Archive notice: This article was originally published on April 16, 2007. Links and embedded videos are preserved as part of the historical record.
At NAB 2007, Sony is showing the latest model in its CineAlta series: the F23 is a flexible acquisition device that supports 4:4:4 1920 x 1080 RGB image processing and is intended for digital high-end productions.
“The F23 offers filmmakers the necessary technical and mechanical flexibility and, with its compact and robust design, is also suitable for the most demanding shooting conditions”, praises Richard Lewis, Chief Engineer at Sony Professional Solutions Europe.
The F23 is compatible with various accessories for film cameras, including bridge plates, matte boxes and focus-pulling devices. These accessories can be connected directly to the device without any further fixtures. The F23 also uses a harder material for the lens thread cover (B4), which is of great advantage particularly when lenses are changed frequently.
The user interface, displays and menus were designed like those of a film camera, so that users of other cameras are immediately familiar with the user environment. In addition, an “Assistant Panel” can be connected to the system with a single cable. This allows users to carry out basic camera and video-recorder functions even from some distance, such as REC/STOP or changes to the frame rates and the shutter angle.
In combination with the SRW-1 video recorder, the F23 can record images at speeds from 1P to 60P (1P to 30 frames/s at 4:4:4 and 1P to 60 frames/s at 4:2:2) at a full HD resolution of 1920 x 1080 pixels. This enables time-lapse and slow-motion functions (so-called “Undercranking” and “Overcranking”). The SRW video recorders also allow immediate playback of the recorded images.
The camera uses three progressive 2.2 Megabit 2/3″-CCD image sensors and a 14-bit A/D converter and enables recordings in the formats 1080/23.98P, 24P, 25P, 29.97P, 50P, 59.94P, 50i and 59.94i.
The digital 4:4:4 HDCAM SR recorder SRW-1 can be mounted directly on the front or rear of the F23. This saves the user the impractical cabling between camera and recorder. A dual-link connection for the recorder increases mobility at the same time, as this keeps the camera as small and light as possible. It also supports the Windows-based CVP File Editor software for creating gamma curves.
Alongside the camera, Sony also had other interesting news to announce:
With XDCAM EX, the manufacturer is releasing for the first time a camcorder that records onto solid-state media: the small device offers two slots for PCI Express cards, which can be read directly in Apple’s Mac Book Pro, for example.
Further links:
- Sony at the NAB
