Sony NEX EA-50 VS Panasonic AG-HMC 150 at DVinfo.net

Randy Johnson · September 6th, 2016, 12:59 PM

Boy I didnt relize how good I had it! Me and my compulisive self thought mmm. I got this software now that I can use to make the video look like it has a shallow DOF and I can play with the color and contrast to make it look more like what I want. Think i'll sell my EA 50s and use my old Panasonics for now until the new 4Ks come out and what not. I took them out on a "Basic" shoot just to test and wow! they couldnt touch my EA 50s for image quality or low light. They were so noisy even at 6db of gain could probably boost the gain on my EA 50s to 28 db and get a brighter image with less grain than my AC-150s at 12. Glad I didnt sell them yet alothough I may let one go I dont need 2 kits and the Panasonics still make great cover shots. I just hope one of the new cameras coming out will give me the best of both worlds, Small video type camera with the EA-50s look

Chris Harding · September 7th, 2016, 08:27 AM

Hi Randy

Remember the 150's only have 1/3" sensors and the EA-50 is APSC ..also image processing in camera is WAY better on newer cameras .. I had AC-130's that had the same sensors as the 150 and my little Panasonic FZ1000's produce a way better low light image at weddings than the 130's ever would (EA-50's too needed F1.8 Sigmas at weddings to produce the same image as my little bridge cameras do with a F2.8 lens!! What are considering using next???

Randy Johnson · September 7th, 2016, 09:02 AM

To be honewst I dont know because things are just so different these days. Im insterested in the
Panasonic AG-UX180 if it can get close to my EA 50s. Im tired of playing the lense game among other things but i'll do what I need to do. If all else fails I guess I could get one of the new Sony DSLRs and use my NEX glass right?

Chris Harding · September 7th, 2016, 07:45 PM

Hi Randy

Like me, I know you are happier with a fixed lens zoom, with a rocker zoom and decent autofocus especially for weddings. The biggest issue I found with the EA-50 was trying to find a "clean" area to change lenses, trying to stay in focus with manual lenses since the EA-50 never came out with a super fast auto lens .. That's what you need to find!! So far I have found that my little FZ1000's give me everything I need EXCEPT the zoom really sucks ... if that camera had a smooth multispeed rocker zoom I would be happy but I have to just use the zoom to frame and nothing else.

Randy Johnson · September 8th, 2016, 01:02 AM

Well apparently theres a firmware update for my Sony 17-105 I need to do and if I cant I can use it or my 18-200 on a Sony Alpha and get full auto features. but I think ill wait to see what the Panasonic UX-180 brings

Chris Harding · September 23rd, 2016, 09:23 PM

Hey Randy

You should take a look at the new Panasonic FZ2500 ... Full 4K (including UHD and DCI) plus variable frame rates and brilliant autofocus ! There is no zoom rocker sadly but brilliant slow zooms and even better they have dolly zoom as well where the background zooms up or away and the subject stays where it is and in focus. OK it's not a shoulder mount but a tiny rig would sort that out and my kinda price too ..Under $1500!! All the zoom you need 24 - 480mm ... I love shoulder mounts but these are so light I can use a twin grip rig and my back never suffers at all now!! Image quality absolutely kills the EA-50 or HMC150 with super sharp Leica optics !

Randy Johnson · September 24th, 2016, 09:06 PM

Sony has something like that too, looks tempting. I am looking at the ARs-II from sony. I saw a review on it and it looks awesome plus I think I can use my NEX lenses with it.

David Banner · December 23rd, 2016, 10:43 PM

I have the HMC-150 and EA50 as well. Though mine is the original "EA50U" and not the newer "EA50M" which is a little better sensor.
The HMC 150s are still my main cameras for weddings. I do not use gain since they are so noisy.
They used to be considered a good low light camera then came newer cameras like the FS100 and today they aren't so great in low light. But they have global shutters with no rolling shutter issues and the CCDs make lovely skin tones. I just talk ahead of time with brides and make sure LED lights are ok when needed.

For outdoor wide shots I have sharper cameras. My main beef with the old 150 is the lousy LCD screen which is hard to judge focus. I like the EA50's LCD with colored focus peaking so much better!

If I were to get a replacement I would also look at the UX-180 and nearly identical HC-X1 which just came out. I like the idea of dual codec recording and many other features they have. The wide and long 20X zoom would be nice to have too!

For now I just bought a Sony A7Sii to use when I really need low light performance and also 4K. I am slowly building up E-mount lenses for my various Sony cameras (A6000, FS700R)

September 6th, 2016, 12:59 PM	#1
Randy Johnson Trustee Join Date: Sep 2007 Location: Newark, Delaware Posts: 1,067	Sony NEX EA-50 VS Panasonic AG-HMC 150 Boy I didnt relize how good I had it! Me and my compulisive self thought mmm. I got this software now that I can use to make the video look like it has a shallow DOF and I can play with the color and contrast to make it look more like what I want. Think i'll sell my EA 50s and use my old Panasonics for now until the new 4Ks come out and what not. I took them out on a "Basic" shoot just to test and wow! they couldnt touch my EA 50s for image quality or low light. They were so noisy even at 6db of gain could probably boost the gain on my EA 50s to 28 db and get a brighter image with less grain than my AC-150s at 12. Glad I didnt sell them yet alothough I may let one go I dont need 2 kits and the Panasonics still make great cover shots. I just hope one of the new cameras coming out will give me the best of both worlds, Small video type camera with the EA-50s look

September 7th, 2016, 08:27 AM	#2
Chris Harding Inner Circle Join Date: Jul 2009 Location: Perth, Western Australia Posts: 8,441	Re: Sony NEX EA-50 VS Panasonic AG-HMC 150 Hi Randy Remember the 150's only have 1/3" sensors and the EA-50 is APSC ..also image processing in camera is WAY better on newer cameras .. I had AC-130's that had the same sensors as the 150 and my little Panasonic FZ1000's produce a way better low light image at weddings than the 130's ever would (EA-50's too needed F1.8 Sigmas at weddings to produce the same image as my little bridge cameras do with a F2.8 lens!! What are considering using next???

September 7th, 2016, 09:02 AM	#3
Randy Johnson Trustee Join Date: Sep 2007 Location: Newark, Delaware Posts: 1,067	Re: Sony NEX EA-50 VS Panasonic AG-HMC 150 To be honewst I dont know because things are just so different these days. Im insterested in the Panasonic AG-UX180 if it can get close to my EA 50s. Im tired of playing the lense game among other things but i'll do what I need to do. If all else fails I guess I could get one of the new Sony DSLRs and use my NEX glass right?

September 7th, 2016, 07:45 PM	#4
Chris Harding Inner Circle Join Date: Jul 2009 Location: Perth, Western Australia Posts: 8,441	Re: Sony NEX EA-50 VS Panasonic AG-HMC 150 Hi Randy Like me, I know you are happier with a fixed lens zoom, with a rocker zoom and decent autofocus especially for weddings. The biggest issue I found with the EA-50 was trying to find a "clean" area to change lenses, trying to stay in focus with manual lenses since the EA-50 never came out with a super fast auto lens .. That's what you need to find!! So far I have found that my little FZ1000's give me everything I need EXCEPT the zoom really sucks ... if that camera had a smooth multispeed rocker zoom I would be happy but I have to just use the zoom to frame and nothing else.

September 8th, 2016, 01:02 AM	#5
Randy Johnson Trustee Join Date: Sep 2007 Location: Newark, Delaware Posts: 1,067	Re: Sony NEX EA-50 VS Panasonic AG-HMC 150 Well apparently theres a firmware update for my Sony 17-105 I need to do and if I cant I can use it or my 18-200 on a Sony Alpha and get full auto features. but I think ill wait to see what the Panasonic UX-180 brings

September 23rd, 2016, 09:23 PM	#6
Chris Harding Inner Circle Join Date: Jul 2009 Location: Perth, Western Australia Posts: 8,441	Re: Sony NEX EA-50 VS Panasonic AG-HMC 150 Hey Randy You should take a look at the new Panasonic FZ2500 ... Full 4K (including UHD and DCI) plus variable frame rates and brilliant autofocus ! There is no zoom rocker sadly but brilliant slow zooms and even better they have dolly zoom as well where the background zooms up or away and the subject stays where it is and in focus. OK it's not a shoulder mount but a tiny rig would sort that out and my kinda price too ..Under $1500!! All the zoom you need 24 - 480mm ... I love shoulder mounts but these are so light I can use a twin grip rig and my back never suffers at all now!! Image quality absolutely kills the EA-50 or HMC150 with super sharp Leica optics !

September 24th, 2016, 09:06 PM	#7
Randy Johnson Trustee Join Date: Sep 2007 Location: Newark, Delaware Posts: 1,067	Re: Sony NEX EA-50 VS Panasonic AG-HMC 150 Sony has something like that too, looks tempting. I am looking at the ARs-II from sony. I saw a review on it and it looks awesome plus I think I can use my NEX lenses with it.

December 23rd, 2016, 10:43 PM	#8
David Banner Major Player Join Date: Mar 2015 Location: Bentonville, AR Posts: 239	Re: Sony NEX EA-50 VS Panasonic AG-HMC 150 I have the HMC-150 and EA50 as well. Though mine is the original "EA50U" and not the newer "EA50M" which is a little better sensor. The HMC 150s are still my main cameras for weddings. I do not use gain since they are so noisy. They used to be considered a good low light camera then came newer cameras like the FS100 and today they aren't so great in low light. But they have global shutters with no rolling shutter issues and the CCDs make lovely skin tones. I just talk ahead of time with brides and make sure LED lights are ok when needed. For outdoor wide shots I have sharper cameras. My main beef with the old 150 is the lousy LCD screen which is hard to judge focus. I like the EA50's LCD with colored focus peaking so much better! If I were to get a replacement I would also look at the UX-180 and nearly identical HC-X1 which just came out. I like the idea of dual codec recording and many other features they have. The wide and long 20X zoom would be nice to have too! For now I just bought a Sony A7Sii to use when I really need low light performance and also 4K. I am slowly building up E-mount lenses for my various Sony cameras (A6000, FS700R)