F55: Sony F''s now shipping

Best thing is to express it over on the Sony forums, start a thread there and others will chime in. Sony is willing and all ears, so best thing is to send the message and feedback.
 
There's also an issue with the camera's not being able to drive the Sony SCL-Z18x140 lens until the firmware has been updated.
It only stops you focussing so shouldn't affect my shoots too much!
:D
 
Just got my F5. Hooked it up to a monitor using the sub SDI outputs and from there activated the hdmi so that i could use a third party viewfinder. Works!
 
PaulReam said:
There's also an issue with the camera's not being able to drive the Sony SCL-Z18x140 lens until the firmware has been updated.
It only stops you focussing so shouldn't affect my shoots too much!
:D
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C'mon it's a zoom, just zoom in all the way, set your focus, then zoom out.. . :cool:
 
HD Studio Belgium said:
Some units have 'trickled down' ... but reception wasn't great. One can look forward to his new 4K camera, but some essential things should be working when you unpack it from the box. Besides the already known story about the 'startup menu' not being output to any SDI at the moment, which basically makes it impossible to 'start' your camera without a new SONY F-Viewfinder, (viewfinders that are being shipped in single digit numbers!) ... as you can't get beyond the date and time setting ... (What were they thinking ? ) More issues with the the 'now shipping' firmware have surfaced ... Just as with the pre-production cameras, there is the complete lack of any decent exposure measurement tools. Besides zebras that only go to 50% there is NO spot meter, NO histogram and NO Waveform ... Does SONY really expect we all use a light meter or an external monitor that has those features ? 'NOW Shipping' is one statement ... but this is not what I would call a 'ready for production use' release!

I did not 'copy paste' Alistar Chapmans first expressions on his new F5 ... we just came to exactly the same conclusion. I just feel a bit less 'an idiot' now, when others express themselves the same way ... that a lot is missing with this 'now shipping' 'firmware'.
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... And from the jaws of victory Sony snatches defeat and runs away with it.
 
When Sony proclaimed "Ahead of schedule" they must have meant in the hardware department. It looks like their software department can't keep up. I said last year that I'll look into the F5 in 2014 and I reckon that by then it will be fully operational cameras.
 
Osslund said:
When Sony proclaimed "Ahead of schedule" they must have meant in the hardware department. It looks like their software department can't keep up. I said last year that I'll look into the F5 in 2014 and I reckon that by then it will be fully operational cameras.
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Thats exactly what I'm thinking.
 
Osslund said:
When Sony proclaimed "Ahead of schedule" they must have meant in the hardware department. It looks like their software department can't keep up. I said last year that I'll look into the F5 in 2014 and I reckon that by then it will be fully operational cameras.
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Think of how many YEARS, litterally years that Red One users had to wait to have a camera that was stable much less fully implimented.
 
The initial firmware on RED One had wrong middle grey mapped out, in that case it wasn't until people jumped up and down that it finally got corrected. Anyway, think of all the pain and suffering before us. Think of the people still waiting for BMC. Think of the people who look at D16 now and think.... . ??????

At least the F's are shipping, and not suffering from any major disaster.
 
oh, and just as they begin to ship rumours surface that there'll be a new full frame handycam for NAB...oh boy, cameras coming out faster than mushrooms.... maybe keep check in sonyalpharumors.com....
 
There will always be cameras coming and there will always be the mass confusion and even purchase-paralysis that result from too many choices.

Somewhat OT, FedEx just delivered a Blackmagic Camera, which I have for review for a week. As Dennis says-- talk about delayed shipping.

I am not in a budgetary position to buy either the F5 or the F55. If I were purchasing, I would not let the firmware timetable get in my way. If I were purchasing, the purchase would definitely included the AXS-5. Having shot only that half day with the F55 and raw recorder, I am so impressed with the Raw footage that I could work around everything else.

I am honestly more excited about raw than I am about sensor size-- full frame or S35.

Ned
 
Duke M. said:
Think of how many YEARS, litterally years that Red One users had to wait to have a camera that was stable much less fully implimented.
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They're still not stable. Couple weeks ago I did an Epic shoot and camera crashed repeatedly checking takes. Incidentally, when I had a Red 2008-2010, that was a common problem then too.

Not good on a shoot that was rehearsals all day for shooting a whole steadicam choreographed MV in the 45 minutes after sunset.
 
Look at Sony's F3 release. Other than lack of building hype and marketing it, it was flawless from what I recall. Sure there was the paid SLOG debacle, but companies must do what it takes to keep up with the market. $3200 for SLOG to free, then $800 for RGB is really not that bad. At least Sony didn't slash the price of the camera in half :happy:
 
Nate Weaver said:
They're still not stable. Couple weeks ago I did an Epic shoot and camera crashed repeatedly checking takes. Incidentally, when I had a Red 2008-2010, that was a common problem then too.

Not good on a shoot that was rehearsals all day for shooting a whole steadicam choreographed MV in the 45 minutes after sunset.
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Out of interest, what firmware was the Epic running?
 
Nate Weaver said:
I have no idea. I was directing. version 4.0.2.paininmybutt.4
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OK. Just wondered really as a lot of people are running latest betas on shoots & that causes many issues. I'm in the habit of making sure that a stable firmware is running on a rental as I find that a lot of younger owners/operators always want to be at the 'bleeding edge' (LOL) where, for the sake of a smooth shoot, it's often better running something that's been golden for 6 months.

Anyway, don't want to sidetrack this thread :) - so back onto the Sony.

Let's see if Sony hits a homerun this time!
 
Not to beat a dead horse, but Reds (Epic, MX) are not nearly as stable/reliable as Alexa's and Sony products. Just shot another feature on Epic, and I always have the AC "check the gate" after every setup and we make sure we have a good data dump before rolling out of a location. Besides hiccups in the firmware, they tend to have bad boots. They happen so often we never really worry about them, just reboot the camera and keep shooting, checking the gate, etc. etc. Oh, and make sure your DIT always has Red Undead loaded up if using Mac OS.

Really looking forward to the global shutter, as VFX work keeps increasing on the projects I shoot.

Workflow-wise recording RAW and 1080P simultaneously will be great.
 
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