Sony SR11 First impressions

[Ron Evans]

Just picked up my Sony SR11 this afternoon. Haven't had much time to test but the first impressions are that it is a real improvement over the SR7. Noise levels are lower, low light seems better though can't quantify until I do some more tests tomorrow. It is a little smaller and lighter than the SR7. Control wheel is a lot more useful. Face detection is a blast, locks onto real faces, faces on the TV, in pictures etc. Shots of flowers etc looked spectacular on my Panasonic 42" Plasma 1080p.
Will do more tests against my FX1 and the SR7 that my daughter now has this weekend.

Ron Evans

[Paulo Teixeira]

Can you be able to post some outdoor footage for us?

[Dave Blackhurst]

Yes, do tell, some of the pix and footage I saw of the UX20 (?, Paulo's link), which used the Bionz/EXMOR processing and a lower res sensor than the SR11/12 looked pretty promising.

I'd like to know how the still side of the equation fared as well, as dual use seemed like a viable feature.

[Ron Evans]

I will shoot some outside this weekend, its -22C in Ottawa today so I am not going to spend much time outside!!!! It will be between 1 and 0 C this weekend so will do it then. It has similar characteristics as the SR7 and HC96 in low light as the picture is brighter than reality by quite a bit, at least two clicks of the scale which makes the picture a lot better. Don't understand why Sony does this. At this extreme setting the picture is not as bad as the SR7 under the same conditions. I would certainly use for a family party etc. Under normal room lighting its acceptable. I will take a few stills today and post.

Ron Evans

[Ron Evans]

These are a few shots I took all on automatic, just pressed the photo button. They have been reduced a little to meet the upload requirements.

Ron Evans

[Dave Blackhurst]

THX Ron -
Those definitely give some decent impressions of what the camera can do - maybe this cam will finally realize the "dual purpose" dream. I wish they had something more like the CX7 (no HDD) or the upcoming Canons with some built in flash memory, but the new EXMOR/Bionz looks promising as a sensr/electronic package

[Ron Evans]

I have done a little more testing and of interest is the low light response. In my mind it is better than the SR7 or my HC96, not as good as the FX1. What is more interesting is the different exposure when people are in the scene and face detection comes into play. Over the weekend I was away with the family and took some inside shots of the condo we were staying at all on automatic. With no people the camera was wide open, f 1.8 at 18db and as with the SR7 and the HC96 the exposure is far brighter than reality. With people in the same scene exposure dropped to more normal appearance and F2 at 12db!!!! Faces were nicely exposed and so was the rest of the room image!!!! Again this stresses the fact that the normal auto exposure goes a little crazy in low light making the image much brighter than reality but the Bionz processor with the face detection clearly corrects this problem rather than go full manual, very useful for a family event. IF the camera detects peoples faces the exposure is Ok ....no people it is way too bright and needs to be in manual and reduce gain by at least three "clicks". I am becoming more impressed the more I use the cam. Wish I had the LCD on the FX1!!!!

Ron Evans

[Ken Ross]

Ron, it's interesting that I had a bit different experience with my SR12 and face detection. I was playing with the cam in a shopping mall while my wife was spending money (I guess I did too on the cam!).

I noticed with face detection on, the scene got brighter and there was a shift in the color balance. I actually preferred the overall look with face detection off. It might just have been the lighting in the mall since I haven't tested this feature in other areas.

But as you mentioned, I become more impressed with this cam the more I use it. I'm really finding the video to be at least as good as my HV20 if not better.

[Tony Parenti]

How does it compare to the 24p capturing of the Hv20?? I always find the 24p image quality much better then 60i on the HV20.

[Ken Ross]

Tony, I've never been a fan of 24p on the HV20 and never use it. To my eyes it's just too jittery with motion. 30p may be a different animal though. I prefer the look of the 60i on my plasma when it comes to the HV20.

[Tony Parenti]

How's the chromatic aberration on the lens. That's one area where the HV20 was really good was the minimalization of CA. I had a Sony HD Camcorder before the HV20 (I believe it was the HC5) and the CA on that Zeiss lens was horrible.

[Ken Ross]

I see almost none Tony. When I had the FX7, I noticed quite a bit of it. I don't recall if the FX1 also had it, but the SR12 seems to be free of it. I know Canon has a bad rap for that in their higher end HDV cams.

[Ron Evans]

Ken, I think that the face detection focuses, set exposure and white balance for the faces it locks to so that in some circumstances it will not be the correct white balance for the whole scene. Maybe in the mall with florescent lights the white balance was off as well an the faces it locked to where in shade. I think that if the faces are the focus of the scene I will use it but for most I may well use full manual. But like you I am impressed with the cam for its price.

Ron

[Ken Ross]

Originally Posted by Ron Evans

Ken, I think that the face detection focuses, set exposure and white balance for the faces it locks to so that in some circumstances it will not be the correct white balance for the whole scene. Maybe in the mall with florescent lights the white balance was off as well an the faces it locked to where in shade. I think that if the faces are the focus of the scene I will use it but for most I may well use full manual. But like you I am impressed with the cam for its price.

Ron

Ron, what's your opinion of the SR11 relative to the HV20...if you've seen HV20 footage.

[Ron Evans]

Ken I have not seen any HV20 video so can't comment.
Ron