Representing a breakthrough in features, performance and price for independent producers and filmmakers, Sony has unveiled its first professional handheld digital production camera with a Super 35mm imager.

The new PMW-F3 camcorder is designed for a range of digital production environments that demand the creative flexibility offered by a large frame sensor – from commercial, documentary, television and feature film production to capturing education, event, corporate and government content.

“Sony has a long and successful track record of developing digital production technologies that give producers at any level access to the highest-quality imaging tools and the right workflow for their needs,” said Nick Buchner, Senior Product Marketing Manager for Content Creation at Sony Australia. “With the new F3, we’re putting the full power of our expertise to work for professional filmmakers, resulting in high-performance digital image capture at a new price benchmark.”

The new compact camcorder has an expected going price below $19K. Combined with the availability of a new remarkably affordable PL lens kit, which includes 35/50/85mm T2.0 fixed focal length lenses, this pricing broadens the camcorder’s range of potential applications and gives users more flexibility in lens selection.

The on-board recording capability of the new F3 camcorder is based on Sony’s well-established XDCAM EX workflow and uses Sony’s SxS™ ExpressCard-based recording media. The Super 35mm CMOS imager delivers shallow depth of field, with high sensitivity and low noise levels (ISO 800, F11; and S/N ratio of 63db in 1920x1080/50i mode), as well as exceptional latitude.

The camcorder offers filmmakers a wide range of image creation options. Through the use of an HD-SDI dual-link output for external recording (4:2:2 1080 50/59.94P as standard, and RGB 4:4:4 1080 23.98/25/29.97PsFas an option), footage shot with the F3 can be seamlessly inter-cut with content shot on other Sony digital cinematography camera systems.

Additionally, ‘S-Log’ or ‘Hyper Gamma’ modes can be selected, which can significantly increase the camera’s latitude. S-Log is Sony’s unique approach to the raw ‘Digital Negative’, allowing access to the full dynamic range of the Super 35mm imager for maximum flexibility in image manipulation during post production. This capability allows users to take advantage of already well-established HDCAM-SR and other file-based workflows.

Recording formats include 1920x1080, 1440x1080 and 1280x720 at 23.98/25/29.97p, 50/59.94i and, in standard definition DVCAM mode, 25/29.97PsF and 50/59.94i. Filmmakers can also take advantage of the F3’s under and over cranking capabilities, shooting from 1 to 30 fps at 1920x1080 (17 to 30 fps in dual-link mode) or 1 to 60 fps at 1280x720 (17 to 60 fps in dual-link mode).

The PMW-F3’s PL mount adapter can accommodate both PL and Sony’s upcoming zoom lenses, and offers compatibility with a variety of cine lenses such as Arri, Cooke, Fujinon and Zeiss.

Sony is also planning to introduce a compatible SR Memory Portable Recorder for the PMW-F3 camcorder. SR Memory, Sony’s new high-speed, high-capacity card format, will give users the ability to record directly to the industry standard HDCAM-SR codec using the SR Memory Portable Recorder connected to the F3 camera’s single-link and dual-link output.

The camera will also support Look-up Tables (LUTs), necessary for dailies and on-set colour management. Up to four LUTs can be stored in the camera and stamped onto the footage recorded on the SxS card, whilst the unprocessed S-Log output is simultaneously captured on an external 4:4:4 recording device. This creates the perfect off-line/on-line workflow solution for highest possible image quality.

The PMW-F3 is just the latest stop on Sony’s digital 35mm roadmap, continuing the leadership position in digital motion picture production that was solidified with ‘film style’ cameras like the F23 and F35, and most recently with the first camcorder to integrate the HDCAM-SR format, the SRW-9000PL.

“Sony’s digital cinematography cameras have shot everything from documentaries to big-budget blockbusters, winning industry awards and totalling more than $12 billion at the global box office,” said Buchner. “The F3 continues our history of innovation as the first professional camcorder to integrate S-35mm technology in a cost effective, portable form factor.”

The PMW-F3 camcorder will be available in Australia from February 2011

By Press Release

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