Sony announces HXR-NX3 professional HD camcorder

[Ron Evans]

Well my FDR-AX1 goes to 27db of gain in manual but not usable really above 18db. The NX5U goes to 21db gain and not usable above 12db. Just because it can be set high doesn't mean its usable. By contrast the CX700 I have will give nice video at 24db gain. Similar size sensors so lets hope that the performace is that good. They are not back illuminated sensors though like the small Sony's.

Ron Evans

[John Knight]

Hmmmm.... seems a little "entry level" to me. No SDI or FMU Hard Drive option... anyone think they might announce a "pro" version of this - kind of the pattern they've been quickly releasing other models in the XDCAM line?

[Ron Evans]

Looks like Sony are focusing pro on the PMW/PXW range and NX3 may be last of the AVCHD line. Likely we may not see an AX2000 equivalent since the FDR-AX1 sort of covers this with a better codec.

Ron Evans

Originally Posted by John Knight

Hmmmm.... seems a little "entry level" to me. No SDI or FMU Hard Drive option... anyone think they might announce a "pro" version of this - kind of the pattern they've been quickly releasing other models in the XDCAM line?

I don't think that lack of SDI and FMU are a problem for my use. Although I have an FMU on my NX5U, the NX3 will do 9.6 hours at the best quality PS (28Mbps) setting on two 64GB SDHC cards. I've had my NX5U for over three years and even though I shoot for a small local TV station, I've never needed to use the SDI jack.

The NX3 looks like it's exactly what I wanted in my NX5U: AVCHD 2, 1080/60P, larger sensors with better low light performance. I plan on buying this over the 4K PXW-Z100 just for the better low light capability.

[Les Wilson]

Whew, another new model and Sony is running away from the periscope mic holder of the PMW-200.

[John Knight]

Originally Posted by Ed Arszyla

I don't think that lack of SDI and FMU are a problem for my use. Although I have an FMU on my NX5U, the NX3 will do 9.6 hours at the best quality PS (28Mbps) setting on two 64GB SDHC cards. I've had my NX5U for over three years and even though I shoot for a small local TV station, I've never needed to use the SDI jack.

The NX3 looks like it's exactly what I wanted in my NX5U: AVCHD 2, 1080/60P, larger sensors with better low light performance. I plan on buying this over the 4K PXW-Z100 just for the better low light capability.

I shoot events with a Sony Z7 (HDV) and a b-roll NX70. The Z7 is nice because it records to mini-dv tape and SDHC card and it's saved my ass twice when the card corrupted. I kind of liked the NX5's ability to shoot to HDD and backup to card. But never bought one because I knew this NX3 must have been on the way.

Do you think dual SDHC recording is 100% reliable? Would this NX3 make a good companion to my run-n-gun NX70?

Originally Posted by John Knight

I shoot events with a Sony Z7 (HDV) and a b-roll NX70. The Z7 is nice because it records to mini-dv tape and SDHC card and it's saved my ass twice when the card corrupted. I kind of liked the NX5's ability to shoot to HDD and backup to card. But never bought one because I knew this NX3 must have been on the way.

Do you think dual SDHC recording is 100% reliable? Would this NX3 make a good companion to my run-n-gun NX70?

The nice thing about the NX3 is that you can set both SDHC card slots to relay record to the second card after the first card is full, or do what Sony calls "Simul" record, where it simultaneously records to two SDHC cards. You won't need an FMU for redundant recording then.

[Tony Maceo]

Yea, who needs FMU when you can buy a 128GB SDXC card for one third the price and get the same redundant backup. I also like the 40x digital zoom for those times when the shot is more important than maintaining the optical zoom. I shoot a lot of youth sports and tele'd pass the 12x optical zoom on my Panny TM900 with no big issues with reduced image quality. Especially when the end deliver will be HD-to-SD DVD-Video. If the low light matches or surpasses AC130/160 and JVC 600/650, I'm jumping ship to my first "pro" camera. I was going to wait to see what surfaces at NAB for entry level pro cameras, but I think Sony just avoided the wait with this. Interesting to see if Canon has an answer to this in 2014.

Originally Posted by Tony Maceo

Interesting to see if Canon has an answer to this in 2014.

If Canon comes out with something fantastic to replace the XF305/300, then I might consider that over the NX3. Meanwhile, the NX3 is the frontrunner for me.

[John Knight]

Originally Posted by Tony Maceo

Yea, who needs FMU when you can buy a 128GB SDXC card for one third the price

True. I think I'll order one of these. Any recommendations on what brand/speed SD cards I should purchase?

[Francisco Estrada]

The ~$3,500 price isn't too bad. Looks like a very pratical camera and I actually like that they included LED ligts.

Would I be correct in assuming that the NEX3 will have better low light performence than the
Sony FDRAX1 4K camera???? From what i read the FDRAX1 kinda sucks with low light conditions which was a real deal breaker for me...

Although I am still planning on getting the NEX-EA5U for my wedding video side business Iam still loving this camera. Its like watchign camera porn... I need to seriously replace my current XH1As....

[Ron Evans]

I expect the NX3 to be a little better than the NX5U. I have an NX5U, FDR-AX1, NX30 and CX700. The FDR-AX1 is 1 or 2 stops slower than the NX5U depending on conditions, it gets worse as it gets darker as one might expect. Since it has 4 times as many pixels and roughly the same sensor area one cannot expect too much. I have found though an interesting effect. With the CX700 used as a fixed unattended camera in spotlight situations it of course will blow the highlights. The FDR- AX1 manages much better recording a very usable image in the same unattended setting with AE shift at -1 ev same settings as the CX700. Maybe those extra pixels create a differentiation in what would be white out !!! Under these condition both seem to go to 21db gain and both show some grain but not bad since of course they are not moving , panning or zoom to emphasize the grain. Grain is no worse than the NX5 at 15db for instance. In the same condition by the way the NX5 was at 12db of gain though focused of course on the stage where the light was !!!!

The price for the NX3 is good since when I bought my NX5U its was over a $1000 more.

Ron Evans

Originally Posted by John Knight

True. I think I'll order one of these. Any recommendations on what brand/speed SD cards I should purchase?

I've never had any problems using Transcend SDHC class 10 cards.

[Juan A. Diaz]

Originally Posted by Ed Arszyla

I've never had any problems using Transcend SDHC class 10 cards.

While most if not all AVCHD video cameras do not need them, I prefer using something like the SanDisk Extreme Pro 95MB/s UHS1 cards.

Here's why... if you shoot lengthy events, you can offload the cards 3x to 6x faster than the slower cards. All you need is a PC with USB3 ports, and a cheap USB3 card reader. The Kingston MobileLite G3 is quite competent and tiny, but only does SD and microSD. You can get many other readers that do all the major formats, including CF cards used in many DSLR cameras. Ebay, B&H and Adorama all have dozens of choices.

Eg: Decent class 10 card on Kingston USB3 reader - 18MB/s vs SanDisk Extreme Pro on same USB3 reader - 75MB/s - real world typical results on one of my systems.

Just a thought.

I have tons of the Transcend cards, and they've always been good as well, although there is absolutely no advantage to reading them via USB3.

AVOID the no name stuff, no matter how good a deal it appears to be. Some of them are not even the capacity they claim to be.

[Michael Warren]

Has anyone found a good quality sample of what this camera can do? Some original files to download would be nice.

The only video I've seen so far has left me unimpressed, but I'm hoping that's mostly YouTube's fault.