Sony CineAlta

Sony's F65 Camera Makes Its Worldwide Debut

Tue, 17 Jan 2012 00:00:00 GMT

Delivery to 1st Customer –Otto Nemenz – Marks New Era in Digital Production as Camera Starts Shipping toMeet Incredible Demand for 4K Production With the momentum behind 4K technology continuing to build, the company that started it all – Sony – is now shipping its revolutionary F65 CineAlta digital motion picture camera. At an exclusive ceremony held during the Sony Open golf tournament, Sony senior executives, including Sir Howard Stringer, Chairman, CEO and President of Sony Corporation, presented the first official production unit, Serial number 10001, to Otto Nemenz, president of Hollywood-based Otto Nemenz International. Since it was announced just a few months ago, the F65 has been in high demand by the motion picture production industry,with pre-orders for approximately 400 units worldwide. The F65 has been tested by a range of DPs and production professionals, and currently, at least twomajor studios are planning to use it on projects that will begin shooting almost ...

F65 Presentation - Createasphere Burbank 2011

Sun, 11 Dec 2011 00:00:00 GMT

Satoshi Kanemura, Sony's VP of the Beyond HD Production Solutions Division, presents an introduction to Sony's latest F65 4K camera, including a discussion of its groundbreaking image sensor technology, and SR Memory recording option. This presentation was given at the Createasphere 2011 show in Burbank, CA.

Every Stache has a Story...

Tue, 08 Nov 2011 00:00:00 GMT

AMP Creative presents the Dallas Moustache Kickoff PSA. During November each year, Movember is responsible for the sprouting of moustaches on thousands of men's faces, in the US and around the world. With their Mo's, these men raise vital funds and awareness for men's health, specifically prostate cancer and other cancers that affect men. Dallas Moustache is the local Movember initiative out of Dallas, Texas. -->

NEX-FS100U Quick FAQ

Wed, 24 Aug 2011 08:09:34 GMT

Signal output RGB or 422? The HDMI 1.4 port used on the FS100 outputs uncompressed 8-bit 4:2:2 or 8-bit RGB signals. Auto negotiation (EDID) takes place when an external recorder and FS100 are initially connected via HDMI and cable. During the EDID exchange, the FS100 and external recorder negotiate the highest quality signal common to the FS100 and recorder. From then on, the FS100 will output the negotiated signal. There is no menu in the camera to force a particular mode. 24P via HDMI Even though the FS100 internally records native 24p, it simultaneously outputs a 60i signal with pull-down via HDMI. As a solution, Sony developed an original method to insert timecode and pull-down markers on the HDMI signal. Timecode allows external recorders to start/ stop and record camera generated time-code. The pull-down marker facilitates externally recording native 24p signals by removing pull-down during transcode. Early on, Sony approached all major recorder manufactures to ...

PDP "Platinum Series"

Sun, 14 Aug 2011 00:00:00 GMT

This 30-second commercial introduces PDP's latest addition to their drum arsenal, the Platinum Series. This spot was created by combining live action with motion graphics.

PMW-F3 New Firmware Information

Wed, 01 Jun 2011 00:00:00 GMT

The following features are free of charge: Dual Link HD-SDI output 4:2:2 10bit 1080 23.98/ 25/ 29.97PsF* *1080 59.94i and 50i are already available with V1.00. SxS software key installation for CBK-RGB01 and CBK-3DL01. Planning metadata functionality same as PMW-350 V1.30 except Wi-Fi. Simultaneous HD-SDI and HDMI output (menu setting) Ability to use the S & Q dial for menu setting (same as jog dial on the rear panel). Display the signal format of the Dual Link output on the STATUS window. In Thumbnail mode, vertical navigation of the cursor is now possible TC output follows the internal Timecode Generator (TCG). One-click adjustment of Peaking, Brightness and Contrast of the LCD/EVF. The following features are activated with the CBK-RGB01 optional cost-based software key: RGB4:4:4 10bit, 1080 23.98/ 25/ 29.97PsF output on the Dual Link HD-SDI or 3G-SDI. S-LOG Gamma output on the Dual Link or 3G-SDI. Switching HD-SDI Dual Link and 3G-SDI. 3G-SDI is only av ...

Welcome to the Sony CineAlta Production Community Site

Tue, 22 Feb 2011 01:18:00 GMT

Welcome to the Sony Production Community web site, home of the CineAlta Blog and an educational resource offered to those interested in learning more and going further with Sony technology and solutions. It is here you will find a wealth of information such as news, tutorials, white papers, video and workflow. Be sure to register for the forums to read and contribute, post questions and get answers directly from Sony. By registering you will also gain access to additional information such as sneak product previews before anyone else!. Offer your ideas and feedback, contribute to future product ideas. Keep track of and attend events happening in the Calendar, subscribe to the RSS feeds to be notified of changes and additions. Be patient with us as we build, as this is just the beginning! The registration process is quick and easy. Become part of the community! Register here

"Why the Academy's IIF-ACES Post Process Means Better Color" By Bryant Frazer

Fri, 11 Feb 2011 08:37:34 GMT

Why the Academy's IIF-ACES Post Process Means Better Color By Bryant Frazer February 9, 2011 Source: Film & Video Justified returns tonight for a second season on FX, and cinematographer Francis Kenny, ASC, says the show looks better than ever. Why is that? The show upgraded from the F35 to Sony's newer SRW-9000PL in the hiatus, but the important thing is that Justified upgraded its image processing. Tonight, Justified becomes the first show to be broadcast using a new color-encoding workflow for television and digital cinema. It was developed through an initiative of the Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences Technology Council and realized through the efforts of Curtis Clark, ASC, chair of the ASC Technology Committee, a proactive supporter of the AMPAS initiative. "It's a major difference," Kenny says of the footage this year. "It's not just in the highlights and the shadows. There's a range in the midtones where you can see a difference in the gradations and shades of grey. ...

A day in the life of Curt Pair - Riding in the Batmobile

Tue, 18 Jan 2011 07:31:40 GMT

People are always asking me which cameras I prefer to use in the field. In all honesty, my favorite camera is a Sony F800. I've owned an F900, and high end models from other companies, but for the money and the feature set, I don't think there's a better camera on the market today than the Sony F800. It's affordably priced, and the feature sets are rich and deep. Today, the camera can do things it would have taken a lot of time and effort to accomplish in post; times-for example. I'm particularly happy with the way Sony cameras integrate. Even though I may use a smaller, less expensive camera in certain situations, they typically cut very well together. I own an F800, an F350 an EX1r and a few HXRMC1 cameras. Often I combine all of them on shoots. I'm always amazed at how well they look when inter-cut in the edit room. As the director of photography for the Fox Television show, America's Most Wanted, this comes in very handy. It allows me to choose the appropriate camera for each situ ...

CMOS Image Sensor Development: Exceeding Human Vision

Thu, 06 Jan 2011 08:53:02 GMT

The goal for CMOS image sensor development is exceeding human vision. In the 1990s, a variety of CMOS image sensors were developed in which transistors were embedded in each pixel. Compared to CCD image sensors, CMOS image sensors allow the implementation of system functions on the same chip. This is why CMOS image sensors are used in almost all cellular phone cameras. Also, the reason they are used in high-resolution camcorders is that they support low-power operation and high-speed image readout. The main points in CMOS image sensor development are how to make their advantages even better and how to reduce their noise and sensitivity disadvantages. In recent years, the pace of reduction in pixel sizes in CMOS image sensors has outstripped that in CCD image sensors. In 2009, 1.4 µm pixels were achieved, and thus they surpassed CCD image sensors in terms of reducing the pixel size. The first of the technologies for reducing pixel size is reducing the number of transistors in the pixe ...

Sony Technology: CMOS Sensor "Exmor"

Wed, 05 Jan 2011 12:52:35 GMT

Sony developed CMOS Sensor "Exmor", which adopts the "Column-Parallel A/D Conversion Technique" to create images containing more detail than ever before. It combines the speed of the CMOS sensor with advanced-quality image sensor technologies accumulated through the development of CCDs. The result is enhanced resolution along both the space and time axes. With these innovations, Sony is exploring the limitless potential of the world of imaging.A high-speed imaging sensor must combine high-sensitivity with low noise. In a CMOS sensor, the pixels, signal readout circuit, analog-to-digital conversion circuit and controller are all built into a single chip. By optimizing the composition and operation of each circuit, Sony has achieved previously incompatible goals of increasing both speed and image quality. Pixel Design Optimized for High Sensitivity When visible light strikes an image sensor, electrons are generated by a photoelectric effect occurring in the silicon from which t ...

35mm Full Size CMOS Sensor Sony's Image Sensor Technology

Wed, 05 Jan 2011 12:07:04 GMT

Interviews with Engineers (Vol. 6) 35mm Full Size CMOS Sensor: Sony's Image Sensor Technology Yoshiki Ebiko Sony Semiconductor Kyushu Corporation Equipped with the 35mm full-size CMOS sensor providing 24.6 effective megapixels, the α900 is Sony's flagship model for its α Series digital single lens reflex (DSLR) cameras. This camera was developed to meet the demands of photographers who want to take pictures with the same focal length and angle of field as can be achieved with 35mm film cameras. The CMOS sensor built into the α900 gives this camera the ability to capture subjects in minute detail. The imaging element has approximately 2.35 times the area of an APS-C size CMOS sensor, empowering photographers to create images with enhanced definition. The creators of this enlarged cutting-edge sensor had to overcome many challenges on the road to its development. We asked one of the engineers who worked on the sensor about the difficulties involved. Short-circuiting Caused by Sub-

Sony Technology: xvYCC

Wed, 05 Jan 2011 11:49:38 GMT

"Extended-gamut YCC color space (*1) for video applications-xvYCC" is the title of specification IEC 61966-2-4. A drawback of the BT.709 specification, which was formulated when cathode ray tubes were dominant, was that it allowed only about 55% of the Munsell Color Cascade (*2) to be represented. Sony and other collaborators together proposed xvYCC as a specification to extend the color range or "gamut" for video applications that would allow the entire color cascade to be represented. The Japan Electronics and Information Technology Industries Association (JEITA) put this forward as a Japanese proposal, and it has since been used in the development of an international standard. Sony's BRAVIA LCD television and HD digital video camera are the world's first products based on the xvYCC standard. The introduction of these products has helped to drive the shift to extended-gamut color in video applications. *1 Color space: The range of colors based on the three primary colors (red, gree ...

Sony Technology: EXMOR-R

Tue, 04 Jan 2011 09:06:00 GMT

Sony developed "Exmor R", a CMOS sensor featuring Sony's independently developed back-illuminated structure, with the aim of creating a camera capable of taking exceptional photographs even by candlelight. "Exmor R" is approximately twice as sensitive (*1) as a conventional front-illuminated CMOS sensor and also features low noise. In a back-illuminated CMOS sensor, light is directed onto the silicon substrate from behind, allowing light to be used with a level of efficiency not possible with conventional front-illuminated pixel structures. Photographers can now create smooth, high-quality images in low light settings, including night scenes. In February 2009, Sony introduced the HDR-XR500V and the HDR-XR520V, the world's first HD video cameras equipped with this back-illuminated CMOS sensor. Future Potential of Image Sensor Future market potential of consumer-use cameras has focused mainly on compact equipment that combines portability with the high resolution needed to capture subj ...

New Ford Edge features high tech interface and Sony EX3 to promote it

Wed, 22 Dec 2010 09:58:10 GMT

Ford's 2011 Edge crossover SUV is a masterpiece of technology for any tech savvy driver. Its instrument cluster is called the "MyFord Touch" interface, with four LCD displays including some very cool forward-thinking features like voice commands for everything from controlling your iPod to GPS, cell phone, climate control, satellite radio, and even internet. Mind Over Eye, a production, post, and FX house in Santa Monica, CA was tasked with creating some cost-effective yet dynamic running footage of the Edge, as well as interior shots with a product specialist running though the car's tech features. That's when they called me, hoping I could deliver some serious bang-for-the-buck (as there weren't a whole lot of bucks available!) I'm always up for a challenge. Why not? Shooting vehicle interiors is tricky. You're in a cramped position and unless you have the ability to remove the seats and doors, it's a very tight fit and hard to get the camera and lights into a good position. Add t ...

Sony commercializes world's first*1 16.41 Megapixel "Exmor R™" back-illuminated CMOS image sensors for mobile phones

Thu, 25 Nov 2010 12:34:44 GMT

Also announces industry's smallest and thinnest*1 lens module for mobile phones

October 7, 2010, Tokyo, Japan - Sony Corporation (hereafter, "Sony") today announced the commercialization of two new "Exmor R" back-illuminated CMOS image sensors with dramatically improved photographic performance including significantly high sensitivity and low noise. In addition, Sony will launch two new lens modules equipped with these image sensors, which also include the smallest and thinnest*1 model for mobile phones. This is also the first time that "Exmor R" is commercialized for the use in mobile phones.

*1 As of October 7, 2010

Read full post for a table showing models/shipment date/ sample price

SONY UNVEILS FIRST PROFESSIONAL HANDHELD SUPER 35MM DIGITAL PRODUCTION CAMERA

Mon, 15 Nov 2010 07:51:15 GMT

Contact: Tom Di Nome Sony Electronics 201-930-6357 Tom.dinome@am.sony.com New PMW-F3 Delivers High Performance at an "Indie" Price PARK RIDGE, N.J., Nov. 8, 2010 – Representing a breakthrough for independent producers and filmmakers in terms of features, performance and price, Sony Electronics is unveiling its first professional handheld digital production camera with a Super 35mm imager. The new PMW-F3 camcorder is designed for a range of digital production applications -- from commercial, documentary, television and feature film production to markets such as education, corporate and government and more. "Sony has a long and successful track record of developing digital production technologies that give producers at any level access to the highest-quality imaging tools and the right workflow for their needs," said Alec Shapiro, senior vice president, sales and marketing for Sony Electronics' ...

Join the Sony CineAlta Production User Group, FIRST meeting in NYC!

Fri, 29 Oct 2010 10:38:27 GMT

(Please click the headline above to read properly formatted post) Announcing the first Sony CineAlta Production User Group meeting, in New York City on November 9th. 630pm to 800pm, Sony Wonderlabs HD Theater, Ground Floor (SONY BUILDING) 550 Madison Avenue, New York, NY Our goal is to build a community in the Production industry for people interested in adopting and going further with Sony Technology and solutions. By participating you'll join other professionals like yourself, who would benefit from a consistent, production oriented sounding board, discussion forum and technology resource provided by the ongoing meetings. We look forward to seeing you and having you as part of our Sony production community. Membership signup is required. If you have already RSVP then you are registered, if not please register here to attend, or you can send an e-mail to Production@am.Sony.com Subject line: Sony CineAlta Production User Group Body: name, company, e-mail, and city/sta ...

EX3 Goes to Illinois Farmlands for Cambodia Doc

Fri, 22 Oct 2010 13:09:51 GMT

Ted Olbrich grew up on a dairy farm as a young boy in Illinois. Little did he know that 20 years later those skills would serve him well working for a certain three-letter U.S. agency in Laos, and 50 years later as one-half of the most successful missionary team in Cambodia. Repurposing those farming skills to teach starving Cambodians how to live more healthily and fruitfully have proven invaluable. An upcoming feature documentary, tentatively titled, "Resurrection: From Death to Life in the Killing Fields", chronicles the life work of Ted and Sou Olbrich who have lived in Phnom Penh for the last decade. They were home in Illinois for a brief visit in early October providing me a unique opportunity to capture the "before" part of their story, back on the family farm where Ted was raised. Having spent two weeks with them in Cambodia a decade ago, I knew that on my return I would want to travel light, but not compromise image quality as this might be a theatrical release (shooting t ...

Sony XDCAM EX on Apple Final Cut Pro

Fri, 08 Oct 2010 09:00:29 GMT

Check out this great video of how to use XDCAM EX on Apple Final Cut Pro!