Opinion
Andy Stout
Early adopter
catches up
with some of
the first users
of Sony’s
newly launched
F35 digital
The filmic digital world
cinematography
camera
With the recent launch of its F35 CineAlta camera, Sony has developed
a product that’s probably as close to a film camera as digital cameras can
get. Sony has essentially taken the already successful F23 design and
added a new Super 35mm-sized CCD, which has extended the dynamic
range as well as further improving picture quality. The F35 also benefits
from a ‘positive lock’ PL lens mount, which means productions can shoot
with standard film lenses.
Sony believes the F35, which weighs in at 5kg, melds the advantages ANDY STOUT
of digital technology with film style operability, and certainly so far it seems Industry journalist
to be a popular mix. Take2 Films is, to date, one of the few hire companies Andy Stout is a
in the UK to supply the F35, and demand is so strong that the initial trio freelance journalist
of cameras on its books has quickly grown to six. who’s been writing
The productions its F35s are being used on are impressively varied too, about the broadcast
ranging from commercials and idents through to longform productions and film industries
including Michael Caine’s latest feature film, Harry Brown and the BBC’s for over a decade. He
high-profile remake, The Day of the Triffids. writes regularly for
“The feedback we are receiving from Take2 is very positive,” Broadcast, Televisual
comments Mike Thomas at Top Teks, the Sony Specialist Dealer that and TVBEurope
sold the hire company its F35 units. “In every comparison test the F35
has been involved in, it has proved to be the favoured camera to use,”
adds Thomas. “Operators have found the design intuitive and the
resulting footage surpassing that of other systems. Take2 and Top Teks
have been able to work closely, enabling productions to run smoothly.”
DoPs and directors that have used the camera so far seem to be
impressed. Inevitably new cameras are compared to existing ones on the
market, but the F35 is undoubtedly holding its own. Johnny Hardstaff,
the director and designer of the England’s Heart idents for ITV’s England
football coverage (pictured), utilised the F35 during the production.
Hardstaff sums up his experience with the straightforward comment: “It
worked out very well.”
Cinematographer Bruce Jackson has also used the camera and has
been pleased with the results so far. Jackson has already used the F35
several times, for MTV idents and last year’s AKQA Christmas Card
promo. “The F35 has an amazing contrast range,” he says. “Fourteen
stops is close to film and it really delivers well in highlights and dark area,
whereas I’ve always found the Red noisy in blacks. Even handheld, I felt
I was using a proper 35mm camera, and the menus are just like a film
camera too, which is good.”
Jackson is also a fan of shooting on tape with the digital
cinematography camera, saying that not only does this give him an added
sense of security but also smooths the workflow in post. “There’s no
transfer and no converting,” he says. “You just take the tape into the HD
suite and away you go.” in my view
Spring 2009 theproducer 15
Page 1  |  Page 2  |  Page 3  |  Page 4  |  Page 5  |  Page 6  |  Page 7  |  Page 8  |  Page 9  |  Page 10  |  Page 11  |  Page 12  |  Page 13  |  Page 14  |  Page 15  |  Page 16  |  Page 17  |  Page 18  |  Page 19  |  Page 20  |  Page 21  |  Page 22  |  Page 23  |  Page 24  |  Page 25  |  Page 26  |  Page 27  |  Page 28  |  Page 29  |  Page 30  |  Page 31  |  Page 32  |  Page 33  |  Page 34  |  Page 35  |  Page 36