In the fourth part of my Sony F3 S-log series, I explain how to create Look Up Tables (LUTs) to be used in the camera. When shooting in S-Log, the F3 allows you to apply a LUT to an output of the camera, letting the operator visualize how the image will look after post-production correction.

When you think of a 35mm sensor camera, what characteristics come to mind? Probably the first is shallow depth of field. It is part of what many consider the "look" of that imager size and a principle defining difference between it and other formats. But while some consider this the chief attribute of the format, others may find it to be a detriment in certain situations. For those shooting documentary, run-and-gun productions, a deeper depth of field may be preferable to maintain focus.

I often get asked about the stuttering video motion, or judder, seen in 24p video. Even though we have all been watching or shooting 24p for years, for many of us it is new to see true 24p (or 23.98p) video displayed on a monitor.

Some months ago, I posted Part 1 of my PMW-F3 S-Log video series, and now, after waiting for the new 1.2 firmware to be released, Part 2 is here.

Sony's RGB and S-Log upgrade option for the F3 is now shipping. At AbelCine, we've had the upgrade for some time; you may remember the video that we helped produce at NAB that showed off the camera's S-Log capabilities. I get many questions about this new option and what exactly it changes in the camera, so I am putting together a three-part video series on the topic.

A couple of weeks ago we tested a pre-production model of the Sony FS100 camera for both ISO ratings and dynamic range. We came up with some impressive results, but decided to do some more tests with the full production version of the camera.

If you've been following my HD Formats series (Video Formats, Bit Depth & Bit Rate), this blog should help clarify a couple more of those words and numbers we see associated with HD video formats.

There's no denying that Canon HDSLRs have made a big impact on our industry, and while proving to be an amazing tool for cinematographers, some of their limitations become apparent in post-production. While the native HDSLR image is often lauded its for high contrast and saturation, this can also prove challenging to color correct and grade.

Our NAB booth included the PMW-F3 with the new S-Log firmware from Sony installed. I was very impressed with what the new mode added to the camera and was delighted to show it off to guests in our booth. Some of our friends at Next Level Pictures stopped by, and I gave them a short demo. They were so impressed with the effect that they asked to take the camera out for a quick test, which I agreed to. Twenty-four hours later they came back with a plan to take Vegas by storm, and the result was an amazing test of the F3 and S-Log.