Sony PXW-X70 announced: Pro XDCAM version of AX100

[Jase Tanner]

Hi Terence

Thanks for responding. Now that you mention it, I did find the camera on Vistek's site but at the time, it was listed as unavailable. I sent an email asking them when they would have it, never heard back and forgot about them. They do have a good price as you point out, much better than the local store that said they would bring one in at my request.

Over the years, I've spent more money at B&H than I care to think about and yes, Purolator is the way to go.

I'm still undecided about the X70. Ideally I want a 1" sensor but with a greater zoom ratio. It doesn't exist afaik so a compromise is around the corner soon.

Do let us know what you think of the camera.

[David Dixon]

Those with the camera, in real world usage are you finding the 1" sensor @2.8-4 really gives shallower depth of field than a 1/3" sensor that is 1.8-2.8 or so?

[Terence Morris]

Originally Posted by Jase Tanner

Hi Terence

Ideally I want a 1" sensor but with a greater zoom ratio. It doesn't exist afaik so a compromise is around the corner soon.

Do let us know what you think of the camera.

I'm totally on board with you regarding this. At the moment there are a lot of compromises as the technology develops. Still, I think of what was available maybe only 6 years ago and it blows my mind. This is my best option at the moment for a smaller 2nd camera with a little more DOF control (given the limited aperture) at a pretty nice price point. The various footage I've seen was the decider for me at least.

I'll certainly give some feedback once I have the camera. The hold up is with the availability of other bits and pieces. I wanted everything in one shipment - dang!

[Christopher Young]

Originally Posted by David Dixon

Those with the camera, in real world usage are you finding the 1" sensor @2.8-4 really gives shallower depth of field than a 1/3" sensor that is 1.8-2.8 or so?

In one word the answer to your question is, yes in the real world you do notice the difference in DOF. Why is this so one might ask?

A brief explanation if you will indulge me.

A 1” sensor has a diagonal dimension of 16mm. A 1/3” sensor has a diagonal dimension of 6mm. The crop factor of your 1/3” sensor relative to a 1” sensor is a factor of 2.6666 recurring. This is arrived at dividing the 1” diagonal by the 1/3” diagonal. 16 divided by 6 equals 2.6666.

This calculation is also relative to aperture. If your 1/3” camera was at f1:1.8 the depth of field at, let us say 10 feet, would be the same as the depth of field on the 1” sensor at f4.7998. For the sake of brevity let’s say f4.8. You multiply the 1/3” sensor aperture by the crop factor to arrive at this result, e.g. f1.8 x crop of 2.6666 = f4.7998.

In short yes your f2.8 aperture on the 1” sensor will give you a shallower depth of field than f1.8 on your 1/3” sensor.

For a far better and more accurate, and probably simpler explanation than I am giving here on aperture, DOF and the influences that sensor size has on these aspects of image one should have a look at sites like this:

Basic Photography Tutorial - DoF: Aperture and Sensor Size
Notes on crop factors, DoF and FoV - www.similaar.com
Digital Camera Sensor Sizes: How it Influences Your Photography

Chris Young
CYV Productions
Sydney

[David Dixon]

Thanks for that explanation, and yes, I was just wanting to know if the difference was really enough to notice in real world use :-)

One thought - given that, for now, the X70 only does 1080p, does it shoot using the entire sensor and downsize it in-camera, or does it actually shoot using a crop of the sensor? And, does this make a difference on DOF?

And when the camera does 4K with the same sensor, will that have any effect on DOF?

Thanks again for your insights on this camera - I just pointed someone on another forum to this one for ideas on settings for the camera.

[Christopher Young]

Quote:

"One thought - given that, for now, the X70 only does 1080p, does it shoot using the entire sensor and downsize it in-camera, or does it actually shoot using a crop of the sensor?"

No it does not crop so no DOF difference. The HD image is sub-sampled down from the effective 14.2 million pixels of the 4K sensor hence the sharp image. Too sharp in fact for certain subjects. Especially older people's skin or beautiful young things with skin blemishes. Outdoors and cityscapes etc look fine with the stock auto detail setting. Don't forget the x70's detail circuit is a dynamic thing and that the camera uses automatic optimization for detail setting depending on what it thinks is best at any given setting.

Under the PP's In the Detail / Manual Set menu you can select ON if you wish and then you have manual control to adjust detail levels to you hearts content.

Chris Young
CYV Productions
Sydney

[Robert Young]

Originally Posted by Christopher Young

PP4

Black level +4
Gamma ITU709
Black Gamma / Range / High / +7
Knee / Mode / Manual / Manual Set / Point = 87.5 / slope = -2
Color Mode / ITU709 Matrix
Saturation +2
Color Phase -3

Chris
Thank you so much for these PP settings.
Very natural looking, great color, and terrific dynamic range.
It's become my go-to setting now.

[Mike Griffiths]

I agree, Thanks Chris

[Christopher Young]

Happy it's of some use to you guys :)

Chris Young
CYV Productions
Sydney

[Tim Akin]

Yeah Chris thanks for the PP suggestions. I'm having trouble using +4 black level indoors. It seems to add to the already high noise. About +1 is as high as I can go. I really like the black gamma and the knee settings, seems to help the DR quite a bit.

[Todd Mizomi]

I also appreciate you sharing your settings, Chris.

With these settings. are you also underexposing a little to help protect the highlights?

I usually set my zebras around 70-75 and set exposure so that I start to see them in the highlights of the face. Indoors and in shaded areas it's fine, but in late afternoon out in the sun, I seem to be easily blowing out my highlights on my subject if they're side or backlit from the sun. I'm wondering if I should underexpose more and bring it up in post.

[Paul Anderegg]

Originally Posted by Christopher Young

Anyhow as the journo was a complete beginner I put the X70 on full auto running my modified PP4. The footage he shot was 1920 50i AVCHD as it had to go straight to the network after the shoot.

I can confirm without a doubt that the PP custom settings are ignored when the camera is set to full auto. I flipped that switch while scoping my X70 and the vector arms snap back to their stock locations.

And that you Christopher for those KNEE settings, I will apply them to all of my PP's right away. Am getting irritated with having to blow out foreheads with my dimmed down camera LED just to keep the rest of the faces of my subjects exposed properly. For things not skin (70IRE optimum?), I have gotten into the habit of setting zebras to 100+, letting my highlights clip ever so slightly in night news scenes, then applying a broadcast safe filter in FCP X. Works rather well.

Originally Posted by David Dixon

Those with the camera, in real world usage are you finding the 1" sensor @2.8-4 really gives shallower depth of field than a 1/3" sensor that is 1.8-2.8 or so?

Compared to my work HM790 with HAs18 f1.4 lens, yes, the X70 has much greater depth of field. That advantage disappears as you zoom in, as the 18x remains f1.4 even at maximum telephoto, while the X70 drops to f4.0 very quickly.

Paul

[Lou Bruno]

There are two Auto settings. This can be chosen within the main menu which can be assigned to the back auto button.

Full Auto

Intelligent Auto


When set to actual AUTO a picture profile set prior will still function.


When set to Intelligent auto, one will lose any picture profiles.

[Paul Anderegg]

Holly cow, that seems backwards.....I would think the intelligent option would be smart enough to retain things you want. I will have to play around with that, as mine is set for intelligent when I go auto.

Thanks.

Paul

[Robert Young]

I think that the main deal with Intelligent Auto is that it will try to read the shot and automatically apply the various "Scene" settings as it sees fit.
In order to do this it uses a default PP and won't allow a custom setting.
I have found Intelligent Auto to be useful with the late model Sony still cameras like the RX 100, but use only the standard auto on the videocams.