The New F

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Didn't Sony had a concept camera on display last NAB which had a selectable sensor size? It was a S35 sensor with modes for 2/3", 1/3". Really liked that concept of an all in one camera. S35 for when you need the DoF, 2/3" for when you need ENG style. Sony has a Full Frame/Crop auto switch mode already on their A99 and VG900 and for the Nikon sensors they produce. Shouldn't be to difficult to do the same for video?
 
Because VariDoF was launched on April 1st, and featured a demo with sitting ducks, I'd always assumed it was for fools only?
 
Because VariDoF was launched on April 1st, and featured a demo with sitting ducks, I'd always assumed it was for fools only?

And you would be correct.


There is a lot of interesting stuff coming and I find this particular thread fascinating. Some of the guessing and suppositions have been pretty dead-on, while others have been rather off base. And none of you (except Ned) realize the full scope. There will be a LOT to talk about after the 30th.

Enjoy. ;-)
 
Just curious - how has the F3 been selling? Is it a "hit" for Sony?

I wonder who the F3 was originally targeted to vs. who actually ended up shifting towards it.

For me it was more to have a "cinema" 35mm camera with proper video camera controls. The AF100 just never did it for me as a large sensor camera. I was already using 35mm and PL mount lenses and wasn't about to go backwards to 4/3. Still the AF100 seemed to do well for many.

What seems rather evident from these forums over the last few years is that the F3 has been widely adapter in everything from feature films, corporate video, commercial video, ENG work, and lots more.

The future looks exciting. (and expensive) :happy:
 
Hopefully a load of cheap F3s will flood the market on 30th Oct.

That's more than enough camera for me, at the right price.
 
All is under NDA except what Sony has actually said- 4K, 50Mbps 4:2:2, High Frame Rates
What about internal recording? That's a biggie for me. I played with a C500 today with a codex recorder on the back and I checked out the new AJA and Convergent design recorders. Very nice recorders, but internal recording is where we need to be.
 
What about internal recording? That's a biggie for me. I played with a C500 today with a codex recorder on the back and I checked out the new AJA and Convergent design recorders. Very nice recorders, but internal recording is where we need to be.

...and this is where it is all backwards. You should be able to record the highest bit-depth and bit-rates internally to camera in the absolute smallest form factor - and then and only then use an external recorder using the codec of your choice.

I believe this solution already exists.
 
Im sure Sony's new offering will be incredible from all of the accolades it's getting from the few in the know. With that, 4K(which my clients have no wish for) or 50mbs is not going to make me dump my F3 which I always use with a Samurai anyways. It's going to need to have a slew of other features such as the high frame rate(120 comes to mind) teased to us that can be recorded internally. While a internal 422 8 bit 50mbs is great and it will put the cam at "par" with the C300, 50mbs for S-Log recording is no match for the 10 bit ProResHQ Im already getting externally. A high quality(better then any third part out there) EVF with Sony's peaking feature enabled would be very appealing to me. One thing I love about the F3 is the range of how you can use it; from 420 35mbs internal to 444 uncompressed out and everything in between. SO many companies limit the cameras capability and expandability. The F3 came in at a good price point and let you expand as YOU needed, be it S-Log, 1080 60P, 444, etc. If you didnt need that stuff you paid the sticker price and nothing more, it let you have a incredible image at a reasonable starting price. Now the F65 is the price it is for a number of reasons. My hope for the new F is that if it's one camera, it comes at a base configuration with some great new feature's/capabilities for under 20K. From there if you want 4K enabled you pay for a firmware or reasonably priced recorder. If you want internal 1080 120fps you pay for it, etc, etc. All of this is based on the premise that the image and DR is the same no matter what tier you wind up at.

Of course I'd love for all of these features to be included at under 20K but Im a realist.
 
And none of you (except Ned) realize the full scope. There will be a LOT to talk about after the 30th.
Of course... the biggest thing to get people talking is if the price is very affordable!

(anyway... back in the real world...)
 
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Sony did not announce pricing to the journalists gathered at the double-secret meeting. Obviously Sony is aiming at both Scarlet and C500. I think we can guess pricing accordingly. We did get to play a game of The Price is Right as they asked us how we would price it. But it is amazing how corporate PR and product management types can remain so poker-faced. And I who can read the nuances in your eyebrows couldn't even pick up a tell. I'll borrow an old Apple line (bad grammar and all) - Think Different.

Ned
 
Sony did not announce pricing to the journalists gathered at the double-secret meeting. Obviously Sony is aiming at both Scarlet and C500. I think we can guess pricing accordingly. We did get to play a game of The Price is Right as they asked us how we would price it. But it is amazing how corporate PR and product management types can remain so poker-faced. And I who can read the nuances in your eyebrows couldn't even pick up a tell. I'll borrow an old Apple line (bad grammar and all) - Think Different.

Ned

As a Scarlet owner this is very interesting to me. I work in a field where higher frame rates are necessary but after shooting at 4K and raw, I'm having a hard time pulling away. RED is a great company but I'd be lying if I said I wasn't interested. I'm about 20-25K into my camera kit outside of lenses. I'm considering the 700 since it picks up where the Scarlet fails in frame rates, but fails to deliver in resolution and raw.

If they can hit in between the Scarlet and C500 price wise, offer some form of modularity and interchangeability as far as accessories and lenses, and offer high frame rates at 4K i might be interested in switching. Either way this is good. If the price is right, which I expect it to be, since Sony isn't Canon, It'll force RED to possibly change there game plan on the cost of the dragon (sensor) upgrade for Scarlet. Either way it's good. Have to say I haven't been this excited about a new camera since the Scarlet was dropped a year ago.

Everyone saying Sony listened is encouraging as well. I hope this camera either meets more of my needs from a camera, or forces RED's hand to get there price on there upgrade down.

Thanks for the hints and updates everyone! Are we sitting here til the 30th waiting? Or will more leak out?
 
I hope that sony have realised that all this tech can come pretty cheap

Or rather it must come pretty cheap if they want to open up to those who are happy to sit with their FS100 or whatever..

S
 
Indeed. But the BMC and the FS700 have set the benchmark of 'what this stuff costs' in terms of pure tech, Id pay 3-4 times that amount to get it in a nicer package

There seem to be two schools
'a pro cam costs $20k' - "and so it shall be. Amen."
'an nex 5r does 1080/60p for and wifi $500- "I should get a lot for $10k"

Computers, mobiles, whatever, we have seen orders of magnitude change in the last years no reason that should not come here

I wager (and look at the 5d) that sony can only make money from a cam when the wedding brigade can afford it

.. and got seriously burned by trying to sell an S35 EX1 for 3X over price..!

A further thought 'professional cred'.. it is alway critical to have a 'better' camera than your employers uncle.
So if an NEx5n has 60p you have to have 120p etc
(however badly limited the version from the consumer cam is)


S
 
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For the leaked specs, I'd be amazed to see a price less than 6 x BMC. With 4K internal recording, I'd fall over if it was less than 8 x BMC.
 
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