New Sony NEX-EA50EH Announcement

[Noa Put]

The problem is that the only camera's that can produce shallow dof and can have a filmic like image and which have all the attributes of a real videocamera start from at least 6000 to 7000 euro for a body only and that's not the budget I have. Everything below that prize means something is missing or doesn't function as it should. It's almost like the camera manufacturers like to punish people that don't have the real cash. :)

A solution for filming interviews with the ea50 which could display moire is to carry a Panasonic gh2 with one lens with you just in case, if it's a corporate client that expect high quality that's a extra investment you have to make I guess, even if it's just for a single shot in a whole project.

[Ron Evans]

Good point Noa but none of the small Sony's hold focus either so nothing new for the EA50 and in the dark zoomed in it will be ramped close to the f6.5 limit so will not have that shallow a depth of field either. We are used to focusing at the focal length to be used that is the value of spot focus. Refocus every time the lens is zoomed in or out is normal procedure for us so again nothing new with the EA50. It will be used for close ups so any shallow depth of field will also be fine highlighting the subject.

Ron Evans

[Craig Seeman]

If you have to have a GH2 with lens you've added to the cost. You've also subtracted from the convenience.

B&H has the Sony FS100 for $4800 (USA) with kit lens and $4200 without.
The EA50 is $3600 with kit lens.
The Panasonic GH2 with kit lens is $700 or $500 without.

The FS100 with kit lens shows at about 3621 Euros
The EA50 with kit lens at about 2715 Euros
Yes there's the form factor difference but consider the potential issues there's diminishing advantage of the EA50.

EA still has the form factor advantage for run and gun relative to cost but for interviews likely shot on tripod, not so much.

[Noa Put]

Originally Posted by Ron Evans

Good point Noa but none of the small Sony's hold focus either so nothing new for the EA50

Yes, noticed that as well, only if I"m not too far from the stage it does hold focus but if I"m all the way in the back and if I have to zoom in completely it doesn't. Another thing to consider might be how the image looks and if it will not deviate too much form your other camera's when mixed.

Yes there's the form factor difference but consider the potential issues there's diminishing advantage of the EA50.

Ugh, I know, so much to think about when choosing another camera, the price for the ea50 is allready stretching my budget and a fs100 is outside that, I was not planning to get a gh2, just gave it as possible solution but you are right that the extra costs could get you a fs100 instead and be done with it.

It's not that I plan to do a lot high end jobs but I want to have a videocamera to replace my xh-a1 for those few jobs where size does matter and where you need a certain image "look" (not video but "cinema" like), something that has all the functions a real videocamera has but also the "benefits" of a dslr at a not too high price point. For my weddings I have the gear to cover all I need, every camera has it's issues as well but combined they give me a lot of options to choose what is best for which situation.

I was also thinking BMC but if you are lucky it will take months to get it and even then there is so much more to invest to make it really production ready.

I wish I could see some more real life moire examples from the ea50, it doesn't look "that" bad to me, especially compared to a 5DII but I see other owners complain it has so much aliasing and moire.

[Noa Put]

Also not to forget that you really need a quality ND filter with the ea50 and they are not cheap either.

[Ron Evans]

In my case I am looking for a higher quality camera than the CX700 ( the best of the little cameras I have) but still have Spot focus and variable AE shift features that are on most consumer cameras but not the pro version. In this regard the EA50 is the only one at the moment !!! The Panasonic AC90 does not have Spot focus for instance only face detection. If it was just an alternate camera for my NX5U I would get the FS100 too but to give that to my wife to operate in semi auto............ Also the EA50 ( as can the FS100 ) use the batteries and FMU128 that I use on the NX5U and would match well too in editing I expect since the little Sony's do. I will also look at the VG30 which also may fit the bill since I do not need the audio features of the EA50 though the extra controls when I use the camera may still favour the EA50. Will have to wait and see what comes out in the new year.

Ron Evans

[Chris Harding]

Hi Guys

I still love the form factor regardless and Craigs clip on moire was very minimal ... would the client actually see it?? I reckon that unless he was a builder (or smoke stack constructor) most would not even notice it!!

We tend to get very technical about our footage and see things that most people don't even notice! A tiny bit of moire in a wedding veil would really go un-noticed as the bride would really be looking at what she is doing and here flawless makeup and IF she did notice the little flicker she would more than likely attribute it to the sun in the fabric and consider it a nice effect!

What I do like about the 50 is that Sony seem to have left nothing out (Ed sent me a full manual..Thanks Ed!!) and stuff that I like and expect is all provided ...things like focus assist and push to focus means you can ask the camera to get focus and then stay in manual..you can also enlarge the area instantly to check that before locking the focus. The AC-90 sadly has left out any sort of auto audio control for their XLR channels which is a killer for me at weddings and ambient levels that change constantly ..the 50 has auto/manual on each XLR input like a pro camera should have.

Noa, also bear in mind that the Sony works much the same way as the Panasonic so a ND in bright sunshine is probably needed on both cameras. I do admit the 90 (at half the cost) is tempting but then (being a shoulder-mount person) I would have to consider a decent loupe for the LCD and a shoulder mount rig so that also adds to the price.

It would be really nice if Noa bought one and shot a few weddings with it and gave us a nice review and sample footage.

Seriously there are virtually no cameras left out there with this form factor at all...You could get a JVC HM750 for a lot more money with still with old style CCD's or a Panasonic HVX 370 again at a much higher cost and expensive P2 media so the Sony really doesn't have a lot of competition as far as form factor is concerned!

Chris

[Noa Put]

and would match well too in editing I expect since the little Sony's do.

That was what I warned about a bit earlier in this thread, the nex 50 is a large sensor camera and might deviate in the way it looks from your other camera's, but as I understand it has presets that can be adjusted so you might have to tweak it.

[Craig Seeman]

Originally Posted by Chris Harding

Hi Guys

I still love the form factor regardless and Craigs clip on moire was very minimal ... would the client actually see it?? I reckon that unless he was a builder (or smoke stack constructor) most would not even notice it!!
....
Chris

look at the video at full frame HD on Vimeo and look at the brick wall of the building. This is not something that takes a discerning eye to see IMHO. A pan across a building as an establishing shot is very common.

[Craig Seeman]

This screenshot is not a blow up. It's what it actually looks like at 1080 on Vimeo and it's dancing like crazy when it's playing. Diagonal blue lines dancing across the building.

[Noa Put]

Originally Posted by Chris Harding

It would be really nice if Noa bought one and shot a few weddings with it and gave us a nice review and sample footage.

I shot my last wedding for the coming months past weekend :) Almost no-one gets married here between Januari and April and I usually use this period to catch up on my editing backlog and to do some personal projects with my camera. I think I will bite the bullet and order the nex 50 as soon as I get a few answers from creativevideo.uk in regard to warranty and also what to do if the camera malfunctions as the camera comes with full PrimeSupport, they are a uk based company and I live in Belgium so need to be sure I"m covered if something happens to the camera, it's nice to save money on a purchase this way (they are about 5 to 10% cheaper the BE stores) but not if there are a lot of issues getting the camera repaired. Their site says the camera is in stock so if I buy I could have it quite soon. I have a interesting project coming up soon (that I do for fun) with 2 guys playing the "dhol" (Dhol - Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia) and I hope to be using this camera for it, we"ll see and if that happens I surely will report how that goes.

[Noa Put]

Originally Posted by Craig Seeman

Diagonal blue lines dancing across the building.

Do you have a canon dslr Craig you can compare these type of shots with?

[Chris Harding]

Hi Noa

I have gone thru the manual and this camera ticks all my boxes so I think I will get just one for now after the silly season and still keep my two HMC82's and shoot a few weddings...if it works as I think it should then I can sell the 82's and replace with another EA-50 ...All my video lights run on Sony batteries so I already have batteries too!!

Being Summer here I have another 3 weddings in December, 6 in January and 2 in February..our slack season is June/July but I'd prefer to be able to take all 3 to a wedding and double up shots with my 2nd shooter and do some comparisons before burning bridges!! The AC-130's taught me a lesson!!

Just for interest I get the occasional moire on the 1/4" CMOS chips on the HMC's especially roof tiles and brides have never complained...at Realty shoots all windows here have fine mesh insect screens and even the HMC shows moire on those now and again when the light is right!!

Do you have a manual?? If you want a copy I can upload to my server for you?? It has tons of information

Chris

[Chris Harding]

Don??

This is the simple rig I use under the HMC82's ...it's basically two 1/2" aluminium tubes with a plate in the top middle which goes into the camera tripod screw and an offset plate on the bottom middle to attach your quick release plate. At the back of the rails I have an aluminium bracket for the receiver and then in front undewr the lens hood is my mini ball head that connects to the rod of my ENG mount and takes all the front weight off the camera and transfers it to the waist belt...This works a treat on the HMC so there is no reason why you cannot use the same thing under the EA-50 ?? That way you have a quick release, plus receiver mounts (my 2nd cam has dual mounts for 2 receivers) plus you have a connection point for the sprung rod of your ENG rig...it solves all problems and costs pennies!!!

Chris

[Noa Put]

Originally Posted by Chris Harding

Do you have a manual?? If you want a copy I can upload to my server for you?? It has tons of information

Yes, please!

Just for interest I get the occasional moire on the 1/4" CMOS chips on the HMC's especially roof tiles and brides have never complained

My cx730 also shows signs of moire with very fine detail, but it is at an acceptable level, you notice it but only if you closely look at it.