Re: Sony FDR-AX100
 

Guess you've never heard of a hotel room. Some people shoot and travel. You really need to understand that not everyone shoots like you or has your preferences.

Oh, and not everyone puts '50 layers of 4K video' in their editor.

Re: Sony FDR-AX100
 

One last comment about the PC/Mac. At the moment they are all Intel PC's. Stability depends on what software is running and how up to date the drivers are loaded. I like making my own PC's so my choice of course is the PC. I usually make to the best price point in the cycle and my current PC started as an i7 2600K and now has a i7 3770K it has been running stable for several years with NO problems. As a PC with only editing software loaded it only goes to the internet for program updates I have a totally separate PC for mail and WEB browsing loaded with virus protection and Malware programs etc.

I have loaded Adobe Production Suite CS6, Vegas 11 and 12, Edius Pro7 as well as several other programs like TMPGenc, Sound Forge, Spectral Layers. All work happily together without crashing. Vegas and Edius will use the Intel QUicksync for fast encoding. For Edius this means a BLuray compliant AVC file from the timeline in about half the realtime. A 2 hour timeline in under 1 hour output on my PC.



Back to 4K editing. I have had my FDR-AX1 for about 4 months and have found the following. I shoot 60P XAVC-S 150Mbps.

Pros:
Beautiful picture when viewed at 1920x1080 from the camera or downscaled in software.
Dynamic range appears larger.
Crop re-framing works as I wanted it to in good light. My only reason for getting the camera.

Cons:
Low light performance is not good, a stop or two slower than my other cameras.
Focusing is even more critical than HD.
Compute requirements are large. Vegas will playback with reduced preview resolution at full frame rate. Edius will playback at close to full frame rate with buffer hovering at 2.
Converting to intermediate file also takes a long time , just like it did when HDV and AVCHD appeared !!
Decoding the LongGOP takes cores so I think a new 8 core or dual Xeon is my next build !!

Ron Evans

Re: Sony FDR-AX100
 

Has anyone tried an SDXC card with a capacity greater than 64 gig? Perhaps 128 gig? If so, do they work as reliably as the 64 gig cards do?
Thanks,
Denny

Re: Sony FDR-AX100
 

No silly not in a car, I edit right at a video shoot at whatever location I happen to be. I've used various homes here in LA for filming, but I also own a second property as well that I use as my film house and I will do editing right there while waiting for the next girls to arrive, and also since the footage is fresh in my mind after a shoot it's often easiest and fastest to edit the footage immediately after a shoot wherever I may be. It's also a way for others to see the footage right then and there on my laptop if they are curious. When I come home I toss the edited footage to my gaming pc which renders all my projects overnight automatically via my Vegas Pro scripts in all the formats I need in the directory structure I need. Yes I love Vegas Pro, it saves me so much time :)


I've still been playing around with the camera, overall the image is just gorgeous! I do wish it's low light performance was better though, it doesn't feel like it's significantly better in that regard to my NX30. I tried the small Sony stereo add on mic as well which I happen to have, this one:

http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B00BJSYV4S

...and it works well with this camera. I also just orderded the Zunow WCX-08 wide conversion lens which has a 62mm thread and hence can fit the AX100. I always need a wide conversion lens for situations that are really tight, hopefully this one wont degrade the 4k image too much.

Re: Sony FDR-AX100
 

Not touching that one!!! ;)

I agree, it is a gorgeous image. But I suspect 4K is light hungry and the low light imagery is not the cleanest I've seen. Still good, but not class-leading. I need to do an A/B with my RX10 again and see how they compare with what is essentially the same sensor.

Pete, it seems that people that are using that mike do like it.

Re: Sony FDR-AX100
 

Yeah it's cool although that's mostly my backup mic. The one I'll probably use most often is the same one I use with my vg900, which is the xlr-a1m adapter along with it's ecm-xm1 mic. I attached pics of both with my little scorpion handles.

Re: Sony FDR-AX100
 

That Sony XLR-K1M Adapter and Microphone Kit looks perfect on the handle.
I might upgrade and get a stereo shotgun instead of the stock ECM-XM1 mic.

Lightweight and easy to move handheld.

Re: Sony FDR-AX100
 

I'm sorry if I'm OT.
I know there are some led lights for video cameras with a staining control (Color Temperature Adjustable with dimming knob), that is 3200±300K-5600±300K. Do you have some experiences with them?
I have seen a led light here: http://www.aliexpress.com/item/Bi-Co...710553025.html
Thanks for some ifo

Re: Sony FDR-AX100
 

This is the first real low light footage I've seen.

Its hardly DSLR quality, but I didn't expect it to be.




Also, considering what others are saying about the 4k potential limiting the low light capture - I wonder if the non-4k CX900 might actually be a better low light camera?

Re: Sony FDR-AX100
 

That video is from a FDR-AX1 not an AX100. I have an AX1 and it is about 2 stops slower than my NX5U. Used as a wide full stage camera for theatre it is just about a stop slower than my NX30 or CX700 but gives a very good image when down converted. Cropping is not really viable in really low light though as the focus and noise level are obvious if not downconverted.

Ron Evans

Re: Sony FDR-AX100
 

Ugh! Stupid Youtube search giving me non-exact searches. Hate that!

Looks like theres still no footage out there for the AX100 in proper low light.


Some people are claiming low light, but in my view is just indoor light, not really low light.

Some of us are planning to shoot wedding dances with this. We need to see how it copes!

Re: Sony FDR-AX100
 

I actually thought some of the scenes in those AX1 night shots weren't too bad. We could say they weren't DSLR quality in terms of how a fast lens would have handled those scenes, but we could also say, from the standpoint of detail, they were much better than DSLR quality. :)

Re: Sony FDR-AX100
 

Quick question:

When you add the XLR adapter and attachment, does the AX100 still display those horrible "triangle" level meters?

I was hoping that maybe Sony would let it flip over to "real" calibrated audio meters when it is connected.

CT

Re: Sony FDR-AX100
 

Yeah it still shows the 5 triangle meters with the xlr attachment, which is odd since it seems to be locked to 2 channel audio in 4k recording mode anyways so 3 of the triangles don't do anything at all.

Re: Sony FDR-AX100
 

Someone had once mentioned something about the color controls on the AX100. I'm not sure how many are aware of this, but within each white balance selection (AWB, outdoor, indoor etc) you have a button called 'option'. Under this option you have the ability to shift the color balance via an onscreen grid toward the amber, blue, green and magenta.

This will be a familiar option among those that regularly use a DSLR and some more pricey camcorders, but it's an option easily missed on the AX100 if you don't know it's there.

Re: Sony FDR-AX100
 

About digital ZOOM

Hello, can you tell me how much possible is to use the FDR-AX100 digital Zoom withouth noticeable loss of video quality? For example is 20x good on 4k video?

Re: Sony FDR-AX100
 

I'm.not a fan of any digital zoom and never use them. On the AX100, you're better off using the Active stabilization which automatically increases the zoom to an 18x device. You'll take a slight hit on resolution at the upper end of that zoom range, but it should be far better than using digital zoom.

Re: Sony FDR-AX100
 

Since Sony calls it "Clear Zoom" I assume the 18X is the limit of the digital zoom before the image gets bad.

But linking this digital zoom option to stabilization is, I think, new for Sony. And, calling this kind of stabilization ACTIVE is strange too.

It implies the other mode isn't active. Which I've been assuming is our old friend Optical Stabilization -- OIS. It's slower in response but handles large movements. Seems simpler to call it "Optical."

Then Active -- which places a window on the CMOS chip -- uses sensors to move that window around to handle jiggle. Seems simpler to call it "Optical + Electronic."

My question is when one engages Active, does the window crop the image to smaller than 8MP -- and if it does, how much smaller. Since the chip has so many pixels, I would hope it would not be necessary to start with a window smaller than 8MP. Buffer space for stabilization would then come from the area outside the 8MP. But, if the initial video downscale winds up with 8MP, the stabilization buffer space must come from the 8MP and thus the window would be smaller than 8MP.

The smaller the window crop, the more digital zoom that must be applied to get image back to 8MP size. I don't trust the word Clear. Of course, the crop still reduces the angle of view. In other words, Clear Zoom wouldn't really start at 1.0X.

Re: Sony FDR-AX100
 

Steve, one guy did a test on another forum and found the crop factor ranged from 5% at the wide end to about 54% on the tight end. He shot a resolution chart and found little difference between the chart with Standard OIS or Active IS.

I need to do some A/Bs myself. I think to judge the real world impact of Active IS, it's important to keep framing the same between the two methods of IS. Since the crop factor and therefore the magnification changes with the amount of zoom, the test needs to be done in stages to maintain the same framing.

Re: Sony FDR-AX100
 

Do you know if AX100 can use NP-FV70 or NP-FV100 batteries? I don't know if they there are, but I'd like to know if it be problematic to use them. I need to know if AX100 will loss of balance.
thanks

Re: Sony FDR-AX100
 

Yup it comes with an FV70 battery, but I have two FV100 batteries that I use. I didn't have any problem using the FV100's with my previous tiny NX30, and likewise they seem fine with the somewhat larger AX100.

Re: Sony FDR-AX100
 

The AX100 comes with the NP-FV70 in the box, and can use the NP-FV100.

Re: Sony FDR-AX100
 

Good!! How many mAh are NP-FV100?

Re: Sony FDR-AX100
 

Mine say 3700 mAh, and they are genuine Sony batteries.

Re: Sony FDR-AX100
 

I think this implies the horizontal buffer is about 160 pixels which is not much. I wonder if the cropped image is even zoomed back to UHD. Maybe the Clear Zoom simply records a smaller image. I seem to remember something about this.

I just had this thought -- once Active stabilization is turned on, Clear Zoom is also turned on. So does this mean the zoom rocker now controlling digital zoom? Or, like other cameras, is the digital range simply added to the optical zoom?

I've got to go back and carefully review the manual.

Today I was shooting in manual mode. It took a bit of non-intuitive playing around to get the manual mode to work something like a pro camera. Odd that Sony consumer cameras are more complicated to use in manual mode than a Sony pro camera. No wonder consumers simply use auto.

Re: Sony FDR-AX100
 

[QUOTE=Steve Mullen;1839407

Today I was shooting in manual mode. It took a bit of non-intuitive playing around to get the manual mode to work something like a pro camera. Odd that Sony consumer cameras are more complicated to use in manual mode than a Sony pro camera. No wonder consumers simply use auto.[/QUOTE]

I am assuming it works just like the NX5 or AX1 in that the manual selector just means you can use manual control. If you do not set any of the parameters ( iris , gain, shutter, WB ) it is still in full auto. If you do not set ALL the controls the camera is still in auto using the controls that are not set. Sony have had this system for years. To explain. If you set WB and shutter then the camera will use iris and gain to expose the image. Set iris as well and the camera will use the gain to control exposure within the gain range set by max gain in the menu. NX5U and AX1 show the status of each parameter in the LCD of whether the parameter is in auto or manual set mode with value. I assume the AX100 is the same ?

Means you can have shutter or iris priority with gain limit and bias with AE shift something I use a lot on my NX5U as well as AX1. With AE speed one can also control how fast the AE changes .

Ron Evans

Re: Sony FDR-AX100
 

Yes, this is all correct. You can pick and choose each of the 3 settings in either manual or auto. Any combo you want...you are not "forced" into any auto mode on any of them. (like dozens of Handycams in the past and even two NXCAMs force on you today)

Another nice feature is "exposure. You can select any one or two settings of the three and the leave the other(s) on auto. When you adjust the "exposure" up or down, any auto settings will be adjusted to raise or lower the over all exposure.

For instance. Lock your shutter speed at 1/60 and leave the other two on "auto". When you raise and lower "exposure", the system will manipulate "gain" and "iris" to meet the level you want. You can pick any combination you want of the three. You just need at least one of them set for "auto" to use "exposure" feature.

White balance with this camera is literally as good as it gets in "any" camera. They even give you a color pallet/grid to fine tune the hue to the exact temp you want.

Sony rarely gives this much manual control for this price. (the Handycam VG series was the only other that comes to mind)

Bravo Sony....keep this standard up!

CT

Re: Sony FDR-AX100
 

Hard to know what any one person considers "low-light." Here in Vegas or in Asia -- where I usually shoot -- these scenes are low-light.

https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCOA...v1jQvLSOj9Dmew

In a small town in MN, this many lights would scare the cows.

I'll do some ordinary in home shots ASAP.

24fps, 1/48th, Auto.

Uploaded both ProRes 422 and h.264 (at 270Mbps). Do folks see a difference? Were graphics added ProRes 422 should be better.

Be sure to watch in 4K! (If you use Safari, you need to use a different browser because you can no longer select what stream you want to watch.)

Re: Sony FDR-AX100
 

Looking at the camera I expected the Gain and Shutter buttons would toggle from Auto through the values and back to Auto. I also was surprised why WB wasn't where the Iris button is because that's also a function that toggles from Auto through the values and back to Auto. There's really no value to the current system when after pressing a button one must use the Manual Dial to pick a value.

When I read the manual Sony wants you to press PROG AE, press one of the three buttons, and then adjust the value using the dial. That's three steps! (The same issue exits for Gain and Iris.)

I understand you like the Exposure function, but traditionally "exposure" is adjusted by an Iris control based on the current Gain and Shutter settings -- which could be Auto. (So one would still have an exposure function but without introducing the exposure control.)

Sony wants you to press PROG AE, Iris, and then adjust the aperture using the dial. Again, that's three steps. It would be far more natural to have the current Manual button (renamed Iris) toggle Iris between Auto and the lens-ring or Manual dial. The current Focus/Zoom switch would enable you to select Iris or Focus. (When Auto is selected, the menu set AE Shift would be employed.)

And, what's with the PROG AE button? It's obvious that when Iris, Gain, and Shutter are all in Auto -- a "program" could/would be followed. Sony, however, never publishes a graph of the program. I'd like to know if it keeps the shutter-speed at 1/48 or 1/60 for as long as possible.

Lastly, the Press-and-Hold function is really annoying as it brings up a pop-up. Why would I suddenly want to adjust WB Mg-G? More likely I would want to adjust audio level.

Nevertheless, Sony's manual/auto design is what it is. As I posted, I found a way to adjust everything.

But, I have a question. Sony wants you to press PROG AE, press one of the three buttons, and then adjust the value using the dial. But, the manual never says what to do after you set a value. For example, I set the shutter to 1/48. Now I want to "register" or "lock" the value as with any menu system. How do I lock the value?

Re: Sony FDR-AX100
 

THIS IS WHAT THE SONY MANUAL ACTUALLY SAYS:

SteadyShot (Movie)

You can compensate for camera shake.
1.  - [Camera/Mic] - [  Camera Settings] - [  SteadyShot] - desired setting.
Descriptions of menu items Active :
Records a movie using a more effective SteadyShot function.

I DON'T SEE ANYTHING ABOUT "CLEAR ZOOM."

Standard (default setting):
This product reduces camera shake using the SteadyShot function in wide-angle shooting.

IS SONY TRYING TO SAY THIS MODE IS MOST EFFECTIVE AT WIDE BUT LESS OR NOT EFFECTIVE AT TELE? THAT'S HOW I READ IT.

Off (  ):
This product does not use the SteadyShot function.

Note
The angle of view will be changed after changing the settings of the [SteadyShot] function.

THIS CONFIRMS THAT CROPPING DOES OCCUR.


When you set [SteadyShot] to [Active], the zoom magnification is 24x when recording an HD movie and 18x when recording a 4K movie.

IS SONY SAYING THE OPTICAL ZOOM LIMIT IS RAISED FROM 12X TO 24X OR 18X? THAT'S HOW I READ IT. THE DIGITAL ZOOM CAN MULTIPLY UP TO 50%.

Re: Sony FDR-AX100
 

Some easy questions:

1) If you use NP-FV100 batteries can they hinder using the viewfinder because the battery is just below this.
What is the ideal size of the battery for AX100? I need info because I have to buy many batteries.
2) How many minutes will AX100 rec on 32BG SD (rec in 4k)?
3) How many minutes is it possible to rec by a NP-FV100 battery?
4) Does anybody use compatible batteries for AX100? What brand is ok?
Thanks

Re: Sony FDR-AX100
 

Quote/But, I have a question. Sony wants you to press PROG AE, press one of the three buttons, and then adjust the value using the dial. But, the manual never says what to do after you set a value. For example, I set the shutter to 1/48. Now I want to "register" or "lock" the value as with any menu system. How do I lock the value?[/QUOTE]

Steve, as i recall it works the same as the VG30, you press the button on the value you are changing, the 'A' symbol to the left of the value will disappear and the value will be highlighted, change as required and move on to your next button which you want to change the value and repeat process, all values without the 'A' in front are locked, to unlock any value you have set press the button again and it will go to auto with the 'A' showing. You only need to press programme AE to reset all values at once to Auto after you have been in manual, not to start the process.
Dont forget you can choose to assign most of the menu choices to 'my buttons' on the screen which is a nice shortcut into the menu.

Re: Sony FDR-AX100
 

Here is the manual i posted way back in this overlong thread which should answer most of your questions, have a look at Sony's AX100 page on Sony's Global site which has a lot of info as well.

http://support.sony-asia.com.edgesui...4534651111.pdf

Re: Sony FDR-AX100
 

Paul, you are 100% correct. Steve was making it sound a lot more complicated than it is. It's actually a very easy system to use. In fact, I think having these independently adjustable variables is unique to a small handicam like this, but then again I haven't had one of these small handicams in years.

Regarding the press and hold menu options on the front dial, this has been a Sony option on many of their higher end cameras for years, I like it. Yes, we could argue as to which options Sony should have offered that are available in the menu choices, but the system works well. I wouldn't mind seeing other camera companies used it,

Re: Sony FDR-AX100
 

Ok, I thank you ... but I don't believe much to manuals. I believe more what users tell.
Besides the maual doesn't explain my n° 1 question, that is if NP-FV100 battery can hinder a little bit using the viewfinder because the battery is just below it.

Re: Sony FDR-AX100
 

Steve, I think you are making things far too complicated. For instance I leave my NX5U and AX1 in manual ALL the time. With all the parameters auto I just have to press any one of them to move into manual or just one of them to come out of full auto. When that happens on the NX or AX1 the parameter goes to the value set ( what ever switch is set for gain and the current value for iris etc.) any AE shift is then cancelled as this only works in auto mode. So for instance I can have gain set manual, shutter speed set manual and iris in auto with spotlight set for a stage show. When the lights come up from spotlight I just press the iris control and I am back in manual control. Same thing works for AE shift etc. One button press for all these options but you do need to understand what you are doing. Sony have had this system since I bought my VX3 Hi8 and also then the lower cost V801. They left this to just the prosumer stuff over the last few years and I am glad they are now bringing it back to the lower cost models.

Ron Evans

Re: Sony FDR-AX100
 

I don't know about anybody's els's AX100, but mine is super easy:

To adjust "shutter speed", "gain" or "iris":

Step 1: Push any of the three buttons you want to adjust. ("Gain" button, "iris" button or "shutter speed button".)

Step 2: Turn wheel until you are happy.

That's it on mine. If you see an "A" next to that value display, it means that function is running on "Auto". if you don't see an "A", that means YOU have control of it.

Maybe somebody got an AX100 with some crazy firmware on it? Yes, this setup is similar to the VG20/30 as well.

I LOVE Sony for give this camera full manual options with easy access to controls.

CT

Re: Sony FDR-AX100
 

Same here, and it's the exact same on my VG900 as well. It couldn't possibly be any easier as there are dedicated buttons for each item.

Re: Sony FDR-AX100
 

ten characters

Re: Sony FDR-AX100
 

I attached a pic of my AX100 with a FV100 battery, and pulled the viewfinder out to turn the camera on. I don't use the viewfinder with this camera as I use a scorpion handle instead, but I was able to look into the viewfinder without my face bumping into the battery.