Just got a new camera - Sony F35

Very cool, I was wondering if I could get away with just using the Mon out on the body and ditch the interface box to save weight, I have the Lut in the viewfinder, but not on the Mon, so I can send S-log out from the body. I still have not figured out how to nail the best exposure yet, I am just guessing from the look in the VF and I use a Pentax digital spot meter, but there has to be a better way to know the best EI for a given shot. Kinda miss the auto meter in the 7D, just push the shutter and it gives you a clue where you are, some guys just put zebras at 60% and use that as their guide, what are you guys using?
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Hey Bob-
Yes, you can get away with just the Mon out. I run it right into my Samurai from the body, no IF box. As far as I can tell it's giving 10-bit 422 output no probs. You just need to turn off any screen info, zebras or any of that stuff in your monitor settings or those will get recorded. I use the exposure and focus tools on my Samurai, so I'm just pulling a clean output from the Monitor SDI out on the body. I'm also looking at making a HyperDeck mod like yachacha's for the times I'll need an EVF. Still on the fence regarding that- the Hyperdeck never inspired a lot of confidence for me. I had one DOA on me and another crap out shortly after getting it.

I have my V-lock battery plate right on an Otto Nemenz cheese that fits into the IF box attachment point. I had some 4 pin XLR to 8 pin Lemo cables, so I hacked one down from 8 feet to 12" to get my power over directly to the camera. So that combined with the Mon out allows me to not use the IF box at all since I'm running sound externally via my sound recordist.

Also, count me for another vote for Barrett Philips' Nikon mod. He and his machinist friend at SmallHD did mine as well. Great work, super communicative, very reasonable. About $1100 as I recall. I have a second front plate that still has the PL mount so I can swap mounts by swapping front plates. Not exactly a quick turn around as you have to remove the optical block from the plate, but if you're careful you can swap them in 30 minutes or so. Not a bad trade off for the extra flexibility.

I'm looking to fly my F35 on a Steadicam on an upcoming shoot, so Bob I offer you thanks for the pics of your F65 Steadi set up. Helps me figure things out.
 
Oh, as far as exposure, I set my zebras to 70 IRE for my whites, 35 IRE for my 18% middle grey. I try to keep skin tones in the mid/upper 40's. I have another zebra setting for that (I do wish the Samurai had waveform monitoring- oh, and 1:1 focus assist. It would well and truly be perfect with those, I think). I don't know if those settings are perfectly accurate scientifically, but I tend to be more of a "looks right to me" guy than a tech spec perfectionist. I'm sure there are folks more experienced than I here who can set straight any misinformation I just barfed out. :)
 
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CaptainSKA said:
Interesting - are you able to buy a second plate? If so, what did that run?
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I bought mine from Macgregor- he had an extra. I can't seem to find them anywhere else, though. I have another one that came with my camera when I bought it and I've hacked and modded it to put a wooden camera handle on it (replacing the stock handle). Looks similar like yachacha's set up, only level with the ground and not angled with the camera top. I might have a machinist friend of mine make another one for me, though. I know yachacha had an IF connection plate machined up. Maybe he'd be interested in making more? (wink wink nudge nudge)
 
Ah, that. Sorry. Yeah, that's a sad story with a happy ending. The first optical block I had went south on my F35, so I bought a used optical block replacement on eBay. It came with the front plate. So while it was crappy to have to get a new optical block, I did get a second front plate in the deal. I think you can order them from Sony. They list for about $800 if I recall.
 
Having rods on top is a key factor for Steadicam configs for this camera as a base-plate would be wasted weight. Nemenz made a cool focus rod plate for their cams and cheese plates all around so this helps huge. I am currently flying the Cinedeck down at the bottom as a monitor and I am going to try to strip the rig to Body, Bartech Receiver, FMG6 motor, Red 17-50 and power everything from the rig. I am at 24 lbs with the F65 currently, I think the stripped down F35 rig will be 18 lbs.
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Recording CineForm 4444 onboard, great. Interesting to see if new products like the Odyssey 7Q or 7's hardware will eventually be capable of recording to CineForm 444 or 422, respectively, if licensing/rental arrangements are made between CD and CF/Go-Pro. The F35, truly amazing. This is one of my favourite threads to check in and observe.
 
That stinks about the optical block, but at least you found another. $1900 is probably more than I'd want to spend, so I guess I'll have my existing plate modded. Yachacha - how are you able to put your PL mount back on? Is there a sub mount?

I'm not exactly sure who Barrett Phillips is, could someone provide contact info?

Correct me if I'm wrong, there's no way to get the Nemenz top plate without buying a camera from Nemenz, is that correct?
 
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CaptainSKA said:
That stinks about the optical block, but at least you found another. $1900 is probably more than I'd want to spend, so I guess I'll have my existing plate modded. Yachacha - how are you able to put your PL mount back on? Is there a sub mount?

I'm not exactly sure who Barrett Phillips is, could someone provide contact info?

Correct me if I'm wrong, there's no way to get the Nemenz top plate without buying a camera from Nemenz, is that correct?
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My F35 was from Nemenz, so it came with those plates, but I sold them to people in this forum. I think some people have called Nemenz since then but they won't sell you anything.
 
Nemenz has their own machinist who modified those plates and handles for use with their fleet of F65 cameras, I will be there next Thursday to do a prep, I will ask them what they can do. One issue that the F35 has is a that it will freak if power is lost at certain times, they did a reset for me, I need to find out how that is done in the field.
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CaptainSKA said:
That stinks about the optical block, but at least you found another. $1900 is probably more than I'd want to spend, so I guess I'll have my existing plate modded. Yachacha - how are you able to put your PL mount back on? Is there a sub mount?

I'm not exactly sure who Barrett Phillips is, could someone provide contact info?

Correct me if I'm wrong, there's no way to get the Nemenz top plate without buying a camera from Nemenz, is that correct?
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Barrett Phillips is a fellow F35 owner among us here, and he's posted a few times with pics of his mount and such. Look on page 111 of the thread. As for how you can go back to PL, he and his machinist came up with a way to mill out the front plate in such a way as to not completely destroy the original screw mounts for the PL mount. So you can take out the Nikon mount, set it aside and put the original PL mount back in. Still would require taking the optical block off and then putting it back on in order to make the switch.
 
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Keith - It seems we have two very similar modded F35's. To clear up the Hyperdeck mod, I did not create any parts to make this work. I took the part off the interface box which connects to the F35 to lock it into place. This is the plate that holds the wired connections but it can really easily be removed and will still function as a solid lock to the f35. The part is called a CA JOINT if you search through the parts on the sony site, in my photo I have the new one I bought and the one I took off my IF box which is on the hyper deck. Then i disassembled the hyperdeck, drilled some holes and used small screws to hold the hyperdeck to the CA Joint off my interface box. PM me if you want more info on this, but if you are willing to take apart your IF box, its so easy compared to the front plate, then you already have the parts you need.

Although now I've been thinking about the Pix and how this seems to hit the mark for 12 bit, I've been toying with the idea of removing the XLR inputs inside the interface box and in it's place, putting a dual link to 3g sdi, something along these lines http://www.thinklogical.com/SDI_3G_Dual_Link, inside the interface box is a huge amount of space if you removed the audio board and inputs. Although I must say, the latest batch of photos from Macgregor have reassured me that 10-bit 422 of the Hyperdeck is still an awesome format for the F35.

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The top plate is the part that I had machined, it is just a plate which fits in the spot of the F35 top dock. I still need to paint it. I don't mind the handle being slanted, although I wonder if filming from the handle will cause it to point slightly down. There is a lot of room underneath my plate and my plan is to hide all the excess wires under here. I already have my D tap cable hidden underneath which connects to a quad d tap to power the hyperdeck and the EVF. I was told by Abelcine not to power more than 2 devices off this port.

Has anyone had to clean the clear blue filter in-front of the CCD? Mine has a smudge along the side which I can't seem to get with just air. Is lens tissue acceptable to try on this surface? Is it dangerous to put any sort of pressure on it? I just wanted to ask first instead of experimenting only to find I'd ruined my entire CCD module.

As for getting a replacement front plate, I believe they can be ordered from sony for 750, however, this doesn't make the switch any easier. To replace the Nikon mount with the PL mount requires switching the 6 screws which hold the mount in place, after you've removed the front plate of course. To switch the front plate, you need to remove it from the CCD, which is a series of screws on the front and the back, not impossible, but not easy either. In any case, there have been a lot of F35 Optical blocks on ebay which I have been eyeing. If they drop a bit more in price, it might might it feasible just to have a whole separate optical block with a PL and one with a Nikon. Although I do not know the software side to switching the optical block and what sort of calibration needs to be done.
 
That CA Joint Mod is really killer, you are a true engineer at heart! Man, all this work trying to get the F35 rig under 20lbs and Red introduces a 6K monster at just under 4lbs, Yikes!

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That CA Joint Mod is really killer, you are a true engineer at heart! Man, all this work trying to get the F35 rig under 20lbs and Red introduces a 6K monster at just under 4lbs, Yikes!
Also, I dig your top plate and handle, I really need top rods, so I will install something like this~

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I purchased my replacement CCD block from eBay. It didn't need any software or calibration, just plugged it in, turned it on, did a black balance and set the sensor depth for back focus. Works spiffy.
I really do like that top plate you've got there, yachacha. The Hyperdeck mod doesn't scare me from a mounting or support issue. I think the CA Joint set up you've got there is clever and looks plenty beefy. It's the actual Hyperdeck itself which leaves me feeling a bit wobbly because I've had quality control issues with two units I've had. And I agree, 10-bit 422 is plenty of image mojo on this thing. 12-bit 444 would be nice, but I feel like the marginal improvement in perceivable image spec/quality doesn't justify the rather significant cost of going with a Pix, Cinedeck, etc. At least not for me (being a hobbyist film maker).
Bob, that top rail handle thing from Lanparte looks saucy. Think I might get me one of those. I've been plenty happy with the rest of my Lanparte gear. Good cost/benefit ratio.
 
keithlango said:
Oh, as far as exposure, I set my zebras to 70 IRE for my whites, 35 IRE for my 18% middle grey. I try to keep skin tones in the mid/upper 40's. I have another zebra setting for that (I do wish the Samurai had waveform monitoring- oh, and 1:1 focus assist. It would well and truly be perfect with those, I think). I don't know if those settings are perfectly accurate scientifically, but I tend to be more of a "looks right to me" guy than a tech spec perfectionist. I'm sure there are folks more experienced than I here who can set straight any misinformation I just barfed out. :)
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Just to let you know - the Samurai Blade has a really good Waveform monitor - and Focus assist too. It's a great device. Perfect partner to the F35. Best, Sparky
 
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