F35: Yachacha light weight F35 build thread
- Thread starter SJX
- Start date
rbirnbaum
Well-known member
One of my dreams would be to replace everything with newer smaller components and keep the sensor block. Then create a new custom housing. That would make a killer package.
rogar-Mark-10(DBG)
I will wait until I have results before I make too many claims.
I have one motto with this project: If it isn't necessary: loose it.
" replace everything with newer smaller components" - This is far beyond my capability, however I don't think it necessary to replace the components, only to remove the unnecessary ones and there are a lot inside the F35. Once this is done, the F35 can be rehoused into a smaller, sleeker box. I have recently been introduced to the world of pre-made carbon fiber sheets and angled parts, basically all the parts are already made to make a custom sized box
The trick of this puzzle has been realizing which components can move around, and which are required to stay in relation to other parts due to ribbon cables which can not be bent from their original geometry.
The F35 is basically a compact mini computer. All i am doing is a sort of complex custom PC build into a carbon fiber box.
Things I am removing:
vf ports
side panel of the camera (I will use assistant panel to change settings)
both docks
ethernet
12v, 24v input
tally
memory stick
IF box capability
You can see from the side angle view once I clear out the memory stick port, there is a lot of empty space on the bottom of the camera. The back bottom holds the "power supply" which is a component which can be moved and has quite a bit of slack on it's cables.
The "fat" side of the F35 can be reduced also, I discovered 3 boards sandwiched together are all not necessary. The outside board is processing the 12-bit signal sent to the 2 docks.
So basically I can lower the top of the camera quite a bit and raise the bottom. The camera width can be reduced dramatically also. You are left with a much smaller box and able to keep battery mounted much closer in without dock in the way.
My first revision will only have 2 x 10-bit SDI ports, Lemo power input and assistant panel port. I am making carbon fiber panels for all the sides, keeping original front plate and cutting it down, and metal for top and bottom.
It is possible to keep the 12-bit by taking the dock and IF box apart and sandwiching into the back of the camera, however it is a lot more time and work and breaks the first rule. A big part of taking on a project like this is being able to complete it back into a working camera.
Like I said I may end up killing my camera. I'm not good at describing my ideas sometime and it may sound super complex. The truth is once the docks are removed, it is much easier to fit the camera into a square shape.
The original F35 is a tank, I don't suggest anyone open theirs up unless you want to spend hundreds of dollars fixing things like ribbon cables, which I have. What I am building will most likely be more fragile but also much lighter and most important smaller. I want a Red/Mini shaped box capable of F35 10-bit images.
G
Guest
Guest
Fascinating!
Can't wait to see what you come up with for a case!
Can't wait to see what you come up with for a case!
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I second this, I’d love to follow this progress!
rbirnbaum
Well-known member
Yachacha! That's some work you are doing. I am looking forward to hearing more about it. Yes, a new thread would be great...
rbirnbaum
Well-known member
Yachacha is trying to get a completely new housing. That should make the camera better for hand-held... don't you think?
Grug
Veteran
The biggest difference (bit depth-wise) is always going to lie in secondary colour corrections and pulling keys within those corrections. I'll have a look, but I'm pretty sure the tests I shot were deleted to free up some HDD space.
I certainly noticed significant improvements in flexibility between grades on the first F35 projects I shot (in 10-bit 4:2:2, and the later ones recording to 12-bit 4:4:4).
I actually just shipped the final grade of the Bollywood feature I shot on the F35 off to India this morning. So hopefully I'll be able to share some stuff from that soon.
Mac yes by removing all those parts I realized there is a huge amount of empty space inside the F35 now, I am removing closer to 5lbs from my camera. I am hoping for something the size of a mini but a little bit longer. I know this sounds complicated, it's along the lines of building a custom computer case. Like I said, the real advancement has been Carbon Fiber pre-made parts, there are square tubes, right angles, square corners and strong panels all fairly cheap. I have help also in the form of an aeronautical engineer who has a background building custom cases for testers at IBM, I am simply standing on the shoulders of giants to make this forgotten camera a modern contender.
I wish I could speed up the mail, there are so many Carbon Fiber parts made for DIY RC Drone projects I am finding everything I need. Also CF can be sanded so I can make the outside layer pretty slick.
The "motherboard" is the "fat" side of the F35, I had a huge break through figuring out I could lower it, once you can lower than board the camera becomes a lot smaller.
Imagine you could cut the front plate right above the bottom viewfinder port and right below the top viewfinder port, this is how my camera will look. The PL will not be centered, one side of the F35 will always be fatter than the other.
Check out these photos: The power supply used to sit at the bottom of the camera, by flipping it on it's side and moving it to the back of the camera, it is a lot more space efficient. This is all the parts needed to run F35.
Grug congratulations you convinced me, I can fit the dock board inside the camera so I'm going to do it. So now I will have 4 SDI ports on the back of the camera, 2 for Monitor and 2 for A and B.
I really will start a new post now. First part is to make new skeleton to hold these parts together. Next is redesigning the airflow. Then then outter case should be fairly easy. The airflow is actually easy because Sony used standard 12v pc fans, I am getting bigger quieter fans and also I can have airflow from the top which Sony couldn't do on F35 because of the top dock.
I wish I could speed up the mail, there are so many Carbon Fiber parts made for DIY RC Drone projects I am finding everything I need. Also CF can be sanded so I can make the outside layer pretty slick.
The "motherboard" is the "fat" side of the F35, I had a huge break through figuring out I could lower it, once you can lower than board the camera becomes a lot smaller.
Imagine you could cut the front plate right above the bottom viewfinder port and right below the top viewfinder port, this is how my camera will look. The PL will not be centered, one side of the F35 will always be fatter than the other.
Check out these photos: The power supply used to sit at the bottom of the camera, by flipping it on it's side and moving it to the back of the camera, it is a lot more space efficient. This is all the parts needed to run F35.
Grug congratulations you convinced me, I can fit the dock board inside the camera so I'm going to do it. So now I will have 4 SDI ports on the back of the camera, 2 for Monitor and 2 for A and B.
I really will start a new post now. First part is to make new skeleton to hold these parts together. Next is redesigning the airflow. Then then outter case should be fairly easy. The airflow is actually easy because Sony used standard 12v pc fans, I am getting bigger quieter fans and also I can have airflow from the top which Sony couldn't do on F35 because of the top dock.
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G
Guest
Guest
it just gets better!
SJX
Veteran
OK. Since thread got hijacked I changed title and opening post. Will start new thread for current F35 owners. 
New owners thread here: http://www.dvxuser.com/V6/showthread.php?361063-If-you-own-a-F35-please-speak-up!-)
Please post there if you own a F35.
New owners thread here: http://www.dvxuser.com/V6/showthread.php?361063-If-you-own-a-F35-please-speak-up!-)
Please post there if you own a F35.
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SJX
Veteran
rbirnbaum
Well-known member
Yachacha... looking good. I had also thought about removing the Sd Sdi and Genlock and using those to output an already converted dual 3G Sdi signal for single cable to recorders instead of 2 which is always a hassle.
Was thinking of jamming an AJA 3G inside somewhere. They are pretty empty inside and all I needed was power supply that I could bring though the back of the camera via special custom wire.
I like your idea of the camera being longer than the Alexa Mini I think that is the right way to go. Not too fond of square boxes. If it goes bigger at the back maybe this internal conversion add on may work.
As you see the thread name has changed. So keep posting your updates here please.
Was thinking of jamming an AJA 3G inside somewhere. They are pretty empty inside and all I needed was power supply that I could bring though the back of the camera via special custom wire.
I like your idea of the camera being longer than the Alexa Mini I think that is the right way to go. Not too fond of square boxes. If it goes bigger at the back maybe this internal conversion add on may work.
As you see the thread name has changed. So keep posting your updates here please.