Re: New Sony AX-53 Testing
 

Jim -

The trick is to keep your shutter speed down, so that there is a natural motion blur - when I got the AX100, my first tests looked very stuttery/shimmery due to the VERY sharp 30 "stills"/sec. the camera took when i let it run the shutter speed in auto... ever since, I've tried to run the shutter in manual all the time, and keep it at 60, 90 or 120... looks just fine to me, though I'm sure 60p would be "better".

There is of course a tradeoff in "sharpness", as things moving through the frame exhibit motion blur, but that's actually what you need to make it look "non-stuttery"....

A note on the mini-HDMI - when it's connected, you have to have the LCD open - I thought it would still feed external in 4K, but I'll need to double check that, as Ron indicates it doesn't - I've got an 53 hooked up right now to my 4K monitor, so I'll test it again... I got one of the AX53's a while back, and ultimately returned it, but one came up so cheap on ebay that I decided to grab one again... I still prefer the 1" class sensor sharpness, but for a "handycam", the A53 isn't bad!....

Re: New Sony AX-53 Testing
 

Yes I run all my cameras in manual shutter all the time. Usually 1/60 as most of the time I am in low light indoors. So motion blur is at this level and even with this shutter speed I can see the difference between 30P and 60P. No getting around the fact there is half the information at 30P. For talking heads or slow moving scenery or if you want that film look then fine. But for my projects I want to create the feeling of "being there" live for theatre or dance. 1/90 will give a sharper picture and fine for 60P and sometimes use if I know there will be good light.

Agree, the AX100 has a lovely image however it is twice the cost of the AX53 and a little bigger. It is due for replacement I am sure and with the newer Panasonics I think Sony will have to introduce something to compete with the AG-UX180, HC-X1 and the DVX200 as they have nothing at the moment. Though Panasonic do not have a competitor for the AX100. The FDR-AX1 that I have will not compete with the UX180 or the HC-X1 for instance. Neither will the PXW-Z150 for that matter other than very specific requirement for native streaming etc.

Ron Evans

Re: New Sony AX-53 Testing
 

Hi all,

Just my two cents: I think the AX53 is better by far at HD than the AX100 - although the 100 appears to be about a stop faster, the quality of the 53 at HD is stunningly good, almost as good as placing a 4K image from the same camera on the HD timeline.

If you need 50P or 60P then the tiny Sony is King - it may not have all the manual stuff, but in real shooting situations it is faster to use, has timecode, the time-lapse is amazing! it's smaller, and I'm sorry to say the picture looks cleaner and certainly better in HD - I'm being simply subjective here - on paper the 100 has less correction as it has a larger chip, the encoding has slightly less in the way of artefacts - but the 53 just looks "Hotter"

I imagine Sony will release the next upgrade for the 100 sometime soon, personally, I can't keep waiting, but I am thinking of letting my 100 go and adding another 53 to the camera bag, actually two for price of the 100!!

My only wish is that Sony used a better codec, GoPro bought Cineform which out- performs XAVC S by a mile, even at much lower data rates, a 2.7K image from a 3+ at 45mbs is as clean as a whistle.

Paul :-)

Re: New Sony AX-53 Testing
 

That's interesting. I have done a side by side comparison between the two cameras, AX100 abd AX55 (It's AX53 with a projector), a few times but all in 4K at which the AX100 is sharper, and has better resolution. In very low light both cameras perform well with the AX100 still having more detail but also higher noise levels. The AX55 is as clean as it gets right up to the max gain of +27dB or perhaps +30dB, not sure, while the image doesn't turn to mush from the noise reduction. Both had IMO low light 4K images that are among the best I had seen from any camcorder at any price.

I never tried 1080p on the AX55 which was a trial unit from my gear dealer. However, I have shot a few times in 1080/50p XAVC-S with my own AX100 and the result is, or maybe better described as "meh". It's not bad but it certainly is no better, if not worse, than the 1080/50p I get from my older, smaller Handycams such as the CX700E and PJ760VE that use only AVCHD 2.0 at almost half the bit rate! The footage often looks clean with minimal artifacts, except for aliasing and moire that show up a little too often, in 50Mbps XAVC-S mode. But the detail, or more specifically micro contrast detail, is lacking compared to its older cousins. Noise level again is lower than those smaller sensor camcorders but the resolution in bright daylight is lower. I suspect on the AX100, the IP and everything from the scanning of the sensor to the encoding of the footage is optimized, as it should be, at 4K. The rest is just more like fill-ins. The 1080p sure looks like line skipping or pixel binning is used to get the image from the same 14M pixel crop of the 20.1M pixel sensor. On the smaller Handycams all they have to read out is roughly about 4M pixel crop from the 6M pixel 2.88" sensor to get the same 2M pixel 1080p image, a much easier work compared to 14M to 2M pixel downsampling the AX100 would have to do properly to get down to the HD image.

The AX53/55 on the other hand seems to have all the recipe needed for excellent footage at both 4K or HD levels. Lower pixel count, 8M+ pixel in a non-cropped, true 16:9 aspect ratio to maximize the size of the photosites. A sensor design that doesn't have to be bothered with still picture capability. A newer image processing and perhaps better noise reduction algorithms.

Re: New Sony AX-53 Testing
 

I shoot with a NX5, in 60i, of course and when compared to either of the AX53 or the AX100 shooting 60P XAVC-S the NX5U is the weak link !!! For some shows it is those three plus the FDR-AX1 shooting UHD60P and cropped to 1080 all in a 60i project to match the NX5U main camera and to go to DVD and Bluray. Again the NX5U is the weak link. Interesting how technology has changed because when I got the NX5U I thought it was wonderful !!! Not long ago really.

Ron Evans

Re: New Sony AX-53 Testing
 

One thing I didn't try on the AX55 but should have is the 100fps (or 120fps for you) mode. Does the footage overall look the same as it does at 50/60p? I used to shoot at 1080/100p on the pocketable RX100IV and it did look virtually indistinguishable in terms of sharpness, lack of moire or aliasing etc. from the footage at lower framerates.

Re: New Sony AX-53 Testing
 

The 100fps is poor, aliasing and noise everywhere, despite the fact that the codec is still recording at 60mbs, the camera kind of reverts to some horrible auto mode.

Much lower resolution over all.

Pity really

Paul :-)

Re: New Sony AX-53 Testing
 

Thanks, Paul. Too bad it's just a gimmick but now we are aware it's not meant to be a slow-mo camera.

Re: New Sony AX-53 Testing
 

Lou the studio 1 XLR adaptor is great.mounts on the bottom of the camera on the tripod screw
Quality is excellant,2 channels,around 200.00

Re: New Sony AX-53 Testing
 

I'm looking for a new video camera for outside distance work. I shoot at 20 x zoom and pan, following boats crossing a river mouth bar. Shooting in 4k I hope to be able to crop in for better close ups. Is AX-53 a suitable candidate?

Re: New Sony AX-53 Testing
 

4K on the AX53 is really UHD not DCI 4K and also only at 30P so panning will give you some judder if you are not really stable. Personally panning at full zoom at 30P will not look good. You could keep the camera fixed and pan a 1920x1080 crop image in editing though.

Re: New Sony AX-53 Testing
 

Just ordered a new Sony FDR-AX53, price has come down somewhat (€764)

anyway does anyone know if it can be used with a lanc?

Re: New Sony AX-53 Testing
 

It doesn't work with any of my regular LANC remotes, nor with some Sony remotes that work with my AX100.

I have two Sony remotes that work with this camera; the GP-VPT1 Shooting Grip and the RM-VPR1 Remote Control.

The RM-VPR1 can turn the camera off/on, zoom, record. Zoom has two speeds, I think it is 4 seconds and 21 seconds full tele to full wide.
The GP-VPT1 has zoom, record and photo functions. There are two zoom speeds.



Mark

Re: New Sony AX-53 Testing
 

I have the VCT-VPR100 https://www.sony.com/electronics/int...tes/vct-vpr100 that has full variable control as well as cables for all the Sony connectors for 1/8" LANC. A/V connector as well as Mini USB. Works very well.

Re: New Sony AX-53 Testing
 

thanks guys for the suggestions.

i was looking at something like this
VariZoom VZROCK | Sony / Canon LANC Zoom control | lens control

with the proper cables I guess it would work across the different cams I have.

sorry for going off thread somewhat.

Re: New Sony AX-53 Testing
 

Rob,

The VariZoom won't work with this camera. The AX53 doesn't follow the LANC protocol. I don't know if they just swapped around some of the wiring at the connector or something more complicated.

When I used my adapter cables to attach a Canon ZR2000 LANC remote, the camera shutdown and had to reset the date and time on it.

The ZR2000 works on the AX100 with the use of two adapter cables.

Mark

Re: New Sony AX-53 Testing
 

thanks for the heads up there!

Re: New Sony AX-53 Testing
 

Hi everyone,
Just wondering if anyone used a DOF adaptor with the AX53? (Like the Letus Extreme). And what results did you get?

Cheers

Re: New Sony AX-53 Testing
 

Need a couple cheap cams as back ups and locked on positions, are these any good? Decent auto focus? Whats the bad points on the stabilization problems?

Re: New Sony AX-53 Testing
 

What stabilization problems? The AX53 has in my mind the best stabilizer of all the cameras I have used. However I use mine also as a locked off fixed camera position. Focus in manual, use touch spot focus to set up. Fixed shutter speed , WB and use AE shift for exposure control. Zebras and peaking to check. In the theatre its usually at -0.5 or so depending on the show lights and AE shift is assigned to the control wheel.

Re: New Sony AX-53 Testing
 

Hi Ron i went on to you tube and quite a lot of moaning with some kind of stabilizer jerking around when on a mono pod or tripod? What are they like in auto focus just say i want to track the bride down isle. Canon c100 ii and 6d ii work great but maybe i want to use ax53 now and again for auto focus.?

Re: New Sony AX-53 Testing
 

I only have the AX53 in auto when I am taking family shots of grandkids etc so have no experience in a critical environment with auto focus. In these family environments it has been spot on focus for me handheld and in some instances at full tele 20x zoom. All shots are in HD as I do not like the slow frame rates so all 60P. So focusing may be better at 60P than at slower frame rates too.

For my theatre shoots the AX53 is always one a tripod fixed and in manual focus with the focus being set with the touch screen spot focus.

Re: New Sony AX-53 Testing
 

Great thanks, might drop on two of them, any good in low light

Re: New Sony AX-53 Testing
 

Always turn the stabilization of on a mono- or tripod, when you pan and then stop on a tripod the stabilization will over compensate and make the image bounce around, the more you zoom in the worse it gets and it's that "b.o.s.s." system that is causing it. The IS on that camera is best only used when you shoot handheld.

Re: New Sony AX-53 Testing
 

ok thanks Noa

Re: New Sony AX-53 Testing
 

Glad Noa added that as I forgot to mention in my post.

Re: New Sony AX-53 Testing
 

I wonder if anyone has any bright ideas - I'm trying to use an old pan head which is electronically controlled and produces a switch output to trigger frame shot - not TTL or anything clever - just a switch closure.

Been trying to hook it up to the 53, for which I have a Sony remote - full of chips! and also a cheap remote which the seller said works with a 53 but does not - so the upshot is I'm happy to pull something apart to get at the switch elements to control remotely by the head electronics, but wondered if anyone here has done this before or has used a cheap Ebay type remote that they know works - its shooting stills on the 53 I want to control.

thanks for any pointers at all.

Paul :-)

Re: New Sony AX-53 Testing
 

Picked two up today for £750 great deal and love them already for back ups and locked of shots. Another question, can the steady shot be assigned to a button quickly to save clicking on the menu and going all the way through the menju to turn active on and off? Also the manual button do people use that mostly for exposure or manual focus changes...

Re: New Sony AX-53 Testing
 

Yes I have three soft buttons set on the LCD. Steadshot, Focus and Peaking.

Re: New Sony AX-53 Testing
 

How do you set those Ron? thanks

Re: New Sony AX-53 Testing
 

Ok got that Ron you change the my button in the menu sorted it white balance, exposure and steady shot all on left side then assign the ring for focus. I noticed say indoors when switch cam on there is a yellow tinge? then with the quick menu on left side of lcd i quickly can use a different white balance setting and back to a good white. .

Re: New Sony AX-53 Testing
 

You figured it out before I got on the site again !!! Good. Yes I have My Buttons set to steady shot,focus ( to set the touch focus), peaking ( nice to check but often gets in the way when you are concentrating ). I have the ring set to AE shift as all my focusing is done with touch focus on the LCD. When on a theatre shoot I set the WB to indoor preset and shutter to 1/60 from the menus and shoot 1920x1080 60P. Mostly AE shift is at about -0.5 for most shoots. When I shoot the family events I let the camera operate in auto focus ( with face detection as its mainly shoots of the grandkids etc ) and auto WB ( as its often in and out of the house at the end of the day etc) but still have the others set as I would normally. I find it better in auto focus if one is zooming as I do not find the lens holds focus through zooms. It may well hold its focus but the scene is better refocused between max and min zoom in my experience.

Re: New Sony AX-53 Testing
 

Cheers Ron, these are very good auto cameras there was not much difference to my c100 ii last night in my room apart from dynamic range from c100ii. Great stuff thanks for everyones help.

Re: New Sony AX-53 Testing
 

Hi guys after seeing footage today, am i doing something wrong as it looks awful on the computer screen, last night looked great on lcd but unusable for me indoors looking at computer, any thoughts. My little old hfg25 smoke them out in hd quality ?

Re: New Sony AX-53 Testing
 

What iso did you use and did you shoot hd or 4k?

Re: New Sony AX-53 Testing
 

H Noa Test 1. 4k 25p 60 mbps, test 2, same but 100 mbps. both terrible even with some light. Outside colours looked grainy. Then same test with hd 25p and 50p, hd looked better

Re: New Sony AX-53 Testing
 

Something is really wrong. My AX-53 is crystal clear and does fine in lower light. Maybe your camera is a dud? Place on intelligent auto just to test clarity,

Re: New Sony AX-53 Testing
 

same on ai, bought two cannot be duds

Re: New Sony AX-53 Testing
 

Here is screen grab just awful at 4k in daylight plenty coming through window

Re: New Sony AX-53 Testing
 

and what was the iso and shutter set at?