ax100 vs x70

[Jim Stamos]

other than the xlr inputs on the 70, what are the other obvious differences? both have single chip, manual for iris, gain, focus. looks very similar but 100 is 600 less
100 has 4k now.

[Tom Grushka]

1. Dual card slots on the X70 - important for mission critical or long program recording (can record to both slots at once, relay record for "endless" recording, or trigger each slot with a separate record button).

2. Broadcast grade recording codec on the X70 - 50 Mbps 4:2:2 - faster bitrate for fewer "blocking" artifacts in fast motion or highly detailed scenes, twice the chroma or color resolution (end viewers won't notice 4:2:2 vs 4:2:0 chroma sub-sampling, but it makes a difference on green screen work or when color grading in post production when you need to make significant color adjustments). Most home/family video shooters won't benefit from this better codec and in fact would probably prefer smaller file sizes of XAVC-S or AVCHD. (Someone correct me -- maybe the ax100 has 4:2:2? Can't tell from specs.)

3. Better build quality on the X70 - I haven't handled the ax100 but the x70 has a very solid build and a bulkier handgrip area than the ax100, so should feel more comfortable to hold and less "consumerish." It definitely has a more pro look/feel in a small package.

4. As you stated, XLR inputs on the X70. I think there's a handle you could get for the ax100 but I believe it would bring the total price above that of the X70. To me, the pro audio is a huge benefit.

5. 4K and still photos on the AX100 - If these two are important today, the ax100 is your cam. The 4K upgrade for the X70 is coming in June and will cost about $500. And no still photos on the X70. (Why not?)

These are what I can come up with for now.

[Derek McCabe]

1. The biggest difference is the codecs:

They both have lower quality AVCHD... but

the X70 also has X-AVC L
the ax100 uses X-AVC S

The X-AVC L is a better codec, but with one HUGE problem. Not many NLEs support that file format native right now. Sony is working on a plugin for Apple Final Cut Pro X, as well as with other NLEs. But it is NOT HERE NOW.

Most NLEs have no problem with the "lower" quality X-AVC S in the Ax-1000.



2. Sony has announced they are going to give firmware upgrades to both camcorders.

The Ax-1000 will get free upgrade from 60 to 100 Mbps in X-AVC S codec.

The x70 will cost $500 to get firmware upgrade to 4K , and still be at 60 Mbps, but with "maybe" another future upgrade to 100 Mbps in the X-AVC L codec.

[Noa Put]

Originally Posted by Tom Grushka

3. Better build quality on the X70

The ax100 also has a very solid feel to it, I don't think there is a difference in the build quality of both camera's.

[Bruce Dempsey]

The Price
lol

[Ron Evans]

The X70 also has timecode and SDI output. Makes it a good match for multicam with higher end cameras. A lot more picture profile controls for matching other cameras and looks as well. If these are important to you and you do not want low frame rate 4K or do no want to take still photos then X70 is better. In stock form I expect the image is almost identical between them. At least I had a hard time telling the difference between my NX30U AVCHD and the X70 XAVC-L side by side and on the Edius timeline. To the point I did not think it was worth upgrading my NX30U for what I do. I had the camera for an evening and shot a stage show side by side with the NX30U so theatre lighting. I also shot in my living room and to me the outcome was the same. The NX30U was just slightly more sensitive too. Neither was as sensitive as my NX5U.

Ron Evans

[Lou Bruno]

FOUND THIS ON THE WEB:

There's a lot of differences, mainly in the ergonomics. The X70 has a completely re-designed hand grip. There is a big fat focus-mag button that sits right under your index finger. A larger zoom rocker and a one-push iris control button just ahead of the zoom rocker. On the rear of the hand grip there is a small joystick that sits under your thumb and controls the menus. The hand grip is much beefier and this makes the camera much easier to hold single handed.

The LCD panel is higher resolution than the AX100 LCD.

Other difference - XAVC 10bit 422 long GOP codec. AVCHD and SD DV.
Future live streaming capability via UStream (1st half 2015).
Full size HDMI and HDSDI
The majority of the buttons are assignable.
6 Picture Profiles, with adjustments of gamma, matrix, detail and aperture.
Menu structure is similar to FS700.
S&Q motion from 1 to 60fps, so you can speed stuff up and slow it down.
Dual card slots that can be controlled independently. You can have dual record with one slot triggered from the handle rec control and the other from the body rec control. Or relay record where as one card fills the camera will switch to the other slot.
Histogram.

The codec is stunning. the 10bit 50Mbps 422 long GoP is squeeky clean, so you can really push the footage in post if you want. Probably just as well as like the AX100 the highlight handling is not the best in the world. After the shoot I discovered that adding in some black gamma in the picture profiles really helps as you can then expose a little lower. Overall you can afford to be slightly under exposed and then bring the footage up in post.

[Paul Anderegg]

>>>>>>>>>>>>6 Picture Profiles, with adjustments of gamma, matrix, detail and aperture.!!!!!!!

BIG FREAKING DEAL!

[John Nantz]

Paul - You didn’t mention the hard stop issue, er …. ‘scuse me, just mis-spoke. I mean, the hard stop “feature”.

On the AX100, for good audio, I’m using the JuicedLink preamp with it’s XLR inputs and controls and the Røde SVM mic in lieu of the camera mic when not using the JuicedLink. It’s a very nice little package.

My wife’s cam just recently had a major malfunction at the County Fair as it’s LCD screen cable seems to have bit the duxt. The screen can only be opened about 45º and then it turns black. That’s the bad news. I could possible fix it by replacing the ribbon cable; however, that’s a lot of work. So, the good news is I get to replace it. But with what?

After looking at small cams with the same battery as the AX100 the FDR-AX33 with it’s B.O.SS system looks like the way to go and I think she’d like it. The sensor is 1/2.3” so not too far off from the AX100. Same cables, cards, etc., smaller and lighter than the 100 so could fit in her purse (or my coat pocket). And, the B.O.SS system would be really good on the boat.

Wondering if the AX33 bokeh will be compatible as a B-cam?

Perhaps next year there’ll be a good upgrade cam for the AX100, hopefully taking NP-Fxxx batteries, and then it’ll become the B-cam. In the meantime I’m enjoying the small form factor but wish I could say the same for ingesting it’s files as that’s still a struggle with PlayMemories.

[Ron Evans]

Originally Posted by Derek McCabe

1. The biggest difference is the codecs:

They both have lower quality AVCHD... but

the X70 also has X-AVC L
the ax100 uses X-AVC S

The X-AVC L is a better codec, but with one HUGE problem. Not many NLEs support that file format native right now. Sony is working on a plugin for Apple Final Cut Pro X, as well as with other NLEs. But it is NOT HERE NOW.

Most NLEs have no problem with the "lower" quality X-AVC S in the Ax-1000.



2. Sony has announced they are going to give firmware upgrades to both camcorders.

The Ax-1000 will get free upgrade from 60 to 100 Mbps in X-AVC S codec.

The x70 will cost $500 to get firmware upgrade to 4K , and still be at 60 Mbps, but with "maybe" another future upgrade to 100 Mbps in the X-AVC L codec.

I am not sure there is any differences in the codecs but the MXF wrapper of XAVC-L compared to MOV wrapper for the AX100 allows different meta data. As to NLE's Edius will edit both with no problems.

[David Dixon]

Some of this is old news - FCPX has natively imported/edited the XAVC-L 1080 for about three months now and since the last FCPX update a couple of weeks ago it now does the same with the XAVC-L 4K.