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The111

Sony FDR-AX33 test footage

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I hadn't seen anybody else posting about jumping this camera yet. It's my first experience with BOSS, and it seems to work as advertised. Smoothest I've ever seen my own footage look (the 60fps helps as well).

I did two test jumps (1080-60p AVCHD 28Mbps), one with BOSS on "standard" and the other with it on "active." Maybe I'm imagining things, but it did seem that active looked slightly better. Unfortunately even the 1080-60p option on YouTube does not look nearly as smooth as watching the raw video locally, but it's better than nothing if you're curious how this camera performs in freefall.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ZR72X3CsAVw
www.WingsuitPhotos.com

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"Active" usually does better these days...
Nice footage.
Youtube compression does a terrible job. Vimeo is a tad better.

BTW, if you want to see it more amazing...shoot 4K, stabilize it gently in post. The extra resolution does indeed make a diff when outputting HD or 2K.

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I really, really wanted to buy this camcorder for quite a few month now as an overdue step up from my Gopro3+/ CX115 setup but always hesitated when faced with the price tags. As I expect those to drop a little after christmas I fear I can't hold myself back any longer.

For those of you that made the decision before me and already have a bit of experience with it in the skydiving environment:

Does the cacorder hold up to your expectations?
Any drawbacks other than no hypeeye?
How does the optical stabilisation hold up? It's great, yeah but is it durable enough to withstand a good thousand jumps? Heard of a bit of quality problems connected to the IS.
Auto fokus seems to work really well, any issues with it?
ND filter is a given but would I really need a wide angle lense for it considering my intended use, which is mostly 4way and tandem filming? Have seen a few test videos without one and I got the impression that the FoV is already more than great.
For wide angles I'd still have my gopro?!

Please enlighten me with your wisdom, is it any good?
And if not, why?

thanks in advance =)
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To absent friends

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Thanks for posting, looks great ;)

Has anyone done any freefly jumps with this camera (FDR-AX33) or the FDR-AX100? Curious if the optical stabilization on either model is usable at freefly speeds. (It's been a long time since my sony days, but at the time I remember there weren't any OIS cameras that worked for freefly)

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I don't think I've made any freefly jumps with it, nor am I a great freeflyer. But I'll bet you'd find somebody who has made some freefly jumps with some camera with BOSS, even if it's not this one. I'm pretty sure I've read somewhere that BOSS cameras work great for all flight modes (unlike earlier attempts at OIS as you mention).
www.WingsuitPhotos.com

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Station

Thanks for posting, looks great ;)

Has anyone done any freefly jumps with this camera (FDR-AX33) or the FDR-AX100? Curious if the optical stabilization on either model is usable at freefly speeds. (It's been a long time since my sony days, but at the time I remember there weren't any OIS cameras that worked for freefly)



https://vimeo.com/keithcreedy

Keith filmed some of his more recent projects with the FDR Ax33.
Yes it works and is awesome at that. At least in the hands of Keith :$
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To absent friends

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Awesome, thanks for the info guys!

I see there's a replacement model coming out now (FDR-AX53):
Adds a slightly larger, 16:9 sensor.
Supposedly slightly improved active BOSS.
Bit brighter, bit better in low light with less noise.
Twice the optical zoom.
120fps FHD mode.

$200 more than the ax33 (same price as the ax33 at launch date)

http://www.sony.com/electronics/handycam-camcorders/fdr-ax53

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Footage looks great. Practically speaking though, how are people using these latest gen of cameras in the commercial (tandem) environment without something like the Hypeye?

Talk me through it? Are you switching it on 2 minutes before climbing out and hoping nothing goes wrong once it's on your head?

I've been saved at least once on the camera step because my hypeye light went yellow...

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hodges

Talk me through it? Are you switching it on 2 minutes before climbing out and hoping nothing goes wrong once it's on your head?



Yes, that's what I'm doing. I'm not concerned with it shutting off once it's on my head. I'm concerned with the hassle of doing in-camera trim on the long file, after every jump, but I deal with that hassle for now.

Other options:
1) Mirror on alti (this cam has a red light on front when recording)
2) Light relay cable for above mentioned light

Both of those options require touching record button yourself, which I have no issue with. I've just been too lazy to set up either of those options.
www.WingsuitPhotos.com

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hodges

Footage looks great. Practically speaking though, how are people using these latest gen of cameras in the commercial (tandem) environment without something like the Hypeye?

Talk me through it? Are you switching it on 2 minutes before climbing out and hoping nothing goes wrong once it's on your head?

I've been saved at least once on the camera step because my hypeye light went yellow...



I've taken to putting it into standby mode when I put the helmet on, and then I click the record button and ask a friend if the record light is on (there's a small red light right under the lens). It feels like a step back in a sense, but I'm not expecting a simple solution to arise soon. I suppose small mirror might be a solution, but...
Skwrl Productions - Wingsuit Photography

Northeast Bird School - Chief Logistics Guy and Video Dork

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My understanding is that it isn't the adapter/plug. It is the actual interface that Sony has changed. Since the 430 or so, the Hypeyes don't work.

Per another thread on facebook- Trunk cracked the new code/interface long ago, but the issue is that it doesn't allow for the same info/communication-

"we've cracked it a long time ago, but there is no feedback so it becomes fairly worthless. You can tell the camera to record, but you don't know if the camera is ready to record. Also, if i remember correctly it just acks that it got the command, not that the command actually works. The market is also so so small now with GoPros. Used to be fun jumpers jumped cx's with HYPEYE's. Now its only a few dropzones that don't allow GoPros and people that want BOSS that jump these new cameras."

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Cheers for the info,dude.
Such a shame. The ax100 looks awesome. However, I'm worried the uploading and editing would take too long as I'm very restricted on time for tandem vids.
God gave men 2 brains,but only enough blood to fill one at a time....I can live with that.

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Zlew

"we've cracked it a long time ago, but there is no feedback so it becomes fairly worthless........."



That’s not accurate!
I have a working multiport device and can state that there is feedback present on the multi connector protocol. So if you press rec on the camcorder it is possible to decode the state and set appropriate color for the led, i.e red for rec and blue for idle. However I couldn’t find any information/feedback for low bat, missing storage, device in photo mode or powering off.
I agree with Trunk that there probably isn’t a reasonable market to make it a commercial product.

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I have one of the "getto-Hypeye" and i works super, even works great with Sony A6300 as a video indicator. :)
Just a quick question, how are you all doing with filter on the BOSS-cameras? Anybody tried without? I am getting "flares" if filming against the sun from small dust particles that get in between the camera and filter..... Any thoughts?

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