Sony Fdr-ax100 Camcorder System Software Update Instruction

The Sony is a prosumer video camera that has a significantly larger sensor than other videocameras and through a recent firmware upgrade boosts the data-rate up to 100 Mbps. We reviewed the popular camera and compared it to the. The 1 inch sensor camera market is alive and kicking with a few interesting cameras in its segment namely the upcoming, and the (the X70 Prosumer brother). Some of those cameras are full-HD “only”, others are 4K (UHD) or 4K capable via paid firmware updates.

In my opinion a 1 inch sensor (16mm equivalent) camera is an ideal tool for documentary style shooting and when being used in a creative way, one can mimic the look of a larger sensor camera rather easily. I also think that video-journalists will love the “ease of use” and the convenient built-in lens for their run-and-gun assignments. After testing the up coming (review can be found ), I got many requests to test a Sony equivalent camera. But it’s a full HD camera “only”, so I decided to look for a 4K (UHD) equivalent. Next on the list was the. This camera is aimed for the professional market with built-in XLR audio and 4:2:2 video sampling in HD mode. Also, as of February 2015, a 4K software license (a $550 paid firmware update) can be downloaded to unlock the 4K recording capability of the camera.

My decision was to do a review. It was also a good opportunity to test the new XAVC-S 4K update. (firmware 3.0 boosting the data rate from 60 Mbps to 100 Mbps). In my opinion this camera together with Sony’s can prove to be a very powerful combination. Comparing the to the Before diving into specifications, ergonomics or picture quality I think the main difference between those cameras is the “philosophy” behind them. Example: While the is “just” another stand-alone product, Sony chose to introduce an “eco-system” solution. The audio module can be used on its hotshoe and conveniently gives you XLR.

Both cameras are targeting video-journalists, but those who choose the Sony have the opportunity to add a professional audio attachment to their (non professional) camera. When taking a closer look, the only advantage I could find when using the was the ability to film in Canon’s C LOG flat picture profile. Other then that, Canon’s higher bit rate recording might be an advantage for some but it also requires a much more expensive storage option. I won’t go deep into the comparison between those cameras but to summarise. The has these advantages over the:.

A motorised zoom lens. 3 stages of ND filters. Better flexibility on the audio side. A good OLED EVF This makes the an easier camera to work with.

Saying all of that does not make the perfect actually far from it. I’m very curious to know who is in charge of designing those cameras and who decides about ergonomics and button placement. It feels like actual users weren’t involved in the design process and I think it would help. Engineers are great people but mostly not users. Points to Consider:.

Using the focus magnifier button on the front right hand side of the camera while shooting or accessing the menu and some of its functions when the LCD screen is closed is a guaranteed frustration. Another thing Sony could have done better is battery computability across the line. Using any of your existing Sony A7/A5000/A6000 batteries is not possible.

One of the key issues I have with those 1” sensor cameras though, is the non-consist aperture settings they all have and the is no exception (The is the only one to have a fast constant f2.8 lens). When you move out of the wide f2.8 comfort zone and slightly zoom in, the lens changes its aperture settings and in the case of the all the way to f4.0. Not as limiting as f5.6 in the but still a point to considered. A narrow dynamic range is another limitation this camera is suffering from. A slightly overexposed picture can turn ugly fast. Rolling Shutter is severe (see chart below) and compares to more or less to the On the positive side:. Low light capability is good (the above video was shot entirely in +6db mode).

Picture quality is nice. The supplied battery holds for many hours. Also, the very quick powering option by pulling out the EVF or opening the LCD screen is good to have. When needed, the camera can be set to “Auto mode” (great for chasing your kids), or enjoy its fine auto focus. All in all the is a good camera for the occasional shooter. It never had the ambition to become the mighty king of 4K cameras and as such, I was pleasantly surprised by its capabilities. Camera settings/editing/colour correction for this shoot:.

Sony Fdr Ax100 Specs

Picture effect-off (no way to access different parameters as sharpening in this mode). +6db. 4K, XAVC S, 25p, 100 Mbps, shutter 50.

Adobe Premiere CC 2014, Colour corrected with. Music: A big thank to Ronit and Snir Rozensal from Vision Tattoos.

Please visit their home page by clicking Johnnie Behiri is a freelance documentary cameraman/editor/producer working mostly for the BBC and other respected broadcasters. He is also co-owner of cinema5d.com.

. Name: System software update Ver.3.10 for FDR-AX100E (Mac).

Release date:. Benefits and improvements. The camera can now record XAVC S format with compatible SDHC and SDXC cards.When shooting movies in XAVC S format, it requires SD Speed Class10, or UHS Speed Class U1 or faster. (When recording in 100 Mbps or more, UHS Speed Class U3 is required.).When an SDHC memory card is used to record XAVC S movies over extended periods of time, the recorded movies will be divided into files of 4 GB. The divided files can be integrated into a single file using. Operating Systems The latest version of the system software update is compatible with the following Mac versions:.

Mac OS X v.10.9 10.11 Computer hardware The latest version of the system software update is compatible with the following hardware:. CPU: Intel processor.Core Solo and Core Duo processors are no longer supported. Hard disk space: 200MB or more. RAM: 512MB or more Note: Please close all other application software before updating the system software. Power source for the camera.

Fully charged rechargeable battery pack NP-FV70 or the AC Adaptor AC-L200 Note: The update can be performed only when the remaining battery level is (three marks) or more. We recommend that you use a fully charged battery. USB cable supplied with the camera Note: Update functionality is not guaranteed with any other USB cable. Important notes:. When performing the system software update, please use a fully charged rechargeable battery pack NP-FV70 or the AC adaptor AC-L200. Do not remove the battery pack or AC adaptor during the update; otherwise, the camera may become inoperable due to the sudden power shutdown. Remove the memory card from the camera beforehand.

The system software update takes approximately 15 minutes. We recommend preventing your computer from entering sleep or hibernation mode. In case the computer enters either sleep or hibernation mode (interrupting the update), please restart the process from the beginning. How to download the firmware updater:. Make sure that you are logged on as a user with administrative rights. At the bottom of the page, read the disclaimer and agree to the terms and conditions by clicking on the checkbox. Then, click on the Download button.

The download of the UpdateFDRAX100V310.dmg file will start. Save the file to the desktop of your computer (recommended).

Once the file has downloaded successfully, you're ready to install the system software update Ver.3.10 for FDR-AX100E. Step 1: Start up the Firmware Updater. Close all currently running programs on your computer. Double-click the UpdateFDRAX100V310.dmg file you downloaded.

Do not connect the camera at this point. UpdateFDRAX100V310 is expanded. Double-click the FirmwareUpdater icon. To load a kernel extension, the message prompts you to allow the application to make changes.

Type the password for the administrative account. Firmware Updater starts up. Turn on the camera According to the instruction on the Firmware Updater window, select Menu - Setup - Connection - USB Connection on the camera, and check if Mass Storage is selected.

If another mode than Mass Storage is selected, select Mass Storage. Remove the memory card from the camera beforehand. Connect the camera to the computer with the supplied USB cable. Note: When the camera is connected to the computer, the LCD screen of the camera turns off. Please proceed to the next step If the LCD screen of the camera dose not turn off, please try the following methods. Disconnect the USB cable and connect it again. If the computer has multiple USB terminals, try with the other terminals.

After confirming the above, click Next on the Firmware Updater window. Below image appears on the Firmware Updater window, and Follow computer instructions appears on the LCD screen of the camera. Note: From now on, never turn off the camera until the system software update is completed. Computer camera. After confirming the above, click Next.

The current version and the version after the update appear on the lower left part of the screen. After confirming Current Version is Ver. ≤ 3.00, click Next. If Current version is Ver.3.10, the update is not required. According to the message, stop the USB connection and click Finish. Turn off the camera, remove the battery pack, reinsert the battery and turn on the camera. The screen below appears.

Press OK on the LCD panel to execute the reset of the camera. Note: The screen turns off when OK is pressed. Please proceed to the next step. Click Next on the Firmware Updater window.

After resetting, reconnection of the camera is verified, and the below screen appears. Click Run to start the update. The progress bar appears while updating(approximately 15 minutes). Note:Never turn off the camera nor disconnect the USB cable while updating.

When the update is completed, the camera will automatically restart and the message 'Recovering data. Please wait.' May be displayed for a few minutes before completing the restarting.

Click Finish when below image appears on the LCD screen. Disconnect the USB cable. Step 2: Confirm the system software version of your camera is Ver.3.10.

Select Menu - Setup - General Settings - Version on the camera. If Ver.3.10 appears then the system software version is Ver.3.10.