Anyone using the NEX-EA50?

[Peter Rush]

Is it as good as the reviews? I was about to buy a couple of Panasonic AC-90 cameras but am now thinking that these would be better - the footage will almost certainly edit in with my 5D stuff better

Lack of ND filters and only one card slot might be an issue though - the test footage I've seen looks pretty good though - low light sensitivity seems good and for me this is really important

Pete

[Chris Harding]

Hi Peter

I'm getting either one or two after the silly season once dealers are open. Noa has already ordered and Don Bloom is heading that way after his vacation in January. Take a look at the manual if you haven't already (on the EA-50 new forum under Sony) It certainly ticks all my boxes and I nearly went for AC-90's but I really don't like the smudgy footage at high gain and the killer was the fact that there is no auto level for the 90's XLR channels which will be tough with wedding DJ's and varying audio levels.

The EA-50H is double the price but I love the form factor and the idea of being able to snap on a really fast lens at receptions and for me it's no contest as a wedding camera now. I think Noa should be the first to offer a wedding videographer perspective and I certainly would trust his judgement on this.

There isn't a lot of decent wedding style footage around but it will come! The one thing that is also very neat is the expanded focus button right on the grip ...that will be useful!!

Chris

[Peter Rush]

The media seems pricey though - £100 for a 32GB card! but I suppose the mirroring technology means that it equates to 2 cards

Also it seems the viewfinder can be removed to leave the LCD screen - nice option

http://urbanfoxtv.blogspot.co.uk/201...camcorder.html

Pete

[Bill Bruner]

Pete - You're right - £100 is pretty pricey, but there is no need to pay that much for a 32GB SD card. I shoot with

£15.49 32GB Komputerbay SDHC cards

 

£15.49 32GB Komputerbay SDHC cards

and have never lost a shot. Komputerbay also offer a

£28 64GB SDXC card

 

£28 64GB SDXC card

, which I have not tried yet, but it is well-reviewed.

I may not get around to trying the Komputerbay 64GB - I just bought a

£76.20 Kingston 128GB SDXC

 

£76.20 Kingston 128GB SDXC

- which should last for a while :)

Cheers and best of the holidays,

Bill
Hybrid Camera Revolution

[Chris Harding]

Hi Pete

No problems at all with SDHC ..I use 16GB Sandisk Extreme and that should last on the "A" camera for both ceremony and speeches!! Another in your "B" cam should also be plenty. At under $30 here it's cheap media..cheap enough to replace every 6 months!

The EA50H here is $4060 which is around GBP2600 so that's not a bad price (we pay 10% tax but it's included in the price) Sony also have (or are going to have) the EA-50K model which has no Sony mic and also no power zoom...just the manual zoom control on the lens and that will be cheaper too. I'm used to a power zoom so I'm looking at the H series!

Chris

[Chris Hurd]

Be sure to read through our dedicated NEX-EA50 forum:

Sony NEX-EA50 (all variants) Forum at DVinfo.net

[Peter Rush]

Hi Guys - lack of ND worries me here - I can't imagine filming a busy reception where I'm constantly flitting between indoors and outdoors and having to worry about attaching an ND filter on and off - that would be a pain - of course a variable ND filter might be an idea but there are issues with the quality plus I'm pretty sure all the ND filters I've come across start at one or two stops - I'd want one that started at zero and went down to something like 8 stops.

Ideas?

Pete

[Don Bloom]

Peter,
My concern as well but after looking at the button layout from the manual, I find the ISO, IRIS and Shutter speed to all be well postioned enough to be able to make fairly quick changes when needed. Does that replace the ability to simply flip a switch and drop in an ND? Nope but at least you don't have to be all thumbs to get to the exposure you want. (at least in therory)

I've been looking at variable NDs as well and in the 67mm size (for the NEX-EA50) I've found 1 that goes from 1.3 to up to 8.8 stops. I've found others that go a bit lower and 1 that went a bit higher but nother that went from 0 to 8. AAMOF, I've not seen anything that goes from 0 to whatever at all. Hmmm, that could be a big seller.

Any manufacturer out there listening!!!!!!

[Noa Put]

There are nd fader filters that go from nd2 to nd400 which is between 2 to 8 stops (I have one) but mine has an impact on the image quality but I guess that reflects in the price (paid about 100 euro for it)

In order to adjust a variable nd filter the lens hood needs to be off, not sure if that is possible on the stock lens from the nex50?

I was thinking of getting a mattebox.

[Chris Barcellos]

Easier than a matte box are the simple rubber round lens hoods that you can by on EBay for various thread sizes. Set up right and attached to the variable filter, it acts like an iris adjusting ring. Just use the rubber hood to turn the ring to adjust level using zebras or other exposure aids.

Be sure to get right size hood, as most variable filters have a larger size thread on the receiving end.

[Noa Put]

Do you know what name you have to use to search for such a rubber hood on ebay?

[Nigel Barker]

Originally Posted by Noa Put

Do you know what name you have to use to search for such a rubber hood on ebay?

Rather obviously "rubber lens hood" finds plenty of examples:-) rubber lens hood in Lens Hoods | eBay

[Noa Put]

Thx Nigel, very obvious indeed :) but first time I see such hoods. Wonder if it would be possible to detach the stock lens hood of the ea50 and attach the rubber one instead.

[Noa Put]

Does anyone know of a decent adapter ring to use Samyang lenzes on this camera, they fit my canon 550d so I guess it's a adapter for Canon as well. It doesn't have to be a metabones one as none of my lenzes communicates with the camera body.

[Chris Harding]

Hi Peter

I just ordered my first one..I had a bad experience with my Panasonic AC-130's back in Feb this year and had "burnt bridges" (sold my old cams first) so this time I will ease just one Sony into weddings and continue with my HMC's and then hopefully after being delighted with the camera I can sell the two HMC's and get a second EA-50H

Should be here end of next week only due to the public holidays and delays over the festive season but I will of course provide my comments both as a wedding camera here plus on the Sony forum too. I'm pretty sure that Noa will provide us with an equally comprehensive report back once he has got to grips with the camera.

Alistair Chapman recommended the Genus 67mm variable ND filter for the EA-50 ...that at least gives us a starting point to work from ..over here they are $139.00

Chris