Vote for new firmware update for Sony NEX-EA50
Sony is hoping to meet!!!

A dslr gain/iso adjustment on the fly would be a necessity, along with a way to ride an audio channel if need be while on fly shooting off the shoulder.

Also maybe a quick electronic ND button option for when there is no time to screw on an ND filter. I recall a panasonic camera that had this function that came out around 2001-02.

Is there a way to formalize the request to a Sony Rep that is higher up on the corporate food chain to effect the changes!!!!???

I know that AJA monitors comments about their products on this forum as they've responded to one of my posts.

So it would be nice to have a voice from Sony present here to address comments and/or requests on the technical side as well as how to handle a firmware update.

Let's get it done.

Best,

Scott

Don't get your hopes up, the only firmware changes Sony made so far included stuff nobody asked about, if there are any changes it's more likely to be in a version 2 and those they only made if it's a bestseller (like the rx100) The ea50 might be too unique and have to low sales it could be the last of it's kind.

I don't think that Sony would change anything in the camera unless it's a fault/oversight that would affect sales and then they often charge for it too and would need cameras recalled so it's an expensive operation for the manufacturer.

Panasonic had major issues with focus on their AC series cameras that couldn't be fixed with firmware so all cameras had to go in to a service centre and cost $300 for the upgrade.

No manufacturer will do a firmware upgrade for stuff that we "think would be useful" It has to be a major issue that makes that section of the camera unusable ... not simply stuff that we come up with that would make our life easier!

I wish they would add some of the suggested features already mentioned as well as ones in previous posts but don't hold your breath ...it's unlikely to happen!

Chris

No manufacturer will do a firmware upgrade for stuff that we "think would be useful" It has to be a major issue that makes that section of the camera unusable ... not simply stuff that we come up with that would make our life easier!

Chris

Not always. The JVC HM600 was released with 1080 25/30p, 35mbit being the highest possible framerate and bitrate. A lot of people asked for 50/60p, so a few months ago they released an update that allows 1080 50/60p @ 50mbit.... for free!

They also added a few other nice features that their users asked for. But.. JVC might be the exception here. I've not heard of other manufacturers doing this.

Hi Jody

Good for JVC!! Then again their USA rep is often on the DVInfo forum so they do look and take note. Never seen a Sony guy on here ever!

Maybe you will get lucky and Canon will have a firmware update for the C100 with 50P included.

How are you liking your new toy so far?

Chris

as a lot of us, using the scroll wheel for smooth ISO adjustments is my main improvement needed ASAP

It won't happen guys but as mentioned by others here - smooth scrolling through gain/iso would be nice

being able to reverse the iris wheel so up is open and down is closed. Should be simple enough.

Doesn't really affect manual lenses Randy ... If I use the stock lens it's usually a sports event all on full auto! Yeah the ability to dial up your iso would be nice. What I currently do is lock it's maximum at 21db and use the camera with a manual lens but on full auto so the iso and shutter look after themselves.

Still cannot see much hope of us getting a firmware update with all our wishes granted!

Chris

New version coming soon:
https://pro.sony.com/bbsc/ssr/cat-broadcastcameras/cat-nxcam/product-NEXEA50M/

Seems like the big change is that it comes with the 18-105 f4 G lens.

Might also have new sensor...

Hi Dmitri

Sounds interesting but apart from the new lens and dual record buttons I wonder if they changed anything else. What is interesting is that they say it's an APSC sensor but with the F4 lens compared with the old F3.5 they now quote minimum light as 1.5lux compared to the old spec of 4lux ...If it's the same sensor I wonder if they might have updated the signal processing?

A FS100 sensor would have been neat!!! We will have to wait and see what is the same and what has changed

Thanks for the update

Chris

New version coming soon:
https://pro.sony.com/bbsc/ssr/cat-broadcastcameras/cat-nxcam/product-NEXEA50M/

Seems like the big change is that it comes with the 18-105 f4 G lens.

Might also have new sensor...

Interesting. I don't see anything there that would tempt me to upgrade. And still no ND filters is a big fail.

It will be interesting to see how the new lens/sensor performs though. Constant f4 aperture is nice. But I'm not sure if the slightly faster aperture is worth sacrificing the zoom range.

My longest manual lens is the same as the stock lens 18-200 but I seldom use either at weddings so with the normal low light at weddings and in Churches I prefer to use my 28-75 constant F2.8 ..or for slightly closer 17-50 also constant F2.8

I seldom have situations that need more than 75mm so 100 would be OK for me. I wouldn't sell my cameras and get the new M series at the moment as it's not worth the cash I would lose. It would have to have some really significant features that I simply couldn't live without before an upgrade would even be considered!

With the new model coming out I can see absolutely zero chance of a firmware release !!

Chris

Same camera....They want to sell more of them. So they have designate the NEXEA50M as a cheaper way into the EA50 less the 200mm power zoom lens. I just read the specs, and it's the same sensor, same specs all the way thru. It's just cheaper with the 105mm F4 lens.

Marketing!!!

This means there will be more of these cameras out there with the price point of Sony Manufacturer's list of USA $3065.00 and $400 dollar rebate they want to roll that inventory on out asap.

Good point Scott

You can buy a replacement 18-200 PZ lens here for $1245.00 and the same dealer has the 18-105 for only $745.00 ...so that's immediately a $500 difference. The spec does say it's an APSC sensor but the specs on my manual says 4 lux with the F3,5 PZ lens (1/25th at F3.5 I assume) Yet the new specs are quoting the slower (at wide anyway) lens on the new camera as 1.5 lux ... Unless the bigger elements on the F4 constant lens allows in more light? It jumps from a 66mm filter up to a 72mm filter ... Would that do anything to the low light performance.

It seems that Sony has made plenty of 18-105 lenses with not enough takers so the obvious thing to do is to market the lens with the EA-50 so they can sell them.

I sold one of my stock zooms for $800 after a year which is actually more than the new cost of the 18-105 so it's clever marketing !!

Chris

Yes, it's a bit the same as when they released the FS700RH model, that was pretty much the same but with the 4K update and the 18-200 power zoom instead of the old non powered one.

But the line about the sensor is interesting "Its new Exmor APS HD CMOS sensor was designed for shooting Full HD video and 16.1 megapixel high-quality still photos without artifacts common to still camera sensors."
But maybe it said the same for the old EA50?

Anyway, my reasoning for posting about this new model is that since it's not a big update, the camera is still alive at Sony for a little longer. So there is at least a slight chance for a firmware update... Although I don't think anything big will come.

Hi Dmitri

The specs on the EA-50 quote the exact same sensor wording but Sony quote the min light as 7 lux and the new one is 1.5 lux ...however the old specs say 1/25th shutter, auto iris and auto gain at 50i BUT the new ones specify 24P .... Is the camera more light sensitive at 24P than at 50i ? I have no idea??

I really don't care if the camera can resolve an image at 1.5lux but the ISO is at 5000 and full of noise?

Amazingly enough the FS100 with the same lens and the S35 sensor always specs at 1.5lux !!

I guess we will find out when the camera comes out??

Chris

Sounds like the only difference then might be the new lens. Which allows them to sell the camera for less and might move more units... Makes sense...

ok I did a job tonight and I want to add a few things the list for posterity sake!: 1. A way to turn off the nag screen every time I hit a button by accident the only the fully functioning lens can do 2. Let the auto shutter speed go to 1/30 when necessary. 3 When using auto white balance let me "lock it in" I find myself using the auto tracing white balance but after its set sometimes it gets thrown off by something and starts to change while im recording.

BTW if Sony wants to make something we will buy how about a 17-50 at 2.8? I have my Tamoron but id pay for a fully controllable one I may find myself buying that Sony 17-105 I was just hoping they would make something a little better.

I use the 18-105 lens on my EA50 all the time, unless there's a need for a long lens. The zoom is much smoother than the 18-200 and for me the constant f4 aperture is a bonus. A 2.8 aperture would be very nice, but I guess the cost would be significantly higher. I paid around £450 for my 18-105 here in the UK.

Hi Matt

I also don't need the huge zoom but F4 is a tiny bit slow for me so I use a Tamron 28-75 at ceremonies F2.8 which is perfect for dim Churches and at reception speeches it's a Tamron 17-50 F2.8 constant too.

My killer lens on the B-Cam is still the Sigma 18-35 zoom F1.8 constant and means I can get away using a light almost all the time.

For Real Estate shoots my favourite is still my Tamron 10-24 F3.5 as I can set the focus to 3' at 10mm and just film as a point and shoot camera as AF just doesn't work when you have rooms with white walls and white ceilings!!

Chris

Id love to trade my 18-200 to a 18-105 @ f-4 I think it would be a lot better for the work I do.

I bought the 18-105 when it came out and it's a value for the price. I will say that it's difficult to focus manually. I have posted a zoom test comparision here EA50 Zoom Comparison - YouTube (http://youtu.be/QIan4nMK3cY?list=UUEdphrkyYZHEZJWsizylxDA) and brief test of the lens here E PZ 18 105mm F4 G OSS Lens Test - YouTube (http://youtu.be/xfFXXTr1JSk?list=UUEdphrkyYZHEZJWsizylxDA) As noted elsewhere, the zoom is better, but still not great as compared to other small Sony camcorders such as HXR-NX5U or my HVR-Z7U.

This is the BIG PROBLEM.The camera has enough trouble in moire & aliasing,and this creates the Pixellation the sony does not see to fix it with upgrade firmware????
Αll you users that you have the camera ΝΕΧ50 would not want to take into consideration of the sony with new firmware???
A mobile with 200 Euro, has quite better image, shame, shame, objectionable or markets for professional videographers