F3: Looking for the RGB 444 Upgrade

I would not be surprised if it would be very hard to find at this point. I'm sure you can find some old stock and buy new. But paying for it new when so many F3s with it included are selling for so cheap?

Finding it used will be hard because most people would just sell it with the F3 to try to jack the price up a bit. Specially that I don't think anybody would be stupid enough to buy a used F3 without it at this point. It's the only reason to even consider a F3 now. The price and the 444 option. So sellers would have a better chance to unload the F3 if the 444 option is included. So I doubt there are many selling the 444 option separately in the used market.

But who knows. Good luck! F3 444 is still a good camera, for the price.
 
Really the only benefit of the upgrade is that it lets you output 1080 60p by 3G SDI. Without it you can still output 1080 60p via dual link. The 444 is not really important since the sensor is not built for it. The 10 bit 422 out of the camera is where the camera shines IMO. My recommendation: get the samurai blade and a sunhood and your set.
 
I've also been looking for an F3 with 444 RGB update or the 444 RGB update on its own. All the ebay F3s are selling
without the 444 update believe it or not. What I didn't know is that you could get 422 10 bit without the update through the
samurai blade. These recorders have been around for a while, but I thought you needed the SLog update as well.
 
The F3 is still selling well because it compares well with the FS700 and the C100, at a more competitive price.
In test comparisons, I've seen it fare well even against the RED Epic and C300 ( using cinema lenses though )

https://vimeo.com/40381084

But the test that did it for me was one where it went up against the 5D mark III and FS700.
In the exact same lighting conditions, the F3 blew both of these cameras away for low light capabilities.
 
Mike Krumlauf said:
Does anyone have this? I am searching all over the internet and it seems that its no longer in production. Does anyone have it?
Click to expand...

If I were you I would put a WTB post in the Marketplace and offer maybe $400 if you really want it. Im sure there are a lot of F3 owners who have the upgrade SxS card but never use the 444 or 60p feature of it. Since the camera at one point received S-log via firmware, the upgrade isn't as needed as before. If you find one, make sure the owner "de-authorizes" their F3 while the card is in it or the card won't work for you.
 
EDV said:
In the exact same lighting conditions, the F3 blew both of these cameras away for low light capabilities.
Click to expand...
Not to go off on a tangent, but I have an F3 and I can confirm this. The camera is incredible and has a much more cinematic look than the FS7. It doesn't do 4K but it is still one of the best HD cameras out there.
 
Carlos13 said:
Not to go off on a tangent, but I have an F3 and I can confirm this. The camera is incredible and has a much more cinematic look than the FS7. It doesn't do 4K but it is still one of the best HD cameras out there.
Click to expand...

I'll second that. In low light there still are few cameras that can touch it.

If you can find a used one with the slog upgrade at the right price and already own a 444 capable recorder the F3 probably is the best HD only camera out there. (The F35 offers better resolution, but less dynamic range and is noisier. But it does have that CCD magic going on...)
 
stokstad said:
Really the only benefit of the upgrade is that it lets you output 1080 60p by 3G SDI. Without it you can still output 1080 60p via dual link. The 444 is not really important since the sensor is not built for it. The 10 bit 422 out of the camera is where the camera shines IMO. My recommendation: get the samurai blade and a sunhood and your set.
Click to expand...

The F3 sensor is actually around 2440 x1372 and outputs 1920x1080. So, it falls somewhere in between 422 and 444, in which case I would choose to record as much information as possible.
 
Harry Lime said:
The F3 sensor is actually around 2440 x1372 and outputs 1920x1080. So, it falls somewhere in between 422 and 444, in which case I would choose to record as much information as possible.
Click to expand...

Yes your right. It should have said that it was not important for my applications. The 422 prores HQ i used was really more than enough for my work. I can see 444 being a real benefit in other cases.
 
From my tests there is a definite advantage to shooting 4:4:4 with the F3. Although you're not quite getting a full 4:4:4 picture (it's partly interpolated), it's still significantly more per-pixel colour information, and secondary colour corrections gain a considerable boost from it.
 
You must log in or register to reply here.
Back
Top