With the release of firmware version 1.2 for the PMW-F5 & F55 cameras, Sony included the ability to run some menus via a wireless device.

Sony recently released firmware version 1.2 for the F5 & F55 cameras, which is a pretty big update that adds many features and fixes like Wi-Fi remote control support and SR Codec recording.

A little while ago, Sony released the latest firmware for the F5 & F55 cameras, as well as the AXS-R5 Raw recorder. Version 1.15 of the F5/F55 firmware has some small incremental updates, with mostly bug fixes included. However, some big changes include improved naming conventions on the AXS card, de-anamorphic function on the viewfinder, and a warning when you haven't black balanced in a while.

With every new camera, come many new questions about workflow. The term "workflow" can be fairly broad, but today I am looking at importing Sony F5/F55 footage into various non-linear editing systems (NLEs). Both the F5 & F55 can record in MPEG2 (XDCAM), XAVC and HDCAM SR formats internally. With the addition of the AXS-R5 recorder, they can also record in Sony Raw. This article is focused on MPEG2 and XAVC, but be sure to keep an eye out for future blogs on working with Sony Raw and HDCAM SR.

The Sony F5 & F55 cameras are shipping in quantity now, and we've gotten a lot of requests for some custom scene files. I've put together five files in our usual flavors. They are designed both to change the cameras' look and make matching the two cameras easier.The cameras handle colors very differently due to their different Color Filter Arrays (to learn more, read Mitch's article on CFAs), so you'll see some obvious differences in the files. My focus on these files was to match skin tones and give a nice overall look.

Last month we posted about Element Technica's Elements Micron accessories for the Sony F5/F55, and today I got a chance to sit down with another piece from their Elements line, the F5/F55 Powered Studio Riser.

ARRI has greatly expanded its range of Professional Camera Accessories (PCA) and now makes kits designed to fit other manufacturers' cameras. Their newest PCA kit is designed specifically for the Sony PMW-F5 & PMW-F55 cameras. All ARRI products are notable for both the quality of their construction and the elegance of their design, both of which take into consideration the way working camera people really use their tools.

Rare is the camera kit that has no accessories hanging off it. Monitor, lens controller, wireless transmitter, signal converter, timecode clock, focus rangefinder -- sometimes the camera can barely be seen under the accessories. These devices need power, and often the cameras themselves do not have enough outputs available. Switronix has created several versions of the JetPack, a battery mount (Anton Bauer or V-lock) with multiple power outputs in a variety of useful voltages.

Sony's new PMW-F5 and PMW-F55 cameras build upon the popular PMW-F3, and feature a Super-35mm size sensor with 2K and 4K recording options. Both the F5 and F55 are suitable for many different styles of production and can be customized with lenses and accessories to make them even more versatile solutions. Some of the existing accessories for the F3 are interchangeable with the F5 and F55, but the new form factor means some support accessories will be unique. In this article, we present the many different lenses and accessories that can be used with the cameras.