36FDT-SonyF3-3-5-Med-Rez-RGB

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The Journal of Art, Technique and Technology in Motion Picture Production Worldwide

Jon Fauers

SONY PMW-F3

Special Report


2/122 Sony PMW-F3

Sony Affordable 35...

First unveiled at NAB 2010 by Alec Shapiro, Senior VP o SonyProessional Sales and Marketing, it was quickly put under glass.Te camera remained under glass at IBC, attracted much interest,more speculation, and only non-disclosable smiles rom Sony staabout the sign that said, Aordable 35mm Camera.

Te IBC press release was short: Sony plans to introduce anAordable 35mm Camera to join the F35 and the SRW-9000PL.Te demonstration o an R&D prototype will re-arm the goal oestablishing a 35mm line-up to cover applications rom high budgetto lower budget production. Another big sign above the aordableprototype and its 2 Sony Cinealta PL camera siblings (F35 andSRW-9000PL) proclaimed, Its a 35mm World. Absolutely.

Sonys Alec...

wo months aer IBC 2010, on a cold, sleety November 8th, Alecwas backthis time on the loy 35th oor o Sonys New YorkMadison Avenue headquarters, ready to introduce the new camerato the press, and the world.

Te evolution was complete: the new camera is called PMW-F3the third 35mm Cinealta Digital Camera. Aordable was anunderstatement.

Te PWM-F3L package be will shipping end o January or earlyFebruary as a basic camera with PL adaptor (no lenses): list pricewill be around $16,000. Yes, the comma is in the correct place$16K. Te PMW-F3K package consists o the camera, PL adaptorand 3 Sony PL Primes, with a list price around $23,000.


3/12Sony PMW-F3

Sony PMW-F3


4/124 Sony PMW-F3

Te new Sony PMW-F3 camcorder is another step in thedemocratization o cinematographya 35mm ormat digitacamcorder that is lighter, smaller, aster, cheaper. Unveiled as anaordable 35 prototype at NAB, it was introduced at USC onNovember 17th with lm students and independents in mind.

But its appeal is greater. Te body weighs a meager 5.3 lbs (2.4kg). Many lenses weigh more: instead o attaching a lens on thiscamera, youll oen put the camera on a lens. (See lens charts later

in this issue.) Power consumption is an astonishingly low 24 WattsTe Sony F3 uses an on-board 12 volt battery like the BPU-60 orabout 3 hours o run-time. Tere are no ans.

Te PMW-F3 camcorder has a Super 35mm single CMOS sensor23.6 x 13.3 mm, which is close to 35mm 3-per 1.77:1 motionpicture ormat. Te newly developed Sony Exmor CMOS imagerpromises high sensitivity and low noise levels. Te ballparksensitivity rating is ISO 800 (1600 in S-log), with an exposurerange greater than 13 stops. Up to now, Sony has been using CCDsor digital motion picture camcorders. Since image sensors ormotion picture production must consider characteristics suchas sensitivity, dynamic range, and smoothness o motionbyenlarging the size o each pixel in the new Exmor CMOS sensorSony achieved high sensitivity, low noise, and good image quality

Looking at the ront, you notice two distinctive things. Te F3 hasa PL mount. But its really an adaptor. Remove it by turning themounting ring on the body counter-clockwise. Underneath is anew stainless-steel Sony F3 mount. It is a little wider than a PLand reminiscent o Sony EX3 mounts.

Te ange ocal depth is remarkably shallow, which translatesinto lenses that may be non-retroocus, (think Leica M serierangender) and best o all, opens up a world o adaptors. And, asi to prove this point, every PMW-F3 camera ships with a Sony F3to PL mount adaptor. Te PL mount has lens contacts in place oCooke /i echnology and ARRI LDS.

What does this all mean? Alred Pif may have predicted correctlyits not just a PL mount camera world; cameras can now haveinnite choices o 35mm ormat interchangeable mounts. TeDSLR revolution conrmed the appeal o larger single sensorswith their shallower depth o eld.

Te PWM-F3L package is the basic camera with PL adaptornolenseswith a list price around $16,000. Te PMW-F3K packageconsists o the camera, PL adaptor, and 3 Sony PL Primes: 35, 50and 85 mm 2.0. Tis kit will cost around $23,000. Te PL lenseswill support Cooke /i echnology. We also learned that Sony isplanning an aordable zoom lens with the Sony F3 mount (notPL). Te shorter ange depth should enable this lens to be smallerand lighter than current PL zooms.

Te PMW-F3 is based on the XDCAM EX platorm. Tis is Sonythird 35mm CineAlta Digital Camcorder. Te other two are F35and SRW-9000PL. Teir specs still exceed the F3, but this camerais no slouch, and ootage shot with all 3 cameras should intercut.

Te F3, above all, is a handheld camcorder. It doesnt sit on yourshoulder. You hold it like a Handycam, slipping your hand betweenthe prosumer/video style adjustable strap and plastic handle withits zoom rocker control and start/stop button. Its not a shoulder-resting camera. Te lighter and smaller camera body was madepossible by the development o the new CMOS sensor, which

Sony PMW-F3

Front view: F3 lens

mount with PLadaptor attached

Rocker control orzoom lenses

Image planeThis is not a tape measurehook at the image plane: it is acarrying strap hook.


5/12Sony PMW-F3

consumes very little power, generates very little heat, and doesntneed a an.

A tilting viewnder is attached at the rear o the top handle. It lookssimilar to the HVR-Z7U nder, with about 1.2 million pixels. AnLCD monitor pivots out rom the cameras le side. I hope the nextmodel has a detachable nder that can mount either at the rear orin ront or shoulder-resting, and the 1/4-20 tripod mounts on thebottom are replaced by industry-standard 3/8-16.

At the rear o the F3 are 2 Sony SxS ExpressCard slots. Te F3records natively onto SxS cards at 35 Mbps in 4:2:0 8-bit XDCAMEX ormat. Te SxS cards are ormatted in standard FA leormat; a 32 GB card will record 100 minutes in highest quality.Many users will be happy with this. But, like Oliver wist, manywill want more. And they can have morewith onboard SxS cardsas immediately editable proxies, while simultaneously recordingto a higher standard. Tat might include 4:4:4 10-bit S-Log HD-SDI dual link to an SRW-1 /SRPC-1 SRW tape recorder at visuallylossless 440 and 880 Mbps or (next year) 1 B Solid State MemoryCards with potentially even greater data rates.

HD-SDI dual link outputs enable external recording (4:2:2 1080

50/59.94P normal; and RGB 1080 23.98/25/29.97PsF as an option).Youll be able to select S-Log and HyperGamma to seriouslyincrease the dynamic range. S-Log is Sonys take on RAW DigitalNegatives. Te image, uncorrected, looks pale and washed out(like a negative), but when a Look-Up able (LU) is applied,shows the ull dynamic range o the image, giving you greaterexibility or color and contrast correction in post.

Recording ormats include 1920x1080, 1440x1080, and 1280x720at 23.98/25/29.97p, 50/59.94i and, in DVCAM mode, 25/29.97PsFand 50/59.94i. Under- and overcranking is called S & Q or slowand quick recording, rom 1 to 30 ps at 1920 x 1080 (17 to 30ps in dual-link mode) and 1 to 60 ps at 1280 x 720 (17 to 60ps in dual-link mode). Sonys column-parallel A/D convertermechanism makes 60 ps possible with less noise.

Whos going to shoot with Sonys F3and how? I youre a studentor independent, youll probably take the simplest package possible:a zoom or primes, record to SxS onboard cards, and go directly toedit. O course, youll be sure to diligently back up those SxS cardsusing Sonys PXU-MS240 Mobile Storage Device, which not onlybacks up the cards, but also careully checks the data to be sure itsall there (parity). Next, youll copy the SxS card to your Avid orFinal Cut Pro system. (Go to sony.com/cinemon to download theSony Cinemon plug-in. It enables MPEG to be transparent to FCPQuicktime. Youll be able to edit natively in FCP, with drag anddrop capability. All les will be instantly viewable on a Mac. Avids

AMA (Avid Media Access) plug-in mounts the XDCAM EX lesdirectly into Avid Media Composer.)

When shooting documentaries, commercials or V, you mightollow a similar path. O course, you will not reormat your SxScards until the job is saely completed and many archives andcopies have been cloned. Cards are relatively cheap. Te dreadedword Oops is very expensive when a once-in-a-lietime sceneis reormatted. I shudder when I see people reormatting cardsduring a job. Its like re-recording over your existing videotape.

High-end productions, recording to SR tape or memory, shouldsoon have native support o SR codec on Avid and Final Cut Pro.Te HD-SDI outputs o the Sony F3 will be eyed with great interest

12 VDC4-pin XLR

dual SxS Cardslots

HD-SDI duallink Out

HDMI Out

CompositeVideo Out

2x USB ports

700 RemoteControl Port

3D Link


6/126 Sony PMW-F3

Weight, body only: Approx. 2.4kg

Size, body only: (W x H x D): 151 x 189 x 210mm

Power: DC 12V; DC input: XLR type 4-pin (male)

Power consumption: Approx. 24.0 W

Battery operating time: Approx.130 Min (w/ BP-U60)

Recording ormat: MPEG-2 Long GOP

HD HQ mode: VBR, maximum bit rate: 35 Mb/s, MPEG-2 MP@HL

HD SP mode: CBR, 25 Mb/s, MPEG-2 MP@H-14

SD mode: DVCAM

Audio: Linear PCM (2ch, 16-bit, 48-kHz)

Recording NTSC:

HD HQ mode: 1920 x 1080/59.94i, 29.97p, 23.98p,

1440 x 1080/59.94i, 29.97p, 23.98p,

1280 x 720/59.94p, 29.97p, 23.98p

HD SP mode: 1440 x 1080/59.94i, 23.98p

SD mode: 720 x 480/59.94i, 29.97p

Recording PAL:

HD HQ mode: 1920 x 1080/50i, 25p,

1440 x 1080/50i, 25p,

1280 x 720/50p, 25p

HD SP mode: 1440 x 1080/50iSD mode: 720 x 576/50i, 25p

Lens mount: PL mount (with supplied lens mount adapter)

Imager: Super 35mm size Single Chip Exmor CMOS Image Sensor

Built-in ND optical flters: OFF: Clear, 1: 1/8ND, 2: 1/64ND

Shutter speed: 1/32 - 1/2000 sec

Slow Shutter (SLS): 2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8 rame accumulation

720P: 1 - 60 ps selectable (17-60 ps when HD-SDI Dual Link activ

1080P: 1 - 30 ps selectable (17-30 ps when HD-SDI Dual Link acti

White balance: Preset, Memory A, Memory B/ATW

Gain: -3, 0, 3, 6, 9, 12, 18dB, AGC

Audio input: XLR Type 3-pin (emale) x2, LINE/MIC/MIC +48V selecta Composite output: BNC (x1), NTSC or PAL, S-Video output

SDI output: BNC (x1), HD-SDI/SD-SDI selectable

HD-SDI Dual Link Out: BNCx2 4:2:2 1080 50/59.94P 10-bit output

i.LINK: IEEE1394 S400 Connector

Timecode in: BNC (x1); Timecode out: BNC (x1); Genlock in: BNC (x1

USB: Mini Type-B connector and standard USB

HDMI output: HDMI connector (Type A)

Viewfnder: 0.45, Aspect Ratio 16: 9

Built-in LCD monitor: 3.5, 16: 9, Hybrid (semi-transmissive) type

Media: ExpressCard/34 slot (x2)

by aer-market recording gurus at Codex, Cinedeck, etc.

3D Link is a uture option that connects two F3 cameras in sync ostereo shooting. When connected, both cameras can be managedby one remote control. Genlock in and imecode out are handledalong with Metadata. Youll be able to record the le and rightcameras onto one memory card, i you like.

Te camera that began as the aordable 35mm prototype maysoon become the awardable 35mm cameraproviding an

innovative avenue to award-winning productions.

The right side o the camera has a amiliar Sonycamcorder handgrip with zoom rocker controlaclear indication o commitment to an upcomingzoom lens specifc to the F3. There are two 3-pin

XLR audio connectors (Line/Mic/+48v).

SONY PMW-F3 Specs


7/12Sony PMW-F3

Cooke S4/i

with /i Data

contacts and

connector

ZEISS/ARRI Master

Prime with LDS

Lenses

Te PWM-F3L package consists o the camerawith PL adaptor (no lenses). Te PMW-F3Kpackage includes the camera, PL adaptor, and 3Sony PL Primes: 35, 50 and 85 mm, 2.0.

wo custom zooms are also in the works, usingSonys F3 mount.

Since the F3 has a very shallow ange ocal depth,a huge array o lenses can be used with all kindso adaptors.

Cooke /i lens contacts

at 12 oclock.

Every PMW-F3 camera ships with a PL mount adaptor. It has lens contacts in placeor Cooke /i echnology and ARRI LDS in the 12 and 3 oclock positions. Lens in-ormation (metadata, -stop, ocal length, aperture, serial number) can be suppliedcontinuously, in real time.

ZEISS/ARRI LDS

lenses have contacts

normally positioned at

3 oclock.

Sony 35mm ormat

PL Primes: 35, 50,

85 mm. T2.0

Sony PL Primes

Sony F3 Mount and PL Adaptor


8/128 Sony PMW-F3

by Seth Emmons

Tose o us who spend way too much time on camera technologywebsites and travel the major industry tradeshow circuit like tothink were always one step ahead. We trac in substantiatedrumors and inormed speculation. We dont guess at whats comingnextwell, some o us do. Many o us thought we knew what toexpect rom Sonys Super 35mm launch at the George LucasBuilding on the University o Southern Caliornias Los Angeles

campus. We were in or some surprises.Sonys original promotional images or the evenst showed a cine-style mattebox and cine lens poking out o a red cloth with whatlooked like a camcorder-sized bump behind it. Many guessed(correctly) that it would be the new XDCAM EX-like 35mmdigital camera that Sony had teased at NAB and shown underglass at IBC. Sure enough, preliminary specs on the PMW-F3 wereleaked on the Sony UK website a week beore the event.

Sure enough, Sonys Peter Crithary, Marketing Manager,Production, gave those in attendance an in-depth presentation onthe eatures o the PMW-F3. A new 35mm digital camera with ahuge amount o horsepower or such an aordable little package

that ts seamlessly into Sonys existing motion picture camera line.We were treated to a screening o material shot on the F3: two shortsby USC students and aculty, and one short by Sam Nicholson,ASC o Stargate Studios. Sam was the same cinematographer whoshot the Sony F23/F35 demo Toroughbred.

Te ootage showed that the F3 has an impressive dynamic range,even when recording directly to SxS cards. Nicholsons shortincluded a good amount o nighttime exteriors, all shot withavailable light and the camera set to 18db gain, which was one othe eatures that impressed him most.

Nicholson said, Its like glass. Tis is one o the best signal-to-noise ratios on any digital camera Ive ever seen. We cranked it

up as high as the camera would go and couldnt nd the noisein it. However, the camera he used only had an Exposure Indexo 800. With the upgrade option to S-Log, Sony estimates the EIconservatively at 1600.

Crithary also came up with the biggest surprise o the night. SRMemory is closer than you think, and more aordable. Althoughhe declined to put a price tag or delivery date on the SR Memoryrecorder, called SR-R1, he did expect it to be within reach o manycinematographers. Te ability to record up to 440 Mbs (and higher)onto solid state, RAID-5 protected cards o up to 1b should meetthe needs o any high-budget, VFX-heavy eature.

As with all Sony cameras, one can rest assured that when the

camera arrives the post production path will be ready and waitingor it. Te PMW-F3 is no exception. Te onboard SxS cards withXDCAM EX 4:2:0 8-bit ormat provide the proxies with LUsbaked in or ofine editing. Te dual link HD-SDI outputs provideRGB 10-bit S-Log (available by soware upgrade) as the masterormat (recordable to SRW-1 tape now, SR-R1 solid state down theroad). And or on-set monitoring, enjoy a 4:2:2 10-bit image withLUs on your Sony BMV-L231. Use the EDL rom your proxiesto pull rom the S-Log originals and let the olks in post do whatthey do best.

All o this originates rom a $16,000 camera.

Sony F3 Launch in LA


9/12Sony PMW-F3


10/1210 Sony PMW-F3

Solid State Memory

Sony HDCAM SR solid state memory cardshave been announced, with a capacity upto 1B and sustainable transer speedsexceeding 5Gbps.

Te SR-R1 Memory Recorder wasannounced at the recent F3 launch at USCSchool o Cinematic Arts. Te SR-R1 willrecord onto solid state memory cards at220Mbps and 440Mbps. Te unit can handle

Single Link 4:2:2, two HD-SDI outputs or4:2:2 1080/60p, 3G and Dual Link RGB at440Mbps, all o which the PMW-F3 canoutput to the SR-R1.

In addition, the SR Memory ormat hasthe capability o simultaneous dual streamrecording, which opens up the possibility o3D stereo shooting rom two cameras (le-eye, right-eye) up to 30p onto one recorderand one Memory Card. Tis is the samecore technology announced or Sony F35and SRW9000PL cameras.

SR-R1 Memory RecorderPMW-F3 camera

Actual 1 TB Memory Card

Prototype Memory Card


11/12Sony PMW-F3

Sonys SR Memory ormat has

the capability o simultaneous

dual stream recording, which

opens up the possibility o

3D stereo shooting rom two

cameras (let-eye, right-eye) up

to 30p onto one recorder and

one Memory Card.

SR-R1 Memory Recorder

F3 3D

Two F3 cameras can currently sync together

or 3D shooting using Genlock.

3D Link is a uture option that will connect

two F3 cameras in sync or stereo shooting.

When connected, both cameras will be

managed by one remote control.


12/12

For further details about the Sony PMWF3: www.sony.com/PMWF3

To see shorts shot with Sony PMWF3: www.sony.com/videON

2011 Film and Digital Times

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