well I have been looking to upgrade my camera setup for some time now and recently a brand new AX53 popped up on ebay for much less than Ive ever seen one sell for so I just bought it kinda spur of the moment. It should get here in a few days. Just curious if anyone here runs one and what are your thoughts?
As far as LANC capabilities if anyone chimes in please cover this as well. I love my G20 and haven't even filmed a year on stand yet and am thinking 4K already.
I don't have experience with an AX53, but do have the AX100. You can buy two adapter plugs for the AX100 that will make the Varizoom lanc controller compatible with the Sony flat multi connector. I've included links to them below. I suspect you can do the same for the AX53. https://www.bhphotovideo.com/bnh/co...Ndwi2kBIZVr5BoCK7zw_wcB&is=REG&m=Y&sku=913263 https://www.bhphotovideo.com/bnh/co...4gm9gQiSbgd-hoCKkLw_wcB&is=REG&m=Y&sku=861096
You can also use this instead of a LANC. It's not nearly as nice as a Varizoom, but it will work to zoom, start/stop and Power On/Off the camera. https://www.bhphotovideo.com/c/prod..._vpr1_remote_control_with_multi_terminal.html
I paid a good bit less than that but upon further inspection, I see that it is the PAL version which simply says that it is compatible with European broadcast standards and is not compatible with NTSC equipment.. I may be the real dummy here but what does that all mean? It record in a format that will be a problem?? I put my footage straight to a computer to edit/replay. I did not catch the PAL part in the title and there wasn't anything in the description about it....
Where the PAL will bite you in the backside is when you try to put it's footage in a timeline along with footage from an NTSC camera. Say you mix a GoPro angle shot or some B-roll you shot on a small camera into the main footage and then you will have a mess as NTSC works in 24, 30, 60 fps as the standards. PAL works in 25 and 50 fps as the standards. Further 120v lighting will be a big problem, as in the US 60 Hz is the frequency for lights and the pulses match up with NTSC in 30 an 60 fps. You will get flickering when it comes lighting ... especially fluorescent lights. But if you only shoot footage with that camera in day light conditions and only view it through HDMI to your TV or on your computer, most all modern TV's and monitors should adjust automatically to the PAL. Now if you try to burn your footage to a DVD or Bluray, you will have a mess on your hands, as US equipment is set up for NTSC.
That's unfortunate. Some of Sony' products allow you to change from PAL to NTSC, but I'm not sure about this one. Check through your menu's to see if by chance there's an option to select NTSC or PAL. I know my PXW-X70 has this, but I don't think my A6300 does.
In regards to PAL if the camera does not support it you can always add a step to convert the PAL video to NTSC. Not sure how much quality you will loose if any but you are not totally stranded. Lots of stuff on YouTube and the web on how to convert the formats.
Thanks guys. This seems to be what ive read so far as well. regardless im sure ill be able to get some use out of it
Well after all this maybe I won't ever see the camera... he apparently shipped to a wrong address and doesn't respond to eBay messages... case opened with eBay, guess we'll see if they stand good for it
That sucks. I had something similar happen 10 years or so ago when buying a camera. $1500 and got scammed. It took about 6 months but I finally got my money back from eBay. I seldom buy camera stuff on eBay because of it.
