Sony HXR NX30
In the drop-down menu under ‘Sony HXR NX30’ in the navigation menu you will find all the original articles I wrote on the Sony HXR NX30, each with samples of the camera in action during my initial tests and trials with the camera.
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The Video Whisperer 
Hello Joe. Quick question I hope you might be able to help me with. I’ve looked all over google for the answer and haven’t had any luck. I have an NX30u. Have been using it since I bought it new in 2015 I think. Anyway… recently started using it as a live camera for a podcast that I started. Also using a PXW-X70 as well in the same way. Basically my setup up into my HDMI capture device is the X70 is camera 1… and the NX30u is camera 2. Here’s the problem… I can capture the HDMI video out streams from both camera’s in real time. But the HDMI feed from the NX30u is also showing the face detect square… instead of being a clean feed. I have looked all through the menus… the manuals, and online… and can’t seem to find a way to disable this so I don’t have a face square in my live shot or final production. The X70 doesn’t have this problem… the HDMI out is completely clean. Any guidance you can provide would be so incredibly appreciated. Your videos on both these cameras were pretty much the main reason I bought both of them… they were so helpful. Still some of the best camera review videos online today. If only there was one for every camera known to man! Haha. Thank you so much for taking the time to read this… and hope you are having a wonderful holiday!
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Hi John, Well, you got me. I never tried any of that sort of fancy stuff and so have no idea. See if this helps at all: https://www.dvinfo.net/forum/sony-nxcam-avchd-camcorders/519437-sony-hxr-nx30-hdmi-out-question.html
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Watched some of your nice videos online. I own 3 NX-30’s and have used them since new. Terrific little camera and a real workhorse for run&Gun.
However I can not locate an update for the firmware? Have you ever downloaded or saved a file?
Keep up the good work.
Lewis
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Never even looked for an update! Works fine. But now that I know, I’ll look. Try Googling it. Cheers, Joe
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Good afternoon, I’ve asked you this before and you answered the question a while back, I just can’t find the thread anymore. What is a good replacement for the NX30? feature and price wise?
Thank you.
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I probably said to get the Sony Z90. It’s an upgrade of the PXW X70 (which I also did a review of), which itself (though an older camera which you can probably still buy) is a brilliant workhorse. Similar to the NX30, a bit more expensive, a bit larger, but easier to use in manual modes and a better access to menus (because it’s larger and has room for a few more buttons). It also has built-in ND filters which is an advance over the NX30. The Z90 is probably the cream of the crop in this price range.
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Thanks for the tip Joe!
The only thing that seems to be missing in the Z90 is the Balanced Optical Steadyshot feature aka ‘the floating lens’ – which is just such a great friend of my hand 🙂 – making the nx30 the very best solution I’ve encountered for situations that demand ultimate quickness and flexibility; a camera that’s so quick, steady, sharp (and all of that combined with great pro audio recording) that it’s setup prevents you’re missing the shot or scene. Which can have such a big impact for your storytelling capability.
The beauty of the nx30 to me lies in its perfect fusion of consumer model best practises, such as the floating lens and nightshot mode, with those of Sony’s professional range, like the XLR outputs and control over recording formats. Even the weird round front button works like a charm once you get the hang of it, giving you control over precisely that one manual option you needed in the situation. If the z90 copied even that piece of hardware on the camera, why not the lens??
Honestly, I would just love it so much if Sony would announce a true follow up to the nx30, equally small in size with all those hgreat features, just upgraded with the latest image picture quality (sensor/codec). I’m pretty convinced they would reach a wide range of makers with this. Isn’t there some kind of innovation desk at Sony to email such suggestions to, that you’re aware of?
Cheers, thanks for reading up to here 🙂
Elian
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Elian, not aware of an ‘innovation desk’. In fact, the reviews I did of the NX30 and X70 got more views and interaction than any reviews of any of their cameras by manifold. Yet Sony doesn’t seem to even notice that and ask me to review anything else. I did the reviews alone, and alone, Sony is oblivious as a marketing company to those who actually do impact their sales by honest reviews that result in actual sales. Their marketing savvy seems to simply be dedicated to spending tons of money on ‘advertising’. I’m not impressed.
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I had the same concern when I got the X70. But I did a side-by-side comparison on the same mount and found the X70 performed the same without the ‘floating lens’. Probably advanced electronics. Like iPhones. I have the 13 and it’s amazing on stabilisation. Here’s the link, 8 years old: https://youtu.be/9wgtUYu27Ww
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Does anybody know where I can still find a (used or new) NX30 (PAL)? Seems that even ebay ran completely out of stock.
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have you heard about any news regarding to why sony stop the nx30 production line? and why there’s no successor of the nx30? are they planning to stop making the small-professional camcorder? thanks!
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Most people tend to think the PXW X70 is its successor, though that’s not official. Not that much more in terms of cost, stabilisation is just as good, same features as NX30 and more, 4K upgradeable, larger sensor, 2 card slots, ND filters built-in, much easier to access manual modes. No option for switching to stills, but that shouldn’t be of much concern to videographers.
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Masoud, FCPX automatically imports AVCHD files from the NX30. If you are running on FCP 7, I can only suggest to upgrade to FCPX. If you do have FCPX, write me again and tell me what problem you are having, because you shouldn’t be having a problem at all.
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What is the difference between the SONY 96GB HXR-NX30 and the model followed by the letter U: SONY 96GB HXR-NX30U?
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They’re all the same. The letter designation indicates mainly whether they are NTSC (eg US) or PAL (eg Europe). I think ‘U’ is the european PAL version. At any rate, if you buy it in the country you are in, you’ll get the right one.
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Hi Joe,
I bought a nx30 (PAL) and I realized that it does only make M2TS format and it is very awkward to convert many footages to mov format (I own already a converter but it takes it’s time 😦 ) Can you tell me the best way to make the footages out of nx30 ready for FCP please?
Thanks
Masoud
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