ENG/EFP/studio cameras and cine cameras have been on a collision course of converging technology in the last few years. You can see it in cine cameras equipped with studio camera connections, servo-cine glass, and now the Sony HDC-F5500 looks like a step in the evolution. It’s a camera designed to succeed in the live production workflow with the Super 35 sensor and a global shutter. The specs read as if it’s purpose-built for churches, and Craig Harper from Sony Faith confirmed that to be the case. In fact, the first of these cameras shipped to the US were sold to churches.
Sony labels the new HDC-F5500 as a “Multi-Format Portable Camera.” After digging into the spec sheet, I find that description is accurate but lacking. It is an ENG-style camera, and while it seems like it would perform well in the “on-location, run-and-gun environments,” this camera appears destined to shine in the studio/live production environments, making it an excellent option for weekend church services. This camera is not a revolutionary new take on the traditional format, but an insightful upgrade to a well-known and trusted standard. There are a lot of small changes that make this camera more effective in the live production environment than its predecessors.
Tech Specs
The F5500 is equipped with a single chip, super 35, 4K CMOS sensor. It’s listed to be “ideal for sport and live entertainment productions involving LED displays.” The effective resolution on the sensor is QFHD: 3840×2160 HD: 1920×1080. Like many ENG cameras it features built-in Neutral Density (ND) filters. However, unlike many ENG cameras, the F5500 has a motorized 8 step ND filter from clear to 2.4ND, effectively eight stops in .03 increments that can be controlled remotely, making the F5500 amazingly versatile in all lighting situations. It weighs in at 11.68 lbs for the body only, which makes the entire system pretty heavy, considering the PL mount allows for a wide variety of lenses to be attached to the F5500. The camera is bristling with I/O, from five pin intercom connectors to DC in, DC out, 3 SDI connectors, return, remote, crane, USB. If you want a port on the camera, the F5500 has one, possibly two, except HDMI.
Rolling vs. Global shutter
The F5500 also features a global shutter, a considerable advantage in whip-pan motorsports, but also helps in more familiar live production environments --- especially those with LED walls or projected images that show up on camera shots. The global shutter exposes the entire sensor simultaneously, making fast-moving images sharper and less distorted. By comparison, a rolling shutter exposes the sensor in waves, so all parts are exposed for the same amount of time, but not at the same time. This wave leads to smearing in fast-moving images where the subject has changed position over the time that part of the sensor has been exposed. Rolling shutters also tend to expose the interaction between the progressive exposure of the camera shutter and the refresh rate of the video display shown in in the shot. The tradeoff is that global shutters tend to have more noise in the image than their rolling shutter counterparts. They are typically more expensive to manufacture, making the final product more costly. Most hardcore videophiles would say the value is worth the cost
The little things
The individual specs are great, but nothing listed separates the F5500 camera from the rest of the market. However, this camera has features that demonstrate huge attention to little details that make the F5500 great for churches. First, three focus positions can be assigned to preset buttons, making it quick and easy to find preset focal positions during live shooting. This is a fantastic feature for houses of worship, where finding focus can be a challenge. Having recallable presets is impressive.
Second, there is a built-in tally on the camera’s right side next to the camera’s number. There is no such thing as “too many tally indicators.” Also, the top handle flips around above the lens to make room for the EVF. Typically, with this type of camera, the viewfinder mounts to the top of the handle, placing it well above the operator’s line of sight. However, with the F5500, once the handle is moved, the viewfinder has 140mm of room to slide forward and back, allowing it to be positioned directly over the tripod. It reduces the distance traveled by the viewfinder, increasing viewability by decreasing the body movement of camera operators. This makes it a big win for the live sports ecosystem, but it is a great “quality of life” upgrade for camera operators in the live event production space.
Next, Sony has added recording capability directly into the CCU. The optional HKCU-REC55 added to the Camera Control Unit allows 4K video and audio to be recorded directly to the CCU with no other external recording device needed. Lastly, the CCU has an extension adapter that allows for IP workflow integration.
Now no studio camera with a huge box lens will look precisely like a cinema camera at 60 feet away from the subject, but this camera may be as close as you can get today. Churches who want to form and function of a studio camera body but want the look of a cinema camera, the F5500 is a camera to consider. This camera was designed to match well up and down Sony’s camera line up. So if your church is looking for the cinema-quality IMAG, this camera is a step in that direction. However, if your pastor doesn’t want that look for the message, a standard TV look is also something the F5500 can do. I’m excitedly optimistic to see the images coming off this camera in the wild very soon. If your church is looking to step into IMAG/broadcast or upgrade, don’t sleep on the Sony HDC-F5500.
