Can you define better image quality for us ? Do you mean resolution, sharpness, colour. I expect it would mean more work for you in shooting and editing to get anything substantially better than the AX100. The obvious way is to shoot with a log curve and then grade in post. More confusing to shoot correctly ( certainly not a quick point and shoot approach as you would need to be careful with exposure) and then a lot of work to get the effect you want in editing/grading.

The new Sony cameras allow you to shoot in log. However if you expect to auto shoot and then view output they will likely all perform similar to your AX100. I do not think you will find a camera that automatically shoots better video than the AX100 in the way you shoot. You may get the results you want by learning to grade the video you already get from the AX100. I know you edit with EDIUS as do myself but to really grade it has limitations compared to Blackmagic Resolve which could totally change the look of your videos. $299 for the full Studio version of Resolve is a lot less than a new camera !!!

Can you define better image quality for us ?

Yes, I mean resolution, sharpness, colour, etc. all those things that let you to watch a better video. I already know your answer. jejeeje I have to know and configure better my AX100. You are prefectly right.
I will do it surely.
Much time ago (maybe you don't remember), you sugegst me to buy Sony DSC-HX20V camera. I will thank you forever for that advice. I bought it and I went to Sicily. I used that camera is auto mode only and I made a very good video, not for the video content (I was with my friends on holiday) but for the image quality it gave me. With my AX100 I never got a such very good image quality in 4K. For that reason I was thinking to buy an even better camera than Sony DSC-HX20V. I like a lot those colours. But you take me in the real world and you are right again!!

The AX100 for you in PAL will only shoot in 25P UHD so if you prefer a faster frame rate ( as I do ) then it will not look as good to you. If that is your issue then either the GX10, XF400 or moving to a GH5 is your answer as none of the smaller Sony's shoot in 50/60P UHD and why I moved to the GH5. Would love the Sony FS7 the first in the Sony line to shoot UHD 50/60P other than the old AX1 or Z100 ( that I think use the same sensor as in the HX20/30V !!! ) but the FS7 is just too expensive.

The HX20V I recall has a sharpened image and you could sharpen up your videos in EDIUS. You might want to try sharpen filter at about 15 and see what you think. It will add a little contrast as well as sharpen the edges. Too much and it will look fake !!! Add some chroma ( about 3 ) in the colour filter and the image should pop a little more.

Focus in UHD is very critical and the slightest out of focus is very clear. Takes more time to ensure the shot is in focus when shooting UHD.

Sony AX 100 has a good mic. I don't have to add any external mic. to record 'daily life sounds'. I am satisfied with it. With that mic. I have only one problem: sometime the wind that disturbs the sound.
If you are happy with the built-in mic, you could get one of these to combat wind noise:

https://www.bhphotovideo.com/c/product/315567-REG/Rycote_055401_Gustbuster_Camcorder_Windjammer.html/BI/2855/KBID/3801 (https://www.bhphotovideo.com/c/product/315567-REG/Rycote_055401_Gustbuster_Camcorder_Windjammer.html/BI/2855/KBID/3801/BI/2855/KBID/3801/BI/2855/KBID/3801)

$299 for the full Studio version of Resolve is a lot less than a new camera !!!
And the free version for even less than that ! Only thing if Adriano did go for a Pana GH5 is that he'd need the Studio version to import native 4K 10-bit 422 clips. No problem importing Sony XAVC/S clips with the free version.

The AX100 for you in PAL will only shoot in 25P UHD so if you prefer a faster frame rate ( as I do ) then it will not look as good to you.

I don't own a 4K capable camera, so can't really comment further. I just wonder though if Adriano were shooting 4K/30p on an AX100 whether he would have such a compelling desire for 4K/50p. Of course, it's not going to be as fluid as 50p/60p, but from what I've seen the cadence of 4K/30p on the AX100 copes well with moving subjects shot from static positions and slow pans. Take these two videos put up by Mark Rosenzweig a couple of years back:

Sony FDR AX100 Video: Baseball in 4K on Vimeo
Sony FDR AX100 4K Video: The Dancers of Shenzhen on Vimeo

As always with Mark's excellent showcase videos, the original 4K footage is there for download. I wonder if he has plans to do a series on the Canon GX10 at some point - once he's done with the Z Camera E1 ?

Depends what ones eyes are sensitive to . I can tell the difference with slow frames rates immediately and prefer the smoother flow of 60P. I think that there is also some data that shows that with UHD HDR 120fps may be a better solution too specially for fast movement. I think he is shooting UHD25P on his AX100. I have an AX100 and AX53 as well as my GH5, had a FDR-AX1 that shot UHD 60P too. To me there is a big difference to the point I only use the AX100 and AX53 as HD cameras at 60P.

Resolve Studio also enables better use of any GPU's in the system and playback is considerably improved. Has a lot of other features not in the free version too. Definitely worth the price.

Unfortunately Sony AX100 doesn't have neither 4K/30p but only 4K/25p. ;)

Bryan, unfortunately AX100 has the mic. on it and not in front of it.

Unfortunately Sony AX100 doesn't have neither 4K/30p but only 4K/25p. ;)



1. The videos posted just above were shot on the AX100 in UHD 30P, not 25P.

2. 25P is not a standard in the US. There are no camcorders sold in the US which can only shoot 25P if they offer 25P at all.

3. I have shot UHD 30P, 60P and even 120P (my FS3700+Shogun Inferno). I fail to see that significant a difference in motion played at normal speed. I can see 24p affects movement unnaturally (the film look).

I think the main advantage of 60P and 120P is to make slow motion clips. I think slow motion clips are very nice, when used sparingly in a video. Noa has offered some nice slo-mo examples from 60P video.

If you see the film look of 24P then 25P is very close so will be significant to the look of 50P. Adriano is in Italy so AX100 there is PAL frame rates.

Unfortunately Sony AX100 doesn't have neither 4K/30p but only 4K/25p. ;)

I appreciate that, but you could always consider changing your European (PAL) model for a North American (NTSC) model, especially if you are shooting for web distribution only. Just a thought.

Bryan, unfortunately AX100 has the mic. on it and not in front of it.

That particular product image shows just one configuration. You can attach it any way you like with the adjustable straps as long as the 'windjammer' pad is secured snugly over the entire microphone grille:

https://www.dvestore.com/rycote-055401-gustbuster/

And I think it probably would fit over the AX100 mic.

1. The videos posted just above were shot on the AX100 in UHD 30P, not 25P

And in Shutter Priority mode at 1/60sec (at least the Baseball one) according to your Comment under the video.

As always with Mark's excellent showcase videos, the original 4K footage is there for download. I wonder if he has plans to do a series on the Canon GX10 at some point - once he's done with the Z Camera E1 ?

Any thoughts on that Marc ? I'd like to check out the GX10 myself but none of the camera stores in my locale have it in stock as yet.

And in Shutter Priority mode at 1/60sec (at least the Baseball one) according to your Comment under the video.

Correct. The built-in ND filters were essential.

Resolve Studio also enables better use of any GPU's in the system and playback is considerably improved. Has a lot of other features not in the free version too. Definitely worth the price.

Granted, Noise Reduction would probably be the first standard node in a grade of log 4K footage coming off these cameras, the Pana GH5 included ;>) but the free version is more than adequate for my present needs - mostly post-edit grading of HD material - I use other methods for noise reduction and deinterlacing as and when required. Thing about the Studio version also is that there is no fully featured trial mode for download and BMD have no plans to change that - they view the free version as the trial version. My advice for anyone who has not used Resolve before would be to do just that - try the free version first and if you like it and have need of these premium features, go for the Studio version.

Yes you need the Studio version for import of the native Pana GH5 10-bit 422 clips, but you can always pre-transcode to an acceptable intermediate 10-bit 422 input format - Grass Valley HQX included.

Bear in mind also that the quality of Resolve's native H264 encoder is nothing to write home about, so you need to export in an intermediate format for encoding externally with x264, or whatever. GPU-accelarated H265/HEVC export is now available but only in the Studio version - I have no perspective on the quality. Perhaps Ron does ? Resolve is heavily GPU processor dependent and Adriano would need to ensure that his hardware is up to it, especially for native 4K/50p processing. Edius is much less demanding on hardware - probably the most CPU-efficient 'pro-level' NLE out there.

Correct. The built-in ND filters were essential.

Right, which makes for a consistent 'filmic' ('near 180 deg. shutter angle') motion blur, in theory - as far as one can apply these mechanical concepts to contemporary digital image processing.

What about the other 'Dancers of Shenzhen' video ?

Right, which makes for a consistent 'filmic' ('near 180 deg. shutter angle') motion blur, in theory - as far as one can apply these mechanical concepts to contemporary digital image processing.

What about the other 'Dancers of Shenzhen' video ?

Same, 1/60th shutter, use of ND when necessary.

Thought so. Thanks.

Unfortunately Brian, neither the free version of Resolve that I used for over a year or my current Studio version sees EDIUS HQX or HQ files. If you have found a way I would love to know as I use HQX to go between Vegas and EDIUS as 8.5WG is my main editor.

Biggest change I saw when moving to Studio was a substantial performance increase. I have yet to use any of the extra features but do intend to use the face recognition and colour management feature. Lots of info to look at the differences so working with the free will give most of the work flow to a user. Studio is just faster and a few more feature but for $299 is a steal I think.

EDIT I should clarify HQX .avi will not be seen by Resolve but the Quicktime version of HQ and HQX .mov will tranfer just fine. Not sure if you need Quicktime on your PC for this to work I do but many have removed Quicktime from their PC's.

Your edit bumped my reply; yes, you're right you need to remux as .mov files. I don't use Edius - only ran the trial - and I'd have to install the GV Canopus codecs again to encode some HQX files (outside of Resolve, using VirtualDub FilterMod) to test. IIRC, when I checked this out a while back I used ffmpeg to rewrap the avi encodes to mov. Straightforward enough with the CLI:

ffmpeg -i {Directory Path}/File_Name.avi -vcodec copy -acodec copy {Directory Path}/File_Name.mov

Edit: And I'm pretty sure there are ffmpeg front-end 'converters' out there that give that option - not sure which, don't use them myself. VirtualDub_FilterMod will do it also (using direct stream copy):

https://sourceforge.net/projects/vdfiltermod/

Actually I do have Quicktime 7.7.8 on my PC (Win 10, 64-bit) installed with a custom installer:

https://tommynation.com/install-quicktime-windows-10/

Does someone is using Zhiyun Crane with a camera or videocamera? Do you think it is an important option to make videos?

Does someone is using Zhiyun Crane with a camera or videocamera? Do you think it is an important option to make videos?

Yes.

https://youtu.be/WBRrK-6P3UE

You can mimic slider shots.

You can mimic dolly shots.

You can follow subjects around.

You can handhold for static shots with zero shake, like you had a tripod.

A gimbal expands your video quality more than any difference across cameras can.

Nice Mark,

Is that with the Zhiyun Crane V2
https://www.bhphotovideo.com/bnh/controller/home/BI/2855/KBID/3801

Looking at adding this to my on the way GH5.

Nice Mark,

Is that with the Zhiyun Crane V2
https://www.bhphotovideo.com/bnh/controller/home/BI/2855/KBID/3801 (https://www.bhphotovideo.com/bnh/controller/home/BI/2855/KBID/3801/BI/2855/KBID/3801)

Looking at adding this to my on the way GH5.

Thanks. No, the Crane M, for smaller cameras. Ziyun gimbals are very good. Excellent battery life is key, so you dont have to worry about power.

Got it, I am still deciding on the best option but the one above looks nice for the GH5.

Getting nailed in Rhode Island, how is New Haven? Lived in Madison years ago.

I think it is good:
https://www.amazon.it/Zhiyun-Handheld-Mirrorless-Construction-Brushless/dp/B01F53XB8Y/ref=sr_1_4?tag=maxyur0a-21&ie=UTF8&qid=1491019757&sr=8-4&keywords=crane+gimbal
In your opinion can I use the gimbal in amost 100% of my shots?
I have just noticed it is hard to use the LCD screen of the camera when you use it.

Got it, I am still deciding on the best option but the one above looks nice for the GH5.

Getting nailed in Rhode Island, how is New Haven? Lived in Madison years ago.

Locked in too, but I escaped this morning by train - to Philadelphia!

Thanks Adriano, for the input. It does look like a nice option at a decent price.

Mark, good move. We are already up to 3' drifts with another 15 hrs of snow. Ah, New England.

Got it, I am still deciding on the best option but the one above looks nice for the GH5.

Getting nailed in Rhode Island, how is New Haven? Lived in Madison years ago.

Locked in too, but I escaped this morning by train - to Philadelphia!

In my shoots I always use the preset for White balance in a sunny day. I'm thinking to change my way to do White balance. Now with my Sony AX100 I'd like to do it manually. How do you do it? Is it good to do White balance pointing the videocamera at a gray cardboard with 18% reflectance?

I use a expodisc to set my whitebalance, I just put it on the lens, point my camera at the lightsource and make the whitebalance. What I like about the ax100 is that it will show the kelvin value after I make this manual wb so I can dial that kelvin into my other camera's.

Ohhh, good news. Is there for the AX100 lens?

https://www.expodisc.com

My, this is a meandering thread isn't it - all good stuff though !

Your edit bumped my reply; yes, you're right you need to remux as .mov files. I don't use Edius - only ran the trial - and I'd have to install the GV Canopus codecs again to encode some HQX files (outside of Resolve, using VirtualDub FilterMod) to test.

Well curiosity got the better of me and I installed the GV codecs pack again:

https://www.edius.net/hqx.html

However, when I came to transcode some GH5 4K 10-bit 422 clips (and other 10-bit 422 sources) to GV HQX using VirtualDub_FilterMod (VDFM), only the 8-bit variant was available. Whether that's a limitation of the VFW codec, as made available to third-party applications, or there is a way to access the 10-bit variant, I'm not sure. I've queried that with the developer of VDFM.

Edit: Apparently the VFW GV HQX codec doesn't support 10-bit, even though the information on that codecs pack download page implies it does:
http://forum.doom9.org/showthread.php?p=1829583#post1829583

Still, with VDFM it is possible to transcode to other Resolve-compatible 10-bit 422 formats (including ProRes and Cineform, both using native encoder implementations) with confidence that the conversion is mediated at high bit depth. And also remux GV HQX.avi files to .mov using Direct Stream copy. There is 10-bit 422 x264 encoding also, but Resolve will not import these files, nor compressed lossless avi formats, like MagicYUV, UTVideo, HuffYUV, that support 10-bit.

Worth mentioning also - now that Resolve has integrated the Cineform codec SDK (internal transcoding and export previously required installation of GoPro Studio/Quik to access the codec), Cineform is now available as a caching and Optimised Media format. For Windows users it was previously limited to DNxHR or Uncompressed.

https://www.expodisc.com

There's also BRNO BaLens, which uses the same principle, available in 62mm filter size:

https://www.bhphotovideo.com/c/product/591750-REG/BRNO_BAL62_baLens_62mm_White_Balance.html/BI/2855/KBID/3801 (https://www.bhphotovideo.com/c/product/591750-REG/BRNO_BAL62_baLens_62mm_White_Balance.html/BI/2855/KBID/3801/BI/2855/KBID/3801/BI/2855/KBID/3801)

I haven't tried either (on a camcorder), but I'm thinking to.

FWIW - browsing the Canon GX10 user manual again I see that, despite being dubbed the 'consumer model', it can (just like the XF-400/405) output 10-bit 422 1080/30p and 1080/60p (1080/25p and 1080/50p on PAL model) over HDMI to an external recorder.

The only differences between the GX10, XF400 and XF405 is the XLR handle and for the XF405 the SDI connector . Other than those things all the three are basically the same according to the video on the Canon site.

EDIT: Of course with a Shogun Inferno one can get all the performance and extra XLR connectors plus 12G SDI for about $300 more than the difference between the GX10 and the XF405.

Shame the GX10 appears to be getting such a lukewarm response, at least as judged by the few customer reviews I could find (on B&H and Amazon), with complaints that the 4K video images are 'dull' (and so assumed to be sub-par quality) compared to the AX100 and other 4K cameras. Can't help but wonder though whether that perception relates more to differences in (default) in-camera sharpening than 'flat focus' IQ per se. Still looking for some raw sample clips from the GX10 (or XF-400/405) to examine and unfortunately none of the camera stores in my locale stock it or have a demo model - 'special order' only.

Hi, I'm thinking to buy a GH5 camera with Leica lens 12-60mm to make UHD documentaries around the world. I don't visit towns but I document indigenpous life in remote areas. I'd like to ask some questions because I have always used videocameras in my life and the GH5 is opening up for me a new horizon that I don't know at all. For this reason I'd like to ask some questions please.
1) In your opinion will I need a Zhiyun Crane for my shots? I don't like to bring with me heavy matters but if it will be important for me I will buy it.
2) If you suggest to use the Zhiyun Crane, usually for how much time will I need to use it? I know it is a stupid question but I like to understand better. Will I have to use it around 50-60% of my shots or for all the time 100%? Certainly there are rare times that I need to put the camera on the tripod, but I do not mean this moments. So I exclude them because I mean allt eh times without tripod.
3) Can I always use a skylite instead of UV filter to protect Leica lens? Do you advise against it?
4) Can I use GH5 without any gray filter in the very sunny days? Will I get enough bad images?
5) How do you suggest to make the white balance?
6) Can you tell me if GH5 gives a good image quality with in semiautomatic mode? I'd like to fix only the shutter at 120f/s and I let the camera to choose all the other options in automatic mode.
I'd like to get replies from expert guys who make UHD videos with GH5.
Thanks a lot for your pleasant suggestions.

I'd like to fix only the shutter at 120f/s and I let the camera to choose all the other options in automatic mode.

If this is how you want to use the camera then there is no use in answering all other questions, the GH5 is not made to shoot all auto.

Fixing the shutter at 1/120 and just let the camera deal with the rest is at a certain point asking for a bad image quality. From all your posts so far it looks to me you just want a point and shoot camera and focus on content and not deal with camerasettings at all, for that reason I still would suggest to get a small sensor handicam from either sony or canon.

I can watch videos made with small sensor. I don't like them anymore. I can spend much more money than the price of Sony AX100 for a camera but there are not cameras better than AX100 in image quality.

If you want to have the best image quality a camera can provide you then you have to learn how to properly operate a camera manually, if you are not willing to do that then every camera you buy will give you less then optimal results.

I know you are right but I have to deal with my reality. I know it but I can't setting my camera every time I need to shoot in places where it is hard to survive and where the sun burns the brain. With my AX100 I have been satisfied for a long time, now not more. I am a lover of good images quality but I understand that I can be satisfied even if I get only a little from those cameras. If I get 60% from AX100 and I get 60% from GH5, I hope the image quality of GH5 is better than AX100.

Have to agree with Noa. Any camera that you use point and shoot will be little different than the AX100. In fact you can manually adjust some things on the AX100 and get better performance from it too. If you are comparing your videos to National Geographic then they have very expensive cameras, manually adjusted all the time. Then the videos are graded. You will not come anywhere close with a point and shoot approach. However content is king. Wonderful video of something of no interest is not worth much. Phone video of something of real linterest is worth a lot more.

Both Noa and myself have both GH5 and AX100 ( at least I think still has the AX100 ). It is the manual adjustments that make the difference. Left in auto ( P mode on the GH5 ) there is little difference between the cameras. Image stabilizer is I think better on the GH5 and I can make the autofocus about the same ( don't use continuous auto on either camera use touch focus ). Zoom range is longer on the AX100 than the 12-60 you would need to get the 14-140 to get close to the AX100. I think you would need a variable ND on all the time in Africa. GH5 has advantage of being weather sealed including the lenses.

In summary. The AX100 is a much more convenient camera to use than the GH5. I would not even consider the GH5S because of the lack of stabilizer in your application. True, you could mount it on a gimbal all the time. Something else to carry and adjust. You can put a UV filter on the AX100 and it has everything else full manual control included. The same would be true for the GX10 or XF400 to get UHD50P that you want. The GH5 will be better but only if you control manually, chose lens for application etc and is a lot less convenient with pieces to carry and change. If you do not have the time to set up manually for your applications and just run full auto then you will see very little difference whatever camera you get. You will be far more dependent on auto focus and the ability to at most do AE shift realtime. I think the AX100 or one of the Canon's will do a better job run this way.

I sometimes think how much marketing influences/affects the market. It is so easy to put a 50p sensor in every camcorder but some Company doesn't want to do it. Sony for example. It has to sell other cameras and in this time it can't put 50p in their cameras. I was waiting with interest for the next Sony a7SIII because it is very interesting for 4K video. It is a full frame but I'm pretty sure that camera will be 25-30p again. It is incredible but real. In my opinion Sony is falling lower and lower. I never would buy again a stroboscopic 25p camera. I wanted to make a leap of real quality with a new and more expensive camera, but I evidently can't do it. I've never sold my videos. I realize those videos for my taste and to know always different cultures. If I had to sold my videos, maybe I didn't care about getting better image quality and and I didn't have so much interest in making so many difficult journeys. I even risked my life by going to the mountains of the Sierra Nevada in Colombia. Sierra Nevada was the Farc guerrillas' hideout. But being alone, I could avoid them in a simpler way. Maybe I'm selfish and for this reason I understand that it is better not to sell my videos. I also understand my videos are giving me a lot of satisfaction, above all when I get a good trip with a good video quality. But since I always travel alone, I understand that I have to settle for my AX100. But I hope things can change over time. Anyway I thank you for your suggestions.

These days I made a lot of tests with the all the profiles of the GH5 and I noticed that those profiles that I like more are the "Natural" and "Like 709".
I'd like to understand better about "Like 709" profile and I would like to ask a few questions:

I read it is a profile born for broactast. But yet "Like 709" is probably the most baked in look you can get from the GH5. It has the least dynamic range, so if you are trying to preserve highlights without losing the shadows, its not the best option. For a finished look though its great. It also works very well on the more compressed recording options like 120, 180, and 240fps, as they are very brittle codecs that can't be pushed much.

Hi guys, all today that I was thinking about my problem but I can't get out of it. I'd like to do the WB with 18% gray cardboard but with the B: 1 M: 1 setting. Every time I do the WB I have to put those data manually. Is there the possibility to save those data? In other words, after doing the WB I would like to see automatically B: 1 M: 1.
Thanks

The whole point of doing a white balance is to do it just as you are going to shoot so that it is done in the light that you will be shooting in. Saving it does not make any more sense than using one of the presets in the camera now and then altering when you edit.