Got my NX5 a few weeks ago at DVinfo.net

Eddie Hofer · March 24th, 2010, 02:00 PM

I received my NX5U cam about 3 weeks ago from B&H and it is great so far. This is my very first Prosumer Camcorder. I wanted to ask about the Gain. I noticed there is alot of Noise when indoors and I set the Gan to -6db and it looks better but still noise. I have done alot of testing but seem to get noise still. I wanted to see what you guys think what is the best to reduce the noise. Its not a big deal but I thought I'd ask. Thanks

Ron Evans · March 24th, 2010, 08:06 PM

You should have very little noise all the way up to 12db at least compared to consumer cameras. Are you sure you actually have the gain in manual? Setting things in manual is not completely straightforward on Sony's. The auto manual switch just means manual is possible when it is in manual!!! Until each function is actually placed in manual its still in auto. If you have the full display on the LCD you will see in the bottom Iris, Gain and shutter with either an A by the side or nothing. IF there is an A next to the item its still in auto. When the gain is in manual you have 3 choices set by the switches L,M,H with the values for these set in the menu. You can for instance set shutter at 60, gain manual at 6db and let the iris be in auto. Or you can set the max gain in the menu to say 12db set the gain in auto ( it will now be limited to 12db) and fix the iris at F4 to control the depth of field, or stop the lens ramping causing a problem. You can see the values change even in auto which I think is a great feature.

I don't particularly think the camera is noisy at all below about 12db compared to the FX1.

Ron Evans

Eddie Hofer · March 26th, 2010, 02:25 PM

Ok thanks. I wasn't sure so I thought I'd ask. I will be playing with it tonight and see.

Okay, so I played around with it and from what I can tell from my testing keeping Manual Gain at 6db, iris at 4 auto or manual and shutter at 48 to 60 looks perfect. There is some very minor little noise but watching it on a 67" Samsung DLP I couldn't see it at all. So I think you solved my problem. Thanks. Like I said I'm new at the prosumer cams but always wanted to jump into the band wagon. Thanks a bunch

March 24th, 2010, 02:00 PM	#1
Eddie Hofer New Boot Join Date: Mar 2010 Location: Rio Rancho, NM Posts: 5	Got my NX5 a few weeks ago I received my NX5U cam about 3 weeks ago from B&H and it is great so far. This is my very first Prosumer Camcorder. I wanted to ask about the Gain. I noticed there is alot of Noise when indoors and I set the Gan to -6db and it looks better but still noise. I have done alot of testing but seem to get noise still. I wanted to see what you guys think what is the best to reduce the noise. Its not a big deal but I thought I'd ask. Thanks

March 26th, 2010, 02:25 PM	#3
Eddie Hofer New Boot Join Date: Mar 2010 Location: Rio Rancho, NM Posts: 5	Ok thanks. I wasn't sure so I thought I'd ask. I will be playing with it tonight and see. Okay, so I played around with it and from what I can tell from my testing keeping Manual Gain at 6db, iris at 4 auto or manual and shutter at 48 to 60 looks perfect. There is some very minor little noise but watching it on a 67" Samsung DLP I couldn't see it at all. So I think you solved my problem. Thanks. Like I said I'm new at the prosumer cams but always wanted to jump into the band wagon. Thanks a bunch Last edited by Eddie Hofer; March 26th, 2010 at 03:02 PM.

March 24th, 2010, 08:06 PM	#2
Ron Evans Inner Circle Join Date: Mar 2003 Location: Ottawa, Ontario, Canada Posts: 4,220	You should have very little noise all the way up to 12db at least compared to consumer cameras. Are you sure you actually have the gain in manual? Setting things in manual is not completely straightforward on Sony's. The auto manual switch just means manual is possible when it is in manual!!! Until each function is actually placed in manual its still in auto. If you have the full display on the LCD you will see in the bottom Iris, Gain and shutter with either an A by the side or nothing. IF there is an A next to the item its still in auto. When the gain is in manual you have 3 choices set by the switches L,M,H with the values for these set in the menu. You can for instance set shutter at 60, gain manual at 6db and let the iris be in auto. Or you can set the max gain in the menu to say 12db set the gain in auto ( it will now be limited to 12db) and fix the iris at F4 to control the depth of field, or stop the lens ramping causing a problem. You can see the values change even in auto which I think is a great feature. I don't particularly think the camera is noisy at all below about 12db compared to the FX1. Ron Evans