F35: I've completed my documentary - 4 years after the undertaking

[JPNola]

Great write up.

MacGregor: shooting from atop a moving train with the Sony F35:

https://www.provideocoalition.com/macgregor-shooting-from-atop-a-moving-train-with-the-sony-f35/

"Known for his continued work to find alternative solutions that filmmakers can use to create their stories, he is also known for his passion for the Sony F35, started years ago, when he bought – in 2012 – one and wrote, in a post at DVXUser, “The F35 inherits all the work Panavision developed with the Genesis. I was always in love with this camera when it was launched 3 years ago and now that rental companies (the only ones who could afford them) are getting rid of them I thought, heck, I’ll get one even if I only use it to shoot home videos.”

A minor quibble, but the article states "Shot entirely on a Sony F35 camera, with Nikon lenses". Which suggests it was shot entirely on Nikon lenses and I found that odd since in the bts photos the camera clearly has a Sony CineAlta prime mounted to it. McG cleared that up early in this thread when he shared that he switched to the Sony primes for the last of three sessions.

Among many things I like about McGregor's impressive work in this documentary is that it evidences the high quality that can be achieved with a relatively inexpensive camera and "cheap" glass.

 

[Aaveum]

Astounding work, even if you overlook the shooting conditions. The initiative alone to go there and register this deserves commendation. I really enjoyed it.

 

[SJX]

Yeah, snakebite was released a year ago, google it, it's on vime and youtube.

Slomo on the train docu is all 50i

Ah ok. I saw it now. Very nice. 50i? Your recorder didn't record 50p or is there other reason for 50i?

 

[DarkMatter]

A minor quibble, but the article states "Shot entirely on a Sony F35 camera, with Nikon lenses". Which suggests it was shot entirely on Nikon lenses and I found that odd since in the bts photos the camera clearly has a Sony CineAlta prime mounted to it. McG cleared that up early in this thread when he shared that he switched to the Sony primes for the last of three sessions.

Among many things I like about McGregor's impressive work in this documentary is that it evidences the high quality that can be achieved with a relatively inexpensive camera and "cheap" glass.

Minor quibble as well, but, the F35 was never an ‘inexpensive’ camera. Even though they can be picked up used for bargain basement prices, does not diminsh the fact that the F35 is not a inexpensive camera. Lots of impressive expensive tech packed into that cam.

 

[macgregor]

Ah ok. I saw it now. Very nice. 50i? Your recorder didn't record 50p or is there other reason for 50i?

Yep, hyperdeck limitations!

 

[Aaveum]

Minor quibble as well, but, the F35 was never an ‘inexpensive’ camera. Even though they can be picked up used for bargain basement prices, does not diminsh the fact that the F35 is not a inexpensive camera. Lots of impressive expensive tech packed into that cam.

Agreed. I was going to mention that as well.

As we all know, the F35 was the most expensive camera Sony has ever produced. It was meant to be as nearly without compromises as possible. So taking the results from a F35 as any evidence of what can be achieved with an inexpensive camera, is as inaccurate as saying a certain clip evidences the high quality that can be achieved with a free camera, because it was shot with an Alexa65 which ARRI gifted for free to somebody.

But the quibble is not even so minor when you consider it is part of a larger misconception. Which is that because of the price of the camera head, the F35 is a cheap camera to own, run and shoot with. Sure, one can "DSLRize" it and save in every end he can. But not only will it still be more expensive than a real cheap camera, but he would also be shooting himself in the foot by using a large camera and not getting all it offers.

Even in this documentary with the severe shooting conditions, it's clear care was taken not to sabotage the image by going either too light or too cheap. The great results speak for that.

The F35 is and has always been a very "expensive" camera. It is still a high end system with a high end system price tag. This is the reason for the great results when it concerns the camera, even so long after its release.

I don't mean to lecture. But so often similar claims or points are brought up and they are misleading. Especially for somebody considering using or buying a F35 or to any producer eyeing to hire somebody who proposed to use one for a project.