Sony F65
As whispered and predicted a year ago, Sony will show the working prototype of their new high-end, >4K next generation digital motion picture camera at NAB 2011.
Mr. Nemoto, Mr. Mikami, and the entire team behind the new CineAlta camera, currently called F65, showed us the prototype at Sony’s Tech Center in Atsugi a few weeks ago.
When NAB 2011 opens at 9 am on April 11, you might want to wear elbow and kneepads as you weave through the crowd trying to catch a glimpse of the new F65 in Sony’s booth C11001. What’s so interesting about this camera? In two words: 8K sensor.
Behind the PL mount, there’s a new Sony 20 Megapixel CMOS sensor. The actual, active 18.3 Megapixel image area is 24.7mm x 13.1 mm, which is 28 mm diagonal. This fits nicely within the ANSI Super35 3-perf size of 24.9 x 13.9 mm, and most PL mount lenses in the world can be used without vignetting.
I can hear the collective sound of fingers tapping on calculators. The 1.9:1 aspect ratio (24.7 ÷ 13.1) is also the DCI projection standard (4096 x 2160 or 2048 x 1080), where the active picture has to fill the screen either vertically or horizontally. Sony’s new sensor offers the choice of picture composition as needed: 1.85:1, 1.78:1, 1.66:1, 1.33:1, 2.35 spherical, 1.3x anamorphic, or 2x anamorphic cropped. I think Vittorio Storaro, ASC, AIC may be pleased, as this comes closer to approaching his Univisium format.
The imager contains an active total of 18.3 Megapixels. Half are sensitive to GREEN, and the other half are equally shared by RED and BLUE pixels. The sensor will provide pristine super-sampled HD and 2K images, and this is the first sensor in the industry that provides a dedicated green photosite for each pixel in the 4K (4096 x 2160) output image.
As I understand it, the green channel is the most significant in creating the Y (or Luminance) signal. Having twice the amount of GREEN photosites compared with traditional 4K Bayer pattern sensors provides a significant improvement in image resolution. This should also be helpful for mattes and effects work. As debayering algorithms evolve in the future, it will be interesting to see how the current 20 Megapixel sensor’s RAW files can be processed to create presentation formats larger than 4K—perhaps even the NHK UDTV system (7640x4320 59P) where the pixel count is 16 times (4 times horizontal and vertical) greater than today’s 1080 HDTV.
F65 design is reminiscent of F35, F23, Panaflex Millenium, Arricam Studio, and Moviecam Compact. The designers have crafted a shape that accommodates an onboard SRMemory “magazine”. The bottom of the camera is ready to go from handheld to studio configuration, with a forward flat section where you attach a sliding baseplate, and a sculpted rear section for a comfortable shoulder-moulded cushion. Power is dual 12 volt: the camera runs with 12 VDC, but 24 VDC is available for accessories if you attach two 12 volt batteries. Consumption is expected to be less than a Sony F35.
In normal mode, F65 will shoot from 1-72 fps. In HFR (High Frame Rate) mode, the camera will run from 1-120 fps. An optional rotating mechanical (not mirror) shutter syncs with the frame rate, like a film camera, and eliminates artifacts (jello-cam) when panning past vertical objects at high speeds.
A 1 TB Memory Card recording at 24 fps will store about an hour of “footage” in 4K 16 bit RAW, and up to 8 hours of HD.
The dockable SRMemory Card Recorder attaches to the camera and records directly to an SRMemory Card—which will be introduced in capacities of 256 GB, 512 GB or 1 TB. I imagine that larger sizes and other recording options will become available, both onboard as an accessory digital “magazine,” and tethered by cable to a separate device.
The camera provides live HD-SDI outputs derived from the 18.3 Megapixel sensor’s RAW signal. Pre-programmed LUTs can be used on the HD monitor outputs feeding on-set HD monitors and external proxy video recorders creating ready-to-edit files.
What does the image look like? The pictures from the prototype I saw in Tokyo on a large 4K monitor were very detailed, superbly sharp, with rich blacks, even in very low light.
I think what makes this new camera possible is the fact that Sony manufactures the five secret sauces essential for full food-chain 4K and beyond: sensor, storage, software, station, and screening.
Sensor. Sony makes the 20 Megapixel CMOS sensor. That’s a significant amount of headroom, and in the future, the F65 camera will be able to derive higher resolutions from the current sensor. We’ll visit the factory where Sony makes these sensors on the next page.
Storage. Sony makes the SRMemory Cards that have an impressive 5 Gbps sustained data rate. Native data rate is about 20 Gbps, and can be mildly compressed 4:1 for the SRMemory Cards.
Station. Data from the SRMemory Card can be downloaded, cloned, and copied via Sony’s Memory Recorders and Adaptors.
Software. Sony is making their API (Application Programmable Interface) available to third parties, and announced compatibility with major editing and post production systems. This will be a continuing story at NAB. Sony is making the SR codec natively available as a file for post production, which is already supported by FilmLight and Davinci. The Sony files will be supported by Direct-to-Edit and DI post production including Avid and FCP.
Screening. About 7000 screens worldwide now use Sony 4K digital projection systems.
Chris Marchitelli, Sony’s Senior Manager, Beyond HD Production Solutions, told us, “As with the previous generations of CineAlta, Sony has worked very closely with the industry. We’ve been patiently applying our technology and experience in developing the next generation digital motion picture camera and storage system.
“The F65 camera will deliver brilliant HD, 2K, 4K images. It has been designed with practical production setups in mind, including 3D rigs and Steadicam. Looking ahead, the F65 is ready to move well beyond 4K in the future as the industry’s needs evolve.”
The F65 represents the next generation CineAlta camera from Sony for Digital Motion Picture Production. When will the Sony F65 be ready to roll? Fauer’s Law of Camera Delivery is 9 months after first sighting at NAB or IBC. Let the clamoring begin.
www.sony.com/F65
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