1st Time Using EX1R -Need Setting Advice Etc.

[Larry Kropp]

I just got this camera and it is the most sophisficated camera I've ever used. I have experience with my Sony HDR-1000 and the old standby GL2. I have a wedding shoot coming in two weeks and I wonder if I should even use the EX1R since I need some learning on it. I'm watching Vortex Media's DVD so that is a good tool but there is nothing like 1st hand experience. I wonder if anyone has any advice on settings to use or if I should/could just use full auto? I'm going to shoot in HD 1080i 60i that much I know. Any thoughts/advice would be appreicated. Thanks.

Larry

[Jim Stamos]

use the manual focus for sure, and just wb it with the front wb button under lens.very easy. you should also buy a hoodman loupe from hoodmanusa. its the ex1kit. you put this over the lcd and it becomes a very sharp viewfinder. i use it all the time. the regular viewfinder on the ex is useless.
the loupe has a very good glass diopter so you can focus and get a great sharp look.
i wouldnt use the auto settings. youll be fine. the pic quality is amazing on this camera

[Jack Zhang]

Use Doug Jensen's picture profile settings. (He's the guy from the Vortex Media DVD you just watched)

I would actually shoot in 1920/30p as per Doug's recommendation, with a shutter speed of 1/60 to reduce blur. This records 1080p from the camera which makes it both DVD and Web friendly.

Leave the shutter on unless you know that you'll be in a low light area. Iris controls exposure with a locked shutter speed. Never go beyond F11 for iris. If you're getting too bright at that limit, turn on an ND filter to limit the amount of light without closing the iris. If that isn't working, increase shutter speed to 1/120.

Snap the focus ring back to go into "Full MF" mode. This is highly recommended as a manual focus mode.

If you need extra confidence on exposure, you can use the internal histogram and dual zebras set to 70 and 100 to check your exposure.

What NLE are you using? Each NLE has unique ways of dealing with XDCAM EX.

[Larry Kropp]

Thanks for the input guys. Jack is 1920p ths same as 1980p? I didn't know 30p would help in a low light situation. I know a shutter speed of 30fps would but things might looks a bit of jitter so I'm plannig on using the 1/60 shuuter speed. I hate the jitter. I will use Doug's picture profile settings. I think the internal histogram is a great idea. Jim I'll look into the hoodman but I hope it does not cost too much. I just spent a bunch of money as you can imagine. I'll be sure to W.B. I think that will be a big help also.

Guys now I need a cable that goes from my wireless mic which is a 1/8" plug to the XLR connector for the new EX1R camera since that has XLR input. Do you have any suggestions? I'm going to post this in the wedding forum also. Thanks a bunch.

Larry

[Jack Zhang]

On the EX1R, 1920/30p is 1080p30.

Get a cable with a 1/8'' end that you can screw into. (especially if you own sennheiser wireless mics) This ensures that it doesn't fall out if yanked.

[Les Wilson]

There is no such thing as 1920/30p. That is nonsense.

Full HD is 1080pxx where xx is 24 or 30 on the EX1R.

@Larry, you are obviously in over your head and not really ready for the EX1R. The Vortex profile is a fine place to start but you need to learn what shutter on vs off means. You'll have the best low light performance with 60i format. Next is 24p.

Also, what's the deal with your wireless? If it has 1/8" output, you get a 1/8" to XLR cable. There's no sense getting a threaded 1/8 plug if your receiver doesn't support it. Your receiver should have come with the right cables.

[Larry Kropp]

I know I'm reaching and have a lot to learn Les with the EX1R since I've only used pro-sumer cameras up to this point. However, I'm ready to take the next step with this camera. It runs circles around my HDR FX 1000. Jack is correct saying 1920p is 1080p because in watching the DVD's Sony has renamed the video format for this camera from 1080p to 1920p. They now use the last number vs the 1st. I'm now working my way through the DVD's and s/be done tomorrow. I'm planning to get to the wedding early and get the W.B. set and have the camera set in the 1080i (60i) format and have the shutter speed at 60fps. If that looks to dark I'll drop the shutter speed to 30fps. Meaning the shutter will be on. I'll also look at 30p30 when I get there.

Regarding my wireless set. I'm using an older Azden model. Years ago it only shipped with an 1/8" pin to 1/8" pin cable and that has served me well up until now. Because the EX1R has XLR's input I now need a cable that has a 1/8' plug on one end and a male XLR plug on the other. I was hoping someone could tell me what is a good cable is to purchase. Maybe this is nothing special and any old cable will do but I wanted to ask. Again thanks for the input. I am learning and appreciate all the help.

Larry

[Don Bloom]

If the EX1R is like just about every other professional grade Sony camera I've ever used "shutter on" means the shutter has priority and when you run out of light the shutter will automatically drop to a lower speed.
It seems counter-intuitive but you need to turn the shutter OFF so YOU have control of the shutter not the camera.
Unless this camera is different that's how it works. Read the manual and watch the Vortex dvd to make sure. Then PLAY with it. Turn it on and off and see what happens.
Let me also add this. If you don't feel 110% comfortable with the camera when you do this wedding, don't use it. There is nothing worse than telling a couple you missed parts of their wedding day because you weren't familiar with your equipment. That will cost you money now and more later in reputation.

[Garrett Low]

Larry,

First rule of thumb for business should be that you don't put any equipment or techniques into use on a paying job unless you know what the outcome will be. If you have the time to experiment with the various settings, controls and ergonomics of the EX1R before your shoot, and you can feel comfortable then by all means put it into use on the wedding. Setup and used correctly it will blow you away compared to your FX1000. But, as you've noted, it is a pretty good leap into a different level of customization and the level of controls that you can vary on the EX series. Ergonomically there are some things that you need to get used to so you have to ask yourself if you'd be comfortable under a pressure situation with the new camera.

It's taken me a couple of years but at this point I can operation my camera in pitch black just by touch and knowing where each control is. Like I mentioned, prior to putting into paying service you should have already run complete workflow tests. That includes production as well post production. Are you sure you are set and able to edit the footage from the camera? Do you know you will have enough media and batteries for the entire shoot? Do you have an idea of what maximum gain settings you'd be willing to use? What aperture settings do you find acceptable?

My suggestion would be not to use it as your main camera but to use it as a B cam. Choose some settings that you'd like to experiment with and lock it down. That will start you on your way toward getting familiar with the camera and allow you to get a feel for what type of footage you can capture.

Just my 2 cents,
Garrett

[Les Wilson]

Originally Posted by Larry Kropp

...Jack is correct saying 1920p is 1080p because in watching the DVD's Sony has renamed the video format for this camera from 1080p to 1920p. They now use the last number vs the 1st. ...Meaning the shutter will be on. I'll also look at 30p30 when I get there.

Regarding my wireless set. I'm using an older Azden model. Years ago it only shipped with an 1/8" pin to 1/8" pin cable and that has served me well up until now. ...

I totally forgot the non-standard naming that Sony uses in the menus. The non-camera specific naming will help avoid confusion in the future.

I don't shoot interlaced but I have a bazillion hours using this camera in run and gun situations going in and out of buildings and rooms. Here's a stake in the ground to settle out some of the options. Set the shutter to the equivalent of 180 degrees and turn shutter *ON*. Before going to desperate measures and changing the shutter speed, increase the gain 6db. and then go to 12db if needed. At 12db, the picture will be a little noisy. At a shutter of 30, motion will be blurry. You can trade off those two things when you get that desperate. There's a GAIN switch on the EX1R that you can set to have three values. I recommend 0, +6, +12. I also recommend setting your A-B white balance switches to have an indoor setting and something around 4000K or whatever is appropriate for places near lotsa sunlight or outdoors in the shade. Then set the WB Preset to a value for full on in the sun (usually 5200K). Use AWB only if you have to.

Garrett speaks wisdom. Go do some test shooting pretending you are in the situations you find yourself. Force yourself to get the best footage possible without resorting to "I'll fix it in post". Challenge yourself to use manual focus and exposure. Then go look at your footage.

[Alister Chapman]

Originally Posted by Don Bloom

If the EX1R is like just about every other professional grade Sony camera I've ever used "shutter on" means the shutter has priority and when you run out of light the shutter will automatically drop to a lower speed.
It seems counter-intuitive but you need to turn the shutter OFF so YOU have control of the shutter not the camera.

That's very misleading. The shutter on the EX cameras is OFF by default. OFF means that when the camera is set to 60i the shutter will be 1/60, when set to 24p the shutter will be 1/24.
Turning the shutter ON gives the user the ability to use a faster shutter speed than the base rate, so if shooting 24p for example, by turning the shutter ON you can use a 1/48th shutter to reduce image blur (1/24th is a very slow shutter speed and you will get image blur). So if you wish to use a shutter speed other than the base speed you have to turn the shutter ON. This is the case with every pro level camera that I have ever come across.

The only time you get any kind of auto shutter function with the EX cameras is when you use TLCS and in this case "OFF" means turning the auto control function OFF, not necessarily turning the shutter OFF as you can have the Auto function OFF, but the shutter can still be turned ON manually.

[Chris Harding]

Hey Larry

Any electronic shop will make you a proper cable or if you have time get one from Azden. I use a bunch of ULT100's for weddings and they are all mini-jack to XLR ..all you need is some new cable and some XLR and Mini-Jack plugs and a soldering iron.

I still think you are being awfully brave shooting a wedding (a once in a lifetime event) with a camera you are not going to have time to really learn before the big day.... Does the EX1 have a "full auto" mode..it might not get the best results but at least you can point, frame and hit record and let the camera do the rest????

You can't exactly halt the ceremony because you were fiddling with settings!!! I had to shoot a wedding on saturday with my two week old AC-130's BUT by that time I had already put 15 hours on the camera and knew all the new settings...gosh going in blind is pretty risky and if you have to ask questions rather ask them when you have lots of time to try them out.

If you cannot set up an EX1 as a full auto point and shoot then I would rather look at even hiring a familiar camera until you are 100% happy with the Sony (and have the correct XLR cables)

Chris

[Les Wilson]

Originally Posted by Alister Chapman

...Turning the shutter ON gives the user the ability to use a faster shutter speed than the base rate, so if shooting 24p for example, by turning the shutter ON you can use a 1/48th shutter to reduce image blur (1/24th is a very slow shutter speed and you will get image blur). So if you wish to use a shutter speed other than the base speed you have to turn the shutter ON. This is the case with every pro level camera that I have ever come across....

This post made me realize I'd inverted the shutter setting in my post. I didn't have my camera at the time and frankly, it's something I don't change. Alister is correct and I've corrected my post. The setting for the shutter so that it follows the recording format is for it to be ON. Sorry to confuse.

[Alister Chapman]

Ugh, come on guys lets get this right before we confuse people even further.

If we are talking about the shutter on/off switch, then the setting that follows the cameras shooting rate is OFF.

When the camera is NOT in TLCS and the shutter switch is OFF then at 60i the shutter is 1/60. At 30P the shutter is 1/30 and at 23.98 then the shutter is 1/24 (assuming that "angle" has not been selected in the menu). If you want a shutter speed that is faster/shorter than the base rate then you turn the switch to ON and select your desired speed.

Technically the shutter is always operating, it's just that when the switch is set to OFF you can't adjust it away from the base rate. To change it to a faster speed then the switch must be in the ON position.

[Larry Kropp]

Thanks for the input on the shutter switch Alister. I turned it on and now I can adjust the shutter just by toggling over to the SHT: 1/60 in the view finder and I can adjust the shutter speed. However, I can't adjust it below 1/60fps. If I get in a low light situation I may want to try 30fps quickly to see how it looks. Can you tell me how to do that? I'm shooting in 1920/60i. Thanks.


Larry