Sony PXW-Z150 Test Footage -- HD VERSION

[@RandyRichards1001]

Doug, you have shot and produced the best footage out there for the Sony PXW-Z150. Very well done. Sony should contact you. :)

[@thebuzzmeade]

Was just going to say the same thing. Sony needs to hire you because you may have just sold a Z150 :)

[@tanzkatzen]

This is of course user skill, a touch of post and well sourcing the shots as you have to get out there and capture the right weather & action, but yeah this looks great, and also makes me think this is already 6 years old, but I better choose something like this for video instead of trying to do it through the photocamera/video route.

[@Charley07h]

The best test footage I've seen. I've already used you Z150 and FS7 videos so I'm a rock solid fan.. Thank you for all the good work.

[@DougJensenVortexMedia]

Well thank you very much, Chuck. You made my day!

[@butterhunter8332]

It's so freakin' sharp! Nice shots as well.

[@DougJensenVortexMedia]

Thank you for the compliment!

[@ThisIsLeeBird]

Finally a video showing what this thing is capable of

[@DougJensenVortexMedia]

Yes, finally . . . six years ago!. Thanks. :-)

[@faustinomota1222]

Great job Doug... Because of your footage I'm impress with this affordable 4K camera.

[@Themaremonstrum]

Amazing footage, amazing camera!

[@juanm.aguayo-leal9795]

You are an excellent videographer. Thank you for sharing your composition. It was very useful in our decision making process. 😎👍🏼🎬

[@DougJensenVortexMedia]

Thank you. I'm glad it was helpful.

[@SameGuy1400]

These footages are amazing!!!

[@linoescobar9096]

Muy bueno se nota la calidad profesional

[@tocheer4]

Such a wonderful job!!!

[@jonahrutherford610]

Wow breathtaking 😍

[@mcddetectrespect.7467]

Great video crystal clear, thanks . Does it shoot in MP4.

[@MarceloBuainain]

Amazing! Very well done! Congrats!

[@GritandGrace]

We’re all these examples shot in a standard picture profile or in a shot and in the log and then graded

[@DougJensenVortexMedia]

Not log. The Z150 is only 8-bit 4:2:0 in 4K, so the use of LOG is not advised. This video was shot with a custom picture profile that I created onboard the (details are proivded in my Master Class) and then touched up a bit in post to finalize. Everything can be made to look a little better in post.

[@bigmouthmedia525]

This gives me hope that the Z280 will look just as good :) Crisp !

[@themichaellindell]

Doug, awesome footage. I need a studio camcorder for live instrutional training that. ill be doing alone. Which camera will provide me the best picture and features for this setting? Z190 or Z150?

[@THETEMPLEOFTHELORDSCHURCHTOLC]

Beautiful images. Can someone please tell me how good the auto focus is?

[@DougJensenVortexMedia]

The auto-focus is good, but not great. If auto-focus is an important feature to you then you may want to check out the PXW-Z90. The Z90 and Z150 are almost the same camera electronically except in a different body style and the Z90 has better AF. kzbin.info/www/bejne/bXPOY32hg8mVi68

[@memmoli007]

Hi Doug, because we always have problems with focus, we always use in manual but when the viewfinder really seems to focus also using the peaking sometimes bring home blurred images, where we go wrong you have some solution to the problem thanks ps. I am going to sell the camera for this problem thanks

[@DougJensenVortexMedia]

Hi Angelo, I can't explain why you are having trouble with focus. I can honestly say that I find focusing my Z150 very easy and precise. I can't remember the last time I missed the focus even a little bit. Maybe you aren't using peaking properly? Or maybe the soft-looking picture is due to something else other than focus. I always shoot with the aperture of the lens at maximum wide open. Not only does that make focusing easier, it also provides a crisper picture (due to diffraction) than if you stop the lens down to f/8 or f/11 or lower.

[@WernerSell]

Ein sehr schönes Video - Daumen hoch - Ist bei mir allerdings nur in HD zu sehen - Grüße aus Bremen - Werner

[@dinkyvision]

Was there extensive color grading done to this footage or minimal? The image looks great and if it’s relatively close to in camera, I’m very impressed with the possibilities. I’ve been shooting on a canon 5D mk2 & mk3, as well as 7D, an older Sony DVCam ENG camera and various other prosumer stuff. I love the 5D, but the workflow is a pain as I use a Zoom H4N to get XLR audio separately and have to sync things up. I’d like to get into a 4K setup with XLR inputs to simplify things for interviews etc, and the price on this camera is very reasonable compared to the canon models I’m looking at which get into the $4-6k range.

[@DougJensenVortexMedia]

All of my footage, no matter which camera I use, goes through Resolve for some tuning up. It is a step in my workflow that I enjoy. I don't know how you define "extensive" color grading, but each of the shots in this video probably took 10-30 seconds to touch up in post. I don't think anything is straight out of the camera because that is not how I work.

[@przemassLU]

Wow it shuld be promo commercial of this camera. Did you done any color corection or some color lut?

[@DougJensenVortexMedia]

Thanks. No color correction hasbeen done, but some grading in Resolve has been applied. I grade everything I shoot no matter the camera.

[@dymcozzy]

How long battery life

[@JensEser]

Hey Doug, as far as I understand the Z-150 and Z-90 seem to be identical when it comes to the specs. Since you know both cams, are there any differences besides the form factor? What about image quality? - Any feedback and advise is very welcome! Thx, Jens

[@DougJensenVortexMedia]

Hi Jens, you've got it right. The Z90 has better AF, but other than that they are basically identical cameras with different form factors.

[@JensEser]

I did not know about the better AF of the z90, good to know. Another significant difference (at least for me) is the slog-2 /3. Z90 does it, Z150 does not. - Honestly, I like the design and form factor of the Z150 better, it also seems to have a stronger and sturdier build quality. Correct? Also, I am very impressed by the colors of your Z150 test footage. Is it out of the cam or graded in post? @@DougJensenVortexMedia

[@DougJensenVortexMedia]

@@JensEser Yes, I think you are correct about S-LOG. It has been quite a few years since I worked with either of these cameras and the details are getting fuzzy. If only someone had a good tutorial video! 🙂 Pretty much everything you see online that was produced by me has been graded in post. The camera is perfectly capable of creating a decent WYSIWYG image that will be good enough for many productions, but I believe that grading in post can always bring out something a little extra. To me, grading is fact of life and always necessary.

[@mirekbrdek4350]

perfect video and picture quality!!! original files 4K 30fps??? resampling to 1080???

[@DougJensenVortexMedia]

Yes, this video was shot in 4K UHD and down-rezzed to 1080, but I cannot remember if it was 30P or 24P. I would have to look at the original files to find out and I am on the road for the next few weeks and do not have access to them.

[@colerc13b]

Doug the question that I have is? If I want to buy a mirrorless camera to match my Z150! What is your recommendations?

[@DougJensenVortexMedia]

Sorry, I can't really help you with that. I don't have enough experience with the mirrorless cameras to say which one(s) would be the best match -- or if you could even do it easily.

[@colerc13b]

@@DougJensenVortexMedia Thank you Sir! Can you use the PXW-150 and shoot a cinematic movie? Thank you in advance.

[@colerc13b]

This is some amazing footage.

[@DougJensenVortexMedia]

@@colerc13b Yes, I think you could with the right camera settings, lighting, etc.

[@colerc13b]

@@DougJensenVortexMedia Mr Jenson I have tried everything, but I cannot get my Z150 that clear!

[@infinitymagic3109]

will the UHD format supported in FCPX for editing in 4k resolution

[@DougJensenVortexMedia]

Absolutely. Every format and codec the Z150 can shoot is compatible with all the major NLEs.

[@infinitymagic3109]

@@DougJensenVortexMedia Tq Very much Mr.Jensen

[@memmoli007]

Unfortunately often happens, we have inserted the Z150 to produce news, and this problem happens to more than one person, it would seem that the focusing range is very small, we thought this problem would depend on the 1 "sensor, and yet we do not know how to solve it if you have some solution let us know, thank you very much

[@DougJensenVortexMedia]

Unless your camera is broken, it is really just a matter of learning to use peaking properly. Like I said before, I am able to nail focus 99% of the time with no effort. The camera also has an excellent Focus Magnification function to verify that the subject is in focus. Other than that, it is really just a matter of perfecting your shooting technique.

[@arirangart5529]

Hi, Doug can you tell me the secret how to transfer video images from z150 sd card to computer?

[@DougJensenVortexMedia]

You take the SD card out of the camera . . . put it into an ordinary SD card reader . . . and then transfer (drag and drop) all of the contents of the card to a folder on your hard drive. Simple as that.

[@TheMrBennito]

mr Jensen, I watched yr tutorials till now yet you turn out to shoot splendidly as well! What I specifically like is how you edited the scenery along with the great music. do you happen to adjust the change-overs of the scenes to the rhytm of the music?

[@DougJensenVortexMedia]

Hi, thank you for the compliments on the video. No, I didn't change anything in the music it just sort of worked out that way at random.

[@RelivitMedia]

Hello Doug. AWESOME! Question, now that you have had this camera for a while, what do you think? I know that is a wide open question. I have a Sony Z1U, FX1000 and a Sony DSLR A57 - and wondered if this camera would be a great next step. Thanks again Doug. Great work.

[@DougJensenVortexMedia]

I think the Z150 is a very good camera, especially when the price is taken into account. There is no question in my mind that the Z150 is head and shoulders above the other cameras you have mentioned.

[@adipop]

Love it ♥

[@RaymondToms]

Hi Doug. At last some properly exposed ad graded cinematic footage from the Z150 - thank you. From you framing, I suspect you have a stills background. There are some nice focus pulls in there. How did you find the fly-by-wire focussing for precise stops? I am looking for a large sensor camcorder for my next one. Have been using Sony’s 1/3” three chip camcorders for the past 20 years. Any suggestions welcome, as I suspect this version of the Z150 is now at end of life.

[@DougJensenVortexMedia]

Thank you for the compliments. I find the precision of manual focusing to be perfectly fine on the Z150 and I have no complaints whatsoever. It is very easy to obtain nice rack-focus moves when peaking has been properly setup. I don't know if the Z150 is at the end of it's life or not, but I doubt it. I think it will continue to be a current model for at least the next year or two. I wouldn't waste time waiting around for it to be replaced any time soon.

[@catmate8358]

@@DougJensenVortexMedia Hi Doug, as others have already expressed, these are very nice shots. What do you think about three chip Z-190 vs one chip Z-150? I realize that the 1 inch chip will have somewhat shallower depth of field. Are there other notable differences? Image quality? Thanks.

[@DougJensenVortexMedia]

@@catmate8358 That is a tough question to answer because there are many different factors to be take into consideration. Yes, the Z150 has a bigger sensor so it might allow shallower DoF in some situations, but 1" is still pretty small and it is saddled with a slow lens, so shallow DoF is never going to look impressive. If shallow DoF is a big concern I'd suggest someone look at a full-frame camera or perhaps a super-35mm cinema camera. The advantage of the bigger sensor is a little better performance in low-light, but then again, neither of these two cameras is good in low-light. In fact, the Z190 is terrible in low light, but pretty good at everything else. It's got a great lens and the camera itself is packed with all the hgih-end features, functions, and settings that are found on Sony's top of the line ENG cameras. The Z150 feels like a nice prosumer camcorder. The Z190 feels like a professional camera that isn't too good in low-light. That's sort of my take on the differences. I cannot point to one and say "buy that one". I hope that helps anyway.

[@catmate8358]

@@DougJensenVortexMedia Thank you very much for a thoughtful reply. I have mentioned the depth of field because that's one difference between the two cameras which is obvious from the specifications. It is not an important matter of concern and I understand that the difference is not huge. Please allow me to provide some more context. I have been asked by a local TV station to help them make a choice for a new set of studio cameras. They have been using the EX3s for 10 years and the time has come to replace those. It's a small station with limited funds for new cameras so the idea is to help them to get the best bang for the buck. For example, they can buy 7 Z150s for the price of 3 Z280s. So the question is - how good is good enough? Unfortunately, where I live, it's not possible to simply walk into a shop and take a look at different cameras, let alone test them, hence these questions. I get your point when you say that Z190 feels more professional (for me, the only proper place for the WB button is under the lens and I will never understand why would anyone want to move it somewhere else). I was somewhat alarmed by the relatively large number of negative user reviews on BH site about the Z190 and I wanted another opinion, but I don't know how credible these reviews are. Please allow me one more question: do you think there is sufficient difference in image quality between the Z190 and the Z280 to justify the difference in price? Z280 is almost twice the price of the Z190. The cameras are meant to be used exclusively in a tv studio and will not go outside. Your help in this matter is really very much appreciated.

[@DougJensenVortexMedia]

@@catmate8358 I also appreciate your thoughtful reply and questions. I've been in your shoes plenty of times so I understand how hard it can be to choose the "best" camera for a given application. Your key comment is at the very end of your message: "to be used exclusively in a tv studio and will not go outside". That is key, because it helps rule out the Z280. The Z280 and Z190 are comparable in most situations except low-light. Assuming your TV studio will have good lighting, then that is not a factor. The Z190 would probably perform nearly as good as the Z280 in that situation. A little inferior if you put them side by side, but not enough audiences would notice or care about. So the Z190 is one option. But in a studio situation, the feature/function advantages of the Z190 over the Z150 probably won't matter to you very much. Features such as custom clip naming, last clip delete, superior zebras and peaking, better codecs, etc. Those advantages don't mean much in a studio environment. It would be great if you could demo (or buy and return) a Z150 and and Z190 and put them through some testing in your studio environment. But if that is not possible, then I'd kind of lean towards the Z150. It's a very good camera for the money and I think you'll be pleased with the picture.

[@a.p.sphotographyaps8788]

Just ordered mine 2 unit z150

[@DougJensenVortexMedia]

Congratulations on the new camera.

[@kiranstudiotelugu]

1Which one is best camera sony nx200 or sony z150 video quality wise not future 2What are the differences between these two cameras video quality wise 3Any colour differences

[@DougJensenVortexMedia]

Sorry, you're asking the wrong person. I have never seen nor used the other camera you have mentioned, so I would have no way of comparing it with the Z150.

[@AlnooriaMedia]

amazing look

[@MsTessG]

Doug, what changes do you make to profiles to get better highlight handling in the Z150?

[@DougJensenVortexMedia]

There are a number of changes I make to the paint menus to improve the picture quality, but it's also a matter of being very careful to expose perfectly. A lot people simply don't know how to set exposure. I know this is going to sound like a plug for my training video, but these are not questions that I can answer and techniques I can teach someone in a few sentences here. That's why the training video takes 5 hours. vimeo.com/ondemand/z150

[@montazownianr1]

So in this 5h of training You explain how to set proper exposure? With examples?

[@DougJensenVortexMedia]

Absolutely. What good is training without examples? :-)

[@forresthaggertychannel4301]

Do you still have this camera?

[@DougJensenVortexMedia]

No. I still think the Z150 is an excellent camera for the price, but when the Z280 was released I upgraded because it suits my needs better, and the difference in price was inconsequential to me.

[@forresthaggertychannel4301]

Doug Jensen did you make a video with the 280?

[@DougJensenVortexMedia]

@@forresthaggertychannel4301 Yes I did. The first 75 minutes can be viewed at no charge: vimeo.com/297946781 The full 6-hour series is available here: www.vortexmediastore.com/pages/vortex-media-training-videos-and-books

[@fishboyfilms]

I just got the Z150 for work last week and so far I love it! You said you dialed in a rough picture profile, what a profile did you shoot in? Did you grade every shot? Your footage is absolutely stunning! Thank you for sharing it.

[@DougJensenVortexMedia]

Thank for the compliments on the footage. I honestly cannot remember what the specific settings I used back then when I shot that footage. I absolutely hate the way the Z150 handles the management of picture profile files and it may be lost. Besides, I ended up scrapping that profile completely and building a new one from scratch because it just seemed to easy to clip the highlights. Yes, every shot has been give a quick grade in Resolve.

[@nwsrcphotog]

Hi Doug! I'm seriously considering the z150 along with the JVC ls300.. and this video is absolutely gorgeous! I've always been a videocamera guy.. but I've been using dslr/mirrorless cameras the last few years. but just miss the convenience of having everything right there on the camera.. The image from this camera is very impressive! my only issue is the not-so-fast lens.. which brings me to the JVC where I can use faster lenses.. but the specs on the z150 are pretty impressive.. especially the great 4K and 10bit HD.. it's hard to overlook that. Now I hear that panasonic is coming out with the HC-X1.. so many choices!

[@craigw.scribner6490]

Great video, as always, Doug! Question: At 120 fps, are the PXW-Z150's image stabilization and auto focus functions active? Also, is there a crop factor when shooting at 120 fps? Thanks, Craig

[@DougJensenVortexMedia]

There is no crop factor when shooting at 120 fps. Auto-Focus works and so does Standard SteadyShot, but not Active SteadyShot.

[@craigw.scribner6490]

Thanks, Doug! I purchased a PXW-Z150 and am looking forward to checking it out.

[@DougJensenVortexMedia]

Hi Craig, my 4.5 hour Z150 training video is now online at Vimeo. vimeo.com/179567188

[@craigw.scribner6490]

I purchased it and am watching it this weekend. It's great! Thanks, Doug. Craig

[@ocalagranprix8040]

We are looking to film some high speed motor sports at 120fps 1080p in realtime, not slomo. B and H says this camera can do it, would you be able to confirm this?

[@evertonoliphant4737]

Doug, Can you say what is the precise output from the SDI out?

[@DougJensenVortexMedia]

As far as I know, all of Sony's cameras are 10-bit 4:2:2 from the SDI port

[@evertonoliphant4737]

Thanks Doug. The HXNR outputs 4:2:0

[@evertonoliphant4737]

I am really trying to find another Sony cam to accompany my PMW-320 to shoot B-roll and one that I can, at times, hook up to my Atomos Shogun still capturing 10bit 4:2:2 color space.

[@DougJensenVortexMedia]

It seems to me that the PMW-320 is an ideal b-roll camera already because of it's size and shoulder-mount design. And the newer PXW-320 is even better. One of the best bargains ever at only $9K with a Fujinon lens. You're going to find it hard to beat a camera like that for b-roll. And you don't need a Shogun with it to capture 10-bit 4:2:2 internally.

[@evertonoliphant4737]

Thank you Doug. You are so correct, I have been looking at the X320 since it came out and as you rightly said, you cannot beat $9k. The Fujinon lens by itself is worth about $7k or more. Next time I shall be asking you about setting color profiles in that cam. Thanks much Doug

[@ecmvisuales8917]

What PP you use, BT2020 to rec 709?

[@DougJensenVortexMedia]

There's much more to a PP than just choosing the color space, but I use REC709.

[@ecmvisuales8917]

@@DougJensenVortexMedia The best images I've seen of the z150. I have to study and practice a lot more. Greetings from Mexico.

[@mustafauykun2553]

mükemmel-wonderfull

[@vizon-aryproductions6191]

what LUTS are you using ?

[@DougJensenVortexMedia]

No Luts because I'm not shooting with LOG. I am using WYSIWYG scene files onboard the camera that I created from scratch with the paint menus so the picture is 99% finished at the time of shooting.

[@DougJensenVortexMedia]

The details of my settings and shooting techniques are all included in my Z90 master class training video. vimeo.com/ondemand/z150

[@nickc9370]

This is awesome....I’m looking to invest...would you recommend?

[@DougJensenVortexMedia]

Absolutely I'd recommend investing in a Z150 or perhaps it's smaller brother the Z90. Both are virtually the same camera in two different sizes. Great cameras.

[@nickc9370]

Doug Jensen awesome thank you.... I forgot to ask what kind of software would you also recommend (I’m a rookie)

[@DougJensenVortexMedia]

For editing? I would recommend Adobe Premiere. In fact, I would recommend subscribing to the entire Adobe CC suite.

[@kennethjharvey1]

Beautiful Work, Doug. What is your frame rate for this footage?

[@DougJensenVortexMedia]

Thank you. Because I shot this footage for testing purposes there is a mix of 24p and 30p, but I would say 95% is 4K UHD 24p -- or actually 23.98p if you want to get technical! :-)

[@kennethjharvey1]

Thanks, Doug. A lot of it looked like 30p to my mind. I guess the hyper-clarity gives the impression of 30p instead of 23.98p

[@DougJensenVortexMedia]

And I took the time to spot check a bunch of the orignal clips just to be sure before I wrote my reply. And yes, it is mostly 24P.

[@JohnPham2015]

would be a lot better if we can see 2160p footage - instead 1080p

[@DougJensenVortexMedia]

John, I have uploaded a 4K version kzbin.info/www/bejne/fZXHgnyXqM2NjJY

[@mateusfive]

Doug Jensen yay

[@peterthung3681]

what kind of the video output did you set up

[@DougJensenVortexMedia]

I'm sorry, I don't understand your question.

[@mirekbrdek4350]

original files 4k 25fps oder 30fps???

[@DougJensenVortexMedia]

A mix of 24P and 30P. I live in the USA so I never shoot 25P.

[@lasceneenboite]

4k footage but video youtube 1080p... ???

[@DougJensenVortexMedia]

Here's a 4K version. vimeo.com/173827285 Here's another one: vimeo.com/207652687

[@aldoriefoli118]

messa a fuoco manuale o automatica???

[@DougJensenVortexMedia]

La fotocamera offre sia messa a fuoco manuale e automatico. Tuttavia, questo video è stato girato interamente con messa a fuoco manuale ad eccezione di un solo colpo in cui la barca a remi sta venendo verso la macchina fotografica a 2:54.

[@StreetsOfVancouverChannel]

No 4K viewing option...

[@DougJensenVortexMedia]

Yeah, that's correct. It was shot on 4K but not edited in 4K. I shoot everything in 4K for the benefits it provides in post, but I have no reason to edit or deliver in 4K yet -- and probably won't for several more years.

[@JohnPham2015]

but if you shrink your 4K to HD - the picture looks great - same if you were taking a 24mpixel image and shrink it down to 12mpix. This is why the C300/C100 pic look sharp and crisp.

[@DougJensenVortexMedia]

John, I understand your point, but since I have no need to edit or deliver in 4K it does not matter to me how the 4K would look if I chose to do so. 99% of my work is delivered as HD, and I would venture to say most Z150 owners are in the same boat. I am a huge proponent of 4K acquisition, but as I said, 4K editing and 4K delivery are far down the road for me. I suppose I could change the sequence settings and render out a 4K version but I am on road so it would have to wait a few days. I'll see.

[@JohnPham2015]

How would you rate t he Z150 native ISO compare to FS7 - since you have both

[@DougJensenVortexMedia]

I have no idea because I would have not put them on the charts and scopes to compare them. There are too many variables to just make a general statement about sensitivity. For example, the selected gamma mode on each camera would make a big difference and the lens on the Z150 is basically f/4 (unless you are zoomed out fully wide) and I never shoot with my FS7 at f/4 so I can't even visualize how they would compare. I'd have to put them side by side with scopes, using similar gammas, and matching f-stops. I'd like to be able to give you an answer but I don't want to shoot from the hip.

[@lananis]

No puede ser posibles que ese video sea de esa camara

[@DougJensenVortexMedia]

Are you saying you don't believe this video was shot with my Z150? Why don't you come to my office and I'll show you the original footage.

[@lananis]

@@DougJensenVortexMedia Muy buenas noches y gracias por haber atendido mi comentario. Es que me parece muy espectacular ese video lo que me hace pensar que es un video hecho por la SONY, que como bien sabemos, ellos hacen sus grabaciones con sus camaras de cine profesional y luego las suben a KZbin diciendo que es un video hecho con una camara de entrada que anuncian en ese video para así, enganchar a nuevos clientes, lo que en si, me parece una practica deshonesta.

[@DougJensenVortexMedia]

@@lananis Yyour allegations about Sony are completely wrong and I would like to see you back up your claims with credible evidence. I have been working closely with Sony for the past 12 years and I have never seen even the slightest hint of dishonestly or lying about what cameras were used to shoot their videos. In the case of this video, I can assure that I shot it all by myself mostly in one morning when I was teaching classes in Maine last summer. It was shot with my own Z150 that I purchased off the shelf, at full retail price, from B&H and Sony had no part in the shooting or editing. Nor was I paid a single penny from Sony for shooting, editing, or posting this video.

[@nazmulislam1917]

Wowweeeee

[@adipop]

Sub and like ! Great videos !

[@cameriqueTV]

Makes my JVC GY 170 look like garbage.