Waiting on my HDR-AX2000 to arrive...

[Daniel Casper]

Originally Posted by Sherri Nestico

Hi all,

After a rough day - torrential downpours all day, getting into a fight with the guys at the body shop over my car - I am finally checking out the AX2000.

I'm having a bit of a snit with the gain control. Logic would dictate that it works similarly as the V1U. Apparently not. I am now immersed in the owners manual.

I have to say, it's a very substantial-feeling camera. Can't wait until I can finally figure it out...:)

Hi everyone....new on this board:) I just got my AX2000 last Monday and I agree, the iris and gain is really wierd to say the least. Be carefully of the little toggle switch next to the iris button. I did a musical and the ax2000 was one of the cameras I used. The button was set in the h, or High mode, which I wasn't aware of and I had to turn the iris down to f11, almost close to get a decent picture. The grain in the video was horrible!!! I now figured out to set it on the l, or Low setting and adjust the Iris from there. I am still learning with this camera. It has a lot of settings and if we don't know, or learn how to operate it, there is going to be a lot of bad footage! I shot with it again tonight a talent show, with better results. What I found so far, my picture quality, for stage performance on my old vx2000's still seems better than my new ax2000. The picture seems soft and I still can't get the clear, vivid picture, like my vx2000's do. I still have a lot of work to do to figure it out. I was shooting in the sd mode.

The hi def on this came is awesome and the picture quality is great. But then I was outside in bright light. The slow motion record feature is awesome as well. Lots to learn. Please share what you find if anyone is using the new camera.

[Ron Evans]

I assume the AX is like the NX5U so the manual switch just means manual is allowed. The switches for gain and iris have to be set for them to go to manual and the levels for each one of the gain switch positions are set in the menu. IF you have the display on ( if its like the NX) the iris, gain and shutter speed will show on the LCD with an A next to them if they are in auto. Pressing the gain switch or the little iris button will toggle between auto and manual.

Ron Evans

[Michael Murie]

Originally Posted by Daniel Casper

What I found so far, my picture quality, for stage performance on my old vx2000's still seems better than my new ax2000. The picture seems soft and I still can't get the clear, vivid picture, like my vx2000's do. I still have a lot of work to do to figure it out. I was shooting in the sd mode.

Do HD based video cameras - as a rule - produce SD footage that's as good as a good SD camera? The downsampling the camera has to perform (on the fly) to go from the HD to SD probably makes it difficult.

[Ron Evans]

The SD on the AX2000 and the NX5U is MPEG2 at 9mbps which is not as good as DV. IF you are going straight to DVD it may have some use but if you want to edit then likely the final output will not be as good as using the HD files and then downconverting after editing. IF all your needs are SD then likely the FX1000 would be a better choice as this will record DV to tape.

Ron Evans

[Daniel Casper]

Is it better to record 1080 footage in 60i, or 30p? Thanks:)

[Ron Evans]

It depends what you mean by better? IF you want smooth motion then record 60i if your intent is video for the WEB then 30p is OK. I personally don't like the slow frame rates so 60i or 60P is it for me. 30P is not part of the Bluray spec and SD DVD is interlace so if either of those is your final then 60i will be better.

Ron Evans

[Daniel Casper]

Thanks Ron:)