We’ve done a lot of testing with the Sony PMW-F3 camera and had great results. Our tests included sensitivity, dynamic range and low light performance. In a three part series, Mitch and I will cover all of these topics with the hopes of shedding light on what this camera can do.

The F3 had the following settings for this test: 1920×1080 23.98p, Rec709 Gamma (STD5), Auto Knee OFF, Black Gamma 0, Matrix Standard, Detail OFF, Aperture OFF. All testing was performed with a Leader LV7330 scope, DSC Labs Camalign ChromaDuMonde chart, and Sekonic L-758Cine light meter. Watch the video above to see how we determined the ISO ratings of the camera at different gain levels, or keep reading below to see our results.

…continue reading AbelCine Tests the Sony F3 ISO Rating

When we launched our blog in 2009, our goal was to share the expertise of our technical staff with our clients. Our instructional and “At the Bench” videos have become a popular feature of CineTechnica, and now we’ve made them even easier to watch on the go.

In addition to being accessible on YouTube and Vimeo, the great majority of the videos on our website and blog are now iOS friendly. This means you can keep up with latest video posts from our AbelCine experts on your iPhone, iPad or other mobile device from the set, or anywhere you have internet access.

Visit blog.abelcine.com/tag/video on your iOS device today.

The demand for 35PL lenses has never been greater, and most manufacturers have entered the market with sets of prime lenses, usually ranging from 18mm to 100mm and more. Focus Optics decided to fill the hole in the market with the Ruby 14-24 T2.8 Zoom Lens. The Ruby is based on Nikon glass, but the housing and mechanics have been completely reworked. The lens focuses in the standard direction that all PLs focus, with many clear focus marks on the large barrel. The whole lens is quite compact – only 138mm long and just three pounds. Focus, zoom and iris rings are all geared to cine standards, and the front diameter is a 110mm cine standard as well. The lens will also accept a 102mm screw-in filter on the front.

Ruby is a future-proof optical design, because it covers the entire Full Frame 35mm or ”VistaVision” format.

On a side note, the first half of this video was shot on a Sony PMW-EX1, which has a ½” sized three-chip sensor block, with the lens zoomed out to its widest focal length, 5.8mm. I then put the Ruby 14-24 on the Sony PMW-F3, which has a Super-35 single sensor. The matching field of view for the F3 sensor would be right near the middle of the Ruby’s range, about 20mm. But the sense of depth due to compression in the frame and the shorter relative depth of field make for a distinctly different look. The two cameras were otherwise set basically the same, making this a convenient illustration of the differences in the look of the two sensor sizes.

A few weeks ago, I posted a video about our new AF100 ENG Kit, which uses the Hot Rod Tuner and the HDx2 B4/PL Optical Adapter to allow 2/3” lenses to work with the Panasonic AF100 camera. We received quite a response from this post, and one of the most common requests was to see some sample images from the rig. The gear has been so popular that I wasn’t able to get my hands on the pieces again until now. Andy Shipsides and I went out in the rain and rolled off a few shots until we were both too soaked to continue.

We chose to mount the Canon 11×4.7 (4.7mm-52mm) zoom to the rig, because it is both an excellent piece of glass as well as a very popular zoom, but any B4 mount zoom will work with the kit. The Canon 21×7.3 is another popular choice, as are many Fujinon and Angenieux zooms. We used an ENG version of the lens and plugged our custom cable in to power the zoom servo, as well as enable the start/stop control of the camera with the lens’ REC button.

The kit was well balanced on my shoulder, and all exposures were set by eye using the quickly adjusted Cineroid EVF.

Sony recently let us know about a software upgrade for the PMW-F3. This addition adds many features to the F3, including several key features for getting the most out of the camera. The firmware upgrade product code from Sony is CBK-RGB01 and, once purchased, the firmware can be installed at AbelCine, or by a tech savvy owner. It enables S-Log gamma mode, Dual Link 444RGB video output, 3G-SDI output, four pre-loaded LUTs (look up tables), and five custom user LUTs.

What does this all mean? This firmware allows the F3 to output full RGB video in S-Log – in other words, it opens up the true potential of this camera. S-Log ups the dynamic range of the camera to 800%, and effectively increases the ISO to 1600. Dual-Link SDI or 3G-SDI (dual-link on one cable) gives you full RGB444, and the LUTs allow you to monitor video normally while shooting in S-Log. Finally, the five custom LUT options mean that users can create their own looks in the same manner. The firmware will be available this summer for a list price of $3,300. Personally, I can’t wait to see the real potential of this impressive camera.