F3: Sony PMW-F3 with 2500 hours on it. Should I buy it?

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basil_555

Member
Hello,

I need your advice. I was offered Sony PMW-F3 bundled with Logocam UPL95 battery, D-Tap charger, 2x32Gb SxS-1 cards, SD card adapter, Cineroid EVF 4L HDMI (w/o battery and charger) and Nikon mount adapter. All for $750 (it doesn’t have 444 upgrade). The camera has 2500 hours on it. The camera viewfinder is not functioning (the flex cable is broken). Is it a good buy?
 
basil_555 said:
Is it a good buy?
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IMO, only if you're in love with the camera and its look.

It's a nice look and a great camera for its time (and still usable today for many), but there are so many better cameras for just a bit more money.

Considering you're interested in this particular model, you probably have done your research and something about it appeals to you.
 
I think you could do better than a malfunctioning one for $750 (the evf is useless regardless, but still). If you’re going to get a 1080p camera in 2020, I’d at least get one that gives you 4:4:4.
 
basil_555 said:
Hello,

I need your advice. I was offered Sony PMW-F3 bundled with Logocam UPL95 battery, D-Tap charger, 2x32Gb SxS-1 cards, SD card adapter, Cineroid EVF 4L HDMI (w/o battery and charger) and Nikon mount adapter. All for $750 (it doesn’t have 444 upgrade). The camera has 2500 hours on it. The camera viewfinder is not functioning (the flex cable is broken). Is it a good buy?
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I have a 444 model with the Black Magic Video assist, Sony batteries that power the black magic video assist monitor via d-tap. I was planning on listing online but would give you a good deal if you wanted it. Hours are a lot lower. You're definitely going to need a way to capture the signal externally.

Personally I would only buy if you really don't mind a large camera and need internal ND filters. It does produce a really nice image.

This is how I ran the setup if I needed a really small setup. (This is the older version without the 444 upgrade,) but it's the only photo I have of the setup.

IMG_8828.thumb.JPG.8415722b326fac72201f113fe56d312b.JPG
 
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Honestly, with the Pocket 6k camera having just been discounted to $2k USD. I’d get that instead. You won’t need to worry about getting an external recorder for it. The menus make actual shooting operations with it much easier. The dual ISO gives you better low-light performance than the F3’s bigger pixels can, off-speed recording is way easier and the image and highlight handling is at least as nice.

You can also switch it from EF to PL mount if you need to.
 
Im not experienced with the 6k but am the 4k and did own an F3.

IMO the '3 has a very different look. from the BMC cams. As for the menues .. set it to Slog, 180 shutter and do your iris on the lens.. what could be simpler? Menus pah!

As a seller of the F3 I personally would however be much more likely to buy a BM!

As for this F3 - i took the evf off mine the acmera is not really lost without it.. but Id go for one iwth the upgrade if possible.
 
You guys aren't worried about BM reliability issues? I hear the pocket periodically and unpredictably records random image artifacts
 
ahalpert said:
You guys aren't worried about BM reliability issues? I hear the pocket periodically and unpredictably records random image artifacts
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It's not just the Pockets; it can be any BM camera. But I also said they can be perfect.

I picked up a 6K myself last Friday after the price drop (ironically only hours after our conversation before the price drop).

Any risk is worth everything else and for me the camera is better than 90% of everything else out there.
 
NorBro said:
It's not just the Pockets; it can be any BM camera. But I also said they can be perfect.

I picked up a 6K myself last Friday after the price drop (ironically only hours after our conversation before the price drop).

Any risk is worth everything else and for me the camera is better than 90% of everything else out there.
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Honestly I would love to shoot with a Pocket, especially if they had a full-frame version. It's just that most of my shoots have at least some shots I can't retake or can't afford to interrupt or delay. But I agree that the footage looks great and the codecs are basically perfect. Although I wouldn't hate having an in-camera H265 option as well.
 
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Does that F3 have the full sLOG 444 upgrade? From what I remember the free upgrade that Sony released a while back was 422, not 444.

I still have my F3 with the full sLOG upgrade and in my opinion the camera really doesn't come into its own without it.
 
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