Sony FDR AX100 UHD 4K

IF you are pixel-peeping with this camera, your head needs examining. IF you are pixel peeping, and codec-critiquing, get a RED or . This ain't that. This is something else, and is better, and worse than, all the other options. IF you want to put all your eggs in one basket, I don't recommend this camera. But if you need a small, easily disguised as tourist, capable camcorder that can give you nominal "4K" and what is likely to be great HD, then do consider it.

I'm uploading clips 0002 and 0003 from this camera, shot yesterday. No editing. No nothing. To Youtube. Might have them up tonight, or not. They are sloppy/crappy "first shots" clips, showing a little soft focus here, a little shaky movement there, and some lovely overexposure (I set it all to manual and was handholding the first shot, just screwing around the second)

Will post links as soon as I can. If I need to I'll repost to Vimeo tomorrow so you can download the file itself.

Regarding card question asked by another personage: I've ordered a faster card (60Mb/s) and since it's not here I tried to use my existing (45mb/s card), and they work but here's the trick - you MUST format the card in your computer first! Format it as exFAT, not NTFS or FAT32 - exFAT. Quick format is fine.

DO NOT format the card in camera!

One thing I have not fully checked is how to delete clips from camera - I have most success removing the card from the camera and putting it into card reader, selecting and deleting the files.

My card is Sandisk Extreme SDHC 32GB. Works fine as far as I can tell.

I have a boat launch tomorrow (the one I've been working on) and I switched the camera to XAVC-S HD, to document it. Shooting HD at 50MB/s should be great!

Didn't get a chance to shoot at all today. Launch and shakedown tomorrow!

Oh this is tragic - showing the YouTube version on one screen and the original version on the other - obviously, make adjustments for Youtube re-compression. In fact, until I upload to Vimeo or Dropbox tomorrow, you might as well not even bother, as it (YT) is not even close to reality ... am I doing something wrong? Yes - it's that bad. So maybe it's a pre-compression thing, and will be better quality by the time you see it. (to me, as I'm seeing it, looks like uprezzed, out of focus garbage)

http://youtu.be/1t4iINv4fsY

http://youtu.be/3hG-4dUUAT0

Gene, Thanks for putting these up.

I've just looked at the waterfall and pan rev zoom.

Starts off unfocussed and then bang into super sharp. Is there a variance on sharpening in camera - perhaps even a sharpening off?
Cheers

Nope - that's Youtube compression/streaming goofiness. What you are seeing as sharpness changes is funky streaming. For me, what I'm seeing is nothing compared to the real clip. I've got to go real soon and work, but when I get back I'll upload clips for download.

Besides simply trying to be helpful, I am also doing this hopefully so that I can get a proper feel of whether the camera will work for me or am I kidding myself. I'll shoot in XAVC-S HD (50MB/s) today, but I'll hopefully get some more 4K stuff to share.

Another thing I didn't mention is that this camera shares the similar tendency with lens flares and sunburst at f8-f11 with the RX100m2 - fake color effects I find unappealing.However wider apertures "can" look better with the sun in the shot, the blob/bloom can also be unsightly. At least the CA is not anywhere as bad as the RX100

Have still not found a way to turn down the sharpening in camera.

A bunch of my 4K UHD are approved now so the about examples can be viewed.

Mizamook:

Thanks for reporting all this - must say I am starting to like these super sharp, detailed images - love Rekindle's chicken clip.

I've just read a long debate on an AX100 forum and they couldn't find a way of turning down sharpening.
Anyway I've just downloaded the manual and am making my way through it.

Maybe this has already been noted and I missed it, but:

Appears there are two versions of the camera: models with NTSC and models with PAL.

Pretty important for me as even though I'm in Europe I don't need 25p but I do need 24p.

Hopefully one can order either one anywhere, or does it depend where in the world you are? Anyone know?

The manual states:
Models with NTSC color system: FDR-AX100
Models with PAL color system: FDR-AX100E

Models with the USB IN/OUT jacks: FDR-AX100
Models with the USB Output only jack: FDR-AX100E

Hi guys. I've been following various Ax100 threads for some time, including this, and got inspired to buy one. Thanks! (I think). It arrived yesterday and I've shot a few things so far, and tomorrow I'll attempt to get them into an editing system. But to help with the question above, the US version of the camera can shoot in three modes:
XAVC S 4k, either 30p or 24p
XAVC S HD, either 60p, 30p of 24p
AVCHD, either 60i, 60p, 24p
You can also dual record to MP4s.
Picture quality aside, so far I really love the way the manual controls for f-stop, shutter speed and gain/iso are set up.

Well a following coming out. Will be interesting to see if the GH4 is sharper, better color, better texture etc. The AX-100 is complete at less than $2,000 and the GH4 with equivalent wide angles to long range lenses would be about $4,000. Both are basically the same size and weight when a 70-200 lens is attached to GH4. I believe both are a temporary stop gap until 4K matures in the next year or two.

Don't forget the 120 fps /720 slow motion mode and the unknown fps and size of Golf mode for ultra slow motion.