NEX-VG30 Did it miss the mark? at DVinfo.net

Ron Little · February 5th, 2013, 10:09 AM

I am really surprised at how little talk there is about the NEX-VG30. I really thought this was going to be the new prosumer cam of choice. I was thinking I would get one to hook up to my NanoFlash and have a killer cam. Oh well I will go back to the shadows and keep looking.

John Vincent · February 5th, 2013, 06:20 PM

I love my VG20 - shooting a feature with it right now. Might just be the most under-rated camera going right now. The fact that you can get one brand new for $1,300 doesn't hurt much either.

Not sure what the differences are between the 20 & 30, but I can def recommend the 20 if you can't get into an FS100.

My blog on STALHGEIST, the feature I'm using the 20 for:
http://wwwhttp://www.crowboy.com/evi...php?board=60.0

Chris Barcellos · February 5th, 2013, 06:36 PM

There are minor changes between the 20 and the 30, but there are a few that might mean something to you.

Here is a thread which discusses differences.

I have to agree with John that there is more to the VG20/30 line than most give credit for. The one negative that bugged me was lack of picture profile, but I have to say in post, changing look a bit has been pretty good.

Paul Wags · February 5th, 2013, 06:46 PM

I'm thinking of getting this neat little camera with the new NEX 10-18 mm lens.
OSS and on the fly auto focus.

The compression banding on solid tones using my DSLR is getting to me and that's even with magic lantern on it. Then there is no view finder so useless in the real word shooting video unless you bolt stuff on them.

John Vincent · February 5th, 2013, 11:32 PM

There's just so much less noise with this camera then a Canon DSLR - even the Mark III - I mean gain all the way up still produces a very usable image. And the grain produced is very fine; a very filmic, pleasing quality to it.

The only real negatives are - as Chris mentioned - no control over contrast/sharpening/color pallet, and a lack of physical knobs. Of course, an XLR port and ND filter would have been great, but at this price range it's a bit unreasonable to expect.

Hands down the best bang for buck camera I have ever owned, at least in terms if image produced. If I were shooting commercials every day, I'd move up to the FS100 or Canon C series, but because I shoot penny dreadfuls with no money, this camera is a God send.

Shawn Clary · February 6th, 2013, 10:50 PM

Less noise than a 5d3? Please. An APS-C sensor vs. arguably the low light king full frame (5d3)? Have you tried the Canon yourself? I have it and have tried the VG series - there's just no contest for low noise.

John Vincent · February 7th, 2013, 01:23 AM

Yes, I have.

I'm a big Canon DSLR fan, but we'll have to agree to disagree on this particular subject. Sorry, the Canon looks grainier to my eyes at higher DB levels - even the III...

More so, I like the quality of the grain better on the Sony's. And as soon as I get that metabones speed adapter, this little puppy will practically see in the dark.

And considering the more then $2,200 difference in price between the two, if the VG20 is even close in light sensitivity to the Mark III then the 20 remains a steal.

Noa Put · February 7th, 2013, 02:20 AM

I don't have a vg30 but a nex-ea50 and since both have the same sensor the low light performance can't be that different? All I can say from my ea50 is that is has about the same low light performance then my canon 550d, in my case that would mean that 1600 iso is as high as I go with 3200iso if I need to get a shot.
I have seen footage from a 5dIII in the 10.000 iso range that looked cleaner then 3200 iso on my ea50 so it would surprise me the vg30 is that much better?

John Vincent · February 7th, 2013, 10:16 AM

We use a 550/T2i as a B cam and it isn't even close in light sensitivity. So much so that we've basically abandoned using it as a B cam, and use it just for behind the scenes stills.

These are just my gut reactions; certainly nothing scientific. Perhaps the Mark III is better in low light. But is it $2,200 better? For me, it's not. A good deal of it is grain structure, which I personally just like better on the Sony's right now.

Again, a totally subjective view I know. I'll try and post a scene from my latest flick later...

Eric Olson · February 7th, 2013, 11:17 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by John Vincent

We use a 550/T2i as a B cam and it isn't even close in light sensitivity. So much so that we've basically abandoned using it as a B cam, and use it just for behind the scenes stills.

For those who have shot with both, are the sound and video control features of the VG30 significantly better than DSLRs? Is it possible to use the on-camera audio on the Mark III or does one always have to shoot dual system? Also, asside from low light, does the VC30 have a sharper image with less aliasing?

Noa Put · February 7th, 2013, 11:25 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by John Vincent

We use a 550/T2i as a B cam and it isn't even close in light sensitivity.

Weird, as I have a 550d as well, I find it hard to believe the vg30 is 'that" much better then the nex-ea50 or even close to a 5DIII. That would mean the vg30 can shoot a clean image at 10000 iso?

John Vincent · February 7th, 2013, 01:25 PM

It's a little hard to compare, because the Sony's use "gain" vs the Canon's "iso" as measuring tool - the Sony VG20 goes on to 30 gain and still looks very usable - but even at low levels of gain, the T2i adds a lot of noise, as do all the Canon DSLRs of that generation.

Obviously the Mark III is a step up, but in my experience - both in use and seeing other shooters work - the III still can't match Sony for light sensitivity (and as I mentioned, I like the quality of noise better in the current Sony lineup).

Your Sony EA50 should be blowing the T2i away for low light performance (assuming the same conditions, lens, etc.), but I haven't used the EA 50, so I can't personally speak to it. I assume the VG20/30 and EA 50 would all look very similar, but that is just an assumption. Sony def has been leaving some bells and whistles out from generation to generation (as they left the VG10's presets off of the VG20), so who knows?

Chris Barcellos · February 7th, 2013, 02:19 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Chris Barcellos

There are minor changes between the 20 and the 30, but there are a few that might mean something to you.

Here is a thread which discusses differences.

I have to agree with John that there is more to the VG20/30 line than most give credit for. The one negative that bugged me was lack of picture profile, but I have to say in post, changing look a bit has been pretty good.

Sorry I forgot to post this thread link.

http://www.dvinfo.net/forum/sony-avc...0-vg-30-a.html

Chris Barcellos · February 7th, 2013, 02:37 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Shawn Clary

Less noise than a 5d3? Please. An APS-C sensor vs. arguably the low light king full frame (5d3)? Have you tried the Canon yourself? I have it and have tried the VG series - there's just no contest for low noise.

Don't know about the 5D III, but my VG20 seemed better suited for low light than my TI2 or my Canon 5D Mark II. I did these tests when I first got it over a year ago. You be the judge.

John Vincent · February 7th, 2013, 04:37 PM

Maybe I'm going blind, nit to me it's not close - the VG20 a full step ahead of the "old" Canon's, and equal/nearly equal to the current Canon line-up.

To be clear, I'm no Sony fanboy - in fact I blasted them rather severely for omitting the picture profiles from the VG20. And now that I've been putting the camera through it's paces, it's easy to see why - although less flexible (no color profiles/sharpening/contrast control), it produces an incredibly clean image.

And unlike cameras costing several thousand bucks more, it has a clean HDMI out.

Yes, the controls are finicky, and no, I would want this cam if I worked 5 days a week making corporate videos or commercials, but for things like indie films or concerts (or anything else with low light), I just don't know how you beat this camera for the price. If the EA 50 was just a wee bit cheaper, I'd be all over it.

Let's put it this way - I won't be selling it anytime soon.

And thanks Chris for all your work early on with the VG20 - your videos in large part are why I took the plunge....

February 5th, 2013, 10:09 AM	#1
Ron Little Major Player Join Date: Feb 2003 Location: Pensacola Fl. Posts: 627	NEX-VG30 Did it miss the mark? I am really surprised at how little talk there is about the NEX-VG30. I really thought this was going to be the new prosumer cam of choice. I was thinking I would get one to hook up to my NanoFlash and have a killer cam. Oh well I will go back to the shadows and keep looking.

February 5th, 2013, 06:20 PM	#2
John Vincent Trustee Join Date: Sep 2005 Posts: 1,065	Re: NEX-VG30 Did it miss the mark? I love my VG20 - shooting a feature with it right now. Might just be the most under-rated camera going right now. The fact that you can get one brand new for $1,300 doesn't hurt much either. Not sure what the differences are between the 20 & 30, but I can def recommend the 20 if you can't get into an FS100. My blog on STALHGEIST, the feature I'm using the 20 for: http://wwwhttp://www.crowboy.com/evi...php?board=60.0

February 5th, 2013, 06:36 PM	#3
Chris Barcellos Inner Circle Join Date: Nov 2005 Location: Elk Grove CA Posts: 6,838	Re: NEX-VG30 Did it miss the mark? There are minor changes between the 20 and the 30, but there are a few that might mean something to you. Here is a thread which discusses differences. I have to agree with John that there is more to the VG20/30 line than most give credit for. The one negative that bugged me was lack of picture profile, but I have to say in post, changing look a bit has been pretty good. __________________ Chris J. Barcellos

February 5th, 2013, 06:46 PM	#4
Paul Wags Ruler of the DownUnder UnderWorld Join Date: Jul 2005 Location: Cairns- Queensland - Australia Posts: 248	Re: NEX-VG30 Did it miss the mark? I'm thinking of getting this neat little camera with the new NEX 10-18 mm lens. OSS and on the fly auto focus. The compression banding on solid tones using my DSLR is getting to me and that's even with magic lantern on it. Then there is no view finder so useless in the real word shooting video unless you bolt stuff on them. __________________ www.quadzombies.com www.flykam.com.au www.rotorpix.com.au

February 5th, 2013, 11:32 PM	#5
John Vincent Trustee Join Date: Sep 2005 Posts: 1,065	Re: NEX-VG30 Did it miss the mark? There's just so much less noise with this camera then a Canon DSLR - even the Mark III - I mean gain all the way up still produces a very usable image. And the grain produced is very fine; a very filmic, pleasing quality to it. The only real negatives are - as Chris mentioned - no control over contrast/sharpening/color pallet, and a lack of physical knobs. Of course, an XLR port and ND filter would have been great, but at this price range it's a bit unreasonable to expect. Hands down the best bang for buck camera I have ever owned, at least in terms if image produced. If I were shooting commercials every day, I'd move up to the FS100 or Canon C series, but because I shoot penny dreadfuls with no money, this camera is a God send.

February 6th, 2013, 10:50 PM	#6
Shawn Clary New Boot Join Date: Mar 2010 Location: Columbus Ohio USA Posts: 17	Re: NEX-VG30 Did it miss the mark? Less noise than a 5d3? Please. An APS-C sensor vs. arguably the low light king full frame (5d3)? Have you tried the Canon yourself? I have it and have tried the VG series - there's just no contest for low noise.

February 7th, 2013, 01:23 AM	#7
John Vincent Trustee Join Date: Sep 2005 Posts: 1,065	Re: NEX-VG30 Did it miss the mark? Yes, I have. I'm a big Canon DSLR fan, but we'll have to agree to disagree on this particular subject. Sorry, the Canon looks grainier to my eyes at higher DB levels - even the III... More so, I like the quality of the grain better on the Sony's. And as soon as I get that metabones speed adapter, this little puppy will practically see in the dark. And considering the more then $2,200 difference in price between the two, if the VG20 is even close in light sensitivity to the Mark III then the 20 remains a steal.

February 7th, 2013, 02:20 AM	#8
Noa Put Inner Circle Join Date: Jun 2007 Location: Belgium Posts: 9,509	Re: NEX-VG30 Did it miss the mark? I don't have a vg30 but a nex-ea50 and since both have the same sensor the low light performance can't be that different? All I can say from my ea50 is that is has about the same low light performance then my canon 550d, in my case that would mean that 1600 iso is as high as I go with 3200iso if I need to get a shot. I have seen footage from a 5dIII in the 10.000 iso range that looked cleaner then 3200 iso on my ea50 so it would surprise me the vg30 is that much better?

February 7th, 2013, 10:16 AM	#9
John Vincent Trustee Join Date: Sep 2005 Posts: 1,065	Re: NEX-VG30 Did it miss the mark? We use a 550/T2i as a B cam and it isn't even close in light sensitivity. So much so that we've basically abandoned using it as a B cam, and use it just for behind the scenes stills. These are just my gut reactions; certainly nothing scientific. Perhaps the Mark III is better in low light. But is it $2,200 better? For me, it's not. A good deal of it is grain structure, which I personally just like better on the Sony's right now. Again, a totally subjective view I know. I'll try and post a scene from my latest flick later...

February 7th, 2013, 01:25 PM	#12
John Vincent Trustee Join Date: Sep 2005 Posts: 1,065	Re: NEX-VG30 Did it miss the mark? It's a little hard to compare, because the Sony's use "gain" vs the Canon's "iso" as measuring tool - the Sony VG20 goes on to 30 gain and still looks very usable - but even at low levels of gain, the T2i adds a lot of noise, as do all the Canon DSLRs of that generation. Obviously the Mark III is a step up, but in my experience - both in use and seeing other shooters work - the III still can't match Sony for light sensitivity (and as I mentioned, I like the quality of noise better in the current Sony lineup). Your Sony EA50 should be blowing the T2i away for low light performance (assuming the same conditions, lens, etc.), but I haven't used the EA 50, so I can't personally speak to it. I assume the VG20/30 and EA 50 would all look very similar, but that is just an assumption. Sony def has been leaving some bells and whistles out from generation to generation (as they left the VG10's presets off of the VG20), so who knows?

February 7th, 2013, 04:37 PM	#15
John Vincent Trustee Join Date: Sep 2005 Posts: 1,065	Re: NEX-VG30 Did it miss the mark? Maybe I'm going blind, nit to me it's not close - the VG20 a full step ahead of the "old" Canon's, and equal/nearly equal to the current Canon line-up. To be clear, I'm no Sony fanboy - in fact I blasted them rather severely for omitting the picture profiles from the VG20. And now that I've been putting the camera through it's paces, it's easy to see why - although less flexible (no color profiles/sharpening/contrast control), it produces an incredibly clean image. And unlike cameras costing several thousand bucks more, it has a clean HDMI out. Yes, the controls are finicky, and no, I would want this cam if I worked 5 days a week making corporate videos or commercials, but for things like indie films or concerts (or anything else with low light), I just don't know how you beat this camera for the price. If the EA 50 was just a wee bit cheaper, I'd be all over it. Let's put it this way - I won't be selling it anytime soon. And thanks Chris for all your work early on with the VG20 - your videos in large part are why I took the plunge....