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Sony PMW-F3, 10bit out of the box? vs paid update SLOG2 4:4:4


PannySVHS
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Hallo!

I talked to somebody about the Sony F3 and was told it delivers 10bit over SDI out of the box right away.

I´ve been under the impression a paid update from Sony is needed to get 10bit 4:4:4 and SLOG2, for 899 USD.

So is it true that 10bit over SDI is already available without the update or is it necessary to buy the update to get real 10bit?

Would that out of the box 10bit option be 4:2:2 then vs the paid update with 444 and SLOG?

cheers

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EOSHD Pro Color 5 for Sony cameras EOSHD Z LOG for Nikon CamerasEOSHD C-LOG and Film Profiles for All Canon DSLRs

Hallo fellow citizens of the Reid States,

this time your expertize is really needed and even more appreciated than ever before.

I can see, over hundred people have been reading my plead for wisdom. But no answers have been found yet.

Yet. Please fullfill my desire and longing for enlightement:) All you ambassadors of the Great Cameras I would

once more admire you articulate and unique insight into this question.

cheers

 

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Hey,

thank you for your answer. I have read that before. But even on the older F3s, I was told, it would have 10bit 4:2:2 over SDI without an update, just

not the 4:4:4 and SLOG. But I am having a hard time to believe that, since I haven´t found any info to support that claim. So I am still a little bit in the dark:)

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Not everybody here owns an F3 or has experience with one. I do however own and use one :-) Used mine most recently just last Sunday on a feature as their DoP.

 

444 would be 12bit not 10bit. You'd be thinking of the more common 10bit 422 

 

S-log's history on the F3 is thus:

Originally the F3 shipped without, then later a *VERY* expensive firmware upgrade was announced (thousands of dollars! But when the launch price of the camera was some fourteen thousand dollars or so, perhaps not really that much extra.... relatively speaking), but then the Canon C300 got announced...

Sony responded to this announcement in a couple of ways. Two of which was to drop hugely the price of the s-log update (under a thousand bucks) and to announce a free firmware upgrade for the F3 which gave slog as an option but missed some parts of the of the paid upgrade  (such as 444).

 

 

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mmmkay. In that case...

Quote

The PMW-F3 has an HD-SDI Dual-link output connector which  offers 10 bit 4:2:2 1080 50/59.94p uncompressed signal  output as standard.

[..]

the PMW-F3 has an HD-SDI Dual-link output for 10bit 4:2:2 1080 50/59.94p as standard, and 10 bit RGB 4:4:4 1080 24/25/30p output as an option.

~ https://pro.sony.com/bbsccms/assets/files/micro/xdcamex/brochures/pmwf3brochure_v2481.pdf

 

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Obviously if you can, you want to buy a secondhand F3 with the paid version of the firmware upgrade if you can.

But practically speaking most of us would see only a minor if any benefit in getting one over another. (Paid vs free upgrade)

As the main benefit of the paid upgrade is gaining 444. But up until recently 444 recorders have been VERY expensive. At least now we've got a great option with the Video Devices PIX-E5. But even that is too pricey for some (I don't have one.  But I'd like to have one!), while the 10bit 422 recorder options have become *AMAZINGLY* cheap!!! :-o We've got multiple options which are sub 500 dollars. 

Plus not all projects are suitable for 444 anyway. As it means a large leap in data requirements, that not everything will benefit for. While 10bit 422 is the "sweet spot" I feel personally for high quality but easily manageable amounts of data.

 

 

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Seems he just wanted to know:

Quote

I was told, it would have 10bit 4:2:2 over SDI without an update, just not the 4:4:4 and SLOG. But I am having a hard time to believe that [..]

But, I guess that 2011 brochure cleared up the fact that the person he talked to was right. So yes, he can use one of those cheap 10bit 4:2:2 recorders and does not have to upgrade it first. ;)

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5 minutes ago, Cinegain said:

Seems he just wanted to know:

But, I guess that 2011 brochure cleared up the fact that the person he talked to was right. So yes, he can use one of those cheap 10bit 4:2:2 recorders and does not have to upgrade it first. ;)

 

Great, thanks a lot guys! That´s great news. Thats exactely what I needed to know, no cameras after 2012 or paid update needed for real 10bit!

Thanks again guys!

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