F55: New F5/55 capabilities?

Considering "put your shoulder into it" and the picture having a shaddow with shoulder configuration, that would be my guess.
 
Good observation Duke.

It will be interesting to see how it stacks up to the new Panasonic Varicam cameras that were just announced, as well as the AMIRA. The camera booths at NAB are going to be hopping even more this year.
 
I can't say I need a slew of new features on my F55, but, the idea that Sony continues to put effort and advances into it only means my business case for buying one (moreso the residual value in 3 years) will remain strong.

Thank you $ony
 
starcentral said:
I can't say I need a slew of new features on my F55, but, the idea that Sony continues to put effort and advances into it only means my business case for buying one (moreso the residual value in 3 years) will remain strong.

Thank you $ony
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It seems to me that the F55 really checks off about everything you'd need in a camera.
It's just so versatile and can do 2k, 4k, raw, HFR, accept a variety of lenses, global
shutter, good DR, I'm kind of trying to figure out what else they will add...lol.
 
alaskacameradude said:
...I'm kind of trying to figure out what else they will add...
Click to expand...

What they need to add is:

- 12-bit option for RAW, and/or variable compression on 16-bit RAW like RED
- better exposure tools. False color is only available by using a Sony VF (OLED or LCD) and the values its set too are incorrect for slog1/2/3. waveform monitor is a thumbnail without markings and can not go full screen. zebras don't go low enough.
- noise reduction for slog3
- LUTs for all gamma curve options
 
A price drop would be good! So I can buy one :smile:

The image reminds me of the Phantom Menace teaser poster, it's the F5/55 turned in to an ENG camera, to compete with the Amira and Panasonic's offerings. It's nice to see the F5/55 is going to be around for a long time, I would feel safe purchasing one now. I wonder what else NAB will bring?

I have a few questions regarding the F5, the Sony specs are rather vague.

To record 240 frames on the F5, do you need the external recorder?

When filming at either 2K or 1080p, what is the bit-rate of the XAVC to SxS cards?

Is the 16mm/B4 crop mode available on the F5?

I'm trying to weigh up the F5 against the FS700 with an Odyssey.

Dennis, do you not have a spot meter on the F5/55 yet?
 
Hopefully it will will be some sort of hardware upgrade that will allow the camera to be balanced easily on your shoulder regardless of what kind of lens you have on it, thus allowing the F5/55 to compete with the Amira in that department. It shouldn't be difficult to achieve - a dovetail system both on top and bottom of the camera will give that functionality. I was hoping a 3rd party company like Solid Cameras would do that, but hey...Sony are determined to make these cameras 'unbeatable'. I am definitely not complaining about that!
 
JackCarter said:
I have a few questions regarding the F5, the Sony specs are rather vague.

To record 240 frames on the F5, do you need the external recorder?

When filming at either 2K or 1080p, what is the bit-rate of the XAVC to SxS cards?

Is the 16mm/B4 crop mode available on the F5?

I'm trying to weigh up the F5 against the FS700 with an Odyssey.

Dennis, do you not have a spot meter on the F5/55 yet?
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- 240p only in 2k RAW using the AXS-R45 RAW recorder and RAW media cards, otherwise its 60p in 4k RAW, or 180p HD or 2k XAVC internally to SXS cards. (and you can use QXD for internal cards instead of SXS Pro +)

- The center-scan (crop mode) available on both F5/F55 yes.

- There is no spot meter on the F5/F55. I would have taken that over all the current exposure tools being offered.

As for F5 vs FS700 Odyssey - I would say that depends on your budget and if you think you need the latitude and filmic nature that RAW would deliver. 10-bit XAVC is not bad but it still isn't RAW.
 
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starcentral said:
- 240p only in 2k RAW using the AXS-R45 RAW recorder and RAW media cards, otherwise its 60p in 4k RAW, or 180p HD or 2k XAVC internally to SXS cards. (and you can use QXD for internal cards instead of SXS Pro +)

- The center-scan (crop mode) available on both F5/F55 yes.

- There is no spot meter on the F5/F55. I would have taken that over all the current exposure tools being offered.

As for F5 vs FS700 Odyssey - I would say that depends on your budget and if you think you need the latitude and filmic nature that RAW would deliver. 10-bit XAVC is not bad but it still isn't RAW.
Click to expand...

Thanks Dennis, I hope you get the spot meter soon.

My maths is weak but here goes....

SONY PMW-F5

Sony PMW F5 = £12,582.00 http://cvp.com/index.php?t=product/sony_pmw-f5
Battery = £380.88 http://cvp.com/index.php?t=product/sony_bp-fl75
Charger = £684.29 http://cvp.com/index.php?t=product/sony_bp-l90
EVF = £2,605.67 http://cvp.com/index.php?t=product/sony_dvf-l350
RAW Recorder = £4,689.59 http://cvp.com/index.php?t=product/sony_axs-r5
Media Card = £1,449.71 http://cvp.com/index.php?t=product/sony_axs-512s24
Monitor = £3,642.49 http://cvp.com/index.php?t=product/sony_dvf-l700

Total, £26,034.63

SONY NEX-FS700

Sony NEX-FS700R = £5,758.80 http://cvp.com/index.php?t=product/sony_nex-fs700r_video-camera
Battery = £114.00 http://cvp.com/index.php?t=product/sony_np-f970
Charger = £251.63 http://cvp.com/index.php?t=product/sony_acc-l1bp
PL Mount = £536.15 http://cvp.com/index.php?t=product/vocas_0900-0015
Odyssey 7Q = £2,034.00 http://cvp.com/index.php?t=product/convergent-design_cd-odyssey-7q
Media = £336.00 http://cvp.com/index.php?t=product/convergent-design_odyssey7ssd
Battery Plate is around £500.00 with import costs. http://www.nebtek.com/products/Odyssey7-Power-Bracket.html

Total, £9,530.58

Which would you go for?
 
after one year I've learned to work around no spot meter :)

EDIT: regarding your price, there is new media coming out for the F5/F55 that with an adapter will work in place of the AXSM RAW card.. I would certainly hold off on buying the media until this is confirmed.

It's not about price really, it's about what you need for your clients/projects and/or productions. If I was shooting strictly features as an owner/operator I would go for anything RAW. 4k BMC is interesting to that respect, but not sure when they will deliver. D16 with 200ISO is non-contender in my opinion. FS700/Odyssey quite a great mix and balance all around.

The F5 can DO RAW, but really after blowing $25k on the F5 or $35k on the F55 one could be hard pressed to fork over another $10k just to do RAW. Once you get into that price range you might consider a used Alexa or EPIC camera. But you CAN rent RAW as needed with the F5/F55..

If you need the versatility of MPEG, XAVC, RAW, etc.. then you can't really beat the F5/F55. Otherwise I honestly think the FS700/Odyssey is a great option too. Is ProRes recording out for it yet? That makes it a big winner too. Also announced mid-Feburary is that 4k RAW is coming out for FS700 http://convergent-design.com/Suppor...leID/16/Odyssey7Q-To-Record-FS700-4K-RAW.aspx

Dang it, maybe it does come down to money and by going for the FS700/Odyssey route the money you save can go towards some decent brand name lighting!
 
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I'm going to hold off buying anything until after NAB, although I don't expect much new from Sony this year, not after the teaser for the F5/55.

The F5 is a real cinema camera where the FS700 feels more like a toy, but the price and the features of the FS700 are amazing. The FS700 internal codec is gash, but the option to film 120 or 240 fps to either RAW or 'popular codec' is really all I'm after, and the beauty of the Odyssey is I will be able to film 'popular codec' 4444 from the old F3. As for 4K, it's nice to have, but I can't see me filming in 4K, not yet anyway.

If I had the choice, I would go for the F5, the price of the camera is fair, but the cost of everything else is what puts me off.

Haha, yeah I need some decent lights, something that doesn't make the camera act weird!

http://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/2-x-125W-...graphy_StudioEquipment_RL&hash=item4858cbf654

It was these or something like these that made some shots act very strange on the F3 in S-Log, imagine how they will work with 240fps! I didn't buy them, my friend did. He keeps buying strange brands off eBay, a Flycam 5000 stedi-cam is the latest, it's about as steady as a me after 10 pints of Stella Artois :D
 
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Jack,

Why are you not ready to shoot 4k? The only factor I am aware of is storage space... but when you can buy 4TB for 99 bucks, I hardly see a limitation there. Perhaps you would need more memory cards too - that IS a real cost issue, but it's a one time cost, and once you pay it's a no brainer. If you can afford a Sony F55 it would seem to me that you could afford the memory cards too. At 4xxx X 2xxx the F55 shows 66 minutes for every 64GB card and a linear 132 minutes for a 128GB card. So on an 8 hour shoot if you are using 128GB SxS Pro+ cards thats $1400(new) x 4(cards) = 5,600 or if using XQD cards thats $305 per hour basically x 8 hours or $2400....

and if you rent the cards they can't cost more than just a few dollars a day really -

I am just curious why people don't shoot 4k given the low cost to store and card cost compared to other equipment / rental costs. It's MUCH MUCH cheaper than film costs to buy and develop
 
I still shoot HD when handing over footage to client (because that's what they want). Otherwise it's 4k for more projects I am in full control of (mainly including post workflow).

I can't believe what an amazing camera the F55 has turned out to be. If a F77 really does come out next I honestly can't imagine, or really care about what it will do at this point.
 
Hi All, without going in to a big debate about HD vs 4K, here are my feelings.

Why am I not shooting 4k? As usual, it's to do with $£. I am going the FS700 route this year, but other items are more desirable for me. I'm after a G.L Optics 18-35mm f.1.8 first, then a new camera, then the 7Q. Yes I would rather have a F5, but it's not cost effective for me. I'm a Sony fan, but at that price, you could get an ARRI Alexa.

What are you all doing with your 4K footage? Even my local cinema only plays films in 2K, and they look fantastic. They have two 4k projectors out of seventeen, and even those were playing films at 2K. Do you all have 4K monitors?

Mitch Gross's comment about the super sampled 4K to HD from the FS700 might be what I'm after, we shall see. I just think 4K is a massive marketing hype, everybody I know still buys DVD's! Is 4K another 3D? We shall see, I'm still very happy with my F3, and will be using it for my personal projects for a long time yet.

Dennis, what's this about a F77? 77 is my lucky number/s :D

I have been told from a reliable source that no new Sony 4K cameras are coming in 2014, I believe they want to concentrate on the F5/F55, which is a good thing.
 
I've had good success converting most clients to 4K. Once I take the time to educate them a little bit, show them the advantages, and give them a half-dozen sample files to play with before their first 4K shoot, they are ready to go. 4K gives me another competitive advantage over the "other guys" who are still doing HD.
 
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