EX1 or NX5 - what is your opinion?

Ron Evans · September 18th, 2010, 09:50 PM

David I too shoot theatre and dance shows. I moved from an FX1 to the NX5U with the FMU and it is a real improvement. I got one of the early units and have had the lens unit changed by Sony ( back focus and slow auto focus). Now the auto focus is fast( focus is usually in manual but I like to check with the push auto focus button)

I don't have any lag that I am aware of though to be fair I do not hand hold the camera or use the viewfinder, it's always on a tripod , Lanc controller and using the LCD. It matches up well with the SR11 and XR500 that I use as fixed unattended cameras. Occasionally another camera used is an EX3 and these edit well together. EX3 is used for the closeups, NX5U for mid shots and the others are fixed full stage or a specific location on stage. Side by side the EX3 is better ( I would hope so its more than twice the cost) Once the framing moves to a mid level there is not much between the EX3, NX5U and the XR500. The increased data rate of the EX3 and NX5U show on fast moving subjects with detail compared to the XR500. When detail is low the XR500 has a cleaner picture!!!! I do understand that this is likely a function of resolution recorded by the more expensive cameras. However when viewed in HD or SD the XR500 is cleaner to the viewer and looks just as sharp even if the test results may not bear this out.!!!!

It has taken me a little time to get used to the differences to the FX-1 and sometimes I wish for the spot focus feature of the SR11 and XR500. Using peaking and focus ring doesn't do as good a job as just touching the point that one needs in focus!!! The NX5U has the same touch LCD and Bionz processor but lacks some of the nice features of the consumer cameras accessed by the touch screen.

Ron Evans

Shaun R Walker · September 20th, 2010, 01:06 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by David Morgan

Shaun,
This is the first time I've read about the lag issues in all the posts about this camera. Are you sure that there's nothing wrong with your unit?

Hi David

I just arrived back after having shot today with the NX-5. And you know what? There was no lag! I must have been using a suspect camera (my client has two of them), because it was very pronounced every time I pulled focus and iris on that particular unit. I used it last Tuesday night and it was definitely lagging, but today it didn't. I'm not sure what the answer is other than I probably used his other camera today. So, to the OP, ignore that particular criticism I made re the NX-5!

September 18th, 2010, 09:50 PM	#31
Ron Evans Inner Circle Join Date: Mar 2003 Location: Ottawa, Ontario, Canada Posts: 4,222	David I too shoot theatre and dance shows. I moved from an FX1 to the NX5U with the FMU and it is a real improvement. I got one of the early units and have had the lens unit changed by Sony ( back focus and slow auto focus). Now the auto focus is fast( focus is usually in manual but I like to check with the push auto focus button) I don't have any lag that I am aware of though to be fair I do not hand hold the camera or use the viewfinder, it's always on a tripod , Lanc controller and using the LCD. It matches up well with the SR11 and XR500 that I use as fixed unattended cameras. Occasionally another camera used is an EX3 and these edit well together. EX3 is used for the closeups, NX5U for mid shots and the others are fixed full stage or a specific location on stage. Side by side the EX3 is better ( I would hope so its more than twice the cost) Once the framing moves to a mid level there is not much between the EX3, NX5U and the XR500. The increased data rate of the EX3 and NX5U show on fast moving subjects with detail compared to the XR500. When detail is low the XR500 has a cleaner picture!!!! I do understand that this is likely a function of resolution recorded by the more expensive cameras. However when viewed in HD or SD the XR500 is cleaner to the viewer and looks just as sharp even if the test results may not bear this out.!!!! It has taken me a little time to get used to the differences to the FX-1 and sometimes I wish for the spot focus feature of the SR11 and XR500. Using peaking and focus ring doesn't do as good a job as just touching the point that one needs in focus!!! The NX5U has the same touch LCD and Bionz processor but lacks some of the nice features of the consumer cameras accessed by the touch screen. Ron Evans