Right before its launch at IBC in Amsterdam this weekend, Sony Electronics debuted its new flagship CineAlta high-def camera – the F65. Just on specs alone, the camera will set a new standard for high-end digital cinema camera systems. The F65 delivers true 4K resolution at 4025 x 2160 and can output 16-bit Linear RAW files. What makes the camera truly unique is that it contains an 8K, 20-megapixel sensor (8768 x 2324 resolution), which is the highest resolution in any camera in its class, including the RED EPIC. With the rollout of nearly 9,000 SXRD 4K digital projectors, it was inevitable that Sony would jump into the 4K space. But 8K.
Here are some of the key points of the camera…
- 14-stops of high dynamic range with wider color gamut
- Rotary Shutter on a new model (F65RS) that helps remove motion artifacts from the large CMOS sensor
- Communication between camera and tablet devices (iPad, Sony Tablet) via wi-fi and an app
- HD-SDI output with viewing LUT for on-set monitoring with focus assist zoom
- Compatible with the new IIF-ACES workflow, which protects the cinematographer’s original vision of the movie
In terms of workflow, Sony also announced a series of SRMemory cards that can capture up to 1TB and a sustained throughput of 5.5-Gbps, as well as a data transfer unit – SR-PC4 – that will be far less expensive than your usual VTR or data deck. Otto Nemenz International is the first rental company in Hollywood who will be renting the F65 out.
Perhaps the biggest surprise of the night was the price tag of the F65, which will be available in January of 2012 for a price of $65,000, including the viewfinder. The Rotary Shutter model, F65RS, will be $77,000. This price point puts the F65 slightly above the RED EPIC M package ($58,000) and on par with the ARRI ALEXA (45,000 Euros). This announcement only proves that we’re living in the Golden Age of high-end digital cameras with systems that are on par with film, but at a much more affordable price point.
