FS100 and F3, Alister's Video

[Brian Drysdale]

RED claim roughly a resolution of 3.2k for the 4k Bayer RED One and for the 5k Epic that would be roughly be a 4k claim.

I suppose this is would be their backing the claim.:

http://www.redgrabs.com/up/1304136624.jpg

[Mark David Williams]

Alister

I'm quite happy with the design of the Fs100 Just the spec. I think the nature of business is to make the most you can full stop. The marketing for the Fs100 has been quite good but for what it is on the known playing field it's well overpriced in consumer terms in my opinion.

Re resolution

There is a lot that can be done to improve image but those improvements could look even better on 70mm anyway.

I watched film I'd shot as a youngster on an internal projection device I got from ebay The film was kodachrome 40 and it was like a window on the world past. This is positive film not negative I know in my own mind that the potential for film is not yet realised Maybe projectors need to also improve and as TVs get better then the reasoning for 70mm will become clear. All modern films should now use 70mm for future purposes.

[Brian Drysdale]

I don't think Sony is aiming it at the consumer market, the DSLRs can handle that for people who just want a shallow DOF, it's aimed at the more demanding pro-sumer market. The price is pretty similar to pimping up a DSLR for video.

[Alister Chapman]

Mark, given that you are such an advocate of film, why are you considering buying another video camera? You can pick up used 16mm and 35mm film cameras for less than an F3.

If you could own for free only either a Sony F3 or 35mm film camera and you can never sell or hire out either and you can only use the one you choose on your own projects, which would you choose and why?

[Mark David Williams]

I have an Arri 16mm camera and made a film with equipment borrowed from Arriflex. I wouldn't say I am an advocate of film, just film's still the best medium.

If I had a choice of an F3 or a 35mm camera then it would have to be the F3 because of film costs and transfer to digital. Probably most of us here couldn't afford real film. However if you gave me the option to have unlimited film and throw in development and transfer costs then GIMME A 35MM CAMERA!!!

Mark

[Ben Ruffell]

Steve Mullen, great post! I agree with you.

When Red first came out I hated it. It was too buggy and had too many problems. Now, I really enjoy working with it. The MX with latest firmware is a fantastic tool, and most important of all I can use it on a film set and it behaves like a camera should.

I have shot the new F3 three times now on three very different shoots. On a low light music video with fireworks it was a great picture, and it was lightweight for handheld with a focus puller - it worked... but there is a 5600k button on the side of the camera... for what reason!?!?! it is always getting bumped by the grip when he takes the camera from me.... bad design.

The next shoot was a mid budget TVC for a hotel. The camera was nice sometime, but having the monitors and viewfinders bolted on, and of course the nanoflash...we would have been better off with a Red. It would have been easier to move with (all slider and jib shots), and we would have not had to worry about powering all of the accessories.

Latest shoot, for a TV Series. We had been using my PDW-700, but the director bought his own F3 and KiPro. The tripod mounted interviews were okay, but the handheld was a disaster. Long takes, trying to see focus (which is impossibly on the F3's monitor) and terrible weight balance. It was a disaster.

Of course Sony and Panasonic will keep on bringing out cameras, with new features and keep the hype going. But I am a bit sick of it. I bought a PDW-700 and had to pay thousands to activate SD recording! A few months later, the PDW-800 comes out and the Production Managers are only interested in the 800 model number.

I have the EX3 and love it. But have to add a NanoFlash to it.... and it cannot record in SD (which is a very real request for day to day broadcast).

The new FS100... the viewfinder does not tilt down (try interviewing a tall person with that!) and it's hdmi only!

I am keeping my money in my pocket until Sony starts delivering real world workable cameras. Or until Red Epic delivers, or Canon or Nikon make a camera that has actually been tested in the field, and not just in an office.

I have had years of working with good Arri, Aaton, Panavision cameras. Why can't the Japanese copy the basic layout of these cameras... it's not rocket science.

I agree with Steve Mullens post: 'IMHO, either buy the best cheap camera HD-DSLR or buy a RED if you want to make films. Everything in between is a money and time waster'.

[Steve Mullen]

Not trying to speak for Mark, but I'd go with any film camera because the controls needed for photography are all present and where they should be.

Try the FS100 without the handgrip. Where is the start/stop button? The AF100 has a handgrip on the side which, because of the cameras weight, is a pain. Worse, it wants to tilt to the side. And, the VG10 with the bundled 18200 tilts forward.

I simply want today's wonderful electronic internals packaged into a film camera body. I want an 6X or 8X zoom lens that functions like ALL film camera lenses. In other words, the exact opposite of everything in the E-mount line.

And, I don't want to buy more gadgets to mount on the camera to try to get it useable.

[Glen Vandermolen]

This thread is getting weird. People are complaining the FS100 isn't comparable to a RED or a 35mm film camera - no kidding!

For those of you who aren't happy with the specs, or the layout, or whatever else about the FS100 - don't buy it! And it isn't going to change anytime soon. If it doesn't work for you, then look elsewhere. But coming to this forum and wailing about the camera's shortcomings isn't doing any good. It doesn't have an ND filter, it doesn't have HD/SDI, it isn't 4K - WE KNOW!!!
It is what it is - buy it, or don't - then, please, move on.

And as far as not buying any camera betwen a DSLR and a RED - seriously? Watch me make real money with this camera. Oh, I can make it profitable. I've made money with every camera I've owned.

My god, it's a $5,000 camera! What do you expect?? Way too much, obviously. You don't think it's worth $5,000? Fine, don't buy it. There are other alternatives out there. But let the rest of us decide for ourselves if it's worth the price.

I mean, only a handful of people have actually worked with this camera. How can you really know how good or bad this camera will be without personal experience? Here's a novel idea - withhold judgment until you've worked with one.

[Erik Phairas]

Strong words from someone who tried to kill Harry Potter! :)

[David C. Williams]

Originally Posted by Glen Vandermolen

This thread is getting weird. People are complaining the FS100 isn't comparable to a RED or a 35mm film camera - no kidding!

For those of you who aren't happy with the specs, or the layout, or whatever else about the FS100 - don't buy it! And it isn't going to change anytime soon. If it doesn't work for you, then look elsewhere. But coming to this forum and wailing about the camera's shortcomings isn't doing any good. It doesn't have an ND filter, it doesn't have HD/SDI, it isn't 4K - WE KNOW!!!
It is what it is - buy it, or don't - then, please, move on.

And as far as not buying any camera betwen a DSLR and a RED - seriously? Watch me make real money with this camera. Oh, I can make it profitable. I've made money with every camera I've owned.

My god, it's a $5,000 camera! What do you expect?? Way too much, obviously. You don't think it's worth $5,000? Fine, don't buy it. There are other alternatives out there. But let the rest of us decide for ourselves if it's worth the price.

I mean, only a handful of people have actually worked with this camera. How can you really know how good or bad this camera will be without personal experience? Here's a novel idea - withhold judgment until you've worked with one.

I agree with all of the above.

[Glen Vandermolen]

Originally Posted by Erik Phairas

Strong words from someone who tried to kill Harry Potter! :)

Huh?
This one is like an airplane -it went way over my head. Sorry, I"m not a follower of Harry Potter.

[Erik Phairas]

Sorry just a joke about your name looking very very vaguely similar to the villain Voldemort.

[Glen Vandermolen]

Heh, gotcha. Did a little Google on Lord Voldemort.

Would it surprise you that Voldemort and I look alike?

[Doug Jensen]

Originally Posted by Glen Vandermolen

T Here's a novel idea - withhold judgment until you've worked with one.

Well, some people can't even bother to walk over to the Sony booth at NAB and take a look at the camera when they live right there in LAS VEGAS!! But then they seem to have endless amounts of time and energy to bash the camera and speculate on it's performance. That speaks volumes right there.

[Erik Phairas]

I don't think they would even let me in NAB unless it is open to the public. Glen, I knew it! :)