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X160 image ‘off colour’ compared to my EX1.
I`ve been using an EX1 for over 8 years and still love the results, and is more than good enough for my needs (H&S videos, corporate etc)
I purchased an X160 just over a year ago, and find the quality just not up with the EX1. On a lot of shots, the EX1 is producing true to life colours, where as the X160 is giving /orange/yellow tints, and in low light just picking up the wrong colour. Attached is an example.
Anybody any obvious ideas why, or is this a limitation of the X160? The EX1 gives beautiful natural colours, where as the X160 is giving the image strange tints.
I`m not a technical gurn on the cameras, but know the EX1 is giving far superior results but I conclude this shouldn’t be the case.
Many thanks,
Dave
Dave Roberts
Concept Filming
Didcot,
OXON -
5 Replies
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Dave, unless we see shots from both cameras it’s difficult to comment, especially as most of our computer screens might not be calibrated properly. At first sight your X160 colour doesn’t look so bad. A bit lacking in black maybe, have you checked that on a scope within your edit system? Also, a lot depends on your Picture Profile settings. If, like me, you followed Doug Jensen’s suggestions with your EX 1, you will get lovely pictures, maybe you haven’t got a good PP set in the new camera.
Michael Slowe
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Michael, many thanks for responding, and this does help me so much appreciated. The picture profiles on the EX1 just seemed to work out the box, wheres as the X160 seem off colour.
I will interrogate and look into the picture profile on the X160. You can see in the image on the right (EX1) the wall is a nice creamy colour (as it was!) where as on the left (X160) it`s a yellow/green and both taken at the same time. It consistently gets it wrong, at all colour temperatures so something fundemental wrong.
I will delve into the world of picture profiles settings and report back if anything positive happenings.
Thanks again Michael.
Dave
Dave Roberts
Concept Filming
Didcot,
OXON -
Well Dave, it is a constant problem, no two cameras seem to give identical pictures. Actually, the EX 1 settings “out of the box” are not intended for shooting. Sony deliberately set a very ‘neutral’ look which is meant to be worked on to obtain the DP’s preferred look. If you can access the Vortex Media workshops by their Doug Jensen you will be enlightened. He goes into it in great detail and has been my ‘guiding light’ as far as the EX 1 is concerned and now, currently, the PXW-Z150.
Michael Slowe
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Thanks for that Michael. I have been looking at his guides just now, and will definately purchase his EX1 guide. I have messaged him enquiring which guide will help most with my X160, so assume as both XDCAMs anything learned from EX1 should translate into X160.
I dont film full time, I do a lot of ELearning production so havent ever got heavily into technicalities, but it`s bugging me now so off to the expert to become ‘enlightened’ ☺
Does your Z150 come close to the EX1 in terms of quality/look etc? Brief answer is fine 😉
Dave Roberts
Concept Filming
Didcot,
OXON -
You mean does the EX 1 come close to the Z150? The EX 1 was the best camera I ever had, superb in every aspect, but, that was over nine years ago and things move so incredibly fast nowadays in terms of technology. The EX has a half inch sensor and the Z150 a one inch. Also the sensor incorporates much new technology and there is an improvement, no doubt. Having said that there are downsides. Firstly the lens on the EX allows you to maintain say, an f2 aperture right through the focal range (zoom) but the Z150 ramps and you only can get f4 at full tele. Also the low light performance without gain increase is not so good as the EX, although, the modern sensor is so good you can set up to +15db gain and still get a super picture. Finally, the three rings on the Z150 lens (focus, zoom, aperture), do not have ‘stop’ points, they just go on turning, which is infuriating. Whereas, as you’ll know, the EX has proper stop points.
All in all, not a great deal in it but the Z150 is smaller and lighter. can shoot 4K with it’s great new sensor and is, to my mind, an improvement. Others may not agree but I think that they will.
Michael Slowe
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