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This is a most interesting thread, thanks johnkm from someone with their own money invested!.
Could I ask a couple of "potential user" questions ?1) In stills-mode: max resolution, User Manual pdf shows 25Mpx - what is the file-size and does this look substantially better than taking a 8Mpx off a 4K shoot?
Perhaps you can compare too, your older camcorder "best stills" is by comparison.
2) In 4K mode: You said MF is possible ( and that "halo" Terfyn mentioned indicates the object that is sharpest, by contrast I suspect ).... If you add a ND filter in outdoor daylight, does the iris open-up to provide shallow DoF ( as one would expect)... or what...?
Secretly I'm hoping Pana will bring out another model with built-in ND filters, so I don't need to screw them in, with the risk of thread-damage, or dropping/losing when in the heat of a Shoot, etc.
Also, I wonder that Terfyn is right [Post#8], to suggest it's the same sensor, as progress in sensors is always with us - to the extent that performance is better and chip-price lower.... so Mfr (Like Pana) will be using the latest-version. Frankly I'd be surprised they are the same sensor from a few years ago, although I accept 4K is a "new fad" - the possible reason for the degrade you have seen ( all other things being equal, we assume ), is that the newer sensor pixels being scanned are smaller, since this is optimised for 4K . . . . so they are less-concerned with HD performance. Another possible explanation is the camcorder is really down-scaling the 4K image and as this is done on the fly, it doesn't do such a good job.
It may never be known as Pana Sony and Canon are keen to keep their secrets.
* I think 4K has improved lens resolution, as few Mfrs offer long Zooms. Your VXF is 24x which is way less than most HD camcorders. That we should "move closer" is not always possible, so having an "extended zoom" is sometimes acceptable. My own CX410 (Sony) is capable of hand-held filming at c.800mm (35 equiv), provided I have something to act as support, like a tree. Modern lenses are a far cry from those of many years ago and if an HD lens was "OK" for 4K then there would be no reason to restrict the Zoom-range. Cynics might suggest it's so they can make us buy the next-longer version - but for my money having built-in ND filters is the way to go - but what do I know?
And . . . . Pana haven't yet asked my Opinion.Recently I read that Sony Camcorder ( sorry, Model unknown, probably Pro. ) incorporated "electronic ND filters" - which I take to mean the Gain is in "Stops" - making it easier to Setup again if a shot needs to be repeated.
I'm interested in the VXF "Stills-Mode" so I can use the camcorder instead of my Stills camera (14Mpx), which has a 3x zoom. BUT - it needs to be substantially "better" - esp. if the filesize is significantly larger.
Another issue is buying a new Computer to take 64-bit software - as 4K appears to have forced Upgrade- upon us all. If I can put that off until 2019, ( when CPU's become available ), I may be able to get rendering even faster.
.....Cheers..... |
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Author: johnkm
2-12-2019 01:59:55
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