The EA50M available for pre-order at B&H at DVinfo.net

Darryl N. Barg · August 19th, 2014, 11:57 AM

Well, I take this as very good news... Our camera has not been phased out, it has ostensibly been improved.
http://www.bhphotovideo.com/c/product/1076767-REG/sony_nex_ea50m_nxcam_camcorder.html
A quick scan shows a constant f4,18-105 stock lens and an updated sensor.

Don't count on any firmware updates to the original model at this point. :)

Darryl

Darryl N. Barg · August 19th, 2014, 11:59 AM

and here's the Sony Pro page:
https://pro.sony.com/bbsc/ssr/cat-br...duct-NEXEA50M/

Randy Johnson · August 19th, 2014, 12:33 PM

Its pretty much the same camera bundled with a different lens. I dont see anything about a improved sensor.

Chris Harding · August 19th, 2014, 07:25 PM

Hi Randy

On the Sony site the lux specs are now identical so it's simply the EA-50 with a cheaper lens BUt it does seem to have two record buttons now. Apart from that it's the same camera!

Chris

Randy Johnson · August 19th, 2014, 07:34 PM

2 record buttons?

Jody Arnott · August 19th, 2014, 08:22 PM

The old model has 2 record buttons. 1 on the handle, 1 on the body by the hand-grip.

Does the new one have a 3rd?

Chris Harding · August 19th, 2014, 11:26 PM

It certainly sounds like it?

The description says one record button starts recording via the card and the other via the MFU

In what instance would you use two record buttons.

Chris

Randy Johnson · August 20th, 2014, 11:08 AM

Chris,
That was added with the 2.0 firmware update it means you can use the handle and the lens trigger to independently record to either the FMU or SD card. For what use I have no idea but its there im pretty sure this is the same camera with a different lens.

Chris Harding · August 20th, 2014, 06:20 PM

Thanks Randy

That would certainly make a lot more sense than a third record button. So I guess you can "assign" say, the handle record button to the FMU and the normal one to the card? I really cannot see why one would do this unless you can maybe use a different format recording format to one device and another one to the other. I'm still trying to figure a practical use for this?

Have you updated your camera firmware yet?? Both mine are still on the original firmware. I didn't see anything on the update that would make it essential?

Chris

Peter Rush · August 21st, 2014, 03:44 AM

F4 still to slow for me with this camera - Indoors at most locations with the stock lens I have to shoot wide to get f3.5 otherwise it ramps badly and the gain shoots up - Metabones adapter and fast Canon glass have saved me!

Still like this camera though - will be keeping it for next wedding season at least!

Pete

Chris Harding · August 21st, 2014, 06:27 AM

I agree Pete

For weddings F4 just is a bit too slow ...My limit is F2.8 on the main camera (either 17-50 or 28-75) but F1.8 on the Sigma 18-35 is awesome on the B-Camera!

It's not hard to work around the slow lens issue and I have been really pleased with the cameras for both commercial and wedding shoots. I actually sold my one stock lens and used the money to buy both the 28-75 (used) and the 18-35 F1.8 brand new ...it made sense and if I have a sporting event to shoot I still have the 2nd stock lens.

Both my cameras are keepers so far and I have had them 19 months now!!

Chris

Randy Johnson · August 21st, 2014, 09:06 AM

I agree but its faster than the stock lens. I was hoping it was a step in the right direction but Sony hasnt done much else since its release.

Peter Rush · August 22nd, 2014, 01:56 AM

This camera is let down really by the stock lens - it's slow (literally if you are hoping to use the servo zoom) and a little unremarkable compared with decent glass - If I were buying again I would buy the body only and spend the saving on an adapter and good lens. My Canon glass adds a certain crispness whereas the stock lens can seem at times a little murky.

To make a difference this 'new' model should have come with a Zeiss zoom - now that would have been nice!

Pete

Chris Harding · August 22nd, 2014, 09:45 AM

Hi Pete

Sadly an EA-50 with a Zeiss zoom would probably bump up the price so it clashed with the FS100 and Sony wouldn't want that to happen.

I couldn't get a body only from Sony here but Global Media Pro had the EA-50K which comes from Singapore so I elected to simply sell off one stock lens to fund a decent one. If you are shooting mainly outdoors the stock lens does a good job and the AF is pretty good. I had to film a soccer match concentrating on just one player as an appraisal and in manual I don't think I would have coped so it does has it's uses. They seem to be quite popular on eBay anyway and sell quite easily.

Chris

Randy Johnson · August 22nd, 2014, 11:28 AM

The thing is it depends on how you look at it. Yes I would like a faster lens a 18-200 @ f2.8 is impossible BUT a 18-105 @ 2.8 would be magic! BUT when I compare my EA 50 VS my old AG-HMC 150s in low light (which I always thought the HMC 150s were great) I can shoot at 21 db gain and not see any noise where the 150 show significant noise at 6 db in fact you could go to 24-28 db gain on the EA 50 and still not be as noisy as the HMC 150 at 12 db. So a point can be made that the EA 50 is better in low light than the panasonic even with the stock lens. But when I get a 2.8 straight through lens the Sony REALLY blows the Panasonic away!

August 19th, 2014, 11:57 AM	#1
Darryl N. Barg New Boot Join Date: Mar 2013 Location: Winnipeg, Manitoba, Canada Posts: 14	The EA50M available for pre-order at B&H Well, I take this as very good news... Our camera has not been phased out, it has ostensibly been improved. http://www.bhphotovideo.com/c/product/1076767-REG/sony_nex_ea50m_nxcam_camcorder.html A quick scan shows a constant f4,18-105 stock lens and an updated sensor. Don't count on any firmware updates to the original model at this point. :) Darryl

August 19th, 2014, 11:59 AM	#2
Darryl N. Barg New Boot Join Date: Mar 2013 Location: Winnipeg, Manitoba, Canada Posts: 14	Re: The EA50M available for pre-order at B&H and here's the Sony Pro page: https://pro.sony.com/bbsc/ssr/cat-br...duct-NEXEA50M/

August 19th, 2014, 12:33 PM	#3
Randy Johnson Trustee Join Date: Sep 2007 Location: Newark, Delaware Posts: 1,067	Re: The EA50M available for pre-order at B&H Its pretty much the same camera bundled with a different lens. I dont see anything about a improved sensor.

August 19th, 2014, 07:25 PM	#4
Chris Harding Inner Circle Join Date: Jul 2009 Location: Perth, Western Australia Posts: 8,441	Re: The EA50M available for pre-order at B&H Hi Randy On the Sony site the lux specs are now identical so it's simply the EA-50 with a cheaper lens BUt it does seem to have two record buttons now. Apart from that it's the same camera! Chris

August 19th, 2014, 07:34 PM	#5
Randy Johnson Trustee Join Date: Sep 2007 Location: Newark, Delaware Posts: 1,067	Re: The EA50M available for pre-order at B&H 2 record buttons?

August 19th, 2014, 08:22 PM	#6
Jody Arnott Major Player Join Date: Mar 2012 Location: Hamilton, New Zealand Posts: 747	Re: The EA50M available for pre-order at B&H The old model has 2 record buttons. 1 on the handle, 1 on the body by the hand-grip. Does the new one have a 3rd?

August 19th, 2014, 11:26 PM	#7
Chris Harding Inner Circle Join Date: Jul 2009 Location: Perth, Western Australia Posts: 8,441	Re: The EA50M available for pre-order at B&H It certainly sounds like it? The description says one record button starts recording via the card and the other via the MFU In what instance would you use two record buttons. Chris

August 20th, 2014, 11:08 AM	#8
Randy Johnson Trustee Join Date: Sep 2007 Location: Newark, Delaware Posts: 1,067	Re: The EA50M available for pre-order at B&H Chris, That was added with the 2.0 firmware update it means you can use the handle and the lens trigger to independently record to either the FMU or SD card. For what use I have no idea but its there im pretty sure this is the same camera with a different lens.

August 20th, 2014, 06:20 PM	#9
Chris Harding Inner Circle Join Date: Jul 2009 Location: Perth, Western Australia Posts: 8,441	Re: The EA50M available for pre-order at B&H Thanks Randy That would certainly make a lot more sense than a third record button. So I guess you can "assign" say, the handle record button to the FMU and the normal one to the card? I really cannot see why one would do this unless you can maybe use a different format recording format to one device and another one to the other. I'm still trying to figure a practical use for this? Have you updated your camera firmware yet?? Both mine are still on the original firmware. I didn't see anything on the update that would make it essential? Chris

August 21st, 2014, 03:44 AM	#10
Peter Rush Inner Circle Join Date: Nov 2008 Location: UK/Yorkshire Posts: 2,069	Re: The EA50M available for pre-order at B&H F4 still to slow for me with this camera - Indoors at most locations with the stock lens I have to shoot wide to get f3.5 otherwise it ramps badly and the gain shoots up - Metabones adapter and fast Canon glass have saved me! Still like this camera though - will be keeping it for next wedding season at least! Pete

August 21st, 2014, 06:27 AM	#11
Chris Harding Inner Circle Join Date: Jul 2009 Location: Perth, Western Australia Posts: 8,441	Re: The EA50M available for pre-order at B&H I agree Pete For weddings F4 just is a bit too slow ...My limit is F2.8 on the main camera (either 17-50 or 28-75) but F1.8 on the Sigma 18-35 is awesome on the B-Camera! It's not hard to work around the slow lens issue and I have been really pleased with the cameras for both commercial and wedding shoots. I actually sold my one stock lens and used the money to buy both the 28-75 (used) and the 18-35 F1.8 brand new ...it made sense and if I have a sporting event to shoot I still have the 2nd stock lens. Both my cameras are keepers so far and I have had them 19 months now!! Chris

August 21st, 2014, 09:06 AM	#12
Randy Johnson Trustee Join Date: Sep 2007 Location: Newark, Delaware Posts: 1,067	Re: The EA50M available for pre-order at B&H I agree but its faster than the stock lens. I was hoping it was a step in the right direction but Sony hasnt done much else since its release.

August 22nd, 2014, 01:56 AM	#13
Peter Rush Inner Circle Join Date: Nov 2008 Location: UK/Yorkshire Posts: 2,069	Re: The EA50M available for pre-order at B&H This camera is let down really by the stock lens - it's slow (literally if you are hoping to use the servo zoom) and a little unremarkable compared with decent glass - If I were buying again I would buy the body only and spend the saving on an adapter and good lens. My Canon glass adds a certain crispness whereas the stock lens can seem at times a little murky. To make a difference this 'new' model should have come with a Zeiss zoom - now that would have been nice! Pete

August 22nd, 2014, 09:45 AM	#14
Chris Harding Inner Circle Join Date: Jul 2009 Location: Perth, Western Australia Posts: 8,441	Re: The EA50M available for pre-order at B&H Hi Pete Sadly an EA-50 with a Zeiss zoom would probably bump up the price so it clashed with the FS100 and Sony wouldn't want that to happen. I couldn't get a body only from Sony here but Global Media Pro had the EA-50K which comes from Singapore so I elected to simply sell off one stock lens to fund a decent one. If you are shooting mainly outdoors the stock lens does a good job and the AF is pretty good. I had to film a soccer match concentrating on just one player as an appraisal and in manual I don't think I would have coped so it does has it's uses. They seem to be quite popular on eBay anyway and sell quite easily. Chris

August 22nd, 2014, 11:28 AM	#15
Randy Johnson Trustee Join Date: Sep 2007 Location: Newark, Delaware Posts: 1,067	Re: The EA50M available for pre-order at B&H The thing is it depends on how you look at it. Yes I would like a faster lens a 18-200 @ f2.8 is impossible BUT a 18-105 @ 2.8 would be magic! BUT when I compare my EA 50 VS my old AG-HMC 150s in low light (which I always thought the HMC 150s were great) I can shoot at 21 db gain and not see any noise where the 150 show significant noise at 6 db in fact you could go to 24-28 db gain on the EA 50 and still not be as noisy as the HMC 150 at 12 db. So a point can be made that the EA 50 is better in low light than the panasonic even with the stock lens. But when I get a 2.8 straight through lens the Sony REALLY blows the Panasonic away!