+Matt Granger I agree but the only reason why this video is not getting million views unfortunately is that it is a bit too long, people usually don't have the patience to go over a 10 min video despite that it is an excellent video
Dave Dugdale It's weird, because my NX-500 facebook group, where I found this comparison is filled with people complaining that the NX-1 needs a firmware update, to focus as well as Samsung's newest offering. I had gotten the impression that the NX-1 had focusing problems!
Dave Dugdale Its a great camera, I used it in a music video it held the focus just brilliant on auto even when the singers came fast up to the lens it focused so smoothly its barely visible in the 4k footage.
NX1 looks like the best general purpose 4k video. In comparing against the 70D for video, I am curious about the pull focus. A lot of talk from Samsung on latest update, but Ive yet to see if its as good or better than the 70D for touchscreen focus pulls. I suspect the NX1 is faster AF, but not good at cinematic looking focus pulls. Something to consider, and now the 70D has ML it has focus peaks for MF video, time lapse for free, and auto ETTR for stills.
fallenentity2 That can easily be fixed with noise reduction with the loss of sharpness. How are we supposed to determine detail to noise ratio if we can't see any detail? What if it was noisier because they didn't use any noise reduction blurring, but that extra sharpness goes to waste because it's out of focus.
Look at the brick then. If you really need to see detail with the noise then go rent it and actually look at footage you shoot. Also, if you are looking at detail in the noise the only way to get a fair comparison is to use the same lens, so it's really a moot point.
So many reviews really don't capture the pros or cons like this for the price. This to me shows how the price really increases and say if you're into video and need focus tracking is it really for you. Very good comparison.
I really don't feel that the low light comparison was fair. I would have loved to see all three recorded with the Shogun, to see the sensor performance independent of compression. I am also interested in seeing if enabling noise reduction on the NX1 would improve the compression artifacts in low light.
Great Review! (again) The NX1 should have beat the GH4 but it doesn't seem like it, the GH4 is a great performer. The NX1 can auto focus at 60p and has 120p slow mo. Sweet. I think the NX1 is an awesome stills & video package. I'm super impressed. The A7S - don't know what kind of voodoo black magic Sony is doing but that is the king of low light.
Tony, this was the video two years ago that caused me to buy my NX1, and it REMAINS the best camera I have ever bought or that is available. I bought the a6500 which has AMAZING imaging and dynamic range BUT it has ATROCIOUS rolling shutter and thereby rendering the camera unusable FOR ME, as I shout action/martial arts films. I just wanted to thank you again.
Great job. Really nice. How much the lens selection influenced the result of this tests? And also can you please tell me what was the lens selection on each camera? Thanks
When you talk about the NX1 you said: " it's the best...if you can get the lenses you need". When I look around online I don't have the feeling it's going to be that tough to find decent lenses for this cam, particularly the cine lenses from Rokinon?
Tony, did you miss the focus on the nx1 during the iso test? The background seems much sharper on the nx1 compared to the others and your face and eyes look soft...edit: NVM, I just read your comment below...
great comparison, really helpful and the noise performance and dynamic range of the a7s really are insane, I still think 1080p will be plenty for the next 10 years though and even then, is 1080 really suddenly gonna look unacceptable and outdated?, I am going to keep using 1080p. The price, hardware requirements, storage price etc are just too high for me at the moment. Anyways very informative video and keep it up!
Great review! First time hearing of the NX1 I was surprised how sharp the Samsung was during the DR test. I think it was a little out of focus during the ISO test though.
Maybe I'm wrong but I noticed some latency with GH4 and NX1 in your clip... I know it doesn't matter but it seems to me that A7S is faster in processing the shooting...
at 4:40 it's weird to see the NX1 out of focus after the test of tracking you did ! And the ISO 1.6M still would be usable on the sony, if ever you find yourself filming in pitch black environment !
Again, great work Tony. You are becoming a PhD at this. FOCUS Question In re-watching this shootout (I'm leaning heavily towards buying the Samsung NX1) I was disappointed with the NX1's resolution and then I remembered you said at the start that the Sony was going into the Shogun. Still it seems the GH4 looks slightly better in focus. Do you remember the f/ stop you were shooting? "LEAN TO THE GREEN" Next, I'd like to confirm with you that I've always thought the Panasonic and Sony cameras "lean to the green". But that I mean if you look at the outside shots at 3:00 and at the studio shots at 5:00, you can see a slight green tinge to your skin. Do you find that to be true? CAMERA CHOICE Lastly, if you were pleased with the focusing capabilities of the Samsung, why do you film your videos with the Sony? Just wondering what that decision was based on.
Awesome video! Sammy is definitely the wildlife + video hybrid, but it was kinda humorous how A7s came to top in most categories. Also hilarious that you invite video guy to share some of his opinion, and he's basically yup yep *nod* *nod*.
+Tony & Chelsea Northrup At around 1:53 you say the Samsung base ISO is 200, this is incorrect. At around 4:45 you have it correct, so the point is mostly moot.... but it's bugging me now :P
I've watched several of your comparison videos, and enjoyed them quite a bit. I found this one, as I came across someone selling a used NX1. On the ISO comparison shot, I originally thought the NX1 was back focused. But when you compare the eyes across the three shots, they are comparably sharp. It seems the Samsung is doing some sort of processing on your skin. Sony has done something similar in the past. It's a flattering effect, that I hope can be turned off. If I'm right, this could be a big plus for some clients.
I thought the same. I was like: WHHUT's going on!? i have the NX1 still. and i just knew something was up LOL. Definitely not the newest. But for my personal use, the NX1 is MUCH better than what i was always used to. (reacting 2 years later. MWEH XD)
@WarpedTrekker Pentax The products are very old, and without the help of companies like SONY/Panasonic/Canon/Nikon, Korean companies can't make sensors and processors for real APS-C and full-frame SLR/mid-range and high-end camera phones. No camera is not made in Korea, TV stations do not have Samsung's professional products, Samsung manufactures digital cameras in 2003-2004, South Korea is not a truly developed technology country, SONY / Panasonic / Canon / Nikon in 2014 - In 2018, the company continues to produce new digital SLR and micro single-shot cameras and no-reflex cameras/cameras. There are hundreds of different models, and the Samsung camera in 2014 is also a very low-end assembly product.
Well its a great review and comparison. However I don't own any of them to comment on and I don't have any but I would like to see a comparison of Sony A7 II S-Log vs Sony A7s S-Log. Many of the reviews says A7II video is not that good. Can you please compare them both?
I'm really torn between the GH4 and NX1. Although slightly leaning towards the NX1. I've been watching videos of the gh4 and comparing with the nx1 and the nx1 seems a bit better, more crisp. Tony, if you had to, which would you choose?
.... not really your style. but I haven't seen a great comparison between the gh4 and the g7.. I was hoping for a more detailed video. would you consider doing something like this?
Thanks for posting this interesting comparison! I´m interested in getting the Sony A6000 and wondering, if the AF during video is as bad as the a7s´s. That would be kind of a bummer!
Excellent comparison! I just disagree with almost everything you said when you talked about A7s for stills! You talk about 12mp as it was an unusable resolution. Apparently you only tested it on "continuous"/tracking mode, which really sucks. Have you tested it on the (much more common for stills shooters) Single-shot mode? I couldn't be more satisfied with it! Obviously it's not blazing fast, but very consistent and A7s' incredible low-light capabilities are not limited to high-iso performance. When it comes to AF in (really) low light it's not only far better than the other competitors here, but also better than most (maybe all) pro-DSLR's. Plus, can you tell me of any other interchangeable-lens full frame camera that has a (totally) silent mode? I also have 5D mark III with 4 great lenses. The only lens I have for A7s is the Zeiss 55mm 1.8, but I'm using it much more then the Canon! So, it all depends on your priorities. If your priorities for stills are the fastest AF, continuous AF or cropping most of your photos, actually A7s it's not the camera for you. Otherwise, I think it's an excellent option for those who want great performance both for video and stills. But if you don't shoot in low light, NX1 is clearly the best in this regard! Don't get me wrong, because apart from that little "injustice", I liked this comparison so much that you'll be following your channel. Best regards! =)
A7S + PL adapter and some nice old LOMO lenses f2.0 and holy crap you get some fantastic cinematic images + Resolve 11 and you have a combo that gives a run for their money to some of the best 4k cameras out there. Stacked up my Reds against the A7s with the Lomos and the only thing really hurting the A7s is rolling shutter.
Is that Moire coming up at 5:40 showing up on your uncompressed footage? It comes through strongest watching this at 4k on RUclips on the Sony, a little on the Gh4 and not at all on the Samsung (which looked soft on the focus at that moment. Have you noticed this to be a problem in your other shots?
the nx1's autofocus looks amazing... almost everything about it does to me. but the only reason i am hesitant to buy it is the time recording limit on it (which the gh4 does not have). is there any possibility of this being removed in the future?
On the GH4 ISO max of 6400 .. I just learned something new. I also find it odd that it stops there especially since by turning on extended ISO in camera mode it goes up to 25600. Maybe they will change that in firmware one day.
with constant f why sony not overexposed with that much iso ? do you set bigger shutters ?? or what cause the background staying same, not become sharp at all
Hello. Thank you for the video. I would like a camera with very efficient AF as the Nx1 but the problem is I cannot find it anymore. So which camera can I choose?. A light one.
Tony, do you know how we can get live-view on viewfinder/LCD screen of Sony A7s when shooting photos (stills) if an external monitor is connected with HDMI? In shooting videos, Sony A7s shows live-view on viewfinder/LCD as well as on monitor. Once switch to shoot stills, the camera blacked out.
Great review and very informative. Why didn't you test the sharpness? I guess that's lens dependent, but it seems to be a strength of the NX1, maybe the GH4, and not the A7s. Also, the noise levels at base ISO, which would be my first concern with the A7s. Last thing: there are something like 18 native NX lenses, and everything you would want in primes for video. For Image Stabilization, the options are limited to focal lengths above 60mm and the zooms, one of which is an "S," their highest level lens. There are only 8 Sony FE lenses, the image stabilization is limited entirely to zooms, and the lenses are way more expensive than the Samsungs, and test comparably. The native lens selection in Sony FE just isn't there. Just sayin'.
what i wanted to know was why the nx1 was not focused better, his eyes are not on snap; just beyond, so the text behind him is sharper than the canon. wish you had shown a nikon adapter on it example
I just want to say because I am so early I love you and Chelsea and the channel I love all the videos. I also have a question: have you ever tried apples aperture photoshop software they do not make any updates anymore but I use it I'm 13 and I just love taking pictures so its fine with me I also love your book. It has helped me learn photography so well thank you
Tony, this was an awesome comparison! You're videos are superb! Regrading the Mitakan 50mm, what's the center sharpness when wide open? The tiny clip you showed of Chelsea with a wide open aperture didn't seem sharp anywhere on the frame. The DOF must be razor thin at .95 but was the focus just off? Any thoughts?
AliAtusa Sharpness has been OK for what we do, but yeah, it's real easy to miss focus (especially with video) and it's never especially sharp. The effect is very unique and striking, though.
The background blur in the Zeiss 55mm 1.8 is quite beautiful too. Almost anamorphic looking but extremely tack sharp at 1.8 even. worth the additional 1/3 stop?
hey Tony Northrup , at around 10:7 you said that in low light situations where you don't have enough iso, you just underexpose that scene & pull it back up in grading... I've never heard of that technique before, wouldn't it bring up noise?
EPIC767 FILMS Yeah, it brings up the noise, but it's the only option you have when you don't have enough light and the camera won't support a higher ISO. It's called "pushing" the exposure, and it dates back to the film days.
This is wonderful! But I have to ask: Are you using the Sennheiser G2 wireless? Those RF hits sound familiar. They plagued my G2. I have to say that I NEVER get those with the G3 and it's passive diversity. I don't live in a big city though. Anyway, back to watching this awesome comparison. I'm rooting for the GH4, since that's the camera I have.
Chad Johnson I'm pretty sure I was using the G3, but we do also have a G2. Interesting, I had never noticed a problem with the G2s, but I'll keep that in mind.
This was an excellent, excellent test comparison. 3 great cameras. This makes is a lot more clear what the strengths and weaknesses of each camera are and I feel much more informed about what i'd get with each camera and system. Thanks.
I have the gh4 and the a7s. And yes a7s blows gh4 away in low light. But I don't agree the a7s dynamic range is that far behind the Sony. I find I get more detail In the shadows on the Sony, yes. But I find I retain more detail in the highlights in the gh4 where the Sony blows it out. Almost like one is too sensitive. And the other isn't sensitive enough. A7s is great. But I only pick it over my gh4 when the lightings bad. Gh4 is so easy to use!
No comparison here. The Sony A7s is in a league of its own. It trumps both the Samsung & Panasonic and it should because its a full frame monster. The large pixel density gathers so much light, ISO6400 looks like ISO100 compare to the two smaller-sensored cameras. Color rendition is also spot on the Sony. I guess you get what you paid for; depends on what you shoot and your clients. AF could improve, but nothing a good videographer can't figure out.
In addition to being a phenomenal video camera, the a7s is a wonderful stills camera. I absolutely 100% disagree that it is terrible as a stills camera, as do many Leica shooters who put Leica lenses on it, instead of buying the Leica M240. The IQ is stunning, probably the best I've seen next to the D4s. Colors are true, saturation is wonderful and sharpness is superb if your glass is up to snuff. 12MP on its face doesn't seem like much, but remember at 300dpi, 12MP is enough to produce prints up to 20X24 with very little impact on image quality. It's compact size makes it a joy to take around. It's unobtrusive and also sports a fully silent shutter. And paired with the native Zeiss optics the results are simply beautiful. All in all, there are many, many worse cameras for shooting stills and if you take full advantage of the full frame sensor, that includes both cameras on that table. cheers.
14:10 Wait a sec, I don't remember seeing a tutorial for the A7, I would have watched it by now if you did. Maybe you meant the a6000? That would make since, because the menu systems are very similar.
Allister Whyte Justin doesn't often read the comments, but I'll say that a firmware update could definitely help some... it could at least bring it up to the level of the GH4. It lacks phase detect focusing, which a firmware update couldn't fix.
In the ISO test NX1 is not focused on Tony, instead it's focused on the wall. Look at the word "Lightroom 5" on the magazine. How sharp it is. It's OK to think this is ISO test, so the focus point is not super important, but still when people look at a blurry image, they will think this camera is bad even in low ISO.
Great work, Tony. If you were very pleased with the focusing capabilities of the Samsung, why do you film your videos with the Sony? Just wondering what that decision was based on. Thx
+Tony Northrup Thank you. I'm more into the video side of the camera. You just seemed so impressed with the way the Samsung held focus on you, where the Sony failed three times. If video was your only occupation would you pick the Samsung NX1 if the Canon lenses weren't the issue.
+CineBootCamps / Fletcher Murray Something to consider here, is that they often aren't moving around much. They can just set the focus how they want it and leave it (for the most part) and that kinda takes away from the major plus of the nx1.
+XSquibX Thanks for the reply. Did you find any problem importing the Samsung's h.265 files into your editing platform? If so, do you mind sharing your workflow?
I'm not sure that focus tracking test was very fair for the a7s. With the other two cameras, a lot of his body was in the center of the frame. With the a7s, you had him way down in the bottom. So of course the a7s didn't do well.
📷 Panasonic GH4 on Amazon help.tc/GH4
📷 Samsung NX1 on Amazon help.tc/nx1
📷 Sony a7S on Amazon help.tc/a7S
📷 Atomos Shogun on Amazon help.tc/Shogun
This video deserves a million views - I hope people realise the amount of work that goes into something this. Nicely done.
Matt commenting on a Tony's video? My universe exploted, and yes, this is an excelent work
+Matt Granger I agree but the only reason why this video is not getting million views unfortunately is that it is a bit too long, people usually don't have the patience to go over a 10 min video despite that it is an excellent video
Tony and the team, the amount of work you guys put into these videos is phenomenal. Thank you.
stealthyevil1 Thanks! Yes, this vid was a ton of work :).
Great comparison guys! I'm shocked at how well the Samsung focuses.
Dave Dugdale Thanks, Dave! We were shocked, too.
Tony Northrup
make that 3
Dave Dugdale It's weird, because my NX-500 facebook group, where I found this comparison is filled with people complaining that the NX-1 needs a firmware update, to focus as well as Samsung's newest offering. I had gotten the impression that the NX-1 had focusing problems!
Dave Dugdale Its a great camera, I used it in a music video it held the focus just brilliant on auto even when the singers came fast up to the lens it focused so smoothly its barely visible in the 4k footage.
Nx1 has become my favorite system out here in LA - it is the best camera for stills and video period! Sold my 5d3 system and gh4
NX1 looks like the best general purpose 4k video. In comparing against the 70D for video, I am curious about the pull focus. A lot of talk from Samsung on latest update, but Ive yet to see if its as good or better than the 70D for touchscreen focus pulls. I suspect the NX1 is faster AF, but not good at cinematic looking focus pulls. Something to consider, and now the 70D has ML it has focus peaks for MF video, time lapse for free, and auto ETTR for stills.
The NX1 was slightly out of focus during the entirety of the ISO test it seems...
Baba Wethu Actually a lot! The background was in focus.
Baba Wethu Yeah, pretty disappointed about that. I really wanted to see that particular comparison to the NX1...
+Daves Archives You can still see the exposure. If you can't compare them with the focus not entirely on him, then hope is lost.
fallenentity2 That can easily be fixed with noise reduction with the loss of sharpness. How are we supposed to determine detail to noise ratio if we can't see any detail? What if it was noisier because they didn't use any noise reduction blurring, but that extra sharpness goes to waste because it's out of focus.
Look at the brick then. If you really need to see detail with the noise then go rent it and actually look at footage you shoot. Also, if you are looking at detail in the noise the only way to get a fair comparison is to use the same lens, so it's really a moot point.
One of your best videos so far. Very fair and methodical testing.
So many reviews really don't capture the pros or cons like this for the price. This to me shows how the price really increases and say if you're into video and need focus tracking is it really for you. Very good comparison.
The color rendering on the NX1 is so good!
The very best camera reviewer online - by a long shot !
Paul Woods Thanks!
This is the best review EVER!
+Charly Labs joke? I don't understand why he's blathering on about ISO settings with weird unmatching shots. Lame. Turned it off.
love this video!! I'm definitely getting the gh4 for my channel!! great work
I really don't feel that the low light comparison was fair. I would have loved to see all three recorded with the Shogun, to see the sensor performance independent of compression.
I am also interested in seeing if enabling noise reduction on the NX1 would improve the compression artifacts in low light.
Great Review! (again) The NX1 should have beat the GH4 but it doesn't seem like it, the GH4 is a great performer. The NX1 can auto focus at 60p and has 120p slow mo. Sweet. I think the NX1 is an awesome stills & video package. I'm super impressed. The A7S - don't know what kind of voodoo black magic Sony is doing but that is the king of low light.
it can track focus at 120p slowmo
Well, the NX1 is actually a less expensive camera than the GH4 ^_^.
Yes! Been waiting for this video :) :)
Probably The GREATEST Camera comparasion review I have seen yet. Thank you sir!!
From 4:40 in the ISO test I'm pretty sure, that the NX1 has focus on the background instead of the object (you).
Very nice review and comparison!
Tony, this was the video two years ago that caused me to buy my NX1, and it REMAINS the best camera I have ever bought or that is available. I bought the a6500 which has AMAZING imaging and dynamic range BUT it has ATROCIOUS rolling shutter and thereby rendering the camera unusable FOR ME, as I shout action/martial arts films. I just wanted to thank you again.
Been waiting for a video like this, great work and thanks!
Please do a review of the mitakon 0.95!
Bror Svensson Media It's in the works, most of it has been filmed already.
Great job. Really nice. How much the lens selection influenced the result of this tests? And also can you please tell me what was the lens selection on each camera? Thanks
Great informative video. Love the discussion while being able to visually compare the three cameras. Lots of useful info. Nice job Tony!
Great video. The a7S iso push test results were unreal!
When you talk about the NX1 you said: " it's the best...if you can get the lenses you need". When I look around online I don't have the feeling it's going to be that tough to find decent lenses for this cam, particularly the cine lenses from Rokinon?
I heard that the Samsung NX1 can interchange lenses with the Pentax K series lenses. Plus Tamron and Sigma lenses. That jumps the lens count up a lot.
Wonderful mix of review and tests. Loved the million ISO test.
Tony, did you miss the focus on the nx1 during the iso test? The background seems much sharper on the nx1 compared to the others and your face and eyes look soft...edit: NVM, I just read your comment below...
great comparison, really helpful and the noise performance and dynamic range of the a7s really are insane, I still think 1080p will be plenty for the next 10 years though and even then, is 1080 really suddenly gonna look unacceptable and outdated?, I am going to keep using 1080p. The price, hardware requirements, storage price etc are just too high for me at the moment. Anyways very informative video and keep it up!
Great work Tony, I always enjoy your videos.
excellent live comparison Tony!
The ISO of the Sony A7s is insane!
Still, the price and bad focusing...
Nice comparison. I was wondering if the GH4 would do any better if it was using the Metabones Speed Booster?
Great review! First time hearing of the NX1 I was surprised how sharp the Samsung was during the DR test. I think it was a little out of focus during the ISO test though.
Maybe I'm wrong but I noticed some latency with GH4 and NX1 in your clip... I know it doesn't matter but it seems to me that A7S is faster in processing the shooting...
great work! thank you. can you do a video GH4 vs GH4r or do you already have one?
at 4:40 it's weird to see the NX1 out of focus after the test of tracking you did !
And the ISO 1.6M still would be usable on the sony, if ever you find yourself filming in pitch black environment !
Again, great work Tony. You are becoming a PhD at this.
FOCUS Question
In re-watching this shootout (I'm leaning heavily towards buying the Samsung NX1) I was disappointed with the NX1's resolution and then I remembered you said at the start that the Sony was going into the Shogun. Still it seems the GH4 looks slightly better in focus. Do you remember the f/ stop you were shooting?
"LEAN TO THE GREEN"
Next, I'd like to confirm with you that I've always thought the Panasonic and Sony cameras "lean to the green". But that I mean if you look at the outside shots at 3:00 and at the studio shots at 5:00, you can see a slight green tinge to your skin. Do you find that to be true?
CAMERA CHOICE
Lastly, if you were pleased with the focusing capabilities of the Samsung, why do you film your videos with the Sony? Just wondering what that decision was based on.
Nice comparisson! Interresting to see the same test for dynamic range, but then with the new firmware update of the GH4, it enables V-log...
I have a Olympus Pen E-P3. Can my camera take Astrophotography? If yes, which lens you recommend?
Three Tony's is simply scary cool!
Awesome video!
Sammy is definitely the wildlife + video hybrid, but it was kinda humorous how A7s came to top in most categories. Also hilarious that you invite video guy to share some of his opinion, and he's basically yup yep *nod* *nod*.
+Tony & Chelsea Northrup At around 1:53 you say the Samsung base ISO is 200, this is incorrect. At around 4:45 you have it correct, so the point is mostly moot.... but it's bugging me now :P
I've watched several of your comparison videos, and enjoyed them quite a bit. I found this one, as I came across someone selling a used NX1. On the ISO comparison shot, I originally thought the NX1 was back focused. But when you compare the eyes across the three shots, they are comparably sharp. It seems the Samsung is doing some sort of processing on your skin. Sony has done something similar in the past. It's a flattering effect, that I hope can be turned off. If I'm right, this could be a big plus for some clients.
5:15 the NX1 is constnatly out of focus. guessing this was a manual focus moment.
Dombowerphoto I believe so, see his reply to Cale Smith, "Yeah, a bit... it's tough manning three cameras ;)"
I thought the same. I was like: WHHUT's going on!? i have the NX1 still. and i just knew something was up LOL. Definitely not the newest. But for my personal use, the NX1 is MUCH better than what i was always used to. (reacting 2 years later. MWEH XD)
@WarpedTrekker Pentax The products are very old, and without the help of companies like SONY/Panasonic/Canon/Nikon, Korean companies can't make sensors and processors for real APS-C and full-frame SLR/mid-range and high-end camera phones. No camera is not made in Korea, TV stations do not have Samsung's professional products, Samsung manufactures digital cameras in 2003-2004, South Korea is not a truly developed technology country, SONY / Panasonic / Canon / Nikon in 2014 - In 2018, the company continues to produce new digital SLR and micro single-shot cameras and no-reflex cameras/cameras. There are hundreds of different models, and the Samsung camera in 2014 is also a very low-end assembly product.
NX1 in 2019?
And 2020?
And 2021?
Well its a great review and comparison. However I don't own any of them to comment on and I don't have any but I would like to see a comparison of Sony A7 II S-Log vs Sony A7s S-Log. Many of the reviews says A7II video is not that good. Can you please compare them both?
Hey Tony I knw you like Panasonic. I was wondering what your take on the G7 was in comparison to the GH4
I'm really torn between the GH4 and NX1. Although slightly leaning towards the NX1. I've been watching videos of the gh4 and comparing with the nx1 and the nx1 seems a bit better, more crisp. Tony, if you had to, which would you choose?
.... not really your style. but I haven't seen a great comparison between the gh4 and the g7.. I was hoping for a more detailed video. would you consider doing something like this?
What program do you use to down sample the 4K video to 1920x1080 while doing editing? Handbrake?
Thanks for posting this interesting comparison! I´m interested in getting the Sony A6000 and wondering, if the AF during video is as bad as the a7s´s. That would be kind of a bummer!
Excellent comparison! I just disagree with almost everything you said when you talked about A7s for stills!
You talk about 12mp as it was an unusable resolution.
Apparently you only tested it on "continuous"/tracking mode, which really sucks. Have you tested it on the (much more common for stills shooters) Single-shot mode? I couldn't be more satisfied with it! Obviously it's not blazing fast, but very consistent and A7s' incredible low-light capabilities are not limited to high-iso performance. When it comes to AF in (really) low light it's not only far better than the other competitors here, but also better than most (maybe all) pro-DSLR's.
Plus, can you tell me of any other interchangeable-lens full frame camera that has a (totally) silent mode? I also have 5D mark III with 4 great lenses. The only lens I have for A7s is the Zeiss 55mm 1.8, but I'm using it much more then the Canon!
So, it all depends on your priorities. If your priorities for stills are the fastest AF, continuous AF or cropping most of your photos, actually A7s it's not the camera for you. Otherwise, I think it's an excellent option for those who want great performance both for video and stills. But if you don't shoot in low light, NX1 is clearly the best in this regard!
Don't get me wrong, because apart from that little "injustice", I liked this comparison so much that you'll be following your channel.
Best regards! =)
Hey Tony review camparison 4k NX1 vs NX500 please!!
I loved your ISO comparisons... and seeing how the Sony was clear whilst everything was being destroyed. Pure camera comedy.
A7S + PL adapter and some nice old LOMO lenses f2.0 and holy crap you get some fantastic cinematic images + Resolve 11 and you have a combo that gives a run for their money to some of the best 4k cameras out there. Stacked up my Reds against the A7s with the Lomos and the only thing really hurting the A7s is rolling shutter.
My A7s with 24-70mm. Face Detection switched on and has no problem tracking and keeping person face in focus.
Excellent review - absolutely perfect! Thanks Tony!
Is that Moire coming up at 5:40 showing up on your uncompressed footage? It comes through strongest watching this at 4k on RUclips on the Sony, a little on the Gh4 and not at all on the Samsung (which looked soft on the focus at that moment. Have you noticed this to be a problem in your other shots?
With the difference of price, is the Sony a7S in the same category ?
I don't think so.
I watched this again and at 24' does the NX1 has a greenish tint? The GH4 looks the better on the segment starting at 24'
Not sure what was wrong but I haven't had any issues updating firmware on my a7s or a7ii
@Tony are you still using GH4 for filming? Would you perfer NX1 over GH4 ATM?
the nx1's autofocus looks amazing... almost everything about it does to me. but the only reason i am hesitant to buy it is the time recording limit on it (which the gh4 does not have). is there any possibility of this being removed in the future?
Tony is not content with cropping all images. He recently cropped Lord of The Rings down to 16:2 for a true widescreen look.
On the GH4 ISO max of 6400 .. I just learned something new. I also find it odd that it stops there especially since by turning on extended ISO in camera mode it goes up to 25600. Maybe they will change that in firmware one day.
Can we expect a review on the new Samsung nx500.
with constant f why sony not overexposed with that much iso ? do you set bigger shutters ?? or what cause the background staying same, not become sharp at all
Hello. Thank you for the video. I would like a camera with very efficient AF as the Nx1 but the problem is I cannot find it anymore. So which camera can I choose?. A light one.
How can you crop/pan/zoom your 4k footage if you edit on smaller resolution files?
Next time can we have three Chelseas? :)
Tony, do you know how we can get live-view on viewfinder/LCD screen of Sony A7s when shooting photos (stills) if an external monitor is connected with HDMI?
In shooting videos, Sony A7s shows live-view on viewfinder/LCD as well as on monitor. Once switch to shoot stills, the camera blacked out.
Tony, what lens was on the GH4 during the focus tracking? Thanks.
Great review and very informative. Why didn't you test the sharpness? I guess that's lens dependent, but it seems to be a strength of the NX1, maybe the GH4, and not the A7s. Also, the noise levels at base ISO, which would be my first concern with the A7s. Last thing: there are something like 18 native NX lenses, and everything you would want in primes for video. For Image Stabilization, the options are limited to focal lengths above 60mm and the zooms, one of which is an "S," their highest level lens. There are only 8 Sony FE lenses, the image stabilization is limited entirely to zooms, and the lenses are way more expensive than the Samsungs, and test comparably. The native lens selection in Sony FE just isn't there. Just sayin'.
what i wanted to know was why the nx1 was not focused better, his eyes are not on snap; just beyond, so the text behind him is sharper than the canon. wish you had shown a nikon adapter on it example
In the test with the ISO on the camera NX1 focus put on the wall.
I just want to say because I am so early I love you and Chelsea and the channel I love all the videos. I also have a question: have you ever tried apples aperture photoshop software they do not make any updates anymore but I use it I'm 13 and I just love taking pictures so its fine with me I also love your book. It has helped me learn photography so well thank you
AF25 Thanks for the nice words! We're have PCs, so we never really had the chance to get to know Aperture.
Thanks for answering I've been asking at the live shows for ages but thanks for clearing it up for me
I like how at the iso comparison you say that the sony probably is really bad but you it is still looking quite good, what a iso trooper!
Fantastic, Thank-you so much for the complex and in-depth caparison.
Genius! Absolutely brilliant video. Truly helpful. Thanks.
Great job...It be awesome for you guys to do a Samsung editing workflow due to the new codec....
george aronis Basically, you just have to transcode it into ProRes or H.264 or whatever codec you use for editing.
Tony, this was an awesome comparison! You're videos are superb! Regrading the Mitakan 50mm, what's the center sharpness when wide open? The tiny clip you showed of Chelsea with a wide open aperture didn't seem sharp anywhere on the frame. The DOF must be razor thin at .95 but was the focus just off? Any thoughts?
AliAtusa Sharpness has been OK for what we do, but yeah, it's real easy to miss focus (especially with video) and it's never especially sharp. The effect is very unique and striking, though.
The background blur in the Zeiss 55mm 1.8 is quite beautiful too. Almost anamorphic looking but extremely tack sharp at 1.8 even. worth the additional 1/3 stop?
hey Tony Northrup , at around 10:7 you said that in low light situations where you don't have enough iso, you just underexpose that scene & pull it back up in grading... I've never heard of that technique before, wouldn't it bring up noise?
EPIC767 FILMS Yeah, it brings up the noise, but it's the only option you have when you don't have enough light and the camera won't support a higher ISO. It's called "pushing" the exposure, and it dates back to the film days.
This is wonderful! But I have to ask: Are you using the Sennheiser G2 wireless? Those RF hits sound familiar. They plagued my G2. I have to say that I NEVER get those with the G3 and it's passive diversity. I don't live in a big city though. Anyway, back to watching this awesome comparison. I'm rooting for the GH4, since that's the camera I have.
Chad Johnson I'm pretty sure I was using the G3, but we do also have a G2. Interesting, I had never noticed a problem with the G2s, but I'll keep that in mind.
What Camera was used to film the whole comparison ? Not good, too grainiesh on skin tones
BodyBuilding League I think we filmed the b-roll with my Samsung S5. Maybe a GH4.
Noticeable focus setup issues... Samsung focusing on back wall during ISO comparison.
This was an excellent, excellent test comparison. 3 great cameras. This makes is a lot more clear what the strengths and weaknesses of each camera are and I feel much more informed about what i'd get with each camera and system. Thanks.
I have the gh4 and the a7s.
And yes a7s blows gh4 away in low light. But I don't agree the a7s dynamic range is that far behind the Sony. I find I get more detail
In the shadows on the Sony, yes. But I find I retain more detail in the highlights in the gh4 where the Sony blows it out.
Almost like one is too sensitive. And the other isn't sensitive enough.
A7s is great. But I only pick it over my gh4 when the lightings bad.
Gh4 is so easy to use!
The color of GH4 looks a little weird. Does it happen only in 4K?
Amazing video quality, thank you so much!
No comparison here. The Sony A7s is in a league of its own. It trumps both the Samsung & Panasonic and it should because its a full frame monster. The large pixel density gathers so much light, ISO6400 looks like ISO100 compare to the two smaller-sensored cameras. Color rendition is also spot on the Sony. I guess you get what you paid for; depends on what you shoot and your clients. AF could improve, but nothing a good videographer can't figure out.
How did you push up the ISO so high?
In addition to being a phenomenal video camera, the a7s is a wonderful stills camera. I absolutely 100% disagree that it is terrible as a stills camera, as do many Leica shooters who put Leica lenses on it, instead of buying the Leica M240. The IQ is stunning, probably the best I've seen next to the D4s. Colors are true, saturation is wonderful and sharpness is superb if your glass is up to snuff.
12MP on its face doesn't seem like much, but remember at 300dpi, 12MP is enough to produce prints up to 20X24 with very little impact on image quality.
It's compact size makes it a joy to take around. It's unobtrusive and also sports a fully silent shutter. And paired with the native Zeiss optics the results are simply beautiful.
All in all, there are many, many worse cameras for shooting stills and if you take full advantage of the full frame sensor, that includes both cameras on that table.
cheers.
14:10 Wait a sec, I don't remember seeing a tutorial for the A7, I would have watched it by now if you did. Maybe you meant the a6000? That would make since, because the menu systems are very similar.
Kyle Wolfe Sorry, we recorded the a7 tutorial but haven't yet published it. Soon! It'll be at sdp.io/tutorial.
Justin,could the Sony's auto focus issue be improved by a firmware update one day or is that something that cant be fixed?
Allister Whyte Justin doesn't often read the comments, but I'll say that a firmware update could definitely help some... it could at least bring it up to the level of the GH4. It lacks phase detect focusing, which a firmware update couldn't fix.
In the ISO test NX1 is not focused on Tony, instead it's focused on the wall. Look at the word "Lightroom 5" on the magazine. How sharp it is. It's OK to think this is ISO test, so the focus point is not super important, but still when people look at a blurry image, they will think this camera is bad even in low ISO.
Great work, Tony.
If you were very pleased with the focusing capabilities of the Samsung, why do you film your videos with the Sony? Just wondering what that decision was based on. Thx
+CineBootCamps / Fletcher Murray Full frame sensor, compatibility with Canon lenses, and cleaner images.
+Tony Northrup
Thank you. I'm more into the video side of the camera. You just seemed so impressed with the way the Samsung held focus on you, where the Sony failed three times. If video was your only occupation would you pick the Samsung NX1 if the Canon lenses weren't the issue.
+CineBootCamps / Fletcher Murray Something to consider here, is that they often aren't moving around much. They can just set the focus how they want it and leave it (for the most part) and that kinda takes away from the major plus of the nx1.
+XSquibX Thanks for the reply. Did you find any problem importing the Samsung's h.265 files into your editing platform? If so, do you mind sharing your workflow?
on iso 200 and above is it me or the gh4 and nx1 seem to have noise reduction or skin softener? detail seems insane on the sony.
by re-do do you mean a proxy format?
I'm not sure that focus tracking test was very fair for the a7s. With the other two cameras, a lot of his body was in the center of the frame. With the a7s, you had him way down in the bottom. So of course the a7s didn't do well.
Hmmm. Samsung NX-1 seems to do much better over the ISO tests.... shame about the quirky bugs with the firmware though.