Settings for FDR-AX33 using ND filter (Shutter speed - IRIS - Exposure?)

[ioagount]

Hi everyone.

I bought an ND filter for my FDR-AX33, yesterday.

I want to test it and check the pros and cons and if it's worth using ND filter on a camcorder.

So, I need your advice about what settings to use in order to test my camera.

Of course I will shoot at noon or early in the afternoon in bright sunlight and my purpose is to create a video with shallow depth of field. 

Thank you in advance

[Pascale_F]

Hi ioagount,

I'll see if I can find anything out for you. Maybe someone else in the community can help in the meantime.

Thanks,

Pascale

[IamNic]

Hello @ioagount,

the only reason to use a ND-filter from my point of view is to have more freedom with the IRIS.

I use a camcorder with in-build ND-filter (3 levels) and try to keep my exposure time at 1/50th of a second while having my gain as low as possible and the Iris opened as far as possible for a shallow depth of field.

The ND filter helps me to have the same depth of field (which is only possible with the IRIS opened as far as possible) while having nothing to change about exposure time and gain.

I therefore advise you to go outside, use the ND-filter in bright sunlight, have the gain at 0 and the exposure time at 1/50 of a second. Then only adjust the IRIS to get the right amount of light into your camera.

- Nic

[ioagount]

Hello @IamNic ,

I think, this is an equation with three variables (as I see on articles and youtube videos). The variables are:

IRIS (or Aperture for DSLRs)
Shutter Speed
Exposure (or ISO for DSLRs)

The good news for FDR-AX33 is that I can adjust the IRIS value at f/1.8, this means that I am able to create shallow depth of field. The bad news are that I cannot adjust the three variables manually at the same time but only to adjust one at a time. And this is the reason why DSLRs are preferable to camcorders - at this price level, at least... Please correct me if I am wrong.

@IamNic, as far as I remember, you use FDR-AX100 or AX700 (?) and these models give you the freedom to adjust manually all the three values and achieve easily the shallow depth of field or whatever you want...

In the last part of your answer, you advice me to adjust the gain (AGC) at 0 and the shutter speed at 1/50 (I always record at 50 fps) and then to adjust the IRIS to get the right amount of light into my camera. How can I achieve that, if I can only adjust only one value at a time (Shutter speed or IRIS) ?

By the way, I tested the ND filter yesterday with full auto settings (Filter on vs filter off) and the deapth of field was shallower in the first case which means that ND filter works to a certain extent...

Could Sony release an update and give us the opportunity to fully adjust the above settings manually, someday or is it impossible?

I appriciate your help, thank you very much.

[IamNic]

Hello @ioagount,

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@ioagount  wrote:

The bad news are that I cannot adjust the three variables manually at the same time but only to adjust one at a time.

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for both the FDR AX100 and AX700 I also can only adjust one value at a time - but in manual mode I can get them to "stick" and adjust the next value. I have to press the button "twice" so the "A" (auto) indicator is not displayed next to the value e.g. the IRIS value.

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@ioagount  schrieb:

you advice me to adjust the gain (AGC) at 0 and the shutter speed at 1/50 (I always record at 50 fps) and then to adjust the IRIS to get the right amount of light into my camera. How can I achieve that, if I can only adjust only one value at a time (Shutter speed or IRIS) ?

---

If you set the AGC to 0, that value can't get higher than 0, so this value should stick, now if you adjust the shutter speed to e.g. 50, it should stick as well and the IRIS should open as far as needed (again if you can't get it to stay like it is when you adjust the shutter speed).

- Nic

[ioagount]

@IamNic ,

Understandable.

I will try it and I'll give you some feedback.

- John