Sony prototype cinema camera shown at NAB

Emmanuel Plakiotis · April 13th, 2010, 02:48 AM

Sony already has a S35 lower resolution dedicated chip from F35, to use on this camera, without having to go through the nuisance of line skipping a multi megapixel chip as is the case of Panny's new 4/3 camcorder and Canon's rumored APC sized camera. Of course he can borrow a chip from its Alpha line of DSLR cameras, but that doesn't seem rational to me.

Another site mentions SXS compatiblity and maybe Alpha lens mount.
If the SXS is true that probably means Mpeg2 compression and not AVHD like Panasonic.

Tim Polster · April 13th, 2010, 08:50 AM

I agree Tim, it does seem like a long time with the hardware in a seemingly developed state.

If I were Sony, I would put the Alpha mount on the camera to generate sales of the the still lens line. I am sure adapters will be available, but the auto mechanisms will probably only be with the Sony lenses.

The big design choice will be to engineer this around all manual film type lens use or create some servo motor choices for more video oriented use as well. Will a stock lens offering have a servo motor? Then you can swap for primes etc... Maybe a cheaper fixed lens version for the video oriented folks and interchangeable, higher res. version for the film orieneted folks?

Heath McKnight · April 13th, 2010, 09:34 AM

It wasn't this 3D prototype, I'm guessing?

3D camera introduced at NAB

heath

Ozzy Alvarez · April 15th, 2010, 08:56 PM

Heath,

The camera you mention, according to the article attached to your note, mentions a 3-inch CMOS sensors for the camera. The camera being shown on this topic is mentioned having a S35 chip.

Ozzy

Paulo Teixeira · April 15th, 2010, 09:14 PM

3" CMOS sensors? That has to be a mistake.

Brian Drysdale · April 16th, 2010, 02:14 AM

Could be the "2/" is missing? Or the sensor size is missing, so it's 3 x X" ...

Heath McKnight · April 16th, 2010, 07:19 AM

Thanks, Ozzy. I had a feeling it was two different cameras.

Heath

David Heath · April 16th, 2010, 07:35 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Emmanuel Plakiotis

Another site mentions SXS compatiblity and maybe Alpha lens mount. If the SXS is true that probably means Mpeg2 compression and not AVHD like Panasonic.

May be better still - the Arri Alexa is supposed to be recording ProRes direct to SxS isn't it?

Chris Hurd · April 16th, 2010, 07:45 AM

Yes -- the Alexa records 10-bit 4:2:2 ProRes to SxS cards.

No reason why this camera can't do the same; then again maybe it's XDCAM EX.

Heath McKnight · April 16th, 2010, 08:25 AM

The Alexa is a very interesting camera; I wish I could've gone to NAB 2010 to see it and the other offerings. I may be there in 2011--Chris, save me a seat the annual NAB/DVInfo party!

heath

Erik Phairas · April 16th, 2010, 02:29 PM

The only thing that gets me is the possibility of super low light cameras. Everyone has that one thing that can never be good enough. Might be resolution or it seems shallow DOF is the obsession of most video shooters (not sure they even know why) but for me it is low light sensitivity. I hate not being able to record something in low light that looks just like what I see with my eyes.

Floris van Eck · April 16th, 2010, 03:28 PM

For me, low light sensitivity is the most important factor when buying a new camera as well... combined with a good dynamic range.

Jim Snow · April 17th, 2010, 11:27 AM

It looks like Panasonic stirred up some competition with their announcement. It's about time too. It was looking like the "big boys" were ignoring Red Scarlet because they didn't feel threatened by it. But Sony (and Canon) can't ignore Panasonic's new camera. It would be marketing suicide to not competitively respond. I suspect Sony at the highest management level decided at the last minute to make an announcement at NAB just so they were anted up for the "game". The fact that Sony staff at the show knew nothing about it tends to support this.

Whatever the real story is, it looks like the large sensor cameras will start to be real products by the end of the year or early next year. I was really getting tired of the SIOB (sharp intake of breath) games the camera manufacturers were playing with this issue. The standard response by the manufacturers and their stooge minions to the suggestion of a large sensor camcorder was the "big glass is expensive" pitch. But with a removable lens, as with DSLR cameras, you can buy big or not so big glass and have the flexibility of different lens for different applications.

Erik Phairas · April 17th, 2010, 12:56 PM

Yea if they came out with something with let's say twice the sensitivity of an EX3 for somewhere around the same price, solid state recording, and camcorder functionality. I'd think about selling my EX3 and starting over.

We shall see.

Darren Levine · April 18th, 2010, 08:07 PM

As much as i love new cameras being announced, i still need to be the broken record and say that whatever camera your already own is likely more than good enough to shoot whatever it is that you want to shoot(aside from anything you may have bought at best buy, etc..)

There will always be new cameras and that's great, it seems i buy a new one every two years or so. but it's also about how much time you waste dreaming about that next big thing instead of being out shooting with your already capable camera.

On top of that, there are a lot of other things your wallet could give attention to instead of a camera upgrade, because as we have to remember; the camera is just a single element(albeit an important one) of dozens of other things that will make a film successful.

(sorry, i felt preachy tonight :) )

April 13th, 2010, 02:48 AM	#16
Emmanuel Plakiotis Major Player Join Date: Sep 2006 Location: Athens, Greece Posts: 344	Sony already has a S35 lower resolution dedicated chip from F35, to use on this camera, without having to go through the nuisance of line skipping a multi megapixel chip as is the case of Panny's new 4/3 camcorder and Canon's rumored APC sized camera. Of course he can borrow a chip from its Alpha line of DSLR cameras, but that doesn't seem rational to me. Another site mentions SXS compatiblity and maybe Alpha lens mount. If the SXS is true that probably means Mpeg2 compression and not AVHD like Panasonic. Last edited by Emmanuel Plakiotis; April 13th, 2010 at 03:29 AM.

April 13th, 2010, 09:34 AM	#18
Heath McKnight MPS Digital Studios Join Date: Apr 2003 Location: Palm Beach County, Florida Posts: 8,531	It wasn't this 3D prototype, I'm guessing? 3D camera introduced at NAB heath __________________ My Final Cut Pro X blog

April 15th, 2010, 09:14 PM	#20
Paulo Teixeira Trustee Join Date: Dec 2005 Location: Massachusetts Posts: 1,773	3" CMOS sensors? That has to be a mistake. __________________ https://www.youtube.com/user/PhotoVi...esEtc/featured https://www.pond5.com/artist/paulot

April 16th, 2010, 07:19 AM	#22
Heath McKnight MPS Digital Studios Join Date: Apr 2003 Location: Palm Beach County, Florida Posts: 8,531	Thanks, Ozzy. I had a feeling it was two different cameras. Heath __________________ My Final Cut Pro X blog

April 16th, 2010, 07:45 AM	#24
Chris Hurd Obstreperous Rex Join Date: Jan 2001 Location: San Marcos, TX Posts: 27,366 Images: 513	Yes -- the Alexa records 10-bit 4:2:2 ProRes to SxS cards. No reason why this camera can't do the same; then again maybe it's XDCAM EX. __________________ CH Search DV Info Net \| 20 years of DVi \| ...Tuesday is Soylent Green Day!

April 13th, 2010, 08:50 AM	#17
Tim Polster Inner Circle Join Date: Dec 2004 Location: Arlington, TX Posts: 2,231	I agree Tim, it does seem like a long time with the hardware in a seemingly developed state. If I were Sony, I would put the Alpha mount on the camera to generate sales of the the still lens line. I am sure adapters will be available, but the auto mechanisms will probably only be with the Sony lenses. The big design choice will be to engineer this around all manual film type lens use or create some servo motor choices for more video oriented use as well. Will a stock lens offering have a servo motor? Then you can swap for primes etc... Maybe a cheaper fixed lens version for the video oriented folks and interchangeable, higher res. version for the film orieneted folks?

April 15th, 2010, 08:56 PM	#19
Ozzy Alvarez Regular Crew Join Date: Mar 2004 Location: Kenilworth, NJ Posts: 85	Heath, The camera you mention, according to the article attached to your note, mentions a 3-inch CMOS sensors for the camera. The camera being shown on this topic is mentioned having a S35 chip. Ozzy

April 16th, 2010, 02:14 AM	#21
Brian Drysdale Inner Circle Join Date: Feb 2006 Location: Belfast, UK Posts: 6,143	Could be the "2/" is missing? Or the sensor size is missing, so it's 3 x X" ...

April 16th, 2010, 08:25 AM	#25
Heath McKnight MPS Digital Studios Join Date: Apr 2003 Location: Palm Beach County, Florida Posts: 8,531	The Alexa is a very interesting camera; I wish I could've gone to NAB 2010 to see it and the other offerings. I may be there in 2011--Chris, save me a seat the annual NAB/DVInfo party! heath __________________ My Final Cut Pro X blog

April 16th, 2010, 02:29 PM	#26
Erik Phairas Major Player Join Date: Sep 2008 Location: Las Vegas, NV Posts: 628	The only thing that gets me is the possibility of super low light cameras. Everyone has that one thing that can never be good enough. Might be resolution or it seems shallow DOF is the obsession of most video shooters (not sure they even know why) but for me it is low light sensitivity. I hate not being able to record something in low light that looks just like what I see with my eyes. __________________ EX3, Q6600 Quad core PC - Vista 64, Vegas 8.1 64bit, SR11 b-cam

April 16th, 2010, 03:28 PM	#27
Floris van Eck Major Player Join Date: Jan 2006 Location: The Netherlands Posts: 993	For me, low light sensitivity is the most important factor when buying a new camera as well... combined with a good dynamic range.

April 17th, 2010, 11:27 AM	#28
Jim Snow Trustee Join Date: Mar 2009 Location: Santa Clara, CA Posts: 1,104	It looks like Panasonic stirred up some competition with their announcement. It's about time too. It was looking like the "big boys" were ignoring Red Scarlet because they didn't feel threatened by it. But Sony (and Canon) can't ignore Panasonic's new camera. It would be marketing suicide to not competitively respond. I suspect Sony at the highest management level decided at the last minute to make an announcement at NAB just so they were anted up for the "game". The fact that Sony staff at the show knew nothing about it tends to support this. Whatever the real story is, it looks like the large sensor cameras will start to be real products by the end of the year or early next year. I was really getting tired of the SIOB (sharp intake of breath) games the camera manufacturers were playing with this issue. The standard response by the manufacturers and their stooge minions to the suggestion of a large sensor camcorder was the "big glass is expensive" pitch. But with a removable lens, as with DSLR cameras, you can buy big or not so big glass and have the flexibility of different lens for different applications.

April 17th, 2010, 12:56 PM	#29
Erik Phairas Major Player Join Date: Sep 2008 Location: Las Vegas, NV Posts: 628	Yea if they came out with something with let's say twice the sensitivity of an EX3 for somewhere around the same price, solid state recording, and camcorder functionality. I'd think about selling my EX3 and starting over. We shall see. __________________ EX3, Q6600 Quad core PC - Vista 64, Vegas 8.1 64bit, SR11 b-cam

April 18th, 2010, 08:07 PM	#30
Darren Levine Major Player Join Date: Apr 2010 Location: NJ/NYC Posts: 563	As much as i love new cameras being announced, i still need to be the broken record and say that whatever camera your already own is likely more than good enough to shoot whatever it is that you want to shoot(aside from anything you may have bought at best buy, etc..) There will always be new cameras and that's great, it seems i buy a new one every two years or so. but it's also about how much time you waste dreaming about that next big thing instead of being out shooting with your already capable camera. On top of that, there are a lot of other things your wallet could give attention to instead of a camera upgrade, because as we have to remember; the camera is just a single element(albeit an important one) of dozens of other things that will make a film successful. (sorry, i felt preachy tonight :) )