Does the F3 have cache record or not? at DVinfo.net

Ola Christoffersson · January 1st, 2011, 08:07 AM

I am considering an F3 to replace my EX1r. I use it for documentary work mostly and have become very dependant on cache recording. Now in the specs and preliminary sales broschyre cache recording is not mentioned. Still the F3 seems to have all other features that the EX1r has, so it would not make sense to remove it. ALSO you can see on images of the F3 that it has a LED with the text "cache" beside it.
Can anyone confirm that it actually has cache recording?

Bruce Schultz · January 1st, 2011, 04:59 PM

Even if it doesn't an attached Nano Flash recorder does. Looking at the probability of the camera being released with a 4:2:0 35Mbs VBR codec pretty much guarantees the use of an external recorder like a Nano Flash or Ki Pro mini.

I got blank stares from the Sony reps when I inquired about the brain-dead decision to use this 4:2:0 codec over their 4:2:2 codec. I have no intention of ever using the internal recording codec for anything but scratch audio.

Andrew Stone · January 1st, 2011, 06:37 PM

On the left side of the camera adjacent to the over/undercrank knob is a cache record light.

Ola Christoffersson · January 2nd, 2011, 04:34 AM

Andrew - yes, that is the LED i am referring to. Now - what I want is a confirmation that it actually has cache record in the menus. I would not have asked if the feature was not lacking from the specs.

Anyone got a pre production unit right now that can search the menus?

Chris Medico · January 2nd, 2011, 05:11 AM

Ola,

Not to rain on your parade here but anyone with a pre production camera as a condition of getting the camera signed a NDA limiting what they can say about the camera. Please don't be offended if the info you are asking for can't be given until after the camera is officially released to the public and shipping.

Alister Chapman · January 2nd, 2011, 12:23 PM

I went through all the menu pages and recorded them. I'll have to go through my files and see if it's in the menu. However as the cameras I've had access to have been pre production this would not guarantee it's existence or not.

If I had to guess it would be that it will have it as the much of the chipset is shared with the EX1R.

Ola Christoffersson · January 2nd, 2011, 04:55 PM

Thanks Alister! That's my guess as well. Can't imagine the point of the cache-rec LED if they don't include it. I'd really appriciate if you could look for it in the menues. If it's there we know. If it's not we'll just have to wait for the final version to know for sure.

Ola Christoffersson · January 14th, 2011, 05:23 PM

Today Sony confirmed to me that the F3 has a 15 second cache. I also got a new product presentation PDF where I could see it written.

Andrew Stone · January 15th, 2011, 10:35 AM

Hi Ola,

Do you know if the cache record time is adjustable or is simply 15 seconds or none?

Ola Christoffersson · January 16th, 2011, 03:48 PM

Andrew,

The PDF only says 15 sec cache record but since almost everything else seems identical to the features of the EX1r my guess is that you can choose different cache sizes.

Doug Jensen · January 20th, 2011, 07:40 AM

I had the chance to spend a few hours with an F3 yesterday, and I confirm that the cache recording works, and it has a variable menu setting (about 5 options) that ranges from 2 seconds up to 15.

January 1st, 2011, 08:07 AM	#1
Ola Christoffersson Major Player Join Date: Nov 2007 Location: Stockholm, Sweden Posts: 462	Does the F3 have cache record or not? I am considering an F3 to replace my EX1r. I use it for documentary work mostly and have become very dependant on cache recording. Now in the specs and preliminary sales broschyre cache recording is not mentioned. Still the F3 seems to have all other features that the EX1r has, so it would not make sense to remove it. ALSO you can see on images of the F3 that it has a LED with the text "cache" beside it. Can anyone confirm that it actually has cache recording? __________________ Ola Christoffersson, Kamrat produktion, Stockholm - Sweden www.kamrat.tv

January 2nd, 2011, 04:34 AM	#4
Ola Christoffersson Major Player Join Date: Nov 2007 Location: Stockholm, Sweden Posts: 462	Andrew - yes, that is the LED i am referring to. Now - what I want is a confirmation that it actually has cache record in the menus. I would not have asked if the feature was not lacking from the specs. Anyone got a pre production unit right now that can search the menus? __________________ Ola Christoffersson, Kamrat produktion, Stockholm - Sweden www.kamrat.tv

January 2nd, 2011, 05:11 AM	#5
Chris Medico Inner Circle Join Date: Aug 2006 Location: Efland NC, USA Posts: 2,322	Ola, Not to rain on your parade here but anyone with a pre production camera as a condition of getting the camera signed a NDA limiting what they can say about the camera. Please don't be offended if the info you are asking for can't be given until after the camera is officially released to the public and shipping. __________________ http://www.LandYachtMedia.com

January 2nd, 2011, 12:23 PM	#6
Alister Chapman Inner Circle Join Date: Dec 2005 Location: Bracknell, Berkshire, UK Posts: 4,957	I went through all the menu pages and recorded them. I'll have to go through my files and see if it's in the menu. However as the cameras I've had access to have been pre production this would not guarantee it's existence or not. If I had to guess it would be that it will have it as the much of the chipset is shared with the EX1R. __________________ Alister Chapman, Film-Maker/Stormchaser http://www.xdcam-user.com/alisters-blog/ My XDCAM site and blog. http://www.hurricane-rig.com

January 2nd, 2011, 04:55 PM	#7
Ola Christoffersson Major Player Join Date: Nov 2007 Location: Stockholm, Sweden Posts: 462	Thanks Alister! That's my guess as well. Can't imagine the point of the cache-rec LED if they don't include it. I'd really appriciate if you could look for it in the menues. If it's there we know. If it's not we'll just have to wait for the final version to know for sure. __________________ Ola Christoffersson, Kamrat produktion, Stockholm - Sweden www.kamrat.tv

January 1st, 2011, 04:59 PM	#2
Bruce Schultz Major Player Join Date: Apr 2008 Location: Malibu, CA Posts: 480	Even if it doesn't an attached Nano Flash recorder does. Looking at the probability of the camera being released with a 4:2:0 35Mbs VBR codec pretty much guarantees the use of an external recorder like a Nano Flash or Ki Pro mini. I got blank stares from the Sony reps when I inquired about the brain-dead decision to use this 4:2:0 codec over their 4:2:2 codec. I have no intention of ever using the internal recording codec for anything but scratch audio.

January 1st, 2011, 06:37 PM	#3
Andrew Stone Major Player Join Date: Sep 2008 Location: Vancouver, Canada Posts: 975	On the left side of the camera adjacent to the over/undercrank knob is a cache record light.

January 14th, 2011, 05:23 PM	#8
Ola Christoffersson Major Player Join Date: Nov 2007 Location: Stockholm, Sweden Posts: 462	Today Sony confirmed to me that the F3 has a 15 second cache. I also got a new product presentation PDF where I could see it written. __________________ Ola Christoffersson, Kamrat produktion, Stockholm - Sweden www.kamrat.tv

January 15th, 2011, 10:35 AM	#9
Andrew Stone Major Player Join Date: Sep 2008 Location: Vancouver, Canada Posts: 975	Hi Ola, Do you know if the cache record time is adjustable or is simply 15 seconds or none?

January 16th, 2011, 03:48 PM	#10
Ola Christoffersson Major Player Join Date: Nov 2007 Location: Stockholm, Sweden Posts: 462	Andrew, The PDF only says 15 sec cache record but since almost everything else seems identical to the features of the EX1r my guess is that you can choose different cache sizes. __________________ Ola Christoffersson, Kamrat produktion, Stockholm - Sweden www.kamrat.tv

January 20th, 2011, 07:40 AM	#11
Doug Jensen Vortex Media Join Date: Jan 2009 Location: Florida Posts: 3,417	I had the chance to spend a few hours with an F3 yesterday, and I confirm that the cache recording works, and it has a variable menu setting (about 5 options) that ranges from 2 seconds up to 15. __________________ Vortex Media http://www.vortexmedia.com/ Sony FS7, F55, and XDCAM training videos, field guides, and other production tools