Hi

Just fired up my AX53 after a rest period of a few weeks, no battery connected - it needed to reset place/time/date prefs. Does this mean the internal back-up battery is stuffed already? or does it need me to leave an external battery attached. My EX1 did this after 6 years, easy to replace the lithium battery - can't find information on the 53's internal power source as yet, any observations?

thanks

Paul :-)

Not to worry. This is common to all cameras not used for some time as the internal small battery drains itself. Most cameras come with a smaller and limited time battery.....but keep in mind that even that battery will eventually drain.

The internal battery will discharge after a while, I believe Sony says to attach a fully charged battery for at least 24 hours to "recharge" the internal, after which time it should hold the setup data again.

I have had the same issue with my sony cx730's after a long while of not using them.

The A/C adapter would also charge the internal battery...

I've concluded that the internal HD downconversion in the AX53 leaves the AX100 in the dust.

Not very scientific, but just objective visual impressions.

Both units have the latest firmware loaded.

The HD recording quality of the 53 is almost as good "visually" ( I'm looking at complex images of trees, leaves, branches running to the horizon ) as a 4K file from the 100 - that is, when viewing on an HD timeline in Edius out to a 42" Samsung.

So, if I want the AX100 to look as detailed on an HD timeline, ie. for delivery, then I have to shoot at 4K to keep up with the AX53 superior internal downconversion - when recording to HD at 60mbs.

The AX100 appears to produce slightly more detail with less enhancement at 4K than the 53, I guess this is down to the sensor size.

All in all, the AX 53 is remarkable.


Paul :-)

Paul,
Im tempted to buy this as a b camera to my ex1r as well as a main cam on more mobile run and gun shoots.
ive read so much about this camera.
would love a compete review from u based on your usage.
also what manual setting are u using the ring for
thx
jim

my b cam has been the sony cx550 which does nice hd for b and mainstuff.
my manual choice on the little know is for the xposure, easy to adjust, the auto focus actually has worked well
thx
jim

Hi Jim,

Interestingly I have been using my EX1 for the last decade - is that possible? it must be the longest lasting workhorse I still use every day!

My main work is recording sessions with Orchestras, solo artists, as well as concerts - over the years, working with colleagues, I've used Sony HDCam, Red Epic, Sony F7, Blackmagic, GoPro and a multitude of Canon and Nikon DSLR's.

I decided to add two "4K" capable B cam's to my rig, after having such incredible results from my two Gopros shooting at 2.7K - great because I can hide them on a stage set up -

Dilemma: The AX53 is so much better in HD than the EX1, that I have to rethink using the old Sony at all !

I'm now testing shooting with an AX100 as the main camera, and the two 53's as B's. Another but... The AX53 produces considerably better in camera downconverted HD than the AX100 ( I guess as it is older - despite the larger sensor ) so to get the same results on an HD timeline between the 100 and the 53 - I have to record in 4K on the 100 - OK, this is being very picky - but the 53 also has real time code and user bits - set them off together with the remote - and for me it also has time-lapse which is fantastic.

I use the 53 with the lens ring controlling iris, I set the AGC to 6dB max and have spot focus which is excellent, also zebras and peaking on - I've been really surprised by the results shooting the last few sessions, focus is practically always perfect.

I use tripods generally, so I turn the BOSS off completely - this reduces the zoom to pure optical, I found that when set to active or intelligent active, the image has an element of digital zoom - I think the standard setting is true optical - still testing this, result is slight mush on full zoom.

Upshot of all this is that I may have to retire my EX1, it just doesn't hack the competition from this tiny new breed of camera. I'm an old school operator, I like big glass and manual control, but that said, the proof is in the pudding - I get 4 hours plus recording with one 128gb card at HD and one high capacity FV100 battery, the results are stupidly good, OK, poor Bokeh on such a small chip, and a million other purist no no's BUT - I need to be out there shooting, the 53 is a dream come true for my purposes.

Hope this helps with your decision

Paul :-)

Jim, as you know I shoot theatre with NX5U, AX100, AX53 and NX30U most of the time with occasional FDR-AX1 in UHD 60P. Like Paul's EX1 the NX5U is clearly the week link for me compared to the AX53 and AX100 and very obvious in resolution and clean video. My wife uses the AX100 for closeups and I track the main action with the NX5U with the AX53 as fixed unattended full stage camera. I set it with gain limit ( depending on the lighting but normally at 18db ), set focus with touch focus and AE shift at - 0.5 or - 0.7 depending on lighting. All on tripods of course. I too am impressed with the AX53 for its price. I use it as the family camera now too replacing the NX30U and in full auto it works great with the balanced optical stabilizer looks like it is stabilized more professionally. If you are into wanting full manual control its not the camera for you but as Paul says it is the results that count. There are plenty of ways to make the auto exposure do what you want. I do not use the lens ring for focus, touch focus is far faster and more accurate. Ring is assigned to AE shift. I do not use the UHD as I like faster frame rates than 30P so for me it is just a HD cam replacing the other small Sony's I have used.

Ron Evans

thanks ron and paul.
my cx550 autofocus which id never use on my ex is really good, except if its dark on stage and its hunting, id assume the autofocus on the 53 is much improved since its so much newer than the 550. im gonna get one.
also may shoot some interview with 4k since i can make it an 2 cam shot with cropping. the footage i saw on utube of it in 4k and hd was unbelievable. id probably use the focus ring for iris control

Using touch focus the camera is actually in manual focus. I just make a point of focusing when the light is good enough to get a good fix. It then stays there of course. I only use it in auto focus for family stuff with grandkids running around all the time. I assume Paul like myself sets shutter so it doesn't move and you can choose how you set gain limit so whether you use iris control ( and let the camera choose gain ) or as I do and use AE shift ( camera can choose combination of gain and iris ) one can constrain the limits the camera can move exposure. Not really manual control but pretty close. One thing I have noticed compared to the CX700 and NX30U is the AX53 manages a dark stage with spotlight or lights in just one area with an actor or set, very well for a totally unattended camera. Doesn't seem to overshoot as much when lights come up either. Very good as a full stage unattended camera.

Ron Evans

Agreed Ron, setting the touch focus does not create the "hunting" that we are used to with autofocus at all, once set it stays put.

I've also noticed the highlight capability of the 53.

I wonder if this is related to scene selection? This is something that you cannot turn off, only have in auto or a scene: maybe it's the backlight setting? which I noticed is "on" I must test this out, however, whatever it is, it works really well.

Does anyone have the XLR K2M adapter on either the 100 or the 53? working in studios I need XLR and phantom - my question is: Does using this adapter remove the audio AGC and make it switchable? as the manual states clearly that the AGC is always on, regardless of settings.

I see the XLR K2M has "auto" and "manual" settings so it must allow this.

Paul :-)

Don't know about the XLR K2M but as far as the highlight response I think you are correct in that the iAuto is detecting a scene and correcting for it. In my case I wonder if it thinks it is spotlight mode and will alter knee etc. Whatever it does it works !!!

Ron Evans

I use the XLR K2M on both my 53. ( bulky) and my 100. This attachment overrides any,internal audio settings. Great attachment albeit expensive but I can use it on both units. Unlike my X70 , there is no handle. ��

Agreed Ron, setting the touch focus does not create the "hunting" that we are used to with autofocus at all, once set it stays put.

I've also noticed the highlight capability of the 53.

I wonder if this is related to scene selection? This is something that you cannot turn off, only have in auto or a scene: maybe it's the backlight setting? which I noticed is "on" I must test this out, however, whatever it is, it works really well.

Does anyone have the XLR K2M adapter on either the 100 or the 53? working in studios I need XLR and phantom - my question is: Does using this adapter remove the audio AGC and make it switchable? as the manual states clearly that the AGC is always on, regardless of settings.

I see the XLR K2M has "auto" and "manual" settings so it must allow this.

Paul :-)

Thanks Lou, good to know

Paul :-)

Ron, Paul,
can i use an external monitor via hdmi when shooting in hd or 4k?also, 4k in 30p, its pretty much any movement other than just a basic interview shoot, going to be bad visual wise?
input welcome, id like to be able to shoot more in 4k and use as a 2 cam shot, with croppin in editing

If you shoot 30P UHD and try and mix back a camera shooting 60P you will see the difference. That is why I wiew the AX53 as a really good HD camera shooting XAVC-S. I will try looking at the HDMI output to my BM Video Assist later today and report back but I am sure it works just fine. If you really want to crop and pan into the UHD image and mix with another second camera shooting HD 60P ( my application too ) you will need to shoot 60P UHD in my opinion. That means currently the HC-X100 from Panasonic or much the same FDR-AX1 that I have. Not to good in low light as I assume they both use the same Sony sensor. I am going to look at the Panasonic HC-X1 or AG-UX180 when they come out next month. They should do the trick and will likely be a lot better than the EX1 as well.

Ron Evans

Ron,
I have no desire to buy the fs7 that shoots 60p.too much money, im done with big cameras. i was saying shoot with the 53, medium shot and lay that on 2nd timeline and when i want to crop in tight,ill do that and treat it as a 2 cam shoot. i just wasnt sure if any kind of movement looks bad in 30p or only abrupt or alot of fast

It doesn't matter whether you use the whole frame or crop, the movement is still 30P. Shoot some 30P and see if you like the movement when cut with 60i or 60P as that is what you will get. I do not like 24 or 30 and see the judder immediately so not something I would do myself. There are lots of 30P stuff on YouTube If you are happy then it will be fine. I think you may see the difference immediately if you cut with a 60i or 60P main camera though. 30P will be missing half the movement information of 60i or 60P and to my eyes noticeable. Not just a little bit but half the information. For me 60P is the answer and then you have the option of staying with 60P for smooth motion or editing down on a 30P timeline. Best of both worlds if you want the choice. If you shoot in 30P that is all your going to get. If there is little or no movement of course it will be fine at 30P.

The AX53 will not output over HDMI when recording 4K by the way, though in standby will monitor output and the moment switch to record output goes dead. It is fine at 1920 x1080 output.

You may want to wait also to see what the Panasonic GH5 is like early next year if you are not in a hurry.

Ron Evans

The first week in January is right around the corner and typically that is when Sony releases some of their new models. Come that date it will be three years since the AX100 was released so what do you think? A new model with a 1” ExmoR CMOS sensor? To heck with “visions of sugar plums”, that’s what I’m thinking about!

Kit: X3000, AX53, and the AX100 replacement.

Jim -

The trick is to keep your shutter speed down, so that there is a natural motion blur - when I got the AX100, my first tests looked very stuttery/shimmery due to the VERY sharp 30 "stills"/sec. the camera took when i let it run the shutter speed in auto... ever since, I've tried to run the shutter in manual all the time, and keep it at 60, 90 or 120... looks just fine to me, though I'm sure 60p would be "better".

There is of course a tradeoff in "sharpness", as things moving through the frame exhibit motion blur, but that's actually what you need to make it look "non-stuttery"....

A note on the mini-HDMI - when it's connected, you have to have the LCD open - I thought it would still feed external in 4K, but I'll need to double check that, as Ron indicates it doesn't - I've got an 53 hooked up right now to my 4K monitor, so I'll test it again... I got one of the AX53's a while back, and ultimately returned it, but one came up so cheap on ebay that I decided to grab one again... I still prefer the 1" class sensor sharpness, but for a "handycam", the A53 isn't bad!....

Yes I run all my cameras in manual shutter all the time. Usually 1/60 as most of the time I am in low light indoors. So motion blur is at this level and even with this shutter speed I can see the difference between 30P and 60P. No getting around the fact there is half the information at 30P. For talking heads or slow moving scenery or if you want that film look then fine. But for my projects I want to create the feeling of "being there" live for theatre or dance. 1/90 will give a sharper picture and fine for 60P and sometimes use if I know there will be good light.

Agree, the AX100 has a lovely image however it is twice the cost of the AX53 and a little bigger. It is due for replacement I am sure and with the newer Panasonics I think Sony will have to introduce something to compete with the AG-UX180, HC-X1 and the DVX200 as they have nothing at the moment. Though Panasonic do not have a competitor for the AX100. The FDR-AX1 that I have will not compete with the UX180 or the HC-X1 for instance. Neither will the PXW-Z150 for that matter other than very specific requirement for native streaming etc.

Ron Evans

Hi all,

Just my two cents: I think the AX53 is better by far at HD than the AX100 - although the 100 appears to be about a stop faster, the quality of the 53 at HD is stunningly good, almost as good as placing a 4K image from the same camera on the HD timeline.

If you need 50P or 60P then the tiny Sony is King - it may not have all the manual stuff, but in real shooting situations it is faster to use, has timecode, the time-lapse is amazing! it's smaller, and I'm sorry to say the picture looks cleaner and certainly better in HD - I'm being simply subjective here - on paper the 100 has less correction as it has a larger chip, the encoding has slightly less in the way of artefacts - but the 53 just looks "Hotter"

I imagine Sony will release the next upgrade for the 100 sometime soon, personally, I can't keep waiting, but I am thinking of letting my 100 go and adding another 53 to the camera bag, actually two for price of the 100!!

My only wish is that Sony used a better codec, GoPro bought Cineform which out- performs XAVC S by a mile, even at much lower data rates, a 2.7K image from a 3+ at 45mbs is as clean as a whistle.

Paul :-)

That's interesting. I have done a side by side comparison between the two cameras, AX100 abd AX55 (It's AX53 with a projector), a few times but all in 4K at which the AX100 is sharper, and has better resolution. In very low light both cameras perform well with the AX100 still having more detail but also higher noise levels. The AX55 is as clean as it gets right up to the max gain of +27dB or perhaps +30dB, not sure, while the image doesn't turn to mush from the noise reduction. Both had IMO low light 4K images that are among the best I had seen from any camcorder at any price.

I never tried 1080p on the AX55 which was a trial unit from my gear dealer. However, I have shot a few times in 1080/50p XAVC-S with my own AX100 and the result is, or maybe better described as "meh". It's not bad but it certainly is no better, if not worse, than the 1080/50p I get from my older, smaller Handycams such as the CX700E and PJ760VE that use only AVCHD 2.0 at almost half the bit rate! The footage often looks clean with minimal artifacts, except for aliasing and moire that show up a little too often, in 50Mbps XAVC-S mode. But the detail, or more specifically micro contrast detail, is lacking compared to its older cousins. Noise level again is lower than those smaller sensor camcorders but the resolution in bright daylight is lower. I suspect on the AX100, the IP and everything from the scanning of the sensor to the encoding of the footage is optimized, as it should be, at 4K. The rest is just more like fill-ins. The 1080p sure looks like line skipping or pixel binning is used to get the image from the same 14M pixel crop of the 20.1M pixel sensor. On the smaller Handycams all they have to read out is roughly about 4M pixel crop from the 6M pixel 2.88" sensor to get the same 2M pixel 1080p image, a much easier work compared to 14M to 2M pixel downsampling the AX100 would have to do properly to get down to the HD image.

The AX53/55 on the other hand seems to have all the recipe needed for excellent footage at both 4K or HD levels. Lower pixel count, 8M+ pixel in a non-cropped, true 16:9 aspect ratio to maximize the size of the photosites. A sensor design that doesn't have to be bothered with still picture capability. A newer image processing and perhaps better noise reduction algorithms.

I shoot with a NX5, in 60i, of course and when compared to either of the AX53 or the AX100 shooting 60P XAVC-S the NX5U is the weak link !!! For some shows it is those three plus the FDR-AX1 shooting UHD60P and cropped to 1080 all in a 60i project to match the NX5U main camera and to go to DVD and Bluray. Again the NX5U is the weak link. Interesting how technology has changed because when I got the NX5U I thought it was wonderful !!! Not long ago really.

Ron Evans

One thing I didn't try on the AX55 but should have is the 100fps (or 120fps for you) mode. Does the footage overall look the same as it does at 50/60p? I used to shoot at 1080/100p on the pocketable RX100IV and it did look virtually indistinguishable in terms of sharpness, lack of moire or aliasing etc. from the footage at lower framerates.

The 100fps is poor, aliasing and noise everywhere, despite the fact that the codec is still recording at 60mbs, the camera kind of reverts to some horrible auto mode.

Much lower resolution over all.

Pity really

Paul :-)

Thanks, Paul. Too bad it's just a gimmick but now we are aware it's not meant to be a slow-mo camera.

Lou the studio 1 XLR adaptor is great.mounts on the bottom of the camera on the tripod screw
Quality is excellant,2 channels,around 200.00

I'm looking for a new video camera for outside distance work. I shoot at 20 x zoom and pan, following boats crossing a river mouth bar. Shooting in 4k I hope to be able to crop in for better close ups. Is AX-53 a suitable candidate?

4K on the AX53 is really UHD not DCI 4K and also only at 30P so panning will give you some judder if you are not really stable. Personally panning at full zoom at 30P will not look good. You could keep the camera fixed and pan a 1920x1080 crop image in editing though.

Just ordered a new Sony FDR-AX53, price has come down somewhat (€764)

anyway does anyone know if it can be used with a lanc?

It doesn't work with any of my regular LANC remotes, nor with some Sony remotes that work with my AX100.

I have two Sony remotes that work with this camera; the GP-VPT1 Shooting Grip and the RM-VPR1 Remote Control.

The RM-VPR1 can turn the camera off/on, zoom, record. Zoom has two speeds, I think it is 4 seconds and 21 seconds full tele to full wide.
The GP-VPT1 has zoom, record and photo functions. There are two zoom speeds.



Mark

I have the VCT-VPR100 https://www.sony.com/electronics/interchangeable-lens-cameras-tripods-remotes/vct-vpr100 that has full variable control as well as cables for all the Sony connectors for 1/8" LANC. A/V connector as well as Mini USB. Works very well.

thanks guys for the suggestions.

i was looking at something like this
VariZoom VZROCK | Sony / Canon LANC Zoom control | lens control (http://www.varizoom.com/product-p/vzrock.htm)

with the proper cables I guess it would work across the different cams I have.

sorry for going off thread somewhat.

Rob,

The VariZoom won't work with this camera. The AX53 doesn't follow the LANC protocol. I don't know if they just swapped around some of the wiring at the connector or something more complicated.

When I used my adapter cables to attach a Canon ZR2000 LANC remote, the camera shutdown and had to reset the date and time on it.

The ZR2000 works on the AX100 with the use of two adapter cables.

Mark

thanks for the heads up there!

Hi everyone,
Just wondering if anyone used a DOF adaptor with the AX53? (Like the Letus Extreme). And what results did you get?

Cheers

Need a couple cheap cams as back ups and locked on positions, are these any good? Decent auto focus? Whats the bad points on the stabilization problems?

What stabilization problems? The AX53 has in my mind the best stabilizer of all the cameras I have used. However I use mine also as a locked off fixed camera position. Focus in manual, use touch spot focus to set up. Fixed shutter speed , WB and use AE shift for exposure control. Zebras and peaking to check. In the theatre its usually at -0.5 or so depending on the show lights and AE shift is assigned to the control wheel.

Hi Ron i went on to you tube and quite a lot of moaning with some kind of stabilizer jerking around when on a mono pod or tripod? What are they like in auto focus just say i want to track the bride down isle. Canon c100 ii and 6d ii work great but maybe i want to use ax53 now and again for auto focus.?

I only have the AX53 in auto when I am taking family shots of grandkids etc so have no experience in a critical environment with auto focus. In these family environments it has been spot on focus for me handheld and in some instances at full tele 20x zoom. All shots are in HD as I do not like the slow frame rates so all 60P. So focusing may be better at 60P than at slower frame rates too.

For my theatre shoots the AX53 is always one a tripod fixed and in manual focus with the focus being set with the touch screen spot focus.

Great thanks, might drop on two of them, any good in low light

i went on to you tube and quite a lot of moaning with some kind of stabilizer jerking around when on a mono pod or tripod?

Always turn the stabilization of on a mono- or tripod, when you pan and then stop on a tripod the stabilization will over compensate and make the image bounce around, the more you zoom in the worse it gets and it's that "b.o.s.s." system that is causing it. The IS on that camera is best only used when you shoot handheld.

ok thanks Noa

Glad Noa added that as I forgot to mention in my post.

I wonder if anyone has any bright ideas - I'm trying to use an old pan head which is electronically controlled and produces a switch output to trigger frame shot - not TTL or anything clever - just a switch closure.

Been trying to hook it up to the 53, for which I have a Sony remote - full of chips! and also a cheap remote which the seller said works with a 53 but does not - so the upshot is I'm happy to pull something apart to get at the switch elements to control remotely by the head electronics, but wondered if anyone here has done this before or has used a cheap Ebay type remote that they know works - its shooting stills on the 53 I want to control.

thanks for any pointers at all.

Paul :-)

Picked two up today for £750 great deal and love them already for back ups and locked of shots. Another question, can the steady shot be assigned to a button quickly to save clicking on the menu and going all the way through the menju to turn active on and off? Also the manual button do people use that mostly for exposure or manual focus changes...

Yes I have three soft buttons set on the LCD. Steadshot, Focus and Peaking.

How do you set those Ron? thanks