Magical 200 fps on FS100

[Chris Quevedo]

yea i love the marmalade's demo reel. super jealous

[Matt Davis]

I just feel that there's so much new technology being thrown at us, that there's the Smooth Slow Motion technology there, and the FS700's slomo, and it's all great. But we shouldn't expect to achieve what they can. Not without a trick or sleight of hand. They're being paid (large amounts) to deliver. Smooth Slow Motion isn't about Marmalade or FS700, it's about throwing a bunch of flowers or running down a hill.

I wouldn't want to see someone buy an FS100 with the hope of achieving FS700 results, I wouldn't want to see someone buy an FS700 hoping to do what a Phantom does (even if it gets darn close! LOL).

Smooth Slow Rec is a cheat. You may get lucky, you may get super slomo where there was never a budget for it (which is more what the camera designers intended). Let's not big it up too much. I think what I'm trying to say is 'the secret to successful slomo on the FS100 is low expectations'. LOL

[Chris Quevedo]

i'm more interested in the low-light and the low noise at high ISO's. i'm torn between the NEX-EA50 and the NEX-FS100. my budget can afford both, but i really want to see somewhere i can get some raw low light footage right out of the FS100. but maybe thats a post for another thread

[Matt Davis]

Hmm - the EA50 is basically a VG30 in a pro format.

1) Lovely ergonomics

2) Digital Zoom actually works and makes your primes into zooms

BUT, it's a VG30 - you're going to see aliasing and funnies in highlights.

FS100 has better IQ in my humble opinion.

The EA50's higher resolution chip means that it's not so good in low light - the FS100 is better.

The FS100 does suffer a bit in extreme highlight situations, and there's no end of Picture Profile alchemy to try and tame this, but it definitely trounces DSLRs and the EA50 in terms of resolution and detail.

The EA50's main claim to fame is its form factor: there are (unfortunately) some situations that pro videographers face - the biggest camcorder wins. Weddings, events, functions, low end corporate, that's where the EA50 sits. The guy with the biggest camcorder is obviously paid to be there, so will get to the front of the crowd and nobody will set up in front of them and ruin the shot. Believe me, it it's a law of nature. If your client can't afford a PMW500 and you're going to be there amongst others with camcorders who want the shot, the EA50 will get noticed and it will carve you a hole.

But it's not so good at stealing shots in city centres, it won't fly well, it won't work well at night or in dark venues. It won't beat an NEX-5n for image quality, sensitivity et al.

The FS100 will get you better low light sensitivity, better IQ, more shooting flexibility, and be a great allrounder. Just remember to shorten the 'chimney loupe' and get into Picture Profiles.

[Chris Quevedo]

thanks for all that. could you clarify though what you mean by saying the NEX-5n has better image than EA50? that kind of surprises me

[Chris Quevedo]

i'll be using the camera i buy as a personal AND corporate camera. which one do you think will be easier to sneak onto a cruise ship for my anniversary? lol.
do you think if i sneak a EA50 onto a big boat they would make me put it away if it looked like i had such a large camera?

[Matt Davis]

NEX-5n has a similar sensor - I see the same sort of aliasing on the EA50, but I have colleagues who use the FS100, and the NEX-5 as a second camera to good effect. The two seem to match well.

And yes, the EA50 will probably get you into more trouble than an FS100 unless you're the official Videographer on the cruise. That's it's job. It's big and gets noticed and you feel the crowd in front of you part to let you through. That is why it's a big, pumped up VG30. If you tried the same thing on an NEX-5n, you'd see other cameras pop up in front of you and block your shot.

If you're being paid to 'get that shot' in a crowd of people with their own cameras, you need a big steroid enhanced camera to muscle in. That's the whole ethos of the EA50. If you had the budget for a big ENG camera, you'd use that, but in some event videography you're simply not going to have that budget but you do have that expectation. Tada! EA50 will sort you out.

In my neck of the woods, it's the opposite. I don't want to stick out too much. Otherwise I get all sorts of unwanted attention that interferes with my limited time to shoot. FS100 is small, cute, you can get away with looking like a serious amateur with the right rigging choices.

EA50 - 'ooh, what channel is this going to be on?' - FS100 - 'is that a medium format camera?' - that and the better IQ makes it for me.

But I'd also have an NEX-5n for really candid filming. It's basically a video camera shaped like a lens cap. But that's your B cam to the FS100 A cam.

[Chris Quevedo]

true.... it would most likely work to strip off the hand grip and the microphone mount and just go hand held. but since it doesn't have a built-in mic, how would you get audio in that fashion?

[Joe Holt]

Originally Posted by Chris Quevedo

i'll be using the camera i buy as a personal AND corporate camera. which one do you think will be easier to sneak onto a cruise ship for my anniversary? lol.
do you think if i sneak a EA50 onto a big boat they would make me put it away if it looked like i had such a large camera?

Buy the FS100 for the pro shoots and get yourself an NEX 6 for $800 to take on the cruise. You're going to want to shoot stills of the cruise anyway and the NEX 6 shares lenses with FS100 so you can bring the 18-200mm kit lens from the FS100 and leave the rest at home. I have a NEX 7 that I bought for this exact reason. I would buy the 6 now because it has better auto focus. These little cameras are also a very nice size for stealth shooting. Better than a DSLR. Both NEX 7 & 6 shoot Full 1080 at 60P. A lot of people PooPoo the audio but the built in mics do a fine job of picking up ambient sound. Fine for vacation shooting. I only mention this because you mentioned buying both an FS100 and EA50.

NEX 5N or R would work too but I absolutely love having an EVF instead of having to shoot using the LCD.

[Chris Quevedo]

hi, and thanks. well actually i'm wanting either the EA50 or the FS100, not both. but i'm leaning towards the FS100. but i don't have the money to get the NEX-5 6 or 7 at the same times. its tight enough that i barely can get the one and maybe a lens adapter to use my nikkor lenses. it won't even be a kit version. but i'm not to crazy about the zoom lens its comes with anyways. today a 18-105mm f/4 constant power zoom was rumored to come out for NEX e-mount on sonyalpha rumors. if that turns out to be true i'd rather to that ;-)

i'll get a small mirrorless sony later. by the way, do any of those small sony's have focus peaking during video mode?

[Joe Holt]

The NEX 7,6 and I think 5R have focus peaking during video recording.

If you get an FS100, you owe it to yourself to get a $10 Fotga MD to NEX adapter and then get a coupe of the vintage Minolta MD Primes for the FS100. They are inexpensive and it is really good glass. The 58mm F 1.4 and 28mm F2.5 are my favorites.

[Chris Quevedo]

thanks i appreciate it

[Bill Pryor]

The little Sony NEX-3 was selling with a kit 16-50 zoom for $350 at B&H for a limited time.

[Chris Quevedo]

let there be much rejoicing, i have purchased my FS100, and it should be here by wednesday/thursday

[Erik Wittbusch]

Good choice!

I was attracted by the form factor and completeness of the EA50.
It's a nice camera for what it is. But it's a blown up photo camera
in terms of image quality.

Now I have both for some weeks.
I purchased a used FS100 last week and now I'm a happy guy.
I even like to go handheld with it too. It doesn't belong on the
shoulder, but in your hand it can be a nice handheld camera.

EA50 will be sold soon after my holiday...