F5: F5/55 Firmware Schedule

Nate Weaver

Nate Weaver

Veteran
I hope I don't incur the wrath of Sony NJ, this screen grab is from Juan Martinez's presentation at Rule Boston earlier in the week.

He shows a slide with the proposed firmware feature rollout across firmware versions. I'm sure at this point things are subject to change, but one of the things about Sony that I *love* is that they always have a plan, and they almost always stick to it. As compared to some other manus. Ahem.



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it does seem a little odd to me that they would have to implement so much of the cameras' functions by way of updates. i could see one or two things that came up as the camera was ready to ship out.
 
I keep forgetting that this thing will do 2K raw, scaled from s35. It will be such a cool feature, not everyone wants 4K and not many want windowed 2K.
 
Of course, the 4K features with the F5 require the AXS-5 recorder.

There is a lot to implement in this camera. Sony could have chosen to release it later rather than sooner (much later) or as I think they have very fairly (and uncharacteristically) done by releasing both camera and a road map. I would rather have a road map than either a buggy release of features or a camera with no idea of future updates.

Ned
 
This looks correct to me for the F5. The F55 would have 4k XAVC released in 1.1 and 180HFR released in v1.2.

What is quite contrary to Sony's pro website for the F5 are the features planned for release v1.3. The F5 is currently promoted as offering only 60p out of the box, 120p with planned 2k XAVC/HD upgrade, and 120fps 2k RAW.

But here on this chart we see "240p 2K RAW" while the initial announcement indicated 120p 2k RAW. Perhaps this is a easter egg :cool:
 
2K RAW 240p?? I thought 120p was the maximum for the F5.

Did they give you a timeline for each firmware update?
 
i guess i don't understand how a road map precludes bugs. presumably (i'm happy to be shown how this is wrong), if they haven't yet implemented the codecs, they can't have fully tested them.
 
The codecs are already implemented on their development hardware and software systems, and engineers already know what the computer and hardware inside the F5/F55 are capable of but it will take more time to actually develop, code, test, optimize, and eliminate any bugs that happen along the way before they release updates to the public.

This is what you get when you buy into a company who has decades of experience developing professional hardware and software that runs it, and it allows them to go early to market with new hardware and a base set of features and then let the software updates manage new functionality and features. This is really the trend lately, look at Sound Devices PIX device - no nobody saw it turning into a RGB 444 recorder but it happened with just a new firmware patch.

If we're lucky, Sony put enough of a computer in the F5/F55 to allow possibly some specs or features not even being discussed right now. :happy:
 
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mmyeah... you mean, you don't really know. :D

SD didn't market the pix as a 444 recorder.
 
MPB said:
mmyeah... you mean, you don't really know. :D
Click to expand...

I think all we can go on is Sony's track record. They tend to do what they say they're going to do, in my experience, give or take a month or so.

Faster frame rates means more software optimization. To claim a given framerate works, my guess is it already works, but not for 12 hours straight or whatever criteria they feel safe with. I've seen a log file from my F3...it's a very, very busy computer inside these cameras.
 
MPB said:
mmyeah... you mean, you don't really know. :D

SD didn't market the pix as a 444 recorder.
Click to expand...

I think its pretty logical for a company like Sony to plan enough in advance to know what their hardware can do, that's my point. And the face SD may or may not have known in advance, is only proof that added features or positive changes are possible.
 
those are reasonable enough answers, regarding expectations at least. i guess my point is that it isn't at all unusual to see bugs even after a hardware or firmware release. but to announce a product months ahead of time, marketing specific features, only to do a staged release seems like an indication that we're far from the stage of working out final bugs.

isn't this why Red has so many issues?

i'm not trying to be a nay-sayer, but given past conversations regarding marketing strategies vs sony playing their cards so close to the vest, vs web chatter and speculation... it's all speculation til it's in our hands. of course sony has a plan for a major product release. i guess i wonder how many bumbs in the road remain if they're adopting a strategy that appears to be a release of a not-quite-finished product.

txdp said:
What is the timeline
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that's a pretty good question, too.
 
I personally wouldn't buy any product where the features I need or want are not ready at the time I buy it.
Look at the FS700's 4k feature or the F3's S Log $4k down to $800 to FREE.
 
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