F5: Ordered a Sony F5

powervideo

powervideo

Well-known member
Just ordered an F5. I weighed up the F55 for a long time, but it just seemed to be too much money in the current economic and techno-race climate. The recent F5 feature improvements like 240fps made the decision too difficult to buy the F55. We also have an FS700 and considered the Odyssey 7Q with S-log2 as a F3 replacement, but the ergonomics of operating with a 7-inch screen/recorder atop the camera was too scary. And the camera controls on the FS700 make the F3 look like an Alexa.

Like the FS700, the F3 has been great and propelled us into S35 commercial production, but I think there are a number of advantages for F3 owners like myself to upgrade to the F5.


  • One battery to rule them all. With my F3 it takes four batteries to run the system. One for the camera, one for the Cineroid, and two for the Samurai. Two types of batteries and two chargers, usually three chargers.
  • No more Samurai. The Samurai has been amazing for us and really made the F3 a true production camera. Now we will be able to record internally to SR on the SxS cards for most TVC work.
  • Better viewfinder. The Cineroid (or Alphatron) is a big improvement on the Sony F3 tube or EVF, but the quality and size of the OLED is a winner.
  • Ergonomics. No more Frankencamera with cables, Noga arms, VF mounts, etc. Proper control LCD panel ala Alexa.
  • 120fps in-camera capability within eight weeks. 240fps on the RAW recorder in September. Our FS700 can be retired.

Sony Australia is selling the F5 bundle with OLED VF, 64gb SxS Pro+ and the USB3 reader for under US$16K, which is pretty good really. I might miss the global shutter and on-board compressed 4K, but I can still buy the 4K recorder and a couple of cards and still be way under the base F55 kit price.

A couple of questions for F5/F55 owners. What are you doing for on-board microphone mounting? Are you using a third-party cheese-plate? Plus will those new BP-FL75 Olivine batteries charge on older Sony V-mount lithium chargers?

Looking forward to getting the new camera! Edit* Will the 64gb and 128gb Pro+ SxS cards work in the F3?
 
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I'm also in Australia, where did you get your f5 kit from for 16k including vf? That's a great deal. I've been looking at the f5 vs f55, just wish the f5 had a lighter 4k option than raw. I think QFHD should be added via a firmware update to the f5 sometime.
 
Congrats and welcome to the club.

I use a ball mount to the top handle that can take a shoe common on some mic kits. When I take wireless feed I velcro receiver around the top handle. That top handle is very accommodating.. a ton of mounting holes.

You can charge the batteries on older charger but remember reading they can't get fully charged.
 
Peter, the Pro+ cards will work in the F3 and I believe any Sony SxS device/camera. Check Sony's site but I seem to remember downloading a newer SxS driver/component, not sure if all computers need them but my 17" MBP w/Express card slot did.

I dont own any but I do believe the new Olivine batts will charge on older chargers, just not as fast as the new one.

That camera package price is insane!, are you sure about that? Thats over a $6K savings. If it's correct congrats, jump on that.
 
Congrats on the purchase! Yes, the Olivine battery will charge in the standard Sony charger.

Ned Soltz
 
Welcome to club F5. I would be careful charging the new Olivine batts on a previous gen charger. As Starcentral noted you wont be able to charge to full capacity and that will likely significantly lower the battery life over time. I'm using generic chinese V-mounts off Ebay and they work just fine. It's not a power hungry camera like the REDs, etc. so I get by with 3 x 90 AH batts.

I don't have a cheese plate yet (eying the Berkey systems one) so I use a Redrock Micro mount in the right forward 1/4 tap which attaches a stud to a small shockmount for my ME-80.

I see a "show your F5 rig" thread coming....

Ian
 
ryaninoz said:
I'm also in Australia, where did you get your f5 kit from for 16k including vf? That's a great deal. I've been looking at the f5 vs f55, just wish the f5 had a lighter 4k option than raw. I think QFHD should be added via a firmware update to the f5 sometime.
Click to expand...

That's US$16K for the benefit of our northern cousins. It's standard AUD$18K in Australia.
 
Fotojorno;That camera package price is insane! said:
That's a conversion from our Aussie dollar. Sony Australia seem to very keen to move the F5. The F55 is twice the price so the new F5 features and price is what tipped me over the line.
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powervideo said:
Sony Australia is selling the F5 bundle with OLED VF, 64gb SxS Pro+ and the USB3 reader for under US$16K, which is pretty good really. I might miss the global shutter and on-board compressed 4K, but I can still buy the 4K recorder and a couple of cards and still be way under the base F55 kit price.
Click to expand...
Where? Can you link us?
$16K for the whole kit, while the body itself sells for the same price??
 
But of course that's what I meant F5/55!:laugh: BTW I just updated to V1.2. Enjoying the WIFI connectivity on my Iphone. Interesting times! Can't wait until they have the whole camera menu accessible.

cheers

Ian
 
DDirector said:
Where? Can you link us?
$16K for the whole kit, while the body itself sells for the same price??
Click to expand...

I probably shouldn't have mentioned a US-equivalent price but thought it would make more sense to northern hem users. The bundle price is standard $18,000 ex-tax Australian dollars which translates to around US$16,000 for the F5, OLED VF, 64gb SxS Pro+ and USB3 reader. All Sony pro dealers in Australia are running the same deal.
 
Thanks! I figure with this deal, I can add the Raw recorder and a couple of 512gb cards later, and have most of the F55's capability for broadcast work for a lot less dollars.
 
We're about to jump on the same deal I think. We're heading over to Melbourne tomorrow and plan to do a bit of testing for a day or so before we make the jump, but I'm almost certain we will.
 
On another note - my business partner just remarked "oh so they're the swisse guys!". Hah, seems you can't watch sport here without seeing those ads!
 
campster123 said:
On another note - my business partner just remarked "oh so they're the Swisse guys!". Hah, seems you can't watch sport here without seeing those ads!
Click to expand...

Yep, in the last two years we've done 95% of them on the F3, 2% on the Weisscam/Varicam and 3% on the FS700.
 
I was just in Australia, I should have sneaked one through customs on the way back. I am sure US customs would be like :kali:
 
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