F3 used as a run and gun camera on recent tennis shoot..

Sparky874

Sparky874

Well-known member
Hello all. I recently covered a grassroots tennis event and decided to leave my PDW-700 at home and take out the F3 with a red 17-50 pl lens. I used it all day on a Easyrig camera support which proved a really strong combination. Here is the film I put together for the events website, I was pretty happy with the images and it was nice to be able to use the camera for this type of event.

 
Very interesting and really nice images!
Could you elaborate more on your setup and how shooting ENG style worked with this camera? Eg how did you pull focus, did you work with an assistant aso
For me the obvious choice would have been the PDW, of course I like the F3, but I so far see its strength in more controllable environments...
 
Nice shots indeed. Love the Red 17-50 on the F3.
The easyRig looks like it worked very well. I couldn't shoot all day with the F3 on my shoulder and get steady shots like you did. Did you use a any shoulder baseplate? EVF?
 
looks really good, Sparky. i've used the 17-50 on the f3, with an easyrig. it's a good combo, i try to stay with lighter lenses for all-day run-n-gun, but the easyrig makes it a little easier.

what did you use for a viewfinder? and can i ask about your picture settings, or was this graded?
 
sparky and F3 rig.jpg
Thanks all. I used an Easyrig, a movietube rig to mount the camera on, and a Chrosziel follow focus unit for the Red zoom, plus a tv logic monitor resting on a noga arm for the viewfinder. I recorded SLOG to in the internal cards using a profile I developed. As long as I kept everything around the 50-60% on my IRSE bars, everything looked pretty good and was very quick to grade using a couple of colour curves I've made. I think I'm am going to use this set-up on a lot more of my projects going forward.
 
Looks great! Can't imagine shooting with the F3 run and gun all day. It's not the lightest or most ergonomic of cameras.

:-)
 
ikander said:
Looks great! Can't imagine shooting with the F3 run and gun all day. It's not the lightest or most ergonomic of cameras.

:-)
Click to expand...

I do it all the time. After throwing $$$$ in the right places, its perfect now. Well balanced, right weight,VF etc. It can be done.
 
I'm with Jason. Spend enough money on the right bits and it's eminently shootable. With lighter lenses and an onboard battery (as opposed to an outboard plate for v-mount or AB), it's not at all heavy. I'm holding off on the expense of the evf mount with berkey plate right now, making do with a noga arm til the camera brings in some more cash. But kitted out, I'm pretty happy with it on the shoulder.
 
Does anyone know if it is possible to purchase the Kinomatik MovieTube CR shown above in a reduced configuration with just the baseplate/shouldermount and rods bits that extend horizontally from the baseplate?

I have only been able to source out a few dealers in Europe and nothing in North America. If anyone knows of a North American dealer that would help.
 
Hi Jason and MPB, what kind of set-up would you recommend to shoot handheld for long periods using the F3? Ideally I want it on my shoulder so I was thinking of getting the Vocas rig, possibly something like the Z-Finder EVF viewfinder. I'm debating with myself whether to get the "K" kit with the three Sony prime lenses, or whether to buy the body only and then get a RED 18-50mm (which I've read many people recommend) or a SCL-Z18x140 lens. I'd really appreciate any advice, tips or anything else you you could recommend for shooting handheld with the F3?

I need to be able to shoot quickly and with flexibility, repositioning myself and framing new shots without stopping or interrupting my subjects, adjust focus and aperture quickly if necessary, and also be prepared for something spontaneous happening and having to capture it as quickly as possible.
 
Here's what my Vocas rig looks like. Nowadays it has a Alphatron EVF which is way better then the Cineroid.
Cheeseplate on top and backside are essential as well.
IMG_3815.jpg
 

Attachments

  • IMG_3816.jpg
    IMG_3816.jpg
    110.1 KB · Views: 0
Hi Thomas, this set-up looks absolutely awesome! What a great job. This is exactly the kind what I'm trying to achieve it looks perfect. Can you break what you have here down for me in more layman's terms - I'm a relative newcomer. Is that a standard vocus rig like this with one of their wooden grips (is the wooden grip worth the extra cost in your opinion?). How has the Alphatron EVF improved the set-up? What lens have you got on there? And why are the cheesplate's essential? Your help here would be really appreciated it's hard to find this kind of info out, not many people seem to want to use the F3 in this way.
 
Hi Lew15,

yes that's a standard Vocas rig and I treated myself to the wooden grip. It is expensive but if you shoot hand-held all day it feels much better on your hand. Also if you pull your own focus its nicer to have your hands closer to the lens.That lens is a Nikon 17-55 2.8 with an Prolock adapter allowing for smooth aperture control.
On top is a Berky Cheesplate and on the back a Zacuto Zwiss plate with a IDX V-lock adapter that also has a 7.2 volt outlet to feed the viewfinder.
all these cheese plates make the camera heavier but also much stronger
Nowadays I use the alphatron EVF with a Solid Camera mount ( look at the pic below)
it has a much better image which is essential pulling focus yourself but it is a much bigger unit . And the Solid allows you to move it around smoothly without meshing up your horizon as a noga arm would.
btw the Alphatron is 12 V so it takes power straight from the V-lock.F31.jpg
I shoot a lot of walking around docu stuff and this setup allows me to do that.
Forgot to say that's an Vocas Followfocus. very nice small unit with no mechanical play.
 
Here's what I have, and can finally say that " I think I'm finished", Now it's complete camera.
As for the Sony prime lens, I would stay away. The build quality is very "cheap" Now the Zoom might be a good option for you. If you want a full range zoom and don't want to pay much, but the resale will be limited etc. I have the Elements ( http://elementtechnica.mybigcommerce.com/sony-f3-accessories/ ) plate which is great and the first perfect option for handheld. You must have a unit that will go from tripod to shoulder without having to add or remove a thing. That is what slows you down and gets old.
DSC_2487.jpgDSC_2489.jpg
 
Last edited:
Hey Thomas, thanks very much for the info! I was actually going to ask about the aperture control using the Nikon 17-55, can it be adjusted on the lens while shooting? If I'm not mistaken the RED 18-50mm can. Also what about image stabilization, that was another concern I had about shooting with zoom lenses that are not specifically designed for the F3, especially when zoomed in close on something, do you ever have problems with this?

I'm also wondering about smooth aperture control, does the Nikon allow for that or is it fixed aperture f-stops (if it allows you to control it at all?)

(edited to add the bit about aperture control)
 
Last edited:
Thanks Jason I will check out the Elements. That's exactly right about the unit, I don't want to have to spend too much time taking it off a tripod and getting it onto my shoulder.

So you don't even think it's worth bothering with the Sony prime lenses that come with the F3 "K"? I felt like it would be good to have them so I have the option of using them, but I'm beginning to think they aren't worth the extra cost, especially if I could just invest in a good zoom lens which would be my main lens. I'm just wondering if it would be worth getting something with a little more range than a 18-50 or 17-55mm.
 
Last edited:
Lew15 said:
I'm also wondering about smooth aperture control, does the Nikon allow for that or is it fixed aperture f-stops (if it allows you to control it at all?)
... Also what about image stabilization,
Click to expand...

NO Image stabilization with Nikon lenses damn

17-55 is G lens without iris ring but Nikon adapters usually add an Iris ring that allows smooth adjustment with G lenses or Irised lensesbut you can't see the f stops except with the Prolock adapter. You can also have your iris rings on 17-35 or 24-70 etc declicked .

Yes you certainly do want longer range than 17-55 but won't get it in one lens.
 
You must log in or register to reply here.
Back
Top