Remember when High Definition was not an option and DV was good enough? Now, it’s rare to shoot anything but HD, regardless of final delivery format. Recent battles between camera manufacturers have been good for photographers and customers alike. Our newest purchase, a Sony PMW-F3, is a direct benefit of competition between the leading video camera makers.

The popularity of shooting video with DSLR cameras like the Canon 5D has grown, and it’s easy to understand why. DSLRs offer awesome color, a wide selection of quality lenses, and the “filmlike” ability to throw backgrounds out of focus using shallow depth-of-field. But most DSLRs lack professional audio and video features that make life easier for videographers, and reduce shooting costs. The Sony F3 solves those problems.

The Sony F3 combines the “ins and outs” a videographer needs, with the pristine imagery, low light sensitivity, and familiar handling a photographer expects. The amount of information gathered by the Super 35mm image sensor allows for a wide range of visual interpretations and color correction in the edit suite. Currently, we have three Sony prime lenses (35mm, 50mm, 85mm) to complete the kit. The pictures below link to full-sized 1080P still frame grabs from our first, casual tests with the camera. They are unretouched, and saved at 80% JPEG quality through Photoshop.

Everyone at DaySpring Media is looking forward to some fun times with this camera. If you have a project that may benefit from its exceptional low light capabilities, precise dept-of-field, and low noise, sharp images, use our contact form to get in touch with us. We’d love to hear from you.