EA50 vs VG900

[Kyle Root]

That camera diner review was really interesting. I watched the whole thing. Good info about the VG900.

I'm really intrigued by that camera. I like all the manual controls of the EA50, but the size of the VG900 appeals to me.

Would be nice to own both. Problem solved. Haha.

[Dmitri Zigany]

Originally Posted by Kyle Root

I'm really intrigued by that camera. I like all the manual controls of the EA50, but the size of the VG900 appeals to me.
Would be nice to own both. Problem solved. Haha.

I think having an EA50 and a VG20/30 would be to prefer in that case. They use same or similar sensors so they would be easier to match if you use them on the same shoot.

If I can afford it (which doesn't seem likely anytime soon) I'll try to get a used VG20 as b-camera to compliment the EA50.

[Noa Put]

Originally Posted by Dmitri Zigany

Back then it was £1000 more expensive than the EA50 without a lens.

Here that is about £1500 difference and if you add the lens over £2000.

[Dmitri Zigany]

Originally Posted by Noa Put

Here that is about £1500 difference and if you add the lens over £2000.

Creative Video - broadcast & professional solutions (where I got my EA50), has the EA50 for £2634 and the FS100 (without lens) for £2910. Not a massive difference if you already have lenses. Back then I didn't have any lenses and and I think the price difference was bigger. And I had to beg, borrow and steal to afford the EA50 in the first place so the FS100 was really no option then.
Looking at it now, the FS100 seems almost affordable, especially if you take advantage of CVPs VAT free shipping within the EU, then it's "only" £2425... That is about £2420 more than I have though so I'll keep on dreaming ;)

[Paul Wags]

If anyone is thinking of getting the Sony NEX 10-18mm $1000 lens for video I would say go for it.

This is a video screen grab straight from the timeline as I was flying VG30 along the beach.
Lens was on auto focus. :-)

[Chris Harding]

Hi Paul

That's a great still..was that at full wide ??? Is there any horizon curvature at 10mm or fisheye effect or do your horizons still appear relatively straight. The DOF at 10mm must be almost infinity!! You certainly would have too many focus issues!! That would be a nice lens for my Realty shoots inside houses!!

Chris

[Peter Siamidis]

Originally Posted by Kyle Root

That camera diner review was really interesting. I watched the whole thing. Good info about the VG900.

I'm really intrigued by that camera. I like all the manual controls of the EA50, but the size of the VG900 appeals to me.

Would be nice to own both. Problem solved. Haha.

I use a VG-900 with various lenses for a website I own and personally I love it. I bought it mainly due to it's ease of use, it's super slim dof, full frame which lets me get the looks I want in tight situations, it's light gathering ability, the oled viewfinder, that it can use a-mount lenses out of the box, that the important controls to me easily accessible, and that I can basically use almost any lens with it. I don't agree with many points brought up in that Camera Diner review, but I suppose it just depends on your application and what you are used to.

For you guys that do weddings though I don't know if the VG-900's form factor makes sense, seems like the EA50 would be a much better form factor for that application. For weddings you want some heft to the camera to dampen your movements and make pans look smoother, and shoulder mounting I imagine could be rather important especially on long recordings.

[Paul Wags]

I would say for weddings the EA50 is the one for sure.

Shot some interviews with the VG30 and found it frustrating going through the menu to set the sound up.
I did use it for a green screen shoot and it worked really well.

@Chris...yes that was full wide.
There may be a slight bit of horizontal distortion over the water at 10mm but nothing to worry about.
Inside verticals are perfect.

Here is that Nex 10-18mm lens again on a hand held stabilizer.

Hand held steadicam walk using the Blackbird Stabiliizer Cairns Queensland - YouTube

[Noa Put]

That looks like a sweet lens for sure for outdoor shots, only too slow for my purpose, f4.0 is not very usable at weddings.

[Paul Wags]

Noa, tonight I was messing around with my Canon 60D and Tokina 11-16mm.
Canon set full wide 25P @ f2.8 with ISO set to 100.
Sony set to 50P @ f4 and 0 gain.
The Sony with the Nex lens on was better in the low light.
To get the Canon to the same as what I could see on the Sony I had to crank the ISO up to 160. :-)

Setting the Sony to 15db @ f4
Was the same as setting the canon to 640 ISO @ f2.8
Then ISO 1600 on the Canon was about the same as 21db on the Sony

I then maxed both out.
Canon on 6400 ISO and Sony on 30db, could not see any image on the Canon in the dark room but could just on the Sony :-)

[Chris Harding]

Hi Paul

Thanks for that. I was looking at your tours for Real estate ...very neat too!! I do Property Condition reports for Rental homes at much the same price structure ....Now, It seems like you are doing the entire tour on the Blackbird and is that the VG900 with your new 10-16mm lens??? That to me seems a really efficient way to do the whole thing ..just a transmiiter on the agent and keep walking and he keeps talking and then upload to YT and they send the embed code to RealEstate.com.au to have the video in their listing.

I was doing quite a few videos for Coldwell Banker in Port Douglas but they would take the stills and I would pan and zoom to make the video (since I was in WA!!)...might be worth giving them a call about your services???

Chris

[Noa Put]

Originally Posted by Paul Wags

The Sony with the Nex lens on was better in the low light.

Currently my budget doesn't allow to buy any more lenses and the Sony is not that cheap here, I would prefer though to have a fixed f2.8 zoomlens, at weddings you need as fast lenses as you can get. :) Will be something for next year.

[Paul Wags]

Chris how did you get a job for them over there?
I kind of like to stay away from Port, to much of a hassle to drive up there, get stuck behind tourists driving 40 kmph.. Enough work around here.

Blackbird, VG30 and the new lens.
Yes it a idea that is slowly catching on.
Property condition reports, theirs another angle, have you got a vid I could see.

Noa, what adapter do you use for your Tokina to get it on the Sony.

Here is one I did off a dark house, the VG30 has the same chip as the EA50 I think.
Was on 50P f4 ,15 - 18db

7 Teraglin Street, Kanimbla - YouTube

[Chris Harding]

Hi Paul

No Title .... I like them cos they are no rush jobs and are quite repeatable as plenty of tenants only rent for 6 months so you get the same house twice a year....

What was happening was agents in NSW and Queensland would go to the property and take still photos and then email them to me and I would do a bit of pan and zoom on the stills and then upload the end video and send them a link for realestate.com.au ... For me that market dried up a few years ago ....I haven't had much call for fly-thrus here but PCR's are pretty active...I just work with two agents and that keeps me pretty busy!!

Chris

[Robert Moran]

I use the 20 and 50 in every shoot requiring multiple cameras and both work flawlessly together. The 20 has a terrific form factor for quick and impromptu videos while the 50 requires greater patience due to it's large size. As for the 100/50 debate, I'll take the 50 because of form factor, still capability and DZ. The camera's 1.5 stops slower then the 100 and the video is not quite as good but the difference is not vast. Ergonomically, as stated before, is a non-starter with the 100.