F3: Battery Question Concerning the Sony PMW-F3

A

Adroitone

Active member
Hello everyone,

I have a question concerning my Sony F3. I'm looking to buy a gold mount plate, but I'm a little concern I might buy the wrong one and completely damage my camera. I see there are gold mounted plates that are specifically made for the F3, but I'm wondering if I can buy a gold mount plate that has an XLR 4 pin cable not specifically made for the F3. Here is the one I'm looking at: https://www.bhphotovideo.com/bnh/co...ap=y&m=Y&c3api=1876,91442438522,&Q=&A=details

Any help you can give will be appreciated. (By the way, I'm in love with the F3. The image that camera can produce amazes me every time I turn it on.)
 
The 4-pin XLR connector on the F3 (and pretty much every other camera with a 4-pin power input) requires a nominal 12 volts. The battery plate doesn't do anything except hold onto the battery, and provide a 4-pin XLR connector with however much power the battery puts out.
 
I've had three different kinds of V-lock plates with 4 pin outs on my F3s. As ed-inc notes, it's generally a straight pass through from the battery of choice into the camera, which will helpfully tell you how many volts supply the battery has left. You should be fine.
 
Thank you both for your response. Definitely appreciate it. I have been slowly building up my rig for the F3 and I've been having a hard time finding info and accessories. I know the camera is old (in technology terms) and discontinued, but man. (I absolutely cannot find the F3's mic holder anywhere).
 
You don't need the mic holder, just get a Rycote Duo Lyre, hot shoe support mount. It's the best shock mount for a camera.
http://rycote.com/microphone-windshield-shock-mount/camera-mic-shock-mounts/

I love the Berkey System, and the Wooden Camera battery plates, The F3 deals with the regulated 12v voltage well, other cameras maybe not so well, like the Canon C series, they need a voltage regulator in line with the adapter ( usually built in to the AB plates that work with the C series cameras )

That F3 puts out a great 1080 image!
 
If you put something like a Berkey plate on top of the camera (highly recommended) you also go with a Sony CAC12 mike holder screwed into it. (You will need to hollow out the pre drilled holes a bit to accommodate the spacing and size of the threaded holes in the Berkey)
 
I completely agree that one of the first accessories to get is the Berkey top (cheese) plate. I've found myself using the Berkey plate to mount a wide variety of things to the F3 - Zacuto EVF / monitor / recorder / even a lightweight teleprompter for hand-held use! One other attachment that's been useful has been a small 1/4" threaded post which I mount near the back of the top plate (on the 'assistant' side) so the audio person has a place to safety their quick release cable -- rather than put it through the mic holder, which on the F3 would mean needing to get the shock mount fixed after the first tug!
 
The F3 so slowly sips on its batteries that I prefer to run it just with the internal batteries now. You can just use cheap knock offs from eBay fine.
 
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