I just received my EX1R from B&H which will replace my EX1.

Some initial observations:

-the new power switch is much better than the old one
-the "Maintenance" mode cannot be entered with the Menu-Cancel-Sel/Set buttons
-Camera files recorded by the EX1 cannot be read from an SxS card by the EX1R
-a 1/100 shutter setting has been added to 30p recordings
-a "soft stop" setting has been added to the top handle zoom button
-a "Version Up" setting has been added to the menu settings

I use a Zoe lens controller that worked great with the EX1. I'm seeing some "halting" operation with the EX1R. The zooming doesn't stop. It just seems to momentarily slow down. Seems to be more prevalent on zoom-ins than zoom outs. Seems to be worse with partial depression of the Zoe rocker switch.

Carroll Lam

Carroll,

What firmware version is your EX1R?

I picked up mine from Access AV yesterday.

I really like the new lens handle.

I noticed Sony removed any zoom setting lower than 8, there are two symbols that come up if you try to set them (* and _) and it does not go slower when those are showing. My EX3 can be set to 1, and it works reaalyy slow smoooth zoom. This may be a way for Sony to cover up jittery zoom motors.

The tripod plate with dual tapped holes is a huge improvement.

My stronger EX1 plate still works just fine with a minor mod.

The Orange background on the switches is really nice and the ND dial works better.

All in all it really is an amazing package with a very light small form factor.

I will post more as I get to use it more.

What firmware version is your EX1R?

V1.0

Carroll Lam

It would be a little disappointing to me to lose the slow zoom speeds, but the bigger concern I would have is about not being able to get into the service menu to perform the flange back calibration. Would not matter if it just shipped correctly calibrated I suppose, but my EX1 needed this calibration which was easy to do, and check.

Thanks Carroll,

Version 1.0 probably means that the firmware is not compatible with the old EX1, which is a shame. I hope to be corrected on this by someone like Alister who may know more, but it doesn't sound promising.

Different hardware, different firmware. EX3 also has different firmware. That doesn't preclude firmware updates to match those features than might be possible within the limits of hardware.

EX1 would not be able to have SD recording. It might be able to have cache recording though.

No one has mentioned the viewfinder. ???

The viewfinder is a huge improvement. You really can see to focus especially when you "expand the focus".

I really like it more than using the Hoodman.

I have an EX3 as well, I must say that with this viewfinder the EX3 lost one of its big advantages.

How about the ergonomics of the new handgrip position?

Had heard that the lateral CoG has changed so it's no longer quite such a wrist-ache. Have one forearm a different shape to the other in the meantime, but would be fascinated to know where the new grip measures 'on a scale of 1-10'.

I asked about cache on the EX1 and apparently the EX1R has 15 seconds of RAM for the cache, so I doubt any kind of cache will ever be available on the EX1 and EX3.

When I used the EX1R I thought the new viewfinder was a big improvement over the old one, but still not in the same class as the EX3 finder or EX1 LCD.

if someone can put some video, compared EX1 and EX1R.images that contain elements that can clearly see the lack of contamination IR :-)
Thanks

I asked about cache on the EX1 and apparently the EX1R has 15 seconds of RAM for the cache, so I doubt any kind of cache will ever be available on the EX1 and EX3.
Based on what I know I raised the question although I don't know Sony's current position on this. I'll just say that I believe it is possible event though it probably wouldn't be 15 seconds if it transpires.

Based on what I know I raised the question although I don't know Sony's current position on this. I'll just say that I believe it is possible event though it probably wouldn't be 15 seconds if it transpires.

I'd be happy with just five seconds.

Ever since the MRI, I lost my ability to see into the future, so a pre-record cache would really help! :-)

The other upgrade that would be nice: Replace the old IR filter with the one used in the EX1r. I'd be willing to pay a fair price to get both done.

So - has anyone done any tests shooting in SD? How does it look compared to Clip Browser downressed 720P50? How does it compare to the large HDCAM cameras?!

Curious...

I just received my EX1r and got to play with it today. There are a lots of subtle but useful design improvements and all the new added features are fantastic. My favorites in order of importance:

- The new color viewfinder
- The redesigned hand grip
- button and switches redisign

These make the EX1r a heck of a compact HD camera and certainly the reference for this market segment.

Thierry.

my two cents-

The viewfinder is much better, and the larger eye cup is nice.

The card slot door feels very flimsy.

The hand grip is missing the thumb support found on the original model, don't know why removed that.

S&Q record button will be very useful, as will cache record.

Power switch is indeed better.

Don't know really why they don't attach the second shoe. I'm gonna have to go buy a jewelers screwdriver to put the thing on.

The card slot door feels very flimsy.

I totally agree - and your point about the handgrip.

But a little anecdote about that new door. A friend has recently broken the door on his EX1. Apparently the repair is about £500 because the camera has to be pretty much stripped to get access.

I guess the new Flimsy Door is designed to fail in a much cheaper way.

"I guess the new Flimsy Door is designed to fail in a much cheaper way."

Here's hoping you're right. Hopefully the first person to break the thing off will report the cost. Also, in addition to my original stuff; it's really too bad that the cache record feature won't work in S&Q mode (unless I misread something), as that's where I could really use it.

Merry Christmas and all the rest.... back to the Scotch for me, hey, it's a holiday...

ive noticed that noone that has the r version has commented on whether its better designed ergonomically. the ex1 is useless for handholding on shoots. has sony indeed improved this on the r or is it just slightly better, thus, its still not beneficial handholding for long periods. it still requires one of the shoulder adaptors or tripod/monopod.
input appreciated.

Even with an improved hand grip any camera of that approximate design would benefit greatly with a shoulder brace. The second point of support, along with the increased length, would reduce the amount of "pitch" and "roll", and that would make for a much more stable image.

I use a CAVision shoulder brace and many have commented the shots look like there's some sort of stabilizer in use.

First impressions? Remember i have never been at this level before, nor dealt with any of this line.
Ergonomics sucks horrible, i knew it would, i have a chest stick now, and plan on getting shoulder brace, and putting battery/wireless/ext recorder on other side of shoulder to both create shoulder brace, and to balance better on shoulder.

It is a lot heavier than i thought it was based on user input, mostly because of the consumerish way it is held, and the nice lens and all, not knocking it, it isnt toy weight.

It has a lot harder time in low light than it Sounded when talked about and shown, i guess the pics and vids were with Gains and shutter and in the big city with lotsa light still.

Dudddeee the machine focusing for me aint never gonna happen
the One shot focus does ONE SHOT, and stops even if you have it held down
the one shot focus is way the freak down the lens
the macro should be out of that area , so it doesnt get accidentally switched. If your doing macro shots, you usually have Time, so put the live stuff in accessable locations,ad put the shot blowers out of the way.

The zoom is noisey but again i knew it would be like a broadcast lens

The Strap for the grip, is going into, to thin of plastic , which would be fine for holding just the camera, but add the shoulder stuff i will be putting on and the fact that that strap ends up being used extensivly when One Hand swinging the camera down and up for a handheld break, there is going to be a lot of pressure on it.

I dont like the back viewer, the diopter lens and viewer combo doesnt feel as clean as it could.

The safe area line around the View, would be nice to HAVE there, but all the overlay display items are the same color stark white, and so the 90% safe area crashes right into most of the rest of the display. a different color would be helpfull.
The guide frame, which on the last camera was only one box, is a Grid that is to buzy for continual live shooting, and in low light it bascially ruined my ability to see what was going on with the rest of the screen. they could have provided at least a way to tone down the overlay display, so i can still see it but it doesnt get in my face.

The thing is pumping out a lot of heat, out the processing section on the back, beings i am in california , reliable use in 105*f i would fear. Now it is Great to have great cooling (dont get me wrong) i would want the heat to Leave, it just seems like a lot of it, and so i worry about it handling a excess to begin with.

they did the stupid heat the battery trick that is being done in CellPhones and PDAs, where the processors and stuff end up adding additional heat to the battery pack, that is el-stupedo for Li-Ion battteries which it will reduce thier life, no to mention raise the possiblity for thermal cutoff. The battery is recieving to much heat from the processing section. I am certannly going to use an external on the back of the shoulderpad.

I read the power consumption specs, but it ripps through a battery the Weight of say a 960 in 1/4th the time as a old DV cam would. so i think the power specs are a bit underrated for having things on and recording and all, small camera not small power at all.

Menu Redesign for sony is Still in order, the layout is terrible, they need more top menu items, so less items are in the sub menues, and the things need to be organised into sub menues. and profiles should be ALSO accessable in the normal menu even if its stuffed in sub-menu, there is a seperate button for it.

Thankfully you can hop in and out of menu easily and dont have to crawl back down to find where you were, thankfully they added a cancel button, so when your 6 feet down in the sub menu you can jump back up without rolling back to return.

Menu roller and joystick buttons are an improvement, but not improved enough, i didnt need the plaback controls at all, if they had tossed a D-Pad in there would be fine with me. if direct menu is how i will now control items live, then remove the HDCAM LOGO and put a descent control there instead. Playback controls potentially could be on the other side, after all you CANT shoot and play back at the same time.

Direct menu stuff is awesome, and does address some of the issues of thier nasty menus that keep getting more and more stuff in them, many items can be directally controlled on the Viewer (so to speak) without having to go into them menu. still prefer solid buttons and dials for that stuff, but it works.

Camera stabeliser is not large range like consumer cameras, i would have liked the 3 settings for it in the 270 better. it doesnt do a lot, just right for pros, but wouldnt be so good for normal humans trying. AUto focus has a even worse time when stabeliser is also on.

Buttons that I (me) dont use, it is great that they are hard to operate, but buttons that i do use often, shouldnt be so difficult to find and guess which they are without looking, an obvious familiarity problem. sure the 3 rings are in the same place, but nothing else is :-)

AE exposure adjustment , on the 270 i had read it would go 7 steps in either direction, my old 250 4 steps in either direction, this thing is back to 2 each direction? i would have preferred more Auto Iris adjustment control like a broadcast camera, without the stupid backlight spotlight junk, which does extend the range of AE exposure adjustement. The 250 allowed for continual altering of the auto iris without going manual and adjusting for everything.
so just like focus i bet i am going to have to control the Iris manual too, a virtual continual operation for stuff i do.

White balance, same thing, sure switch between the 3 , but why couldnt i have rolled a temperature in on any one of them, without going into the menu. take the preset item, select push jog button to left or right, and have instant temperature correction, leave the other 2 A&B locked where they were.

nothing about the files is normal for computers, every AVi ever made has had a simple header structure on the front of it that sort of makes them compatable with everything, they will write all the stuff out for everything about the camera and all, but 5 files and no descent header on the main video file, isnt very smart, this is just like everything, programming in html :-) the file structure should have been kept simple, all that stuff still has to be written out anyways, less is more, simple is less likly to corrupt.

handgrip rotation is awesome.
extended focus position on hand grip looks hard to reach, but it is in a perfect place.
Manuel controls of lens is awesome.
shutter control Can be done with the direct menu
Perfectally balances on the tripod, untill i add all the stuff it will need :-)
and many other wonderfull features you can read in sales brochures

I will be trying to use the camera 100% non-stop LIVE, no looking glancing seeking or playing around trying to locate or fight things, adjustments for me have to be done while still tracking subjects non-stop.
These are the first things that Hit me, before I can control the item properly, and doesnt have anything to do with how i will feel a week from now, or with a different as bad or worse unit.

ive noticed that noone that has the r version has commented on whether its better designed ergonomically. the ex1 is useless for handholding on shoots. has sony indeed improved this on the r or is it just slightly better, thus, its still not beneficial handholding for long periods. it still requires one of the shoulder adaptors or tripod/monopod.
input appreciated.

The redesigned grip of the EX1r is definetely an improvement. I would not describe the EX1 handholding abilities as "useless". It actually works quite well in many situations and over the time, I have learn how to best handhold it. The key is to really play with the grip rotation adjustment. You should also try to use your left arm with its elbow against your chest to support the front of the lens "a la still photographer".

If you are looking for something that feel more balance and confortable on the shoulder, you should be looking at the EX3 (although, I am not certain the EX3 is that well balanced...) or the new PMW-350.

Thierry.

the ex1 is useless for handholding on shoots.


Tiring, but not remotely useless. It's easy to get good shots handheld with the EX1

I concur.

This will not be a common viewpoint, but right now, I prefer the handgrip and hand holding position of my original EX1 to the EX1-R.

Due to the size and shape of my lower arm, wrist and paw, I could rest the HD-SDI bump on the wrist/upper arm, and the raised hump on the grip gave me some leverage to offset the desire for it to droop to the left. There was a way of holding the camera jammed into the space above the collarbone and supporting the camera underneath with the left hand that just worked for me. And the EX1-R isn't quite there. At the moment, that is.

But muscle memory can be like that.

And don't get me started about the record button.

There is so much to like about the camera that I feel really silly griping on about these micro-differences. But it probably means that I will have to sell my EX1 and some other gear to fund a new EX1-R (gotta have two).

There are certain factors with larger sensors such as heat dissipation and optical elements size that define the camera's weight and form factor. The EX1 is currently the lightest and most compact HD 1/2" camera in the market. I chose the EX1 because I use the format mainly for secondary filming and for this, I need a smaller camera but still need footage that is a good match to my F800 and XDCAM HD 422. Rigging the EX1 with a cumbersome shoulder mount system was never an option as I want to keep the EX1 sort of lean and mean. For cameramen wishing to use the EX1 in "run and gun" environments I would advise to keep it light, practice and do a bit of specific weight training. Back in September, prior to go on a long assignment in Afghanistan for Nat Geo, I just did that and it made a big difference. That is a small price to pay for the sizeable gain in image quality of 1/2" cameras over smaller sensors.

Thierry.

I have found this useful for taking some of the strain out of handheld shots - have used it with the Nano mount from Olof Ekbergh and it is workable. http://www.hoodmanusa.com/prodinfo.asp?number=H%2DWS1

Argggg, Does anybody have any tips on feeding 2 signals out ?
HDMI and HD/SDI but aparentally not at the same Time?
SD down convert but without HD monitoring?

in the menu system i am seeing , you get this OR this , OR this, not any of them at the same time. (gotta love the Notes: sections of sony manuels as its the only thing you needed to know to begin with)

ComPonent monitoring, with HD/SDI switcher output, is the only configuartion i can think of for 2 HD at one time?
I dont see any possibility for HD monitoring and shooting, with SD display devices comming off of it.
When HDMI is on, there isnt other outputs, HDMI undoubtedly has to conform to specific output it is allowed. I assume is 60i. (when NTSC)

Composite monitoring, with HD/SDI siwtcher output, is the only configuartion i can think of for 2 HD at one time?

There comes a point where one needs to choose between post-rigor mortis equine flagellation and a Distribution Amplifier (DA).

i screwed that up and corrected it. i meant component.

does the EX-3 have the capability for monitor outputs out of say the S, or composite while still doing a HD/SDI out ?

Yes there comes a point where i have to replace Everything :-) adapt to stuff with crasy $500 boxes, and figure out how to interface to other systems that are built INTO buildings sometimes. I dont mind the boxes and thier prices (after all they can be repeaters of sorts) but that just adds in powering them too, or AC crud flying around.

Distribution with Digital signals ought to be nice, but getting a simple Monitor output to anything , would have been nicer, and portable. like if they had a HDMI that would operate at the same time as the SDI/HD , even if it was FORCED to be stuck at one res/rate like 60i

other stuff were seeing with digital, and digital conversions is frame delay, at each processing/converions oh just 50-100ms , just enough that the audio (say house or original) and the video dont match. a few frames here and there :-) no problem right.

its the 'ol well you can do this and this and this and that, just dont try to do any of it at the same time :-)

Marty,

You get HDSDI and HD Component and down converted Composite (always SD) with choice of squeeze, crop or letterbox, in the new EX1R, in the EX3 and EX1 you get S (always SD) as well I think (I never use S, composite is more accurate).

Ok i am setting up 4of5 monitors, HDMI , Video , YRB, and a DV to see the DV output. no SDI :-(
HDMI - Consumer LCD tv
Video - Consumer video monitor
YRB - Component to Consumer LCD tv
DV - DV camera
(there is no S output that i can find on the camera.)

When HD format is selected 1080-60i:

DV-output, stays steady non-stop (no mater what the other stuff is set for) as long as DVCAM output is on *
If downconverting to DV, only the SD HDMI or Component output works.
If downconverting to HDV, the HD signals for HDMI or Component do still work.

HDMI- Only shows when switched to HDMI, no video, no YRB available at that time.

YRB - only shows when switched to Component no Video shows at the same time, no HDMI at the same time

Video - only on when output its switched to composite , HDMI and YRB are both gone


*DV has its usual massive video/audio delay, making a breakout from DV usless for realtime live display when integrated with live audio.
HDMI digital connection has only like a 1 frame delay.

The EX1R dropped S video and has HDMI instead.

As far as I know the iLink is only if you use HDV at 1440 x 1080. I know that is the way it is on the EX3 and I think it is the same on the EX1R.

You actually have to disable SDI to get iLink to work on the EX3. I will check the manual on the EX1R to see if it is the same.

You could loop the component or composite through a couple monitors, I guess your consumer monitors don't loop signals so get a signal splitter for the composite signal.

Or you may have a tape deck you can run the signal through and hook one monitor to S and one to composite out of the deck. SDI will loop a signal as well, I know you don't have SDI though.

Added edit:

From the EX1R Manual p.138

When an HDV-compatible video format (SP
1440/60i, SP 1440/50i, or SP 1440/24P) or a
DVCAM-compatible video format (format of SD
Mode) is selected, setting the “i.LINK I/O” of the
OTHERS menu to “HDV” or “DVCAM” enables
signal inputs/outputs via the i.LINK(HDV/DV)
connector.
You can record the same images as those
recorded on an SxS memory card in this
camcorder on an external device connected to the
i.LINK(HDV/DV) connector, or record playback
pictures (HDV streams) of the external device on
the memory card in the camcorder.
For playback, DVCAM streams of 16-bit 2-
channel lock audio are acceptable.
Nonlinear editing conforming to the HDV format
is also enabled.

and p.135:

Note
If input/output at the i.LINK (HDV/DV)
connector are enabled (page 138), no signal is fed
out from the SDI OUT connector.

ahhh.
ok i added some stuff.
and i was able to downconvert to DV when the camera is still recording in 1920 (as far as i can tell) not sure about aspect or cropping yet.

Having the I-Link ON DV SD downconvert, DID effect the HD capability of the outputs, they would only do SD then (even though both are selectable). When downconverting HDV the HD&SD output selections work as expected. *
Turning off the I-Link totally, did not effect the fact that you can not have your Video or HDMI or YRB all at Once. you only get one of those at a time.

and as that note points out, you probably cant have I-Link and SDI both either.

*normal for sony, would have been to disable the selection of the HD-HDMI or HD-YRB as outputs, when the i-link is downconverting to DV, beings they did not work then. Only the SD-HDMI or SD-YBR worked then.

geez and just when i thought i could say it less confusing than the manuel does :-)

Other stuff i wanted to know:

Low/no light performance, compared to PD250 & Vx2000 type DV 3xCCD camera (these were very low light capable for 3CCD)
at 6DB gain, both struggling with minimal lighting, both relativly as noisey. After dv conversion, both relative in being able to see stuff in the low light.
Gain differentials beyond that, have big differences, but both look so bad with higher gains after SD conversion . . . whatever. like the 18Db gain with factory settings on the ex1r is completly useless, on the dv cam it is usable but again i would prefer dark to that much noise, so it is useless too.
If you use the old 3CCD low light sony stuff (vrses the cannon) this is basically the same sort of low-light capability in HD, unlike some of the older HD and HDV CCD cams.

DV to DV comparisons:
When originating in HD, the ex1r make a slightly better SD DV output than the DV cam, when originating in SD, they look a lot more similar, the Ex1r has better color and is handling lighting situations better than the dv camera (in HD), noticably so. I have not checked the effects of compressing 4times as much, as the view is straight out of the camera.

zoom
the zoom length on the dv cam will go closer than the HD camera, even though its zoom is only 12x (the HD cam is 14x) the HD working more on the Wider side. Inconsequential differences even for us when stuffed in the back of a venue.

So would i use either of the cams for SD crud, in low light, when stuffed to far back from the subjects, yes but they sure wouldnt Mix well, Ex1r has much better color correctness.
Would I care if doing all SD that i had shot originally in HD, NO, the customer had better upgrade.

Chopped up blacks :
not, didnt see this , the LCD screen on the cam has a critical view area, like all LCD screens of that size. depending on the angle, can change how it looks, but the blacks on the output are still quite there. The EVF is almost worse for clipping more blacks than are seen on output.
EX: look into the lcd viewer straight or below it, and black velvet is all gone to black, look at the viewer above it a bit and you can see some of what you missed, look on even a LCD monitor output, and every aspect of the black velvet from one end to the other shows up just fine. (the black was part of a whole picture not adjusted for black to be grey)
(this is all on factory settings) the lcd viewer on cam (default) will represent a picture that is not totally usefull to how it might look on 20 other things (as usual).
I think i will adjust the LCD to guess what it might look like on other tv items.

Grip Zoom rocker
3 times while shooting today, i got caught by a runaway zoom, a mere touch of the rocker and it will Zoom-In , zoom out is the usual few mm of movement before engagement.
I had to learn to keep my slimey hands off the rocker. with other rockers, i will often be ready with the zoom, and rough on the rocker too. Other rockers have had more Play before zoom engagement, so to be ready to zoom i had to have it pre-pressurized in the direction i was going, so i could do a controlled zoom.

with this here cam, a touch of the zoom rocker in the IN direction sets it off, but it takes some movement before it starts doing the zoom Out.
it is as if the Detent position is offset from the spring detent.

add to that, the zoom at slow IN is spastic, the human is trying to control it, but it seems to go off and do its own Digital thing without me. I wish they would allow for zoom to be Variable still but set to low, med and high. with crash zooms done manually at the lens.

I am tempted to take it apart and shift some stuff around a bit, even if it takes glue and foam tape to do so :-)

from tape to tapless:
Dream on, the idea of not having a roll back anymore, instant start and stop, instant recording and all You now have to wait for the computer/camera to boot (longer startup) Yaaawwn, your supposed to wait till a write is completed before you can just hit the record button again, it still takes time to view the playback (thumbnails), rec-review is faster. Before it was tape backroll, now its cache clearing, replace one with the other.
You no longer have to sit on the same hunk of tape grinding it into dropouts while waiting for a shot.
Impatient Camera person 0 , Impatient camera 1. It will sit there waiting for the shot till the battery runs out, Start stop start stop, boom boom boom, without clearing the cache and finishing write, Everything recorded and played back FINE. I would hate to see what happens when it doesnt , but it does respond in an instant.

Color:
default, the scene i set up looks on the LCD tv almost exactally as it does with the eyes. I am surprised more by the LCD tv :-) than the camera . with the color on the LCD on "VIVID" it has a bit more color than the original scene. with the LCD tv on "STANDARD" is has a little less color than the original scene.
With the LCD color set on MY settings "expert2" a balance between the over and under, and what i had it set for to use, it had the same color as the original scene.
The black velvet indeed is brown/black :-( and there was no 3D .

i have a picture of the original and the tv, but because the digital still camera had more problems with color than the EX1r i guess the picture is useless :-)

Spotlight compensation, and AE Auto iris adjustment. (special circumstances)
The "spotlight" setting is more reactionary during actual spotlight occurances, on the other cameras it could be used as an overall AE lowering, even without an spotlight in use.

Auto iris seems to be weighted to about 70% in the center of the picture, covering more on the horizontal than the vertical. so your spotlighted subject , kept centered, will be happy.
but as you allow screen movement and the person leans to the left and right of the screen (where they are almost falling off the screen) then the iris will go too bright.
so basically the AE turned the measly 1Fstop down, with spotlight correction, is sufficent for properly tracked items, and will allows for the movement of the person in the direction of thier travel.

my WIDE view however, sees the spotlight as just some overbright thing that is taking so little of the pixels up that it is ignored, and therfore a complete whiteout.

Wide view must be on Manual iris, with dark backgrounds or the usual horrible theatre lighting there is no other choice, there is not enough AE compensation to roll down far enough.
tracking close view must keep subject slightly more centered but can still allow for screen move, and auto iris with spotlight compensation will work.

of course that would be similar if you had a light glowing in your picture, you wanted the camera to ignore, if its off to the edges of the screen or small ammount of pixels taken up by it , it will be ignored, and the rest of your picture will be worried about.

I did not find any AE AREA settings, as seen on the other cameras? where you can set the area that the AE works in. Like ignoring the sky or ignoring the ground, or ignoring the edges. if anyone knows where the AE "Zone" settings are , please do tell.

Handle Zoom. The handle zoom speed WILL go lower than 8, it just doesnt show numbers below 8. it reverts to charachters - ^ _ trying to tell me how stupid i am for going that low.

at 3or4 (cant quite tell) the zoom speed is Very slow, and still fully functional (on this camera), below that it acts spastic again just like the Grip zoom does at its lowest setting. I am beggining to think that my (lack of) skill with the grip zoom has to do with the camera not the blood pumping through my finger :-)

I am beggining to think that my (lack of) skill with the grip zoom has to do with the camera not the blood pumping through my finger :-)

Check out this thread:

http://www.dvinfo.net/forum/sony-xdcam-ex-cinealta/144996-jerky-zoom-sonys-reply-normal.html

ND Filter:
When switching the ND filter, make sure it clunks good into it's place.
Somehow one of my test shots ended up with a very small part of the ND filter wheel in my frame. on a subsequent shoot, while trying to switch it without clunking noises, i did the same thing again , and noticed it immediatly, as much of the wheel was still in my frame.
From that moment on, i would Clunk it hard and check it well.
that could keep someone from doing that when it is important.

Clip-Browser software:
ok so now i can finnaly see anything on the computer that i shot, as i was watching it on the camera Via the HDMI. the browser is nice and intuitive.
The clip browser software makes a DV downconvert that is terrible? looks far worse than any original SD DV i have ever shot? If i am going to Downconvert i need something that will do it better even if it takes much more time to do so?
I cant find a way to Play ALL out of the clip browser?
I am not finished reading the clip browser manual, but the manuel is so full of complications i think i am going to have to start taking notes. I want to comprehend the least i NEED, and keep from Re-De-Compressions whenever possible.
Is there a simple WIndows XDcam codec that makes the playing of this stuff on the computer simple like every other codec in the world?

Distance that a Cell Phone induces noise into the camera:
This is a huge problem for some devices. based only on the camera itself, a cell phone (transmitting) did not induce noise till it was rediculously close to the camera, then it was induced into the Audio at about 3" from the mic area (i assume analog audio area).
so unless i am taking calls while still running the camera itself, doesnt seem to be a problem. When using Digital output. component output could be different, being analog.

Distance that a FRS radio induces noise into the camera:
FRS type headsets can be a problem when very close to some devices, it is a much smaller transmission than a cell phone, and didnt cause any problems. Switched to GMRS same thing , no visable problems, even right next to the camera.
Having a FRS wireless communication device on the belt (for example) is not a worry.

Does not include any wireless mic testing.
seems to be much better sheilded (or more digital) than other stuff is, if the operators/audience is not stuffing thier devices right up next to the camera, the camera itself doesnt seem to have issues with this like others can.

More Crasy tests
The start Stop, start stop, . . etc test: Passed with flinging colors.

Reading about other memory controllers, and cache writing out and all that good stuff, and being a person who attempts to edit in the camera itself, i had to test the reliability and speed and what is and isn't recorded on hot fast recording/editing in cam.
I set up a Timer , shot it with the camera, and tried to record specific numbers on the timer . I would record the seconds 1-5 but not 6-10. another person watched the Chips write led to see what it was up to.
it recorded on the chip exactally as i had pressed the button, we noticed that 5 seconds was also enough time to finish the write/buffering on the SxS memory card.

Then i had to take it a step further, for those gotta have it pause-whip pan-Unpause moments. so i tested recording all seconds 1-9 but not the 10th second. Still it recorded exactally as i had intended, even with the cache and buffers not having cleared and finished. the light remained RED when i started the next recording, and it still got the recording done on my mark everytime.

test not done yet with adapted SDHC memory.

Good work Marty, problems with contamination of IR? thanks for posting

http://www.dvinfo.net/forum/sony-xdcam-ex-cinealta/469837-pmw-ex1r.html <-- comparison here. Matt Daviss

i have little to compare to on the IR contamination, as i have never seen that Discussed before looking into the XD-Cam line, and i would bet that my SD cams have some of that too.

in my tests, the Black velvet background is not fully black/grey but instead black/brown, but at the next levels up of black (for me would be black pants Against a black background) i dont see any problem. but i will freak out later when some grooms black tux is going brownish. then mabey just crunch the blacks a bit in post, or remove colors from the dark areas. right now i would prefer that colors in the dark show up in rotten lighting conditions. I dont like putting on ANY glass in front of my lens, unless i must, reflections, reduced low-light, noise on the glass, all that stuff i would have a bigger problem over than the slight brownish in the black.

when on the stage some dork will put Black dancers against a black background, i can actually HOPE for some "contamination" to seperate the 2 :-)

Dux1.jpg (http://home.comcast.net/~TVV0/Dux1.jpg) Default settings, 6100k interlace converted.
with the eyes when the malards turn around the green head is blue, whatever??? its a pic, and i should have shown more pics.

the dog donated some of his mangled toys, this gets configured many different ways, to attempt simulations of screwey situations.
MiniStage.jpg (http://home.comcast.net/~TVV0/MiniStage.jpg) Defaults Halogen incan lighting 2800k setting, Interlace both feilds still, light is purposfully offset, we make it even worse than this for testing.

the camera chose those temperatures, and there is no white offset in play, I choose differentaly when manually setting.

Thanks, I had my EX1.I sold and I want to buy in February EX1R.Here you see that picture does not show an IR contamination, is ok :-)

Peaking:
This isnt your grandfathers peaking :-) On all the CRT peaking monitors/viewers we have used peaking was a super sharpening thing that got sort of grainey sharp when you were in focus.
If you were used to this type of peaking, this isnt the same at all.

This is more like "digital" peaking, it finds sharp contrast areas, and highlights them :-( I dont like it much, if there is no sharp contrast bright type areas, you cant tell if your in focus with this type of peaking. and if there are a lot of sharp contrast areas, it will highlight them even if the pic is a bit soft.

Because it is more based on contrasty areas, and not based on sharpness of focus in all areas, I have no idea what the heck is going on. As the totality of the subject matter, lighting, and things that have different pictures changes, what gets highlighted changes. Perfect for that studio shot, or single sameness stuff. Bad to think your going to depend or use this peaking when the subjects stuff is all different, you will never know where you are at.

So for all of you not familliar with the new wizz bang version of peaking, surprise surprise, another digital revelution that doesnt mimic its analog counterpart.
If your shooting all sorts of different stuff, and depending on this type of peaking to assist you , It will just confuse and befuddle you instead :-) Oh My is it out of focus ?? who knows :-)