That's good to know and I'm glad Sony is still putting it on cameras ... thanks

I have the 760 and use the A/V connector with a LANC adapter but my varizooms don't work. Manfrotto LANC controlers work fine for some reason. One thing nobody is really talking about is the Balanced Optical Steadyshot, it is amazing how steady it is. You can get a glidecam shot by hand! Also the 760 does com with a hood.

Dan

[QUOTE=Dan Asseff;1738403]One thing nobody is really talking about is the Balanced Optical Steadyshot, . . . . Also the 760 does com with a hood. [QUOTE]

1. Actually, a lot of us have mentioned the the Balanced OIS as a feature that makes both the CX/PJ 760 and NX30 tempting,

2. Mind telling us where did you bought a 760 with a Sony hood? Just asking because I've seen no references to a hood for either the CX or PJ 760 at Sony or B&H.

On the Sony webpage under "Specifications", if you scroll down to "Weights and Measurements" it lists the dimensions and adds "(Including lens hood)."

96GB Full HD Camcorder with Projector | HDR-PJ760V | Sony USA (http://store.sony.com/webapp/wcs/stores/servlet/ProductDisplay?catalogId=10551&storeId=10151&langId=-1&productId=8198552921666415446#specifications)

Thanks. The page also lists a "lenshood" as "in the box" for the HDR-PJ760v.

[QUOTE=Dan Asseff;1738403]One thing nobody is really talking about is the Balanced Optical Steadyshot, . . . . Also the 760 does com with a hood. [QUOTE]

1. Actually, a lot of us have mentioned the the Balanced OIS as a feature that makes both the CX/PJ 760 and NX30 tempting,

2. Mind telling us where did you bought a 760 with a Sony hood? Just asking because I've seen no references to a hood for either the CX or PJ 760 at Sony or B&H.

I own a CX760. I does in fact have the same lens hood as the NX30 and it does also have AGC limiting like the NX30.

Ironically, the CX760 allows for auto gain limit yet it never displays any "gain" values while shooting. You can only see what your gain "was" after you watch it in playback mode...lol. (otherwise its called "exposure" during shooting)

This I'm sure will confuse all soccer moms, grandparents and any other "consumer Handycam" market Cx760 shooter everywhere. (oh wait,...and NX30 pro market shooters too!)

All NXCAM branded cameras should allow for the 3 most basic functions camera control: shutter, iris and gain. (extremely basic stuff)

And don't tell me "Handycams" just don't ever do that.....VG20 and AX200 do today!

This NXCAM crippling tactic is a bad marketing mistake on Sony's part. It screams: "NXCAM is not a serious "pro" brand if it has cams with locked BASIC functions"

CT

I don't think I have seen mentioned yet another possible difference between the NX30 and the CX/PJ760V and that is the "Fixed" mode of the balanced optical steady shot.

This is from a European Sony website I found in a Google search for the NX30:
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"To optimize the effect of Balanced Optical SteadyShot™, the HXR-NX30E features a FIXED SHOT mode. Press a button and this expands the movable range of the optical block to keep you locked on your subject. This is particularly convenient when you want to maintain the same shooting angle for an extended period."
-------------------------------------------------------------------------

I haven't seen any mention of this mode for the 760 on websites or in the 760 manual I downloaded. I'm not exactly sure what Fixed Mode means, but it sounds like if you want to shoot something with no panning or other intentional camera movement, pressing the "Fixed" button will result in even better stabilization. I'm thinking that normally the stabilization feature must have to try to determine which camera movement is unwanted, and therefore should try to correct it, and which is intentional and it should not try to correct it. In the fixed mode it wouldn't have to make that determination and could perhaps know that it should try to hold the fixed scene as steady as possible.

"Fixed mode" appears to mean that the lens-sensor unit is locked down so it will not float or "eyeball" as somebody called it. Does Sony maybe call it something different in the PJ/CX manuals? Maybe you just switch the OIS to off in the menus for the PJ/CX cams?

I own a CX760. I does in fact have the same lens hood as the NX30 and it does also have AGC limiting like the NX30.

So, for the extra $400 to $600 over the PJ/CX cam, the NX30 brings you:
(a) the XLR audio pack with phantom power;
(b) an external mic that mounts to the XLR unit;
(c) probably an NPFV70 battery (versus NPFV50);
(d) the ability to shoot 720p: and
(e), maybe the ability to lock timecode with an NX5.

"Fixed mode" appears to mean that the lens-sensor unit is locked down so it will not float or "eyeball" as somebody called it. Does Sony maybe call it something different in the PJ/CX manuals? Maybe you just switch the OIS to off in the menus for the PJ/CX cams?

The word "Fixed" does indeed imply what you described. My thinking that it improves the stabilization when not intentionally moving the camcorder was based on the phrase "this expands the movable range of the optical block to keep you locked on your subject". That could just be fuzzy wording on Sony's part.

If it meant what I originally thought, there would be no need to "expand the moveable range of the optical block". I think your explanation makes more sense.

The phrase "this expands the movable range of the optical block to keep you locked on your subject" suggests that it actually might be something like object tracking. Might be something you lock onto (say, by poking the spot on the touch screen) and then the lens centers on that particular subject, compensating both for motion of the object and the motion of the camera. Sounds almost like a weapons system.

This is something for which we need to see the the manual to figure out.

If you watch the Sony promo video that is exactly what it does. Probably an extreme variation of Active Stabilizer .

Ron Evans

I see stores are getting the camera in stock now, so should start popping up pictures and reviews soon. I'm buying the camera to bring on a 2 year expedition in Canada and Alaska. Does anybody know the quality of the shotgun microphone in the package? The supplied wind cover, would it be better to change it to one of those grey wooley things (not sure of the English word, but in Norway we call it dead mouse)?

grey wooley things (not sure of the English word, but in Norway we call it dead mouse)?

In English it has various names, among them is windjammer and dead cat.

I have the Sony PJ760E (PAL), and been using it for the past 2-3 months. Though the stabilization system is the best I've seen on any camera, I've observed the following:

-Standard IS mode activated the gyro-stabilized optical block and the FoV did not appear to be reduced at any focal length compared to the IS OFF setting. This suggests no electronic stabilization was activated.

-Active IS mode activated the gyro block and the FoV was progressively reduced from the wide end of the zoom to the tele end WHEN compared to the FoV of any similar focal length when the IS was set to OFF. I use the word "similar" here as there was no way of knowing by looking at the zoom bar on the LCD screen. Worse, at some point while zooming in while in the Active IS mode, the zoom went from "optical" (10x according to the manual) to "extended" (17x) up to the tele end. I think this may be a little confusing since when the camera was in the Acive IS mode (the electronic IS was always activated as could easily be seen by the reduced FoV), it effectively cropped out the outlining part of the frame and zoomed into the remaining part. It did this at every level of the zoom and at a progressive rate to compensate for more shake the more I zoomed in. This works more or less like Smoothcam, Lock & Load or other image stabilization softwares do but using fixed parameters.

-As a result of the crop-and-zoom in the Active IS mode, the effective resolution of the footage got lower and lower the more I zoomed in. It was impossible to tell on the camera's 3" screen but it was obvious on my mass-market 23" 1920x1080 LCD monitor. At the full zoom-in in Active IS mode, the resolution appeared to be closer to SD than to 720p, let alone 1080p.

I'm sure the lock-down mode on the NX30 or whatever it is called will employ the optical gyro block in combination with a higher degree of crop-and-zoom of the electronic stabilization to make the frame static just like a similar function in the Lock & Load plug-in. It's always a tradeoff between steadiness and resolution.

That being said, I think all the new Sony gyro-cams are another breakthrough for casual use. A few days with any of them and you'll find out how much you long for a similar system on your professional-level cams.

In active mode on your 760, when zoomed within the optical zoom range (something under 10x), does the reduced resolution caused by the added electronic stabilization and reduced FoV result in noticeable loss of resolution when viewing the video on a large screen? Or does it only become obvious once you get into the extended zoom range?

The difference in resolution is not as noticeable in the wide range of the zoom as it is in the tele range. It's there but you may not be able to tell unless you compare the frame side by side and it's hardly noticeable at the wide end.

In Active IS mode, I suspect there might not be a fixed threshold in the zoom range that you can say is the starting point of the "extended" zoom. It might be that the 17x extended range as claimed by Sony is engaged progressively starting right from the wide end e.g. 29mm (35mm equivalent) vs 26mm in Standard IS, 120mm vs 100mm...........up to 442mm vs 260mm.

If you are good (I'm not) at the math of comparing FoVs and the change in frame dimension or resolution, you'll see how much the resolution is reduced at the framing or, more precisely, cropping of the 442mm FoV from the 100% resolution at 260mm FoV. Unless the NX30 employs some kind of pixel downsampling technology used in the Nokia Pureview 808 phone, which I don't think it will, you'll definitely see reduced resolution at the tele end in Active IS mode.

I'm surprised that there is a significant and visible reduction of resolution when the Active IS mode that uses an electronic system is added to the optical IS. The sensor for the NX30E has 6.14-MP and even if the active inner sector of the sensor were reduced by 1/3 of its pixels for the EIS, that would leave twice as many active pixels as are contained in a 2.1-MP 1920 X 1080 HD video.

I use a Sony HX200V that has a different optical stabilizer, but probably the same electronic stabilizer added on top of that in the Active IS Mode. This extends its video zoom out to 1,250mm from the standard 870mm, as the outer EIS margin expands with the zoom. When I use the Active IS mode, even at full zoom, I can detect no weakening of visible resolution in its videos. It also has the option to use 60p and with a slightly larger sensor, it has 18-MP.

At full zoom, I roughly calculate that it is using an active sensor area that contains 10.5-MP in Active IS Mode. I'm not sure how much the extra pixels are used to derive the final 2.1-MP for HD video, but the ability to shoot video in dim light far exceeds that for photos. I think that the pixel downsampling that was mentioned, is used for video in these cameras and there should be enough sensor pixels remaining in the NX30 to cover the full resolution, even at 17X zoom. But this will be an issue to explore some more, although you can't expect Sony to reveal details about the fine workings of a new system.

If the NX30 works the same way as the HX200V, it won't use the EIS at all at the widest angle and shouldn't have any reduced resolution when zoomed back. I would think that the optical IS for the NX30 would be very adequate for almost all situations, without also using the EIS. I'd tend to turn on the Active IS Mode, only when I really needed that extra zoom power and I'd probably have a good telextender for that purpose, anyway. An Internet friend also has an HX200V and I think he's planning on getting an NX30, so some good comparisons of the effects of the IS systems may be available from him.

I joust got an email from Vistek.ca, confirming that my NX30 is now sent. Unfortunately I will not get to try it before mid July, as it is sent to Yukon, and I'm currently in Norway.

Have anyone seen any reviews of the camera?
I will use the camera almost always outdoor. Is the "dead cat" microphone wind muff better then the black stuff in the package? Should I buy a dead cat?

Unless Norway and the Yukon no longer get strong winds, you will want to use a dead cat/dead mouse/windjammer. The foam cover that comes with it will be very much like the one I received with the mic that came with my NX5. It is only adequate for the mildest summer breezes.

Ok, Thanks. It will befinitly be in windy places many times.

I have just spent a couple of hours testing out the NX30, to confirm, you can still only control one manual function at at time, only improvement is the shutter speed value will stay on the screen while shooting now, but disappears when you control the iris and will only then show the iris value !!, still no gain value in the screen.

Other than that only changes i can see in the menu over the PJ740 is time code functions replace the photo menu functions, additional PCM sound functions, 720 frame rates and the ability assign photo or fixed shot mode to the top button.

Build quality and finish is like a tank, the hand strap is much bigger and softer than the 740's small hard affair, nice balance in the hand, the cold shoe block sticks out even without the mic and handle assembly and has the built in mics in the front side. If you have or plan to get the additional plug in surround speaker for the 740/760 to use with the projector it will not attach and connect by 1mm because of the position of the cold shoe block!
Other than that only hardware change is the playback button is now the display button and of course fixed steadyShot on the photo button.
Cant see what improvement in the screen that the fixed steadyshot makes, at least it does not crop the image even more.

Hope this helps

The sony cx760 is not yet available in Belgium yet so I don't know if it will cost more then the current 740 model, but the nx30 is twice the price of a cx740 here, am I the only one that feels the nx30 is somewhat overpriced for what you get extra? For only 450 euro's more I can get a nx70 here.

In Canada prices are PJ760-$1599, NX30-$2299, NX70-3499 list. Street price will be less but the only one advertized as less is the NX70 at $2900. If your use is on a tripod then the NX70 will be attractive since you will not be concerned about the zoom control not working well , the image stabilizer is not important and the full manual control an advantage. If image stabilizer and zoom are important then the NX30 has the advantage unless you want to shoot in the rain !! I am looking at the NX30 as a replacement for my CX700 which it looks to fit well. Hand held for travel etc.


Ron Evans

How does the CX760 compare with last years Panny TM900 as the slashcam rates favour the Panny?

I stopped trusting slashcam when I saw a comparison between the canon xh-a1 and xh-a1s, based on the 1200 and 12 lux images the older xh-a1 had more color and better low light result with less grain in the image. It was a obvious difference in favour of the older model.

Has anybody spotted an NX30 user manual .pdf yet?

As far as SlashCam. I'd say that it's safe to look at the Handycam PJ740 test results and get a great idea of how the NX30 will test.

On a "Handycam", I get it. On an "NXCAM", not having control of the three basic camera functions, iris, gain and shutter is unbelievable.

CT

On a "Handycam", I get it. On an "NXCAM", not having control of the three basic camera functions, iris, gain and shutter is unbelievable.


The nx30 looks exactly the same as a sony cx7xx serie camera in terms of functionality with an xlr block/Microphone on top and an improved internal microphone. it's double the price (Where I live) of the current sony 7xx flagship which is way overpriced for what you get extra. The small dedicated wheel on the front of the camera does serve it's purpose but can be a pain to control exposure and focus simultaneously in run and gun, they should have added an additional focus ring on the lens to justify the price difference and the "nx" tag.

How does the CX760 compare with last years Panny TM900 as the slashcam rates favour the Panny?


Hmmm ok thanks for the replies......

On a "Handycam", I get it. On an "NXCAM", not having control of the three basic camera functions, iris, gain and shutter is unbelievable.

CT

Better not look at the 3D NXCAM, the NX3D1. It can't even control one of them at a time, let alone all three. Just like the NX30 it's just a consumer camera (TD10) with the audio block/handle. (Note: the NX3D1 does have a control wheel, but most of the functions only work in 2D mode)

The nx30 looks exactly the same as a sony cx7xx serie camera in terms of functionality with an xlr block/Microphone on top and an improved internal microphone. it's double the price (Where I live) of the current sony 7xx flagship which is way overpriced for what you get extra. The small dedicated wheel on the front of the camera does serve it's purpose but can be a pain to control exposure and focus simultaneously in run and gun, they should have added an additional focus ring on the lens to justify the price difference and the "nx" tag.

The competition at the same price point in Canada is the Canon XA10 which does have full manual control. Canon XA10 $ 2200, NX30 $ 2300. The Canon XA10 doesn't come with mic,the balanced image stabilizer, projector or timecode of the Sony. Pays your money makes your choice. The automatic and semi-automatic controls of both are good and for such a small camera it is not easy to manually control hand held anyway. I still think the NX30 is a good B camera in support of a more pro camera with full manual control. The consumer equivalent in Canada is the PJ760 at $1599, no mic, larger battery, XLR etc,etc, at list price likely more than the price difference. Yes it would certainly be nice to have full manual control but I will not be using it that way so not of great significance. Timecode and image stabilizer are far more important as these will be very valuable for multicam where the NX30 is used in the crowd/audience and can be started and stopped yet still have the timecode for editing.

Ron Evans

In Belgium the nx30 is 1000 dollar more expensive then the xa10, that's why I feel it's seriously overpriced... Guess I live on the wrong side of the pond :)

I undertand the irritation that the camera does not have more pro features, at that price point. But, they prob made it specifically for one use. I for example working with production company making wilderness, arctic expedition documentary. Filming in condition where you often can't, or won't fiddle with to many settings. Capturing the moment where a bear is about to attack, you are canoeing down a river or in the middle of a snow storm, or are joust dead tired after 10 days on the sled. There are probably more uses this camera is also good for, and for me it is perfect. (I could have done without
The gps an projector, but they won't suck power as long as they are off)

I think the NX30 will hold up OK against it's Canon price range competition because of it's very unique stabilization. However, because it offers very little separation against it's "Handycam" brothers, it's own siblings will probably eat into the NX30 sales the most.

I myself picked up a CX760 and was going to eBay it right afterwards to buy the NX30. After Alister posted the news that the NX30 contains the classic "Handycam crippling trick"...I figured it made no sense to spend the extra money just for an XLR handle. (I have an EX1r for that stuff anyway)

I'm especially shocked that the NX30 won't even display simple gain information during recording! If you are going to make the camera control it, at least do the courtesy of at least "showing" me the gain amounts.

Gain, iris and shutter speed. The three most BASIC functions of camera control...and a Sony "NXCAM" branded camera doesn't have them. (note,...I can list several "Handycam" branded cameras that DO have full manual control)

CT

The nx30 is not dust nor rainprove like the nx70 so not sure if the camera would be the best choice under the circumstances you describe?

Gain, iris and shutter speed. The three most BASIC functions of camera control...and a Sony "NXCAM" branded camera doesn't have them. (note,...I can list several "Handycam" branded cameras that DO have full manual control)

100% agreed, it's actually shameful on Sony's part to actually pull that off not thinking that most buyers won't find out. Sad.

I used the Sony HC1 for a long time and never had a problem with the semi-automatic controls. As long as you can lock exposure, your good.

Besides, what is there to change with small 1/3" cameras anyway? You open the iris until there is not enough light, then add gain. If there is too much light, you take the gain out, close the iris and add an ND. The camera did that automatically, very logically. I could stop it by just locking the exposure. As long as you can set the shutter somewhere and keep it there. Which you could.

I have no idea why some people want to control those manually. Unless you want to increase gain and still keep the aperture closed?

With DSLR's I get it and they are great in manual control. But videocams usually operate completely differently anyway.

I have no idea why some people want to control those manually. Unless you want to increase gain and still keep the aperture closed?



I tend to agree. The iris range to keep the camera in its sweet spot is small. True for any of the 1/3" cameras anyway. The camera will do this automatically when in semi auto mode. I think if someone is intending to use the camera on a tripod with full manual control then these little cameras are likely the wrong solution. They work best in full or semi auto mode handheld where the stabilizer is a real value. As I mentioned before the value I see in the NX30 is someone can be walking around taking handheld shots in auto with timecode still running to make editing easy later when the files are cut into the edit with a much more capable camera that is in full manual on a tripod or a full shoulder mount camera. The XLR and LPCM means that the audio is also high quality compared to the consumer model. I have three little Sony's SR11, XR500 and CX700 and have no problems with them unattended in semi auto mode and they mix well with my NX5U shots. I am thinking of getting the NX30 for two reasons over the CX700 I have or a PJ760 ( the close consumer version of the NX30 ) timecode sync with the NX5U and LPCM audio. In my case it will be on a tripod but unattended so good semi auto mode is important to me and if its as good as my other little Sony's it will be fine.

As an added piece of information. Looking at the data code the automatic system does not open the iris full before increasing gain. It first tries to keep the lens/iris in the sweet spot and increases gain to some point then opens the iris full then continues with gain until its at its max. I found that quite interesting when I found out. Does the same when its too bright by increasing shutter speed a little before closing down the iris to its max. I have a variable ND filter for outdoor use.
Ron Evans

I have a variable ND filter for outdoor use.

Do you use that on your cx760? How do you determine then what ND value to apply if you don't have any read out on the lcd screen in record mode about shutter, iris or iso?

I have no idea why some people want to control those manually. Unless you want to increase gain and still keep the aperture closed?

Controlling the exposure manually is for me the most important function with a camera that only allows you to controll one function at a time, I do wish however I could lock the shutter as well to 1/50 and then use a variable nd filter to controll incoming light while keeping the iris around f4.0. Don't know if the nx30 alows settings feedback on the lcd screen during recording but on my cx730 I'm filming blind having no clue at what value the irs , shutter or iso is. I can only see that in playbackmode. Filming outside only means shutter values up to 1/500, nice to see every single grain of rice when a wedding couple exits the church but I"d rather have no saving private ryan image effects when shooting that.

I don't have a CX760 I have last years model CX700. Other than the balanced image stabilizer I expect they are very similar in performance. I use the variable ND when I shoot in the snow while skiing. I turn the ND until the picture just starts to darken, meaning the iris is open, shutter will be at 1/60 and gain is then full. I then back off from that point a little. A little guess work but it has worked quite well and leaves the auto system room to adjust within a reasonable range. I usually have AE shift slightly negative at all times. Full negative when shooting in the theatre.

Ron Evans

On these cameras, is there any method of using a filter witht he lens hood attached? My 760 came with a step down ring, no idea why. Any possibilities as I always like to use a CPL in bright light?

The included step-down ring is to allow the camera to be fitted with Sony's own tele and wide converters or any other form of attachments with a 37mm thread. The downside in mounting those converters or any lens attachments such as filters is that the active OIS has to be switched off. The floating lens/sensor module design will understandably cause image distortions if a fixed optical element is placed in front of it.

The downside in mounting those converters or any lens attachments such as filters is that the active OIS has to be switched off. The floating lens/sensor module design will understandably cause image distortions if a fixed optical element is placed in front of it.

Even a CPL or ND filter?

I haven't tried that but if you turn off the active OIS (standard OIS on or off) and the filters are of the thin rim type you should be OK.

Hi! First time here. Have been into Photography for a long time, some Go Pro videos and now trying to shoot better videos with such camera [HXR-NX30E].
Coming from full frame cameras I am not impressed with the quality of the image, and that is just me needing to deal with it, it will never compare to a full frame photo. Unless of course much money for a much better video camera. This is what we have tough and will have to stick with it for a year at least.
I do have a "full range conversion lens" [x.75] coming, it is with the Telephoto that one needs to turn odd the "Active Steady" as that lens, like a moving eye ball will create distortion.
I am not happy neither about the fact that all functions "cannot" be manual as I am used to with Photos.
Realizing videos are so much an incredible learning curve and such a different animal than Photos.
I just learned the "low light settings" which will work well with this camera without producing noise
"low light" setting
AGC = off
Gain limited at 3dB
Shutter 1/30
Manual focus and pretty much leave it alone!
I use PE11, Vegas Pro is also on it's way. Shoot at PS 1080p
Will see how and where all this goes.
My Dog and I live and camp on the road full time, making a Documentary prompted me to be furnished with this camera.
If there are some good tutorials, please direct me with some links. If I am in the wrong section writing this, please also let me know. Thanks.
Stay well. Ara and Spirit

I think you will find it works a lot better in automatic. If you want to bias the image use AE shift but the camera knows where the sweet spot in the design is and will try to keep the camera there as long as it can, impossible in manual control. The cameras are really meant for auto control and the manual controls are there as a tease for the users !!! After many years I have come to accept the auto does a better job !!! You can use spot focus to tell the camera what you want in focus and AE shift to tell it to make the image lighter or darker. For a crowd of people use face recognition and I challenge any manual user to do a better job of controlling all the parameters to give the best image for most of the people. In a split second.

Ron Evans

I think I have to agree with you for 90% of the time. I say that because I shot a one hour Classical Performance in a dark room and the noise, well, just was not too good. Reason I did some research and came up with the settings I mention able in my first post. They work well.
I do this for fun BTW, so there is no pressure as I am realizing most everyone here is a Pro [???].
My Photoshop with Photos is patience. I don't use Photoshop, but for videos I am realizing it is not going to quite work the same way! I think I am expecting too much.
A good example was this morning in Big Bend Park when I manually adjusted the Exposure. Well, that was a mistake as with bright sun I got everything too dark. So much truth in what you are writing. Thank You.
Ara and Spirit

Well video for me is a serious retirement hobby so not everyone is a Pro on these forums. Experiment with the semi auto modes like spot focus, spot exposure and spot focus/exposure as these can work quite well if you know how they respond. Leaving some control to the camera allows it to optimize to what it knows to be the best performance.

Ron Evans

when I manually adjusted the Exposure. Well, that was a mistake as with bright sun I got everything too dark.

That can only happen if you assign the front button/wheel to iris, it will not happen if you assign it to "exposure". I control the exposure manually about 90% of the time because even though the auto controls are very good I don't want the camera to decide how to expose the image.

I think I am expecting too much.
You are, if you want performance close to what a photocamera can do get a black magic cinema camera and shoot and edit in raw. The nx30 is basically a consumercamera with consumer functions (read almost everything auto) but don't think a 4000$ fixed lens small sensor camera will produce "that" much better image, you would be surprised how "clean" the nx30 can be at very high gains, it can even be cleaner and sharper then some large sensor camera's.

edit: welcome to the forum :)

That can only happen if you assign the front button/wheel to iris, it will not happen if you assign it to "exposure". I control the exposure manually about 90% of the time because even though the auto controls are very good I don't want the camera to decide how to expose the image.

I will check what I did. It was very bright sunlight and I am aware that manually I darken too much.


You are, if you want performance close to what a photocamera can do get a black magic cinema camera and shoot and edit in raw. The nx30 is basically a consumercamera with consumer functions (read almost everything auto) but don't think a 4000$ fixed lens small sensor camera will produce "that" much better image, you would be surprised how "clean" the nx30 can be at very high gains, it can even be cleaner and sharper then some large sensor camera's.

edit: welcome to the forum :)

Thanks for the Welcome. A huge learning curve here. I was even thinking jumping to the NEX-EA50UH. We are every day in beautiful out of the way spaces and eventually I want to be able to put together about an hour and a half DVD. But, that is besides the point.
When you are writing about the Gain, I have it set for 3db for low lights, you mean open it up for bright lights.
I fully understand of course iris, exposure, f stop. Gain is something new.
Wish there was a tutorial on "how and why" of such settings which do not exist on a Photo Camera.
I like the size of the camera. We are on a motorcycle with a sidecar for my Dog Spirit camping full time for the past over 6 years and "room" is valuable!
Stay well. Ara and Spirit