MINI CAMERA TEST
“The Sony does offer full control ofmost settings so is ideal for a savvy cameraman”
levels drop so you have to increase the ISO which affects image quality. There are lots of other pro features including a mic port and audio levels that you control manually. The mic input, along with the micro HDMI and USB ports as well as micro SD card slot, is covered by a push-on plastic protector. Taking this off to use a mic means all weather sealing has gone. Other niggles involve the screen which automatically dims after around a minute, and the battery life. We ran down a fully-charged battery in around 25 minutes, so you’ll need to buy and carry spares for continuous use. And the camera has no image stabilisation, unlike most action cams. While the RX0 is capable of shooting 15.3-megapixel stills in Raw and JPEG at up to a ludicrous 16fps, it’s the video spec that’s interesting but frustrating. The Sony uses its well-proven XAVC-S codec but internally can only record in HD. To record 4K in 10-bit 4:2:2, you need to use the clean HDMI output and add on an external recorder like an Atomos Ninja Flame. That certainly takes it well out of the action camera market. When some other small cameras now offer 4K at 60p recorded internally, this could be a deal-breaker. What you are left with is HD quality if you stick to recording internally, and the quality is not as good as the full-size RX cameras which is probably due to downscaling the 4K sensor and its 8-bit 4:2:0 recording. There is some aliasing and the noise is not as good as you might expect out of a camera with such a large sensor. It’s not hideous, certainly at lower ISO
all conventional filmmaking grips. But as it seems the whole action camera world has settled on the GoPro mount as standard, a simple converter is available very cheaply which will allow you to access the hundreds of mounting accessories on sale. Where action cameras usually feature automated modes, the Sony does offer full control of most settings so is ideal for a savvy cameraman. You can set Intelligent Auto Mode if you just want to point and shoot, though. Apart from the aperture which is fixed at f/4, the Sony allows you to set everything manually, such as shutter speed, ISO and focus, as well as picture controls, and even gamma and knee – just like its bigger cameras. And it’s quite a shock to see such useful features as zebra, peaking and a histogram on a camera of this size. To set focus, dial in the distance you want between half a metre to infinity. There’s also a two-position option which is set to Near or Far as there’s no autofocus. Near works up to around 1 metre/3.3ft; Far is from this distance to infinity. Most action cameras are fixed focus but as the Sony uses a large sensor and correspondingly longer focal length lens, it’smore critical to get focus right. The lens is fixed at f/4, which does become an issue in bright light especially if you shoot in S-Log2 which sets the ISO to a minimum of 1600. You’ll need an ND filter to avoid having to use very high shutter speeds. Sony sells a cover that lets you attach 30.5mmND filters but this costs an additional £180/ $150. And an f/4 lens is not the brightest when light
settings, but crank up the gain and the noise gets increasingly noticeable. The colours are also typically Sony, ie. relatively muted. And there is very little rolling shutter, certainly compared to action camera rivals. One of the biggest selling points of the camera to a professional audience is that is can be set to shoot in S-Log2 to maximise dynamic range. Of course, the image you see on the screen is very flat and lacking in contrast, making judging exposure a bit tricky but not impossible. In post, the footage is easily converted to boost contrast and saturation, allowing you to avoid blowing out highlights or have shadows blocking up. This is the real benefit of the RX0, although it is negated slightly by S-Log2 settings fixing the ISO at 1600 which does increase noise. Some de-noise software is pretty much essential. But spend time tweaking it in post, and the RX0 does produce bright and punchy results with lots of dynamic range. One other unique benefit of the RX0 is its impressive high-speed shooting which goes up to a mind-blowing 1000fps, although the resolution does drop significantly as you crank up the frame rate. While 1000fps might be useful for a one-off shot if ultimate quality isn’t an issue such as using it as a crash cam, at more realistic speeds like 240fps the RX0 is genuinely useful as a super slow- motion camera. It’s not quite at HD quality, but makes the RX0 a fine tool for capturing action up close.
ABOVE The Sony shoots in real Log so can be graded for more punch and saturation in post.
BELOW The RX0 doesn’t need a
protective cage. It comes with a Zeiss fixed lens which is a good performer.
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SPRING 2018 PRO MOVIEMAKER
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