Sony NX5/AX2000: steadyshot settings

[Adriano Moroni]

Hi, I'd like to use optical steadyshot. In Menu settings do I have to choose "Steadyshot", "Steadyshot Enabled" or "Steadyshot disabled"?
Thank you

[Tom Hardwick]

The NX and AX only have optical steadyshot Adriano. Even the Active Steadyshot is OIS, even though it appears to be electronic (EIS). You need to have SS enabled to have it working, and I've put this under an assign button.

Once you've activated the SS you can choose hard, standard and soft settings. You'd think hard would be the most effective, but it can get 'sticky' in pans and tilts so I stay on standard, which is all but invisible in operation. I often fit a wide-converter (0.52x) and have never felt the need to select the 'wide-converter' setting of the SS.

Sony's OIS is remarkable. If you concentrate, brace yourself and hold your breath it's quite possible to hand-hold full telephoto takes. 590 mm at 1/50th sec - I wouldn't have believed it possible, but it sure is.

tom.

[Adriano Moroni]

Originally Posted by Tom Hardwick

The NX and AX only have optical steadyshot Adriano. Even the Active Steadyshot is OIS, even though it appears to be electronic (EIS). You need to have SS enabled to have it working, and I've put this under an assign button.

Thanks a lot for your interesting reply.
1) If SS is optical, why when I use it, do I see a soft zooming of the image?
2) I have noticed AX2000 has a very good wide angle lens, why often do you need a wide-converter (0.52x)?
Thanks

[Felix van Oost]

The NX5 / AX2000 has to zoom in the image slightly when you turn on Active Steadyshot because the range of the OIS is so large that the image would vignette at the edges otherwise. It doesn't use any form of EIS.

[Adriano Moroni]

Why on the specifications there is not any writings about optical steadyshot?

[Felix van Oost]

Because it's a standard feature on almost all cameras? The NX5 has three options - Steadyshot off, Optical Steadyshot (with Low, Med, and High settings), and Active Steadyshot.

[Tom Hardwick]

Originally Posted by Adriano Moroni

1) If SS is optical, why when I use it, do I see a soft zooming of the image?
2) I have noticed AX2000 has a very good wide angle lens, why often do you need a wide-converter (0.52x)?
Thanks

1) 'Soft zooming of the image'? When you select the Active Steadyshot it works in combination with the normal Steadyshot and as Felix says, it vibrates the internal SS elements so much that they cause the image to vignette. The zoom into the frame is simply to disguise this 'fault', in roughly the same way overscan zoomed into the image to disguise poor power supplies in CRT TVs.

2) If you call 30mm 'a very good wide-angle lens' then you won't need a wide-angle adapter. In 1965 we thought 30mm was a pretty good wide angle, but in 2011? To add fear and fright to your monster in the woods tracking the campers you'll need a 16mm lens, and this is what my 0.52x gives me. With no barrel distortion.

tom.

[Adriano Moroni]

Originally Posted by Tom Hardwick

1) 'Soft zooming of the image'? When you select the Active Steadyshot it works in combination with the normal Steadyshot and as Felix says, it vibrates the internal SS elements so much that they cause the image to vignette. The zoom into the frame is simply to disguise this 'fault', in roughly the same way overscan zoomed into the image to disguise poor power supplies in CRT TVs.

I'm sorry but I don't understand and I'd like to understand fine.
1) If I will select Active Steadyshot in combination with the normal Steadyshot, will I get degradation of image quality (a little bit)?

2) If I like to get Standard steadyshot, on the settings do I have to enable steadyshot?
In other words on my settings I see:
ENABLED STEADYSHOT
STANDARD
STANDARD

or I have to see:
STEADYSHOT
STANDARD
STANDARD

3) If I'd like to get Standard steadyshot, do I have so see "act" on the screening?

Originally Posted by Tom Hardwick

2) If you call 30mm 'a very good wide-angle lens' then you won't need a wide-angle adapter.

You are right but it is the best wide angle lens among semi-pro cameras.
When you you use a wide-converter (0.52x) the image degradation is acceptable? Is it Sony VCL-HG0872X?

I'm sorry for my questios but the secifications of my AX2000 is not good because it is a translation from english to italian.

[Ron Evans]

On my NX5U steady shot is assigned to a button on the side of the camera. Pressing the button will give three indications on the LCD. " OFF", steadyshot off, press again " nothing is displayed", steadyshot on press again " ACT" steadyshot active is on.

In the menu you can set what level steadyshot is going to operate at when selected.

Ron Evans

[Adriano Moroni]

Ron Evans
... but what I don't understand is: on the steadyshot settings do I have to choise "STEASYSHOT" or "ENABLED STEADYSHOT" to get "STANDARD STEADYSHOT"?
Thanks

[Ron Evans]

There are two ways of setting steadyshot.

1 Set it in the menu system

2 Assign a button and use the button to set the steadyshot

I have set button 1 on the side of the camera as steadyshot and in the menu set steadyshot to off, steadyshot to standard and active steadyshot standard.

ON the LCD OFF will be displayed in the bottom left corner next to a little shaking hand. WHen this is displayed steadyshot is OFF. Press the button again and normal steadyshot is active unfotunately nothing is displayed in this mode, I would have like them to show ON next to the hand, press button again and ACT is displayed next to the hand and active steadyshot is active. The level that is set is governed by the settings in menu

Ron Evans

[Adriano Moroni]

Originally Posted by Ron Evans

There are two ways of setting steadyshot.

1 Set it in the menu system

2 Assign a button and use the button to set the steadyshot

I have set button 1 on the side of the camera as steadyshot and in the menu set steadyshot to off, steadyshot to standard and active steadyshot standard.
Evans

... but in the Menu if I set STEADYSHOT (not ENABLED STEADYSHOT but STEADYSHOT), always I will get a standard steadyshot for every time, even if I don't use the button assign and don't see any icon on LCD display?
that is:
STEADYSHOT
STANDARD
STANDARD

Originally Posted by Ron Evans

ON the LCD OFF will be displayed in the bottom left corner next to a little shaking hand. WHen this is displayed steadyshot is OFF. Press the button again and normal steadyshot is active unfotunately nothing is displayed in this mode, I would have like them to show ON next to the hand, press button again and ACT is displayed next to the hand and active steadyshot is active. The level that is set is governed by the settings in menu

1) If I assign a button and if I use the button to set the steadyshot, when ACT is displayed I always see a little zoom of the image. is it meaning that steadyshot is not standard?

I hope you will explain my 2 questions precisely please.
Thanks a lot.

[Victor Wilcox]

It is confusing.

I don't have my NX5U with me now so this is what I see in the manual:

The "STEADYSHOT", "SET" you have three options:
"STEADYSHOT" (standard steady shot on)
"ACTIVE STEADYSHOT" (turn on active steady shot)
"OFF" (no steady shot).

In "STEADYSHOT TYPE" you can select HARD, STANDARD, SOFT or WIDE CONVERSION. This had nothing to do with turning it on or off.

In "ACTIVE STEADYSHOT TYPE" you have the options of STANDARD or WIDECONVERSION.

As stated above, if you assign a button to steady shot, pressing the button toggles between "OFF" (off icon), "STEADYSHOT" (steady shot on, no icon) and "ACTIVE STEADYSHOT" (active steadyshot icon). The steadyshot types set in the "TYPE" are what you get here.

Hope this didn't add to the confusion.

[Ron Evans]

When ACT is displayed you are in Active steadyshot NOT standard. Active steadyshot results in a small zoom because the moving lens used for the steadyshot has greater movment in active mode.

For standard to be switched on there is nothing displayed on the LCD. I know its very confusing if there is nothing on the LCD you are in standard steadyshot with the level set in the menu ( you have to set this)

Ron Evans

[Adriano Moroni]

You are wonderful guys. ;)
Now my ideas are clear.
But I have to ask last questions, then I will have understood everething.
When in Menu I set STEADYSHOT, I see STEADYSHOT and ENABLED STEADYSHOT.
If I chose ENABLED STEADYSHOT, I will not need Assign Button anymore because active steadyshot will run permanently. Is it right?

Will Active Steadyshot deteriorate video quality? I have just made a test and I have a feeling there is less video quality (a little bit). I see less sharpness. Is it my feeling or reality?
Thanks a lot