Is SONY's Clear Image Zoom any good? SURPRISING test results!

[@swr410]

Really nicely put together and super helpful. Thank you!

[@julianmcintoshfilms]

You're very welcome!

[@Luuk11]

Interesting timing you have! I just shot a short doc with a DOP trying to get into the dutch film academy and they were using an FX3 with this feature! I think it's a great tool for corporate and docu style filming! when it comes to filming sometimes you just want practicality over getting the best image possible. I did honestly feel like the clear image zoom had a bit of coloration. Not enough to throw me off but clear image zoom didn't convince me that we can move on from picking proper lenses in fiction. (Which I know isn't the point of your video but something that is interesting to consider with this kind of technology) Intresting tests all things considered and again great timing ;)

[@julianmcintoshfilms]

Haha yeah, very true. This is more of a convenience feature for run and gun type shoots, so yeah I definitely wouldn't use it in more controlled environments. I'm just super glad to have done a proper test, and now I know the full capabilities and flaws of these feature (at least on the FX30) 😎🙌

[@tothespace2122]

You should've tested clear image zoom vs digital zoom also in 1080p...

[@julianmcintoshfilms]

Yeah, I see I didn't put that exactly to the test. But I don't think the result would so different. The technology is the same whether you're using CIZ in 4k or HD, or if your zooming digitally in 4k or HD. Either way I'm 99% sure the CIZ will be better than digital in HD as well :) Hope that helps

[@julianmcintoshfilms]

My attempt to understand the science: The FX30 uses a 6K sensor, which down-samples to 4K or 1080p in video recording. My theory is that when using Clear Image Zoom, the camera crops in to use a smaller portion of the sensor, essentially using the native 4k resolution of the camera when fully zoomed in at 1.5x

[@bigrobotnewstoday1436]

Its not really a new feature my old Panasonic Lumix GH2 kind of has this feature. The GH2 is a 16 megapixel camera. And you can punch in and use a small part of the sensor if you need more reach. 1080p is almost 2 megapixels.

[@julianmcintoshfilms]

You're right, this is not a new feature, but from watching older videos on this topic, I see that the technology is definitely improving.