(SR4) Small but important Sony A77 Europe/US difference in video recording?
Two trusted sources noticed that on “paper” there is a small difference between the A77 US and European versions. Apparently the A77 can record FullHD videos at 1080p60 and 1080p24. The European version can record in 1080p50 and 1080p25 but not 1080p24!
I hope this is a mistake only, it really doesn’t make sense to not offer the 24p version in Europe!
UPDATE: I just got this from a third trusted source: “US version is 24,30,60p, European 25 and 50p. There is no difference between 24 and 25p visually. You can play 25p at a speed of 24p and vice versa. Problem is sound, but video editors have no problem in converting the sound speed digitally.”
Some other bits of info: I really got tons of rumors from testers that said the AF speed is amazing and very accurate. This is just a subjective “judgment” but I never so many sources be happy with a pre-production camera!
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feedmatekill
10 months ago |honestly…..makes no difference to me anyways….as long as they get the AF – ISO – EVF right……
mf
10 months ago |I want 60p and 24p!
Marc
10 months ago |Oh com’on Sony, please don’t make different versions !
I know there is a regulation with filming over 30 minutes, that’s why so many digital ‘photo’ cameras have a limitation of 29 minutes (although they could film longer). But what’s the sense in these 2 versions ?
I hope Sony makes 60p/50p/30p/25p/24p available for everybody. If not, they will have to make different firmware updates and blablabla …
daniel
10 months ago |why is there a 30min regulation?
Don Cox
10 months ago |The 30 min limit comes from a campaign to protect European makers of camcorders. Extra import duty was added to camcorders imported into Europe, but the extra was not added to still cameras.
When still cameras started to shoot movies, it was decided that anything that can shoot more than 30 minutes counts as a camcorder and pays the extra duty.
Whether there are still any European camcorder manufacturers, I don’t know.
daniel
10 months ago |will there be a custome firmware? i don’t think that i will shoot longer videos and so 30min will be enough. but i hate such regulations! the same thing with the different shooting mods between USA and EU.
FK
10 months ago |It’s to suppress unwanted (grey) import from other countries in which the product is sold for a different price. I still find this ridiculous I’m sick of living in a country that exports a lot more then it imports and still being charged more then people of a country that only live by credit of others and import. All these limitations are purely fictional and they exist to maximize profits, there is no other reason then this.
By the way 60p is really desirable for slow-motion even if you live in a pal zone.
Werner Ruotsalainen
10 months ago |Fully agreed. We Europeans end up having to pay much more for exactly the same hardware than people from the US.
Daniel Blanco
10 months ago |Why don’t they offer PAL/NTSC switching from menu as Panasonic does?
What if you live in a PAL country, but are on holidays in a NTSC one and want to record some video without lights flickering?
Werner Ruotsalainen
10 months ago |Well, actually, none of the (Full-)HD capable Pana digicameras (P&S and m43 alike) allow for truly selecting between 50p and 60p. They’re set to either PAL (50p) or NTSC (60p) and this can only be hacked on selected models (currently, GH1, GH2, ZS7/TZ10) via Vitaliy Kiselev’s hack – but definitely not officially.
Art
10 months ago |This is probably true.
FS100 is the same. The European version does 25p and 50p. The US version 24p and 60p.
However, there is not really visible difference between 24p and 25p.
Sam
10 months ago |Why is there a regulation for filming over 30minutes… i don’t understand!
Werner Ruotsalainen
10 months ago |The EU demands an additional 2-3% of customs for digicams that can record more than 30 minutes as they’re also considered video cameras, purely on their continuous recording capabilities.
There have been numerous petitions against this (see e.g. http://vimeo.com/groups/gh2/forumthread:237068 ); all in vain. That is, it seems we Europeans need to either hack the firmware (as done by Vasily) or order the camera from the States.
sonyboy68
10 months ago |+1 completely true B-)
SonyA77
10 months ago |Couldn’t give a toss about video.
JS
10 months ago |+5
brizmako
10 months ago |A minor quibble, if true.
JS
10 months ago |wrong one…whoops
Mike
10 months ago |@Admin: does the A77 have (optional) contrast-AF? Does it have contrast-peaking (highlighting the in-focus area in red like the NEX)?
Edgars
10 months ago |… and additional question about overheating problem. I don’t remember, is it solved for A77?
Sky_walker
10 months ago |yes it is. There was post about it earlier.
But I’m also curious of the focus peek in A77. (yes Sony, the a-mount users also use manual lenses!)
Edgars
10 months ago |It is not only useful for MF lenses, but for any lens if used in manual mode e.g. for macro.
Adam Welz
10 months ago |What about 1080/30p for the US version? It seems not to have been mentioned since the original announcement.
Edgars
10 months ago |Adam, announcement will be after 10 days!
Daniel Blanco
10 months ago |It’s not that there is a visible difference between 24p and 25p, but more of a workflow issue. Some editors don’t handle so well timelines with mixed framerates, so you have to conform one fr to another (when using video material from other sources)
Werner Ruotsalainen
10 months ago |Also note that, in general, you don’t necessarily need to convert 24p to 25p for playback in, say, broadcast TV – generally, 24p movies are aired in exactly this way. The case of the opposite direction (if you can’t record the original stuff in 24p but absolutely must play back your stuff in 24p movie theaters) is much worse and generally needs re-encoding, unless you’re fine with the some % of speed-down (that is, the opposite of playing 24p content in a 25p/50i medium like PAL TV)
albin
10 months ago |I would have been happy with just 720p!
couldn’t care less about 24-25 fps.
High Speed would be my preferred choice.
Werner Ruotsalainen
10 months ago |I want an all-in-one camera that can be used for excellent Full HD video recording and taking (almost) flawless photos. I hate non-converged devices and particularly the fact that there’re no consumer video cameras with 24mm lenses – which would be a must. Actually, even 28mm camcorders are very rare – most of them start at 35 or even 40-42 mm, which is completely unacceptable for my needs.
dyna
10 months ago |Werner, the Sony CX360, CX560, CX700, AX2000 all have native 26mm lenses in 16:9, 29mm in 4:3. So if you’re looking for wide angle (and bright, all their lenses are at minimum f/1.8) consumer camcorders, go for it.
If you want something more like the Flip, then Casio’s Tryx has 21mm…
You’ve options, man.
Werner Ruotsalainen
10 months ago |Are you sure the HDR-CX360V has 27mm WA in 16:9? The specs state 27.4mm focal length in Photo Mode and 29.8mm in Video Mode. That is, it’s even worse (=narrower) than the zoom kit lens of most DSLR’s / m43 / NEX / Sony Axx series. The 560V and the 700 are indeed 26.3mm, however – for around $900 and $1300, respectively. The latter isn’t much cheaper than the A77 with the 24mm (equiv.) zoom lens – and, most probably, vastly better low-light video and even better still photo capabilities.
Nevertheless, 26mm is still too narrow for me. I even have framing problems in my practice with 24mm P&S cameras (I currently use the (NTSC) Pana TZ7 and the Nikon P300 for indoor recording of my lectures or family meetings). 26mm is visibly narrower – on the wide end, every mm counts.
Futile
10 months ago |Will just bring on alot of Firmware hacking, so I’m fine with that.
stresskiller
10 months ago |depends if the pal / ntsc coding chip is integrated or not.
but then again it;s supposed to be a photo camera so why bother at all
Werner Ruotsalainen
10 months ago |Hope it succeeds… it took about 8-10 months(!) after the initial debut to hack the seriously encrypted Pana GH2… and noone knows if the A77′s firmware can be hacked at all.
Futile
10 months ago |If the camera is interesting enough, and becomes popular, I gaurentee it’ll get hacked. Just needs to invite the right personalities.
Werner Ruotsalainen
10 months ago |Yup, Vasily needs to be invited
I do hope the camera can, in some way, be hacked. Even by doing the same tricks as Vasily has done – that is, physically unsoldering the (updatable) ROM chip containing the unencrypted firmware from the camera to be able to directly read its contents.
Jonatan
10 months ago |With PAL we have the standard in 25p, and the NTSC is 30p, for this reason in US the max speed is 60p ( you can make the slow motion at 50% and you will have the 30p ) and in Europe the same with the 50p ( 25p in slow )
So if Sony wants make a difference, the only way is with the standard frame rates:
US – 30p 60p and 24p if they want give us the real cinema look.
EUROPE – 25p 50p and 24p for the same reason.
The same with the actual Slt or Nex systems, in Europe we have the 50i not the 60i, I know actually is interlaced but is the same rule.
So my point is the 24p is not a special feature for US, is the new standard for all zones, we don’t talk about the PAL or NTSC…
I hope the 24p will be a feature in ALL a77.
Sky_walker
10 months ago |24fps won’t miraculously turn your clip into cinema-style movie. No more than 25fps do. Learn how to film – this will give you cinematic look, not a switch on the camera
Raul S.
10 months ago |+1
Swemba
10 months ago |I’ve come to learn that people on here only care about specs. It’s sort of like people who don’t like music if it doesn’t include sweeping arpeggios.
JS
10 months ago |That’s so true….as if Sony doesn’t have a stake in selling the camcorders they make and should (or could) put every feature imaginable in a single product.
David
10 months ago |Yup, absolutely!
The whole “cinematic 24p” thing is the worst internet obsession ever.
I bet those people couldn’t even tell 24 and 25fps apart anyway.
JS
10 months ago |wrong one again….
Werner Ruotsalainen
10 months ago |It’s pretty hard to take them apart if all you have is the rendering of the movie, not the original source itself. Probably only based on the different playback time (24p played back in a 25p/50i medium or vice versa) – the playback time difference clearly show if it’s a movie shot using a not currently used native fps.
Jonatan
10 months ago |Are you thinking about the motion blur? obviously the frame rate don’t give us the cinematic look, but if you work with Colorista or Looks for example in Final cut, flame… to adjust the final touch in a production, with 30p or 50i, you will never get the cinematic look because the motion blur is so different between the 24p or other frame rate.
Is so important to get the movement of the objects with the good motion blur, I know we have the rolling shutter problem, but this thing can fixed in postproduction, but the motion blur you can’t change the shutter speed in any frame in postproduction.
For example you can get a “proffesional photo” with the automatic mode and save it in jpg, but the best way is work in Manual in the 90% of cases and save in raw right? but this pipeline give us a proffesional photos? not right? but is the right way or not?
We can have the 24p, or record at 4k and with the same features like the new Red in development like record in HDR to get the full dynamic range…but maybe we will never get the cinematic look, so my point is we want ( or need ) the good features, if you can get the cinematic look good for you, if you can’t but you are happy with your camera with the last tools in the market making movies with your family or dog in the beach, good for you.
I talked as a lighting director in movies and as normal user that wants make personal videos with her family.
albin
10 months ago |isn’t NTSC 25fps?
I might be wrong but this could be the reason.
Personally I’d rather see 120fps than 24.
FK
10 months ago |Only problem is that you can’t see 120 fps not even 60 or 50 you’re bodies mechanics are limited to somewhat like 24 fps or even less. Everything with 24 fps or more will look like a fluid movement to virtually all people. If it don’t it is most likely due to different framerate support or display frequencies of different devices, interlace footage and clearly not because of you being able to see more then 24 fps.
Ingmar
10 months ago |I’d also like to have 120fps but I think this will be a dream for now.
@FK: The point is not to have a movie with 120 fps but to be able to do a slow motion clip with 20% of the speed (when cutting in 24fps) without interpolation.
FK
10 months ago |He Said: “Personally I’d rather see 120fps than 24.”
Werner Ruotsalainen
10 months ago |“Only problem is that you can’t see 120 fps not even 60 or 50 you’re bodies mechanics are limited to somewhat like 24 fps or even less.”
It depends on the material you’re watching. If it’s a properly “blurred” (shot with, say, 1/25 or, at most, 1/30) 24p movie, then, you may not need more. If it’s a movie shot with typical “video” configuration (1/60 or even 1/120), there will be far less motion blur on the individual frames and, therefore, you’ll need as many frames per second as possible. There’s an excellent explanation of all this at http://www.100fps.com/how_many_frames_can_humans_see.htm
Personally, I think the more fps the better. For example, panning has always been problematic (and heavily stuttering) in 24p movies. A properly (meaning 1/60 to still allow for some kind of movie-like motion blur) exposed 60p video is far better in this respect.
Finally, the human eye can see even individual frames displayed for 1/200 second.
Daniel Blanco
10 months ago |@Jonathan
I agree 100% with what you’ve said!
Andrew Reid
10 months ago |Makes sense to me, would rather have 25p than 24p and they both look the same.
Ideally would be PAL / NTSC switchable but essentially 25p has the same cinema look as 24p so don’t worry too much Ale!!
Paul
10 months ago |NTSC is 30fps, PAL is 25fps.
This rumor is probably true, its the case with other Sony cameras.
I wonder if you could install US firmware onto the camera to “unlock’ the higher framerates? The hardware will be the same, surely.
Werner Ruotsalainen
10 months ago |Hope we will be able. Nevertheless, the Pana cameras didn’t let for this trick. Hope Sony will be more user-friendly.
Tanglefoot
10 months ago |I’m not too fussed about 24 or 25p but am wondering if the difference between 50 & 60p makes much of a difference if you are doing slow motion with interpolation software? Hope we get the option of 60p here in Europe too
Adman
10 months ago |Just as expected then but the FS100 will get a firmware update to enable world framerates, likely no update for the Alphas. Living in Europe I see no reason to get a PAL camera now. Under electronic lights use 24p and for slowmotion use 60p and no 30min limit.
Maxwell
10 months ago |Eh… there will be alot of noise from “film people” if the Europen version has no 24p. My new Sony Bravia TV can show 24p, I must admit I don’t know what is made in 24p. But ain’t some Blu-ray HD in 24p?
By “film people” I mean all film entusiast who make movies for fun or maybe even professional. I read somewhere that 24p is used in movies, so if you shoot for movies all other frame rates are just trouble.
Sony should do as Canon, let the user select “location” in menu. PAL vs NTSC, US vs. Europa or what they call it. So you can select whatever framerate you need. “US” gives you 24p, 30p and 60p. And “Europa” gives you 25p and 50p. So you just select “US” location if you need 24p.
People in Europe can (believe it or not Sony) shoot movies for US tv.
And people in US can (believe it or not Sony) shoot movies for Europe tv channels. So please let us select framerate as we need.
Oh.. I just started the noise. But just a rumor now so I waint until
later so make more noise.
dk
10 months ago |+1
I couldn’t care less about those video features but i think Canon sold a great bunch of 5d2 to “film people”; Sony better not make those angry.
Xia
10 months ago |Why do people want 60 fps in europe? our standard is 25fps. 50fps allow you to have slow motion at 50% of speed. In the US its the same, but with 60/30.
Other wise if we had 60 in europe, then the slow motion ratio would be different so software would have to be different, interpolation might have to appear.
So its common sense to have 2 different frame rate really depending on the market.
Sandro
10 months ago |if your workflow is 24p, 60p source does make a difference. I hate those market difference, now that we found a unique consumer standard (24p/bluray) they want us to stick with those differences!
–coming from a PAL speedup HATER
Paul
10 months ago |Why do people in Europe want 60fps? Same reason as anyone else in the world, B=because its double the framerate.
Booe
10 months ago |Because today’s many people watch videos on their LCD displays, exchange thru the internet and do not care about the standards were in analogue broadcast.
Bernd
10 months ago |I agree: A switchable 50Hz/60Hz “World Cam” would be the best solution for all, but after the Panasonic disaster with the GH2 (PAL version with 24p only, no 1080p25 – that’s a bad joke!) I was afraid Sony might copy this mistake by offering 24p and 60p only in the A77. And none of these formats is really useable for a lot of professional filming in PAL country – at least the production companies I shoot for don’t want them. But with 25p/50p the new Sony is still interesting. Now let’s hope the audio department isn’t too crippled and the EVF isn’t a good deal worse than a DSLR-type OVF.
Sandro
10 months ago |-wrong post-
Booe
10 months ago |Would be best solution if any fps in range would be selectable. Why in hell modern hardware would mimic what fps did use TV broadcast and cinema years ago?
Matt
10 months ago |Years ago? You’re an idiot, 25fps is still a standard here in Europe. I would never want a 24fps camera when working in Europe, the difference is neglible and anyone that says they can tell the difference is an idiot. 24fps is a lot harder to work with workflow-wise, while 25fps is just a breeze. You would never want 60fps and 25fps, that’s just giant headaches.
Booe
10 months ago |http://lmgtfy.com/?q=How+To+Change+the+Screen+Refresh+Rate
Gylles
10 months ago |I think that most company’s don’t really want to make a photo camera that truly has great video capability, at least not right away.
It’s far more profitable to keep making camera’s that are just a little bit better / have a little more capability’s then the previous camera.
And Sony also sells pro video camera’s, if they put in all the features that a pro user would want in this camera they might miss out on pro video camera sales.
If limiting the video capabilities will result in more profit, they will just do that…
This brings me to the 30min. limit in Europe, apparently this has to do with an import tax of 4,9% on ‘camcorders’. And i guess some European law makers have decided that a digital camera capable of recording 30 minutes or more is considered a ‘camcorder’. So by stopping the recording at 29min59sec they can avoid the import tax.
And limiting the frame rates probably has something to do with profit as well.
I case anyone is wondering why anyone would want NTSC frame rates in Europe, consider this:
if you’re talking about slow motion: 60p vs 50p would offer an extra 20% slow motion, and if your shooting slow motion, why not ad that 20% if its possible?
And think about what pro user might want in a camera, where would this 1920×1080 HD video likely end up? Probably on a Blu-Ray disc…
Blu-Ray specification:
1920×1080 24p ( = 24 frames/sec progressive )
1920×1080 60i ( = 30 frames/sec interlaced )
1920×1080 50i ( = 25 frames/sec interlaced )
The 50i is mandatory for Blu-Ray player is PAL countries but is optional for NTSC countries.
So if you want to make a Blu-Ray that can be played in all countries you need to use 24p or 60i,
and if you want the make a progressive Blu-Ray your only option is 24p.
And how about a pro user that gets offered a job to shoot video that’s intended for lets say the American market? you would really want to shoot that in NTSC frame rates.
Limiting the frame rates (and also the recording time) would probably result in a pro user buying a much more expensive ‘pro video’ camera.
But this brings me back to my original point, if they wanted, they could very easily put all the frame rate in this camera, but if they believe that they can increase their profits, they’ll simply limit this camera.
I could of course be wrong about this, and remember its just a rumor at this moment, but if Sony ends up crippling this camera and they want to claim it’s not just for profit, i would gladly invite them to explain why exactly they would choose to do this…
Futile
10 months ago |I think this strictness changed with AVCHD2.0
Gylles
10 months ago |Yes, that’s exactly my point, this camera should be able to have all the frame rates. But if this rumor is true, that means that Sony intentionally limits the capability of this camera.
PhotoNut
10 months ago |US: 60/30p
EU: 50/25p
No 24p!
emopunk
10 months ago |Why on earth do they have to make such choices, I will never understand. Well, but if choices are stupid, then it’s always good to have competitors. Users have to punish brands which are not loyal in such things.
JS
10 months ago |Punish how, exactly, and to what end? If you weren’t going to buy the camera in the first place, then why worry, if you were after something that does every single thing then companies would make one single product. Different features for different regions is something that has long existed (otherwise, all dvds and dvd players would be region free and all televisions would be 16:9). So maybe the real issue is with the governing bodies that make up these rules (such as the EU camcorder 30 min limit tax crap).
So who are we to punish and how? This is the real question.
emopunk
10 months ago |I don’t think there’s any law beside this choice. It’s rather that they don’t want their own camera to do same things in all markets. Punishing is meant in a marketing meaning. When you don’t buy things that are not on par with others, the company you are avoiding does have to go back on their steps or they simply have to accept they lose market share.
JS
10 months ago |Well, if shooting video was my primary use, then maybe I could see the concern, but isn’t this a still camera first? For me, it’s just not a personal issue that I feel I need to punish a giant corporation. Especially after I have invested so much in their product through lenses and whatnot. Now, if Canon or Nikon wants to ‘buy’ my loyalty and help me in my punishment of Sony, then perhaps I’ll consider it, but until then, I’ll keep things in perspective and remember the reason I’m really interested in this camera, hint, it’s not for video
Tiago Costa
10 months ago |One question that i have for the sources related to the flash use in the A77: does it still have the flash shutter lag noticeable in the A55 and A33?
SRL
10 months ago |So, it’s there a slight difference in the model number and/or is this something done using firmware?
jaypeety
10 months ago |i should stop trolling in this site.. people are becoming a bunch of id**ts.. get over urselves about the framerates reason being europe has 25/50 coz their tvs are based with those framerates and havin the ntsc optional and vice versa in US… geez! its not like u in europe goin to make a video and show it to the whole people in the US…
Werner Ruotsalainen
10 months ago |Actually, it’s only the (very) old (CRT) PAL TV sets that may(!) have problems playing back 60i content. All of the newer sets (including non-CRT ones) can play back NTSC content when directly fed from a NTSC signal.
Also, many state Europe needs 25p/50i/50p because, otherwise, there would be a very bad 10 Hz interference from fluorescent lamps. In my practice this hasn’t become a major issue. (I only use genuine NTSC gear because of the higher framerate and the lack of the stupid 30-minute law to record my lectures lit by fluorescent lamps. In the 50 Hz Europe.)
jaypeety
10 months ago |i should stop trolling in this site.. people are becoming a bunch of idiots.. get over urselves about the framerates reason being europe has 25/50 coz their tvs are based with those framerates and havin the ntsc optional and vice versa in US… geez! its not like u in europe goin to make a video and show it to the whole people in the US… and if u are such a pro video user.. dont think you would buy this camera just to make videos and make money over it..
Albert
10 months ago |Sorry guys i need help!
I am new to videorecording and i need an extra explanation
what’s the difference from 25 and 24 p?
Isn’t 25 fps better than 24 fps?
So, if i want to produce a slomotion clip i need to film in 50p (or 60) and than slow down the video to 50% ?
and if i am recording a normal NON slomo film i only need to record in 25p?
why is 24p better than 25?
PLZ explain me
Werner Ruotsalainen
10 months ago |“why is 24p better than 25?”
If you do want to shot a movie for playback in cinemas, 24p is the way to go to avoid the need for “slowdown” (unless you reencode them) from 25p movies – or complete reencoding from 30p ones.
roman
10 months ago |So 24p is better only virtually. If you want to create a blockbuster simply use a proper tool.
dts
10 months ago |so US gets three options 24/30/60…. europe should have 24/25/50 at least, so we can leave PAL country with the cam… yes some people dare to do that sony…
@admin
any word on bitrate in 24/25p mode and rolling shutter, moire or aliasing from your sources?
thx
ieR
10 months ago |i dont even know what my cellphone HD video record mode is…
Do i care? NO
Why? as long as it plays on my pc/mac, tv, and ipad.
Zstan
10 months ago |Wow you have an iPad!
Annoyed
10 months ago |This is extremely annoying if true PAL models need 24p/25p/50i/60p. No one cares about or wants 50p instead of 60p and bluray supports 24p not 25p. Pretty unbelievable Sony wont even support its own Bluray format.
Simply adding a PAL/NTSC setting in the menu is obviously the best option, even budget model Canon DSLRs have a PAL/NTSC setting.
Pacman
10 months ago |10 days more!
Job
10 months ago |This is why there are riots in London because of this 24P issue…
pancanikonpus
10 months ago |That mean Asia get both 60p, 50p, 30p, 25p, 24p ?
if not, Asia follow which standard? ><"
jaypeety
10 months ago |asia follows US standards coz they’ve been bombed by them.
Werner Ruotsalainen
10 months ago |“asia follows US standards coz they’ve been bombed by them.”
Not necessarily: see http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/File:PAL-NTSC-SECAM.svg
Maxwell
10 months ago |25p is not 24p.
If EU version has not 24p and you can’t change to US to get 24p, well
we gone have some noise from EU people. Just as when Canon released
5D mkII with no 24p. I believe when people buy a new semi-pro camera today they want to be able to select framerate as needed. If not, well they have to buy a camera that let them select framerate as needed. So simple it is. I really hope Sony ain’t making this big mistake when they release the A77. So 24p also for EU edition, or enable to change to US in menu.
Gabriele
10 months ago |I think that we will switch all the frame rates via menu. This is because i could shoot a video traveling in Usa and having fluorescent lights flicker at 60Hz….In Europe I will shoot at night in 25-50 fps…because the AC is 50Hz.
ladybug
10 months ago |My first post here.
I am just a simple person.
We (in Europe) have televisions working at 50/100/200 Herz. I would expect the fps of film to be related to that figure, not to the Herz-figure of the electricity infrastructure. They are not connected, are they?
I must admit, there is only a tiny bit of this discussion I do understand. Probably due to this tiny detail you are mentioning.
ladybug
10 months ago |no (one to) answer ???
anon99
10 months ago |This is very annoying…
Canon and Nikon models allow switchable PAL/NTSC but their video is not AVCHC spec, (only H264).
Is this because of the AVCHD2.0 spec requirement?
Switchable specs are already on the pro series camcorders, so why not implement the same on these SLRs?
If Sony, Pana etc. continue to be like this, I’m sure I won’t be buying another camera/camcorder hardware from these brands anymore. Shame on Sony.
emopunk
10 months ago |So if some EU customer in some years moves to US for living, they’d better sell their camera to buy a US one. They are crazy or what?
E
10 months ago |This drops the camera of my ‘wanted’ list. Not that I will film that muxch ,but I really would like some hi speed shooting, and 60p could have been enough.
Now I’ll look at Casio, and some fundings for this cam goes away.
I can understand that the primary choices should be the ones that fit your region, but the rest should be available as extended choices, for those that know what they do, or want to experiment.
oppel
10 months ago |As there seems to be some Sony staff visiting this site and the camera is not yet released, I will add my voice to the others:
Please, Sony, if you plan to sell different firmware versions in EU/US, add an option where you can change framerate/region as wanted.
I don’t care so much about the 30min limit, but if it’s technically easily possible to include 50p and 60p (AND 24p!), why restrict the possibilities and limit the artistic choices?
From what I heard of this camera up to now, I’d definitely buy one. But this rumour here dampens my enthusiasm quite a bit…
Booe
10 months ago |Yeah, this rumour and unecessary limitations do not contribute to Sony reputation. My enthusiasm lowers too.
Duncanario
10 months ago |So I have a couple of GH2s and was looking to pick up an A77 but GH2s do 24p and 50i, A77 does 25p and 50p. So I have to buy a US one to get 24p so that i can use all the cameras together easily?? Don’t think so Sony. And by the way marketing people, crippling the camera doesn’t make us upgrade to your £5000 models, we buy the cheaper SLRs and use them by working around the limitations whilst resenting your company for its cynical treatment of its customers. In Europe we NEED 25p and the flexibility of 24p for when we need it. The 30m limit is already enough of a limitation why don’t you just leave it at that. Me, I’m thinking of leaving it till the Canon 5d Mark 3 comes out (4:2:2 colour space and what’s the betting the BBC add it to their approved list).
sina
10 months ago |i couldnt care les about 24p, full hd 50p or 60p is native resolution of most modern flat tvs, so avchd 2.0 28mb/s 50p should look gorgeous on 50 or 60″ plasma or lcd. Thank you, sony!
Dennis_photo
10 months ago |This annoying region difference has been in Sony cameras for too long now. I really do not understand why they are crippling their products like this.
Can there be some hardware differences? Does encoding for 60/30/24 or 50/25 require different chip sets? I can understand that 60/30 fps and 50/25 fps might require different clocks, but why only 24 fps in the US model, I can’t fit in any clock rate reason here.
People travel. People move. People has diffent needs. People have different work flows. Different frame rates are better for different situations.
Stupid stupid stupid limitations. I really feel like whining a lot now.
Why not limit the available aperture settings for different regions also? Or white balance values appropriate for snow can only be set on cameras sold in regions where snow is common during winter.
E
10 months ago |you can rest assured that the firmware is the same for all cameras. The FW just check’s which region the camera was sold to, and displays the correct(hrmm) choices. So all is there, just not made available to the customer.
Werner Ruotsalainen
10 months ago |Are you absolutely sure the A77 will be far less restrictive as the Pana GH1/GH2/TZx/ZSx series and a simple region change will make the previously hidden settings available? Along with removing the stupid 30-minute video recording limit, of course….
Dennis_photo
10 months ago |I’m not wondering about firmware. It is rather if there are hardware differences I am curious about.
If the hardware is identical one can always hope for future firmware releases that removes these stupid unnecessary restrictions.
Booe
10 months ago |I guess you’ll have to wait (or hire) a software hacker doing this job for you. Because it was easier (technically) for Sony not to add these stupid limits in first place.
Fredrik
10 months ago |Andrea, can you share any info on the video recording function?
A77 and NEX7 are both advanced cameras.. In fact the first advanced “still-cameras” with video recording capability that Sony has released.
So, will these cameras also have “advanced” video control? By that I mean aperture control, shutter speed control and gain control for video recording (like the VG10). A fully manual control system for video recording.
admin
10 months ago |Yes full manual control!