Tim Hawkins talks about his long career as a DP shooting TV series and documentaries. A long-term Sony camera user, he recently invested in the BURANO as his number one camera on set.
DP Tim Hawkins has been working as a cameraman for over 30 years. Based in Sydney, he specialises in television production, ranging from documentaries to long form lifestyle TV shows including Who Do You Think You Are, Todd Sampson's Body Hack and Selling Houses Australia. Recently, Tim decided to upgrade his primary A camera to the Sony BURANO.
He said, “I’m a long-term user of Sony cameras and have kept a Sony camera of some description in my crew van since 1994. Before my BURANO arrived, I owned three Sony FX series cameras. I love the FX cameras, but I’d been looking out for something that sits above them that would fill a gap in my business. I was waiting for a broadcast-style, large sensor CineAlta camera that shoots 16-bit raw with all the functionality of the FX series cameras. That camera arrived in force in the form of the new BURANO.”
Filling a Gap
Over the past few years, Tim would typically choose the FX9 for client projects that needed a more cinematic look. “The discussions always centred on how the FX9 could fulfil their brief and give them the look they wanted. In turn, I would sometimes take the extra step of recording externally with the FX6 to give me the high resolution and high data rate I needed.
“My clients do trust me and I was delivering great results, but I knew I needed a camera in my kit that unquestionably sold itself in terms of image quality, a camera that doesn’t need to be talked up or hyped. That’s why when I read the specs of the BURANO, I pre-ordered one straight away,” he said.
The full-frame 8.6k sensor shoots 16-bit X-OCN internally and has the same features and high bit rates as the FX series cameras. “I’m not sure how many people fully appreciate the versatility of the BURANO," said Tim. "It can compete with other major cameras in terms of formats – up to 16-bit 8k as well as 4K X-AVC with a full set of crop functions. But at the same time, it can also shoot in HD when required – I think many viewers would be surprised to learn how many productions are still captured in HD.”
Although Tim shoots primetime streaming and broadcast TV series almost exclusively, a large percentage of those productions are HD, not 4K. HD may no longer be a big selling point, but it is still an important part of his market, which makes versatility essential for his work. The camera has a PL or E mount and internally includes dual ISO, variable ND, 16 stops of dynamic range and built-in stabilisation. With these features, he feels the camera allows him to handle a much wider scope of work.
From Interviews to Handheld
Tim purchased his BURANO from Lemac, one of Sony’s main resellers. He has been using the camera much more often than he had anticipated, originally expecting to only pull it out for larger, higher profile jobs while continuing to use the FX9 and FX6 every day.
“Due to its versatility, the BURANO has become my A camera for all jobs. The FX9 and FX6 cameras are used as B or C cameras and my FX3 cameras are still in frequent use,” he said. An examples of recent projects are a five-part feature length crime series – using the BURANO as the A camera recording DCI 4k X-AVC – lifestyle series Selling Houses Australia and the historical series Who Do You Think You Are, an award winning show.
He noted, “It makes a great master interview camera and with built-in image stabilisation, I can capture a lot more handheld work with it than I would have with the FX cameras, and achieve a really nice handheld look. Though you can’t use image stabilisation all the time, it’s very useful to have as an option.”
Turning Point for TV
While Tim mostly works solo, he will only rarely have a single camera with him on a shoot. He said, “Gone are the days of a freelance DP rocking up to a shoot with one camera, two lenses and a few lights. It's a whole new ball game now. Today’s clients expect an array of cameras to be deployed on just about every shoot, plus a prodigious amount of gear.
“For me, alongside the Sony BURANO and FX cameras, I use a DJI RS3 Pro gimbal and also have a fleet of drones. All my cameras have wireless monitoring and a variety of lens options and while I currently own nearly 20 different lenses, my Sony G Master lenses are the workhorses.”
Tim is pleased to be working at what has become an exciting time for television. He commented, “Recent developments in cameras, gimbals and drones have dramatically changed the face of TV production. Production levels and standards have moved far beyond the way we were working even 10 years ago. The BURANO is a major part of this trend.
As well commenting on its image quality and functionality, he said, “It’s a real showstopper having the Sony BURANO on set. With its tough build, like a proper ENG camera, it feels good in your hands, and there’s not a more versatile camera on the market.” pro.sony
