Today I want to take a look at Sony HXR-NX30 provided by Sony.
I bought this camera for a couple specific applications, and I think it fits the bill pretty nicely. I write this review to help others who might have similar needs and are wondering if this does the job. I buy everything based on consumer reviews, so I feel like I owe it to someone else to help them make a decision on a significant investment.
Specifically, I wanted a video camera that could be controlled remotely (hanging on the end of a crane) and also one that could take pictures while doing video at the same time. I shoot photography professionally and have been running video off my DSLR's (Nikon, mainly my D800 & 600). Hard to beat a great lens on a great DSLR, but at the end of the day there are things a videocamera does better (like record an entire wedding, for starters, not to mention superior autofocus)
To be fair to the camera, I have not read the manual all the way through, so I can't pretend to be an expert. Nonetheless, there are some FACTS:
1) Viewfinder is useless - that's fine, I didn't buy it to use that.
2) The hood does come off pretty easily. It doesn't just fall of when you are walking around, but any kind of bumping can have the thing falling off. Kind of strange since you do actually have to screw it on (in a really weird, inside-out fashion), but it can definitely pop off with some jostling (like inside of a bag).
3) You will need more power than what comes with the included battery - you'll run out of juice before you get anywhere close to eating up the generous internal memory. The Wasabi's are great, can get through a whole day of video with those 2 extra batteries (each of which has more capacity than the included Sony battery).
4) The microphone rig is nice, easy to control manually or put some or all functions in "auto" mode. Attaches easily and securely, definitely gives you a "compact professional" look - and delivers on this look.
5) The projector is useful. Don't think for a second that it is just a gimmick. End of the day review of shots in a hotel room with no connection to the TV, project it on a wall in a flash, focus with slider up top, forget that it is even a video camera. No one thinks of it as a toy when you suddenly have a crisp image projected up on a wall. And the "crisp image" is really what takes it out of the toy realm. Get the Sony pistol grip controller that folds out into a tripod (a must, in my opinion - more later), and you won't even have to worry about holding the thing while the videos play.
6) The touch screen is fine - adjust your brain to the fact it isn't an iPhone, and you'll be okay.
7) It does have a remote. Hard to find this in any of the online documentation, but it actually is in the box. My 18 month-old apparently threw mine away (I usually catch her doing this stuff, but she slid this one by me), so I had to order a new one. NOT EASY TO DO since there are no part numbers handy and stuff. I got one that looked close and hoped for the best, and it worked. It even had a "PHOTO" button, something missing from the included one.
8) Software stinks. It's just weird, and it is slow, and I feel like they could have done a much better job with that. Why have a great camera with bad software? But this seems to be a trend - Nikon has done that for a while now...
I think if you use it for any extended period of time that you really need the pistol grip controller. Makes it 1000% easier to use than the side handle, though in my opinion it could be a tad bigger (I have big hands). I mention this because your enjoyment of the camera could be hindered by hand cramps if all you use is the side handle. I had someone walk up to me and ask about it since he was dealing with the uncomfortableness of his camera with just a side grip and could see that the grip made life way easier.
Video quality is great, watching it on my 1080p HDTV it looked crystal clear and life-like. No issues here at all.
Camera adjusts well exposure-wise going from bright light outside to not-so-bright inside, pretty seamless automatic exposure change. I left this alone and chose to put focus at my fingertips for the one mode that can be adjusted manually (button can only be set to do one thing manually).
I give it 4 out of 5 not really because of things like no photo button on the remote, useless viewfinder and a hood that comes off too easily, but for non-intuituveness of some of the menus and bad software. I'm pretty good with stuff, but found myself a little lost at times trying to change some setting, or understanding exactly what the differences were for some things. You might think this was a result of not reading the manual through from cover to cover, but I feel like it really isn't the best menu system out there.
Trying to take photos while doing video isn't just as easy as pressing the PHOTO button while you are recording - you have to be in the right mode, or it just gives you an error which makes it look like you are trying to do something the camera won't do. I REALLY had to dig to find the one sentence that tells you this information as side note. I had someone else running it while I was shooting at a wedding, and somehow it got in a mode where it was snapping photos non-stop. Wasn't any easy way to stop it (like some "stop with the photos already!" button, but I changed it to a mode where it couldn't take pics and kept on moving.
If you select max quality/size for pics, it takes a while to process each image if you are simultaneously shooting video. In photo-only mode it is fine (couple seconds), but don't think you can take a quick succession of pics while doing a video.
This is the first Sony product I have had for a while (and the first photo-related Sony product I have owned), and I know every manufacturer has a different system and way of doing things, so I don't ding them TOO hard for their menu, but I really think a few things could have been less buried and more intuitive.
The software is a little unforgiveable because of the format of the files that come off of the camera. You can't just play them in any player, so you could be a bit dependent on the software for really knowing what you got when playing it on a computer. I am a Windows user as far as my computer, and Windows Media Player gives you a picture but no sound. I use VLC to get around this, but that doesn't really give you great video playback quality. The software is just really lacking, and slow to the point that you think it isn't doing anything sometimes and you start clicking other stuff to try and make it work. If it had some horsepower, it would probably be fine.
Despite any flaws, I think most of them can be overcome with practice or ingenuity, and I find this camera to be very smart and quick overall. Autofocus is great, exposure is great, video quality is great and at the end of the day, it can do what I need it to do. Because the projector is good, it increases the camera's value in other people's eyes -- "wow!" as opposed to "oh, that's cute(i.e.-lame). I definitely recommend this camera wholeheartedly and do not have any regrets on my purchase.
The best place to buy Sony HXR-NX30:
With Sony HXR-NX30 you get:
- 1/2.88 Exmor R Sensor
- Balanced Optical SteadyShot(R) & FIXED SHOT mode
- 1920x1080 60P, 30P, 24P & 720 60P
- Detachable XLR Unit for Professional Quality Audio
- Built-in Projector (up to 100 screen)
Sony announces the new HXR-NX30U high-definition camcorder, a palm-size addition to the NXCAM line. The NX30U utilizes breakthrough Balanced Optical SteadyShot(R) image stabilization technology to help eliminate camera shake and offers other convenient features such as a built-in projector, all combined in our smallest, lightest handheld professional camcorder. The HXR-NX30U records at full 1920 x 1080 HD resolution using a Carl Zeiss Vario-Sonnar T* lens for superb optical quality. The camcorder's 1/2.88-inch image sensor uses Sony's Exmor R CMOS technology to significantly increase low-light performance, speeds image readout, reduces artifacting and enables a range of frame rates. The NX30U also features a detachable XLR unit and professional-quality audio. The HXR-NX30U is perfect for documentary makers, video journalists, schools or corporate users, for hand-held telephoto shooting. Features 96GB internal memorySpecifications Imaging Device - 1/2.88 type ExmorR CMOS with ClearVid pixel array / Pixel Gross - Approx. 6650K / Video Actual - Approx. 6140K (16 - 9) Minimum illumination - 3 lux (Low LUX mode, 1/30(60p or 60i)) Shutter speed - 1/8 - 1/10000 (Manual Shutter Speed Control) Iris - F1.8 - F3.4 Still picture resolution - 24.1 megapixels 16 - 9 (6544x3680), 18.1 megapixels 4 - 3 (4912x3680) Zoom Ratio - Carl Zeiss Vario-Sonner T*, 10x (optical), 17x Extended Zoom, 120x Digital Zoom Focal Length - f = 3.8 mm - 38 mm (equivalent to 26.0 mm - 260 mm (16 - 9), 31.8 mm - 318 mm (4 - 3) on 35 mm lens) Focus - Full range auto/Manual Image stabilizer - Balanced Optical SteadyShot(R) w/ Active mode (Wide to Tele) Filter Diameter - 52mm Viewfinder - 0.5cm(0.2 type) / Color 201,600dots equivalent Built-in LCD monitor - 7.5cm (3.0 type, aspect ratio 16 - 9) 921,600 dots (1920x480) Built-in Microphone/Light - 2ch Stereo microphone/Video Light (flash & NightShot) M
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