Love to hear what you think about this post, drop us a comment below. Thanks!

-MJ

Posted by Matt Jeppsen  on  02/27  at  01:40 PM

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Thanks Matt.

After working with the EX1 when it was released, For Sony, 0dB gain is not 0dB. You have to set it back to -3dB to get true 0dB.

Is that still the case with the F3?

Thanks

Posted by wsmith  on  03/01  at  07:26 AM

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I don’t know. Do you have info on that concern with the EX1? Or is that a personal observation?

-MJ

Posted by Matt Jeppsen  on  03/01  at  07:37 AM

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Hi Matt,

No concerns now that I know that to get true 0dB you need to set Sony cameras back to -3dB.

I learned this by watching Vortex Media’s tutorial DVD on the EX1. The producer of the video stated that this is a fact on all Sony cameras.

I suppose that, for practical purposes, if 18db electronic gain is so noiseless then the difference btwn 0db and -3dB is a negligible and undiscernable difference.
 
I just like to know these things.

Posted by wsmith  on  03/01  at  09:06 AM

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Cool, thanks for that Vortex Media reference. That’s the first time I’d heard the 0/3dB thing, so was just wondering.

-MJ

Posted by Matt Jeppsen  on  03/01  at  09:10 AM

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It’s not correct that -3db is true 0db on Sony gear. -3db actually limits dynamic range from 109% to 105%. It pulls the floor up by 3db, but the clip point remains the same, ergo 0db is 0db.

I haven’t seen the Vortex DVD, but are you sure your not misreading what was said?

Dave

Posted by David Williams  on  03/01  at  05:57 PM

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Hi dave,

Nope, I’m sure I didn’t misunderstand what he said.

Not quite trusting the info I got some verification on it independently but can’t recall where.

I think you can contact the producer/host who owns Vortex and even Sony if desired. Please let us know what you find.

Posted by wsmith  on  03/01  at  06:37 PM

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Hmmm, well this is how I’ve always understood it to work, nicely illustrated here by Art Adams.

http://provideocoalition.com/index.php/aadams/story/no_pain_no_gain/

I’ll refer Doug Jensen from Vortex here.

Dave

Posted by David Williams  on  03/01  at  08:53 PM

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Doug just shot me this reply, he doesn’t have time to register here he’s shooting, and asked me to post this. He’s often the dvinfo.net forums if you’d like to ask yourself. Cheers, Dave.

Hi,

This is Doug Jensen, and I’m the producer of the Vortex Media XDCAM training DVDs.  There must be a misunderstanding, because I have never said that -3 is really 0db on the EX1/3/F3 or any other Sony camera.  What I may have said is that a camera manufacturer can arbitrarily set “0” to whatever they want.  But 0 is usually where the camera will perform with the greatest dynamic range.  However, with that said, when I shoot with the EX1/3 I shoot at -3 nearly 100% of the time because it produces cleaner blacks.  Whatever negative affect that causes on the dynamic range is less important to me than have less noise in the shadows.  The F3 is a different story or another time.  Thanks Dave, for inviting me to set the record straight.

Thanks,
Doug
—
http://www.VortexMedia.com/

Posted by David Williams  on  03/02  at  05:27 AM

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Thanks Dave.

It’s been quite a while since watching the DVD so I guess my recollection isn’t what it was.

Interesting re Mr. Jenson’s comments however. I had a big corporate project using 2 original EX1s and operated both at -3dB based on his insight and I would agree that the dynamic range and the black were both great so…

Posted by wsmith  on  03/02  at  05:52 AM

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