Dear Friends,

I have learned that the AF100 has a certain limitation.

If one needs to have the HD-SDI output active, which is the preferred connection to a nanoFlash, then one can have either the LCD or the Viewfinder active.

With both the LCD and the Viewfinder active, the HD-SDI output is turned off.

The HDMI output, however, is always active, even if both the LCD and Viewfinder is active.



It also appears that one can get 1080p23.976 out of the camera (actually it will be 1080psf23.976),
if one goes into the AV In/Out Menu of the AF100 and sets the SDI 24psf menu item on.

AV In/Out Menu

SDI 24psf (set to on)


The above will output 1080psf23.976, and the nanoFlash will see 1080psf23.976 and report 1080sf23 on the nanoFlash's LCD.

With this setting, one does not need to, and should not set the nanoFlashes Video|3:2 Pulldown Removal On, it must be set off.

Thus, at least at this time, with the SDI 24psf set to on, the AF100 does not appear to be adding 3:2 pulldown, thus the nanoFlash does not have to remove it.

Please note that not all monitors can handle 24psf.

It appears that the AF100 can output 1080p24 with Pulldown added. which would be compatible with more monitors.

At this time I do not know all of the settings in the AF100 so that it will add 3:2 Pulldown, but I am certain that the SDI 24psf option will have to be off.

Hmmm interesting Dan.

Is it possible in the menus to set it to only use LCD or VF or do you always run the risk of losing the SDI if you open the LCD?

Also does the NanoFlash trigger recording OK off the HDMI or do you need separate timecode in that case?

Dave

Dear Dave,

HDMI does not carry timecode.

The AF100 does have timecode out and timecode in, but on unusual connectors, I do not know yet if the timecode signal is standard or not.

I think we need to use an RCA to BNC adapter and then test if with one of our timecode input cables.

But, HD-SDI has timecode.

I have not studied the camera enough to determine how one activates the VF. Maybe it is very the menu system.

The timecode out of the AF-102 (Aust version - should be the same as the others) on the video connector is not constant. It is only present when in the timecode menu so you can jam sync to other devices, once you exit the menu the timecome signal disappears and it becomes a standard composite video signal (a bit of a pain if you were planning on using a timecode reader for logging)

Timecode is embedded in the SDI signal all the time and the NF has no problem reading this.
The viewfinder blanks out when you open the monitor - doesn't seem to affect the SDI signal - and reappears when the monitor is closed. (It's a pretty awful viewfinder, I've just got a Cineroid EVF which is looking good so far & can plug into the NF so you know you are recording)

Early days yet - still playing

Dear Rohan,

Thank you for the very helpful information.

Your information helped me understand the AF100 and I am certain that it will help others.

The viewfinder blanks out when you open the monitor - doesn't seem to affect the SDI signal - and reappears when the monitor is closed.
Early days yet - still playing

Actually there's a setting in the menu that controls this behaviour and may be what you were noticing Dan.
You can set it to swap between VF and LCD, but only one at a time, or you can set it to have the VF ALWAYS on, in which case it stops outputting SDI.

Clearly you would NEVER want it in that latter setting if you are using an external recorder.

It's in the DISPLAY SETUP screen and it's called EVF MODE. You want it set to AUTO and not to ON.

Phew! that was sounding pretty drastic, but it's good to know it's just a menu setting issue.

Dave

Dear Dave,

Thank you, this is a relief.

Dear Friends,

In my original post in this thread, I stated the following, which is not accurate:

With both the LCD and the Viewfinder active, the HD-SDI output is turned off.



Mr. Barry Green, a true expert on the AF100, has sent me the following information:

You said that the VF+LCD could result in the camera turning the SDI off. That's not true, that's backwards. There is no combination that will turn the SDI off. The only way to turn the SDI off is for the user to go into the menus and manually turn it off.

What will happen is, if you have the SDI turned on, then you can't have both viewfinder and LCD. You can have one or the other, but not both. If you need both to be active simultaneously, that's when you have to go in and turn the SDI off.

Point being, there is no peril, it will never turn the SDI output off, only the user can disable the SDI.

However, there is a case of where the HDMI could be disabled. There is no menu item for disabling HDMI, but if you turn on the HD-SDI 24PsF function, that will disable the HDMI.

Hope that helps clear things up,

BG


Barry, thank you! I am very happy that there is no danger of the SDI being turned off by opening the LCD.