Super 35mm image sensor
Amazing low-light sensitivity. Gorgeous highlight handling.
Able to see into dark areas without undue noise. The PMW-F3
responds to light and color beautifully, as directors of
photography can attest. It’s all made possible by an original
Sony Exmor™ CMOS image sensor purpose-built for the
PMW-F3. This is not some DSLR image sensor retrofitted for
video. In fact, the F3 image sensor pixels are four times the
size of typical DSLR pixels, equal to a two-stop advantage. It
all adds up to one of the most eagerly anticipated cameras
in Sony’s history.
Hold the three-CCD prism. The PMW-F3 features a single
Super 35mm image sensor.
Full Super 35mm image size
When it comes to image sensors, size definitely
matters. Other things being equal, a bigger sensor equates
to better low-light sensitivity and lower image noise. Even
more important to some photographers is the pursuit of
“bokeh,” the defocused backgrounds made possible by
shallow depth of field. A common technique for directing
audience attention within the frame, shallow depth of
field is far easier to achieve with a large sensor. And that’s
exactly what the PMW-F3 delivers, with a single sensor that
closely approximates a Super 35mm motion picture film
frame. Bigger sensors also make it easier to capture wide-
angle shots; the field of view is wider for any given focal
length lens.
Not just a bigger sensor,
bigger pixels
Low-light sensitivity and powerful highlight
handling depend in part on the imager size
and also on the size of the pixels on that
imager. That’s why Sony developed a new
image sensor for the PMW-F3 with pixels that
are four times the size of typical DSLR sensor
pixels. Thanks to this two-stop advantage, the
F3 achieves a sensitivity of F11 at a signal-to-
noise ratio of 63 dB and an exposure index
of ISO 800. Dynamic range extends to 460%
of nominal peak white. All told, you’ll capture
images of incredible exposure latitude,
whether you’re seeing deep into the shadows
at night or capturing the highlights in
daytime exteriors.
The Micro Four Thirds™ sensor (left) imposes a significant crop factor
versus 35mm. The PMW-F3 sensor has nearly twice the surface area of the
Micro Four Thirds sensor in 16:9 operation, making the F3 a significantly
better match to the Super 35mm film frame.
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