Sony cameras and the "video look".

[Simon Shasha]

Time and time again, I've heard countless people say that Sony cameras suffer from the "video look". Shane Hurlbut said the same thing to me when I asked him his thoughts on the FS700 via his blog - he said Sony make good news and sports cameras, but not good cinematic cameras (I'd link you guys to the blog, it was the "C300 vs Alexa" blog-post, but he seems to have deleted it?).

Now, I've seen some pretty cinematic looking videos come out of the FS100 (Philip Bloom's 'Portrait of a Boxer' for example), but I have also seen some extremely "home-videoish" looking stuff too - however, I have seen cinematic and "home-videoish" stuff coming from the C300 and RED cameras also.

Of course, the camera isn't everything - lighting and art-direction contribute perhaps more than anything to giving a film a cinematic feel. However, narrowing in strictly of the visual aesthetics of Sony cameras alone, would you guys say that Sony cameras suffer from the "video look", or is it more to do with the person behind the camera? I personally go with the latter - I believe it is the person behind the camera - and I say this with conviction due to recently watching 'Another Earth' (shot on the Sony EX3) and 'Monsters' (also shot on the Sony EX3). Speaking of which, 'Another Earth' had a really cool 16mm vibe to it.

Anyway, what do you guys think; do Sony cameras suffer from the "video look", or is it more to do with the person behind the camera?

[mraaron895]

From my experience with my FS100, Sony definitely has it's own unique look. It's not a bad look in my opinion, you just have to know how to use the right lens/lighting combiniation for your desired look. In other words it's not the car, it's the nut behind the wheel.

[FrameFarmMedia]

Isn't Shane on Canons payroll? If so then I would take it with a grain of salt if not then I would have asked for clarification as to what he meant.

Great DOP so I mean no disrespect by this question... I just find the big companies have so many 'spokesmen' in the industry its hard to tell what is honest opinion and what is someones allegiance to a brand.

[richg101]

well the sony f3 is only bettered by its bigger brother and the alexa. they look almost as good as film.

[Ian-T]

... they look almost as good as film.

Film? I forgot what film even looks like. The line for me was "The Avengers." It was on this forum that I found out it was shot on the Alexa.. Outside of that nobody else could have told me it wasn't shot on film.

As far as the comments about Sony looking like digital cameras....I always thought the same. But if one doesn't color correct like they are supposed to...then...shame on them. Out of the box I think the Sony's just look cooler (I mean the color seems coolish vs Panasonics warmish and often greenish type of look). Every camera has their disticnt look...out-of-the-box. Add a good colorist to the mix and none would be the wiser. IMO

[maranfilms]

I thought this fs100 film had a very cinematic look to it. plus it had a really cool story backing it up.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=tC6VizgTISg

[David W. Jones]

It's the carpenter not the hammer.

[morgan_moore]

If you want an s35 sensor, onboard XLR and no crazy moiree (5d2) or softness to eliminate that moiree (5d3) and less than $10k I doint think you have an option that is not Sony apart from the Af100

If you have a bunch of cash you can get a Sony F65 which I guess is as filmic as any digital camera..

So really its just a pointless forum discussion unless you are evaluating C300 Vs F3, cameras that I would personally avoid as I feel Id put the money towards a Red at that level

S

[Postmaster]

As long as we have no mechanical shutter, it will always look a bit videoish.
I think it´s more in the motion than in the emulsion simulation.
SO the F65 is as close as you can get in the moment and from what I saw so far, even closer than the Alexa.

Frank

[kylevant]

To be honest, having watched Sony F3 and AF100 footage side-by-side, I must say: Sony feels more like "cinema" out of the box. And the Sony was shooting at 25i... don't ask, no one wanted to listen to me... but it was proof enough for me.