Instant Expert: Large-Sensor Cameras: More Pixels To You

Item

Company

MSRP

What's New & Other Comments

Cinema EOS C300

Canon U.S.A.

$20,000 est. list price

Just announced as we go to press! Modular form factor based on DSLR. Uses an 8.3-megapixel CMOS Super 35mm-sized sensor. Full 4K sensor requiring no de-Bayer. Records up to 1920 x 1080 in Canon XF 4:2:2 codec to dual CF cards. Two models: PL mount and EF mount. 4" LCD viewfinder. Canon Log Gamma to extend dynamic range. HD-SDI, timecode, genlock. EF mount ships late January 2012, PL mount in late March.

SCARLET-X

RED Digital Cinema

$9,750 base camera

After years of anticipation, SCARLET-X is announced as we go to press. 5K stills, 4K video resolution. Shares sensor, form factor and accessories with RED EPIC. Records to REDCODE RAW codec at 50 Mb/s with built-in SSD slot. Canon-mount standard, add $1,500 for PL mount. Ships December 2011.

EPIC

RED Digital Cinema

$39,500 (EPIC-M brain only), $58,000 (EPIC-M package)

EPIC continues the tradition started by the RED ONE (still available but now 4.5K with Mysterium-X sensor). Resolutions up to 5K. With HDRx, dynamic range up to 18 stops. Records to REDMAG SSD or built-in side SSD slot. REDCODE RAW codec with numerous workflow options. Frame rates up to 300 fps at 2K. Compact form factor. Body weighs 5 lb. HD-SDI and HDMI output up to 2K RGB. Native PL mount. Infinite combinations of adapters, viewfinders, rigs, etc.

NEX-FS100

Sony Electronics

$5,850 (no lens), $6,550 (18-200mm kit lens)

Exmor Super 35 CMOS sensor. Records to single SD card in AVCHD codec up to 1080 60p @ 28 Mb/s data rate. Sony E-mount lens. Adapters available for virtually any lens. 8-bit HD-SDI and HDMI out. Under/overcranking. Modular design. Large 3.5" LCD.

PMW-F3

Sony Electronics

$16,800 (no lens), $24,150 (three PL-mount lens kit)

Exmor Super 35 CMOS sensor with enhancements to deliver up to 12 stops of dynamic range. Comes with PL-mount adapter. Adapters available for most lens mounts. Records XDCAM EX 35 Mb/s to two SxS cards. 10-bit HD-SDI and HDMI outputs. Modular with infinite configuration possibilities. Under/overcranking. Built in ND. Optional S-Log gamma with LUTs (list $4,400) to produce log curve and add 1-2 stops dynamic range. Genlock, timecode in/out, monitor function. Lens rocker switch works only with optional ($14,000) Sony 18-252mm zoom lens.

F65

Sony Electronics

$65,000 (F65 with viewfinder), $77,000 (built-in rotary shutter model with VF)

Introduced at NAB 2011, the F65 boasts a native 8K CMOS sensor and 14 stops of dynamic range. Records in resolutions up to 4K with frame rates up to 120 fps in 2K. Spinning mechanical shutter eliminates CMOS rolling shutter and Jell-O-cam issues. Optional SR-R4 dockable SRMemory recorder ($20,000). Up to 1 TB SRMemory cards. Will be available from Sony in January.

ALEXA

ARRI

From $89,000

Records up to 2K to ProRes or ARRIRAW to optional external recorder. 35mm Bayer pattern sensor. A full 14 stops of dynamic range. Native PL mount. 16-bit internal processing. ALEXA Plus adds sync for 3D, built-in motion/position sensors, and lens display information. New ALEXA-M is great for 3D work, with separate camera head and body.

AG-AF100

Panasonic Solutions Company

$4,995

Micro Four Thirds sensor and mount. Numerous mounting options available. Records AVCCAM to two SDHC/SDXC cards. 8-bit HD-SDI and HDMI outputs. Three-position ND switch. Built-in waveform monitor and vectorscope. Under/overcranking. All of those Panasonic scene files that Panasonic users have grown to love. Compact form factor. Low-pass filter to minimize skew.

Phantom Flex

Vision Research

Phantom cameras range $50,000 to $150,000

You are much more likely to rent a Phantom for those great slow-motion shots that only a Phantom can capture. The Phantom Flex, for example, supports up to 1,275 fps at 1920 x 1080 in HQ mode and 2,640 fps at 1280 x 720 in HQ mode. Other Phantom cameras can handle up to 100,000 fps, albeit at lower resolutions. Can record natively at up to 2K resolutions. Extensive product line, all the way to Phantom 65, with the largest sensor in the industry.

HS-2

Weisscam

TBA

Still under development. The Weisscam will output 2K and HD signals and record up to 4,000 fps (2,000 fps in 1080p). Both Rec. 709 and log curves available. 12-bit raw output. Accepts a variety of lens mounts. Full-format 35mm sensor. Another product you might rent.