Hey everyone,

I spent about a week working with the NX5U, and I have to say that I think it's a great camera. If you're familiar with pretty much any pro-level, sub-$10,000 camera, you'll enjoy working with this. Especially if you're familiar with Sony cameras like the Z1, V1, and EX1.

What I like most about it are the image controls are a little easier and less extensive than some of the more modern units, including the Canon HDVs, EX1, Panasonics, etc. I know shooters who just want to set the camera and shoot, not fiddle around for a while trying to change the image to their satisfaction.

Image is great, camera ergonomics (button placement, feel, etc.) is great. I love that there are two menu buttons available (no Cancel? Or did I miss it?) on the left and where the playback/LCD are located. I love that it's just an on and off switch, and to access the files to playback is just a simple button.

Pro-style AVCHD is a great format, and though I wish Final Cut Pro would offer native support--3 GB of shooting data turned into about 20 GB of ProRes 422 full HD video--transferring and processing clips was easy. Of course, you can always save your data and delete processed clips once a project is done. And, well, I'd love to see native QuickTime shooting like the JVC HM-100 and HM-700.

Ultimately, this is a great mid-range, sub-$10,000 camera that does well in low light thanks to its three 1/3-inch CMOS chips, though you can't beat the EX1's 1/2-inch CMOS chips. You get a solid, fantastic camera for $4,000.

I didn't get to use the hard drive, but the 32 GB card loaned to me worked just fine. I even ran the camera for about 5 hours during a special concert video I helped shoot. No overheating worries like with other, similar cameras (including the EX1).

I'll post up some video when I can.

Heath

Heath, I have to agree. I think the images out of the box look like Kodachrome, which I loved using when I used to work as a stills photog.

As soon as the buffer overflow issue gets sorted I'll start singing more complete praise, but until then I still have a couple of reservations -- and the screen info display could use a little tweaking... but these are minor criticisms on a $4k camera!!

Cheers

Adam

Hi, Heath...

When you used FCP's Log and Transfer to convert AVCHD into Pro Res, did the Pro Res successfully preserve the camera source timecode? That would be a big item for me because of the nature of my documentary work.

Also, was your audio PCM or was it Dolby when you brought it in via Log and Transfer? As you may be aware, some have noted very long transcode issues or freezing when PCM is imported into some of the NLEs.

Thanks,

John

@Adam: I completely agree with your criticisms, as well.

@John: I used Dolby because of the issue with importing. Unfortunately, it doesn't look like timecode ports over in the transition to ProRes 422. I don't rely too much on timecode for my day job, but other projects I'd need them, like films, etc.

Heath

if the timecode DOESN'T port over, is that something for Apple to fix?

Adam

I'd hope so! I need to do more research to see if I can import timecode.

Heath

I sure do no know what is the issue you are having.

I've just verified the clip I imported in FCP via "Log and transfer". The timecode is there and I did not make any adjustment.

Once in FCP I double-click on the clip and the image appeared. In getting the sequence to play the timecode (upper right corner of the clip) is there changing. Is this what you are looking for?

I looked in the browser and each clip started at 00:00:00 (and that's not my In and Out points, either). I don't know if it's something I did, or what. Could be a problem on my end.

Heath

Vegas does the same, starting each clip as 0, but Edius reports correct time code over many clips, start and stop just like tape, so that multicam using the timecode sync feature should work fine for sync in multicam mode. Vegas will edit native AVCHD but not at full resolution. I am waiting for Edius 5.5 at NAB so that the native file playback now in Neo will be there. At the moment I convert to Canopus HQ, takes about half realtime an ACT1, 10G file converted into an 86G Canopus fine file, ACT 2 a 5.5G file converted to 62G Canopus file. The total for the show ( two clips one for each ACT) of 1hour and 45 mins transferred to the PC using the Content Management Software, from the FMU128 in 9 mins and converted in about 45 mins. About the same time as the Motion Browser software transfers from my XR500 and SR11 so the FMU is about as fast as the hard drives both likely limited by the USB interface.
Picture is an improvement over the FX1 and is a good match with the XR500 so will mix well together. A little more control to get used to coming from the FX1 but so far I really like it.

Ron Evans

Thanks for the information, Ron. Great to know.

I'll double-check my Final Cut Pro system tomorrow and see what's up.

Heath

Now I know what people means, yes, unfortunately, the timecode start at 0 for eall of the clip. Then there are four possible workaround I could see working. However, each of them would need to be tested to get a better idea of the pro and cons.

1 - Copy and paste all the clip one after the other in a sequence. Select all of those clip in that sequence and nest them. The result will have a timecode which will start at 0 and will keep incrementing to the end without making a difference as where each clip composing the nested one start and stop.

2 - Copy and paste all the clip one after the other in a sequence and uses this sequence to perform video editing.

3 - Copy and paste all the clip one after the other in a sequence. Save that sequence as one clip in creating a .mov file. Use that new mov files to perform video editing.

4 - Reassign manually a timecode at the beginning and end of each clip once there logged and transferred in Final Cut Studio. I've seen it done in previous version of Final Cut Pro. This could be cumbersome when you have many small clips.

5 - For project with multi camera you may want to use PluralEyes. You put all of your clips on a sequence in separate tracks, and within a minute it will reposition all the clips on the timeline and they are all synchronized. PluralEyes uses the audio content of your clips for synchronization to occur. Timecode and manually setting of in/out points is now with the past. If you want to know more go to this web site http://www.singularsoftware.com/downloads.html , download the beta version and look at the video. Quite impressive.

In order to save time, I would probably go with option 5 or a combination of option 3 and 5 if there is a lot of small clips to synchronized. Option 3 might be longer at the beginning but once it's done, it's done. The user should be able to perform the video editing as he would normally do. Video effect should be done and executed more easily and rendering should be more efficient. I do not think the quality of this new original sequence would be less quality than the original ones. It make take a bit of time to save this new sequence in a hard drive but once it's done, it's done.

All of those options need to be tested, this is just a first thought.

I own three NX5U's. it would be great to have the timecode issue fixed, Im sure it will when Apple updates the software. Until then I will be syncing the way I have been in the past, by sight and sound.

Steve Fox

Well, I did my first week-end of shooting and I am very please to say everything went very well.

With one of my NX5U I shot on the FMU HD 720/60p FX and the SDHC card (Panasonic) SD 480/60i FX for close than 10 hrs.

The other one, same thing with a little less filming hours (seven) of shooting.

On both camera, I've shot a lot of 3 to 5 minutes clips and today it was two sequence of 100 minutes. No need to say I was nervous and hoping nothing will append while recording.

So far the image looks very good, I will do a log and transfer this week. I will know better then.

Sounds great, Daniel! I'm looking forward to seeing your results.

Heath

No timecode from the original clips? That means redundant backup of space-eating transcoded media. One of the attractions of this format was the small file size.

So much for this camera....

There is time code you just have to edit on the PC with EDIUS.

Ron Evans

Give it time, I'm sure a FCP update will fix it.

heath

Ron, if I get a chance I'll download the trial and check it out. Though I'm still trying to get used to FCP. For sure I'll upgrade my Avid Xpress to Media Composer after NAB.

Heath, I hear you, but there's no way I would buy a camera hoping that Apple (or Avid) will fix a basic issue like timecode being carried over with importing a clip. I mean, that's just a bizarre limitation.

It makes it look like NXCAM is viewed as a consumer format only.

Yes Heath, I am sure they will all accept the time code in due course.

It isn't the cameras fault it writes timecode and for me using Edius there are no problems( at least when I get the 5.5 update in a few weeks for realtime playback!!!! Neo does it now in realtime. Edius Pro 5.5 in a few weeks at NAB for the full version with full multicam edit)

Ron Evans

Vito. I use Edius 5.12 which recognizes the time code but on my Q9450 will not play in realtime. Others with i7's say it will play realtime. Edius Neo Booster 2.5 will play up to 3 tracks in realtime and the same technology will be introduced into an Edius 5.5 upgrade at NAB. Neo does not have some of the Pro codecs and does not do multicam included in the full version.
Edius multicam will auto assemble based on timecode and real name/numbers on the timeline for multicam editing and with the NX5U's timecode sync function will be a very useful capability.

Ron Evans

Ron, do you mean that Edius imports the native clip with no transcoding, and that it contains the timecode of the original clip? I would guess that if you then chose to transcode (for performance reasons) in Edius, it would retain correct timecode.

My understanding of the problem in FCP is that the clip is being transcoded to ProRes on import, and the resulting ProRes clip does not have the correct timecode.

Vito,

In FCP 7, that is correct. The one saving grace (until the update) is the resulting video clips are called "Clip #1, Clip #2," etc. This can help out with paper edits--you can log the clip names with the timecode.

Heath

Thanks for the info guys.

I use the Sony Content Management software that came with the NX5U to transfer the clips to the PC. These come over as clips NOT FAT 32 files so a 1 hour clip comes over as 1 native AVCHD file with timecode. Edius Neo or Edius Pro will read these files native with timecode and will use these for editing without transcoding. Neo Booster 2.5 will do this realtime now( 3 tracks with an i7 processor) and this same technology is due in Edius Pro with the 5.5 update due in a few weeks. I can use native AVCHD on my Edius 5.12 timeline and scrub the time line but it will only play for a few second before stopping as my Q9450 is just not fast enough.

Ron Evans