Sony HXR-MC50E

[Ron Evans]

More info Sony Product Detail Page - HXRMC50U Brochure too.

Ron Evans

[Dave Blackhurst]

Ron -
Did you actually get the .pdf? Link seems to be broken for me, get the 404 page...

I'm still curious as to what if any features will be added in firmware. From the product page, I'm not seeing anything the CX550 doesn't have (other than the hood, mic, and bigger battery standard).

The CX550V is turning out to be a pretty good little balanced package by itself, the stock FV50 battery isn't half bad, got a couple cheap, and the FH70... I'm going to get a lens hood (whopping $10 on eBay from HK seller), although I'm not having any lens flare issues worth worrying about so far.

[Ron Evans]

Yes I got the pdf. Doesn't say very much though. I was hoping for zebra or gain control but it seems it is a CX550 in a different colour with larger battery, lens hood and mic. Will wait and see if there are actually any differences.

Ron Evans

[Bill Koehler]

I noticed it at B & H here:

http://www.bhphotovideo.com/c/product/707153-REG/Sony_HXR_MC50U_HXR_MC50U_Ultra_Compact_Pro.html

I don't think it received any features over and above the HDR-CX550. What I find funny is this thing being grouped with the HXR product line and the AX2000 being grouped with the HDR product line.

[Dave Blackhurst]

I'm really puzzled by the MC50 - usually they'd add at least a FEW features in firmware... yet there's been no indication that they did anything beyond a hood, mic, and making the FV70 big battery standard instead of the FV50 that comes with the CX550V.

Has anyone actually gotten hands on one of these to dig through the menus and see if there's any "goodies" hidden in there? Can't find any reviews so far, at least none that were accurate enough to be trustworthy, and none reporting any "added features".

[Marc Salvatore]

I'm trying to find out if they added zebras. Even my SR11 has zebras. Is that somehow not considered a pro feature by Sony anymore???

[Paul Rickford]

I have just purchased the MC50E and can 100% confirm that the firmware is exactly the same as the 550, no more no less, no problem for me as I want to use it for multi cam work with my XR550

The lens hood by the way screws into the filter thread and locks onto a stud on the left hand side to stop it spinning around, very neat but no way of attaching a filter, the whole thing with the mic attached is a well balanced go anywhere package.

[Ron Evans]

So the MC50E is a CX550 with lens hood, larger battery, mic and in a different colour?

Ron Evans

[Dave Blackhurst]

Um, wow... well, I spent less than 10 bucks to put a hood on my CX550 and picked up a couple FV70 batteries from "return" sellers on eBay for cheap. Guess that works...

Sometimes I really wonder what logic Sony uses when making some of the design decisions. Although I do like the CX550 overall, I stil want to know who put the tripod socket completely off center...

And it wouldn't have killed 'em to put zebras, alternate frame rates and maybe a few other pro features in the menus.

[Nick Smith]

Originally Posted by Dave Blackhurst

I'm really puzzled by the MC50 - usually they'd add at least a FEW features in firmware... yet there's been no indication that they did anything beyond a hood, mic, and making the FV70 big battery standard instead of the FV50 that comes with the CX550V.

Has anyone actually gotten hands on one of these to dig through the menus and see if there's any "goodies" hidden in there? Can't find any reviews so far, at least none that were accurate enough to be trustworthy, and none reporting any "added features".

Saw your post last week, had a delay in registering to post a reply.

Did try to buy one but the last one of the first batch was demoing in Scotland! I'd just left!
The lens cap opens the cover when the camcorder is powered up, it has better cosmetics and the accessotries include the lead to connnect to an HD, a mini USB A male to USB A female, not included with the cx550. (All apart from the fancy cap available seperately).
As far as I can see no zebras and no timelapse, this was available on my old pdx10, but not my A1, do I go with Panasonic 700 which has it?
Is it worth £250 more, well there is that 2 year guarantee in the UK, I'll keep thinking for now.
Nick

[Dave Blackhurst]

I still don't see the big advantage of the MC50U over the CX550V, when they are effectively the same camera. Yes, you should have the big battery, that's a given, multiple batteries... the FV50 included with the CX550 isn't bad... just add a FV70.

Finding a lens hood that doesn't show up on the side edges of the wide end of the lens isn't easy - I did have to modify my sub $10 hoods... but they do the trick.

So that leaves the mic and the warranty, and apparently a couple cables. I'd rather have seen zebras, and some other features in the firmware to make it compelling.

[Bill Koehler]

Originally Posted by Dave Blackhurst

So that leaves the mic and the warranty, and apparently a couple cables. I'd rather have seen zebras, and some other features in the firmware to make it compelling.

And if you already have a decent mic, which you would expect at this market price level, and most of us do, that leaves the warranty and a couple of cables. Not what I would call a compelling sales pitch.

[Andrew Maclaurin]

does this only film in interlaced?
also for editing in a PPC mac with FC 6.0.6 i guess i would need to transcode to prores? would mpegstreamclip do the job?
would this edit well with my canon7D which is progressive? i guess i'd need to convert to progressive?
can anyone help?

[Andy Wilkinson]

Hi Andrew,

You might want to look at this newer, cheaper, and I suspect potentially better alternative...and it can shoot in a great progressive format too!

http://www.dvinfo.net/forum/digital-...camcorder.html

[Paulo Teixeira]

Your better off with the new CX700 since it adds native 24p and 60p. The MC50 only shoots interlaced.