System Hours on F3
- Thread starter cknight55
- Start date
David W. Jones
Veteran
Since a modern camera like the F3 does not shoot to tape, it does not have heads which wear out. So expect the camera to last much longer than you care to keep it.
I honestly dont understand why they even have system use on these cameras anymore. That is just a number that means nothing about the ware and tare of the camera. High numbers used to mean tape heads and gears wear out, but now theres no moving parts, and no wear can be done to the internal parts.
You could get a camera that has only been used for 50 hours but abused to heck in bad weather ect, and you could get a camera thats been used for 1,000 hours and been in studio and babied all its life. That number is useless to be honest. In tape cameras yes, in the F3, its a pointless number.
As said, you'll sell the camera and get something new, before the camera will need anything from normal use. The outside condition is more important than that number, if you see heavy cracks and bangs and scratches its been abused a bit, but even then... no moving parts so... kinda doesnt matter anymore.
Extreme heat and cold is the only thing that could really do damage to the F3, and I was never able to hurt mine with weather, in Africa or up north, it just kept on ticking.
You could get a camera that has only been used for 50 hours but abused to heck in bad weather ect, and you could get a camera thats been used for 1,000 hours and been in studio and babied all its life. That number is useless to be honest. In tape cameras yes, in the F3, its a pointless number.
As said, you'll sell the camera and get something new, before the camera will need anything from normal use. The outside condition is more important than that number, if you see heavy cracks and bangs and scratches its been abused a bit, but even then... no moving parts so... kinda doesnt matter anymore.
Extreme heat and cold is the only thing that could really do damage to the F3, and I was never able to hurt mine with weather, in Africa or up north, it just kept on ticking.
starcentral
Veteran
Also hours can just mean the amount of time the camera was on, not necessarily how many hours of recording it did. So if the owner used the camera to transfer footage from the camera to computer, it counts as system hours.
Just an FYI.
Just an FYI.
Duke M.
Veteran
Shortest answer, its nearly new. The seller probably shot one feature length movie on it.
Viddovation
Veteran
While the Sony F3 doesn't have tape heads, it does have an interchangable lens system, and early units were not well dust sealed. Depending on how the camera has been used, and what environments it's been used it, dust content may vary drastically from unit to unit, but more system hours may imply more lens changes, and therefore more possibility for dust contamination in the optical block.
If I were purchasing used, I would do both an optical inspection, as well as ask the seller about how they treated the camera.
If I were purchasing used, I would do both an optical inspection, as well as ask the seller about how they treated the camera.
Yes, that's the form of answer I wanted.
Thanks all. And I'll get a pro tech to look at dust collection for their eval.
Duke M.
Veteran
I know a couple of the guys in Australia complained about the dust and had a new optical block installed under warranty. I don't know about other countries. I've never found any dust issues in mine.