Enter the Sony BURANO 8K Digital Motion Picture Camera, Sony's newest jack-of-all-trades cinema camera that aims to combine the best features from the company's CineAlta, FX, and Alpha lines. Part of its versatility comes from the array of recording formats and resolutions it can capture, as well as a physical camera body that can accommodate a range of accessory options. So, what recording modes should you be using and how should you be rigging it out? Let's dive in.
A Cornucopia of Codecs
Sure, you probably don't need to record video at 8.6K but there's still plenty of reasons you might want to. While even Netflix and HBO aren't putting out work in 8K (most of them still top out at 4K), higher-resolution recordings get you more flexibility and future proofing. 8K footage gives you a ton more room for cropping into shots and re-adjusting framing, as well as scaling the final cut down to create sharp 4K, and HD deliverables. Your projects could also be remastered in the future for 8K delivery, so having that ultra-high-resolution footage to return to down the line will give your work more staying power and long-term market viability.
If you're looking to save on storage or lessen the load on your editing computer, swapping to 6K or 4K makes sense. But for the most part, I only find myself switching to use higher frame rates such as 60 or 120 fps. For the majority of shots, shooting in 8K was well worth the small jump in file size. What really determines your bit rate is your codec, and the BURANO has three main codecs to pick between:
X-OCN LT comes straight from the Sony Venice and is the only way to capture 16-bit video on the BURANO. This should be your go-to codec for images that could end up on larger screens, or anything you might heavily manipulate in post-production. It has a ton of latitude to adjust exposure, color temperature, and the look of a shot without any banding or image degradation. That freedom comes at the cost of some hefty file sizes though.
The brand new XAVC-H codec is your ticket for getting full 8.6K footage at a more manageable bit rate, using H.265 compression in either an HQ or SQ varietal. If you're filming long clips but still want full 8.6K resolution–think sit-down interview you might crop in on–XAVC-H is your best bet. Just know you'll need a powerful computer to be able to decompress the footage in real time.
XAVC-I (intra-frame) and XAVC-L (long-GOP) are Sony's traditional compression formats, both available here in resolutions up to 6K. If you know you won't be doing a ton of cropping or color work, select one of these codecs and save a bunch on media and storage. Yes, all three XAVC formats are only 10-bit, but that's enough information for moderate tweaking on properly exposed and white balanced shots, and the move from 16 to 10-bit keeps the file sizes around a third of what X-OCN produces.
Frame Rates and Resolutions
Picking your codec might come down to what frame rate you need. Full-21frame 8.6K footage taps out at 30 fps, whether it's recorded in X-OCN or XAVC-H. X-OCN with a 6K or Super35 crop boosts that maximum frame rate up to 60fps. For XAVC recording you'll have to use XAVC-I or L, as XAVC-H only supports full frame 8.6K.
To get frame rates between 60 and 120 fps, you'll have to go with X-OCN, XAVC-I, or XAVC-L with the cropped Super35 portion of the sensor recording in 4K. It's a nice crisp, clear 4K image, but you're cropping into the sensor so much that the focal length of your lens is basically doubled. A 24mm recorded in this S35c mode (Super35 Cropped) will look more like a 50mm lens, and a 50mm suddenly looks like an 100mm.
So, if you're planning to shoot high-frame-rate footage with the BURANO, you're going to want to get some distance from your subject. For certain scenarios like birds or athletes, this crop can help a shot, but the resulting sensitivity to shake and movement can make it a double-edged sword. Even with the camera's IBIS, I would try to use a tripod or gimbal for anything above 60 fps.
There are a couple more resolution surprises, one positive and one a bit strange. When Sony announced the 6K full frame "crop" mode mentioned above, most people assumed it would simply be taking the middle 70% of the 8.6K sensor. What you actually get is around 90% of the full image circle, with only a very minor crop. This is true whether you're recording in X-OCN or XAVC, and is a major boon for using wider focal length lenses.
Aspect ratios on the BURANO are a bit wonky, as many of the recording formats offer 17:9 or 16:9. Users coming from other cameras might assume the 17:9 unlocks a bit more resolution, but the opposite is true. An 8.6K 16:9 image has a resolution of 8632 x 4856, while the 17:9 is only 8632 x 4552. For 6K, you're going from 6052 x 3404 down to 6052 x 3192 with 17:9. I ended up sticking to 16:9 to get the most possible pixels, and unless you're trying to lock in a more widescreen look, I'm not sure there are a ton of great use cases for 17:9. We know all these framing and codec options get complicated, so Sony created a handy visual guide to show you all the possibilities.
Cages, Cards, and Batteries
After you've locked in a recording format, you should consider if there are accessories that can help your production. The BURANO can be used right out of the box, but you'll quickly find that rigging it out can be a huge boon for many types of shoots. Unless you're putting it in scenarios where every ounce counts, such as on a gimbal, crane or drone, adding a cage and baseplate is a huge benefit for mounting external monitors, follow focus units, wireless transmitters, lens supports, microphones, and other accessories.
On the budget-friendly end are rigging options like the MID49 Mid Cage Kit that include all the essentials. Stepping up to a Wooden Camera Elite Accessory System gets you a much more robust top handle and viewfinder mount. For those who want only the highest-quality materials, the ARRI Pro Cine Set can cover your bases. A V-mount battery slots right onto the back of the BURANO, but for those wanting to power additional accessories, a battery plate like the Core SWX PMC Plate Kit can get you additional D-Tap, LEMO, and Hirose outputs.
Media and power will always be your two essentials, and Sony worked hard to give you some options here. Unlike the uber-expensive AXS cards required by the Venice, the BURANO uses relatively affordable CFexpress Type B cards. Be wary of read/write speeds though. Something like the Lexar 1TB CFexpress Type B GOLD Series is good for recording XAVC and gives you major bang for your buck. If you're going to be shooting X-OCN, I'd recommend higher speed cards like the Nextorage 1330GB NX-B2PRO Card or Sony's own 1920GB TOUGH Card.
As far as your V-mount batteries go, you don't have to be quite as selective. IndiPRO's 2 x Micro-Series 98Wh Kit is an extremely popular and cost-effective choice, while making a small step up to something like the Core SWX Hypercore NEO 9 Mini 98Wh 2-Battery Kit gets you a more advanced readout and a lighter build. The BURANO is more power efficient than other high-end cine cameras but can still chew through a 98Wh battery in a couple of hours. Stepping up to higher capacity V-mounts make sense for longer shoots, though be mindful of airline restrictions if you're traveling.
Planning Makes Perfect
There are no one-size-fits-all answers when it comes to building out your BURANO and choosing a recording format. Some filmmakers might go with X-OCN even when shooting social content, as they appreciate the extra flexibility in the color grading process. Some might go with XAVC even when shooting a Netflix doc, as they're out in the field capturing hundreds of hours of footage. The same goes with accessorizing; I loved sticking to the viewfinder, but others might want a seven-inch monitor to get a better idea of framing. Some love a clip-on matte box, while others exclusively use rod-mounted varietals.
The best way to learn is real world experience, taking an iterative trial and error approach where every shoot teaches you something new about the camera and how you like to use it. Look at buildouts online, think about different rigs you've used with past cameras, and start to write out a list of must-haves for each type of shoot you do.
For more information about the Sony BURANO 8K Digital Motion Picture Camera and its capabilities, be sure to check out the detailed product page. Or drop us a line below, and we'll do our best to reply to your comments and questions.
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