In this lesson we’ll walk through configuring the Atomos Shogun and its workflow specifically pertaining to the Sony A7s/a7S II and a7R II. We’ll cover:
- Step-by-step walkthrough of the menu and its features
- What settings to pay attention to
- Settings specifically related to the Sony A7s/a7S II/a7R II and S-Log2 (I’ll look at S-Log3 separately)
I’m using firmware version 6.11 on the Shogun, which includes the playback feature. Newer firmware updates have been published, but the basics remain the same.
Step-by-step walkthrough
Here it is (to skip to a particular section, use the reference):
Notes:
- Please excuse the audio and the pauses
- Firmware 6.12 is now available, and this will continue to change. For the latest firmware version and release notes, click here.
- Applications I know of that support FCP XML are Final Cut Pro X, DaVinci Resolve and Autodesk Smoke.
- To understand the differences between XMEML and FCPXML, click here.
- Pro level audio is +4dBu, the Shogun has wrongly written +24 dBu.
- To understand the differences between mic level and line level audio, click here.
- At time 31:29, I incorrectly say ‘Histogram’. It is ‘Waveform’. The Shogun does not have a histogram.
- To buy the Atomos Spyder, click here.
Understanding resolution and frame rates
Use this handy chart to understand resolution and frame rates:
| If you want to end up with: | Then use these settings on the A7s/a7R II/a7S II: | Settings on the Atomos Shogun: | ||||
| Resolution | Frame Rate | HDMI Resolution | 24p/60p Output | Video In | Record | Pull down |
| 1080p | 24 (23.976) | 1080p | 24p | 1080p23.98 | 1080p23.98 | None |
| 24 (23.976) | 1080i | 60p | 1080i59.94 | 1080p23.98 | 3:2 | |
| 25 | 1080i | n/a | 1080i50 | 1080p25 | 2:2 | |
| 30 (29.9) | 1080i | 60p | 1080i59.94 | 1080p29.97 | 2:2 | |
| 50 | 1080p | n/a | 1080p50 | 1080p50 | None | |
| 60 (59.94) | 1080p | 60p | 1080p59.94 | 1080p59.94 | None | |
| 4K/UHD | 24 | HDMI 4K Output | 24p | 2160p23.98 | 2160p23.98 | None |
| 25 | 25p | 2160p25 | 2160p25 | None | ||
| 30 | 30p | 2160p29.97 | 2160p29.97 | None | ||
Understanding audio settings
The audio settings on the Shogun are bit more complicated than they need be:
Audio In has three options:
- Mic level (-40 dBu) – Use this when connecting microphones to record audio.
- Line level (-10 dBV) – This is actually the ‘consumer line level’ (unbalanced). This is rarely to be used unless you’re connecting to home audio equipment.
- Pro level (+24 dBu) – This is probably wrongly represented. It should be +4 dBu and is the ‘professional line level’ (balanced), to be used with pro studio gear.
Audio Out is the Gain you apply to the audio out or headphone
Input Gain is the Gain you apply for incoming audio or microphone
Overall, the Shogun is pretty easy to configure. Once you lock on to your desired video and audio needs, you hardly need to change anything.
Important: If you’re inputting audio to the camera (via a microphone) and recording in the Shogun, the audio can be out of sync.
