Re: New Sony FDR AX33
 

You cannot manually control iris, shutter, gain all at same time. It states you can select one in manual and the others jump into auto mode. If this is the case then that's a deal breaker for me. However, this was a pre-production model so maybe the final version allows full manual.

Re: New Sony FDR AX33
 

I expect it is like my small Sony's. One can set shutter speed, then gain limit and use AE shift on the dial with zebra to set the exposure. Not quite full manual but close. The camera will use the shutter speed set and choose the best combination of iris and gain subject to the AE shift ( which is realtime control on the dial ) to get what one needs. This maximizes the performance of the lens and sensor. This is common Sony so I am surprised the Cinema5D guys did not know how to work this. You have to pay more if you want full control in 4K !!!

Ron Evans

Re: New Sony FDR AX33
 

Maybe I'm blind, but I didn't see a lot of chromatic aberration. But I did see relatively nice, clean images coming from what is essentially a consumer camcorder. Most consumers will not care about being able to adjust all the settings on the camera anyway.

Re: New Sony FDR AX33
 

As has been found with the AX100, SOME manual control is desirable and perhaps necessary for best results with 4K. Of course, longtime users of Sony "'consumer" cameras know a lot of "tricks" that no doubt will apply to the AX33.

I don't expect the small sensor 4K cameras will match the image quality of large sensor 4K cameras, but they may be "handy" for many things if they match well enough.

Re: New Sony FDR AX33
 

Earlier this week, I was playing with one in Best Buy, and I was pretty sure I was able to go full manual and control each aspect manually, but it required menu diving for each one. I'll have to go back to the store tomorrow during lunch and check it out again.

Using AE Shift of Sony FDR AX33
 

Excellent explanation, Ron! I'd add that I can set a max level of the gain on the AX33, too. For example, when I want to work with a fixed 180 degree shutter I, set the shutter, then the camera calculates the iris, since the gain is maximized, and with the AE shift practically I have total control on the iris (shutter set, gain maximized). I simply cannot imagine a situation where, the AX33 wouldn't give me total control of the exposure. I think the Sony engineers made an excellently elegant and simple exposure system here, the only job for us is to experiment with it.
Thank you, Miki