Is the F3 a baby F35?

U

ultramaze

Active member
If the C100 is a baby C300.... Is the same true with the F3 and F35? Do they share similar sensors? I know that f35 is CCD but at least with color science and the ways both cameras react to light and skin tones, have any of you guys found them comparable?
 
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Not even close.

The F35 was a $250,000 camera once upon a time that used a CCD based sensor and had serious magic with it's internal image processing full of mojo and meant to really emulate the amazing characteristics of film. Some amazing TV series and commercials were shot with this marvel camera, and many including myself believe it holds up to really any new "cinematic" camera on the market including Alexa.

The F3 uses a CMOS sensor and although it's really great at low light like night vision goggles without the green tint, the image to me at least (I did own one for 3 years) is no where close to the F35 in any way shape or form. Many people believed the F3 was the baby Alexa but I disagree. That's another thread all together.
 
Thanks for clarifying this. A used F3 is super cheap now days and so I was considering getting one over a used C300 with slog and a 10bit recorder. I'm needing a solid 1080p camera and have a $4,000 to spend
 
Would you suggest me to wait a few extra months to save up a little extra cash to go the extra mile and get F35? Is it like a substantial upgrade for a not so substantial fee?....
 
True true. Also I don't own any PL lenses. I own a set of CONTAX Zeiss lenses. I shoot doc style stuff and want a great 1080p 10bit image. Good audio. ND. That's why I was thinking F3. Even over C300. That 10bit 4:2:2 is so tempting
 
Just go for F3 for now, it has FZ mount so you can get any adapter for it you need. F35 is PL only with limited, if any, adapter use.

Pix 240i is a good recorder for F3 so you can get 1080p in 60p from the camera. It can only record 720p in 60p internally and again it's all 8-bit if internal.
 
Thank you so much for your help here. Is the pix 240i the only recorder available that does 1080 60p? Odyssey doesn't do it?
 
Lot's of recorders will do 1080p 60p, like Odyssey, BlackMagic Assist, just check the specs. The F3 does 3G over port A, so that means you can get 60p in HD.
 
Hi Ultramaze.
The F3 is a great camera (I love mine), but not so ergonomic compared to many newer cameras.
You can probably find one for less than $2K today.
The F35 is a cinema camera. It's heavy and definitely not doc material.
I would suggest that if you do get a recorder that you consider getting a newer Video Devices one like the PIx-E5 or E7.
Even new it is cheaper than a used 240i
The new PIX's can do 4K and will be of use going forward beyond the F3.
The major difference between the E7 and the E5 besides size (the 5" screen is more practical in my opinion) is that the E7 is set up for dual SDI and the E5 is not.
If you want 60p than everything depends on whether you have the paid SLOG upgrade or not for the F3.
If you do, the E5 is sufficient. If you don't, but want 60p the E7 can give you that.
 
yoclay, I always forget - so you do you need the paid update on the F3 in order to get single 3G link? (1080p 60p over one SDI cable)
 
Thanks yoclay. Is there a reason youre suggesting the PIx-E5 or E7 over an atomos? I really like the new Shogun that just came out with the HDR screen. Seems to do the same framerates and resolutions.
 
Here's a thread where I outline various recorder options you might want to check out. It's geared to the F35 however, so note that with the F3 you can send full 1080p 60p over 3G… with the F35 you need a recorder that has two 1.5G SDI inputs, or have to buy a SDI multiplexer to take 2 SDI cables from the F35 and combine them into one 3G cable to the recorder.

http://www.dvxuser.com/V6/showthread.php?345168-recorder-options-for-F35

There is a thread for everything already on DVX :beer:
 
Grug said:
We always called it a 'Baby Alexa' rather than a 'Baby F35'.
Click to expand...

1948036_10f2c4.jpg
 
ultramaze said:
If the C100 is a baby C300.... Is the same true with the F3 and F35? Do they share similar sensors? I know that f35 is CCD but at least with color science and the ways both cameras react to light and skin tones, have any of you guys found them comparable?
Click to expand...

I remember when the F3 came out, there were a bunch of tests done with it at USC. The F3 is actually pretty darn capable, but only if you were going SDI out. The best footage with it was recorded to an SRW-1 / SPC-1 combo deck. That stuff looked cutable with (thought not identical to) the F35's footage. Going to the on board memory cards though... ugh. I'd imagine an F3 and an odyssey 7q+ would probably be a solid rig, though Im sure someone else here can speak to that better than I can.
 
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