New inexpensive Sony, 1920x1080 60p • 24Mbps
- Thread starter billh
- Start date
OPHERBA
Well-known member
The camera test I did yesterday.
All hand held. Till the heavy rain drove me off...
It's long, a 7 min video. Feel free to stop watching it when ever you like too.....
Full details on the Vimeo page.
My "camera set up":
http://flic.kr/p/9UDQdg
(photo taken by Nino Leitner)
Thanks!
Johnnie
All hand held. Till the heavy rain drove me off...
It's long, a 7 min video. Feel free to stop watching it when ever you like too.....
Full details on the Vimeo page.
My "camera set up":
http://flic.kr/p/9UDQdg
(photo taken by Nino Leitner)
Thanks!
Johnnie
Last edited:
I just spent two days with the HX-100V (the big brother to the credit card HX9V with the "Zeiss" lens on it).
This is a consumer camera. It is not a "b camera" for any serious professional application. For a consumer or aspiring "filmmaker" it's a very, very competitive option in the $450 range -- possibly even competitive with higher priced consumer camcorders. Its video certainly blows away the Canon HV30 I had years ago.
For professional applications it's next to useless. No manual exposure control in movie mode, and very limited manual controls for still images in "manual mode." Still images are in JPEG -- the only adjustment being dimensions. Video has a number of options -- the only one I tested being 1080/60P "AVCHD" at 28 Mbps.
Outside in good light it performs best. Inside in moderate light it's awful -- noisy to an extreme.
Anyone who reported that this camera has better dynamic range than a Canon HDSLR is either on drugs or totally incompetent. Regarding import of video into Premiere -- it perfectly imported into a 1080/60P sequence (preset in the AVCHD folder of the current version) and edited perfectly.
Images filmed outdoors (good light) are sharp to an extreme -- exactly what you'd expect from a Sony and exactly what we all hoped HDV would be. Under the very best daylight conditions footage almost looks like an EX1.
The first thing I did when I started it was start tweaking settings -- lower sharpness, lower contrast, lower exposure compensation, etc. The footage sucked and wasn't great in post. I then reset the camera and let it do its own thing automatically, and it was much better.
I could post a sample video, but... yawn. In broad daylight it looks better than the gay parade video and on par with the other popular sample video. The creator of the later did note that the focus issue had much to do with luck, and he is correct.
Oh, the HX100V has a manual focus mode. And, it technically works. It was certainly not rewarding or enjoyable to use. Although, the turn is nice and smooth, if that counts for anything.
Build quality -- it's a toy DSLR complete with a toy Zeiss lens (really, it's a plastic model of a ZF or ZE or whatever, complete with Zeiss logo). It's not "junk," but it is exactly what you'd expect from a $450 consumer camera -- and relative to that price range I suspect it might last a consumer for a few years.
SO -- if I'm a consumer -- it's a nice camera at a good price that would do a magnificent job of taking family photos outside and filming kids on the beach. It would be a very nice gift for your wife or kids or nephew or niece. It might even be useful for non-pros in business applications like real estate or office stuff.
BUT -- relative to any kind of pro application -- it's useless. Sticking a Zacuto Z-Finder on it is strange, claiming it has great dynamic range is nonsensical, and sticking it on a stabilizer or slider is pointless because you can't turn off the image stabilization (it turns off automatically when it senses it's on a tripod, but the moment it starts moving it automatically engages). Manual controls are either limited or not there. Low light is awful -- absolutely awful.
My HX100V is now packed up and ready to go back to B&H on Monday. After it was packed up, I picked up a 7D and it was wonderful, and then I took a picture in low light of my 5Dm2 fitted with a "Zeiss" branded Cosina lens -- and I felt better, and cleaner, and smarter.
This is a consumer camera. It is not a "b camera" for any serious professional application. For a consumer or aspiring "filmmaker" it's a very, very competitive option in the $450 range -- possibly even competitive with higher priced consumer camcorders. Its video certainly blows away the Canon HV30 I had years ago.
For professional applications it's next to useless. No manual exposure control in movie mode, and very limited manual controls for still images in "manual mode." Still images are in JPEG -- the only adjustment being dimensions. Video has a number of options -- the only one I tested being 1080/60P "AVCHD" at 28 Mbps.
Outside in good light it performs best. Inside in moderate light it's awful -- noisy to an extreme.
Anyone who reported that this camera has better dynamic range than a Canon HDSLR is either on drugs or totally incompetent. Regarding import of video into Premiere -- it perfectly imported into a 1080/60P sequence (preset in the AVCHD folder of the current version) and edited perfectly.
Images filmed outdoors (good light) are sharp to an extreme -- exactly what you'd expect from a Sony and exactly what we all hoped HDV would be. Under the very best daylight conditions footage almost looks like an EX1.
The first thing I did when I started it was start tweaking settings -- lower sharpness, lower contrast, lower exposure compensation, etc. The footage sucked and wasn't great in post. I then reset the camera and let it do its own thing automatically, and it was much better.
I could post a sample video, but... yawn. In broad daylight it looks better than the gay parade video and on par with the other popular sample video. The creator of the later did note that the focus issue had much to do with luck, and he is correct.
Oh, the HX100V has a manual focus mode. And, it technically works. It was certainly not rewarding or enjoyable to use. Although, the turn is nice and smooth, if that counts for anything.
Build quality -- it's a toy DSLR complete with a toy Zeiss lens (really, it's a plastic model of a ZF or ZE or whatever, complete with Zeiss logo). It's not "junk," but it is exactly what you'd expect from a $450 consumer camera -- and relative to that price range I suspect it might last a consumer for a few years.
SO -- if I'm a consumer -- it's a nice camera at a good price that would do a magnificent job of taking family photos outside and filming kids on the beach. It would be a very nice gift for your wife or kids or nephew or niece. It might even be useful for non-pros in business applications like real estate or office stuff.
BUT -- relative to any kind of pro application -- it's useless. Sticking a Zacuto Z-Finder on it is strange, claiming it has great dynamic range is nonsensical, and sticking it on a stabilizer or slider is pointless because you can't turn off the image stabilization (it turns off automatically when it senses it's on a tripod, but the moment it starts moving it automatically engages). Manual controls are either limited or not there. Low light is awful -- absolutely awful.
My HX100V is now packed up and ready to go back to B&H on Monday. After it was packed up, I picked up a 7D and it was wonderful, and then I took a picture in low light of my 5Dm2 fitted with a "Zeiss" branded Cosina lens -- and I felt better, and cleaner, and smarter.
Al MacLeod
Well-known member
Hx100v a toy? Yeah, I guess. Once you see the telephoto at the max though, it's one trick that makes this pony worth the price. It may not have to do much more to be worth tossing in your kit bag!
If you used the HX9V, I'm sure you'd say the same thing.
Here is my perspective on this camera.
My word is "pocket cinematography." Here's the situation: You see the sun coming through the clouds while you're driving to work. You have a few extra minutes so you pull off the next exit and try to capture the moment. Do you dare pack your AF100 with you everywhere you go? Do you even dare pack your T2i with several primes (during the hot summer, no less?)? If you do....good for you....I DON'T. The HX9V is with me EVERYWHERE I GO. So is the S95 (for low light, because, as you pointed out the HX9V sucks in low light.) Using this camera in any other application (for me), would be laborious.
All of that said.....this camera is VERY special as a pocket cam. It certainly lacks low light performance, DOF, and manual control....all of that said....it's the best all-round pocket cam that I've used. (And I own the top 3...so that's really saying something for this mighty little wonder.)
OPHERBA
Well-known member
It is all about fun mixed with frustration when using the HX9V....
Sure it is not a professional working tool but it is challenging and great if you can pull out of it a professional looking results. (under certain conditions)
For me, there is no harm in having one in the bag and use it when I feel it's needed. BTW, the z-finder on it makes it a bit more usable handling wise (oh and you can also see better how the "super duper intelligent automatic mode" trying to read your mind and "help" you getting a "better" picture....)
No, I am not replacing my Canon 7D with this camera.....yet experimenting (and sharing information) is the right thing to do.
Thanks!
Johnnie
Sure it is not a professional working tool but it is challenging and great if you can pull out of it a professional looking results. (under certain conditions)
For me, there is no harm in having one in the bag and use it when I feel it's needed. BTW, the z-finder on it makes it a bit more usable handling wise (oh and you can also see better how the "super duper intelligent automatic mode" trying to read your mind and "help" you getting a "better" picture....)
No, I am not replacing my Canon 7D with this camera.....yet experimenting (and sharing information) is the right thing to do.
Thanks!
Johnnie
Last edited:
This is precisely why I bought the camera. In ideal daylight conditions you'll get something that may be usable. In anything less than ideal daylight conditions -- you don't get something usable for any pro application. The JPEGs from this camera seem sloppy -- nothing like a JPEG you'd get from even an entry level DSLR. Slightest zoom in on one of these JPEGs and it falls apart.
Thus, there's no question that you'd be better off with some fixed f/8 cheap mirror telephoto (I think they're cheaper than this camera) on a decent DSLR than you are with this HX100V "in your kit bag."
Al MacLeod
Well-known member
As with any tool, this camera may not be right for everyone.
adammada
Well-known member
Yes und thank you!!!
@AGMedia: The HX9V is better than the hx100v: Advantage 24mm - 384mm - Sony "G" . . .
The dynamics (BQ) are very good in daylight, and almost on a par with the GH2 and the T2i
Last edited:
MelissaDaisy99
New member
Great post! It's very nice. Thank you so much for your post.
__________________
watch movies online free
__________________
watch movies online free
snowleopard
Well-known member
Sony needs to add basic manual controls and package this into a camera the size of the V1u.
Anyone know of HDR works in video mode as well as still?
Anyone know of HDR works in video mode as well as still?
No....HDR doesn't work in video mode. (At least not like it does in photo mode) The photo mode is downright useful. NOT spectacular...but useful for sure.
As far as manual control....I feel the same way....with one *notation*.....manual video in a large sensor camera is CRITICAL. In a smaller sensor compact like this....you're actually better off to let the camera decide the settings. I KNOW that sounds crazy, but I have an LX5...and it does have manual control....I find my self letting the camera choose the settings because it inevitably does a better job. KEEP IN MIND....that choosing the aperture with a sensor that small doesn't have the same impact as when it's a large sensor....that's just FIY because I used to think the same, until I got a compact that has manual control in video mode and found it to be nearly useless. Anywho....
Last edited:
I am excited about this camera after see so many great results yes it has it s limits but has great possibilities. The question that I am asking is what would the HX100 offer over the HX9V , so far I see it has a stronger zoom and manual focus, does it have more manual overrides on it?
