Tech Column
Sony’s F5/55 Puts Users into the Picture
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ony’s new F5 and up-model F55 have been called the “RED Killer,” but company reps play down the notion they’re gunning for any particular camera maker or model. RED Digital Cinema might say the same thing, noting their dramatic 50 per cent price drop for the Epic to $19,000 – putting it smack at Sony’s F5 pricing level – was merely coincidental. Coincidences like this, however, only happen in movie scripts, don’t they?
the internal cards. Both cameras have 4K RAW to the AXS-R5 ($6,300) SSD modular recorder which clips on to the body.
Nudges and winks aside, however, these black boxes have intrigued the marketplace with their technology and modular design. Officially, they are the PMW-F5 Cineastes 4K and PMW-F55 Cineastes 4K Camera, clocking in at $19,400 and $34,900 respectively. What you get is a modular system weighing in at about five pounds before you slap a rig or glass on it. It’s 4K ready from capture to distribution with 2K/HD options and 4K/2K RAW recording options.
Extras include the DVF-EL100 OLED Viewfinder at $5,800, the DVF-F350 3.5” LCD Viewfinder for $3,800, and the DVF-L700 LCD viewfinder for $5,000. Lens packages are the SCL-PK6/F PL sixlens set for $24,600 with the SCL-PK3/F PL mount three-lens set for $13,600.
Recording is either through two internal Six’s Flash memory card slots with MPEG2, MPEG4 compression, while the F55 also compresses 4K internally to
There’s 60 fps out of the box (XAVC HD), 120 fps (XAVC 2K/HD) with upgrade, and 120 fps 2K RAW with the AXS-R5 in 16-bit. On the front end, there are PL and FZ lens mounts with thirdparty adaptors for a variety of glass such as Nikon, Cooke, Canon and Leica.
The adage that form necessarily follows function is fading to black in the digital age, which perhaps gives designers more time to research how their products are actually used on the front lines and to incorporate that feedback into their output. François Gauthier, Sony Canada market manager - broadcast acquisition and
production, says Sony made a concerted effort to go out and poll users and shooters for their wants and needs and then built accordingly. “Also, and this is new, the F5/55 is more of a platform which can be built out for what the user needs” rather than just a purpose-built camera, said Gauthier. “And it has a wide range of connection options from HDSI to HDMI.” The F5 is a video camera that can be used for broadcast capture, for studio, for documentaries, even cinematography, while the F55 is a cinematography capture device that can be used for video shoots. “It’s very popular with the rental houses already,” said Gauthier, because it’s a flexible platform, which meets their clients’ diverse range of needs. Sony made sure not to depart from standard menus and workflow, and it will be also familiar to anyone who uses Sony equipment now. There’s already a range of rigs and accessories available from a variety of sources including ARRI. It’s also relatively light at 5 lbs in base Canadian Cinematographer - April 2013 •
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