NX20, best lens that I have for video? Is there a video tethering mode?

nster wrote:

Hey, I just purchased an NX20 to complement my NX1000

I have these lenses: 20-50, 30, 60, 85, 50-200 III

Which is most suitable/best quality for recording a meeting? (tripod) Is there a way to bypass the 25min limit or is that a filesystem limitation? I'm also looking for a EM10 mic in Canada but it seems to have been discontinued?

Is there a way to tether video to my computer? Or any way to possibly use the NX20 for a delayed webcast?

It's a good camera with limitations.

The 25 min video limit is hard coded into the firmware for import tax reasons not for any technical purpose. Still cameras with video are in a lower import duty class than 'pure' video cameras with a still function. There is no way AFAIK to access the hidden settings menu to change it. Many have tried etc..

The camera won't tether. The nearest way to do it is to use the HDMI out and control the camera remotely via the very limited 'smart' wireless app. The NX30 is better in this respect but still won't tether as per Nikon or Canon.

I've used the NX20 for video. It works ok. The downside is that the mics are small and camera mounted and pick up a lot of camera noise, especially the focus. Maybe go to manual focus if the speaker isn't moving. I'd also suggest an image stabilised lens. I used the 18-55 kit lens which did our meetings fine.

If I were doing any semi serious video then I'd invest in a decent second hand HD video camera without recording time limits and with proper microphone input jacks. Do an ebay search and you'll get one for chips.

Thanks for all the info! This is only for a 1 or 2 time thing, I rarely ever use video. Do I need OIS? It will definitively be on a tripod probably even MF and smaller aperture for depth of field if lighting permits. Are any of the lenses better than the other for video? Both the 60mm and 50-200mm III are OIS

Jaberwok wrote:

nster wrote:

Hey, I just purchased an NX20 to complement my NX1000

I have these lenses: 20-50, 30, 60, 85, 50-200 III

Which is most suitable/best quality for recording a meeting? (tripod) Is there a way to bypass the 25min limit or is that a filesystem limitation? I'm also looking for a EM10 mic in Canada but it seems to have been discontinued?

Is there a way to tether video to my computer? Or any way to possibly use the NX20 for a delayed webcast?

It's a good camera with limitations.

The 25 min video limit is hard coded into the firmware for import tax reasons not for any technical purpose. Still cameras with video are in a lower import duty class than 'pure' video cameras with a still function. There is no way AFAIK to access the hidden settings menu to change it. Many have tried etc..

The camera won't tether. The nearest way to do it is to use the HDMI out and control the camera remotely via the very limited 'smart' wireless app. The NX30 is better in this respect but still won't tether as per Nikon or Canon.

I've used the NX20 for video. It works ok. The downside is that the mics are small and camera mounted and pick up a lot of camera noise, especially the focus. Maybe go to manual focus if the speaker isn't moving. I'd also suggest an image stabilised lens. I used the 18-55 kit lens which did our meetings fine.

If I were doing any semi serious video then I'd invest in a decent second hand HD video camera without recording time limits and with proper microphone input jacks. Do an ebay search and you'll get one for chips.

A tripod will give you far superior stabilization than OIS. Therefore, you should always disable OIS when using tripod, for reasons explained here.

Jury is out on that one if you read the article properly. The anti shake auto stabilisation MAY cause shake due to a feedback loop and it MAY be better to turn it off when using a tripod. However in years of using various NX bodies on tripods I've never noticed any problem with it.

The real issue could be forgetting to turn it back on again when the camera is handheld if you use it at all.

? I didn't think any of them would do HDMI out while in use except for the NX30. With the NX30 you have a nice feed that can go to a video capture card and live online directly. Yeah, I've been complaining about the lack regular tethered shooting for stills. Also would be nice if the NX300

NX20 gives full sensor output in HDMI and analogue real time and allows the camera to be used at the same time. I used to use the analogue out live feed to a video transmitter on the balloon which downlinked to a laptop. The shutter was triggered with a model helicopter servo mounted on the hot shoe that pushed the shutter button.

Downside of the NX20 live feed is that it isn't a clean feed: you get the whole sensor feed with whatever you have selected on the rear LCD including the shutter/ aperture, battery status etc. I found it useful but it would be nice to have the option of the clean feed.

Since they improved the stability /  range of the wireless app I gave up the complicated and heavy radio remote system and use the wifi app. The jpeg results with the stabilised 18-55 produce perfectly acceptable results although the full control of the NX30 wifi would be nice.

.

Ah, so that's what they're on about when referring to a clean HDMI out, I kind of took that for granted that it would be clean if it was there at all. How tidy can you get the NX20 display?

You can clean it up a bit with the display button: remove all the data from the image screen so that the image is clear but you still get the camera status panel at the bottom. That can't be deleted or hidden.

So with the HDMI out live view thing... I need to buy a capture card and connect the camera to it and the capture card to the laptop right? and then I can use youtube to stream it live to everyone else? Would that bypass the recording limit as well because technically you wouldnt even need to be recording on the camera...

Also still not sure which of my lenses I should use. It will be indoors and lighting may not be ideal, so I'm guessing the 30mm or 85mm?

Thanks!

nster wrote:

So with the HDMI out live view thing... I need to buy a capture card and connect the camera to it and the capture card to the laptop right? and then I can use youtube to stream it live to everyone else? Would that bypass the recording limit as well because technically you wouldnt even need to be recording on the camera...

Also still not sure which of my lenses I should use. It will be indoors and lighting may not be ideal, so I'm guessing the 30mm or 85mm?

Thanks!

I use a DVR capture card which runs off a laptop and produces a standard AVI of various qualities. There is then no limit to the recording time as the camera isn't recording..the live view works so long as the camera is turned on.

One you have the video in the PC you can do anything..

I tend to use the 12-24 indoors mounted on a tripod. Depends on the subject?

I think it will be one person standing, maybe with a powerpoint presentation

Could I use another source for audio thanks to the capture card or do I have to buy an EM10?

nster wrote:

I think it will be one person standing, maybe with a powerpoint presentation

Could I use another source for audio thanks to the capture card or do I have to buy an EM10?

Err! I've never used mine for sound. I'm pretty sure the live view out is video only so you need an alternative sound capture. If you are using a decent capture card then it will have separate audio/video in so you put the video in one plug, audio jack in the other and the card software will generate a composite output.

I use a GoPro but the sound isn't much so I use an external mic with the GoPro video and run the whole thing into Pinnacle which produces a synced up video.