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Upgrade HDR-FX1 for XDCAM EX
I currently use a Sony HDR-FX1 camera connected via firewire to a Miranda HDV Bridge connected via HD-SDI to a AJA Kona Lhe on a Mac Pro for live video capture of a Sermon (single camera mid shot talking head). The camera is 60 feet from the speaker and 150 feet from the control room. I use the HDSDI signal to transmit the video digitally over the extended length (firewire will only yield 50 feet without boosting which I can not accomplish due to a smaller conduit. Anyway, I have had the computer crash during capture and dropped frames on the HDV tape master. I am frustrated but at the same time don’t expect the word from a lower budgeted production. Now that you have the back story I will get to the meat of the mater. Two questions…
1. Would I see a noticeable difference in picture quality between the FX1 and XDCAM EX?
2. Should I suggest spending the extra money for a larger camera (like the panny HPX3000 or Sony F335)
Thanks,
Nick RIghton
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45 Replies
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[Nick Righton] “1. Would I see a noticeable difference in picture quality between the FX1 and XDCAM EX?
“Some people would. Main differences would be 1/2″ chips, 10 bit 4:2:2 coming from the camera head out of the HD-SDI port. Much better low light performance if that’s important to your shoot.
On SxS you can record 35mbps VBR compared to 25mbps CBR of FX1.
HPX or F series would help if you need shoulder mount or, in F series, recording to XDCAM disc instead of SxS card. In many respects the EX1 has more features than 335 although that has a changeable lens. Are those features important? The best I can say is, that depends on what you want/need.
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Does the EX really have better low-light performance than the FX1? I haven’t been able to get e definitive answer on that. I can’t compare the specs, because they use a different method of measuring sensitivity. With 1/2″ chips, you would think that it is more sensitive, but I understand that CMOS chips are less efficient than CCDs.
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[Chris Babbitt] “Does the EX really have better low-light performance than the FX1? I haven’t been able to get e definitive answer on that.”
MAJOR low light performance advantage! Unfortunately specs are not a reliable measure because of how manufacturers report them.
One of the BIGGER selling points of the EX1 is its low light performance. It’s the first “hand held” size HD camera that can rival the venerable Sony PD-170.
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Well, if that’s the case, it will seal the deal for me.
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Awesome. I did not even consider the low light performance improvement. I currently have the F set to 2.4 with no gain ( and that is with full stage lighting !). So increased light sensitivity would be awesome !
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[Nick Righton] “I currently have the F set to 2.4 with no gain”
Back in September a fellow in the UK (Alistair Chapman) did a test with a couple of EX’s and an F350. He found that the EX was at least a stop faster in low light, and quite possibly two stops faster than the F350. That fact was a major deal maker for me, and in another week or so I’ll be able to find out what kind of low light picture noise the EX has when Sony shows up at a local trade show. If it’s no more than my DP170 I’ll be ordering the EX poste haste.
https://www.sonybiz.net/biz/view/ShowContent.action?site=biz_en_EU&contentId=1187079500753
– Don
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Comparing the EX to the F350 may not be the answer. Unless I misunderstood, a Sony rep told me that the low-light performance of the 350 was worse than the FX1 due to the CMOS chips.
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You misunderstood or had a rep who was lost. The EX is the only one which has CMOS chips. The 350 has ccd’s.
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[Kyle_S] “The 350 has ccd’s. “
You are correct, sir. And I’m going with the lost rep thing 😉
– Don
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FX1 and Z1 are 1/3″ CCD
F335/F355 are 1/2″ CCD
FX7 and V1 are 1/4″ CMOS
EX1 is 1/2″ CMOS
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