The people at Cinemartin have publicly released new specs and images of the first industrial prototype of the cinema camera. There are some killer features like 8k RAW video at 24p and up to 96fps RAW recording in both 4k DCI and1080p HD. Some other frame rates include 48p and 60p in a variety of resolutions which are needed for cinema production in either higher fps or just as a shooting necessity like 48p to get the Hobbit look.
One of the most impressive features listed is the ability to shoot in true Vista Vision format at 7920 x 6024 pixels for 8k at 24p that turns out to be 47.7MP; also the Dual ISO recording feature which will be available by August 2019 which allows dual recording capability for an extreme Dynamic Range improvement. Other features include: Global Shutter, Internal full sensor downsampling, and in-camera electronic image stabilization.
Fran 8k Frame Rate Table:
As you can see from the above table, frame rates will cap on the high end at 96fps for both 4k and Full HD 1080p. These will be activated in the Spring 2019 update after the camera launches. The camera will probably be shown at IBC 2018 in Amsterdam this 13-17 of September. By that time pricing and pre-orders should be available.
Fran 8k More Specs List:
- SENSOR – FRAN GS 47.7 MEGAPIXEL CMOS SENSOR
- EFFECTIVE PIXELS – 7920 x 6024
- SENSOR SIZE- 37 mm x 27 mm (Diagonal 46.2 mm)
- LENS MOUNT: EF and PL by (2019)
- DYNAMIC RANGE -15+ stops
- MAX DATA RATE -2500 MB/s using FRAN (media) M.2 1TB -2300 MB/s using FRAN (media) M.2 2TB
- PLAYBACK FPS 24, 25, 30, 48 frames per second
- REC. FORMATS: RAW BAYERED / DE-BAYERED
- POST FORMATS: LOSSLESS PNG, DNG
- POST ENCODER: TO PRORES / TO AVID DnxHD DNxHRTO H.264TO HEVC H.265
- HDMI Clean 4K 60p output
- Thunderbolt 3 To connect high-speed external drives
- mini Jack
- Audio mic. input (mono) and output (st)
- USB 3 To connect high-speed external drives
- SD card
- Load and Store LUT’s and camera settings
- Power: Idle 25W Max 60W
The camera will also be programmable which makes it possible to allow object recognition and automation of recording and archiving tasks.
“Fran can be reprogrammed to suit many needs. Stabilization is a featured provided by OpenCv architecture. Third parties or c++ developers can develop plugins for Fran. The programmable architecture option allows users to use their own software, or write a new one based on Fran default software.
The programmable architecture option includes the stabilization and a few examples of object detection, as well as documentation in order on how to program the camera.”
While the Fran 8k camera is overkill for many uses it may become a compelling option for production houses looking for RED and ARRI alternatives that deliver extreme image quality at a more affordable price to competitors. We have seen this trend with the advent of cameras like the Kinefinity cameras which offer a lot of value for money while delivering superb image quality however teh Fran Camera will offer 8k images. We have high hopes for the Fran camera to go head to head with the best of them and deliver a true 8k RAW image for cinema production. 
The body is similar to modular cinema cameras and offers enough control and expansion for production users. Large Standard battery modules ensure continuous operation and easy on-set continuous power solutions. The LCD should provide most shooting information at a glance.
We will continue to cover the evolution of the Fran 8k camera and will share video samples of higher frame rates when available. Expect the quality to be excellent at all frame rates.
For more information and updates on the camera visit the official site at: