Change from Sony VX2100 to ?? XR520?

[Recif]

Ok, thanks diversteve. I'm surrently looking for picture quality of the FX7, perhap's I'll upgrade my budget if it really worth it... I'm looking for someone using FX7 underwater without adding light to have an advice...

 

[mobula]

I am using the FX7 and the EX1 both in Sealux.

Image quality: I am not really sure if the FX7 is better than the 520. It is much older and low light is not very good. The great difference are the controls. You have white balance presets and other functions directly on the cam and not hidden in menus. So it is kind of semi pro. From this point of view it is much closer to the 2100.

I am thinking about to sell my FX7 in Sealux with 90° lens. There is a review on wetpixel I've written some time ago.

If you think about FX7 or higher budgets also consider FX1000 or the newNXCam from Sony or the very good Canon XH A1s.

 

[Recif]

Thanks mobula, I'm afraid about the low light especially... But I think I wouldn't have any choice if I want a real camcorder... This will be the FX7...

edit: I saw your review, and I notice that :

The low-light abilities are better than I thought. I compared the HC7 (2 Lux) and the FX7 (4 Lux). I don’t know why Sony publishes numbers like this. Practically the FX7 performs much better at low light

This pleased to me

I saw your Malpelo video too : you are not using red filter, don't you? Because the picture is too much blue...

 

[mobula]

Yes, I am using red filter. Malpelo has mostly a cloudy sky and not too much color underwater. This is bigfish area only. So, the red filter doesn't work very good and consumes some light. All shots are color corrected because with red filter and little light white balance is not always possible and the shots becomes greenish. Under clear conditions (water and sky) the FX7 is doing a good job down to ca. 20-25m without lights. If you go on marinvideo.eu search for Kuredu. This video is also filmed with FX7 in Sealux.

 

[Recif]

Only 20-25m? With my VX2100 I can film up to 60m without additional light... :-(

 

[mobula]

You can film much deeper of course but the noise in the picture will increase. I can't imagine that the 2100 on 60 m still has the same image quality compared to the surface. For 60 m you need the EX1 or a bigger cam or lights.

 

[Recif]

Yes, of course, but you can work with :

video : http://www.sous-la-mer.com/modules.php?name=dvd&op=details&id=12 the big hammerhead is 63m depth

 

[ronscuba]

Hi Ron, I saw your videos on Vimeo : all have been filmed with FX7? Red filter? Especially on 3 Days in Grand Cayman (cave filming)

Yes, all the underwater videos were shot with my FX7 and Gates housing.

Videos to watch for dark footage are the cave shots in Grand Cayman, swim throughs in Roatan and all the Galapagos vids.

 

[Recif]

Yes, so it's not bad I think...

 

[mobula]

I don't said it's bad The images get noisier the deeper you get. The FX7 is nice camera. Sony relaunched it to close the gap between 520 and Fx1000.

Honestly speaking: if one accepts dark corners in the picture the little noise of an HD cam should be OK