F5: Buring S16mm lenses on the F5/55!

Sparky874

Sparky874

Well-known member
Hello all. Can I just confirm something please (which I am very excited about and have only just read about!). If you use the new centre scan option on the F5 and F55 which came out with the latest upgrade, you can then use any s16mm lens with a PL mount on the camera? I think this is the case, and if so, is amazing news! These lenses are a fraction of the price of 35mm ones if you are only planning to shoot 2k or HD for the moment, would be an amazing option. In addition when using this function, when using a 35mm lens, doubles the focal length! So my RED 17-50 becomes a RED 34-100. Please don't tell me I'm wrong about this, it's so exciting!

Another quick one to throw out there - if you had the funds to buy an F55 would you, or would you just get an F5 and keep the rest for accessories etc?

Thanks, Sparky!
 
yes sir, double the FOV of your 35mm lenses, and normal FOV or your s16 lenses with center-scan enabled.

Regarding F5 vs F55, if I didn't have the money for an F55 over an F5 I would still buy the F55 let's put it that way. :)

4k XAVC has a lot more uses than even the 4k 16-bit linear RAW eating up nearly 4 times the disk space. Plus the RAW recorder and media will set you back $10k - do you need that 99% of the time? Not to mention the F55 gives you simultaneous proxy recording of 4k XAVC + HD MPG, Extended Color Gamut, 4k output via SDI, global shutter, silver FZ mount, etc....
 
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starcentral said:
yes sir, double the FOV of your 35mm lenses, and normal FOV or your s16 lenses with center-scan enabled.

Regarding F5 vs F55, if I didn't have the money for an F55 over an F5 I would still buy the F55 let's put it that way. :)

4k XAVC has a lot more uses than even the 4k 16-bit linear RAW eating up nearly 4 times the disk space. Plus the RAW recorder and media will set you back $10k - do you need that 99% of the time? Not to mention the F55 gives you simultaneous proxy recording of 4k XAVC + HD MPG, Extended Color Gamut, 4k output via SDO, global shutter, silver FZ mount, etc....
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Thanks for confirming that, great news. Do you know if you can assign the centre scan function to a button so you can switch quickly between the two?
 
I'd have to check the option list for assignable buttons, but I don't think so.

To switch the scan mode its not too far buried in the menu but I could see why a button would be desired.
 
Another example of why the 5/55 are 'nearly good' cameras. It is obvious to me that digital punch should be right at the finger tip with roll and focus check
 
It appears no matter what Sony gives us it ain't enough for some people . . . especially for some people who don't even own the camera. If there was an assign button for crop mode, the same people would just ***** that it doesn't work by telepathy. Show me another camera that does crop mode at the touch of button and I'll concede that Sony has blown it. Hell, I don't even think there's another 4K camera that even offers a crop mode.

it literally takes me less than 10 seconds to make the change back and forth. Yeah, what a hardship. I'm crying all the way to the bank.
 
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I have to agree with Doug, calling the F5/F55 "nearly good" is quite an understatement. There will always be something to nit pick about but truth is it's the most versatile cameras on the market, and for the money nothing else comes close.
 
LeavingTheCandy said:
Panasonic's GH2 and GH3 center-crop with the touch of a button. (assignable).
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First of all, neither of those cameras is a professional video camera. They are cameras that are designed for still photography that just happen to be able to record video clips. That's hardly the same thing as the F55.
And second of all, those camera have digital zooms, not Center Scan.
 
Ummm, I never compared them to the F55. You asked, "Show me another camera…"

As for them not being "professional cameras", I think you're elitist attitude isn't reflective of reality. There are PLENTY of "professionals" using DSLR's in a pro capacity. Ever hear of the 5D Mark II? I'd bet there's more video created with that camera (used commercially) than the F55 will make during it's entire life-span.

I also never said that they have "center scan". I said "center-crop". Regardless of the technical way in which they achieve this, it directly correlates to the original poster's question and accomplishes the same thing: using a lens with a smaller image-circle to get acceptable results.
 
LeavingTheCandy said:
The infinitely little have a pride infinitely great.
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I don't know why you've decided to attack my character, but I guess you feel that bolsters your argument or something? Nice.

Anyway, I do have one more question for you. Can you point me to any docummentation or reliable source that shows the G2 or G3 have a true center crop scan mode, and not just a ordinary digital zoom? If what you say is true, please provide the evidence.
 
I don't need need my "confidence bolstered". I'd like to point-out that I responded to the challenge (at your posted request) to point out another camera which crops the sensor, which I did. Your response was negative and condescending, in spite of my good-spirited intent, which was only facts.

The camera's ETC mode, simply samples the 1920x1080 pixel area in the center of the 4976x2800 sensor. So, you still get full-resolution with a 2.6 crop factor.

http://m43photo.blogspot.com/2011/01/moon-photography-and-gh2-etc.html
http://www.luminous-landscape.com/reviews/cameras/panasonic_gh2_11_mode_revealed.shtml

Get your facts straight before you choose to dismiss valid responses. This shall serve as MY unwillingness to discuss this any further.
 
What's lost in this pettiness is the welcome news that Sony is constantly adding real functionality and improvement to the 4K line, and ought to be commended for responding to what DP's are asking for. Personally I don't foresee using S16 lenses,although I see the appeal for people owning them, but I am intrigued with other uses for the 2K with 35mm lenses. I need to explore more what the potential is, but it sounds interesting. As far as button pushing goes, when a system has as many options and configurations as the 5 and 55, it's impractical to make every function just a button push away.
 
LOL! Yes, sorry Barons.
For we lens junkies, a cropped sensor is a God-send toward using some of the great, lower-cost lenses.
Great that Sony is listening (sometimes). ;)
 
This has all got a little silly. I am getting an F55 next week and can't wait. The centre scan news that I first learned after watching Doug Jensen's excellent vimeo clip on it was great to hear (great work Doug). Like you Doug, I am going to move on my PDW-700, and F35, (can't sell F3 for only £3k which sadly its going price now) and use the F55 for everything. Should be a great camera to see me through the next few years or so. Sparky x
 
Sparky874 said:
if you had the funds to buy an F55 would you, or would you just get an F5 and keep the rest for accessories etc?

Thanks, Sparky!
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I'd vote for the F55. Just started using the F55 for "A" cam on a show with F3 as "B"cam. Great combination. Love the global shutter of the F55.
 
Doug Jensen said:
It appears no matter what Sony gives us it ain't enough for some people . . . especially for some people who don't even own the camera. If there was an assign button for crop mode, the same people would just ***** that it doesn't work by telepathy. Show me another camera that does crop mode at the touch of button and I'll concede that Sony has blown it. Hell, I don't even think there's another 4K camera that even offers a crop mode.

it literally takes me less than 10 seconds to make the change back and forth. Yeah, what a hardship. I'm crying all the way to the bank.
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Doug, maybe my 'nearly good' was the wrong thing to say, maybe I should have said 'nearly brilliant', 'nearly gamechanging' or something.

There is no denying the F5/55 are good cameras.

To fully expand on the subject is very complex and really related to economics, business models and 'ways of shooting'

I certainly could afford the F5, but chose to pass on it just as I did the Red Scarlet and Canon C300. I have picked up a used F3 for £3k ( :) ) which will keep me going for a while, while cameras drop in price and a 4k infrastructure becomes manageable through my entire workflow. I hope to get a used one in a year or two.

-----

Last week I did a job at a show in Amsterdam, I would be on my feet for 14hour days and the airline allocation was one carry on (cameras) and one hold bag (sticks+clothes).

The job you might say had two sections, some live coverage and interviews, and using downtime to pick up some 'pretties' that would make the opening and closing sequences sing.

I knew that the live coverage would require very fast operating, for example covering a speech (the action) and then grabbing applause at the end of it (the reaction)

In an 'action and reaction' environment 10 seconds is an absolute age, the applause to a corporate speech can easily die in 3 seconds.

When planning the job it became apparent to me that I would need a 'proper video camera' to cover half of this job (the action reaction)- a camera with a large zoom range (and a focus check button on the finger tip, easy audio pots, IS, et al)

I chose my EX1 to be my 'A' camera for the trip.

Now the EX1 is not too good at 'pretties' so I filled the rest of my carry on allowance with a camera system that would allow me to shoot the 'pretties'..

I chose my NEX5n and a couple of fast primes to fill that space - the NEX and a 50 1.8 does have a great look for the mass/size it added to the camera package.

So I own and F3 and left it at home.

If I owned an F5 I probably would have left that at home to and still chosen to travel with my EX1 and Nex5n

The F5 is marginally usable in an action and reaction environment , if you own a cabrio, or maybe ENGzoom/converter combo*, it comes closer, if the focus check, audio pots, and crop mode were accessible in an instant it would come a lot closer for covering 'action and reaction'

Sony have incredible tech in the 5/55 cameras, powerful chips/processors, proper ND; the engine of these cameras is awesome, it would seems to me that developing 'telepathic' or at least 'brilliant' ergonomics would be a small part of the development budget and probably add nothing to the final cost.

Maybe a nice lanc controller that did add to the cost - but I wold buy it at the drop of a hat because it would entirely change the camera's usability.

Mix the 5/55 and 17-55 and a single button crop mode at the finger tip would hugely move the cameras towards being usable for 'action reaction' filming meaning the single camera would become appropriate for both 'the pretties' and the 'action reaction' - such design would 'change the game' and relegate my EX1/NEX5n to the bin of history.

From where I sit in that poor little world of single carry on budgets and no assistants I still feel the 5/55 are only 'nearly good'

S


*although both the cabrio and ENGlens/converter would probably put it over the carry on limit and the 'carryable for 14 hours' limit
 
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