Sony PMW-F3L Super 35mm Full-HD Compact Camcorder (Body)

Comments about Sony PMW-F3L Super 35mm Full-HD Compact Camcorder:

As a former Sony EX1 owner and DSLR owner, I can say that this is the perfect camera. The functions are just like the EX1 but obviously it's a large sensor camera like DSLRs.

The price is a big step up from either of those cameras, but it has all the functions I'll ever need. As a budget conscious filmmaker, I wanted to find a camera that I could "grow into" and not have to upgrade in 2 years.

I have no PL glass, sxs cards or external recorders so for now I'm using it with an Adaptimax EOS lens mount and a Hoodman sxs SD card adapter. Obviously, this is not taking advantage of what this camera has to offer, but it's a great starting kit. The XDCAM codec holds up really well for most situations.

When more demanding productions call for it, an S-log upgrade, external recorder and PL lenses make this camera the ultimate indie cinema camera.

I went with this camera over the FS100, AF100, or waiting for the C300 for a couple of reasons. Mainly because of the F3's ability to output an uncompressed 10bit 422 output (444 with upgrade) and the optional S-Log upgrade that adds a couple of stops of latitude.

Why the F3 over the Scarlet? 4K is overkill for most situations; the hard drive space and computing power requirements are extremely high for the Red files; the Scarlet is very power hungry compared to the F3, each battery lasts only 30-40 mins compared to 3-4 hours with the F3; the F3 has built in ND filters which are great when you don't want to deal with matte boxes; The Scarlet crops in to the sensor if you want to increase the frame rate, changing the field of view of your lenses; Lastly, the Scarlet will need a lot of expensive memory and batteries to get you through a day of shooting, the F3 costs a lot less to get a decent "starter package."

Other things that I like:
The colored peaking options like the EX1
A lot of assignable buttons
Ability to view ISO or gain settings
Ability to adjust shutter angle or shutter speed
It came with a stereo microphone, which I didn't expect

Things I wish it had:
Ability to send peaking and zebras to an external monitor
It should come with at least one small battery (comes with none)
It should come with at least one small sxs card (comes with none)
The side grip should be adjustable or removable, it's pretty worthless on such a heavy camera
Waveform and vectorscope would be nice
Overcrank 60fps at 1080p
Better internal codec, like XDCAM HD (I know, I'm getting picky)

If you are unsure of which large sensor camcorder is right for you, I suggest the F3 for its versatility and upgradability.

Comments about Sony PMW-F3L Super 35mm Full-HD Compact Camcorder:

This camera is truly a MONEY MAKER. It's small and simple when it needs to be or full blown production ready when you want it.

The image right off the camera is sooo clean and beautiful. Post workflow is an absolute breeze. It's nearly as small and quick to move with as a dslr but with an image very very close to the two big dogs it's often compared to.

Its size allows me to use this camera with accessories designed for the dslr craze. There are a lot of affordable useful gadgets out there (motion control dollies for example) that it works beautifully with.

Producers love this camera because it gives them the image without the post hassle at a reasonable day rate. More gigs for the owner! :D

Bottom line, the price of this camera and it's functionality turn this baby into a money maker. Don't let the mega tech head pixel peepers talk you out of putting the profits this will bring into your pockets. It's fantastic! Let someone else be the starving artist...

Comments about Sony PMW-F3L Super 35mm Full-HD Compact Camcorder:

This camera delivers a high-quality super35 DOF image at a cost that most pro shooters can afford. That in itself makes this camera fantastic. If you're used to the Red, this will deliver somewhat similar (although not 4k) results, without having to fool with a lot of inherent post work. There are tons of 1/4"-20 mounting holes to bolt accessories to. It's also very usable without an AC and media manager on those tighter-budgeted shoots. If you're familiar with an EX1/EX3, you can step right in to this camera and use with no problems. The menus are mostly the same and the functions will be familiar too. If you're shooting on a DSLR, this has similar DOF qualities, minus the aliasing, bad viewfinder, consumery feel, and awkward ergonomics of the DSLRs. The F3 works great with the PLs I've rented (although I got odd lens communication warnings that I couldn't turn off), and works surprisingly well with my FD lens set once I bought the proper adapter. It still has the clippy highlights you'd expect from a midrange digital camera, but I can work with that. Shadow detail is great on the F3. Also, I definitely miss the optical viewfinder attachment found on the EX3... it's challenging to shoot outdoors on the F3 without an external viewfinder/LCD. The rear-mounted optical viewfinder is awkwardly positioned for handheld work, so I don't use it much. All in all though, it's a great camera and wouldn't hesitate to buy it all over again.

Comments about Sony PMW-F3L Super 35mm Full-HD Compact Camcorder:

I use the product for commercials. It has buttons and switches. I shoot a lot with Red and Red's image is amazing. So is this camera's. It is amazing and makes shooting very enjoyable. No searching through menus. No waiting on the processor to catch up. Just hit a button. Just flip a switch. All you loved about the solid functionality of betacam and now a great 35mm sized sensor! Great job Sony!

Comments about Sony PMW-F3L Super 35mm Full-HD Compact Camcorder:

Wow! This is the camera I've been waiting for! 35mm sensor in a small body. 63db s/n at F11 and with the upgrade F16 with a dynamic range of 800 at 57db s/n. Output possibilites galore which helps if I want to record RGB444 using S Log and my pick of LUT's for monitoring, but then use the on camera codec for dailies. It's like the best of both worlds. It's small enough to get into those tight spaces and still not all that heavy once you add all your "extras". Construction is solid. Image is wonderful. Price is perfect! Mine also came with a stereo mic which i wasn't expecting (pretty cool). [...]I'm waiting for my ki pro mini to complete my setup and hopefully gig hard enough to get my second F3 soon. Think about it guys... you can get TWO of these for almost the price of (1) Red One with the MX sensor. Add the upgrade and it's hard not to invest in this camera. Thank you Sony!