EA50 - B camera ideas

[Steven Digges]

ALL servo lenses suck when you try to manually focus them. It is the nature of the beast. And some are worse than others. Have you ever tried to manually focus a Canon XL series lens? It will make you crazy!

It is not the iris wheel that bothers me. It is the menu wheel. I constantly push it past the detent while spinning it, selecting something I don't want.

Every camera has quirks. I have not found a perfect one yet.

Steve

[James Hollingsworth]

Noa makes many of the points that I feel. I have shot approximately 200 weddings but 196 of them with a z1. I moved to the ea50 as I wanted the creative freedom that the larger format gives you but with the form of a video camera. Ideally I would have liked a fixed lens as I feel this is most practical for shooting weddings but nothing available at the right price. Surely if you shoot weddings like I do, when I see a shot I want to be able to frame right away using the zoom and the ea50 is maybe not the best camera for that kind of work. I also like to use the rocker in a creative way. (Slow zooms etc), I hate having to flick the switch from manual to servo and back again to be able to do this, why couldn't the servo be a true variable servo like we have on fixed lens cameras? I am sure there is a valid technical reason but I can 't believe I am the only one who finds this frustrating. The digital zoom is pure gold only that the image quality does deteriorate particularly in low light. Low light and telephoto, I am quite sure that none if us want to be shooting at 24db when zoomed in! It is not that I don't like the camera, for certain apps like my corporate stuff it is great but not enough on its own for me with weddings. The other day I had been shooting with the camera all day and we came to the dimly lit marquee and I said to hell with this and got out the cx730 and wow it was a breath of fresh air. I could get the shots I wanted quickly and with no fear of poor light. For a £700 camera, this does not speak well for the ea50 as a run and gun camera. I am pleased that so many of you are having success and I think noa is right, the camera does take more getting used to than some but unless Sony invent a zoom lens that works with the rocker and is faster and maybe even longer this camera will never be suitable for many of the candlelit weddings I find myself at and lights are not an option with my clients unless I want a lynching!

[Noa Put]

Well, it's actually just a big dslr, I have been shooting with my T2i's since 2011 so I already knew what to expect from the ea50, the stocklens, eventhough not perfect, is actually a bonus because I never had a dslr lens that could autofocus. The ea50 is better in every aspect compared to my t2i, only not in size and weight which can be an advantage but also a disadvantage.

Also if you want to shoot candlelit venues you need to shoot with fast primes or at least get a fixed f2.8 zoom lens, the stocklens is useless for this purpose, the ea50 is designed to work with all types of lenses and if you don't use that to your advantage then you are indeed better off with a fixed lens camera, especially if you are a solo shooter.

It's not a "whip out of your pocket and start shooting right" kind of camera like the cx730 is, that one is designed to shoot well in auto, that's why I prefer to use the cx730's during the legal part at the townhall and during the church, I can use 2 of those and know my shots will look ok and that I won't miss any important moment, something I could not guarantee with two ea50's. I just need more time with that camera to get it right.

[Steven Digges]

James,

You have had so many complaints about this camera I finally jumped in sincerely believing there must be something I or we could do to help you. Your post above does make sense out of everything to me now. I thought maybe you did not have enough experience to properly set up the camera or something like that. That is part of the problem but you may disagree. And you’re not going to like my suggestion. I am going to tell you the truth “as I see it”.

I have a sense of humor and want to throw out some jokes but I don’t know you so I will refrain. I will however tell you what I “think”. It does not matter how many weddings you have shot, for hire, in the past. You do not understand photography, cameras, or technology well enough to have made a good purchase decision to serve your needs.

You say you have professionally shot 200 weddings in the past with your Sony Z1 and now you bought the EA50 to step up to a more professional camera. You say it is important to you to record the candle lit receptions common at some wedding receptions. So you chose to go from a camera with a fixed zoom that goes from f/1.6 to f/2.4 for its maximum aperture to a camera with a “kit lens” that runs from f3.5 to f6.3. Now you are, as you say, frustrated and disappointed. You have made a lot of posts about your frustration with the camera. Above, you say, pulling out your handycam “was a breath of fresh air”. The EA50 is clearly not the right camera for you.

Understanding aperture with all of its abilities, limitations, and effects on the image is one of the most basic functions of all photography. Expecting any f6.3 lens and camera combination to serve you well at candle lit receptions is not going to happen. You clearly made what has to be an uneducated decision, in my opinion.

I know that sounds harsh, it is. I am not picking on you personally; I see things like this all the time. In our industry anyone can print a business card and call themselves a professional. With today’s technology it is tempting for some, to rely on the camera to compensate for what they never bothered to learn. By choosing a f3.5 to f6.3 kit lens to professionally shoot candle lit receptions and then be surprised it does not work well, I can only surmise you do not have a deep understanding of the basic mechanical functions of recording light.

No offence intended. We all come here to ask and learn. I sincerely suggest you learn more about how cameras and lenses work.

Steve

[James Hollingsworth]

Is it me or was that last post a bit unfair? I will, however, resist the urge to retaliate and gracefully bow out of this discussion. Up to this point I had found this to be a fantastic forum and a great place to share experiences but from now on, I will keep my opinions to myself. It's only a camera, I do understand it, I like it and will continue to enjoy using it.

[Steven Digges]

I'm sorry if I offended you. I stated the conclusion that I drew from your posts. Right or wrong it is just my opinion. I do not think it was unfair, it is an opinion. It would be a shame if you discontinued your use of this forum because of me. In the future I will refrain from responding to your posts if that helps. This is a civilized forum and many of us disagree with each other on a regular basis. There is no need to go away.

Steve

[Noa Put]

For what it's worth James, I do understand your frustration as I have worked with a z1 alike camera (I had a Canon xh-a1 and a panasonic dvx100b before that) and I believe it's not because you don't know what you are doing. A large sensor ea50 is just a totally different camera then your z1 and it takes time to get used to that, in my case because I was used to working with a dslr my transition to the ea50 was pretty painless but when I used my dslr for the first time I was happy I still had a regular videocamera because I thought the 550d was a pita to handle.
You just have to work around the what you call limitations and make use of the strengths the camera has, I also think what you want does exist but costs a lot more then the ea50 so you have to take it for what it is. It's like with my personal projects that I do which I post on here, I think they do look pretty but that is only because I take the time to get it right, let me make the same film under timepressure like at a wedding and it won't even look half as good. If I would shoot it with my cx730 it would look pretty much the same in both cases. And don't mind Steven, he's just an old grumpy man but he means well :D

[Chris Harding]

Hi James

Steven is always around to assist and his advice is appreciated. It's tough to assume someone's experience and knowledge especially if they only have done a small number of posts and haven't told you much about themselves so you have to assume they are asking for advice thru lack of knowledge of either the industry or a newer system ... I have shot maybe close to 2000 shoots over 23 years but I'm still quite happy for people to tell me things I need to know and I applaud both Steven and Noa for taking the time to post replies.

My previous cameras were also small 3 chip cameras and moving to large sensor cameras means some adjustments.. Noa was one who warned me about the big difference but I adjusted easily, thanks to his information.

If you are given information that assumes lack of your own knowledge just take in in your stride, it's never meant as an insult, just two great guys trying to help and their posts and advice, for me anyway are very much appreciated.

Chris

[James Hollingsworth]

Fair enough, all valid points, it is a different experience and I knew it would be, less so than going for a dslr but still a learning curve. I have already achieved some great pictures with the camera, simply stating what I think might be its weak points in the hope that the next generation ea51 might fix. No need to ignore my posts Steven ( unless of course you want to). Thanks again

[Steven Digges]

Class act James. I reread my post....it was over top....I could have said things better. I'm Sorry.

Steve