PRESS RELEASE
According to DOP Kent Marcus when deciding which camera to use on the new independent Australian movie Burns Point there were several very important factors to address, not the least of which was cost.
Marcus explained, “Going into Burns Point, budget was a key concern. With all lower budget features, I am always looking for creative ways of achieving a refined result without losing quality. When I was in discussion with director Tim Blackburn and producer Chris Blackburn about their vision, they first mentioned some alternatives to the Sony F5. They felt that some of these cameras would be a good fit for the project as they were small enough and light enough to achieve some of the shots discussed with a smaller crew. We would be on a very tight 22 day shoot period with a minimal crew that consisted of myself, a 1AC, gaffer and best boy. I had previously used some of the other cameras on a documentary however I felt that the F5 gave us greater potential. The latitude was similar to some of the alternatives but the extra depth in colour was very important to me. Also the base EI of 2000 meant that my lighting package could be reduced in power. The ability to shoot up to 150fps was an added feature. Also, being a very light camera it became viable to mount the camera on a 3 axis gimbal for some setups.”
Having assessed the F5 against all the other possible alternatives Marcus decided it was the camera for Burns Point. Aside from the extra depth in colour Marcus had also had success with the F5 on other projects which added to his confidence in the camera.
He added, “I have always found Sony to be a very reliable system. The company history of making cameras that are durable was highly important to me and I had previously used the F5 on a pitch for the ABC and was very impressed with the look of the camera as well as how easily the footage graded. For the Burns Point shoot we were filming at an extremely fast pace. In some cases, we were achieving more than 50 setups per day. I needed a camera that I could rely on, one that could work all day without a fault. We were also shooting in some environments where power was limited so power consumption had to be taken into account. I have had previous experience with other far more power-hungry cameras however with the Sony F5, I found that the all day capacity of its BP-FL75 V-lock battery was sensational. One of my major concerns on the Burns Point shoot was to keep away from clipped highlights. Through a series of camera tests, I was more than confident that we could create a film-style look with careful capture on the Sony F5.
During the Burns Point shoot Marcus put the F5 though a large number of different filming situations including internal and external car mounting on a variety of surfaces from hard bitumen to sandy beaches. He also used mounting systems that included sticks, shoulder mounts and a 3-axis gimbal in challenging weather condition such as heavy rain and 40 degree heat with high humidity.
Marcus added, “To say the shoot was a challenge is an understatement but in saying that, during the time we only had one small incident with the camera and this was caused by a third-party product. There were two main factors that allowed us success with the camera in these diverse situations. Firstly, the camera’s weight. The Sony F5 is about 2kg which worked in our favour as we were able to cut back on the heavy duty equipment required for rigging options with other cameras. We were also able to use the highly versatile carbon fibre Miller Solo legs. These legs gave us the ability of mounting the F5 from 12 inches to over 7 feet. Prior to filming, we tested the camera on the gimbal and worked out a suitable system where the entire rig weight was under 5kg. The second factor was the base sensitivity on the F5. We were filming in a range of lighting environments from bright midday sun to very low light night scenes. These lighting situations created significant challenges. We were aiming at a shooting stop between T2.8 and T4. For daylight situations the 1.8 internal ND and a True Polariser became our basic camera setup. This gave us a shooting stop of around T4. We counted on just under 14 stops of dynamic range and used every stop available. In addition we were regularly shooting from dark to light environments with the constraints of a small crew and power restrictions dictating that the lighting package contained nothing more powerful than a 2k Blondie. In most situations the restriction of 16 Amp circuits or a 2kva generator meant that we were always bound by our power constraints. The F5’s 2000EI was a real advantage in these situations and on one setup we were even able to light the scene with storm lanterns and candles. All in all the F5 worked very well for us in every situation. On-set monitoring was in Log on a Lilliput with a wireless link. On-camera was either a Small HD DP4 or the AC7 depending on the camera mounting configuration. We recorded with S-Log2 XAVC as it allowed a huge amount of flexibility within the grade. Ultimately, with the Sony F5 we were able to create an incredibly flexible system for lower budget filmmaking and we were able to achieve high quality images.”
The Sony F5 camera on Burns Point was supplied by industry veteran Jack Swart who also served as the gaffer on the film. Commenting on the camera Swart said, “One of the main factors in the decision to use the F5 on Burns Point was its low light capabilities. With a small crew, and the need to shoot many pages per day to stay on schedule, a large lighting setup was never going to happen. The ability to shoot at 2000 ISO and beyond, made it possible to record scenes that other cameras simply could not. Size and weight were also factors as we had to mount the camera on a Movi-style handheld stabiliser, put it in the back of moving vehicles and attach it to the bonnets of cars in motion. The ability to move the camera and tripod together for a different shot, without needing to strip it down or use two people, was a huge time saver. Power consumption was also a big factor. The other main competitors’ cameras use up to 3 times the power and on location, far from mains power, the F5’s low power requirements, meant fewer battery changes and less downtime. The F5 gives a production an edge in so many ways. Firstly there is never any delay in “building up” the camera before shooting. I can get the camera out of the case, flick on the power switch and be ready to shoot in under 15 seconds. This is about the time needed to put the camera on a tripod and level the head. The camera’s low weight and design also allows easy handholding for extended periods. Other cameras are either too heavy or need extra rigging just to be able to be put on the shoulder. In addition to the setups mentioned above, we used the new centre crop mode extensively on the Burns Point shoot. The ability to “punch in” to twice the effective focal length, meant we needed less lens changes and also a smaller kit of glass to shoot with. We had three Sony prime lenses, the Sony FZ 14x zoom and for hand held work, a small 18-50mm PL lens. With the 14x on the camera and with centre crop, we had an 18mm to 500mm capability without changing lenses. The camera simply delivered when asked. The F5, compared to other cameras, is lighter, less power hungry, more capable under low light, more flexible across different clients and is exceptional value for money. There are cheaper cameras out there but not with the features that the Sony F5 offers.”
Product Information: For further Sony professional and broadcast and production product information or stockist details, readers can contact Sony Australia on 1300 720 071 or visit pro.sony.com.au. For Sony New Zealand call 09 488 6188 or visit pro.sony.co.nz