F3: Why so many F3s for sale?

Realistically you won't get hired because of the camera that you have, but you may not get hired because of the camera you have if they want to save a little money by not renting and they have their minds made up to 2 or three cameras (of which they may actually know very little beyond reputation.)
 
morgan_moore said:
To me the 3 offers Nd and cleaner tops than the fs100 - and loses 50p

so what would that trade up be worth?

Something - but not too much

So that gives a clue as what I'd pay for one used

if I had a larger budget I'd be looking for a different cam - probably an f5
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The single most biggest upgrade when you get an F3 over FS100 is 10bit. For those of us who take color grading very seriously that is huuuuge.
 
starcentral said:
Yep. Sure all of us want to get hired for our work, skill, professionalism and good service. But there's still something to be said about being "able" to offer your clients the "latest and greatest" even if in reality you can shoot what they need on a DSLR. Some of "stepping up" your gear is marketing and psychology I admit, but in the end it never hurts you to have something that is "new".
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Right. I get tons of work for about 6 months because I have the shiny new camera that's hot right now...only because I take full advantage of that by letting EVERYONE know I have it. There's nothing wrong with taking advantage of the next best thing as a marketing tool. Those who stand tall with their arms crossed and preach "it's not about the camera" aren't utilizing a popular camera's marketing potential, IMO. OF COURSE someone's decision to hire SHOULD BE primarily based on abilities...but when you are up against 4 colleagues and you have the next best thing...it definately helps. :)
 
You might not get hired for the camera you have, but if you can offer tiered levels of camera packages or options to meet specific budgets and to that regard be "flexible" I think it can benefit you.

"I can offer you the Lambo or VW beetle depending on which race you enter and how much money you have for gas"

I also learned not too long ago I don't need to own 5 cameras, I just make 5 friends with different cameras and we all work together depending on what need arises. I can offer my clients RED EPIC, F55, 1DC, 60D, 7D and only own one of those.
 
starcentral said:
You might not get hired for the camera you have, but if you can offer tiered levels of camera packages or options to meet specific budgets and to that regard be "flexible" I think it can benefit you.

"I can offer you the Lambo or VW beetle depending on which race you enter and how much money you have for gas"

I also learned not too long ago I don't need to own 5 cameras, I just make 5 friends with different cameras and we all work together depending on what need arises. I can offer my clients RED EPIC, F55, 1DC, 60D, 7D and only own one of those.
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Good point. Also it seems for the first time you have all of those cameras rolled into one! The tiered camera in one camera body. Strip it down and shoot to cards for the low budget web spot, then strap on the raw recorder for the national TV spot, etc.
 
I admit I am one of those guys hung up on what camera I have. I also think quite selfishly I want the best camera for myself, not so much clients :happy: :love4:
 
Ok, you fellas have convinced me... I think I will hang on to my FS-100 for a couple of more years and snatch up a good deal on a used F5, when the F7 is announced!
 
I was wondering, how many DPs actually bill a rental fee for the use of their own cameras? Or do they just charge a flat fee that includes what ever camera you own?
I personally get hired by my images they see, not the equipment. My quotes describe everything I will do including directing, DPing, editing, and every single equipment I will use with price next to it.
If they want something else they have a choice, but they trust me to select the camera and configuration I think will do the best with their budget. If I think that the job is best done with a $1k a day rental and they are paying for it, great I get to play with a new toy for free.
 
Duke M. said:
I don't see it that way at all. There is a glut on the market of F3's now simply because the F55 appears to be a truly great camera and owner ops want to trade up. As that excess drys up, and it will shortly, there won't be a ton on the market and prices will go to where they should be in the $10k-$11k range.

The F3 with a recorder still does things a Red camera won't do. It works great in low light, it has less noise, the file size and work flow is more economical, a very organic image and accessories are not anywhere near as proprietary. Oh, you can spend a ton on accesories if you want to, but you can run the camera very well for fairly cheap if study it a bit.

If you're truly indie (and you've realized the limitations of a DSLR) the F3 is going to continue to appeal to you for a long time to come. It's those on the bleeding edge that are dumping F3s and they're going to bleed money. At the same time, the F3 with SLog is going to continue to deliver a very Alexa like image.
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is the F3 what you use to make your feature films?
 
The 8-vs 10 bit - Ive failed to be convinced - seeing raw as the benchmark of post flexibility - but Im open to the concept that the difference may indeed be 'huuuuge'

And of course the F3 is only 10bit with a Pix (etc.) isnt it?

On owning a camera - really I would like to own a camera that can 'deliver my personal vision' - and to some extent that is client irrelevant - but also clients wont hire people who "could do great things if.."

S
 
Sheldon Charron said:
is the F3 what you use to make your feature films?
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Hey Sheldon! Mostly I use the F3 although I'm not wedded to one camera. When we met at AFM I was selling "The Down Home Alien Blues", which was recently nominated for Best Foreign Film at a festival. It was shot almost exclusively on the F3 (except for two FX shots.)

On a series that I'm shooting now I've used three different cameras including the F3.

I still need to read the last verson of your script. Sorry. I'm finally getting over the flu, I hope. Every time I thought I was getting better its come back. I'm behind on everything.

Duke
 
Richard Allen Crook said:
Those who stand tall with their arms crossed and preach "it's not about the camera" aren't utilizing a popular camera's marketing potential, IMO.
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Or dont need to. But I dont think because someone believes this means they are crossing their arms and preaching to anyone either.

Richard Allen Crook said:
The single most biggest upgrade when you get an F3 over FS100 is 10bit. For those of us who take color grading very seriously that is huuuuge.
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Ive taken grading seriously for a number of years, yet shoot 8 bit regularly. I think it depends on whats in there.

starcentral said:
Yep. Sure all of us want to get hired for our work, skill, professionalism and good service. But there's still something to be said about being "able" to offer your clients the "latest and greatest" even if in reality you can shoot what they need on a DSLR. Some of "stepping up" your gear is marketing and psychology I admit, but in the end it never hurts you to have something that is "new".
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I have no issue with the perspective you're taking here. To be clearer and more to the point, if you cant deliver, you cant deliver no matter the camera in your hand.

My point to this thread is coming from the perspective that Im just wary of new people coming in thinking buying a F5 or up is the way to build a career, as we all know it isn't.
 
Richard Allen Crook said:
Those who stand tall with their arms crossed and preach "it's not about the camera" aren't utilizing a popular camera's marketing potential, IMO.
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In my market, those who do that are dismissed by the best clients. Too many people, too many cameras. Only the reel and working reputation count, pretty much.

I do know though in other markets, it's somewhat different. If I had my F55 in Indianapolis, where I moved from 13 years ago, I might tell a few people. But that's it.
 
Nate Weaver said:
In my market, those who do that are dismissed by the best clients. Too many people, too many cameras. Only the reel and working reputation count, pretty much.

I do know though in other markets, it's somewhat different. If I had my F55 in Indianapolis, where I moved from 13 years ago, I might tell a few people. But that's it.
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Agreed. It's your style that counts.
The rest are perks. If you are even talking with a client about the kind of camera you own, it's because you have gotten your foot in the door.
End of the day, it's still about the showreel, and how quickly and efficiently you turn around your first job with a client, which keeps them coming back.
 
The rest are perks. If you are even talking with a client about the kind of camera you own, it's because you have gotten your foot in the door.
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Isn't that the truth! When I tell clients about a new camera, they just laugh and shake their heads. In fact, I had one literally recently say, "We don't give a $hit. We just trust you." That was a good day in my camp! :thumbsup:
 
Nate Weaver said:
In my market, those who do that are dismissed by the best clients. Too many people, too many cameras. Only the reel and working reputation count, pretty much.
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Yep. Same here. And until someone invents a camera that can light, compose shots and direct talent it will always be so.
 
Yes we all get hired for our reels, quality of work, work ethic, and reputation we've built with our clients and continue to build. But if camera truly didn't matter one bit then we'd be shooting with hacked GH2's or 5D/7D's because "we know how to light". There are plenty of guys making a living shooting on a 5D so what's so special about the "other" cameras we use then, or chose to use?
 
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