Zenmuse X5R - Review

  

By: J. Boto

  

  

  

I am a hobbyist and an amateur videographer and was thrilled to try this camera that can shoot lossless 4K Raw footage.

  

The Zenmuse X5R, as the X5, is built around 16MP Four Thirds sensors and is compatible with a handful of small, wide Micro Four Thirds lenses like the Olympus Zuiko 12 mm F 2.0, 17 mm  F 1.7, 25 mm and 45 mm, the DJI and Panasonic Lumix 15 mm F 1.7 ASPH lens and can be flown on the company's Inspire 1 drones.

  

The camera feature an integrated 3-axis gimbals to produce smooth, stabilized video and stills capture.

  

Focus and aperture can be controlled remotely by the DJI GO app in IOS or Android OS.

  

Focus and aperture can also be controlled with the DJI wireless follow focus connect to the rc with a cm bus cable.

  

The X5R, besides the micro SD card, includes a 512GB SSD that allows it to shoot DNG Raw footage at an average bitrate of 1.7 Gbps to a maximum of 2.4 Gbps.

  

Movies are recorded in both medias and photos are recorded only on the SD card.

  

At the maximum RAW video resolution (4k – 4096 x 2160) the SSD can record about 40 mm of high definition video.

  

The X5R, as the X5, boast an ISO range of 100-25,600 and several color modes including a D-Log mode for better color grading if you decide to record in Prores mode to the SD card.

  

  

I have tried the X5R with all the lenses above cited (with exception of the Oly 17 mm).

  

Also tried several grade of B+W ND filters from 0,6 to 1,8.

  

In all Raw 4 K resolution and even in Prores (SD card) image quality is astonishing.

  

Detail, sharpness, color rendition, contrast are overwhelming and breathtaking.

  

At more than 60 meters distance, with a 12 mm lens, you can see the sand rolling on a quarry mowing machine and the black exhaust smoke from the trucks.

  

Ocean and landscape colors are perfect and very appealing.  

  

Raw image out of the camera with just the Rec 709 from Resolve applied does not need any color or luminance correction.

  

  

Image is just perfect and balanced.

  

  

It’s a pleasure to film with this camera and the post production is very easy. DJI supplies the users with a color correcting software named Cinelight. This software also allows the user to export the Raw files to Prores or any other format that will allow the user to view or edit them.

  

I have been grading my movies with Davinci Resolve and editing them with Resolve or Final Cut Pro X, after exporting the files with Cinelight.

  

I also tried, with success, editing with Adobe Premiere but it’s a software that I’m not very familiar with.

  

  

The X5R is even better balanced with the Inspire 1 new gimbal plates.

  

I also tried the DJI wireless follow focus with this camera and everything went fine.

  

  

  

If you like aerial filming you will love the X5R and you will no longer accept any other options…

      

The thing I really like is the ability to drag the raw DNG files straight into DaVinci Resolve and grade with no other process between........just another time saver for me.

Good report

harb@bigpond.ne Posted at 2016-3-24 10:37
The thing I really like is the ability to drag the raw DNG files straight into DaVinci Resolve and g ...

Yes. Its a pleasure to work this files in Davinci.

Thanks for the review. It sounds awesome. Two questions:

Were you using the Inspire RAW or plugging the X5R into an original inspire?

The X5R records prores onto the SD card? This is great news.

Neraxus Posted at 2016-3-25 08:01
Thanks for the review. It sounds awesome. Two questions:

Were you using the Inspire RAW or plugging ...

Hi:

I was using both an Inspire v 1 and a V.2  Works fine on both.
No Prores out of the card.
Only after raw conversion.

Hi jmboto, thank you so much for your thoughts about the X5R !

I'm really thinking about getting one and as photos are a very important part to me, I would like to know what do you think about their quality ?

Do the new micro 4:3 sensor with its 16 MegaPixels makes a huge difference with the X3 ?

Thanks in advance for your reply

What Hard drive did you use to edit the footage?

jmboto Posted at 2016-3-25 06:43
Hi:

I was using both an Inspire v 1 and a V.2  Works fine on both.

Oh, okay thanks.

dopeytree Posted at 2016-3-25 20:28
What Hard drive did you use to edit the footage?

Imac 5K with 2TB fusion drive. Raid and thunderbolt external drives are too slow for 4k.

Lucien Posted at 2016-3-25 12:03
Hi jmboto, thank you so much for your thoughts about the X5R !

I'm really thinking about getting o ...

If you are only into photos the X5 is enough because photo quality is the same as the X5R. But both are better than the X3 . The ability to change lens and ajust the apperture is more than enough...

jmboto Posted at 2016-3-27 19:16
If you are only into photos the X5 is enough because photo quality is the same as the X5R. But bot ...

What about the different of x5 and x5 r side by side.
Same light and same shutter ect.
Is the different so much?and what is different?

Sorry ... i has an x5 and we make youtube musicvideos...must i buy a x5 r

Hi at all! I have the X5R on Inspire.. but can't find how record video in DNG RAW! :-(
Can someone help me to know how made this "simple" function?

Hi! Can you help me to understand what I'll do to record RAW DNG video with X5R? Thank you

tecb@broadcastc Posted at 2016-5-3 15:10
Hi! Can you help me to understand what I'll do to record RAW DNG video with X5R? Thank you

Hello, did you format your ssd through the app?

marvelles Posted at 2016-3-27 17:58
What about the different of x5 and x5 r side by side.
Same light and same shutter ect.
Is the diff ...

I don't own an X5R yet but am familiar with raw for video and photo. The short answer is that you will have more data there to work with in post. If you are not worried about color grading your footage to match other cameras (different camera angles) in post than you may not need it. If you put identical footage together of X5 and X5R together you may not see a big difference. The difference will be when you start tweaking things. X5 footage will have A LOT less wiggle room. So if you nail your shots and don't have a need for the large uncompressed RAW files save your money. Otherwise, its a marvelous thing to have.

Hope that helps.

nice review

Nice!Good Job!