nex-ea50 and pwer zoom

$4500 pre-order from B&H.

I too once wondered why no one made a large chip camera with a fast aperture long zoom, until someone showed me the math Morgan mentions. You'd need a big, heavy, really expensive lens.

The XF series have smaller chips, by a fair amount.

I really don't think this cam is aimed at the cinema guys. Do-all indies and docs, yes. But if you are serious about making a cinematic film, be that "independent" or not, I don't think this camera is going to be many people's first choice. There are simply several cameras out there that are better suited for that. However, if you're like a lot of us schlubs and scrape by on video work, and every so often shoot a short film, a commercial spot you want to look like a movie, or maybe shoot an indie feature, this camera would definitely do the job. Certainly in the right hands. And if you wanted to step up, it will work with prime lenses and probably produce a nice picture.

But to me the proof in the pudding is still the IQ. Let's see how that is. How is the DR? How is the ISO really rated? That's what I want to know, and I want to see/hear it from everyday users, like friends here on DVXUser.
 
snowleopard said:
...if you're like a lot of us schlubs and scrape by on video work, and every so often shoot a short film, a commercial spot you want to look like a movie, or maybe shoot an indie feature, this camera would definitely do the job. Certainly in the right hands. And if you wanted to step up, it will work with prime lenses and probably produce a nice picture...
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+1 on this. I don't know about the right hands, but I'm definitely one of those schlubs who scrapes by :) In my view, this is who this camera is aimed at. The guy or gal who shoots weddings or local commercials with something like a Sony MC-2000 who was thinking about getting a DSLR to give their clients the 'cinematic' shallow DoF their competitors are offering - and maybe make their own shorts on the weekends - but who couldn't afford the FS100 or 700 plus shoulder rig. ENG folks who need publication quality stills and who ditched their ENG cameras for 5DMkIIs and IIs are going to buy this camera too. I think Sony is going to sell a lot of these.

Cheers,

Bill
Hybrid Camera Revolution
 
Sony is not in the business of developing new chips for every camera, and the mega-pixel counts are pure marketing. I suspect, and others will strongly disagree that the consumer 16mp aps-c HD sensor is the same as the Super 35 of undisclosed size. Similar to RED where Epic rejects become scarlets, the best run of chips get partnered with the pro level processing in sony cameras. This is also in the MP range needed to produce the 4k Capability in the FS 700. Remember that 16mp is the full 3x2 photo aspect ratio, which becomes closer to 12 in the HD active area for full 4K and easy scaling to HD. The reason that the vg-20 sucks is that it was purposely crippled. Same as in the 5n not allowing the iso past 3200 in video mode, while going to 12000+ in stills mode, it isn't the chip, it's the processing.

If this is being marketed to event videographers, with a slow lens, it has to include the super low light processing, and I hope decent jello control, time will tell.
 
While there are lots of sensors I think this is not the FS100/F3 sensor (are they the same?) .. about 4-6mp

I would be very suprised if isnt the same as the Nex5n (or similar). who knows maybe thats the FS100 sensor too!

I think (guess) a very good concept of image quality could come from any 5n tests there are around

Mine is looking very good.. for a stills camera

S
 
If it has the 5N/VG20's sensor, I'm fine with that -as long as it doesn't overheat (5N) or limit the number of picture profiles (VG20) :)

The VG20 was pretty good in low light with fast enough glass. And with the E mount, I was able to adapt an inexpensive old f1.8 Canon lens to it.
 
brunerww said:
If it has the 5N/VG20's sensor, I'm fine with that -as long as it doesn't overheat (5N) or limit the number of picture profiles (VG20) :)

The VG20 was pretty good in low light with fast enough glass. And with the E mount, I was able to adapt an inexpensive old f1.8 Canon lens to it.
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It does have the same sensor as the 5N and VG20.
I really like the image quality (footage) of the NEX-5N and it can be used as a B-camera with the FS100. The only thing I don't like as much is that bright (white) areas always look overexposed while everything else looks OK. Other then that I think this is going to be a great camera. Really wish the FS100 had this form factor!
 
I'm surprised that this new lens isn't something else.

When Juan was making the FS-700 presentation, he kept saying he couldn't talk about anything connected with the rocker switch, as if something really special was going to come out, and I assumed that the no-talk was also because this lense was pretty far into the future, since he gave no date for release.

But here it is only two (?) months later.

Popped up quicker than I anticipated, and again, isn't special or innovative enough to put a gag order on it.
 
DerranNL said:
It does have the same sensor as the 5N and VG20.
I really like the image quality (footage) of the NEX-5N and it can be used as a B-camera with the FS100. The only thing I don't like as much is that bright (white) areas always look overexposed while everything else looks OK. Other then that I think this is going to be a great camera. Really wish the FS100 had this form factor!
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I still prefer the form factor of the FS-100 for ultimate versatility. I can take it down the streets of Rome incognito, but not this new camera.
 
well, with the shoulder mount retracted, you can sort of grab the camera between your armpits and hide the 'largeness' of the camera and sort of get away with street video? heh

But in all seriousness, I really do look forward to the reviews. i want so much to like this camera and if the image is decent (at least as good as vg20, if not better) , I'll probably grab one without hesitation. Any ideas when the review copies will be sent to reviewers?
 
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This camera is what I WANTED when I bought the FS100. Good work Sony! Might pick one up seeing how cheap they are.
 
If it is possible, I think what a lot of us want is a perfected "windowed mode" on a larger chip camera. If one could use still lenses for cinematic/efp production on a large chip then have the option to mount a 2/3" broadcast zoom with power it would be the best option.

The zoom would need a prism, but if the chip size is large enough, maybe the sensors could be divided into RGB areas that the ENG zoom is used to being pointed at? Sort of like a 2/3" camera hidden in a cinema camera.

I just think trying to get ENG functionality out of a larger sensor with large sensor lenses is never going to to be right.
 
Bassman2003 said:
If it is possible, I think what a lot of us want is a perfected "windowed mode" on a larger chip camera. If one could use still lenses for cinematic/efp production on a large chip then have the option to mount a 2/3" broadcast zoom with power it would be the best option.

The zoom would need a prism, but if the chip size is large enough, maybe the sensors could be divided into RGB areas that the ENG zoom is used to being pointed at? Sort of like a 2/3" camera hidden in a cinema camera.

I just think trying to get ENG functionality out of a larger sensor with large sensor lenses is never going to to be right.
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it seems so simple to me - activate the middle 1080 pixels for a crop mode, like the Gh2 (badly) and D4 (very well), then a lens cheap lens like a 17-55 'becomes' a 17-110

Seeing as the FS700, and this new camera are downsizing from thier native 4k, then its seems like the 'digital zoom' mode would probably be better than the full mode because just taking data is surely simpler than line skipping or down sampling or however they do it

All doable in firmare at no cost with no extra load on the hardware and no need to buy expensive eng lenses

I bet its available on some $200 digicams

S
 
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Btw, does anyone know if the zoom rocker on the camera body itself (not the fiddly one on the lens) will be able to control the lens zoom as well? And is it like the ones on proper ENG cams with variable speeds depending on how hard to press or is it a fixed zoom speed affair?
 
Where and how this sits really depends on performance and price point. If it really is only a pro vg20, its price better be at $3000, as that is the typical differential of cameras based on the same tech. I assume the pre-release prices given on the UK sites are full MSRP, and the B&H Price is based on simple currency conversion, to be adjusted later. As an example the full MSRP of the FS-100 in Pounds is roughly the same as the Street price in Dollars, and actual selling price is adjusted down. If that were the case then fine, great.

If on the other hand the street price does end up being $4500, that is not enough less than the Fs100 to put in a different class, but rather a new model using existing technology. It would have to at the very least have fs100 level processing behind the consumer chip to result in comparable performance. I would hope it at least has the full compliment of picture profile adjustments and can be tweaked with Frank's formulas.

All in I'm hoping for street of $3500 or less, with solid performance, as a response to BlackMagic, for those that don't need a RAW work flow, but are drawn to that price point. It would be ideal for struggling indies who have to shoot weddings to pay for their gear.
 
morgan_moore said:
it seems so simple to me - activate the middle 1080 pixels for a crop mode, like the Gh2 (badly) and D4 (very well), then a lens cheap lens like a 17-55 'becomes' a 17-110

Seeing as the FS700, and this new camera are downsizing from thier native 4k, then its seems like the 'digital zoom' mode would probably be better than the full mode because just taking data is surely simpler than line skipping or down sampling or however they do it

All doable in firmare at no cost with no extra load on the hardware and no need to buy expensive eng lenses

I bet its available on some $200 digicams

S
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I think you might be missing my point a little. The key to me is to find a way to use broadcast 2/3" zoom lenses in their native state along with still/cinema lenses. It is when the still lenses are used in an ENG fashion that it falls apart. There are a lot of broadcast lenses which are great, fast lenses out there. This camera design would be the death of larger shoulder mount cameras which is probably why it has not shown up yet.
 
2/3 B4--->E mount adapter (MTF)

As long as you have a 2/3 ENG lens with a built in doubler.
I have a Canon j21 7.8mm-164mm that I plan to use on my FS700.
With the 1.5 crop it's 11.7mm-246mm. Then then use the lenses 2x and it's 23mm-492mm (21x).

I used this lens on the AF100 with great success. I can only imagine with the larger sensor and ISO rating of the 700, this would make a terrific option.
 
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