Power Consumption and resulting image quality F3 versus bigger cameras.

J

jameswmulryan

Active member
How does such a smaller sized more power efficient camera like the F3 (which is basically a sensor with a computer on it) compete with a larger cameras, like the Alexa, Red Epic (not sure if the size is any bigger, but power consumption is) or F35 or F65?
Have Sony engineers managed to shrink the F3's hardware to the point that it has the same numbers of circuits "massaging the image" as it's bigger competitors?

From Anton Bauer's site power consumption (I think these numbers do not include external recording devices)
F3 24W
F35 55W
F65 55W
Epic 60W
Alexa 100W
 
TimurCivan said:
Because it only records to xdcam.
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I would think that the Epic would use less energy because it has less encoding to do since it is going to RAW? Understandably it is more data, but I would think that the CPU encoding would take quite a bit of energy. Just thoughts.
 
Its compressing 5k to redcode RAW, its still compression. Plus it can do, hdrx, 300fps, and has a heat sink the size of a rubiks cube.
 
Add a Ki Pro Mini to the F3 and you are up to 43W (18W KPM)+ 5W for the SmallHD DP4 after that you either need an Anton Bauer HCX (120WH) or second battery for a light. I know someone with an Arri that is using the Anton Bauer Cine VCLX 560WH battery to power their Alexa
 
I was on a shoot yesterday with an F3. The images were great but the build quality is not. IMO I am not sure how this camera will stand up to rugged filming situations.
 
Paul Hudson said:
I was on a shoot yesterday with an F3. The images were great but the build quality is not. IMO I am not sure how this camera will stand up to rugged filming situations.
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It depends what you consider "rugged"?
I have no issues with my F3 build quality... I also had no issue with my previously owned EX1. And I took that little camera "to the end of the world" and back... On one occasion it was splashed by ocean wave in India, my great concer at the time but after return Sony service did not detect ANY damage(!!!)... If that is any indication on how Sony designs the hardware, I have no concerns about F3. My camera is "sandwiched" all the time with Zacuto rails on the bottom and Berkey cheese plate on the top, what else do I need for protection. Yes the side of the camera next to the hand strap sounds hollow on a touch, but so what?
So far I took my F3 to one "scary location" and that was cement factory here in Ontario... I did wrap the whole kit in garbage bag to prevent as much dust as possible, and it was constant temperature change from hot to cold. Camera performed great. Yes, it took me a while to clean it at the end of the day and it sucked finding a proper place on location to swap lenses. But, the job was done!
Bottom line, you can build the camera out of titanium but be sure "gear abuse" would eventually destroy a piece of gear like that as well...
 
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it's not that it's not 'rugged', but it is plastic.... and that is true. does not feel rock solid, for sure...
 
Well, it may feel less rugged, but is it? Kevlar is plastic, and it's used to protect you against a bullett…
 
I don't know about the F3 (yet) but the EX1 looked and felt like plastic, but when taken apart you see it has a solid metal chassis underneath. You should read Buck Forester's exploits with his EX1. The camera has dropped, dunked (even in salt water), etc a dozen times and keeps on ticking. If I was going to snivel it would be about the feel of the top handle on the F3, but on the other hand nothing bad has come of it.
 
Tomas Riuka said:
it's not that it's not 'rugged', but it is plastic.... and that is true. does not feel rock solid, for sure...
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You have a problem with plastic???
Look around, my friend! All world is becoming plastic...
And "rock solid" is so over ratted term... You will not hammer a nail with F3, although Nikon use to advertise their F2 like that some 30+ years ago...
 
Processing Power

Processing Power

My original question still remains unanswered. Does anyone know the amount of computer power being used by each camera and it's effect on the final picture, ie noise, latitude, ability to handle mixed light sources....
 
I am not bashing the camera, all things break. It was kind of shocking that the LCD (flip out) broke after a little rough treatment (not unusual when shooting process shots). At any rate once the flip out broke, no viewfinder? Good thing we had other monitors.
 
All the money went to the sensor and dsp. Guaranteed. Wish we could rehouse the damn thing in a steel cage.
 
jameswmulryan said:
My original question still remains unanswered. Does anyone know the amount of computer power being used by each camera aind it's effect on the final picture, ie noise, latitude, ability to handle mixed light sources....
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Why does this even matter.....go shoot
 
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Because sensor design and processing power has a direct relation to image quality. My question is has Sony managed to shrink everything down to the point where the F3 competes with Epic, F35, and Alexa?
 
Power consumption isn't related to image quality. Its only slightly related to processing power. As you surmised a smaller processor is often faster than a larger one of the same power.

However, you've ignored the data stream. If the Red can go to 120fps, it has to handle a bigger data stream. If the Alexa can go 4.4.4 its a bigger data stream. There are too many variable to form a correlation between power usage and processing power.
 
I think what consumes the most power in these cameras are the sensors. Power consumption generates heat - and look where they put the heat sinks - on the sensors. Epic and F65 have more pixels and faster scan rates, so they consume more power. The processors also have to process more pixels, which also consumes power. F35 and Alexa use CCDs, which consume much more power than CMOS. And all these cameras have to write data out at much higher rates than F3. More power.

Personally, I don't think power consumption is much related to picture quality.
 
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