FDR AX700 vs.FDR AX100 etc.

[Lou Bruno]

Has anyone found any comparisons between the 700 vs. the 100 or for that matter even the X70 vs the 80 and 90? I did an extensive You Tube search to no avail....just wondering if the upgrade is worth the expense as it relates to picture quality. Thanks to all.

[Noa Put]

I think the ax100 doesn't need much improvement in image quality but it does in noise at higher iso's.

[Mark Watson]

AX100 is still pretty good. The upgrade things that interest me are 120p at FHD rather than AX100's 1280x720. Improved A/F would be nice, since I get soft footage when shooting a fast moving object. Touch-screen focus and all that sounds a bit better. Personally, I am leaning towards the PXW-Z90 for my tripod camera to replace the AX100.

[John McCully]

While I am also more than happy with the image quality of the AX100 I do find the LCD and EVF not bright enough when shooting 4k outdoors in full sunlight. Under these conditions I find the EVF essentially useless. Reading the specifications improvements have been made to both and if significant that alone would entice me to upgrade.

I’m also looking for a detailed in-depth review.

[Cliff Totten]

The Ax100 is still a sweet camcorder today. However, the AX700 now uses Sony most current BSI 1 inch-type sensor with onboard RAM.

I noticed a significant quality improvement over the X70 when they put this sensor in the Z150. Its definetely a better sensor and the noise reduction processing took a...I dunno...3 to 6db improvement? The Z150 looks cleaner at 18db than the X70/Ax100 at 15db. Plus it seems that more detail is retained too.

I sold my X70 and pre ordered the NX80. I dont need 1080 SDI any more.

[Mark Watson]

The Z90 is supposed to have HD 4:2:2 10-bit. I'm hoping the HFR 120p FHD will get this 10-bit 4:2:2 goodness. For an extra $500 I should hope to get more than a SDI jack, especially since there's a type A HDMI on all these.

[Paul Anderegg]

They tend to think that anyone jacking into SDI instead of HDMI is a TV network and would have a bigger budget to splurge for a simple BNC jack!

Paul

[Mark Watson]

I prefer the SDI jack for my external monitor, SmallHD DP6. Much more solid connection. Budget, what's that? Hope it hits the Japanese camera stores soon so I have one for Christmas vacation.

[Doug Jensen]

Originally Posted by Mark Watson

The Z90 is supposed to have HD 4:2:2 10-bit. I'm hoping the HFR 120p FHD will get this 10-bit 4:2:2 goodness.

It does get it and it looks great. BTW, shooting HFR is addicting. I need an intervention.

Sony PXW-Z90 Test Footage on Vimeo

[Mark Watson]

Wow! That's great news. Thanks for confirming that Doug! I think this might be the first time this feature has appeared in a handycam. Definitely will be getting a Z90. I've e-mailed Yodobashi Camera to see when it will appear on their shelves.

[Paul Anderegg]

Hey Doug, just curious, would the "instant HDR" for HD shooting work well in my type of ENG shooting at night, where I have a weak LED and dark scenes with patches of intensely bright light, like spotlights or interiors of businesses? I have a preset effect in FCPX that drops my highlights -8 just to account for those specific clips, but if this can be used as a "super knee" that would work great! :)

Paul

[Doug Jensen]

In my opinion, HLG is strictly for live output or broadcasting to an HLG capable monitor or network. HLG offers no advantages for a processing in post and I think I can safely say that I will never shoot with that profile. Even for "ilve" output I don't really believe that you can output for HDR and SDR at the same time. I am not drinking that Kool-aid yet.. You may want to give S-LOG2 a try instead if you want more dynamic range and avoid the evils of knee.

[Paul Anderegg]

The consensus I have always read online is that S-log is not for shooting in darkness.

Paul

[Doug Jensen]

I don't shy away from S-LOG in darkness or any other kind of light. But, if you're not going to have time to grade in Resolve then I agree with you that a good low-light scene file using one of the regular REC709 gammas would be a better choice. But I cannot say which one would be best for low light because I haven't tested them in low light, but it certainly would not be any of the HLG gammas.

[Cliff Totten]

Originally Posted by Paul Anderegg

The consensus I have always read online is that S-log is not for shooting in darkness.

Paul

Its important to note that SLOG "suppresses" brightness. In low light, we are often trying to bend over bavkwards to take in a much light as possible to get the brighness on your scopes where you'd like them.

Slog is going to fight you all the way. Its going to compress that brightness at a certain ratio. (For every stop of light comming in, only a fraction of that stop will reflect on your scope when Slog is done with it)

So....just understand that Slog's roll is to compress the very thing you might want strong at night.

Whatever camera you use.....Slog or Vlog. Avoid added gain at all costs. Gain is not light actual "exposure". Gain has NOTHING to do with real "exposure". In fact....the sensor "exposure" process is completed with shutter speed and iris. This "exposed" image is sent down the pipe for gain to be added if necessary.

In other words..."gain" is a "post processing" addition that is applied to an image after actual "light exposure" was completed. Adding gain will just add noise and potentially reduce your dynamic range.

I have shot fireworks with laser's and intense flames with large LED images in Slog with great sucess. Although this is a night time event, its also loaded with enormous dynamic range.

If what you are shooting at night is a 7 stop or less scene, than stay with rec709-ish profiles. No need to capture 6 stops scene in a 14 stop curve. That would be a waste and wind up hurting you anyway.