F3 S-LOG and External Recorder Test Footage

• S-LOG and Cinegammas

• Recorded with Gemini 4:4:4, Cinedeck EX, Pix 240,
  Ki Pro Mini, NanoFlash, and SxS cards

• 126 clips averaging 10 seconds each

• Less than $.75 per clip!

• 50GB of unmolested raw footage

• Four setups: 1) ChromaDuMonde Chart; 2) Table Top with motion; 3) Female Model interview; 4) Green Screen with motion.

• 8 bit, 10 bit, 4:4:4, 4:2:2, and 4:2:0 examples

• MP4, MOV, DPX, DNxHD, ProRes 422, ProRes 422HQ, ProRes444, CineForm Film Scan1, and CineForm Keyscan

• 35 Mbps, 117 Mbps, 140 Mbps, 176 Mbps, 264 Mbps, 369 Mbps, 1500 Mbps data rates

• Includes scenes with motion, fine detail, and wide dynamic range

• 15 pages of documentation that includes shot descriptions, a spreadsheet, exposure data, lens information, white balance values, and a waveform monitor screen capture taken at the time of shooting

Vortex Media’s “PMW-F3 S-LOG & EXTERNAL RECORDERS TEST DRIVE” is the most efficient way for you to compare picture quality, playback performance, workflow steps, storage requirements, and color grading capabilities of 36 different combinations of settings in four different shooting setups. All of the clips are cloned copies of the camera original files. They have not been graded, processed, trimmed, or manipulated in any way.

Each sample clip is approximately ten seconds long and the files range in size from from 49MB (SxS) to 1.8GB (DNX) depending on the codec. Each clip was recorded one-at-a-time to optimize exposure for the gamma setting being used and to avoid daisy-chaining the recorders. Each recorder was connected to the camera using the exact same cables.

This is your best chance to test drive the
S-LOG upgrade and several external recorders before investing thousands of dollars!

This unique collection of files allows you to evaluate the F3 camcorder in ways that would be impossible without having the $3700 Sony CBK-RGB01 S-Log Gamma Option installed on your PMW-F3 -- plus access to several high-end HD-SDI recorders that can cost up to $9000 each.

Rather than rely on the opinions of others, who may or may not even know what they are talking about, this collection of footage allows you to do your own testing, on your own computer, with your own workflow, and come to your own unbiased conclusions.

Is one codec superior to another? How much better is 4:4:4 vs. 4:2:2 or 4:2:0 in the real world? How do the F3’s Cinegamma curves compare to S-LOG? Is S-LOG worth the extra workflow steps that it requires? How much compression is too much compression? Well, finding the answers to these, and many other, questions is the reason these test files were created for you.

This sample footage is provided with no analysis, recommendations, opinions, commentary, reviews, NLE instructions, workflow tips, or anything else that would influence or bias your own opinion of the footage. As a professional in the industry, who is working with high-end equipment, it is expected that you will have the knowledge (or know where to get it) that will allow you to import and analyze the footage on your own.

Also included are multiple JPG frame grabs from a Leader LV-5330 waveform monitor so that you can view exactly what the camera was seeing at the time of capture.

As you can imagine, even if you had access to all the recorders used in these tests, it would take you several hours of work to configure them, setup the shots, shoot multiple clips, document the settings, and compile them for easy comparison. For less than $100, all of that work has been done for you! All you need to do is import the clips into your NLE or color grading software and begin your own testing and comparisons of the raw footage.

Click here to download a PDF chart of every clip included with the "Full Version" and the "Lite Version".

This project was not sponsored by or underwritten by any outside sources so it is completely independent. However, we do want to thank Cinedeck, Convergent Design, Clark Media, and Bogh AV Productions for loaning us some of the recorders that were used in the testing. Without their assistance these tests would not have been possible.

Also available from Vortex Media:

4 hours of PMW-F3 training on DVD.

Less than $.75 per clip!

There are six ordering options designed to meet the needs and budget of everyone.

How to Order

Due to the large amount of data (over 50GB) it is not possible to download the Test Drive files. They must be delivered to you on a hard drive, flash drive, or optical disc with sufficient capacity. However, because Blu-ray and XDCAM optical can't handle 50GB of data; and Thumb Drives with capacities over 32GB are prohibitively expensive, we offer two versions of the footage:

1) The "Full Version" which contains all 126 files / 50GB of data for $95 *
2) The "Lite Version" which contains only 90 files / 30GB of data for $70 *

Click here to download a PDF chart showing a complete description of the clips that are included with each version.

* Once you have determined whether the "Full" or "Lite" version is right for you, then you must choose what kind of media you want the footage delivered on (see below). Vortex Media adds the price we pay for the media to the cost of the footage to determine the final price you pay. For example, if you want the "Lite Version" delivered on a 32GB USB Thumb Drive the total price will be $70 + $45 = $115.

However, $45 for a name-brand 32GB Thumb Drive or even $70 for a FW800 320GB 72OOrpm G-TECH hard drive are pretty good deals. Once you receive the Test Drive footage, you can then reformat and re-use the thumb drive, hard drive, or XDCAM optical disc and use it for anything you want. Who can't use another drive? Thus making the actual cost of the media $0.

Ordering
Option

Version

Footage delivered on:

Total cost with pre-loaded footage

This product is only avialable direct through Vortex Media