The Sony NEX-VG20, a consumer HD interchangeable lens camcorder that follows the world’s first consumer-oriented HD camcorder with an interchangeable lens system, the NEX-VG10.

The NEX-VG20 features the same E-mount system that offers users the choice of seven different E-mount lenses. Sony claims the VG20 offers a number of improvements over the previous model, including comprehensive manual controls, improved imaging quality, upgraded sound and ergonomic refinements such as enhanced grips and a second record button.

SONY “The Handycam® NEX-VG20 offers creative videographers and moviemakers professional performance, whatever their subject. With an improved 16.1 megapixel resolution, you can shoot Full HD video in 25p mode to give your images that timeless cinematic look. Or switch to 50p recording to capture fast and furious sporting action”

The VG-10 suffered rather bad moire patterning and only filmed in 25p mode, I do hope Sony have addressed the moire patterning with the VG-20.

I don’t like the fact that Sony have kept the same look as the VG-10, all they seem to have done is internal tweaking but you now have a choice of 25p and 50p which is good and even if you are using Final Cut Express you can buy a great wee programme called CLIP WRAP that will allow your 50p footage to be used in FCP-7 or Express.

Please note : Some of my readers in China do not get Vimeo so if you would like to see the Vimeo version click on the Video Review tab.

Yesterday Susan and I took a trip to the heart of Edinburgh to produce a video review of the new Sony HXR-NX3D1 camcorder at the Edinburgh Fringe. The weather was kind to us though some of my shots were on the windy side filming at the top of Calton Hill which is a magnet for video producers and TV stations whenever there is a news story from Edinburgh.

We walked the length and breadth of the Royal Mile in order to show off this exceptional 3D camcorder. Now we all know I can’t show you the 3D results so we went back again using the camcorder in 2D mode.

I bumped into two chaps using DigiBeta who were filming for the tourist board and I caught a last glimpse of the cameraman inserting a DigiBeta tape, this will indeed be archive footage as slowly DigiBeta is being phased out in favour of HD footage.

I was completely at home with the new 3D camcorder from Sony and I love the “live” 3D LCD, this is indeed a bonus when filming 3D work, I do not understand why anyone would choose those cumbersome 3D rigs over dedicated camcorders like this one. I was getting great fly on the wall footage that is not possible using a 3D rig.

EXTRA, EXTRA READ ALL ABOUT IT…As I was ingesting the footage this morning I got a major surprise…one that will make you all re-think 3D as a filming platform but you will have to wait till my video review to reveal the Sony NX3Ds inner most secret. 

I will be putting together my review this week and you can learn what I like and dislike using the Sony NX3D1 camcorder.

Having just arrived two days ago the Sony HXR-NX3D1 is a cracking hand held 3D camcorder with many professional features. I am not the biggest 3D fan in the world but I am looking at this camcorder from a business point of view.

This is almost an NX70 that has been squished, a second lens added and the viewfinder removed. It has a sexy 3D LCD which works remarkably well.

I filmed my dog outside the garden for a bit of fun and she brings me her plastic bone right up to the front of the camera. I showed the footage with glasses dually adorned to my mother and daughter in law and they both shrieked when the dogs head looks like it’s coming out of the 3D telly…fantastic !

We will be filming footage at the Edinburgh fringe next week which should be fun but I need a dry day for filming as unlike the NX70 the Sony 3D is not rainproof.

Sony are listening to us…there are two things missing from the NX70 and both are being addressed early 2012 with a firmware upgrade (FW).

1. 720p is a very useful setting but is missing from the NX70…this will be enabled with a FW upgrade.

2. The second FW upgrade is music to my and many NX70 users…the ability to to record onto card and internal memory at the same time, once again this will be enabled early next year.

There may be other enhancements nearer the time but this is indeed fantastic news for all NX70 owners, it just goes to prove that Sony take our comments seriously. Firmware upgrading is a great advancement in todays new technology allowing companies like Sony to enhance features that may only become apparent after the camera hits the marketplace…top marks to Sony.

As a further update I have just finished an 8 minute major corporate shoot for a large drinks manufacturer, two years ago I did a similar shoot using a Sony EX-1, this time it was all shot on the Sony NX70 and the shots were better than my EX-1 could produce and a lot less noisy.

I am about to embark on a major documentary about type 1 diabetes and it will be a mixture of NX70 and FS100 footage, shot at 1080 50p. The cameras are well matched and having the new FW enhancements at the turn of the year will give the NX70 a further professional enhancement.

I hope Sony are also addressing the zoom rocker switch to make it more variable please and a PAL/NTSC switch in the menu would also be appreciated.

It’s a hard life filming video reviews, or should I say getting harder to come up with original settings to produce my video reviews.

Arran is Scotland in miniature so has a lot of locations that lend themselves to video, today we were filming a section of video for Chris who is producing a 2 minute video about living life to the full.

Gus our diver for the afternoon is just over 70 years old and has been diving for over 20 years.

You will see our exploits in the up and coming video review.

Almost one year later I have come back to Arran to review the new Sony cameras the NX70 and the FS100.
Chris and myself have produced a 3 camera shoot with two NX70s and the FS100.
I am using my iPad 2 for this entry and is not as user friendly as my computer but this at least allows me to update you all on what’s going on.
I will be back tomorrow and hope to edit the review for later next week.

I was out all day filming with the Sony NX70 and its only in such situations that you get to see the real camcorder. The one thing that I had already discovered was the lack of control over the speed of the zoom using the cameras on board rocker switch so I was very glad I had the Manfrotto 521 zoom control on my Miller tripod handle.

Having full control over the camcorders zoom speed is rather essential on a corporate shoot. The one thing I did notice was how accurate and locked-on the auto focus was, all day I used the camcorder in auto focus and with one exception when I was filming a motorway about half a mile away and a van drove past the camera did the autofocus falter. I am not an autofocus fan, far from it, but this camera is exceptional at not hunting and possibly more accurate and faster than my older eyes that I took the decision to keep it on all the time…very impressive.

The size of the camera allows it to be used in various situations like the one above when Dave had to pull the pallet of irn-bru, giving me a nice perspective. The menu is very user friendly having the gain (G) and shutter (S) available to hand was a real boon, it’s a simple touch of the (G) ikon and you can set the gain and this is also available to you while the camera is in record mode.

At one point I had to record Dave doing some pretend talking to someone at the end of a mobile phone so I plugged in my RODE NTG-2 with softy as it was a rather windy day and what a joy to be able to use XLR inputs once again, better still to be able to control the audio level was superb.

The Sony NX70 coped admirably with all situations thrown at it and the 1080 50p pictures on my 50″ Panasonic plasma were truly breathtaking, solid and sharp as a tac, in fact this wee camera produces better pictures than camcorders 4x it’s price, I kid you not. I am so glad I plumbed for the NX70 though I saw its potential at Haydock last month and put my name down for a camera after that show. One disappointment is the “G” lens used on the camera although its very sharp you loose 1.5 stops of light from wide to tight and that can be really annoying, the MC50 has the same problem we were all hoping Sony would give us the same type of lens seen on the EX-3 but alas. Most retailers got stock last Tuesday and already most of them are sold out, H Preston Media are getting more NX70s next Tuesday but don’t hang around they are flying off the shelves like hot cakes at the new lower price of £2562.

Lets start with this wee switch…zoom, focus and iris, by setting this switch to iris you get full step less manual control of the iris, fantastic. The manual focus is useful but I cannot see much use for the manual zoom setting.

The main menu gives you 6 options, Shooting Mode, this gives you the options for movie (normal mode), slow record (slow motion very impressive), golf shot (little to no use) and photo mode (12MP) very good. The next ikon we see is Camera/Audio this is self explanatory allowing you to change all the manual parameters like gain, shutter etc. plus sound tweaks. The next screen called Rec/Media set is where we find the ability to format your card, change from internal 96GB to external SDHC card. You also change your rec mode here from HD to SD or from 1080 50i to 1080 50p.

TC/UB is timecode and user bit tweaking. Edit/Copy gives you the option to delete, protect,copy and direct copy. Lastly Setup allows you to change things like your HDMI output from 1080p to 720p or 1080i and even SD a very useful feature.

At the back of the camera we have the mode switch allowing you to switch from video to photo, then we have the Auto/Manual switch and beside that we have the SD card slot which has a lock, very useful. I have also discovered that the camcorder is not as clever as we all first thought, sadly, it does not record video onto SD and internal memory at the same time which is a blow for us safety conscious solid state junkies. It will allow you to record at a lower 1080 50i setting onto the SDHC card and let you use the photo feature simultaneously recording the 12MP JPEGs onto the internal memory.

At the LCD side of the camcorder we have a sliding door and inside you can have various size batteries the biggest being the NP-FV100 6.8v 3900 mAh infoLithium battery capable of running the NX70 for well over 8 hours !

Just above the power switch is your headphone socket and note the green button a lock which needs to be pushed in order for it to be switched on or off.

Unfortunately Mr Attkins Sony did not grant you your wish and give you a through lens instead we have a Sony G lens 10x that looses 1.5 stops of light from wide to tight, there is also a digital 120x zoom but as usual a gimmick rather than a practicable addition ton the feature set.

The rocker switch is not what it first seems…a variable zoom control…no you only achieve smooth zoom control using an external zoom handle like the Manfrotto 521i, the good side to this is that Sony have decided to bring back the Lanc control 2.5mm mini jack accessed under a flap on the hand grip.

XLRs and full manual control of your sound levels plus VU metering on the LCD itself…yee ha…interestingly Sony have put a sticker on the top of this telling us that this part of the camcorder is not water or dust proof.

Today (Thursday) I will be using the NX70 in anger, very much a run and gun situation, I am recording 1080 50p and will blog about it later on this evening.

Click the picture above to see a full frame jpeg.