Phil,
What time will the review being posted (Vegas time zone)?
(or GMT or UCT or whatever)

doesn't matter. I don't think it was out for long. It was all incorrectly formatted and a work in progress but more worryingly all traffic should be directed through www.philipbloom.co.uk or philipbloom.net otherwise the whole site crashed very quickly due to my bandwidth being really limited on .mac. I only keep a version of my site on there due to the limitations of iweb and the way the blog HAS to be hosted there otherwise comments don't work.

I really need to use a proper web building prog or get someone to do it for me!

Phil,
What time will the review being posted (Vegas time zone)?
(or GMT or UCT or whatever)

Probably in about 3 or 4 hours!!

On Nigel's website:

The EX3 takes half-inch interchangeable lenses, but with a different mount to that found on Sony’s professional half-inch shoulder-mount XDCAM HD camcorders. Having said that, the EX3 will ship with an included adapter to allow use of standard half-inch lenses (such as those currently used on Sony’s XDCAM HD full size camcorders such as the F330, F350, F335, and F355) to be used; standard B4 mount.

I guess that explains the price difference with the EX1.

Phil,
I found the link to the review and the video on a german forum. Thats why I asked in my initial post here that I wondered that it is already online, and thats why I did not post the link here.

I read it early this morning...

regards,
Gerald

dont worry its all cool. It's a shame it all came out in such a mess. It should have been really simple. Sony press conference at 3pm in Vegas. Nigel, me and anyone else then are free to post out stuff. Simple embargo. Due to the early publishing by Nigel it got all messy hence we are over 100 posts into this thread before the review is posted. Ideally I wanted my first post to have the proper link in it!

I think you can ask Chris Hurd to update your inital post. Anyway, lots of hype already; that's not that bad for a new product launch.

George/

P.S. The more I think about it, the more I like the cover over the audio level controls! I guess I am a geek!

This camera sounds great, but Sony's marketing strategy doesn't feel very user friendly here. They posted plenty of information about their other new cameras but kept this under wraps till the last second. As a result many of us who would have waited for the EX-3 bought the EX-1 assuming that we would have at least a year till its replacement came out.

So now I'll probably take a loss along with lots of people who dump their 3 month old cameras to upgrade. I guess i'd feel better if I had made money off this thing already.

Oh well that's the modern age. My local rental shop - a long time Sony house - recently sent a letter to Sony pleading with them to slow down the rate at which new technology comes out because it is running them out of business.

By the way nobody has mentioned the plugs for Time code in and out on the back. That's a big deal for multi-camera work. When will this be available? Immediately?

Lenny

Lenny, the EX1 is still a fantastic camera. I shot some footage yesterday using it and the new Letus Ultimate. I cannot tell you just how utterly jaw dropping the footage is. The sharpness and detail is breathtaking.

Phil.

Do you the EX-3 with the new letus adapter plugging straight into the camera will take better pictures than the EX-1 that has the old Letus extreme attached to the fixed lens?

I would assume the EX-3 Would be best if used this way? Perhaps though they may be so close as to be inconsequential?

What are your thoughts?

Lenny, the EX1 is still a fantastic camera. I shot some footage yesterday using it and the new Letus Ultimate. I cannot tell you just how utterly jaw dropping the footage is. The sharpness and detail is breathtaking.

Thank god Phil can bring everybody back down to earth right when they are about to abandon their EX-1's as if the EX 3 is 2/3 inch chip size, global shutter, 4-2-2, and 80MBS vbr.

Would you dump your pretty wife after 3 months if your wifes twin came over with a bigger set of knockers? :)

Phil.

Do you the EX-3 with the new letus adapter plugging straight into the camera will take better pictures than the EX-1 that has the old Letus extreme attached to the fixed lens?

I would assume the EX-3 Would be best if used this way? Perhaps though they may be so close as to be inconsequential?

What are your thoughts?
hard to say without trying it out. Depends on how good the glass is that Letus use...

I'd enjoy the smaller knockers because they won't bounce between the knees after a few years ;-)

I'm more excited about the EX1 firmware than the EX3. But the EX3 with the letus ultimate sounds cool.. Getting the pdw-700 at work so that too will be cool. The 700 and the EX3 with letus ultimate as B-cam will be cool!

Looking forward to your review, Phil!

Would you dump your pretty wife after 3 months if your wifes twin came over with a bigger set of knockers? :)

Yes I would

Will the press release be covered live somewhere?

And does somebody know of a blog that covers NAB in depth with all the new stuff? Videos?

i dont think the press release will be live.

How Im seeing it at the moment.

The new LCD screen with magnifier. I think a monitor for my needs is essential and would be better.

The fast and slow motion button is not neccesary as its an effect that I wont use very often.

TC in and out Again not neccesary

Hard drive For me is not neccesary when footage can easily be dumped on a laptop for my needs.

Interchangeable lenses? Well the type of lenses for this camera are often more expensive than the camera itself Like the Canon style cameras not many used this function.. But for me it would be nice with the new letus adapter and there is another expense.

BUT does the standard glass allow more defination already than the camera can resolve? So will this actually make any difference?

Also Sony will be bringing out new full size versions of its XDCAM range that will have 50mb a sec.

The EX-1 being lighter cheaper may still be the better way to go. Although it doesnt have a shoulder mount I find I can hand hold it for a while and its easy to buy a cheap shoulder mount.

Has Sony marketing got this wrong? Perhaps they should have introduced this one first. Buying this camera could be a price to high for indie filmmakers and a price to low for pros?

I guess if I had a choice I would have gone for the EX-3 And then watch as the latest XDCAM cameras kick it into touch.

A lovely looking Complete Camera that is so right and yet?

After analysing the pictures, it seems that although the lens is interchangeable, there is no flange back setting knob on the Fujinon lens (just like the EX1). Am I right to assume that the electronic back focus is still present in the menu? And so what happens if a 1/2" pro lens is attached to the EX3 that have such a flange back setting?

thanks Sami, I have found a copy that I had backed up thankfully, still recreating it all now though!

Speaking of making backups:

There was a joke about Satan and Jesus competing to see who was better at computer work. They were given an hour to see what they could do. After 55 minutes of furious effort the power suddenly went out and Satan was cursing!

Jesus sat smiling until the power came back on, and he proceeded to print out reports, pie charts and diagrams.

Satan complained saying Jesus somehow cheated. He screamed, "How can you output all of that when the power went out? I lost everything!"

At that point, Christ replied, "Because Jesus saves."

As a result many of us who would have waited for the EX-3 bought the EX-1 assuming that we would have at least a year till its replacement came out.

I don' think the EX3 is a replacement for the EX1. It's got the same features as the EX1, plus some broadcast essentials, it's just a more industry-oriented product. It's not like the EX1 is obsolete now.

PS: Can the EX1 flip the image on the LCD via menu?

It appears this is the case.
We will know more once we hear about the specs.

But at a quick glance it's essentially an EX1 internals in a new body with a removeable lens.

PS: Can the EX1 flip the image on the LCD via menu?

[ultranoob mode]
Maybe a stupid question, but what do you mean with flipping the image?
[/ultranoob mode]

[ultranoob mode]
Maybe a stupid question, but what do you mean with flipping the image?
[/ultranoob mode]

Flipping the image, as when you are using a 35mm adaptor...

or if you are using the camera upside down... like mounting a camera on
a mono pod, turning it all upside down and using the cam to record footsteps
would be another example...

This looks like a camera for me. I bought the XL-H1 because the EXh1 wasn´t ready in time.

I do change between my 3 lenses all the time. I couldn´t live with just a fixed lens camera. I do hate the focus rings on the 20x and 6x lens and love the fixed focus ring on the EX1

How long is it to wait for the review and press release?

Deciding if I want to stay up and wait for it! :)

Hahahaha! Nigel Cooper removed his article about the EX3 for the second time from his website. It will be back in 4 hours. What a mess! :-) ROFL

http://www.dvuser.co.uk/index.php

Well, I agree its not a total replacement for the Ex-1 and the Ex-1 is a great camera, but there is a reason they kept this secret and gave lots of PR to at least 3 other cameras.

But that's all water under the bridge now.

Philip if you can divulge tiny pieces of info?

When you flip up the viewfinder is it as big as the current EX-1 flip out?
If not that would be a disadvantage.

Did they fix little things, like add a real distance readout on the viewfinder, add a second white balance pre-set and my biggest concern did they add a status window that shows you your PP settings at a glance.

Those would all be substantive improvements.

Lenny

Philip, I'm really interested in hearing what the firmware upgrade for the EX1 will be like. Will we get to hear anything out of Sony about that? I'm really hoping/wishing for realigned menu - at least faster access to things like over/undercrank and format settings. Oh, and someone mentioned a bump to 4:2:2 direct to sxs possibly - but I know thats a pipe dream that I'll keep dreaming about :)

I say Sony couldn't have planned it better. I think you usually worry if pleople are going to show up for your super-mysterious-press-conference. Do you think anyone wants to miss this now?

I think the thing with Nigels page has to do with the time (zone) difference really and maybe some overexitement. There's certainly enough of that around ;)

Anyway, it's not like the EX1 has become obsolete overnight. It will still shoot incredable footage right now. The EX3 won't be out for another few months at least and even then shoot the same footage as standard. And there will be a premium for the extra functionality of the EX3, which many won't really need.

The EX3 will be better for live multicam broadcasts and ENG/Run-'n-Gun and maybe someday there will be a 35mm adapter that attaches to the body directly, but who wants to wait for that when you can shoot the same quality today?

George/

Well, I agree its not a total replacement for the Ex-1 and the Ex-1 is a great camera, but there is a reason they kept this secret and gave lots of PR to at least 3 other cameras.


True.

It's really up to what's important for each user. I have close to $3K USD in accessories (memory cards, batteries, ect..) for the EX1 as it is. That puts the investment over $9K USD.

Myself, If I were given the choice of the EX1 verses the EX3, I "probably" would of still gone with the EX1. I will be VERY surprised if the EX3 is less than $9K USD.

Add up another $3K for extras and its close to $12K USD, not to mention one of the reasons for buying the EX3 would be for additional lens which are big $$.

Right now, I just want an EX1 that works... LOL
I hope Sony uses their beta test force (us that is) well. LOL
I'm willing to bet the paint does not fall off this camera in two months, or it has BF and vignetting issues.
;)

just get us the firmware with the assign button or dial for frame rate and 4:2:2 and we'll all be selling the EX1 to our fellow HVX users.

If this is just an announcement for something that will be available down the line, then I bite my tongue and say I'm sorry for the harsh words.
It does sound like they are investing in this format for serious work though and that's a good thing.

Not sure if anyone is interested. But I have a written and video review of the EX3 here: http://www.philipbloom.co.uk/Philip_Bloom/XDCAMEX3.html

Not sure if anyone is interested. But I have a written and video review of the EX3 here: http://www.philipbloom.co.uk/Philip_Bloom/XDCAMEX3.html

Humm well, gonna have a look next week or so.. ;)

Just when i want to get some sleep it is there !! Haha. Thnx for all the hard work Phil.

This looks like a camera for me. I bought the XL-H1 because the EXh1 wasn´t ready in time.

I do change between my 3 lenses all the time. I couldn´t live with just a fixed lens camera. I do hate the focus rings on the 20x and 6x lens and love the fixed focus ring on the EX1

what 20x lens do you have ?

thanks.

Not sure if anyone is interested. But I have a written and video review of the EX3 here: http://www.philipbloom.co.uk/Philip_Bloom/XDCAMEX3.html

It's playing pretty choppy here due to the load, but I loved hearing the Brian Eno music at the start....off to the rest of the video.
dave

Great work Phil!

Now that it's official.. Any news on what will be included in the EX1 firmware upgrade?

Thanks for posting the review Philip,
I take back my gruff attitude, July is a decent period to introduce an change,. Looks like a very good upgrade. The viewfinder thing is big to me.

Any of the other changes I was hoping for in the camera?

- a real distance readout on the viewfinder
- a second white balance pre-set
- did they add a status window that shows you your PP settings at a glance.


lenny

Thanks Phil. Enjoyed watching your on-camera talents too!

The announcement made me annoyed initially, but what can you do. Unless you have a bottomless budget, things get pretty obsolete pretty quickly. The Canon H1/A1 comparison was what I was thinking, and again, the images are going to be the same.

Anyways, Phil thanks for your hard work.

Great to see this camera come out and as you said in the article, this puts pressure on the camera producers to step up to the plate.
This camera has the qualities that I've always wanted in a small form camera, so, I'm in when they come out. The off putting problems with the EX1, rolling shutter (not really a problem) and back focus issues, always kept me a little edgy on the EX1.
I'm sure there will be something on the EX3 that will cause some problems but Sony seems to have it's fingers on the pulse of what people want to have in a small form camera!
Thanks Sony!

This is unreal!
This thread was started yesterday and has almost 8,500 reads.

Great review, Philip, especially the video one. Very informative and enthusiastic. I'm guessing you like it, hehe... Thanks so much for doing it and letting us know.

Boy, oh boy times are good with all these great cameras coming out. Can't wait to see Scarlet and the responses from Panasonic and Canon.

Great review, and nice looking camera. If i was rich enough i would like to upgrade just for the better build aspects really, however i'm comforted in knowing that the EX3 won't produce 'better images' than the EX1, rather it just makes things a little easier and more practical.

what 20x lens do you have ?

thanks.

it's the canon one without extender. cant remember model number

Great work Phil!

Now that it's official.. Any news on what will be included in the EX1 firmware upgrade?


still really sketchy. They will implement the backfocus adjustment featured in the ex3 menu but hidden in the ex1 system menu. other than that they havent told. I have a v long list of wants for me!

Thanks for posting the review Philip,
I take back my gruff attitude, July is a decent period to introduce an change,. Looks like a very good upgrade. The viewfinder thing is big to me.

Any of the other changes I was hoping for in the camera?

- a real distance readout on the viewfinder
- a second white balance pre-set
- did they add a status window that shows you your PP settings at a glance.


lenny

No no and no, i think. But i dont have it anymore and would need to check. Am shooting here in vegas with my ex1 and lovely letus ultimate (until i give it back tomorrow morning and go back to the extreme!)

Thanks for the review Phil I like the video. Too bad it's not 4:2:2.

true but I guess you just look at it as the EX1 in a different body. A 4:2:2 camera I am sure will come out some day.

It looks great, I'd definitely change my EX1 for an EX3 simply because of the viewfinder.

Thanks Phil.

Oh, and I have being in front of the camera, much happier the other side. Awkward as well as I filmed it myself. Crazy!