2x zoom on camera

Steven Digges · October 15th, 2014, 03:57 PM

Hi Aaron,

What was your gain set at for that test?

Know one is trying to discourage anyone from using it, we all want it to work, but you have to know when it will get you in trouble. Noa's video is a perfect example.

It works best under perfect conditions. Bright light, zero gain, and no aliasing or moire in your shot. Then it is almost lossless, very away from perfect and it falls apart.

Many of us consider 18 DB (some guys 21db) the high end of usable gain before you introduce too much noise. With the stock lens you will find yourself up there often. I suggest you test it at real world gain stages that you use in a dark church. I am not trying to push a point, many of us thought it was a great feature the first time we turned it on. But then learned otherwise. I said "we" because I went through those posts back then, otherwise I only post in "I".

Edit: You might want to throw a shirt with a pattern and texture in it over that Roman pillar, turn the gain up to 21 DB and see what you get?

Steve

Aaron Jones Sr. · October 15th, 2014, 08:17 PM

Hi Steve,

I don't know what he gain was at the time. I was only fascinated by the fact that I could zoom even though I had a prime lens on it. I have to admit I did not read the whole thread. I saw where some test were posted using the Digital Zoom and I just threw mine in there just in case it could help someone. This video was a made a while ago before long before I found this site. I have learned so much since i have been here it has made a world of difference. I use the digital zoom now more than I did before because i'm now using Canon glass and manual focusing. I probably should not have even posted it. Like I said when I filmed that test I was just in awe of being able to use it with a prime lens. I did not think about the gain settings or any of the other settings for that matter at the time. mainly because i did not know how to use them then. Cheers!

Aaron

Tom Van den Berghe · October 16th, 2014, 01:26 PM

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=YSBq...ature=youtu.be

HC-X920 panasonic vs sony nex-ea50.
Panasonic is sharper. When digital zoom was used it gets really blurry. (like Noa said)

When filming stage I need 20x zoom. Do you guys film this with another camcorder and use nex-ea50 for global view?

Or use a tamron, nikkor, minolta 300mm lens or something for this?
or a 70-200mm F2.8 ? (and use digital zoom)

Chris Harding · October 16th, 2014, 05:53 PM

Hi Tom

Because the EA-50 is a big sensor with a 300mm lens you might have an issue with DOF!! If you have a group on stage and you are at the back and say 30 metres from the stage, at 300mm and F2.8 the big sensor will only allow you a DOF of just a fraction more than 1 metre so with a big cast you simply would be able to have everyone in focus. So it's important to check that before filming a group of people 50 m away and expecting them all to be in focus! Probably a camcorder would work better here as the small chips allow a big DOF. AFAIK on Canon and JVC make a pro camera with 20X zoom.

Chris

October 15th, 2014, 03:57 PM	#31
Steven Digges Trustee Join Date: Oct 2002 Location: Phoenix, AZ Posts: 1,828	Re: 2x zoom on camera Hi Aaron, What was your gain set at for that test? Know one is trying to discourage anyone from using it, we all want it to work, but you have to know when it will get you in trouble. Noa's video is a perfect example. It works best under perfect conditions. Bright light, zero gain, and no aliasing or moire in your shot. Then it is almost lossless, very away from perfect and it falls apart. Many of us consider 18 DB (some guys 21db) the high end of usable gain before you introduce too much noise. With the stock lens you will find yourself up there often. I suggest you test it at real world gain stages that you use in a dark church. I am not trying to push a point, many of us thought it was a great feature the first time we turned it on. But then learned otherwise. I said "we" because I went through those posts back then, otherwise I only post in "I". Edit: You might want to throw a shirt with a pattern and texture in it over that Roman pillar, turn the gain up to 21 DB and see what you get? Steve __________________ www.CorporateShow.com Been at this so long I'm rounding my years of experience down...not up!

October 15th, 2014, 08:17 PM	#32
Aaron Jones Sr. Major Player Join Date: May 2013 Location: Flint, Michigan, USA Posts: 394	Re: 2x zoom on camera Hi Steve, I don't know what he gain was at the time. I was only fascinated by the fact that I could zoom even though I had a prime lens on it. I have to admit I did not read the whole thread. I saw where some test were posted using the Digital Zoom and I just threw mine in there just in case it could help someone. This video was a made a while ago before long before I found this site. I have learned so much since i have been here it has made a world of difference. I use the digital zoom now more than I did before because i'm now using Canon glass and manual focusing. I probably should not have even posted it. Like I said when I filmed that test I was just in awe of being able to use it with a prime lens. I did not think about the gain settings or any of the other settings for that matter at the time. mainly because i did not know how to use them then. Cheers! Aaron

October 16th, 2014, 01:26 PM	#33
Tom Van den Berghe Major Player Join Date: Feb 2010 Location: BELGIUM Posts: 406	Re: 2x zoom on camera https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=YSBq...ature=youtu.be HC-X920 panasonic vs sony nex-ea50. Panasonic is sharper. When digital zoom was used it gets really blurry. (like Noa said) When filming stage I need 20x zoom. Do you guys film this with another camcorder and use nex-ea50 for global view? Or use a tamron, nikkor, minolta 300mm lens or something for this? or a 70-200mm F2.8 ? (and use digital zoom)

October 16th, 2014, 05:53 PM	#34
Chris Harding Inner Circle Join Date: Jul 2009 Location: Perth, Western Australia Posts: 8,441	Re: 2x zoom on camera Hi Tom Because the EA-50 is a big sensor with a 300mm lens you might have an issue with DOF!! If you have a group on stage and you are at the back and say 30 metres from the stage, at 300mm and F2.8 the big sensor will only allow you a DOF of just a fraction more than 1 metre so with a big cast you simply would be able to have everyone in focus. So it's important to check that before filming a group of people 50 m away and expecting them all to be in focus! Probably a camcorder would work better here as the small chips allow a big DOF. AFAIK on Canon and JVC make a pro camera with 20X zoom. Chris