I’m going to also add that this portable recorder should not only have a memory card slot for immediate transfers to an XDCAM disc but also to standard Blu-Ray discs so that you can play it on your Blu-Ray player.

Better yet, how about an external USB card reader for the SxS cards? Take a card out of your camera, connect it to a computer with a high-resolution monitor and watch full-quality rushes instantly at XDCAM HD quality. Or just do that on a laptop using a built-in ExpressCard slot, which seems to be what they have in mind.

P.S. If this is like previous Sony camera releases, I'd guess we'll see early shipments in late November or early December with volume shipments the following Spring.

I saw this camera just yesterday at NAB. Here were my notes from the demo:

1) 1/2' CMOS chips. Better low light performance using less power.
2) The camera had "cinealta" written on the side, does that just mean 24 fps(?) or is that some proprietary sony thing(?)
3) The cards. Panasonic has proprietary cards the Sony people said that their system will not be. possible to use third-party cards in their camera.
4) HDV
5) HD-SDI out
6) Bulky, has fixed lens but has all the manual controls.
7) 1080p
8) under $8,000!
9) aimed at the wedding video, event and crash cam market. But they think that some news outlets will use them as B-roll cams.
10) no mention of indie filmmakers.

I liked it. Looks like a sony version of HVX200. I thought it was a bit bulky. They didn't really have that much footage to show.

It's not coming out until the end of the year, so I would look for the Panasonic response. I have a feeling it was making them anxious. While I was in line to see the HVX200, I mentioned it to the guy in the line ahead of me. A panasonic guy overheard and read me the riot act.

He told me all the problems with sony HDV, 4:2:0 sampling, if needed I needed camera now there's no choice but Panasonic, Apple work flow... etc... etc... I don't want to overstate it, but they were a bit touchy about the subject.

Are there even any express card adapters for desktop based computers? Newer laptops have the slots but what options will we have for our main editing systems?

He told me all the problems with sony HDV, 4:2:0 sampling, if needed I needed camera now there's no choice but Panasonic, Apple work flow... etc... etc... I don't want to overstate it, but they were a bit touchy about the subject.

35 mbits/s mpeg2 is not HDV. Panasonic is trying to play down the format and make other people think it is as good as HDV which it is not. That would be like trying to call DVCPRO50 just DV because they are both the same exact style of compression. All DVCPRO50 is is a form of DV that has a higher bitrate and better chroma detail. XDCAMHD is a higher bitrate form of mpeg2 then what HDV is.

In almost every situation you could ever shoot in the 35mbit XDCAMHD footage is just as good if not better then the current style of DVCPROHD running at 100mbits. For that level of quality you get almost 3X the amount of video per gigabyte in terms of storage space.

About the only advantage Panasonic still has with the HVX200 is that it records 4:2:2 color which unless you plan on doing any keying isn't going to blow you away. Yes 4:2:2 can have slightly better color precision but most people with real world footage would never notice. If 4:2:0 is done well it can look very good.

Now if SONY would have added the 50 mbit 4:2:2 mode to this new camera it would totally blow away the HVX200. I can see why Panasonic would be a bit touchy.

From the pictures I have seen it looks like the LCD placement is similar to the Z1 & FX1 cameras; a feature I really liked. I talked to a sony rep & he said that it was undisclosed at this time as to what type of sensors it will have ie. CCD's or CMOS. I wish they would have put a DV tape transport along with the card slots for easy cheap recording; but oh well.

Joel brooks
Moments in Time Video Productions

Are there even any express card adapters for desktop based computers? Newer laptops have the slots but what options will we have for our main editing systems?

http://www.psism.com/expressadapter.htm

Never mind I already found a Express Card adapter for desktop PC's for only $59.00. Not bad for a cheap capture/transfer drive.

I wish they would have put a DV tape transport along with the card slots for easy cheap recording; but oh well.

Sorry Joel, anything branded XDCAM will not have tape associated with it.

-gb-

About the only advantage Panasonic still has with the HVX200 is that it records 4:2:2 color which unless you plan on doing any keying isn't going to blow you away. Yes 4:2:2 can have slightly better color precision but most people with real world footage would never notice. If 4:2:0 is done well it can look very good.

I don't know if you saw the thread Thomas, but just about a month ago, a gentleman posted here that they had bought an F330 for their tv station's production department. He was blown away by how clean the keying was in the 4:2:0 video.

-gb-

Newer laptops have the slots but what options will we have for our main editing systems?
Some very good options by the look of it - http://www.pcw.co.uk/personal-computer-world/news/2185666/expresscards-migrate-desktops !!

And I also feel the 4:2:2 v 4:2:0 argument is getting very thin. These numbers are just ratios, and it is far more instructive to look at actual pixel matrices - just how many Y,U,V samples there are in a frame. 4:2:2 sounds a lot better, but it should never be forgotten that for 720p DVCProHD the "4" is referencing 960 horizontally, not 1280. Hence only 480 horizontal chroma samples - NOT the 640 that may be imagined.

I take many of these numbers arguments very lightly. I find it more significant that SxS is based on ExpressCard, whilst P2 is based on a form factor which is rapidly disappearing (Cardbus). That is beyond dispute or argument. As appears to be that SxS will be much cheaper per GB.

And to quote from the article linked above: "Expresscards effectively extend the PCI-Express bus to peripherals, where the old PC Cardbus slot extends the PCI bus." That's a pretty big advantage.

What does remain to be seen is when Sony may bring out a 2/3" SxS camera. That really should put the cat amongst the pigeons.

To me it always felt like Panasonic had not quite drained the think tank all the way when they came up with their tapeless media.

There are five things that people want in a medium - recording capacity, affordability, reliability, ease of access to recorded content, archivability.

Unfortunately P2 sacrificed several of those criteria to give a slight improvement in reliability and (theoretical) ease of access to content.

Sony's XDCAM HD on disc is a really well though-out system as it improves on every single on of those criteria over tape.

Personally I think Panasonic would have been better off with hard-drive cartridges and a large buffer.

Guys I am totally on your side about 4:2:0 not being that bad. The only reason I brought it up is that it will be the only point Panasonic will be able to try and make.

Greg, I work with visual effects footage all the time and I agree with you. 4:2:0 can be very very clean if the right tools are used. I have keyed some 4:2:0 material that totally blew even me away. I am a compositing artist and I used to be a hardcore freak about 4:2:2 and even 4:4:4 video. I do still prefer 4:2:2 over 4:2:0 if I have the option but I will not cry over 4:2:0 if that is what is given to me. While the 4:2:0 on XDCAM does give great results the 4:2:2 version of XDCAM is even better yet if you can believe it. I have worked with a lot of 50 mbit 4:2:2 and 80 mbit 4:2:2 footage to see the results that it is better for keying. Really though it is a small advantage and in the end only really comes down to slightly cleaner and sharp edges.

Exactly Thomas. I knew you weren't making a really big deal about it, but I wasn't aware that you did a lot of compositing work. Always good to hear from those actually working with the stuff. Your comments make at least two cases for clean keys in 4:2:0. Besides, green is always full bandwidth chroma sampling, while red and blue are subsampled. This is why green screen work is fairly easy because the camera records highly detailed green information. That, coupled with the higher resolution of HD vs. SD to differentiate small detail areas in the scene are what I believe makes it possible to pull such clean keys.

-gb-

Before putting the colour sampling issue to rest (finally, I hope) it has always been my understanding that 4:2:2 (v 4:2:0) has more point in an interlace system than in a progressive one, simply because with 4:2:0 interlace there would be two chroma samples on adjacent lines (fields 1 and 2), then two lines with no chroma for the same reason.

In a progressive system, that argument doesn't apply, and 4:2:0 then means halving the chroma resolution relative to luma horizontally and vertically - the system is balanced. And compared to 4:2:2, I can see merit in reallocating the "lost" vertical pixels to extra luminance and chrominance pixels horizontally.

Trying to get back on topic, then whilst technically I find the EX the biggest thing potentially since the Z1, I do wish they could have taken a leaf from JVCs book regarding form factor. The ergonomics of the HD100/200 series are generally found to suit a camera of this size/weight so much better than the ergonomics of the Z1 or the HVX200.

And the next question must be how JVC themselves will respond to this? I seem to recall they have hinted at solid state for the future themselves - will they also use SxS? And when!?

Sorry Joel, anything branded XDCAM will not have tape associated with it.

-gb-


How about a Hard drive??? I know this XDcam EX camcorder records on SxS cards but is it possible to attach and record with a hard drive as well?? I know the V1 offers that option to simultaneously record on tape and that optional drive that Sony offers as well for archivng and back-up purposes. And I believe the Panasonic HVX200 has the ability to be firewired to a hard drive for recording(I could be wrong on this). Any word if this cam can do the same??


Ozzy

I know the V1 offers that option to simultaneously record on tape and that optional drive that Sony offers as well for archivng and back-up purposes.
A harddrive (such as a Firestore) makes a good complement to a tape based camera - Firestore for immediate use, tape for backup/archive - but I'm not so sure about it's relevance here. They both may be seen as non long term media, unlike tape or disc - comparable rather than complementary.

But you've got me thinking. What about a Firestore type device which attachs to an existing tape based camera (DSR450 or whatever), but records to SxS as opposed to it's own hard drive?

I doubt Sony would want to market such a device, they'd no doubt prefer to sell you a brand new camera. But surely there's nothing to stop a third party (such as Firestores makers) bringing out such a device?

Has anybody heard yet what the initial price of the cards will be?

Has anybody heard yet what the initial price of the cards will be?

Not yet. Sony says they'll be firming up all that information and will release it in the August timeframe. It's also undetermined at this point whether the sub 8K price tag will include any media.

-gb-

I think important thing here is that this camera is still about six months away and many features could change.

I do see a trend here: The People want flash cards and HD SDI out. And Sony is recognizing it with this offering.

How about a Hard drive??? I know this XDcam EX camcorder records on SxS cards but is it possible to attach and record with a hard drive as well?

I believe it is compatible with the HVR-DR60 portable drive, the same one which works with the Z1 and V1: http://bssc.sel.sony.com/BroadcastandBusiness/DisplayModel?m=10014&p=16&sp=142&id=85967

http://www.psism.com/expressadapter.htm

Never mind I already found a Express Card adapter for desktop PC's for only $59.00. Not bad for a cheap capture/transfer drive.

Fine, but how about those PC's that don't have PCI-Express interface? How will a SxS ExpressCard reader connect - if not to use the recorded clips directly, then at least for drag'n'drop copying to the HDD?

How will a SxS ExpressCard reader connect - if not to use the recorded clips directly, then at least for drag'n'drop copying to the HDD?

New motherboard?

New motherboard?

And to think that I was buing mine only a couple months ago, and was considering another one with PCI-Express, but didn't see any immediate use for it:(.

Further about practical aspects: suppose I'm taking the EX out for a trip in Africa for a couple of weeks; not having the old, good tape recording/archiving option, what am I supposed to do apart from taking an ExpressCard-capable laptop, and the PDW-U1 with a bunch of Pro Disks with me?

Cause even with the SxS card pricing being lower than P2's, it's still too expensive to buy them by dozens!

Fine, but how about those PC's that don't have PCI-Express interface? How will a SxS ExpressCard reader connect - if not to use the recorded clips directly, then at least for drag'n'drop copying to the HDD?

Drag and drop using FAM connection with a firewire lead like you do with the current XDCAM system.

Let's hope the EX will have the possibility to directly connect to:

PDW-U1 USB XDCAM HD DISC READER/WRITER
Remember, you don't actually need to buy a deck if you are on a budget as the XDCAM HD camcorders transfer to/from computer via FAM (file transfer mode) FireWire at speeds of less than half real time. If you can't afford a deck, but would like another option as opposed to using your camcorder - which might be in the field - then you could opt for the brand new PDW-U1. The PDW-U1 is a new USB drive that reads and writes to Sony's Professional XDCAM HD Optical Disc. This little device is simply stunning, as well as incredibly compact; about the size of a small external FireWire hard drive such as the LaCie models. The PDW-U1 has the following features: USB 2.0 interface, single optical head with Max read of 120Mbps, support for phase1, 2 and 3 media, dual-layer ready, multiple file access, and bundled software utilities including PDZ-1 for Windows, PDZ-VX10 viewer for Windows, PDZK-P1 transfer software for Mac and utility firmware upgrade for Windows and Macintosh. The PDW-U1 will be available to buy in September for around £1800 list price.

PDW-U1 Specifications
USB 2.0 interface
Single optical head (120Mbps max read speed)
Supports all announced XDCAM media
Dual layer ready
Multiple file access
Free included software for Mac and PC

Then in your example you only need 2 SxS cards and a bunch of 23/50 GB Professional disks.

How would it connect to the PDW-U1 drive? Via USB? Didn't notice an USB port on the new cam, but OK - that's possible. However, I still think a computer will be necessary between XDCAM EX and the Pro Disc drive...

Don't get me wrong: I'm not complaining about the EX; on the contrary - I think it's very promising. However, it's supposed to be a compact camcorder; this implies mobility, and one cannot be truly mobile without means of dumping footage from the flash media every hour or two! So, as the B camera for a full XDCAM setup - great; as a traveller's companion - a no-go, I'm afraid! Not until the ExpressCard holding full hour of HQ HD price is similar to a miniDV tape. When? Yeah, perhaps sooner that we could imagine - but not tomorrow!

I must say this camera looks extremely promising. I am not sure if broadcasters ( ENG ) would accept footage from this as, the format (sxs) is not within their work flow structure ( well not for now at least). For the indie guy, an absolute winner. The PDW- U1, is going to be also a warm welcome, as in the past Sony's recording and playback machines were exceptionally high in price and the average man in the street couldn't afford them ( except for DVCAM) so HD for the masses.

Could anyone answer if, it will have a menu structure like the F330. Detail, Gamma, full Colour Matrix adjustable colour temp etc... and not of the likes of the hvx200 with a very stripped down menu and colour temp represented as + & -'s and not as kelvins.

I must say this camera looks extremely promising. I am not sure if broadcasters ( ENG ) would accept footage from this as, the format (sxs) is not within their work flow structure ( well not for now at least).

The format is XDCAM HD codec like the big brother cameras. Only the recording media has changed. I suspect there are, or will be, express card adapters to ingest into a system without an express card interface built in, albeit at the expense of transfer speed. Any broadcaster or network that can accept XDCAM HD material, will be able to work with this camera's material once it gets ingested.

As to your menu question, I didn't have a chance to go into the menus in my brief hands-on with the camera.

-gb-

Drag and drop using FAM connection with a firewire lead like you do with the current XDCAM system.

Simon, you mean firewire between the EX camera and a PC, right? This still leaves open the question of copying from SxS do HDD when the camera is in field, I'm afraid.

Fine, but how about those PC's that don't have PCI-Express interface? How will a SxS ExpressCard reader connect - if not to use the recorded clips directly, then at least for drag'n'drop copying to the HDD?

Well since most HD editing systems need a dual core system or at least a pretty good single chip it is safe to say that most HD editing systems should already have PCI Express.

PCI Express is the new standard and pretty much any motherboard built within the last two years will have at least one PCI Express slot. If you bought a motherboard a month ago that had no PCI Express slots it either is an ultra cheap quality motherboard or a very very old model. I cannot even find a motherboard anymore that has no PCI Express slots unless it is for an older single chip system such as a P4 Prescott or Northwood chip.

The only other motherboards which have no PCI Express slots are those designed for AGP video cards. Again however most of those motherboards are for older styles of chips and hardware and really are not the norm for HD editing systems.

Thomas, it's my understanding that Express Card 34 is different than PCI-e slot connectors on a motherboard. Express Card 34, is the PCMCIA replacement and is found on the newer laptop computers such as the Macbook Pro.

-gb-

Greg, The reply above was about a adpater I found to add a Express card slot to a desktop computer using a PCI Express slot. I posted a link to the adapter above which costs $59.00. Piotr's post was asking what people would do if their desktop computer didn't have any PCI Express slots for the adapter.

Greg, The reply above was about a adpater I found to add a Express card slot to a desktop computer using a PCI Express slot. I posted a link to the adapter above which costs $59.00. Piotr's post was asking what people would do if their desktop computer didn't have any PCI Express slots for the adapter.

Perhaps I am missing something here but is this the most simple solution? : http://www.transcendusa.com/Press/index.asp?LangNo=0&PrsNo=690&axn=Detail

Look at the second paragraph last sentence: "Moreover, Transcend’s ExpressCard/34 SSD comes bundled with a portable USB adapter, which makes it work as a regular USB flash drive. "

The way I read this - put the card in the adaptor and the USB 2.0 into the computer and you are up and running - or is this not what they meant? Once your XDCAM files are on the computer (desktop or laptop) then write them to the storage discs via PDW-U1 connected by USB 2.0?

This still leaves open the question of copying from SxS do HDD when the camera is in field, I'm afraid.

Yes, you are correct. However Sony have not said whether or not there might be other support devices. If you copied to another XDCAM device such as the U1 using the FAM connection then your data would be as safe as houses on an XDCAM disc instead of a hard drive.

The U1 would connect to the laptop at the same time as the EX. Then you would use the PDZ-1 software to perform an XDCAM device to XDCAM device transfer.

What would be ideal however would be if Sony made an XDCAM disc backup device that didn't require a connection to a laptop.

Barry,

This makes sense, but the consequence is you need a notebook to transfer your data from the SxS card to the notebook and then to Pro Disks. It would be preferable to have a USB2 connector on the EX and being able to directly transfer to Pro disk and leave out the notebook. Let's make that a feature request.

.

Any broadcaster or network that can accept XDCAM HD material, will be able to work with this camera's material once it gets ingested.

-gb-


Exactly ...This is what dictates the camera operators life in the world of shooting (except indie of course )and buying gear can be such a risk. You can only go with what broadcasters and post houses accept no matter how good a format / medium may be...
Here in the UK i havent seen that many XDCAM HD formats, also JVC pro HD is hardly mentioned !

Although I see the BBC embracing this camera for their tapeless solutions and am sure every other broadcaster will follow suit, then the post houses and freelance operators, it always seems to follow this pattern.

The Z1 (recording in SD) did phenomenally well here in the broadcast sector over the hvx200 and JVC GY HDxxx series . Now Sony has brought out essesntially an HD Solid State Z1 or mini 330 which everway you look at it, these will be sold out before they hit the shelves guaranteed.


to be honest if this thing has a colour matrix and detailed menu section, then it could be calibrated via DSC Charts to intercut with any of its bigger brothers or even transfer scene files ! BTW does it have access memory stick access ? ( deep breaths Stil, deep breaths)

Well since most HD editing systems need a dual core system or at least a pretty good single chip it is safe to say that most HD editing systems should already have PCI Express.

PCI Express is the new standard and pretty much any motherboard built within the last two years will have at least one PCI Express slot. If you bought a motherboard a month ago that had no PCI Express slots it either is an ultra cheap quality motherboard or a very very old model. I cannot even find a motherboard anymore that has no PCI Express slots unless it is for an older single chip system such as a P4 Prescott or Northwood chip.

The only other motherboards which have no PCI Express slots are those designed for AGP video cards. Again however most of those motherboards are for older styles of chips and hardware and really are not the norm for HD editing systems.

Thomas - silly me! Of course you're right; my Asus P5W-DH Deluxe does have PCI-Express slots (as about all modern motherboards do). What I gave up when choosing this mobo was PCI-X on another one from Tyan; I confused the two interfaces. Thanks!

Once your XDCAM files are on the computer (desktop or laptop) then write them to the storage discs via PDW-U1 connected by USB 2.0?

The PDZ-1 software makes the copying of files to another XDCAM device seamless and automatic. No need to manually copy files to the laptop and then copy them again to the U1.

The PDZ-1 software makes the copying of files to another XDCAM device seamless and automatic. No need to manually copy files to the laptop and then copy them again to the U1.

Simon, I have just read your excellent article on XDCAM workflow advantages on your webpage. I got even more excited, thank you! But now that I know more about it, I'm even more certain Sony would make a mistake of spoiling the almost perfect XDCAM workflow potential for the EX users, if they didn't make it possible to load off from the camera to the U1 directly (via USB, using camera software - without the need for a computer). With this capability, the lack of the Professional Disc in the camera would not create any problems, while allowing for the small and compact form factor. Once written to the U1 even in field, the video would get safely archived, and could than be worked upon in exactly the same, smart and efficient way the XDCAM can be by default. I hope Sony is listening - it's not too late!

Very exciting new opportunities with the EX. It will dramatically change a lot in the business and many of us can benefit from that.
I wonder in the same time what is being cooked at Canon's kitchen today. Very silent, as usually - but they might come out with a competitor product. They obviously have to move towards tapeless solutions otherwise their cams would become obsolete (given the price point their high end cam positioned to).
I wont be surprised if they would launch tapeless solution with interchangeable Canon lenses (and adaptor for Canon still lens range). That would be a very interesting situation given EX will have fixed lens.

But you've got me thinking. What about a Firestore type device which attachs to an existing tape based camera (DSR450 or whatever), but records to SxS as opposed to it's own hard drive?

Or conversely, what about a portable tape recorder that could create a simultaneous archive of whatever you were shooting with the XDCAM ex? It would be nice to have a cheaper archive media option. I'm sure XDCAM disks are good long-term archival options for edited masters, but at $30 per hour-long XDCAM disk vs. $3 per hour-long DV/HDV tape, it's less attractive for long-form documentary, for example.

Is there any reason you COULDN'T record an XDCAM signal to a DV/HDV tape? What comes out of that firewire port on the XDCAM EX camera? Downconverted DVCAM, OR HD imx? How about the HD-SDI port?

Or, how about consumer Blu-Ray disks?

Or conversely, what about a portable tape recorder that could create a simultaneous archive of whatever you were shooting with the XDCAM ex? It would be nice to have a cheaper archive media option. I'm sure XDCAM disks are good long-term archival options for edited masters, but at $30 per hour-long XDCAM disk vs. $3 per hour-long DV/HDV tape, it's less attractive for long-form documentary, for example.

Is there any reason you COULDN'T record an XDCAM signal to a DV/HDV tape? What comes out of that firewire port on the XDCAM EX camera? Downconverted DVCAM, OR HD imx? How about the HD-SDI port?

Or, how about consumer Blu-Ray disks?

The tape mechanism and the logic behind it allows for 25 Mbps streams on DV/HDV (only in CBR), not the HQ 35 Mbps XDCAM streams. The firewire port on the EX delivers a 35 Mbps VBR MPEG stream, captured through FAM.

The firewire port on the EX delivers a 35 Mbps VBR MPEG stream, captured through FAM.

It doesn't stream footage in FAM mode. FAM mode is a file transfer mode whereby your PC or Mac treats the camera or other XDCAM device like an additional drive. You then drag and drop the files like you would with any other hard drive or CD/DVD etc.

Or conversely, what about a portable tape recorder that could create a simultaneous archive of whatever you were shooting with the XDCAM ex?
I see a period when some clients may continue to want delivery on tape, whilst others may prefer it file based, whether via SxS, Firestore or whatever. My suggestion was to have some tapeless benefits, without the capital outlay on a new camera, and at the same time become compatible with anyone else using SxS. Compared to a conventional Firestore, one based around SxS should use less power, and if you have more than one card the first card could be taken away to begin editing whilst filming continues on a second card.

It doesn't stream footage in FAM mode. FAM mode is a file transfer mode whereby your PC or Mac treats the camera or other XDCAM device like an additional drive. You then drag and drop the files like you would with any other hard drive or CD/DVD etc.

Sorry, incorrect use of words, glad for the correction. It is one thing to talk about the way data are recorded, another to talk about the transfer of these files.

Being new to the XDCAM technology, I've been wondering: why does the EX camera need such a bulky body? I mean - not having a tape or disc mechanism - it could basically consist of the lens and battery, with the chassis just big enough to accept two SxS ExpressCards... Can anyone shed some light on what the fat, boxy rear part of it must have room for, apart from those tiny PCB's?

Being new to the XDCAM technology, I've been wondering: why does the EX camera need such a bulky body? I mean - not having a tape or disc mechanism - it could basically consist of the lens and battery, with the chassis just big enough to accept two SxS ExpressCards... Can anyone shed some light what the fat, boxy rear part of it must have room for, apart from those tiny PCB's?

Well I think given that the cards are fairly long would be one reason.
Plus there's a fair amount of electronics in there, all the audio gear seems to be at the rear, then there's the HD-SDI circuitry and the battery goes in sideways so probably not a lot of wiggle room in the end.

Also this camera seems designed to take follow focus gear, both the focus and iris rings have real teeth, yippee! If and when you put a matte box and FF gear on the front the body width will not look out of place.

One comment I did make to the nice engineer from Sony, the dang XLRs are in the wrong place. Sony finally got it right on the Z1 and have since gone backwards. However given that the lens seems to be driven by an external servo motor maybe they had no choice.

Other thing that no one seems to have picked up. It looks like the only video output is HD-SDI, so if want to hookup an external monitor it's going to have to have a HD-SDI input which means not cheap. Not that I'm complaining, for the quality this camera looks set to deliver I couldn't see much point in doing otherwise.

Just to get more than a bit off topic. Sony also have a HDV version of the PD 250 in the works, at last. 3 hours of HDV to tape should keep quite a few of us very happy.
Even more off topic and price range, a 2/3" 4:2:2 Cinealta XDCAM camera at around $50K. That's a very good offering also.

To get back on topic, the EX has another small but significant change from the usual Sony practice, the DC power connector is non proprietary. A 4 pin XLR would have been nicer but added a lot of bulk.

Looking at Chris' pics it doesn't seem to be very big:
http://www.dvinfo.net/conf/showpost.php?p=662125&postcount=79

Chris, how big is it compared to a V1 or Z1?

It's just a little larger than the Z1. I'd say that the size relationship between the Z1 and the EX is similar to the relationship between the V1 and the Z1.

It's just a little larger than the Z1. I'd say that the size relationship between the Z1 and the EX is similar to the relationship between the V1 and the Z1.

...and since the size relationship between the Z1 and V1 is quite considerable, the EX is quite bulky, after all - which confirms my first impression.

Oh, and one more, Boyd - do you think Bob is right in his assumptions it doesn't offer any outputs besides the i.LINK and HD-SDI? No component, HDMI - nothing to just plug in and watch on a regular HDTV?

I agree with Bob on why it's so wide. They have the ExpressCards slotting in from the side so it has to be at least as wide as the cards are long, plus a little extra for the connector, circuit board and camera body. The ExpressCard/34 are 75mm long (about 3") so add that something extra and the camera is probably about 4"-4.5" wide (I'm guessing). The back of the V1U on the other hand, is much narrower, being just a little wider than the width of the battery, because the tape transport is in the handgrip.

Bob, I don't think the focus ring has any gears, though.