Split-screen comparison of Sony PXW-Z280 and PXW-Z190 

Z 190 price

Me too!

@@DougJensenVortexMedia Thenku So Much

So was I.

@@DougJensenVortexMedia that is because when you zoom in on z190 your F=3.4(f1.6 - 3.4), while on z280 F=1.6(f1.6 entire zoom range), so you loose 2 stops of light when zoom in.

@@vazgenelenavarzhabetian2016 Sorry, the loss of light transmission through the lens during zooming is only part of the equation. The Z190 has inherently worse sensitivity. Even at wide angle the Z190 is terrible in low-light -- zooming just makes it worse. Also, for your information, the Z280 also ramps during zooming from f/1.9 to about f/2.8 at full tele photo even though the display in the viewfinder says it doesn't change. This is easy to see by anyone who uses the camera. I cover all of these quirks of the cameras and more in my 7-hour master class. vimeo.com/ondemand/z280

​@@DougJensenVortexMedia Oh, thank you for the information, I was thinking to get new the z190... but now, I am going to think more carefully. I am using the Sony AX1 4k, and have been thinking about replace it... Anyway, thanks for all.

All of Sony's camcorders with built-in lenses are parfocal.

Maybe bad tripod.

I honestly cannot remember if this footage is straight out of the cameras or not. I know I should remember that, but I can't unless I call up the project and take a look. If I had to make a guess I would say the footage is straight out of the camera for purposes of comparing the cameras. But normally, it if wasn't a camera test, everything I shoot goes through resolve. Period. No matter what settings are chosen onboard the camera things can always be taken to a little higher level in post. The Z280 was recorded with XAVC-I which is 4K 10-bit 4:2:2. But the Z190 can only record XAVC-L 8-bit 4:2:0.

Yes, I totally agree. These are real workhorse cameras for people who need to get work done.

@@DougJensenVortexMedia I am going from a 190 to a 280 for ENG work. The low light capability will be welcome, but the restricted zoom range won't.

@@digicrewaust I think you will find the difference in zoom range between the two is not nearly as different visually as you'd expect just from looking at the numbers. Enjoy the Z280!

I don't have a Z190 anymore so it would not be possible to do any additional comparisons. Nor do I have the time. My advice is buy a Z280 rather than a Z190 if any indoor shooting is anticipated. I do not need to do any further testing to know that.

@@DougJensenVortexMedia Thank you very much

When I origjnally shot this video it was just for my own personal use so I didn't care about jamming timecode or mounting the cameras better, It was only later than I decided to post it. Take from it what you will. I 'd be happy to do some serious side by sides if someone would like to hire me to do it, otherwise I've got real work to get done. :-) BTW, there are better comparison shots later in other chapters of my video series. vimeo.com/ondemand/z280

AS someone who has purchased a number of Doug’s courses on videography and Sony camcorder instructional workshops, I can say, that his courses are world class experiences - every one that I’ve purchased. I have learned so much from his course, I honestly think Sony should offer them when you purchase one of their camcorders, to help the average user really get the most out of their investment. These courses on par in my opinion with the best photography and videography workshops that I have attended from people like Scott Kelby, who I have the utmost regard for, having gone to many of his workshops most recently in Venice, to Larry Jordan, and Ripple Training, which is also excellent for learning videography and FCP, Premiere, etc. I am happy to answer any question you may have about Doug’s workshops (at least the courses I’ve purchased).

Shake was due to not having a primitive mounting system the day this was shot. Later I mounted the cameras side by side and they were rock solid. The Z190 cannot produce the exact same colors as the Z280 because it has fewer paint menu options to choose from. Also, the severe ramping of the exposure on the Z190 accounts for some differences in the images as well.

@@DougJensenVortexMedia Thanks Doug

Hi Reg, to be honest I'm not the right person to ask about IR contamination. I have not tested for it on the Z280 and I never found it to be an issue with the EX1 or EX3. I am not saying that there was no IR contamination with those older cameras but I never saw it in my own footage. So if you're looking for feedback on IR I am not the right person to be relying on for an opinion. Sorry.

@@DougJensenVortexMedia Thanks for the reply Doug I'll dig around the net a bit more or ask a local supplier if we can have a demo. Cheers 👍

Yes, the Z190 is worse at low light shooting than the Z150. But the Z280 beats them both by a very wide margin.

@@DougJensenVortexMedia What a pity then... It would have been a great "update" for our camera, for a very reasonable investment. Thanks for your answer.

Hi Martin, the Z7 definitely qualifies as an "antique" 🙂 camera by today's standards, but it is nice you are still getting good use from yours. I'll admit it It can be challenging with the Z280 to get smoothly-ramped starts when zooming with the larger rocker switch on the camera's grip, but once it actually starts moving, it is very smooth and precise. It has been more than 12 years since I used a Z7 so I honestly can't tell you how the Z280 compares. The good news is that if you program the smaller zoom rocker switch located on the Z280's handle for the "Variable Speed" mode, it is very easy to get nicely-ramped starts/stops to my zooms. And since I am usually using my Z280 from a tripod, that is actually the most convenient way to zoom anyway. No complaints at all.

I forgot to answer your question about new products. I'll be working for Sony next month at NAB in Las Vegas to demonstrate the Z280 and Z750. If there were replacements for either of those cameras coming up soon, they would not be featuring them at NAB. Therefore, I feel pretty confident saying there will be no replacement for the Z280 announced at least until IBC in October or maybe NAB 2025 or maybe even later. And after a camera is announced, shipping probably wouldn't start for several months after that. So, the bottom line is that the Z280 will remain the flagship camcorder (and best camcorder on the market from any manufacturer) for at least another year.

Thank you very much, Doug, for fast reply. All the best for you further work!

HI Jimi, sorry I can't help you with your questions.. Apparently your workflow is quite different from how files from the EX1 were intended to be ingested and edited. I can't really even follow what you are doing. You're supposed to take the card out of the camera and use a stand-alone reader with Catalyst Browse for ingest.

When I shot this video it was for my own testing purposes and I never anticipated putting it online, so not a lot of care was taken to match the cameras or set the white balance.

@@bobuk5722 You rang? Something on your mind?

It was recorded in 4K.

@@DougJensenVortexMedia Thnx, maybe im expecting too much but hd mode is on my unit okay, but 4k is very noisy even at 0 db..little more detail but ton more artefacts and noise..

​@@pirukapekka Do you find the video from the Z190 in this test footage to be too noisy?

@@DougJensenVortexMedia actually its very good, for me just little bit weird that my hd looks clean enough even at higher isos, but 4k at 0 db have lots of artefacts. Of course recordings are different as i know, 4.2.0 8 bit vs 4.2.2 10 bit, if my info is correct.As i said maybe im hoping too much as my second cam is fs7 :) otherwise it is nice little cam and intended to use for live coverage and events and for that it is good enogh.

@@pirukapekka I can confirm from my own tests as well, that Sony Z190 at 4K doesn't look as good as at FHD. While I couldn't find the reason, it could be connected with 8bit 420 (4K) vs. 10bit 422 (FHD) codec. But it could be something else as well.

If you are implying that the Z280 is green or can't shoot correct colors, you are wrong.

@@DougJensenVortexMedia No not at all but the comparison seems to show it that way. I am assuming your footage is ungraded. I am just finding it hard to find a camera to do the job and I can only rely on reviews to help me out.

@@dugsbugs1 This video was never intended to be a review. I have numerous other videos on RU-vid that demonstrate the capabilities of the Z280. ru-vid.com/show-UCUkNTsaWTiSpyummw1RmO4wvideos

Hi Raymond, yes these cameras have been around for a few years but they are still top of the game for this category. I still use my Z280 in a regular basis for the same reasons you are facing. FYI, I did rent a Canon XF605 last summer to see how it compared to my Z280, and the Z280 beat it in almost every way that matters to me. It just reinforced my admiration for the Z280.

@@DougJensenVortexMedia Thanks for the reassurance Doug. It would be a hefty investment over here. The Z190 is almost $7000 Australian and the Z280 almost $11,000 (Or, 1.5 FX6s!) For well exposed footage (not expecting to use it in twilight or night), would the Z190 be acceptable alongside footage shot on my other cameras?

@@RaymondToms I don't know wha the exchange rate it, but those sound like pretty high prices. Ouch. The Z190 is a very good camera -- especially for the price. Not as good as the Z280, but pretty close and with all the professional bells & whistles of the Z280 that you won't find on any other camera in that price range. As you have noted, it's main drawback is that it is not good in low-light. But if shooting in dimly-lit indoors locations or outdoors it not a concern, then I would recommend the Z190 as a very affordable alternative to the Z280.

Unless otherwise stated, Gain is always at 0dB.

Yes, the Z280 has a 2x digital extender but only when shooting in HD. If you haven't watched chapter one (free) of my master class where I talk about all the features and functions of the camera you should take a look. ru-vid.com/video/%D0%B2%D0%B8%D0%B4%D0%B5%D0%BE-IjzYaSBaD1U.html

@@DougJensenVortexMedia Thanks so much! That may be the deciding factor when I eventually upgrade my personal camera. Thank you for all you do.

Yes, the Z190 is not a good camera for low-light shooting. That is it's weak spot. The Z280 is more than 4x better in low-light.

No question that the Z190 is better for that purpose. What lens are you going to put on the FS5 that will come anywhere near matching the 25x zoom lens on the Z190.? None. Not to mention better codecs, better viewfinder, and a ton of other advanced features. The Z190 is part of Sony's professional XDCAM product line and the FS5 is part of the prosumer NXCAM line. The differences are numerous.

Thank you for your answer.

@@83Markes You're welcome!

There's no question that the Z280 is the better camera.

@@DougJensenVortexMedia Wait...the Z280 is even better than the Black magic Design URSA with interchangeable lenses? Aren't people complaining about lens distortion on the Z280 at full wide and saying the image looks soft and the edges of images being all weird?

@@DougJensenVortexMedia Reason I'm asking is because I'm selling this horrible low light Z190 and my choices are the Z280 and URSA cameras and I can't afford to make another mistake like I did when buying the z190 and expecting it to be decent without having to move to a planet with 5 suns in the sky at all times just to get a usable image.

@@neosabre The reports of problems with the Z280's lens are greatly exaggerated. Do you really think I'd be using the Z280 more than my F55 and FS7 if it didn't look good? Yes, there is some minor barrel distortion at the widest focal length? So what? 99% of people wouldn't even notice it if someone didn't point it out. As for the other supposed lens issues . . . OPERATOR ERROR. Plain and simple. This video was shot entirely with the Z280: ru-vid.com/video/%D0%B2%D0%B8%D0%B4%D0%B5%D0%BE-yu1crWvcdJU.html This video was mostly shot with the Z280: ru-vid.com/video/%D0%B2%D0%B8%D0%B4%D0%B5%D0%BE-1rVrpAqZI5E.html All of the daytime b-roll at the end of this video was shot with the Z280: ru-vid.com/video/%D0%B2%D0%B8%D0%B4%D0%B5%D0%BE-1rVrpAqZI5E.html BTW, I have not applied any lens distortion compensation in post or any other adjustments to the footage in these clips, other than some normal contrast/color grading adjustments where necessary.

@@neosabre The Z190 is very poor in low-light and I clearly warn people about it several times in my Z190/Z280 training and the video above. It's okay outdoors, but indoors it can be a problem. I'm sorry that you bought the wrong camera, but don't let the online trolls make you believe the Z280 isn't a fantastic camera. Worth every penny.

I can't remember. it was almost three years ago. Sorry.

I would say that the Z190 is the better all-around camera except for low-light shooting.

There's nothing wrong with that, and you just saved yourself $3000 on the cost of camera.

@@ThatV8Ranger You are right. I wrote $300 when I meant to write $3000. I have edited my comment above to correct it. Thanks for bringing it to my attention. That is a very big difference!

Me too, I can't believe everyone's calling the z190. From that video i think the z190 was far better quality or am i missing something! Can you help Doug!.........Can you show me where the problem is? Also the z190 has a bigger better zoom.

They are different. That's all I can say. Neither one is necessarily right or wrong.

Grazie della risposta.Trovo starno che i sensori sony sono diversi tra videocamere professionali.

The two cameras have different lenses and different size sensors.

Yes, it is a color video camera. I don't think anyone makes a black and white camera anymore.

@@DougJensenVortexMedia no, thats not what i mean, my point is, this camera is not using bayer filter pattern that can only obtain a half green light information, a quarter red and a quarter blue. This camera have dedicated sensor for each colour information and then combined them as one image

@@oreisenjatanuklir7436 Sorry I misunderstoond. Yes, you are correct. Three chips for R G B.

@@DougJensenVortexMedia me too, im sorry because my sentence is not complete, thank you for your respond ❤

The Z90 is a little bit better in low-light than the Z190.

@@DougJensenVortexMedia thank you 🙏

Gamma is just one element of a scene file. Knowing that one element alone is not helpful. You need to look at the big picture of how all the paint menus work together like the ingredients in a recipe. If you want my recommendations, then you'll need to watch my full master class. The topic is too complex to explain in a post on RU-vid.

@@DougJensenVortexMedia Thank you! where can i find your Master Class? Please?

@@Bilas442 You can find all of my master class videos and books at Vortex Media www.vortexmediastore.com/pages/vortex-media-training-videos-and-books Thank you for asking. You'll find everything you need to know, including very specific suggestions and settings in the master class.

@@DougJensenVortexMedia Thank you! I will check and i 'll be back.

Because they are two different cameras and no attempt was made to match them.

You are completely wrong. No ND filter was used. The Z280 is several stops faster than the Z280. That is a fact.

The Z190 is darker because the camera itself is 4 stops less sensitive to light than the Z280 and the lens can't make up for that. Plus, the Z190 lens is only f/1.6 when zoomed out to fully wide and quickly ramps down upon zooming in.

@@DougJensenVortexMedia Thank you for the reply. So it's the higher native sensor ISO of the X280 that is making the difference in these shots. I suppose the difference in magnifications might be the crop factors. These look to be great, fully featured, high quality, desirable camcorders from Sony and the argument for ENG camcorders is valid, but reverting to smaller sensors might be an issue.

It is a Noga Cine Arm

If you think the EX1 is a better camera than the Z190, you are badly mistaken. The Z190 runs circles around the EX1 in every way you want to compare them.

Ex1 or Ex3 was as expensive as Z280 and almost Z190 when they came out. :)

That is correct.

A professional VIDEO camera does not need a histogram. Histograms are for still photographers shooting RAW. The Z190 has zebras, and that's all that it needs. But the Z190 does have a histogram function if you really want it. But I don't know why anyone would.

@@DougJensenVortexMedia fine, but then why it exists on z280?

@@petrub27 The Z190 does have a histogram and waveform, just like the Z280.

@@DougJensenVortexMedia how can i see it? how to activate it?

@@petrub27 I talk about this feature in chapters 3 and 8 of my Z280/190 Master Class. vimeo.com/ondemand/z280 You need to assign the Video Signal Monitor function to an assign button. But like I said, I do not endorse the use of histograms for videos cameras. It is a feature that SLR shooters use for RAW photos and has no business being on a video camera. Useless.

I was going to buy one but people on here are ripping it apart. It's got to be quite good as why does it cost over £3000. I'm glad you like it, It seems better than the z280 anyway.

Whatever, man. Glad you love your Z190. I hated it because it sucked in low light. Bought the Z280. In MY opinion, it is the best. But who cares what I think? Ha!

@@authorizeduser9762 I have the same thoughts as you and have sold my 190 and intend to get 280. Its shocking that no reviews talk about the super crap low light capability of 190 other than this video. It seems like every reviewers are endorse by Sony to sell as many 190 as possible. Is the 280 low light really much better? Are there other benefits of 280 over 190? How much light do u lose when u go from f1.9 wide to fully tele?

@@shem44 the difference in low-light capabilities between the two cameras is extraordinary. Several stops better. As a professional videographer, I could not imagine using the 190. I can't imagine that Sony would make a camera that is two stops darker than my 10 year old Sony HD camera. I still have it and I compared the two. My ten-year-old camera has better light gathering capabilities than the 190. It is absolute garbage in low light and lower light. The 280 almost seems to make darker scenes brighter.

@@authorizeduser9762 great to hear that...how much light do u lose when u zoom in all the way?

due to its prize?

That's what i thought.........But Doug says the Z280 is far better, I disagree Doug There are plenty of comments on here saying the Z190 is the best?.....We all can't be wrong!

@@148bus best... worse... it's whatever you need from your camera. I bought the Z190 and returned it for the Z280 after only TWO DAYS of testing. I shoot primarily in low light indoors and the Z190 is ATROCIOUS in low light. Horrible. Abysmal. So, YOU think the Z190 is best... I don't. Who cares what you, me, or Doug says? It's not a popularity contest. Nobody's right or wrong. To me, the Z190 sucks in low light but is awesome in everything else. But, that's the deal breaker. To others, the long zoom on the Z190 makes it the superior camera to the Z280. Whatever. I can't believe you really want consensus on what is the 'best' camera. Ha!