Panasonic UX90 & UX180 Q&A

[Barry Green]

The exposure compensation is taken into account by the iris and, if you've enabled them, the auto shutter and/or the auto gain. It's named after AUTO IRIS, but in fact it will use the shutter and/or AGC if necessary and if you've allowed it. It is difficult to know whether it's using auto gain because the camera doesn't report what gain setting it's at when it's in auto mode (i.e., when in auto it only says "AGC"), but I set it to go to extreme overexposure and there was definitely a difference when I used manual gain and when I let it use auto gain, so -- it uses all three systems.

The camera takes into account issues such as diffraction; at this pixel size the optimum small aperture is F/5.6; any smaller than that and the influence of diffraction will start to be seen, so it will prefer to keep the aperture at 5.6 or more open whenever possible. If you have the auto shutter on, and you tell it the A. IRIS LEVEL to expose for a very dark image (the range is -50 to +50, I tested at -50) then it will stop the lens down until it hits 5.6, and then it will start adjusting the shutter speed instead. If you want it to not use the shutter speed and to only affect the iris, then you can put it in manual shutter mode.

On the opposite end of the scale, the auto shutter likes to hold at 1/60 as its slowest speed whenever possible. If you want to make the scene very bright, it'll add auto gain before it resorts to lowering the shutter speed. But if it has already opened the iris fully and cranked in the max amount of gain you allow it to and it still can't reach your desired level of brightness, then it will drop the shutter speed to 1/30 (or 1/24 for 24p).

All these factors (auto iris, auto shutter speed, slow auto shutter speed, and auto gain) are within your control as to whether they happen or not. The system will use whatever combination of tools you've given it, to try to hit your exposure target.

[Pete Cofrancesco]

Thanks Barry for your detailed explanation.

[Pete Cofrancesco]

Barry, thanks for your help I ended up getting the UX90. I'm already contemplating adding wireless but had some questions:
1. I need to buy the usb wifi adapter that plugs into the camera. I see on Panasonic's site there is AJ-WM50p and an older 30 module. Is there a performance difference? I assume you can't plug any wireless adapter or will any work?

2. Do I need a wireless router to make my own network to make this work? If so does it matter what router I get?

3. I would then be using my droid phone or ipad. Where do I get the software. Is it free? Does it allow me to control and view whats being recorded?

[Barry Green]

I don't have all the answers on the wireless yet, but will be experimenting with it soon. As far as I know there are three adapters that will work, the Panasonic WM50 and WM30 series and the original Asus N53 I think.

One thing I can answer is that the app is only available for the iPad. It's available free on the App store, called Panasonic AG ROP.

[Nate Haustein]

Originally Posted by Pete Cofrancesco

Barry, thanks for your help I ended up getting the UX90. I'm already contemplating adding wireless but had some questions:
1. I need to buy the usb wifi adapter that plugs into the camera. I see on Panasonic's site there is AJ-WM50p and an older 30 module. Is there a performance difference? I assume you can't plug any wireless adapter or will any work?

2. Do I need a wireless router to make my own network to make this work? If so does it matter what router I get?

3. I would then be using my droid phone or ipad. Where do I get the software. Is it free? Does it allow me to control and view whats being recorded?

Hi Pete, I got the WM50 with the UX90 and it works pretty much as expected. I connected directly to the camera via iPad app. The setup was a little strange, but the real "trick" was using the default password found in the manual when setting up the network. It's also a little odd that you need to do an extra step of setting the IP under the AG ROP settings in the iPad preferences. I'd be happy to walk you through. It was a little frustrating at first. There's no video preview in the app (as far as I know) so you'll need a monitor attached when in a remote position.

[Ron Evans]

It is a pity that they do not use the app available for the Panasonic consumer still cameras that is very comprehensive. Controls almost everything and has preview with touch focus etc. One of the main features for me is touch focus etc and one looses this with the app. The reason that touch focus is important is that focusing UHD is very, very critical as I found with my FDR-AX1. You need an external monitor as 3" is not good enough to tell and I think touch focus will be a lot more accurate. Will wait and see what the GH5 spec are as that will no doubt operate with the more comprehensive still app and have good UHD performance too.

Will decide what to get in the new year but they are all interesting cameras and HC-X!/UX180 are better than the NX5U and FDR-AX1 I now have.

Ron Evans

[Slobodan Pazin]

Hi
It looks like the new firmware is available
[PROVIDEO ASSET SUPPORT SYSTEM]Top Page
Did anyone try SD card of 256GB?
Regards

[Pete Cofrancesco]

Originally Posted by Nate Haustein

Hi Pete, I got the WM50 with the UX90 and it works pretty much as expected. I connected directly to the camera via iPad app. The setup was a little strange, but the real "trick" was using the default password found in the manual when setting up the network. It's also a little odd that you need to do an extra step of setting the IP under the AG ROP settings in the iPad preferences. I'd be happy to walk you through. It was a little frustrating at first. There's no video preview in the app (as far as I know) so you'll need a monitor attached when in a remote position.

Without any video preview it's not as useful as I hoped for. I'd have setup some way to wirelessly stream the video to monitor it in theater remote setup.

Btw I assume you need a wireless router too. The ipad doesn't connect to the dongle directly?

[Barry Green]

Originally Posted by Slobodan Pazin

Hi
It looks like the new firmware is available
[PROVIDEO ASSET SUPPORT SYSTEM]Top Page
Did anyone try SD card of 256GB?
Regards

Yes, there is a new firmware update for the UX180 and also one for the UX90.

I haven't tried a 256GB card but I've heard from others that they work on both the DVX200 and the UX cameras. I can't verify that though; the biggest card I have is 128gb (which works fine of course).

[Slobodan Pazin]

Tnx Barry
Regards

[Nate Haustein]

Originally Posted by Pete Cofrancesco

Without any video preview it's not as useful as I hoped for. I'd have setup some way to wirelessly stream the video to monitor it in theater remote setup.

Btw I assume you need a wireless router too. The ipad doesn't connect to the dongle directly?

It connects directly. The iPad connects to the network the camera USB dongle creates. You could also use it through a router for longer distances. I used the feature during a SDI connected livestream event so I had a way to monitor the camera via direct cable run. The app also lets let's you toggle the on-screen menu overlays on and off easily so you can see what you're doing when rooting around in the settings. Just don't leave them on during a live stream...

[Slobodan Pazin]

[QUOTE=Barry Green;1925627]Yes, there is a new firmware update for the UX180 and also one for the UX90.

Hi Barry
Did you try new firmware(UX180), if yes is there some improvement?
Regards

[Barry Green]

It addressed a few relatively minor issues. The release notes say:

Ver. 1.02-

If ABB is executed while the recording format is 4K, a few vertical lines may appear at the left end of the screen. This is fixed.
The black level at "+7" setting of NR Control is corrected.
When GAMMA mode is set to CINE_LIKE_V or FILM_LIKE_2, coloring occurs on the contours of a high-brightness part. This is fixed.

[Slobodan Pazin]

Tnx Barry
Regards

[Jonathan Schwartz]

Barry,

I have the Panny 160A and AC90. What kind of low light improvements can I expect to see with the UX180 & 90? Thanks for everything you do.