Production Accessories

Odyssey7Q / 7Q+ Setup Reference (2026)

Match the model, signal and recording mode before you trust a take.

7Q hardware · 7Q+ firmware 2018.03 manual

Download setup & offload sheet

Camera
Output→Odyssey
Input + mode→SSD
Saved file

HDMI input limits by model

Input	Odyssey7Q	Odyssey7Q+
Maximum modes	1080p30	UHD 30 fps; DCI 4K 24 fps; 1080p60
Bit depth / color	8-bit 4:2:2	10-bit 4:2:2

Odyssey7Q

HDMI: up to 1080p30
8-bit 4:2:2

Odyssey7Q+

HDMI: UHD up to 30 fps
DCI 4K up to 24 fps
1080p up to 60p · 10-bit 4:2:2

HDMI input limits. Higher SDI modes use different paths. See sources and port details below.

Before recording: five checks

1. Read model, firmware and activated keys.
2. Match the camera output to the detected input.
3. Choose video or RAW mode and saved codec.
4. Check media, LUT, trigger, audio and timecode.
5. Record, stop and play the saved file.

Last updated October 23, 2026.

Sections9

• Identify your Odyssey7Q model and firmware
• Odyssey7Q versus 7Q+: check HDMI first
• Match Odyssey7Q mode to the camera and option
• Set the Odyssey7Q signal path
• Route the Odyssey7Q LUT deliberately
• Verify Odyssey7Q triggering with sound and timecode
• Prepare and offload Odyssey7Q SSDs
• Odyssey7Q reference FAQ
• Odyssey7Q setup verdict

An Odyssey7Q setup starts with the exact model, camera output and recorder mode. A picture on the screen does not prove that it can save that signal in the format you want. Check the path, then record and play back a short take before the shoot.

The original Odyssey7Q and the Odyssey7Q+ share a name family but have different HDMI limits. This reference uses archived official pages and firmware-labelled manuals. Match the camera output, recorder mode, installed options and SSDs before recording. Check the saved file, including sound and timecode, in the edit system you plan to use. Keep the camera recording as backup.

Identify your Odyssey7Q model and firmware

Read the model on the unit, then open its system information. The 2018.03 manual's System Status section describes the ABOUT display. Record the firmware version and activated keys on the setup sheet. Do not infer either from the case or a seller's description.

This guide uses three main sources:

• The archived official Odyssey7Q page for the original model's hardware limits.
• The archived official Odyssey7Q+ page for the later model and separate RAW Bundle upgrade.
• Convergent Design's Odyssey7Q+ manual for firmware 2018.03 for the setup and modes below. Page references use the printed page numbers.

These are historical specifications. They do not establish current stock or prices. Current support, warranty and activation-key sales are also unverified. Keep a firmware change separate from a booked shoot. The manual advises against updating in the middle of a shoot.

Odyssey7Q versus 7Q+: check HDMI first

The original 7Q's archived specification lists HDMI up to 1080p30, 8-bit 4:2:2. Do not plan a 4K HDMI recording on that model. A higher-resolution SDI capability does not change the HDMI hardware limit.

For the 7Q+, the 2018.03 manual, pages 5–6 lists 10-bit 4:2:2 HDMI input with these limits:

• HD 1920 × 1080 up to 60p.
• UHD 3840 × 2160 up to 30 fps.
• DCI 4K 4096 × 2160 up to 24 fps.

Its HDMI output is listed separately: 8-bit 4:2:2 up to 1080p30. Input and output are different paths. Do not assume a device downstream receives the same high-resolution signal that enters the recorder.

The 7Q+ has two dedicated SDI inputs, two dedicated SDI outputs and two switchable SDI input/output ports, plus HDMI in and out. The manual, pages 4–6 lists 6G-SDI, dual-link 3G-SDI and quad-link 3G-SDI paths for 4K/UHD. Link count and camera output still matter. One cable does not carry every listed mode.

Match Odyssey7Q mode to the camera and option

Separate ordinary video from camera RAW. RAW is camera data that needs its matching recorder mode and enabled option. A ProRes output file does not always remove that need. ProRes derived from a camera RAW feed is still a RAW-input workflow.

Ordinary video into the 7Q+

The 2018.03 manual, page 6 lists ProRes HQ, 422, LT and Proxy for 4K/UHD video, subject to the input limits above. The general video table includes rates up to 60p. That is not a 4K60 HDMI claim. Read the codec table and per-input limits together.

That page also lists ProRes 4444 and 4444 XQ for 2K/HD paths, and Avid DNxHD 220 and 145 for HD. The DNxHD formats have a separate free activation-key requirement in this manual. Check which keys are active on a used unit and try the required mode. Do not assume every listed format is enabled.

Sony FS RAW on the 7Q / 7Q+

The manual, page 7 names FS5, FS7, FS7 Mark II and FS700 under the RAW Bundle. It lists 4K RAW to DNG at 23.98, 25, 29.97, 50 and 59.94p. It also lists 4K RAW conversions to 4K, UHD, 2K or HD ProRes at those rates.

The page flags 4K RAW 50/59.94p as needing simultaneous recording to two SSDs. It separately lists high-speed 2K modes and camera-specific burst paths. Use the complete table for those cases. Do not apply a headline frame rate to every camera. This guide does not establish camera firmware or extra camera hardware needed to output RAW.

Other camera RAW families

The manual covers ALEXA Classic ARRIRAW and Canon C500/C300 Mark II RAW on page 7, and VariCam LT RAW on page 8. Each has its own combinations and media notes. Use the camera-specific table for your kit. A family name alone does not approve a format, cable path or frame rate.

The manual describes RAW Bundle and Apollo recording upgrades as separate options. Keys are specific to the unit and cannot move between units. Demo recordings have a colored-line watermark. These are historical license rules, not confirmation that a new purchase or rental is possible today.

Set the Odyssey7Q signal path

Use the CAMERA and MONITOR → RECORD choices for the actual signal. The manual's Menu System says CAMERA selection also controls trigger, timecode and LUT integration. A picture-only check can miss the wrong mode.

1. Set the camera output format and rate. Remove its display overlays for a clean feed.
2. Connect the correct HDMI or SDI path. Check the recorder input status, including resolution and rate.
3. Choose the camera family and saved format. Check whether this is video, RAW files or RAW converted to ProRes.
4. Check active options, SSD status and the displayed record mode. A demo watermark fails this check.
5. Make a short recording. Stop and let the file close before playback or media removal.

The manual's introduction, page 2 specifies 6.5–34 V DC and a source able to supply up to 24 W. Use that supply requirement when checking power. Do not size a supply from a lower monitor-only draw. Match the power connector and cable as well as voltage.

Route the Odyssey7Q LUT deliberately

A LUT is a set of image changes used to preview a look. The manual's LUT menu lets you set the OLED display separately from outputs and monitoring tools. A pleasing screen image does not tell you how each output is routed.

• LUT OFF: the output or tool reads the source representation without that LUT adjustment.
• LUT ON: it uses the selected LUT adjustment.
• MIRROR OLED: it follows the OLED image and can include monitoring overlays.

If another device records an Odyssey output, check that device's saved clip too. Waveforms, guides or other overlays on a mirrored output may be unwanted in that recording. Check the saved Odyssey file separately. Do not infer a baked-in look from the display alone.

Verify Odyssey7Q triggering with sound and timecode

Choose the trigger method on purpose. The manual lists the record button, supported camera triggers, remote cable and timecode triggering. Support depends on the camera and path. Connecting HDMI or SDI does not guarantee that the camera record button starts the Odyssey.

For timecode triggering, the Record Trigger section requires SDI/HDMI or LTC as the timecode source and record-run timecode from the camera. A free-running source does not give the same start/stop signal. Confirm a start and a stop, then compare the file with the camera recording.

The Timecode Source section warns that some sources lack timecode and some cameras do not send it at high frame rates. It also says LTC is not supported for ARRIRAW recording. A moving counter does not prove a matching camera clock or sync. Check the actual clips in the edit.

The manual lists 8-channel embedded SDI audio for 4:2:2 video and 2-channel embedded HDMI audio, plus analog input and headphones. These are path-specific figures. Listen, check the correct source and meters, then play the saved sound. Keep an internal camera recording for timecode and backup, as the manual recommends.

Prepare and offload Odyssey7Q SSDs

Use the qualified list for the model and firmware. The 2018.03 manual, page 16 lists specific Samsung families and capacities. A SATA connector that fits does not qualify a current SSD. Do not extend a listed family to every capacity or later model.

Format in the Odyssey only after copies are safe. Formatting erases the media. Stop recording and wait for file closure, then use safe eject. The manual says not to delete clip files on an SSD from a computer. Reuse it through the recorder format process once offload is verified.

Copy complete clip structures and make a backup. Some modes use linked or split media, so do not take only the first file that plays. The Working with Media and Software Utilities sections explain the required transfer tools. Some formats need merging or unpacking as part of that process. This page does not host those programs or assert that an old download still works.

Before clearing the SSD, open the copied material in the edit. Check picture, sound, timecode, clip length and recordings that span media. Keep the camera backup until the whole offload is verified. Our field monitor guide covers the monitoring side of the kit.

Odyssey7Q reference FAQ

Can the original 7Q record 4K over HDMI?

Its archived specification lists HDMI up to 1080p30, 8-bit 4:2:2. Do not apply the 7Q+ table to the original model. The plus model has different HDMI limits. For either model, confirm camera output and detected input before choosing a recording mode. A screen image alone is not a saved-file check.

Does ProRes mean I do not need RAW options?

Not always. Video to ProRes and camera RAW converted to ProRes are different paths. The manual places Sony FS RAW conversions under the RAW Bundle. Check the input type as well as the saved codec, then check the keys on the unit. A ProRes filename alone does not settle the license requirement.

Does a used recorder include a transferable RAW key?

The manual says keys are specific to the unit for which they were purchased and cannot transfer between units. Read the actual recorder's activated-key status and make a sample recording in the required mode. Current sales and rentals are unverified. This guide also does not verify that an activation service is available.

Can I use any SSD with a SATA connector?

Follow the qualified list for the model and firmware, including capacity. The manual limits recording to specified media. Check it in the intended mode, then offload and play the file before the shoot. Keep copies safe before formatting again. A drive being detected is not proof of sustained recording support.

Odyssey7Q setup verdict

A verified Odyssey7Q setup ends with a clean, playable file. Match the model and input to the recording mode. Check its license and media, then check sound and timecode in the edit. Keep the camera recording as a backup. A working monitor image is the start of that check, not the finish.