Originally Posted by DorianJ

READ, again no one is knocking the gp3.

Thanks for enlightening me though, I'll now plan to use a gp3 as my main cam over the nex5/7 and GH2 with its interchangeable lenses, full manual control and APS-C/M4/3 size sensor, It's obvious that's the sensible choice even without test driving! Congrats on your 1st post on RCG

anyone want to buy a nex5 and gh2? <me being sarcastic>

INFO: for everyone using nex camera.
(if you did not know this already)

I was out shooting 360pano today.
But when I got home, I notice there was quarter of every round missing. (a pizza slice)
Thought it was my mistake, maybe memory card was not ready and I missed some spot, maybe yaw to much.

But then suddenly, at my second trip!!
I notice that every time I was taking photo against the sun the IR did not respond !!
Reason was that the sun (that is just above horizon at this time) was blending the IR sensor at the cam, and therefore no picture from the IR on the zen .

I had to put a tiny black tape in front of the IR, and not cover the IR transmitter.
Result was spot on perfect


just wanted to share my experience if you did not already know...


cheers


and btw, here is a photo I did.
was supposed to be a 360 pano, but i was missing half the round.



nex5n 16mm

Originally Posted by Sid3ways

The sharpness of their 1080 footage certainly beats anything I've seen come out of the Nex sensor even with the Zeiss 24mm.

I'm getting very good results using the Z24mm. I bet if you gave your Nex/24mm combo to Gopros editors and colorist they would produce footage even better than the gp3's test footage using that cam and lens combo...trust me.

Originally Posted by liteglow

and btw, here is a photo I did.
was supposed to be a 360 pano, but i was missing half the round.



nex5n 16mm

Beautiful! pretty colors I want to move there.

Originally Posted by DorianJ

I don't think anyone is discounting the gp3, it was just pointed out that a camera's bitrate isn't the only factor that determines a camera's quality output and that the gp3's quality will not rival that of the NEX5. The comment was in reply to a poster wanting to replace his NEX5 with the gp3.

If both camera's were placed in a black box and pitted against one another for video quality...

Yes, the right tool for the right job, gopro certainly has an unmentionable number of uses but an A-cam for professional use isn't one. Keep your NEX5 as your A-cam for Z15 use. Use the GP3 for some sick 120fps slowmo at 720p

NEX is not much of an A cam. I'd go with a gh2 or a larger camera like a black magic cinema camera, when it comes out, or a red scarlet or something. The nex is definitley not an "A" camera by any means. The gopro will be much better... for stills, yeah, the nex will win. no brainer. i am talking video alone, not stils. i am not a stills photographer.

Originally Posted by Wingbreaker

NEX is not much of an A cam. I'd go with a gh2 or a larger camera like a black magic cinema camera, when it comes out, or a red scarlet or something. The nex is definitley not an "A" camera by any means. The gopro will be much better...

Yes, I know, I know. This discussion was regarding gp3 vs the nex or gh2 if these were your only choices as your main cam..no other cams involved in this comparison. Obviously a higher end vid cam such as the BMC would be the ideal choice. Regarding your gp3 statement, no manual functions and a fixed lens makes your argument hard to believe. We'll all have to see.

If you dig further back, I've already made the argument about using a more professional video camera such as the fs100 over a NEX 5/7...it seems others didn't agree there as well Our main cam for aerial video is actually the FS100. We own Nex5, hacked gh2, 5D2, 5D3, t2i and FS100.

I think the issue maybe some people here are not very adepth in using a camera and lens manual functions to achieve desired results and may possibly need a camera with full manual everything in order to compensate. Just my feeling.

The production below was shot almost a year ago, not by me, on the NEX-5N... and some of you say you can't get good results from your NEX 5N and Zeiss glass? Really? The problem is most here are at best hobby/weekend video editors who expect results like the footage below straight from camera, it doesn't work that way, you have to help the footage achieve its potential starting with correct camera settings followed by good editing and grading. The GP3 footage released is beautiful but please realise that the released footage you're viewing is not straight from camera, a team of highly skilled, highly paid editors and colorist laid their hands on it and pushed that footage to its grading limits for those results...something the average guy here will not be able to do. GP3 is certainly great, just don't expect magic straight from camera and don't expect the same results seen in the released demo footage.

Autumn - Getting Cinematic with the Sony NEX-5N (2 min 49 sec)

Originally Posted by oylore

1. I start low. Raises the camera until it stops rocking the cradle back and forth. Vertical COG in the camera should be level with the suspension in the cradle. Then I adjust the camera back and forth until it's ok. Checks cameras again. After some practice, this is good after one to two adjustments.

2. If the vertical pipe is out of adjustment you will not be able to calibrate the pan properly. There is a weight shift. However, when it is 100% correct camera pointing straight ahead. Mine came about 1 degree of alignment. It was hard to see on camera but when I started with the first calibration I discovered it.

But whatever. I mean nodal point of the lens should have been in the center for cradle suspension on both pan, tilt and roll axes. What do you think about that?

Hi Oylore,

thanks for explanation. I'm still not sure how to interpretate the move of the base plate up and down as i cant see much of a different in tilt stability by changing the position.

For the vertical pipe i did not seen and issue with the straight forward position after rebalancing the Zenmuse keept facing forward. I checked it over the weekend but cant seen any degree offset.

Can you describe a bit more detailed how to find the correct position for the camera base plate?

Regarding nodale point I agree, i was wondering that the Z15N adjusted for 5N with 16 mm has a good vertical offset between roll axis and 16mm optic axis.

Originally Posted by otlski

Hi Rod,

They are here.

this first one is written for mass properties guys who may not know much about EO imaging. BTW a typo is on page 11; it should say "A reasonable approximation says that when jitter causes an image to shift less than 20% of a pixel, the image will only be marginally impacted. Above 20% will degrade MTF".
http://www.space-electronics.com/Lit..._Platforms.pdf

this next one is written for optical guys as an intro to advanced dynamic balancing.
http://www.space-electronics.com/Lit...le_Gimbals.pdf

this last one is written by my colleagues describing the methodology and equipment we use.
http://www.space-electronics.com/Lit...0or%20more.pdf

Best,
Dan

Thanks very much.

Originally Posted by otlski

Hi Rod,

They are here.

this first one is written for mass properties guys who may not know much about EO imaging. BTW a typo is on page 11; it should say "A reasonable approximation says that when jitter causes an image to shift less than 20% of a pixel, the image will only be marginally impacted. Above 20% will degrade MTF".
http://www.space-electronics.com/Lit..._Platforms.pdf

this next one is written for optical guys as an intro to advanced dynamic balancing.
http://www.space-electronics.com/Lit...le_Gimbals.pdf

this last one is written by my colleagues describing the methodology and equipment we use.
http://www.space-electronics.com/Lit...0or%20more.pdf

Best,
Dan

These are most impressive. I can tell it will take me awhile to assimilate the information contained therein.

Thank you very much!

Originally Posted by Topper_MUC

Hi Oylore,

thanks for explanation. I'm still not sure how to interpretate the move of the base plate up and down as i cant see much of a different in tilt stability by changing the position.

For the vertical pipe i did not seen and issue with the straight forward position after rebalancing the Zenmuse keept facing forward. I checked it over the weekend but cant seen any degree offset.

Can you describe a bit more detailed how to find the correct position for the camera base plate?

Regarding nodale point I agree, i was wondering that the Z15N adjusted for 5N with 16 mm has a good vertical offset between roll axis and 16mm optic axis.

Take a look to the fantastic vid of post #1265.
He explains really good the calibration...

Regards

Roberto

What do you guys use as counterweights to calibrate the z15?

Originally Posted by Ab74

What do you guys use as counterweights to calibrate the z15?

I am waitting to receive my CZ 24mm. I have read a lot regarding your question and in my personal point of view, the best answer and the thing that I will do is: no counterweight and use method described at post #1265
Take a close look to the video... no counterweights

Regards

RRuiz

Originally Posted by DorianJ

Yes, I know, I know. This discussion was regarding gp3 vs the nex or gh2 if these were your only choices as your main cam..no other cams involved in this comparison. Obviously a higher end vid cam such as the BMC would be the ideal choice. Regarding your gp3 statement, no manual functions and a fixed lens makes your argument hard to believe. We'll all have to see.

If you dig further back, I've already made the argument about using a more professional video camera such as the fs100 over a NEX 5/7...it seems others didn't agree there as well Our main cam for aerial video is actually the FS100. We own Nex5, hacked gh2, 5D2, 5D3, t2i and FS100.

I think the issue maybe some people here are not very adepth in using a camera and lens manual functions to achieve desired results and may possibly need a camera with full manual everything in order to compensate. Just my feeling.

The production below was shot almost a year ago, not by me, on the NEX-5N... and some of you say you can't get good results from your NEX 5N and Zeiss glass? Really? The problem is most here are at best hobby/weekend video editors who expect results like the footage below straight from camera, it doesn't work that way, you have to help the footage achieve its potential starting with correct camera settings followed by good editing and grading. The GP3 footage released is beautiful but please realise that the released footage you're viewing is not straight from camera, a team of highly skilled, highly paid editors and colorist laid their hands on it and pushed that footage to its grading limits for those results...something the average guy here will not be able to do. GP3 is certainly great, just don't expect magic straight from camera and don't expect the same results seen in the released demo footage.

https://vimeo.com/31349130

+1

I think alot are forgetting they will never get the same footage with the new GP3 that was shown in that video and I am sure the raw video did not look nearly as good.

I am not a GoPro fan but I am buying the GP3 Black edition.

I already own a NEX-5N.

I am not a photographer so thats all I own.

Originally Posted by DorianJ

Yes, I know, I know. This discussion was regarding gp3 vs the nex or gh2 if these were your only choices as your main cam..no other cams involved in this comparison. Obviously a higher end vid cam such as the BMC would be the ideal choice. Regarding your gp3 statement, no manual functions and a fixed lens makes your argument hard to believe. We'll all have to see.

If you dig further back, I've already made the argument about using a more professional video camera such as the fs100 over a NEX 5/7...it seems others didn't agree there as well Our main cam for aerial video is actually the FS100. We own Nex5, hacked gh2, 5D2, 5D3, t2i and FS100.

I think the issue maybe some people here are not very adepth in using a camera and lens manual functions to achieve desired results and may possibly need a camera with full manual everything in order to compensate. Just my feeling.

The production below was shot almost a year ago, not by me, on the NEX-5N... and some of you say you can't get good results from your NEX 5N and Zeiss glass? Really? The problem is most here are at best hobby/weekend video editors who expect results like the footage below straight from camera, it doesn't work that way, you have to help the footage achieve its potential starting with correct camera settings followed by good editing and grading. The GP3 footage released is beautiful but please realise that the released footage you're viewing is not straight from camera, a team of highly skilled, highly paid editors and colorist laid their hands on it and pushed that footage to its grading limits for those results...something the average guy here will not be able to do. GP3 is certainly great, just don't expect magic straight from camera and don't expect the same results seen in the released demo footage.

https://vimeo.com/31349130

I never said you can't get grat imagery from the nex. I shoot mainly on canon 7D's, Fs100, ex1 and red cameras. I've only shot aerial on nex5n with the best wide lens option for the nex5 at the moment voigtlander. It is still sub par IMO. Your piece is beautiful but there are issues with the imagery, very soft compared to other cameras. The GH series have the best dlsr aerial footage I have seen so far. Yeah, you might not have the manual options in the gp3 like you do in dslrs and digital cinema cameras. but the sharpness will out perform the nex5n by far. I think this wll be my last post about this. My nex post about the gp3 is when I get it up in the air.

Tomorrow I'm strapping the GP3 black on the Zenmuse and will see what happens, I'll try to fly comparable flights to see the differences.