OT: Is the EX1 really that good?

farss wrote on 8/2/2008, 11:29 PM

What Red $3000 4K camera?
I've heard of a $3K 2K camera, Scarlet. If it was 3 to 5 times that price I'd be much more excited.
I'd even be happier if Sony had spent a tad more on the EX1. It's a miracle for the price but there's a couple of annoyances that a few more dollars might have avoided. Apart from those issues the image is to die for and mine has been 100% reliable.
Depending on your needs don't overlook the EX3 either. It's a serious bit of kit. The only heart stopper is some of the lenses you might like to put on it cost as much of not more than the camera.
Bob.

p@mast3rs wrote on 8/2/2008, 11:32 PM

sorry, I meant Scarlet was a 3k cam.

Serena wrote on 8/3/2008, 1:05 AM

The EX1 is really that good (although I'm not sure what "that good" means). Like farss I'm continually delighted with image quality and have got used to the little switches and handling. You really have to try one for yourself.

p@mast3rs wrote on 8/3/2008, 1:23 AM

I am actually interested in leaving tapes behind especially since i am about to begin work on a new documentary.

MUTTLEY wrote on 8/3/2008, 1:42 AM

If you're asking me, yes, it's that good.

- Ray
Some of my stuff on Vimeo
www.undergroundplanet.com

farss wrote on 8/3/2008, 1:45 AM

All I can add is of all the tapeless cameras at around the pricepoint of the EX1 nothing comes close apart from the EX3. Unless you will actually buy another lens it doesn't bring much to the table.
For a doco the recording times of the EX1 per card would be a godsend. If you've got the budget the XDCAM HD cameras could be worth a look too but that's a big hike in price and they're a much more intimidating camera that could scare 'talent'.

Bob.

megabit wrote on 8/3/2008, 2:22 AM

I'd even be happier if Sony had spent a tad more on the EX1. It's a miracle for the price but there's a couple of annoyances that a few more dollars might have avoided

Spot-on remark, Bob.

PeterWright wrote on 8/3/2008, 3:31 AM

I love my EX1, but to be honest, I've found it harder to get consistently good footage than I did with the Z1. This is more a reflection on me than the camera - I have still got some wonderful shots, but I have stuffed up a few too - it's a more demanding camera, and every fault, be it focus, aperture or white balance, shows up clearly.

Serena wrote on 8/3/2008, 5:32 AM

Better image quality makes errors more obvious. It is important to thoroughly understand the flexibility of image control and how to use these under a variety of circumstances. Nevertheless I've found it an easy camera to work with.

essami wrote on 8/3/2008, 11:12 AM

Yep, it really is that good :) If you plan not to do any shooting before the scarlet comes out sometime in 2009 I'd wait and see what it offers (Ill propably get one). In the meantime I'll be working with my EX1 :)

winrockpost wrote on 8/3/2008, 1:12 PM

As good as what as mentioned earlier.. one of the nice thing about rental facilities is you go rent one check it out ,, when they first came out of course you couldn't but after a little time you rent one. Make friends at a rental house and you can line up a couple a cams and check them out with charts or whatever , not the real world but you can get an idea, then take one home for a day for 250 or so and shoot your favorite stuff .
Nice camera

richard-courtney wrote on 8/3/2008, 6:02 PM

Our company rents an F350 for HD and we looked at the EX1 but it never seems
to be available to rent when we need one.

One is on my personal Christmas list.

PeterWright wrote on 8/3/2008, 10:31 PM

Worth mentioning that so far this "tapeless workflow" isn't all it's cracked up to be. I''ve just copied some footage from SxS cards onto hard drive - didn't take very long at all, and that's my "back-up" ..... BUT .... now I have to export it to MXF with Sony's new improved Browser Version 2, and it's taking about 80% realtime to do it, so the two operations together amount to much the same as tape capture would ....

Hopefully we'll be able to edit with the original camera footage one day.

Serena wrote on 8/3/2008, 11:20 PM

80%? Interesting -- I haven't tried Browser v2 yet. I use Cineform to read the SxS cards and store (when I'm using the video suite). Otherwise download on laptop using Shotput. All quicker than 80%.