NX5U sharpness settings: getting a crisp picture at DVinfo.net

John Vasey · March 12th, 2010, 08:15 AM

I don't have the NX5U yet, but my past history with Sony camcorders tells me that out of the box the picture tends to look soft....overly soft to my taste, and I would have to go into the sharpness settings and move it up a few notches, but back it off so it's not too overly sharp.

My hunch about the NX5U is probably the same...out of the box it will probably have a softer look and I will have to go into the detail settings....I think it is -7 to +7...and maybe bring that up to a 3 or 4.

I just would like to hear back from other NX5U owners on their experience with manipulating the detail setting...especially for those who desire a crisp picture vs. one that is much softer. Have you been been able to get a crisp image that satisfies you without halos, etc.? If you prefer a sharper look, what was the detail setting that worked best for you?

Some cameras, like the Panasonic, seem to be inherently soft, and some prefer that and the particular look of that camera. So I know image sharpness is very much a subjective choice, but I did want to get a clearer idea of the sharpness range available to you on the NX5U.

Thanks,
John

Adam Gold · March 12th, 2010, 11:30 AM

I don't have an NX5, but I'll jump in (as I usually do) until you can get some real NX5 users to join in.

It depends what past Sony cams you've had. My experience is that the Sony CCD based cams were indeed a bit soft --I had to tweak the sharpness a bit to get my FX1s to match the much-sharper FX7s I had.

Now I use Z5s -- pretty much similar to the NX5 -- and I've found them to be blisteringly sharp right out of the box. So you'll likely need to experiment a bit to find the sharpness you like.

Wow, reading that over, it doesn't seem too helpful at all...

Ron Evans · March 12th, 2010, 11:38 AM

I have had the NX5U for just over a week and my comparisons are also with my FX1 and AVCHD cams SR11 and XR500. One reason to get the NX5U was that the XR500 was so much sharper than the FX1!!! The NX5U is sharp. On first impressions it is very similar to the XR500. The difference I found was looking at video of snow falling, shot through my front window, from both cams. On the NX5U the snow flakes are sharp, on the XR500 there is just the hint of blur. Data code shows both shot at 1/60 so the difference has to be in the data rate of the encoder etc. On still shots there is little difference really, the cams match really well filling my need to use XR500 as second camera.
I have not played with any of the detail settings.

Ron Evans

Chas Briggs · December 25th, 2010, 12:46 AM

Wow I have had 2 other Sony prosumer and neither one had a soft focus vx 1000 cant remember the 3 chip hi 8 camera they both looked great of of the box. Am I just lucky

Tom Hardwick · December 28th, 2010, 06:13 AM

I'm really happy with my NX5's sharpness as well, all at the default settings. Of course it helps matters if the camera's rock steady, if you shoot at the sweet spot on the iris dial, you switch in the minus gain and get your exposures spot on. Then you show on a well set-up TV.

The lens is sharp throughout the range and throughout the apertures, but Ho-boy, the pincushion distortion is something to see. You'll not want be shooting buildings at 15mm or so.

tom.

Ray Pegram · January 6th, 2011, 11:06 PM

I have no issues with the NX5 having a soft focus..very happy with it indeed... so far I have played with the profiles on the camera only to turn if off and use it as it comes...

Chas Briggs · January 6th, 2011, 11:18 PM

Ok so I'm using mine in low light for news gathering . seems a bit rough to get a focus in low light , of course my eyes aren't what they use to be lol. my pain comes when the News stations here are needing me to convert all my stuff over to mpeg 2 ...1 of them cant import my video at all the other one the video is jerky like an old movie.....back to the focus I wish they could have made the view finder a bit bigger for my old eyes ... all and all I love my 5u. I use the flash drive with it i will be getting a few sd cards soon rom what Bh Photo Video has to say Sandisk is all they recommend....

The profile im using at night is the #1 I wish I could find more profiles it only came with 6 they start lightest and go to darker ......

March 12th, 2010, 11:30 AM	#2
Adam Gold Inner Circle Join Date: Jan 2007 Location: Woodinville, WA USA Posts: 3,467	I don't have an NX5, but I'll jump in (as I usually do) until you can get some real NX5 users to join in. It depends what past Sony cams you've had. My experience is that the Sony CCD based cams were indeed a bit soft --I had to tweak the sharpness a bit to get my FX1s to match the much-sharper FX7s I had. Now I use Z5s -- pretty much similar to the NX5 -- and I've found them to be blisteringly sharp right out of the box. So you'll likely need to experiment a bit to find the sharpness you like. Wow, reading that over, it doesn't seem too helpful at all... __________________ "It can only be attributable to human error... This sort of thing has cropped up before, and it has always been due to human error."

December 25th, 2010, 12:46 AM	#4
Chas Briggs Regular Crew Join Date: Jan 2009 Location: Portland Or Posts: 31	nx5u soft focus Wow I have had 2 other Sony prosumer and neither one had a soft focus vx 1000 cant remember the 3 chip hi 8 camera they both looked great of of the box. Am I just lucky

January 6th, 2011, 11:06 PM	#6
Ray Pegram Regular Crew Join Date: Oct 2010 Location: Ulladulla - Australia Posts: 56	I have no issues with the NX5 having a soft focus..very happy with it indeed... so far I have played with the profiles on the camera only to turn if off and use it as it comes... __________________ Ray www.coastalweddingvideos.com.au

January 6th, 2011, 11:18 PM	#7
Chas Briggs Regular Crew Join Date: Jan 2009 Location: Portland Or Posts: 31	Nx5u Ok so I'm using mine in low light for news gathering . seems a bit rough to get a focus in low light , of course my eyes aren't what they use to be lol. my pain comes when the News stations here are needing me to convert all my stuff over to mpeg 2 ...1 of them cant import my video at all the other one the video is jerky like an old movie.....back to the focus I wish they could have made the view finder a bit bigger for my old eyes ... all and all I love my 5u. I use the flash drive with it i will be getting a few sd cards soon rom what Bh Photo Video has to say Sandisk is all they recommend.... The profile im using at night is the #1 I wish I could find more profiles it only came with 6 they start lightest and go to darker ......

March 12th, 2010, 08:15 AM	#1
John Vasey Regular Crew Join Date: Jul 2009 Location: Los Angeles, CA Posts: 75	NX5U sharpness settings: getting a crisp picture I don't have the NX5U yet, but my past history with Sony camcorders tells me that out of the box the picture tends to look soft....overly soft to my taste, and I would have to go into the sharpness settings and move it up a few notches, but back it off so it's not too overly sharp. My hunch about the NX5U is probably the same...out of the box it will probably have a softer look and I will have to go into the detail settings....I think it is -7 to +7...and maybe bring that up to a 3 or 4. I just would like to hear back from other NX5U owners on their experience with manipulating the detail setting...especially for those who desire a crisp picture vs. one that is much softer. Have you been been able to get a crisp image that satisfies you without halos, etc.? If you prefer a sharper look, what was the detail setting that worked best for you? Some cameras, like the Panasonic, seem to be inherently soft, and some prefer that and the particular look of that camera. So I know image sharpness is very much a subjective choice, but I did want to get a clearer idea of the sharpness range available to you on the NX5U. Thanks, John

March 12th, 2010, 11:38 AM	#3
Ron Evans Inner Circle Join Date: Mar 2003 Location: Ottawa, Ontario, Canada Posts: 4,222	I have had the NX5U for just over a week and my comparisons are also with my FX1 and AVCHD cams SR11 and XR500. One reason to get the NX5U was that the XR500 was so much sharper than the FX1!!! The NX5U is sharp. On first impressions it is very similar to the XR500. The difference I found was looking at video of snow falling, shot through my front window, from both cams. On the NX5U the snow flakes are sharp, on the XR500 there is just the hint of blur. Data code shows both shot at 1/60 so the difference has to be in the data rate of the encoder etc. On still shots there is little difference really, the cams match really well filling my need to use XR500 as second camera. I have not played with any of the detail settings. Ron Evans

December 28th, 2010, 06:13 AM	#5
Tom Hardwick Inner Circle Join Date: Mar 2003 Location: Billericay, England UK Posts: 4,711	I'm really happy with my NX5's sharpness as well, all at the default settings. Of course it helps matters if the camera's rock steady, if you shoot at the sweet spot on the iris dial, you switch in the minus gain and get your exposures spot on. Then you show on a well set-up TV. The lens is sharp throughout the range and throughout the apertures, but Ho-boy, the pincushion distortion is something to see. You'll not want be shooting buildings at 15mm or so. tom.