New Sony HXR-NX30E Palmcorder with advanced Stabilization

[Ron Evans]

The Steadyshot on my CX700 is very good so you will not be disappointed it just doesn't have the range of the newer balanced optic system. I used the CX700 handheld to ski down next to my grandsons for the last two years and it is great.

Ron Evans

[Ara Gureghian]

Originally Posted by Ron Evans

The Steadyshot on my CX700 is very good so you will not be disappointed it just doesn't have the range of the newer balanced optic system. I used the CX700 handheld to ski down next to my grandsons for the last two years and it is great.

Ron Evans

I think it is going to work well. It is a one year long project that I gave myself. Will see now how to mix it with the Mark III and a couple Go Pros! Good thing we have portable solar we are on 24/7. [Goal Zero, good stuff].
Stay well, Ara and Spirit

[Mike Beckett]

The steadyshot in the NX70 is very good. I did a lot of handheld work with mine and it was great, and I don't have the steadiest hand in the world.

It's a great camera with a good wide angle lens at 26mm. Image quality at telephoto left something to be desired, I suppose it's to be expected with a small lens and a small sensor. Lack of NDs can be problematic in bright light. Despite some claims, there is NO built-in ND, automatic or otherwise.

It is also surprisingly good in low light. I posted sample clips in the NX70 forum here when the camera was new in 2011.

I did find the audio performance in the rain bad. It's logical when you think about it, but with water pouring through your microphone, you don't hear much!

[Ron Evans]

I have a variable ND filter I use with my CX700 works very well and may be something useful if you spend a lot of time in bright conditions. I use all the time when skiing in bright sunlight.

Ron Evans

[Ara Gureghian]

Originally Posted by Ron Evans

I have a variable ND filter I use with my CX700 works very well and may be something useful if you spend a lot of time in bright conditions. I use all the time when skiing in bright sunlight.

Ron Evans

Originally Posted by Mike Beckett

The steadyshot in the NX70 is very good. I did a lot of handheld work with mine and it was great, and I don't have the steadiest hand in the world.

It's a great camera with a good wide angle lens at 26mm. Image quality at telephoto left something to be desired, I suppose it's to be expected with a small lens and a small sensor. Lack of NDs can be problematic in bright light. Despite some claims, there is NO built-in ND, automatic or otherwise.

It is also surprisingly good in low light. I posted sample clips in the NX70 forum here when the camera was new in 2011.

I did find the audio performance in the rain bad. It's logical when you think about it, but with water pouring through your microphone, you don't hear much!

Well, have been testing the NX-70 now for a day, even took some videos of a Friend Violinist who needed them for a resume and I am very impressed. I guess coming from Photography in Manual mode I feel at home now! Love the ring versus that little dial which made me bump the lens on the NX-30 99% of the time, but more than anything else IT IS a much sharper image. This lens is far superior than the Zeiss lens they claim having on the NX-30. Low light is great. I like the ability to have slow zoom which a software upgrade sometime back. All and all I feel relieved I switched. And yes, the stabilization is fine. No problem there. The colors [again compared to Mark III 5D] I find a bit muted but that can be bumped up in PE11. Awaiting for Vegas Pro 12 now... another learning curve! [if it is better than PE].
Well, back to some tutorials now! Still learning much but with the manual settings all cooperating all is starting to make much sense.
Stay well... Ara and Spirit

[Steve Struthers]

I was seriously looking at buying a NX30 until I discovered that the camera doesn't offer any real manual controls. To me, it seems almost scandalous that Sony would sell what is essentially a trumped-up consumer-grade camcorder and then try to justify a professional price by slapping on an XLR block. Sony should call themselves $ony instead.

A real professional camera should offer not only professional image quality, but controls as well. In fairness, I realize that the small form factor of the NX30 militates against putting in a full suite of easily accessible manual controls. But Canon's XA10 isn't a whole lot bigger, and you get quite a few manual controls, even if some of them are accessed via the LCD touch screen.

[Adam Palomer]

While Sony offers nice image stabilization features, the image quality is lacking compared to Canon's line (XA10 or HF-G10/20).

In comparing the Sony line and the Canon line, I spent hours reading reviews online, watching videos and spending some time at a local video shop.

Eventually, I came out with the realization that Sony like to lock out a lot of manual controls and customization options, not so with Canon. For the same money, you get more camera with Canon.

In addition, the Canons' gamma curve seems to be tuned for cinematic look, and they handle low light much better than the Sonys.

[Noa Put]

I know the small canons are also very good at low light but I have not yet seen a comparison at 21db and 24db between both camera's where it shows the canon is "that" much better, once I can see that I believe there is a difference but then I also need to see how noisy the canon is compared to the sony.

[Ron Evans]

I think one has to think about why one would want full manual control in a small camera. Because of the sensor size depth of field is nearly allways very deep. It is why I use mine as unattended cameras. Then one has to test the automatic functions as to how they can be used in lots of conditions. In this regard Sony is good. I nearly always use AEshift do give the camera the ability to manage most of the functions. If one is carrying around the small camera, handheld then its ability to stabilize the image and manage exposure changes fast is important. In this regard the new Sony's including the NX30 are very good. The value for me in owning the NX30 are LPCM audio to match my NX5U, full timecode again to match my NX5U. It will be used mainly in AE shift mode with spot focus or full auto hand held in iAuto mode.

Ron Evans

[Ara Gureghian]

Originally Posted by Ron Evans

I think one has to think about why one would want full manual control in a small camera. Because of the sensor size depth of field is nearly allways very deep. It is why I use mine as unattended cameras. Then one has to test the automatic functions as to how they can be used in lots of conditions. In this regard Sony is good. I nearly always use AEshift do give the camera the ability to manage most of the functions. If one is carrying around the small camera, handheld then its ability to stabilize the image and manage exposure changes fast is important. In this regard the new Sony's including the NX30 are very good. The value for me in owning the NX30 are LPCM audio to match my NX5U, full timecode again to match my NX30. It will be used mainly in AE shift mode with spot focus or full auto hand held in iAuto mode.

Ron Evans

That is exactly what I was wondering as I am using mine [just much practice!!!] with AEshift OFF.
Trying to manually focus which is only working well for me in the viewfinder which on the 70 is fine, have to use my reading glasses as my changing to darker regular glasses throws me off. No Gain at all. Manually adjusting the iris and the shutter speed.
Maybe I should let the shutter speed be on auto as you have a point.

Ara and Spirit

[Ron Evans]

I run with AE shift as the set control for the wheel on all my small Sony's. I never manual focus. Use spot focus if I want to set focus at the zoom that I am using. The camera is then able to optimize what I have told it to be the focus I want and how dark or light I want the image. If there are people in the frame then assuming there is enough light face detection also works very well. If you want a film look camera then any of these small 1/3" cameras are not the best choice anyway. These are best for getting a well exposed shot with everything in focus. The best way I have found of doing this is to let the camera do most of the work. Frame the shot and tell it what to focus on and then how dark or light you want the image.

Ron Evans

[Steve Struthers]

Originally Posted by Adam Palomer

While Sony offers nice image stabilization features, the image quality is lacking compared to Canon's line (XA10 or HF-G10/20).

In comparing the Sony line and the Canon line, I spent hours reading reviews online, watching videos and spending some time at a local video shop.

Eventually, I came out with the realization that Sony like to lock out a lot of manual controls and customization options, not so with Canon. For the same money, you get more camera with Canon.

All the better, in Sony's mind, to avoid cannibalizing sales of their true pro-grade cameras while forcing people to pay more if they want anything beyond totally automatic or even semi-automatic functions.

In addition, the Canons' gamma curve seems to be tuned for cinematic look, and they handle low light much better than the Sonys.

I had a Canon XA10 (that I rather stupidly sold), and can confirm that the gamma curve does indeed appear to be 'tuned' as you suggest. I have some old XA10 clips that I've thrown into a timeline of clips
that were shot with my Canon T2i digital SLR, and they intercut very well.

[Ara Gureghian]

Originally Posted by Ron Evans

I run with AE shift as the set control for the wheel on all my small Sony's. I never manual focus. Use spot focus if I want to set focus at the zoom that I am using. The camera is then able to optimize what I have told it to be the focus I want and how dark or light I want the image. If there are people in the frame then assuming there is enough light face detection also works very well. If you want a film look camera then any of these small 1/3" cameras are not the best choice anyway. These are best for getting a well exposed shot with everything in focus. The best way I have found of doing this is to let the camera do most of the work. Frame the shot and tell it what to focus on and then how dark or light you want the image.

Ron Evans

Hi Ron...
You hit it on the nail when you write that if I want a Movie this is not the right camera. Of course. Sometimes the obvious has to be told. I look at the cameras for Movies and our Sponsor will definitely not send me one! Lucky he send the NX-70 with a great fluid tripod and a .75 conversion lens also.
So yes, after recording last night again a bit of music I realize the camera is smarter than me! It actually is teaching me when on auto the setting it uses and if needed than on manual I can adjust a bit further. I like the auto-spot focus! It is right on. I still try to leave the gain at +6 max [I really don't like grain] and learning to play with the shutter during the day or low light or movements.
Thank You always for your feedback...
This link is a great article

The Ins and Outs of High-speed Shutters | Videomaker.com

Stay well, Ara and Spirit

[Ron Evans]

Yes I have learned a lot doing the same thing. Let the camera run auto but with spot focus then look at the data code on playback. That is how I found out that the camera does not fully open the iris as its main approach but goes so far then increase gain and also changes shutter speed. The reasoning I came to was the designers know exactly where the sweet spot is in any conditions and will drive the camera to this point if given the opportunity. I use my small Sony's in the theatre as fixed camerasand have not found gain to be an issue.

Let use know how you are progressing as it is always helpful to get peoples experiences.

Ron Evans

[Ara Gureghian]

Originally Posted by Ron Evans

Yes I have learned a lot doing the same thing. Let the camera run auto but with spot focus then look at the data code on playback. That is how I found out that the camera does not fully open the iris as its main approach but goes so far then increase gain and also changes shutter speed. The reasoning I came to was the designers know exactly where the sweet spot is in any conditions and will drive the camera to this point if given the opportunity. I use my small Sony's in the theatre as fixed camerasand have not found gain to be an issue.

Let use know how you are progressing as it is always helpful to get peoples experiences.

Ron Evans

I will, sharing is a must. I still like to keep the gain very low and actually through camera I pretty much know what it is doing at all time from the digital screen.
I think it is all coming together and so much have appreciated your comments.
I just realized that two very good Friends of mine from London, [brothers], have won the Yound Director Award at Cannes, Soho Festival, LA [CA), you name it and want to help me! That might be too much help as they use the top of the line"MOVIE" camera. It has been a big step for me understanding
the simple fact that this is a VIDEO camera!

Stay well. Ara and Spirit