autofocusing system from the R3 which has Eye detection, animal detection, and vehicle detection, when you combine all of that with the higher resolution sensor on the R7 it’s a superior photography camera and the FX30 wasn’t really aiming to be competitive in photography at all and was focusing more on video.

7. So, four reason why I prefer the R7 over the FX30 is video features and with the R7 actually you’re getting 4K images downsampled from 7K whereas on the FX30 you’re also getting the 4K images but downsampled from 6K.

8. Both of them could pretty much shoot until your battery runs out or your SD card fills up, If you prefer the Canon colors you just pick up the Canon R7 shoot and take a look at the image.

9. And another reason why I would pick up an R7 over an FX30 that’s the price it’s only a $300 difference but there’s a whole bunch of stuff that you can buy with that 300 and they’re going to take your footage and photos to the next level you can get a tripod or pick up a gimbal.

10. the fifth reason to buy Canon R7 for getting rid of 30 minute record limit that they had on their cameras if this is not a problem for you you can go with the FX30 instead, and the main reason I would pick up the R7 over the FX30 is the built-in internal ND filters.

Why You Should Buy FX30?

the FX30 does have a fan in it and when you’re talking about overheating the FX30 will not overheat the R7 overheats on a very hot day but not in normal usage if you’re shooting long form content within hot environments the FX30 won’t overheat because it has active cooling.

So, the R7 has nothing like that FX30 has dual base ISO so you can do 800 or 2500 you need a little bit extra light you go up to that 2500 you can do custom Luts on the FX30.

Why FX30 is Better for Video?

If you do only video and zero photography then the FX30 is a camera to go but if you do mainly photography and some video then the R7 is not only a better photography camera but it’s just all together.

However, if you’re looking to do Stills photography you’re going to have photography modes on the Canon R7 especially a higher megapixel for the photography modes whereas the FX30 is a 24-megapixel sensor that only takes one still photo at a time whereas on the R7 it’s a 32-megapixel sensor and you can do burst modes.

So, the R7 is a true hybrid camera and the FX30 is a true video camera, if you’re only creating video content and you don’t have any cameras already well then the FX30 probably makes the most sense because it is the most video Centric camera out of both.

Why R7 is Better For Photography?

If you are doing video I’d probably say the FX30 is a no-brainer you should probably go with that camera if you’re a hybrid shooter or doing photography the R7 is going to be a much better hybrid camera.

It has an EVF, amazing photo capabilities, it has a mechanical shutter whereas the FX30 does not has higher burst rates.

Where FX30 Wins Over Canon R7?

When we look at a 60p shot and when you look at the wide shot you can’t really tell much of a difference where in 60p the FX 30 is the clear winner because it is still downscaling from its 6K on the FX30 in 60p whereas the Canon R7 is line skipping its 60p mode so that is going to be a mode that the FX30 is clearly winning.

the internal codecs on the FX30 look much better than the Canon R7 you have all eye codex very high data rates and all iframes.

So, if you’re shooting fast motion wind blowing in the trees the race cars or something like that it’s easier to edit so the all eye codec is really great to have for videographers.

Where R7 Wins Over FX30?

So, the FX30 does not have a mechanical shutter and you can only take one shot at a time whereas the R7 is a full-fledged photography camera with High burst rates and a mechanical shutter, and lots of other features.