Sony Promises No New CineAlta Production Camera at NAB

Glad to hear they've finally got the message. Arri's model of giving their cameras a long service life works in everyone's favour.
 
Only because the rate of technological change has slowed - as pointed out in the article. Because of that slowdown, there are no spiffy new features that everyone wants and can be delivered by competitors. If it weren't so, and there was something everyone wanted, if Sony didn't give it to them, some competitor like RED or BMC would, so that would compel Sony to come up with a new camera not to lose the technological battle. But where are such must-have features? The 4K revolution is there, but it's more like evolution, because most displays are still in 2K land. There is not enough clamor for 4K - it'll come, because there are advantages to down-rezing, and postproduction, but consumers are not beating down the door yet. What's left? Incremental stuff - more DR, global shutter, a few bits and bobs here and there, but no revolution. No question cameras will continue to get more capable, but there will be more movement toward ergonomic gains such as size and weight as well as connectivity, but the hardware side of the camera is getting more or less fully baked. There will of course continue to be huge software improvements and inventions, and those are super important, but that can be done through firmware updates, no need for a whole new camera. Bottom line - until there is something more interesting technically on the horizon, as the pace of technological development slows, so will the frequency of new camera releases. We are in a bit of a slow period. How long will it last, who knows - but better sensors should push things along... and Sony is a big player in the sensor space.
 
It's a shame, but I guess they don't seen a profit in coming out with a F65 replacement because the F65 itself was such a disaster. The F55 really only needs a slight body update, so that it does monitoring LUTs, but that's the only big weakness I can think of, it's super solid otherwise.
 
IanTheM said:
It's a shame, but I guess they don't seen a profit in coming out with a F65 replacement because the F65 itself was such a disaster. The F55 really only needs a slight body update, so that it does monitoring LUTs, but that's the only big weakness I can think of, it's super solid otherwise.
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The F65 just need a replacement recorder, one that does ProRes and Proxies in addition to Raw and Raw Lite. And uses media/card readers that don't require accessing them over an IP address. If they'd just switch out the current box for something that matches the recording and workflow efficiencies they have in the F5(5), I'm sure it'd see a significant lift in interest for the camera (the sensor tech is gorgeous, so it's a shame to see recording formats and workflow render it so unwanted).
 
Ian the F55 does have 3D monitoring LUT capability…. er, um, just not in playback or S&Q mode. Is that what you meant?

Yeah it'd be great if Sony can bring that to the table.
 
Grug said:
The F65 just need a replacement recorder, one that does ProRes and Proxies in addition to Raw and Raw Lite. And uses media/card readers that don't require accessing them over an IP address. If they'd just switch out the current box for something that matches the recording and workflow efficiencies they have in the F5(5), I'm sure it'd see a significant lift in interest for the camera (the sensor tech is gorgeous, so it's a shame to see recording formats and workflow render it so unwanted).
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Yeah, I don't think there's actually anything technically wrong with the camera. It's simply a body/workflow issue. The modern camera gets turned into basically what looks like a car bomb, once all the ridiculous attachments, splitters, wireless receivers and transmitters get velcro'd to the body. When the body's already big in the first place, it becomes a real ordeal compared to a RED.

starcentral said:
Ian the F55 does have 3D monitoring LUT capability…. er, um, just not in playback or S&Q mode. Is that what you meant?

Yeah it'd be great if Sony can bring that to the table.
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Yeah, I haven't shot with the F55 so I must have minconstrued some of the criticism I read of it, no mLUTs in playback is a bit ridiculous though. Other than that specific criticism, it seems like a really well though out camera.
 
maybe dumb question but which cams are in the cinealta line? only the higher end ones(fxx)? or ex1/pmw300 etc. and the fs5/7?
 
Josh Bass said:
maybe dumb question but which cams are in the cinealta line? only the higher end ones(fxx)? or ex1/pmw300 etc. and the fs5/7?
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F5/55/65.

I see several reasons for this :

a) they're getting a ton of orders for F55 (thanks to "Vinyl") due to the major push toward 4K for the US based TV and the inevitable obsolescence/end of product cycle of Alexa.

b) they wait until the fall, as they usually do.

c) They may have something in the FS7 range.
 
starcentral said:
c) Yep I smell that full frame version of the FS5 around the corner.
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The Sony Alpha Rumor rumor that many of us dismissed here was about a full frame camera slotted in slightly above FS7. From the sensor perspective, it's likely to be ~ 17.6 MPX, which should deliver a top notch low light performance and oversampling into 4K. Feature-wise, it could have that new XAVC 480 codec in 10-bit color space and the auto-focus of A7RII and A6300, the latter of which should help with the sales of their new G Master and Batis series lens. The technology for all of the above already exists in sub-$10,000 cameras, albeit piecemeal - some here, some there. An FS-7 non upgrade/upgrade - i.e., the same body with mostly the same ergonomics but with an improved performance and in production concurrently with FS-7 - would then warrant a premium price over FS-7 too.
 
DLD said:
The Sony Alpha Rumor rumor that many of us dismissed here was about a full frame camera slotted in slightly above FS7. From the sensor perspective, it's likely to be ~ 17.6 MPX, which should deliver a top notch low light performance and oversampling into 4K.
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Some day ago I've spoken with a guy that has opportunity to talk with Sony and they told him that it's not true.
 
Danilo Del Tufo said:
Some day ago I've spoken with a guy that has opportunity to talk with Sony and they told him that it's not true.
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I tend to believe their "No Cine Alta" stance for the NAB. I also think that there'll be something new there beside the FS-5 Raw update. IMO, Sony really needs a high end prosumer/enthusiast/low end pro line to push their G Master lenses. It may not be full frame, however. It seems to be much easier to just put A7RII in its s35 iteration into an FS-5 type body. We'll see. The announcements should commence around April, 1st or so.
 
spinkscapes said:
I was hoping for a FS7 replacement.
Oh well.
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The FS cameras are not CineAlta.
The FS7 probably still sell well enough and doesn't really have any direct competition (the 4.6K ursa maybe). But there could be an addition to the FS line without breaking the statement of no new CineAltas...
 
dmitrizigany said:
The FS cameras are not CineAlta.
The FS7 probably still sell well enough and doesn't really have any direct competition (the 4.6K ursa maybe). But there could be an addition to the FS line without breaking the statement of no new CineAltas...
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Yeah, would like an option for 4K @ 60p which I feel like a newly announced $10,000 Sony video camera would offer.
 
From a marketing position, they have space in the $12,000-$15,000 range, where there is basically one 4K camera at the moment (Red Raven). Presumably, C300II will be priced there once its 1-year anniversary hit and C500II is shipping. Varicam LT is aimed higher with its full shooting package in the $20's. F5 replacement will be somewhere around Varicam LT, one has to assume.

On the lower end, they have new Z150, which is mostly set for the run&gun / ENG style. Could they possibly take a shot with a camcorder style APS-C ILC model in the same $3,000-$4,000 arena without eating into the A7SII/RII or FS-5 sales? I find it unlikely for 2016.
 
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