EX1R or Panny AF100?

[Kent Beeson]

Trying to understand: Is the Panny AF100 basically the same as the forthcoming SONY 4/3" sensor but less than half the price? Is the AF100 a better camera than EX1R in terms of image quality, other advantages? What's the big deal about the AF100?

[Les Wilson]

IMHO, EX1R and AF100 are different tools.

XDCAM-USER.com Micro 4/3, Super 35, DSLR and the impact on traditional Pro Camcorders.

[David Heath]

Originally Posted by Kent Beeson

Trying to understand: Is the Panny AF100 basically the same as the forthcoming SONY 4/3" sensor but less than half the price?

It depends which one you mean. Sony have announced two new cameras (which are 35mm, not 4/3), one - the F3 - being more expensive than the AF101, the other - as yet unnamed - likely to be very similar in price. The rumours are that Sony have designed a new optimised for video sensor for them, whilst Panasonic have adapted a sensor primarily designed for stills.

Is the AF100 a better camera than EX1R in terms of image quality, other advantages?

The one advantage it will indisputably have is shallow depth of field when used with wide aperture lenses - simialr to video DSLRs, but without the worst of the issues those have.

But it comes at a price. You'll really have to use large aperture primes to get the most of that, and various issues mean you're unlikely to see a lens for the AF101 with comparable features to the normal EX1 lens in terms of zoom range, servo zoom, max aperture etc. For general use,that means the EX1 will remain a far more useful camera than the AF101 most of the time, same when compared to either of the forthcoming large sensor Sonys. It's horses for courses. For most people, the EX1R will probably still be the best overall choice.

[Buba Kastorski]

AF100 is not the same as F3 (Sony ) for less than half the price, it's AVCHD 24Mbs peaking, F3 is MPEG2 35Mbs, sony has slightly larger sensor and to my eye, based on samples on the web, has better image;
to make a choice between two will be very easy, price tag will do the job for you, but choosing between AF100 and EX1/r/3 now as never before depends on what you do, and if you working with one camera setup there is a lot more things to consider.
Adding at least couple decent lenses to AF100 makes EX1 cheaper, also Sony is more suitable for event and ENG work, but for short films, commercials and documentaries I would pick AF100, if I would be on the market after new camera, but I'm not, cuz I already have my 1/5/7Ds and AF100 just not that much better to make me get rid of my DSLRs setup;
so call me stupid, but I'm waiting for scarlet :)
well, unless Canon will come up with something better than Mark II/IV, or XF series :)

[Kent Beeson]

Thanks every one for helpful info...guess I'll stay with my EX1R for the coming year...all being well.

[Olof Ekbergh]

I am not getting rid of my EX3, EX1R or my 5D. I will probably actually hold on to my 7D as well, for stills anyway.

But I have ordered an AF100. I use my EXcams about 80% of the time and DSLR's or "crash cams" the rest of the time.

I think I will still use the 5D a lot, I have nice L's for it and I love some of the shots you can get with it.

But I think the AF100 will be another great tool, especially for interviews, SDOF on a normal to wide lens, very hard to do with the 1/2" chip. It is definitely not an ENG cam. But a special more "film like" camera with many more lens choices. I have a bunch of old FD and FL Canon glass that is coming out of retirement when I get it. It is nice to have a real video camera that does this w/o the problems of DSLR's. I will also get the Birger mount to use my Canon L's.

It will definitely be a little tricker to shoot with than an EXcam, it is a different tool, but a very useful one if you need these type of shots. My guess I will be using a lot. It may change my shooting style a bit as well.

I am also very interested in how the F3 will work. And I may trade up to that camera if it is much better in the future. But the AF100 is the first reasonable priced camera like this to come to the market, and it will be fun to play with.

I am starting a new yearlong project of beauty and sports shots of my area here this winter so this camera becomes available at a great time. There will be a lot of jib, dolly and heli shots, it will be fun, slower more contemplative shooting, than a lot of my ENG style projects. And I think this is the perfect cam for it. This will all be shot to the NanoFlash from the EXcams and the new AF100.

[Matt Davis]

Originally Posted by David Heath

You'll really have to use large aperture primes to get the most of that, and various issues mean you're unlikely to see a lens for the AF101 with comparable features to the normal EX1 lens in terms of zoom range, servo zoom, max aperture etc.

The two Olympus Zukio lenses - 14-35mm f2 and 35-100mm f2 - plus a doubler will roughly match the EX1's lens range, and improve slightly on the wide. The extra stop advantage on the tele end would probably be swallowed up by the doubler.

That pair comes in at around GBP 4k.

On the other hand, I find most of my talking head and voxpop work will happen around the 35mm focal length (e.g. 70mm in 35mm terms, so I'd probably either find myself doing a lot of lens swapping, not getting the wider establishing shots so I could get flattering portraits, or sticking to the wide zoom and relying on the widest aperture.

The Sony F3 is for different sized pockets - sad to see the DigiOptical PL mount zooms (GBP 4.5k the pair) discontinued:

http://www.bhphotovideo.com/c/product/715071-REG/DigiOptical__18_50mm_50_150mm_T3.html
As soon as the zooms are out of reach and one looks to a bag full of primes, that's a limitation to the workflow at the head end that restricts the market to narrative and interview based docco.

Horses for courses indeed. I'm appreciating my EX1s and 550D more and more.

[David Heath]

Originally Posted by Matt Daviss

The two Olympus Zukio lenses - 14-35mm f2 and 35-100mm f2 - plus a doubler will roughly match the EX1's lens range, and improve slightly on the wide. The extra stop advantage on the tele end would probably be swallowed up by the doubler.

That pair comes in at around GBP 4k.

I reckon the range of those two is not much over 7x when you take the two of them into account, and you obviously can't zoom from 14mm to 100mm without changing lenses. Additionally, there is no servo zoom, and no manual facility for either focus or aperture AFAIK. Compare that to the supplied lens with the EX, and for general work, the EX1 must be far more suitable than the AF100?

Even then, these two lenses would more than double the cost of the AF100, and whilst the body only price may look attractive compared to an EX1, with these two lenses the package becomes much more. (And that's before we even think of an external recorder.)

I don't deny the large sensor aspect of the AF100 or the F3 may be very desirable for certain specific types of work, but for general filming there's a lot to be said for sticking with the EX.