Official firmware update brings XAVC-S and 120fps to Sony RX10

[SleepyWill]

When you talk about heavy crop sensor, what does it mean ? Is the 200 become a 300 ?

 

Not quite - the circle projected by the 200mm lens is large enough to cover a larger sensor, but the actual sensor is much smaller than the projected image. When the sensor reads the image, it only reads the bit covered by the sensor, giving it something similar to a digital zoom (though you'd be hard pushed to find a lens with worse resolution than your sensor, so no problems like you get with digital zoom) but you are very much still looking at a picture made by a 200mm lens. If field of view is all you are worried about, then yes, you can equate the 200mm crop frame with a different lens, but if you are also worried about how much space is in focus, how compressed the background is, how close to the camera your subject and the lighting on it is, then you really need to drop the equivalence because it will mislead you greatly.

[Quirky]

When I reviewed it earlier this year I found the RX10 to be an excellent shot getter - but it was also a shot loser as well due to the weak AVCHD implementation. Many of my images suffered from too much mud and a break-up of detail in certain situations. So this is very welcome news from Sony. The V2.0 RX10 firmware adds 50Mbit/s XAVC-S codec and just as excitingly 120fps for slow-mo, making the RX10 a very interesting creative prospect because of the very effective stabilisation, long lens range, built in ND filter and a sensor with a full pixel readout.

Read the full article here

 

You might wish to update your blog post a bit, Andrew, or at least the download link in it. Your link leads to a Windows only file, but I believe in 2014 over 50% of your readers with the camera will prefer the OS X version. 

 

Thou shalt not be woeful, RX10 brethren, for Thou need not to enter the Dark Side, just to be able to install the firmware update.  :)

 

BTW, looks like even Sony's own 50mb/s cards are too slow for XAVC-S, so after the update they'll be good for photos or AVCHD only. Those 60MB/s cards might be fast enough without dropping frames, haven't tried one, but the difference in price to the Sandisk Extreme 95MB/s and especially to the Sony's own 94MB/s SDXC/SDHC cards is not significant enough. So I see no point in buying anything lesser than those any longer.

[captou]

Could someone confirm for me which card will do for recording in XAVC-S?

 

I'm thinking of the Transcend 64GB Ultimate SDXC Class 10 UHS-I 600x Memory Card.

 

Thanks

[smon222]

I would also like to know when the Part 2 of the A7s review is coming out. Been waiting patiently... mostly

[EyeSoul]

@captou that card will work fine,I have the exact same one. Actually I have the regular Transcend SDXC class 10 64gb card, not the ultimate.I really didn't expect the card to work so I brought the Sony card just in case. The Sony card works well also.

http://www.amazon.com/TS64GSDXC10-SECURE-DIGITAL-Transcend-Digital/dp/B00J79OOW0/ref=sr_1_13?ie=UTF8&qid=1412097108&sr=8-13&keywords=transcend+64gb+sdxc


http://www.amazon.com/Sony-Class-Memory-SF64UY-TQMN/dp/B00B7ID9CU/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&qid=1412097728&sr=8-1&keywords=sony+64gb+sdxc

[captou]

@captou that card will work fine,I have the exact same one. Actually I have the regular Transcend SDXC class 10 64gb card, not the ultimate.I really didn't expect the card to work so I brought the Sony card just in case. The Sony card works well also.

http://www.amazon.com/TS64GSDXC10-SECURE-DIGITAL-Transcend-Digital/dp/B00J79OOW0/ref=sr_1_13?ie=UTF8&qid=1412097108&sr=8-13&keywords=transcend+64gb+sdxc


http://www.amazon.com/Sony-Class-Memory-SF64UY-TQMN/dp/B00B7ID9CU/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&qid=1412097728&sr=8-1&keywords=sony+64gb+sdxc

 

Thanks!

[Quirky]

@captou that card will work fine,I have the exact same one. Actually I have the regular Transcend SDXC class 10 64gb card, not the ultimate.I really didn't expect the card to work so I brought the Sony card just in case. The Sony card works well also.

http://www.amazon.com/TS64GSDXC10-SECURE-DIGITAL-Transcend-Digital/dp/B00J79OOW0/ref=sr_1_13?ie=UTF8&qid=1412097108&sr=8-13&keywords=transcend+64gb+sdxc


http://www.amazon.com/Sony-Class-Memory-SF64UY-TQMN/dp/B00B7ID9CU/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&qid=1412097728&sr=8-1&keywords=sony+64gb+sdxc

 

Interesting. 

I've got the Memory Stick Pro-HG Duo HX version of that, or a matching (up to 50MB/s) Sony card, but The RX10 doesn't want to record XAVC on it.

 

Oh well, Suppose I'll just buy another SanDisk Extreme Pro card next time I go shopping for new cards. Or maybe the Sony 94MB/s SDXC card, which is slightly cheaper. Those cards ought to work with pretty much any camera with an SD card slot. Including BMPCC with the 1.8 firmware update.

[vulgatron]

Sorry to bring this post up again, but I just re-discovered the RX10 with the new firmware, and I must say I'm very impressed with the quality of some videos I've seen, even thru vimeo. Looks like a very crisp 1080p almost 4k ish... 

If I understand this is due to the full sensor readout and being downscaled in camera to 1080, which the RX100 MK3 should do as well.

I've read that the RX100 mk3 has the same video quality, is that right?, the videos I've seen so far are not as crisp or detailed as the ones of the RX10, so it makes me wonder, as I'm torn between the two cameras.

Stabilisation is equal in both cameras?

And lastly I've been told that in lowlight the RX100 mk3 should outperform the 10 due to a brighter lens on the wide end, but how does the RX10 perform in dim street lights? Is it very noisy @ 3200? Is it 2.8 on the small sensor bright enough?

 

If video quality was equal I might go to the RX100 due to size and the tilting screen, although If bright enough I would like the constant zoom, water sealing, audio in/outs, hotshoe etc on the RX10.

 

Is there any other camera in that price range (700-800€) that does 1080p 50p with that kind of bandwith & 120 fps?

[xenogears]

Is there any other camera in that price range (700-800€) that does 1080p 50p with that kind of bandwith & 120 fps?

You should give a look to the Lumix LX100, have a bigger sensor, 4K recording, fast and stabilised zoom lens, 60fps at 1080p.

[vulgatron]

I was (still I'm) considering it, specially for the bigger sensor, but the bandwidth @ 50/60p is about half of the one on the RX series, and I suppose that might be noticeable. Also I'd appreciate the 120 fps, which might take me to FZ1000, but I believe the RX10 better construction and 2.8 lens might be better compared to it.

[EL Pistoffo]

I was (still I'm) considering it, specially for the bigger sensor, but the bandwidth @ 50/60p is about half of the one on the RX series, and I suppose that might be noticeable. Also I'd appreciate the 120 fps, which might take me to FZ1000, but I believe the RX10 better construction and 2.8 lens might be better compared to it.

Those are some of the reasons I've got the RX10 on the top of my list for a vacation camera.  I'm not a pro.  When traveling on vacation, ease of use and minimal gear is my top priority.  The Sony's built in ND filter is a Godsend for me.  4K is not important enough for me yet and the RX10's and RX100's very good 1080p seem to be more than satisfactory for my needs. 

 

I too have been looking at the LX100 for low-light, indoor/night uses.  It would have the edge there but I'm still undecided. What turns me off with the FZ1000 is the 37mm crop on the wide end at 4K and the lack of ND. If my camera has 4K, I'm going to use it.  I'm drawn to RX10 camera since they have a bit more video complementing features excluding image profiles.  I'm also a minimalist with editing, I try to get it as close to what I want OOC as I can.  An RX10 with 4K would be very nice though.

 

It ultimately depends and what you need and what your willing to compromise with.

[Quirky]

I've read that the RX100 mk3 has the same video quality, is that right?

 

On paper, maybe, but in practise, nope.

Don't look at the specs alone. It all depends on what exactly are you wishing to accomplish with the camera, and where and how are you going to use it.

 

 

If video quality was equal I might go to the RX100 due to size and the tilting screen, although If bright enough I would like the constant zoom, water sealing, audio in/outs, hotshoe etc on the RX10.

 

If video quality was equal the RX10 would still be a no-brainer. That is, as long as video shooting is concerned. The only practical reason to consider the RX100 over RX10 is the size difference. If tiny, easily pocketable size is your number 1 criteria, then go for the RX100.  Other than that, the RX10 is a more versatile video camera.

 

It ultimately depends on what you need and what your willing to compromise with.

 

Right.