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New Camera time – Z1 to NX5 or EX1R or Canon XF100
General 2p’s / cents worth from people on my next camera.
I know NAB 2012 is coming up in April (with any cameras shown to be available in September onwards-ish).
I went from PD150 (DVCAM, Great in Lowlight, portable) to Z1 (needed HD, borderline ‘ok’ in low light with +18db gain) and I shoot mainly as an event videographer – mostly in nightclubs but ive started doing multicamera event filming (not live streaming as yet, but perhaps a HDSDI out would be useful).
The Z1 i only really bought due having to offer HD and the fact its £2k cheaper than a new Z7-NX5 (i paid £1.5k for it). I last used it last week in a really dim nightclub, kinda bad having to use the LED toplight to blind people, so im now looking for a newer model, which is amazing in lowlight. Ive been fairly disappointed with the image produced by the z1, only really in a good lit studio do you get a nice image.
I have filmed using a nx5e in a nightclub before as well as shooting some fitness DVDs with it and if I had to choose between a nx5 / z1 – nx5 hands down, although the z1s global sensor is good for strobe lighting.
– nx5 is a great camera, but not 100% sure on the image quality – bit smudgy (so to speak) if that makes sense, ive read its not as sharp as other cams (maybe due to the low bitrate of AVCHD). Obviously the nx5 has similar low light ability as the PD150, but is slighty bulkier than the z1.My budget – probably max £4k – so ive also been looking at a EX1r which is even better in lowlight, however, i hear it has issues with autofocus (i sometimes fling the camera around on the dancefloor, moving from person to person) so this is a medium sized issue, also, handheld ive heard it can be too straining and a shoulder rig is a must?
The Canon XF100 – smaller and lighter but not so good in low light? Ive used its HDSDI out model on a live vodcast and was impressed overall with it, but then, it was in a well lit studio. I also noticed it has a lot more buttons on the side – alot more things to be pressed at the wrong time in a jam packed event!
its a bit of a ramble, but general thoughts please….
EX1r good for events?
Ill obviously rent ones ive not used before to make sure.
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3 Replies
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Hi;
I just went through the same agony for several months and just ordered the NX5U, after rejecting three NX70s I tested.
I too am a bit concerned about the “smudgy”. Won’t know for sure until I get mine. However, I’ve seen some demo shots that look smudgy, and others that are super-sharp.
Some that looked sharp (ignore the bokeh and concentrate on the parts that are in focus)
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=T_IdXNGZOMc
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=BLnrRjPzvxM
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=xUbFQarzgOQ&feature=relatedI suspect that the default sharpness setting is a bit on the smudgy side and I will be trying to tweak it. But, it might also be due to the fact that the NX5, (Like the Cannon XF100) has a sensor that is exactly 1920×1080 and there is no interpolation of the pixels. The FS100 has a 2.2 Mpixel sensor; 1920×0180 is 2073600 so I think Sony made that one a little more “dense”. High-pixel count video cams might be sharper, but extra effort has to be made to eliminate aliasing and Moire. My little CX550V is super-sharp, it has a 12 Mpixel sensor.
I’m very picky, and if it is not sharp enough, I will send it back!
Steve
Win7 Pro X64 on Dell T3400, MultiTB SATA, 8GB RAM Vegas 10e (and 11) x64 DVDA 5.2(build 133) Sony HDR-CX550V, Sony HXR-NX5U
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See my posts in this thread. Worried.
https://forums.creativecow.net/readpost/298/1096
steve
Win7 Pro X64 on Dell T3400, MultiTB SATA, 8GB RAM Vegas 10e (and 11) x64 DVDA 5.2(build 133) Sony HDR-CX550V, Sony HXR-NX5U
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The EX1 is a great camera, very very sharp. But it has an IR problem, lumpy zooms at low speed and a weak tripod plate.
Quite good in low light and even with 12dB of gain in and the shutter off. The EX1R is the same, but may be above the budget you’ve mentioned.
Perhaps a secondhand EX1 or EX3?
I might be selling my EX1 sometime for an FS100 or 700, but I’d like to keep it.It can be tricky handheld for a long time, but I manage OK.
You’ll need the CVP ElCheapo shoulder mount for an EX1.Duncan.
EX1
MBP
FCPX
Short fingernails
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