Just got a new camera - Sony F35

you have the special 15mm bottom plate also, I have called around but no one even knows about these unless you get one with a used package. 19mm is probably the f35 standard, but having the option is great. I'd trade you my plate plus cash, but having it as part of your package is more worthwhile. You should get a good price with that viewfinder. How does the cinedeck attach? I know there have been a few photos before of these recorders. What's with the 15mm wooden camera rod mount on the side of the bottom plate?
 
Yes, the baseplate is great and of course, most/any accessories are near-impossible to find these days. I've use the Cinedeck in various configs, mostly on a ZAmerican arm on the operator side of camera. It's an awesome unit, but I wouldn't wanna run and gun/hand-hold with it. If so, I'd hire an assist to carry it remotely and just tether to it.

THe Wooden Camera on the side of the baseplate was for the Zacuto Zamerican arm.

The Cinedeck is pretty darn cool too…a use that I've found for it that rocks, is recording to it H264 (from my edit suite). It's faster than using Compressor or Media Encoder. Of course, being able to record in Cineform is brilliant also to get away from ProRes's inconsistent ways.

On getting a good price with viewfinder, etc.--I hope so. I've had interest, but most looking to buy lower than the market value…who can blame them? But since I'm under no immediate duress to move it, I'll wait 'til I get my price or just keep it. It shoots the best image of all my cameras, by a significant margin. (just lovely images).

Please feel free to ask any additional questions.
 
What's everyone recommendation on picking up an F35 body with no interface box? Better to have it and not need it vs need it and not have it?

I'd have to rig a battery plate like yachacha and a few other users. The ability to go 12bit would be cancelled out. So far I believe Ed is the only one doing 12bit, what is your opinion, worth it?

Here's a quote from an article regarding the monitor outs
The deck can also be connected via dual HD-SDI links from the Interface Box, or via a fiber adaptor (which lets the deck sit up to 1600 meters away; that's nearly a mile!). The dual HD-SDI outputs on the Interface Box are the only "true" outputs for the camera; they run at the exact frame rate set, whereas the the monitoring outputs on the camera itself run at the camera's current timebase, and drop frames or repeat frames as needed. For example, when shooting 12 fps with a timebase of 24fps, the Interface Box will output 12 frames per second on its dual-link outputs, while the monitoring outputs will double each frame to spit out 24fps.

There's a 4-pin power input on the Interface Box, but it will only power the camera, not the deck: the deck and camera combined draw more amps than the single pair of power pins on the 4-pin connector can supply. If you want to drive the deck, you need to use the 8-pin Lemo connector on the camera body itself.
Click to expand...

So far you guys have no problems using the monitor out to the hyperdeck shuttle? Perhaps some of the ramp feature would be disabled...
@Yachacha , does the body draw more power using the 8 pin lemo vs the interface box?

Your suggestions would help in going in for a pretty sweet deal I found ;-)
 
The interface box also allows you to use 4-pin XLR power. Otherwise, you have to use LEMO 8 pin (more expensive).
I have done twelve bit through a multiplexer and am not sure of the hassle:benefit ration. It depends on what you are shooing and how you are delivering it.
The interface box also is a "true" output, ignoring on-screen menus, LUT's,etc. that can/are on the monitoring outs.

When you power from the LEMO connector, the camera's other power-outs are also active for accessories.

The interface box isn't essential, but sure is limiting w/o.
 
I would not buy a body without an interface box. There is no reason they should be apart, as the camera came with it. The only ones for sale separately are people being a bit cheeky I think.

The interface box is the only way to get AUDIO through the camera (although most external recorders can take it anyway, I ditched my audio as I have the cinedeck), plus it is the only way to get 4:4:4 output from the camera, be it 10 or 12-bit.

Also, a handy place to hang your battery adapter.
 
Yes, I agree. I notice that quite a number of cameras being sold lately separate the parts. I supposed as a way to make more on the sums of the parts.
 
So i just sold one of the Red cameras, and bought an F35! It arrived today from Otto, and its very nice, low hours.... I'm running a 7Q with it, and i have some custom cables being made for it, also have some lovely Zeiss superspeeds for it too, footage and everything else coming soon!

My eyes are not that great, and i dont get along with viewfinders. I have the 30WR viewfinder, now for sale! Came straight from the guys at Otto, and it now needs a home. Using the 7Q as monitoring, so no need for this. PM of better to email jon@backtoawake.com
 
I've sent some emails around, trying to obtain an IDT for the F35. If successful I'll ask Blackmagic for a way to integrate it in Resolve.

On another note: What BNC cable do you guys use with the hyperdeck? I'm experiencing data loss with the one I have now.
 
mlysbakken,

I bought 4 of the blackmagic SDI cables, I've never had a problem but they are cheap on ebay, and worthwhile for any issues. I've used several different 1-2 foot BNC cables to connect the camera to the hyper deck with a right angle barrel on the camera end. I also have a spare hyper deck after I dropped mine and the SDI out snapped off. My only advice would to have a complete 2nd set of all your cables to test out which one might be loose. Do you get the same results out of the 1 or 2 monitor outs? Have you tried the interface box feed?

If you are sure the signal out of the camera is good, then hopefully it is just a cable needing replacement, otherwise you should try to borrow another hyper deck and see if your SDI input is messed up, that's the big worry with the hyper deck is these mini SDI connections are not very solid and are coming directly off the PCB board, try to avoid any tugging or strain on the cable going into the hyper deck.

What does the breakup look-like? I had one BNC cable getting squished and it made green lines in the footage. HDMI cables will break if you look at the wrong and those I've gone through a few on the viewfinder. The cables are one of the big downers as we stray from the original F35 accessories.

http://www.fdtimes.com/2009/12/04/style-your-sony-f35/

This article has some fun looking toys if anyone hasn't seen it yet. I really like the viewfinder that is strong enough to be a handle. I'd love to find a right angle connector for the 12v out that we could use to make D-tap cables. If I'm using anton bauer bricks without d-taps on the batteries, I have to use the 12v out of the camera and this cable sticks so far out the right side of the camera that it is always the first thing to get bumped or pushed on, i feel like that will be the weak point of my system because and that right angle connector forms to the camera nicely.
 
@yachacha Ever see yourself going back to using the interface box? Seems like you are one of the few users who manage without it. Suggestions on picking up a body without the box if the price is right? Dilemma I'm in right now...
 
I agree with James

The seller is being cheeky

the IF BOX came standard as part of the F35.
There should be no reason for the IF box to be seperated.
If you don't have it, You will not ever have 50p, nor 444.
buying an F35 without the IF box is like buying a Ferrari with 2 pistons removed, what's the point?

be cheeky yourself and tell the seller if he includes the IF box he has a deal.
 
I don't currently shoot with the IF box , instead choosing to record the clean monitor out to a Samurai. That said, I'd hate to be without it. I plan on picking up a 7Q later this year and when I do the IF box will be going back on the camera. Long story short- don't buy an F35 without an IF box. Even if you don't use it all the time you're gonna want it sooner or later.
 
keithlango said:
I don't currently shoot with the IF box , instead choosing to record the clean monitor out to a Samurai. That said, I'd hate to be without it. I plan on picking up a 7Q later this year and when I do the IF box will be going back on the camera. Long story short- don't buy an F35 without an IF box. Even if you don't use it all the time you're gonna want it sooner or later.
Click to expand...


How do you power the camera?
 
yachacha said:
mlysbakken,

I bought 4 of the blackmagic SDI cables, I've never had a problem but they are cheap on ebay, and worthwhile for any issues. I've used several different 1-2 foot BNC cables to connect the camera to the hyper deck with a right angle barrel on the camera end. I also have a spare hyper deck after I dropped mine and the SDI out snapped off. My only advice would to have a complete 2nd set of all your cables to test out which one might be loose. Do you get the same results out of the 1 or 2 monitor outs? Have you tried the interface box feed?

If you are sure the signal out of the camera is good, then hopefully it is just a cable needing replacement, otherwise you should try to borrow another hyper deck and see if your SDI input is messed up, that's the big worry with the hyper deck is these mini SDI connections are not very solid and are coming directly off the PCB board, try to avoid any tugging or strain on the cable going into the hyper deck.

What does the breakup look-like? I had one BNC cable getting squished and it made green lines in the footage. HDMI cables will break if you look at the wrong and those I've gone through a few on the viewfinder. The cables are one of the big downers as we stray from the original F35 accessories.

http://www.fdtimes.com/2009/12/04/style-your-sony-f35/

This article has some fun looking toys if anyone hasn't seen it yet. I really like the viewfinder that is strong enough to be a handle. I'd love to find a right angle connector for the 12v out that we could use to make D-tap cables. If I'm using anton bauer bricks without d-taps on the batteries, I have to use the 12v out of the camera and this cable sticks so far out the right side of the camera that it is always the first thing to get bumped or pushed on, i feel like that will be the weak point of my system because and that right angle connector forms to the camera nicely.
Click to expand...

I'm also using the blackmagic cable; maybe there's something wrong with mine. Or maybe it is because of the male to male coupler I use...
Anyway, here's an old sample of the artifacts I get from my current setup.
https://vimeo.com/61384754
Password: f35
 
Unless you are getting a great deal (under 5K) I would hold out for a system with the interface box. Something else to consider is what you intend to use the camera for, personal projects where you get to decide the technical details, or a pro job that you are just renting the equipment out on. 12-bit might be one of the ways the F35 stays around in the days of 4k but with the hyper deck costing well under 1 grand with a few drives, the jump from 10 bit to 12 bit isn't going to be the mountains that going from 8-bit to 10-bit is.

That being said, I absolutely hate the interface box out of obsession with keeping the system small. When I do get a 12-bit recorder, I am going to take the little board and cable out of the interface box and make a much smaller inplementation. The parts inside the interface box are tiny and there is a huge amount of dead space inside there. Using just the joint like I did with the hyper deck I believe I can keep the cables needed for the SDI to work while taking up a much smaller space. I think the arrangement of F35, recorder, battery plate is the most streamlined for this system and that's why recorders like the pix240 and Odyssey7Q are hard to attach in a creative handheld config, If you look at the KiPro Quad, it actually is perfect for the back of the F35 because it has the small lcd on the shoulder side, and the two sides of the recorder are metal plate. I think the KiPro Quad is going to be the one for me, but right now I can't go for the price because this is a 4k recorder also. I am also curious to see the eventual 4k recorder Blackmagic will come out with.

My F35 package was very bare bone of F35 body and interface box. No additional cables, viewfinder or top handle. I think it would be very hard to find accessories at a reasonable price if they do not come with your camera. No one gets 2 interface boxes with their cameras so your not going to see a lot pop up used, although there was one on ebay a few months ago.

If you do get just the F35 body, you need to order the CA joint from Sony Service Site, Anton Bauer Power plate with the lemo for the body, and then have a custom cable made that can power your hyper deck and evf off of the F35 12v out. I think I paid around $200 for mine from Abelcine in LA, I went to D-tap so I have the option to plug any cable into this, but you could get just a F35 11pin lemo to hyper deck DC plug. Hyperdeck has a battery inside it but you don't want to be messing with this possibly going dead. I have 4 Dionic HCX batteries that I had to send it to get recalled which I plan on keeping with this kit, they do not have the D-tap port on the batteries or the plate. Off brand batteries like Bellein usually have a d-tap on the side of the battery so if you are ordering batteries with your camera, this is something to consider. Getting the cable off the body is nicer because it gives me the freedom to use any battery without worry if it has a d-tap on it.

I think most here will agree, Having exceptional glass for the F35 is more important than having the bump from 10-bit to 12-bit. I love the freedom of having a nikon mount but PL is the solid standard that should be on the F35. Before I go to a 12-bit recorder I will get some PL glass so I can use that standard all the time and have the nikon plate for special situations and lenses. Make sure you have a plan for glass with the F35 before you make the jump, this is true of any camera system nowadays but especially of the F35 because you are starting with the furthest out mount and therefore very limited when trying to make still lenses work without modifications.

mlysbakken - I would bet getting a new set of SDI cables fixes that right away. I've seen that green also on my hyper deck anytime there was a loose connection. Also instead of a coupler, you can use a short SDI cable to see if thats your problem.
 
Last edited:
macgregor said:
How do you power the camera?
Click to expand...

I have the Sony battery plate on an Otto cheese plate which is attached to the back of the camera. I took one of my 8' 4 pin XLR to Lemo power cables and cut it down to 12" to take the power from the battery plate to the camera body. Nice and lean, but I do wish the Lemo end of the cable could have a 90 degree so it was a little less protruding.
 
Appreciate all the responses. The F35 body I've found is indeed slightly under 5K, hence my dilemma. Will be using for personal projects and industrial work. Have been in talks with Barrett about the Nikon mod and plan on using leica R glass or the sigma 18-35. Or even thinking of getting the PL version of the sigma and using 19mm rods to make the F35 sing.
Interesting note from macgregor on the Nikon 14-24 vignetting being a full frame lens, hopefully the sigma does not vignette being designed specifically for aps-c/super 35mm.

Only other thing from making me go for a purchase is NAB being right around the corner and uprise in 4K lately. Perhaps a smart decision is to wait a tad longer...

Any thoughts on the lifetime of a F35 in a 4k world?
 
Sounds like a good price, but beware of the scams going around.

"F35 in a 4K world…": when's the last time your personal projects and industrial work required 4K?
If you need to shoot now, go for what is available now. Even if you wait for NAB, historically, manufacturers rush to show their prototypes there, etc. but it will be many months or years until you can actually get it.

Image-quality being the issue, I think the F35 would stand tall in testing against any of the current breed of 4K cameras, if the conditions are correct. No, it's not a low-light rockstar, it's a bit clunky (no, a lot) clunky to hand-hold, the accessories and riggings are scarce and difficult, power cabling expensive and often custom. However, we all purchased due to a love of the image it generates.

Good luck.
 
Last edited:
You must log in or register to reply here.
Back
Top