Has anyone edited Sony AX100 footage in Vegas?

Ron Evans · July 19th, 2014, 06:05 AM

The new shoe is on the latest PXW cameras too so a good replacement for your Z5 would be the PXW-X180 with the shoe !!! Its purpose is to remove all the wires/battery issues and make it easier to control peripherals from the camera like light or wireless mic. That is if you buy Sony . For non Sony just have to buy an adapter and put up with separate power and those extra cables !!

I believe the menu system is much like my NX30U where you can set a My Buttons for 3 buttons on the LCD that you use the most ? Solves most of my quick change issues with the NX30U.

The FDR-AX100 is a consumer camera after all. I am sure there will be a pro version some time though the one that looks the most like the AX100 seems to be the new XDCAM that is likely HD only.

Ron Evans

Mark Watson · July 19th, 2014, 09:47 AM

Good news Gerald!

I just did some more checking on the issue in 120fps mode and have found the source of the problem. It wasn't the camera at all, it was simply a setting in Vegas I had over-looked.

Whenever I've dropped a clip on the Vegas timeline, it asks if I want to set the project properties to match the clip. I say yes, and then stretch out the clip so it is playing back at 1/4th speed. Tonight I started messing with the project properties and found that it had been setting the frame rate and resolution to match the clip, but for some reason it set the Deinterlace method to "Blend", even though the clip is progressive. I changed this to "None" and the blurry frame problem disappeared.

This is a great relief for me. The other stuff is a minor nuisance in comparison, I really wanted a poor man's FS700ish slow-mo solution and it looks like this camera is back in the game.

Something I meant to mention about what's to like about this camera is the bit rate. Not that it's particularly high for 4K, it's not, but that no matter what mode I'm shooting in, high-speed 1280x720 or HD, the bit rate is still up there between 50-60Mbps, and I think this raises the bar a little for a consumer cam.

A Pro version of this camera. What would that look like? A wishlist: Interchangeable lens, XLR inputs, lots of ergonomically laid-out buttons, continuous 120fps in full HD, dual memory cards, great image stabilizer, variable zoom rocker, ND filters, full-feature Lanc, 100Mbps or more bit rate, SDI out, time code jack. But then it's in the $10,000-$12,000 range. Better low light would be a bonus but wouldn't expect to get that.

Mark

Mark Watson · July 19th, 2014, 11:08 AM

Ron,

You're correct about the My Button feature. You can assign 3 of 41 possible menu functions to the LCD touch-screen. Going from 4K 30P to HD 120fps takes 9 steps and about 15 seconds, but if you assign the Shooting Mode and File Format menu items to 2 of the 3 buttons, then it takes 6 steps and about 10 seconds going each way.

Mark

Gerald Webb · July 20th, 2014, 03:40 PM

Good news about the slo mo Mark. Glad you got it sorted.

It is still tempting. Im sure it has a place in the arsenal, 4k wide shot at events, family holidays etc.
Its probably just not "the" camera to replace my Z5, as in, I dont think I would sell the Z5 to get this one.

Now the decision, birthdays coming soon, AX100 or GH4....

Noa Put · July 20th, 2014, 03:56 PM

Don't let the lower price of the gh4 fool you, you still need a set of lenses to go with it and then it adds up quickly. If you are looking for a z5 kind of videocamera the ax100 would be a better choice.

Mark Watson · July 20th, 2014, 09:39 PM

Gerald, good luck with your decision.

The high-speed capability was the main reason I got the camera. I've been looking for a very long time for a video camera that can do 120fps without going into a buffer memory, can be zoomed, focused, and adjust exposure automatically all while recording. This camera can do all that. Getting built-in ND filters, manual controls, LANC, 4K, IR and a clean HDMI out are extras. I've handled a GH3. I don't like that form-factor for shooting hand-held. Too many little buttons everywhere I want to grip the camera. Also, no powered zoom, no LANC no built-in ND filters and I'd need to buy new lenses. It's looking like the AX100 will send five of my cameras to the "bone yard".

Mark

Gerald Webb · July 21st, 2014, 04:39 AM

Fair point Noa, but if you already have a handy amount of m4/3 lenses? Does it become a more difficult choice? It does for me :(

Can I have both? lol.

There is something about Sony camera's colors I just love. From my first SR8 handycam through to the Z5, the skin tones just look better than on all my other brands of cameras. I presume the AX100 will have that same "look".

Anyone know why? Is it the gamma curves that Sony use?

Thanks Mark for all the info.

Noa Put · July 21st, 2014, 04:57 AM

The ax100 image looks a lot like my cx730 with the main difference that it is more detailed so you get some kind of enhanced clarity to all your shots even when downscaled to 1080p. Sony has got their colorescience right because it's more a what you see is what you get kind of view.

If I was only to get just one camera now and I had to choose between the gh4 and ax100 it probably would be the ax100, not because it produces a better image but because it's a better all-round camera.

Last year I was hired by a videocompany to shoot a wedding, they told me they did simple docu style, one camera only, just onboard audio recording from the camera. It was not my shootingstyle but I was happy to adjust to please my client and I knew it would be easy shooting and money :)

Back then I had my nex-ea50 (which I sold end last year) with me all day and I really like using that camera for that purpose, if I now would get the same request I'd take the ax100 over the gh4 without much thought, the ax100 would make my life much easier getting all my shots and get it all right, just like I could with my cx730's. The main difference between the cx730 and ax100 is also formfactor, I have no issue using the ax100 as is since it's quite bulky for a handicam and it's good that they replaced "handicam" with "4k" on the side :) while with the cx730 I feel quite uncomfortable shooting with it without any form of small rig, the camera only makes you look like uncle bob, even if it shoots excellent video.

The GH4 is a totally different camera then the ax100, I use it primarily for all my creative shots but it still has too many limitations to serve as a real videocamera where you need continuous recording, smooth zoom operation, smooth exposure changes, nd's, good audio etc. The GH4 can provide shots that the ax100 cannot, but the real strength is when you combine both camera's as one complements the other.

July 19th, 2014, 06:05 AM	#16
Ron Evans Inner Circle Join Date: Mar 2003 Location: Ottawa, Ontario, Canada Posts: 4,222	Re: Has anyone edited Sony AX100 footage in Vegas? The new shoe is on the latest PXW cameras too so a good replacement for your Z5 would be the PXW-X180 with the shoe !!! Its purpose is to remove all the wires/battery issues and make it easier to control peripherals from the camera like light or wireless mic. That is if you buy Sony . For non Sony just have to buy an adapter and put up with separate power and those extra cables !! I believe the menu system is much like my NX30U where you can set a My Buttons for 3 buttons on the LCD that you use the most ? Solves most of my quick change issues with the NX30U. The FDR-AX100 is a consumer camera after all. I am sure there will be a pro version some time though the one that looks the most like the AX100 seems to be the new XDCAM that is likely HD only. Ron Evans

July 19th, 2014, 09:47 AM	#17
Mark Watson Major Player Join Date: Oct 2008 Location: Whidbey Island Posts: 873	Re: Has anyone edited Sony AX100 footage in Vegas? Good news Gerald! I just did some more checking on the issue in 120fps mode and have found the source of the problem. It wasn't the camera at all, it was simply a setting in Vegas I had over-looked. Whenever I've dropped a clip on the Vegas timeline, it asks if I want to set the project properties to match the clip. I say yes, and then stretch out the clip so it is playing back at 1/4th speed. Tonight I started messing with the project properties and found that it had been setting the frame rate and resolution to match the clip, but for some reason it set the Deinterlace method to "Blend", even though the clip is progressive. I changed this to "None" and the blurry frame problem disappeared. This is a great relief for me. The other stuff is a minor nuisance in comparison, I really wanted a poor man's FS700ish slow-mo solution and it looks like this camera is back in the game. Something I meant to mention about what's to like about this camera is the bit rate. Not that it's particularly high for 4K, it's not, but that no matter what mode I'm shooting in, high-speed 1280x720 or HD, the bit rate is still up there between 50-60Mbps, and I think this raises the bar a little for a consumer cam. A Pro version of this camera. What would that look like? A wishlist: Interchangeable lens, XLR inputs, lots of ergonomically laid-out buttons, continuous 120fps in full HD, dual memory cards, great image stabilizer, variable zoom rocker, ND filters, full-feature Lanc, 100Mbps or more bit rate, SDI out, time code jack. But then it's in the $10,000-$12,000 range. Better low light would be a bonus but wouldn't expect to get that. Mark Attached Thumbnails

July 19th, 2014, 11:08 AM	#18
Mark Watson Major Player Join Date: Oct 2008 Location: Whidbey Island Posts: 873	Re: Has anyone edited Sony AX100 footage in Vegas? Ron, You're correct about the My Button feature. You can assign 3 of 41 possible menu functions to the LCD touch-screen. Going from 4K 30P to HD 120fps takes 9 steps and about 15 seconds, but if you assign the Shooting Mode and File Format menu items to 2 of the 3 buttons, then it takes 6 steps and about 10 seconds going each way. Mark

July 20th, 2014, 03:40 PM	#19
Gerald Webb Trustee Join Date: Oct 2009 Location: Central Coast Australia Posts: 1,046	Re: Has anyone edited Sony AX100 footage in Vegas? Good news about the slo mo Mark. Glad you got it sorted. It is still tempting. Im sure it has a place in the arsenal, 4k wide shot at events, family holidays etc. Its probably just not "the" camera to replace my Z5, as in, I dont think I would sell the Z5 to get this one. Now the decision, birthdays coming soon, AX100 or GH4.... __________________ http://vimeo.com/livewebvideo

July 20th, 2014, 03:56 PM	#20
Noa Put Inner Circle Join Date: Jun 2007 Location: Belgium Posts: 9,510	Re: Has anyone edited Sony AX100 footage in Vegas? Don't let the lower price of the gh4 fool you, you still need a set of lenses to go with it and then it adds up quickly. If you are looking for a z5 kind of videocamera the ax100 would be a better choice.

July 20th, 2014, 09:39 PM	#21
Mark Watson Major Player Join Date: Oct 2008 Location: Whidbey Island Posts: 873	Re: Has anyone edited Sony AX100 footage in Vegas? Gerald, good luck with your decision. The high-speed capability was the main reason I got the camera. I've been looking for a very long time for a video camera that can do 120fps without going into a buffer memory, can be zoomed, focused, and adjust exposure automatically all while recording. This camera can do all that. Getting built-in ND filters, manual controls, LANC, 4K, IR and a clean HDMI out are extras. I've handled a GH3. I don't like that form-factor for shooting hand-held. Too many little buttons everywhere I want to grip the camera. Also, no powered zoom, no LANC no built-in ND filters and I'd need to buy new lenses. It's looking like the AX100 will send five of my cameras to the "bone yard". Mark

July 21st, 2014, 04:39 AM	#22
Gerald Webb Trustee Join Date: Oct 2009 Location: Central Coast Australia Posts: 1,046	Re: Has anyone edited Sony AX100 footage in Vegas? Fair point Noa, but if you already have a handy amount of m4/3 lenses? Does it become a more difficult choice? It does for me :( Can I have both? lol. There is something about Sony camera's colors I just love. From my first SR8 handycam through to the Z5, the skin tones just look better than on all my other brands of cameras. I presume the AX100 will have that same "look". Anyone know why? Is it the gamma curves that Sony use? Thanks Mark for all the info. __________________ http://vimeo.com/livewebvideo

July 21st, 2014, 04:57 AM	#23
Noa Put Inner Circle Join Date: Jun 2007 Location: Belgium Posts: 9,510	Re: Has anyone edited Sony AX100 footage in Vegas? The ax100 image looks a lot like my cx730 with the main difference that it is more detailed so you get some kind of enhanced clarity to all your shots even when downscaled to 1080p. Sony has got their colorescience right because it's more a what you see is what you get kind of view. If I was only to get just one camera now and I had to choose between the gh4 and ax100 it probably would be the ax100, not because it produces a better image but because it's a better all-round camera. Last year I was hired by a videocompany to shoot a wedding, they told me they did simple docu style, one camera only, just onboard audio recording from the camera. It was not my shootingstyle but I was happy to adjust to please my client and I knew it would be easy shooting and money :) Back then I had my nex-ea50 (which I sold end last year) with me all day and I really like using that camera for that purpose, if I now would get the same request I'd take the ax100 over the gh4 without much thought, the ax100 would make my life much easier getting all my shots and get it all right, just like I could with my cx730's. The main difference between the cx730 and ax100 is also formfactor, I have no issue using the ax100 as is since it's quite bulky for a handicam and it's good that they replaced "handicam" with "4k" on the side :) while with the cx730 I feel quite uncomfortable shooting with it without any form of small rig, the camera only makes you look like uncle bob, even if it shoots excellent video. The GH4 is a totally different camera then the ax100, I use it primarily for all my creative shots but it still has too many limitations to serve as a real videocamera where you need continuous recording, smooth zoom operation, smooth exposure changes, nd's, good audio etc. The GH4 can provide shots that the ax100 cannot, but the real strength is when you combine both camera's as one complements the other.