Sony F3 - Love these features

Sony F3 - Love these features

Andy Shipsides at Abel Cine made this great video outlining the physical layout of the upcoming Sony PMW-F3. 

Give it a watch >>>

Without even getting into all the other features; between the small size, PL mount, and the potential for 444 RGB output over Dual Link; the F3 is going to be a heavy hitter for sure. One feature Andy's video pointed out that I wasn't aware of is this "Spare" Connector which will allow you to slave two F3's together and control them with one Paint Box. PERFECT for Stereoscopic 3D applications. Another feature that's fantastic is the ability to output S LOG over SDI to a recorder meanwhile recording normal, full contrast (linear with gamma) images to on-board SxS cards. With this functionality you can paint dailies right in the camera while simultaneously capturing the full, uncompressed sensor output externally. Awesome. Cannot wait to start working with these. 

Given that the lens mount can be adapted, one cool feature I'd like to see implemented would be some kind of sensor windowing. For S3D, selective focus through shallow depth of field isn't always desirable. Imagine being able to window this Super 35 sized sensor down to a 2/3" size and then adapting the lens mount to a B4. Now you can shoot 3D on a smaller imager with the correct lenses for the format. This would offer even more flexibility in one small package. I'd imagine something like this could be implemented with firmware at some point just like expansion of SDI output options will be. These days with motion picture cameras, it's all about adaptability and modularity and Sony seems to have embraced it. 

"Shot in 3D" - Drawing the Distinction.

"Shot in 3D" - Drawing the Distinction. 

Here you go. At least one producer is wising up to the fact that audiences are beginning to associate rushed, hack 2D to 3D conversions with a truly awful movie-going experience. I maintain that if anything is going to kill digital 3D it will only be the greed of the studio system looking to cash in on the "gimmick". Either that or lawsuits from permanently crossed eyes. Stop the hack conversions. Stop ruining movies to sell a few more tickets (or in the case of The Last Airbender, adding insult to injury.) Now what I'd really love to see is someone use 3D in an artful, subtle way. Actually use it as a story telling device to draw the viewer in deeper instead of going for 3D low blows like throwing projectiles into the theatre space. They all do it. I think "producer brain" has a check list of obligatory gimmicks to include in every 3D show, like reminding the audience they're at a 3D movie by shooting an arrow at their face. 

Foundations of Stereoscopic Cinema

Foundations of Stereoscopic Cinema

As the title suggests, Lenny Lipton's book pretty much forms the foundation of what's become the modern science of stereoscopic motion pictures. It's a heavy read and I'm getting through it slowly but it's fascinating. This text has long been out of print but fortunately for anyone interested, it's available for free download:

http://3d.curtin.edu.au/library/foundation.cfm

The Stereoscopic Displays and Applications organization has some additional texts on stereoscopy here:

http://www.stereoscopic.org/library/index.html