Which Video Cameras Do I Use for Live Production? (And Why?)

[@PeterVCook]

Camcorders are kind of like minivans, they may not be cool but they are pretty darn practical.

[@davefink2326]

Perfect analogy, and I’d add that WAY too often we regret having sold them. Or, if we still have them, find ourselves wishing we brought them on the trip, instead of leaving them at home!

[@CNC-Time-Lapse]

I love that you break down the specs and reasons why these camera works for you. Honestly, a camcorder just makes perfect sense. Really flexible and useful in a very wide variety of scenarios and also easier to use overall, even assembly and setup when onsite, I'm sure.

[@samueldickes]

Great video, everybody is raving about full frame mirrorless and you are praising the „good old camcorder“. And I‘m totally with you. I first bought 3x Sony ZV-1‘s for small studio productions, then 4x Sony ZV-E10‘s with a lot of lenses, ND filters, microphones, cages… then a Sony A7 IV full frame with a lot of lenses, cage and tons of accessories. While I like all my Sony cameras, but lasgt month, after a lot of research, I bought a Canon XF605 and boy, do I love this camera. It‘s such a joy to use, nearly all functions on dedicated buttons, dials, switches and rockers. The lense goes from wide ange to long tele and ND filters are inbuild. XLR input are build in, no module to attach like my Sony rigs. SDI, RJ45 streaming, HDMI at full HD and 4K, oh and did I mention all resolutions in 10bit 4:2:2. Two shoes for accessories and I could go on and on with the advantages of the XF605 camcorder. I hesitated between the Z150 and the XF605, but found that the Canon was the more future proof package in the end.

[@TechCondo]

Hey Doug! Totally agree with your choices. If we need and/or have enough camera operators we shoot typically with two PXW-X70’s and add two or three PXW-150’s which we rent. These are awesome allround camera’s. For smaller shows or when it’s difficult to get enough operators we have a two-person production. One is PTZ operator and the other producer/switcher

[@daltonrandall4348]

We would all be shooting on full frame cameras with 25x optical zoom lenses if such a thing existed, wouldn't require the size of a refrigerator, or cost as much as a house. Unfortunately, physics and financial restrictions exist. I agree that the camcorder approach is best for live event coverage, both for the necessary optical range (both wide AND tele) that is required, but also for the onboard connections that are necessary for live production. Mirrorless cameras can produce beautiful images, but nobody wants to mess with HDMI and rigging cages in this field of work. Great to see some well-presented, clear information being communicated in a space that is often filled with misunderstanding by the larger community.

[@brycebyte]

I'll put the Panasonic HC-X2 in a similar category as the Sony you were talking about. 4K 60, HDMI and SDI, 24x zoom, and $3200 new on B&H. It's a newer camcorder, released in September 2022. I've run sporting events with it and was blown away by the color depth and zoom

[@djp_video]

Yep. Similar in a lot of ways. A great camera for sure!

[@ThePixelPeople-zx8gh]

@@brycebyte I use HC X2 and it’s been great

[@arxaaron]

I love your focus (🙄) on practicality in your gear evaluations. Very useful in seeing what's available and what works when considering where and how to expand (or retrofit) my own kit as I've been recently adding live streaming to my long standing event videography capabilities [where I am still loving my Panasonic AC160 camcorders]. Most of my work is for enjoyment over profit, budgeted to support regional art, music, non-profit and social conscience communities, so affordability and practicality are the prime considerations. Your coverage of the PXW-z150 makes finally retiring my Panasonics and adopting new Sony models -- a lot of the PXW-z150 features are what drew me to the AC160, so I think the transition would be seamless!

[@jacvanderspuy5618]

At last someone talking sense about cameras to use for video.

[@Jason-mk3nn]

Anyone that has ever shot events like we have knows the power of the camcorder architecture. That is why newsrooms, production houses large and small still use them as their primary workhorses. They just work. They are tanks, versatile, relatively lightweight (for the functionality) and are for the most part long lasting. Good video, Doug. More attention needs to be given to these topics, so we can continue to have cameras like this in the future. I will say that I miss the Canon XL series camcorder style, though. Something about interchangeable lenses, coupled with the ret of the camcorder-style format was such a nice capability. It definitely had drawbacks, but nice in their day.

[@djp_video]

I've toyed with the idea of adding another model of camera from Sony's lineup which does have interchangeable lenses, like from the FS or FX lines, but so far my attempts to integrate them have been disappointing -- the colors just don't quite match no matter what I do.

[@Jason-mk3nn]

Thanks, @@djp_video. I try to help non-technically inclined organizations get setup properly for video, and keep hoping BMD can find some consistency, because having live camera and color control from the ATEM interface is brilliant. The biggest problem is that they either don't have a complete lineup, or switch things up, just as the lineup could have been completed. It is nice that we finally have the micro back, and they are making the studios a little better, but the cadence of those changes is so painfully slow that it makes it nearly impossible to assemble an affordable complete BMD ecosystem. Question: Are you using any PTZ cameras in any settings?

[@djp_video]

BMD's offerings, as you have noted, have been inconsistent. You can't get a BMD camera from 3 years ago to match a camera sold today. And Ursas often don't match Studio cameras. And the fact that they focus so heavily on photography lenses means those cameras can't really be used for video production outside of a studio. I have a couple Sony SRG-300SE PTZ cameras. I don't use them very often these days. The image quality isn't up to par, and much of the time using a PTZ doesn't reduce my headcount, so there often there isn't really a practical reason for them. The exceptions to that usually happen when I need to stick a camera somewhere where it is impractical or dangerous to stick a camera operator, somewhere where having an operator would be distracting, or for a camera that needs to get moved occasionally but rarely enough that I can run it on top of my other responsibilities without it being a distraction.

[@Jason-mk3nn]

@@djp_video Your reasons for PTZ are the same as mine. There are lots of cases in houses of worship, where they either need a close up camera, but don't have or want an operator, so ptz would re-enable options and more variety in shots, but I totally agree with you that I would rather have an operator with each cam wherever possible. Have you ever messed with the MiddleThings interfaces that allow remote control to gimbals?

[@Jason-mk3nn]

@@djp_video By the way, thank you for such a good channel. It is so refreshing to have content that is based upon real-world experience, rather than just whatever is released that day. You have the latter, but put it into the context where it is relevant in our worlds. Thank you.

[@samueldickes]

Great video, as always Doug. I also rediscovered classical camcorder last year, after shooting mirrorless only for a few years. My take was, wow, I don‘t need to take my set of ND filters, neither my set of lenses, neither my field recorder. And then, wow, how fast I have access to all the functions, because there is a button and a dial for all relevant functions. Then wow, there‘s a HDMI, SDI and ethernet connection, plus 2 XLR and one stereo mic input which can be setup as a line input as well. All that in one device. I‘m talking about the Canon XF605. I went for it instead of the Sony, because it actually does also 4K 10 bit 4:2:2 and I was not willing to spend that kind of money to get 8 bit. Since then, it‘s my prefered camera, only using my DSLR‘s in project with a lot of low light scenes or where I want to be able to get very soft depth of field.

[@thatjoecoutcher]

Totally agree on using the camcorder form factor for live production! In my case, I use Panasonic AG-CX10's. Not as large of an image sensor, but the built in light, ability to use LCD and SDI at the same time, all while remaining lightweight are perfect (for me) when shooting ringside at independent wrestling shows.

I suffered a lot in the 2000s with this type of cameras. But now I'm considering one. Thanks for your advice.

[@PauloBrinca]

We've been using the Panasonic HC-X1500 and HC-X2000 for the past year and we were surprised with the capabilities and quality of these specific entry level models.

[@Dynamic_AV]

Can you control the Iris/White Balance/Master Ped. remotly ?I only managed to get the wifi remote app to wotk, but when in production, the wifi is not strong enough to reach the camera.

[@PauloBrinca]

@@Dynamic_AV The operators use the Lanc controls for Zoom and Focus, and the producer controls the Iris, White Balance and other parameters from the Production Boot (or OB Van if that's the case) using the Panasonic HC ROP app. We always install a separate network when on site and we use a high power Access Point (or multiple of necessary) to be able to perform multiple operations, being camera control one of them.

[@pahos6969]

Doug your a champion mate

[@FlamingShotgun]

Hi Doug, Greetings from Finland! I've been watching your videos for a while. Amazingly informative, and I've picked a ton of tips from you when building an OB Van for a school I'm a teacher in. Massive thanks for you for that. It's been a fun journey and I hope many more videos are coming in the future. For cameras, we have a ton of Z150's as well, they've been incredibly versatile and a great upgrade from our older NX5 cameras. Their price and versatility have been unbeaten, since the school is big and we've had to purchase many (we have 20 cameras in total, a mix of Z150s, Z90s, and older X70s). I use Canon equivalent cameras in another company I do freelance work in (Canon XF705, X605), and while they are technically more proficient in specs and image quality, the price of a Z150 is tough to crack. I'm still watching the video, so I'm not sure if you've mentioned it already/will mention, but another reason why Z150 ended up being our camera of choice, was the availability and the MUCH lower price of F-batteries instead of the newer BP-U series. That's why we skipped on Z190/Z280 series, although I have to say that the Z280 is an incredible camera, and would prefer using those. But getting 20 of those would've been much harder to explain to our financial specialist. All the best, Nicholas

[@djp_video]

There certainly is that. The batteries for the higher end models are ridiculously expensive.

[@MrJani0951]

i using Sony PXW-Z90, Sony HDR-PJ810E and Sony AS200V

[@MartySeeks]

I still have my 150 set up also, I also have FDR 100 and X3000, and MC88, I love them all.

[@CekalaStudios]

I find camcorders are the most versatile type of camera. I use Panasonic camcorders, and they work great for what I do, film town meetings. If I need to make something more like a documentary or something I could rent something to suit the proper style.

[@Botticknickers]

Thank you for a top notch honest video, I use the Sony ax700

[@dougbarrett152]

I am a Doug too in the UK :). Seems we use mostly the same Sony Camcorders to get 'video stuff done'. I will not be changing from Sony Camcorders any time soon.

[@opejegede3971]

Would you be upgrading with the newly released Camcorder - Sony Z200 and HX800? And any plan to do a video on them, Sony should be reaching out to people like you for reviews of those. I hope you get the product to review. .

[@djp_video]

I'll probably get one before too long. It looks like quite an upgrade over the Z150 I've used for the last 8 years.

[@Ed-kg7vu]

Hi Doug! can you please make a video about sync generators and audio and video syncing in live productions? Maybe also what product to use and how to setup such a thing? thank your!

[@djp_video]

Start with this video, and then I can answer any additional questions you might have. kzbin.info/www/bejne/r4bRaaCDhpV9fck

[@GrandProductionsMedia]

at my church finally upgrading from the infamous sony fx1 (that thing lasted 20 years and were still using it) I came to the hard decision if I wanted to go the Canon C route or Blackmagic, we ended up getting something to keep but also test out micro 4k camera. Its a great camera and im sure the new one makes it a lot more attractive but its man issue is lenses and the lack of autofocus which in our case we rely on heavily specially working with volunteers and not being a huge issue if it hunts occasionally. We ended up upgrading our main camera to a z190 because of the 30x zoom. Interesting enough the low light is worse then the fx1, not sure how but it is a great camera, it just lacks CCU control and a bigger leap in image quality and cine look.

[@djp_video]

FYI, the autofocus on all of the Blackmagic cameras is terrible and unusable. They're meant to be focused manually.

[@KLRCAT]

Awesome Review! (Right now) There are 4 main things I need from my camera system: Output Clean HDMI, Very Portable, Records in 4K & Budget friendly (but still good quality) I Use a mixture of Panasonic Lumix G series cameras (G7, G80 and G85). The G7 original production could have its record limit turned off (but that is not the case for newer models, I found out the hard way) although my one still splits the whole recording into little chunks and doesn't output HDMI while recording (goes black).The G80 (UK) has a record limit and is useless (like the G7), so I sold it. I imported 2 G85's from the US that have an unlimited record limit and output HDMI while recording, so they are what I currently use most of the time. Ideally, I would have 3 Blackmagic pocket cinema 4K's as they are in the m4/3's range, so I could use the same lenses, they are almost as portable as the Lumix cameras, and they can be controlled via the ATEM. They are my next big upgrade that I am saving up for, but it will cost me £4000 just to get the camera bodies. I have currently purchased a PTZ from SMTAV for around £500 (which is insanely cheap for the quality), which I will use to get a little more flexibility with my livestreams/recordings, but I'm not planning on buying anymore or using it as my "Main camera", its more to be used as a "Follow cam" or an "Audience Cam" depending on the scenario. My next purchase will be a GVM automated slider so I can implement more movement into my livestreams, as I am only one guy and have no camera operators besides myself, so most shots remain static. My ideal camera setup would be to have 2 4K PTZs which I would use for both a main front follow shot, and an audience shot, then 3 Pocket cinema 4K's, one on a GVM slider at the side to give a moving shot and the other 2 are static shots (one which I may man at the back).

[@mammitnaamalle4603]

Great review, thanks Doug!

[@JonAnnunziata]

Great Video Doug! Thank you!

[@myk178]

Any suggestions for filming an entire football field at a high school stadium? I’ve been tasked with filming a marching band show which spreads from the 10 yd line to the 10 yd line. I’ve used a Sony PXW-X90 but found it couldn’t zoom out wide enough. Most recently I’ve been using an iPhone with a wide angle lens from Amazon. But if the lens isn’t on 100% perfect, the edges get real blurry. I really want to get a great dependable shot, without breaking the bank…

[@djp_video]

This is probably obvious, but get as far away from the field as you can safely and practically. And then use a high quality lens. The Z90 has a 62mm thread, so a high quality adapting lens that screws on to a 62mm thread should work. Yes, the quality of the lens makes a huge difference. And tiny lenses like you find on iPhones are much more susceptible to poor quality glass than something larger like a camcorder lens. You can always rent a camera with an interchangeable lens mount, then just find a suitable lens for that. It does add up over time, but renting gives you the option to try something without having to buy anything just yet.

[@andrewmccord6575]

Thanks Doug. So if you had to do it today would you invest in the same series of cameras? What would you get ? I know for myself I just like the way the Sony cams deal with flesh tone.

[@djp_video]

I'd certainly invest in cameras of this type. And I'd probably still go Sony. But Panasonic and Canon have some really good offerings too. The next step up from these cameras is a huge jump in price. If someone has the budget, you can get better, but you're spending a LOT more.

[@kyriakosdrivas1942]

Can you please share some of the settings for this camera? I mean indoors vs outdoors Thank you

[@djp_video]

It's kind of difficult to summarize the thought process. It's so dependent on the situation and content type and what story we're trying to tell. My choices for frame rate, shutter speed, and ISO depend on what I'm shooting and the mood I'm trying to create. For sports or esports events, for example, I'll shoot at 60 fps, music events and film festivals at 24 fps, and most everything else at 30 fps. Shutter speed is also an artistic choice, with faster (shorter) exposures and more motion to convey a sense or energy, or slower (longer) exposures and little camera motion used to create a more intimate or relaxing mood. White balance is set to match lighting conditions, though sometimes I"ll go with a slightly warmer tone when the content calls for it. Iris/aperture, again, depends on the content and setting. I'll elect to use a larger iris when I want the shallower depth of field and there isn't much motion. But if we're shooting something with a lot of action, we'll go to a smaller aperture to increase the depth of field. I'll kick in an ND filter when my desired settings would cause the image to be over exposed, or generally to be able to shoot with a larger iris than I could otherwise. I go over my preferred Picture Profile settings toward the end of this video.

[@onocoffee]

I think the tendencies towards the DSLR/Mirrorless/Etc type cameras for KZbin is due to the influence of the big creators. If Pete McKinnon uses it, it must become the de facto standard. A lot of those creators came from photography backgrounds where the transition to video-capable DSLR was easier. Those who came from professional video would naturally gravitate to camcorders and the like.

[@djp_video]

Even within the community of KZbinrs that produce content similar to mine, as far as I can tell I'm the only one using camcorders. It seems to be thought of as an out-of-date concept.

[@theinternet8319]

It's not just that. The image out of a large CMOS sensor is noticeably better. A small sensor camcorder makes a lot of sense for corporate events and sports for all the reasons Doug mentions, but in a more controlled environment, large CMOS is clearly the way to go, regardless of the influencers.

[@FlemmingEiberg]

Hey Doug, we've got similar customers and projects as you, and have three Z150s and three Z190s - the latter mainly because of the timecode. We consider dropping recording to SD cards on the individual camcorders and instead do iso recording either via the ATEM TVS HD8 ISO or a couple of Hyper Deck Mini Studio recorders to avoid the hassle of decentralized recording AND matching timecodes for alle cameras. What would you recommend, and how do you handle timecode?

[@djp_video]

When I actually need timecode (which isn't that often; audio syncing usually works fine), I'll take the timecode output of my ATEM switcher and distribute it to one of the audio inputs on my cameras, then use the free Tentacle Timecode Tool to convert the audio track to metadata within the video files. Watch this video for more information: kzbin.info/www/bejne/m5CtnHylirGgnKM

[@IconOfSin]

X70 represent 🤟

[@chrisw443]

Honestly sony camcorders have been at the z150/z90 level of recording. the only thing better is an fs7 or a fx9 with the newer 18-110 pz lens. Till they update the camcorder line with something real fancy, you got a solid choice. But damn the autofocus on my z90 is kickass, I love it. the z190 and 280 might finally offer more modern codecs and 4k 60, but the sensors got smaller?

[@djp_video]

The sensors on the Z190 and Z280 are smaller. But Sony went with 3 separate sensors (RGB) in those models. That gives better low light sensitivity, but in my experience the overall image quality isn't as good. I spent several days testing and comparing the 150 to the 280 and IMHO the Z150 actually produces a more pleasing and more detailed image. One of these days I'll actually take that footage and make a comparison video.

[@Shakespierre]

Hi Doug, Thank you for your very informative video. We went the same route but went with the Panasonic HC-X2. Very much the same specs as your PXW. I want to know if you ever do Theatre show recordings. We do a lot and hope that the Panasonic with its 1" sensor will handle the light well. We still struggle, because theatre is so contrasty and switching all the time. How do you go about this if this is something you do?

[@djp_video]

It's a challenge for sure, no matter what camera you use. And even though your camera supports shooting in Log, this doesn't help at all when doing live switching. You'll probably need to adjust the exposure in real time, but you can also play with the gamma, knee, and white clip functions of the camera to minimize the effect of an over-exposed image.

[@Shakespierre]

Thank you very much Doug!! You always help so much!

[@ronyedin]

I have 2 cameras. An FX3 and Z90. They both have their place in my line of work just like a screwdriver and a hammer. I use the FX3 for those cinematic/shallow depth of field/creative work. And I use a Z90 for large events/conferences. I could use my FX3 for events, but it would be too much of a hassle switching lenses or dealing with ND filters. My Z90 is so much faster to work with on live events.

[@djp_video]

How well do they match color- and gamma-wise?

[@hgdigitalmediaservices4578]

Hi Doug, Good content as usual. Which wireless system are you using for video ?

[@djp_video]

Currently the Cinegears Ghost Eye 200M. But it's getting hard to get a clean signal with it with all of the congestion in the 5 GHz band these days.

[@gt4116]

Hi Thanks Doug Johnson for this coverage - I have a couple of PXW Z280's in my line up and just wanting to know if anyone has the same frustration as I have with the zoom when using a remote control like a Manfrotto MVR901ECPL or Varizoom VZ-PRO-L in that the jump from slowest to the next step is SO noticeable... both the remotes mentioned have the same issue and it is really annoying - curious as to wether others have noticed the same thing on their 280's and if anyone has found a work around. The zoom rockers are fine, and they have extra control over the use of them in the menu, its just the LANC control. I know LANC only has five or so steps, but other cams which use LANC seem to be better (like my FS7, which is MUCH better) Thanks in advance...

[@djp_video]

That's just something that happens with LANC. It only supports 7 zoom speeds in each direction. It's up to the camera manufacturer to decide what each of those 7 speeds actually means.

[@alvaromorello]

Thank you for talking about this Doug. I worked at a TV studio (only doing audio) and they only used camcorders. Now that I am getting into video I asked a youtube channel and everyone pointed me to a6400, ZV-E10, FX-30, FX-3, BMPCC, etc. even though I asked for some video camera recommendations. You've provided a great list to research. Have you ever had to up-res the NX100 footage to 4k and if so, how did it look? Looking at the NX100 but might bite the bullet and spend the extra money on the Z150 for the 4k even though most deliverables are only 1080.

[@djp_video]

I haven't had to convert NX100 footage to 4K. But the results would be the same as these other models, as the HD captured by that camera are going to be basically identical to HD captured by say the Z150. The NX100 uses basically the same 20 MP sensor as the Z150 so in HD they're going to be the same. If I was in your shoes, I'd get a Z150 if you can pull that off. The NX100 was discontinued 2 years ago and trying to find one in good condition can require some patience. Plus, you wouldn't be getting much of a warranty, if any.

[@djp_video]

I'll also mention that when I was acquiring equipment for my basement studio, I tried a ZV-E10 and A6400 to see if they'd work, but those cameras were maddening to try to use for live production. They just aren't designed or built for it. They didn't seem to be very happy being run on USB power for hours and hours on end, and every time I turned them off the lenses would reset to the widest position, so every time I'd go to start shooting I'd have to zoom in again and re-frame. And, on top of all of that, the image was clearly inferior to what I was getting from my Z90. Far less detail, color rendering was fairly different, with insufficient tools to adjust it, and no professional audio connections. Those are consumer cameras meant for short clips or photography, not long-form live video.

[@alvaromorello]

@@djp_video Found an NX100 for 800 in great condition. Should I jump on it? My only concern is the 4k thing--would I be investing in old tech? Oh, and congrats on 30k subs!

[@djp_video]

I probably would. If you find that it isn't to your liking, or you do later upgrade to a 4K camera, you can probably sell that one for close to as much as what you paid for it.

[@alvaromorello]

Thanks for the responses Doug. @@djp_video

[@anonymouse7074]

Panasonic colors out of box are great. I used ptzs and camcorders

[@djp_video]

Panasonic cameras are great as well. I'm glad you're happy with what you've got!

[@skyewild3647]

Hey Doug, hope you're monitoring these comments. I few years ago when I first started learning from you you had mentioned that the SDI cable for my atem hd studio had to be a certain type or it wouldn't work? Could you remind me of what that is? Appreciate it and keep up the excellent work :)

[@djp_video]

As long as it is 75-ohm coax rated for the type of signal (HD-SDI, 3G-SDI, etc.) you'll be using, you'll be fine. Usually that means something similar to RG-59 or RG-6. Higher quality cable does give you a higher likelihood of success. Cable isn't a place to skimp, and good cable isn't necessarily expensive. I use Belden 1505A mostly, and when I get it on eBay I'm often able to find it for $300 for a 1000 foot spool -- so under 30 cents per foot, with the Canare BCP-B4F connectors being about $2.20 each -- so a 10 foot cable costs me just about $8 to build.

[@skyewild3647]

@@djp_video ok saweet! thanks a bunch. I couldn't remember and but knew something had to be just right and couldn't figure out how to google it. You're a life saver. I used to crimp my own cables but my old lady fingers can't do it no mo' :(

[@dougbarrett152]

Hey Doug, I see you do not have the Z190 in your kit list. Is it because of the smaller sensors? The extra reach could be handy.

[@djp_video]

Every review I’ve read of it doesn’t give me a lot of hope that it is worth owning. The sample footage I’ve seen is disappointing. The 150 produces a noticeably better picture.

[@dougbarrett152]

I tend to agree :) @@djp_video

[@LeviTimmer]

Hey Doug, we just rented a Sony z90 for testing. I've noticed with the footage that it's significantly more noisy than the FS7 we've previously been running. We have adopted the picture profile settings you suggested and our lighting is more than sufficient. I'm wondering if that's just the limits of a camcorder with a built-in lens? Is this the best we can get at this price point, or are we missing something bigger? We're getting noise not so much in the subject, but definitely a lot in the environment and shadows. Even in the shadow of the subject's neck. I expected the FS7 to outperform the z90, but not so much to this extent. Is it the 1" inch sensor compared to the larger super 35mm of the FS7? Is it the lens? I would love to hear your thoughts, thanks Doug!

[@djp_video]

What were your settings on the camera? You have to make sure to keep the gain down whenever possible. Also, double check that none of the ND filters are engaged. These cameras can be a little bit noisy, but in decent lighting they usually do okay. Look at the videos I've shot here on my KZbin channel for the last roughly 4 years... Nearly all of them are "straight out of camera" without any post processing of any kind.

[@LeviTimmer]

@@djp_video I kept the DB at zero, or ISO 250. My aperture is roughly f4 with a shutter speed of 30 or 60 depending on the lighting. ND is off. What else could I be missing?

[@i360MediaInc]

We use some of these camcorder in my HOW but the quality especially in low light is terrible, checking now I see we have 2 * Panasonic AG UX180(1-inch sensor) and Sony NX5U I believe. looking to upgrade cos of this

[@djp_video]

You might consider taking a look at your picture profile settings. From the factory they do boost noise a little bit much. I've had pretty good luck with these in lower light situations. Better than other camcorders I've used without a doubt.

[@Reedith]

Is there a newer version of this type of camera from Sony? The picture does look good although a little soft

[@djp_video]

The X70 that I shot with here is a little softer than the other models. But the other ones do produce a tack-sharp image. Almost too sharp.

[@StrongFrontTV]

Do you have a document with these PP settings? Thank you for the video!

[@djp_video]

I don't. I start with the default Picture Profile 1 settings and lower the Detail settings by about 2.

[@taylorchristies3169]

I just bought one and I love it...!!

[@djp_video]

Awesome! I'm so glad!

[@taylorchristies3169]

Thanks Doug 😊

[@Eddy04tv]

Thanks for sharing this video. Good video quality. I use an FDR-AX53 for KZbin Videos and use it into my ATEM for Streaming Football Games and conferences. I'm planning on moving forward to a more professional standard using SDI, and I've been following your ideas on PXW-Z150 for a while, but because of Football (sports) I've been looking for something with 20x Optical zoom or more. Is there a similar camera to the Z150 with 20x Optical zoom in Sony with SDI? The goal is to get 1" Sensor with 20x Optical zoom. The AX53 has 20x Optical, but 1/2 sensor. What would you suggest? What can I get as good as the Z150 and 20x Optical or better.

[@djp_video]

The Z150 is an enormous step up from the AX53, especially if you ever shoot in anything other than bright sunlight. The difference in image quality between the two will knock your socks off. I don't know that any camcorders with a 1 inch sensor and 20x optical zoom exist in the Sony lineup. I know Panasonic makes a couple (The HC-X2 has SDI), but Sony tops out at 12X optical with the 1-inch sensors. (They have some that offer longer optical, but not in 1-inch sensors.) The Clear Image Zoom is really quite good, and you can't tell when zooming in to 24x that it isn't optical when you look at the image. It's good enough that if, all other things being equal, someone gave me the option between a camera with 20X optical zoom but no digital extender, or the Sony 1-inch camcorders with 12X but 2X Clear Image Zoom, I'd still take the Sony.

[@Eddy04tv]

@@djp_video Awesome! Thanks Doug for your insight. Will look forward to purchasing/testing the Z150.

[@djp_video]

If you're not completely comfortable with buying right away, you can always rent one for a few days.

[@mikkowilson2]

Do you feel like you are "making do" without remote (centralized) shading/paint and/or built-in tally?

[@djp_video]

It just hasn't been an issue most of the time. The only events where that has been a potential issue are the ones that take place outdoors in early morning or late in the evening, when the changing sun position and color temperature have to be compensated for. But that's usually easy enough to deal with -- just ask the camera operators to tweak the white balance and iris (and maybe gain) periodically. I'll walk them through where to find those things in the menu before we start, then it's as easy as asking "can you adjust your white balance to 7200K?" over the intercom. On the flip side, other cameras in this segment of the market which do offer the ability to remotely control those settings usually don't have the right selection of lenses available, particularly at prices that make sense for the scale of productions that I do most often. And not having the right lens can mean sacrifices in what shots are available. And, at least in my mind, being able to get the shot at all is always going to trump the convenience of being able to adjust camera settings remotely. Certainly having both would be ideal, but as things are right now that comes at a very hefty price. A proper broadcast camera chain with the required lenses can easily top $50,000 and up per camera. So without that being a real option, I'll personally take a camcorder with a longer zoom range and usable zoom and focus over limited lens selection.

[@alvaromorello]

If audio isn’t a consideration, would you choose the AX700 or the NX100? Only worried that the nx100 doesn’t shoot 4k.

[@djp_video]

If you need 4K, you need 4K, and an HD camera won't do. But other than that and audio, the only advantage the NX100 has is really the dedicated, separate control rings for iris, focus, and zoom. Also keep in mind that the NX100 has been discontinued for about 2 years so the only way to get one is to find a used one.

[@raduazdril9533]

Thank you for the very informative video. I shoot live theatre with an NX 80. Is it possible to shoot in Auto mode and PP1 with the tweaks you recommended?

[@djp_video]

@@raduazdril9533 Yes, but I would recommend not doing that. In manual mode you can still have some aspects of the camera be controlled automatically. If you’re uncomfortable messing with iris and gain yourself, for example, you could set those to auto but still have manual white balance. Each setting can be auto or manual or any combination. You’ll get a better result the more features are controlled manually. So doing what you’re comfortable with manually and using auto for the rest is a great way to go.

[@gillybmartin]

Hi! Do you think the image from the HXR-NX200 would match the other cameras you mentioned (Z150 & NX100)?

[@djp_video]

It should. It’s part of the same family.

[@DigitalCreations2012]

Hey Doug, I'd like to know which picture profile you use.

[@djp_video]

I start with Profile 1, but tweak it a bit. I cover all of that toward the end of the video.

[@ReconIsAwesome]

where do did buy the lens cover for the Sony HXR-NX100

[@djp_video]

I got mine on eBay. It uses the same one as the Z150 and a few other models.

[@Andreas-ov2fv]

I like supplementing camcorders with PTZ cameras. (Canon XF-705s and CR-N500s in our little shop) I prefer having a more customizable camera for the main speaker tracker, like a Ursa Broadcast G2. Putting a camcorder on a good wide angle with a PTZ camera next to it lets me chase some crossing angles without bringing in another camera operator, and without taking up a lot of space. They're not retailing the XF-705 in my market anymore, which is weird since I keep seing them off-retail for _more_ than I paid for them in 2020. (Edit: And I felt scammed in 2020s for $4500 a pop, but everything was being ripped off the shelves back then)

[@djp_video]

I have a couple PTZs, and I used to use them all the time, but I've also found that they often don't reduce my head count by much, if at all. So they've kind of been relegated to being used only in situations where having a camera operator physically present at the camera would be problematic -- like when it is in a physical space where having an operator is impossible or dangerous -- or too distracting for an audience. Considering that to get the same video quality from a PTZ that you get from a camcorder means you're spending three times as much, they're harder to justify than I used to believe.

[@Andreas-ov2fv]

​@@djp_video Thanks for taking the time to reply! I'm chuffed. :) I expect we work a lot smaller venues than you do, typically 50-200 people. Regarding price, we paid about $5500 for the Canon XF-705s in early 2020 and $5000 for the CR-N500s in late 2021. (Before that, it felt like you could either choose between Panasonic's $12K AW-UE150 or mall security cameras.) Essentially the same camera, 1" CMOS sensor, and they color match without effort. We get a lot of milage by putting them (sometimes with a camcorder on a wide angle) diagonally to the side of the stage, or even onstage (with tally off) to get an audience shot for feeding back to Teams/Zoom. Can't pretend they match a manned camera, though!

[@gt4116]

Hi@@Andreas-ov2fv I have three CR-N500's and I like the image a lot - I match them with my FS7 and they really do work well together without too much work on the matrix... but yes I agree with Doug and you that their best use is onstage looking back for audience shots (for streams). Have you had experience with the new software for auto tracking, and/or in conjunction with FreeD? Thanks in advance..

[@Andreas-ov2fv]

@@gt4116 Hi! Thanks for the reply. N, unfortunately, no experience with the new auto track / auto loop software. I know firmware 1.3 created support for paid addons, but I haven't gotten a reply from my vendor yet on the RA-AT price. I'm only mildly interested; I have 5 cameras to license and I'm wary of early-adopter issues. On the other hand, if it's as reliable as the auto-focus, that's pretty awesome.

[@Andreas-ov2fv]

I just googled it. It's $1200 per camera. Yikes.

[@Dynamic_AV]

We use some old 2/3" PII HD cameras from Panasonic, and wants to go UHD. We have SMPTE311 fiber cables so want to use them with our fiber-transmissionset ( UHD, HD, Tally, 422 and ethernet 100 mbs ) Du you have any ideas for a new UHD camera that we can fit in our existing setup using HD 2/3 lenses, behindcontrols, etc. ? We need interchangebel lenses so camcorder is not a solution.

[@djp_video]

I'm not the right guy to ask. That's kind of outside my world.

[@nanuk10]

The Blackmagic URSA Broadcast could be a good option. It has a B4 lens mount and you can use the existing 2/3 lenses. With the studio viewfinder and the camera control panel for shading it's quite expensive, but it's still cheaper than UHD cameras from Sony, Panasonic etc.

[@mowomedia4801]

How do your shade these Z150 and other Sony cams during live production?

[@djp_video]

If we're shooting indoors, it's all done in pre-production. If we're outdoors, the only settings we have to worry about are white balance and exposure, which the camera operators can handle. I covered this in this video. For more detail, you can go back and watch it again.

[@noahallgeier9329]

Doug, is there any camcorder for $1000 or less that you could recommend? For livestreaming purposes only. Or is that price just not going to cut it for professional production? Thanks!

[@djp_video]

If you're always shooting outdoors in the sun, the Sony FDR-AX43 or AX53 are okay. Otherwise, you'll need to bump your budget or buy used. The next step up would be the Sony FDR-AX100 or FDR-AX700, which are in the same family as the cameras I covered in this video.

[@noahallgeier9329]

@@djp_video awesome. I will look into these. Do you think SDI is a necessity? Or are you okay with HDMI? I know I will need to add an audio delay to sync up the audio and video. I will be using atem mini. Wonder if I’d be better off running audio from my mackie mixer directly to my computer via usb and using an audio delay via OBS and syncing audio and video via OBS instead of through the atem mini. Thank you for your input!

[@noahallgeier9329]

The JVC GY-HM180 has SDI for $1400 on B&H. So same price as AX-700. Would you still suggest the AX-700 at this price point? Thanks!

[@djp_video]

That depends on the distance. If your cameras are less than 25 feet (8m) from your switcher, you can make HDMI work and everything will likely be okay with good quality cables. But if there are any farther away, SDI is the way to go if you can -- even to the point where I'd consider selling the ATEM Mini and getting an equivalent ATEM SDI, and adding an HDMI-to-SDI converters at any HDMI cameras. SDI is designed for that, and is just so much more reliable, especially if you're dealing with any kind of distance at all. HDMI cable runs really need to be kept short, and if it isn't too inconvenient, avoided where possible. I have a video comparing the different connectivity options: kzbin.info/www/bejne/i2jTaIKYpL2NiLM I also have a video discussing long HDMI cable runs: kzbin.info/www/bejne/o5CliICPp76WsMU

[@djp_video]

I haven't personally used that camera, nor do I recall any viewers of the channel sharing any of their experiences with it, so I don't know if I can answer that question. Based on my own personal experience, Sony cameras are likely to give you a better quality image, especially in this price segment.

[@Dstonephoto]

This kinda wild. I’m zooming in and out on my iPad Pro watching this video and the image quality and details surpasses footage I have tested this on with footage from 4k mirrorless cameras. This is bizarrely intriguing considering that this is a one inch sensor; this seems to contradict many of my assumptions about larger sensor cameras.

[@djp_video]

The funny thing about that is that this video was shot on my X70, the oldest of the family. (It came out in 2014.) And the newer ones do produce a noticeably more detailed image. But my X70 has been relegated to shooting videos for my channel because it's the least likely to be used for jobs for paying clients. Most people making KZbin videos today don't take camcorders seriously -- they're considered a "relic" of days past rather than something desirable. They aren't considered "sexy" with smaller sensors and lesser ability to create the highly-sought-after shallow depth of field. Even other people making content similar to mine don't take them seriously and aren't even interested in having conversations about them. But that's just ignorance. Knowing exactly which lens and sensor you're pairing together give you a lot of advantages in the design of a product. For live video production, camcorders are hard to beat, and it's because they're specifically designed just for that purpose -- not trying to fit a square peg into a round hole.

[@Dstonephoto]

@@djp_video My (flawed) assumptions stemmed primarily from two sources: smartphone footage and cinema/photo camera sensors sizes. It wasn't until recently that I discovered broadcast cameras had tiny sensors and expensive parfocal lenses. I saw the logic of using smaller sensors with 3CCD cameras because you were essentially tripling the resolutions as a result of a multi-sensor rig (something which I have considered experimenting with using larger sensors - it's a similar principle as the one-shot color separation cameras - another genius forgotten invention). Yeah... I assumed smartphones were at the top of the small-sensor game so I thought small sensors were overpriced relics up until I saw that they were a thing -- and not necessarily a cheap one -- in broadcast environments. Just last night I was browsing a PDF with sensor dimensions of cameras released in the last 15 years and noticed that some older high-end cinema cameras had relatively tiny sensors. So, here's the million dollar question: why is it that micro 4/3 lenses are not that great, but the lenses made for smaller sensors outresolve them? Is it market complacency, physics, or a bizarre bell curve of sorts where m43 is basically the red-headed stepchild ? Thanks so much for taking the time to respond!

[@enejeemmanuel2644]

I sometimes still shoot with Sony Ex3 for corporate event Livestreaming

[@djp_video]

I still see those cameras all the time. The interlace-only output in 1080 is kind of a deal breaker for me.

[@enejeemmanuel2644]

@@djp_video I don't seem to understand this, can you explain. Thanks

[@djp_video]

The SDI connector on the EX3 uses HD-SDI signaling. So the highest resolution it can output is 1080i (interlace). Which means that when the camera is set to record and output 1080, the signal is only output a half of a frame at a time... 60 (or 50 in many parts of the world) times per second the odd numbered horizontal lines are output, (lines 1, 3, 5, etc.) then 1/60sec later the even numbered horizontal lines (0, 2, 4, 6, etc.) are output. Each 1/60 of a second the camera outputs one field (half of the lines of the picture), and two fields make up one frame. This can allow for somewhat smooth motion since the picture is being updated 60 times per second, but it's only half of the picture each time. Interlace footage it's a nightmare to work with in editing, and makes some things like slow motion next to impossible to do cleanly, because each of those 1/60sec fields only has half of the image, and by the time you get the other half of the image, the subject on screen, or the camera itself, may have moved so things are in a different place than they were from the previous field. Often attempts to slow things down on interlace footage result in combing artifacts, where you can see 'every other line' in the picture because of those differences in time from when the lines of the picture were captured. It was a hack done back in the 1930s to update the TV picture more often within the limitations of the broadcast technology at the time, but it has stayed with us until pretty recently, unfortunately. The better way to handle this is progressive scanning. With progressive scanning, every horizontal video line is output for each frame of video -- the entire picture is drawn in its entirety -- it doesn't switch back and forth between odd and even numbered lines. So motion is smoother, and you can speed up or slow down footage without the awful combing effect commonly associated with interlace. On top of the camera only supporting interlace output in 1080, it uses something called PsF (Progressive, Segmented Frame) which is used when recording in 24 or 30 frames per second. It takes those 24 or 30 frames and splits them up in a process called 3:2 pulldown to convert them to the 60 fields per second. And it is kind of a nightmare to re-assemble those back into their original frames. Both the EX1 and EX3 have these limitations. They can do progressive scanning in 720p, but you lose half of your picture quality. If you switch to 1080, the SDI (and component) connectors switc to interlace mode, causing all of these artifacts. It's not ideal. Newer cameras support 3G-SDI or faster, and the progressive output that comes with it. The video output is a lot easier to work with, and yields higher quality results.

[@rawlinsdiaz]

Thanks have you considered the z190 camera?

[@djp_video]

Not seriously. I've talked to a couple people who have owned or used one and they didn't seem impressed. I may rent one one of these days to see for myself.

[@shem44]

Do not buy z190 unless you only shoot in bright daylight conditions. It is a trash cam and is notoriously bad in medium to low light. I sold it and got z280 and that is the best decision.

[@rpmedia7622]

do you now why sony use level B sdi my sony fs 5 only have level B ? maybe in yours models also. i now i can make a choice B/A on z280. but that is a top model 🙂

[@djp_video]

These cameras are all Level B only as well. Which has worked out great because Blackmagic Design also uses Level B so this stuff all works well together. I have no idea their motivation for choosing B over A.

[@hello-jv1lv]

doug is the goat

[@djp_video]

You’re giving me much more credit than I deserve :)

[@ThomasJanson-xq1jn]

Hey Doug , Adorama cameras is selling a used Sony Z-150 for 2300 hundred with 200 hours. , what do you consider a lot of hours for a Sony Z -150. , I’m not considering buying it. , but would like your input on how many hours on a camera is a lot. 😮

[@djp_video]

200 isn’t a lot. They’ll go an awful lot more than that.

[@ThomasJanson-xq1jn]

Thanks Doug

[@simingweng]

When using a BlackMagic camera converter with the Sony Z90V, is the talkback audio only available on the 3.5mm jack on the converter? Is there anyway the Z90 can take in the talkback audio from the converter, so that the operator can connect a headset to the camera instead of the converter?

[@djp_video]

The audio is also available on the Camera Converter's SDI output on channels 15/16, but as the Z90 doesn't have an SDI input, there's no way to get that audio into the camera. If you were to connect a headset to the camera, not only would there not be a way to get talkback audio into the headset, you'd also have no way to get audio from the headset's microphone into the camera converter. The HyperX Cloud Stinger is an inexpensive headset that plugs directly into the Camera Converter and works well. djp.li/stinger

[@simingweng]

@@djp_video appreciate your explanation and recommendation!

[@lucasvuillod5224]

hey, great video doug, I'm wondering to changes my cameras cause i still have 3 canon 5D for live productions with magic lantern, and i'm considering to buy some blackmagic ursa broadcast g2 and i don't really get why you don't use some of them instead of camcorder but the price. I was not considering camcorder for my upgrade is because of the miss of connection to focus and zoom remote like broadcast camera. And i wouldn't want to be the guys who refocus on the subject without it.

[@djp_video]

Two big reasons I don't go with the Ursa Broadcast cameras -- price ($4200 for the camera, plus tens of thousands for a suitable lens, six times over) and lack of other cameras in that family with other form factors (no box camera, no PTZ).

[@nanuk10]

The URSA Broadcast is not cheap, but you will get so many professioanl features that is worth the price. You get built in tally lights, intercom and return video. The lenses aren't cheap either, but they have a larger zoom range and better picture quality. And with the ATEM camera control panel, you will get always matching colors and aperture during production. This is essential for a professional multicamera production.

[@lucasvuillod5224]

@@nanuk10 yeah i understood that, i thought they were cheper b4lens good enough to not spend 10k and more on a Lens, so i inderstand thanks

[@nanuk10]

​@@lucasvuillod5224 There are Fuji and Canon B4-lenses starting at $4000, but I don't know the quality they are.

[@bedemiller]

​@@lucasvuillod5224 If you do go the URSA Broadcast G2 route I'd highly suggest just picking it up with the "kit" lens (LA16x8BRM-XB1A), I have been absolutely blown away with it for the price, they're very sharp lenses and have a good zoom range (16x), the only noticeable downside with this lens is that it's technically variable aperture - T1.9 at the wide end and T2.8 at the tight end, but we tend to run these lenses at T2.8 anyway, so I'd just treat them as constant T2.8 lenses that, as a bonus can get a little brighter on the wide when it's super dark out. This combo currently comes out to ~$8k on B&H, which is not bad for a 4K broadcast camera with high quality 16x lens in a classic shoulder mount form factor. All you need to get going is focus/zoom demands, batteries, and maybe a larger screen (which Blackmagic also has, and it's a VERY nice screen, bit pricey though) All in (minus the screen) it'll probably be ~$9k per camera.

[@alvaromorello]

Do you know if I can use the Z90 without the xlr handle attachment? Found one for sale but doesn’t come with the attachment. Replacement is rather expensive at around $450.

[@djp_video]

Yes. It works just fine without the handle. You lose the XLR inputs and top zoom and start/stop controls, but the camera works great without it. I've used mine that way many times when I want something small.

[@djp_video]

I should also mention that the Z90, NX80, MC88, and X70 all use the same top handle assembly. It's Sony part number A-2197-634-A.

[@alvaromorello]

@djp_video Thanks for the info Doug.

[@ignatgrz]

Does anyone perhaps have the model number for the cold shoe in the back of the camera (if it is available for separate purchase)? I use a secondhand z150 and only have a 1/4" hole there with mounting holes for a shoe arund it.

[@djp_video]

The shoe is 3-069-286-03, the plate that goes in it is 3-288-615-02, and the screws (qty 4) are 2-630-005-41.

[@georgeforall]

The guy on the monitor behind is mocking you!😅

[@djp_video]

Lol. He's always just a little bit late, though.

[@jonf671]

You are so awsome!

[@jf_blanco]

I still love my PXW-X200 mainly for it's fujinon lens which is 1.9f aperture constant i all it's zoom range. And also love the EX3 for its ability to use interchangeable lenses.

[@djp_video]

The PXW-X200 is very much the spiritual predecessor of the PXW-Z280. I haven't used it myself, but it seems to have a great reputation.

[@carpetbomberz]

Image quality 💯, whatever annoying limit it might have on the chrominance capturing 8bit 4:2:0, I cannot see it. Don't notice. Now if you're doing huge chromakey cyclorama with wind machines and models with longer hair whipping "maybe" it might be noticeable, but an adequately spec'd and adjusted Ultimatte would make up for that at 4K I dare say.

[@djp_video]

It'd be really hard to see on KZbin. It gets converted to 8-bit for sure, but I wouldn't be surprised if it was 4:2:0 as well. And much, much lower bitrate than the original recording.

[@kyriakosdrivas1942]

How can you setup the Sony PXW-Z150 for HDR ?

[@djp_video]

Use Picture Profile 10

[@Sixta16]

yeah, cameras. The most expensive part of video production.

[@td8269]

Hi Doug ... we use PANASONIC AW-HE130K REMOTE CAMERAs for all our indoor productions and all works very fine. What are the main differnces with yours?

[@djp_video]

That's a 1/3-inch camera. So these Sonys have a sensor that is 9 times larger... which means they can capture a lot more light, which means a cleaner image, especially in lower-light situations. The larger (and much higher resolution) sensor also resolves a lot more detail.