Hands on with the new Sony F3 "Any questions for Sony"

HDWarrior

HDWarrior

Active member
I have been asked by Sony to attend a hands on "bring your own SxS card" demonstration of the new Sony F3 camcorder next week.

I am planning to interview some Sony chaps with the F3 is there any questions you would like me to ask Sony about the F3 camcorder...the footage and interview will be up on www.hdwarrior.co.uk at the end of next week.
 
What other lenses besides PL and Sony lenses will work? Nikon/Cannon/Leica ?

also what about the new zooms and what will they cost?
 
"any questions you would like me to ask Sony about"

Yes, apparently they're pushing this large pixel size for its light gathering properties. Ask them to do a low light test right there. Let's see what benefits if any come from their claims.
 
WOW LUCKY.

q: whats the glass in the packaged set? Minolta or Zeiss? im assuming its a cine housed body?
q: weather sealed / resistant?
q: what is the sdi-dual link process, is that firmware or hardware upgrade? do we have to send it in, how many days would it take if we did?
q: when can we see a test image :D
 
Will these be working prototypes, or the finished models? I hope they let you post your footage. My only question is, how firm the prices are. I'm sold on the camera - if I can afford it.
OK, one more question - who does Sony market the camera to? Do they expect the biggest sales to come from rental houses?
OK, one more: will there be a cheaper version? Kind of an F3 lite or an NEX-VG10+ ?
 
polfilmblog said:
"any questions you would like me to ask Sony about"

Yes, apparently they're pushing this large pixel size for its light gathering properties. Ask them to do a low light test right there. Let's see what benefits if any come from their claims.
Click to expand...

Don't worry low light issues are high on my agenda, for the $20,000 asking price you would hope...same, if not better that a Canon 5DMk11 in low light.
 
vagarob said:
WOW LUCKY.

q: whats the glass in the packaged set? Minolta or Zeiss? im assuming its a cine housed body?
q: weather sealed / resistant?
q: what is the sdi-dual link process, is that firmware or hardware upgrade? do we have to send it in, how many days would it take if we did?
q: when can we see a test image :D
Click to expand...

Great questions...I arrive back at base next Wednesday evening so I hope to give you chaps a test image the following day.
 
I noticed this comment from my friend Alister Chapman it's great reading...

The noise figure of 63db is extremely impressive. The pictures I saw at IBC were some of the cleanest video images that I have ever seen. Noise performance is crucial in this market as most commercials and movies will receive extensive post work. Generally it is the cameras noise levels that will determine the limits of how far you can push the footage in post. To put this in to some perspective this camera has (according to the specs) over 60% less noise than an EX1. This puts this camera into a different league compared to some of the cheaper competition and puts it much closer to the F35 in terms of what you can do with it.

I can't wait to give one a try.

Alister Chapman
 
HDWarrior said:
I noticed this comment from my friend Alister Chapman it's great reading...

The noise figure of 63db is extremely impressive. The pictures I saw at IBC were some of the cleanest video images that I have ever seen. n
Click to expand...

I saw that post too, and another at Reduser who said it was comparable to Red-X @ 1080 in low light. I was like wow, if thats true i'd be buying this for sure.

when I first saw the specs I didn't think it was impressive, the more I look into it the more I realize its going for Red especially if you combine this with a Cinedeck to get 10-bit 4:4:4 uncompressed!

I told the cinedeck people they should be marketing their product for this camera its a perfect fit!

The Nano is still 8 bit 4:2:2 capped.
 
HDWarrior said:
Don't worry low light issues are high on my agenda, for the $20,000 asking price you would hope...same, if not better that a Canon 5DMk11 in low light.
Click to expand...

Probably more like the 7D than the 5D for lowlight. The lowlight gathering qualities of the latter are pretty much only down to it's sensor size, which is still sizeably bigger than the Sony.
I have seen the 5D outperform even the RED in this regard in certain situations. The Sony will be cleaner though. So maybe less detail in the shadows, but less noise as well.
 
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I would like a definitive answer on this. Does the camera require the dual link HD-SDI to be operational to use the slog function? And then if so does the slog function only operate in 444? Im assuming yes to both.

Also estimate on making the dual link HD-SDI operational.
 
yoclay said:
Probably more like the 7D than the 5D for lowlight. The lowlight gathering qualities of the latter are pretty much only down to it's sensor size, which is still sizeably bigger than the Sony.
I have seen the 5D outperform even the RED in this regard in certain situations. The Sony will be cleaner though. So maybe less detail in the shadows, but less noise as well.
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Not entirely true. It depends on the size of the pixels as well. Since the 5D does throw away lots of data from the sensor in video mode, all that extra light being grabbed on those pixels is lost. The RED also uses small pixels. When going with a larger pixel, if in fact Sony is doing that, they can actually build a pixel from a multitude of actual active area. By doing so, they can use multiple sites as one that can allow circuitry that can reduce noise. In simplistic terms, think of it as redundent pixels. If you averaged them, given a typical noise distribution, you can remove more noise from the sensor.

Now, imagine if the 5D had actually large pixels that used up all that wasted area?!? I bet the noise rejection capability that could be built in would produce some stunning results.
 
The RED isn't all that exceptional for low-light. Most people rate it's native ISO (equivalent to 0db gain) at 250 or 320. At 63db S/N ratio, if this claim is valid, the F3 should be far more sensitive with cleaner video.

vagarob said:
I saw that post too, and another at Reduser who said it was comparable to Red-X @ 1080 in low light. I was like wow, if thats true i'd be buying this for sure.
Click to expand...
 
what is the mount with out the PL adaptor and will there be other adaptors if, so for what lenses?
 
grimepoch said:
Not entirely true. It depends on the size of the pixels as well. Since the 5D does throw away lots of data from the sensor in video mode, all that extra light being grabbed on those pixels is lost. The RED also uses small pixels. When going with a larger pixel, if in fact Sony is doing that, they can actually build a pixel from a multitude of actual active area. By doing so, they can use multiple sites as one that can allow circuitry that can reduce noise. In simplistic terms, think of it as redundent pixels. If you averaged them, given a typical noise distribution, you can remove more noise from the sensor.

Now, imagine if the 5D had actually large pixels that used up all that wasted area?!? I bet the noise rejection capability that could be built in would produce some stunning results.
Click to expand...

I agree, but I suppose the operative word here is "if" they are actually doing that...
 
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HDWarrior said:
The camera takes PL lenses (no adaptor needed) I hope we are looking at Canon/Nikon adaptors.
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This is what was said in SONY's "PRELIMINARY PRODUCT INFORMATION" sheet Lens- "PL mount (w/supplied lens mount adapter)" so I assumed this to mean the camera came with a PL adapter which could be removed to attach the new SONY zooms but I am not sure if any other lenses will work other than PL lenses.
 
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