Sony A55 + 35mm f/1.8 SAL lens video test

PLEASE read the description:
The SLT A55 is a great camera for video but has limited settings, so to archieve the best look I have to use AEL (Auto Exposure lock),manual white balance and manual focus. with these settings I'm able to adjust the aperture and the camera automatically adjusts the ISO and the shutter speed.
In picture mode I select aperture priority and I measure the shutter speed at the lower ISO possible in that condition, then I apply one or more ND filters in front of the lens in order to have a shutter speed between 1/40 and 1/60s.
Also i select a custom "Creative Style" with -3 contrast, -2 saturation and -3 sharpness.
For better manual focusing I use a thick wire tie to make like a handle on the focus ring.
The last portion of the sequence is taken with Auto Focus,:in this mode the aperture is fixed at f/3.5.
I used the SteadyShot (sensor stabilization) through all the sequence and it's all handheld. I don't use the SteadyShot only on tripod and only when I need the full APS-C frame ( the stabilizer takes some field of view).

The video is edited in Adobe Premiere and the only effects I used are a layer to compensate the vignetting at f1.8, and some sharpening.

The music is "Canon in D" by All Star Percussion Ensemble

Category:

Science & Technology

Tags:

• A55
• A33
• A77
• A35
• SLT
• SONY
• sony
• canon
• nikon
• pentax
• 5d
• camera
• lens
• 35mm
• 35
• f1.8
• f/1.8
• SAL
• 1080
• 1080p
• test
• DOF
• cinematic
• look

[akaloith]

1) use DVMP Pro 5 DEMO for mts files to see the aperture, iso, shutter is used

2) doing so i found the following

In order to use widest aperture and shutter: 1/50 (europe)

- Use M, s: 1/30!!!! f:3.5 or if brighter lens the aperture (eg 1.8) but with manual focus

- Using a fader ND filter make sure that exposure is at zero, no +, or -, all at M

- Lock exposure

- Shoot video

You are now shooting at 1/50 and the desired aperture

Use 1/30 shutter! and check the files with DVMP Pro 5 DEMO

[daxrx7]

@akaloith Hi, thank you for the advice. I always tend to expose the videos a little faster than 1/30 because I've got the feeling that the camera starts to crank up the ISOs way before that, so at let's say 1/50 I have some headroom for exposure adjustements during the filming. But yes, if I know EXACTLY what I'm going to shoot, I expose to 1/25.

BTW, why you say 1/30 if you are from europe too? I assume that Sony keeps the same settings between countries despite different framerates.

[kemenyadi]

Very nice video and cute cat:)

I have a question, I have the A33 and I'm thinking of buying the same 35mm f/1.8 lens, I heard the there is a limitation for autofocus with widest apeture at f/3.5? Is this why you shot using m.f. at full apeture?

[daxrx7]

@kemenyadi exactly. To be precise, when you use AF, f3.5 is the ONLY aperture you can use, but I think it's a fair compromise.

[daxrx7]

@Sowyet The european version shoots 25p wrapped in a 50i format. Then in the editing software the video can be de-interlaced to get the original 25p frames.

If you want to see this or other data from the videos on youtube you can right-click on the video and choose "show video info"

[drjay4utube]

I just got an A55 with the SAL35F18 and appreciated your video. I'm hoping auto will work pretty well since I won't be able to setup my video shots as nicely as you have since I'm videoing a toddler's spontaneous moments. I'm hoping to see an improvement in low-light performance over my Panasonic GH1 with 20mm F1.7 since the A55 has such a larger sensor.

[daxrx7]

@drjay4utube the lens is great expecially for the price. I don't know much about the GH1, but the A55 is very good for home videos because of the autofocus and the smooth transitions on the exposure. However, the sony's AVCHD is very compressed and it's not suitable for professional video-making.

[akaloith]

@daxrx7 in europe we have pal at 25fps

cinematic look is achieved by using shutter twice (1/50 for pal)

by using DVMP Pro 5 DEMO you see that in camera you have to select 1/30 shutter for the actual video to have the desired 1/50

shoot test videos, do as i say and check the files with DVMP Pro 5 DEMO

[PaulyIshams]

haha the sony ass



[Sowyet]

how many fps that film have?