Soft Images???

[Joe Goldsberry]

My NX5U seemed a little "blah" right out of the box but I boosted the chroma and detail a little and it made a huge difference. It's very sharp now. I mainly shoot in 720p.

Joe

[Ryan Douthit]

Just to present a counter-point to this thread: Ive been shooting with the NX5U for about a month. Done everything from a car meet in a dimly-lit parking lot to 100-degree blindingly-bright days trackside (I specialize in automotive for corporate clients) to filming my youngest son learning to walk in our livingroom. I haven't bothered with the memory unit, since I'm not worried about the loss of data and just shoot to big Class 4 cards (been shooting with a b-camera for years to SDHC cards and never had a problem.)

Though I would like a faster and smarter auto-focus, and I'd prefer the expanded focus button be located closer to the barrel, I have zero serious complaints about this camera. Fantastic picture, smart workflow (and I use FCP) and a great price for a day-to-day work camera.

I find the NX5U just has a learning curve if you're not used to doing everything manually. Yes, even focus. In my experience even the generally regarded great autofocus systems screw up often enough to avoid for serious work. Ask a 7D owner what they think of auto-focus (okay, that's just me being snarky now). I'm not the type of guy that can track a bird in flight with manual focus without drifting a bit in and out, but I can still do better than most AF systems (I don't have to film birds for paid work, thank god.) Just be sure to turn on the Peaking feature.

I did the V2 reflash this afternoon since I finally have a couple days free (in case I screwed it up.) I actually think Sony responded very quickly to the problem and offered a solution in an acceptable time frame after the problem was discovered. Very nice they even made a stupid-proof windows installer to self-flash cameras (I run mostly macs, but it's ridiculous to expect them to release both a mac and pc updater, imho.) Yes, I agree it shouldn't have been a problem in the first place, but even the early 3rd party reviewers didn't seem to experience the buffer overflow issue, so obviously it wasn't epidemic.

At least the NX5U isn't frying controllers on SDHC cards a year after it's release (look that up in the HMC150 forums... granted isolated incidents, but based on forum posts you'd believe it was happening to almost everyone).

[Denny Kyser]

I agree with your last post pretty much. I am between this camera and a second EX1r, I know there is a price difference but some things to consider.

EX1r has been on autofocus VERY little over the last year, and it also writes to one card. (SXS) I am very close to giving this camera a try. I wish I could test one first, If it matches up really well with the ex1r, and its functions are very similar it could be a great choice. Still kicking around both cameras, will decide this week.

I would love to see some more positive feedback on this camera.

[Ryan Douthit]

If you haven't made up your mind by late June, I see I'm scheduled to be shooting in the western PA mountains.You're welcome to come by and try mine out... though, I don't really know *where* I'm shooting exactly yet. I just know Miatas are involved. Lol.

[Ron Evans]

The NX5U matches well with the EX3 that I shoot with sometimes so I assume the Ex1 would be the same. On the issue of auto focus. For me the camera is in manual all the time. I just like to check by pressing the push to focus button as I did on my FX1. Not reliable on my NX5U and I have taken to relying on peaking more as well as the expanded focus. As I have said in my previous posts if I didn't have the XR500 to compare to it would be different. Compared to the FX1 the NX5U is great. Better in every way ( maybe the auto focus is not as good!!!!) I certainly don't miss changing tapes.

Ron Evans

[Mark Goldberg]

Mark,

Here's some basics on optics. (BTW, I heard about this problem with the NX5, and that it was corrected after initial production problems. I will check mine, however.)

With telephoto lenses, front focus is critical. The lens is far from the image plane so small movements of the lens assembly represent a small percentage of distance.

With wide angle things are reversed. The lens assembly is very close to the image plane, so even the slightest error in lens assembly positioning will knock the whole image out of focus.

You run a test - pick an area that's not overly bright as you want a large aperture. Zoom in on part of a scene where everything is roughtly at the same distance; a large sign works well. Focus on an object in the scene. Now zoom all the way out. The whole thing should remain in focus. If not, there is a misajustment with the positioning of the lens assembly. If you are working with a large pro camera there is usually a back focus adjustment. With the NX5, it's a factory service thing.

Originally Posted by Mark Von Lanken

I have never experienced a backfocus problem, but this sure looks like what I have seen others describe. Take a look and see what you think.

This camera is just on loan for the weekend, but if I would have just put out $9000 plus on a couple of these, I would be very upset and disappointed.

I am going to shoot some footage tonight at a wedding reception and I guess I will have to use auto focus. I have never shot a reception in all auto focus, so we will see how it goes.

Sony NX5U Back Focus Issue on Vimeo

[Mark Von Lanken]

Hi Mark,

Thanks for the techno explanation. I wish I would have known that when I spent hours trying to figure out why the NX5U looked so soft. Oh well, now I know.

The two shocking things about the whole back focus problem is that the camera came from the San Jose demo pool. You would have thought that a camera that was used for demos would have gone through strict Quality Control so this did not happen with their brand new product line. I know of three other examples of people buying an NX5U with back focus problems, (they contacted me after seeing it on the web) so hopefully it was a small isolated problem.

The second thing that has been so shocking is that Sony told me they would send me a properly working NX5U after NAB to write a review. It's been 2 months since NAB and nothing. That says a lot.

[Steve Kass]

All NX5u has this problem it may hurt Sony in the long run if the do not fix it.

For example last Sunday I went to my local pro shop were both the Sony and Cannon rep were on the hand. The $6,000.00 cannon was selling like crazy while the sony did not move. Why because the Canno had a better and sharper picture. The Sony rep went throught three NX5u with the same back focus problem. the owner of the store told me he refuses to carry the NX5u because he feels that this camera is unsellabe.

I now wish I had not bought the NX5u and instead waited a couple of months to get the Cannon.

Does anyone have a Sony NX5u that works

[Ryan Douthit]

Does anyone have a Sony NX5u that works

No, none of us have NX5 cameras that work. Go buy the canon for 50% more$$, because none of us need a camera that works. Seriously? You're really asking that?

[Mark Von Lanken]

Faulty Back Focus UPDATE:

I continue to have people contact me about the faulty back focus problem, even last night. Sony has not sent me a properly working unit, nearly 3 months after it was promised, so I am not holding my breathe.

Bottom Line: I don't know how many NX5Us have a faulty back focus, but I do not believe it is a wide spread problem. If it were, we would be reading about it much more frequently. If you are nervous about buying the NX5U because of the faulty back focus, immediately test the back focus when your camera arrives. Odds are it will be fine. If it is not, contact your dealer and send it back for a good one.

[Mark Von Lanken]

UPDATE:

I am still being contacted by owners of the NX5U about the back focus problem. Many have found this post by doing a google search. Sony never did send me a properly working NX5U, so I do not have test footage comparing the HMC150 to a properly functioning NX5U.

I am happy to answer any questions, but most of the emails are wanting to know if the problem was resolved and if I have comparison footage, and as of today, the answer is NO on both accounts. Sorry.