NEX FS-100 Overview and First footage

Den from F-Stop Academy was lucky enough to be one of the first shooters to get his hands on the new NEX FS-100 camera from Sony, the little brother to the PMW-F3 camera (they reportedly share the same sensor). He’s posted an incredible 18-minute camera system walkthrough, behind the scenes footage, and a completed music video shot with the camera. Watch below.

PMW-F3 vs AG-AF100 vs 5D MKII

Here’s a quick side-by-side candle-lit comparison of the Sony PMW-F3, Panasonic AG-AF100, and the venerable Canon 5D MKII DSLR. The test footage was shot by Dennis Ersöz. This video clip very neatly shows how the native sensitivity of each camera compares, and also how clean the gain/ISO is at high levels. Watch below.

Confirmation on Sony F3 native sensitivity

A couple weeks ago FreshDV linked to a C47 video where Jem Schofield discussed seeing the PMW-F3 in use in a high-ISO test. At that time, Jem indicated he thought the native sensitivity rating of the camera was 800 ISO and that it offered a 6400 ISO equivalent with 18dB of gain engaged. He also talked about how clean the image was, even at 18dB of gain…which piqued my interest greatly. Well it’s all been confirmed now by Andy Shipsides from AbelCine, as he posted these figures over on a DVinfo forum thread...

Panasonic AF100 Sensor Size Comparison

One of the common questions that I’ve personally gotten in the past few weeks is in regards to the AF100’s sensor size. There seems to be a common belief that this camera’s 4/3s sensor is objectionably small in size. I personally think that this size issue has been overstated, that the 4/3s size is actually rather large…and that the real issue is one of expectations and perception. Read on, I’ll explain…

ARRI Alexa vs Canon 7D latitude & grading comparison

It seems a little absurd to be comparing a $1500 camera to the ARRI Alexa, but such is the world that we currently live in…DSLR video has made major inroads in production, and there are many situations where it is well-suited. But as with any tool, part of deciding when to use it is knowing where it fails. To that end, here is a video test chart comparison by Nick Paton ACS that shows how these two cameras fall apart when over/underexposed and then graded back to neutral. In short, this test highlights one key area where the Alexa is vastly superior to the Canon 7D. Watch and learn…

Daily Inspiration - Graphic Animation, Subaru Style

180-degree shutter angle is the rule of thumb when shooting film & video. It almost always makes your images look better…unless you are a pro and you understand just when to break the rules. The following amazing Subaru spot is a great example of how to use knowledge of shutter angle/degrees to your benefit. It is all kinds of awesome! Watch below.

RED Epic vs ARRI Alexa Dynamic Range Charts

Jim Jannard has posted some test charts shot by RED, comparing ARRI Alexa with the Red Epic MX. Given that Epic is currently in development as a prototype, it’s not a shocker that RED is the first to do any actual chart tests with Epic. The two tests were Dynamic Range and Resolution. On the resolution charts, RED bettered Alexa. That’s not that surprising, given RED’s historical fixation with resolution and that Epic has a 5K sensor. However, I thought that Alexa fared worst in resolution than it probably should have (less than 2K measured), given that it is a 3.5K sensor (though with larger photosites), so perhaps there are some issues there to iron out. I’m sure there will be subsequent tests from others that can confirm or dispute these results, so we’ll see. For today, I’d like to concentrate on the dynamic range charts, which most DP’s are probably more interested in. Read on…

Sony NEX-VG10 interchangeable lens camcorder announced

Some time back, we mentioned a Sony teaser about an upcoming HD camcorder model that would feature interchangeable lenses and be compatible with Sony’s line of Alpha lenses. Since then, Sony has showed off a soon-to-ship point and shoot DSLR with similar capabilities, the NEX-5 (and it’s little brother, the NEX-3). I’ve had the opportunity to shoot extensively with pre-production and production versions of the NEX-5, and it’s a sweet little camera, though clearly intended for the consumer space given the lack of professional manual exposure controls. But we expected that from a small point and shoot.

Now, Sony is showing off their new interchangeable lens camcorder, and it’s been dubbed the NEX-VG10. This $2000 camera appears to be their response to the DSLR video revolution, and it’s a very good first step in my opinion. The VG10 features an APS-C sized sensor and has a mount that natively accepts Sony E-mount lenses. E-mount lenses are a new Sony standard that enables autofocus, something that many videographers need and can’t get from the current crop of video DSLRs. And for pro applications, you can add simple Sony mount adapter which allows you to use Sony Alpha lenses on the E-mount. Autofocus will not work via the Alpha mount adapter, however. This adapter greatly broadens your selection of professional glass options, while the stock 18-200mm E-mount lens offers autofocus and optical stabilization. Read on…

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