Doug Jensen’s Sony PXW-Z280 and PXW-Z190 Master Class - CHAPTER 1 FREE 

THANK YOU.

Thanks! I'm glad you appreciated it. That was the "toned down" version of what I'd really like to say. :-)

@@DougJensenVortexMedia haha! I can totally relate! BTW I currently shoot using the A7S and the A7SII and you are absolutely right. I used to shoot with the Sony VG10 and was excited about them moving forward with that form factor, disappointed that they discontinued that product line. Now I'm finding myself needing to get a much more practical solution for real world applications. I'm actually seriously considering the Z90 as a replacement for my A7S.

You're welcome!

Hi Mark, thanks for the feedback. You just made my day! I'm glad the information on the forum confirmed the decision you had already made. There's still nothing on the market that beats the Z280 in this category. Maybe someday, but not yet.

Hi Craig, yes you are correct that those earlier cameras had variable electronic ND filters. But since they weren't 4K cameras, I conveniently ignore their existence now! :-)

No, they are NOT XDCAM camcorders even though Sony decided to stencil an XDCAM logo on the side of them. I can put a Mercedes hood ornament on a Kia but that doesn't make it a Mercedes. And having XAVC-L codecs does not make them part of the XDCAM family. XDCAM and XAVC are two entirely different codecs. They have zero XDCAM DNA in them. Zero. The FS5 and Z150 are from the NXCAM line. Glad you liked the rest of the video, though.

@@DougJensenVortexMedia - OK

@@DougJensenVortexMedia Thanks for the info, I bought the master class for the Z 190 and Z 150 and I learned a lot. Off course the Z 280 has the best spec but it’s also above my budget. So if you can only buy one camera and you had to choose between the Z 190 and the Z 150 what would you recommend and why?

@@zuhairwedad8192 There is no question that I would choose the Z190 over the Z150 unless low-light capability was really important. The Z150 is a little better in low-light, but the Z190 blows it away in every other way that you want to compare them.

@@DougJensenVortexMedia Thanks

Only the Z280 is better HD, the Z190 is bad either way in low light. I'm glad you like the master class. Thanks.

Sorry, I can't really say that I have compared Steadyshot performance on the two cameras. If I was making a buying decision that would be way down on my list of priorities, There are many differences between the cameras that seem for more important to me.

The bigger the better, but even an 8.5x11 should get the job done. And it doens't have to be an official chart. Even a poster or wallpaper with strong contrasting lines will do in a pinch.

I really don't know. I made mine out of some spare parts I had laying around in a box. The main base was originally a baseplate made by Hot Rod Cameras for the Sony FS100. Maybe you could track one down used someplace.

As I explain in my master class, the third SD card slot is primarily used for two things: First, it is used to store all of your personal custom User Files, All Files, and Scene Files. Second, it is used for recording low-resolution proxy files. Yes, you absolutely should be using the third slot because you need to be using all three of those types of custom files. You can use cheap low-speed cards but there are some limitations depending on the type of card, which I talk about in chapters 5 and 6. vimeo.com/ondemand/z280

Sure, but I think most people would say a camera that has a super-35mm or Full-frame sensor would be a better choice for cinematic movies and music videos due to the shallower depth of field that can be achieved.

Ivan, it is impossible to suggest possible solutions without having more information about your camera settings. However, with said, in chapter 18 of my Master Class I warn people not to use the digital extender with S-LOG because of the noise problem. Have you watch my full master class for suggested settings?

I believe we will see basically a Z280 camera in an EX3 or X320 body type soon. Probably not at NAB next month, but maybe next fall for IBC.

Yes, there is some minor barrel distortion at the extreme widest focal lengths, but nothing I find out of the ordinary or alarming. In fact, you really have to have a scene with a lot of vertical lines (and be shooting full wide) before you'd probably even notice it. To me it is a non-issue and it never even crosses my mind while shooting, but it would be incorrect to say there is no distortion at all. It kind of reminds me of when people were all up in arms over rolling shutter issues when the EX1 first came out 10 years ago. It was a big deal to a few people who made a lot of noise about it, and then was quickly forgotten by people who actually wanted to use the camera to get work done. In my opinion, if you weigh all the huge benefits and amazing capabilities of the Z280 against this one shortcoming, it is still one of the very best cameras ever made.

Hi Mark, Sony discontinued the QDA-EX1 adapters a couple of years ago and they are impossible to find. If you do find someone selling a used one, you will pay a premium for it. I see that you have sent me an email. I will answer in more detail via email as soon as I can.

Hi Alvaro, you won't have any problem. All Z280 cameras sold worldwide are exactly the same and have all the same menu choices and codec options.

Thanks Doug. @@DougJensenVortexMedia

You'd need to add that information manually in post as a graphic overlay.

You can go to LCD/VF >Marker >Setting Marker and select OFF. Or you can program the ON/OFF Marker function to any of the assign buttons.

What are your other settings? Are you sure you are using a recording format that allows S&Q? Do you have picture cache or any other special recording modes turned on?

Mike, I'm sorry to hear about the trouble. I'm not aware of any contact from you at the Vortex website. How and when did you reach out? But it might not matter anyway because any problems or questions regarding streaming need to be addressed to Vimeo. Producers of videos that are hosted at Vimeo get zero customer information and there is no way to check on an order, verify an order, modify it, communicate with a customer, or anything else. Steaming is 100% their end, so you'll have to contact Vimeo.

Good question, but I don't know because I've never felt the need to add one to my camera. However, B&H lists severtal on their website but I haven't had experience with any of them. Please report back with a review if you end up getting one. www.bhphotovideo.com/c/product/1400754-REG/sony_pxw_z190_4k_3_cmos_1_3_type.html/accessories

Sorry, you are wrong. Sony can put whatever badge they want on the side of the camera for marketing purposes, but that does NOT make it an XDCAM . It is not designed/built by the XDCAM division of Sony and it doesn't have most of the XDCAM features that the actual XDCAM cameras share. A silkscreened logo on the plastic doesn't make it an XDCAM. Purely a marketing ploy.

I'm sorry, I don't know what you mean. Could you please be more specific.

I read that when you plug in a new microphone that you would think it would auto switch to it. But in the Z90 I heard it doesn't

@@paramountx Okay I understand now. The Z280 does not have any auto-switching of audio input sources. It is up to the operator to designate which, if any, of the many possible sources of audio are being recorded on each of the four channels. Which in my opinion, is exactly how it should be.

Are you talking about the rig where I have the two cameras mounted side-by-side? It is just something I made myself out of spare parts I accumulated over the years. I'm not even sure where some of the parts originally came from, so it is nothing you could just go out and buy yourself.

@@DougJensenVortexMedia Thanks for reply!

Mike, first of all, I would question your decision to shoot interviews at 60 fps. What is your reason? I don't know anybody who shoots interviews at 60p. However, if you do choose to shoot 60p, then the proper shutter speed depends on what you will do with the footage in post. If you are going to carry the 60p all the way through 60p editing and 60p delivery, then 1/120 would be the correct speed. But if you are going to shoot 60p and then drop it down to 30p in post or final delivery, then 1/60 is the correct speed (and in that case you have shot 60p for no reason at all and thrown away half the frames). But again, I don't see any reason to shoot interviews at 60p. 30p or 24p are the standard framerates for interviews.

@@DougJensenVortexMedia Thanks Doug for getting back to me so fast! I usually shoot for clients that either want it in 60p or 24p. But for my personal video work I try to incorporate just 1 frame rate into the edit. If I shoot multiple different frame rates won't that screw up editing in post? Say 60p vs 120p . Using Adobe Premiere Pro CC. Thanks for all the help!

@@mikeslawin9681 I mix 30p and 24p all the time with no ill effects. Usually on a 24p timeline, but not always. Try it and see. BTW, I's never shoot any frame rate faster than 24p or 30p unless I intended to use the footage as slow-motion. And I'd never edit on a 60p timeline. I know you aren't suggesting doing that, I just thought I'd throw that out there! 🙂

@@DougJensenVortexMedia Maybe my new go to is shooting 24p @60 shutter and edit that way. I shoot 90 percent weddings so thats why I shoot at 60p. I tend to slow things down in post all the time. Maybe even shooting a mix of 24p and 120p would be a good challenge. So I will match up my fx3 and z-280 @ 24p @60 for interviews. The other b-roll @60p or 120. Thanks for your help! Your classes also are very helpful.

Jim, all video is going to have some noise so you're not going to get away from it entirely. If shooting at -3dB with Noise Suppression set to high and using the normal sensitivity mode still isn't clean enough for you, I would say your expectations are extremely high. The only thing left would be to add some noise reduction in post. Personally, I find noise levels of the Z280 to be perfectly acceptable and better than most other cameras.

@@DougJensenVortexMedia Thanks so much, Doug. I do agree wth you on all this. In post one can do wonders as one does with stills in Photoshop or Lightroom. Overall, I love my Z280 (built in Nov. 2020) but two months go it was a toss up between the Z280 and the Z750. While I've used many (heavy) shoulder cams in my ENG days, the Z280's mobility for R &G, compactness and lightness, amongst many other things, that you expertly pointed out in your tutorials, that won me over to the Z280. A lot of ENG guys over here, are now moving to Camcorders and the Z280 is in big demand. Those retired like I, can still recall and at times miss, the heddy days df ENG with VHS and Betacams and like all things in life, the rest is history. What has yet to come, can only be described as exciting, yet sad, as many old skills that worked, have been lost to the digital age.

Unfortunately, it ramps. This is exactly what I say about it in Chapter 12 of my Master Class: "Notice that that I’ve got my Z190 zoomed all the way out and the aperture is set for f1.6, which is the maximum possible setting. Now watch as I zoom in -- notice how the aperture ramps down to f/2.6 and the overall image gets darker. But in reality I think the ramping is even worse than that. My testing indicates that the exposure actually ramps down to f/3.4 when the lens is zoomed all the way in - even though the viewfinder may say f/2.6. The difference between f/1.6 at full wide and f/3.4 when zoomed in is more than two stops - which is quite significant. "

@@DougJensenVortexMedia Thank you for the detailed reply. Really helps me in the choice on whether to purchase this camera. If I set maximum aperture at f3.4 and film the rugby league then if I zoom in and out will it stay locked at f3.4? I presume it will (like all other cameras) but just making sure.

@@mediatriage Yes, I'm sure that is a true statement even though I cannot say that I have actually tested it myself.

I'm sure you're computer is fine. Most playback issues are not the fault of the computer, but rather where/how the video files are being stored. 1) Don't use the internal drive for media files. 2) Use an external SSD or HDD that is rated for at least 7200 rpm. 3) Use a fast enough connection between the computer and HDD or SSD (Thunderbolt is preferred).

Unfortunately the difference will be insignificant and they would look virtually the same. For one thing, a 1" sensor is still very small compared to Super35 or full-frame cameras so you're never going to get a nice shallow DoF look with either camera. And whatever DoF advantages the Z150 has over the Z190 due to larger sensor is erased by the different lenses. The Z190 has a f/1.6 lens and the Z150 only an f/4. Thus making DoF almost the same.

Sorry, could you pleaseexplain your problem more clearly and provide more information about what codec you are using, how you are transferring the footage to your computer, what software you are using to playback the clip, etc.

The first thing I'd do is save an ALL file on the "master" camera after I have it all set up the way I want it. Then I would load that ALL file into the three other cameras. Then I would white balance all four cameras on the same white card at the same location. If the cameras don't match after that then something isn't right. I would also change the clip naming on each camera to indicated CAM1, CAM2, etc. and jam sync the timecode to make editing easier. Good luck with the shoot!

Thank you, Doug. We are now trying to figure out how to make an ALL file from the master. I'm sure the manual has instructions. @@DougJensenVortexMedia

@@surfaceproductionsinc9489 My 7-hour Z190/Z280 master class explains the best settings to use and how to create/save/transfer ALL files and Scene files. vimeo.com/ondemand/z280

Hi Jim, my workflow is almost always to shoot in 4K UHD, edit in 1080p, and deliver the final video in 1080p.

​@@DougJensenVortexMediaI agree. Thank you. For ENG work however, would you shoot in MPEG H422 or HD 1080p? My think is the latter.

Hi Ray, I am not planning a field guide for the Z280 simply because there isn't enough interest to make it worth my time. Putting together a book and getting them printed is too much of a gamble anymore. Even producing a video like this borders on not being worth my time. The Z280 is definitely not limited in its capabilities compared to the DSLR's and even cine cameras. There are only two things that the Z280 is not better at . . . capturing still photos and getting shallow depth-of-field. If those two things are of importance to someone then the Z280 might not be the right camera choice. But the other than that, the Z280 blows the DSLRs and many cine cameras away in every other aspect. My Z280 has become my most frequently used camera now, and I own an F55 and an FS7. Comapred the DSLRs the Z280 has an f/1.9 17x zoom lens, 10-bit 4K codecs, four channels of audio, XLR inputs, an OLED viewfinder with diopter, zebras, peaking, custom clip naming, and on and on. None of those other cameras can compete. And if low-light shooting is not of importance, then the Z190 is an excellent alternative at 1/2 the price. If you're go to shoot video -- you need a video camera and not a stills camera that happens to shoot video too.

Thank you very much for your prompt reply. I had been leaning towards the Z280 (will be easy to transition to since I've had the EX1 for many years). I can afford the more expensive camera but wanted to be sure of my investment. Shooting video is so much fun and you have helped make me better at it.

To be honest with you, I can't even be sure what you have said is true unless I went back to my notes and checked. It's been so long since I needed to think about output formats on the Z280 that all the information has leaked out of my tiny brain long ago and I would need to look it up. However, I'm sure whatever I said in my video 3 years ago is correct, so if that's what I said, then that's the way it is. As for the reasons "why" there are certain limitations, I have no idea about that. I stopped trying to figure out "why" things are the way the are and instead focus on "what" and "how" to work around limitations.

@@DougJensenVortexMedia thanks for the reply. I find z180 is not wide enough for indoor filming. Do you have a recommended wide angle lens atrachment to widen the view yet do not affect the image quality negatively?

@@shem44 No, I have no experience with wide angle adapters for the Z280 so I don't have anything to recommend. I used to have one for my old EX1 that was made by Century Optics and it was excellent. A little heavy, but it wouldn't be any good if it wasn't.

Yes, the Z190 allows you to build two type of custom profiles: Scene Files (mostly Paint Menu settings) and All Files (almost all settings on the camera, including the Paint Menus). You can have up to 5 custom Scene Files stored on-board the camera and dozens more on the utility SD card in the third slot. I provide all of my recommended settings, the ones I use myself, in my training video.

Sorry to hear about the trouble. First thing I'd do is to make sure it happens with more than one of my batteries. I'd also check the battery contacts. You also might want to try resetting the camera. If all that fails to fix the problem then it may have to go in for service.

Hi Karama, it is hard to give any assistance without more information. Is the camera working properly? Are you having trouble with manual, auto, or both? What settings are you using? Are you using peaking correctly? Have you watched the focus chapter of my master class?

@@DougJensenVortexMedia i get the same issue with both auto and manual focus mode ,infact i cant shoot a group of people and i also lose the focus when I zoom out even for a single subject

@@karamakenyon739 Have you checked and/or adjusted the back focus on your camera? Here's a video about it: ru-vid.com/video/%D0%B2%D0%B8%D0%B4%D0%B5%D0%BE-U_JSeBvpkKo.html

@@karamakenyon739 You haven't puled the focus ring back a notch into full MF? I did this mistake first time using it and in the dark, looses focus over 40% zoom. Going to tape it stuck because it's easy to pul back by mistake.

No, they are an integral part of the camera. But you can remove the handle from the Z90.

Hi Rayomnd, I haven't noticed any problems with my Z280, but if you are seeing something that bothers you it is probably on the original raw footage and has not been caused in post, and it probably could not be corrected in post either.

Hi Doug. I am very tempted to get the Z280 for my kind of work. I don’t want to get bogged down with lenses, unless something like the FX6 has all the codecs and focus features of the A7S iii. It is a shame that, being a relatively new camera, the Z280 still used XQD when Sony dropped the media so soon afterwards in favour of A-Fast cards. I am surprised that more manufacturers have not adopted SSDs like JVC and DJI did.

@@RaymondToms Sony hasn't dropped support for XQD cards and the Z280 does not use XQD cards natively anyway. The Z280, and all their professional XDCAM camcorders (with the exception of the FS7) use SxS cards. I wouldn't have it any other way! Professionals who make their living with these cameras cannot afford a single problem, and need the security and robust performance of SxS cards. I've been shooting on SxS cards since 2007 and have never experienced so much as single dropped frame. If people want to save a few bucks and use XQD cards with an adapter in the Z280 that is still an acceptable alternative, but definitely a step down from SxS. And Sony has not dropped support for XQD. As for SSD's?? That would be a huge mistake for Sony and not even a possibilty.

Sorry Doug. I did not mean that they had dropped support, they just don’t use them in new release cameras. My Z180 also uses SxS as the default format, but sooo expensive. A 120GB SxS costs $2,000 in Australia so a pair, at $A4000, costs 40% of the cost of the whole camera ($A10,200). I use XQD in the Z180. They still are compatible with all the codec modes (as in the Z280), and I have not had a problem with them. 2 x XQD costs $A800 here.

@@RaymondToms Yeah, XQD is a viable alternative. But I can ingest a full 240GB SxS card in under 3.5 minutes. Let's see a XQD card do that! :-)

Well, I'd need a lot more information than that to even begin to troubleshoot it. There are about 50 possible causes of not getting audio. Have you already watched the chapter 15 of my Z280/190 master class? vimeo.com/ondemand/z280

set in to INT

Hi Bart, I’m sorry to hear about the problem. I'm glad you decided to reach out on RU-vid. I got your email this morning and I tried to reply from two different email accounts and both times it bounced back. I don't want you to think I was ignoring you. Have you done a full reset of the camera? What happens if you do NOT have a memory card in the camera, does it still flash? What happens if you take the battery off and plug into the AC adapter, does it still flash? Are there any other messages shown in the viewfinder during the flashing? What do the battery capacity and card capacity displays say while the flashing is going on? Have you updated to Firmware 2.0? If not, do so.

@@DougJensenVortexMedia Hi Doug, thanks for answering! My companys spamfilter really kills 'strangers' e-mail, so I think that's the reason why. I did everything you mentioned: updated to 2.0 because my new memorycards weren't recognized by the camera. I did a full reset and turned it on with and without cards, with and without the battery (so powered by the adapter). Everything is normal. I called Sony, but they couldn't help me and offered a repair. But I believe it has something to do with the software. When I turn of the alarm sound in the menu, the beeping is gone, but the LED still flashes quickly. I see E12-001 on the screen, I think that's an error. The manual doesn't give much away about these types of errors, so I reached out to you.

@@BartLijdsman After doing a little research, it seems the error is indicating abnormal white level input. The cause could be with the lens or board. Unfortunately you will need to send the camera in for service. Sorry.

There are two likely causes of the timecode running non-stop. First, make sure the timecode is set for Record Run instead of Free Run. If that doesn't fix it then you probably have Picture Cache turned on.

That feature is called S&Q Motion. I cover it in detail during chapter 24 of my Z280/Z190 master class. vimeo.com/ondemand/z280

Is it possible that you have not slid the focus ring on the lens to the forward position? For further details on AF I will refer you to chapter 14 of my 7-hour master class because there is more information about focusing than I could possibly post here. vimeo.com/ondemand/z280

Wow, was that it?!?! Thank you so much... that just solved my issue. The autofocus works beautifully now!

@@Goated1TV I'm glad that solved the problem.

Hi Jim, I am not aware of any single function on the camera that can turn off/on all of those features at once so it is a little hard to offer any advice. You'll either have to provide a lot more information about what you are experiencing and your specific camera's settings -- or reset the camera and start over from scratch. Oh, I have an idea! Are you expecting to see those functions on an external monitor? Because as I point out in my master class, they can only be seen on the camera's viewfinder and built-in LCD screen. They cannot be output over SDI or HDMI. Is that it?

@@DougJensenVortexMedia Hi Doug, Ah.. ha ! .. yes, I was using an external monitor. I now recall you saying that in the tutorial. It's a shame those two settings can not be piped to an external monitor. Thank you, Sire.

The new Sony FX6 is the only one that comes to mind that does not require an external recorder.

@@DougJensenVortexMedia Cheers! Do you think all-in-one camcorders will catch up on 4k120fps eventually?

@@Bergondora Definitely. Higher frame rates is probably the most requested upgrade for camcorders. Everyone wanted 60 fps, now it is 120 fps, and after that it will be 240 fps. One step at a time

There are dozens of reasons why the pictures are different, including white balance, exposure, gamma, matrix, the CMOS sensors, image processing, and much more. I made no attempt to match them as the point of that shot was just to compare zooms. Also, HLG would not play a role in the difference because I would never use HLG.

Audiomenüs und zugehörige Einstellungen werden in Kapitel 21 meiner Z280 MasterClass behandelt. vimeo.com/ondemand/z280

@@DougJensenVortexMedia danke aber mit 61 euro bezahlung ?

@@DiyarkameraJa, es handelt sich um eine fast siebenstündige ausführliche Schulung, die alle Aspekte der Kamera abdeckt.

@@DougJensenVortexMedia Allesklar Danke für die info

Nothing that I could recommend.

@@DougJensenVortexMedia is this because it’s probably not needed because of its size and weight?

​@@leighmonk I actually think a shoulder-mount would be a good idea if ti was done right, but I have not seen one that I could recommend. BTW, I have suggested several times to Sony that they build a shoulder-mount version of the Z280. Kind of like the EX3 was the shoulder mount version of the EX1. It might happen some day, but I am not aware of anything coming out soon. I think it would be quite popular.

@@DougJensenVortexMediaWill be nice to have a compact ENG style camcorder. Z450 /Z750 is too big, overkill and expensive for many people.

Yes. All SxS cards ever made are compatible with the Z280. The advantage of the Pro-X cards is faster ingest speeds to your computer when you use the right reader and a Thunderbolt connection. I can ingest a 120GB SxS-PRO X card in about 90 seconds. But if you don't care about that kind of speed, then older, cheaper, SxS PRO+ cards are a good choice and will handle anything the Z280 can put out. The one type of card to steer clear of are the SxS-1 cards that have orange trim. Those cards can't handle the best codecs and frame rates.

@@DougJensenVortexMedia Very good. Thanks for sharing.

The transfer is at normal USB 3.0 speeds so is dependent upon on the speed of your drive. But my advice is to use a card reader and only use the camera for transfers in emergencies.

Chapter 6 can be found here: vimeo.com/ondemand/z280

Hi Jim, congratulations on the new camera. The price for all 26 chapters of my Z280 master class is $68 USD. I'm not sure what the equates to in Australian dollars, but whatever price Vimeo shows you would be for the entire series. Thanks for asking. vimeo.com/ondemand/z280

@@DougJensenVortexMedia Thanks Doug. It was $99.11 USD ($135 AUD) but I bought it anyway and glad I did. Still learning the curves but getting there. One thing I do not like about the Z280 is the tiny pee wee LCD screen. I need to see the Menu on an external monitor as the Menu fonts on that tiny LCD screen are too small for my old eyes. How can we emulate the camera's Menus on a 7" Monitor? Thanks. Jim

@@astrojim4532 I cover this in chapter 22. The VIDEO > OUTPUT DISPLAY menu will allow you to superimpose the viewfinder's on-screen displays, warning messages, and other operational data over the HDMI and SDI video output signals. However, tou cannot select one setting for SDI and the other for HDMI, they both have to be the same.

@@DougJensenVortexMedia Thank you ! All good. Video>Output On/Off> SDI off HDMI and Video On. Now I get full display.

Hi, no I do not cover those topics. I would strongly suggest you find a way to test the cameras with you intended use before you make any long-term plans. The remote control features are not every robust, to say the least.

@@DougJensenVortexMedia Thank you for the reply. I was able test it on both cameras and it seems to work. I do have a questions though, since you don't cover it in your great videos, do you happen to know where I could ask a few questions regarding web remote?

@@fearlessfollower7034 That's good to hear that the settings worked on both. Sorry, I am not aware of anyone who has tackled the messy subjects of web remote or streaming. I found that the complexity vs. actual functionality was simply not worth it when I looked at those features years ago.

@@DougJensenVortexMedia Sorry to keep bugging you. While it works, here's the issue: on the Z190 I can control iris and zoom but focus is greyed out. on the z280 I can control focus and zoom but iris is greyed out. I am trying different things but no luck so far. (BTW) I am working my way through the master class and am learning a lot about how to set up the cameras - even for a live multi-cam setup. thank you for your time :)

@@fearlessfollower7034 Sorry, I really don't remember anything specific about the Z280's wireless remote features. Whatever I might have known is now long forgotten. I use my Z280 all the time, but not those features.

Hi Len, unfortunately the advice Sony gave you is correct. The best way to match cameras is to have two identical cameras. If that is not possible, then you will have to sit down with both cameras side-by-side and feed video to a monitor with A/B inputs or two identical monitors and walk through the paint settings to create the closest match you can. To do it right, you really ought to have a DSC Chroma du Monde chart and a waveform monitor and vectorscope. But it can be done by eye if you take the time and aren't too picky. You will never get a perfect match but you may get them close enough to be acceptable when they are not shooting the exact same subject from the same angle. Create the best picture you can on the AX100 and then try matching it with the Z190 because it has more sophisticated menus and controls. Codec doesn't matter so don't waste your attention on that. It is the paint menus that matter and that is where you need to focus your attention. I have never even seen a AX100 and I have not touched a Z190 for almost two years, so I don't have any specific advice on what settings to choose on either camera. Good luck.

Clive, those are all very good questions to be asking before you invest in a new camera. As I talk about in my full master class, according to my measurements of the two cameras, the native ISO of the Z280 is about 2000 and the Z190 is about 125. That makes the Z280 four stops better in low light. That is a significant advantage when shooting outdoors at dusk and dawn. There is no way to compensate for the Z190's poor low light performance other than to shoot at a different time of day or turn on some lights. Also, the 40% telephoto advantage of the Z190 may sound like a lot, but 40% isn't really a huge difference. My advice is to get a Z280 or consider a totally different camera, such as the FX6, which is great for bird/nature filming. Here's some of my own footage with the FX6: ru-vid.com/video/%D0%B2%D0%B8%D0%B4%D0%B5%D0%BE-KHARHB-3TJ0.html ru-vid.com/video/%D0%B2%D0%B8%D0%B4%D0%B5%D0%BE-p64_NlJx7BQ.html

@@DougJensenVortexMedia Thanks very much for your quick reply. Clearly, the Z190 won't work for me. Your FX6 footage is lovely! I often shoot in rough terrain and have become used to combining wide angle shots of scenery with bird closeups using a sony HD camcorder. But I am inspired by your footage and advice and believe it's time to finally take the leap to exchangeable lenses and cinema quality :-) All the best.

@@CliveBramham Clive, yes I totally understand about the advantages of being able to grab both wide shots and telephoto close-ups without changing lenses. That is one of the best features of my Z750 and Fujinon lens. But as you point out, that combo is too expensive for most people to justify. If the Z280 is too pricey, maybe look at a Z150. ru-vid.com/video/%D0%B2%D0%B8%D0%B4%D0%B5%D0%BE-BhBM4eZxleg.html

@@DougJensenVortexMedia Thanks, Doug. Making an investment in 2022 the FX6 seems the forward-looking way to go with the full-frame sensor, downsampling from 6K, and so much more. Looking forward to your Master class. All the best.

@@CliveBramham The FX6 is definitely a great camera for wildlife, but I need to correct you on one thing, it's not 6K downsampled to 4K. You might be thinking of the FX9. The FX6 is a 4K FF sensor.

Hi Danny, I've never seen a DVX200 so I don't know anything about it. However, I do have a little bit of experience with the CX350. A couple of years ago I hired to help evaluate potential cameras that would be used for Eco Challenge Fiji for Amazon / MGM/ Mark Burnett Productions. One of the cameras that we evaluated was the CX350 and it was quickly ruled out due to very bad low-light capability, plus everyone thought the overall picture was inferior to the Z280. Eventually we used 26 Z280s, 20 Z90s, and 20 Varicams for the actual production in Fiji. The Z280s performed flawlessly and all of them made it to the end of the race. A few of the Z90s were destroyed or lost over waterfalls, etc. but there were considered expendable and they also performed admirably. :-)

@@DougJensenVortexMedia Thank you Doug! Really appreciate your feedback. If you would humor me a bit. I am retiring next year March and I want to make video's of all the places we are going to visit and do a You Tube channel on it all. I have no experience at all with the cameras, but I can learn fast and I am very interested in this new hobby of mine. Would the Sony Z280 be TOO MUCH for this hobby? Or would you recommend it to me? I do not want to battle with zoom and I would need a strong zoom for some of the places I am planning to visit. Thank you so much for your assistance. Are your tutorial video's still available on the Sony Z280 for me to learn? As you can see I am on your first lesson at the moment. :-) :-)

@@janstappertjie Hi Danny, I try to avoid the trap of recommending cameras for other people because there are way too many variable that need to be factored into the decision. The Z280 is a fabulous camera and I'm sure you will be happy with it. However, as you suggest, it might be overkill for your needs. If budget is a concern, you should also consider the Z190 (good for outdoors only due to poor low-light performance) or the Z90 or Z150. The Z90 and Z150 are essentially the same camera but in different body styles. But if budget is not an issue, I say get the Z280. BTW, Vimeo does not share any customer information so I have no idea who is watching my videos, but thank you anyway.

@@DougJensenVortexMedia thank you so much Doug, I am from South Africa. We are immigrating to Costa Rica shortly and hence me getting into this hobby. When you say the Z90 is not good in low light, I saw your comparison with the Z280, would the Z90 perform better if one lit up the shoot at night or will the Z280 still perform best. I will definitely be shooting at night a lot as I will also do restaurant's and sports events at night. I will never through any of your advice back at you as I am the one asking you for help! I really appreciate you coming back to me every time! Thank you so much.

@@janstappertjie Just to be clear, it is the Z190 that is the camera that is bad in low light. The Z90 and Z190 are two different cameras. The Z90 and Z150 are okay in low-light, but the Z190 is worse. With all that said, the Z280 will beat all other cameras in it's class (including Z190, Z90, Z150, CX350, etc.) in any way that you want to compare them. It is by far the best camcorder with a non-removable zoom lens being sold today.

I have suggested to Sony many times that they build a small shoulder mount version of the Z280. Kind of like the EX3 complimented the EX1. Or perhpaps a Z280 in a PMW-320 style body. I think it would be a very popular camera, but I am not aware of anything new coming out any time soon.

@@DougJensenVortexMedia Thanks, mate for the many advice replies re the Z280 and ENG cams. When I get the Z750 I will definitely get your book ! As for a lens, I have my eye on the Fujinon XS20SX6.3BRM-K2. Have you used this lens at all ? Cheers, Jim.

@@astrojim4532 That is a 1/2" lens and is not compatible with the Z750. You need a 2/3" lens.

No, the Z190 is not better in low-light than the Z150.

Thanks Doug, we are considering upgrading soon and are looking for a great indoor camcorder in this price range, for filming indoor production, live band etc do you have any suggestions? Would the PXW Z150 be fine for this kind of work?

The Z150, Z90, etc. only have f/4 lenses which isn't very good for lowlight. You're probably going to say it is too expensive, but I would strongly recommend you consider the Z280. It is very good in lowlight and is an excellent camcorder in every regard. But if you've got enough light, the Z150 or Z90 might be just fine.

Completely understand, yeah the PXW Z280 looks like a good choice, thank you for your advice

The Z280 and Z190 are compatible with industry standard LANC wired controllers and Sony's Content Browser Mobile app.

Why do you feel the need to changing the crispening or frequency? As I said in the master class, the paint menus are designed to address specific issues about the picture that you want to change. The menus are not just to be changed willy nilly. I suggest you dial in my recommended settings and start shooting. Why are you making it harder than it needs to be? If you don't like my settings, that is fine, but then it is up to go beyond the advice and guidance that other people have given you and explore the settings on your own. There is a lot of "art" to the paint menus and only YOU can decide what looks best to YOU. And you can only figure out what those settings are through your own testing and trial and error. I've already spent days doing all that and I've shared my advice with others. I can't do more than that. Paint menu settings, color, sharpness, etc. are totally unrelated to XAVC-L vs. XAVC-L and NTSC vs. PAL frame rates. However, there is a difference when it comes to sharpness between 4K and HD. The camera allows you to use different setting for each one. See my video. As for the shutter, you aren't seeing any issues related to global shutter. I guarantee it. I have not found there to be any issues whatsoever with blurring problems when panning. I suggest you record some test video, edit it, and output it to a regular television. I don't think you'll see any issues. I suspect you are judging the image on the camera's LCD monitor or VF which is not good enough to make those kinds of calls. Good luck.

​@@DougJensenVortexMedia Thank you, Doug, Much appreciated. Advice taken on board. Will do some tests. The blurring I see is on a 27" 4K iMAC monitor after converting the the MXF file to an MEPG -4 HD 1080p. I will also run the file on a 4K 96" Samsung TV screen as suggested. If I see the same blur motion what then? Thanks so much.

@@astrojim4532 If you see motion blur problems with the Z280 i think you will be alone in the opinion. I've never seen any issues and I have heard no chatter from other people about shutter issues. BTW, I would never judge video on a computer monitor. Double-check your shutter speed and frame rate and then shoot some test video. Then try playing back from the memory card onboard the camera to a regular HDTV or 4K television or broadcast-grade production monitor via SDI or HDMI. Don't convert the file and don't view it on a computer monitor. Watch the original file played back right from the camera to a real video monitor. Then make your judgement.

@@DougJensenVortexMedia Hi Doug. All good, I took your advice and watched some footage from the Z280 on my big TV screen and saw NO background motion blur, just like you said. I now use Manulal focus and Peaking. The more I use the Z280 the more I love it, thanks to your constructive m'class vids.

@@astrojim4532 I'm glad to hear the problem was just a monitoring issue.

Yes, the Z280 can do timelapse via the interval recording feature or S&Q Motion. Your choice.

The Z280 is still the best camera in its class and I am not aware of any plans by Sony to replace it with a newer model. But even if Sony announced a new model today it would be many months before it would begin shipping and possibly even longer for you to be able to buy one. My advice is to get whatever camera fits your needs today and put it to work immediately. There will always be newer cameras down the road and it doesn't make sense to put off buying a camera that could be put into service today. For whatever it is worth, that is my advice.

@@DougJensenVortexMedia Thanks for advice, and another little thing, can footage be graded in post or you're only limited to color grading?

@@nikolaivostokov813 All video footage from any video camera can be graded in post if you choose to. Personally, I try to come as close as I can to a final image onboard the Z280 at the time of shooting, but then do a little grading in post to add a final touch.

@@DougJensenVortexMedia Basically it is, but my question more about S-LOG in this camera. For sure used a RAW is better way for grading, but this camera provide ability to record HDR and 600Mbps and I want to understand can it be used for grade and not just for color correction. ps: I watched some of your "Z280 Master Class" videos on Vimeo and it really very helpful, but in chapter 6 at TC 4:22 table of supported media need to update, for now SONY declares what XQD had full support for all record modes in camera, it's very important for me, because in case of ability to use only SxS Pro+ in this camera for 4K with high bitrate I would never consider to buy her.

@@nikolaivostokov813 Yes, you can shoot S-LOG with the Z280 if you choose to. That camera gives you the option of shooting LOG or shooting with a custom scene file. I am not sure of the current compatbility situation with XQD cards. I use SxS cards only and I don't want to give you wrong information about XQD cards, so I will say nothing about them. But I will say that you do not need to use the most expensive SxS Pro+ cards. All SxS cards (except the ones with orange trim) are compatible with all shooting mode on the Z280. I know, because I use them myself.

Hi Favsto, unfortunately I don't have any advice for you other than the Scene File settings I recommend in chapter 17 of my master class. You have bumped into the Achilles heal of the Z190, which is terrible performance in low-light. The Z190 is a fine camera for outdoor shooting or times when there is full control over the lighting, but it is one fo the worst modern cameras for low-light. About 4-stops less sensitive to light than the Z280. If low-light performance is important to someone I recommend they steer clear of the Z190 because there are no secret settings onboard the camera that can help. The only opton is to boost the Gain setting and then try to reduce the noise in post. Sorry. I wish I could offer a better solution, but it is what it is.

@@DougJensenVortexMedia Okay, thank you anyway

@@DougJensenVortexMedia "One of the worst modern cameras for low-light" is a serious statement. These cameras are almost 6 years old now. How often does Sony update their XDCAM line? An upgraded Z190 with better low light performance is needed.

@@christianhervas8791Sony generally releases new cameras to replace older models every 3-4 years. However, COVID seriously disrupted the product cycle and I don't think you'll see replacements for the Z280 or Z190 for at least another year. A Z190 with better low light performance would indeed be a welcome change. As for the Z280, it is harder to imagine what features they will add to the next generation because the Z280 is really close to perfection already. Maybe higher frame rate for slow motion? I am constantly amazed by it's performance.

Chip size has very little to do with low-light capability. Sure, if all other things are equal it might make a difference, but all other things are never equal between totally different types of cameras with different lenses. Even comparing ISO ratings on paper between cameras won't tell the true story because one still might be noisier than the other.

@DougJensenVortexMedia it's just been a struggle. I'm pretty sure that as an old school NPPA style shooter, I want a camcorder! However, my current situations using 1 inch sensor camcorders to cover night-time Tornados isn't holding up to my competition, who are all using Sony A7siii.. In the daylight I shine but in the Night-time I'm grain and gain. Even the 1 inch AX700 I have mounted on my dash is pretty bad even with a big bar light. I guess I am hoping that the Z280 would be the difference maker in the dark. I'm gonna have to get a loaner and just test it for what I do.

@@KYwx As a current owner of a Z280 and former owner of a Z90 (same thing as a AX700) I can assure you that the Z280 is several stops faster than the Z90/AX700. Plus it has a faster lens. The Z280 is far superior camera.

@DougJensenVortexMedia thank you Doug! I certainly do appreciate and value your experience and kindness to respond to fellow Photos. I find this very helpful!

Sorry, that topic is not covered in my video.

Good question. That topic is covered in detail during chapter 15 of my Z280/Z190 master class. vimeo.com/ondemand/z280

The adapter is the weak link that won't allow high bitrate codecs -- not the camera itself. Perhaps one of the memory card companies should consider making a faster adapater.

​@@DougJensenVortexMedia Sonnet adapter has a data transfer rate up to 480 Mbps. Z280 recording at 2160p Long has a data rate of 150Mbps. V90 cards have a guaranteed speed of 90MB/s which is 720Mbps. There is no bottleneck on the adapter or sd cards.

@@shem44 No, despite what those numbers might imply, the weak link is the adapter. Notice that the camera never gives you an error message saying the SD cards can't be used, because the camera is not the source of the problem. You can start recording on SD cards, but after a few seconds or minutes (depending on the codec and frame rate) the ADAPTER won't be able to keep up and it will cause the camera to stop recording. BTW, I am able to record 4K XAVC-L @ 23.98 with Sony TOUGH V90 cards and Sony MEAD-SD01 adpater.

@@DougJensenVortexMedia I guess you are right Doug. Currently I'm using SxS Pro+ to save myself the trouble of remembering which format is supported by the SD cards. No need to think, just shoot. :)

​@@shem44 That is exactly what i have done. Great minds think alike! :-) However, just for the record, any SxS cards (except for the really old ones that had orange trim) are good enough to record anything the Z280 can put out. The main advantage of the top-of-the-line SxS Pro+ cards is how fast they can be off-loaded. I can ingest a full 120GB card in less than 90 seconds. That is truly amazing when you remember it used to take 20 minutes to ingest an 8GB card when SxS cards were first released back in 2007.