Just got a new camera - Sony F35

[Viddovation]

Hey,

It's been kinda quiet here. Just wondering if the consensus is still in favor of the F35/9000PL. Are you guys still shooting a lot on these cameras? Are customers insisting on 4K? I'm looking to upgrade and my head tells me SONY F3, is a screaming deal right now as everyone and their brother is dumping theirs. But then I see the pictures made by the F35 and I just can't resist...

If you had it to do over TODAY, would you? Is this camera still practical to use, pay off in today's 4K obsessed culture? I'm grading some F35 footage this next week so I'm gonna see what I got, (my first time out with the F35.).

Well, I'm still actively investing in the F35, if that's any indication. And I still own an F3 for that matter.

The F35 is very practical to use - it's excellent.

As far as 4k goes, sure, there are producers asking for it. The way I look at it though, producers either place bets on equipment or they place bets on people. If you can sell yourself as the best solution to their problem, you're asking them to buy trusting your decisions, including your decision on a camera. I always tell people I'll be happy to shoot RED if they want to rent one, but that they'll usually be just as happy with the results I can provide on the F35, and save money while they're at it.

I would say that for a DP without credits or a reel, a RED is more likely to book him or her work on name alone, and the F35 won't. But if you've got a reel to prove your stuff, I don't see the F35 as holding you back.

That said, I know down the road there will be certain jobs where I'll not get hired if I'm not delivering 4k. I may eventually buy something like the Blackmagic URSA to keep clients who care more about specs than actual image quality happy.

 

[SJX]

Hey,

It's been kinda quiet here. Just wondering if the consensus is still in favor of the F35/9000PL. Are you guys still shooting a lot on these cameras? Are customers insisting on 4K? I'm looking to upgrade and my head tells me SONY F3, is a screaming deal right now as everyone and their brother is dumping theirs. But then I see the pictures made by the F35 and I just can't resist...

If you had it to do over TODAY, would you? Is this camera still practical to use, pay off in today's 4K obsessed culture? I'm grading some F35 footage this next week so I'm gonna see what I got, (my first time out with the F35.).

I'm still looking for right F35 kit and have no fear. The camera is great. F3 is no match and if your fear lack of 4k with F35 why consider F3? At least F35 is high end and has 6K sensor.

 

[JMtheDP]

I am currently looking in to the possibility of upgrading to the F65. TBH, it pisses me off even thinking about it because I know 90% of everything I shoot will be on the SR codec and it'll look just the same as the F35. But, some people really desperately want "4K" without even knowing what they're asking for.

That said, the image produced by the F35 is stunning and the fact that a lot of people DON'T want 4K, or like easy workflows as with the ALEXA in HD mode mean it is still a very viable camera for lower end productions. Also, the low cost of the thing means mine paid for itself on the first three jobs I did with it.

I also believe mine has quite an interesting history, which, if I do come to sell it, I'll tell you all a bit more about.

 

[JMtheDP]

I always tell people I'll be happy to shoot RED if they want to rent one, but that they'll usually be just as happy with the results I can provide on the F35, and save money while they're at it.

This x100 - when people look at the cost of renting in an ALEXA over an F35, for such tiny gains, they quickly realise the benefit.

 

[SJX]

I am currently looking in to the possibility of upgrading to the F65.

You want to move to F65 and also buy D21? F35 is so much better than D21.

F65 is sharp but F35 looks better.

and it'll look just the same as the F35. But, some people really desperately want "4K" without even knowing what they're asking for.

Explain them F35 has 6K sensor. :thumbsup:

 

[JMtheDP]

@SJX - If I got the F65, I certainly wouldn't be able to afford the D-21.

You can tell some people until you're blue in the face about RED's idea of "4K" and Sony's idea of 1080P, but most people that *demand* 4K don't even know what 4:4:4 is or means. These are probably the same people who get suckered in by a cameraphone with a 41 megapixel sensor.

 

[Viddovation]

@SJX - If I got the F65, I certainly wouldn't be able to afford the D-21.

You can tell some people until you're blue in the face about RED's idea of "4K" and Sony's idea of 1080P, but most people that *demand* 4K don't even know what 4:4:4 is or means. These are probably the same people who get suckered in by a cameraphone with a 41 megapixel sensor.

This is why I'm considering the URSA down the road. 4k is a buzzword, and there are producers who ask "Do you shoot 4k?" as 100% yes/no answer in an entirely pass/fail manner. But these are the same sort of producers who don't actually dig into the numbers or what they really mean. A $7,000 URSA is likely to please a great many of those sorts.

Which isn't to see a RED Dragon or Sony F55 isn't far superior, but I think it's preposterous in this day an age to invest $40k+ in a camera package that is exceedingly likely to suffer massive depreciation in the next several years.

Let's be clear - there are too many manufacturers in the market for innovation to be stagnant. If they don't sell us more pixels (8k?) they're going to push boundaries on bit depth, high frame rates, and sensor sensitivity. There is, practically speaking, always going to be a newer shinier camera to buy. This means whatever you buy is going to become obselete in a few short years.

That's just the market. You can chase it, and if you have the right clients that's viable, but otherwise, you're better up either only owning cheaper mass market cameras, or buying true pro cameras second hand after they've already suffered the massive depreciation.

 

[ajhill]

Okay,

So it's encouraging to see the enthusiasm is still here. Things had grown a little quite lately. I'm sure it's just because everyone's busy, right? I mean this economy has to eventually recover, right?

Thanks for the kind words and I look forward to getting my hands on an F35 or 9000PL.

Alan

 

[Viddovation]

Okay,

So it's encouraging to see the enthusiasm is still here. Things had grown a little quite lately. I'm sure it's just because everyone's busy, right? I mean this economy has to eventually recover, right?

Thanks for the kind words and I look forward to getting my hands on an F35 or 9000PL.

Alan

I lurk here most days I'm not in the field. I just don't always have something new to add to the conversation. I suspect there are others who are in a similar boat.

I did just update my overall demo reel though, and it now includes a healthy dose of F35... most of the rest is the PMW-F3... https://vimeo.com/57106889

 

[Robert Ruffo]

This is why I'm considering the URSA down the road. 4k is a buzzword, and there are producers who ask "Do you shoot 4k?" as 100% yes/no answer in an entirely pass/fail manner. But these are the same sort of producers who don't actually dig into the numbers or what they really mean. A $7,000 URSA is likely to please a great many of those sorts.

Which isn't to see a RED Dragon or Sony F55 isn't far superior, but I think it's preposterous in this day an age to invest $40k+ in a camera package that is exceedingly likely to suffer massive depreciation in the next several years.

Let's be clear - there are too many manufacturers in the market for innovation to be stagnant. If they don't sell us more pixels (8k?) they're going to push boundaries on bit depth, high frame rates, and sensor sensitivity. There is, practically speaking, always going to be a newer shinier camera to buy. This means whatever you buy is going to become obselete in a few short years.

That's just the market. You can chase it, and if you have the right clients that's viable, but otherwise, you're better up either only owning cheaper mass market cameras, or buying true pro cameras second hand after they've already suffered the massive depreciation.

Epic, f35, F65 - these are in a different league in IQ from any BM camera.

 

[Viddovation]

Epic, f35, F65 - these are in a different league in IQ from any BM camera.

I agree. And when the choice is up to me, unless there are very specific specialty requirements (ultra high speed, drone flight, crash cam) I would almost always choose the F35. My point about Blackmagic isn't that they're actually competing in the same technical level, but that there will be a certain section of the market with jobs that demand "4k" as an absolute requirement, without actually giving any attention to the more subtle flavors or variations thereof. Ie, clients who are specific, but who aren't really very discerning. Expect to see this in the corporate video market, the wedding segment, low end music videos, etc. My point was that having a relatively cheap "4k" camera may win me some business I simply won't win on the F35. It's no substitute for the F65, Epic, or Alexa - but those can be rented on a shoot by shoot basis, since I don't anticipate using any of them frequently enough to pay off the cost.

 

[macgregor]

Testing testing

 

[Christopher Barry]

Testing testing

Tranquility Base here.
Time to receive the first television transmission from the spacecraft...

 

[macgregor]

Greetings from Mauritania again.
We're in the middle of our 2nd week of shooting. Crazy hot as expected.

Some F35 Slog ungraded snapshots for you gentlemen.

 

[macgregor]

Internet connection is terrible. not sure I can even upload pics

 

[SJX]

Awesome images Mac! Very good as always. But why so small picture of your set up? You shy? :tongue:

This camera is awesome.

 

[macgregor]

second attempt

 

[stokstad]

Wow, I could not stop reading this thread last night..

I did a quick search on ebay and found an offer for a F35:

• Included: Interface Box for 4-pin power, HDFV-C30W Viewfinder, 8 pin Lemo Connector, Assistant Panel, and case.

For 8,300$

Im just comparing this in my head with having maybe two or three DSLRs that probably require about the same amount of extra equipment to be decent to shoot with.

 

[SJX]

second attempt

That's better. :smile: Cool set up what dolly is this? Man, not too hot for cap and black?

 

[SJX]

Wow, I could not stop reading this thread last night..

I did a quick search on ebay and found an offer for a F35:

• Included: Interface Box for 4-pin power, HDFV-C30W Viewfinder, 8 pin Lemo Connector, Assistant Panel, and case.

For 8,300$

Im just comparing this in my head with having maybe two or three DSLRs that probably require about the same amount of extra equipment to be decent to shoot with.

DSLR vs F35?? Not same league not comparable.