Pricing F5 F55
- Thread starter Rob187
- Start date
DendriteStudios
Active member
I know that's just a rumor, but if that is the price for an f5 body only that is a ridiculous joke. Be a game changer sony like you claimed. Challenge your competitors with pricing not just specs. f5 body only more expensive than an epic? Ha. What a joke.
starcentral
Veteran
Don't believe it for a second since Japanese price posted is less.
Either the dealer is overestimating or that's Hollywood for you.
DendriteStudios
Active member
That's around what the f55 should cost body only.
Have a feeling the F55 will be more, at least $25K.
starcentral
Veteran
These are direct exchange rate conversions, so USD MSRP will be slightly less than that, street price will be slightly less than that.
I would expect to pay $16k-$18k for the F5 and $27-$29k for the F55.
Let's all hope for less.
Nate Weaver
Veteran
I don't know about the price, but having preordered quite a few cameras over the years, you can take that date with a grain of salt. At most, it's a target date Sony has given. 2 years ago with the F3 they said the same thing. Mid January target, which was accurate for VERY few units, then a fair sized batch beginning of Feb, and then more throughout Feb. I was like batch 3 at my retailer (Roscor in IL), and it wasn't until early March when I got mine.
Andrew Stone
Veteran
$14,995 for the F5 and $18,995 for the F55 with the cheapo EVF costing $2,499. $3,999 for the OLED EVF. $7,000 to 7,999 for the outboard recorder. This is my guess based on the assumption that Sony is going to be competitive and serious about gaining market share without sabotaging the market. The PL lenses will be the equivalent of $2,000 each.
starcentral
Veteran
Andrew we can't expect the F5 to cost the same or $1000 more than F3?
starcentral
Veteran
After rebate?
**never mind that is before rebate, another $800 off after rebate.
Still I don't expect the F3 and F5 to sell for so close in price, but who knows maybe the F3 price will change. i'm just saying there has to be some difference between F3 and F5.
Andrew Stone
Veteran
I've thought it through. The F5 is effectively a 2013 replacement of the F3. The F3 in the context of the "new pricing" of cinema cameras has to come down in price, like it or not (as an F3 owner). Sony either prices up the F5 and F55 from my figures and offers an early adopter upgrade discount for F3 owners or brings the cameras down to be in line with RED's product line. Otherwise they will bleed existing customers. They cannot afford to do so and I am pretty sure they recognize this.
I say they will recognize they have to be competitive with RED (and in a more indirect way ARRI) and frankly RED's brand strength is better than Sony's in this cinema camera market, regardless of how much better the Sony workflow will be. Remember we are talking about sales numbers here in the end, not which camera is intrinically worth more. Once you have someone using a particular camera a certain amount will "stick" to that brand, because it is difficult to leave a workflow paradigm. ARRI owns the mid to high end market, RED owns the mid-tier market. Canon and Sony are now vying for largely the RED market and duking it out for the tier just below RED.
Sony makes a bunch of money off the ecosystem part of the product shelf as well... or at least they intend to, so that gets factored into the overall pricing.
I say they will recognize they have to be competitive with RED (and in a more indirect way ARRI) and frankly RED's brand strength is better than Sony's in this cinema camera market, regardless of how much better the Sony workflow will be. Remember we are talking about sales numbers here in the end, not which camera is intrinically worth more. Once you have someone using a particular camera a certain amount will "stick" to that brand, because it is difficult to leave a workflow paradigm. ARRI owns the mid to high end market, RED owns the mid-tier market. Canon and Sony are now vying for largely the RED market and duking it out for the tier just below RED.
Sony makes a bunch of money off the ecosystem part of the product shelf as well... or at least they intend to, so that gets factored into the overall pricing.
Steve Castle
Well-known member
According to Japanese sites, the F55 should be 2.88 million yen (~$35k) and the F5 1.73 million yen (~$21K).
For comparison, the the PMW-F3K was 2.2 million yen (~$26.8K) and the PMW-F3 was 1.52 million yen (~$18.5k) when it was first released.
So we should keep in mind that the yen is very strong against the dollar and euro, and that the F5 shouldn't be too far from the F3 in price, while the F55 should be a good bit (~$10k) more.
For comparison, the the PMW-F3K was 2.2 million yen (~$26.8K) and the PMW-F3 was 1.52 million yen (~$18.5k) when it was first released.
So we should keep in mind that the yen is very strong against the dollar and euro, and that the F5 shouldn't be too far from the F3 in price, while the F55 should be a good bit (~$10k) more.
Nate Weaver
Veteran
About 2 weeks ago when the Japanese prices showed up, I made this sheet.
At the top are all the correct prices for the F3. Far left is Japanese list (which is in the original press releases), and as you go right are the predictions based on conversions from ¥ List to Street, and then USD List, etc etc.
We'll find out how close my guesses are tomorrow. Remember though, Sony will probably be releasing LIST pricing, not Minimum Sales Price. So here's hoping B&H or whoever will be posting their prices right away too. But historically, difference between US list and street is 14%-ish.
At the top are all the correct prices for the F3. Far left is Japanese list (which is in the original press releases), and as you go right are the predictions based on conversions from ¥ List to Street, and then USD List, etc etc.
We'll find out how close my guesses are tomorrow. Remember though, Sony will probably be releasing LIST pricing, not Minimum Sales Price. So here's hoping B&H or whoever will be posting their prices right away too. But historically, difference between US list and street is 14%-ish.
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DendriteStudios
Active member
I know the f55 won't be 18,995 like andrew says, but that would be the magic number on that camera to truly bring it!
Alas.
Alas.
Duke M.
Veteran
I don't know that we can assume that. More than one Sony rep has said that the F3 will continue to be offered. It's too new to discontinue and slightly different features. (higher ISO in S-Log, rocker, etc) Although they may cut prices, I think it will continue to sell for a few more years.
starcentral
Veteran
^ The F5 is most definitely not a replacement for the F3. For studio or other live use it is king. Also a lot can be done on SXS and some people preferr using ext. recorders because they can use whatever codec they want. Not everyone is going to drink the Sony koolaid and use Sony codecs on the F5 so the F3 is still a highly flexible product.
Steve Castle
Well-known member
Thank you, that's a very useful image.
But as you say, there always seems to be a consistent delta between Sony's list price and its near immediate market price.
Andrew Stone
Veteran
I didn't say that they would discontinue the F3. Psychologically, to the camera op, the F5 is a 2013 replacement for the F3. Canon C300 sales are trouncing F3 sales and have gained both market and mindshare of many operators and producers over the past year. Sony is trying to make 4K the new normal in mid-tier buyers. The F5 becomes the new baseline for cinema cameras and the F3 is the entry point at around 10 to 11 grand.
We'll see how this plays out when Sony issues their pricing, that is when we get the pricing that matters: the minimum advertised pricing. Nate's figures are probably right. My figures are based on what they ought to be in the current market. You'll note my F5 pricing is only $600 below what Nate calcualtes based on a tried formula. My F55 pricing is based on the new reality that came about when RED repriced their EPIC line.