As those of us who are taking advantage of the sony S-LOG promotion I thought it would be good to get an idea of the average wait/turnaround time. I've "applied" as of yesterday but am still waiting on sony service NJ to get the "parts" in. I'll also be getting some service done to the camera as well so my turnaround time will be a little higher.

Is anyone else now more tempted to go 4:4:4 now that the upgrade is 3k cheaper? The Gemini seems like quite a deal now, if it can capture arriraw and I can use it on an alexa and the f3 i will definitely be purchasing one. Otherwise Maybe the blackmagic ultrabridge or probably the AJA IOXT.

I applied last a last thursday and I have heard nothing. It's been a week I think I will call in the morning. My only fear with the gemini is that the network will complain about the file size for the days work.

Sony service in Los Angeles are telling me it's about 3 days. I don't know why since I've done this upgrade a couple of times with the SxS card and it took all of 3 minutes as the upgrade just needs to be verified on the camera. I'm sure it's more related to the bureaucracy of checking the units in and out than to actually do the upgrade.

My 2 F3's are going in next Friday and I expect to get them back by end of day Tues or Wed morning.

My proceedure was this; call Sony Service Center (near you) and they will send you an email with the requirements (camera serial#, model #, your contact info, etc). After replying to that I received another email requesting a copy of the sales recipt, then after that was submitted I was told I was good to go to bring the camera(s) in for the service. I live in LA area so it's not inconvenient to get them there.

You want to see if you can get them to give you the same deal on the 3D link option Bruce. It's real nice. Master and Slave cameras, change shutter on one, the other follows. Matched time codes, record in sync, genlock and shutter sync with just one cable.

What's "the same deal" ? Didn't know there was one offered.

I just got back from New Jersey they gave me the Firmware for $899.00 and I was gone in an hour. It looks like they are stopping this as of 4/1/12 and that's it. And after that S-log comes with the camera with a price increase from 13,300 to 13,999.00.

I don't know if I have 3D? How would I know?

That's a separate upgrade called CBK-3DL01. Lists for $5,500 USD. Haven't yet located a discounted price for it in connection with this S-Log special, but contacting Sony/LA to ask.

LA Sony service won't have the kits until Monday Feb 13.

I submitted all my info, and am still waiting for them to tell me to send in the camera. must be a real disconnect if people are already able to get upgraded and they are telling me they are "still waiting on parts".

What about europe/netherlands. I'd like to have the 444 option. And this 899 dollar option sounds ok for me. Anyone knows this status?

I heard april for everyone else. it sounds like the US may have released it early.

Ian, if you are dealing with Sony LA/Glendale service, you will get an email from Edgar in service dept. asking for the basic information about the camera and later for a scanned copy of your sales receipt. After that you can just walk the camera in and wait the day or so for them to do the job. They don't set up a time or make appointments to do it, just send an email letting them know what day you are bringing it in.

I am dealing with NJ. a guy named Raymund. they have all my info including a copy of the sales receipt and he said he would send me the info for sending my camera in. I haven't heard a word in a week. obviously I am getting antsy when I hear people are able to just walk in and get it and I being told to wait for parts. I am contemplating just flying out to see some friends and getting it taken care of in CA.

Just call Raymond on Monday and he will send you the form that you need to mail the camera. I was in NJ and they were very nice about the whole thing.

It looks like they are stopping this as of 4/1/12 and that's it. And after that S-log comes with the camera with a price increase from 13,300 to 13,999.00.

I don't know if I have 3D? How would I know?

Michael,

Is that been already announced... that "after 4/1/12 the F3 will come out with the S-Log included at $13,999"?

Where did you get that info? Is this is true we'd like to hear that directly from Sony.

I was just ready to order the F3 but if this is a fact, I will put on hold my order.

The price has already been increased.

For the US buyers, at present, the price of $ 13.960 has been in place since May last year.

Currently there is a promotion (since October 15, 2011 until March 15, 2012) where the end user receive a cash-in rebate of $800 so the price after this is $13,160.00.

Certainly if you buy the S-Log option of $899 after you receive your camera, at the end, your cost will be $14,059.00, but with all the hassle involved. This promotion will expire 3/31/12.

So, I do not understand what you mean in your last post about that the price has been already increased...

And that option you mentioned before that after 4/1/12 the S-Log will be included with the F3 for $13,999 sounds very tempting after all... That's why I still remain with my question:

Where did you get that info?

Making inquiries under my "press" credentials, I have found that there is no price increase scheduled for April 1. I do not know, nor was I told one way or the other, about inclusion of S-Log as standard in the future. If I was told, I couldn't say. But the one thing that I could confirm and report is that there are no scheduled price increases.

Ned Soltz

Ned,

Thank you so much for taking the time to reply...

Your answer have put me again on track to order the F3 immediately.

I hope to be qualified and on time to buy the $899 S-Log option even though some one in another forum has posted that this program has been already put on hold.

The information circulating today indicates the promotion is "on hold." Again, using the "press credentials" I could dig a little deeper.

Sony is using existing stock of S-Log upgrades to upgrade each camera individually and then repurpose the SxS card. Sony Teaneck, at least, says they are out of parts and are awaiting management to tell them whether there will be any more or not.

Management says that they are looking into the situation.

So, as of right now, 2/13/2012 at 3:18 EST, things are fluid. Hold tight and let's see what gets resolved.

Let me add some info to this thread that I learned from Sony today.

They are currently out of stock of the S-Log upgrades. More inventory is on order. Those in the queue will be accomodated.

The offer also extends to new buyers of F-3. So, if you go out and buy an F-3 today, you can get the S-Log for $899. It just may be a couple of weeks before new stock is received.

Again, the way the whole camera was engineered was under the presumption of a user buying the upgrade on the 32gb SxS card which has the unlock code in a secure hidden partition. The 32gb card is then a value-added to the customer. So for both the engineering as well as internal accounting procedures at Sony, the way this has to be handled is one camera/one card at a time. But at that price. the user doesn't get the card.

I am only being the good journalist and reporting information so don't ask my why. That's what it is.

Ned Soltz

"The offer also extends to new buyers of F-3. So, if you go out and buy an F-3 today, you can get the S-Log for $899. It just may be a couple of weeks before new stock is received."

That's music for my ears...

Thank you so much, Ned!

:D

Just received this email from sony, the title was PMW-F3 CBK-RGB01 S-Log Special upgrade program and ir was from "production" at sony (which I thought was odd)

Hello,

You are receiving this e-mail because you were on the waiting list for the CBK-RGB01 (S-Log package) $899.00 special program upgrade from Sony Service.

That program has now ended. We are re-releasing the CBK-RGB01 back into the marketplace as a regular product with the newly adjusted price.

Please contact your sales channel representative to place an order.

If you have any questions or concerns please let us know by sending a separate e-mail directly to this production e-mail address

Thank you very much for your patience and support as we work through this transition.

Regards

Sony XDCAM EX Team

Sony | Showcase (http://www.sony.com/F3)

So I should just order from b&h I guess now. weird, I wonder if they give out cards now?

Seems as if you can buy it directly now:
CBK-RGB01 S-Log (http://www.bhphotovideo.com/c/search?Ntt=CBK-RGB01+S-Log&N=0&InitialSearch=yes)

The SxS cards with the S-Log will be shipping Mid March, still $899. Got this word directly from XDCAM Marketing yesterday. No more sending in cameras for S-Log at the $899 price. Better for everyone.

I placed my order with b&h but it seems odd that during the "promotion" you had to pay to send your camera in, and they uploaded the firmware but no sxs card and it cost 899, but now the promotion is over you can hold on to your camera and they give you an sxs card for the same price. Don't get me wrong I'm ok with that, but it seems like anyone who took advantage of the promotion should get a card right?

So true. I'm glad I got "locked out" of the first promotion.

Ordered mine from B&H Sunday and it shows as shipping today. Does anyone know if the S-Log software is in a locked partition on the SxS card? So if you format the card you don't wipe the software on it.

If the key is on the card the processor on the card itself will not let you format it.

Wow I ordered mine on friday and it still lists it as backordered. oh well. I guess it's a wait.

Surprised that one is shipping today since Sony actually has not yet released this revised S-Log card. You might be getting some old stock.

As I understand it (and I will post a correction if wrong), this version of the S-Log key upgrades only one camera unlike the original version which could be uninstalled and then unlock another camera. Probably no longer needed since all cameras post 3/1 will have S-Log standard.

It comes as a hidden partition on a 32g SxS-1 card. As with the original version, you can format and use the card as an SxS card without touching the hidden secure partition where the key resides.

Ned Soltz

Thanks for the info Ned. Happy shooting! George

I ordered my S-Log on Friday and it is still backordered like Nick. Not sure how George's is already shipping and he ordered it after we did. What's the deal B&H? :) But I do wish this was a free update to all owners and those who already purchased should get something of equal value that they would actually want. I can't complain too much because at least it's not $3680 anymore. But if you are giving it away to new customers now... you should give it away to your faithful early adopters who made this camera popular to begin with.

It comes as a hidden partition on a 32g SxS-1 card. As with the original version, you can format and use the card as an SxS card without touching the hidden secure partition where the key resides.

Ned Soltz

You can't format or use the card when the key is on it. When you put the card in the camera it will show zero record time and the only thing you can do is to load the key onto the camera. Once the key is off the card you can use it normally.

The 32GB SxS Memory Card Pro is $895 from B&H. So if this is the card we are getting the S-Log option on, in essence we are getting a free upgrade and we are just buying a 32GB card. It would be nice if this could be emailed to us and we could just copy it over to the cards we already have and install it that way. The same way we do the firmware updates. Oh well. Being they seem to be so backlogged, does anyone suspect we will get these shipped out anytime soon?

The card the original version of the key came on was the SxS-1 card.

The card the original version of the key came on was the SxS-1 card.

That card is $449, so I guess it's not a free upgrade.

My card hasn't shipped... turns out the email from B&H erroneously listed the card as shipped, but it was the other item I ordered. So I am waiting too.

It's been 2 weeks since I ordered my S-Log card from B&H. I don't really expect it soon, but has anyone heard of a time frame when they might start shipping? I wonder if it is really that difficult to manufacture these cards, or is the influx of orders that much.

I had originally heard mid to late march. which would put it pretty close to now.

have you tried ordering direct through sony? I was on the list for the send in program, but couldn't get mine sent in in time. which I guess was a good thing. got the email that they were offering the card and orded that. it arrived the next day.

of course, my camera is out of the country right now, so I can't play with it. but still, really fast turnaround.

Who did you contact to go direct through sony, I'm a little over waiting for BH to get stock in, and my camera is currently at sony right now.

I called B&H yesterday just to see if they had an idea when the s-log cards would be in stock. The customer service rep said they had a shipment from Sony on the way. Hopefully Sony shipped enough to get all of us who have already ordered supplied.

My S-Log card is shipped & I should have it by Friday. Can't wait to shoot, edit, export my AAF file from MC, load into Davinci and see what I can do with increased dynamic range. Gonna go node crazy. lol. Happy day!

Joining the thread since I just placed the order for my S-log upgrade card.

Got my card Friday. Shot a lot this weekend. I really like this upgrade. Good luck to everyone still waiting. Hopefully you will get yours soon also.

Well on the plus side my card will be delivered today (I missed the delivery on friday) but on the downside my camera is still stuck at sony service getting the 500 dollar pl data mount fix... so hopefully soon I'll get everything together!

Well Received the camera back from sony service (it was 430 to repaid the pins on the pl mount) and loaded in the s-log finally. I'm pretty excited about it, I've been working with arri log-c a lot and this seems to hold more saturation then the arri log, I'm curious to see how that translates as far as the latitude of the camera.

I got tired of waiting. I cancelled my order with B&H today. It's a bit ridiculous how long it takes them to get a silly SxS card with an upgrade on it.