FX1000 has arrived - first impressions

Tom Hardwick · January 2nd, 2009, 09:55 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Jeff Harper

Sony does not allow you to toggle between indoor and outdoor WB settings. You only get one preset, and you have to choose it in the menu, indoor or outdoor. (why?).

I'm right with you on this one Jeff. WHY, Sony? The VX/PD was a much better operational idea whereby you could instantly switch between two presets, indoor and outdoor. All this delving into the deep menuy system just to change the preset's value is laughable.

Has anyone come up with a good reason why this is so? I could live with 2 presets and one manually set w/b thank you Sony.

tom.

Ken Ross · January 2nd, 2009, 10:08 AM

Guys, why can't you use memory A & B positions to store an outdoor & indoor WB respectively (A for indoor and B for outdoor)?

Jeff Harper · January 2nd, 2009, 10:08 AM

Ken, we can do that of course. But why should we have to?

Tom: Thank you, I thought I was the only one. It is the most non-sensical thing I can imagine. I look at this feature, the menu scroll wheel, and the placement of the hot shoe that doesn't allow for opening and closing the LCD when anything is mounted and I imagine they must have made these decision with the idea that it would be wrong to give us a camera that is near-perfect for the money.

Ken Ross · January 2nd, 2009, 10:15 AM

Jeff, I'm not sure I'm understanding the difference between having an outdoor WB stored in "A" and an indoor WB stored in "B" as opposed to having a dedicated outdoor/indoor switch. A simple switch between A & B accomplishes the same thing, no?

Is it that you feel you're losing two potential memory slots that you could use for other WB adjustments?

Tom Hardwick · January 2nd, 2009, 10:18 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Ken Ross

why can't you use memory A & B positions to store an outdoor & indoor WB respectively

Because the 'manually set' A & B positions are potentially unreliable. Did I change these on the last shoot? Is it 'nearly indoors', or 'warm outdoors'? I like to see the bulb and sun, and work fromn there.

My Z1 is excellent in that it allows me to set the outdoor preset and then fine-tune this setting (warmer or cooler) with the assign buttons. 5 clicks on button 5 and I'm in the artificial mode setting. I presume the Z5 has this very useful feature too.

tom.

Ken Ross · January 2nd, 2009, 10:27 AM

Tom, the 1000 does have a WB shift feature that allows you to adjust in an 18 point scale, warmer or cooler (9 point warmer, 9 point cooler) from the cam's decision.

Tim Akin · January 2nd, 2009, 10:36 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Tom Hardwick

Because the 'manually set' A & B positions are potentially unreliable. Did I change these on the last shoot? Is it 'nearly indoors', or 'warm outdoors'? I like to see the bulb and sun, and work fromn there.tom.

Plus, you loose those two presets that could be set for something else. For me, I would like to toggle between indoor/outdoor and set the A&B preset for something like the bridal room and the sanctuary. Like it is I had to set B for outdoor, A for sanctuary and set the preset to indoor.

Jeff Harper · January 2nd, 2009, 10:36 AM

Well said Tom.

As Tom said, give me the light bulb and the sun thingy and we can take it from there. Since we have to use one of the custom settings as an outdoor or indoor preset we lose a preset anyway which makes the whole affair of this new "Feature" an excercise in futility on their part and a waste of time for us. It just doesn't make sense to have "fixed" something that worked.

Ken Ross · January 2nd, 2009, 10:39 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Tim Akin

Plus, you loose those two presets that could be set for something else. For me, I would like to toggle between indoor/outdoor and set the A&B preset for something like the bridal room and the sanctuary. Like it is I had to set B for outdoor, A for sanctuary and set the preset to indoor.

That's what I thought would be the biggest negative.

Tim Akin · January 2nd, 2009, 10:40 AM

Ken, where is that? I haven't found that.

Ken Ross · January 2nd, 2009, 10:54 AM

Tim, page 40 of the 1000 manual. You can download it from Sony if you don't have it handy.

Tim Akin · January 2nd, 2009, 10:58 AM

Awe man, I thought I was done testing.

Ken Ross · January 2nd, 2009, 11:00 AM

You haven't even begun Tim, you haven't even begun. :)

Martin Duffy · January 2nd, 2009, 01:32 PM

[QUOTE=Jeff Harper a camera that is near-perfect for the money.[/QUOTE]

Well gents the inventers always need something to seemingly invent on the next one.

I mean getting all of us and them (Sony) in a room and nailing the perfect bang for buck camera would be too logical and put them out of work!

Jeff Harper · January 2nd, 2009, 01:55 PM

Good point Martin.

January 2nd, 2009, 10:40 AM	#190
Tim Akin Major Player Join Date: Nov 2008 Location: Newbern, TN Posts: 414	Ken, where is that? I haven't found that. __________________ Tim

January 2nd, 2009, 10:58 AM	#192
Tim Akin Major Player Join Date: Nov 2008 Location: Newbern, TN Posts: 414	Awe man, I thought I was done testing. __________________ Tim

January 2nd, 2009, 01:32 PM	#194
Martin Duffy Regular Crew Join Date: Jan 2006 Posts: 156	The perfect camera will never happen! [QUOTE=Jeff Harper a camera that is near-perfect for the money.[/QUOTE] Well gents the inventers always need something to seemingly invent on the next one. I mean getting all of us and them (Sony) in a room and nailing the perfect bang for buck camera would be too logical and put them out of work!

January 2nd, 2009, 10:08 AM	#182
Ken Ross Trustee Join Date: Jan 2005 Location: New York Posts: 1,945	Guys, why can't you use memory A & B positions to store an outdoor & indoor WB respectively (A for indoor and B for outdoor)?

January 2nd, 2009, 10:08 AM	#183
Jeff Harper Inner Circle Join Date: Jun 2005 Location: Cincinnati, OH Posts: 8,425	Ken, we can do that of course. But why should we have to? Tom: Thank you, I thought I was the only one. It is the most non-sensical thing I can imagine. I look at this feature, the menu scroll wheel, and the placement of the hot shoe that doesn't allow for opening and closing the LCD when anything is mounted and I imagine they must have made these decision with the idea that it would be wrong to give us a camera that is near-perfect for the money.

January 2nd, 2009, 10:15 AM	#184
Ken Ross Trustee Join Date: Jan 2005 Location: New York Posts: 1,945	Jeff, I'm not sure I'm understanding the difference between having an outdoor WB stored in "A" and an indoor WB stored in "B" as opposed to having a dedicated outdoor/indoor switch. A simple switch between A & B accomplishes the same thing, no? Is it that you feel you're losing two potential memory slots that you could use for other WB adjustments?

January 2nd, 2009, 10:27 AM	#186
Ken Ross Trustee Join Date: Jan 2005 Location: New York Posts: 1,945	Tom, the 1000 does have a WB shift feature that allows you to adjust in an 18 point scale, warmer or cooler (9 point warmer, 9 point cooler) from the cam's decision.

January 2nd, 2009, 10:36 AM	#188
Jeff Harper Inner Circle Join Date: Jun 2005 Location: Cincinnati, OH Posts: 8,425	Well said Tom. As Tom said, give me the light bulb and the sun thingy and we can take it from there. Since we have to use one of the custom settings as an outdoor or indoor preset we lose a preset anyway which makes the whole affair of this new "Feature" an excercise in futility on their part and a waste of time for us. It just doesn't make sense to have "fixed" something that worked.

January 2nd, 2009, 10:54 AM	#191
Ken Ross Trustee Join Date: Jan 2005 Location: New York Posts: 1,945	Tim, page 40 of the 1000 manual. You can download it from Sony if you don't have it handy.

January 2nd, 2009, 11:00 AM	#193
Ken Ross Trustee Join Date: Jan 2005 Location: New York Posts: 1,945	You haven't even begun Tim, you haven't even begun. :)

January 2nd, 2009, 01:55 PM	#195
Jeff Harper Inner Circle Join Date: Jun 2005 Location: Cincinnati, OH Posts: 8,425	Good point Martin.