My EX1 Has Arrived

[RichardVClark]

After over a month on backorder my EX1 arrived today. I have to applaud Roscor for their tremendous service and Lee Drady for being the best salesman I have ever encountered. I also need to thank John Wee for recommending Roscor. I can't wait to get out and shoot!

Richard Clark

[LuckyStudio 13]

Rich,
Write as a quick assessment of the cam will ya !!

[RichardVClark]

Sensitivity

Coming from the HVX200 I can really appreciate the 1/2" Exmor Chip. It delivers superb low light performance in terms of noise and ASA.

-3 db Gain

There is no reason why this feature should not be included on every camera. I had it on my XL-2 and missed it on my HVX.

LCD/Peaking/Expanded Focus

One word. Wow! This thing beats the pants off any on camera LCD I have ever seen, but I still wouldn't throw away your trusty tape measure just yet. Then you add the peaking control into the mix. There are four color choices (red, white, blue and yellow), as well as three level choices (low, mid and high). I have never used peaking before, but I am already falling in love with it. Alright, the tape measure is on its way, then we get to expanded focus. As great as the expanded focus control could be, it is missing something. That something is the ability to view peaking while in the expanded view. It is a quasi let down, maybe it will be something that can be change in a firmware update (I'm not going to hold my breath). I guess the tape measure will never die.

Manual Aperture Ring

Great feature.

Manual Zoom Ring

Falls well short of the HVX. It just feels a little cheap.

Manual Focus Ring

I like it, very smooth and has just the right resistance for my taste.

Lens hood

Although, I probably won't be using it much, I really like the built in lens hood with built in lens cap. I can't tell you how many times I've been shooting B roll with my HVX and misplace the lens cap (shame on me).

Buttons

They are pretty small and it doesn't help that I am 6' 3" with big hands either. Overall, I am more disappointed with the button placement then the size. The set up is just not very intuitive. When I picked up the HVX I was instantly comfortable. Not the same with the EX1.
http://simonwyndham.co.uk/assets/images/reviews/ex1/ex1side.jpg
In the picture you can see the the zebra, peaking and full auto controls below the EX logo and the lens info, BRT DISP and histogram controls above the logo. The buttons on top are reprogrammable, the ones below are not. Why not make full auto a reprogrammable button and move the histogram button down? This is in fact a Sony CineAlta, a professional camera. I will never use the full auto button and would never want to reassign the histogram. Go figure. The expanded focus button is also in a awkward place. It is located on top the twist handle...

Twist Handle

Why? It does nothing to improve how awkward the EX1 feels in my hand. The camera would have been great for docs if it just didn't feel so uncomfortable. This is not really a concern for me, as I usually use some form of support.

HD-SDI port

A great GREAT addition. Next time put a better cap on it. Come on Sony! Mine fell off while taking it out of the box.

4:2:0

There is no question that the HVX's 4:2:2 strait to cards will be missed. How much is still to be seen.

SxS

I love not having to use an adapter with my Macbook Pro to offload footage.

SxS slots

The two SxS slots and cover are extremely sturdy.

Battery

I like the indicator on the back of the battery (its like the Macbook Pro battery indicator) and the indicator on the LCD that is up-to-the minute. I will still miss my DVX battery, it become my Batman cape (I always liked batman better then superman) .

[RichardVClark]

More impressions and tests to come

[cckid]

Nice clear statements...thanks man....I am on the verge of changing my hvx200 for a x1 coz of the lcd....and the the iris opening...however I like very mucho my 4:2:2 and the ability to dub something quickly on tape every now and then...

[Stevet]

Congrats!
Great assessment Richard. You probably know this, but there is another assignable button on the front below the lens. I'm looking forward to hearing more on your review.

[editorforhire]

After over a month on backorder my EX1 arrived today. I have to applaud Roscor for their tremendous service and Lee Drady for being the best salesman I have ever encountered. I also need to thank John Wee for recommending Roscor. I can't wait to get out and shoot!

Richard Clark
I agree re: Lee Drady. I have known him for years and he is always on the up and up. Great sales guy. Roscor, known for their broadcast equipment sales, has become an aggressive player in the prosumer video market. That's good because they have the tech guys in-house to back up their sales. Not every Box House has that tech support. Abel Cine is another great place to buy. Just my two cents.

[RichardVClark]

Thanks guys. I just finished my last mammoth project of the year, finally I will get to show my EX1 some love.

[larrys]

Hi Richard,

Over on another forum, there has been mention of the rolling shutter as a major problem. Can you do some rapid motion tests and report back?

Thanks!

Larry

[Stevet]

Major?
Hmm.
I own the camera. It's definately not major.

If you're talking rolling shutter in general, well yes some of the cheaper cmos cameras show more artifacts.

You really need to try the camera yourself and decide it you think it's a problem.
We bought two and maybe buying more.

It been brought up a million times, but you really need to try these cameras yourself and decide on what you can or can not live with.
Remember the RED has a rolling shutter and is still a well respected camera.
Soderbergh has been shooting 4k features with the RED Camera.

[lawriejaffa]

Well thats great for the Red Camera ;) theres also an article on rolling shutters posted http://www.dvxuser.com/jason/CMOS-CCD

I personally wish more folk would just test em' rather than ask all the time.

I think its because people have in mind a particular camera - but the real reason to ask is to be convinced that there going for the right one or can discount (without fear of making a mistake in their preference) others.

I think for a lot of folk buying camcorders it would be surprising to some, just how many don't actually test them first!

[mcgeedigital]

http://www.freshdv.com/2007/12/xdcam-ex1-cmos-rolling-shutter-strobe-artifacts.html

[Barry_Green]

Nice link, Mcgee. That's the kind of unexpected rolling shutter artifact that's going to crop up and people are going to be rather upset -- if you don't understand why it happens, would you expect that a simple shot like that would be impacted (or even ruined) by the technology that your camera uses?

That's why I harp on this subject so much -- the fundamental technology has changed. You have to educate yourself, you have to know that there are some types of shots that either aren't going to work at all, or are going to be rendered very differently than what you're used to. You better know that going in.

I personally wish more folk would just test em' rather than ask all the time.
Well, that's what sites like this are for though. Many people don't live in a region where they CAN test 'em. For example, I was in Las Vegas for decades, and there is no professional video store you can go to to see an EX1 or an HVX or an HD100 or, well, anything. They just don't exist. Those who live in L.A. or Chicago or NY may have no idea how spoiled they are that there exists places like Roscor or B&H or Samy's or Abel.

So, lots of times people have to turn to forums like this to "do their testing for them." Links like McGee's, which shows rolling shutter artifacts from an EX1 caused by photo flashes and a police car, are just as relevant and informative as, say, Philip Bloom's work which shows the EX1 performing spectacularly. We need to see both sides of the story in order to know and make an informed decision.

I guarantee you we'll see more and more clips like Matt Jepsen's footage as the products get in more people's hands. As those come out, people will then be more informed as to what the product can handle and, more importantly, what it can't. That way you're prepared to make an informed decision.

[ESTEBEVERDE]

Barry,

I read a quote on that page that said:

"Shutter switch is located front of camera under lens. Shut it off for this shot.
It will then be whatever the frame rate is set at. For ex. 24P = 1/24, 60P = 1/60"

Do you think this would solve the strobing or make it worse or???

Is the current state of the art CMOS sensor just not up to task with it's refresh rates?

[Barry_Green]

If you had to shoot flashes, you'd want the longest exposure you could get, but no it's not going to solve this issue. The very nature of a rolling shutter is such that it exposes a portion of the sensor and then moves on. If the flash hits when that portion of the sensor is already "done" exposing, you're not going to see it -- so the as-yet-unexposed portions will see the flash, but the exposed portions won't.

It's just the way it is. Nothing that can be done about it. Welcome to the world of rolling shutters.

[ESTEBEVERDE]

Thanks Barry...

[BobDiaz]

In the days of tube cameras, a bright light caused Image Lag, where a comet tail appeared when you moved the camera. That was the way the technology worked and you lived with it.

When CCD cameras came out, we avoided Image Lag, BUT a bright light caused Vertical Column Smear. Newer cameras don't suffer as bad as the older cameras, but that's the way the technology works and you live with it.

So now CMOS Image Sensors are immune to Vertical Column Smear, BUT they do have a rolling shutter. For normal shooting with the EX-1, I have yet to see any footage posted showing vertical structures lean because of a horizontal pan. However with the EX-1, both still and videos posted show that flashes can produce a partial bright area in a random location in the frame. Again, that's the way the technology works and either you live with it OR chose another technology, like CCD for the image sensors.

No matter what you chose (Tube, CCD, or CMOS), there is going to be some limit to the technology and some artifact it might generate. This is a less than perfect world, so decide what best fits your needs / wants and accept the limitations.


Bob Diaz

[ESTEBEVERDE]

Less than perfect indeed....


But... seemingly always improving! :beer:

[David Jimerson]

No matter what you chose (Tube, CCD, or CMOS), there is going to be some limit to the technology and some artifact it might generate. This is a less than perfect world, so decide what best fits your needs / wants and accept the limitations.


Not only that, but somebody somewhere is going to figure out a way to use it to creative effect.


(And if, in some far-off time, rolling shutters became dominant and 99% of theatrical films were shot with them, you'd have tons of people of the equivalent of message boards such as this one insisting that the "rolling shutter effect" is essential for the "movie look.")

[mico]

In the days of tube cameras, a bright light caused Image Lag, where a comet tail appeared when you moved the camera. That was the way the technology worked and you lived with it.

When CCD cameras came out, we avoided Image Lag, BUT a bright light caused Vertical Column Smear. Newer cameras don't suffer as bad as the older cameras, but that's the way the technology works and you live with it.

So now CMOS Image Sensors are immune to Vertical Column Smear, BUT they do have a rolling shutter. For normal shooting with the EX-1, I have yet to see any footage posted showing vertical structures lean because of a horizontal pan. However with the EX-1, both still and videos posted show that flashes can produce a partial bright area in a random location in the frame. Again, that's the way the technology works and either you live with it OR chose another technology, like CCD for the image sensors.

No matter what you chose (Tube, CCD, or CMOS), there is going to be some limit to the technology and some artifact it might generate. This is a less than perfect world, so decide what best fits your needs / wants and accept the limitations.


Bob Diaz

Perfect Bob.