Anyone in the Denver area willing to do some quick training on Sony HDCAM(HDW) or XDCAM(PDW/PMW) ENG at all? Need to get some more experience and have only really been around Canon HDV and EOS. Any help would be awesome! :)

Pop over to Wales and we can give you training with a BBC News cameraman.

Another option would be to borrow or hire one and play about with it - they're pretty simple really. You can also couple that with asking any specific questions on the forum here.
Steve

Pop over to Wales and we can give you training with a BBC News cameraman.

LOL, man I wish. BBC is definitely one of the networks I would love to do some work for one day :)

Another option would be to borrow or hire one and play about with it - they're pretty simple really. You can also couple that with asking any specific questions on the forum here.
Steve

That's a good point. Be a good way to get some real hands on.

and download the manual :) I spent hours reading mine and still refer to it from time to time!

As Steve said they are all the same basically and the layout for the Sony range is straightforward.

Training Videos:
Vortex Media: VIDEO & PHOTO Tools and Training (http://www.vortexmedia.com/DVD_VIDEO.html)

Field Guides:
Vortex Media's XDCAM Field Guides (http://www.vortexmedia.com/FIELD_GUIDES.html)

As Steve said they are all the same basically and the layout for the Sony range is straightforward.

I've heard that. Good to know that once I get through the basics of one, the rest shouldn't be too far off. I sort figured as much, but never hurts to ask. :)

As Steve said they are all the same basically and the layout for the Sony range is straightforward.

That is only true as long as you stay within a family of products. The PDW series (F355, 700, F800) have practially nothing at all in common with the PMW series (EX1, EX3).

True, but it sounds like Emrys is familiar with the small cameras and is interested in the big pro ones, which are all very similar - even the Sony and Panasonic models are laid out in the same way more or less and operate in a very similar fashion.
Steve

Maybe so, but he did say "PMW" in his first post and there are no big pro PMW cameras -- thus my warning that PMW and PDW have very little in common.

PMW-350?
Well not until January 2010 but it seems to be PDW-350 ish in size but PMW family, no?

Maybe so, but he did say "PMW" in his first post and there are no big pro PMW cameras -- thus my warning that PMW and PDW have very little in common.

The main thing the PMW-350 has in common with its PDW (F355, 700, F800) cousins is the body size, lens selection, and battery options. Other than that, they are very different animals. The PMW-350 is much closer related to the EX1 and EX3.

If someone understands the EX1 and EX3, I'm sure they could step up to a PMW-350 without a hitch. I would not say the same thing about an EX1 owner going to a PDW-700 if he has had zero experience with that type of professional camcorder before. What he knows about oeprating the EX1, changing shooting modes, overcranking, naming clips, performing disc operations, etc. will help him very little with the other camera.

Anyone who has used both a PMW and PDW should know what I'm talking about. If you have only used one or the other, then you'll have to take my word for it.

The F800/700 are much closer related to the F23 and the F35 than they are to the EX family.

So, Doug... when will we be seeing your review of the PMW 350? Looking forward to it, actually.

Charles

I could never top what Alister has already done so perfectly.
Reviewing products is not my bag, baby.

A 350 training DVD is in the works, but weeks away.
I'm working on an F800/700 project right now that is taking 110% of my attention.